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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..355e627 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #63032 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63032) diff --git a/old/63032-h.zip b/old/63032-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index deedc85..0000000 --- a/old/63032-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63032-h/63032-h.htm b/old/63032-h/63032-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 7822afa..0000000 --- a/old/63032-h/63032-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1800 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=us-ascii" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of One Against the Stars, by Vaseleos Garson. - </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; -} - - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of One Against the Stars, by Vaseleos Garson - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: One Against the Stars - -Author: Vaseleos Garson - -Release Date: August 24, 2020 [EBook #63032] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ONE AGAINST THE STARS *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>One Against The Stars</h1> - -<h2>By VASELEOS GARSON</h2> - -<p>Earth's last hope against the vicious<br /> -radio-plague. A gleaming ship racing to<br /> -bring salvation back from Venus. And hidden<br /> -on the ship a thirteenth man—a plague<br /> -carrier whose touch brought screaming death.</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Planet Stories Summer 1944.<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>This was it. Its slim bright shape was Earth's last hope.</p> - -<p>What matter the sweat, the blood and the tears that had gone into each -rivet, every plate? What matter the eyes blurred and dulled with plans, -blueprints? What matter the cost.</p> - -<p>This was it.</p> - -<p>It was done.</p> - -<p>They stood there—the riveters, the welders; the draughtsmen, the -engineers; the mathematicians, the technicians—and there glowed in -their eyes a living flame.</p> - -<p>This was the ship of hope.</p> - -<p>Its rockets flickered into blue flames. Their soft purr of power -deepened. Abruptly, the earth was trembling to the throaty roar of -rockets.</p> - -<p>In its long steel-rollered cradle, the ship trembled.</p> - -<p>One of the workers, his denim trousers grease-stained, bending down, -scooped up a handful of the dust at his feet, flung it at the shining -ship.</p> - -<p>"Just for luck," he said.</p> - -<p>In the glass bulge atop the shining ship, John Bairn, the pilot, licked -feverish lips. He brushed the black hair away from his gray eyes. His -stubby fingers raced over the keys of the control panel before him.</p> - -<p>His right hand touched—almost reverently—the scarlet handle of the -firing lever.</p> - -<p>He pushed the lever forward one notch ... two ... three....</p> - -<p>He braced himself in the hydraulic-cushioned pilot's chair.</p> - -<p>"Venus, here we come!"</p> - -<p>The rockets roared faintly even in this sound-proofed cubicle. Then the -pounding blood in his ears washed out all other sound. The pounding in -his ears grew throatier, louder.</p> - -<p>The 9G acceleration blacked him out.</p> - -<p>That dive was a little too steep, he was thinking, first time I ever -blacked out with somebody on my tail. He jerked his head around to see -where the butcher was. And then he remembered.</p> - -<p>He looked ahead. The stars were steady white flames in the black pool -of space. Ah, there it was! The pale green flame that was Venus.</p> - -<p>Somewhere, there, lay Earth's salvation.</p> - -<p>Arlington Arden, the metal expert, came into the cubicle then, his -blond face pale.</p> - -<p>"Some shove, huh?" he opined.</p> - -<p>Bairn nodded, his gray eyes watched the orientation chart whose red and -green and yellow lights were flickering in the rhythm that showed they -were on the mathematically-charted course.</p> - -<p>"Think the stuff is really there, Arlie?" Bairn questioned.</p> - -<p>"We're staking our lives on it, John."</p> - -<p>"Yeah, and the lives of a billion like us. What if it isn't?"</p> - -<p>"Venus' spectrum shows its presence. It's not an emanation that is -easily duplicated. If it isn't, it's too much of a grim joke—because -the money in this ship could have paid for a thousand experiments. My -Mary's got a touch of blue coloring in her skin—the first symptom, -y'know."</p> - -<p>"Sorry," Bairn said, and his voice was soft.</p> - -<p>"Beautiful," Arden said. "I hope Mary can see it sometime." He was -looking out at space, his arms clasped behind him. "It's not like I -thought, though—this being the first humans to see the stars away from -earth." He stopped.</p> - -<p>"It's so damn big and beautiful it hurts," he said at last.</p> - -<p>"Yeah, I know," Bairn put in. "It makes guys like us feel cheap and -small."</p> - -<p>"No!" The word was explosive. Bairn jerked around in the pilot's cradle -and stared. Arden had a frown on his forehead.</p> - -<p>"And who in blue blazes are you?" Bairn snapped.</p> - -<p>"Joe," the big blocky youngster said, as if that explained everything.</p> - -<p>"Joe, huh?" Bairn grunted. "How did you get on this ship?"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Joe's brown eyes stared steadily at Bairn, and his big shoulders -shrugged. "I stowed away." And then as the two stared blankly at him, -he hurried on:</p> - -<p>"I had to. Really. There's a legend in our family that a man named Joe -will be the first to reach the stars. It was promised way back when. So -I had to come. I had to!"</p> - -<p>Bairn grunted again. "Isn't much we can do about it now, I guess. But -you'll have to earn your way. What can you do?"</p> - -<p>Joe grinned—a big grin that made Bairn and Arden smile.</p> - -<p>He shrugged and grinned again. "I don't know. But I'll be good for -something. You'll see."</p> - -<p>"All right. Arlie, will you take him down to the rocket room? Maybe the -gang can find something for him to do."</p> - -<p>"Come on, Joe," Arden said.</p> - -<p>Joe shook his head. "Not just yet," he answered. "I'd like to tell you -something first." He pointed out toward the stars. "A minute ago, you -said"—he nodded at Bairn—"this makes us feel cheap and small.</p> - -<p>"You're wrong. You're just afraid. All this is man's—yours, mine, -ours. It's just so darn big, we don't realize it. But this is our -destiny—that's what the prophet said a long time ago. It took a -disease like that sweeping the Earth now to get us here. But we're -here. The stars are our destiny. No sense in being otherwise. No sense -in feeling cheap and small." He stopped, looked at Bairn and Arden.</p> - -<p>"Don't you feel it?" Joe asked. "This first time the Earth shackles are -loosed? Don't you feel the power and understanding and strength the -stars give you out here?</p> - -<p>"This is where I belong," Joe said. "Out here where you can see what -you're reaching for. That's why I had to come." He stopped and a slow -embarrassed flush crept over his face.</p> - -<p>"See what I mean?"</p> - -<p>Surprisingly, it was Bairn who answered:</p> - -<p>"Thanks, kid, you're good for something all right. I don't know what it -is about you, but you give a guy a sense of—peace, I guess you'd say."</p> - -<p>"Belonging?" Arden put in. "That it, Johnny?"</p> - -<p>"Yeah, that's it," Bairn said, and turned back to his orientation -board. "So run along, kid."</p> - -<p>Arlie Arden, leading the way down the circular staircase that went to -the power room, said abruptly:</p> - -<p>"You're no city man, are you, Joe? I've never seen cloth like that made -in the cities. That tunic you're wearing looks like it's made up for -the north forests."</p> - -<p>"No," Joe answered shortly, "I'm not a city man. I'm a wooder." They -left the stairway, moved along a tube passage.</p> - -<p>"Not a member of that crazy cult that wants a back-to-the-forests -movement?"</p> - -<p>Joe's denial was quick, and Arden looked at him sharply. The stowaway -was looking down at his toes as he walked on. Arden shrugged.</p> - -<p>"Here," Arden said at last, stopping before a huge oval door that -jutted from the tube. He twisted a wheel on the door, pushed the heavy -portal open.</p> - -<p>Arden watched the stowaway as he stepped into the power room. Joe -stopped and his brown eyes lifted first, then dropped down to rest on -the huge generators that were making the air pulse with vibration. Then -his eyes moved to the huge dull-metal bulk that occupied the whole far -end of the power room. His gaze took in the feeder pipe that evenly -cleaved the huge bulk of the machine in half; the long neat rows of -switches and valves that broke the austere front of the power plant.</p> - -<p>Joe breathed deep once then turned questioningly to Arden who was -watching him.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"That's what drives the ship, Joe," Arden said. "Reduced to its simple -terms it's an atom smasher. Hidden deep within that bulky outfit lies -a block of uranium, constantly bombarded with electrons made a trifle -heavier by running up against a magnetic current operating at right -angles to them. The resultant disturbance of the uranium is harnessed -and fed into the rocket tubes."</p> - -<p>Arden glanced at Joe whose eyes were fixed on the feeder pipe.</p> - -<p>"That's a funny thing, Joe, that pipe you're looking at."</p> - -<p>"Why?"</p> - -<p>"Through that pipe comes water."</p> - -<p>"Water?"</p> - -<p>Arden nodded. "For some reason that not even the technicians who worked -on that plant know, microscopic jets of water have to be hurled into -the chamber with the bombarding particles to cause proper power."</p> - -<p>"Water?" Joe asked. "You drive this ship with water?"</p> - -<p>Arden smiled. "Yes, water and the help—not negligible either—of -uranium. It'll take exactly two hundred and twelve gallons of water to -drive to Venus, and the same amount back—at least that's what Black -Tom figures." Arden nodded to the huge dark-skinned, black-haired man -in white coveralls who stood by an instrument panel, checking figures -off on a clip board he held.</p> - -<p>"Come on, Joe," Arden said, heading for a ladder that was bolted to -the wall at one side of the huge power room. Joe followed up the -ladder, was on the heels of Arden as the metal expert crawled through a -cubbyhole at the top.</p> - -<p>"See?" Arden said straightening up. "Water."</p> - -<p>Joe looked at the row of horizontal metal cylinders that stretched -before him. The tops of them were a foot taller than his head, and he -moved to the side, and counted aloud to eleven before Arden said:</p> - -<p>"We might starve and go naked, but we'll never run out of catalyst or -get thirsty," Arden opined. "Each of those tanks holds six hundred -gallons and there're twenty-four of them."</p> - -<p>Joe moved to the nearest of the tanks, rubbed his hands on the moist -surfacing and commented absently:</p> - -<p>"It feels like velvet."</p> - -<p>Arden laughed a little. "Come on, Joe, I'll turn you over to Black Tom -and he'll put you to work doing something. He never likes to see anyone -idle."</p> - -<p>They crawled out of the wall cubby and down the ladder. A second -white-garbed man had joined the power room head and they were talking -together as Arden and Joe approached.</p> - -<p>"That's Whitey Burnet," Arden said, and started, for Joe had halted -dead in his tracks.</p> - -<p>Black Tom Morrissey and Burnet turned then. Morrissey said, "Hello, -Arlie," briefly and turned back to his gauge panel. Burnet stood rigid -for a moment at the sight of Joe.</p> - -<p>Then with three quick strides Burnet was at Joe. He said softly:</p> - -<p>"Damn you, Joe." And lashed out with a hard fist. The blow caught Joe -on the cheek, cutting the skin, and staggering him momentarily.</p> - -<p>Joe started to swing his browned fist up, then slowly he lowered it. He -looked at Burnet with quiet brown eyes.</p> - -<p>"I can't hit you, Paul. You know that."</p> - -<p>Paul's face was white. "No," he said, and he was almost bitter. "I know -that." Then he turned his back on Joe and walked away.</p> - -<p>Arden's blue eyes watched the by-play, observed:</p> - -<p>"Whitey doesn't like you very much, huh?"</p> - -<p>Joe's brown eyes were dull looking as he pulled his gaze from Burnet's -retreating back and looked at Arden.</p> - -<p>"No," he said, and his voice was flat. "Paul doesn't like me much." -With an effort he smiled, added: "Shall we find out what I can do?"</p> - -<p>Arden nodded....</p> - -<p>Joe Wilding met the rest of the crew at the arbitrary meal that was -termed supper.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Joe came in behind Arden, and unobtrusively slid to one side of the -door, and watched the men around the table laughing and joking.</p> - -<p>Arden said:</p> - -<p>"Fellas, I'd like you to meet a new crew member."</p> - -<p>The laughing and joking stopped, and the eyes of eleven men measured -Joe Wilding. Black Tom winked at Joe and went back to his eating. -Whitey Burnet, after a brief angry glance, turned back to his plate.</p> - -<p>Arden added: "His name is Joe Wilding."</p> - -<p>The others at the table smiled, nodded or spoke according to their -habits—except one, a nervous redhead, who stared at Joe.</p> - -<p>Then he looked around at the others at the table. He was a little -apologetic.</p> - -<p>The redhead said: "I know this guy. I piloted the ship that took him to -the Rock for sedition. I don't think we want him on the ship. He's one -of those wild ones who tried to kidnap the president."</p> - -<p>Arden grunted: "I thought so."</p> - -<p>Burnet, his normally ruddy face white, reared to his feet:</p> - -<p>"No!" he shouted. "You're wrong, Herd. He was pardoned. I know. They -found he had nothing to do with the kidnaping."</p> - -<p>"Maybe so," Charlie Herd, assistant pilot said, still apologetically. -"But I know I took him to the Rock—and I didn't hear anything after -that about him. But he's the same guy.</p> - -<p>"He was a wild one," Herd said almost dreamily. "He knocked out two of -the guards, grabbed one of the chutes and was almost out of the ship -before I rolled the crate over and bashed him against the cabin wall."</p> - -<p>Whitey Burnet's face was still white. "Look," he said. "I don't like -Joe, but it's something personal. The tribunal found him innocent, so -why not give him a chance?"</p> - -<p>Arden turned to Joe who still stood by the side of the door, his -handsome bronzed face stiff.</p> - -<p>"Well?" Arden asked.</p> - -<p>Joe smiled. He said, looking at the red-headed Herd:</p> - -<p>"You're right as far as you went. I was taken to the Rock. I did try -to break loose. The tribunal found me not guilty and apologized. I was -released. And here I am."</p> - -<p>Herd looked back at Joe, and then he smiled, half-apologetically:</p> - -<p>"I'll take you at face value. You look all right."</p> - -<p>"Thanks," Joe said.</p> - -<p>Bob and Ronnie Guetschow, the bulky professor twins, broke the ensuing -silence with:</p> - -<p>"Come on and eat." The ice broke silently. Arden motioned Joe toward an -empty chair at the table. Joe moved forward, then stopped as his eyes -counted the men at the table.</p> - -<p>"Sit down, Joe," Arden grunted, picking himself a convenient, padded -chair.</p> - -<p>Surprisingly, Joe shook his head. "No," he said, and for the first time -he looked embarrassed. There was a slight flush under his tan.</p> - -<p>The table talk stopped again. George Keating, the thin, wiry electrical -engineer, said half-jokingly:</p> - -<p>"Afraid you'll get contaminated?"</p> - -<p>Joe's tan skin lost its red of embarrassment, twisted strangely.</p> - -<p>"Sorry," put in Keating hastily. "Only joking."</p> - -<p>Joe swallowed. Then: "I'm just superstitious, I guess." The words -rushed out. "If I sit down, that'll make thirteen."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Ed Parman, black-haired assistant to Black Tom, jumped hastily to -his feet. "Good gravy, he's right. You sit down, Joe, I'll finish my -pudding in the corner."</p> - -<p>Joe said: "Sit down. I'm used to discomfort. I'm a wooder." He grinned. -Parman grinned back, started in on his pudding.</p> - -<p>Joe, the men were to notice in the coming days, seemed to make a point -of never eating with the bunch after that. But he did it so smoothly, -it wasn't offensive....</p> - -<p>Venus, in the days that followed, grew from a tiny yellow-green flame, -that Bairn, the pilot, had noticed in the first hours of the flight, -to a white globe, just hinting a tint of blue, that began to fill the -heavens before him.</p> - -<p>Joe, on an off hour from the power room, sat quietly in the co-pilot's -chair, drinking in the planet. He and Bairn, usually so taciturn, had -talked much in the days of the flight.</p> - -<p>This day, when Joe came in, Bairn looked at him with a strange twist -to his mouth. He said nothing for quite a while, the two just sitting -there, Joe looking up and ahead, Bairn, apparently preoccupied with -figures on his charts.</p> - -<p>Finally Bairn said:</p> - -<p>"Has Arden said anything to you?"</p> - -<p>Joe shook his head. "No," he said. "Why?"</p> - -<p>Bairn, apparently speaking absentmindedly, said:</p> - -<p>"Arlie's wife, Mary, has the radio disease. She's in the first stage. -Has the blue coloring. It means everything to Arlie that this ship -gets to Venus and back. Venus has the only radio-active static compound -that matches the stuff from the meteorite."</p> - -<p>"Yes," Joe said. "I know. It was only luck that scientist, Struthers, -had that meteorite in the room with him when he had the disease. It -cured him. And then scientists and astronomers searched star spectrums -to find a match for the color scheme that they found in the meteorite -metal."</p> - -<p>"This ship," Bairn put in, "cost billions; it meant the first real -cooperative program the world's nations ever had. It would be ghastly -if one man caused the destruction of Earth's last hope from doom. -Wouldn't it, Joe?"</p> - -<p>Joe's face was grim as he nodded.</p> - -<p>"How would you feel if you were to blame for drowning out humanity, -Joe?"</p> - -<p>Joe stood up, and his body was shaking.</p> - -<p>"Tell me, Joe," Bairn said quietly. "Why have you kept yourself from -eating with the rest of the guys? Why is it when you come here you're -always smelling of antiseptic?"</p> - -<p>There were tears in Joe's brown eyes when he faced Bairn.</p> - -<p>"Okay, John, what shall I do?"</p> - -<p>"There's not much harm done yet? Arlie says that in the first stages, -it's only communicable by contact. But once it gets past that first -stage, it goes hog wild.</p> - -<p>"Tell me, Joe, when did the nauseous attacks first come?"</p> - -<p>Joe's brown eyes were dead. "Two days before the ship left."</p> - -<p>"You were willing to sacrifice mankind just to see the stars yourself, -Joe?"</p> - -<p>It was Arlie Arden who came in quietly, then.</p> - -<p>"No," said Joe, and then he looked at the two of them.</p> - -<p>"Believe me," he said, and his voice was deep, vibrant. "I was drawn to -the ship by a power greater than any of us. I knew the terrible gamble. -For if this ship crashes before it gets back to Earth with that Venus -ore, it means the end of man.</p> - -<p>"I knew that. Everything my mind said pointed out the consequences. -My mind said no in every possible way. But ... my mind had no chance -against the impulse that drove me aboard ship.</p> - -<p>"Somehow I know that my presence on board this ship means the salvation -of mankind...." He shook his head at Arden whose lips were pursed to -speak.</p> - -<p>"It's not egotism or some crack-brained idea. I couldn't rest until I -was aboard ship. I'm chosen to do something to preserve mankind, not -destroy it. It's just as if something bigger than me or you or the -universe had taken hold of me, placed me here."</p> - -<p>Arden said: "Do you know what we're going to do to you, Joe?"</p> - -<p>Joe looked at him steadily as Arden drew a gun from his pocket. "We're -going to kill you and throw you out in space. It's the only way to keep -you from contaminating the rest of us."</p> - -<p>Joe said: "You can't." Simply, he said it.</p> - -<p>Bairn said quietly. "We will, Joe."</p> - -<p>Arden lipped: "Do you think we can value one life against Earth's -billions? This is the ship of hope, Joe. This is Earth's last chance. -If we fail, it's the end. For once the disease starts, there is no -stopping it."</p> - -<p>He leveled the automatic "Good-bye, Joe."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Joe's body slumped, almost in weakness. Then he galvanized into a human -whirlwind. The gun cracked but Joe was not there. He'd spun quickly, -diving for the cubicle door, flinging a chart as he fled. The flying -chart disturbed Arden's aim. The gun blasted, and Joe felt the wind of -the bullet fanning his cheek.</p> - -<p>Then Joe was in the sloping passageway, sliding down the ramp. He heard -the crack and the banshee wail as another bullet struck the duralloy -wall and ricocheted.</p> - -<p>He hurled his body toward the branch passage that led toward the -power room, and then a communications speaker ahead of him cried out, -bringing Arden's voice from the pilot's cubicle:</p> - -<p>"Kill Joe Wilding—but for your life don't touch him!"</p> - -<p>Joe stopped running abruptly then.</p> - -<p>He was trapped, for that communications system had outlets all over the -ship, and it wouldn't do to advertise his presence by running. Only the -stealth he'd learned in his years of wooding could help him now.</p> - -<p>But what good was all his wood training in this huge hulk of shining -metal? No chance for camouflage, no chance to dive into a creek and -swim away so that your spoor could be lost in the swirling water.</p> - -<p>And then Joe smiled and began to run softly. He had a place to hide if -he could make it. The quick pat of hurrying steps stopped him short and -his quick mind hurled his body to the side of the passage and asprawl -on the floor where the lights cast a shadow.</p> - -<p>It was Paul Burnet hurrying up the passage, the light glinting on the -butt of the automatic belted at his waist. Only for an instant did -Burnet hesitate, then he ran on. His voice drifted back softly:</p> - -<p>"I'm giving <i>you</i> another chance. We're even now, Joe."</p> - -<p>Joe rose to his feet and hurried on to the power room. Joe halted, -breathing deeply. Black Tom would be too interested in his charts to -hear what little sound he might make.</p> - -<p>At the huge oval door leading into the power room, Joe halted, -breathing deeply. Then, quietly, easily, he swung open the heavy door, -stepped inside, his eyes searching for Black Tom.</p> - -<p>Softly, he pulled the portal closed, stood there breathing in long, -quiet breaths. Then he moved across the huge power room, feet moving as -cautiously as if he were stalking a deer in the autumn woods.</p> - -<p>Black Tom's head was bent over a report sheet, his fingers were busy -with a pencil. He shook his head, and Joe was motionless. Then a -chuckle came from Black Tom's lips, and under cover of the sound, Joe -made for the ladder leading to the water compartment.</p> - -<p>Black Tom's head lifted as if startled; his head began to turn toward -the exit door. Joe went up the ladder like a frightened monkey, fairly -blasted himself through the cubbyhole at the top and then rolled -quietly inside.</p> - -<p>He lay there, his heart pounding with the quick exertion as he heard -Black Tom's footsteps moving across the floor. He held his breath; -Black Tom's grunt of puzzlement came muted to his ears. The footsteps -returned to the chart table, and Joe risked a look to see Black Tom's -head once more bent in study.</p> - -<p>Joe lifted himself to his feet, went over and touched the wet surface -of the first of the water cylinders reverently. He walked on down the -line, patting each of the huge tanks till he had reached the last.</p> - -<p>His arms reached up, his hands gripped the top of the cylinder and the -sinewy muscles in his back and arms lifted himself to the top of it. -Then he slid down from the top into the wedge shaped space between the -circumference of the tank and the bulwark of the wall.</p> - -<p>This was sanctuary, Joe thought. Like a cave in the forest when the -wolf-pack keened out their howls for your blood. Only different. For it -was your friends who wanted to kill you.</p> - -<p>In the darkness, Joe's teeth gleamed in a quick smile.</p> - -<p>Then Joe fell asleep.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Arden was weary when he met John Bairn coming down from his time of -duty in the pilot cubicle.</p> - -<p>"He's gone," Arden said. "Just as if he had stepped out into space. Now -we're worse off than ever."</p> - -<p>Bairn nodded, said: "I get it. If he's on this ship, he'll have to come -in for food; we won't know what he's touched. Maybe one of the more -susceptible among us with a scratch may touch something he had and -won't know. The infected one will pass like the touch of death among -us."</p> - -<p>Arden said: "Everything we know he might have touched has been -destroyed or disinfected, but there may have been something we missed. -Damn him!" Arden's voice was flat, hopeless.</p> - -<p>"It's hard to imagine Joe as the destroyer he is. I talked to him by -the hour. I liked him; and even now, when I know what a potential of -death he is—that's what makes me so damn mad."</p> - -<p>"Tomorrow," Arden said abruptly. "Tomorrow we'll know if this cruise is -in vain."</p> - -<p>Bairn amended it: "Tomorrow, we land on Venus; if the stuff's there, -okay. If it isn't, we won't have to worry about Joe Wilding any more."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Joe didn't know what time it was when it happened. But he knew the -first leg of the journey was over.</p> - -<p>That steady thrumming of the motors that had worked its way into his -body so that it had become a part of him drew away gradually and left -a sense of emptiness behind.</p> - -<p>Joe climbed down from his hiding place, flexed his cramped muscles -and stood erect. He faced the wall, the blank duralloy steel wall and -stared as if his eyes could pierce the opaqueness and look out upon -Venus.</p> - -<p>He stood there a long time, his hands clenched into hard fists at his -side, bright-eyed and staring.</p> - -<p>"God!" he whispered.</p> - -<p>How did it look out there on Venus—on that planet when this first -earth ship landed? Was it like Earth—friendly, familiar? Or inimical, -alien?</p> - -<p>If he came out now, he could see it with his own wondering eyes—and -die. If he stayed here, he might never see it. But his mission was not -fulfilled. Somehow, quite clearly, he realized that.</p> - -<p>So Joe crawled back into his metal cave, into the darkness.</p> - -<p>The only sound in the quiet water compartment was a muffled sobbing.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Arden it was who closed the heavy door to the chamber.</p> - -<p>"That's it," he said, and his voice was a caress. "There's enough of -it in that lead-lined vault to rid the world. It's up to you, John, to -take us safely home."</p> - -<p>Some one of the men said: "How about Wilding?"</p> - -<p>A hush came to the room, a silence tight and somehow menacing.</p> - -<p>Arden's voice was harsh: "He can't hurt us now. We have the metal to -cure us if he should contaminate us."</p> - -<p>Whitey Burnet said: "Why not cure him?"</p> - -<p>"No," said Arden. "I have the key to the vault. If one of us is -infected, I'll open it and treat him. But Joe Wilding deserves to die. -It wasn't his fault that we are still uninfected. He was willing to -destroy the Earth in order to be here. That threat is gone now, but he -must suffer."</p> - -<p>"Arlie," Bairn said softly. "Would Mary want you to let Joe Wilding -die?"</p> - -<p>Arden spoke coldly: "Did Wilding care about Mary when he stowed away on -this ship?"</p> - -<p>Bairn had no answer.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Joe Wilding was restless. Even the fiery fever that racked him could -not quiet him. He paced the long water compartment, legs weary but -restless. He couldn't stand it here much longer; he had to get out into -the light, out where he could move and see and feel something besides -the dampness dripping upon him, the quick mutter of the pumps as they -drove the catalyst to the firing chambers.</p> - -<p>He walked to the cubbyhole, looked down into the power room.</p> - -<p>Whitey Burnet was there, alone.</p> - -<p>Impulsively, Joe Wilding climbed out of the cubbyhole and down the -ladder.</p> - -<p>"Paul," he said softly. "I'm hungry."</p> - -<p>Paul Burnet turned slowly.</p> - -<p>"Hello, Joe."</p> - -<p>They stood there, the two of them. Whitey Burnet, immaculate in his -white work clothes; Joe Wilding, a heavy growth of beard on his face, -his tunic dirtied, his hair mussed.</p> - -<p>"I gave you your chance, Joe. Just as you gave me mine. We're even."</p> - -<p>Burnet turned to the communications phone, then turned back suddenly.</p> - -<p>"Now you know, Joe. Now you know how I felt. You know how it is to be -hunted, to be afraid of your own shadow, to know what a despicable -creature you are. To be followed by a fear that freezes your guts—"</p> - -<p>"But I'm not afraid, Paul. I'm just hungry, and tired of being alone."</p> - -<p>"I was alone, Joe."</p> - -<p>"No, Paul, you weren't alone, ever. Carol's thoughts were ever of you. -I hunted you the world over; but you always ran away. You never would -give me a chance. And Carol's letters always came back marked: 'No such -person at this address'."</p> - -<p>Paul's voice was almost mocking: "Even now you act the gentleman, -pretending. I hate your guts, Joe Wilding. But for you, Carol and I -would have been married long ago. I liked you once, Joe Wilding, I even -thought what a wonderful brother-in-law you'd make. Even now, I find -myself liking you a little bit—but God knows I don't know why."</p> - -<p>"You'd better call them, Whitey," Joe said.</p> - -<p>"No, not yet. You saved my life when you dragged me away that day my -kidnap plan failed. You carried me, fractured skull and all, away from -the greatest chance a man ever had to make this a real world. If we had -got the president we could have forced the wildwood doctrine down the -people's throats."</p> - -<p>Joe shook his head. "The people won't take forced medicine. They must -have sugar-coated pills to cure them and lead them right."</p> - -<p>Whitey cut in: "Then you made me promise I'd quit. And you told Carol -of my plot, and she wouldn't look me in the face when I came."</p> - -<p>"She cried her eyes out when you left. She asked me to find you and -bring you back. But you wouldn't listen." Then, softly, "She's still -waiting, Paul. Waiting for you."</p> - -<p>Paul stood tensely, his eyes searching Joe's bearded face. The atomic -motor thrummed quietly.</p> - -<p>"You'd better call them, Paul."</p> - -<p>Whitey jumped unexpectedly, as the shrill keening of the danger siren -suddenly keened into the power room. Bairn's voice cracked through the -speaker:</p> - -<p>"Grab something, guys. A meteor, and we can't dodge!"</p> - -<p>Like an exclamation point to his words came the heeling crash.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Joe and Paul were flung to the floor as the ship rocked and heaved. The -lights went out, the motors suddenly cut off. There was a shuddering -scream as metal tore; the air turned hot and dry.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""/> - <div class="caption"> - <p><i>Hell burst in the engine room.</i></p> - </div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>The ship kept rocking as if caught in a great stormy sea. Rolling on -the floor, Joe heard a deep roar that was beginning to grow shrill.</p> - -<p>A warning bell was ringing in his head; then he realized it was the -bell signaling escaping air. Then he was on his feet, holding himself -against the heeling motion of the ship, crying out:</p> - -<p>"Paul, where are you? Paul, Paul, Paul...."</p> - -<p>"Here," Whitey's voice was weak, but Joe followed it. He found Paul, -heaved him to his shoulders and staggered away toward a wall. It was -the wall to the passageway he decided dully and felt along it until -he found the door. It opened easily as if pushed by a giant hand. He -struggled hard to get across the threshold against the pushing air. -He made it, dropped Paul to the passageway. Then he tugged desperately -against the pull of the air against the door as he dragged it shut. -Somehow, he got it closed, twisted the locking lever.</p> - -<p>He sat down against the wall of the passage and breathed in long, -shallow breaths.</p> - -<p>In the darkness, he heard Paul's voice:</p> - -<p>"Did you mean that about Carol," Paul asked, and his heart was in it.</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Joe. "She's still waiting for you to come back to her."</p> - -<p>It was quiet there for a moment, with only the muted ringing of the -bell from the power room seeping through the wall.</p> - -<p>Joe said: "Did I hurt you when I dropped you, Paul?"</p> - -<p>"Not much," Burnet answered. "My head's a little dizzy, but it takes -more than an easy jar like that to make it dangerous. Forget it."</p> - -<p>"But how did you get through the physical for the trip? The metal plate -in your skull should have barred you."</p> - -<p>"I'm one of the few who know what the power plant here is like, -remember? Besides, the physical wasn't too steep. And Joe, I'm sorry I -was such a heel to sock you when you couldn't hit me back. You'd have -killed with the blow."</p> - -<p>"I know," said Joe. He heard Paul breathing in harsh gasps.</p> - -<p>"Paul," he said anxiously.</p> - -<p>"It's all right."</p> - -<p>"But it isn't! Here, I'll carry you to the first aid room." Joe got up, -lifted Paul to his shoulders.</p> - -<p>Joe had carried Paul perhaps a hundred feet when lights flickering on -the walls and the sound of footsteps signaled the advance of the others.</p> - -<p>"So," came Arden's voice as the beam from a flashlight centered on -Joe's face, "the rat came out of his hole."</p> - -<p>After the blackness, the light hurt Joe's eyes and he lowered his head.</p> - -<p>Arden came forward quickly, slapped Joe openhanded across the mouth. -"I've waited a long time for this!" He slapped him again, and Joe felt -the blood trickling from his lips.</p> - -<p>Joe lowered Paul Burnet easily to the floor. He wiped his lips with the -back of his hand, said:</p> - -<p>"You don't understand. I'm bringing Paul, he's hurt. His skull was -fractured a long time ago, and it's reacting." He knelt beside Burnet, -took the hurt man's wrist. "How are you now, Paul?"</p> - -<p>Burnet smiled weakly: "A little better."</p> - -<p>Arden kicked Joe aside: "Keep your diseased hands off him, traitor."</p> - -<p>Joe got wearily to his feet. "Arden," he said, "Bairn told me how upset -you are about your wife. That's why I excused those slaps. But this—"</p> - -<p>Joe's right arm drew back swiftly, drove his doubled fist to Arden's -jaw. Arden dropped as if the floor had fallen from under him.</p> - -<p>"That tears it, Joe," Bairn said. "I'm sorry, Joe. But we have no -recourse but to lock you up. You're a walking plague, and socking Arden -was the last straw."</p> - -<p>From the floor, Burnet said weakly: "But Arden had it coming...."</p> - -<p>"We can't be the judge of that. Joe is worth no consideration now. Don, -lock Joe up in one of the empty storage rooms, but don't get near him."</p> - -<p>"Right," said Timnson, the mathematician. "Come on, Wilding."</p> - -<p>Joe started to move away, stopped and said:</p> - -<p>"See that one of the twins looks after Paul, will you?"</p> - -<p>"Go on," said Bairn. Joe went ahead of Timnson.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The heavy door clanged shut behind Joe, and he was alone in the -darkness. The motors were still silent, and he wondered how much -damage the meteorite had done to the ship. He felt his way to the -communications phone, unhooked it. But the steady hum that signified -that it was alive was absent. Even the call speaker gave no sound.</p> - -<p>Wearied, Joe sat down against the wall, and despite the hunger feeling -throbbing in his stomach fell asleep.</p> - -<p>It was the overhead light shining into his eyes that awakened him. -His ears sought for the sound of the motors, no familiar thrum. The -wandering meteor must have done quite a bit of damage.</p> - -<p>The communications phone buzzed. Joe answered.</p> - -<p>"Hello, Joe," it was Burnet's voice.</p> - -<p>"How are you, Paul? The dizziness gone?"</p> - -<p>"Right, but I guess it doesn't do any good. We're not going anywhere." -Burnet's voice was a little strained.</p> - -<p>"Why?" put in Joe.</p> - -<p>"That damn meteor knocked hell out of the rear blasting tubes, and some -of the fellows are outside trying to replace the busted ones. But even -if they get it fixed we're still derelict. That meteor took all of our -water, and I guess you know what that means."</p> - -<p>Joe was silent. Then: "No catalyst, no move, is that it, Paul?"</p> - -<p>"Uh huh," Paul answered, "No H-2-O, no go."</p> - -<p>"The cans," Joe said, abruptly.</p> - -<p>"Cans?" Paul questioned over the wire. "Cans?"</p> - -<p>"Sure," said Joe, and he was breathless as he hurried on. "Paul, all -that canned food. There's water in them. And there must be some water -left in the pipes to the kitchen and the lav? Have they thought of -that?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Paul. "The pipes, I mean, not the cans. Arden and Bairn are -having the pipes pumped out now, Doc Guetschow tells me. But I'll pass -along the can suggestion."</p> - -<p>"Was it really bad?" Joe asked.</p> - -<p>"Sure, they got the power room sealed again. But that water compartment -was mashed to junk, and the water just went pftt! It's a good thing you -got out there when you did, or you'd have been pftt! too. I'll ring you -back with any later developments."</p> - -<p>Joe pronged the receiver. He began to pace the room. He couldn't stay -in here. There must be something he could do out there. But this room -was better than any prison. His eyes searched the room.</p> - -<p>Joe's eyes were sparkling all of a sudden. Bless the planners who laid -out this ship!</p> - -<p>He broke the heavy crowbar from the emergency wall chest. He twisted -the heavy steel in the locking mechanism on the inner panel of the -door. Bracing his feet against the door and drawing the heavy bar -toward him, he strained desperately.</p> - -<p>He knew from his meandering around the ship that the locking device -was only to insure the doors would not open accidentally. The muscles -in his back and shoulders bulged so that the tunic he wore split down -the back.</p> - -<p>He tugged until his muscles quivered with the strain. He should break -loose now so he could open the door from the inside.</p> - -<p>But nothing happened.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Joe relaxed, stood back and wiped the sweat from his brow; the lack of -food had weakened him. The locking mechanism should have given way.</p> - -<p>Once more he inserted the bar in the device. Once more he called on his -wood-trained muscles. He tried desperately this time, exerting all the -strength he could summon. Blackness threatened to engulf.</p> - -<p>Then as if in a dream, he heard the muffled cling! That meant the -device had snapped. He fell to the floor, his breath coming in sobs. -Then he quieted, lifted his body up, and twisted the wheel. It turned -easily, and the door pulled open at his tug.</p> - -<p>He came out into the passageway to face Arden, gun drawn.</p> - -<p>Arden cursed softly: "Won't you stay put, Joe?"</p> - -<p>Joe shrugged. "You need me," he said.</p> - -<p>"Need you?" repeated Arden. "Need you to infect us so we can't get the -ship going again."</p> - -<p>Joe watched Arden, then he said: "Arden, why not cure me; then I won't -be dangerous and I can help?"</p> - -<p>"No." Arden's voice was flat. "I'm the only man on ship who knows how -to give the treatment, and you're not getting any. Your life is forfeit -for what you almost managed to do."</p> - -<p>"You won't stop me, now, Arden," Joe said. "You can barely see me now, -and you're trying so hard to keep from vomiting out your guts. You've -got the radio disease; why don't you cure yourself?"</p> - -<p>Joe moved back slowly; Arden's gun followed him hesitantly.</p> - -<p>"You," Arden said. "You did it. You gave it to me." The gun steadied.</p> - -<p>"No," Joe said. "You had it before I ever came aboard ship. But you -didn't know it, did you, Arden? You're a carrier, and you came to the -ship straight from your wife."</p> - -<p>Arden shook his head weakly. "I took the usual tests; it showed me free -of it."</p> - -<p>"But you know the usual tests, Arden; you know you can't tell for sure -until you get the nausea. And it acts at varying speeds with different -people, doesn't it?"</p> - -<p>Arden's fingers whitened on the gun; and Joe leapt aside suddenly. The -shot blasted out. Then the gun dropped from Arden's fingers and he fell -forward on his face, retching.</p> - -<p>Joe lifted the fallen metal expert almost tenderly, and carried him -toward the hospital room.</p> - -<p>When he brought his burden in, Joe saw Burnet sitting on the edge of -the bed, slipping on his sandals. Doc Guetschow, one of the professor -twins, was remonstrating with him, trying to keep him in bed.</p> - -<p>Burnet shook himself free and stood up. Then he saw Joe placing Arden's -body on the bed.</p> - -<p>"Well!"</p> - -<p>Joe turned and smiled. Then he was serious: "Arden's got the radio -disease."</p> - -<p>"Your fault, Joe," Burnet said. "He was right."</p> - -<p>"No," Joe said doggedly. "He had it when he came aboard, too. He's got -it bad, too. See what you can do for him, Doc."</p> - -<p>Then Joe trotted out of the hospital room, and headed for the kitchen -storerooms. Wick Wilson, who doubled as cook and metallurgist, was -opening cans and draining off the liquid into a tub.</p> - -<p>"Help?" asked Joe.</p> - -<p>Wick Wilson looked at Joe briefly, said: "I thought you were in the -brig." Then, "Sure, lug the tub down to the power room. We're trying to -get enough water out of the juice to make catalyst."</p> - -<p>Joe hoisted the tub to one shoulder. "How about something to eat?"</p> - -<p>Wick went into the kitchen, pulled a half chicken out of the -refrigerator, brought back.</p> - -<p>"Southern fried," he said. "It'll hold you together."</p> - -<p>Joe bit off a chunk and carried the rest in one hand as he balanced the -tub of fruit and vegetable juices on one shoulder and strode from the -room.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Black Tom was putting the finishing touches on a metal cylinder he had -salvaged from some of the shattered tanks.</p> - -<p>As Joe came in the power room door, Black Tom asked: "How does it look? -Been a long time since I did any welding, but it'll hold water."</p> - -<p>Black Tom and Herd, the assistant pilot, had bolted the jury rigged -tank to the floor, and had, through some amateur plumbing work, hooked -up a pipe system to the atomic motor.</p> - -<p>Joe jerked his chicken-filled hand at the tub on his shoulder.</p> - -<p>"Where does this juice go?"</p> - -<p>Morrissey apparently had just realized that Joe was free. He looked at -him blankly for a moment.</p> - -<p>"Dump it in the tank," he said, pointing to the metal ladder leaning -against the tank. "But keep your distance," he added. "We don't want to -catch the plague."</p> - -<p>Joe grinned, stuffed the remainder of the chicken in his mouth, carried -the tub up the ladder, and dumped the conglomerated juices into the -circular opening at the top of the tank.</p> - -<p>Joe came down the ladder.</p> - -<p>"Got enough yet?" he questioned.</p> - -<p>"Hell, no," exploded Black Tom. "Look at the gauge we rigged up. Here."</p> - -<p>Joe looked at the gauge affixed to the side of the tank. It was about -two inches below a chalk line Black Tom had drawn.</p> - -<p>"The white line marks the absolute minimum of water we need to get the -ship within gravitational pull of the Earth; from there in it's up to -our extensor vanes."</p> - -<p>"How much do you need yet?" Joe asked.</p> - -<p>Black Tom grunted. "About twelve gallons—and if those juices run out, -we'll have to do some wholesale lemon and orange squeezing."</p> - -<p>Joe started to turn.</p> - -<p>Black Tom said: "Thanks, Joe, for the can suggestion. It may pull us -through."</p> - -<p>Joe nodded, went up with his tub for another load of juice.</p> - -<p>When he had dumped the second load in, he said:</p> - -<p>"Wick's got Whitey, Ronnie Guetschow and Keating squeezing lemons. This -is the last of the loose juice." He shook his head to clear his mind, -said briefly, "Excuse me," and hurriedly left the power room.</p> - -<p>When he came back, his face pale, his limbs shaking from the retching -stomach, Bairn and Ed Parman were talking to Black Tom.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Bairn looked serious. "Hell," he said. "It would boil down to that. -The motor's okay, Ed says. But I don't know where in blue blazes we're -going to get enough water. Timnson's got the hydraulic press from the -workroom rigged up squeezing out the garbage we didn't dump."</p> - -<p>He turned to Black Tom: "You're sure your sand filter will take all the -solids out, so it won't plug up the water jets?"</p> - -<p>Black Tom nodded. It was then Bairn noticed Joe.</p> - -<p>Bairn said wearily: "Haven't you caused enough grief, Joe? Arden's sick -with the disease because of you. You've been a jinx ever since the trip -started. Why don't you crawl in a hole and die?"</p> - -<p>"I'm trying to help," Joe said.</p> - -<p>"Nuts," said Bairn tiredly. Then he turned to Black Tom. "We've got -gasoline galore for operating the electrical units. Think gas'll work?"</p> - -<p>"No," Tom said briefly. Joe's stomach was beginning to quiver again, -and the figures of Tom, Bairn and Parman were weaving. He could feel -his pulses pounding raggedly, as if a million drummers were anxious to -keep out of tempo.</p> - -<p>He forced himself to walk slowly from the room, but the dizziness -caught him at the door and he had to hang on to the lever to keep from -keeling over.</p> - -<p>His thoughts were kaleidoscoping, but one finally broke through -clearly. It was the answer.</p> - -<p>He pulled himself erect, said through feverish lips:</p> - -<p>"Bairn...."</p> - -<p>Bairn said, without turning his head:</p> - -<p>"Beat it, Joe!"</p> - -<p>"Please, John," Joe said, "I know where to get more water." He -staggered toward the three men, the floor rocking under him. He felt -his mind shouting the words, but his desperate mind couldn't make his -lips move. His eyes wouldn't focus; his legs wouldn't work.</p> - -<p>He only half-felt the hurt as his head struck the power room floor.</p> - -<p>"Good," said Bairn, almost pleased. "That's taking care of him. Parman, -shove him over in the corner. Better put these rubber gloves on."</p> - -<p>It was a good three hours later when Bairn and Black Tom stood at the -gauge measuring the height of the water in the tank.</p> - -<p>"Not good enough," Black Tom said. "If we don't crash on the moon, -we'll end up as a satellite. That's all the water we can squeeze out of -it."</p> - -<p>"Damn," breathed Bairn, "another gallon would take us home. But there -isn't another lick of water on the ship." He checked off on his -fingers: "The lav, the connecting pipes, the canned food, the garbage, -the storage batteries, that does it, guys, I guess."</p> - -<p>The others stood quietly. Bairn went on: "We might as well get going. -Maybe, the fruit juice has got more umph to it than the water, and we -might coast in. But Black Tom says we've got enough to reach the moon's -orbit track, but not enough to reach the gravity pull of the Earth.</p> - -<p>"We've done all we can," he said. "Now it's up to whatever providence -watches over people like us." He licked dry lips and smiled.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The muted thrumming of the atomic motor gradually worked its way -into Joe's consciousness. He moved wearily, and then his mind, -short-circuited by the ravages of the fever, cleared itself and he -became aware of his surroundings.</p> - -<p>How long he'd lain there, Joe couldn't tell as he staggered to his feet -and toward the door. He had the answer, if he could make Bairn listen.</p> - -<p>His glazed eyes stared around the power room. There was no one there. -He weaved toward the water gauge, stared at it for a long time before -it registered.</p> - -<p>Why, his mind said dully, the tank's almost empty. Joe staggered for -the door. The door was a ton weight that fought against him to open it. -When it finally opened, he left it that way.</p> - -<p>He got outside in the passageway, and his stomach rebelled. He was -very sick for many moments. He crawled and staggered up the circular -stairway toward the pilot's cubicle.</p> - -<p>His body was bruised and hurting from the many times his weak legs had -betrayed him before he reached the door to the cubicle. He couldn't -move the lever to the door.</p> - -<p>He tried to shout, but his voice was hoarse, weak. He pounded with both -hands against the thick metal. But there was no answer. Once again, he -was sick.</p> - -<p>Then wearily he retraced his footsteps, pounded lengthily on each door -with his weakened muscles. They couldn't hear him, a bitter voice -nagged at him. He had the answer, and they wouldn't listen.</p> - -<p>He didn't feel the pain as he rolled down the circular steps and lay at -the bottom in a heap. Somehow he moved on, crawling.</p> - -<p>If they couldn't listen, he'd have to do it. He reached the door to the -power room, lifted his body across the threshold, and then weakness -held him motionless.</p> - -<p>Was this it, his heart questioned. This was what he had to do before -the radio disease got him, wasn't it. He couldn't see, he couldn't -hear, he couldn't feel. Oh, God, he couldn't even think.</p> - -<p>Was this it? his heart asked again. Whatever the answer, it was somehow -adequate ... for Joe's body, weakened by the life-sucking plague moved -slowly ... so very slowly....</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"We've nearly reached the last of the catalyst, if Black Tom's figures -are right," Bairn said to the men crowded into the pilot's cubby.</p> - -<p>"There's Earth," Parman said, and his voice was a caress.</p> - -<p>The whole crew was there in the cubby, save for Arden and Burnet and -the medical Guetschow twin. Doc Guetschow was down in sick bay with the -other two, Burnet's head having started to act up again after three -days without water.</p> - -<p>"Tom, you're sure your figures are right?" the other Guetschow twin -asked.</p> - -<p>"Much as I hate to say it, yes. Only a few hundred miles and we're -finished." Tom licked his puffed lips.</p> - -<p>It was quiet there in the cubby as the atomic motor drove the ship at -tremendous speed through the void.</p> - -<p>"Can't we coast in?" Parman asked. "We've got tremendous acceleration."</p> - -<p>"But not enough," Bairn said, "with the moon's gravitation field to -reckon with."</p> - -<p>All their hearts must have stopped then, when the steady thrum became -a staccato beat. "This is it," Bairn said. The staccato turned to a -broken rhythm, hesitated, and finally halted.</p> - -<p>"God," said Herd, the co-pilot apologetically, "if the moon weren't -around to hold us back."</p> - -<p>But it was there, looming huge and ugly off the starboard side.</p> - -<p>Parman said: "I can feel it pulling."</p> - -<p>The strain made two or three of them giggle. Bairn said as if to a -naughty child: "It isn't that strong, Ed."</p> - -<p>Bairn's hand moved to click off the firing lever when the motors -suddenly broke into thrumming life.</p> - -<p>The inertia of new flight came to the ship again.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>They made a frozen tableau, those men standing in the pilot's cubby.</p> - -<p>Ed Parman was the first to break the tableau. He slumped to the floor, -and lay there, his shoulders shaking convulsively.</p> - -<p>"Herd," Bairn said suddenly, "Take over. Come on, Tom. Whatever did -this is in the power room."</p> - -<p>"Joe?" Herd asked.</p> - -<p>"I don't know."</p> - -<p>The two of them fled, leaving behind them, Parman on his knees staring -at the void, the others half-crying, half-laughing.</p> - -<p>Bairn and Black Tom Morrissey came into the power room. They stood awed -at what they saw.</p> - -<p>Joe was there.</p> - -<p>Bairn said finally, voice as soft as the night wind over earth:</p> - -<p>"Joe was right. He was good for something after all."</p> - -<p>Tenderly, he and Black Tom lifted Joe's dead body down from the tank, -laid him gently on the floor.</p> - -<p>"The only thing we forgot, Tom," Bairn said. "<i>Blood.</i>"</p> - -<p>Crimson still oozed slowly from Joe Wilding's cut wrists. There was a -smile on his dead lips. For it was a man named Joe who was the first to -reach the stars—and the roaring rockets had scattered his eternal life -across the star trails.</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's One Against the Stars, by Vaseleos Garson - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ONE AGAINST THE STARS *** - -***** This file should be named 63032-h.htm or 63032-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/0/3/63032/ - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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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/license - - -Title: One Against the Stars - -Author: Vaseleos Garson - -Release Date: August 24, 2020 [EBook #63032] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ONE AGAINST THE STARS *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - One Against The Stars - - By VASELEOS GARSON - - Earth's last hope against the vicious - radio-plague. A gleaming ship racing to - bring salvation back from Venus. And hidden - on the ship a thirteenth man--a plague - carrier whose touch brought screaming death. - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Planet Stories Summer 1944. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -This was it. Its slim bright shape was Earth's last hope. - -What matter the sweat, the blood and the tears that had gone into each -rivet, every plate? What matter the eyes blurred and dulled with plans, -blueprints? What matter the cost. - -This was it. - -It was done. - -They stood there--the riveters, the welders; the draughtsmen, the -engineers; the mathematicians, the technicians--and there glowed in -their eyes a living flame. - -This was the ship of hope. - -Its rockets flickered into blue flames. Their soft purr of power -deepened. Abruptly, the earth was trembling to the throaty roar of -rockets. - -In its long steel-rollered cradle, the ship trembled. - -One of the workers, his denim trousers grease-stained, bending down, -scooped up a handful of the dust at his feet, flung it at the shining -ship. - -"Just for luck," he said. - -In the glass bulge atop the shining ship, John Bairn, the pilot, licked -feverish lips. He brushed the black hair away from his gray eyes. His -stubby fingers raced over the keys of the control panel before him. - -His right hand touched--almost reverently--the scarlet handle of the -firing lever. - -He pushed the lever forward one notch ... two ... three.... - -He braced himself in the hydraulic-cushioned pilot's chair. - -"Venus, here we come!" - -The rockets roared faintly even in this sound-proofed cubicle. Then the -pounding blood in his ears washed out all other sound. The pounding in -his ears grew throatier, louder. - -The 9G acceleration blacked him out. - -That dive was a little too steep, he was thinking, first time I ever -blacked out with somebody on my tail. He jerked his head around to see -where the butcher was. And then he remembered. - -He looked ahead. The stars were steady white flames in the black pool -of space. Ah, there it was! The pale green flame that was Venus. - -Somewhere, there, lay Earth's salvation. - -Arlington Arden, the metal expert, came into the cubicle then, his -blond face pale. - -"Some shove, huh?" he opined. - -Bairn nodded, his gray eyes watched the orientation chart whose red and -green and yellow lights were flickering in the rhythm that showed they -were on the mathematically-charted course. - -"Think the stuff is really there, Arlie?" Bairn questioned. - -"We're staking our lives on it, John." - -"Yeah, and the lives of a billion like us. What if it isn't?" - -"Venus' spectrum shows its presence. It's not an emanation that is -easily duplicated. If it isn't, it's too much of a grim joke--because -the money in this ship could have paid for a thousand experiments. My -Mary's got a touch of blue coloring in her skin--the first symptom, -y'know." - -"Sorry," Bairn said, and his voice was soft. - -"Beautiful," Arden said. "I hope Mary can see it sometime." He was -looking out at space, his arms clasped behind him. "It's not like I -thought, though--this being the first humans to see the stars away from -earth." He stopped. - -"It's so damn big and beautiful it hurts," he said at last. - -"Yeah, I know," Bairn put in. "It makes guys like us feel cheap and -small." - -"No!" The word was explosive. Bairn jerked around in the pilot's cradle -and stared. Arden had a frown on his forehead. - -"And who in blue blazes are you?" Bairn snapped. - -"Joe," the big blocky youngster said, as if that explained everything. - -"Joe, huh?" Bairn grunted. "How did you get on this ship?" - - * * * * * - -Joe's brown eyes stared steadily at Bairn, and his big shoulders -shrugged. "I stowed away." And then as the two stared blankly at him, -he hurried on: - -"I had to. Really. There's a legend in our family that a man named Joe -will be the first to reach the stars. It was promised way back when. So -I had to come. I had to!" - -Bairn grunted again. "Isn't much we can do about it now, I guess. But -you'll have to earn your way. What can you do?" - -Joe grinned--a big grin that made Bairn and Arden smile. - -He shrugged and grinned again. "I don't know. But I'll be good for -something. You'll see." - -"All right. Arlie, will you take him down to the rocket room? Maybe the -gang can find something for him to do." - -"Come on, Joe," Arden said. - -Joe shook his head. "Not just yet," he answered. "I'd like to tell you -something first." He pointed out toward the stars. "A minute ago, you -said"--he nodded at Bairn--"this makes us feel cheap and small. - -"You're wrong. You're just afraid. All this is man's--yours, mine, -ours. It's just so darn big, we don't realize it. But this is our -destiny--that's what the prophet said a long time ago. It took a -disease like that sweeping the Earth now to get us here. But we're -here. The stars are our destiny. No sense in being otherwise. No sense -in feeling cheap and small." He stopped, looked at Bairn and Arden. - -"Don't you feel it?" Joe asked. "This first time the Earth shackles are -loosed? Don't you feel the power and understanding and strength the -stars give you out here? - -"This is where I belong," Joe said. "Out here where you can see what -you're reaching for. That's why I had to come." He stopped and a slow -embarrassed flush crept over his face. - -"See what I mean?" - -Surprisingly, it was Bairn who answered: - -"Thanks, kid, you're good for something all right. I don't know what it -is about you, but you give a guy a sense of--peace, I guess you'd say." - -"Belonging?" Arden put in. "That it, Johnny?" - -"Yeah, that's it," Bairn said, and turned back to his orientation -board. "So run along, kid." - -Arlie Arden, leading the way down the circular staircase that went to -the power room, said abruptly: - -"You're no city man, are you, Joe? I've never seen cloth like that made -in the cities. That tunic you're wearing looks like it's made up for -the north forests." - -"No," Joe answered shortly, "I'm not a city man. I'm a wooder." They -left the stairway, moved along a tube passage. - -"Not a member of that crazy cult that wants a back-to-the-forests -movement?" - -Joe's denial was quick, and Arden looked at him sharply. The stowaway -was looking down at his toes as he walked on. Arden shrugged. - -"Here," Arden said at last, stopping before a huge oval door that -jutted from the tube. He twisted a wheel on the door, pushed the heavy -portal open. - -Arden watched the stowaway as he stepped into the power room. Joe -stopped and his brown eyes lifted first, then dropped down to rest on -the huge generators that were making the air pulse with vibration. Then -his eyes moved to the huge dull-metal bulk that occupied the whole far -end of the power room. His gaze took in the feeder pipe that evenly -cleaved the huge bulk of the machine in half; the long neat rows of -switches and valves that broke the austere front of the power plant. - -Joe breathed deep once then turned questioningly to Arden who was -watching him. - - * * * * * - -"That's what drives the ship, Joe," Arden said. "Reduced to its simple -terms it's an atom smasher. Hidden deep within that bulky outfit lies -a block of uranium, constantly bombarded with electrons made a trifle -heavier by running up against a magnetic current operating at right -angles to them. The resultant disturbance of the uranium is harnessed -and fed into the rocket tubes." - -Arden glanced at Joe whose eyes were fixed on the feeder pipe. - -"That's a funny thing, Joe, that pipe you're looking at." - -"Why?" - -"Through that pipe comes water." - -"Water?" - -Arden nodded. "For some reason that not even the technicians who worked -on that plant know, microscopic jets of water have to be hurled into -the chamber with the bombarding particles to cause proper power." - -"Water?" Joe asked. "You drive this ship with water?" - -Arden smiled. "Yes, water and the help--not negligible either--of -uranium. It'll take exactly two hundred and twelve gallons of water to -drive to Venus, and the same amount back--at least that's what Black -Tom figures." Arden nodded to the huge dark-skinned, black-haired man -in white coveralls who stood by an instrument panel, checking figures -off on a clip board he held. - -"Come on, Joe," Arden said, heading for a ladder that was bolted to -the wall at one side of the huge power room. Joe followed up the -ladder, was on the heels of Arden as the metal expert crawled through a -cubbyhole at the top. - -"See?" Arden said straightening up. "Water." - -Joe looked at the row of horizontal metal cylinders that stretched -before him. The tops of them were a foot taller than his head, and he -moved to the side, and counted aloud to eleven before Arden said: - -"We might starve and go naked, but we'll never run out of catalyst or -get thirsty," Arden opined. "Each of those tanks holds six hundred -gallons and there're twenty-four of them." - -Joe moved to the nearest of the tanks, rubbed his hands on the moist -surfacing and commented absently: - -"It feels like velvet." - -Arden laughed a little. "Come on, Joe, I'll turn you over to Black Tom -and he'll put you to work doing something. He never likes to see anyone -idle." - -They crawled out of the wall cubby and down the ladder. A second -white-garbed man had joined the power room head and they were talking -together as Arden and Joe approached. - -"That's Whitey Burnet," Arden said, and started, for Joe had halted -dead in his tracks. - -Black Tom Morrissey and Burnet turned then. Morrissey said, "Hello, -Arlie," briefly and turned back to his gauge panel. Burnet stood rigid -for a moment at the sight of Joe. - -Then with three quick strides Burnet was at Joe. He said softly: - -"Damn you, Joe." And lashed out with a hard fist. The blow caught Joe -on the cheek, cutting the skin, and staggering him momentarily. - -Joe started to swing his browned fist up, then slowly he lowered it. He -looked at Burnet with quiet brown eyes. - -"I can't hit you, Paul. You know that." - -Paul's face was white. "No," he said, and he was almost bitter. "I know -that." Then he turned his back on Joe and walked away. - -Arden's blue eyes watched the by-play, observed: - -"Whitey doesn't like you very much, huh?" - -Joe's brown eyes were dull looking as he pulled his gaze from Burnet's -retreating back and looked at Arden. - -"No," he said, and his voice was flat. "Paul doesn't like me much." -With an effort he smiled, added: "Shall we find out what I can do?" - -Arden nodded.... - -Joe Wilding met the rest of the crew at the arbitrary meal that was -termed supper. - - * * * * * - -Joe came in behind Arden, and unobtrusively slid to one side of the -door, and watched the men around the table laughing and joking. - -Arden said: - -"Fellas, I'd like you to meet a new crew member." - -The laughing and joking stopped, and the eyes of eleven men measured -Joe Wilding. Black Tom winked at Joe and went back to his eating. -Whitey Burnet, after a brief angry glance, turned back to his plate. - -Arden added: "His name is Joe Wilding." - -The others at the table smiled, nodded or spoke according to their -habits--except one, a nervous redhead, who stared at Joe. - -Then he looked around at the others at the table. He was a little -apologetic. - -The redhead said: "I know this guy. I piloted the ship that took him to -the Rock for sedition. I don't think we want him on the ship. He's one -of those wild ones who tried to kidnap the president." - -Arden grunted: "I thought so." - -Burnet, his normally ruddy face white, reared to his feet: - -"No!" he shouted. "You're wrong, Herd. He was pardoned. I know. They -found he had nothing to do with the kidnaping." - -"Maybe so," Charlie Herd, assistant pilot said, still apologetically. -"But I know I took him to the Rock--and I didn't hear anything after -that about him. But he's the same guy. - -"He was a wild one," Herd said almost dreamily. "He knocked out two of -the guards, grabbed one of the chutes and was almost out of the ship -before I rolled the crate over and bashed him against the cabin wall." - -Whitey Burnet's face was still white. "Look," he said. "I don't like -Joe, but it's something personal. The tribunal found him innocent, so -why not give him a chance?" - -Arden turned to Joe who still stood by the side of the door, his -handsome bronzed face stiff. - -"Well?" Arden asked. - -Joe smiled. He said, looking at the red-headed Herd: - -"You're right as far as you went. I was taken to the Rock. I did try -to break loose. The tribunal found me not guilty and apologized. I was -released. And here I am." - -Herd looked back at Joe, and then he smiled, half-apologetically: - -"I'll take you at face value. You look all right." - -"Thanks," Joe said. - -Bob and Ronnie Guetschow, the bulky professor twins, broke the ensuing -silence with: - -"Come on and eat." The ice broke silently. Arden motioned Joe toward an -empty chair at the table. Joe moved forward, then stopped as his eyes -counted the men at the table. - -"Sit down, Joe," Arden grunted, picking himself a convenient, padded -chair. - -Surprisingly, Joe shook his head. "No," he said, and for the first time -he looked embarrassed. There was a slight flush under his tan. - -The table talk stopped again. George Keating, the thin, wiry electrical -engineer, said half-jokingly: - -"Afraid you'll get contaminated?" - -Joe's tan skin lost its red of embarrassment, twisted strangely. - -"Sorry," put in Keating hastily. "Only joking." - -Joe swallowed. Then: "I'm just superstitious, I guess." The words -rushed out. "If I sit down, that'll make thirteen." - - * * * * * - -Ed Parman, black-haired assistant to Black Tom, jumped hastily to -his feet. "Good gravy, he's right. You sit down, Joe, I'll finish my -pudding in the corner." - -Joe said: "Sit down. I'm used to discomfort. I'm a wooder." He grinned. -Parman grinned back, started in on his pudding. - -Joe, the men were to notice in the coming days, seemed to make a point -of never eating with the bunch after that. But he did it so smoothly, -it wasn't offensive.... - -Venus, in the days that followed, grew from a tiny yellow-green flame, -that Bairn, the pilot, had noticed in the first hours of the flight, -to a white globe, just hinting a tint of blue, that began to fill the -heavens before him. - -Joe, on an off hour from the power room, sat quietly in the co-pilot's -chair, drinking in the planet. He and Bairn, usually so taciturn, had -talked much in the days of the flight. - -This day, when Joe came in, Bairn looked at him with a strange twist -to his mouth. He said nothing for quite a while, the two just sitting -there, Joe looking up and ahead, Bairn, apparently preoccupied with -figures on his charts. - -Finally Bairn said: - -"Has Arden said anything to you?" - -Joe shook his head. "No," he said. "Why?" - -Bairn, apparently speaking absentmindedly, said: - -"Arlie's wife, Mary, has the radio disease. She's in the first stage. -Has the blue coloring. It means everything to Arlie that this ship -gets to Venus and back. Venus has the only radio-active static compound -that matches the stuff from the meteorite." - -"Yes," Joe said. "I know. It was only luck that scientist, Struthers, -had that meteorite in the room with him when he had the disease. It -cured him. And then scientists and astronomers searched star spectrums -to find a match for the color scheme that they found in the meteorite -metal." - -"This ship," Bairn put in, "cost billions; it meant the first real -cooperative program the world's nations ever had. It would be ghastly -if one man caused the destruction of Earth's last hope from doom. -Wouldn't it, Joe?" - -Joe's face was grim as he nodded. - -"How would you feel if you were to blame for drowning out humanity, -Joe?" - -Joe stood up, and his body was shaking. - -"Tell me, Joe," Bairn said quietly. "Why have you kept yourself from -eating with the rest of the guys? Why is it when you come here you're -always smelling of antiseptic?" - -There were tears in Joe's brown eyes when he faced Bairn. - -"Okay, John, what shall I do?" - -"There's not much harm done yet? Arlie says that in the first stages, -it's only communicable by contact. But once it gets past that first -stage, it goes hog wild. - -"Tell me, Joe, when did the nauseous attacks first come?" - -Joe's brown eyes were dead. "Two days before the ship left." - -"You were willing to sacrifice mankind just to see the stars yourself, -Joe?" - -It was Arlie Arden who came in quietly, then. - -"No," said Joe, and then he looked at the two of them. - -"Believe me," he said, and his voice was deep, vibrant. "I was drawn to -the ship by a power greater than any of us. I knew the terrible gamble. -For if this ship crashes before it gets back to Earth with that Venus -ore, it means the end of man. - -"I knew that. Everything my mind said pointed out the consequences. -My mind said no in every possible way. But ... my mind had no chance -against the impulse that drove me aboard ship. - -"Somehow I know that my presence on board this ship means the salvation -of mankind...." He shook his head at Arden whose lips were pursed to -speak. - -"It's not egotism or some crack-brained idea. I couldn't rest until I -was aboard ship. I'm chosen to do something to preserve mankind, not -destroy it. It's just as if something bigger than me or you or the -universe had taken hold of me, placed me here." - -Arden said: "Do you know what we're going to do to you, Joe?" - -Joe looked at him steadily as Arden drew a gun from his pocket. "We're -going to kill you and throw you out in space. It's the only way to keep -you from contaminating the rest of us." - -Joe said: "You can't." Simply, he said it. - -Bairn said quietly. "We will, Joe." - -Arden lipped: "Do you think we can value one life against Earth's -billions? This is the ship of hope, Joe. This is Earth's last chance. -If we fail, it's the end. For once the disease starts, there is no -stopping it." - -He leveled the automatic "Good-bye, Joe." - - * * * * * - -Joe's body slumped, almost in weakness. Then he galvanized into a human -whirlwind. The gun cracked but Joe was not there. He'd spun quickly, -diving for the cubicle door, flinging a chart as he fled. The flying -chart disturbed Arden's aim. The gun blasted, and Joe felt the wind of -the bullet fanning his cheek. - -Then Joe was in the sloping passageway, sliding down the ramp. He heard -the crack and the banshee wail as another bullet struck the duralloy -wall and ricocheted. - -He hurled his body toward the branch passage that led toward the -power room, and then a communications speaker ahead of him cried out, -bringing Arden's voice from the pilot's cubicle: - -"Kill Joe Wilding--but for your life don't touch him!" - -Joe stopped running abruptly then. - -He was trapped, for that communications system had outlets all over the -ship, and it wouldn't do to advertise his presence by running. Only the -stealth he'd learned in his years of wooding could help him now. - -But what good was all his wood training in this huge hulk of shining -metal? No chance for camouflage, no chance to dive into a creek and -swim away so that your spoor could be lost in the swirling water. - -And then Joe smiled and began to run softly. He had a place to hide if -he could make it. The quick pat of hurrying steps stopped him short and -his quick mind hurled his body to the side of the passage and asprawl -on the floor where the lights cast a shadow. - -It was Paul Burnet hurrying up the passage, the light glinting on the -butt of the automatic belted at his waist. Only for an instant did -Burnet hesitate, then he ran on. His voice drifted back softly: - -"I'm giving _you_ another chance. We're even now, Joe." - -Joe rose to his feet and hurried on to the power room. Joe halted, -breathing deeply. Black Tom would be too interested in his charts to -hear what little sound he might make. - -At the huge oval door leading into the power room, Joe halted, -breathing deeply. Then, quietly, easily, he swung open the heavy door, -stepped inside, his eyes searching for Black Tom. - -Softly, he pulled the portal closed, stood there breathing in long, -quiet breaths. Then he moved across the huge power room, feet moving as -cautiously as if he were stalking a deer in the autumn woods. - -Black Tom's head was bent over a report sheet, his fingers were busy -with a pencil. He shook his head, and Joe was motionless. Then a -chuckle came from Black Tom's lips, and under cover of the sound, Joe -made for the ladder leading to the water compartment. - -Black Tom's head lifted as if startled; his head began to turn toward -the exit door. Joe went up the ladder like a frightened monkey, fairly -blasted himself through the cubbyhole at the top and then rolled -quietly inside. - -He lay there, his heart pounding with the quick exertion as he heard -Black Tom's footsteps moving across the floor. He held his breath; -Black Tom's grunt of puzzlement came muted to his ears. The footsteps -returned to the chart table, and Joe risked a look to see Black Tom's -head once more bent in study. - -Joe lifted himself to his feet, went over and touched the wet surface -of the first of the water cylinders reverently. He walked on down the -line, patting each of the huge tanks till he had reached the last. - -His arms reached up, his hands gripped the top of the cylinder and the -sinewy muscles in his back and arms lifted himself to the top of it. -Then he slid down from the top into the wedge shaped space between the -circumference of the tank and the bulwark of the wall. - -This was sanctuary, Joe thought. Like a cave in the forest when the -wolf-pack keened out their howls for your blood. Only different. For it -was your friends who wanted to kill you. - -In the darkness, Joe's teeth gleamed in a quick smile. - -Then Joe fell asleep. - - * * * * * - -Arden was weary when he met John Bairn coming down from his time of -duty in the pilot cubicle. - -"He's gone," Arden said. "Just as if he had stepped out into space. Now -we're worse off than ever." - -Bairn nodded, said: "I get it. If he's on this ship, he'll have to come -in for food; we won't know what he's touched. Maybe one of the more -susceptible among us with a scratch may touch something he had and -won't know. The infected one will pass like the touch of death among -us." - -Arden said: "Everything we know he might have touched has been -destroyed or disinfected, but there may have been something we missed. -Damn him!" Arden's voice was flat, hopeless. - -"It's hard to imagine Joe as the destroyer he is. I talked to him by -the hour. I liked him; and even now, when I know what a potential of -death he is--that's what makes me so damn mad." - -"Tomorrow," Arden said abruptly. "Tomorrow we'll know if this cruise is -in vain." - -Bairn amended it: "Tomorrow, we land on Venus; if the stuff's there, -okay. If it isn't, we won't have to worry about Joe Wilding any more." - - * * * * * - -Joe didn't know what time it was when it happened. But he knew the -first leg of the journey was over. - -That steady thrumming of the motors that had worked its way into his -body so that it had become a part of him drew away gradually and left -a sense of emptiness behind. - -Joe climbed down from his hiding place, flexed his cramped muscles -and stood erect. He faced the wall, the blank duralloy steel wall and -stared as if his eyes could pierce the opaqueness and look out upon -Venus. - -He stood there a long time, his hands clenched into hard fists at his -side, bright-eyed and staring. - -"God!" he whispered. - -How did it look out there on Venus--on that planet when this first -earth ship landed? Was it like Earth--friendly, familiar? Or inimical, -alien? - -If he came out now, he could see it with his own wondering eyes--and -die. If he stayed here, he might never see it. But his mission was not -fulfilled. Somehow, quite clearly, he realized that. - -So Joe crawled back into his metal cave, into the darkness. - -The only sound in the quiet water compartment was a muffled sobbing. - - * * * * * - -Arden it was who closed the heavy door to the chamber. - -"That's it," he said, and his voice was a caress. "There's enough of -it in that lead-lined vault to rid the world. It's up to you, John, to -take us safely home." - -Some one of the men said: "How about Wilding?" - -A hush came to the room, a silence tight and somehow menacing. - -Arden's voice was harsh: "He can't hurt us now. We have the metal to -cure us if he should contaminate us." - -Whitey Burnet said: "Why not cure him?" - -"No," said Arden. "I have the key to the vault. If one of us is -infected, I'll open it and treat him. But Joe Wilding deserves to die. -It wasn't his fault that we are still uninfected. He was willing to -destroy the Earth in order to be here. That threat is gone now, but he -must suffer." - -"Arlie," Bairn said softly. "Would Mary want you to let Joe Wilding -die?" - -Arden spoke coldly: "Did Wilding care about Mary when he stowed away on -this ship?" - -Bairn had no answer. - - * * * * * - -Joe Wilding was restless. Even the fiery fever that racked him could -not quiet him. He paced the long water compartment, legs weary but -restless. He couldn't stand it here much longer; he had to get out into -the light, out where he could move and see and feel something besides -the dampness dripping upon him, the quick mutter of the pumps as they -drove the catalyst to the firing chambers. - -He walked to the cubbyhole, looked down into the power room. - -Whitey Burnet was there, alone. - -Impulsively, Joe Wilding climbed out of the cubbyhole and down the -ladder. - -"Paul," he said softly. "I'm hungry." - -Paul Burnet turned slowly. - -"Hello, Joe." - -They stood there, the two of them. Whitey Burnet, immaculate in his -white work clothes; Joe Wilding, a heavy growth of beard on his face, -his tunic dirtied, his hair mussed. - -"I gave you your chance, Joe. Just as you gave me mine. We're even." - -Burnet turned to the communications phone, then turned back suddenly. - -"Now you know, Joe. Now you know how I felt. You know how it is to be -hunted, to be afraid of your own shadow, to know what a despicable -creature you are. To be followed by a fear that freezes your guts--" - -"But I'm not afraid, Paul. I'm just hungry, and tired of being alone." - -"I was alone, Joe." - -"No, Paul, you weren't alone, ever. Carol's thoughts were ever of you. -I hunted you the world over; but you always ran away. You never would -give me a chance. And Carol's letters always came back marked: 'No such -person at this address'." - -Paul's voice was almost mocking: "Even now you act the gentleman, -pretending. I hate your guts, Joe Wilding. But for you, Carol and I -would have been married long ago. I liked you once, Joe Wilding, I even -thought what a wonderful brother-in-law you'd make. Even now, I find -myself liking you a little bit--but God knows I don't know why." - -"You'd better call them, Whitey," Joe said. - -"No, not yet. You saved my life when you dragged me away that day my -kidnap plan failed. You carried me, fractured skull and all, away from -the greatest chance a man ever had to make this a real world. If we had -got the president we could have forced the wildwood doctrine down the -people's throats." - -Joe shook his head. "The people won't take forced medicine. They must -have sugar-coated pills to cure them and lead them right." - -Whitey cut in: "Then you made me promise I'd quit. And you told Carol -of my plot, and she wouldn't look me in the face when I came." - -"She cried her eyes out when you left. She asked me to find you and -bring you back. But you wouldn't listen." Then, softly, "She's still -waiting, Paul. Waiting for you." - -Paul stood tensely, his eyes searching Joe's bearded face. The atomic -motor thrummed quietly. - -"You'd better call them, Paul." - -Whitey jumped unexpectedly, as the shrill keening of the danger siren -suddenly keened into the power room. Bairn's voice cracked through the -speaker: - -"Grab something, guys. A meteor, and we can't dodge!" - -Like an exclamation point to his words came the heeling crash. - - * * * * * - -Joe and Paul were flung to the floor as the ship rocked and heaved. The -lights went out, the motors suddenly cut off. There was a shuddering -scream as metal tore; the air turned hot and dry. - -[Illustration: _Hell burst in the engine room._] - -The ship kept rocking as if caught in a great stormy sea. Rolling on -the floor, Joe heard a deep roar that was beginning to grow shrill. - -A warning bell was ringing in his head; then he realized it was the -bell signaling escaping air. Then he was on his feet, holding himself -against the heeling motion of the ship, crying out: - -"Paul, where are you? Paul, Paul, Paul...." - -"Here," Whitey's voice was weak, but Joe followed it. He found Paul, -heaved him to his shoulders and staggered away toward a wall. It was -the wall to the passageway he decided dully and felt along it until -he found the door. It opened easily as if pushed by a giant hand. He -struggled hard to get across the threshold against the pushing air. -He made it, dropped Paul to the passageway. Then he tugged desperately -against the pull of the air against the door as he dragged it shut. -Somehow, he got it closed, twisted the locking lever. - -He sat down against the wall of the passage and breathed in long, -shallow breaths. - -In the darkness, he heard Paul's voice: - -"Did you mean that about Carol," Paul asked, and his heart was in it. - -"Yes," said Joe. "She's still waiting for you to come back to her." - -It was quiet there for a moment, with only the muted ringing of the -bell from the power room seeping through the wall. - -Joe said: "Did I hurt you when I dropped you, Paul?" - -"Not much," Burnet answered. "My head's a little dizzy, but it takes -more than an easy jar like that to make it dangerous. Forget it." - -"But how did you get through the physical for the trip? The metal plate -in your skull should have barred you." - -"I'm one of the few who know what the power plant here is like, -remember? Besides, the physical wasn't too steep. And Joe, I'm sorry I -was such a heel to sock you when you couldn't hit me back. You'd have -killed with the blow." - -"I know," said Joe. He heard Paul breathing in harsh gasps. - -"Paul," he said anxiously. - -"It's all right." - -"But it isn't! Here, I'll carry you to the first aid room." Joe got up, -lifted Paul to his shoulders. - -Joe had carried Paul perhaps a hundred feet when lights flickering on -the walls and the sound of footsteps signaled the advance of the others. - -"So," came Arden's voice as the beam from a flashlight centered on -Joe's face, "the rat came out of his hole." - -After the blackness, the light hurt Joe's eyes and he lowered his head. - -Arden came forward quickly, slapped Joe openhanded across the mouth. -"I've waited a long time for this!" He slapped him again, and Joe felt -the blood trickling from his lips. - -Joe lowered Paul Burnet easily to the floor. He wiped his lips with the -back of his hand, said: - -"You don't understand. I'm bringing Paul, he's hurt. His skull was -fractured a long time ago, and it's reacting." He knelt beside Burnet, -took the hurt man's wrist. "How are you now, Paul?" - -Burnet smiled weakly: "A little better." - -Arden kicked Joe aside: "Keep your diseased hands off him, traitor." - -Joe got wearily to his feet. "Arden," he said, "Bairn told me how upset -you are about your wife. That's why I excused those slaps. But this--" - -Joe's right arm drew back swiftly, drove his doubled fist to Arden's -jaw. Arden dropped as if the floor had fallen from under him. - -"That tears it, Joe," Bairn said. "I'm sorry, Joe. But we have no -recourse but to lock you up. You're a walking plague, and socking Arden -was the last straw." - -From the floor, Burnet said weakly: "But Arden had it coming...." - -"We can't be the judge of that. Joe is worth no consideration now. Don, -lock Joe up in one of the empty storage rooms, but don't get near him." - -"Right," said Timnson, the mathematician. "Come on, Wilding." - -Joe started to move away, stopped and said: - -"See that one of the twins looks after Paul, will you?" - -"Go on," said Bairn. Joe went ahead of Timnson. - - * * * * * - -The heavy door clanged shut behind Joe, and he was alone in the -darkness. The motors were still silent, and he wondered how much -damage the meteorite had done to the ship. He felt his way to the -communications phone, unhooked it. But the steady hum that signified -that it was alive was absent. Even the call speaker gave no sound. - -Wearied, Joe sat down against the wall, and despite the hunger feeling -throbbing in his stomach fell asleep. - -It was the overhead light shining into his eyes that awakened him. -His ears sought for the sound of the motors, no familiar thrum. The -wandering meteor must have done quite a bit of damage. - -The communications phone buzzed. Joe answered. - -"Hello, Joe," it was Burnet's voice. - -"How are you, Paul? The dizziness gone?" - -"Right, but I guess it doesn't do any good. We're not going anywhere." -Burnet's voice was a little strained. - -"Why?" put in Joe. - -"That damn meteor knocked hell out of the rear blasting tubes, and some -of the fellows are outside trying to replace the busted ones. But even -if they get it fixed we're still derelict. That meteor took all of our -water, and I guess you know what that means." - -Joe was silent. Then: "No catalyst, no move, is that it, Paul?" - -"Uh huh," Paul answered, "No H-2-O, no go." - -"The cans," Joe said, abruptly. - -"Cans?" Paul questioned over the wire. "Cans?" - -"Sure," said Joe, and he was breathless as he hurried on. "Paul, all -that canned food. There's water in them. And there must be some water -left in the pipes to the kitchen and the lav? Have they thought of -that?" - -"Yes," said Paul. "The pipes, I mean, not the cans. Arden and Bairn are -having the pipes pumped out now, Doc Guetschow tells me. But I'll pass -along the can suggestion." - -"Was it really bad?" Joe asked. - -"Sure, they got the power room sealed again. But that water compartment -was mashed to junk, and the water just went pftt! It's a good thing you -got out there when you did, or you'd have been pftt! too. I'll ring you -back with any later developments." - -Joe pronged the receiver. He began to pace the room. He couldn't stay -in here. There must be something he could do out there. But this room -was better than any prison. His eyes searched the room. - -Joe's eyes were sparkling all of a sudden. Bless the planners who laid -out this ship! - -He broke the heavy crowbar from the emergency wall chest. He twisted -the heavy steel in the locking mechanism on the inner panel of the -door. Bracing his feet against the door and drawing the heavy bar -toward him, he strained desperately. - -He knew from his meandering around the ship that the locking device -was only to insure the doors would not open accidentally. The muscles -in his back and shoulders bulged so that the tunic he wore split down -the back. - -He tugged until his muscles quivered with the strain. He should break -loose now so he could open the door from the inside. - -But nothing happened. - - * * * * * - -Joe relaxed, stood back and wiped the sweat from his brow; the lack of -food had weakened him. The locking mechanism should have given way. - -Once more he inserted the bar in the device. Once more he called on his -wood-trained muscles. He tried desperately this time, exerting all the -strength he could summon. Blackness threatened to engulf. - -Then as if in a dream, he heard the muffled cling! That meant the -device had snapped. He fell to the floor, his breath coming in sobs. -Then he quieted, lifted his body up, and twisted the wheel. It turned -easily, and the door pulled open at his tug. - -He came out into the passageway to face Arden, gun drawn. - -Arden cursed softly: "Won't you stay put, Joe?" - -Joe shrugged. "You need me," he said. - -"Need you?" repeated Arden. "Need you to infect us so we can't get the -ship going again." - -Joe watched Arden, then he said: "Arden, why not cure me; then I won't -be dangerous and I can help?" - -"No." Arden's voice was flat. "I'm the only man on ship who knows how -to give the treatment, and you're not getting any. Your life is forfeit -for what you almost managed to do." - -"You won't stop me, now, Arden," Joe said. "You can barely see me now, -and you're trying so hard to keep from vomiting out your guts. You've -got the radio disease; why don't you cure yourself?" - -Joe moved back slowly; Arden's gun followed him hesitantly. - -"You," Arden said. "You did it. You gave it to me." The gun steadied. - -"No," Joe said. "You had it before I ever came aboard ship. But you -didn't know it, did you, Arden? You're a carrier, and you came to the -ship straight from your wife." - -Arden shook his head weakly. "I took the usual tests; it showed me free -of it." - -"But you know the usual tests, Arden; you know you can't tell for sure -until you get the nausea. And it acts at varying speeds with different -people, doesn't it?" - -Arden's fingers whitened on the gun; and Joe leapt aside suddenly. The -shot blasted out. Then the gun dropped from Arden's fingers and he fell -forward on his face, retching. - -Joe lifted the fallen metal expert almost tenderly, and carried him -toward the hospital room. - -When he brought his burden in, Joe saw Burnet sitting on the edge of -the bed, slipping on his sandals. Doc Guetschow, one of the professor -twins, was remonstrating with him, trying to keep him in bed. - -Burnet shook himself free and stood up. Then he saw Joe placing Arden's -body on the bed. - -"Well!" - -Joe turned and smiled. Then he was serious: "Arden's got the radio -disease." - -"Your fault, Joe," Burnet said. "He was right." - -"No," Joe said doggedly. "He had it when he came aboard, too. He's got -it bad, too. See what you can do for him, Doc." - -Then Joe trotted out of the hospital room, and headed for the kitchen -storerooms. Wick Wilson, who doubled as cook and metallurgist, was -opening cans and draining off the liquid into a tub. - -"Help?" asked Joe. - -Wick Wilson looked at Joe briefly, said: "I thought you were in the -brig." Then, "Sure, lug the tub down to the power room. We're trying to -get enough water out of the juice to make catalyst." - -Joe hoisted the tub to one shoulder. "How about something to eat?" - -Wick went into the kitchen, pulled a half chicken out of the -refrigerator, brought back. - -"Southern fried," he said. "It'll hold you together." - -Joe bit off a chunk and carried the rest in one hand as he balanced the -tub of fruit and vegetable juices on one shoulder and strode from the -room. - - * * * * * - -Black Tom was putting the finishing touches on a metal cylinder he had -salvaged from some of the shattered tanks. - -As Joe came in the power room door, Black Tom asked: "How does it look? -Been a long time since I did any welding, but it'll hold water." - -Black Tom and Herd, the assistant pilot, had bolted the jury rigged -tank to the floor, and had, through some amateur plumbing work, hooked -up a pipe system to the atomic motor. - -Joe jerked his chicken-filled hand at the tub on his shoulder. - -"Where does this juice go?" - -Morrissey apparently had just realized that Joe was free. He looked at -him blankly for a moment. - -"Dump it in the tank," he said, pointing to the metal ladder leaning -against the tank. "But keep your distance," he added. "We don't want to -catch the plague." - -Joe grinned, stuffed the remainder of the chicken in his mouth, carried -the tub up the ladder, and dumped the conglomerated juices into the -circular opening at the top of the tank. - -Joe came down the ladder. - -"Got enough yet?" he questioned. - -"Hell, no," exploded Black Tom. "Look at the gauge we rigged up. Here." - -Joe looked at the gauge affixed to the side of the tank. It was about -two inches below a chalk line Black Tom had drawn. - -"The white line marks the absolute minimum of water we need to get the -ship within gravitational pull of the Earth; from there in it's up to -our extensor vanes." - -"How much do you need yet?" Joe asked. - -Black Tom grunted. "About twelve gallons--and if those juices run out, -we'll have to do some wholesale lemon and orange squeezing." - -Joe started to turn. - -Black Tom said: "Thanks, Joe, for the can suggestion. It may pull us -through." - -Joe nodded, went up with his tub for another load of juice. - -When he had dumped the second load in, he said: - -"Wick's got Whitey, Ronnie Guetschow and Keating squeezing lemons. This -is the last of the loose juice." He shook his head to clear his mind, -said briefly, "Excuse me," and hurriedly left the power room. - -When he came back, his face pale, his limbs shaking from the retching -stomach, Bairn and Ed Parman were talking to Black Tom. - - * * * * * - -Bairn looked serious. "Hell," he said. "It would boil down to that. -The motor's okay, Ed says. But I don't know where in blue blazes we're -going to get enough water. Timnson's got the hydraulic press from the -workroom rigged up squeezing out the garbage we didn't dump." - -He turned to Black Tom: "You're sure your sand filter will take all the -solids out, so it won't plug up the water jets?" - -Black Tom nodded. It was then Bairn noticed Joe. - -Bairn said wearily: "Haven't you caused enough grief, Joe? Arden's sick -with the disease because of you. You've been a jinx ever since the trip -started. Why don't you crawl in a hole and die?" - -"I'm trying to help," Joe said. - -"Nuts," said Bairn tiredly. Then he turned to Black Tom. "We've got -gasoline galore for operating the electrical units. Think gas'll work?" - -"No," Tom said briefly. Joe's stomach was beginning to quiver again, -and the figures of Tom, Bairn and Parman were weaving. He could feel -his pulses pounding raggedly, as if a million drummers were anxious to -keep out of tempo. - -He forced himself to walk slowly from the room, but the dizziness -caught him at the door and he had to hang on to the lever to keep from -keeling over. - -His thoughts were kaleidoscoping, but one finally broke through -clearly. It was the answer. - -He pulled himself erect, said through feverish lips: - -"Bairn...." - -Bairn said, without turning his head: - -"Beat it, Joe!" - -"Please, John," Joe said, "I know where to get more water." He -staggered toward the three men, the floor rocking under him. He felt -his mind shouting the words, but his desperate mind couldn't make his -lips move. His eyes wouldn't focus; his legs wouldn't work. - -He only half-felt the hurt as his head struck the power room floor. - -"Good," said Bairn, almost pleased. "That's taking care of him. Parman, -shove him over in the corner. Better put these rubber gloves on." - -It was a good three hours later when Bairn and Black Tom stood at the -gauge measuring the height of the water in the tank. - -"Not good enough," Black Tom said. "If we don't crash on the moon, -we'll end up as a satellite. That's all the water we can squeeze out of -it." - -"Damn," breathed Bairn, "another gallon would take us home. But there -isn't another lick of water on the ship." He checked off on his -fingers: "The lav, the connecting pipes, the canned food, the garbage, -the storage batteries, that does it, guys, I guess." - -The others stood quietly. Bairn went on: "We might as well get going. -Maybe, the fruit juice has got more umph to it than the water, and we -might coast in. But Black Tom says we've got enough to reach the moon's -orbit track, but not enough to reach the gravity pull of the Earth. - -"We've done all we can," he said. "Now it's up to whatever providence -watches over people like us." He licked dry lips and smiled. - - * * * * * - -The muted thrumming of the atomic motor gradually worked its way -into Joe's consciousness. He moved wearily, and then his mind, -short-circuited by the ravages of the fever, cleared itself and he -became aware of his surroundings. - -How long he'd lain there, Joe couldn't tell as he staggered to his feet -and toward the door. He had the answer, if he could make Bairn listen. - -His glazed eyes stared around the power room. There was no one there. -He weaved toward the water gauge, stared at it for a long time before -it registered. - -Why, his mind said dully, the tank's almost empty. Joe staggered for -the door. The door was a ton weight that fought against him to open it. -When it finally opened, he left it that way. - -He got outside in the passageway, and his stomach rebelled. He was -very sick for many moments. He crawled and staggered up the circular -stairway toward the pilot's cubicle. - -His body was bruised and hurting from the many times his weak legs had -betrayed him before he reached the door to the cubicle. He couldn't -move the lever to the door. - -He tried to shout, but his voice was hoarse, weak. He pounded with both -hands against the thick metal. But there was no answer. Once again, he -was sick. - -Then wearily he retraced his footsteps, pounded lengthily on each door -with his weakened muscles. They couldn't hear him, a bitter voice -nagged at him. He had the answer, and they wouldn't listen. - -He didn't feel the pain as he rolled down the circular steps and lay at -the bottom in a heap. Somehow he moved on, crawling. - -If they couldn't listen, he'd have to do it. He reached the door to the -power room, lifted his body across the threshold, and then weakness -held him motionless. - -Was this it, his heart questioned. This was what he had to do before -the radio disease got him, wasn't it. He couldn't see, he couldn't -hear, he couldn't feel. Oh, God, he couldn't even think. - -Was this it? his heart asked again. Whatever the answer, it was somehow -adequate ... for Joe's body, weakened by the life-sucking plague moved -slowly ... so very slowly.... - - * * * * * - -"We've nearly reached the last of the catalyst, if Black Tom's figures -are right," Bairn said to the men crowded into the pilot's cubby. - -"There's Earth," Parman said, and his voice was a caress. - -The whole crew was there in the cubby, save for Arden and Burnet and -the medical Guetschow twin. Doc Guetschow was down in sick bay with the -other two, Burnet's head having started to act up again after three -days without water. - -"Tom, you're sure your figures are right?" the other Guetschow twin -asked. - -"Much as I hate to say it, yes. Only a few hundred miles and we're -finished." Tom licked his puffed lips. - -It was quiet there in the cubby as the atomic motor drove the ship at -tremendous speed through the void. - -"Can't we coast in?" Parman asked. "We've got tremendous acceleration." - -"But not enough," Bairn said, "with the moon's gravitation field to -reckon with." - -All their hearts must have stopped then, when the steady thrum became -a staccato beat. "This is it," Bairn said. The staccato turned to a -broken rhythm, hesitated, and finally halted. - -"God," said Herd, the co-pilot apologetically, "if the moon weren't -around to hold us back." - -But it was there, looming huge and ugly off the starboard side. - -Parman said: "I can feel it pulling." - -The strain made two or three of them giggle. Bairn said as if to a -naughty child: "It isn't that strong, Ed." - -Bairn's hand moved to click off the firing lever when the motors -suddenly broke into thrumming life. - -The inertia of new flight came to the ship again. - - * * * * * - -They made a frozen tableau, those men standing in the pilot's cubby. - -Ed Parman was the first to break the tableau. He slumped to the floor, -and lay there, his shoulders shaking convulsively. - -"Herd," Bairn said suddenly, "Take over. Come on, Tom. Whatever did -this is in the power room." - -"Joe?" Herd asked. - -"I don't know." - -The two of them fled, leaving behind them, Parman on his knees staring -at the void, the others half-crying, half-laughing. - -Bairn and Black Tom Morrissey came into the power room. They stood awed -at what they saw. - -Joe was there. - -Bairn said finally, voice as soft as the night wind over earth: - -"Joe was right. He was good for something after all." - -Tenderly, he and Black Tom lifted Joe's dead body down from the tank, -laid him gently on the floor. - -"The only thing we forgot, Tom," Bairn said. "_Blood._" - -Crimson still oozed slowly from Joe Wilding's cut wrists. There was a -smile on his dead lips. For it was a man named Joe who was the first to -reach the stars--and the roaring rockets had scattered his eternal life -across the star trails. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's One Against the Stars, by Vaseleos Garson - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ONE AGAINST THE STARS *** - -***** This file should be named 63032.txt or 63032.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/0/3/63032/ - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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