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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..4ce9de9 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #63432 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63432) diff --git a/old/63432-h.zip b/old/63432-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index a8499c2..0000000 --- a/old/63432-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63432-h/63432-h.htm b/old/63432-h/63432-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index f83118c..0000000 --- a/old/63432-h/63432-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2200 +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 Colony of the Unfit, by Manfred A. Carter. - </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;} - -/* 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; -} - -.ph1 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; } -.ph1 { font-size: medium; margin: .83em auto; } - - - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Colony of the Unfit, by Manfred A. Carter - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Colony of the Unfit - -Author: Manfred A. Carter - -Release Date: October 10, 2020 [EBook #63432] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COLONY OF THE UNFIT *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>Colony of the Unfit</h1> - -<h2>by MANFRED A. CARTER</h2> - -<p>Mars had become the prison planet for Earth's<br /> -afflicted, for the Leaders had exiled them to<br /> -a living death beneath its red surface. But the<br /> -Leaders had erred in their cold-blooded<br /> -calculations—Mars held a secret beyond their ken.</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Planet Stories Winter 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>John Greely looked at Hilda's freshly gloved, artificial hand, as -she adjusted her note book to a clip concealed in the palm. The hand -fascinated him horribly. Beauty should never be crippled. She sensed -his morbid stare, but smiled and rose gracefully, saying, "O.K., Boss. -Let's go."</p> - -<p>She flashed bantering eyes at her editor, with a last pat of her -heavily ringed right hand on the rich rolling waves of blonde hair that -were always in place. The startling pale beauty of her young face -was contrasted by glowing dark brown eyes. Theirs was a comfortable -friendship, this of the young editor and his society staff and -secretary, but a limited one. He said, gruffly, "Let me carry the -raditype."</p> - -<p>"No, you're the dignity, I'm the beast of burden. Come on, hurry! We've -only five minutes to reach the district hospital."</p> - -<p>John slipped on his transparent all-weather coat and helped Hilda with -hers. His reddish brown hair flipped in the March wind as they stepped -out from the <i>Daily Home Recorder</i> building. His almost boyishly round -cheeks glowed with color. Hilda liked the way his shoulders snapped up -as he faced the cold. She liked the way he took her arm, but she must -always be casual....</p> - -<p>"Do you suppose it's just another rumor?" she asked, as they stepped -into a low, cigar shaped car.</p> - -<p>"Look like straight dope to me. The Universal News Service is pretty -conservative."</p> - -<p>"How could things have changed so while we were away? It doesn't seem -like the same world. Those men in Washington must be mad."</p> - -<p>"I know, Hilda, but perhaps we are the ones who are out of step. This -is the day of directed evolution."</p> - -<p>"But, John—how horrible, to take all those sick folks and banish them -on a Space Tramp!"</p> - -<p>John drove past the old wooden houses of their small city and then let -out speed on the highway before he answered, "The Leader says that is -what we should do—harden our emotions for the sake of a better race. -You and I are in the minority. Those years on the Moon trip have left -us out of date."</p> - -<p>They were silent for a little while before she continued, "Do you -suppose we really are in the minority? The people who listen in to our -raditype service seem just about as they did before we went away. Their -letters prove that. I saw an old lady's scrap book the other day, of -her clippings. I read it through because I had been wondering how much -of the printed recording was ever reread. Most people are content to -glance at the screen when the news first comes on. She had saved the -old type sentimental items, just as an old lady would have five or ten -years ago."</p> - -<p>"Yes, the small towns are slow to change. That's why <i>they</i> hate the -little news services like ours. Prepared news hastens the new day."</p> - -<p>"Do you suppose they'll talk to us?"</p> - -<p>"They'll have to," he said grimly, "with all those folks watching and -listening in. I wonder what the patients think about the new idea—or -if they know."</p> - -<p>"Where do you think they will be sent? Why don't the authorities just -put them to sleep with a lethal drug?"</p> - -<p>"Search me, Honey. Well, here we are."</p> - -<p>Their street roller drew up silently before a huge gray building in the -open country and John turned the magnetic parking control. They stepped -out from the grass-lined curb, and John pushed the moving sidewalk -half-speed handle, sliding them quickly up to an entrance. It opened -automatically and in a moment they were standing before a large silver -reception screen.</p> - -<p>A white haired doctor, in his long surgical gown, glowed rapidly into -focus before them. His eyes darted at John like the incision of a -lancet. "What's the press want this morning?"</p> - -<p>"We'd like an interview on the Universe News story."</p> - -<p>Hilda held her raditype transmitter open toward the screen, secure in -the crook of her arm, while she made private stenographic notes on the -pad. Every home in the Brownville Section, which happened to be tuned -in, was seeing the Doctor and he suddenly realized it enough to smile -slightly. He inwardly cursed the freedom of the press in small towns, -but remarked with forced graciousness, "I'll have a nurse conduct you -to the surgery. We can talk while I supervise some minor operations."</p> - -<p>"Fine!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>They walked past the Mental Case Wards in silence. It had been fifty -years since the most degenerate of these poor unfortunates had been -allowed to vociferate their wild discords. Hypnosis and drugs had -achieved permanent quiet at last, but there was still a low percentage -of actual cures.</p> - -<p>Beyond these wards they came to the surgical division, and presently -sat with Dr. Henderson in a small circular screened room, where a -dozen operations were simultaneously shown. He hardly glanced at -them, but kept his eyes constantly on the moving screen before him, -touching buttons occasionally before making some brief comment into the -transmitter.</p> - -<p>John ignored his seeming lack of attention. "What about this story that -the Central Medical Division is moving all these patients out on a -space ship?"</p> - -<p>"Some wild rumor—nothing in it."</p> - -<p>"Any objection to our taking a round of observation?"</p> - -<p>"No, go ahead. Might as well do it now. We can finish the interview -later. I want to concentrate on that brain section transfer. It's -rather tricky."</p> - -<p>They stepped into an observation car and slid slowly around the -overhead track, looking down on crowded wards below.</p> - -<p>"John! There <i>is</i> something happening here. Look at the patients' -faces. They're afraid."</p> - -<p>"Does seem to be a lot of activity."</p> - -<p>"Let's slide down into that convalescent ward and see what they have to -say."</p> - -<p>"O.K., Sister, but you know it is forbidden. We'll probably get thrown -out and reported."</p> - -<p>They had hardly stepped out of the slide when a group of white gowned -orderlies came down the next corridor. Hilda saw them and whispered -tensely. "Here! Sit in this wheel chair, and I'll visit you—Help me -fold our coats so that you can sit on them."</p> - -<p>John obeyed and lolled back in the chair, winking at her before he half -closed his eyes.</p> - -<p>The orderlies wheeled in a low carrier, piled high with transparent -plastic overcoats, old fashioned sweaters, woolen mackinaws, and rubber -raincoats—any sort of an outdated covering. Most of the patients in -these district hospitals were poor, and largely living in the meager -comforts of the early part of the century. They made no protest, but -donned their variegated assortment of coverings and lined up obediently -to march out.</p> - -<p>"Let's go with them," Hilda whispered.</p> - -<p>"Quick! Behind those screens and into the end of the line," he -directed, "the press joins the army of decrepitude."</p> - -<p>"John, there are hundreds of ambulance planes outside!"</p> - -<p>"Got your transmitter on?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, it's been on all the time."</p> - -<p>A white faced man ahead of them began to struggle between two guards as -they reached the open air. A male nurse, walking behind them, deftly -thrust a large hypodermic into the patient's arm, while the orderlies -held him and pushed back his sleeve. The rebellious one quieted and was -carried into one of the planes.</p> - -<p>There were a few other struggles of resistance. Here and there a -patient ran a few yards before being caught and subdued. For the most -part the unhappy crowd showed only a quiet despairing obedience.</p> - -<p>John urged in a low worried tone, "Let's make a dash for our -roller—this is no place for you."</p> - -<p>"No, this is horrible—we must see it through. Pretend to be sick and -go along."</p> - -<p>"Don't be sentimental, Hilda. Get ready to run for it when we pass that -wall." He took her right hand in his left and snapped off the raditype. -"Now!"</p> - -<p>She had no choice, but, as they ran around the corner of the wall, they -crashed into a group of surgeons coming toward the planes.</p> - -<p>"Hold them!" cried Dr. Henderson. "They've done damage enough already. -Put them on a plane. Perhaps we can claim the first broadcast was an -impersonation, if they are gone."</p> - -<p>John broke one pair of spectacles and started one nosebleed dripping -down a doctor's immaculate gown, but muscles haven't much chance -against the rigidity serum. He yielded to the hypodermic and did not -come to during the brief ambulance ride, nor while they were being -loaded onto the battered old Space Tramp. Hilda continued to scribble -her antiquated shorthand surreptitiously on the pad, but they had -appropriated her raditype. She was not given the rigidity serum until -she was strapped onto a sleeping shelf in the ship. Only a small group -of officers in the control room were conscious of the sudden inertia -strain, when the rockets thundered out through earth's atmosphere. All -the patients were mercifully in the long sleep that would seem like a -minute of time, when awakened after months of racing through silent -outer space.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>John felt the prick of the needle that awakened him to consciousness, -through a vague haze of half forgetfulness. Suddenly he remembered, and -tore feverishly at the straps holding him down. In a moment he was free -from their restraint, but laughing in vexation at his forgetfulness -when his exertions threw him upward, and he hung suspended in the -cabin space dangling from the strap still held in his right hand. He -had forgotten they had left gravity behind. He pulled himself down -and seized the sleeping shelf with his left hand. Clinging to it, he -sidled along toward the forward port. Patients, under their straps as -he passed, were slowly coming back to life, and they stared at him -frightened, or amused or indifferent, according to their conditions. -The attendants had gone from the cabin. At last John could see through -a six foot plate of hardened glass. The view was slightly hazy, and -unreal. Below their plunging ship was the Red Planet, still a vague -sphere. The orange glow, familiar to earth telescopes, was gone now. -The vast stretches of red desert and darker marsh areas became faintly -distinguishable. Those regular lines of water channels from the -opposing polar caps became visible to the naked eye, and were far less -geometrical than earth pictures had shown them. It was summer in the -northern hemisphere, and its polar cap had receded.</p> - -<p>The one previous expedition to this dying planet had been given little -publicity and John was fascinated by the view before him. At last -they entered the thin atmosphere. Instant by instant, the deserts and -low rounded hills grew visible. Lines of vegetation along the water -channels turned green. Finally, the forward jets of the ship roared and -John was crashed against the rear cabin wall, by the change of speed. -He crawled painfully back to his sleeping shelf and strapped himself -in. The rumor was true—He was on a ship of doom—and Hilda—where was -she? Had she escaped? There was nothing he could do. The ship screamed -into thicker, lower atmosphere and vibrations penetrated her thick hull.</p> - -<p>John's memory of previous space trips told him they were nearly ready -to land. There was hardly a jar, as they grounded and tilted slowly to -rest. Sleepy eyed orderlies came in unsteadily, affected by the lighter -gravity. They were pushing a truck full of helmets and oxygen tanks, -which they deftly adjusted to the patients.</p> - -<p>The men in this cabin were all able to walk and were soon outside -the air lock. Following them came stretcher bearers, street roller -ambulances, men on crutches, even a few of the more demented in -glassite water jackets, from which they peered with dull eyes, as if -they were drugged.</p> - -<p>Hilda burst free from the second group of women and cried, "John! Oh, -John, I'm so glad to find you."</p> - -<p>She threw her arms around him and pillowed her head on his shoulder. He -held her happily, his blood racing. This was a different girl from the -hard and casual newspaper woman. Suddenly, she recovered.</p> - -<p>"Sorry. Guess I have the old time jitters—I'll try not to let it -happen again." She covered her gloved left hand with her right and -turned away. "See what a hopeless pitiful mob," she said, after a -moment.</p> - -<p>"Yes, and I wonder what next. I've read that most of the old dwelling -places are underground. The Martians made their last stand against -desolation in cave cities."</p> - -<p>"There's an entrance."</p> - -<p>"Yes, and here come the guards."</p> - -<p>The long procession of the lame, the blind, and the sick was soon in -weaving motion over red sand toward a great metal door set into a low -cliff. Their oxygen helmets bobbed almost comically. There were few -guards and these made little attempt at restraint. John and Hilda went -hand in hand toward a group in the lead, the seemingly able bodied ones.</p> - -<p>"I suppose most of these are alcoholics and drug addicts," John -remarked, absently, as they followed.</p> - -<p>"Maybe this will really cure them. They certainly can't escape or bribe -their way to intoxication here."</p> - -<p>"What's the use of getting cured on this desert?"</p> - -<p>"Don't give up, John. Oh, you're thinking that there will be no more -Elks Club balls!" She took his arm and smiled derisively.</p> - -<p>"Yes, maybe—"</p> - -<p>"And all the Susies, and Mabels, and Evelyns were left behind—Too bad!"</p> - -<p>"Aw—cut it—We've got to figure out something—"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The guards were not unkind, but herded them like cattle, impersonally -and silently. The great steel door clanged, and they were able to -remove their helmets in the air conditioned interior.</p> - -<p>This strange crowd of the banished drew together in a vast open cave, -dimly lighted by weak electric globes. In the distance they could hear -the throbbing of an old fashioned generator. Dr. Henderson stood on an -overturned packing case with one of the primitive sound amplifiers set -up before him. He spoke calmly now, more at ease than at home, as if -relieved.</p> - -<p>"Men and women," he began, "we are not here to harm you. This great -experiment is being conducted in the interests of humanity. The -constant presence of the sick is disturbing to eugenic controls and -ideals. The Leader and the Earth Council have wisely established this -colony. You will still be treated by the best of our skill. Any who -recover will be placed in an isolated and independent colony. The -slightly crippled will be given handicraft and factory tasks. Their -products will be shipped to Earth and sold to maintain the supply line."</p> - -<p>"Where do we live?" blurted a portly, middle aged man near John.</p> - -<p>"There are separated quarters a few miles down the passage—Of course -rather primitive—but you can make yourselves fairly comfortable."</p> - -<p>Hilda noticed one of the nurses standing near the Doctor. Her tightly -waved blonde hair was gleaming in the dim light near the speaker's -improvised platform. Her large blue eyes were slightly closed and -her full red lips sagged almost hopelessly, but she was strikingly -beautiful, with strong, clean cut features and a clear skin.</p> - -<p>Beyond were other nurses and doctors in white uniforms, scattered like -lonely ghosts among the five hundred and more patients. Hilda wondered -what had induced these people to voluntarily leave the comforts of -civilization. Were they derelicts of time, idealists, or just out of -work?</p> - -<p>"There is one difference in this colony," went on Dr. Henderson in a -lower tone. "If any of you find it too difficult to exist under the new -conditions, euthanasia will be permitted—a sleeping pill in the white -room—and your troubles are over."</p> - -<p>"Yeah—and the state saves money!" snarled the white faced man who had -rebelled at the hospital entrance before them.</p> - -<p>"It will be purely voluntary," said Dr. Henderson calmly.</p> - -<p>"Oh, I'll bet they'll use hypnotics!" whispered Hilda, in a shocked -voice, "They'll make them want to—What a twisted code of ethics. They -don't dare to face their own attitudes. Such hypocrisy! Why not just -line us up and use the ray guns?"</p> - -<p>Doctor Henderson ended his address with additional promises and then -stepped down. In a few minutes the crowd was broken up into small -units. John and Hilda walked with the group of alcoholics and arrested -mental cases. They began to talk and sought acquaintanceship to cancel -fear. It was almost a relief to leave the congregation of pain behind -them.</p> - -<p>There was only one doctor with this group, Old Doctor Smithson, a -retired psychiatrist who had begun working at the district hospital -after losing his fortune in the stock market. He was now too old for -general practice. His thin, bent shoulders straightened as he walked. -His words became crisp and cheerful as if he welcomed the adventure. -With him were two nurses, Mary, the blonde girl Hilda had noticed, and -a little, red headed, freckled faced woman of indeterminate years.</p> - -<p>Near Hilda and John walked Major Henry Mattson, a psychiatric casualty -of the war of 1960, seemingly cured. The rebellious one, twice noticed -by the reporters before, walked ahead. He said his name was Tony -Pacina. A tall, white haired man with thick glasses, recently cured of -a cataract, introduced himself as Mark Hemingway and said that he was a -chemist and had been in the surgery at the hospital for his operation -because of confidence in Dr. Henderson. If this should prove true his -accidental presence might be helpful.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Around them were the others they would seek to know later. The group -tramped briskly behind Dr. Smithson. They were the "cured" ones. With -health, happiness is possible anywhere. They felt themselves beginning -a strange comradeship, even cheerfulness.</p> - -<p>"I wonder where they're taking us," said Hilda, clinging to John's arm -to keep up with the brisk pace, and laughing at the way a little jump -could lift her up and far ahead.</p> - -<p>"I wonder, too. Well, Honey, if I must be cast away—I'm glad it's with -you."</p> - -<p>She squeezed his arm, but said nothing. There was light ahead at the -end of the long tunnel. They entered a large open chamber.</p> - -<p>It was not a luxurious room, but neither was it a prison. There was -sufficient heat, and the mattresses and sheets were clean. There were -two shower and bath rooms beyond but no ultra violet equipment. Cloth -curtains were hung to drop around their beds. One side of the room was -lined half way to the ceiling with frayed and battered books. One wall -had a moving picture screen. There was no television. One noted the -absence of buttons to push and gadgets for speed and comfort. There -were no sliding floors.</p> - -<p>"Our legs will ache with all the walking in this city," said Hilda, -rather doubtfully.</p> - -<p>"I'll like that. I'd enjoy developing a little muscle again."</p> - -<p>"I wonder where those passages go. Do you suppose they'll permit us to -go out?"</p> - -<p>"Let's see."</p> - -<p>As they stepped to the door, Mary came forward and gave them each a -folded paper map, and a double holster holding a radilight and a gas -pellet gun. Hilda buckled hers on, laughing at its weight. John stared -at his thoughtfully.</p> - -<p>"No real danger here," said the blonde nurse, "but our instruction -manuals say there are Mars rats—something like the jack rabbits on -western sage plains back home. They run around the cave area. Nothing -larger has been left in the passages. They aren't very good to eat, -so we just gas them and leave them to recover. Dr. Henderson wants a -reserve food supply in case of emergency. They are about twice the size -of rabbits back home, and their bite is infectious. If you go beyond -any of the air doors, you may need oxygen helmets, the atmosphere is -pretty thin. It will take you a bit of time to get used to the lighter -gravity, but that's sort of fun." She said it all with professional -cheeriness, as if it were memorized, but she paid very little attention -to them.</p> - -<p>"Want to come along?" asked John.</p> - -<p>"Sorry. I have to stay here to help Dr. Smithson. I'd like to—maybe -another time. We are both on duty today." She smiled, and the settled -sadness of her face was gone for a moment.</p> - -<p>"Well, thanks," said John, unfolding his map slowly.</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes," she added, "and never go beyond sight of the entrance if you -go out on the desert. You can see for miles even though the horizon -is nearer up here. If danger comes you can make it back to the door -easily. But there are very unpleasant things on this planet. The safety -is all underground. Maybe you'd better have one of the manuals. It will -be light outside and you can read." She took a thin booklet from the -bundle of papers in her hand and gave it to Hilda, then walked briskly -away.</p> - -<p>They pushed open the room door, and stepped cautiously down a dry, dark -passageway. Old marks of ray blast on the sandstone walls showed that -all this underground world was artificial. Red desert sand underfoot -was hard, dry and clean.</p> - -<p>"Oh, John, it does seem good to be by ourselves again. All these sick -folks depress me."</p> - -<p>"Yes, and what depresses me is how I'm going to get you back to Earth. -It may be months before another ship comes. And they won't dare to let -us go back and tell, until the experiment is well established." He -folded the map carefully.</p> - -<p>"Think of all the hundreds of families back home who must be frantic."</p> - -<p>John's voice was savage as he answered, "I found out a bit about that -from the Major. It seems that every family got a printed letter, -telling about the new colony and claiming it was mostly for the good -of the patients. And there is a systematic health propaganda planned -to follow that up, conditioning the minds of their relatives to the -undertaking in all its implications. I believe the patients are even -allowed to write letters—censored, of course, and delivered once in -two years. You know there is no radio contact."</p> - -<p>They walked on, in understanding silence, until she took his arm and -indicated a great copper door. "Look, John, on the map it says that -door 101 is an outside entrance. Let's go and see."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph1">II</p> - -<p>They adjusted helmets and manipulated the manual locks of the double -doors, with some experiment. John finally convinced himself that he -could re-enter without difficulty. Then the two Earth people stepped -out into a weird atmosphere under a strangely small sun. The sky was -dark blue, tending toward black. Stars glittered, though it was still -day. Their helmets provided a mixture of oxygen with the planet's -natural atmosphere.</p> - -<p>"It's like a dream, John."</p> - -<p>The hills were old and worn out but there were no trees. Deep shadows -folded into the distance in the cold slanting sunlight, tracing sandy -curves with velvet-like smoothness.</p> - -<p>John answered her thought, "Those vivid colors and deceptive distances -remind me of my boyhood in Idaho. I'll bet there's the same difference -between light and shade, too. Let's step into the shadow of that rock -and see if it isn't suddenly much cooler."</p> - -<p>He led her to a pyramid-like rock projecting about twenty feet out of -the sand, and casting a shadow toward them.</p> - -<p>Hilda exclaimed, "Yes, it is colder. Why?"</p> - -<p>"The thin air always diffuses heat less than moist heavy air near the -sea, and at a lower altitude. I'll bet on a cold day you could get -frozen out of the sunlight before you realized."</p> - -<p>"And there are no clouds. What a strange dark sky!"</p> - -<p>"I've read that there are often yellowish clouds of dust but it is -only at night, when the cold comes with sunset, that moisture clouds -are formed. Nights are too cold for human existence without special -protection."</p> - -<p>She shivered. "I'd get to hate that sky after a time. It is pitiless."</p> - -<p>"You certainly would if you were lost on this desert."</p> - -<p>"Let's rest a bit, John, and see what the manual has to say."</p> - -<p>"Fine! We can lean our backs against this rock."</p> - -<p>"We'd better get on the sunny side of it."</p> - -<p>They walked around the rock, and slid down to the hard sand. Faint -twists of sand curled around the sides of the rock but they were -sheltered from the wind, and out of sight of the entrance, as if in a -world of their own.</p> - -<p>She rested her head on his shoulder contentedly as he turned the -old, crudely typeset pages of the manual. There were pen and ink -illustrations of strange beasts, but no chapters on inhabitants.</p> - -<p>"We're the only people here—" said Hilda, in an awed tone.</p> - -<p>"Regular Adam and Eve picnic, with clothes on."</p> - -<p>"I'd hate to be without clothes on this desert. No garden here."</p> - -<p>"That's right. No place for a nudist colony on Mars."</p> - -<p>She sat up suddenly, looking past the rock at a distant shadow. Her -face grew pale, and she whispered fearfully, "Look, John! There's -something moving over by those rocks."</p> - -<p>He leaped to his feet. "Yes—and it's a Mars Coyote. I noticed a -picture on page three. Harmless, I guess, but we'd better get back. -It's close. We should have been watching."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>They rose hastily and walked around the boulder, back toward the -entrance. Hilda started and stifled a scream as they left the shelter. -John drew his clumsy gas gun and stepped in front of her. Before them, -on the red stretch of sand toward the entrance, were hundreds of the -reddish-gray, smooth haired animals, with pointed noses and wickedly -gleaming eyes.</p> - -<p>These moved back silently as the two humans approached, but only a -little way.</p> - -<p>"The book says they're cowardly," she gasped, "but there are so many!"</p> - -<p>"Too damned many—I wonder if I ought to shoot one, to keep the others -away."</p> - -<p>The red-gray circle bent away from them slowly, as they walked steadily -across the weirdly shadowed sand toward the gleaming metal door, so far -ahead. The animals massed thickly before them, and were finally crowded -up against the cliff and its door. They slid out sidewise but tumbled -into each other. One made a dash forward, but John dropped it with the -little gas pellet that broke against its hide, with a sinking yellow -cloud of gas. There was also an injection of paralysis fluid from the -plastic point of the pellet. The little gun made no noise as it was -operated by a spring. John levered another pellet into the firing tube. -After the yellow gas had blown away in the strong wind, the red-gray -bodies crept toward their fallen comrade and suddenly rushed in, with -a horrible clicking of teeth and fierce, silent ripping of flesh.</p> - -<p>"Oh—" cried Hilda—"and it's still alive. They're eating it alive!"</p> - -<p>"Not much difference," grunted John as he aimed and fired rapidly at -three more. Then he led her around the circle of rolling, crowding -bodies. One coyote at the edge of the circle howled dismally. There -were still a dozen or more between them and the door.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>John tried a new trick. He shot one of the beasts and ran quickly -forward with his radilight in the cliff's shadow, frightening the -others back. Then, while Hilda held her gun ready, he quickly scooped -up the fallen coyote by its bushy tail and whirled it round his head -to heave it far out over the milling mass of hungry bodies. Each hairy -carcass felt unbelievably light to him, and he could cast them thirty -feet away. When most of the coyotes were facing the living food away -from the door John dragged her toward the great copper portal, shooting -as they ran.</p> - -<p>The lighter gravity had made the work fairly easy, but even so, he was -sweating and his hands trembled as he seized the last one and tossed it -into the air. Hilda was fumbling with the door.</p> - -<p>"Let me do it!" he gasped, "I remember—"</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""/> - <div class="caption"> - <p><i>The shot exploded in a burst of light.</i></p> - </div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>Just then a shadow fell over them, and they were so startled as to look -up from the door and step back. About fifty feet in the air hovered a -small, almost spherical air boat, with no visible means of suspension -or power. A port slid open on its under side and a square black muzzle -pointed at them. Hilda seized John's arm in terror, as they felt -themselves lifted by invisible force from the ground, above the great -pack of startled coyotes. John noticed that the beasts were looking up -and many of them yelping as they ran into the rubble of rocks beyond -the cliff. There wasn't time to see how many fled, for he and Hilda -were quickly sucked up into the open port by invisible tractor rays, -the metal hull clanged shut, and they were thrown roughly on a hard -floor. John had a blurred vision of a circle of white, long-bearded -faces, on slender bodied old men, before a gleaming mirror-like -reflector dazzled him and he felt his hold on reality slipping. He -struggled to his feet and reached for one of the old men, managing to -seize a tangled silky beard before he fell forward into darkness.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>They came to consciousness lying on soft low mattresses in a room -softly illuminated with blue light. The air was slightly overwarm and -humid but comfortable. They were dressed in skin fitting, silvery -garments, partly transparent with skirts of blue, velvety cloth. Their -hair was wrapped in transparent turbans.</p> - -<p>Hilda recovered enough to blush uncomfortably and curl back on the -couch. "I feel as if—I were wrapped in cellophane," she faltered.</p> - -<p>"You're swell," gulped John gallantly, "an improvement in fact. I -suppose they had to fumigate our own clothes or something. This -superheated air suggests that our captors are old and delicate."</p> - -<p>"The cellophane idea makes me wonder if we're wrapped up like rolls, or -something, from the baker for—dinner."</p> - -<p>"Meaning cannibalism? This kind of a room was never made by primitives, -Honey."</p> - -<p>"That's right—It's like a dream place." She rose up on her elbow again -to look around.</p> - -<p>There were no windows. It was utterly bare of ornament. John walked -slowly around the circle of their walls. The only door opened to a tiny -bath cubicle. Blue light, reflected upward from the juncture of floor -and wall, cast no shadow, indicating its perfect diffusion. He paused -with an exclamation.</p> - -<p>"What is it, John?"</p> - -<p>"Here's some kind of a control button, with symbols carved over it. -Their language perhaps. I wonder what it's for."</p> - -<p>"Better leave it alone—I'd sort of like to catch up with myself—"</p> - -<p>But, at that moment, the button clicked in of its own accord—and -one side of the wall glowed with rose colored light. A large screen -showed an old man half reclining on a purple couch, dressed in a white, -silver trimmed robe. He was smiling at them as he turned away from some -recording device into which he spoke. His face was incredibly old, -and wrinkled in a fine network of lines. His skin, strangely, seemed -of some soft, young texture. The bones of his cheeks were prominent, -and his hands were delicately pink white. He moved gracefully, and in -leisurely fashion, from the couch to a small black box at the side of -the room, and pressed a button. On a small screen in the old man's -room, visible on their own wall, began to flash words in red script.</p> - -<p>"Say! That's in German," cried John. "I don't read German, but I know -the script."</p> - -<p>"And that looks like Chinese—"</p> - -<p>"Ah—that's better—"</p> - -<p>In red square blocked letters on the little screen were the words in -English, "WE MEAN YOU NO HARM."</p> - -<p>The old man observed their excitement, and stopped the flow of the -screen so that the message steadied. Then, under that sentence, -appeared another "BE PATIENT WE MUST FINISH TRANSCRIBING YOUR LANGUAGE. -IT WILL TAKE A FEW MORE TIME. EAT—SLEEP—REST."</p> - -<p>The screen on their room faded out. The old man's face was gone. And -through a slit near the floor of their room slid a tray of food, moved -by some invisible force on small rollers, over toward the mattress -where Hilda was still sitting.</p> - -<p>"Oh Boy—food! And could I use some—"</p> - -<p>"Wait until you're properly served, Mister."</p> - -<p>She spread out the pale yellow cloth on the floor and arranged the food -in orderly fashion. It was moulded into various patterns and colors, -and was firm enough to eat with their fingers, which was fortunate as -there were no eating utensils. They both ate hungrily and were nearly -finished when soft music came into the air from some invisible source. -It was hauntingly mingled in composition, but all vaguely familiar, -drifting from the limited scale of the Orient to waltzes and furious -Russian symphonies. The hill billy band that finally played seemed -oddly out of harmony and yet aroused a nostalgia for home in their -hearts.</p> - -<p>"I feel like a nap—" said Hilda, yawning.</p> - -<p>"So do I—wonder if there was a drug—in—that—milk."</p> - -<p>It seemed only a moment to John that he had been sleeping, but his -muscles were rested, his weariness was gone, and he felt invigorated. -He looked for his watch, but it was not there. In fact there were no -pockets. Then he remembered!</p> - -<p>Hilda was splashing around in the bath cubicle, and singing.</p> - -<p>"Hello, Sleepy!" she said, emerging and adjusting a strap in the -strange silvery clothing.</p> - -<p>"So—it wasn't a dream—"</p> - -<p>"No, and hurry up with your bath. Your head is tousled. Maybe they'll -feed us again. I don't want to eat opposite that mop."</p> - -<p>"Yes, dear—" he said, attempting scorn, but only achieving a new -tenderness.</p> - -<p>She looked down, and instinctively dropped her crippled arm behind -her back. The glove was no longer fresh, but stained from the -desert, though wrinkled where she had tried to launder it. Under the -transparency of her sleeve the ugly stump of her arm revealed itself -discordantly. With a forced gaiety, she crossed the room and pretended -to hunt for their breakfast. But it didn't come.</p> - -<p>"Maybe they don't know our eating habits," remarked John glumly, as he -plastered his unruly locks with his hands. "Wish I had a comb."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>At last the slide opened in the wall and a tray came in, but on it, -instead of food, was a book. Hilda seized it eagerly, crying, "It's -a lexicon. See, here are the English words, and the signs for their -language. The ink still smells fresh. They must have just printed it."</p> - -<p>"What's the sign for ham and eggs?"</p> - -<p>"Maybe we'd better try just 'food'—can't be too particular."</p> - -<p>"What'll we write with?"</p> - -<p>"Here's a kind of pencil, but no lead on it."</p> - -<p>"Look, Hilda, there's a new white spot on the wall. Let me have that -pencil thing." A blue line followed his tracing, and it glowed with a -faint edging of fire.</p> - -<p>"Some kind of a transfer current I suppose. Well, here goes—Let me see -that food character."</p> - -<p>"Here it is—just a round circle, with three dots at the side."</p> - -<p>"Fine, Sister, here's hoping the dots mean eggs and that you get one of -them."</p> - -<p>"Pig!"</p> - -<p>There were no eggs, but the little round cakes, appearing a moment -later, proved delicious. A warm liquid in the crystal cups was almost a -substitute for coffee. In fact, it proved much more stimulating.</p> - -<p>After breakfast, John boldly pressed the visi-screen control. This -time, instead of one old man, they faced a group of them around a green -table, covered with lexicons, other books, and charts.</p> - -<p>They recognized the spokesman who stepped forward into a close up -perspective and began the conversation. "I hope you will forgive our -seeming—" he paused. "Aloofness," supplied one of the other men, after -hastily examining a lexicon. "That's right, our aloofness, but we are -products of an artificial world. Your primitive contagion would be -dangerous for us.</p> - -<p>"I am also sorry," he went on, "that the conversation must be one -direction until you learn more of our language, and we can pronounce -more finely and hear. We have had difficulty even in assembling visual -information about you. There was a collection of Earth photographs -which we have magnified so that we could read your street signs. -And the first expedition left a few scraps of paper. We had never -considered it worth learning your way of speech before."</p> - -<p>He paused, as if this part of the address had been memorized. Then he -continued slowly, with hesitations and stumbling pronunciation. "We are -trying to vocalize your words from those we have heard you speak—but -our ears are poor—I mean inadequate." The other old men rustled charts -and books and nodded at his correction. The address went on with more -pauses and confirmations. Occasionally John had to write "repeat" -on the wall chart. The Martians spoke with a strange sibilant hiss, -and accents followed a different system, changing even common words -enough to make it difficult to understand. In general, this was their -explanation....</p> - -<p>"Our scientists discovered your world several thousands years ago, -but as it was a more primitive one, progressing slowly, they could -not see any advantage in making contact. The one danger to us here, -a lack of water, could not be remedied by travel to the Blue Planet. -Instead, our wise ones devoted themselves to developing an underground -civilization, free from the extremes of temperature on our planet. -Atomic energy had given us all the heat and power we needed, and in a -short time we were able to devote our energies to aesthetics, as soon -as the physical necessities were satisfied."</p> - -<p>"Each year the flooding polar caps supply us with natural vegetation -along the water channels and in the marshes. These plants are harvested -and chemically treated for efficiency of use. When the last moisture -fails, the remnant of our people must migrate, but that will not be for -several of our generations. It may surprise you to know that each of -us is over two hundred years old, that is of your years. Our younger -men spend fifty years in attaining an education, under very sheltered -conditions. We do not wish to disturb them by curiosity about you—at -least not for the present. Our women live a very specialized existence, -as the birth rate is low, and it takes nearly all of their energy to -protect young life and to keep our population from diminishing too -rapidly."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>John thumbed feverishly through the little book until he found the word -for "space ship" then another for "Earth—" He puzzled for other words -and wrote, "many years—last—not see—" It was incoherent but these -old men had an uncanny way of guessing context of meaning.</p> - -<p>"You mean, why did previous expeditions not find us? We took care -of that, since we knew, long before they started, that they were -coming. Much of the life on your world is transmitted to us by devices -your mind have not yet dreamed. When the ships came we covered—no, -camouflaged—our entrances. We were not discovered. You two have been -brought here for a medical reason—"</p> - -<p>John wrote, "question."</p> - -<p>"Yes, we want to know about your woman companion's arm, and about the -others in the cave—what has happened on earth—?"</p> - -<p>The old man's face peered, suddenly eager, closer up to the screen. His -eyes watered, and the calm manner was gone. His thin fingers tapped a -lexicon nervously.</p> - -<p>Hilda pointed to words in her lexicon and John wrote, -"cripple—colony."</p> - -<p>The old scientist grew pale and he staggered a bit as he turned to the -others. Their white beards bent in an almost comical cluster over the -little green table and bobbed excitedly. Their hissing syllables were -shrill. Suddenly the screen blanked out.</p> - -<p>"Well, what do you know about that?"</p> - -<p>"John, do you remember what they said about 'primitive contagion'?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, I get it—You mean they are afraid."</p> - -<p>"Of many things—other colonies to follow this—their eventual -discovery—diseases! Perhaps it is partly that we cripples offend their -sense of beauty—"</p> - -<p>"Forget it, Kid, you've got more pep in one hand than any girl I ever -knew had in two."</p> - -<p>She smiled at him gratefully, before she turned away, and then her -voice was still gay—"That isn't what you say to all the girls—Well, -what next?"</p> - -<p>John stood with his feet apart as if alert to danger. He combed his -fingers through the already tousled mop of reddish brown hair. After a -moment of silence, he said, "Do you suppose that will make a difference -in their attitude toward us?"</p> - -<p>"Perhaps not—after all, most of the trouble came with the ship. They -are not angry with us—We'll just have to wait and see."</p> - -<p>It wasn't a long wait. A larger opening in the wall allowed the sliding -entrance of a small glass-like dome, containing their Earth clothes and -oxygen helmets on a low bench inside.</p> - -<p>The old scientist who had been talking to them before, appeared again -on the screen. He ordered, impersonally, "Dress yourselves, lift the -cover, and then strap yourselves to the seat inside. We are going to -take you for a trip. The dome is to protect us from you."</p> - -<p>"Isn't much else to do, is there?" said John hopelessly.</p> - -<p>"Let's assume they are friendly, until they prove otherwise."</p> - -<p>Their tiny glass cage slid away down a dimly lighted corridor, with -no visible means of power, and clicked into place in the cabin of the -same round aircraft that had captured them. Several of the old men -were seated in padded and swinging chairs which moved rhythmically at -moments of unsteadiness. They, too, were strapped in place, as if ready -for any violent action of the ship, and the arc of each swaying chair -was limited.</p> - -<p>In an hour they were hovering over the desert area again. Heavy sunset -clouds were rich in coloring. The desert sands were whirling into a -gathering dusk and the whole sky was overcast. The speed slowed, and -John recognized the familiar rock and cliff entrance where they had -been captured. At last their small ship settled down on the sand and -the little cage slid out gently on the hard sand.</p> - -<p>"Maybe they're just going to let us go, John."</p> - -<p>"I hope not—I want to know more about them."</p> - -<p>A crackling and distorted voice spoke electrically in their ears, -"Please get out and walk quietly toward the entrance. We mean you no -harm. Your friends are coming—"</p> - -<p>"Well, that's that!" John rolled back the cover and straddled over the -edge, turning to help Hilda follow him.</p> - -<p>They gasped as the intense cold of sunset struck through their thin -clothing. Then they turned and ran toward the metal door, leaning -into the wind and sheltering their hands from the blowing sand. The -door slid open and Doctor Smithson came running toward them with fur -coats in his arms. Behind him walked Mary, the nurse, bundled up and -smiling. Even more slowly, old Jake Adams hobbled on crutches. Doctor -Smithson cast uneasy glances at the strange airship, but came steadily -toward them. Just as he was helping John into a coat, the lower port of -the Mars ship opened and that square black projection came thrusting -through. John saw it and cried, disgustedly, "Don't be afraid. This -won't hurt—We're going for a ride upstairs!..."</p> - -<p>His last words were spoken from a distance of ten feet above ground.... -In a few minutes, the five of them were crowded into that little glass -cage, and sat staring at the old men in resentment. Jake had lost his -crutches and lay, in a ridiculous posture, on the floor, his two wooden -pegs spread out at a wide angle. He scowled truculently at the old men.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph1">III</p> - -<p>It was warm in the round Mars ship and cage. In a few minutes, they -were sailing into rapidly falling darkness. John lost all sense of -direction. At last, blue lights flashed in the cold night above a dim -floor of thick plant life, and their little ship slid sidewise to a -stop inside a massive hillside door. They could not understand why Jake -was rayed into unconsciousness and taken away, before they were sent -sliding and unattended down the long corridor to their former room. -There were now four of the low beds and a fresh tray of food had been -prepared. They ate, and fell into drugged sleep.</p> - -<p>Life went on quietly, back in this observation cage, nearly a week. -Every morning they were questioned for an hour or more by the council -of scientists through the wall screen. Hilda persuaded John to be as -co-operative as possible, hoping that the old men's intentions were -still kind. The questions were especially centered about details of -health on earth, medicine, eugenic control, the number of sick people, -and about the possibility of future colonies.</p> - -<p>Mary and Dr. Smithson proved fascinating companions in the long idle -hours, with a dramatic story to tell of their recent trip to Venus. -Earth's first expedition to that world in 1978 had not yet been -reported in the public press.</p> - -<p>It was on the sixth day that they saw Jake Adams again. He came sliding -in on a rolling stretcher, propelled by unseen forces, and his eyes -were closed.</p> - -<p>Mary gasped, "Look at his legs!"</p> - -<p>John stepped quickly to the stretcher and ran his hands over Jake's -body, then stood and cried. "They're warm—and alive!"</p> - -<p>During their brief wait in the cave they had seen the old soldier -stumping around on two wooden legs, supplemented by crutches. He was -spry and cheerful for a man nearly seventy years old, and his hands and -arms were abnormally strong. Hilda had been indignant that the army -should neglect this old hero and fail to provide him with suitable -artificial limbs. Her own handicap made her feel a special sympathy, -and she had stopped to talk with the old fellow briefly. He told her -that he had been wounded in the battle against the Japs in the Marshall -Islands during 1944.</p> - -<p>Now the old soldier lay, with a slightly flushed face, breathing -quietly, and in place of the wooden pegs were <i>two perfectly formed -legs wrapped in silvery transparent leggings</i>!</p> - -<p>As they watched, the old man slowly awakened, but lay still as if -dazed. Then an expression of alarm or amazement began to open his eyes. -He moved his toes, and then lay back muttering, "No, it's just another -of them nerve tricks—the way I used to feel about the weather!" But he -slowly raised his head, as if fascinated. When his eyes focused on the -new feet, he snapped suddenly to a sitting position and reached for his -ankles.</p> - -<p>"I can feel! I can feel—They're alive!" he screamed.</p> - -<p>Then he saw John bending over him, and the others in the background. -"How did you do it—What's happened—Am I dreaming?"</p> - -<p>"No, old chap, it's real enough, but the old ones must have done it for -you."</p> - -<p>A high, thin voice interrupted—"We're glad you are pleased."</p> - -<p>They whirled toward the wall screen. Old Senegar faced them from his -purple couch, leaning wearily on an elbow—"It was quite a bit of -trouble, but interesting."</p> - -<p>John fumbled through his lexicon and found the word for "how?" and -scribbled it on the white wall plate.</p> - -<p>"We thought you would want to know—Sit down, it will take a few -minutes. I will try to be elementary in my discussion."</p> - -<p>They squatted in a half circle on the floor, all except Jake—who -refused to sit, and teetered around feeling the muscles of his new -legs, jumping, stretching, rocking on his toes, but listening all the -while.</p> - -<p>"To us, it is relatively simple," went on the old man. "First we -stimulate the bone cells to grow down a plastic hollow tube. This is -done by depositing a calcium compound in the tube and focusing a ray -of complex force upon it. Of course, the tube is made to order in -relationship to measurements of the patient's other bones. Artificial -veins and arteries are introduced. We do not bother with all the tiny -capillaries. They will grow in later. Synthetic cell tissue is moulded -into the shape of muscles and stimulated with pinealin, which we have -at last isolated. Strangely, one of the most difficult techniques is -that of skin grafting. We grow skin on a hairless type of laboratory -animal and patch it on with grafting glue. The healing is hastened -by a special ultra violet and electrodynamic apparatus. Of course, -the artificial arteries are connected when installed. Their wall -composition allows blood to flow out into the cell tissue in about two -days. With the arteries is laid down a series of main nerve sheaths. -We do not try to restore all the original sensitivity, because the -procedure is too complex. We find that a clumsy subsidiary nervous -tentacle is developed, under high pressure electric nerve currents -introduced briefly through the central nervous system before the lower -frequency body current is allowed its own way. His legs will never be -quite as effective as the original pair but do well enough, and only a -doctor could detect the difference."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Hilda stepped forward and wrote on the white square the words she -had been finding in her lexicon. "Your kindness is almost beyond -our understanding. I knew you were good people. We wish we could do -something in return."</p> - -<p>Senegar rolled his spare body off the couch and his high voice was -almost senile in his excitement—"You can, my dear—you can!"</p> - -<p>"Anything—we will do anything," she answered.</p> - -<p>"It will be rather unpleasant for you at first."</p> - -<p>"What do you want?" added John standing at Hilda's side.</p> - -<p>"Sit down, sit down! I will tell you."</p> - -<p>The group of Earth people relaxed but with upturned faces, held -fascinated by the old one's earnestness. John's hands were clasped -tightly around his knees. Doctor Smithson kept hitching his lean frame -forward. The old man's voice was low as he went on.</p> - -<p>"This is the trouble, my children, your people are a menace to us. -All this ugliness would be bad enough, but the danger of infection -is terrible. Our wise ones are fragile beings. We restore the flesh -when there is injury or sickness, but we always lose a little of the -original vitality. We cannot be killed, but we slowly wear out and must -be protected. Our young ones are too few to risk contact with you. Thus -we are forced to the logical conclusion that the Earth colony of sick -ones must be destroyed and the next ship discouraged from returning."</p> - -<p>"No!—No, that's inhuman!" gasped Mary.</p> - -<p>"Nothing will happen to you five—We wish to retain you for medical and -breeding purposes. But the others must go. Come, now, why should you -care about them? You admitted they are all strangers to you. Think of -the joy of living several hundred years."</p> - -<p>"But those sick ones—they are human!" cried Hilda to John, weeping. -"They must find some other way—How could they do such a thing, when -they have just shown us such kindness?"</p> - -<p>"Self protection, my dear," murmured the old man, reading her face and -catching some of the words. "Self preservation and security for the -qualitatively higher civilization of Mars. Let men from the Blue Planet -continue to settle here, and in a hundred years we will be extinct. The -Universe needs our wisdom. Those primitives must die, as you would kill -your pet animals in a famine, or send sons to fight in one of your mad -wars."</p> - -<p>"You can have your—I mean my legs back," growled Jake, "gimme my pegs -again." His pantomime may have been understood. Senegar smiled, faintly.</p> - -<p>"Think it over carefully. Do not let your simple emotions confuse you. -I will see you again tomorrow. We need your help."</p> - -<p>The screen faded slowly into a blur, and in a moment they were alone in -the plain, blue lighted room—five human beings, terror stricken in a -place of comfort.</p> - -<p>"My head aches," grunted Jake, "that machine they used on me first left -a sore spot."</p> - -<p>"What kind of a machine was it?"</p> - -<p>"I dunno—some kind of a thing. They kept asking me questions and wrote -down the answers even before I spoke—That was funny! And sometimes -when I lied to them—about some of the things I did, on shore leave and -so on, they laughed. It was almost like they partly read my mind."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps they did," remarked Doctor Smithson, who had been very quiet -during all the excitement. His eyes gleamed with an almost impersonal -interest. "Our psychoanalysis is very clumsy. I have always wished -there were some kind of mechanical means of intuitively reaching to the -under experiences of the subconscious." Suddenly he got to his feet -from the low mattress bed where he had been sitting alone since the -stunning proposal. He began to pace the floor, clasping and unclasping -his thin arms. "I wonder—" He seemed to have forgotten their presence, -"I wonder if they can stimulate brain tissue with pinealin. I'll wager -half of those mental cases back underground could be cured by these men -in a week! If I could only persuade them to talk to me."</p> - -<p>"Look who's here," remarked Jake quietly, as if nothing in this strange -room could surprise him.</p> - -<p>A slight young man, with brown hair and keen blue eyes, stood in a -flowing white robe marked by silver trimmings and a red diagonal stripe -running from his shoulder to the floor. There was no sign of a door -where he had entered.</p> - -<p>"I heard what you said, Doctor Smithson, or at least part of it," he -remarked quietly in a soft musical voice. "I am Zingar. Some of us -younger ones think the old men are too fearful—I wish I could go back -to Earth with you and assist your struggling medical men."</p> - -<p>John paged through the book hurriedly, hunting for words.</p> - -<p>"Just a moment," interrupted the young stranger. He stepped to the wall -and tapped a code sign. At his feet a slit opened and a dark gray, -complicated machine slid into the room.</p> - -<p>"That's one of them things they hitched to my head," said Jake -excitedly.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Zingar drew out a cord from the gray machine, with a small black disk -at the end, and laid it against the side of John's head, where it -remained as if glued.</p> - -<p>"Now think what you wish to say, and I will know the essence of your -meaning," remarked Zingar. "It will not convey words or technical -matter but blurred pictures of experience. I will ask questions to -guide your memory. And if you will think aloud it may help as I already -have memorized much of your spoken language."</p> - -<p>John tried to think coherently, but, under his conscious sentences -when he spoke aloud was a flickering jumble of excitement, ideas for -escape, thoughts of Hilda as he looked at her, memories of their recent -conversations with Senegar.</p> - -<p>"Relax, young man," ordered the Martian youth, "I find it difficult to -receive. This device only registers your subvocal thoughts. Your mind -is like a kaleidoscope at present. Try not to think of the young lady."</p> - -<p>Hilda drew in her breath quickly and blushed.</p> - -<p>John's face was red from his neck to his hair. "Young man, yourself," -he blurted, "how old do you think I am?"</p> - -<p>"Young in comparison to me. I am seventy five. Now think of what your -hospital was like back on earth."</p> - -<p>John steadied his mind and visualized the events of their last day on -Earth.</p> - -<p>"There—that's better," said Zingar quietly. "If this could have -registered technical matter the old ones wouldn't have to bother to -learn your language." He shifted the black disk to Doctor Smithson's -bony forehead.</p> - -<p>"If you believe we should be helped, why not let us escape—even go -with us," urged John.</p> - -<p>"I have thought of it," he replied calmly.</p> - -<p>Mary came up to him quickly—"Oh, please do. I know you are good—I -<i>love</i> those sick people back there underground. There are a few who -think only of their sickness but most of them are really much finer -than selfish normal people. Their handicaps have made them strong and -kind. They can even laugh at pain."</p> - -<p>Zingar abruptly removed the disk from Doctor Smithson, to the latter's -disgust, and placed it gently on Mary's golden waves. "Please -repeat—remember we cannot understand your words very clearly, but we -can receive your picture thoughts. I heard part of what you said."</p> - -<p>Mary repeated her plea, but she also blushed, as if the sudden -nakedness of her secret mind before him was embarrassing. He smiled -appreciatively and they withdrew to one of the low mattresses and sat -together for an hour or more, apart from the others. They seemed to -forget the present world entirely, but Zingar's questions were too low -for John to hear, and he was still curious at the story back of Mary's -quiet sadness. Hilda thought, why they can get as much acquainted in an -hour as we do ordinarily in years. I never have really known what John -thought about my hand.... Both of them glanced at Mary occasionally and -it seemed, after a long time, that some of the strain passed from her -face and a strange quiet happiness flowed over it. Finally they arose -and came to the center of the room, where their companions were still -talking excitedly.</p> - -<p>"I will do it—tonight," said Zingar with dignity. "I will go with you, -and be one of you—even back to the Earth. But first I must prepare and -I want to bring my twin sister with me. We are inseparable."</p> - -<p>He walked to the blank wall of the room and again tapped rhythmically -on it until a low doorway opened. He stooped and disappeared. John -immediately tried to repeat the tapping combination, but the wall -remained as solid as if it were stone.</p> - -<p>In the quiet room there was little sense of time. Food came in to them -automatically after an hour or so. They were too excited to think of -sleep.</p> - -<p>At last the wall opening appeared again and Zingar returned, leading a -beautiful, brown-haired girl by the hand. She was tall and dressed in -pale blue transparencies, with a tight purple girdle, and a gleaming -silver star surmounted her soft hair like a coronet.</p> - -<p>John stared. In all his many and easy adventures with women he had -never seen anyone like her. There was a fragility to her body yet the -glow of health. Her eyes were luminous, of a warm green shade, and -they seemed to hold strange secrets. Her body was identical with an -Earth woman's except that the fingers were smoothly longer and the high -forehead was slightly more prominent. He felt some hypnotic influence -flow from her into his mind, and involuntarily stepped forward, then -stopped, suddenly remembering his companion. He had not thrilled like -this since he was seventeen.</p> - -<p>Across the room, Hilda clasped the wrinkled glove on her artificial -hand, until the fingers of her right hand were white, but she smiled -and talked to Doctor Smithson as if she had not noticed.</p> - -<p>"We will go now," said Zingar, taking command of the little party. "In -the hallway are insulated suits for protection against our midnight -cold. The ship will be warm, but we must step from the desert to your -underground entrance. I do not think we will be hindered. The Old Ones -sleep soundly." It was almost miraculous that his accent and hesitation -disappeared so rapidly, perhaps because he was still relatively young -and adaptable.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Their small round ship flared over the blackened planet; its rays, that -had been invisible in the daylight, were now gleaming silent jets on -the dimly starlit desert. Dr. Smithson, Jake, and Hilda sat together at -the rear of their cabin compartment. John and Zingar's lovely sister -stared into the night ahead. He had not touched her yet, but he felt -drawn to her with a strange compulsion, partly spiritual. Her name was -Molaee.</p> - -<p>Mary and Zingar were now frankly in love, and sat with arms around each -other, quietly content, as if they had never been strangers. The Mind -Sounder was attached to her gleaming hair by its smooth round disk and -she seemed to be pouring her whole life into Zingar's eager mind. All -maidenly reserve had vanished. None of his questions embarrassed her.</p> - -<p>That's a good thing, thought John, noticing them. Mary will keep him -with us, and he will make her come to life.</p> - -<p>They had flashed on through the night for about half an hour when Jake -yelled, "They're after us!"</p> - -<p>Like tiny streaming rockets a fleet of the little ships danced over the -horizon in pursuit, still so distant as to seem but fireflies.</p> - -<p>"Don't be alarmed," said Zingar, leaving Mary and staring behind -them, somberly, "they will slowly overtake us but we will make the -underground city in time. They have no weapons, for our civilization -had no need for them. It will take time to invent and manufacture the -means of destruction."</p> - -<p>In half an hour, their ship slid slowly to the ground as Zingar deftly -manipulated the controls. They donned the opaque and clumsy insulation -garments, fastened helmets above them, and ran across the frozen sand -toward the great copper door, dull in the starlight. John fumbled -at the hand lock, but finally got it open, just as the first of the -pursuing ships began its perpendicular descent from the higher air. The -second metal door slid noisily into place before the lifting rays could -touch them, and Hilda snapped on her radilight flash to guide the party -down the sandy tunnel toward the colony.</p> - -<p>In another half hour they were sitting in council, with Major Mattson, -Hemingway, the old chemist, Dr. Henderson and other officials.</p> - -<p>Dr. Henderson paid little attention to his recovered companions but -questioned Zingar rapidly. The Mind Sounder and an occasional written -question, or reference to a lexicon, kept the interview going smoothly. -Finally Zingar stood and addressed the entire group.</p> - -<p>"My people are ruthless and unemotional, but they are not equipped -for war. I think this will be their plan of attack. They will set -their machinery to work, producing the war weapons of several of -the primitive planets, but that will take time, perhaps six months. -Meanwhile they will try strategy, and perhaps drive the Mars beasts at -us with their ship flares at night."</p> - -<p>"What's them Martian beasts like?" grunted Jake. "That's maybe -something I could fight."</p> - -<p>"Oh, they're horrible!" murmured Mary. "Here, look at the pictures in -this manual."</p> - -<p>The old marine's weatherbeaten face paled a bit, but his voice was -steady, as he said, "Well, anyway, they can't get through them copper -doors."</p> - -<p>"No, but my people will batter those down," said Zingar in a low tone.</p> - -<p>"Then we must prepare for defense," cried Dr. Henderson, "if they can -break down the front door we must barricade every passageway and fight -them back foot by foot. What is the substance of your ship's hull?"</p> - -<p>"It is a very dense metal, unknown to you. None of your rays will -penetrate it except the atom cannon."</p> - -<p>"And we only have one old cannon, with hardly any of the power -jackets—" groaned Dr. Henderson, desperately.</p> - -<p>"We will save that for the last attack," said Zingar, calmly. "The -disintegrators will hold the beasts back for a long time, but there are -thousands of them. How many of the half-hour disintegrator charges do -you have?"</p> - -<p>"Not very many—The Earth Council was limited in its budget. Perhaps -they would last one day of continuous firing."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph1">IV</p> - -<p>In two days the whole underground city was buzzing with activity. Mark -Hemingway had improvised a laboratory and was isolating the various -minerals of the corridor walls, seeking materials for ammunition. -Major Mattson drilled all the able-bodied men and organized them under -group officers. The crippled men and women were soon co-operating in -a central factory unit, where hand forges, and smelting pits, were -producing crude weapons of war. There were many women working, even at -the heavier tasks. The enfeebled patients lay on their cots and rolled -bandages, or did other light tasks.</p> - -<p>Great stores of cooked food were being prepared against the day when -every cook would be in the fighting lines. The able-bodied soldiers -divided their time between drilling under Major Mattson, and erecting -barriers as directed by old Jake, whose practical ingenuity used the -abundant supply of cheap blasting powder to skillfully crumble corridor -walls. Their one power crane heaped the rubble into thick barriers, -each with a narrow defensible slit. Huge boulders were balanced, ready -to fall into the opening when a flash match should be applied to a -cloth fuse.</p> - -<p>They had been working a few minutes, on the third morning, when, the -radio outpost at the farthest entrance announced, "The beasts are -coming!"</p> - -<p>There were no television screens, but the announcer's description was -horrible enough.</p> - -<p>"They've got walking snakes in front—with triangular heads like -rattlers—probably poisonous—but a bite from one of those babies would -be enough anyway, they're twenty feet long. Now they are nearer—I -wondered how they could come so fast—<i>They're running.</i> Every damned -one of them has a row of little short legs, that hustle them along.... -Their hissing sounds like steam from hundreds of locomotives, even in -this atmosphere."</p> - -<p>The announcer quieted down to a sense of awe—"Off to the side, there's -a group of big things ... big as six elephants, with long, heavy tails -dragging, and small heads. They seem to be covered with some kind of -scales.</p> - -<p>"Up in the air is a flight of flying lizards, about six feet long I -should guess, and I can see their teeth flashing when a ship gets near. -They keep trying to turn back, but the ships herd them in the air like -a flock of flying sheep. Probably only dangerous when cornered. I -wonder if they are poisonous.</p> - -<p>"There's a space of several miles of clear desert behind, and beyond -there is a dark wave of beasts clear to the sky line. I can't see them, -because it is still too dark.... It looks like a black ocean rolling at -us!" The announcer's voice stopped and the silence was oppressive.</p> - -<p>"Hell, I've seen worse than that in the D.T.'s," cracked one of the -alcoholics, but his hands trembled as he picked up the largest of the -crude stone throwers. "This pop gun might stop one of the birds, but it -wouldn't do much to the giant elephants."</p> - -<p>Major Mattson roared into a megaphone in the huge drill room. "Well, -boys, this is it—We've got plenty to fight and damned little to fight -with. If we can get all the big beasts with the disintegrators before -they break down the barriers, we'll be O.K. The Mars Colony expects -every man to shoot his damndest—<i>Let's go!</i>"</p> - -<p>The cheering mob, in loose order, ran down the corridors with their -pathetic little guns, Major Mattson and Jake in the lead. Jake leaped -on his new legs like a man of twenty, and roared as if he had found a -new hold on life. The buzz and hum of activity behind them continued. -Forges flared, hammers clanged, and in the distance some of the -patients were singing a martial hymn.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>John watched the dark tide approaching the cliff entrance, from his -observation slit high overhead. He leaned as close to it as his oxygen -helmet would allow and spoke quietly into the transmitter.</p> - -<p>"They're bringing up the Magnadons. I can see that there is a strange -ape-like creature riding each one and steering it with some kind of a -burning rod. These are about the size of men but they look small in -comparison. I wonder if those apes are in communication with the ships, -or just ordinary desert anthropoids."</p> - -<p>He left the explanation to Zingar, back in headquarters, and continued -to report the dawn approach. Overhead, almost a hundred ships hovered -close above the seething flow of animal and reptile life. Several were -near the entrance, and the defenders experimentally tried out their -weapons.</p> - -<p>The first barrage was from old explosive shell weapons. But as each -shell flashed and roared toward the ships it seemed to hit an invisible -wall of force about fifty feet from the hull where it exploded in empty -air. The ships were not even rocked, but the Magnadons squealed in -terror. Vibrations of the explosions jarred the door frame, even the -cliff itself.</p> - -<p>The disintegrator artillery scarred the thick hulls slightly but the -invisible rays failed to penetrate far, even in a direct hit, and the -weaving ships took most of these shots at glancing angles with no -damage.</p> - -<p>The defenders tried their thunder-spreading atomic cannon once. -Its lightning flash struck one of the tiny ships full center and a -gaping hole burst inward and out the rear section of the hull, so -that the morning sky showed through. The defenders cheered when this -was reported. The little ship lurched up into the air, and others -drew near, grappling it with more tractor rays. John, could see the -unconscious forms of old men carried past the ragged hole by helmeted -figures and into another ship, through joined hulls. When the crippled -craft was released it crashed quickly on the still frozen desert sand. -Then it rolled over and lay still. But one shot from the atomic cannon -took the force of one power jacket—and there were only nine jackets -left!</p> - -<p>Dr. Henderson ordered the atomic cannon withdrawn to the central -defense area, against that time when the Martian ships would be flying -down the high corridors, directing a river of snakes and flying lizards.</p> - -<p>The battle went on with disintegrator rays dropping scores of the -air-screaming, twisting Mars snakes, and one or two of the smaller -group of Magnadons. But the Martian ships, finding that the atomic -cannon was no longer in operation shielded one of the Magnadons with -their hulls as the great beast approached and put its shoulders against -the copper door. The locks held until the doors buckled in the center, -as if hit by a giant battering ram. Air hissed out, and a moment later -the gigantic beast burst through, only to fall trumpeting to the ground -under a disintegrator ray. In thirty seconds it was dead.</p> - -<p>But behind it slithered and ran the great snakes, with their gaping -jaws and long dripping fangs. They seemed as numerous as the white -flashing waves of an angry ocean shore. Overhead, the roof was black -with flying lizards, bumping and crowding in the dim shadows, with -ridiculous faint mewing sounds. Stone throwers dropped hundreds of -these, and disintegrators stopped dozens more of the running snakes, -until a wall of dead flesh protected the second defensive barrier.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Major Mattson gave the order, and a flash and roar of blasting powder -dropped a great boulder into place. The corridor seemed almost still, -shut off from the jungle sounds of their inhuman enemies. The men -retreated in good order to the next defense wall. They realized that -their ammunition must be conserved against the real menace, the -thundering herd of Magnadons, with their guiding, sheltering ships....</p> - -<p>The first corridor entrance was burst through after ten minutes by one -of the great beasts, which fell in the gap and had to be pulled back by -the ships. Boulders rolled out like pebbles from further blows, until -the opening was wide enough for a protecting ship to fly through, low -over the sandy floor, with a Magnadon nosing behind it. The great feet -thumped deliberately down toward the Earthmen, plunging ten inch tracks -into the packed sand, each as large as a small round table. Shooting -the apes from their backs did not stop them.</p> - -<p>John had withdrawn from the lookout post just as the first entrance -door crashed. He then operated one of the disintegrator batteries, -until recalled to the council chamber. From there he learned that -the same battle scene was being repeated at each barrier. Sometimes -a Magnadon was killed before it broke through, sometimes after. The -Martians protected the great beasts as well as they could, hoarding -their supply. Zingar said it would take two months to bring a new herd -from the swamp lands, as there was no way to transport them except on -slow surface sleds.</p> - -<p>Because of the strange nature of this combat the defenders suffered no -casualties. The snakes and flying lizards were killed and piled up in -front of each barrier. After each firing slit was sealed there was a -brief rest.</p> - -<p>At last the defenders attempted strategy. Seeing that under the present -conditions it was only a matter of time, Major Mattson called for -volunteers to attempt the capture of a shipload of the Martians to -hold as hostages. About a dozen men made a sortie against the snakes, -knowing it was futile, but succeeding in drawing the ship down over -them. They were sucked up by the tractor rays, and pulled into the -little hull but every man's pockets had been filled with gas capsules, -and, as they fell unconscious under the paralysis mirrors, yellow -clouds of gas filled the ship's cabin until the white bearded old -Martians were unconscious too.</p> - -<p>The battle had proceeded nearly to the central defense area, and now -the atomic cannon flashed a hole through the Mars ship, high up in the -hull, causing it to crash. A desperate charge of all the defenders kept -the Mars snakes back long enough to allow the unconscious enemies and -volunteers to be brought back behind the last and strongest barrier. -They made it just before the first of the rescuing ships reached the -spot. Several of the battered and atom shocked men never recovered -consciousness. All were carried to the hospital behind the fighting -front.</p> - -<p>Then came a lull in the battle. The Magnadons and ships withdrew, -leaving only the hissing and twisting snakes in the corridor, and a -small observation ship down the tunnel out of range. The flying lizards -took this opportunity to escape. A few snakes that had crawled through -were disintegrated. This was the situation faced by the council of war, -at noon.</p> - -<p>Dr. Henderson's white coat was now spattered with blood, where he had -carried and treated some of the wounded. His face seemed old and drawn, -as he addressed the Council.</p> - -<p>"It looks bad—If we had a hundred atomic power jackets left, instead -of eight, we might make it. I wonder if they know how limited our -supply is."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Under the emotional situation, Zingar's accent was more pronounced -but intelligible, "Every word we speak is amplified by their distance -receivers. A race that can faintly hear train whistles on earth, and -can see the surface of your planet as if with a large telescope from -the moon, doesn't have much trouble to know what our situation is. -But we have one bargaining point. Old Senegar was in that first ship, -and his intelligence is in ratio to that of the other Martians as one -hundred to one. They would concede almost anything to preserve his -safety."</p> - -<p>"But how can we bargain, since we have no way to escape the planet?" -asked John.</p> - -<p>"We might hold the old man as a permanent hostage until the time when -Mars is in proximity to Earth again, a year from next August, and the -colony supply ship comes," suggested Mark Hemingway.</p> - -<p>"The old man wouldn't live that long," said Zingar quietly. "This -atmosphere would be fatal to him—Let me talk to my father."</p> - -<p>"<i>Your father!</i>" cried Mary. Quickly adjusting the headphone of the -Mind Sounder she poured out her unconscious sympathy to her lover's -receiving mind. He drew her to him gently, and then turned and faced -the others, still holding her.</p> - -<p>"Let me talk to him," he said, "I think I have an idea."</p> - -<p>The group walked hurriedly behind Zingar and Dr. Henderson toward the -field hospital area.</p> - -<p>There was a silent drama of sympathy in the expression of these two -Martians, as Zingar stood near his father's hospital cot. They spoke -rapidly but quietly in their own language.</p> - -<p>"What's he sayin'?" growled Jake. "Can we trust the young squirt?"</p> - -<p>"I don't understand," said John. "I only know a few of their words. But -they keep repeating one word which means 'cripples,' or 'sick'."</p> - -<p>At last the young Martian turned and spoke to them, but mostly to -Mary—"How much do you love your native planet? Would you be willing -to stay with us—all of you to be healed and made well, and serve to -invigorate the stock of the Mars men?"</p> - -<p>There was a buzz of excitement and argument. Most of the Earthmen who -had not seen the hidden Martian city were violently opposed, but a few -were too sick to care—and many remembered that they were lost anyway, -when the atomic power jackets should be exhausted. John stood close to -Molaee and looked at her questioningly.</p> - -<p>"Don't stay for my sake, John," she said sadly, "our instincts draw us -to each other, but our minds are a whole generation apart. We would -have constant misunderstandings. Remember, I am as old as Zingar."</p> - -<p>He hesitated a moment, then wrote, "But Mary and Zingar are planning to -be married."</p> - -<p>"That is their business," she replied looking at Mary. "Perhaps it is -a reasonable chance to take when the husband is the older mentality, -but I don't want a mental child for a husband. Besides I—I have been -remembering Nogar, my former lover—before I saw you."</p> - -<p>Their isolated dialogue was only a small murmur in the vocal excitement -of the throng of Earth people, which suddenly quieted as Major Mattson -boomed over the crowd with his megaphone—"Well, shall we vote on it?"</p> - -<p>But Zingar raised his hand and cried, "Wait!—My father should speak -first."</p> - -<p>The old man sat painfully up in his bed and spoke into the microphone -of the old amplifying set so that his sibilant whispering voice echoed -the broken accents down the high vaulted ceilings of the great cave -space.</p> - -<p>"Listen to me well, O selected people of a youthful race—This violence -has been a vast folly. I should have realized before.... My sense of -the aesthetic was offended by your ugliness, especially by the sick and -crippled among you, so that I did not realize your one great virtue -which cancels all the rest. I have observed the co-operative efficiency -of your defenses, especially the strange spirit of sacrifice in the -little band who came out to trick us. We were not ready for that, -for we have no such spirit of unselfishness among us. It is a virtue -that Mars needs. Your very handicaps have taught you a lesson of group -action—a lesson of inestimable worth. We need every one of your unique -personalities in our community life. It will be a simple thing to heal -you of your diseases, and to prolong your lives. The memory of your -sufferings will give new youth and a new spirit to Mars—life, perhaps -even prove a biological salvation. Stay with us—we wish you well...."</p> - -<p>The old man fell back exhausted—and closed his eyes. John leaped to -the platform, and cried to the several hundred men and women before -him, "That settles it! I'm for staying...."</p> - -<p>He made an impassioned speech and stepped down. Others followed, but he -was not very attentive to their words. Hilda crept to him, unobserved -in the excitement. She said, "Oh, John, my hand can be healed—Now I -will be proud to marry you—as you asked me three years ago, if you -still want me...."</p> - -<p>"Why, you dumb Bunny! As if a bum flipper had anything to do with -that...." He took her in his arms. They did not even vote when the -hands were called for—or know that the decision had been made....</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>When the supply ship arrived, a year and a half later, there were -no signs of the colony left. Spread around on the sand were various -artificial limbs, crutches, spectacles, hearing devices, and bits -of clothing, scattered in between many bleached and weather beaten -bones....</p> - -<p>The ship's crew gathered up these medical relics as proof and sadly -turned away. The captain thought it rather a pity since the ship -had been sent to bring the sick ones home, in response to a wave of -indignation aroused two years before by Hilda's broadcast from the -District Hospital.</p> - -<p>They carried a few of the bones back, carelessly scooped up by the -electric shovel that gathered the crutches and other paraphernalia.</p> - -<p>An obscure scientist's assistant at Johns Hopkins tried to arouse -excitement by claiming that these were not human bones, but from -anthropoid apes—However, there was another war brewing, and nobody -would listen to him.</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Colony of the Unfit, by Manfred A. 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Carter - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Colony of the Unfit - -Author: Manfred A. Carter - -Release Date: October 10, 2020 [EBook #63432] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COLONY OF THE UNFIT *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - Colony of the Unfit - - by MANFRED A. CARTER - - Mars had become the prison planet for Earth's - afflicted, for the Leaders had exiled them to - a living death beneath its red surface. But the - Leaders had erred in their cold-blooded - calculations--Mars held a secret beyond their ken. - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Planet Stories Winter 1944. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -John Greely looked at Hilda's freshly gloved, artificial hand, as -she adjusted her note book to a clip concealed in the palm. The hand -fascinated him horribly. Beauty should never be crippled. She sensed -his morbid stare, but smiled and rose gracefully, saying, "O.K., Boss. -Let's go." - -She flashed bantering eyes at her editor, with a last pat of her -heavily ringed right hand on the rich rolling waves of blonde hair that -were always in place. The startling pale beauty of her young face -was contrasted by glowing dark brown eyes. Theirs was a comfortable -friendship, this of the young editor and his society staff and -secretary, but a limited one. He said, gruffly, "Let me carry the -raditype." - -"No, you're the dignity, I'm the beast of burden. Come on, hurry! We've -only five minutes to reach the district hospital." - -John slipped on his transparent all-weather coat and helped Hilda with -hers. His reddish brown hair flipped in the March wind as they stepped -out from the _Daily Home Recorder_ building. His almost boyishly round -cheeks glowed with color. Hilda liked the way his shoulders snapped up -as he faced the cold. She liked the way he took her arm, but she must -always be casual.... - -"Do you suppose it's just another rumor?" she asked, as they stepped -into a low, cigar shaped car. - -"Look like straight dope to me. The Universal News Service is pretty -conservative." - -"How could things have changed so while we were away? It doesn't seem -like the same world. Those men in Washington must be mad." - -"I know, Hilda, but perhaps we are the ones who are out of step. This -is the day of directed evolution." - -"But, John--how horrible, to take all those sick folks and banish them -on a Space Tramp!" - -John drove past the old wooden houses of their small city and then let -out speed on the highway before he answered, "The Leader says that is -what we should do--harden our emotions for the sake of a better race. -You and I are in the minority. Those years on the Moon trip have left -us out of date." - -They were silent for a little while before she continued, "Do you -suppose we really are in the minority? The people who listen in to our -raditype service seem just about as they did before we went away. Their -letters prove that. I saw an old lady's scrap book the other day, of -her clippings. I read it through because I had been wondering how much -of the printed recording was ever reread. Most people are content to -glance at the screen when the news first comes on. She had saved the -old type sentimental items, just as an old lady would have five or ten -years ago." - -"Yes, the small towns are slow to change. That's why _they_ hate the -little news services like ours. Prepared news hastens the new day." - -"Do you suppose they'll talk to us?" - -"They'll have to," he said grimly, "with all those folks watching and -listening in. I wonder what the patients think about the new idea--or -if they know." - -"Where do you think they will be sent? Why don't the authorities just -put them to sleep with a lethal drug?" - -"Search me, Honey. Well, here we are." - -Their street roller drew up silently before a huge gray building in the -open country and John turned the magnetic parking control. They stepped -out from the grass-lined curb, and John pushed the moving sidewalk -half-speed handle, sliding them quickly up to an entrance. It opened -automatically and in a moment they were standing before a large silver -reception screen. - -A white haired doctor, in his long surgical gown, glowed rapidly into -focus before them. His eyes darted at John like the incision of a -lancet. "What's the press want this morning?" - -"We'd like an interview on the Universe News story." - -Hilda held her raditype transmitter open toward the screen, secure in -the crook of her arm, while she made private stenographic notes on the -pad. Every home in the Brownville Section, which happened to be tuned -in, was seeing the Doctor and he suddenly realized it enough to smile -slightly. He inwardly cursed the freedom of the press in small towns, -but remarked with forced graciousness, "I'll have a nurse conduct you -to the surgery. We can talk while I supervise some minor operations." - -"Fine!" - - * * * * * - -They walked past the Mental Case Wards in silence. It had been fifty -years since the most degenerate of these poor unfortunates had been -allowed to vociferate their wild discords. Hypnosis and drugs had -achieved permanent quiet at last, but there was still a low percentage -of actual cures. - -Beyond these wards they came to the surgical division, and presently -sat with Dr. Henderson in a small circular screened room, where a -dozen operations were simultaneously shown. He hardly glanced at -them, but kept his eyes constantly on the moving screen before him, -touching buttons occasionally before making some brief comment into the -transmitter. - -John ignored his seeming lack of attention. "What about this story that -the Central Medical Division is moving all these patients out on a -space ship?" - -"Some wild rumor--nothing in it." - -"Any objection to our taking a round of observation?" - -"No, go ahead. Might as well do it now. We can finish the interview -later. I want to concentrate on that brain section transfer. It's -rather tricky." - -They stepped into an observation car and slid slowly around the -overhead track, looking down on crowded wards below. - -"John! There _is_ something happening here. Look at the patients' -faces. They're afraid." - -"Does seem to be a lot of activity." - -"Let's slide down into that convalescent ward and see what they have to -say." - -"O.K., Sister, but you know it is forbidden. We'll probably get thrown -out and reported." - -They had hardly stepped out of the slide when a group of white gowned -orderlies came down the next corridor. Hilda saw them and whispered -tensely. "Here! Sit in this wheel chair, and I'll visit you--Help me -fold our coats so that you can sit on them." - -John obeyed and lolled back in the chair, winking at her before he half -closed his eyes. - -The orderlies wheeled in a low carrier, piled high with transparent -plastic overcoats, old fashioned sweaters, woolen mackinaws, and rubber -raincoats--any sort of an outdated covering. Most of the patients in -these district hospitals were poor, and largely living in the meager -comforts of the early part of the century. They made no protest, but -donned their variegated assortment of coverings and lined up obediently -to march out. - -"Let's go with them," Hilda whispered. - -"Quick! Behind those screens and into the end of the line," he -directed, "the press joins the army of decrepitude." - -"John, there are hundreds of ambulance planes outside!" - -"Got your transmitter on?" - -"Yes, it's been on all the time." - -A white faced man ahead of them began to struggle between two guards as -they reached the open air. A male nurse, walking behind them, deftly -thrust a large hypodermic into the patient's arm, while the orderlies -held him and pushed back his sleeve. The rebellious one quieted and was -carried into one of the planes. - -There were a few other struggles of resistance. Here and there a -patient ran a few yards before being caught and subdued. For the most -part the unhappy crowd showed only a quiet despairing obedience. - -John urged in a low worried tone, "Let's make a dash for our -roller--this is no place for you." - -"No, this is horrible--we must see it through. Pretend to be sick and -go along." - -"Don't be sentimental, Hilda. Get ready to run for it when we pass that -wall." He took her right hand in his left and snapped off the raditype. -"Now!" - -She had no choice, but, as they ran around the corner of the wall, they -crashed into a group of surgeons coming toward the planes. - -"Hold them!" cried Dr. Henderson. "They've done damage enough already. -Put them on a plane. Perhaps we can claim the first broadcast was an -impersonation, if they are gone." - -John broke one pair of spectacles and started one nosebleed dripping -down a doctor's immaculate gown, but muscles haven't much chance -against the rigidity serum. He yielded to the hypodermic and did not -come to during the brief ambulance ride, nor while they were being -loaded onto the battered old Space Tramp. Hilda continued to scribble -her antiquated shorthand surreptitiously on the pad, but they had -appropriated her raditype. She was not given the rigidity serum until -she was strapped onto a sleeping shelf in the ship. Only a small group -of officers in the control room were conscious of the sudden inertia -strain, when the rockets thundered out through earth's atmosphere. All -the patients were mercifully in the long sleep that would seem like a -minute of time, when awakened after months of racing through silent -outer space. - - * * * * * - -John felt the prick of the needle that awakened him to consciousness, -through a vague haze of half forgetfulness. Suddenly he remembered, and -tore feverishly at the straps holding him down. In a moment he was free -from their restraint, but laughing in vexation at his forgetfulness -when his exertions threw him upward, and he hung suspended in the -cabin space dangling from the strap still held in his right hand. He -had forgotten they had left gravity behind. He pulled himself down -and seized the sleeping shelf with his left hand. Clinging to it, he -sidled along toward the forward port. Patients, under their straps as -he passed, were slowly coming back to life, and they stared at him -frightened, or amused or indifferent, according to their conditions. -The attendants had gone from the cabin. At last John could see through -a six foot plate of hardened glass. The view was slightly hazy, and -unreal. Below their plunging ship was the Red Planet, still a vague -sphere. The orange glow, familiar to earth telescopes, was gone now. -The vast stretches of red desert and darker marsh areas became faintly -distinguishable. Those regular lines of water channels from the -opposing polar caps became visible to the naked eye, and were far less -geometrical than earth pictures had shown them. It was summer in the -northern hemisphere, and its polar cap had receded. - -The one previous expedition to this dying planet had been given little -publicity and John was fascinated by the view before him. At last -they entered the thin atmosphere. Instant by instant, the deserts and -low rounded hills grew visible. Lines of vegetation along the water -channels turned green. Finally, the forward jets of the ship roared and -John was crashed against the rear cabin wall, by the change of speed. -He crawled painfully back to his sleeping shelf and strapped himself -in. The rumor was true--He was on a ship of doom--and Hilda--where was -she? Had she escaped? There was nothing he could do. The ship screamed -into thicker, lower atmosphere and vibrations penetrated her thick hull. - -John's memory of previous space trips told him they were nearly ready -to land. There was hardly a jar, as they grounded and tilted slowly to -rest. Sleepy eyed orderlies came in unsteadily, affected by the lighter -gravity. They were pushing a truck full of helmets and oxygen tanks, -which they deftly adjusted to the patients. - -The men in this cabin were all able to walk and were soon outside -the air lock. Following them came stretcher bearers, street roller -ambulances, men on crutches, even a few of the more demented in -glassite water jackets, from which they peered with dull eyes, as if -they were drugged. - -Hilda burst free from the second group of women and cried, "John! Oh, -John, I'm so glad to find you." - -She threw her arms around him and pillowed her head on his shoulder. He -held her happily, his blood racing. This was a different girl from the -hard and casual newspaper woman. Suddenly, she recovered. - -"Sorry. Guess I have the old time jitters--I'll try not to let it -happen again." She covered her gloved left hand with her right and -turned away. "See what a hopeless pitiful mob," she said, after a -moment. - -"Yes, and I wonder what next. I've read that most of the old dwelling -places are underground. The Martians made their last stand against -desolation in cave cities." - -"There's an entrance." - -"Yes, and here come the guards." - -The long procession of the lame, the blind, and the sick was soon in -weaving motion over red sand toward a great metal door set into a low -cliff. Their oxygen helmets bobbed almost comically. There were few -guards and these made little attempt at restraint. John and Hilda went -hand in hand toward a group in the lead, the seemingly able bodied ones. - -"I suppose most of these are alcoholics and drug addicts," John -remarked, absently, as they followed. - -"Maybe this will really cure them. They certainly can't escape or bribe -their way to intoxication here." - -"What's the use of getting cured on this desert?" - -"Don't give up, John. Oh, you're thinking that there will be no more -Elks Club balls!" She took his arm and smiled derisively. - -"Yes, maybe--" - -"And all the Susies, and Mabels, and Evelyns were left behind--Too bad!" - -"Aw--cut it--We've got to figure out something--" - - * * * * * - -The guards were not unkind, but herded them like cattle, impersonally -and silently. The great steel door clanged, and they were able to -remove their helmets in the air conditioned interior. - -This strange crowd of the banished drew together in a vast open cave, -dimly lighted by weak electric globes. In the distance they could hear -the throbbing of an old fashioned generator. Dr. Henderson stood on an -overturned packing case with one of the primitive sound amplifiers set -up before him. He spoke calmly now, more at ease than at home, as if -relieved. - -"Men and women," he began, "we are not here to harm you. This great -experiment is being conducted in the interests of humanity. The -constant presence of the sick is disturbing to eugenic controls and -ideals. The Leader and the Earth Council have wisely established this -colony. You will still be treated by the best of our skill. Any who -recover will be placed in an isolated and independent colony. The -slightly crippled will be given handicraft and factory tasks. Their -products will be shipped to Earth and sold to maintain the supply line." - -"Where do we live?" blurted a portly, middle aged man near John. - -"There are separated quarters a few miles down the passage--Of course -rather primitive--but you can make yourselves fairly comfortable." - -Hilda noticed one of the nurses standing near the Doctor. Her tightly -waved blonde hair was gleaming in the dim light near the speaker's -improvised platform. Her large blue eyes were slightly closed and -her full red lips sagged almost hopelessly, but she was strikingly -beautiful, with strong, clean cut features and a clear skin. - -Beyond were other nurses and doctors in white uniforms, scattered like -lonely ghosts among the five hundred and more patients. Hilda wondered -what had induced these people to voluntarily leave the comforts of -civilization. Were they derelicts of time, idealists, or just out of -work? - -"There is one difference in this colony," went on Dr. Henderson in a -lower tone. "If any of you find it too difficult to exist under the new -conditions, euthanasia will be permitted--a sleeping pill in the white -room--and your troubles are over." - -"Yeah--and the state saves money!" snarled the white faced man who had -rebelled at the hospital entrance before them. - -"It will be purely voluntary," said Dr. Henderson calmly. - -"Oh, I'll bet they'll use hypnotics!" whispered Hilda, in a shocked -voice, "They'll make them want to--What a twisted code of ethics. They -don't dare to face their own attitudes. Such hypocrisy! Why not just -line us up and use the ray guns?" - -Doctor Henderson ended his address with additional promises and then -stepped down. In a few minutes the crowd was broken up into small -units. John and Hilda walked with the group of alcoholics and arrested -mental cases. They began to talk and sought acquaintanceship to cancel -fear. It was almost a relief to leave the congregation of pain behind -them. - -There was only one doctor with this group, Old Doctor Smithson, a -retired psychiatrist who had begun working at the district hospital -after losing his fortune in the stock market. He was now too old for -general practice. His thin, bent shoulders straightened as he walked. -His words became crisp and cheerful as if he welcomed the adventure. -With him were two nurses, Mary, the blonde girl Hilda had noticed, and -a little, red headed, freckled faced woman of indeterminate years. - -Near Hilda and John walked Major Henry Mattson, a psychiatric casualty -of the war of 1960, seemingly cured. The rebellious one, twice noticed -by the reporters before, walked ahead. He said his name was Tony -Pacina. A tall, white haired man with thick glasses, recently cured of -a cataract, introduced himself as Mark Hemingway and said that he was a -chemist and had been in the surgery at the hospital for his operation -because of confidence in Dr. Henderson. If this should prove true his -accidental presence might be helpful. - - * * * * * - -Around them were the others they would seek to know later. The group -tramped briskly behind Dr. Smithson. They were the "cured" ones. With -health, happiness is possible anywhere. They felt themselves beginning -a strange comradeship, even cheerfulness. - -"I wonder where they're taking us," said Hilda, clinging to John's arm -to keep up with the brisk pace, and laughing at the way a little jump -could lift her up and far ahead. - -"I wonder, too. Well, Honey, if I must be cast away--I'm glad it's with -you." - -She squeezed his arm, but said nothing. There was light ahead at the -end of the long tunnel. They entered a large open chamber. - -It was not a luxurious room, but neither was it a prison. There was -sufficient heat, and the mattresses and sheets were clean. There were -two shower and bath rooms beyond but no ultra violet equipment. Cloth -curtains were hung to drop around their beds. One side of the room was -lined half way to the ceiling with frayed and battered books. One wall -had a moving picture screen. There was no television. One noted the -absence of buttons to push and gadgets for speed and comfort. There -were no sliding floors. - -"Our legs will ache with all the walking in this city," said Hilda, -rather doubtfully. - -"I'll like that. I'd enjoy developing a little muscle again." - -"I wonder where those passages go. Do you suppose they'll permit us to -go out?" - -"Let's see." - -As they stepped to the door, Mary came forward and gave them each a -folded paper map, and a double holster holding a radilight and a gas -pellet gun. Hilda buckled hers on, laughing at its weight. John stared -at his thoughtfully. - -"No real danger here," said the blonde nurse, "but our instruction -manuals say there are Mars rats--something like the jack rabbits on -western sage plains back home. They run around the cave area. Nothing -larger has been left in the passages. They aren't very good to eat, -so we just gas them and leave them to recover. Dr. Henderson wants a -reserve food supply in case of emergency. They are about twice the size -of rabbits back home, and their bite is infectious. If you go beyond -any of the air doors, you may need oxygen helmets, the atmosphere is -pretty thin. It will take you a bit of time to get used to the lighter -gravity, but that's sort of fun." She said it all with professional -cheeriness, as if it were memorized, but she paid very little attention -to them. - -"Want to come along?" asked John. - -"Sorry. I have to stay here to help Dr. Smithson. I'd like to--maybe -another time. We are both on duty today." She smiled, and the settled -sadness of her face was gone for a moment. - -"Well, thanks," said John, unfolding his map slowly. - -"Oh, yes," she added, "and never go beyond sight of the entrance if you -go out on the desert. You can see for miles even though the horizon -is nearer up here. If danger comes you can make it back to the door -easily. But there are very unpleasant things on this planet. The safety -is all underground. Maybe you'd better have one of the manuals. It will -be light outside and you can read." She took a thin booklet from the -bundle of papers in her hand and gave it to Hilda, then walked briskly -away. - -They pushed open the room door, and stepped cautiously down a dry, dark -passageway. Old marks of ray blast on the sandstone walls showed that -all this underground world was artificial. Red desert sand underfoot -was hard, dry and clean. - -"Oh, John, it does seem good to be by ourselves again. All these sick -folks depress me." - -"Yes, and what depresses me is how I'm going to get you back to Earth. -It may be months before another ship comes. And they won't dare to let -us go back and tell, until the experiment is well established." He -folded the map carefully. - -"Think of all the hundreds of families back home who must be frantic." - -John's voice was savage as he answered, "I found out a bit about that -from the Major. It seems that every family got a printed letter, -telling about the new colony and claiming it was mostly for the good -of the patients. And there is a systematic health propaganda planned -to follow that up, conditioning the minds of their relatives to the -undertaking in all its implications. I believe the patients are even -allowed to write letters--censored, of course, and delivered once in -two years. You know there is no radio contact." - -They walked on, in understanding silence, until she took his arm and -indicated a great copper door. "Look, John, on the map it says that -door 101 is an outside entrance. Let's go and see." - - - II - -They adjusted helmets and manipulated the manual locks of the double -doors, with some experiment. John finally convinced himself that he -could re-enter without difficulty. Then the two Earth people stepped -out into a weird atmosphere under a strangely small sun. The sky was -dark blue, tending toward black. Stars glittered, though it was still -day. Their helmets provided a mixture of oxygen with the planet's -natural atmosphere. - -"It's like a dream, John." - -The hills were old and worn out but there were no trees. Deep shadows -folded into the distance in the cold slanting sunlight, tracing sandy -curves with velvet-like smoothness. - -John answered her thought, "Those vivid colors and deceptive distances -remind me of my boyhood in Idaho. I'll bet there's the same difference -between light and shade, too. Let's step into the shadow of that rock -and see if it isn't suddenly much cooler." - -He led her to a pyramid-like rock projecting about twenty feet out of -the sand, and casting a shadow toward them. - -Hilda exclaimed, "Yes, it is colder. Why?" - -"The thin air always diffuses heat less than moist heavy air near the -sea, and at a lower altitude. I'll bet on a cold day you could get -frozen out of the sunlight before you realized." - -"And there are no clouds. What a strange dark sky!" - -"I've read that there are often yellowish clouds of dust but it is -only at night, when the cold comes with sunset, that moisture clouds -are formed. Nights are too cold for human existence without special -protection." - -She shivered. "I'd get to hate that sky after a time. It is pitiless." - -"You certainly would if you were lost on this desert." - -"Let's rest a bit, John, and see what the manual has to say." - -"Fine! We can lean our backs against this rock." - -"We'd better get on the sunny side of it." - -They walked around the rock, and slid down to the hard sand. Faint -twists of sand curled around the sides of the rock but they were -sheltered from the wind, and out of sight of the entrance, as if in a -world of their own. - -She rested her head on his shoulder contentedly as he turned the -old, crudely typeset pages of the manual. There were pen and ink -illustrations of strange beasts, but no chapters on inhabitants. - -"We're the only people here--" said Hilda, in an awed tone. - -"Regular Adam and Eve picnic, with clothes on." - -"I'd hate to be without clothes on this desert. No garden here." - -"That's right. No place for a nudist colony on Mars." - -She sat up suddenly, looking past the rock at a distant shadow. Her -face grew pale, and she whispered fearfully, "Look, John! There's -something moving over by those rocks." - -He leaped to his feet. "Yes--and it's a Mars Coyote. I noticed a -picture on page three. Harmless, I guess, but we'd better get back. -It's close. We should have been watching." - - * * * * * - -They rose hastily and walked around the boulder, back toward the -entrance. Hilda started and stifled a scream as they left the shelter. -John drew his clumsy gas gun and stepped in front of her. Before them, -on the red stretch of sand toward the entrance, were hundreds of the -reddish-gray, smooth haired animals, with pointed noses and wickedly -gleaming eyes. - -These moved back silently as the two humans approached, but only a -little way. - -"The book says they're cowardly," she gasped, "but there are so many!" - -"Too damned many--I wonder if I ought to shoot one, to keep the others -away." - -The red-gray circle bent away from them slowly, as they walked steadily -across the weirdly shadowed sand toward the gleaming metal door, so far -ahead. The animals massed thickly before them, and were finally crowded -up against the cliff and its door. They slid out sidewise but tumbled -into each other. One made a dash forward, but John dropped it with the -little gas pellet that broke against its hide, with a sinking yellow -cloud of gas. There was also an injection of paralysis fluid from the -plastic point of the pellet. The little gun made no noise as it was -operated by a spring. John levered another pellet into the firing tube. -After the yellow gas had blown away in the strong wind, the red-gray -bodies crept toward their fallen comrade and suddenly rushed in, with -a horrible clicking of teeth and fierce, silent ripping of flesh. - -"Oh--" cried Hilda--"and it's still alive. They're eating it alive!" - -"Not much difference," grunted John as he aimed and fired rapidly at -three more. Then he led her around the circle of rolling, crowding -bodies. One coyote at the edge of the circle howled dismally. There -were still a dozen or more between them and the door. - - * * * * * - -John tried a new trick. He shot one of the beasts and ran quickly -forward with his radilight in the cliff's shadow, frightening the -others back. Then, while Hilda held her gun ready, he quickly scooped -up the fallen coyote by its bushy tail and whirled it round his head -to heave it far out over the milling mass of hungry bodies. Each hairy -carcass felt unbelievably light to him, and he could cast them thirty -feet away. When most of the coyotes were facing the living food away -from the door John dragged her toward the great copper portal, shooting -as they ran. - -The lighter gravity had made the work fairly easy, but even so, he was -sweating and his hands trembled as he seized the last one and tossed it -into the air. Hilda was fumbling with the door. - -"Let me do it!" he gasped, "I remember--" - -[Illustration: _The shot exploded in a burst of light._] - -Just then a shadow fell over them, and they were so startled as to look -up from the door and step back. About fifty feet in the air hovered a -small, almost spherical air boat, with no visible means of suspension -or power. A port slid open on its under side and a square black muzzle -pointed at them. Hilda seized John's arm in terror, as they felt -themselves lifted by invisible force from the ground, above the great -pack of startled coyotes. John noticed that the beasts were looking up -and many of them yelping as they ran into the rubble of rocks beyond -the cliff. There wasn't time to see how many fled, for he and Hilda -were quickly sucked up into the open port by invisible tractor rays, -the metal hull clanged shut, and they were thrown roughly on a hard -floor. John had a blurred vision of a circle of white, long-bearded -faces, on slender bodied old men, before a gleaming mirror-like -reflector dazzled him and he felt his hold on reality slipping. He -struggled to his feet and reached for one of the old men, managing to -seize a tangled silky beard before he fell forward into darkness. - - * * * * * - -They came to consciousness lying on soft low mattresses in a room -softly illuminated with blue light. The air was slightly overwarm and -humid but comfortable. They were dressed in skin fitting, silvery -garments, partly transparent with skirts of blue, velvety cloth. Their -hair was wrapped in transparent turbans. - -Hilda recovered enough to blush uncomfortably and curl back on the -couch. "I feel as if--I were wrapped in cellophane," she faltered. - -"You're swell," gulped John gallantly, "an improvement in fact. I -suppose they had to fumigate our own clothes or something. This -superheated air suggests that our captors are old and delicate." - -"The cellophane idea makes me wonder if we're wrapped up like rolls, or -something, from the baker for--dinner." - -"Meaning cannibalism? This kind of a room was never made by primitives, -Honey." - -"That's right--It's like a dream place." She rose up on her elbow again -to look around. - -There were no windows. It was utterly bare of ornament. John walked -slowly around the circle of their walls. The only door opened to a tiny -bath cubicle. Blue light, reflected upward from the juncture of floor -and wall, cast no shadow, indicating its perfect diffusion. He paused -with an exclamation. - -"What is it, John?" - -"Here's some kind of a control button, with symbols carved over it. -Their language perhaps. I wonder what it's for." - -"Better leave it alone--I'd sort of like to catch up with myself--" - -But, at that moment, the button clicked in of its own accord--and -one side of the wall glowed with rose colored light. A large screen -showed an old man half reclining on a purple couch, dressed in a white, -silver trimmed robe. He was smiling at them as he turned away from some -recording device into which he spoke. His face was incredibly old, -and wrinkled in a fine network of lines. His skin, strangely, seemed -of some soft, young texture. The bones of his cheeks were prominent, -and his hands were delicately pink white. He moved gracefully, and in -leisurely fashion, from the couch to a small black box at the side of -the room, and pressed a button. On a small screen in the old man's -room, visible on their own wall, began to flash words in red script. - -"Say! That's in German," cried John. "I don't read German, but I know -the script." - -"And that looks like Chinese--" - -"Ah--that's better--" - -In red square blocked letters on the little screen were the words in -English, "WE MEAN YOU NO HARM." - -The old man observed their excitement, and stopped the flow of the -screen so that the message steadied. Then, under that sentence, -appeared another "BE PATIENT WE MUST FINISH TRANSCRIBING YOUR LANGUAGE. -IT WILL TAKE A FEW MORE TIME. EAT--SLEEP--REST." - -The screen on their room faded out. The old man's face was gone. And -through a slit near the floor of their room slid a tray of food, moved -by some invisible force on small rollers, over toward the mattress -where Hilda was still sitting. - -"Oh Boy--food! And could I use some--" - -"Wait until you're properly served, Mister." - -She spread out the pale yellow cloth on the floor and arranged the food -in orderly fashion. It was moulded into various patterns and colors, -and was firm enough to eat with their fingers, which was fortunate as -there were no eating utensils. They both ate hungrily and were nearly -finished when soft music came into the air from some invisible source. -It was hauntingly mingled in composition, but all vaguely familiar, -drifting from the limited scale of the Orient to waltzes and furious -Russian symphonies. The hill billy band that finally played seemed -oddly out of harmony and yet aroused a nostalgia for home in their -hearts. - -"I feel like a nap--" said Hilda, yawning. - -"So do I--wonder if there was a drug--in--that--milk." - -It seemed only a moment to John that he had been sleeping, but his -muscles were rested, his weariness was gone, and he felt invigorated. -He looked for his watch, but it was not there. In fact there were no -pockets. Then he remembered! - -Hilda was splashing around in the bath cubicle, and singing. - -"Hello, Sleepy!" she said, emerging and adjusting a strap in the -strange silvery clothing. - -"So--it wasn't a dream--" - -"No, and hurry up with your bath. Your head is tousled. Maybe they'll -feed us again. I don't want to eat opposite that mop." - -"Yes, dear--" he said, attempting scorn, but only achieving a new -tenderness. - -She looked down, and instinctively dropped her crippled arm behind -her back. The glove was no longer fresh, but stained from the -desert, though wrinkled where she had tried to launder it. Under the -transparency of her sleeve the ugly stump of her arm revealed itself -discordantly. With a forced gaiety, she crossed the room and pretended -to hunt for their breakfast. But it didn't come. - -"Maybe they don't know our eating habits," remarked John glumly, as he -plastered his unruly locks with his hands. "Wish I had a comb." - - * * * * * - -At last the slide opened in the wall and a tray came in, but on it, -instead of food, was a book. Hilda seized it eagerly, crying, "It's -a lexicon. See, here are the English words, and the signs for their -language. The ink still smells fresh. They must have just printed it." - -"What's the sign for ham and eggs?" - -"Maybe we'd better try just 'food'--can't be too particular." - -"What'll we write with?" - -"Here's a kind of pencil, but no lead on it." - -"Look, Hilda, there's a new white spot on the wall. Let me have that -pencil thing." A blue line followed his tracing, and it glowed with a -faint edging of fire. - -"Some kind of a transfer current I suppose. Well, here goes--Let me see -that food character." - -"Here it is--just a round circle, with three dots at the side." - -"Fine, Sister, here's hoping the dots mean eggs and that you get one of -them." - -"Pig!" - -There were no eggs, but the little round cakes, appearing a moment -later, proved delicious. A warm liquid in the crystal cups was almost a -substitute for coffee. In fact, it proved much more stimulating. - -After breakfast, John boldly pressed the visi-screen control. This -time, instead of one old man, they faced a group of them around a green -table, covered with lexicons, other books, and charts. - -They recognized the spokesman who stepped forward into a close up -perspective and began the conversation. "I hope you will forgive our -seeming--" he paused. "Aloofness," supplied one of the other men, after -hastily examining a lexicon. "That's right, our aloofness, but we are -products of an artificial world. Your primitive contagion would be -dangerous for us. - -"I am also sorry," he went on, "that the conversation must be one -direction until you learn more of our language, and we can pronounce -more finely and hear. We have had difficulty even in assembling visual -information about you. There was a collection of Earth photographs -which we have magnified so that we could read your street signs. -And the first expedition left a few scraps of paper. We had never -considered it worth learning your way of speech before." - -He paused, as if this part of the address had been memorized. Then he -continued slowly, with hesitations and stumbling pronunciation. "We are -trying to vocalize your words from those we have heard you speak--but -our ears are poor--I mean inadequate." The other old men rustled charts -and books and nodded at his correction. The address went on with more -pauses and confirmations. Occasionally John had to write "repeat" -on the wall chart. The Martians spoke with a strange sibilant hiss, -and accents followed a different system, changing even common words -enough to make it difficult to understand. In general, this was their -explanation.... - -"Our scientists discovered your world several thousands years ago, -but as it was a more primitive one, progressing slowly, they could -not see any advantage in making contact. The one danger to us here, -a lack of water, could not be remedied by travel to the Blue Planet. -Instead, our wise ones devoted themselves to developing an underground -civilization, free from the extremes of temperature on our planet. -Atomic energy had given us all the heat and power we needed, and in a -short time we were able to devote our energies to aesthetics, as soon -as the physical necessities were satisfied." - -"Each year the flooding polar caps supply us with natural vegetation -along the water channels and in the marshes. These plants are harvested -and chemically treated for efficiency of use. When the last moisture -fails, the remnant of our people must migrate, but that will not be for -several of our generations. It may surprise you to know that each of -us is over two hundred years old, that is of your years. Our younger -men spend fifty years in attaining an education, under very sheltered -conditions. We do not wish to disturb them by curiosity about you--at -least not for the present. Our women live a very specialized existence, -as the birth rate is low, and it takes nearly all of their energy to -protect young life and to keep our population from diminishing too -rapidly." - - * * * * * - -John thumbed feverishly through the little book until he found the word -for "space ship" then another for "Earth--" He puzzled for other words -and wrote, "many years--last--not see--" It was incoherent but these -old men had an uncanny way of guessing context of meaning. - -"You mean, why did previous expeditions not find us? We took care -of that, since we knew, long before they started, that they were -coming. Much of the life on your world is transmitted to us by devices -your mind have not yet dreamed. When the ships came we covered--no, -camouflaged--our entrances. We were not discovered. You two have been -brought here for a medical reason--" - -John wrote, "question." - -"Yes, we want to know about your woman companion's arm, and about the -others in the cave--what has happened on earth--?" - -The old man's face peered, suddenly eager, closer up to the screen. His -eyes watered, and the calm manner was gone. His thin fingers tapped a -lexicon nervously. - -Hilda pointed to words in her lexicon and John wrote, -"cripple--colony." - -The old scientist grew pale and he staggered a bit as he turned to the -others. Their white beards bent in an almost comical cluster over the -little green table and bobbed excitedly. Their hissing syllables were -shrill. Suddenly the screen blanked out. - -"Well, what do you know about that?" - -"John, do you remember what they said about 'primitive contagion'?" - -"Yes, I get it--You mean they are afraid." - -"Of many things--other colonies to follow this--their eventual -discovery--diseases! Perhaps it is partly that we cripples offend their -sense of beauty--" - -"Forget it, Kid, you've got more pep in one hand than any girl I ever -knew had in two." - -She smiled at him gratefully, before she turned away, and then her -voice was still gay--"That isn't what you say to all the girls--Well, -what next?" - -John stood with his feet apart as if alert to danger. He combed his -fingers through the already tousled mop of reddish brown hair. After a -moment of silence, he said, "Do you suppose that will make a difference -in their attitude toward us?" - -"Perhaps not--after all, most of the trouble came with the ship. They -are not angry with us--We'll just have to wait and see." - -It wasn't a long wait. A larger opening in the wall allowed the sliding -entrance of a small glass-like dome, containing their Earth clothes and -oxygen helmets on a low bench inside. - -The old scientist who had been talking to them before, appeared again -on the screen. He ordered, impersonally, "Dress yourselves, lift the -cover, and then strap yourselves to the seat inside. We are going to -take you for a trip. The dome is to protect us from you." - -"Isn't much else to do, is there?" said John hopelessly. - -"Let's assume they are friendly, until they prove otherwise." - -Their tiny glass cage slid away down a dimly lighted corridor, with -no visible means of power, and clicked into place in the cabin of the -same round aircraft that had captured them. Several of the old men -were seated in padded and swinging chairs which moved rhythmically at -moments of unsteadiness. They, too, were strapped in place, as if ready -for any violent action of the ship, and the arc of each swaying chair -was limited. - -In an hour they were hovering over the desert area again. Heavy sunset -clouds were rich in coloring. The desert sands were whirling into a -gathering dusk and the whole sky was overcast. The speed slowed, and -John recognized the familiar rock and cliff entrance where they had -been captured. At last their small ship settled down on the sand and -the little cage slid out gently on the hard sand. - -"Maybe they're just going to let us go, John." - -"I hope not--I want to know more about them." - -A crackling and distorted voice spoke electrically in their ears, -"Please get out and walk quietly toward the entrance. We mean you no -harm. Your friends are coming--" - -"Well, that's that!" John rolled back the cover and straddled over the -edge, turning to help Hilda follow him. - -They gasped as the intense cold of sunset struck through their thin -clothing. Then they turned and ran toward the metal door, leaning -into the wind and sheltering their hands from the blowing sand. The -door slid open and Doctor Smithson came running toward them with fur -coats in his arms. Behind him walked Mary, the nurse, bundled up and -smiling. Even more slowly, old Jake Adams hobbled on crutches. Doctor -Smithson cast uneasy glances at the strange airship, but came steadily -toward them. Just as he was helping John into a coat, the lower port of -the Mars ship opened and that square black projection came thrusting -through. John saw it and cried, disgustedly, "Don't be afraid. This -won't hurt--We're going for a ride upstairs!..." - -His last words were spoken from a distance of ten feet above ground.... -In a few minutes, the five of them were crowded into that little glass -cage, and sat staring at the old men in resentment. Jake had lost his -crutches and lay, in a ridiculous posture, on the floor, his two wooden -pegs spread out at a wide angle. He scowled truculently at the old men. - - - III - -It was warm in the round Mars ship and cage. In a few minutes, they -were sailing into rapidly falling darkness. John lost all sense of -direction. At last, blue lights flashed in the cold night above a dim -floor of thick plant life, and their little ship slid sidewise to a -stop inside a massive hillside door. They could not understand why Jake -was rayed into unconsciousness and taken away, before they were sent -sliding and unattended down the long corridor to their former room. -There were now four of the low beds and a fresh tray of food had been -prepared. They ate, and fell into drugged sleep. - -Life went on quietly, back in this observation cage, nearly a week. -Every morning they were questioned for an hour or more by the council -of scientists through the wall screen. Hilda persuaded John to be as -co-operative as possible, hoping that the old men's intentions were -still kind. The questions were especially centered about details of -health on earth, medicine, eugenic control, the number of sick people, -and about the possibility of future colonies. - -Mary and Dr. Smithson proved fascinating companions in the long idle -hours, with a dramatic story to tell of their recent trip to Venus. -Earth's first expedition to that world in 1978 had not yet been -reported in the public press. - -It was on the sixth day that they saw Jake Adams again. He came sliding -in on a rolling stretcher, propelled by unseen forces, and his eyes -were closed. - -Mary gasped, "Look at his legs!" - -John stepped quickly to the stretcher and ran his hands over Jake's -body, then stood and cried. "They're warm--and alive!" - -During their brief wait in the cave they had seen the old soldier -stumping around on two wooden legs, supplemented by crutches. He was -spry and cheerful for a man nearly seventy years old, and his hands and -arms were abnormally strong. Hilda had been indignant that the army -should neglect this old hero and fail to provide him with suitable -artificial limbs. Her own handicap made her feel a special sympathy, -and she had stopped to talk with the old fellow briefly. He told her -that he had been wounded in the battle against the Japs in the Marshall -Islands during 1944. - -Now the old soldier lay, with a slightly flushed face, breathing -quietly, and in place of the wooden pegs were _two perfectly formed -legs wrapped in silvery transparent leggings_! - -As they watched, the old man slowly awakened, but lay still as if -dazed. Then an expression of alarm or amazement began to open his eyes. -He moved his toes, and then lay back muttering, "No, it's just another -of them nerve tricks--the way I used to feel about the weather!" But he -slowly raised his head, as if fascinated. When his eyes focused on the -new feet, he snapped suddenly to a sitting position and reached for his -ankles. - -"I can feel! I can feel--They're alive!" he screamed. - -Then he saw John bending over him, and the others in the background. -"How did you do it--What's happened--Am I dreaming?" - -"No, old chap, it's real enough, but the old ones must have done it for -you." - -A high, thin voice interrupted--"We're glad you are pleased." - -They whirled toward the wall screen. Old Senegar faced them from his -purple couch, leaning wearily on an elbow--"It was quite a bit of -trouble, but interesting." - -John fumbled through his lexicon and found the word for "how?" and -scribbled it on the white wall plate. - -"We thought you would want to know--Sit down, it will take a few -minutes. I will try to be elementary in my discussion." - -They squatted in a half circle on the floor, all except Jake--who -refused to sit, and teetered around feeling the muscles of his new -legs, jumping, stretching, rocking on his toes, but listening all the -while. - -"To us, it is relatively simple," went on the old man. "First we -stimulate the bone cells to grow down a plastic hollow tube. This is -done by depositing a calcium compound in the tube and focusing a ray -of complex force upon it. Of course, the tube is made to order in -relationship to measurements of the patient's other bones. Artificial -veins and arteries are introduced. We do not bother with all the tiny -capillaries. They will grow in later. Synthetic cell tissue is moulded -into the shape of muscles and stimulated with pinealin, which we have -at last isolated. Strangely, one of the most difficult techniques is -that of skin grafting. We grow skin on a hairless type of laboratory -animal and patch it on with grafting glue. The healing is hastened -by a special ultra violet and electrodynamic apparatus. Of course, -the artificial arteries are connected when installed. Their wall -composition allows blood to flow out into the cell tissue in about two -days. With the arteries is laid down a series of main nerve sheaths. -We do not try to restore all the original sensitivity, because the -procedure is too complex. We find that a clumsy subsidiary nervous -tentacle is developed, under high pressure electric nerve currents -introduced briefly through the central nervous system before the lower -frequency body current is allowed its own way. His legs will never be -quite as effective as the original pair but do well enough, and only a -doctor could detect the difference." - - * * * * * - -Hilda stepped forward and wrote on the white square the words she -had been finding in her lexicon. "Your kindness is almost beyond -our understanding. I knew you were good people. We wish we could do -something in return." - -Senegar rolled his spare body off the couch and his high voice was -almost senile in his excitement--"You can, my dear--you can!" - -"Anything--we will do anything," she answered. - -"It will be rather unpleasant for you at first." - -"What do you want?" added John standing at Hilda's side. - -"Sit down, sit down! I will tell you." - -The group of Earth people relaxed but with upturned faces, held -fascinated by the old one's earnestness. John's hands were clasped -tightly around his knees. Doctor Smithson kept hitching his lean frame -forward. The old man's voice was low as he went on. - -"This is the trouble, my children, your people are a menace to us. -All this ugliness would be bad enough, but the danger of infection -is terrible. Our wise ones are fragile beings. We restore the flesh -when there is injury or sickness, but we always lose a little of the -original vitality. We cannot be killed, but we slowly wear out and must -be protected. Our young ones are too few to risk contact with you. Thus -we are forced to the logical conclusion that the Earth colony of sick -ones must be destroyed and the next ship discouraged from returning." - -"No!--No, that's inhuman!" gasped Mary. - -"Nothing will happen to you five--We wish to retain you for medical and -breeding purposes. But the others must go. Come, now, why should you -care about them? You admitted they are all strangers to you. Think of -the joy of living several hundred years." - -"But those sick ones--they are human!" cried Hilda to John, weeping. -"They must find some other way--How could they do such a thing, when -they have just shown us such kindness?" - -"Self protection, my dear," murmured the old man, reading her face and -catching some of the words. "Self preservation and security for the -qualitatively higher civilization of Mars. Let men from the Blue Planet -continue to settle here, and in a hundred years we will be extinct. The -Universe needs our wisdom. Those primitives must die, as you would kill -your pet animals in a famine, or send sons to fight in one of your mad -wars." - -"You can have your--I mean my legs back," growled Jake, "gimme my pegs -again." His pantomime may have been understood. Senegar smiled, faintly. - -"Think it over carefully. Do not let your simple emotions confuse you. -I will see you again tomorrow. We need your help." - -The screen faded slowly into a blur, and in a moment they were alone in -the plain, blue lighted room--five human beings, terror stricken in a -place of comfort. - -"My head aches," grunted Jake, "that machine they used on me first left -a sore spot." - -"What kind of a machine was it?" - -"I dunno--some kind of a thing. They kept asking me questions and wrote -down the answers even before I spoke--That was funny! And sometimes -when I lied to them--about some of the things I did, on shore leave and -so on, they laughed. It was almost like they partly read my mind." - -"Perhaps they did," remarked Doctor Smithson, who had been very quiet -during all the excitement. His eyes gleamed with an almost impersonal -interest. "Our psychoanalysis is very clumsy. I have always wished -there were some kind of mechanical means of intuitively reaching to the -under experiences of the subconscious." Suddenly he got to his feet -from the low mattress bed where he had been sitting alone since the -stunning proposal. He began to pace the floor, clasping and unclasping -his thin arms. "I wonder--" He seemed to have forgotten their presence, -"I wonder if they can stimulate brain tissue with pinealin. I'll wager -half of those mental cases back underground could be cured by these men -in a week! If I could only persuade them to talk to me." - -"Look who's here," remarked Jake quietly, as if nothing in this strange -room could surprise him. - -A slight young man, with brown hair and keen blue eyes, stood in a -flowing white robe marked by silver trimmings and a red diagonal stripe -running from his shoulder to the floor. There was no sign of a door -where he had entered. - -"I heard what you said, Doctor Smithson, or at least part of it," he -remarked quietly in a soft musical voice. "I am Zingar. Some of us -younger ones think the old men are too fearful--I wish I could go back -to Earth with you and assist your struggling medical men." - -John paged through the book hurriedly, hunting for words. - -"Just a moment," interrupted the young stranger. He stepped to the wall -and tapped a code sign. At his feet a slit opened and a dark gray, -complicated machine slid into the room. - -"That's one of them things they hitched to my head," said Jake -excitedly. - - * * * * * - -Zingar drew out a cord from the gray machine, with a small black disk -at the end, and laid it against the side of John's head, where it -remained as if glued. - -"Now think what you wish to say, and I will know the essence of your -meaning," remarked Zingar. "It will not convey words or technical -matter but blurred pictures of experience. I will ask questions to -guide your memory. And if you will think aloud it may help as I already -have memorized much of your spoken language." - -John tried to think coherently, but, under his conscious sentences -when he spoke aloud was a flickering jumble of excitement, ideas for -escape, thoughts of Hilda as he looked at her, memories of their recent -conversations with Senegar. - -"Relax, young man," ordered the Martian youth, "I find it difficult to -receive. This device only registers your subvocal thoughts. Your mind -is like a kaleidoscope at present. Try not to think of the young lady." - -Hilda drew in her breath quickly and blushed. - -John's face was red from his neck to his hair. "Young man, yourself," -he blurted, "how old do you think I am?" - -"Young in comparison to me. I am seventy five. Now think of what your -hospital was like back on earth." - -John steadied his mind and visualized the events of their last day on -Earth. - -"There--that's better," said Zingar quietly. "If this could have -registered technical matter the old ones wouldn't have to bother to -learn your language." He shifted the black disk to Doctor Smithson's -bony forehead. - -"If you believe we should be helped, why not let us escape--even go -with us," urged John. - -"I have thought of it," he replied calmly. - -Mary came up to him quickly--"Oh, please do. I know you are good--I -_love_ those sick people back there underground. There are a few who -think only of their sickness but most of them are really much finer -than selfish normal people. Their handicaps have made them strong and -kind. They can even laugh at pain." - -Zingar abruptly removed the disk from Doctor Smithson, to the latter's -disgust, and placed it gently on Mary's golden waves. "Please -repeat--remember we cannot understand your words very clearly, but we -can receive your picture thoughts. I heard part of what you said." - -Mary repeated her plea, but she also blushed, as if the sudden -nakedness of her secret mind before him was embarrassing. He smiled -appreciatively and they withdrew to one of the low mattresses and sat -together for an hour or more, apart from the others. They seemed to -forget the present world entirely, but Zingar's questions were too low -for John to hear, and he was still curious at the story back of Mary's -quiet sadness. Hilda thought, why they can get as much acquainted in an -hour as we do ordinarily in years. I never have really known what John -thought about my hand.... Both of them glanced at Mary occasionally and -it seemed, after a long time, that some of the strain passed from her -face and a strange quiet happiness flowed over it. Finally they arose -and came to the center of the room, where their companions were still -talking excitedly. - -"I will do it--tonight," said Zingar with dignity. "I will go with you, -and be one of you--even back to the Earth. But first I must prepare and -I want to bring my twin sister with me. We are inseparable." - -He walked to the blank wall of the room and again tapped rhythmically -on it until a low doorway opened. He stooped and disappeared. John -immediately tried to repeat the tapping combination, but the wall -remained as solid as if it were stone. - -In the quiet room there was little sense of time. Food came in to them -automatically after an hour or so. They were too excited to think of -sleep. - -At last the wall opening appeared again and Zingar returned, leading a -beautiful, brown-haired girl by the hand. She was tall and dressed in -pale blue transparencies, with a tight purple girdle, and a gleaming -silver star surmounted her soft hair like a coronet. - -John stared. In all his many and easy adventures with women he had -never seen anyone like her. There was a fragility to her body yet the -glow of health. Her eyes were luminous, of a warm green shade, and -they seemed to hold strange secrets. Her body was identical with an -Earth woman's except that the fingers were smoothly longer and the high -forehead was slightly more prominent. He felt some hypnotic influence -flow from her into his mind, and involuntarily stepped forward, then -stopped, suddenly remembering his companion. He had not thrilled like -this since he was seventeen. - -Across the room, Hilda clasped the wrinkled glove on her artificial -hand, until the fingers of her right hand were white, but she smiled -and talked to Doctor Smithson as if she had not noticed. - -"We will go now," said Zingar, taking command of the little party. "In -the hallway are insulated suits for protection against our midnight -cold. The ship will be warm, but we must step from the desert to your -underground entrance. I do not think we will be hindered. The Old Ones -sleep soundly." It was almost miraculous that his accent and hesitation -disappeared so rapidly, perhaps because he was still relatively young -and adaptable. - - * * * * * - -Their small round ship flared over the blackened planet; its rays, that -had been invisible in the daylight, were now gleaming silent jets on -the dimly starlit desert. Dr. Smithson, Jake, and Hilda sat together at -the rear of their cabin compartment. John and Zingar's lovely sister -stared into the night ahead. He had not touched her yet, but he felt -drawn to her with a strange compulsion, partly spiritual. Her name was -Molaee. - -Mary and Zingar were now frankly in love, and sat with arms around each -other, quietly content, as if they had never been strangers. The Mind -Sounder was attached to her gleaming hair by its smooth round disk and -she seemed to be pouring her whole life into Zingar's eager mind. All -maidenly reserve had vanished. None of his questions embarrassed her. - -That's a good thing, thought John, noticing them. Mary will keep him -with us, and he will make her come to life. - -They had flashed on through the night for about half an hour when Jake -yelled, "They're after us!" - -Like tiny streaming rockets a fleet of the little ships danced over the -horizon in pursuit, still so distant as to seem but fireflies. - -"Don't be alarmed," said Zingar, leaving Mary and staring behind -them, somberly, "they will slowly overtake us but we will make the -underground city in time. They have no weapons, for our civilization -had no need for them. It will take time to invent and manufacture the -means of destruction." - -In half an hour, their ship slid slowly to the ground as Zingar deftly -manipulated the controls. They donned the opaque and clumsy insulation -garments, fastened helmets above them, and ran across the frozen sand -toward the great copper door, dull in the starlight. John fumbled -at the hand lock, but finally got it open, just as the first of the -pursuing ships began its perpendicular descent from the higher air. The -second metal door slid noisily into place before the lifting rays could -touch them, and Hilda snapped on her radilight flash to guide the party -down the sandy tunnel toward the colony. - -In another half hour they were sitting in council, with Major Mattson, -Hemingway, the old chemist, Dr. Henderson and other officials. - -Dr. Henderson paid little attention to his recovered companions but -questioned Zingar rapidly. The Mind Sounder and an occasional written -question, or reference to a lexicon, kept the interview going smoothly. -Finally Zingar stood and addressed the entire group. - -"My people are ruthless and unemotional, but they are not equipped -for war. I think this will be their plan of attack. They will set -their machinery to work, producing the war weapons of several of -the primitive planets, but that will take time, perhaps six months. -Meanwhile they will try strategy, and perhaps drive the Mars beasts at -us with their ship flares at night." - -"What's them Martian beasts like?" grunted Jake. "That's maybe -something I could fight." - -"Oh, they're horrible!" murmured Mary. "Here, look at the pictures in -this manual." - -The old marine's weatherbeaten face paled a bit, but his voice was -steady, as he said, "Well, anyway, they can't get through them copper -doors." - -"No, but my people will batter those down," said Zingar in a low tone. - -"Then we must prepare for defense," cried Dr. Henderson, "if they can -break down the front door we must barricade every passageway and fight -them back foot by foot. What is the substance of your ship's hull?" - -"It is a very dense metal, unknown to you. None of your rays will -penetrate it except the atom cannon." - -"And we only have one old cannon, with hardly any of the power -jackets--" groaned Dr. Henderson, desperately. - -"We will save that for the last attack," said Zingar, calmly. "The -disintegrators will hold the beasts back for a long time, but there are -thousands of them. How many of the half-hour disintegrator charges do -you have?" - -"Not very many--The Earth Council was limited in its budget. Perhaps -they would last one day of continuous firing." - - - IV - -In two days the whole underground city was buzzing with activity. Mark -Hemingway had improvised a laboratory and was isolating the various -minerals of the corridor walls, seeking materials for ammunition. -Major Mattson drilled all the able-bodied men and organized them under -group officers. The crippled men and women were soon co-operating in -a central factory unit, where hand forges, and smelting pits, were -producing crude weapons of war. There were many women working, even at -the heavier tasks. The enfeebled patients lay on their cots and rolled -bandages, or did other light tasks. - -Great stores of cooked food were being prepared against the day when -every cook would be in the fighting lines. The able-bodied soldiers -divided their time between drilling under Major Mattson, and erecting -barriers as directed by old Jake, whose practical ingenuity used the -abundant supply of cheap blasting powder to skillfully crumble corridor -walls. Their one power crane heaped the rubble into thick barriers, -each with a narrow defensible slit. Huge boulders were balanced, ready -to fall into the opening when a flash match should be applied to a -cloth fuse. - -They had been working a few minutes, on the third morning, when, the -radio outpost at the farthest entrance announced, "The beasts are -coming!" - -There were no television screens, but the announcer's description was -horrible enough. - -"They've got walking snakes in front--with triangular heads like -rattlers--probably poisonous--but a bite from one of those babies would -be enough anyway, they're twenty feet long. Now they are nearer--I -wondered how they could come so fast--_They're running._ Every damned -one of them has a row of little short legs, that hustle them along.... -Their hissing sounds like steam from hundreds of locomotives, even in -this atmosphere." - -The announcer quieted down to a sense of awe--"Off to the side, there's -a group of big things ... big as six elephants, with long, heavy tails -dragging, and small heads. They seem to be covered with some kind of -scales. - -"Up in the air is a flight of flying lizards, about six feet long I -should guess, and I can see their teeth flashing when a ship gets near. -They keep trying to turn back, but the ships herd them in the air like -a flock of flying sheep. Probably only dangerous when cornered. I -wonder if they are poisonous. - -"There's a space of several miles of clear desert behind, and beyond -there is a dark wave of beasts clear to the sky line. I can't see them, -because it is still too dark.... It looks like a black ocean rolling at -us!" The announcer's voice stopped and the silence was oppressive. - -"Hell, I've seen worse than that in the D.T.'s," cracked one of the -alcoholics, but his hands trembled as he picked up the largest of the -crude stone throwers. "This pop gun might stop one of the birds, but it -wouldn't do much to the giant elephants." - -Major Mattson roared into a megaphone in the huge drill room. "Well, -boys, this is it--We've got plenty to fight and damned little to fight -with. If we can get all the big beasts with the disintegrators before -they break down the barriers, we'll be O.K. The Mars Colony expects -every man to shoot his damndest--_Let's go!_" - -The cheering mob, in loose order, ran down the corridors with their -pathetic little guns, Major Mattson and Jake in the lead. Jake leaped -on his new legs like a man of twenty, and roared as if he had found a -new hold on life. The buzz and hum of activity behind them continued. -Forges flared, hammers clanged, and in the distance some of the -patients were singing a martial hymn. - - * * * * * - -John watched the dark tide approaching the cliff entrance, from his -observation slit high overhead. He leaned as close to it as his oxygen -helmet would allow and spoke quietly into the transmitter. - -"They're bringing up the Magnadons. I can see that there is a strange -ape-like creature riding each one and steering it with some kind of a -burning rod. These are about the size of men but they look small in -comparison. I wonder if those apes are in communication with the ships, -or just ordinary desert anthropoids." - -He left the explanation to Zingar, back in headquarters, and continued -to report the dawn approach. Overhead, almost a hundred ships hovered -close above the seething flow of animal and reptile life. Several were -near the entrance, and the defenders experimentally tried out their -weapons. - -The first barrage was from old explosive shell weapons. But as each -shell flashed and roared toward the ships it seemed to hit an invisible -wall of force about fifty feet from the hull where it exploded in empty -air. The ships were not even rocked, but the Magnadons squealed in -terror. Vibrations of the explosions jarred the door frame, even the -cliff itself. - -The disintegrator artillery scarred the thick hulls slightly but the -invisible rays failed to penetrate far, even in a direct hit, and the -weaving ships took most of these shots at glancing angles with no -damage. - -The defenders tried their thunder-spreading atomic cannon once. -Its lightning flash struck one of the tiny ships full center and a -gaping hole burst inward and out the rear section of the hull, so -that the morning sky showed through. The defenders cheered when this -was reported. The little ship lurched up into the air, and others -drew near, grappling it with more tractor rays. John, could see the -unconscious forms of old men carried past the ragged hole by helmeted -figures and into another ship, through joined hulls. When the crippled -craft was released it crashed quickly on the still frozen desert sand. -Then it rolled over and lay still. But one shot from the atomic cannon -took the force of one power jacket--and there were only nine jackets -left! - -Dr. Henderson ordered the atomic cannon withdrawn to the central -defense area, against that time when the Martian ships would be flying -down the high corridors, directing a river of snakes and flying lizards. - -The battle went on with disintegrator rays dropping scores of the -air-screaming, twisting Mars snakes, and one or two of the smaller -group of Magnadons. But the Martian ships, finding that the atomic -cannon was no longer in operation shielded one of the Magnadons with -their hulls as the great beast approached and put its shoulders against -the copper door. The locks held until the doors buckled in the center, -as if hit by a giant battering ram. Air hissed out, and a moment later -the gigantic beast burst through, only to fall trumpeting to the ground -under a disintegrator ray. In thirty seconds it was dead. - -But behind it slithered and ran the great snakes, with their gaping -jaws and long dripping fangs. They seemed as numerous as the white -flashing waves of an angry ocean shore. Overhead, the roof was black -with flying lizards, bumping and crowding in the dim shadows, with -ridiculous faint mewing sounds. Stone throwers dropped hundreds of -these, and disintegrators stopped dozens more of the running snakes, -until a wall of dead flesh protected the second defensive barrier. - - * * * * * - -Major Mattson gave the order, and a flash and roar of blasting powder -dropped a great boulder into place. The corridor seemed almost still, -shut off from the jungle sounds of their inhuman enemies. The men -retreated in good order to the next defense wall. They realized that -their ammunition must be conserved against the real menace, the -thundering herd of Magnadons, with their guiding, sheltering ships.... - -The first corridor entrance was burst through after ten minutes by one -of the great beasts, which fell in the gap and had to be pulled back by -the ships. Boulders rolled out like pebbles from further blows, until -the opening was wide enough for a protecting ship to fly through, low -over the sandy floor, with a Magnadon nosing behind it. The great feet -thumped deliberately down toward the Earthmen, plunging ten inch tracks -into the packed sand, each as large as a small round table. Shooting -the apes from their backs did not stop them. - -John had withdrawn from the lookout post just as the first entrance -door crashed. He then operated one of the disintegrator batteries, -until recalled to the council chamber. From there he learned that -the same battle scene was being repeated at each barrier. Sometimes -a Magnadon was killed before it broke through, sometimes after. The -Martians protected the great beasts as well as they could, hoarding -their supply. Zingar said it would take two months to bring a new herd -from the swamp lands, as there was no way to transport them except on -slow surface sleds. - -Because of the strange nature of this combat the defenders suffered no -casualties. The snakes and flying lizards were killed and piled up in -front of each barrier. After each firing slit was sealed there was a -brief rest. - -At last the defenders attempted strategy. Seeing that under the present -conditions it was only a matter of time, Major Mattson called for -volunteers to attempt the capture of a shipload of the Martians to -hold as hostages. About a dozen men made a sortie against the snakes, -knowing it was futile, but succeeding in drawing the ship down over -them. They were sucked up by the tractor rays, and pulled into the -little hull but every man's pockets had been filled with gas capsules, -and, as they fell unconscious under the paralysis mirrors, yellow -clouds of gas filled the ship's cabin until the white bearded old -Martians were unconscious too. - -The battle had proceeded nearly to the central defense area, and now -the atomic cannon flashed a hole through the Mars ship, high up in the -hull, causing it to crash. A desperate charge of all the defenders kept -the Mars snakes back long enough to allow the unconscious enemies and -volunteers to be brought back behind the last and strongest barrier. -They made it just before the first of the rescuing ships reached the -spot. Several of the battered and atom shocked men never recovered -consciousness. All were carried to the hospital behind the fighting -front. - -Then came a lull in the battle. The Magnadons and ships withdrew, -leaving only the hissing and twisting snakes in the corridor, and a -small observation ship down the tunnel out of range. The flying lizards -took this opportunity to escape. A few snakes that had crawled through -were disintegrated. This was the situation faced by the council of war, -at noon. - -Dr. Henderson's white coat was now spattered with blood, where he had -carried and treated some of the wounded. His face seemed old and drawn, -as he addressed the Council. - -"It looks bad--If we had a hundred atomic power jackets left, instead -of eight, we might make it. I wonder if they know how limited our -supply is." - - * * * * * - -Under the emotional situation, Zingar's accent was more pronounced -but intelligible, "Every word we speak is amplified by their distance -receivers. A race that can faintly hear train whistles on earth, and -can see the surface of your planet as if with a large telescope from -the moon, doesn't have much trouble to know what our situation is. -But we have one bargaining point. Old Senegar was in that first ship, -and his intelligence is in ratio to that of the other Martians as one -hundred to one. They would concede almost anything to preserve his -safety." - -"But how can we bargain, since we have no way to escape the planet?" -asked John. - -"We might hold the old man as a permanent hostage until the time when -Mars is in proximity to Earth again, a year from next August, and the -colony supply ship comes," suggested Mark Hemingway. - -"The old man wouldn't live that long," said Zingar quietly. "This -atmosphere would be fatal to him--Let me talk to my father." - -"_Your father!_" cried Mary. Quickly adjusting the headphone of the -Mind Sounder she poured out her unconscious sympathy to her lover's -receiving mind. He drew her to him gently, and then turned and faced -the others, still holding her. - -"Let me talk to him," he said, "I think I have an idea." - -The group walked hurriedly behind Zingar and Dr. Henderson toward the -field hospital area. - -There was a silent drama of sympathy in the expression of these two -Martians, as Zingar stood near his father's hospital cot. They spoke -rapidly but quietly in their own language. - -"What's he sayin'?" growled Jake. "Can we trust the young squirt?" - -"I don't understand," said John. "I only know a few of their words. But -they keep repeating one word which means 'cripples,' or 'sick'." - -At last the young Martian turned and spoke to them, but mostly to -Mary--"How much do you love your native planet? Would you be willing -to stay with us--all of you to be healed and made well, and serve to -invigorate the stock of the Mars men?" - -There was a buzz of excitement and argument. Most of the Earthmen who -had not seen the hidden Martian city were violently opposed, but a few -were too sick to care--and many remembered that they were lost anyway, -when the atomic power jackets should be exhausted. John stood close to -Molaee and looked at her questioningly. - -"Don't stay for my sake, John," she said sadly, "our instincts draw us -to each other, but our minds are a whole generation apart. We would -have constant misunderstandings. Remember, I am as old as Zingar." - -He hesitated a moment, then wrote, "But Mary and Zingar are planning to -be married." - -"That is their business," she replied looking at Mary. "Perhaps it is -a reasonable chance to take when the husband is the older mentality, -but I don't want a mental child for a husband. Besides I--I have been -remembering Nogar, my former lover--before I saw you." - -Their isolated dialogue was only a small murmur in the vocal excitement -of the throng of Earth people, which suddenly quieted as Major Mattson -boomed over the crowd with his megaphone--"Well, shall we vote on it?" - -But Zingar raised his hand and cried, "Wait!--My father should speak -first." - -The old man sat painfully up in his bed and spoke into the microphone -of the old amplifying set so that his sibilant whispering voice echoed -the broken accents down the high vaulted ceilings of the great cave -space. - -"Listen to me well, O selected people of a youthful race--This violence -has been a vast folly. I should have realized before.... My sense of -the aesthetic was offended by your ugliness, especially by the sick and -crippled among you, so that I did not realize your one great virtue -which cancels all the rest. I have observed the co-operative efficiency -of your defenses, especially the strange spirit of sacrifice in the -little band who came out to trick us. We were not ready for that, -for we have no such spirit of unselfishness among us. It is a virtue -that Mars needs. Your very handicaps have taught you a lesson of group -action--a lesson of inestimable worth. We need every one of your unique -personalities in our community life. It will be a simple thing to heal -you of your diseases, and to prolong your lives. The memory of your -sufferings will give new youth and a new spirit to Mars--life, perhaps -even prove a biological salvation. Stay with us--we wish you well...." - -The old man fell back exhausted--and closed his eyes. John leaped to -the platform, and cried to the several hundred men and women before -him, "That settles it! I'm for staying...." - -He made an impassioned speech and stepped down. Others followed, but he -was not very attentive to their words. Hilda crept to him, unobserved -in the excitement. She said, "Oh, John, my hand can be healed--Now I -will be proud to marry you--as you asked me three years ago, if you -still want me...." - -"Why, you dumb Bunny! As if a bum flipper had anything to do with -that...." He took her in his arms. They did not even vote when the -hands were called for--or know that the decision had been made.... - - * * * * * - -When the supply ship arrived, a year and a half later, there were -no signs of the colony left. Spread around on the sand were various -artificial limbs, crutches, spectacles, hearing devices, and bits -of clothing, scattered in between many bleached and weather beaten -bones.... - -The ship's crew gathered up these medical relics as proof and sadly -turned away. The captain thought it rather a pity since the ship -had been sent to bring the sick ones home, in response to a wave of -indignation aroused two years before by Hilda's broadcast from the -District Hospital. - -They carried a few of the bones back, carelessly scooped up by the -electric shovel that gathered the crutches and other paraphernalia. - -An obscure scientist's assistant at Johns Hopkins tried to arouse -excitement by claiming that these were not human bones, but from -anthropoid apes--However, there was another war brewing, and nobody -would listen to him. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Colony of the Unfit, by Manfred A. 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