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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..75c4141 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #65325 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65325) diff --git a/old/65325-0.txt b/old/65325-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f4a2365..0000000 --- a/old/65325-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,810 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of They Reached for the Moon, by William -Oberfield - -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 -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: They Reached for the Moon - -Author: William Oberfield - -Release Date: May 12, 2021 [eBook #65325] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THEY REACHED FOR THE MOON *** - - - - - They Reached For The Moon - - By William Oberfield - - The major problem in achieving space flight lay in - overcoming gravity. That had been done and men had - reached the Moon. But strangely, they never returned! - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy - November 1951 - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and -another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon. All this -they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural -and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one -had returned. - -"This one will," they said, as though convincing themselves. - -But they were not sure. They were stubborn, perhaps proud, but not sure -at all. All the world had watched three other such rockets, with men -in them, go screaming off moonward. All had waited for them to return. -And all had seen nothing come back down from the sky. Not even a small -scrap of metal. This one _might_ return, and, if it did, the men in it -just _might_ be alive to tell. But that was not being sure. - -"A military base on the moon!" the leaders had cried. And that had been -that. Robot rockets had gone first. They had landed on the moon. They -could do that, but they could not establish the desired base. So men -had started on a round trip, around the moon, first to prove that men -could do it. The only thing they proved was that whatever goes up need -not come down. - -Now the fourth rocket waited, leaning over against its heavy launching -rack, ready to face whatever unknown danger lay out there beyond. - -On a certain night, a night long appointed, one overshadowed with -heavy clouds that brought a threat of rain, there were lights about the -rocket and in the low, concrete buildings that cowered back a ways from -the upright metal giant. Around the base of the rocket men scurried -like ants, making last minute preparations and seeing that everything -was just so and not being satisfied with "good enough". - -In one building, a little nearer the rocket than the others, two men -lounged, talking of the coming trip and other things that concerned -last night's women, and smoking endlessly, the last smokes they would -have for four days. These men would soon climb into a long, metal thing -and try to do what others had failed to do. - -In other buildings were men with great ideas held firmly in their -minds, doing things with pencils and paper and adding machines. These -checked back over figures and charts, knowing all the time that -everything was flawless, but checking just the same. Some were Army men -and some were not. - -The feeling that seemed to grow over everything was one of waiting and -suspense, and one might know without asking, without seeing the many -glances at watches and clocks, that it would soon be time. - - * * * * * - -Strangely, the two men waiting and speaking mostly of wine, women and -general good times, knew very little of the import of what they were -about to do. In fact, they had no real concept of even the size of the -earth, let alone the magnitude of space, the moon and the stars. This, -however, was as intended. - -The men who had gone in the other rockets had been scientists, greatly -skilled men, men of high I.Q.'s. So the brass and the brains had gotten -together and reasoned, and pooled data, and considered statistics, -and finally decided that the strain of being completely out of one's -natural element, exposed to the terrible, thought-twisting blankness of -space, might be greater than had been supposed. And the high-strung, -sensitive, sometimes slightly neurotic minds of the highly intelligent -might well be expected to crack under the strain. - -This, of course, was at most a poor explanation. But it served, at -least, as an excuse for retaining the great minds and sending those -more expendable. These, not knowing, would probably consider the whole -thing nothing more than a slightly unusual adventure. - -So when the Army officers came, very stiff and orderly, and opened the -door to the little building, the two men came out laughing and pushing -at one another playfully. They followed the little group of officers -toward the gleaming rocket, not at all worried, like men going off for -a happy spree at some local bar. - -The rocket seemed to loom higher as they neared it. It was now bathed -in the light of many spotlights, reflecting back the light in such a -way that one might think he would go blind if he looked too long. Only -when they stepped on to a platform, with two of the higher officers, -and were lifted swiftly upward, did they give a thought to what was -going on. - -The platform halted its climb just below a round hole near the nose of -the rocket. - -"You men should know exactly what you are to do," said the higher -officer, "and that is not much. You are not, under any circumstances, -to touch anything until you near the moon. Up to that time, the rocket -will be guided by at least one control station here on Earth." The -officer paused and tried to see understanding in the eyes of the two. -He was one of those who did not agree with sending such dense fellows. - -"You have been trained for months," he continued, "to read a few -instruments and to perform the fairly simple tasks required to take you -around the moon and start you back. Do only what you have been taught. -Do nothing more. You must remember that certain conditions near the -moon, which interfere with radio reception, and which we have been -unable to overcome, will put you entirely on your own until you start -back." - -One of the men, a little uncertain, acted as if he wished to speak. - -"Yes?" said the officer. - -"Didn't they send rockets once without no men in 'em at all?" he -asked. "Then, how come they can't do like we wasn't even there?" - -"My dear fellow," said the officer, perplexed, "to aim and fire a -rocket at so near and so large a target as the moon is a simple matter. -To guide one around the moon in a precise orbit is a matter entirely -different." He paused. "Any more questions?" - -"No sir," said the men. - -"Very good." The officer seemed glad there would be no further -conversation. "In you go now." - -The men went into the opening, helped by the officers, like olives -being put into a bottle. In a moment the officers had gone and a cover -had been placed into the opening and screwed firmly into place. - - * * * * * - -There was lead-glass, very heavy, in the windows of all the buildings. -The thick cement walls and doors were covered with sheets of lead. - -Inside the most distant buildings, at the small windows, men stood -with black looking glasses over their eyes, watching. Each time a -rocket went into space it was exactly thus. The atomic drive was new -and not completely perfect. Always there was a chance that something -might go wrong. The radiation grids could go haywire, there could be an -explosion, or the ship could falter and slip on the way up. - -So the men waited and watched in their little buildings, with fingers -crossed, hoping for the best. - -Now it was very quiet. The spotlights had been extinguished because -every bit of electric power was needed to start the amazing rocket -motor. Only enough was spared for lighting, where needed, in the -buildings, and for the P.A. system. And over the P.A. system voices -spoke. - -"Trackers ready?" - -"Trackers ready." - -"Control station ready?" - -"Control station ready." - -"Radio room, report!" - -"Radio reporting. All tracking and control stations reported or relayed -in." - -There was a pause. Then: "Stand by." The silence seemed to grow even -more intense. The ticking of clocks and watches could be heard. The -unreal atmosphere of a dream settled over the clustered buildings on -the plain. - -"Activators!" - -Out on the plain, the rocket came to life. It surged and clattered -against its launching rack, nearly leaping, pawing the ground with hot -explosive blasts. Now it became a living wild thing, a bound monster -surging against its chains, fighting to be free and away. - -The voice, in a short while, came again, a little strained. "Ready.... -Ready.... Ready.... ROCKET AWAY!" - -The great, gleaming monster lifted up from the plain, bellowing its -defiance of space with the voice of ten thousand waterfalls. It rode -up from the center of a tremendous flower of glowing dust on a pillar -of intense blue flame, slowly gathering speed, like a whale rushing up -from the depths of the ocean. - -For a while it lighted up miles of rolling plain with its glare, and -sent its thunder out to crash against distant hills. Then it was gone -beyond heavy clouds, leaving only a smear of light above and a hollow, -boiling rumble, muted by distance. - -In the thin, cold air above the clouds the rocket pointed its sharp -nose eastward. It raced across the sky, a blue streaking and a -stuttering scream. It crossed a nation with amazing speed and moved -over the Atlantic. - -In an instant the moon and the stars were gone and the rocket was -looking at the sun. Clear morning fled away in fear of this flaming -beast and it was noon within minutes after sunrise. In an hour the -night returned, the stars and the moon with it. - - * * * * * - -"Brother, we're in!" cried Pfc. Walter Jones, in the head of the -rocket. "Boy, the babes'll mob us after this. Real big shots, that's -us. The men in the moon! Hah!" - -"If we get back," Pvt. Robert Moore shouted over the roar. "Remember, -we gotta get back yet." - -"Chicken!" shouted Jones. "Chicken's what you are!" - -"Oh yeah? So what happens to them guys what went before?" - -"Nuts to that," Jones sneered. "I hear they's a lot of places up in -space we don't know nothin' about, where there's maybe a lot of nice -babes and buildings made out of gold and stuff like that." - -"Scientists don't go much for babes," Moore said. - -Jones kicked back in his seat, roaring laughter. "Hah! Don't kid -yourself, son. Anyway, so what? So they get a chance to be kings, or -somethin', on account of being from Earth. What do they do? They stay -an' be kings, natch'!" - -"It ain't for me," said Moore, moodily. "I know babes on good ol' -Earth. An' who wants to be king?" - -"That's what I'm tellin' you," Jones shouted. "We ain't got no worry at -all. All we gotta do is not let them guys up there sidetrack us." - -"I hope you're right," said Moore. - -They fell silent, looking down at the reeling Earth. On the ground, -two hundred miles below, at every tracking and control station around -the world, men worked without pause, trying to make their tired minds -outrace a speeding rocket. Night side and day side, messages flashed -through the ether. They reported in: position, time, corrections made, -passing the rocket quickly, from one to another like a hot potato. - -On its last lap around the world before flinging itself moonward, the -rocket screamed across the much worn boot of Italy. It climbed swiftly -up the sky of the Holy Land and plunged down in the east, drawing a -blue pencil line across the heavens that faded slowly. - -At last it turned upward, and breathing streamers of fire and light, -shot into airless space, a silver arrow gone from the bow and dead on -its mark. - -"It sure seems quiet," said Moore. - -They looked through the glassite port into the great distances. - -"Quiet, and empty." - -"Yeah!" - -"Do you feel different?" Jones asked suddenly. - -"I don't know. Maybe. In a way." - -"Like you can think a lot better?" - -"Something like that," Moore said. - - * * * * * - -They sat and thought about it. The rocket was now fifteen hundred miles -up, climbing swiftly. - -"For one thing," Moore said, "we are lighter. What do they call it? -Gravity? Gravity is less." - -"I don't like it," cried Jones. "I don't like it at all!" - -"What?" Moore looked at him. - -Jones stared back, frightened. "It's nothing like I thought it would -be. Maybe we'll get so light there won't be anything left! Where is -everything? It's so empty it don't make sense. Something's wrong, Bob. -Let's try to turn back before we die like the others! I don't want to -die! I want--" - -Moore reached over and slapped the other's face, hard. Jones focused -glassy, unsteady eyes, surprised and hurt. "Why did you do that?" - -"You called me yellow a while ago," Moore said, disgusted. "Now it's -you who are acting like a woman or a child. You would really kill us, -trying to turn back at this velocity." - -"I'm still afraid," Jones said, but not wildly. "I don't know what's -happening to me. I can remember things that happened years ago; things -I hardly noticed. I'm starting to understand things I never understood -before, and some of the things are hard to take." - -"Don't you think I feel it, too?" Moore looked out at space in a new -way, understanding. - -For a while there was silence, a little strained, while the rocket sped -another thousand miles. After that it was not so strained. It was more -an atmosphere of concentration, of two men, thinking within themselves. -There was no more fear. - -"So this is what happened to the others," Moore said finally. "But what -do we have to fear?" - -Jones shrugged. "I'm not afraid anymore, but maybe I should be." He -leaned back and looked at Moore. "Have you any idea what is happening -to us?" - -"I'm not sure," Moore frowned. - -"It's as if some great obstacle to clear thinking has been removed. -Have you noticed how we have been speaking? Our memory has so improved -that we are able to use words we may have seen or heard used only a few -times. And the new sharpness of mind that enables us to use these words -properly also makes us able to grasp quickly new ideas and to reason -logically. As to what causes the change, I do not know." - -"I have been thinking about gravity," said Jones, reflecting. "It -seems to me that the change in mental power is just about inversely -proportioned to change in gravity. That might, in some way, have -something to do with it." - -Moore sighed, frowning. "You may be right. But, granting that you are, -we are still in the dark as to the nature of the danger we must face." - -"I think I'm beginning to get some idea," said Jones. "I wouldn't be -surprised if my first crude idea, in a way, was very nearly right." - -Moore showed surprise. "You still think those others found someone out -here who made them kings, or some such?" He laughed. - -"Not exactly," Jones said. "But there may be even stranger things." And -he would say no more. - - * * * * * - -At fifty thousand miles they had lost all thought of danger. They spoke -of space and the unseen medium that must be there. After forming -the only logical conclusion about the nature of this, they passed on -to matters of relativity and the nature of time and of life itself, -understanding each in its turn. - -They became so absorbed in conversation they did not even notice when -they stopped talking and conversed in pure thought. Not even did they -realize that a golden glow had come to their faces and bodies that was -not simple light. And they were content in knowing they would never -return to earth, knowing also that they would not die. - -The rocket carried them one hundred thousand miles through space before -it happened. - -"There is someone behind us," Jones said, simply. - -[Illustration: As he looked through the glassite hull of the space -ship at the surface of the Moon a strange thing happened. A shimmering -figure appeared in a halo of light.] - -They looked, and beheld a man standing in space. He was hardly a man -anymore, as men are called, but one like themselves. A golden glow -seemed to blend with him. He smiled. - -"Welcome!" - -"We have been expecting you," said Moore, smiling in return. "Your -voice, your thoughts reached us. We know you are one of those who came -out in a rocket before us. But your name is not clear." - -The being seemed mildly surprised. Then he laughed; a thing that was -as the tinkle of small bells, as the dew of a cool meadow before the -rising sun or the joyous song of a nightingale. - -"I am one of them," he said, "and all of them. We who have overcome -the chains of gravity, who have become one in thought and find it -impossible to do otherwise, have no need for individuality." - -"But you have a body," said Jones. "Surely that gives you some sort of -individuality." - -"Yes, if one's mind is bound, controlled by matter. But the mind -working without resistance is a perfect machine. It is able to control -matter in every respect. We take this form or that form as a matter of -expedience." - -"We have reasoned that all this is due to release from gravity," Moore -reflected. "But we do not understand completely. Will you tell us?" - -"Even those on Earth know that gravity hampers the mind," the being -said. "This they have learned through observation of mental factors in -relation to the gravitational pull of the sun and moon. But look into -my mind and you will see more clearly." - -They looked, and saw a copper disk turn before a powerful magnet. And -they saw resistance caused by electric currents induced in the copper, -so that a great deal of power was required to turn the disk, even -slowly. This, the thoughts indicated, was a principal well known to -those yet on Earth. - -Next came the relationship between magnetism and gravity, clearly -demonstrated. - -They then saw a human brain, locked in the powerful embrace of -gravity. And the tiny pulsations and complex motions, the processes -of thought, were, as with the disk, sluggish--in large portions not -even present. They watched a brain come alive as gravity decreased. It -bulged, the tempo of motion rising, parts long dormant surging with -power. They saw and they understood. - -"If only we could go back and help them," sighed Jones. "If we could -overcome that gravity on Earth!" - -Again the being smiled his kind smile. "If you returned it would be to -the same mental prison. You could not, in your crude manner, convince -them." - -The two knew what they must do, even before the being spoke again. - -"The others, the rest, wait beyond the light of universes," he said. -"We think. We learn. Soon, we will find a way of helping those on -Earth, and we will return. Come with me." - -They replied together. "We are ready." - -On the dark side of the moon, where they had been projected by -identical velocities, lay the battered wrecks of four gleaming rockets. -And in all the wreckage, among all the bits of twisted metal, there was -not a single drop of human blood. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THEY REACHED FOR THE MOON *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: They Reached for the Moon</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: William Oberfield</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: May 12, 2021 [eBook #65325]</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net</div> - -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THEY REACHED FOR THE MOON ***</div> - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>They Reached For The Moon</h1> - -<h2>By William Oberfield</h2> - -<p>The major problem in achieving space flight lay in<br /> -overcoming gravity. That had been done and men had<br /> -reached the Moon. But strangely, they never returned!</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy<br /> -November 1951<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>They took a thousand days to build the great, gleaming monster, and -another two hundred to groom it for its trip around the moon. All this -they did with an air that made a trip to the moon seem quite natural -and sure, even though three other rockets had gone before and not one -had returned.</p> - -<p>"This one will," they said, as though convincing themselves.</p> - -<p>But they were not sure. They were stubborn, perhaps proud, but not sure -at all. All the world had watched three other such rockets, with men -in them, go screaming off moonward. All had waited for them to return. -And all had seen nothing come back down from the sky. Not even a small -scrap of metal. This one <i>might</i> return, and, if it did, the men in it -just <i>might</i> be alive to tell. But that was not being sure.</p> - -<p>"A military base on the moon!" the leaders had cried. And that had been -that. Robot rockets had gone first. They had landed on the moon. They -could do that, but they could not establish the desired base. So men -had started on a round trip, around the moon, first to prove that men -could do it. The only thing they proved was that whatever goes up need -not come down.</p> - -<p>Now the fourth rocket waited, leaning over against its heavy launching -rack, ready to face whatever unknown danger lay out there beyond.</p> - -<p>On a certain night, a night long appointed, one overshadowed with -heavy clouds that brought a threat of rain, there were lights about the -rocket and in the low, concrete buildings that cowered back a ways from -the upright metal giant. Around the base of the rocket men scurried -like ants, making last minute preparations and seeing that everything -was just so and not being satisfied with "good enough".</p> - -<p>In one building, a little nearer the rocket than the others, two men -lounged, talking of the coming trip and other things that concerned -last night's women, and smoking endlessly, the last smokes they would -have for four days. These men would soon climb into a long, metal thing -and try to do what others had failed to do.</p> - -<p>In other buildings were men with great ideas held firmly in their -minds, doing things with pencils and paper and adding machines. These -checked back over figures and charts, knowing all the time that -everything was flawless, but checking just the same. Some were Army men -and some were not.</p> - -<p>The feeling that seemed to grow over everything was one of waiting and -suspense, and one might know without asking, without seeing the many -glances at watches and clocks, that it would soon be time.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Strangely, the two men waiting and speaking mostly of wine, women and -general good times, knew very little of the import of what they were -about to do. In fact, they had no real concept of even the size of the -earth, let alone the magnitude of space, the moon and the stars. This, -however, was as intended.</p> - -<p>The men who had gone in the other rockets had been scientists, greatly -skilled men, men of high I.Q.'s. So the brass and the brains had gotten -together and reasoned, and pooled data, and considered statistics, -and finally decided that the strain of being completely out of one's -natural element, exposed to the terrible, thought-twisting blankness of -space, might be greater than had been supposed. And the high-strung, -sensitive, sometimes slightly neurotic minds of the highly intelligent -might well be expected to crack under the strain.</p> - -<p>This, of course, was at most a poor explanation. But it served, at -least, as an excuse for retaining the great minds and sending those -more expendable. These, not knowing, would probably consider the whole -thing nothing more than a slightly unusual adventure.</p> - -<p>So when the Army officers came, very stiff and orderly, and opened the -door to the little building, the two men came out laughing and pushing -at one another playfully. They followed the little group of officers -toward the gleaming rocket, not at all worried, like men going off for -a happy spree at some local bar.</p> - -<p>The rocket seemed to loom higher as they neared it. It was now bathed -in the light of many spotlights, reflecting back the light in such a -way that one might think he would go blind if he looked too long. Only -when they stepped on to a platform, with two of the higher officers, -and were lifted swiftly upward, did they give a thought to what was -going on.</p> - -<p>The platform halted its climb just below a round hole near the nose of -the rocket.</p> - -<p>"You men should know exactly what you are to do," said the higher -officer, "and that is not much. You are not, under any circumstances, -to touch anything until you near the moon. Up to that time, the rocket -will be guided by at least one control station here on Earth." The -officer paused and tried to see understanding in the eyes of the two. -He was one of those who did not agree with sending such dense fellows.</p> - -<p>"You have been trained for months," he continued, "to read a few -instruments and to perform the fairly simple tasks required to take you -around the moon and start you back. Do only what you have been taught. -Do nothing more. You must remember that certain conditions near the -moon, which interfere with radio reception, and which we have been -unable to overcome, will put you entirely on your own until you start -back."</p> - -<p>One of the men, a little uncertain, acted as if he wished to speak.</p> - -<p>"Yes?" said the officer.</p> - -<p>"Didn't they send rockets once without no men in 'em at all?" he -asked. "Then, how come they can't do like we wasn't even there?"</p> - -<p>"My dear fellow," said the officer, perplexed, "to aim and fire a -rocket at so near and so large a target as the moon is a simple matter. -To guide one around the moon in a precise orbit is a matter entirely -different." He paused. "Any more questions?"</p> - -<p>"No sir," said the men.</p> - -<p>"Very good." The officer seemed glad there would be no further -conversation. "In you go now."</p> - -<p>The men went into the opening, helped by the officers, like olives -being put into a bottle. In a moment the officers had gone and a cover -had been placed into the opening and screwed firmly into place.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>There was lead-glass, very heavy, in the windows of all the buildings. -The thick cement walls and doors were covered with sheets of lead.</p> - -<p>Inside the most distant buildings, at the small windows, men stood -with black looking glasses over their eyes, watching. Each time a -rocket went into space it was exactly thus. The atomic drive was new -and not completely perfect. Always there was a chance that something -might go wrong. The radiation grids could go haywire, there could be an -explosion, or the ship could falter and slip on the way up.</p> - -<p>So the men waited and watched in their little buildings, with fingers -crossed, hoping for the best.</p> - -<p>Now it was very quiet. The spotlights had been extinguished because -every bit of electric power was needed to start the amazing rocket -motor. Only enough was spared for lighting, where needed, in the -buildings, and for the P.A. system. And over the P.A. system voices -spoke.</p> - -<p>"Trackers ready?"</p> - -<p>"Trackers ready."</p> - -<p>"Control station ready?"</p> - -<p>"Control station ready."</p> - -<p>"Radio room, report!"</p> - -<p>"Radio reporting. All tracking and control stations reported or relayed -in."</p> - -<p>There was a pause. Then: "Stand by." The silence seemed to grow even -more intense. The ticking of clocks and watches could be heard. The -unreal atmosphere of a dream settled over the clustered buildings on -the plain.</p> - -<p>"Activators!"</p> - -<p>Out on the plain, the rocket came to life. It surged and clattered -against its launching rack, nearly leaping, pawing the ground with hot -explosive blasts. Now it became a living wild thing, a bound monster -surging against its chains, fighting to be free and away.</p> - -<p>The voice, in a short while, came again, a little strained. "Ready.... -Ready.... Ready.... ROCKET AWAY!"</p> - -<p>The great, gleaming monster lifted up from the plain, bellowing its -defiance of space with the voice of ten thousand waterfalls. It rode -up from the center of a tremendous flower of glowing dust on a pillar -of intense blue flame, slowly gathering speed, like a whale rushing up -from the depths of the ocean.</p> - -<p>For a while it lighted up miles of rolling plain with its glare, and -sent its thunder out to crash against distant hills. Then it was gone -beyond heavy clouds, leaving only a smear of light above and a hollow, -boiling rumble, muted by distance.</p> - -<p>In the thin, cold air above the clouds the rocket pointed its sharp -nose eastward. It raced across the sky, a blue streaking and a -stuttering scream. It crossed a nation with amazing speed and moved -over the Atlantic.</p> - -<p>In an instant the moon and the stars were gone and the rocket was -looking at the sun. Clear morning fled away in fear of this flaming -beast and it was noon within minutes after sunrise. In an hour the -night returned, the stars and the moon with it.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"Brother, we're in!" cried Pfc. Walter Jones, in the head of the -rocket. "Boy, the babes'll mob us after this. Real big shots, that's -us. The men in the moon! Hah!"</p> - -<p>"If we get back," Pvt. Robert Moore shouted over the roar. "Remember, -we gotta get back yet."</p> - -<p>"Chicken!" shouted Jones. "Chicken's what you are!"</p> - -<p>"Oh yeah? So what happens to them guys what went before?"</p> - -<p>"Nuts to that," Jones sneered. "I hear they's a lot of places up in -space we don't know nothin' about, where there's maybe a lot of nice -babes and buildings made out of gold and stuff like that."</p> - -<p>"Scientists don't go much for babes," Moore said.</p> - -<p>Jones kicked back in his seat, roaring laughter. "Hah! Don't kid -yourself, son. Anyway, so what? So they get a chance to be kings, or -somethin', on account of being from Earth. What do they do? They stay -an' be kings, natch'!"</p> - -<p>"It ain't for me," said Moore, moodily. "I know babes on good ol' -Earth. An' who wants to be king?"</p> - -<p>"That's what I'm tellin' you," Jones shouted. "We ain't got no worry at -all. All we gotta do is not let them guys up there sidetrack us."</p> - -<p>"I hope you're right," said Moore.</p> - -<p>They fell silent, looking down at the reeling Earth. On the ground, -two hundred miles below, at every tracking and control station around -the world, men worked without pause, trying to make their tired minds -outrace a speeding rocket. Night side and day side, messages flashed -through the ether. They reported in: position, time, corrections made, -passing the rocket quickly, from one to another like a hot potato.</p> - -<p>On its last lap around the world before flinging itself moonward, the -rocket screamed across the much worn boot of Italy. It climbed swiftly -up the sky of the Holy Land and plunged down in the east, drawing a -blue pencil line across the heavens that faded slowly.</p> - -<p>At last it turned upward, and breathing streamers of fire and light, -shot into airless space, a silver arrow gone from the bow and dead on -its mark.</p> - -<p>"It sure seems quiet," said Moore.</p> - -<p>They looked through the glassite port into the great distances.</p> - -<p>"Quiet, and empty."</p> - -<p>"Yeah!"</p> - -<p>"Do you feel different?" Jones asked suddenly.</p> - -<p>"I don't know. Maybe. In a way."</p> - -<p>"Like you can think a lot better?"</p> - -<p>"Something like that," Moore said.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>They sat and thought about it. The rocket was now fifteen hundred miles -up, climbing swiftly.</p> - -<p>"For one thing," Moore said, "we are lighter. What do they call it? -Gravity? Gravity is less."</p> - -<p>"I don't like it," cried Jones. "I don't like it at all!"</p> - -<p>"What?" Moore looked at him.</p> - -<p>Jones stared back, frightened. "It's nothing like I thought it would -be. Maybe we'll get so light there won't be anything left! Where is -everything? It's so empty it don't make sense. Something's wrong, Bob. -Let's try to turn back before we die like the others! I don't want to -die! I want—"</p> - -<p>Moore reached over and slapped the other's face, hard. Jones focused -glassy, unsteady eyes, surprised and hurt. "Why did you do that?"</p> - -<p>"You called me yellow a while ago," Moore said, disgusted. "Now it's -you who are acting like a woman or a child. You would really kill us, -trying to turn back at this velocity."</p> - -<p>"I'm still afraid," Jones said, but not wildly. "I don't know what's -happening to me. I can remember things that happened years ago; things -I hardly noticed. I'm starting to understand things I never understood -before, and some of the things are hard to take."</p> - -<p>"Don't you think I feel it, too?" Moore looked out at space in a new -way, understanding.</p> - -<p>For a while there was silence, a little strained, while the rocket sped -another thousand miles. After that it was not so strained. It was more -an atmosphere of concentration, of two men, thinking within themselves. -There was no more fear.</p> - -<p>"So this is what happened to the others," Moore said finally. "But what -do we have to fear?"</p> - -<p>Jones shrugged. "I'm not afraid anymore, but maybe I should be." He -leaned back and looked at Moore. "Have you any idea what is happening -to us?"</p> - -<p>"I'm not sure," Moore frowned.</p> - -<p>"It's as if some great obstacle to clear thinking has been removed. -Have you noticed how we have been speaking? Our memory has so improved -that we are able to use words we may have seen or heard used only a few -times. And the new sharpness of mind that enables us to use these words -properly also makes us able to grasp quickly new ideas and to reason -logically. As to what causes the change, I do not know."</p> - -<p>"I have been thinking about gravity," said Jones, reflecting. "It -seems to me that the change in mental power is just about inversely -proportioned to change in gravity. That might, in some way, have -something to do with it."</p> - -<p>Moore sighed, frowning. "You may be right. But, granting that you are, -we are still in the dark as to the nature of the danger we must face."</p> - -<p>"I think I'm beginning to get some idea," said Jones. "I wouldn't be -surprised if my first crude idea, in a way, was very nearly right."</p> - -<p>Moore showed surprise. "You still think those others found someone out -here who made them kings, or some such?" He laughed.</p> - -<p>"Not exactly," Jones said. "But there may be even stranger things." And -he would say no more.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>At fifty thousand miles they had lost all thought of danger. They spoke -of space and the unseen medium that must be there. After forming -the only logical conclusion about the nature of this, they passed on -to matters of relativity and the nature of time and of life itself, -understanding each in its turn.</p> - -<p>They became so absorbed in conversation they did not even notice when -they stopped talking and conversed in pure thought. Not even did they -realize that a golden glow had come to their faces and bodies that was -not simple light. And they were content in knowing they would never -return to earth, knowing also that they would not die.</p> - -<p>The rocket carried them one hundred thousand miles through space before -it happened.</p> - -<p>"There is someone behind us," Jones said, simply.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""/> - <div class="caption"> - <p>As he looked through the glassite hull of the space ship at the surface of the Moon a strange thing happened. A shimmering figure appeared in a halo of light.</p> - </div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>They looked, and beheld a man standing in space. He was hardly a man -anymore, as men are called, but one like themselves. A golden glow -seemed to blend with him. He smiled.</p> - -<p>"Welcome!"</p> - -<p>"We have been expecting you," said Moore, smiling in return. "Your -voice, your thoughts reached us. We know you are one of those who came -out in a rocket before us. But your name is not clear."</p> - -<p>The being seemed mildly surprised. Then he laughed; a thing that was -as the tinkle of small bells, as the dew of a cool meadow before the -rising sun or the joyous song of a nightingale.</p> - -<p>"I am one of them," he said, "and all of them. We who have overcome -the chains of gravity, who have become one in thought and find it -impossible to do otherwise, have no need for individuality."</p> - -<p>"But you have a body," said Jones. "Surely that gives you some sort of -individuality."</p> - -<p>"Yes, if one's mind is bound, controlled by matter. But the mind -working without resistance is a perfect machine. It is able to control -matter in every respect. We take this form or that form as a matter of -expedience."</p> - -<p>"We have reasoned that all this is due to release from gravity," Moore -reflected. "But we do not understand completely. Will you tell us?"</p> - -<p>"Even those on Earth know that gravity hampers the mind," the being -said. "This they have learned through observation of mental factors in -relation to the gravitational pull of the sun and moon. But look into -my mind and you will see more clearly."</p> - -<p>They looked, and saw a copper disk turn before a powerful magnet. And -they saw resistance caused by electric currents induced in the copper, -so that a great deal of power was required to turn the disk, even -slowly. This, the thoughts indicated, was a principal well known to -those yet on Earth.</p> - -<p>Next came the relationship between magnetism and gravity, clearly -demonstrated.</p> - -<p>They then saw a human brain, locked in the powerful embrace of -gravity. And the tiny pulsations and complex motions, the processes -of thought, were, as with the disk, sluggish—in large portions not -even present. They watched a brain come alive as gravity decreased. It -bulged, the tempo of motion rising, parts long dormant surging with -power. They saw and they understood.</p> - -<p>"If only we could go back and help them," sighed Jones. "If we could -overcome that gravity on Earth!"</p> - -<p>Again the being smiled his kind smile. "If you returned it would be to -the same mental prison. You could not, in your crude manner, convince -them."</p> - -<p>The two knew what they must do, even before the being spoke again.</p> - -<p>"The others, the rest, wait beyond the light of universes," he said. -"We think. We learn. Soon, we will find a way of helping those on -Earth, and we will return. Come with me."</p> - -<p>They replied together. "We are ready."</p> - -<p>On the dark side of the moon, where they had been projected by -identical velocities, lay the battered wrecks of four gleaming rockets. -And in all the wreckage, among all the bits of twisted metal, there was -not a single drop of human blood.</p> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THEY REACHED FOR THE MOON ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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