The Project Gutenberg EBook of Youth, by Isaac Asimov
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Title: Youth
Author: Isaac Asimov
Illustrator: Schecterson
Release Date: March 7, 2010 [EBook #31547]
Language: English
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YOUTH
_by_ ISAAC ASIMOV
Red and Slim found the two strange little animals the morning after
they heard the thunder sounds. They knew that they could never show
their new pets to their parents.
[Illustration]
There was a spatter of pebbles against the window and the youngster
stirred in his sleep. Another, and he was awake.
He sat up stiffly in bed. Seconds passed while he interpreted his
strange surroundings. He wasn't in his own home, of course. This was out
in the country. It was colder than it should be and there was green at
the window.
"Slim!"
The call was a hoarse, urgent whisper, and the youngster bounded to the
open window.
Slim wasn't his real name, but the new friend he had met the day before
had needed only one look at his slight figure to say, "You're Slim." He
added, "I'm Red."
Red wasn't his real name, either, but its appropriateness was obvious.
They were friends instantly with the quick unquestioning friendship of
young ones not yet quite in adolescence, before even the first stains of
adulthood began to make their appearance.
Slim cried, "Hi, Red!" and waved cheerfully, still blinking the sleep
out of himself.
Red kept to his croaking whisper, "Quiet! You want to wake somebody?"
Slim noticed all at once that the sun scarcely topped the low hills in
the east, that the shadows were long and soft, and that the grass was
wet.
Slim said, more softly, "What's the matter?"
Red only waved for him to come out.
Slim dressed quickly, gladly confining his morning wash to the momentary
sprinkle of a little lukewarm water. He let the air dry the exposed
portions of his body as he ran out, while bare skin grew wet against the
dewy grass.
Red said, "You've got to be quiet. If Mom wakes up or Dad or your Dad or
even any of the hands then it'll be 'Come on in or you'll catch your
death of cold.'"
He mimicked voice and tone faithfully, so that Slim laughed and thought
that there had never been so funny a fellow as Red.
Slim said, eagerly, "Do you come out here every day like this, Red? Real
early? It's like the whole world is just yours, isn't it, Red? No one
else around and all like that." He felt proud at being allowed entrance
into this private world.
Red stared at him sidelong. He said carelessly, "I've been up for hours.
Didn't you hear it last night?"
"Hear what?"
"Thunder."
"Was there a thunderstorm?" Slim never slept through a thunderstorm.
"I guess not. But there was thunder. I heard it, and then I went to the
window and it wasn't raining. It was all stars and the sky was just
getting sort of almost gray. You know what I mean?"
Slim had never seen it so, but he nodded.
"So I just thought I'd go out," said Red.
They walked along the grassy side of the concrete road that split the
panorama right down the middle all the way down to where it vanished
among the hills. It was so old that Red's father couldn't tell Red when
it had been built. It didn't have a crack or a rough spot in it.
Red said, "Can you keep a secret?"
"Sure, Red. What kind of a secret?"
"Just a secret. Maybe I'll tell you and maybe I won't. I don't know
yet." Red broke a long, supple stem from a fern they passed,
methodically stripped it of its leaflets and swung what was left
whip-fashion. For a moment, he was on a wild charger, which reared and
champed under his iron control. Then he got tired, tossed the whip aside
and stowed the charger away in a corner of his imagination for future
use.
He said, "There'll be a circus around."
Slim said, "That's no secret. I knew that. My Dad told me even before we
came here--"
"That's not the secret. Fine secret! Ever see a circus?"
"Oh, sure. You bet."
"Like it?"
"Say, there isn't anything I like better."
Red was watching out of the corner of his eyes again. "Ever think you
would like to be with a circus? I mean, for good?"
Slim considered, "I guess not. I think I'll be an astronomer like my
Dad. I think he wants me to be."
"Huh! Astronomer!" said Red.
Slim felt the doors of the new, private world closing on him and
astronomy became a thing of dead stars and black, empty space.
He said, placatingly, "A circus _would_ be more fun."
"You're just saying that."
"No, I'm not. I mean it."
Red grew argumentative. "Suppose you had a chance to join the circus
right now. What would you do?"
"I--I--"
"See!" Red affected scornful laughter.
Slim was stung. "I'd join up."
"Go on."
"Try me."
Red whirled at him, strange and intense. "You meant that? You want to go
in with me?"
[Illustration]
"What do you mean?" Slim stepped back a bit, surprised by the unexpected
challenge.
"I got something that can get us into the circus. Maybe someday we can
even have a circus of our own. We could be the biggest circus-fellows in
the world. That's if you want to go in with me. Otherwise--Well, I guess
I can do it on my own. I just thought: Let's give good old Slim a
chance."
The world was strange and glamorous, and Slim said, "Sure thing, Red.
I'm in! What is it, huh, Red? Tell me what it is."
"Figure it out. What's the most important thing in circuses?"
Slim thought desperately. He wanted to give the right answer. Finally,
he said, "Acrobats?"
"Holy Smokes! I wouldn't go five steps to look at acrobats."
"I don't know then."
"Animals, that's what! What's the best side-show? Where are the biggest
crowds? Even in the main rings the best acts are animal acts." There was
no doubt in Red's voice.
"Do you think so?"
"Everyone thinks so. You ask anyone. Anyway, I found animals this
morning. Two of them."
"And you've got them?"
"Sure. That's the secret. Are you telling?"
"Of course not."
"Okay. I've got them in the barn. Do you want to see them?"
They were almost at the barn; its huge open door black. Too black. They
had been heading there all the time. Slim stopped in his tracks.
He tried to make his words casual. "Are they big?"
"Would I fool with them if they were big? They can't hurt you. They're
only about so long. I've got them in a cage."
They were in the barn now and Slim saw the large cage suspended from a
hook in the roof. It was covered with stiff canvas.
Red said, "We used to have some bird there or something. Anyway, they
can't get away from there. Come on, let's go up to the loft."
They clambered up the wooden stairs and Red hooked the cage toward them.
Slim pointed and said, "There's sort of a hole in the canvas."
Red frowned. "How'd that get there?" He lifted the canvas, looked in,
and said, with relief, "They're still there."
"The canvas appeared to be burned," worried Slim.
"You want to look, or don't you?"
Slim nodded slowly. He wasn't sure he wanted to, after all. They might
be--
But the canvas had been jerked off and there they were. Two of them, the
way Red said. They were small, and sort of disgusting-looking. The
animals moved quickly as the canvas lifted and were on the side toward
the youngsters. Red poked a cautious finger at them.
"Watch out," said Slim, in agony.
"They don't hurt you," said Red. "Ever see anything like them?"
"No."
"Can't you see how a circus would jump at a chance to have these?"
"Maybe they're too small for a circus."
Red looked annoyed. He let go the cage which swung back and forth
pendulum-fashion. "You're just trying to back out, aren't you?"
"No, I'm not. It's just--"
"They're not too small, don't worry. Right now, I've only got one
worry."
"What's that?"
"Well, I've got to keep them till the circus comes, don't I? I've got
to figure out what to feed them meanwhile."
The cage swung and the little trapped creatures clung to its bars,
gesturing at the youngsters with queer, quick motions--almost as though
they were intelligent.
II
The Astronomer entered the dining room with decorum. He felt very much
the guest.
He said, "Where are the youngsters? My son isn't in his room."
The Industrialist smiled. "They've been out for hours. However,
breakfast was forced into them among the women some time ago, so there
is nothing to worry about. Youth, Doctor, youth!"
"Youth!" The word seemed to depress the Astronomer.
They ate breakfast in silence. The Industrialist said once, "You really
think they'll come. The day looks so--_normal_."
The Astronomer said, "They'll come."
That was all.
Afterward the Industrialist said, "You'll pardon me. I can't conceive
your playing so elaborate a hoax. You really spoke to them?"
"As I speak to you. At least, in a sense. They can project thoughts."
"I gathered that must be so from your letter. How, I wonder."
"I could not say. I asked them and, of course, they were vague. Or
perhaps it was just that I could not understand. It involves a projector
for the focussing of thought and, even more than that, conscious
attention on the part of both projector and receptor. It was quite a
while before I realized they were trying to think at me. Such
thought-projectors may be part of the science they will give us."
"Perhaps," said the Industrialist. "Yet think of the changes it would
bring to society. A thought-projector!"
"Why not? Change would be good for us."
"I don't think so."
"It is only in old age that change is unwelcome," said the Astronomer,
"and races can be old as well as individuals."
The Industrialist pointed out the window. "You see that road. It was
built Beforethewars. I don't know exactly when. It is as good now as the
day it was built. We couldn't possibly duplicate it now. The race was
young when that was built, eh?"
"Then? Yes! At least they weren't afraid of new things."
"No. I wish they had been. Where is the society of Beforethewars?
Destroyed, Doctor! What good were youth and new things? We are better
off now. The world is peaceful and jogs along. The race goes nowhere but
after all, there is nowhere to go. _They_ proved that. The men who built
the road. I will speak with your visitors as I agreed, if they come. But
I think I will only ask them to go."
"The race is not going nowhere," said the Astronomer, earnestly. "It is
going toward final destruction. My university has a smaller student body
each year. Fewer books are written. Less work is done. An old man sleeps
in the sun and his days are peaceful and unchanging, but each day finds
him nearer death all the same."
"Well, well," said the Industrialist.
"No, don't dismiss it. Listen. Before I wrote you, I investigated your
position in the planetary economy."
"And you found me solvent?" interrupted the Industrialist, smiling.
"Why, yes. Oh, I see, you are joking. And yet--perhaps the joke is not
far off. You are less solvent than your father and he was less solvent
than his father. Perhaps your son will no longer be solvent. It becomes
too troublesome for the planet to support even the industries that still
exist, though they are toothpicks to the oak trees of Beforethewars. We
will be back to village economy and then to what? The caves?"
"And the infusion of fresh technological knowledge will be the changing
of all that?"
"Not just the new knowledge. Rather the whole effect of change, of a
broadening of horizons. Look, sir, I chose you to approach in this
matter not only because you were rich and influential with government
officials, but because you had an unusual reputation, for these days, of
daring to break with tradition. Our people will resist change and you
would know how to handle them, how to see to it that--that--"
"That the youth of the race is revived?"
"Yes."
"With its atomic bombs?"
"The atomic bombs," returned the Astronomer, "need not be the end of
civilization. These visitors of mine had their atomic bomb, or whatever
their equivalent was on their own worlds, and survived it, because they
didn't give up. Don't you see? It wasn't the bomb that defeated us, but
our own shell shock. This may be the last chance to reverse the
process."
[Illustration]
"Tell me," said the Industrialist, "what do these friends from space
want in return?"
The Astronomer hesitated. He said, "I will be truthful with you. They
come from a denser planet. Ours is richer in the lighter atoms."
"They want magnesium? Aluminum?"
"No, sir. Carbon and hydrogen. They want coal and oil."
"Really?"
The Astronomer said, quickly, "You are going to ask why creatures who
have mastered space travel, and therefore atomic power, would want coal
and oil. I can't answer that."
The Industrialist smiled. "But I can. This is the best evidence yet of
the truth of your story. Superficially, atomic power would seem to
preclude the use of coal and oil. However, quite apart from the energy
gained by their combustion they remain, and always will remain, the
basic raw material for all organic chemistry. Plastics, dyes,
pharmaceuticals, solvents. Industry could not exist without them, even
in an atomic age. Still, if coal and oil are the low price for which
they would sell us the troubles and tortures of racial youth, my answer
is that the commodity would be dear if offered gratis."
The Astronomer sighed and said, "There are the boys!"
They were visible through the open window, standing together in the
grassy field and lost in animated conversation. The Industrialist's son
pointed imperiously and the Astronomer's son nodded and made off at a
run toward the house.
The Industrialist said, "There is the Youth you speak of. Our race has
as much of it as it ever had."
"Yes, but we age them quickly and pour them into the mold."
Slim scuttled into the room, the door banging behind him.
The Astronomer said, in mild disapproval, "What's this?"
Slim looked up in surprise and came to a halt. "I beg your pardon. I
didn't know anyone was here. I am sorry to have interrupted." His
enunciation was almost painfully precise.
The Industrialist said, "It's all right, youngster."
But the Astronomer said, "Even if you had been entering an empty room,
son, there would be no cause for slamming a door."
"Nonsense," insisted the Industrialist. "The youngster has done no harm.
You simply scold him for being young. You, with your views!"
He said to Slim, "Come here, lad."
Slim advanced slowly.
"How do you like the country, eh?"
"Very much, sir, thank you."
"My son has been showing you about the place, has he?"
"Yes, sir. Red--I mean--"
"No, no. Call him Red. I call him that myself. Now tell me, what are you
two up to, eh?"
Slim looked away. "Why--just exploring, sir."
The Industrialist turned to the Astronomer. "There you are, youthful
curiosity and adventure-lust. The race has not yet lost it."
Slim said, "Sir?"
"Yes, lad."
The youngster took a long time in getting on with it. He said, "Red sent
me in for something good to eat, but I don't exactly know what he meant.
I didn't like to say so."
"Why, just ask cook. She'll have something good for young'uns to eat."
"Oh, no, sir. I mean for animals."
"For animals?"
"Yes, sir. What do animals eat?"
The Astronomer said, "I am afraid my son is city-bred."
"Well," said the Industrialist, "there's no harm in that. What kind of
an animal, lad?"
"A small one, sir."
"Then try grass or leaves, and if they don't want that, nuts or berries
would probably do the trick."
"Thank you, sir." Slim ran out again, closing the door gently behind
him.
The Astronomer said, "Do you suppose they've trapped an animal alive?"
He was obviously perturbed.
"That's common enough. There's no shooting on my estate and it's tame
country, full of rodents and small creatures. Red is always coming home
with pets of one sort or another. They rarely maintain his interest for
long."
He looked at the wall clock. "Your friends should have been here by now,
shouldn't they?"
III
The swaying had come to a halt and it was dark. The Explorer was not
comfortable in the alien air. It felt as thick as soup and he had to
breathe shallowly. Even so--
He reached out in a sudden need for company. The Merchant was warm to
the touch. His breathing was rough, he moved in an occasional spasm, and
was obviously asleep. The Explorer hesitated and decided not to wake
him. It would serve no real purpose.
There would be no rescue, of course. That was the penalty paid for the
high profits which unrestrained competition could lead to. The Merchant
who opened a new planet could have a ten year monopoly of its trade,
which he might hug to himself or, more likely, rent out to all comers at
a stiff price. It followed that planets were searched for in secrecy
and, preferably, away from the usual trade routes. In a case such as
theirs, then, there was little or no chance that another ship would come
within range of their subetherics except for the most improbable of
coincidences. Even if they were in their ship, that is, rather than in
this--this--_cage_.
The Explorer grasped the thick bars. Even if they blasted those away, as
they could, they would be stuck too high in open air for leaping.
It was too bad. They had landed twice before in the scout-ship. They had
established contact with the natives who were grotesquely huge, but mild
and unaggressive. It was obvious that they had once owned a flourishing
technology, but hadn't faced up to the consequences of such a
technology. It would have been a wonderful market.
And it was a tremendous world. The Merchant, especially, had been taken
aback. He had known the figures that expressed the planet's diameter,
but from a distance of two light-seconds, he had stood at the visi-plate
and muttered, "Unbelievable!"
"Oh, there are larger worlds," the Explorer said. It wouldn't do for an
Explorer to be too easily impressed.
"Inhabited?"
"Well, no."
"Why, you could drop your planet into that large ocean and drown it."
The Explorer smiled. It was a gentle dig at his Arcturian homeland,
which was smaller than most planets. He said, "Not quite."
The Merchant followed along the line of his thoughts. "And the
inhabitants are large in proportion to their world?" He sounded as
though the news struck him less favorably now.
"Nearly ten times our height."
"Are you sure they are friendly?"
"That is hard to say. Friendship between alien intelligences is an
imponderable. They are not dangerous, I think. We've come across other
groups that could not maintain equilibrium after the atomic war stage
and you know the results. Introversion. Retreat. Gradual decadence and
increasing gentleness."
"Even if they are such monsters?"
"The principle remains."
It was about then that the Explorer felt the heavy throbbing of the
engines.
He frowned and said, "We are descending a bit too quickly."
There had been some speculation on the dangers of landing some hours
before. The planetary target was a huge one for an oxygen-water world.
Though it lacked the size of the uninhabitable hydrogen-ammonia planets
and its low density made its surface gravity fairly normal, its
gravitational forces fell off but slowly with distance. In short, its
gravitational potential was high and the ship's Calculator was a
run-of-the-mill model not designed to plot landing trajectories at that
potential range. That meant the Pilot would have to use manual controls.
It would have been wiser to install a more high-powered model, but that
would have meant a trip to some outpost of civilization; lost time;
perhaps a lost secret. The Merchant demanded an immediate landing.
The Merchant felt it necessary to defend his position now. He said
angrily to the Explorer, "Don't you think the Pilot knows his job? He
landed you safely twice before."
Yes, thought the Explorer, in a scout-ship, not in this unmaneuverable
freighter. Aloud, he said nothing.
He kept his eye on the visi-plate. They were descending too quickly.
There was no room for doubt. Much too quickly.
The Merchant said, peevishly, "Why do you keep silence?"
"Well, then, if you wish me to speak, I would suggest that you strap on
your Floater and help me prepare the Ejector."
The Pilot fought a noble fight. He was no beginner. The atmosphere,
abnormally high and thick in the gravitational potential of this world
whipped and burned about the ship, but to the very last it looked as
though he might bring it under control despite that.
He even maintained course, following the extrapolated line to the point
on the northern continent toward which they were headed. Under other
circumstances, with a shade more luck, the story would eventually have
been told and retold as a heroic and masterly reversal of a lost
situation. But within sight of victory, tired body and tired nerves
clamped a control bar with a shade too much pressure. The ship, which
had almost levelled off, dipped down again.
There was no room to retrieve the final error. There was only a mile
left to fall. The Pilot remained at his post to the actual landing, his
only thought that of breaking the force of the crash, of maintaining the
spaceworthiness of the vessel. He did not survive. With the ship bucking
madly in a soupy atmosphere, few Ejectors could be mobilized and only
one of them in time.
When afterwards, the Explorer lifted out of unconsciousness and rose
to his feet, he had the definite feeling that but for himself and
the Merchant, there were no survivors. And perhaps that was an
over-calculation. His Floater had burnt out while still sufficiently
distant from surface to have the fall stun him. The Merchant might have
had less luck, even, than that.
He was surrounded by a world of thick, ropy stalks of grass, and in the
distance were trees that reminded him vaguely of similar structures on
his native Arcturian world except that their lowest branches were high
above what he would consider normal tree-tops.
He called, his voice sounding basso in the thick air and the Merchant
answered. The Explorer made his way toward him, thrusting violently at
the coarse stalks that barred his path.
"Are you hurt?" he asked.
The Merchant grimaced. "I've sprained something. It hurts to walk."
The Explorer probed gently. "I don't think anything is broken. You'll
have to walk despite the pain."
"Can't we rest first?"
"It's important to try to find the ship. If it is spaceworthy or if it
can be repaired, we may live. Otherwise, we won't."
"Just a few minutes. Let me catch my breath."
The Explorer was glad enough for those few minutes. The Merchant's eyes
were already closed. He allowed his to do the same.
He heard the trampling and his eyes snapped open. Never sleep on a
strange planet, he told himself futilely.
The Merchant was awake too and his steady screaming was a rumble of
terror.
The Explorer called, "It's only a native of this planet. It won't harm
you."
But even as he spoke, the giant had swooped down and in a moment they
were in its grasp being lifted closer to its monstrous ugliness.
The Merchant struggled violently and, of course, quite futilely. "Can't
you talk to it?" he yelled.
The Explorer could only shake his head. "I can't reach it with the
Projector. It won't be listening."
"Then blast it. Blast it down."
"We can't do that." The phrase "you fool" had almost been added. The
Explorer struggled to keep his self-control. They were swallowing space
as the monster moved purposefully away.
"Why not?" cried the Merchant. "You can reach your blaster. I see it in
plain sight. Don't be afraid of falling."
"It's simpler than that. If this monster is killed, you'll never trade
with this planet. You'll never even leave it. You probably won't live
the day out."
"Why? Why?"
"Because this is one of the young of the species. You should know what
happens when a trader kills a native young, even accidentally. What's
more, if this is the target-point, then we are on the estate of a
powerful native. This might be one of his brood."
That was how they entered their present prison. They had carefully burnt
away a portion of the thick, stiff covering and it was obvious that the
height from which they were suspended was a killing one.
Now, once again, the prison-cage shuddered and lifted in an upward arc.
The Merchant rolled to the lower rim and startled awake. The cover
lifted and light flooded in. As was the case the time before, there were
two specimens of the young. They were not very different in appearance
from adults of the species, reflected the Explorer, though, of course,
they were considerably smaller.
A handful of reedy green stalks was stuffed between the bars. Its odor
was not unpleasant but it carried clods of soil at its ends.
The Merchant drew away and said, huskily, "What are they doing?"
The Explorer said, "Trying to feed us, I should judge. At least this
seems to be the native equivalent of grass."
The cover was replaced and they were set swinging again, alone with
their fodder.
IV
Slim started at the sound of footsteps and brightened when it turned out
to be only Red.
He said, "No one's around. I had my eye peeled, you bet."
Red said, "Ssh. Look. You take this stuff and stick it in the cage. I've
got to scoot back to the house."
"What is it?" Slim reached reluctantly.
"Ground meat. Holy Smokes, haven't you ever seen ground meat? That's
what you should've got when I sent you to the house instead of coming
back with that stupid grass."
Slim was hurt. "How'd I know they don't eat grass. Besides, ground meat
doesn't come loose like that. It comes in cellophane and it isn't that
color."
"Sure--in the city. Out here we grind our own and it's always this color
till its cooked."
"You mean it isn't cooked?" Slim drew away quickly.
Red looked disgusted. "Do you think animals eat _cooked_ food. Come on,
take it. It won't hurt you. I tell you there isn't much time."
"Why? What's doing back at the house?"
"I don't know. Dad and your father are walking around. I think maybe
they're looking for me. Maybe the cook told them I took the meat.
Anyway, we don't want them coming here after me."
"Didn't you ask the cook before you took this stuff?"
"Who? That crab? Shouldn't wonder if she only let me have a drink of
water because Dad makes her. Come on. Take it."
Slim took the large glob of meat though his skin crawled at the touch.
He turned toward the barn and Red sped away in the direction from which
he had come.
He slowed when he approached the two adults, took a few deep breaths to
bring himself back to normal, and then carefully and nonchalantly
sauntered past. (They were walking in the general direction of the barn,
he noticed, but not dead on.)
He said, "Hi, Dad. Hello, sir."
The Industrialist said, "Just a moment, Red. I have a question to ask
you?"
Red turned a carefully blank face to his father. "Yes, Dad?"
"Mother tells me you were out early this morning."
"Not real early, Dad. Just a little before breakfast."
"She said you told her it was because you had been awakened during the
night and didn't go back to sleep."
Red waited before answering. Should he have told Mom that?
Then he said, "Yes, sir."
"What was it that awakened you?"
Red saw no harm in it. He said, "I don't know, Dad. It sounded like
thunder, sort of, and like a collision, sort of."
"Could you tell where it came from?"
"It _sounded_ like it was out by the hill." That was truthful, and
useful as well, since the direction was almost opposite that in which
the barn lay.
The Industrialist looked at his guest. "I suppose it would do no harm to
walk toward the hill."
The Astronomer said, "I am ready."
Red watched them walk away and when he turned he saw Slim peering
cautiously out from among the briars of a hedge.
Red waved at him. "Come on."
Slim stepped out and approached. "Did they say anything about the meat?"
"No. I guess they don't know about that. They went down to the hill."
"What for?"
"Search me. They kept asking about the noise I heard. Listen, did the
animals eat the meat?"
"Well," said Slim, cautiously, "they were sort of _looking_ at it and
smelling it or something."
"Okay," Red said, "I guess they'll eat it. Holy Smokes, they've got to
eat _something_. Let's walk along toward the hill and see what Dad and
your father are going to do."
"What about the animals?"
"They'll be all right. A fellow can't spend all his time on them. Did
you give them water?"
"Sure. They drank that."
"See. Come on. We'll look at them after lunch. I tell you what. We'll
bring them fruit. Anything'll eat fruit."
Together they trotted up the rise, Red, as usual, in the lead.
V
The Astronomer said, "You think the noise was their ship landing?"
"Don't you think it could be?"
"If it were, they may all be dead."
"Perhaps not." The Industrialist frowned.
"If they have landed, and are still alive, where are they?"
"Think about that for a while." He was still frowning.
The Astronomer said, "I don't understand you."
"They may not be friendly."
"Oh, no. I've spoken with them. They've--"
"You've spoken with them. Call that reconnaissance. What would their
next step be? Invasion?"
"But they only have one ship, sir."
"You know that only because they say so. They might have a fleet."
"I've told you about their size. They--"
"Their size would not matter, if they have handweapons that may well be
superior to our artillery."
"That is not what I meant."
"I had this partly in mind from the first." The Industrialist went on.
"It is for that reason I agreed to see them after I received your
letter. Not to agree to an unsettling and impossible trade, but to judge
their real purposes. I did not count on their evading the meeting."
He sighed. "I suppose it isn't our fault. You are right in one thing, at
any rate. The world has been at peace too long. We are losing a healthy
sense of suspicion."
The Astronomer's mild voice rose to an unusual pitch and he said, "I
_will_ speak. I tell you that there is no reason to suppose they can
possibly be hostile. They are small, yes, but that is only important
because it is a reflection of the fact that their native worlds are
small. Our world has what is for them a normal gravity, but because of
our much higher gravitational potential, our atmosphere is too dense to
support them comfortably over sustained periods. For a similar reason
the use of the world as a base for interstellar travel, except for trade
in certain items, is uneconomical. And there are important differences
in chemistry of life due to the basic differences in soils. They
couldn't eat our food or we theirs."
"Surely all this can be overcome. They can bring their own food, build
domed stations of lowered air pressure, devise specially designed
ships."
"They can. And how glibly you can describe feats that are easy to a race
in its youth. It is simply that they don't have to do any of that. There
are millions of worlds suitable for them in the Galaxy. They don't need
this one which isn't."
"How do you know? All this is their information again."
"This I was able to check independently. I am an astronomer, after all."
"That is true. Let me hear what you have to say then, while we walk."
"Then, sir, consider that for a long time our astronomers have believed
that two general classes of planetary bodies existed. First, the planets
which formed at distances far enough from their stellar nucleus to
become cool enough to capture hydrogen. These would be large planets
rich in hydrogen, ammonia and methane. We have examples of these in the
giant outer planets. The second class would include those planets formed
so near the stellar center that the high temperature would make it
impossible to capture much hydrogen. These would be smaller planets,
comparatively poorer in hydrogen and richer in oxygen. We know that type
very well since we live on one. Ours is the only solar system we know in
detail, however, and it has been reasonable for us to assume that these
were the _only_ two planetary classes."
"I take it then that there is another."
"Yes. There is a super-dense class, still smaller, poorer in hydrogen,
than the inner planets of the solar system. The ratio of occurrence of
hydrogen-ammonia planets and these super-dense water-oxygen worlds of
theirs over the entire Galaxy--and remember that they have actually
conducted a survey of significant sample volumes of the Galaxy which we,
without interstellar travel, cannot do--is about 3 to 1. This leaves
them seven million super-dense worlds for exploration and colonization."
The Industrialist looked at the blue sky and the green-covered trees
among which they were making their way. He said, "And worlds like ours?"
The Astronomer said, softly, "Ours is the first solar system they have
found which contains them. Apparently the development of our solar
system was unique and did not follow the ordinary rules."
The Industrialist considered that. "What it amounts to is that these
creatures from space are asteroid-dwellers."
"No, no. The asteroids are something else again. They occur, I was told,
in one out of eight stellar systems, but they're completely different
from what we've been discussing."
"And how does your being an astronomer change the fact that you are
still only quoting their unsupported statements?"
"But they did not restrict themselves to bald items of information. They
presented me with a theory of stellar evolution which I had to accept
and which is more nearly valid than anything our own astronomy has ever
been able to devise, if we except possible lost theories dating from
Beforethewars. Mind you, their theory had a rigidly mathematical
development and it predicted just such a Galaxy as they describe. So you
see, they have all the worlds they wish. They are not land-hungry.
Certainly not for our land."
"Reason would say so, if what you say is true. But creatures may be
intelligent and not reasonable. Our forefathers were presumably
intelligent, yet they were certainly not reasonable. Was it reasonable
to destroy almost all their tremendous civilization in atomic warfare
over causes our historians can no longer accurately determine?" The
Industrialist brooded over it. "From the dropping of the first atom bomb
over those islands--I forget the ancient name--there was only one end in
sight, and in plain sight. Yet events were allowed to proceed to that
end."
He looked up, said briskly, "Well, where are we? I wonder if we are not
on a fool's errand after all."
But the Astronomer was a little in advance and his voice came thickly.
"No fool's errand, sir. Look there."
VI
Red and Slim had trailed their elders with the experience of youth,
aided by the absorption and anxiety of their fathers. Their view of the
final object of the search was somewhat obscured by the underbrush
behind which they remained.
Red said, "Holy Smokes. Look at that. It's all shiny silver or
something."
But it was Slim who was really excited. He caught at the other. "I know
what this is. It's a space-ship. That must be why my father came here.
He's one of the biggest astronomers in the world and your father would
have to call him if a space-ship landed on his estate."
"What are you talking about? Dad didn't even know that thing was there.
He only came here because I told him I heard the thunder from here.
Besides, there isn't any such thing as a space-ship."
"Sure, there is. Look at it. See those round things. They are ports. And
you can see the rocket tubes."
"How do you know so much?"
Slim was flushed. He said, "I read about them. My father has books about
them. Old books. From Beforethewars."
"Huh. Now I know you're making it up. Books from Beforethewars!"
"My father _has_ to have them. He teaches at the University. It's his
job."
His voice had risen and Red had to pull at him. "You want them to hear
us?" he whispered indignantly.
"Well, it is, too, a space-ship."
"Look here, Slim, you mean that's a ship from another world."
"It's _got_ to be. Look at my father going round and round it. He
wouldn't be so interested if it was anything else."
"Other worlds! Where are there other worlds?"
"Everywhere. How about the planets? They're worlds just like ours, some
of them. And other stars probably have planets. There's probably
zillions of planets."
Red felt outweighed and outnumbered. He muttered, "You're crazy!"
"All right, then. I'll show you."
"Hey! Where are you going?"
"Down there. I'm going to ask my father. I suppose you'll believe it if
_he_ tells you. I suppose you'll believe a Professor of Astronomy knows
what--"
He had scrambled upright.
Red said, "Hey. You don't want them to see us. We're not supposed to be
here. Do you want them to start asking questions and find out about our
animals?"
"I don't care. You said I was crazy."
"Snitcher! You promised you wouldn't tell."
"I'm _not_ going to tell. But if they find out themselves, it's your
fault, for starting an argument and saying I was crazy."
"I take it back, then," grumbled Red.
"Well, all right. You better."
In a way, Slim was disappointed. He wanted to see the space-ship at
closer quarters. Still, he could not break his vow of secrecy even in
spirit without at least the excuse of personal insult.
Red said, "It's awfully small for a space-ship."
"Sure, because it's probably a scout-ship."
"I'll bet Dad couldn't even get into the old thing."
So much Slim realized to be true. It was a weak point in his argument
and he made no answer. His interest was absorbed by the adults.
Red rose to his feet; an elaborate attitude of boredom all about him.
"Well, I guess we better be going. There's business to do and I can't
spend all day here looking at some old space-ship or whatever it is.
We've got to take care of the animals if we're going to be circus-folks.
That's the first rule with circus-folks. They've got to take care of the
animals. And," he finished virtuously, "that's what I aim to do,
anyway."
Slim said, "What for, Red? They've got plenty of meat. Let's watch."
"There's no fun in watching. Besides Dad and your father are going away
and I guess it's about lunch time."
Red became argumentative. "Look, Slim, we can't start acting suspicious
or they're going to start investigating. Holy Smokes, don't you ever
read any detective stories? When you're trying to work a big deal
without being caught, it's practically the main thing to keep on acting
just like always. Then they don't suspect anything. That's the first
law--"
"Oh, all right."
Slim rose resentfully. At the moment, the circus appeared to him a
rather tawdry and shoddy substitute for the glories of astronomy, and he
wondered how he had come to fall in with Red's silly scheme.
Down the slope they went, Slim, as usual, in the rear.
VII
The Industrialist said, "It's the workmanship that gets me. I never saw
such construction."
"What good is it now?" said the Astronomer, bitterly. "There's nothing
left. There'll be no second landing. This ship detected life on our
planet through accident. Other exploring parties would come no closer
than necessary to establish the fact that there were no super-dense
worlds existing in our solar system."
"Well, there's no quarreling with a crash landing."
"The ship hardly seems damaged. If only some had survived, the ship
might have been repaired."
"If they had survived, there would be no trade in any case. They're too
different. Too disturbing. In any case--it's over."
They entered the house and the Industrialist greeted his wife calmly.
"Lunch about ready, dear."
"I'm afraid not. You see--" She looked hesitantly at the Astronomer.
"Is anything wrong?" asked the Industrialist. "Why not tell me? I'm sure
our guest won't mind a little family discussion."
"Pray don't pay any attention whatever to me," muttered the Astronomer.
He moved miserably to the other end of the living room.
The woman said, in low, hurried tones, "Really, dear, cook's that upset.
I've been soothing her for hours and honestly, I don't know why Red
should have done it."
"Done what?" The Industrialist was more amused than otherwise. It had
taken the united efforts of himself and his son months to argue his wife
into using the name "Red" rather than the perfectly ridiculous (viewed
youngster fashion) name which was his real one.
She said, "He's taken most of the chopped meat."
"He's eaten it?"
"Well, I hope not. It was raw."
"Then what would he want it for?"
"I haven't the slightest idea. I haven't seen him since breakfast.
Meanwhile cook's just furious. She caught him vanishing out the kitchen
door and there was the bowl of chopped meat just about empty and she was
going to use it for lunch. Well, you know cook. She had to change the
lunch menu and that means she won't be worth living with for a week.
You'll just have to speak to Red, dear, and make him promise not to do
things in the kitchen any more. And it wouldn't hurt to have him
apologize to cook."
"Oh, come. She works for us. If we don't complain about a change in
lunch menu, why should she?"
"Because she's the one who has double-work made for her, and she's
talking about quitting. Good cooks aren't easy to get. Do you remember
the one before her?"
It was a strong argument.
The Industrialist looked about vaguely. He said, "I suppose you're
right. He isn't here, I suppose. When he comes in, I'll talk to him."
"You'd better start. Here he comes."
Red walked into the house and said cheerfully, "Time for lunch, I
guess." He looked from one parent to the other in quick speculation at
their fixed stares and said, "Got to clean up first, though," and made
for the other door.
The Industrialist said, "One moment, son."
"Sir?"
"Where's your little friend?"
Red said, carelessly, "He's around somewhere. We were just sort of
walking and I looked around and he wasn't there." This was perfectly
true, and Red felt on safe ground. "I told him it was lunch time. I
said, 'I suppose it's about lunch time.' I said, 'We got to be getting
back to the house.' And he said, 'Yes.' And I just went on and then when
I was about at the creek I looked around and--"
The Astronomer interrupted the voluble story, looking up from a
magazine he had been sightlessly rummaging through. "I wouldn't worry
about my youngster. He is quite self-reliant. Don't wait lunch for him."
"Lunch isn't ready in any case, Doctor." The Industrialist turned once
more to his son. "And talking about that, son, the reason for it is that
something happened to the ingredients. Do you have anything to say?"
"Sir?"
"I hate to feel that I have to explain myself more fully. Why did you
take the chopped meat?"
"The chopped meat?"
"The chopped meat." He waited patiently.
Red said, "Well, I was sort of--"
"Hungry?" prompted his father. "For raw meat?"
"No, sir. I just sort of needed it."
"For what exactly?"
Red looked miserable and remained silent.
The Astronomer broke in again. "If you don't mind my putting in a few
words--You'll remember that just after breakfast my son came in to ask
what animals ate."
"Oh, you're right. How stupid of me to forget. Look here, Red, did you
take it for an animal pet you've got?"
Red recovered indignant breath. He said, "You mean Slim came in here and
said I had an animal? He came in here and said that? He said I had an
animal?"
"No, he didn't. He simply asked what animals ate. That's all. Now if he
promised he wouldn't tell on you, he didn't. It's your own foolishness
in trying to take something without permission that gave you away. That
happened to be stealing. Now have you an animal? I ask you a direct
question."
"Yes, sir." It was a whisper so low as hardly to be heard.
"All right, you'll have to get rid of it. Do you understand?"
Red's mother intervened. "Do you mean to say you're keeping a
meat-eating animal, Red? It might bite you and give you blood-poison."
"They're only small ones," quavered Red. "They hardly budge if you touch
them."
"They? How many do you have?"
"Two."
"Where are they?"
The Industrialist touched her arm. "Don't chivvy the child any further,"
he said, in a low voice. "If he says he'll get rid of them, he will,
and that's punishment enough."
He dismissed the matter from his mind.
VIII
Lunch was half over when Slim dashed into the dining room. For a moment,
he stood abashed, and then he said in what was almost hysteria, "I've
got to speak to Red. I've got to say something."
Red looked up in fright, but the Astronomer said, "I don't think, son,
you're being very polite. You've kept lunch waiting."
"I'm sorry, Father."
"Oh, don't rate the lad," said the Industrialist's wife. "He can speak
to Red if he wants to, and there was no damage done to the lunch."
"I've got to speak to Red alone," Slim insisted.
"Now that's enough," said the Astronomer with a kind of gentleness that
was obviously manufactured for the benefit of strangers and which had
beneath it an easily-recognized edge. "Take your seat."
Slim did so, but he ate only when someone looked directly upon him. Even
then he was not very successful.
Red caught his eyes. He made soundless words, "Did the animals get
loose?"
Slim shook his head slightly. He whispered, "No, it's--"
The Astronomer looked at him hard and Slim faltered to a stop.
With lunch over, Red slipped out of the room, with a microscopic motion
at Slim to follow.
They walked in silence to the creek.
Then Red turned fiercely upon his companion. "Look here, what's the idea
of telling my Dad we were feeding animals?"
Slim said, "I didn't. I asked what you feed animals. That's not the same
as saying we were doing it. Besides, it's something else, Red."
But Red had not used up his grievances. "And where did you go anyway? I
thought you were coming to the house. They acted like it was my fault
you weren't there."
"But I'm trying to tell you about that, if you'd only shut _up_ a second
and let me talk. You don't give a fellow a chance."
"Well, go on and tell me if you've got so much to say."
"I'm _trying_ to. I went back to the space-ship. The folks weren't there
anymore and I wanted to see what it was like."
"It isn't a space-ship," said Red, sullenly. He had nothing to lose.
"It is, too. I looked inside. You could look through the ports and I
looked inside and they were _dead_." He looked sick. "They were dead."
"_Who_ were dead."
Slim screeched, "Animals! like _our_ animals! Only they _aren't_
animals. They're people-things from other planets."
For a moment Red might have been turned to stone. It didn't occur to him
to disbelieve Slim at this point. Slim looked too genuinely the bearer
of just such tidings. He said, finally, "Oh, my."
"Well, what are we going to do? Golly, will we get a whopping if they
find out?" He was shivering.
"We better turn them loose," said Red.
"They'll tell on us."
"They can't talk our language. Not if they're from another planet."
"Yes, they can. Because I remember my father talking about some stuff
like that to my mother when he didn't know I was in the room. He was
talking about visitors who could talk with the mind. Telepathery or
something. I thought he was making it up."
"Well, Holy Smokes. I mean--Holy Smokes." Red looked up. "I tell you. My
Dad said to get rid of them. Let's sort of bury them somewhere or throw
them in the creek."
"He _told_ you to do that."
"He made me say I had animals and then he said, 'Get rid of them.' I got
to do what he says. Holy Smokes, he's my Dad."
Some of the panic left Slim's heart. It was a thoroughly legalistic way
out. "Well, let's do it right now, then, before they find out. Oh,
golly, if they find out, will we be in trouble!"
They broke into a run toward the barn, unspeakable visions in their
minds.
IX
It was different, looking at them as though they were "people." As
animals, they had been interesting; as "people," horrible. Their eyes,
which were neutral little objects before, now seemed to watch them with
active malevolence.
"They're making noises," said Slim, in a whisper which was barely
audible.
"I guess they're talking or something," said Red. Funny that those
noises which they had heard before had not had significance earlier. He
was making no move toward them. Neither was Slim.
The canvas was off but they were just watching. The ground meat, Slim
noticed, hadn't been touched.
Slim said, "Aren't you going to do something?"
"Aren't you?"
"You found them."
"It's your turn, now."
"No, it isn't. You found them. It's your fault, the whole thing. I was
watching."
"You joined in, Slim. You know you did."
"I don't care. You found them and that's what I'll say when they come
here looking for us."
Red said, "All right for you." But the thought of the consequences
inspired him anyway, and he reached for the cage door.
Slim said, "Wait!"
Red was glad to. He said, "Now what's biting you?"
"One of them's got something on him that looks like it might be iron or
something."
"Where?"
"Right there. I saw it before but I thought it was just part of him. But
if he's 'people,' maybe it's a disintegrator gun."
"What's that?"
"I read about it in the books from Beforethewars. Mostly people with
space-ships have disintegrator guns. They point them at you and you get
disintegratored."
"They didn't point it at us till now," pointed out Red with his heart
not quite in it.
"I don't care. I'm not hanging around here and getting disintegratored.
I'm getting my father."
"Cowardy-cat. Yellow cowardy-cat."
"I don't care. You can call all the names you want, but if you bother
them now you'll get disintegratored. You wait and see, and it'll be all
your fault."
He made for the narrow spiral stairs that led to the main floor of the
barn, stopped at its head, then backed away.
Red's mother was moving up, panting a little with the exertion and
smiling a tight smile for the benefit of Slim in his capacity as guest.
"Red! You, Red! Are you up there? Now don't try to hide. I know this is
where you're keeping them. Cook saw where you ran with the meat."
Red quavered, "Hello, ma!"
"Now show me those nasty animals? I'm going to see to it that you get
rid of them right away."
It was over! And despite the imminent corporal punishment, Red felt
something like a load fall from him. At least the decision was out of
his hands.
"Right there, ma. I didn't do anything to them, ma. I didn't know. They
just looked like little animals and I thought you'd let me keep them,
ma. I wouldn't have taken the meat only they wouldn't eat grass or
leaves and we couldn't find good nuts or berries and cook never lets me
have anything or I would have asked her and I didn't know it was for
lunch and--"
He was speaking on the sheer momentum of terror and did not realize that
his mother did not hear him but, with eyes frozen and popping at the
cage, was screaming in thin, piercing tones.
X
The Astronomer was saying, "A quiet burial is all we can do. There is no
point in any publicity now," when they heard the screams.
She had not entirely recovered by the time she reached them, running and
running. It was minutes before her husband could extract sense from her.
She was saying, finally, "I tell you they're in the barn. I don't know
what they are. No, no--"
She barred the Industrialist's quick movement in that direction. She
said, "Don't _you_ go. Send one of the hands with a shotgun. I tell you
I never saw anything like it. Little horrible beasts with--with--I can't
describe it. To think that Red was touching them and trying to feed
them. He was _holding_ them, and feeding them meat."
Red began, "I only--"
And Slim said, "It was not--"
The Industrialist said, quickly, "Now you boys have done enough harm
today. March! Into the house! And not a word; not one word! I'm not
interested in anything you have to say. After this is all over, I'll
hear you out and as for you, Red, I'll see that you're properly
punished."
He turned to his wife. "Now whatever the animals are, we'll have them
killed." He added quietly once the youngsters were out of hearing,
"Come, come. The children aren't hurt and, after all, they haven't done
anything really terrible. They've just found a new pet."
The Astronomer spoke with difficulty. "Pardon me, ma'am, but can you
describe these animals?"
She shook her head. She was quite beyond words.
"Can you just tell me if they--"
"I'm sorry," said the Industrialist, apologetically, "but I think I had
better take care of her. Will you excuse me?"
"A moment. Please. One moment. She said she had never seen such animals
before. Surely it is not usual to find animals that are completely
unique on an estate such as this."
"I'm sorry. Let's not discuss that now."
"Except that unique animals might have landed during the night."
The Industrialist stepped away from his wife. "What are you implying?"
"I think we had better go to the barn, sir!"
The Industrialist stared a moment, turned and suddenly and quite
uncharacteristically began running. The Astronomer followed and the
woman's wail rose unheeded behind them.
XI
The Industrialist stared, looked at the Astronomer, turned to stare
again.
"Those?"
"Those," said the Astronomer. "I have no doubt we appear strange and
repulsive to them."
"What do they say?"
"Why, that they are uncomfortable and tired and even a little sick, but
that they are not seriously damaged, and that the youngsters treated
them well."
"Treated them well! Scooping them up, keeping them in a cage, giving
them grass and raw meat to eat? Tell me how to speak to them."
"It may take a little time. Think _at_ them. Try to listen. It will come
to you, but perhaps not right away."
The Industrialist tried. He grimaced with the effort of it, thinking
over and over again, "The youngsters were ignorant of your identity."
And the thought was suddenly in his mind: "We were quite aware of it and
because we knew they meant well by us according to their own view of the
matter, we did not attempt to attack them."
"Attack them?" thought the Industrialist, and said it aloud in his
concentration.
"Why, yes," came the answering thought. "We are armed."
One of the revolting little creatures in the cage lifted a metal object
and there was a sudden hole in the top of the cage and another in the
roof of the barn, each hole rimmed with charred wood.
"We hope," the creatures thought, "it will not be too difficult to make
repairs."
The Industrialist found it impossible to organize himself to the point
of directed thought. He turned to the Astronomer. "And with that weapon
in their possession they let themselves be handled and caged? I don't
understand it."
But the calm thought came, "We would not harm the young of an
intelligent species."
XII
It was twilight. The Industrialist had entirely missed the evening meal
and remained unaware of the fact.
He said, "Do you really think the ship will fly?"
"If they say so," said the Astronomer, "I'm sure it will. They'll be
back, I hope, before too long."
"And when they do," said the Industrialist, energetically, "I will keep
my part of the agreement. What is more I will move sky and earth to have
the world accept them. I was entirely wrong, Doctor. Creatures that
would refuse to harm children, under such provocation as they received,
are admirable. But you know--I almost hate to say this--"
"Say what?"
"The kids. Yours and mine. I'm almost proud of them. Imagine seizing
these creatures, feeding them or trying to, and keeping them hidden. The
amazing gall of it. Red told me it was his idea to get a job in a circus
on the strength of them. Imagine!"
The Astronomer said, "Youth!"
XIII
The Merchant said, "Will we be taking off soon?"
"Half an hour," said the Explorer.
It was going to be a lonely trip back. All the remaining seventeen of
the crew were dead and their ashes were to be left on a strange planet.
Back they would go with a limping ship and the burden of the controls
entirely on himself.
The Merchant said, "It was a good business stroke, not harming the young
ones. We will get very good terms; _very_ good terms."
The Explorer thought: Business!
The Merchant then said, "They've lined up to see us off. All of them.
You don't think they're too close, do you? It would be bad to burn any
of them with the rocket blast at this stage of the game."
"They're safe."
"Horrible-looking things, aren't they?"
"Pleasant enough, inside. Their thoughts are perfectly friendly."
"You wouldn't believe it of them. That immature one, the one that first
picked us up--"
"They call him Red," provided the Explorer.
"That's a queer name for a monster. Makes me laugh. He actually feels
_bad_ that we're leaving. Only I can't make out exactly why. The nearest
I can come to it is something about a lost opportunity with some
organization or other that I can't quite interpret."
"A circus," said the Explorer, briefly.
"What? Why, the impertinent monstrosity."
"Why not? What would you have done if you had found _him_ wandering on
_your_ native world; found him sleeping on a field on Earth, red
tentacles, six legs, pseudopods and all?"
XIV
Red watched the ship leave. His red tentacles, which gave him his
nickname, quivered their regret at lost opportunity to the very last,
and the eyes at their tips filled with drifting yellowish crystals that
were the equivalent of Earthly tears.
