1

1
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1

Jiiifii
1st advert page
missing

glued to cover
 ADVERTISING SECTION

THIS EMPTY

It takes brain to

earn money —trained brain!

The man without training is

usually the man without

cash. You can train your

brainl Thousands of men

have done it through spare-

time study of I. C. S. Courses.

Be a cash man— be a trained

man— mail this coupon!

INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS

BOX 4908-G, SCRANTON, PENNA.
Without cost or obligation, please send me a copy of your booklet, “Who Wins
and Why,” and full particulars about the subject before which I have marked X:
TECHNICAL AND INDUSTRIAL COURSES
Architect CH Heat Treatment of Metals Plumbing Steam Fitting O Bridge Engineer
Architectural Draftsman Sheet Metal Worker Heating Ventilation Bridge and Building Foreman
Building Estimating Telegraph Engineer O Air Conditioning Chemistry
O Contractor and Builder Telephone Work Radio Steam Engineer Pharmacy
Structural Draftsman Mechanical Engineering Steam Electric Engineer Coal Mining
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Management of Inventions Machinist Toolmaker R. R. Locomotives Navigation
Electrical Engineer Patternmaker O R. R. Section Foreman Cotton Manufacturing
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Welding, Electric and Gas Aviation Engines Highway Engineering Agriculture
Reading Shop Blueprints Automobile Mechanic Civil Engineering Fruit Growing
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BUSINESS TRAINING COURSES
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Office Management Bookkeeping First Year College High School Subjects
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Traffic Management Spanish French Stenography and Typing Illustrating
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Coat Accountant Advertising Railway Mail Clerk Lettering Show Cards Signs

Name 5
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 . .

On Sale Third Wednesday of liach Month

A STREET & SMITH PUBLICATION

The entire contents of tMt magazine are protected by copyright, and must not be reprinted without the publishers’ permission.

Feature: Table of Contents

AT THE MOUNTAINS OF
MADNESS (Part I) . . . H. P. Lovecraft . . 8
beginning one oj the most vivid science-fiction word pictures we have
ever had the pleasure of reading

Novelettes:
DEATH CLOUD
Men had
....
inherited fear from generation to generation
David R. Daniels
— but .

fear does
. 46

MATHEMATICA
To the beginning
....
not build ; it destroys.

—
of time the essence of thought
to
which knows no returning.
John Russell Fearn
—on .

a journey
. 64

CONES Frank Belknap Long Jr. 122

Jlere was strange force which devoured
of no avail I
—and all man's science wus
,

Short Stories:
THE SEEING BLINDNESS /. Earle Wycoff . . 33
Only one thing he overlooked
. .

— one thing!
BURIED MOON . Raymond Z. Gallun
—but . 37
Out of the dim and hoary past comes a hope for the present if
a man's a man
THE SHAPES
— — R. De Witt Miller . . 60
Some (lav somehow the call would go forth and they would flee
into the vastness whence they came.
DON KELZ OF THE P. Clifton B. Kruse 88
Patrol—
I. S. . . . .

Another swashbuckling story of the Interplanetary Space

and its duties.
THE PSYCHO POWER
CONQUEST R. R. Winterbotham . 140
Unto the end of time there shall be conflict, and as science progresses
it grows more fierce.

Serial Novel:
BLUE MAGIC (Conclusion) . . Charles Willard Diffin . 99
Ending the story of a misused power.
Readers' Department:
BRASS TACKS (The Open House of Controversy) . . . 151
EDITOR’S PAGE 139
Cover Painting by Howard V. Brown
Story illustrations by Elliott Dold, Jr., Marchioni, Wesso, Brown,
Thompson, Scbneeman.

Single Copy, 20 Cents <33* '« Yearly Subscription, $2.00

Monthly publication Issued by Street & Smith Publications. Inc., 79-89 Seventh Avenue, New York, N. Y.
George <\ Smith. .Ir., President; Ormond V. Gould, Vice President and Treasurer; Artemas Holmes, Vice President
and Secretary; Clarence C. Vernam, Vice President. Copyright, 1936, by Street & Smith Publications, Inc.. New
York. Copyright, 1936, by Street & Smith Publications, Inc., Great Britain. Entered as Second-class Matter
September 13, 1933, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. Subscriptions
to Cuba, I)om. Republic, Haiti, Spain, Central and South American Countries except The Guianas and British
Honduras, $2.25 per year. To all other Foreign Countries, including The Guianas and British Honduras, $2.75 per year.
We do not accept responsibility for the retur.i of unsolicited manuscripts.
To facilitate handling, the author should inclose a self-addressed envelope with the rflhuisite postage attached.

STREET & SMITH PUBLICATIONS, INC., 79 7th AVE., NEW YORK, N. Y.

 1

ADVERTISING SECTION

I'll take your train- I’m

MO /not interested. I
That’s what this fel-
ing. That’s what S. J.
Ebert said. He has
made good money and
found success in
low said. Today he
would be ashamed if
I gave you hia real
1

.
L v
Radio. name.

tufm Staid-.
na
I will Train You at Home
for a
These two fellows had the same chance.
GOOD JOB IN RADIO
experience— makes learning at home
tlcal
They each clipped and sent me a coupon, like “I want to help you. easy, fascinating practical. I will agree in
the one in this ad. They got my book on writing to refund your money if you are not
Badio’ s opportunities.
If you are earning
satisfied with my Lesson and Instruction
less than $35 a week Service when you graduate.
S. J. Ebert. 104-B Quadrangle, University
of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, saw that Radio
I believe I can raise Many Earn $5, $10, $15 a Week In j

offered him a real chance. He enrolled. The your pay. However, Spare Tlpie While Learning
other fellow, whom we will call John Doe, I will let you decide
wrote that he wasn't interested. He was That's what many of my students earn in
just one of those fellows who wants a better
that. Let me show spare time while taking my Course. I send

job and better pay, but never does anything you what I have done you Extra Money Job Sheets containing
about it. One of the many who spend their tested plans and ideas to help you do it.
lives in a low- pay, no-future job. because
for others, what I am Many students have made $200 to $1,000 in
they haven't the ambition, the determination, prepared to do for spare time while learning. Nearly every
the action it takes to succeed. you. Get my book, neighborhood offers a spare time serviceman
an opportunity to make good money. I’ll
But re*d what S. J. Ebert wrote me and re- read it over, and de- show you how to “cash In" show you why —
member that John Doe had the same chance: cide one way or an- my Course is Famous as "the Course that
"Upon graduation I accepted a job as serv- other.” /. E. Smith , pays for itself.”
iceman, and within three weeks was made Find Gut What Radio Offers You
Service Manager. This job paid me $40 to
$50 a week compared with SIS I earned in aviation, commercial* police, ship and tele- Mail the coupon. My hook is free to
any
a shoe factory before. Eight months later ambitious fellow over fifteen years of age.
vision stations. Opportunities with Radio
It tells you about Radio’s spare time and
I went with Station KVVCR as operator.
From there I went to KTNT. Now I am
dealers and jobbers. A service shop or retail full —
time opportunities about my Course,
Radio business of your own. I'll train you what I give you. what nv students and grad-
Radio Engineer with WSUI. I certainly for these and other good jobs in connection uates do and earn. There is no obligation.
recommend the N.R.I. to all interested in with the manufacture, sale and service of Act today. Mail coupon in an envelope or
the gfeatest field of all. Radio." Radio sending and receiving sets, auto paste on a lc postal cagd. Do it right now.
Radios, loud speaker systems, short wave
Gat ready for Jobs like these. Many sets. etc. J. E. SMITH, President
Radio Exports make $30, $50, National Radio Institute, Dept* 6AD
Sav« Money— Learn at Home. Money
$75 a week Washington, D. C.
Back Agreement Protect s You
Spare time and full time set servicing: in-
stalling, operating, maintaining broadcast. Hold your job. I’ll train you quickly and
inexpensively right at home in your spare
time to be a Radio Expert. You don’t need
a high school or college education. My 50-50
—
method of training half with lessons, half
—
with Radio equipment gives you broad prac-

FOR FREE BOOK OF FACTS ABOUT RADI

J. E. SMITH. President. Dent. CAD
J
I National Radio Institute. Washington, D. C.
I Dear Mr. Smith: Without obligating me, send your
| book which points out the spare time and full time Job
opportunities in Radio and your 50-50 method of training
men at home in spare time to become Radio Experts,
g (Please Write Plainly)

* NAME age
I ADDRESS
CITT STATE
L J
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 B

ADVERTISING SECTION

The Is Your Job Safe?

Diesel Engineer Just as the gasoline engine changed the jobs
of thousands who depended on horse-drawn
vehicles for their living so —now the Diesel
engine is fast invading both the power and
transportation fields, and threatening the pres-
ent jobs of thousands of workers.
What This New Field Offers you
Diesel engines are fast replacing steam and gasoline
engines in power plants, motor trucks and busses, loco-
motives and ships, aircraft, tractors, dredges, pumps, etc.
—opening up an Increasing number of well-paid jobs for
Diesel-trained men. You will get full Information about
—
the latest Diesel developments two- and four-stroke
cycles: low- and high-speed and heavy duty types; Diesel-
electric generating systems, etc. — in our course. Includes
all text material — with special diagrams for quick un-
derstanding of this new power.
Get our Free Diesel Booklet and find out what
fowis your chance to —
the Diesel field offers you how quickly you can obtain a
with it to an important position. Today there la practically no competition in complete understanding of Diesel engine principles and
operation by spare-time study at home. Asking for infor-
petition for Jobs after a few years. If you start your training now and get estab- naation involves no obligation— but it may mark the turn*
need not worry about competition.
fished in this field, you lng point in your life. Write TODAY for full information.
———American School, Dept. D-17, Drexel Avenue at 58th Street, Chicago, Illinois

Xlf PC DON’T BE CUT

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Froo court. In typing Included.
^ __
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"LEARN by doing"
FINANCE I WILL I
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then take over a year to pay back in muscles. Weighs but a few ounces, is incon-
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PON for FREE BOOK and All Fact*. agents. Write today for full information sent free in plain
u _ ,
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«•» -
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Men— Women Sirs: Rush to me without charge (1) and joints cause the pains, swellings, stiffness of rheumatism,
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 1

ADVERTISING SECTION

OLD MONEY
WANTED
We Pry The World's Hichest Prices
DON CORRADO ROMANO
"founder of UP
ROMANO'S
com shop
TO *
5000.00 Big Cash Premiums
EACH

Amazing Profits
For Those Who Know FOR HUNDREDS OF COINS
OLD MONEY! NOW CIRCULATING
There are literally thousands of old coins and
bills that we want at once and for which we
will pay big cash premiums. Many of these coins are now passing from hand to
hand in circulation. Today or tomorrow a valuable coin may come into your
possession. Watch your change. Know what to look for.
Don’t sell your coins, encased postage stamps, or paper money to any other
dealer until you have first seen the prices that we will pay for them.
WE WILL PAY FOR 1909 CENTS UP TO $10.00 EACH
—
1860 Cents $ 50.00 Cents of 1861, 1864, 1865, 1869, 1870, 1881, 18,0, $ 20.00
— —
each Half Cents $ 250.00 Large Copper Cents $ 2000.00 Flying Eagle Cents —
— — —
$ 20 00 Half Dimes $1 50 00 20c Pieces $ 1 00 00 25c before 1873, $ 300 00 —
—
.

—
. . .

50c before 1879, $ 750.00 Silver Dollars before 1374, $ 2500.00 Trade
Dollars $ 250.00 —Gold Dollars $ 1 000.00 —
$2.50 Gold Pieces before 1876,
$ 600.00 — $3 Gold Pieces $ 1000.00 —
$5 Gold Pieces before 1888, $5000.00
—$10 Gold Pieces before 1908, $ 150.00 —
Commemorative Half Dollars
—
$ 6.00 Commemorative Gold Coins $1 5 00 . .

PAPER MONEY — Fractional Currency $26.00. Confederate Bills $1 5.C0.

Encased Postage Stamps $1 2.00.
FOREIGN COINS—Certain Copper or Silver Coins $1 5.00. Gold Coins $1 50.00, etc.
Don’t Wait! Send Dime Today (or Our Large Illustrated List Before Sending Colne
Address your envelope to:

ROMANO'S COIN SHOP

Dept. 584 Springfield, Mass.

CUT FILL OUT AND MAIL TODAY !

ROMANO'S COIN SHOP, Dept. 584

Springfield, Mass.
Gentlemen: Please Bend me your large illustrated
list for which I enclose 10c in cash carefully wrapped.
(Please print plainly.)

NAME
ADDRESS.
CITY - STATE .

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 — . — !

ADVERTISING SECTION

TIRE PRICES CUT!

on GOODYEAR.
GOODRICH FIRESTONE
'-mW
'WM ,
CICK.II.C.
FKK-II and OTHER
AND other /•/,
run u aV. famous
non makes >
'

Here are the outstanding standard

brand tire bargains of the year, re-
paired by the improved "crise -cross’*
method and by skilled workmen. Yon
take no risk when you buy from York,
th« old reliable
We Receive tire house with 19
Hundreds of
letters like this years of service In
"1 bought *84x4* this field. Thou-
of you 2 years ago sands of tire users
and it is on my truck throughout the
yet and good for an- U. S. declare oor
Here's other year.”— John
H . Silver thorn , Mi ch
TORYSERVICE. BuyNew- at
tires give
LONG, SATISFAC-
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a Queer Way .
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BALLOON TIRES
SAVE MONEY.
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Size Tires Tubes Size Tires Tubes

to
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Leant Music.'
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29x4.50-20 2.00
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30x3* 51.85*0.75 33x4* $3.10 *1.16
31x4
32x4
33x4
34x4
2.C“
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2.65
2.90
—
34x4* 3.10 1.16
30x5
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simple, easy, home-study method. Takes only a few minutes 29x5.00-19 2.55 1.05
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averages only a few cents- a (lay. No ''grind" 30x5.00-20 2.55 1.06 HEAVY DUTY TRUCK TIRES
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Oroan Clarinet 80x5.25-20 2.60 1.15 33x5 3.75 1.45
38x7 9.95 3.96
the start you are playing real tunes hy note. 31x5.25-21 2.90 1.15 34x6 3.95 2.00
Quickly learn to play "Jazz” or classical Ukulele Flute 5.50-17 2.95 1.15 32x6 7.25 2.76 36x8 10.65 3.96
selections— right at home In your spare time.
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Trombone ’Cello 29x5.50-19 2.95 1.16 TRUCK BAL LOON TIRES
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Banjo Accordion 32x6.00-20 3.10 1.25
Booklet and Free Demonstration Lesson. 7.00-20 4.85 2.9 9.00-20 9.40 6.65
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Drums and Traps ($4.00 on each Truck Tire,) We ship balance C. O. D.
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Trumpet
fill order promptly we may substitute brands if neces-
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women in npare or full
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Smull investment buys complete
• oaiomrnt.
you bow
Ali
No experience needed. show I

to irer store* to cell all you make; tell you how to make profit first day.
information, picture* price* and terms sent free. Send a postal card for
.
Detectives — Instructions
Free facte on this bin Home Bueinesa'' Opportunity.
G. H. HARDT, Dept. 471, 325 West Hurcn St., Chicago, III.
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BECOME SCIENTIFIC DETECTIVE— Secret service agent.

Particulars free. International Secret Service Institute. SSC-26,
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rrrnTI PATENTS — Reasonable

Patents Secured
terms. Book and advice free. L. F.
Village Carrier POSTMASTER Randolph, Dept. 513, Washington, D. C.
P. O. Laborer Seamstress
R. F. D. Carrier Auditor PATENTS SECURED. Two valuable booklets sent free. Write
Special Agent Stenographer immediately: Victor J. Evans At Co., 811-B, Victor Building,
Customs Inspector U.8. Border Patrol Washington, D. C.
City Mail Carrier Telephone Opr.
P. O. Clerk Watchman
.. Matron Meat Inspector Agents Wanted
( ) 'Special Investigator ( Secret Service Oprj
<)T;
Typist ( ) File Clerk AGENTS: Smash go prices. Santos Coffee 12o lb. 4-oz. Vanilla
INSTRUCTION BUREAU,DapU5I.St. Unit, Mo. 8%c. Razor Blades 10 for 8%c. 100 sticks Chewing Gum 12c.
150 other bargains. Experience unnecessary. Write Carnation Co.,
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Razor Blades
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 '

ADVERTISING SECTION

Kidneys Cause
Much Trouble
Says Doctor
Successful Prescription Helps Re-
move Acids Brings Quick Help. —
Dr. T. J. Rastelli, famous English scientist, Doctor of Medicine
and Surgeon, says:
function right, because
“You cant feel well if your Kidneys do not
your Kidneys affect your entire body.
AMAZING NEW
Your blood circulates
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Irritating drugs,
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your Kidneys which are endangered by drastic.
modern foods and drinks, worry, and exposure.
Beware of Kidney dysfunction if you suffer
37 FEATURE
Home Gym Outfit and Training Course
from Night Rising. Leg Pains, Nervousness. You save over half oo this amazing conroe of physical J

Dizziness, Circles Under Eyes, Acidity or Loss culture. Big Husky 10 Cablo Muscle Builder Exerciser^ L
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V 49 East 21st St. Dept. A-13
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_
The guarantee protects you.

BECOME AN EXPERT
Wl
ionLYf^m
Accountant
Siccative Accountants and C. P. A.’s earn $3,000 to $15,000 a year.
Thousands of Anns need them. Only 12,000 Certified Public Account-
ants in thefj.8. Wetrain you thoroly mt home in spare time for C.P.A.
•laminations or executive accounting positions. Previous experience
unnecessary. Personal training under supervision of staff of C.P. A'o,
Prostate Sufferers
Including members of the American Institute of Accountants. Write An enlarged, inflamed or faulty Prostate
for free book, “Accountancy, the Profession that Pays.''
-

Gland very often causes Lameback. Fre-

LaSalle Extension University, Dept. iss-H Chicago quent Night Rising. Leg Pains. Pelvle
The School That Mas Trained Over 1 .200 C. P. A. 'a Pains. Lost Vigor. Insomnia, etc. Many
physicians endorse massage as a safe ef-

Checkers
fective treatment. (See Reference Book of
the Medical Sciences. Vol. VII, 3rd edi-
tion). Use “PROSAGER.” a new inven-
tion which enables any man to massage
his Prostate Gland in the privacy of hia
home. It often brings relief with the first

BECOME AN EXPERT
The book, that really teaches checker science. A complete course DR. w. d. SMITH
treatment and must help or it costa you
nothing. No Drugs
FREE BOOKLET
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 ; l

At ,he MOUNTAINS
S" MADNESSof
A gripping word picture in three
parts —of science—and a lost world

by H. P. LOVECRAFT
AM forced into speech because and on the other hand, sufficient in-
men of science have refused to fluence to deter the exploring world in
I follow my advice without knowing general from any rash and over-
why. It is altogether against my will ambitious program in the region of
that Itell my reasons for opposing this those mountains of madness.
contemplated invasion of the antarctic It is an unfortunate fact that rela-
— with its vast fossil hunt and its tively obscure men like myself and my
wholesale horing and melting of the associates, connected only with a small
ancient ice caps. And I am the more university, havelittle chance of making

reluctant because my warning may be an impression where matters of a wildly

in vain. bizarre or highly controversial natures

Doubt of the real facts, as I must are concerned.

reveal them, is inevitable; yet, if I It is further against us that we are

suppressed what will seem extravagant not, in the strictest sense, specialists in

and incredible there would be nothing the fields which came primarily to be

left. The hitherto withheld photo- concerned. As a geologist, my object

graphs, born ordinary and aerial, will in leading the Miskatonic University

count in my favor, for they are damn- Expedition was wholly that of securing
ably vivid and graphic. Still, they will deep-level specimens of rock and soil

be doubted because of the great lengths from various parts of the antarctic

to which clever fakery can be carried. continent, aided by the remarkable drill

The ink drawings, of course, will be devised by Professor Frank H. Pabodie

jeered at as obvious impostures not- ;
of our engineering department.
withstanding a strangeness and tech- I had no wish to be a pioneer in any
nique which art experts ought to remark other field than this, but I did hope
and puzzle over. that the use of this new mechanical
In the end I must rely on the judg- appliance at different points along pre-
ment and standing of the few scientific viously explored paths would bring to
leaders who have, on the one hand, suffi- light materials of a sort hitherto un-
cient independence of thought to weigh reached by the ordinary methods of
my data on its own hideously convincing collection.

merits or in the light of certain pri- Pabodie’s drilling apparatus, as the

mordial and highly baffling myth cycles public already knows from our reports.
 nln
MraNWIMfe'*
Iit#^^

v?

Zf was —
a queer state of sensations being in the lee of vast,
silent pinnacles, where ranks shot up like a wall reaching
the sky at the world’s rim.
10 ASTOUNDING STORIES
was unique and radical in its lightness, temperate and even tropical, with a
portability, and capacity to combine the teeming vegetable and animal life of
ordinary Artesian drill principle with which the lichens, marine fauna,
the principle of the small circular rock arachnida, and penguins of the northern
drill insuch a way as to cope quickly edge are the only survivals, is a matter
with strata of varying hardness. of common information and we hoped
;

Steel head, jointed rods, gasoline to expand that information in variety,

motor, collapsible wooden derrick, dy- accuracy, and detail. When a simple
namiting paraphernalia, cording, rub- boring revealed fossiliferous signs, we
bish-removal auger, and sectional piping would enlarge the aperture by blasting,
for bores five inches wide and up to in order to get specimens of suitable

one thousand feet deep all formed, with size and condition.

needed accessories, no greater load than Our borings, of varying depth ac-
three seven-dog sledges could carry. cording to the promise held out by the
This was made possible by the clever upper soil or rock, were to be confined
aluminum alloy of which most of the to exposed, or nearly exposed, land sur-
metal objects were fashioned. faces —
these inevitably being slopes and
ridges because of the mile or two-mile
Four large Domier aeroplanes, de-
thickness of solid ice overlying the
signed especially for the tremendous
lower levels.
altitude flying necessary on the antarctic
plateau and with added fuel-warming
We could not afford to waste drilling
depth on any considerable amount of
and quick-starting devices worked out
by Pabodie, could transport our entire
more glaciation, though Pabodie had
worked out a plan for sinking copper
expedition from a base at the edge of
electrodes in thick clusters of borings
the great ice barrier to various suitable
and melting off limited areas of ice with
inland points, and from these points a
current from a gasoline-driven dynamo
sufficient quota of dogs would serve us.
It is this plan— which we could not
We planned to cover as great an area
put into effect except experimentally on
as one antarctic season —or longer, if
an expedition such as ours that the —
absolutely necessary —would permit, coming Starkweather-Moore Expedition
operating mostly in the mountain ranges
proposes to follow, despite the warnings
and on the plateau south of Ross Sea;
I have issued since our return from
regions explored in varying degree by
the antarctic.
Shackleton, Amundsen, Scott, and
Byrd. With frequent changes of camp,
THE PUBLIC knows of the Miska-
made by aeroplane and involving dis- tonic Expedition through our frequent
tances great enough to be of geological
wireless reports to the Arkham Adver-
significance, we expected to unearth a
and Associated Press, and through
tiser
quite unprecedented amount of material
the later articles by Pabodie and my-
— especially in the pre-Cambrian strata
self. We consisted of four men from
of which so narrow a range of antarctic
specimens had previously been secured.
the University —
Pabodie, Lake of the
biology department, Atwood of the
We wished also to obtain as great as physics department —
also a meteorolo-
possible a variety of the upper fossil- gist —and myself, representing geology
iferous rocks, since the primal life and having nominal command, also six-
history of this bleak realm of ice and teen assistants : seven graduate students
death is of the highest importance to from Miskatonic and nine skilled me-
our knowledge of the earth’s past. chanics.
That the antarctic continent was once Of these sixteen, twelve were quali-
 ;

AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS 11

fied aeroplane but two of

pilots, all above the horizon each day. At about
whom were competent wireless opera- 62° South Latitude we sighted our first
tors. Eight of them understood navi- icebergs — tablelike objects with vertical
gation with compass and sextant, as sides—and just before reaching the
did Pabodie,Atwood and I. In addition, antarctic circle, which we crossed on
of course, our two ships wooden — October 20th with appropriately quaint
exwhalers, reinforced for ice conditions ceremonies, we were considerably trou-
and having auxiliary steam were fully — bled with field ice.
manned. The falling temperature bothered me
The Nathaniel Derby Pickman considerably after our long voyage
Foundation, aided by a few special through the tropics, but I tried to brace
contributions, financed the expedition up for the worse rigors to come. On
hence our preparations were extremely many occasions the curious atmospheric
thorough, despite the absence of great effects enchanted me vastly; these in-

publicity. cluded a strikingly vivid mirage the—

first I had ever seen— in which distant
The dogs, sledges, machines, camp
bergs became the battlements of un-
materials, unassembled parts of
and
imaginable cosmic castles.
our five planes were delivered in Boston,
Pushing through the ice, which was
and there our ships were loaded.
fortunately neither extensive nor
We were marvelously well-equipped
thickly packed, we regained open water
for our specific purposes, and in all
at South Latitude 67°, East Longitude
matters pertaining to supplies, regimen,
175°. On the morning of October 26th
transportation, and camp construction
a strong land blink appeared on the
we by the excellent example
profited
south, and before noon we all felt a
of our manyrecent and exceptionally
thrill of excitement at beholding a vast,
brilliant predecessors. It was the un-
lofty, and snow-clad mountain chain
usual number and fame of these which opened out and covered the whole
predecessors which made our own
vista ahead. At last we had encountered
—
expedition ample though it was so — an outpost of the great unknown con-
little noticed by the world at large.
tinent and its cryptic world of frozen
As newspapers told, we sailed
the death.
from Boston Harbor on September 2nd, These peaks were obviously the
1930, taking a leisurelydown course Admiralty Range discovered by Ross,
the coast and through the Panama and it would now be our task to round
Canal, and stopping at Samoa and Cape Adare and sail down the east
Hobart, Tasmania, at which latter place coast of Victoria Land to our contem-
we took on final supplies. plated base on the shore of McMurdo
None of our exploring party had Sound, at the fcot of the volcano
ever been in the polar regions before, Erebus in South Latitude 77° 9'.
hence we all relied greatly on our ship
captains — J. B. Douglas, commanding THE LAST LAP of the voyage was
the brig Arkham, and serving as com- vivid and fancy-stirring. Great barren
mander of the and Georg
sea party, peaks of mystery loomed up constantly
Thorfinnssen, commanding the barque against the west as the low northern
Miskatonic —-both veteran whalers in sun of noon or the still lower horizon-
antarctic waters. grazing southern sun of midnight
As we left the inhabited world be- poured its hazy reddish rays over the
hind the sun sank lower and lower in white snow, bluish ice and water lanes,
the north, and stayed longer and longer and black bits of exposed granite slope.
 —

12 ASTOUNDING STORIES
Through the desolate summits swept- source of Poe’s image when he wrote
raging, intermittent gusts of the terrible seven years later:
antarctic wind, whose cadences some-
times held vague suggestions of a wild
“— the lavas that restlessly roll
Their sulphurou^ currents down Yaanek
and half-sentient musical piping, with
In the ultimate climes of the pole
notes extending over a wide range, and That groan as they roll down Mount Yaanek
which for some subconscious mnemonic In the realms of the boreal pole.”
reason seemed to me disquieting and
even dimly terrible. Danforth was a great reader of
Something about the scene reminded bizarre material, and had talked a good
me of the strange and disturbing Asian deal of Poe. I was interested myself
paintings of Nicholas Roerich, and of because of the antarctic scene of Poe’s
the still stranger and more disturbing —
only long story the disturbing and
descriptions of the evilly fabled plateau enigmatical Arthur Gordon Pym. On
of Leng which occur in the dreaded the barren shore, and on the lofty ice

N ecronomicon of the mad Arab Abdul barrier in the background, myriad of

Alhazred. I was rather sorry, later on, grotesque penguins squawked and
that I had ever looked into that mon- flapped their fins, while many fat seals

strous book at the college library. were on the water, swimming

visible

On the 7th of November, sight of or sprawling across large cakes of

the westward range having been tem- slowly drifting ice. *
porarily lost, we passed Franklin Is- Using small boats, we effected a diffi-

land; and the next day descried the cult on Ross Island shortly
landing
cones of Mts. Erebus and Terror on after midnight, on the morning of the
Ross Island ahead, with the long line 9th, carrying a line of cable from each

of the Parry Mountains beyond. There of the ships and preparing to unload
now stretched off to the east the low, supplies by means of a breeches-buoy

white line of the great ice barrier, rising arrangement.

perpendicularly to a height of two hun- Our on first treading
sensations
dred feet like the rocky cliffs of Quebec, antarctic soil were poignant and com-
and marking the end of southward plex, though at this particular
even
navigation. point the Scott and Shackleton expedi-
In the afternoon we entered Mc- tions had preceded us.

Murdo Sound and stood off the coast Our camp on the frozen shore below
in the lee of smoking Mt. Erebus. The the volcano’s slope was only a pro-
scoriaceous peak towered up some visional headquarters being kept
one,
twelve thousand seven hundred feet aboard the Arkham. We landed all our
against the eastern sky, like a Japanese drilling apparatus, dogs, sledges, tents,
print of the sacred Fujiyama, while provisions, gasoline tanks, experimental
beyond it rose the white, ghostlike ice-melting outfit, cameras, both ordi-
height of Mt. Terror, ten thousand nine nary and aerial, aeroplane parts, and
hundred feet in altitude, and now ex- other accessories, including three small
tinct as a volcano. portable wireless outfits —besides those
Puffs of smoke from Erebus came planes
in the —
capable of communicating
intermittently, and one of the graduate with the Arkham’s large outfit from
assistants —a brilliant young fellow any part of the antarctic continent that
named Dan forth —pointed out what we would be likely to visit.
The ship’s outfit, communicating with
looked like lava on the snowy slope,
remarking that this mountain, discov- the outside world, was to convey press
ered in 1840, had undoubtedly been the reports to the Arkham Advertiser’s
 ;

AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS 13

powerful wireless station on Kingsport Despite the unanimous ac-

almost
Head, Mass. We hoped to complete counts of appalling winds and tempests
our work during a single antarctic sum- that pour down from the plateau, we
mer; but if this proved impossible we determined to dispense with intermedi-
would winter on the Arkham, sending ate bases, taking our chances in the
the Miskatonic north before the freez- interest of economy and probable
ing of the ice for another summer’s efficiency.
supplies. Wireless reports have spoken of the
breathtaking, four-hour, nonstop flight
I NEED NOT REPEAT what the of our squadron on November 21st over
newspapers have already published the lofty shelf ice, with vast peaks
about our early work; of our ascent rising on the west, and the unfathomed
of Mt. Erebus our successful mineral
;
silences echoing to the sound of our
borings at several points on Ross Is- engines.
land and the singular speed with which Wind troubled us only moderately,
Pabodie’s apparatus accomplished them, and our radio compasses helped us
even through solid rock layers our ;
through the one opaque fog we en-
provisional test of the small ice-melting countered. When the vast rise loomed
equipment; our perilous ascent of the ahead, between Latitudes 83° and 84°,
great barrier with sledges and supplies we knew we had reached Beardmore
and our final assembling of five huge Glacier, the largest valley glacier in the
aeroplanes at the camp atop the barrier. world, and that the frozen sea was now
The health of our land party twenty — giving place to a frowning and moun-
men and Alaskan sledge dogs
fifty-five tainous coast line.
—was remarkable, though of course we At last we were truly entering the
had so far encountered no really white, aeon-dead world of the ultimate
destructive temperatures or windstorms. south. Even as we realized it we saw
For the most part, the thermometer the peak of Mt. Nansen in the eastern
varied between zero and 20° or 25° distance, towering up to its height of
above, and our experience with New almost fifteen thousand feet.
England winters had accustomed us to The successful establishment of the
rigors of this sort. The barrier camp southern base above the glacier in
was semipermanent, and destined to be Latitude 86° 7', East Longitude 174°
a storage cache for gasoline, provisions, 23', and the phenomenally rapid, and
dynamite, and other supplies. effective boringsand blastings made at
Only four of our planes were needed various points reached by our sledge
to carry the actual exploring material, trips and short aeroplane flights, are
the fifth being left with a pilot and two matters of history; as is the arduous
men, from the ships,- at the storage and triumphant ascent of Mt. Nansen
cache to form a means of reaching us by Pabodie and two of the graduate
from the Arkham in case all our ex- students —
Gedney and Carroll on De- —
ploring planes were lost. cember 13th to 15th.
Later, when not using all the other We were some eight thousand five
planes for moving apparatus, we would hundred feet above sea-level. When
employ one or two in a shuttle trans- experimental drillings revealed solid
portation service between this cache and ground only twelve feet down through
another permanent base on the great thesnow and ice at certain points, we
plateau from six hundred to seven hun- made considerable use of the
small melt-
dred miles southward, beyond Beard- ing apparatus and sunk bores and per-
more Glacier. formed dynamiting at many places,
14 ASTOUNDING STORIES
where no previous explorer had ever rectly over the south pole in two of the
thought of securing mineral specimens. great planes, being forced down once
The pre-Cambrian granites and bea- by a sudden high wind, which, fortu-
con sandstones thus obtained confirmed nately, did not develop into a typical
our belief that this plateau was homo- storm. This was, as the papers have
geneous, with the great bulk of the stated, one of several observation flights,
continent to the west, but somewhat during others of which we tried to
different from the parts lying eastward discern new topographical features in
—
below South America which we then areas unreached by previous explorers.
thought to form a separate and smaller Our early flights were disappointing
continent divided from the larger one in this latter respect, though they
by a frozen junction of Ross and afforded us some magnificent examples
Weddell Seas, though Byrd has since of the richly fantastic and deceptive,
disproved the report. mirages of the polar regions, of which
In certain of the sandstones, dyna- our sea voyage had given us some brief
mited and chiseled after boring revealed foretastes.
their nature, we found some highly Distant mountains floated in the sky
interesting fossil markings and frag- as enchanted cities,and often the whole
ments; notably ferns, seaweeds, trilo- white world would dissolve into a gold,
bites, crinoids, and such mollusks as silver, and scarlet land of Dunsanian
linguellae and gastropods —
all of which dreams and adventurous expectancy
seemed of real significance in connec- under the magic of the low midnight
tion with the region’s primordial history. sun.
There was also a queer triangular, On cloudy days we had considerable
striated marking, about a foot in trouble in flying, owing to the tendency
greatest which Lake pieced
diameter, of snowy earth and sky to merge into
together from three fragments of slate one mystical opalescent void with no
brought up from a deep-blasted aper- visible horizon to mark the junction of
ture. the two.
These fragments came from a point At length we resolved to carry out
to the westward, near the Queen our original plan of flying five hundred
Alexandra Range; and Lake, as a miles eastward with all four exploring
biologist, seemed to find their curious planes and establishing a fresh sub-base
marking unusually puzzling and provo- at a point which would probably be on
-

cative, though to my geological eye it the smaller continental division, as we

looked not unlike some of the ripple mistakenly conceived it. Geological
effects reasonably common in the sedi- specimens obtained there would be de-
mentary rocks. sirable for purposes of comparison.
Since slate is no more than a meta- Our health so far had remained
morphic formation into which a excellent —lime juice well offsetting the
sedimentary stratum is pressed, and steady diet of tinned and salted food,
since the pressure itself produces odd and temperatures generally above zero
distortingeffects on any markings enabling us to do without our thickest
which may exist, I saw no reason for furs.
extreme wonder over the striated de- It was now midsummer, and with
pression. haste and care we might be able to con-
clude work by March and avoid a
ON JANUARY 6, 1931, Lake, tedious wintering through the long
Pabodie, Daniels, all six of the students, antarctic night. Several savage wind-
four mechanics, and myself flew di- storms had burst upon us from the
 AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS IS

west, but we had escaped damage His preliminary sledging and boring
through the skill of Atwood in devising journey of January 11th to 18th with
rudimentary aeroplane shelters and —
Pabodie and five others marred by the
windbreaks of heavy snow blocks, and loss of two dogs in an upset when
in reinforcing the principal camp build- crossing one of the great pressure ridges
ings with snow. Our good luck and in the ice —
had brought up more and
efficiency had indeed been almost un- more of the Archaean slate; and even I
canny. was interested by the singular profusion
The outside world knew, of course, of evident fossil markings in that un-
of our program, and was told also of believably ancient stratum.
Lake’s strange and dogged insistence These markings, however, were of
on a westward —or northwest-
rather, very primitive life forms involving no
ward — prospecting trip before our radi- great paradox except that any life forms
cal shift to the new base. should occur in rock as definitely pre-
It seems that he had pondered a great Cambrian as this seemed to be hence ;

deal and with alarmingly radical daring I still failed to see the good sense of

over that triangular striated marking
in the slate reading into it certain
;
contradictions in nature and geological
period which whetted his curiosity to
the utmost, and made him avid to sink
more borings and blastings in the west-
stretching formation to which the ex-
humed fragments evidently belonged.
He was strangely convinced that the
marking was the print of some bulky,
Lake’s demand for an interlude in our
—
time-saving program an interlude re-
quiring the use of all four planes, many
men, and the whole of the expedition’s
mechanical apparatus.
I did not, in the end, veto the plan,
though I decided not to accompany the
northwestward party despite Lake’s plea
for my geological advice. While they
were gone, I would remain at the base

unknown, and radically unclassifiable with Pabodie and five men and work
organism of considerably advanced out final plans for the eastward shift.
evolution, notwithstanding that the rock In preparation for this transfer, one
which bore it was of so vastly ancient of the planes had begun to move up a
—
a date Cambrian if not actually pre- good gasoline supply from McMurdo
Cambrian —as to preclude the probable Sound; but this could wait temporarily.
existence not only on all highly evolved I kept with me one sledge and nine
life, but of any life at all above the dogs, since it is unwise to be at any
unicellular or at most the trilobite stage. time without possible transportation in
These fragments, with their odd mark- an utterly tenantless world of seon-long
ing, must have been five hundred mil- death.
lion to a thousand million years old. Lake’s subexpedition into the un-
known, as every one will recall, sent
out its own reports from the short-
II.
wave transmitters on the planes these ;

POPULAR IMAGINATION, I being simultaneously picked up by our

judge, responded actively to our wire- apparatus at the southern base and by
less bulletins of Lake’s start north- the Arkham at McMurdo Sound,
westward into regions never trodden whence they were relayed to the outside
by human foot or penetrated by human world on wave lengths up to fifty
imagination, though we did not men- meters.
tion his wild hopes of revolutionizing The start was made January 22nd at
the entire sciences of biology and 4 a. m. ;
and the first wireless message
geology. we received came only two hours later,
 : ;
16 ASTOUNDING STORIES
when Lake spoke descending and
of
starting a small-scale ice-melting and
bore at a point some three hundred
miles away from us. Six hours after
that a second and very excited message
told of the frantic, beaverlike
whereby a shallow shaft had been sunk
and blasted, culminating in the discovery
of slate fragments with several mark-
ings approximately like the one which
had caused the original puzzlement.
Three hours later a brief bulletin
announced the resumption of the flight
in the teeth of a raw and piercing gale
and when I dispatched a message of
protest against further hazards, Lake
replied curtly that his new specimens
made any hazard worth taking.
I saw that his excitement had reached
the point of mutiny, and that I could
do nothing to check this headlong risk
of the whole expedition’s success; but
it was appalling to think of his plung-
ing deeper and deeper into that treach-
erous and sinister white immensity of
tempests and unfathomed mysteries
which stretched off for some fifteen
hundred miles to the half-known, half-
suspected coast line of Queen Mary
and Knox Lands.
THEN, in about a.n hour and a half
more, came that doubly excited message
from Lake’s moving plane, which almost
reversed my sentiments and made me
wish I had accompanied the party
“10 :05 p. m. On the wing. After
snowstorm, have spied mountain range
ahead higher than any hitherto seen.
May equal Himalayas, allowing for
height of plateau. Probable Latitude
76° 15', Longitude 113° 10' E. Reaches
far as can see to right and left. Sus-
picion of two smoking cones. All peaks
black and bare of snow. Gale blowing
off them impedes navigation.”
After that Pabodie, the men, and
hung breathlessly over the receiver.
Thought of this titanic mountain ram-
part seven hundred miles away inflamed
: 1 ;
our deepest sense of adventure; and we
rejoiced that our expedition, if not our-
selves personally, had been its dis-
coverers. In half an hour Lake called
us again:
work
“Moulton’s plane forced down on
plateau in foothills, but nobody hurt and
perhaps can repair. Shall transfer es-
sentials to other three for return or fur-
ther moves if necessary, but no more
heavy plane travel needed just now.
Mountains surpass anything in imagina-
tion. Am going up scouting in Carroll’s
plane, with all weight out.
“You can’t imagine anything like this.
Highest peaks must go over thirty-five
thousand feet. Everest out of the run-
ning. Atwood to work out height with
theodolite while Carroll and I go up.
Probably wrong about cones, for forma-
tions look stratified. Possibly pre-
Cambrian slate with other strata mixed
in. Queer sky line effects — regular sec-
tions of cubes clinging to highest peaks.
Whole thing marvelous in red-gold light
of low sun. Like land of mystery in a
dream or gateway to forbidden world of
untrodden wonder. Wish you were here
to study.”
Though it was technically sleeping
time, not one of us listeners thought
for a moment of retiring. It must have
been a good deal the same at McMurdo
Sound, where the supply cache and the
Arkham were also getting the messages
for Captain Douglas gave out a call
congratulating everybody on the im-
portant find, and Sherman, the cache
operator, seconded his sentiments. We
were sorry, of course, about the dam-
aged aeroplane, but hoped it could be
easily mended. Then, at eleven p. m.,
came another call from Lake
“Up with Carroll over highest foot-
hills. Don’t dare try really tall peaks in
present weather, but shall later. Fright-
ful work climbing, and hard going at this
altitude, but worth it. Great range fairly
solid, hence can’t get any glimpses be-
I yond. Main summits exceed Himalayas,
and very queer. Range looks like pre-
Cambrian slate, with plain signs of many
other upheaved strata. Was wrong about
volcanism. Goes farther in either direc-
AST—
 AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS 17

tionthan we can see. Swept clear of Lake called me later to say that he
snow above about twenty-one thousand had decided to let the camp stay where
feet.
Moulton’s plane had been forced down,
“Odd formations on slopes of highest
mountains. Great low square blocks with and where repairs had already pro-
exactly vertical sides, and rectangular gressed somewhat. The ice sheet was
lines of low, vertical ramparts, like the old very thin, with dark ground here and
Asian castles clinging to steep mountains
there visible, and he would sink some
in Roerich’s paintings. Impressive from
distance. Flew
close to some, and Car-
borings and blasts at that very point
roll thought they were formed of smaller before making any sledge trips or climb-
separate pieces, but that is probably ing expeditions.
weathering. Most edges crumbled and He spoke of the ineffable majesty
rounded off as if exposed to storms and
of the whole scene, and the queer state
climate changes for millions of years.
“Parts, especially upper parts, seem to of his sensations at being in the lee of
be of lighter-colored rock than any vis- vast, silent pinnacles, whose ranks shot
ible strata on slopes proper, hence an evi-
up like a wall reaching the sky at the
dently crystalline origin. Close flying
world’s rim.
shows many cave mouths, some unusually
regular in outline, square or semicircu- Atwood’s theodolite observations had
lar. You must come and investigate. placed the height of the five tallest peaks
Think I saw rampart squarely on top of at from thirty thousand to thirty-four
one peak. Height seems about thirty thousand feet.
thousand to thirty-five thousand feet. Am
up twenty-one thousand five hundred my-
The windswept nature of the terrain
self, in devilish, gnawing cold. Wind clearly Lake, for it argued
disturbed
whistles and pipes through passes and in the occasional prodigious
existence of
and out of caves, but no flying danger gales, violent beyond anything we had
so far.”
so far encountered. His camp lay a
From then on for another half hour little more than five miles from where
Lake kept up a running fire of com- the higher foothills rose abruptly.
ment, and expressed his intention of I could almost trace a note of sub-
climbing some of the peaks on foot. I conscious alarm in his words flashed —
replied that I would join him as soon across a glacial void of seven hundred
as he could a plane, and that
send miles —
as he urged that we all hasten
Pabodie and I would work out the best with the matter and get the strange,
gasoline plan —
just where and how to new region disposed of as soon as pos-
concentrate our supply in view of the sible. He was about to rest now, after
expedition’s altered character. a continuous day’s work of almost
Obviously, Lake’s boring operations, unparalleled speed, strenuousness, and
as well as his aeroplane activities, would results.
need a great deal delivered at the new
base which he was to establish at the IN THE MORNING I had a three-
foot of the mountains and it was pos-
;
cornered wireless talk with Lake and
sible that the eastward flight might not Captain Douglas at their widely sepa-
be made, after all, this season. In con- rated bases. It was agreed that one
nection with this business I called of Lake’s planes would come to my base
Captain Douglas and asked him to get for Pabodie, the five men, and myself,
as much as possible out of the ships as well as for all the fuel it could carry.
and up the barrier with the single dog The rest of the fuel question, depending
team we had left there. A direct route on our decision about an easterly trip,
across the unknown region between could wait for a few days, since Lake
Lake and McMurdo Sound was what had enough for immediate camp heat
we really ought to establish. and borings.
AST-2
 —

18 ASTOUNDING STORIES
Eventually the old southern base steep slopes of the gigantic mountains
ought to be restocked, but if we post- themselves.
poned the easterly trip we would not He had resolved, nevertheless, to do
use it till the next summer, and, mean- some local boring as part of the ex-
while, Lake must send a plane to ex- pedition’s general program hence, he;

plore a direct route between his new set up the drill and put five men to
mountains and McMurdo Sound. work with it while the rest finished
Pabodie and prepared to close our
I settling camp and
the repairing the
base for a short or long period, as the damaged aeroplane. The softest visible
case might be. If we wintered in the rock —
a sandstone about a quarter of a
antarctic we would probably fly straight —
mile from the camp had been chosen
from Lake’s base to the Arkham with- for the first sampling; and the drill
out returning to this spot. Some of our made excellent progress without much
conical tents had already been rein- supplementary blasting.
forced by blocks of hard snow, and It was about three hours afterward,

now we decided to complete the job of following the first really heavy blast
making a permanent village. Owing to of the operation, that the shouting of
a very liberal tent supply. Lake had the drill crew was heard and that young
;

with him all that his base would need, Gedney—the acting foreman rushed —
even after our arrival. I wirelessed into the camp with the startling news.
that Pabodie and I would be ready for
the northwestward, move after one day's THEY had struck a cave. Early in
work and one night’s rest. the boring the sandstone had given
Our labors, however, were not very place to a vein of Comanchian lime-
steady after four p. m., for about that stone, full of minute fossil cephalopods,
time Lake began sending in the most corals, echini, and spirifera, and with
extraordinary and excited messages. occasional suggestions of siliceous'
His working day had started unpro- sponges and marine vertebrate bones
pitiously, since an aeroplane survey of the latter probably of teliosts, sharks,
the nearly exposed rock surfaces and ganoids.
showed an entire absence of those This, in itself, was important enough,
Archaean and primordial strata for as affording the first vertebrate fossils
which he was looking, and which formed the had yet secured
expedition but ;

so great a part of the colossal peaks
that loomed up at a tantalizing distance
from the camp.
Most of the rocks glimpsed were
apparently Jurassic and Comanchian
sandstones and Permian and Triassic
schists, with now and then a glossy
when shortly afterward the drill head
dropped through the stratum into ap-
parent vacancy, a wholly new and
doubly intense wave of excitement
spread among the excavators.
A good-sized blast had laid open the
subterrane secret and now, through
;

black outcropping suggesting a hard and a jagged aperture perhaps five feet
slaty coal. across and three feet thick, there
This rather discouraged Lake, whose yawned before the avid searchers a sec-
plans all hinged on unearthing speci- tion shallow limestone hollowing
of
mens more than five hundred million worn more than fifty million years ago
years older. It was clear to him that by the trickling ground waters of a
in order to recover the Archaean slate bygone tropic world.
vein in which he had found the odd The hollowed layer was not more
markings, he would have to make a long than seven or eight feet deep, but ex-
sledge trip from these foothills to the tended off indefinitely in all directions
 AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS 19

and had a fresh, slightly moving air ing the Oligocene Age, and that the
which suggested its membership in an hollowed stratum had lain in its present
extensive subterranean system. Its dried, dead, and inaccessible state for
roof and floor were abundantly at least thirty million years.
equipped with large stalactites and On the other hand, the prevalence of
stalagmites, some of which met in very early life forms was singular in
columnar form. the highest degree. Though the lime-
But important above all else was the stone formation was, on the evidence
vast deposit of shells and bones, which of such typical imbedded fossils as
in places nearly choked the passage. ventriculites, positively and unmistak-
Washed down from unknown jungles ably Comanchian and not a particle
of Mesozoic tree ferns and fungi, and earlier; the free fragments in the hollow
forests of Tertiary cycads, fan palms, space included a surprising proportion
and primitive angiosperms, this osseous from organisms hitherto considered as
medley contained representatives of peculiar to far older periods —even
more Cretaceous, Eocene, and other rudimentary fishes, mollusks, and corals
animal species than the greatest paleon- as remote as the Silurian or Ordovician.
tologist could have counted or classified The inevitable inference was that in
in a year. Mollusks, crustacean armor, this part of the world there had been
fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and a remarkable and unique degree of con-
early
and unknown.
—
mammals great and small, known tinuity between the life of over three
hundred million years ago and that of
No wonder Gedney ran back to the only thirty million years ago. How far
camp shouting, and no wonder every this continuity had extended beyond the
one else dropped work and rushed head- Oligocene Age when the cavern was
long through the biting cold to where closed was of course past all specula-
the tall derrick marked a new-found tion.
gateway to secrets of inner earth and In any event, coming of the
the
vanished aeons. frightful ice in the Pleistocene some five
When Lake had satisfied the first hundred thousand years ago a mere —
keen edge of his curiosity he scribbled yesterday as compared with the age of
a message in his notebook and had this cavity —
must have put an end to
young Moulton run back to the camp to any of the primal forms which had
dispatch it by wireless. locally managed to outlive their common
This was my first word of the dis- terms.
covery, and it told of the identification
of early shells, bones of ganoids and LAKE was not content to let his first
placoderms, remnants of labyrintho- message stand, but had another bulletin
donta and thecoiidea, great mosasaur written and dispatched across the snow
skull fragments, dinosaur vertebrae and to the camp before Moulton could get
armor plates, pterodactyl teeth and wing back. After that Moulton stayed at
bones, Archaeopteryx debris, Miocene the wireless in one of the planes, trans-
sharks’ teeth, primitive bird skulls, and mitting to me— and to the Arkham for
other bones of archaic mammals such as relaying to the outside world the fre- —
Palaeotheres, Xiphodons, Eohippi, Oreo- quent postscripts which Lake sent him
dons, and Titanotheriidae. by a succession of messengers.
There was nothing as recent as a Those who followed the newspapers
mastodon, elephant, true camel, deer, or will remember tbe excitement created
bovine animal; hence Lake concluded among men of science by that after-
that the last deposits had occurred dur- noon’s reports—reports which have
 :
20 ASTOUNDING STORIES
finally led, after all these years, to the
organization of that very Starkweather-
Moore Expedition which I am so
anxious to dissuade from its purposes.
I had better give the messages literally
as Lake* sent them, and as our base
operator McTighe translated them from
his pencil shorthand
Fowler makes discovery of highest im-
portance in sandstone and limestone frag-
ments from blasts. Several distinct tri-
angular striated prints like those in
archsean slate, proving that source sur-
vived from over six hundred million years
ago to Comanchian times without more
than moderate morphological changes and
decrease in average size. Comanchian
prints apparently more primitive or de-
cadent, if anything, than older ones. Em-
phasize importance of discovery in press.
Will mean to biology what Einstein has
meant to mathematics and physics. Joins
up with my previous work and ampli-
fies conclusions.
Appears to indicate, as I suspected, that
earth has seen whole cycle or cycles of
organic life before known one that be-
gins with Archseozoic cells. Was evolved
and specialized not later than a thousand
million years ago, when planet was young
and Recently uninhabitable for any life
forms of normal protoplasmic structure.
Question arises when, where, and how de-
velopment took place.
Later. Examining certain skeletal frag-
ments of large land and marine saurians
and primitive mammals, find singular lo-
cal wounds or injuries to bony structure
 AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS 21

not attributable to any known predatory broken surface. Arouses much curiosity
or carnivorous animal of any period. Of as to source and weathering. Probably
—
two sorts straight, penetrant bores, and some freak of water action. Carroll,
apparently hacking incisions. One or two with magnifier, thinks he can make out
cases of cleanly severed bones. Not many additional markings of geologic signifi-
specimens affected. Amsending to camp cance. Groups of tiny dots in regular pat-
for electric torches. Will extend search terns. Dogs growing uneasy as we work,
area underground by hacking away and seem to hate this soapstone. Must
stalactites. see if it has any peculiar odor. Will re-
port again when Mills gets back with
light and we start on underground area.

Still later. Have found peculiar soap-

stone fragment about six inches across
and an inch and a half thick, wholly un- 10:15 p. m. Important discovery.
like any visible local formation —
greenish, Orrendorf and Watkins, working under-
but no evidences to place its period. ground at 9 :45 with light, found mon-
Has curious smoothness and regularity. strous barrel-shaped fossil of wholly un-
Shaped like five-pointed star with tips known nature probably vegetable unless
;

broken off, and signs of other cleavage at overgrown specimen of unknown marine
inward angles and in center of surface. radiata. Tissue evidently preserved by
Small, smooth depression in center of un- mineral salts. Tough as leather, but as-
22
tonishing flexibility retained
Marks of broken-off parts at ends and
around sides. Six feet end to end, three
and five tenths feet central diameter, ta-
pering to one foot at each end. Like a
barret with five bulging ridges in place of
staves. Lateral breakages, as of thinnish
stalks, are at equator in middle of these
ridges. In furrows between ridges are
curious —
growths combs or wings that
fold up and spread out like fans. All
greatly damaged but one, which gives
almost seven-foot wing spread. Arrange-
ment reminds one of certain monsters of
primal myth, especially fabled Elder
Things in Necronomicon.
These wings seem to be membranous,
stretched on framework of glandular tub-
ing. Apparent minute orifices in frame
tubing at wing tips. Ends of body
shriveled, giving no clue to interior or
to what has been broken off there. Must
dissect when we get back to camp. Can't
decide whether vegetable or animal.
Many features obviously of almost in-
credible primitiveness. Have set all hands
cutting stalactites and looking for fur-
ther specimens. Additional scarred bones
found, but these must wait. Having
trouble with dogs. They can’t endure
the new specimen, and would probably
tear it to pieces if we didn't keep it at a
distance from them.
11:30 p. m. Attention, Dyer, Pabodie,
Douglas. Matter of highest— I might say
—
transcendent importance. Arkham must
relay to Kingsport Head
Strange barrel growth
ASTOUNDING STORIES
in places. branous wings of same color, found
folded, spread out of furrows between
ridges. Wing framework tubular or
glandular, or lighter gray, with orifices
at wing tips. Spread wings have ser-
rated edge. Around equator, one at cen-
tral apex of each of the five vertical,
stavelike ridges, are five systems of light-
gray flexible arms or tentacles found
tighly folded to torso but expansible to
maximum length of over three feet. Like
arms of primitive crinoid. Single stalks
three inches diameter branch after six
inches into five substalks, each of which
branches after eight inches into five small,
tapering tentacles or tendrils, giving each
stalk a total of twenty-five tentacles.
At top of torso blunt, bulbous neck of
lighter gray, with gill-like suggestions,
holds yellowish five-pointed starfish-
shaped apparent head covered with three-
inch wiry cilia of various prismatic
colors.
Head thick and puffy, about two feet
point to point, with three-inch flexible
yellowish tubes projecting from each
point. Slit in exact center of top prob-
ably breathing aperture. At end of each
tube is spherical expansion where yellow-
ish membrane rolls back on handling to
reveal glassy, red-irised globe, evidently
an eye.
Five slightly longer reddish tubes start
from inner angles of starfish-shaped head
and end in saclike swellings of same
color which, upon pressure, open to bell-
shaped orifices two inches maximum di-
ameter and lined with sharp, white tooth-
like projections —
probable mouths. All
Station at once. these tubes, cilia, and points of starfish
is the archaean head, found folded tightly down tubes ;

thing that left prints in rocks. Mills, and points clinging to bulbous neck and
Boudreau, and Fowler discover cluster of torso. Flexibility surprising despite vast
thirteen more at underground point forty toughness.
feet from aperture. Mixed with curi- At bottom of torso, rough but dissimi-
ously rounded and configured soapstone larly functioning counterparts of head ar-
fragments smaller than one previously rangements exist. Bulbous light-gray
—
found star-shaped, but no marks of pseudoneck, without gill suggestions,
breakage except at some of the points. holds greenish five-pointed starfish ar-
Of organic specimens, eight apparently rangement.
perfect, with all appendages. Have Tough, muscular arms four feet long
brought all to surface, leading off dogs and tapering from seven inches diameter
to distance. They cannot stand the things. at base to about two and five tenths at
Give close attention to description and re- point. To each point is attached small
peat back for accuracy. Papers must get end of a greenish five-veined membrane-
this right. ous triangle eight inches long and six
Objects are eight feet long all over. wide at farther end. This is the paddle,
Six-foot, five-ridged barrel torso three fin, or pseudofoot which had made
and five tenths feet central diameter, one prints in rocks from a thousand million
foot end diameters. Dark gray, flexible, to fifty or sixty million years old.
and infinitely tough. .
Seven-foot mem- From inner angles of starfish arrange-
 AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS 23

ment project two-foot reddish tubes ta- terial. But got to dissect one of
I’ve
pering from three inches diameter at base these things before we take any rest.
to one at tip. Orifices at tips. All these Wish I had a real laboratory here.
parts infinitely tough and leathery, but Dyer better kick himself for having tried
extremely flexible. Four-foot arms with to stop my westward trip. First the
paddles undoubtedly used for locomotion world’s greatest mountains, and then this.
of some sort, marine or otherwise. If this last isn’t the high spot of the ex-
When moved, display suggestions of ex- pedition, I don’t know what is. We’re
aggerated muscularity. As found, all made scientifically. Congrats, Pabodie,
these projections tightly folded over on the drill that opened up the cave. Now
pseudoneck and end of torso, correspond- will Arkham please repeat description?
ing to projections at other end.
Cannot yet assign positively to animal THE SENSATIONS of Pabodie
or vegetable kingdom, but odds now fa-
and myself at receipt of this report
vor animal. Probably represents incred-
ibly advanced evolution of radiata with-
were almost beyond description, nor
out loss of certain primitive features. were our companions much behind us
Echinoderm at a resemblances unmistak- in enthusiasm. McTighe, who had
able despite local contradictory evidences. hastily translated a few high spots as
Wing structure puzzles in view of
they came from the droning receiving
probable marine habitat, but may have
use in water navigation. Symmetry is set, wrote out the entire message from

curiously vegetablelike, suggesting vege- his shorthand version, as soon as Lake’s

table’s essential up-and-down structure operator signed off.
rather than animal’s fore-and-aft struc-
All appreciated the epoch-making
ture. Fabulously early date of evolu-
tion, preceding even simplest archsean
significance of the discovery, and I sent
Protozoa hitherto known, baffles all con- Lake congratulations as soon as the
jecture as to origin. Arkham’s operator had repeated back
Complete specimens have such uncanny the descriptive parts as requested and
;
resemblance to certain creatures of primal
myth that suggestion of ancient exist-
my example was followed by Sherman
ence outside antarctic becomes inevitable. from his station at the McMurdo Sound
Dyer and Pabodie have read Necronomi- supply cache, as well as by Captain
con and seen Clark Ashton Smith’s night- Douglas of the Arkham.
mare paintings based on text, and will
Later, as head of the expedition, I
understand when I speak of Elder Things
supposed to have created all earth life added some remarks to be relayed
as jest or mistake. Students have always through the Arkham to the outside
thought conception formed from morbid world. Of course, rest was an absurd
imaginative treatment of very ancient thought amidst this excitement and my ;
tropical radiata. Also like prehistoric
only wish was to get to Lake’s camp
folklore things Wilmarth has spoken of
— Cthulhu cultappendages, etc. as quickly as I could. It disappointed
Vast field of. study opened. Deposits me when he sent word that a rising
probably of late Cretaceous or early mountain gale made early aerial travel
Eocene period, judging from associated
impossible.
specimens. Massive stalagmites deposited
above them. Hard work hewing out, but But within an hour and a half in-

toughness prevented damage. State of terest again rose to banish disappoint-

preservation miraculous, evidently owing ment. Lake, sending more messages,
to limestone action. No more found so told of the completely successful trans-
far, but will resume search later. Job
portation of the fourteen great speci-
now to get fourteen huge specimens to
camp without dogs, which bark furiously mens to the camp. It had been a hard
and can’t be trusted near them. pull, for the things were surprisingly
—
With nine men three left to guard the heavy but nine men had accomplished
dogs —
we ought to manage the three
;

it very neatly. Now some of the party

sledges fairly well, though wind is bad.
Must establish plane communication with were hurriedly building a snow corral
McMurdo Sound and begin shipping ma- at a safe distance from the camp, to
 —

24 ASTOUNDING STORIES
which the dogs could be brought for At first all that Lake found was dry,
greater convenience in feeding. The but as the heated tent produced its thaw-
specimens were laid out on the hard ing effect, organic moisture of pungent
snow near the camp, save for one on and offensive odor was encountered
which Lake was making crude attempts toward the thing’s uninjured side. It
at dissection. was not blood, but a thick, dark-green
This dissection seemed to be a greater fluid apparently answering the same
task than had been expected, for, despite purpose. By the time Lake reached
the heat of a gasoline stove in the dogs had been
this stage all thirty-seven

newly raised laboratory tent, the decep- brought to the still uncompleted corral
tively flexible chosen
tissues of the near the camp, and even at that distance
—
specimen a powerful and intact one set up a savage barking and show of

lost nothing of their more than leathery restlessness at the acrid, diffusive smell.
toughness. Lake was puzzled as to how
he might make the requisite incisions FAR from helping to place the
without violence destructive enough to strange entity, this provisional dissec-
upset all the structural niceties he was tion merely deepened its mystery. All

looking for. guesses about its external members had

been correct, and on the evidence of
He had, it is true, seven more perfect
these one could hardly hesitate to call
specimens; but these were too few to
the thing animal, but internal inspection
use up recklessly unless the cave might
an unlimited supply. Accord-
later yield
brought up so many vegetable evidences
that Lake was left hopelessly at sea.
ingly, he removed the specimen and
It had digestion and circulation, and
dragged in one which, though having
eliminated waste matter through the
remnants of the starfish arrangements
reddish tubes of its starfish-shaped base.
at both ends, was badly crushed and
one would say that its
Cursorily,
partly disrupted along one of the great
respiratory apparatus handled oxygen
torso furrows.
ratber than carbon dioxide; and there
Results, quickly reported over the
were odd evidences of air-storage
wireless, were baffling and provocative
chambers and methods of shifting res-
indeed. Nothing like delicacy or
piration from the external orifice to at
accuracy was possible with instruments
least two other fully developed breath-
hardly able to cut the anomalous tissue,
but the little that was achieved left us
ing systems —
gills and pores.

Clearly, it was amphibian and prob-

all awed and bewildered.
ably adapted to long airless hibernation
Existing biology would have to be periods as well. Vocal organs seemed
wholly revised, for this thing was no present in connection with the main
product of any cell growth science respiratory system, but they presented
knows about. There had been scarcely anomalies beyond immediate solution.
any mineral replacement, and despite an Articulate speech, in the sense of syl-
age of perhaps forty million years the lable utterance, seemed barely conceiv-
internal organs were wholly intact. able, but musical piping notes covering
The and al-
leathery, undeteriorative, a wide range were highly probable. The
most indestructible was anquality muscular system was almost pre-
inherent attribute of the thing’s form naturally developed.
of organization, and pertained to some The nervous system was so complex
paleocene cycle of invertebrate evolu- and highly developed as to leave Lake
tion utterly beyond our powers of specu- aghast. Though excessively primitive
lation. and archaic in some respects, the thing
 AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS 25

had a set of gangliar centers and con- quickly rejected this too-facile theory
nectives arguing the very extremes of upon considering the advanced struc-
specialized development. tural qualities of the older fossils. If
Its five-lobed brain was surprisingly anything, the later contours showed
advanced, and there were signs of a decadence rather than higher evolution.
sensory equipment, served in part The size of the pseudofeet had de-
through the wiry cilia of the head, in- creased, and the whole morphology
volving factors alien to any other seemed coarsened and simplified. More-
terrestrial organism. Probably it had over, the nerves and organs, just exam-
more than five senses, so that its habits ined, held singular suggestions of
could not be predicted from any exist- retrogression from forms still more
ing analogy. complex. Atrophied and vestigial parts
It must, Lake thought, have been a were surprisingly prevalent. Alto-
creature of keen sensitiveness and deli- gether, little could be said to have been
cately differentiated functions in its solved ;
and Lake fell back on mythol-
—
primal world much like the ants and ogy for a provisional name jocosely —
bees of to-day. It reproduced like the dubbing his finds ‘‘The Elder Ones.”
vegetable cryptogams, especially the At about two-thirty a. m., having de-
pteridophyta having spore cases at
;
the cided to postpone further work and get
wings and evidently develop-
tips of the a little rest, he covered the dissected
ing from a thallus or prothallus. organism with a tarpaulin, emerged
But to give it a name at this stage from the laboratory tent, and studied
was mere folly. It looked like a radiate, the intact specimens with renewed in-
but was clearly something more. It terest.

was partly, vegetable, but had three The ceaseless antarctic sun had begun
fourths of the essentials of animal to limber up their tissues a trifle, so
structure. That it was marine in origin, that the head points and tubes of two
its symmetrical contour and certain or three showed signs of unfolding; but
other attributes clearly indicated; yet Lake did not believe there was any
one could not be exact as to the limit danger of immediate decomposition in
of its later adaptations. the almost subzero air. He did, how-
The wings, after all, held a persistent ever, move all the undissected specimens
suggestion of the aerial. How it could closer together and throw a spare tent
have undergone its tremendously com- over them in order to keep off the direct
plex evolution on a new-born earth in solar rays. That would also help to
time to leave prints in archsean rocks keep their possible scent away from the
was so far beyond conception as to make dogs, whose hostile unrest was really
Lake whimsically recall the primal becoming a problem, even at their sub-
myths about Great Old Ones who fil- stantial distance and behind the higher
tered down from the stars and concocted and higher snow walls, which an in-
earth life as a joke or mistake and the ;
creased quota of the men were hastening
wild tales of cosmic hill things from to raise around their quarters.
outside told by a folklorist colleague in He had to weight down the corners
Miskatonic’s English department. of the tent cloth with heavy blocks of
snow to hold it in place amidst the
NATURALLY, he considered the rising gale, for the titan mountains
possibility of the pre-Cambrian prints seemed about to deliver some gravely
having been made by a less evolved an- severe blasts. Early apprehensions
cestor of the present specimens, but about sudden antarctic winds were
26 ASTOUNDING STORIES
revived, under Atwood’s super-
and seemed to prevent communication. We
vision precautions were taken to bank did, however, get the Arkhant, and
the tents, new dog corral, and crude Douglas told me that he had likewise
aeroplane shelters with snow, on the been vainly trying to reach Lake. He
mountainward side. These latter shel- had not known about the wind, for
ters, begun with hard snow blocks very little was blowing at McMurdo
during odd moments, were by no means Sound, despite its persistent rage where
as high as they should have been and ;
we were.
Lake finally detached all hands from Throughout the day we all listened
other tasks to work on them. anxiously and tried to get Lake at in-
was after four when Lake at last
It tervals, but invariably without results.
prepared to sign off and advised us all About noon a positive frenzy of wind
to share the rest period his outfit would stampeded out of the west, causing us
take when the shelter walls were a little to fear for the safety of our camp; but
higher. He held some friendly chat it eventually died down, with Only a
with Pabodie over the ether, and re- moderate relapse at two p. m.
peated his praise of the really marvelous After three o’clock it was very quiet,
drills that had helped him make his and we redoubled our efforts to get
discovery. Atwood also sent greetings Lake. Reflecting he had four
that
and praises. planes, each provided with an excellent
I gave Lake a warm word of con- short-wave outfit, we could not imagine
gratulation, owning up that he was right any ordinary accident capable of crip-
about the western trip, and we all agreed pling all his wireless equipment at once.
to get in touch by wireless at ten in the Nevertheless, the stony silence con-
morning. If the gale was then over, tinued, and when we thought of the
Lake would send a plane for the party delirious force the wind must have had
at. my base. Just before retiring I dis- in his locality we could not help making
patched a final message to the Arkhatn, the most direful conjectures.
with instructions about toning down the By six o’clock our fears had become
day’s news for the outside world, since intense and definite, and after a wire-
the full details seemed radical enough to less consultation with Douglas and
rouse a wave of incredulity until further Thorfinnssen I resolved to take steps
substantiated. toward investigation. The fifth aero-
plane, which we had left at the Mc-
III. Murdo Sound supply cache with Sher-
NONE OF US, very
I imagine, slept man and two sailors, was in good shape
heavily or continuously that morning. and ready for instant use, and it seemed
Both the excitement of Lake’s discovery that the very emergency for which it
and the mounting fury of the wind were had been saved was now upon us.
against such a thing. So savage was I got Sherman by wireless and
the blast even where we were, that we ordered him to join me with the plane
could not help wondering how much and the two sailors at the southern base
worse it was at Lake’s camp, directly as quickly as possible, the air conditions
under the vast unknown peaks that bred being apparently highly favorable. We
and delivered it. then talked over the personnel of the
McTighe was awake at ten o’clock coming investigation party, and decided
and tried to get Lake on the wireless, that we would include all hands, to-
as agreed, but some electrical condition gether with the sledge and dogs which
in the disturbed air to the westward I had kept with me. Even so great a
 ;

AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS 27

load would not be too much for one of
the huge planes built to our special
orders for heavy machinery transporta-
tion. At intervals I still tried to reach
Lake with the wireless, but
purpose.
Sherman, with the sailors Gunnarsson
and Larsen, took off at seven thirty;
which nothing can erase from our emo-
tions, and which we would refrain from
sharing with mankind in general if we
could. The newspapers have printed
all to no the bulletins we sent from the moving
plane, telling of our nonstop course,
our two battles with treacherous upper-
air gales, our glimpse of the broken

and reported a quiet flight from several surface where Lake had sunk his mid-
points on the wing. They arrived at journey shaft three days before, and
our base at midnight, and all hands at our sight of a group of those strange
once discussed the next move. It was fluffy snow cylinders noted by
risky business sailing over the antarctic Amundsen and Byrd as rolling in the
in a single aeroplane without any line wind across the endless leagues of
of bases, but no one drew back from frozen plateau.
what seemed like the plainest necessity. There came a point, though, when our
We turned in at two o’clock for a brief sensations could not be conveyed in any
rest after some preliminary loading of words the press would understand, and
the plane, but were up again in four a later point when we had to adopt an
hours to finish the loading and packing. actual rule of strict censorship.
At seven fifteen a. m., January 25th, The sailor Larsen was first to spy
we started northwestward under Mc- the jagged line of witchlike cones and
Tighe’s pilotage with ten men, seven pinnacles ahead, and his shouts sent
dogs, a sledge, a fuel and food supply, every one to the windows of the great
and other items including the plane’s cabined plane. Despite our speed, they
wireless outfit. The atmosphere was were very slow in gaining prominence
clear, fairly quiet, and relatively mild hence we knew that they must be in-
in temperature, and we anticipated very finitely far off, and visible only because
little trouble in reaching the latitude of their abnormal height.
and longitude designated by Lake as Little by little, however, they rose
the site of his camp. Our apprehen- grimly into the western sky allowing ;

sions were over what we might find, us to distinguish various bare, bleak,
or fail to find, at the end of our blackish summits, and to catch the
journey, for silence continued to an- curious sense of phantasy which they
swer all calls dispatched to the camp. inspired as seen in the reddish antarctic
light against the provocative background
EVERY INCIDENT of that four- of iridescent ice-dust clouds.
and-a-half-hour flight is burned into my In the whole spectacle there was a
recollection because of its crucial posi- persistent, pervasive hint of stupend-
tion in my life. It marked my loss, at ous secrecy and potential revelation.
the age of fifty-four, of all that peace It was as if these stark, nightmare
and balance which the normal mind spires marked the pylons of a frightful
possesses through its accustomed con- gateway into forbidden spheres of
ception of external nature and nature’s dream, and complex gulfs of remote
laws. time, space, and ultradimensionality. I

Thenceforward the ten of us —but could not help feeling that they were
the student Danforth and myself above evil things —
mountains of madness
all others —were to face a hideously whose farther slopes looked out over
amplified world of lurking horrors some accursed ultimate abyss.
28 ASTOUNDING STORIES
That seething, half-luminous cloud bred such ambiguous and archaean mon-
background held ineffable suggestions strosities as those Lake had just men-
of a vague, ethereal beyondness far tioned. At the moment I felt sorry that
more than terrestrially spatial, and gave I had ever read the abhorred
appalling reminders of the utter remote- Necronomicon, or talked so much with
ness, separateness, desolation, and aeon- that unpleasantly erudite folklorist

long death of this untrodden and un- Wilmarth at the university.

fathomed austral world.
THIS MOOD undoubtedly served to
It was young Danforth who drew aggravate my reaction to the bizarre
our notice to the curious regularities mirage which burst upon us from the
of the higher mountain sky line regu- — increasingly opalescent zenith as we
larities like clinging fragments of drew near the mountains and began to
perfect cubes, which Lake had men- make out the cumulative undulations of
tioned in his messages, and which the foothills. I had seen dozens of

indeed justified his comparison with the
dreamlike suggestions of primordial
temple ruins, on cloudy Asian moun-
taintops so subtly and strangely painted
by Roerich.
There was indeed something haunt-
polar mirages during the preceding
weeks, some of them quite as uncanny
and fantastically vivid as the present
sample, but this one had a wholly novel
and obscure quality of menacing sym-
bolism, and I shuddered as the seething

ingly Roerichlike about this whole labyrinth of fabulous walls and towers

unearthly continent of mountainous and minarets loomed out of the trou-

mystery. I had felt it in October when bled ice vapors above our heads.

we first caught sight of Victoria Land, The effect was that of a Cyclopean
and I felt it afresh now. I felt, too, city of no architecture known to man
another wave of uneasy consciousness or to human imagination, with vast
of archaean mythical resemblances, of aggregations of night-black masonry
how disturbingly this lethal realm embodying monstrous perversions of
corresponded to the evilly famed plateau geometrical laws. There were trun-
of Leng in the primal writings. cated cones, sometimes terraced or
fluted, surmounted by tall clyindrical
Mythologists have placed Leng in
Central Asia, but the racial memory of shafts here and there bulbously en-

man —or of his predecessors — is long, larged and often capped with tiers of
and it may well be that certain tales thinnish scalloped disks, and strange,
have come down from lands and moun- beetling, tablelike constructions suggest-

tains and temples of horror earlier than ing piles of multitudinous rectangular
Asia and earlier than any human world slabs or circular plates or five-pointed

we know. stars with each one overlapping the one

beneath.
A few daring mystics have hinted at
a pre-Pleistocene origin for the frag- There were composite cones and
mentary Pnakotic Manuscripts, and pyramids either alone or surmounting
have suggested that the devotees of cylinders or cubes or flatter truncated
Tsathoggua were as alien to mankind cones and pyramids, and occasional

as Tsathoggua itself. needlelike spires in curious clusters of

five.
Leng, wherever in space or time it
might brood, was not a region I would All of these’ febrile structures seemed
care to be in or near, nor did I relish knit together by tubular bridges cross-
the proximity of a world that had ever ing from one to the other at various
 AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS 29

dizzy heights, and the implied scale of Some hours our landing
after we
the whole was terrifying and oppressive sent a guarded report of the tragedy we
in its sheer gigantidsm. found, and reluctantly announced the
The was not
general type of mirage wiping out of the whole Lake party by
unlike some of the wilder forms ob- the frightful wind of the preceding
served and drawn by the arctic whaler day, or of the night before that. There
Scoresby in 1820, but at this time and were eleven known dead, young Gedney
place, with those dark, unknown moun- was missing.
tain peaks soaring stupendously ahead, People pardoned our hazy lack of
that anomalous elder-world discovery in details through realization of the shock
our minds, and the pall of probable dis- the sad event must have caused us, and
aster enveloping the greater part of our believed us when we explained that the
expedition, we all seemed to find in it mangling action of the wind had ren-
a taint of latent malignity and infinitely dered all eleven bodies unsuitable for
evil portent. transportation outside.
I was glad when the mirage began to Indeed, I flatter myself that even in
break up, though in the process the the midst of our distress, utter bewil-
various nightmare turrets and cones derment, and soul-clutching horror, we
assumed distorted, temporary forms of scarcely went beyond the truth in any
even vaster hideousness. As the whole specific instance. The tremendous
illusion dissolved to churning opal- significance lies in what we dared not
escence, we began to look earthward tell; what I would not tell now but for

again, and saw that our journey’s end
was not far off.
The unknown mountains ahead rose
up like a fearsome rampart of
dizzily
giants, their curious regularities
ing with startling clearness even with-
out a field glass. We
were over the
the need of warning others off from
nameless terrors.
IT IS A FACT that the wind had
show- wrought dreadful havoc. Whether all
could have lived through it, even with-
out the other thing,is gravely open to

lowest foothills now, and could see doubt. The storm, with its fury of
amidst the snow, ice, and bare patches madly driven ice particles, must have
of their main plateau a couple of dark- been beyond anything our expedition
ish spots which we took to be Lake’s had encountered before.
camp and boring. One aeroplane shelter — all, it seems,
The higher foothills shot up between had been left in a far too flimsy and in-
five and six miles away, forming a adequate state —was nearly pulverized ;

range almost distinct from the terrify- and the derrick at the distant boring
ing line ofmore than Himalayan peaks was entirely shaken to pieces.
beyond them. At length Ropes the — The exposed metal of the grounded
student who had relieved McTighe at planes and drilling machinery was
the controls —began to head downward bruised into a high polish, and two of
toward the left-hand dark spot whose the small tents were flattened despite
size marked it as the camp. As he did their snow banking. Wooden surfaces
so, McTighe sent out the last un- left out in the blast were pitted and
censored wireless message the world was denuded of paint, and all signs of
to receive from our expedition. tracks in the snow were completely
Every one, of course, has read the obliterated.
briefand unsatisfying bulletins of the It is also true that we found none
rest of our antarctic sojourn. of the archaean biological objects in a
30 ASTOUNDING STORIES
condition to take outside as a whole. accounts. We did not mention, I think,
We did gather some minerals from a their display of the same uneasiness
vast, tumbled pile, including several of when around the queer greenish
sniffing
the greenish soapstone fragments whose soapstones and certain other objects in
odd five-pointed rounding and faint the disordered region —objects including
patterns of grouped dots caused so scientific instruments, aeroplanes, and
many doubtful comparisons, and some machinery, both at the camp and at the
fossil bones, among which were the boring, whose parts had been loosened,
most typical of the curiously injured moved, or otherwise tampered with by
specimens. winds that must have harbored singular
None of the dogs survived, their hur- curiosity and investigativeness.
riedly built snow inclosure near the About the fourteen biological speci-
camp being almost wholly destroyed. mens we were pardonably indefinite.
The wind may have done that, though We said that the only ones we dis-
the greater breakage, on the side next covered were damaged, but that enough
the camp, which was not the windward was left of them to prove Lake's"
one. suggests an outward leap or break description wholly and impressively
of the frantic beasts themselves. accurate. It was hard work keeping
our personal emotions out of this matter
All three sledges were gone, and we
have tried to explain that the wind may
—and we did not mention numbers or
say exactly how we had found those
have blown them off into the unknown.
which we did find. We had by that time
The drill and ice-melting machinery at
agreed not to transmit anything sug-
the boring were too badly damaged to
gesting madness on the part of Lake’s
warrant salvage, so we used them to
men, and it surely looked like madness
choke up that subtly disturbing gateway
to find six imperfect monstrosities care-
to the past which Lake had blasted.
fully buried upright in nine-foot snow
We likewise left at the camp the two
graves under five-pointed mounds
most shaken up of the planes since our;
punched over with groups of dots in
surviving party had only four real
patterns exactly like those on the queer
pilots —
Sherman, Danforth, McTighe,
greenish soapstones dug up from Meso-
—
and Ropes in all, with Danforth in a
zoic or Tertiary times. The eight per-
poor nervous shape to navigate. We fect specimens mentioned by Lake
brought back all the books, scientific
seemed to have been completely blown
equipment, and other incidentals we away.
could though much was rather
find,
unaccountably blown away. Spare tents
and furs were either missing or badly
WE WERE CAREFUL, too, about
the public’s general peace of mind ;
out of condition.
hence Danforth and I said little about
It was approximately four p. m., after that frightful trip over the mountains
wide plane cruising had forced us to the next day. It was the fact that only
give Gedney up for lost, that we sent a radically lightened plane could pos-
our guarded message to the Arkharn for sibly cross a range of such height which
relaying; and I think we did well to mercifully limited that scouting tour to
keep it as calm and noncommittal as we the two of us.
succeeded in doing. On our return at onea. m., Danforth

The most we said about agitation con- was to hysterics, but kept an
close
cerned our dogs, whose frantic uneasi- admirably stiff upper lip. It took no

ness near the biological specimens was persuasion to make him promise not to
to be expected from poor Lake’s show our sketches and the other things
 —

AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS 31

we brought away in our pockets, not to used every ounce of my persuasion to

say anything more to the others than, stop them —
and I do not know what
what we had agreed to relay outside, Danforth would have done.
and to hide our camera films for pri- While we were gone, Pabodie, Sher-
vate development later on ;
so that part man, Ropes, McTighe, and Williamson
of my present story will be as new to had worked like beavers over Lake’s
Pabodie, McTighe, Ropes, Sherman, two best planes, fitting them again for
and the rest as it will be to that world use, despite the altogether unaccountable
in general. Indeed —Danforth is closer juggling of their operative mechanism.
mouthed than I : for he saw, or thinks We
decided to load all the planes the
he saw, one thing he will not tell even next morning and start back for our
me. old base as soon as possible. Even
As all know, our report included a though indirect, that was the safest way
tale of a hard ascent —a confirmation to work toward McMurdo Sound for ;

of Lake’s opinion that the great peaks a straight-line flight across the most
are of archaean slate and other very utterly unknown stretches of the aeon-
primal crumpled strata unchanged since dead continent would involve many
at least middle Comanchian time, a additional hazards.
conventional comment on the regularity Further exploration was hardly fea-
of the clinging cube and rampart for- sible in view of our tragic decimation
mations, a decision that the cave mouths and the ruin of our drilling machinery.
indicate dissolved calcareous veins, a The doubts and horrors around us
conjecture that certain slopes and passes which we did not reveal made us wish—
would permit of the scaling and cross- only to escape from this austral world
ing of the entire range by seasoned of desolation and brooding madness as
mountaineers, and a remark that the swiftly as we could.
mysterious other side holds a lofty and
immense superplateau as ancient and AS the public knows, our return to
unchanging as the mountains themselves the world was accomplished without
—twenty thousand feet in elevation, further disasters. All planes reached
with grotesque rock formations pro- the old base on the evening of the next
truding through a thin glacial layer and day —January 27th —after a swift non-
with low gradual foothills between the stop flight; and on the 28th we made
general plateau surface and the sheer McMurdo Sound two laps, the one
in
precipices of the highest peaks. pause being very brief, and occasioned
This body of data is in every respect by a faulty rudder, in the furious wind
true so far as it goes, and it completely over the ice shelf after we had cleared
satisfied the men camp. We laid
at the the great plateau.
our absence of sixteen hours a longer — In five days more, the Arkliam and
time than our announced flying, landing, Miskatonic, with all hands and equip-
reconnoitering, and rock-collecting pro- ment on board, were shaking clear of
gram called for — to a long mythical the thickening field ice and working up
spell of adverse wind conditions, and Ross Sea, with the mocking mountains
told truly of our landing on the farther of Victoria Land looming westward
foothills. against a troubled antarctic sky and
Fortunately our tale sounded realistic twisting the wind’s wails into a wide-
and prosaic enough not to tempt any of ranged musical piping which chilled my
the others into emulating our flight. soul to the quick.
Had any tried to do that, I would have Less than a fortnight later we left
 — ;

32 ASTOUNDING STORIES
the last hint of polar land behind us
and thanked heaven that we were cleat
of a haunted, accursed realm where life
and death, space and time, have made
black and blasphemous alliances in the
unknown epochs since matter
writhed and swam on the
scarce-cooled crust.
Since our return we have all
stantly worked to discourage antarctic
exploration, and have kept certain
doubts and guesses to ourselves with
splendid unity and faithfulness. Even
young Danforth, with his nervous
breakdown, has not flinched or babbled
to his doctors.
Indeed, as I have said, there is one
thing he thinks he alone saw which he
will not tell even me, though I think it
would help his psychological state if he
would consent to do so. It might ex-
plain and relieve much, though perhaps
the tiling was no more than the delusive
aftermath of an earlier shock. That
is the impression I gather after those
rare, irresponsible moments when he
cause by drawing inquiring notice. We
might have known from the first that
human curiosity is undying, and that
the results we announced would be
enough to spur others ahead on the
first same age-long pursuit of the unknown.
planet’s Lake’s reports of those biological
monstrosities had aroused naturalists
con- and palaeontologists to the highest pitch,
though we were sensible enough not to
show the detached parts we had taken
from the actual buried specimens, or our
photographs of those specimens as they
were found. We also refrained from
showing the more puzzling of the
scarred bones and greenish soapstones
while Danforth and I have closely-
guarded the pictures we took or drew
on the superplateau across the range,
and the crumpled things we smoothed,
studied in terror, and brought away in
our pockets.
But now that Starkweather-Moore
party is organizing, and with a
thoroughness far beyond anything our
outfit attempted —if not dissuaded, they

whispers disjointed things to me will get to the innermost nucleus of the

things which he repudiates vehemently antarctic and melt and bore till they
as soon as he gets a grip on himself bring up that which we know may end
again. the world. So I must break through
It will lie hard work deterring others all reticences at last —even about that
from the great white south, and some ultimate, nameless thing beyond the
of our efforts may directly harm our mountains of madness.

To be Continued.

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 3

Morris lay on the table

— thinking — thinking
—of just two things.

The Seeing Blindness

by J. Earle Wycoff
LEEP was impossible. And yet he Again and again he went over, in his

S felt weary, as though with the age

of centuries. His eyes were hot
coals in their sockets; the impotent lids
mind, the events leading up to what he
felt was the final catastrophe.

became grained and coarse as he blinked
them uselessly over his aching eyeballs.
AST—
—
They
were useless thoughts good only to
send whirling in a dazzling circle, that
thismisery of light might be filled with
 ” ! ;

34 ASTOUNDING STORIES
something, that there might be some in diagnosis, in operations, in setting
basis for time — for sanity fractures? Its possibilities are un-
limited !” The doctor’s blue eyes flashed
“I HAVE devoted my life,” saidDr. with youthful enthusiasm.
Merton to the young man seated oppo- Morris leaned forward, intensely.
”
site him, “to a study of eyes. Not “How soon
merely the human eye, for its vision “I am
ready whenever you are. To
is much more limited than that of many make sure that there is no misunder-

”
—
animals and birds and' in other cases standing, you will sign this paper, re-
more powerful leasing me from all responsibility in
“Yes. I know. Professor Hardin case of mishap; and I will give you this
told me what you had done, and what check for $5,000.”
you wanted.” The youth leaned for- The youth took the paper and scrib-
ward, and there was a spark of impa- bled his name hastily. “I’m willing to
tience in his dark eyes. take a chance. I need the money, and

Dr. Merton smiled. “You are impa- besides, to be able to see everything!”
tient, I see. Well, so am I, for that “I am sure you need not be afraid.
matter. The next few hours will tell Also, I am sure from my experiments
whether I am to be dubbed a fool, or on animals, that normal sight will return
praised as a genius.” within twenty-four hours, leaving no
“But I thought — bad effects. But, of course, rabbits
“No one is certain of anything, until can’t talk — that’s why I cannot be sure
it has been tried.” The doctor turned, how it —
works or that it does work.”
and going to a cupboard at one side of The doctor had assumed his lecture
his office, opened the door and took from voice again.
!”
the top shelf a small, square, green bot- “I’m ready. Let’s go
tle. Itwas almost filled with a shadowy “There’s just one thing more. You
liquid that glimmered strangely through must answer as promptly as you can,
the sides of the bottle as the light fell any questions I ask you while your eyes
upon it. are under the effect of the light drops
Merton turned to the other and ran and also tell me any other sensations you
his hand nervously through his bristly have. A great deal depends upon this
gray hair. “Here is the result of my experiment, and I want it to be as de-
life’s work, Morris. You know its pur- tailed and complete as possible.” The
pose ?” doctor was serious and grave.
Morris nodded his dark head quickly. “Yes, sir. Anything you say!” Mor-
“Yes. He said you called it ‘light drops’ ris was clearly impatient to get started.

— that it enabled one to see through “Very well. Just take off your coat
things. It’s like the X ray, I suppose.” and lie down on the examination table,
“Hardin should not have been so posi- here.”
tive! But never mind. It is like the Morris followed the doctor’s orders,
X ray, perhaps, but much more wonder- while Merton filled a dropper from the

ful, I hope. For after this solution has square, green bottle.
taken effect in your eyes, you will be
able to see through things, as you put it, RALPH MORRIS lay on the op-
but see them in their natural color erating table, thinking of just two things
Think of being able to watch the organs while the doctor bent over him, with
of the body function naturally, with no the solution ready. What couldn’t he
outside influences affecting them in any do with $5,000! He would be the first

way. Can’t you see what it would mean man to have X ray eyes!
 THE SEEING BLINDNESS 35

The drops smarted his eyes a little, see a whole lot of lights in front of me
and he blinked the lids. now, a long way off. They’re iust
“Just close your eyes for a while,” the points of light. And I can’t shut them
doctor told him. “You might leave out. Even my arm over my eyes
them closed until I tell you to open doesn’t shut them out!”
!”
them “There are lights in front of you,
He did as the doctor requested. now? You’re sure they’re not just
Presently it seemed as if there was a spots, from your looking at the sun?”
grayness growing before him a sort of — “But if I turn my head I see lights,
hazy, gray dusk. too — different ones. And then, when I
“It’s starting to work,” he told Mer- look back, these are always here, just
ton. “Everything’s sort of gray. It's the same!”
getting lighter, too.” The doctor was puzzled. “I can’t
”
“Good Keep your eyes closed for
! understand. I had always thought
just a moment more. Undoubtedly, and then he suddenly paled, and sweat
when you open them, the solution will broke out on his forehead in huge, cold
have taken Perhaps you
full effect. drops.
will be able to see into the next room!” “Tell You can see nothing? No
me!
Morris wondered what room was next matter which direction you turn?
in
to the laboratory. Some of his experi- Can you no shadows even?”
see
ences might prove most interesting! —
“There’s nothing nothing but lights
“It’s much lighter, "doctor. Shall I — —
and the sun and that awful white-
open my eyes, now?” ness that’s all around me. Just as
“Yes — I —
think so now!” though I were in the middle of a glar-
Morris raised his eyelids and looked ing white ocean!”
strangely about. Dr. Merton walked unsteadily toward
“Can —can —
you see me?” Dr. Mer- a chair and sat down, heavily. He spoke
ton’s voice was hoarse with excitement. more to himself, than to Morris. “All
“Why, no. I can’t.” Morris’s face for nothing! Dear Lord! All my life
held a puzzled expression. “And every- for nothing!” his voice rose in a frenzy.
thing is getting lighter. It’s almost Morris turned to the place from which
white. It’s hurting, my eyes!” He the doctor’s voice seemed to come.
turned perplexedly toward the doctor, “What do you mean? Isn’t it going to
who was standing in front of a west work?” He was bewildered. “Why do
window, through which the afternoon I see the sun, if it won't work?”
sunlight was streaming. “It’s working! That’s the trouble.
Suddenly he clapped his hands over Oh, what a fool I’ve been, all these
his eyes and screamed: “The sun My !
years, never to think of it!”
Lord ! The sun—and I can’t shut it
“What are you talking about? Can’t
out!”
you do anything? I can’t stand this
The doctor grasped Morris’ arm and
light much longer!”
whirled him away from the window.
Morris stood there, shuddering and star- “I don’t know. I don’t know.” There
ing blankly at the wall before him.
was an agony of doubt and disappoint-
“Everything’s white, doctor,” he ment in the doctor’s voice.
”
shouted after a pause. Shouted, as “Well, if

though afraid Merton, unseen, could not “The —the animals I used in my ex-
hear him. “It’s blinding. The sun, just periments, as said, seemed to regain
I
then, before you turned me away, was theirnormal sight in about twenty- four
like a knife stuck in my eyes. I can —
hours a day
”
 —

36 ASTOUNDING STORIES
“Don’t you have an —an antidote or not disappear, but moved below him,
something ?” glaring up from beneath his feet,
“No — there’s nothing. Nothing but through an invisible earth —blinding!
time.” It was ghastly, weird.
“Maybe you put some more of the
if He felt that his brain could not stand
stuff in my it would work like it’s
eyes, it,and he screamed and pounded the
supposed to.” Morris became openly wall.And, strangely enough, he was
cynical, thinking the experiment was a calmed by the feel of the heavy, solid
failure. surface.
“It’s working — it is working! Didn’t He passed, finally, into sort of a —not
you hear me, fool ?” The doctor’s voice .sleep, but some-
not a hypnotic trance —
rose again. “You can see through thing, somewhere between the two.
things! You can see through every- How long he sat this way, seeing noth-
thing! That’s why you can’t see any- ing, yet feeling as though he were, him-
thing !”
self, a part of the vast, white nothing-
“But I — I don’t understand.” ness that surrounded him, he knew not.
“Listen! You thought— I thought He sensed Dr. Merton pacing the
that you would be able to see, perhaps, room, muttering to himself. He knew
through the wall of this room into the — and yet he did not actually remember
room beyond, just as though no wall —the doctor standing in front of him,
separated them. Your sight would pulling up his eyelids, asking him ques-
penetrate the wall, therefore, it would tions to which he gave instantly forgot-
be invisible to you. What we didn’t
ten answers.
stop to think of, was this: If we can
It seemed an eternity. And it was
see through a wall, why should you not
broken only when he realized that the
be able to see through what was beyond
whiteness was not so glaring, that
that wall. If one thing was invisible,
!” gradually, so gradually he had been un-
everything would be invisible
aware of its changing, it had become a
“But the sun? And these lights?
” pale-gray.
Why
“You can see nothing that reflects
Even as he snapped back into full

light. That is the effect the solution

consciousness, the gray became more of
lias on your eyes. But you can see a twilight —a
dusk that cooled his eyes
points that radiate light. That’s why and calmed his nerves into a peace he
you see the sun. And the others are
had thought he could never feel again.
probably lights in factories and office And, presently, through the dusk that
!” shifted and changed before his eyes, he
buildings down in the city
could make out the form of Dr. Merton,
THE NEXT HOURS were the standing before his laboratory table,

longest of Morris’ twenty-two years. emptying into a small incinerator the

All around him was that white, endless, contents of a small, green, square bottle.
timeless void. Night was worse, for The liquid contents hissed up into a
the street lamps flared on, and it was purple-tinged steam as they dripped
impossible for him to turn away from onto the heated metal.
them. They were on all sides. There was a look in the doctor’s eyes,

And the sun, as the earth turned and as of a man who has sacrificed his only
darkness fell upon the laboratory, did child.
 Could it be that his body, as well
as his mind, was changing into
that of a

by Raymond
Buried Moon GALLUN
Z.

OD CRAM
T indefinite
knew
had come over him.
that a change
Once, an
time ago, he had
found his surroundings terrifying to a
that he had
environment.
become accustomed
The
more grotesque, and more
subtle than ever. He
adjustment
to his
was
disquietingly
wondered, with-
degree that human consciousness could out alarm, whether he had gone insane.
scarcely bear. Now he felt a curious The texture of the stuff on which he
kinship with them. It was not merely sprawled was silky and adhesive, like
38 ASTOUNDING STORIES
cobwebs. Something hairy and black his own stare watchfully, each cluster
and hideous scampered across his bare of them betraying
the presence of an
legs but he remained, for the most part,
; reasoning powers
entity that possessed
untroubled. Tom Cram could not rid comparable with those of a man, but
himself of the odd impression that he whose form and habits were utterly re-
was at home, and among friends. volting by human standards.
There was a dull ache in his head. That was the nucleus of Tod Cram’s
His whole body burned with a fevered unrest—he was among creatures whose
heat that somehow deadened the sting presence should arouse nothing but re-
of the countless minute wounds that vulsion and hatred in a human being;
dotted his naked flesh. He stirred, and still he was at peace with them. Nor
he knew by the cramped stiffness in his did he care what had happened, or what
bones that he had been asleep. For a might still happen to himself. It was a
reason which he could not quite fathom, strange situation, hinting at dark sci-

it seemed strange to him that sleep ences beyond his comprehension. His
should be possible here. mind had, for some reason, become un-
naturally sluggish, so that be could not
With a feeble movement he propped
his head on his doubled forearms, and
think clearly ;
yet he was still able to
perceive in this strange attitude toward
studied the place which had become his
the inhabitants of this place, a danger
domicile. It was just as it had been
that he might do things which, under
before. The cavern was crudely cir-
other circumstances, he would regret.
cular, and had evidently been excavated
In an effort to get a clearer view of
from the rusty, meteoric rock by arti-
things, Tod continued his visual investi-
ficial means.
The roof was very low only a yard— gations. None of the dominant species
was in view now, for nothing but the
above his head as he lay prone. It bore
glowing eyes of the watchers could be
countless tiny tool marks. A great seen. Only an occasional slave creature,
rough-hewn pillar, at the center of the
hairy, black, and many-legged, formed
chamber a dozen feet away, supported
like its masters, but possessing little
it. Heaps of a flaky mineral, doubtless
more than marvelous instinct to direct
containing small quantities of a radio-
it in its complicated duties, scurried
active substance, were arranged above
across the cavern. Tod Cram felt no
the floor. They shed a ghastly, blue-
interest in such momentary visitations.
gray phosphorescence, which was the
He
looked at the blurred shadows, and
only light in this buried grotto. Here
at the trickling dew on the rough stone
and there odd plants had found root.
about him. His attention came to rest
Tod Cram was conscious of that un- on the blunt-nosed mechanism lodged in
rest, though it was inconsistent with the the wall of the cavern with half its
puzzling calm that pervaded his aching length protruding. It was the vehicle,
brain and body. His eyes, rheumy and the which had brought him to this
drill,
bloodshot in his cadaverous face, di- place. Sight of it reminded his slug-
rected their questing gaze along the gish memory where he was.
walls. He saw scores of tunnel mouths, This was an underworld, buried be-
many times too small to be entered by a tween the bed of the South Pacific two
man. In the shadowed depths of each, miles above, and the eternal fires of
a cluster of eight reddish sparks glit- Earth, not such a great distance below.
tered like hidden rubies. Somewhere to the west, a mile, perhaps,
He knew that those gleaming specks reared the half -submerged mountain
of witch fire were other eyes, meeting whose summit was Sunset Island.
 —

BURIED MOON 39

WHAT WAS Sunset Island to him? why. It concerned an eerie mechanism

Tod Cram’s brows puckered with un- which stood inside a crystal cage set
natural effort. Oh, yes! It was the is- against the great stone pillar. Except
land to which he had come to conduct for its indefinable aura of un-Earthli-
certain researches. Close to its shores ness there was nothing very striking
was a great underwater crater the possi- about it. as he examined the
Still,

ble origin of which had aroused so many thing now, it aroused in him a vague

weird speculations among scientists. fear, stronger, but of the same quality
With him on the venture had been kindly as the fear provoked by a half-remem-
old Travers and Sandra. Sandra bered nightmare.
whose beauty was like a golden flame, “Nothing but a shaft, a flywheel, and
whom he had loved, and whom he had a lot of fancy gadgets !” he muttered in

learned to hate bewilderment.

Travers and he had assembled the drill His description of the device was
on Sunset Island. They had tested its quite accurate. Its metal framework,

great rotating fangs, looking for possible
flaws and weaknesses in the superhard-
ened steel. They had inspected the huge
chemical power plant, which would drive
those fangs. They had speculated upon
the dangers to be encountered in the ven-
which was perhaps ten inches high, sup-
ported a slender spindle, or shaft, in a
vertical position. Attached to the bot-
tom of the spindle, after the fashion
of a flywheel, was a heavy metal disk.
At the upper end of the shaft, a large,

ture, and they had hoped for the best. many-faceted crystal was mounted.
Metal points, supported by rods at-
Then he. Tod Cram, had entered the
tached to the framework of the machine,
pilot compartment of the drill. Lying
flanked one side of the crystal in a
prone in its narrow, reeking interior, he
concave arrangement, suggestive of the
had guided the fantastic vehicle down
reflecting mirror of a searchlight. Wires,
through the rocks of Sunset Island.
fine as hair, ran out of a large black-
Ejecting broken rubble in its wake,
sphere, which must have contained
the machine had bored its way deep into
some cryptic power supply, and con-
the Earth,and out under the ocean bed. nected with the rods that upheld the
All had gone well until it had struck a
points. Projecting from one side of the
lode of hard, meteoric alloy. The drill sphere was a pair of horizontal plates,
had continued to make progress there,
between which was a space of perhaps
but soon the drive shaft had become
three inches.
warped by the terrific strain. It had Inactive now, the machine looked
been evident that in a few minutes it quite harmless, but groping back
would refuse to turn. Then the drill
through the fog of a strangely clouded
had burst its way through the wall of
memory, Tod Cram could recall times
this cavern. Crippled as it now was,
when it had been in motion.
itcould never make the journey back to
He remembered his arrival here. He
the surface unless it was repaired. He
remembered seeing the swarming hordes
had been trying to fix it — he and his
of the inhabitants, through a vision port
friends.
Presently they had dragged
in the drill.
Tod Cram cursed, and shook his head something heavy into the cavern. A
violently, as if to jar his thoughts into a queer compulsion had caused him to
clearer semblance of coherence. The open his vehicle to admit them. They
inhabitants of this region, his friends? had rushed over him in a black wave.
The idea was persistent. Tod had Their sharp claws had begun to cut
only a blurred inkling of the reason his clothing from him. Their fangs
 !

40 ASTOUNDING STORIES
had jabbed into his flesh to taste his He looked down at his arms, scrutiniz-
blood. He had blundered wildly out of ing them minutely.They were scrawny,
the drill. He had fainted. cadaverous things now, though once
they had been massive and powerful.
WHEN consciousness had returned Tod Cram was aware that sickness and
to him, he had seen the machine in near starvation had emaciated them yet ;

operation. Impelled by some unknown another interpretation of their condi-

force, the flywheel and spindle had been tion came into his head. Could it be
rotating. The great crystal at the spin- that some weird alchemy was changing
dle’s top had been spinning before Tod’s his body as well as his mind into that
eyes. A rich, golden glow had burned of a He checked the thought.
in it —a glow which had somehow pene- knowing that it was mad, and without
trated into his brain, bringing him foundation in fact. Still, by some
illusions of peace and comfort. He bad bizarre mental twist, he found himself
felt an alien personality dominating his half believing it. He laughed harshly,
thoughts and emotions, even bis point hysterically, and without humor.
of view. There had been the beginning “I won’t let them make me do what
of the strange sense of kinship between they want me to do,” he muttered
himself and the inhabitants of this childishly. “Those devils can’t force
buried realm. And he had often been me. From now on I’m hanging onto
under the influence of that penetrating, myself !” But his words were thick and
compelling glow. blurred, and without real conviction.
It had caused dim visions, like echoes His will could not sustain the rebellion
of a forgotten lore, to swarm inside his for more than a few seconds.
mind. Yet he had not been quite able He listened to the distant trickle of
had been
to grasp those visions, for they water, ominously suggestive of ever-
too to perceive.
faint Even now, '
pending catastrophe. The ocean above
though he had experienced them many was seeping down through crevices in
times, they were still not quite within the rocks, to meet the molten interior
reach, though they had grown clearer. of the Earth below. Steam, under tre-
A great purpose lay back of them, he mendous pressure, was constantly being
knew —an aspiration toward freedom generated down there,making ever-
from this prison world of tunnels and present the dangers of earthquake, of
caverns beneath the sea. And he, Tod flood, and of suffocation by volcanic
Cram, had been helping in the fulfill- gas. Even now Tod Cram could feel
ment of While under
that aspiration. the faint vibration of distant Cyclopea.n
the spell of the golden rays from the forces. Yes, he would be glad when he
spinning crystal, he had drawn diagrams and his people had won their way to
on a silky fabric his friends had the surface.
brought, endeavoring to show them how Memories, fogged and distant, ob-
to make a new drive shaft for the drill. truded themselves into his thoughts.
He had not been doing this for selfish Books. Experiments. The tall elms
motives, but for them, his people. and old, gray buildings of a campus,
That odd notion that he was one of under bright sunshine. Some one who
them was still with him. All at once had said that he possessed inventive
he grasped its significance, and saw how ability. Old Travers who had helped
it had been brought about. Through him so much in his work. Old Travers
the medium of the machine of the who whistled through his teeth when he
whirling crystal, they had planted the spoke. Sandra. Sandra, the beautiful
idea in his mind for their own purposes —Mrs. Tod Cram
 BURIED MOON 41

He had brought her out of New deadened revulsion. Presently the tide
York to Sunset Island. And there their receded, and he saw the little stack of
love had turned bitter. His eternal food which his visitors had brought him
tinkering and his endless speculations. —globes of a sticky, grayish concoction,
Boredom. Sandra had hated it, and doubtless prepared especially for him
she had maddened him. He had beaten by some theorizing arachnid scientist.
her once, just the day before he had left. Under other circumstances Tod Cram
But his thoughts of her were dim and would have found it revolting, yet he
impersonal now. For some reason he downed it with apparent gusto, for
could not even picture her in his mind. there was nothing else.
Disinterested, he allowed his dazed While he was eating, a bright metal
faculties to roveon to other memories. object on the floor before him caught
He thought of the vast, submerged his eye.His friends had dragged it
crater close to Sunset Island, and of into the cavern from some hidden work-
the fascination of its riddle, which had shop of theirs. It was a new drive
inspired him to build the drill. A vague shaft for the drill, made according to
hunch had proved true beyond his wild- his diagrams 1 —a stout piece of meteoric
est fancies steel, two feet long. At one end was
a slender-flanged cone, intended to en-
TOD CRAM’S rambling ruminations gage' the complicated clutch of the
were brought to an abrupt end. There motor. Its tip was needle-sharp.
drill’s
was a shifting of eye clusters in the Tod Cram was pleased to note that the
tunnel mouths, where guardian entities job had been accomplished so well.
stepped aside to admit a scurrying flood
Within .the crystal cage beside the
of the inhabitants. In a rush and a
oillar that supported the roof of the
scramble they poured into the cavern,
cavern, the mechanism of psychic
making a seething sound as their hairy
powers had gone into operation. The
bodies rubbed together. They were
flywheel, and the spindle on which the
spiders/bigger than tarantulas, hideous
faceted crystal was mounted, had begun
beyond anything spawned on the upper
to turn. Swiftly the rotation became
crust of Earth; yet, in their grotesque
more rapid. The golden light, provoc-
forms, evolution, working through the
ative of visions, flared up in the spin-
ages, had implanted intellects equal to
ning crystal. An arachnid nearly twice
those of men, though perhaps of a
the size of its fellows, crouched between
somewhat different order.
the two parallel plates projecting from
The creatures swarmed over Tod
the side of the black globe which was
Cram, burying him completely. His
part of the machine, and stared fixedly
only protest was a ragged gasp. A few
individuals of the swarm nipped at his at Tod Cram.
flesh, butmost of the arachnids at- Once more that cloudy terror was
tempted no harm. He was a valued —
with him that feeling that he would
treasure to be taken care of for in him do something that he did not wish to
;

they saw the attainment of freedom, do. He to turn his eyes away
tried

and perhaps a Nirvana of other flesh from mechanism, but they

that weird

like his. Perhaps their impetuous rush refused to respond to his commands.
was prompted only by a desire to touch And after a moment he was somehow
him, that they might convince them- glad that he had been forced to yield.
selves that he was real. An alien science had conquered him.
The man received their demonstra- He still was curious, though, how
tion with only the faintest traces of a this inhuman miracle was brought
42 ASTOUNDING STORIES
about. Was it simple hypnosis, or a moon, circling its primary at vast speed.
combination of hypnosis with some- Tod Cram thought of that moon as
thing far more subtle and penetrating? an ancient homeland, and he knew that
Certainly the latter, since the former itwas the birthplace of the arachnidian
could have accomplished the
scarcely —
race their moon. It was a scintillant
results he had experienced. Was the globe, bright as a diamond, and perhaps
principal acting force perhaps a kind a shade less than a mile in diameter.
of eerie compulsion exercised through He seemed to approach it closer.
the agency of telepathic waves enor- The surface was of rough, amorphous
mously amplified by the whirling crystal crystal,devoid of either atmosphere or
and its auxiliary apparatus? Such life. The gravity of the minute satellite
must be the case. The monster was far too weak to retain an external
arachnid between the plates was think- blanket of gas.
ing thoughts and directing them into Tod Cram was puzzled for a mo-
Tod Cram’s mind. ment; then the secret of the moon’s
He capture those thoughts
could habitabilitywas revealed to him. The
more clearly now than ever before. It view shifted; he saw the interior be-
seemed as though a groove had been neath the glassy outer shell. Here were
worn in his consciousness by frequent great bubble cavities formed in the
repetition of this grotesque ceremony, translucent coating of the satellite, by
so that his mind was more receptive. expanding steam and gas, during a re-
mote time of creation. Here air and
First of he found himself feeling
all
water were imprisoned. Here sunlight
more and more that his purposes and
could penetrate, supporting growing
ambitions, even his identity, were one
with those of the creatures that crowded
plants. And here in these labyrinths
the arachnids had built their civilization
around him. It was as though he
through uncounted millenniums.
crouched now, in council, as one of
In a brief, chronological sequence he
them. His sympathy for his own kind
saw their culture, and their scientific
was completely smothered he even ;
triumphs, crude but fairly advanced.
began to think of the man, Tod Cram,
Then he sensed the inexorable
as an entity quite apart from himself.
promise of calamity. The tremendous
Conscious realization of his present
tidal drag of the Earth was tugging at
surroundings faded, until he seemed to
the little world, slowing it in its orbit.
lie no longer in the cavern, but in some Very soon it would tumble from space
indefinite place far back in departed
to embed itself in its mother sphere.
ages.
Cram saw preparations for a hurried
grew sharper and clearer and
Details ; exodus, to be made by a carefully
presently it was as though he were ex- selected group of colonists who would
periencing some vivid daydream, im- try to land on Earth, and attempt to
planted in his mind by some arachnid establish the race there. Tod saw crude
intellect. cannons whose muzzles were thrust up
through the shell of their moon. He
HE SAW the bright stars and the saw projectiles, loaded with passengers
black sky of airless space. A great and their supplies, being made ready for
gray-green sphere, mottled with clouds the short leap to the Terrestrial at-
and continents and oceans, hung in the mosphere. He envisioned flares of red
void. It was the planet Earth. Close flame in the darkness, as the charges
to it, so close that it almost touched the of gunpowder in the cannons exploded,
Terrestrial atmosphere, was a tiny sending the missiles on their way. Lit-
 — —

BURIED MOON 43

tie force was necessary to tear them waters of the Pacific, and had pene-
from the clutch of the satellite’s feeble trated deep into its bed.
gravity. He saw the shells flash out Then the telepathic impressions, com-
across space, and he saw the floss ing to Tod Cram, pictured the reawak-
parachutes unfurl from them as they ening —the heat, the thick gloom, com-
struck the Earthly atmosphere, lower-
ing them gently toward the ground — plete except for the fading
glowing fungi —the hundreds of
glimmer of
lifeless
had been a glorious effort. But
It bodies of those who had succumbed to
except for faint echo which Tod Cram the concussion.
knew about from his experience in the Next was the struggle to live here in
world of men, it had failed. There the depths. The gradual waning of food
was no arachnid civilization on the supplies. The futility of efforts to
surface of the Earth. There were only
escape, with the sea above. Starvation.
spiders, whose instinctive ingenuity in
The digging of tunnels and passages, ex-
constructing their webs and nests, be-
tending out of the remains of tire buried
trayed an intelligent shadow in their
moon, and into tire crust of the Earth.
ancient ancestry. There had been a The discovery of the radioactive mineral
slip in the great plan for colonizing
that gave light, and made the growth of
the Earth. No one would ever learn food plants possible here. A gradual
its nature.
reestablishment of the old order, con-
However, there had been another less
stantly menaced by natural dangers
popular, less conspicuous attempt to
earthquake, heat, volcanic gases, and
escape extinction. In the satellite’s core
of meteoric iron. Tod Cram envisioned
flood —and the eternal fight to ward
those dangers off. Periodic attempts to
arachnids hollowing out chambers and
tunnel to the surface and freedom,
passages, storing supplies, and prepar-
checkmated always by the seeping, dan-
ing silken cradles to deaden the awful
gerous waters of the ocean. Progress,
force of the shock that was to come.
scientific and intellectual. And, finally
This plan was not as hopeful of success
as the other attempt but it took less
— this.
;

time and effort, and many more refu-

Tod Cram’s controlled dream ended.
But of what vestiges of humanness his
gees could be accommodated.
mind had possessed, all seemed to have
As though he were one of those
been wiped out, except a few useful
grotesque adventurers of eons past, Tod
memories. Among them were clear im-
Cram saw the entrance to the retreat
pressions of the position of Sunset
being sealed. He saw the darkness of
Island, and of the structure of the drill.
the vaults and tunnels, relieved only by
The shell of the subterranean vehicle
the glow of phosphorescent fungi. And
could be sealed, so that its occupants
he knew that the final plunge of the
would not be in danger from either
doomed satellite was not far off.
water or poisonous vapors.

HE FELT a jerking motion as the And Tod remembered the taste of

planet wavered from its orbit and
little human blood, not realizing that the

began its long fall. He sensed the thought had originated, not in his own
rubbery thud of its collision with the brain, but in the mind of the arachnid
atmosphere, and the soughing vibration who controlled the mechanism of the
as it tore downward. The impressions spinning crystal, and who had doubtless
ended with an abruptness that must been among those who had tasted the
have represented the crash. The one- vital fluid in his veins.

time moon had ripped through the Awkwardly Cram lurched to his
 — —

44 ASTOUNDING STORIES
feet,impelled by impulses not quite his apparatus to the surface with them.
own. His palms rested on the silky They could build another, larger ap-
substance that covered the floor. The paratus
ceiling was too low for him to stand The first vague hint of human puz-
erect, and his movements were curi- zlement returned to Tod Cram at that
ously unlike those of a man. Rather, final thought. It made him remember
they resembled those of a great, clumsy that he himself was a victim of
spider, seeking to use limbs and organs arachnid science. The spell that had
which it did not possess. been cast over him was not quite com-
His blood-rimmed eyes stared search- plete enough to prevent him from
ingly about. The cavern was clearly remembering. Still, he went on with

visible to^him now —the drill protruding his work. Wrenches scraped and rat-
from the wall, the hordes of his con- tled as he prepared to insert the drive
freres, expectantly motionless, the weird shaft into place.
mind machine, its glowing crystal spin-
ning crazily, sending out the mysterious AND THEN, between two inter-
waves that exercised their eerie com- secting braces of metal beneath him, he
pulsion upon him. saw a rectangle of stiff white paper.
Tod Cram wavered toward the drive His fingers flicked it over. On the
shaft that the arachnids had made. He other side was a picture —
his wife,
picked it up and examined it carefully, Sandra, smiling calmly. He must have
taking special note of the flanged cone, dropped it from the pocket of the
tapered to a needle point, at one of its jacket that the arachnids had torn from
extremities. As far as he could tell him. It was an cld jacket which he

by visual inspection, the workmanship had not worn for months before the
was as good as any which a human adventure began, before there had been
machinist could have achieved. any serious trouble between Sandra
He moved toward the drill, and with and himself.
fumbling fingers opened the curved door The vivid details of that photograph
on its upper surface. Weakly lie swung did things to Tod Cram. Since the first

himself inside, and groped for tools. time that the mind machine had worked
The diameter of the torpedolike vehicle its insidious magic upon him, his wife

was little more than a yard, but with had been a fading dream which had
his head bent down he was completely grown increasingly dim until, up to a
hidden by its sides. Yet the compelling moment ago, it had been completely
waves from the mind machine continued blotted from his consciousness.
to exert their influence over him. un- Even before this latest demonstration
impeded by shielding metal. of arachnid psychoscience, he had been
Tod’s brain was full of plans. It unable to visualize her in his thoughts.
would be easy to get out of here with But now she was real before his eyes
the drill, now that a path had been so real that that calm and faintly mock-
broken through the surrounding lode ing smile of hers made him angry. He
of meteoric alloy by his previous pas- had learned to hate that smile. But
sage. He could take maybe a hundred back of his hatred, now, there was a
of his friends to the surface in one trip. paradoxical sweetness.
Perhaps the others could contrive to Impelled by the unexpected contact
construct some kind of permanent tun- with the dead past, which the picture
nel in his wake But the first afforded, old memories came back to
hundred colonists would be enough for Tod Cram —memories of which he had
a start. They could bring the mind lost even the shadow. And the friendly
 — —
BURIED MOON
warmth of them awoke in him a spark
of saving fear.
For a moment Tod Cram was
fleeting
once more a human being, for his mind
had fallen out of tune with the subtle
telepathic waves that impinged upon it.
The reprieve could not last long.
Even now he could feel the surge of
compelling power gripping his muscles,
his nerves, and the very essence of his
being, forcing them back toward obedi-
ence.
But during that passing flash of free-
dom, his mind worked with lightning
rapidity. Old human loyalties were
resurrected —Sandra whom he had
loved, old Travers who had taught him
so much. He thought of rambles along
sunlit hillsides, and of gay parties he
had attended, back in the States.
The States? The nations of men
might cease to be if the arachnids had
their way. No one could tell how far
they might go with the insidious knowl-
edge they possessed. First, Sunset Is-
land with its few, scattered inhabitants.
Then? In a few years they might rule
the Earth!
Somehow, some way, he must find a
means to defeat their purpose. There
was only one such means open to him,
and he took advantage of it without
hesitation. Turning the needle-pointed
cone of the drive shaft against his chest,
he threw himself forward with all his
might. There was a clank of metal, and
the sharp point bit through his flesh
and tore deep, into his lungs. The pain
was like an explosion of vivid fire.
Blood began to flow from the wound,
and a rattle came into his breathing.
Darkness was closing in around him
the darkness of death. Tod Cram knew
that he had accomplished his purpose.
Without him the inhabitants of this
underworld could hope for no immedi-
ate escape from their prison. The drill
was the product of a science alien to
them. They had not the strength to
45
work its huge
controls, or to crank its
chemical motor, the enigma of whose
function might have baffled even a
human scientist for months. Before
they could master all the intricacies of
the drill, would become rusted and
it
useless in the damp, corrosive air, its
secrets hidden from them.
Travers probably would build another
drill, and attempt to reach this place in
it; but Tod Cram could do nothing to
lessen the dangers the old man would
face on his arrival here. Perhaps
Travers would be lucky. Perhaps, re-
membering the disappearance of his
coworker, he would take careful pre-
cautions which might save him. And
even if the arachnids did capture him,
it was unlikely that the frail old fellow
would live long enough in this hellish
place to aid them much. Tod Cram
knew that he had done his best.
For a few seconds the waves from the
mind machine reasserted themselves.
Tod was furious at the insane impulse
that had caused him to do what he had
just done. Spidery bodies were running
over his flesh. They were daubing his
wound with a silky exudation from their
spinnerets, in the hope of stanching the
flow of blood. They were his friends,
his real friends. Why had he treated
them so?
The impression was fleeting. As the
vital fluid in him ebbed away, Cram’s
mind somehow became clearer, and his
view more sane.
Arachnid fangs were biting him
vengefully now, because of the trick he
had played. But within Tod Cram
there awoke a strange new tolerance. He
saw the spider folk as they really were
a fighting race, only trying to better their
position, and that of their offspring, as
men would do. He thought of the
eternal, natural conflict of one form of
life against another. Brutal, yet per-
haps there was justice in it. It didn’t
really matter, of course. Nothing mat-
tered Sandra
DEATH CLOUD

It was a battle to the death, while death more cruel —

but just as sure —seeped in all around them
 A tale of a world under glass and —
under a fear which had been inherited

by David R. Daniels

T HE SKY showed
green-yellow in color, and the
which zoomed through
little flier

it, low above the Earth, was hidden now

poisonous some
gleamed
sky.
transparent
like glass
substance, since
under the yellowish

As though the flier were making one

it

and then by sluggish wisps of cloud. supreme effort, its roar deepened a note.
The topography was dreary it was like ;
It dropped low, until to Gar Nel, in the

the wreck of a world in the process of pilot seat, the ground was a hazy blur.
rejuvenation. Then, when the great sweeping curve
Remains of long-dead tree trunks lay of the dome was only a little distance
here and there, apparently half petrified, ahead, the speed suddenly de-
flier’s

while straggling plants of strange hue creased as it climbed upward, to drop in

were forcing their way up through a curving sweep toward an air lock.
them. At a little distance was a thicker Had those inside recognized him, Gar
growth, though it, too, was of a strange Nel wondered? He hoped so, since the

—
color as though the poison of the sky quicker the air lock opened, the better
had entered plants and it would be for all of them.
into these
changed them from the brown and They had.
sparkling green which they should be. Even as the flier swooped, a great
But there was no sign that any mov- section of the transparent stuff slid a«ide

ing animal lived or had ever lived in
this waste, except for the flier.
It was a dull color, and streamlined
to the highest degree. The inclosed
cabin between its stubby, back-curving
wings was small, though comfortable
enough for the lone human being who
occupied it.
He sat tense and unmoving,
almost hawklike as he stared straight
ahead. Yet, while he flew as though all
the devils in hell were upon his heels, he
still had time to envy the straggling
plants beneath him. If his people could
endure the gas, he thought, then he
would never have been flying on this
mission.
For an hour he sat, his flier straining
ahead with a steady, blasting roar.
Then, finally, far ahead, appeared a
great dome. It was enormous one
could see that even from this distance.
It seemed to be made entirely from
to reveal acompartment into which the
ship could drop with room to spare.
Gar Nel landed, cursing the slowness
with which the section overhead slid
back into place, and the poisonous vapor
was pumped from the, lock. Finally,
however, it was all accomplished, and
the man leaped from the cabin.
Leaving the ship in the lock, he dis-
his face
appeared through a doorway leading
into the interior of the dome. He was
large, strong-thewed beneath the brief-
ness of his flying togs.*
INSIDE the sheltering dome all was
very different. The air was clean and
sweet, with the transparent roof’s sweep
so lofty that it seemed to take on a blue-
ness when one looked upward. Grass
and other, plants of familiar green were
planted so that they formed quaint de-
; signs between the occasional buildings,
when one looked down on them from the
height of an air-lock opening.
 a 3

48 ASTOUNDING STORIES
Animals dotted the spread dogs, cows ;
He stood for a minute, unspeaking.
and horses, and even sheep were recog- Finally he disengaged her hands, and,
nizable. There were people, too, though lifting her chin, stepped back so he
not many, it seemed. All those within could look into her face. “There, there,
range of Gar Nel’s vision were looking Loala,” he comforted softly. “It’s hard;
up at him. this makes it harder, but I have to go.
He waved. Some of his excitement Now smile for me, once.”
must have been manifest, since the peo- Obediently she managed a wan smile,
ple beneath him hurried toward the tears still glistening on her pale face.
landing of the flights of stairs down “You’ll come back?” she pleaded.
which he had started, almost at a run. “Come back even if the dome’s broken,

One young woman led them all — and

”

lithe-limbed girl with a form like a “Don't!” he said huskily. “I’ll come.
Greek goddess, and a face lovelier than And you wait with Rael stay with him ;

any goddess’ ever was. She reached the no matter what happens, so I’ll be able
platform just before Gar Nel did, and to find you.”
as she looked up at his strained face his
II.
anxiety was mirrored in her eyes.
“What is it?” she asked, though down A SCIENTIST of the latter-day
inside of her she knew. “Naraval?” world of the thirteenth century had first

He
nodded. “I was barely able to get noticed the cloud in space. Though it

away,” he said, speaking so fast that his gave no light of its own it was so dose
words tumbled over each other in their that the sun illumined it faintly.
efforts to escape. “A fleet left this “Hmm,” he told himself, “better
morning, headed in this direction. I check that. It’s right in our path, and

hadn’t got there yet, and turned back

I there’s something unwholesome-looking
ahead of them. War ! The only reason about it.”

I beat them was because my ship wasn’t He was right. Far huger than Earth's
so heavy. But there isn’t much time; orbit, it lay directly at a point where

they’ll be here before long. I’m going the moving Sun, with its retinue of
to get my guns. Tell the rest.” And planets, would sweep into it and as the ;

he turned back to ascend the stairs. man trained his instruments upon it he
The girl ran after him, stopped him. found an unaccountable fear tugging at
“And you,” her words showed deep the edge of his consciousness. Even
concern “what will the others say ?”
;
that fear, nevertheless, did not tell him
“I know,” he replied “but one flier
;
just what the danger was. He thought
now is better than three after we can that perhaps the cloud was a blanket of
see the enemy.” He searched her face. dark particles which, after entering the
“Is something else wrong?” Solar System, would dim the Sun’s light
She nodded, tears in her voice as she and cause a glacial age like those during
spoke. “Grandfather. He was up in- the early history of Earth.
specting the ray projectors near the — By means of his instruments he
ground, coming down, he slipped and 1
learned that the cloud was composed
fell.” almost wholly of elements of the halogen
“Fell Is he badly hurt ?”
! —
group flourine, chlorine, bromide, and
“Yes; still unconscious. He may iodine — with chlorine by far predomi-
never wake up again. Oh, Gar Nel, nating. And this element, in its freer
with you leaving there’s no one now state, is very inimical to life as we
” And she threw herself, sobbing, know it.

into his arms. War history for the past thousand

AST—
 : ;

DEATH CLOUD 49

years had been made more horrible be- scientists and their families, realized
cause of the use to which man had put that the time for action was very short.
chlorine gas. When breathed by ani- Migration was out of the question.
mals it attacks the respiratory tract, pro- In spite of its ingenuity, the race had

ducing symptoms similar to pneumonia. never succeeded in leaving the worlds of

For a time the scientist —Karvel, his the Sun, and there was no planet in the
name was —hesitated to tell the world of Solar System which would be any better
his discovery. Then others saw the off than Earth. Also, a century or two
cloud, and the news could not be kept previous to this, a few covered cities had
a secret any longer. Besides, if the been built on the twilight region of
race intended to make any effort to save Mercury, and while most people had
itself, the more time it had for prepara- never cared to live in such places, it was
tion the better. known that cities of the sort were not
Speculation ran rife. Some claimed impossible on Earth. It was only a
that the cloud was too thin to do any question of time.
one harm though — they should have
KARVEL’S GROUP set to work
known better from the way it shut off

the light of the stars behind it. Others immediately and with all haste. Great
said that the Sun’s heat would disperse engines roared till the ground trembled
it and that what little of the gases did mighty frameworks began to rear iheir
find their way into the atmosphere of heads. Shell-like, transparent hemi-
the different worlds would in no sense spheres half a mile high were set up, and,
be a menace. in the open spaces they inclosed, trees
,

and shrubs were planted, smaller build-

But a third group, led by Karvel, was
ings erected, and the wherewithal for
more pessimistic. “It’s Armageddon,”
everything needed to sustain plant and
he claimed and as time passed it began
;
animal life was. brought together.
to look as though he were right.
Queerly, the matter of pure air was
But the gas cloud did not seem at all
one of the simplest on the list. After a
likely to .disperse, and those who
little computation the engineers in
watched it found that it was quite dense.
charge found that the structures would
Since it was so dense, and since, before
be large enough to maintain their own
the Sun’s attraction had affected it
atmospheres. In other words, since
greatly, it seemed to be spinning slowly
the domes would contain both animals
in upon itself, some scientists thought
that.it was in the midst of a reaction
—
and plants the former using oxygen
to maintain metabolism and exhaling
which, left unhindered, would finally
carbon dioxide, the latter using carbon
have transformed it into a star. As far
as general appearances went it resem-
dioxide and exhaling oxygen the air —
would take care of itself as does the
bled some planetary nebula very much
free air of Earth- All that was needed
indeed.
would be a series of great fans to keep
Most people wished
that it had been breezes circulating freely through the
left and said so; but Karvel
to itself, domes.
made the most salient remark of all Another question was that of power
“Instead of watching the chloro-cloud,” — power not to build the domes, but to
——
he said for thus it was called from the keep them habitable after they were
beginning “we had better be getting built. There must be facilities for
down to business so that we can still be lighting and heating, and for number-
watching it ten years from now.” less other things —
even for the gener-
And the sect he led, for the most part ating of the larger rays of light without
AST-4
 — ;

50 ASTOUNDING STORIES
which life is impossible. Usually these civilized; even as individuals we are able
rays are supplied by the Sun, but it was to view any calamity with calmness.”
known that after the holocaust they By the time the first traces of the halo-
would never find their way in sufficient gens began to tint the upper atmosphere,
quantities through the thicker atmos- half the population of the world, it is
phere and through the roofs of the estimated, had met violent death per- —
domes. haps an even larger percentage. After
In most cases power was supplied by that they went in myriad numbers.
building the domes near some rushing Some fell back on religion, but it
stream, thus also making sure of a wa- was a philosophy of death, not life, and
ter supply. However, this was done dreary in the extreme. Many, for them-
with misgivings, since it was feared that selves, chose a quick end rather than the
the chloro-cloud might blanket the Sun’s agony of waiting.
heat until Earth became a world of ice Since those who follow a creed usu-
and snow, too; and then the streams ally think that other people should be-
would cease to run. But, the builders lieve as they do, it was claimed wrong
reflected, if this were the case they were for the race to try to save itself. In-
doomed to failure they might be in any
;
numerable prophets arose, preached
event. All in all it was a heart-breaking various ecstasies, but, almost without
task. exception, they claimed it the last duty
In other ways, besides the physical, of those who survived to destroy the
difficulties encountered: no matter how covered cities where a remnant of the
ceaselessly they labored, they could race sought to live on.
never hope to build enough cities to And so the final hours of the uncov-
house all the inhabitants of the world ered world were spent in a remorseless
to do so was impossible. To think of attempt to destroy those who had moved
saving themselves and a few of their into the hollow hemispheres. It was a
friends and relatives, while the other carnage inconceivable to one who has
five thousand parts of the population not been faced by a universal doom like
had no outlook ahead of them except to that coming with the chloro-cloud.
choke and strangle and die as chlorine The builders of the cities had ex-
gradually seeped into the atmosphere pected something of the sort, and were
well, that was the worst. prepared. All the mighty engines of de-
Even the most scientifically cold- struction of that advanced age were to
blooded of them all, those who claimed be used against them, so they retaliated
that individual lives were nothing, ex- in kind. But they did not escape un-
cept as a means for furthering the race scathed. Two dozen of the domes had
— even those felt that hard work was been built on various continents in the
all that kept them from breaking under more tropical parts of the world only ;

the strain. half of these withstood the first on-

Those who had no share in the domes slaught. Those in the remaining cities
went wild toward the end. All they fought with a fury born of a hope for
could do was to wait while the nebula life, while those against them fought
came closer, while deadly gas began only to see that every one died. Natu-
to cloud the outer portions of the Solar rally, while the odds were with the at-
System. tackers. they hardly threw themselves
Violence, murder, and suicide became into the fray as did those of the cities
everyday occurrences in spite of the It is likely that the only thing which
fact that a few years before that man- finally saved six cities was the fact that
kind had acclaimed himself, “thoroughly at the last the halogens diffused into the
 DEATH CLOUD 51

atmosphere with unexpected swiftness, of. The sight of them bunched here
so that the air became unbreathable a and there as our people went to and
full forty-eight hours sooner than had from the mine workings threw certain
been previously predicted. individuals into a state of extreme pessi-
mism, and was, I believe, the cause of
the two cases of suicide which took
III.
place during the following month. For
THE dying throes of the human race that reason I confined my people to the
were horrible in the extreme; few of dome for some time after that, knowing
those who witnessed and survived cared what effect the more gradual dying of
to speak of that time. Karvel, who lived all plant life would probably have.
for a long time afterward, wrote a his- “Most of us, nevertheless, did not
tory of the cataclysm in his later years. care to die merely because the country
But even with a score of winters to tem- around us was becoming barren. If that
per the awfulness of his memory, he were the way of our race we would
brushed over the more unpleasant de- never have attained what status of prog-
tails. ress we have managed to scramble to
He wrote in part: “The bodies lay in during the ages.”
great heaps around Onyal —my city. It was a dreary outlook ahead. While
Some had been torn by shells ;
others there are some individuals capable of
had died by the gas which came upon living out their lives all within a few

them while they slept, and morning miles of their birthplace, few of these
found them still. All were not dead, would continue contentedly were they
since a few had slept in fliers with in- to discover there was no place else they
closed cabins which supplied their own could live. That was the case here and ;

air,and these had taken their craft a few
thousand feet above the surface of the
ground when they found the others were
dying.
“Itmust have been blood-chilling for
them to awaken in the night to find their
fellows clawing at their throats and beg-
ging to be admitted. However, they
could give no aid, since this would have
doomed them, too.
“Since our numbers had been depleted
during the battle of the previous day,
we admitted such fliers as were left.
Also, there were a few space ships which
had gone outside the atmosphere before
the doom fell. It had been their purpose
to seek another planet which might be
in the bustling period of the thirtieth
century no one had been accustomed to
looking upon a trip to the Moon or
Venus as more than an easy journey.
So it irked them to be confined to
the transparent domes. Of course, they
could visit other such cities; they had
ships powerful enough to carry them
to other planets, but there was no appre-
ciable difference between one place and
another. Mars was blanketed by the
chloro-cloudso was Venus; even
;
the
Moon, which made Earth by far the
most favorable world for the others
•hadalways been unsuited to human life.
THERE WAS little about the chloro-

more habitable, but the dangers of space cloud which came to pass as it had been
travel had been increased a thousand- foretold, probably because every one,
fold. Only one such ship was able to even Karvel, was inclined to be too opti-
return safely to Earth. I understand mistic. It had been thought that the
”
that Rathol admitted it Sun would attract the most of the gas,
And of a few weeks later: “Natu- the planets coming in for small portions,
rally the bodies around Onyal were too especially such worlds as Earth, lying
numerous for us to attempt to dispose between the greater masses of Jupiter
52 ASTOUNDING STORIES
and A few years while the hungry
Sol. came a little quarrel over a mine work-
seas and ground drank up the gas and ing, and a going over of old guns.
turned it into less volatile compounds, Two cities vanished in little more than
it was claimed —
a few years more for the flicker of an eye, while a few
good measure, and finally men might motherless fliers darted hither and
venture again from protection. thither. Karnak finally took them in;
But thatwas not the case. There was but they carried their quarrel with them.
so much gas that a decade after the For a few days all was tranquillity, and
cataclysm the air was as
of Earth then Karnak went down in civil war.
chlorine- permeated as ever; and then After that there was peace l>etween the
people began to give up hope. It was two remaining cities for a long time.
just as well, for there had been no Onyal and Naraval knew that strife
change after fifty years, after a hundred. did not pay. And since they were sepa-
Those who ventured unprotected outside rated by some two thousand miles of
the domes went down gasping and tear- —
rough country close enough to be
ing at their throats, and, unless they bridged with ease by swift fliers, far
were aided quickly, died. enough to preclude most petty disagree-
But, in the meantime, what became of
—
ment they lived in amity.
the half dozen cities which housed
Once each generation there was no—
that remained of the once prolific races
all
set date —
they came together to ex-
change young men and women that there
of Earth? In all, their population num-
might not be too much imbreeding.
bered perhaps sixty thousand men,
Occasionally they communicated be-
women, and children, and a similar num-
ber of various tamed lower animals.
tween these times, but only to a small
extent. Those who made too frequent
Theoretically there was enough to
visits were regarded with suspicion on
keep every one busy, and to make them
both sides. They had learned the dan-
forget their lot. They visited between
gers of being too much together, but
the domes, or worked the distant mines.
they knew it to be as dangerous to stay
At intervalsthey went over and
altogether apart.
strengthened the domes, since what
flourine there was in the outer atmos-
GAR NEL wanted to change that, for
phere combined with the silicon used in
he had new ideas. Gar Nel was bom
the construction of the hollow hemi-
in Onyal some seven hundred years
spheres and gradually weakened the
after the coming of the chloro-cloud.
structures.
Perhaps it was a little longer than that,
In theory there was plenty to do, but perhaps not so long; time was hardly
not in practice. As generations passed, considered worth the measuring any
apathy gradually overtook the people, so more. He lived in the days of the de-
that they hardly cared what went on. cline of man, for life had become a
One dome was left unrepaired so long monotonous ritual to be observed be-
that finally it cracked and fell in, and be- cause there was nothing else to do.
neath it those who were not crushed to Routine had almost destroyed. initiative.
death had only a little time to wish that Gar Nel was different from the other
they had been more diligent. young men of his age. From the day
Two more went to war. Living to he first opened his eyes on Onyal, he
themselves, as the inhabitants of each wondered at his surroundings.
dome did now, a fierce patriotism was “Why,” he asked, when he was very
springing up, and the practice of visit- young, “do we live inside this dome
ing between cities was dying out. Then when there is so much ground outside?
 —

DEATH CLOUD 53

Plants grow out there.” And they did. scientist. He studied the workings of
Nature, the immutable, had been sus- nature as his father had before him, and
ceptible to change, for after all plants in him Gar Nel found a confident.
had died from the noxious gas she cul- Though Rael was by far the older ; in
tured types capable of living in the gas. fact hehad a granddaughter very nearly
Now there were strange-hued trees and the young man’s age, there was much
shrubs growing in favorable places, and in common between the two. And the
they were spreading because they had no maid, Loala, only interested Gar Nel
natural enemies. And some folks said the more. She was a girl to make the
they had seen a few insects, though most —
pulses leap lovely, alluring, and with
were not certain that anything moving a mind as keen as that of Rael.
could stand the gas. It was to them Gar Nel told his secret
Now the young man knew why his wish ;
now that he knew men could not
kind stuck to the protection of the live outside the domes, during his life-
domes, but still it bothered him. Yet time, at least. But to him it was a
of all the odd two thousand who now calamity that they existed as they did
inhabited —
Onyal their numbers had Onyal to itself, with the dome of Na-
—
shrunk to that he could find but two raval as provincial, and the inhabitants
others who seemed to care. of both growing fewer each generation.
It was not as though chlorine stran- “I would like to reawaken the old,
gled one by its inactivity, as pure carbon old interest in life,” he said. “It’s the
dioxide, or nitrogen would. Its deadli- heritage of mankind, and all that keeps

ness lay in its activity, for it attacked us alive now. a dying interest,
But it’s

cell structure. for there’s nothing but sameness.”

“Very possibly,” the white-bearded If he could obtain the cooperation of
Rael told him, “somewhere in the uni- Naraval, he thought, if he could start
verse there are planets which have al- a visiting between the two cities, then
ways had atmospheres of chlorine, as his end might finally be attained. New
Earth’s was once principally of nitrogen friendships would arise, new interests.
and oxygen. Upon such a planet types Perhaps, in time, these might lead to
of plant and animal life might evolve the rebuilding of some of the destroyed
very similar to that of Earth, except domes and a new working of the mine
that they would breathe chlorine, or sites; for he had far-reaching ideas.
compounds of it. All this he told a little hesitantly, for
“As an element chlorine is active the others did not seem to see as he did.
enough, in most cases, to take the place To his surprise Rael was in favor of the
of oxygen. The trouble on our planet plan.
is that it is too active for us. Because “You do your work,” he said, “and
animals have evolved to breathe oxygen I’ll do mine.” Yet that was all he
they die in chlorine; if the chloro-cloud would vouchsafe.
had blanketed our world back in dim,
IV.
prehistoric days, and stayed, men might
possibly have still evolved, except that AS GAR NEL let himself into the
then they would look upon chlorine as air lockhe was thinking back on all this,
one of the needed constituents of the and while he struggled with the mount-
atmosphere. Very likely one which they ing of a heavy gun his mind was busy
could not get along without.” elsewhere. For he had tried and failed.
Rael told him many such things, for He had forgotten the inertia of the
Rael of the white beard was the 'last minds of his people. Theirs was an
£4 ASTOUNDING STORIES

apathy built up with the dust of dead

generations, and an endless living to
themselves beneath the curving trans-
parency which kept them alive.
They could still keep the fliers run-
ning, and the domes repaired, but little
more. And since Naraval and Onyal
distrusted each other they cherished the That was good, Gar Nel told himself,
old weapons their ancestorshad in- now that the worst had happened. For
vented, though only the more simple of the Naravalians had looked upon all
such machines. They had guns which manifestations of friendship as an at-
fired exploding pellets, and bombs which tempt to undermine them, and had
would blow holes in the domes, were grown more hostile with each visit. A
they dropped correctly upon them. But few times they had accepted him, and
the more potent weapons had been too then their anger was aroused. At Rael’s
intricate, and were forgotten. request he had not ventured near the
 ! !

DEATH CLOUD 55

other city for more than a month. And Gar Nel lost his temper. “Haven’t you
then, this last time, it was only to see any sense at all ?” he asked, his voice ris-
a the air locks and wing heav-
fleet leave ing. “I’ve told you we’re being at-
ily toward Onyal, which could only tacked, and you just stand there. You’re
mean one thing war — the best pilot, Morvan, and there’s only
“But I’m not to blame,” Gar Nel told a little time. Do something, or open
!”
himself fiercely, as with quick fingers he the air lock so I can
completed the mounting of his gun. “That’s it,” said Morvan. “You’ve
And then he fell to denouncing himself, already done too much.”
for, like all dreamers, he was sometimes
Gar Nel’s eyes narrowed. “Because
not plausible. And there were Loala I was trying to wake you up, bring you
and her hurt grandfather helpless be- out of this sleep you’re all in, you blame
neath him. me ” He broke off, anger surging
Yet those of Onyal, his own city, did —
strong now anger at them for their
not trust him. They had clustered apathy, for the blame which he felt was
around' Loala, and now she was gone. unjust, most of all because with menace
But still a knot of them stood far be- to their dome on the way they stopped
neath him. He could see them gesti- to argue.
culating in heated discussion as one or
But Morvan only nodded his head.
another of them pointed in his direction.
“We know you’re to blame,” he said.
Five finally detached themselves from
“Even if this wasn’t what you planned
the others and hurried up the stairs to-
at the start, if you had left well enough
ward him, while the others set off for
alone Naraval wouldn’t Be attacking
the dome guns and the other various air
now. We’re going to keep you under
locks. Fools ! Why hadn’t they opened
observation how do we know what else
;
the one in which his was? One
flier
you might do?”
flier to slow the enemy now would be
better than a dozen after the attacking
And then, to one of the others : “Take
him, Ogo don’t hurt him unless he tries
force had reached the dome ;

He long wait, for shortly to escape, but don’t let him get away,”
had' not a
the five had reached the inner door, Gar Nel saw the gleam of a gun in
were opening it, coming through. He the grasp of him whom Morvan had ap-
recognized them all. pointed. He recognized the huge frame.
This was stark foolishness! Hadn’t It was best to go with the man, he rea-
they understood Loala? soned, rather than waste any more pre-
One of them motioned for him to cious time.
come out of the ship. “What’s the trou- “We’ll have your trial when the bat-
ble, Morvan?” he asked when he had tle’s over,” he heard Morvan say, as he
obeyed. Then he saw that the others went through the inner door. “If we
were closing around him, forming a find you guilty, as I think we will, we’ll
guard. put you outside the dome.” But he
“You brought the news that Naraval made no reply.
is attacking?” Morvan questioned,
scowling. HE WALKED slowly down the
“Yes; I saw them this morning. It’s stairs, Ogo following behind.Ogo was
a big fleet; every flier they have, I taller than Gar Nel, even, and much
imagine. The only reason I beat them heavier. A stolid,unimaginative sort,
here was because they were weighted from whom he could expect no sym-
down with weapons.” pathy.
After a glance at the five sullen faces, But did he deserve sympathy, he was
 ! ;

56 ASTOUNDING STORIES
wondering, for his mind was already
beginning to swing the other way.
After all, wasn’t Morvan right? If he
had left Naraval alone, would its fliers
be attacking now? Wasn’t he just as
guilty as- though he had consciously
turned traitor to Onyal, to his race?
No, he told himself, clenching his
fists. It would be better if both cities
were blown to ruins in one last flare,
than to go the way they had been drift-
ing — better that every man, woman, and
child perished in the chloro-cloud than
that they sank down slowly in a more
lingering, but just as sure, end. As
had been headed, the race was doomed.
He lifted his head'. If only he could do
something
“Walk more slowly,” came the rum-
ble of Ogo’s voice. “I’m supposed
stay close to you.”
They were descending the last flight
of stairs when the fliers took off. Gar
Nel could hear their roar faintly, as
from a distance. And almost at the
.same instant, from farther away, an-
other drone impressed itself on his con-
sciousness —the fleet from Naraval.
If the others had not wasted so much
time they could have met the fleet far-
ther out. While probably no single
pilotfrom Naraval cared to destroy the
dome of Onyal, knowing, if he did so,
that some flier on the other side would
break through and do the same to his
own dome, men did not always act ac-
cording to their better judgment during
the heat of battle.
And while there were guns set up
here and there along the inside of the
roof to be manned by the women, these
guns were not at all capable of protect-
ing the rounded expanse from a swift
would in all likelihood mean mutual de-
struction.
And what would happen Loala? to
The thought came suddenly, and he
looked around to see if she were visible
anywhere. Perhaps she was climbing
up a winding way toward a dome gun
then he remembered that she had prom-
ised to stay with Rael, who was hurt.
She was safe then, until the worst hap-
pened, and they bombed the dome.
Gar Nel made his way to a place
where there was nothing to impede
vision except the transparent expanse of
it thedome above, and here he sat down.
Ogo seemed not to mind, for he said
nothing. But Gar Nel saw he was
watching him covertly, his gun ready.
“Ogo,” he asked, “aren’t you inter-
to ested in who wins?”
“Of course; but I was told to watch
you and see that you did no harm.”
“Ogo,” he said placatingly, “you know
that I don’t want anything to happen to
Onyal, my own city. Even if Morvan
wants me inside, he would not care if
we two manned a rOof gun. None of
the women are good shots, and they
might hit our own fliers. Let the two
of us find a high gun, where we can see
the battle, and we may be able to help
our men. Any one who can hold a gun
as steadily as you do should be a good
shot.”
A smile appeared on the blank coun-
tenance, and for a moment Gar Nel
thought that the praise would have its
effect. Then a shrewd look came into
the little eyes. “How do I know you
wouldn’t shoot our fliers?” the other
asked. “No, Gar Nel, I don’t trust
you. you say anything more to turn
If
me from my duty I’ll shoot you in the

flier carrying exploding bombs. It had leg so you can’t climb the stairs.”
been different in the old days of ray Gar Nel said nothing more.
warfare, when their fathers had fought
to carryon the race but now the domes,
;
WHILE the dome was exceedingly
by themselves, were almost defenseless. transparent, considering its thickness,
That was the main reason why Onyal the more clouded air on the outer side
and Naraval had not cared to war; it hindered observation. The two men
 ! !

DEATH CLOUD 57

on the ground could see the fleets meet, control. Not so the other. Lacking
a mile away, like black flies. They imagination Ogo had not pictured dan-
looked small and insignificant, but each ger to the dome, and thus to himself,
of them, the captive reflected, was capa- until it was directly at hand.
ble of destroying the domes of Naraval His heavy chin quivered there were ;

and Onyal, and thus dooming the human tears in his eyes.His hand holding the
race. He
looked around. gun butt was tightening and' the weapon
For the first time he realized dis- was in danger of firing.
tinctly just what it would be to have “Do something! Do something!” he
the great roof crack and shatter, to have shrieked, his voice rising eerily.
pieces of it fall, letting the poison vapor But the other had already weighed
drift in from the outside. And Loala all chances. “There’s nothing,” he said
was here quietly, “that we can do.”
“Lord!” he muttered. The even tenor of his words had their
Ogo looked at him queerly. effect, but no't in. the desired fashion.
Now Gar Nel imagined that he could They brought Ogo back to his senses,
hear the quick staccato of firing, that but only to realize that the man before
he could see tiny darts of flame leap out him, at his mercy, was he whom the
from the fliers. It was like looking at others blamed. Cruelty replaced the ,

a dim, awful play. From here he could terror in his eyes.

not even tell which were which. And, “I’m going to shoot you, Gar Nel,”
if he could, what difference would it he said, “and leave you here till the gas
make; what help could he give, if help comes.” He raised the gun. Moved by
were needed? He buried his face in his an impulse of revenge, he was steady
hands. again.
What seemed a long time after that Gar Nel was facing him, rising to his
the excited rumble of Ogo’s voice caused feet from hands and knees. Suddenly
him to raise his head. Apparently the his vision focused on something behind
man had forgotten his prisoner, for his the other, above him. “Look, Ogo,
gun had dropped to his side, while his look,” he gasped, pointing.
head was craned backward with jaw It was not all ruse. Gar Nel had
adrop. “Look,” he was saying. “They’re seen the flier which detached itself from
coming closer.” those fighting to one side, which came
They were. Half a dozen ships were sweeping toward the dome. It seemed
fighting almost above the dome, while like a wounded bird, now rising, now
the others waged
battle farther away. falling, as though its pilot could only
As he looked, one of those closest to partially control it.

them seemed to halt in mid-air. Then it “A Naravalian,” he guessed. "Hurt;

was coming in spirals toward them. going to get us before he goes out.”
“It’s going to strike,” shrieked Ogo, As if in averment to his guess a shape
his face ashen. “What if it’s carrying dropped from the bottom of the flier and
bombs ?” came hurtling down toward the roof.
Luckily, however, an air current ris- It was followed closely by another like
ing from the rounded surface caught it, it. Bombs
bearing it to one side. It crashed far Ogo looked up as the first of the mis-
away, out of sight of the two watchers. siles struck, shrieked again. The gun
It had been thinking of this time he held was pointed at Gar Nel, and his
which had unstrung Gar Nel; now that fingers, tightening spasmodically, pulled
it was at hand his nerves were in perfect the trigger.
 !

58 ASTOUNDING STORIES
The missed
bullet barely its intended Now his opponent lay on the ground,
victim, passing beneath his left arm as paralyzed for an instant, and summon-
he threw himself forward. He grasped ing what speed he could, Ogo ran for-
the thick wrist of the other, as the sec- ward.
ond of the bombs struck. Great cracks As in a dream, Gar Nel saw the huge
spread as it exploded; it seemed that form coming for him. All was pande-
the whole dome quivered. Transparent monium. A dozen creatures ran by,
pieces of the roof began to fall, while bleating hideously. He dimly recog-
wisps of the yellowish atmosphere crept nized them as sheep.
sluggishly through the openings. Ogo was almost him now,
above
But the two fighting below and to one drawing back one great foot to kick the
side were oblivious to all but each other. life from him. With a supreme effort.
Gar Nel darted forth one hand, seized
the gun, fired. The cruel expression of
V. the face above him relaxed, was sup-
IT WAS
a battle to the death, while planted by one of sudden pain. Slowly,
death more cruel but just as sure seeped Ogo crumpled and went down. Far
in around them. Even while he fought, away a great piece of dome fell, crush-
Gar Nel realized the futility of it; but ing a knot of buildings with a bab-
little

he had promised Loala to come to her ble of sound.

at the end, and the other was striving
to kill him. As he came to his feet, Gar Nel’s eyes
His dive had knocked the gun from took in the surroundings. There was
Ogo’s hand, and it had fallen out of little more of the dome to fall, he saw,

reach. Then the thick arms of the for only a small portion of the great
larger man went around him, pinning expanse had been damaged, and all the
his own left arm helpless at his side. great girders seemed solid. However,
Jokingly, the battlers fell, Gar Nel the wrecked section was too large to re-
writhing over so that he landed on top. pair, at leastbefore chlorine had made
But the apelike grasp of his opponent the interior uninhabitable. Already it
threatened to stop his breath, and he seemed that the poison was showing in
fought with the fury of a wild cat to the air, though he could not yet feel it
break free. biting at his nose and throat as he

Doubling his right fist, he sent it in breathed.

short, biting drives against the other’s The fight must have lasted longer
face and body. Ogo gasped, doubling than he had supposed, for the fliers were
his short neck in an attempt to draw his gone. When the dome had been rup-
face out of range of the blows which tured, he supposed, certain of the Onya-
already had brought blood, for they lian pilots, grief-stricken, had broken
threatened to knock him senseless. away and set out for Naraval, to repay
Finally able to bear the punishment no in kind. That meant that both domes
longer, he relaxed his arms. were doomed
Gar Nel scrambled out of reach, Gar Nel felt neither glad nor sorry;
plunging for the fallen gun which he he was conscious only of being tired,
saw a little distance away. Then some- and that above all he wanted to find
thing struck him hard beneath his short Loala. He must ! The building where
ribs, and he doubled up, breathless. In she and Rael dwelt was undamaged, he
rising, Ogo had grasped a rock, or piece saw, with sudden gladness. He made
of metal, which he had thrown. his way toward it.
 ; : ;

DEATH CLOUD 59

LOALA was by her grand-

inside, blazed anew ;
his voice was steady and
father’s bed. Her eyes opened in sud- strong.
den alarm when she saw him, for he was “Rays,” he said, leaving out all but
disheveled and bloody. the most necessary of words, knowing
“I’m not hurt,” he told her quickly that at best he could speak but little

“but the dome’s broken, and the gas
is coming in. Your grandfather how
is he?”
He felt resigned and calm, but it sur-
prised him vastly when Loala smiled.
“He’s conscious,” she said. “He wants
to speak to you.”
longer. “Been working on them for a
— long time now, as my father did. Long
rays, various frequencies, between X
and cosmic. Studied them in old books.
Have strange affect on cell structure
when properly handled. Perfected
treatment or thought I had. Tested on
;

But it was the right attitude, he re- mice made them able to stand gas
;

flected. They could all only die now found the changes transmitted them-
and if it would make the old man feel selves hereditably.”
better to speak to them, why, let him. Gar Nel understood now. He nodded
The tinge of the gas would be felt in hishead to show it, to save the old man
the atmosphere before long now. one last moment of effort. But Rael
He was almost gay as he bent down wanted to finish in his own way
over the scientist’s drawn, white face. “Changed ultra-violet generators in
The other could not last much longer, roof no one knew. Was intending to
;

he saw, as their eyes met. surprise. Fell this morning when com-
Weakly, Rael motioned for him to ing down from inspection. Uncon-
lean close, and he kneeled on one side scious, didn’t know about Naraval.
of the bed, Loala opposite him. Every one Onyal been soaking in rays
in
“I can’t talk much,” Rael said. “Old long enough. I had you stay here a

idea; told you —

something of it long month straight to complete your treat-
— ago. Halogens, chlorine not dan- — ment. Gas won’t hurt any of you now.
”
gerous to cells, except attacks them. “My gift
Witness plants that — have adopted — Weakly, he spread his hands, his smile
themselves to atmosphere— poisonous to benign—as should be that of one who
— us. Cell structure —
changed grown — has given back the Earth to his children.
tougher.” Gar Nel and Loala bore him gently
The old man’s breath quickened, his backward until be was once more lying
speech died away. Gar Nel wondered at ease. Then for a long time they
at his making this effort only to speak looked across at each other over his
of an old theory ;
then he looked across now still body, wonder, solemnity, and

at Loala, something near to panic in his dawning happiness visible behind the
eyes. Above them the gas had been tears in their eyes.
creeping down through the breaks in the “God bless him,” said Gar Nel finally.
roof, diffusing with the air inside. They And a little later he rose and went out
should be beginning to cough in the first to see who else had survived the falling
unpleasantness which would lead finally wreckage. It was harder to see, now
to agony and death. And yet that the air was yellowish. But the sheep
Gathering sudden energy Rael raised were grazing contentedly at a little dis-
himself, shaking loose his granddaugh- tance. Suddenly he realized that every-
ter’s detaining hands. His dim eyes thing seemed very beautiful.
Out of the vortex rose
great transparent things
which danced along the
water

The Shapes
What the night revealed when the
visitors from a far planet were released

by R. DeWitt Miller

W
was the
HEN the lake was the color
of polished bronze, Conway
knew it would happen. That
moment they always came, the
instant before twilight when the slanting
Just over the top of the low
the southern end of the lake he could
see the star, a hazy point of light strug-
gling for visibility.
ceeded, it
If they ever suc-
should be to-night when the
hills at

sun turned the water into a caldron of star was so close ;

the night seemed
livid, flaming metal. hushed, expectantly waiting
 THE SHAPES 61

He pointed through the open window Something’s coming out of this lake
of the cabin. that’ll make you look like witch doctors.”
“Watch the center of the lake,” he “I still think we could see just as well
said to the man beside him. with the window closed,” Professor
Professor Albert Blevins, gaunt and Blevins murmured.
austere, came and stood at Conway’s “See, yes, but not hear. I want you
shoulder. His deep-set eyes glinted in to hear. I want you to hear them cry-

the glow.
metallic The flaming light ing, pleading, begging to be taken home
gave his sallow features a synthetic ap- — to the lands beyond the Moon, or the
pearance of health, and reddened his valleys of Mars, or wherever they came
thin, ascetic lips. from. Or, if Pm right, to that planet,
“Conway, must we stand by this win- the planet which you people claim is
dow with the wind blowing across the scorched and dead.”
lake? Can’t you see your mysterious Conway’s arm swung and pointed to
shapes from somewhere else, or perhaps the star whose tiny amber gleam showed
wait until after dinner?” just above the southern hills.
Conway jerked about. His voice was “It was the wailing that first brought
rasping, edged with hysteria. me to this lake,” he went on more calmly.
“Blevins, you’ve laughed at me for “You know the Indians call this the
fifteen years. You hounded me out of Lake of the Crying Shadows. I knew
my place at the observatory.” they were some place on the Earth. For
“Don’t be melodramatic. You know five hundred years there have been
I had nothing to do with it. The board things going on that couldn’t have any
makes the appointments.” other interpretation.
“The board acted because you’d al- “There were the devil’s footprints in
ready made me the laughingstock of the snow for thirty miles across
every professor at the university. You England. Surely you’ve heard of them.
ridiculed my books, and called me a And the systems’ cup marks in Great
throw-back to the days of superstition. Britain, America, Circassia, Algeria,
They had to fire me.” Palestine —
all the same —
the same code
“That’s ridiculous.” Blevins shrugged, drilled into the rocks by some force out-
his bony fingers tapping on the window side the Earth. They’re messages that
sill. “Why should I do that?” went wrong, code flung at the Earth in
“Because you’re afraid. You’re afraid the hope of reaching the lost ones.
that if my data ever came to light, you’d “I’ve told you about the legends that
be out looking for a job. You’re like center around this lake. There’s the
all the rest of the astronomers. You rock that’s painted with Indian char-
squelch a radical. You hide facts. You acters. But the thing they’re trying to
know that if the truth ever gets out, represent isn’t of this world. It’s a
you’re through — all of you. monstrous oblong thing with rods pro-
“For a hundred years now you’ve been truding on all sides. The archaeologists
saying that the stars were separated claim it was meant to be a large war
from the Earth by many billions of canoe. They would. They’ll always
miles. But they aren’t. Somebody mis- be trying to make explanations, until
calculated at the beginning, and the they start looking somewhere else be-
whole damn bunch of you have been sides on this planet.
swearing to it ever since, so you won’t “Then there’s the story that the In-
look like fools to have swallowed it. dians tell about a fiery monster which
“I brought you here to prove that lives down in the lake. They know he’s
your whole system is a drunken dream. there because they saw him come, a
62 ASTOUNDING STORIES
thousand moons ago. Even you astrono- down in that lake ! Oh, Lord, I hope
mers admit there might be something in they make it.”

that one —
meteor landing in the lake. Still the sound screamed out over the
But there are more things that come out somber pines, over the water, on over
”
of the sky than meteors, there’s the southern hills, into the depths of the
approaching night, where the evening
CONWAY’S VOICE stopped as if star glowed brighter.
unseen fingers had choked it off. The Abruptly, the rhythm was broken. It
wind outside had died. The flaming sky changed to one long, indescribably plain-
brooded over the bronze lake. In an- tive note that slowly ebbed into silence.
other moment sudden darkness would Professor Blevins turned from the
clap down. The stillness was complete, window, but Conway pulled him back.
the last bit of sound had been sucked “It isn’t over yet. In a minute they’ll
out of the world. come out of the lake to see if they’ve
Then there came a little wisp of gotten through.”
vibration, high, shrill, plaintive. It hesi- As he spoke, the surface of the lake
tated, stopped, began again, trilling just was broken by expanding ripples that
at the edge of audibility. moved outward from the center and
was difficult to place the sound.
It splashed in tiny waves on the shore.
It seemed to come from the center of Out of the vortex something began
the lake, but the water was motionless. to rise. Great soap bubbles danced
There was a queer muffled touch that along the water, huge transparent things
suggested some origin deep in the dead through which showed the pines across
volcanic crater which the lake filled. the lake. The last of flaming sunset
Gradually, as the seconds passed, the touched them and made them into
sound grew in strength. A rhythm was beautiful things of golden iridescence.
now clearly distinguishable :
pulsing, They were shapes out of the pit, not
changing in pitch, fading away to noth- of human consciousness, opposed to the
ing, then shrilling forth in a regulated race experience of all dwellers on the
series of dots and dashes. The likeness Earth. There was nothing in human
to a code was unmistakable a — strange, language to express the beauty, the light-
complicated code, built up not only of ness, the glorious freedom of those
spacing, but of modulation and pitch as dancing shapes that moved, undulated,
well. swayed —
balls of gleaming mist, bit of
Louder and louder, the sound vibrated conscious moonlight, pure thought made
over the water. A new note was creep- visible.
ing into it, a human note, oddly like a “And you really think I’ll be im-
woman’s voice in wordless agony. It pressed by some simple optical illusiun
was as if the intense longing behind the that any decent meteorologist could ex-
strange cadence had broken through all plain,” Blevins said harshly.'
barriers of code and language and struck “No,” Conway said quietly, “no,
straight to the brains of the men in the Blevins. Those shapes aren’t of tint
cabin. It was life essence talking to life world. They’re adapted to a different
essence. type of existence. They belong in a
Over and over it sobbed, its wail seem- world of pressure, terrible pressure
ing to vibrate the cabin. which forced them to become pliable,
“I’ve never heard it so loud,” Conway nebulous, unsubstantial, so that pressure
muttered. “They know. They know wouldn’t crush them. They’s why they
it’s the best chance they’re going to have stay down there in the lake, so the
for half a century — half a century more pressure of all those tons of water will
 THE SHAPES 63

keep them from exploding. They don’t started down the steep path that led to
dare come out for more than an instant.” the water. A tall, silent figure followed

Suddenly, the darkness closed in. The him.

lastglow was gone in an instant, leaving But, before Conway could descend to
only the feeble gleams of the Moon and the lake, the Earth shuddered ;
the same
the stars, rapidly being blotted out by a unbearable light brought the pines and
rising mass of cloud. The wind had re- the hills into brilliant relief, and some-
vived. It murmured among the pines, thing shot from the seething water and
and whipped the lake into a mass of into the night sky.
white caps. It was gone instantaneously, leaving
In the darkness of the cabin Professor only the suggestion of a monstrous
Blevins moved furtively toward the man thing, propelled by some power unknown
by the window who muttered to him- on Earth, that had passed like a night-
self “Oh, Lord, I hope they come.”
: mare shape. That darkness was total.
The moon and the stars were lost in the
ABOVE the shriek of the wind rose swiftly moving clouds. The wind tore
another, greater sound, a mighty crash- at the men on the edge of the cliff.
ing crescendo. The interior of the cabin “They’re gone,” Conway screamed,
was illumined by a ghastly crimson glare. and the wind jerked the words from his
Professor Blevins shrank against the lips. “I won't have to listen to them
wall, but Conway did not turn. He cry any more. I won’t have to hear
stared at the lake, tossing in the stark them pleading. I won’t have to think
”
radiance. of them down there in the lake
It struck in the center of the water, He staggered. The shove was utterly
a terrific bolt of fire that rocked the unexpected. He had not even known
Earth and churned the lake into a fury that Blevins was there. He had no
of crashing water, leaving the two men chance to turn, or regain his balance.
half blinded in the trembling cabin. His body toppled over the edge of the
“They’ve come for them,” Conway rock wall, and hurtled down to the up-
shouted over the wind. “Thank Heaven, flung pinnacles of rock against which
they’ve come after the lost astral expe- the lake battered. The churning water
dition. They’ll take them home to their played a moment with the limp form,
own lands, their own world. Five hun- then sucked it out into the lake.
dred years they’ve waited down there in Professor Albert Blevins stood mo-
that lake, hoping that some day they tionless on the top of the cliff, his lean
could leave this unfamiliar Earth where frame braced against the wind. He
they were stranded when their power muttered to himself in a queer, childish
gave out, or their space ship broke way “Science has explained everything.
:

down.” It has rebuilt the world. Nothing must

”
He stumbled across the room, and shake it, nothing
 Mathematica
A novel of the science SIT DOWN to write these words
in a world that has changed un-
of origins I recognizably—indeed in a new
world altogether; in a universe that is
by alien and strange and bears no relation
whatever to the universe I once knew.
John Russell In the retrospect, I see now quite
clearly thatit was the fragment from

Fearn Vulcan that started the whole amazing

AST-4
 —

Machinery! And what machinery! Machines

which had no Earthly similarity!

business and precipitated me —my name rington’s. He, by far my superior in

is —
Vernon Walsh Dr. Farrington, and knowledge, was directly connected with
a denizen of another universe into the metallurgy, electricity, magnetism, and
most remarkable experience ever meted kindred subjects hence, it was into his
out to thinking creatures — ;

hands that the metal from Vulcan first

To commence my story properly I
must return to a scorching day in July,
1980. At that time I was an analyst
in the New York Institute of Scientific
Research, and a firm friend of Dr. Far-
AST-5
came.
Space travel was first accomplished
in 1975, and two years later Captain
Dawson of the spaceways, at extreme
risk to himself and crew, located the
 — ;

66 ASTOUNDING STORIES
formerly purely theoretical planet of “Well — —
er it may sound queer, but
Vulcan. His ship, composed of the when we were on Vulcan, everything
!”
strongest fire-resisting alloys known to we thought about happened
the science of that time, was neverthe- Farrington’s expression changed. So,
less badly blistered by the approach to I imagine^did mine.
the asteroid called Vulcan, owing to its “Happened!” he echoed blankly.
alarming nearness to the Sun. “What do you mean by that?”
However, despite the danger and the
overpowering drag of the orb of day, he
—
“Well, you know just the ordinary
run of our thoughts. For instance,
was successful in landing on the strange while we were getting the stuff I hap-
little world, to find it nothing more or pened to think, quite subconsciously, of
less than a circular mass of riveted my wife and kids at home. Believe it
metal. This alone was enough to sug- or not they materialized in the flesh
gest that the asteroid itself might be the right before me, then changed just as
—
work of intelligent beings but so inim- rapidly into something beyond my un-
ical to life were the conditions, that the derstanding, which finally evaporated
party stayed only long enough to re- altogether. Believe me, it scared me
move a portion of the surface with mag- stiff! All my boys will testify to sim-
netizers —the merest fragment compared ilar experiences. Just as though the
to the whole mass—and returned to thought became actual and then trans-
Earth with the prize. formed itself like something alive into
It was on that July in 1980 that Daw- —
something well, quite beyond my lim-
son brought the metal to my friend for ited understanding. That’s why I want
examination, and as fortune or was it— to know what the metal’s composed of.”
—
misfortune? had it, I was also present “I don’t wonder!” Farrington mut-
at the time. tered, and began to stroke his chin.
“The stuff doesn’t classify into any- Had Dawson made such statements
thing I know of,” Dawson remarked, twenty years earlier he would have been
box
lifting the lid of the stout bakelite deemed insane; in 1980, however, men
in which the foot-square of metal was were more prone to listen to extraordi-
contained. “It’s some very heavy ele- —
nary narratives and analyze them. Be-
ment of some kind or other nothing — sides, Dawson was a man of renown
on Earth like it, I believe. Have a steady, iron-nerved, and certainly not
look.” given to fantastic conceptions.
Dr. Farrington surveyed the metal “Have you tried this thought-material-
thoughtfully, then he smiled. izing stunt with this chunk?” the doc-
“Well, I’ll try and analyze it, any- tor asked presently, and Dawson vehe-
how,” he promised. “Congratulations, mently shook his bullet head.
Dawson. You’ve made up the collection “No! It scares me, I tell you. I
now. We’ve fragments from all the put it in that bakelite box to insulate it
planets except mysterious Vulcan. Now against electric waves. I’ve read some-
that’s cleaned up we’re O. K. Next where that brain vibrations, or thoughts,
time you can bring something back from are like electricity. I thought the insu-
the Milky Way, if you like.” lation might help.”
Dawson ignored the banter; his face “Probably right. I’m going to
Still,

was grimly serious. experiment.”

“Offhand, what would you say the Farrington reached forward into the
metal is?” he persisted. “I want to box, then withdrew his hands sharply,
know.” gazing at blistered fingers.
“Why so anxious?” —
“Hm-m-m energy of sorts. No heat
 a

MATHEMATICA 67

just a sort of vibratory action — fric- FOR nearly a year, Dr. Farrington
tion. This gets interesting.” — assisted rather inadequately by me at
He turned about and moved among intervals —
struggled to analyze the mys-
the masses of his professional appa- tic metal of Vulcan, yet he found out
ratus, finally pulling forth a small, in- very little concerning it. It baffled his
sulated crane. With expert fingers he powers of trained reasoning; it per-
guided the machine so that it finally formed feats that were at variance with
Vulcanian metal from its bake-
lifted the all normal science. The creation of ma-
lite bed and laid it down on a sheet teriality out of thought was something
of two-inch-thick rubber a little dis- that, not unnaturally, had him guess-
tance away. ing. And the inevitable transforma-
“Have a care!” Dawson warned him tions of these literal brain children into
timorously. “Don’t think up any tigers visible mathematical and geometrical
”
or anything of that sort conceptions that afterward dissolved
He broke off, and I simultaneously was absolutely beyond all understand-
letout a yell. Distinctly for a moment ing.
I beheld a vision of a tiger itself amidst So, at the end of twelve months, he
the laboratory fittings. Then, even as was littlenearer. The metal was a sci-
I blankly stared, it altered its shape, entific enigma, and as such was finally
transformed, became a peculiarly ob- relegated in its bakelite case to the sec-
long mass of rotating stripes and was — tion perfunctorily labeled “unclassi-
gone. I swallowed hard. fied.”
“Astounding!” Farrington breathed, Then there came into this strange web
quickly moving back to the metal. “That of mystery the most remarkable visitor
thought of yours took instant effect. Earth had ever known. The occurrence
That transformation business puzzles happened almost a year to the day of
me just a bit.” the coming of the metal into Farring-
He ceased to speak and gingerly ton’s hands. He was seated in the labo-
guided the metal back into its box. ratory, actually discussing the metal
“Thought reflection,” he went on, with me, when the visitor arrived.
looking down at the stuff in its case. We became aware of his coming
first

“Most extraordinary. Like a mirror by the gradual mergence out of thin

reflecting the image of oneself. But air of a hazy enigma of machinery —
how the devil does it do it ? Manifestly mass of coils, bands, wires and struts of
the stuff is electrical in some unheard- gleaming metal that caught the sunlight
of manner, and is composed of some streaming through the glass roof. Si-
element having only a very vague par- lent, utterly transfixed, thedoctor and
allel in uranium. I wonder Can I watched merge slowly
this apparition
it be, perhaps, a race of beings in a into our view, watched the laboratory
universe, or on a world unknown? equipment become misty and vague as
Strange beings of far higher intellect the ghostly machine took on solidity and
than ours?” He stopped and smiled finally became perfectly material.
ruefully. “Guess I’m getting flavored Before us there stood the most pecul-
with the fantastic stories of the day. iar contrivance we’d ever seen. It was
Next thing I know I’ll be thinking up oblong in shape, not unlike a box of
some weird creature with a bulging highly polished ebony, with the strange
cranium and calling him an idiotic name devices and machinery affixed to its ex-
like Pelathon, or something of that na- terior. It stood perhaps seven feet
ture.” high, and remarkably enough possessed
He slammed down the lid of the box. easily recognizable windows.
 —

68 ASTOUNDING STORIES
“What the devil ” Farrington er — fellow speaks English. That’s im-
stopped, helplessly starting forward. possible.”
Then he watched as a section of the ma- “I speak the language of the people
chine’s wall fell away and there emerged who populate my world,” the visitor re-
intoour presence the most fantastic per- plied steadily. “It was our language
sonage imaginable. in the beginning, and was still our lan-
In contour he bore a faint resemblance guage when I set out on my astound-
to an Earthling. He could not have ing journey to try and prove that our
been more than four feet tall, possess- world, all our universe, only came into
ing a pinched and scrawny body clothed being through the mathematical multi-
in tight-fitting scarlet fabric. Then, plication of an original thought.”

above this ridiculous body came a thin “Pelathon,” Farrington murmured

neck and colossal head, enormously again, ruminatively. “I’ll swear I’ve
domed and veined, with a puckered lit- heard it before somewhere I think
tle and beady, all-embracing eyes
face you said something about somebody on
beneath its overhanging bone structure. Earth being responsible for your uni-
I remember I vaguely wondered how
verse?” he asked, looking up. “How
he —or —managed
it to keep upright at can that be? Your universe, by your
own telling, died tens of thousand of
all beneath such an egregious super-
structure. years ago. Millions, I think you said.”

For a while he stood surveying us

“When dealing with time one must,
of necessity, incorporate distance, size
in silence; I could feel the physical
and Pelathon replied calmly.
relativity,”
shock from his eyes. The strength of
his mentality was remarkable. Then he
“To me — my
instruments the time
to —
spoke, in a voice that was curiously
is certainly that duration
of but to —
you, in a different space-time con-
mellow considering his undersized lung
tinuum, it may have been but yester-
and vocal capacity. What convinced ”
day, but yesteryear
me that I was dreaming was that he
spoke in English!
“A year!” Farrington interrupted
suddenly, snapping his fingers. “Pela-
“My name is Pelathon,” he volun-
thon Unknown universe !”
!

teered, revealing teeth like those of a

I saw his face blanch as he pursued
rabbit. “As I understand it, somebody some inner thought. Then, quite sud-
here on this world, in this universe,
denly, he gripped my arm, almost hys-
created me and my fellows, and my terically.“Vernon, this fellow comes
universe, roughly ten thousand millions
from the very universe I thought of
of your years ago. I have left that
more than a year ago! You remember,
universe, my own world, forever. I
when Dawson first brought the metal
have journeyed through space and time
to us, I concluded our brief investiga-
— to here. There can be no mistake.
tions with a theory about the stuff per-
My machines cannot be wrong.” haps being the work of some highly
intelligent mind. I pursued a fantastic
“PELATHON,” Farrington mut- theory, conceived in my mind’s eye a
tered, recovering from his first shock. creature identical with this one, with
“I seem to have heard that name be- the same name! My thoughts must
fore somewhere Oh, but all this have reproduced themselves by that in-
is absurd!” he went on, laughing fernal Vulcanian metal. I hadn’t closed
huskily. “We’re seeing things, Ver- the lid of the bakelite box, if you re-
”
non; I’m sure of it. That damned member
metal from Vulcan, probably. This “I remember!” I muttered, hardly
 ” —a —

MATHEMATICA 69

knowing what to say. “To this man it “But the entire thing’s so amazing
was aeons ago — —us to a year. Do you unreasonable!” Farrington breathed.
begin to realize — “Why so?” Pelathon asked calmly.
“Throughout the ages on our world —
“Well, your coming your subtract-
we have believed the entire construc- ing machine, as you call it your ob- —
and those of other
tion of our universe, vious intelligence. It will be necessary
universes, to be mental and mathe- to inform our world; we shall be
matical,” Pelathon commented. “We plunged into an ocean of cross-ques-
knew there must be an ultimate source tioning.”
for our race. In our early times we Pelathon shook his massive dome
were exactly akin to you in appearance, slowly. “I do not desire that, my friend.
but with the passage of ages our brains I have found you, the creator of myself
increased, naturally, until they formed —
and universe to you alone I shall talk.
us into the hypertrophied walking in- With you alone, and your companion
tellects ofwhich I am an example. I here, shall I experiment. Do you not
alone, practically the last of my race, realize what lies before us? Do you
had had handed down to me, through not realize that so far, despite my amaz-
my ancestors, the belief that all life is ing journey, I have but scraped the very
but thought manifestation combined surface of knowledge? We must drive
with figures. I built a machine you — on to the cause of everything to the —
see it here —attuned to work on the beginning
!”

principle of mathematical subtraction.

ii.
By that means I was bound to sub-
tract myself down to the cause of our SO CAME Pelathon into our for-
life. I did so. I crossed space, follow- merly organized lives. By a consider-
ing an arithmetical line, the ship chang- able amount of surreptitiousness, the
ing itself automatically as I did so. I doctor and I managed to smuggle him
came from the infinitely big into the from the laboratory by night and gave
microscopically small But my him residence at my home, where, to
search is not yet ended.” my single manservant, matters were ex-
“No?” Farrington breathed weakly. plained satisfactorily and an oath of
You came into being as well!
“No. secrecy placed upon him.
How? What is the reason for all this Here, the night after his arrival,
procreation and materialization of. Pelathon explained his extraordinary
mathematics and thought? You created conception, following a day in which
our universe therefore, somebody must
;
he had apparently spent the time making
have created yours! We have much to curious and complicated calculations on
discuss and discover, my friends. I an immense sheet of paper.
have crossed time and space, and am at “The more I dwell upon the problem,
your service, as intent as you are on the more convinced I become that every-
solving the reason for life being present thing is purely one original sum in
at all. Clearly, you created my peoples mathematics,” he said slowly, looking
and myself; our identical language is at the doctor and me with his little eyes.
proof enough of that. We caught the “I thought you said thought,” Far-
mathematics of your thoughts — rington remarked.
strange, as yet unexplainable transfig- —
“Truly- but mathematics and thought
—
uration took place and there came ma- are the same thing fundamentally.
teriality! I even got the name you Surely your own scientists believe in the
thought of! Yes, we must discuss possibility of everything being an orig-
and plan.” inal mathematical thought?”
 —

70 ASTOUNDING STORIES
"They theorize on it, but are not at thoughtfully. “All the manifestations
all sure of its truth.” of thought are inexplicable. can We
“The theory is now substantiated,” think of things impossible in practicabil-
Pelathon said with assurance. “The ity ;
we can
accomplish feats which ma-
world of Vulcan, apparently, was de- terial matter cannot. The more I think
liberately placed in this solar system by on it the more do I become convinced
somebody or something to build up the that all of it can be traced to a mathe-
thoughts of somebody equally obscure, matical fundamental. Indeed, the fact
at the moment. The metal you obtained that I came here by pure subtraction of
from Vulcan was undoubtedly highly figures, convinces me. In my universe,
energized in some way or another and as I have said, your universe is but an
reflects your thoughts just as easily atom. So, it appears the answer lies in
when away from the influence which the infinite small.”
lies, presumably, within Vulcan itself. “It seems the best course would be
I find, from my short studies to-day, to visit Vulcan,” I commented.
that your scientists believe matter was “Exactly so.” Pelathon nodded.
an accident? Believe that no other “You have space travel, I observe. The
planetis populated?” heat of the Sun near Vulcan is very in-
“Right enough.” tense, I understand; therefore, I shall
“Might not the latter belief be ex- prepare a solution to cover the space
plained by the fact that the person ship. My solution will absorb heat
thinking of this particular universe radiation and create an equable tem-
visualizes only one planet reproducing perature. Also, I shall equip the space
life exactly akin to his There- own? ship with machines similar to those on
fore, no other planet possesses life?” my subtracting machine.”
“That’s an idea,” Farrington admit- “Well?” Farrington asked.
ted, startled. “Incidentally, several “We do not know for certain what
great scientists do believe —and did be- we may find within Vulcan. We shall
lieve —
our universe being a mental
in take instruments to break it open and
conception. Jeans was one of them enter; prepare further mathe-
I shall
so was Eddington. Jeans’ conception matical machines to separate the surface
was of the universe being a mathe- of the asteroid. Then, once within, we
matician’s thought, mainly because may never return.”
everything in the universe can be per- “But why not?” I demanded.
fectly explained by mathematics and “Because, as I have already said, the
nothing else. He cites in one instance fundamental of creation lies in the infi-
the conception of electrons being a sys- nitely, unimaginably small lesser than —
tem of waves in a three-dimensional the electron; lesser than the possible
space. Hence, two electrons require electrons within electrons; lesser than
six-dimensional space, three electrons anything we can conceive. Just as the
nine dimensions, etc., all of which is al- essence of energy lies within the atom,
most beyond the conception of an aver- so I feel that the essence of creation
age brain, which again would point to lies within something else. If we are
pure thought and mathematics by the to pursue this something to the end of
original conceiver. For another thing, the space-time span we may never re-
it is never explained why one cannot turn. You understand?”
annihilate a thought. Doesn’t it seem Farrington and I nodded silently.
likely that that is the original essence “You are both men of science,” Pela-
of life which nothing can change?” thon went on. “Are you prepared to
“Possibly,” Pelathon assented sacrifice your liberty, perhaps your lives.
 —

MATHEMATICA 71

for this exploration? Remember that them, and retained the remainder leav- —
you will lose your own universe for all ing an equable, almost thermostatic tem-
time, just as I have done with mine. perature, no matter what heat was ap-
I thought my journey would end here, plied. It was certainly effective. We
and so far as my own universe is con- placed a sheet of glass, coated with the
cerned it has. But I find myself in the stuff, in the blast furnace, yet when
midst of an even deeper problem. I’m we took it out it was no warmer than
going on, and if you love your profes- the glass of an oil cycle lamp.
sion you do likewise and seek the
will So, as far as Pelathon manufactured
explanation for the mystery of thought the stuff from the materials at his dis-
and life.” posal, Farrington and I, by night,
That was an invitation that took some sprayed it over the space machine that
accepting, I can tell you. For nearly had been loaned to us by the authorities
two hours Farrington and I weighed for our vacation. They were under the
the pros and cons, and at last, mainly impression we were taking a much-
by reason of the intense mystery that needed holiday at Ralsingford, leading
lay before us, we gave our consent city of Mars.
which Pelathon took with his usual im- Later came the assemblage of Pela-
mobility. thon’s astounding mathematical ma-
It was decided ultimately that we chines, both for opening up Vulcan and
would set out for Vulcan, secretly, in subtracting us to the infinite small. I
two weeks’ time. There was no reason cannot explain how they worked ;
I
for the world to know our object we — freely admit it. To me the machines
probably would be misunderstood, any- were an incomprehensible jumble of
how. Besides, we had to keep Pelathon’s bars, keys, little bowls filled with tick-
presence unknown. A man of his pow- ing mechanism, rotating shafts, oil
ers and birth was certainly too valuable baths, and a titanic switchboard supplied
to lose upon the untrained masses mak- with all manner of geometrical and alge-
ing up the population of the electron braical numerals, to each of which was
called Earth. affixed a filigree of fine, glittering
platinum wires. This effort to subtract
III.
figures from nowhere, apparently, was
THROUGH the ensuing days Far- something best left beyond my dumb,
rington and I pursued our normal work mortal brain Everything went
—with due arrangements for a long without a hitch. Nobody suspected a
vacation within a fortnight and — thing.
watched, upon our return to my home We took off quietly on August 6,
every evening, the progress of Pelathon 1981, and that was the last we ever saw
with the various instruments, chemicats of the Earth known to normal man.
and ingredients- we brought for him
from the laboratories. His own strange OUR JOURNEY was accomplished
machine we had also had moved over, entirely without incident save that we —
and he had gradually dismantled it. passed the Earth-Mars space liner on
He was singularly reticent to explain the way. Certainly we had a little diffi-
his heat-nullifying substance.In appear- culty in calculating the necessary figures
ance it was more like aluminium paint to land us on the whirling planetoid,
than anything else, but by its atomic turning one burnished face to the dan-
constitution, arranged in a manner gerously near Sun. I doubt if we should
known only to Pelathon, it absorbed heat have ever made it had it not been for
rays, dissipated a certain quantity of Pelathon’s almost uncanny skill. Thanks
 !

72 ASTOUNDING STORIES
to that we
landed safely in the twilight geared wheels, obviously moving en-
belt. Before us, through the windows, gines, shanks, well-lubricated connect-
stretched a landscape of solid metal, the ing rods, enigmatic pistons the whole —
bisected Sun, flaming with prominences similar indeed to the works of some
and corona, fixed immovably at the behemoth and futuristic clock.
very near horizon. Beyond doubt, Vul- As we dropped lower, toward a clear
can was a man-made world. space, the blurred details took on out-
For some time Pelathon stood in si- line. We realized we were descending
lence, surveying the strange sight; then into no accident of a world, but into a
he moved switchboard of his
to the veritable interplanetary power house,
subtractor. Without hesitation he moved perfectly controlled —obviously re-
the switches and, before our eyes, a motely. We tried to conjecture where
square nearly half a mile square sud- the mind was back of com-
all this
denly began to evaporate into thin plexity, and, not unnaturally, failed com-
emptiness and was gone, as though it pletely.
had never been. There remained a “Obviously, the central machine is
black and uninviting aperture. directly responsible for the conveyance
“Now,” Pelathon murmured, “we to the asteroid’s outer surface of the
shall see what lies within.” thought-duplicating energy,” Pelathon
Farrington and I stood watching in- observed, gazing fixedly through the
tently as the ship rose very slightly from window. “You notice, too, perhaps, a
the metal ground and began to move —
hazy aura of light a fine, pearly mist
forward. With extreme care Pelathon — existing between those massive, cop-
guided the vessel until it reached the per pillars over there?”
aperture, then began to lower it down, “What do you think it might be?”
simultaneously switching on high-pow- I asked.
ered searchlights. “Unless I’m entirely wrong it is the
“Machinery!” Farrington ejaculated cause of this machinery. At least my
in amazement, pointing. “And what figures tell me so. We’ll soon find out.”
!”
machinery He turned the ship about slightly and
Pelathon’s expression did not change. headed straight for the mystery region.
For myself, I was speechless. The moment we entered it something
Below us, at a seemingly enormous happened. The ship jerked sharply as
depth, couched in the gloom of that though it had struck a solid obstacle, to
strange world, there reposed the most almost instantly relapse again into
extraordinary, the most complicated —
smooth, onward progress yet, although
machinery on which I had ever set eyes. our instruments revealed no decrease in
It covered the entire floor of Vulcan speed, we showed no signs of leaving
—or else the spherical walls. Machines the mist. Yet, judging from our first

which in the main had no Earthly sim- observations, it could not possibly have
save that a few transformers and
ilarity, been more than a mile in width
generators were dimly suggestive. The Through the window we could dimly
remainder consisted of countless thou- behold the machines that had formerly
sands of cables extending upward to hemmed us in, yet the unusual thing
Vulcan’s sunless side, all of them lead- was that, despite our motion forward,
ing back unerringly to one gigantic ma- those to the frontward never came any
chine in the approximate center of this nearer, nor did those behind visibly re-
mechanical wilderness. cede. The illusion presented to us was of
About this Cyclopean monster were both remaining stationary for a tremen-
grouped others, bristling with tubes, dous length of time. With every pass-
 — —

MATHEMATICA 73

ing second we were shooting, by some plained. “The electrons moving round
unimaginable process, into an abyss of their protons like planets round the
ever-widening space. Earth’s Sun But our journey does
“What the devil’s happening?” I de- not end here, otherwise we’d cease sub-
manded suddenly. tracting. As it is, we are still going
» •
Pelathon glanced at his mathematical on.
subtractor, which was now automatically He was correct. The electrons and
in action. The came
faintest of -smiles protons of the mist divided and sub-
to his wizened face. divided again and again as we pro-
“We are subtracting. Perhaps to call gressed in our amazing subtraction. The
it shrinking would be more to the point. conception of Pelathon, that electrons
Our surroundings are becoming gigantic existed within electrons, just as elec-
by proportion. We are at the beginning trons exist inside a planet, was correct.
of a very long journey. Those immense We passed these whirling worlds at
machines, I believe, are naught but the close quarters sometimes, and despite
accruement of very brilliant figuring.” their acknowledged speed of fifteen
“I’ll believe that when I have proof,” thousand miles a second round the pro-
Farrington murmured. “All this con- ton, they seemed now, owing to our
cept of things being mathematical is too small size, to move much slower. Upon
much for me! And yet, I must admit, them we glimpsed no sign of life
”
it might be posssible purely barren worlds, apparently devoid
“It is the only solution, I’m con- of all atmosphere and water vapor,
vinced,” Pelathon replied calmly. “I seeming to have no part in the general
shall not attempt myself to outline the scheme of things.
mystery because my exposition may be And onward. The machines had long
faulty. I shall leave it until we reach since melted into electrons, solar sys-
that ultimate something that conceived tems and nebulous hazes.
it all. Until then we can only wait Hours on our chronometer merged
and watch.” into days. We took turns sleeping, Far-
rington and I. Pelathon never slept.
SO COMMENCED our journey, Our engines had long since been
which took us through a period of time switched off. Only the subtractors were
and space quite beyond comprehension. at work, performing evolutions that
To correlate normal epochs with appar- were quite incomprehensible. All I
ent very material hours was naturally realized was that we were within a free
beyond our mortal senses, yet Pelathon body which was patently lessening in
assured us that with every passing sec- size to proportions inconceivably micro-
ond inside the ship, thousands of years scopic with every second. Yet we felt
vanished into eternity in the space-time there was nothing at all wrong with our
continuum in which lay the Earthly uni- bodies.
verse. The constant succession of trans-
After a time the mist that hemmed formation of electrons into solar sys-
us in changed into a perfect replica of tems became almost monotonous in time.
our own Milky Way. We
beheld solar
systems by the countless scores. In
IV.
some manner or other we had become
free in space —
or so it seemed at first IT HAPPENED after the formation
to my own untrained mind. of perhaps the seventh set of solar sys-
“All we behold is purely the atomic tems. There came no more divisions.
formation of the mist,” Pelathon ex- Our ship seemed to move very slightly
 —

74 ASTOUNDING STORIES
and pursue a direct course for one bril- go,” he concluded, with his customary
liantly red world conspicuous among all speed of decision.
—
the others a world about which clung Still possessing that Earth-born
a roseate haze, issuing from the planet sense of suspicion, of preparedness,
in the form of delicate ripples of mag- Farrington and I took rifles down from
nificent color. Curiously enough the the wall —
but before we could move to-
color bands did not lose their intensity ward the air lock, our rifles the entire —
of depth as they widened. Right until
they were lost to sight in distance they
control —
room itself suddenly became
transparent, wavered indecisively, and
retained their original strength. vanished as completely as steam from
“If it is a world, it is a very beautiful boiling water! The three of us stood
one,” Farrington muttered, gazing down motionless, empty-handed, astounded.
—
upon it and its parent sun or nucleus About us the red mist writhed curi-
would perhaps be more truthful. “For ously as though driven by a strong wind.
all the world like a perfect ruby set in
Then, with a speed that was staggering,
the blackness of velvet. I wonder what
it all congealed abruptly into a solidity,
it contains. Something darned unusual building with lightning changes into a
if those colors are any guide.”
very material, overpoweringly mighty
“We’ll soon discover,” Pelathon com- city.
mented, glancing back at his subtracting
Around us, above us, towered in-
machinery. “The ship is headed straight
vincible skyscraping buildings. My own
for that world, drawn to it by the im-
impression was of being watched by
mutable law of figures. Here, perhaps, countless thousands of gleaming win-
we shall meet the ultimate!” And his dows catching the light of an unseen
little eyes gleamed beneath the great
sun. Then, just as rapidly, the city
dome in scientific anticipation.
vanished and gave place to billions of
Weremained at the observation win- reproductions of us! We
saw ourselves
dow for a considerable time —
perhaps repeated endlessly, into an eternal dis-
centuries forall I know; Certainly time tance, in one vast and incredible vista
did advance because we eventually that reeled away like an unraveling film
landed with hardly a jar on that strange into the inconceivable remotenesses of
and lovely world, to be immediately time and space itself.
blanketed in the midst of that fine,
Still we stood dumb, completely over-
carmine mist. Gravity, apparently, was
awed. I realized dimly that this was
almost identical to Earth’s.
no planet, but something sentient, some-
The subtracting machinery ceased its thing intelligent, and able to juggle with
activity.For a moment there was dead time and space in a manner that was
and complete silence. Then I turned miraculous.
to Pelathon.
I was thinking in this strain when the
“Well?” I asked. “Do we go out- vista of images suddenly extinguished
side?” itself, and instead, there merged into
He surveyed the instruments. view a being somewhat similar to Pela-
“There’s nothing to stop us walking thon, save that his head was bigger
right out,” he replied. “Atmosphere much bigger. Indeed, its dimensions
composition and density is similar to were so considerable that he wore a
Earth’s; so is the gravitation, and the curious, cradlelike affair of glittering
temperature is akin to a normally tem- metal to support it; it was fixed firmly
perate day. The red mist, of course, to his narrow, atrophied shoulders. For
we can’t explain. If you’re ready, we’ll a long time his almost-hidden eyes
 MATHEMATICA 75

“So you came! Well, you have not reached the

beginning even yet!”

—
watched us intently, then either by “Forgive these changes,” he resumed.
thought waves., or some other compli- “Everything is, of course, purely
—
cated form of communication he spoke thought allied to mathematics. You
to us: have traveled far, my friends. You
“So, you came!” he commented, have courage; you have come to seek
rather enigmatically. And before we the ultimate reason for your universe.
could even attempt an answer we were You have found it, but even so you have
within a hall of enormous dimensions, not reached the very beginning even
surrounded by a multitude of scientific yet. I, perhaps, may show you that.
apparatus, with our peculiar host, if My name is Si-Lafnor. I am a mathe-
such he was, before us. matician, a demonstrator of equations,
 —

76 ASTOUNDING STORIES
integrals, hyperbolas, etc. I, like you, race, may be able to understand what
am seeking the creator of mathematics.” I am about to tell you. You other men
“Creator of them?” asked Farrington may even be confused, but I will do
in puzzlement. “Is there such a thing?” my best to make it simple. Firstly, it

“Why not? No mathematics can is perhaps as well that you understand

exist unless somebody or something con- the mathematical concept of eternity,
ceived them in the first place. You have explainable in figures easily understand-
no record in your world, for instance, able to all of you. You are naturally
of the originator of mathematics, have aware of that elementary freak —the re-
you ?” curring decimal.
“Wehave possible theories, lost in “In the simplest form it is obvious to
dim antiquity,” Farrington answered. you that a third of ten is three and one
—
“Quite useless and baseless. Mathe- third; yet, if you reverse the process
matics, life and probably thought, are you get the conception of eternity.
all one. I knew you would come from Thus, three and a third. You have
the world of Earth knew, too, that
;
I never yet solved what it is. It is three
the metal of Vulcan would be taken by plus three tenths, plus three hundredths,
you, Farrington, and that you, in turn, plus three thousandths, plus three ten
by a twist of mathematics, would create thousandths, and so on until the end
—
a mental birth all unwittingly namely — of time. There, my friends, lies eternity
of the universe of which Pelathon here — and it also leads to the beginning, of
is an inhabitant. Remember that only which I will presently talk. Incidentally,
certain thoughts reacted on that metal my countless reflections of yourselves
for instance, that of the tiger and Pela- when you arrived here was another
thon’s universe. In other cases your facet of the recurring decimal system.
thoughts had no effect, otherwise your The city was but a figment of triple
laboratory would have been full of harmonic analysis.
manifested thoughts. Those thoughts “Now to the creation of your uni-
that did operate changed immediately verse. Firstly, the conceptions of your
”
into progressive mathematics Earthly science lean to the theory of
—
“But but where are we?” I asked every electron requiring a three-dimen-
dazedly. “What planet are we on?” sional space to itself —
hence two require
“This planet has no name. Like any six dimensions, etc. In all then, the
other planet it is built up of mathe- building of dimensions attributable to
matics. I am the last of a race of all the countless millions of electrons
mathematicians and, being such, am the in your universe mounts up into dimen-
most advanced of them all. But, before sions inconceivable. You are forced to
I go any further, permit me to refresh believe, therefore, that the waves asso-
you after your journey. There! You ciated with dimensions are purely
are feeling better, are you not?” —
mathematical which is correct. They
exist in such an order of mathematics
HOW am I to begin to explain things that you will never understand them.
in cold print? Even as Si-Lafnor spoke, You heap confusion on yourselves by
we were immediately invigorated, as trying to understand an electron.
though an unknown surge of energy “To you, along with its protonic
had passed through us. He resumed nucleus, it is the foundation of the uni-
with, scarcely a pause, still by that verse —
of matter itself. A
clever theory,
method that might have been either certainly. You might even try to build
speech or telepathy. instruments to study electrons, only you
“You, Pelathon, being of an advanced know you’re doomed to failure before
 MATHEMATICA 77

you begin. An electron in complete all relegated to figures. Humans, oceans,

isolation would be unknowable. It’s landscapes, everything, are purely fig-
only when an electron is interchanging urative, and can be analyzed into di-
energy with some other part of the mensions of length, breadth and thick-
known universe that you become aware ness.
of its existence. No interchange of en- “They move likewise in time and
ergy can take place that does not in- space, and, by the building up of more
volve at least one quantum of atom of them-
figures, create further beings like
energy. In order to see an electron with selves. Again, take the example of the
your instruments you would have to use receding galaxies. The problem is easily
light; a quantum of energy would be explainable. As the figures accrue and
involved and you’d so completely dis- multiply constantly the fixed basis they
turb the electron as to render it un- started from moves upwards and fur-
viewable. ther away from your conceptions. In
“So, the more and more you sink the galaxies you have the essence of
yourselves into the study of electrons, figures incarnate. They are multiplying
the more baffled you get, until finally perpetually, and will do so toward an
some of your scientists have glimpsed end which I cannot yet foresee.”
the truth by pronouncing the entire uni-
verse to be mental. Then, and then “BY HEAVEN!” muttered Far-
only, are the paradoxes of physics rington slowly. “I begin to see now!
solved, and the theoretical ether reduced Just like the recurring decimal in an un-
to a mathematical abstraction. Also, thinkably advanced form. It goes on
you realize then that energy, the very forever! That explains away all the
basis of matter, becomes the constant riddles of science, explains away all

of integration of a differential equation flaws in figures, all materiality, every-

— just another mathematical abstrac- thing. Purely because our mathematics
tion.” are not advanced enough to understand
“Maybe, but that hardly explains our pure figuring, the basis of life and be-
universe,” I put in. ing always evades us. Naturally, on
“To arrive at that point I have to that basis, the figures must repeat and
explain your concept of it,” the
first multiply and reform into fresh concep-
mathematician answered. “In truth, my tions constantly, which accounts for
friends, the ether does exist purely as a why my conception of Pelathon’s uni-
—
mathematical abstraction that is to im- verse came into being.”
ply that it exists as a separate thing, “Precisely that.Electrons do exist,
a background on which to throw the to your minds, because they are the vis-
calculations of other figures relating to ible outcome of the mathematics. They
specified objects. It is absolutely a gi- are the particular basis of figures work-
gantic unknown quantity —an etheric X ing in conjunction with the etherical ab-
immovably unified to the laws of fig- straction which produces a total whole
ures. in the form of, to you, an electron. In
“Hence you see that my own creation all, as you have seen, there are seven
of a mathematical abstraction, used in sets of electrons, every one of them
conjunction with my equations, etc., to- actually a world, but unpopulated, since
tals up in finality to the creation of a in my original formula of figures I only
material universe. Everything in your allowed for life fairly similar to my
universe, you admit, can be relegated to own on one world —Earth.
a mathematical constant. It has dimen- “Also, there are in ninety-two con-
all

sions, light, mass, energy, gravitation— cepts from my one basis of figures.
 — —

78 ASTOUNDING STORIES
which concurs exactly with the known formed Vulcan created again out of fig-
ninety-two elements in your periodic ures an energy duplicating the energy
table. Out of those ninety-two con- mind of the original con-
existing in the
ceptsis everything made. The metal of ceiver —
myself. Hence, thought became
Vulcan came in that conception, too. reproduced on that particular planetoid.
It was your missing Element 87. So, Removing a fragment of that world and
out of those ninety-two concepts, of taking it to Earth built up another form
which only Element 85 still eludes you, of figures and you, Farrington, thinking
is built up your bodies, your air, your of a universe, reproduced, all unwit-
planet —everything, resolving not into tingly, another train of constantly multi-
so many figures totaled on paper, but plying figures that reacted on the ether
into the actual mathematical form of and brought Pelathon’s universe into be-
life, materiality and energy. ing. Again it multiplied and his race
“Thought alone is apparently also came into being. He was clever enough
mathematical, since it creates the orig- to subtract his way back to the source
inal figures. You
cannot annihilate a to Earth, just as easily as you would
thought, but you can annihilate matter. subtract yards to inches on paper. You
All the same, here again the truth of in turn traced the mathematical train of
mathematics is glaringly displayed. De- figures back to the start again here. —
stroy matter and you get energy; de- “Indeed, you were powerless to stop
stroy energy and you get matter. Hence doing so, because you came directly to
the sum total remains the same. You zero. You could not have arrived any-
can never waste anything. In other where else such a procedure would have
;

words, you cannot cancel a faultless been out of alignment with figures. You
sum !” saw the concept of a red world with
“All that is remarked.
fairly clear,” I outflowing radiations of color. That
“I see now how everything Earthly and was purely a figment of my mind, rel-
universal can be traced to your own ative to the particular figures I was en-
original mathematics, but I don’t see gaged on at the moment. When you
the reason for Vulcan, its machines, and arrived here I divided your ship mathe-
the creation of Pelathon’s universe.” matically, gave a
few figure impres-
“Surely that is simply explained, my sions in the form of Earthly cities to
friend. Two years ago, by my own impress you. The rest you know. Natu-
time here, I devised the mathematics rally, I knew of your coming purely by
that would produce a universe with — thought alone.”
these machines here. was no work It “And these machines? What are you
of mine how those mathematics would seeking?” Pelathon asked. “Are you
form. They arrange themselves, if not wondering how you came into be-
properly handled. Mathematics are ing?”
thoughts, remember Hence, those
! “Yes,” Si-Lafnor said slowly. “I am
mathematics produced changes in the wondering. These machines here are
and built up an entire
ether abstraction very similar, in a complex form, to
world of machines, known to you as yours, Pelathon. They subtract, add,
Vulcan. —
multiply perform arithmetical mir-
“Vulcan came before your universe acles. I seek the very beginning.”

from Vulcan’s outflowing mathematics
your universe was formed. In the Vul-
canian machines there existed a haze
wherein was the link to the original
—
source here. Once that universe was
“And you think you can find it?”
Farrington asked.
“I have been trying to do so through-
out my life, just as my ancestors did
before me. I have already conceived.
 MATHEMATICA 79

I think, the necessary mathematical “If my calculations are correct,” he

computation to take me there. If every- observed, one particularly long
after
thing goes as planned there will ulti- spell of work amidst the figures his in-
mately arrive a point when these ma- struments had built up, “the time is al-
chines will resolve the required figures most here for the transportation into
into the proper answer and I will be the unknown realm. It would be as
whipped away into an essence of figures well for you to keep near me, ready
”
at presentunknown. Then, and then for any event, so that we may
only, shall I find the beginning.” He stopped.
“And we?” Pelathon asked quietly. A deep, rumbling roar smote upon
“Can we not go with you?” our ears, gathering in intensity with the
“I will try to arrange it. Since you seconds. Before our eyes the colossal
have no way back you must come for- machinery was shifting and changing
ward with me. To return to your own mysteriously. Bands of wavy light
universe would mean another set of vibrated about the whole gargantuan
figures and the finding of a dimension mass. The air literally rippled mathe-
which so far eludes me —the tenth di- matics, in a manner which I find im-
mension, one of foreshortening powers. possible to describe.
Then I could send you back. Perhaps here!” Si-Lafnor exclaimed
” “It is
some day I shall find it sharply. “Quickly! Join hands! We
must be in contact!”

V. We obeyed, and stood waiting on the

OUR FUTURE was very uncertain.

trembling floor. My heart was ham-
mering violently against my side as I
Being Earthly, Farrington and could I
beheld strange, eddying mists gathering,
not altogether resign ourselves to the
mounting and melting in the air. I tried
thought we would probably never re-
with my miserable brain to understand
turn to our native planet. The very
it all, and naturally failed. I could only
idea seemed preposterous, so to a cer-
dimly apprehend that an immense trans-
tain extent it did not oppress us so
figuration of mathematics was taking
much as might otherwise have been
the case.
—
place a visible solution to a brilliantly
planned series of figures upon an ab-
Mathematica, as we christened the
stract background, the exact nature of
unnamed appeared to have
planet,
—
neither night nor day only one uni-
which I could not even guess.
form red glow that came from a sun Faster and faster the giant machines
that was perpetually shielded by rosy raced themselves, ticking, checking,
mist. We passed our time, in the main, pulsating. I held on grimly to Si-Laf-

watching Si-Lafnor at work, marveling nor’s tentaclelike —

hand then, to my ut-
at his mathematical knowledge, against ter amazement, he vanished from my
which the efforts of Pelathon were grip, became transparent and disap-
promptly relegated to the background. peared completely into emptiness. At
While we were with this scientist the same instant the machines ceased
there was no necessity to eat, drink or action. The hall was as it had ever
sleep; he attended to such trivial de- been —the uproar was over. The only
tails, hence our time was occupied in difference was the absence of our host.
watching the almost constant manifesta- I glanced at Farrington, open-
tions he built up from pure mental con- mouthed. Pelathon began to move
ceptions, resolved by his uncanny thoughtfully about, stroking his im-
machines. mense dome. Then presently, after a
 —

80 ASTOUNDING STORIES
glance at the machines, he returned to conclusion that death awaited us on
us. Mathematica unless something arrived
“The explanation is fairly simple very quickly.
indeed, it could not have happened in But nothing did arrive. My friend
any other way,” he commented quietly. and I sank lower mentally and phys-
“Si-Lafnor based his mathematics on ically as time went on, and all poor
the presence of only himself. Although Pelathon’s frantic efforts to save us re-
he knew of our coming, he obviously sulted in absolute failure. As a con-
created his particular figurative scheme sequence, my friend and I both died,
before he was aware of the fact. Hence, rather painfully, too, as I remember,
when the desired solution was reached our last vision being of the distracted
—or dissolution, as the case may be Pelathon figuring and computing with
it applied only to him, whirling him all the power at his command.
away into the unknown, leaving us here I repeat, paradoxical though it may
to grapple with things alone.” —
sound we died At any rate, we both
!

“But how do we even start to grap- performed an astounding transition

ple?” I asked worriedly. “We don’t from worn-out physical Earthly bodies
even know where to begin!” into another state which I can only
“I will turn my own abilities to deriv- presume was beyond death itself. We
ing the necessary figures to return us died with the thought of the beginning
to our native planets —
if at all possible,” burning into our minds.
Pelathon answered slowly. “I have It was a curious sensation, that pass-
learned much from Si-Lafnor’s expla- ing from bodily trammels. I died a few
nations and methods. I may be able to minutes before Farrington, yet after-
achieve something.” ward we were not separate entities, pos-
“If you can, all to the good,” said sessing new bodies, nor were we rel-
I. “The doctor and I are powerless egated to some curious babyhood on an-
to aid you. We
don’t understand other planet.
enough.” Instead, our respective mentalities
were merged into one! In this state
PELATHON, however, brilliant we possessed no bodies whatever, nor
though his mind undoubtedly was, per- —
had we or should it be I? any con- —
formed only the very simplest mathe- cept of anything save infinite blackness.
matical feats compared with those of Mathematica had vanished from com-
our departed host. True, he did man- prehension with its equations and cumu-
age to create curious machines, with the lative figures. I was in a void, a dual

aid of the mathematical monsters hem- being, still possessing full knowledge
ming him in, and they in turn built up of what had gone before, yet shut off
equational sequences, but in the main from that state utterly and completely
they were useless and conveyed no in- by unknown dimensions and spatial dif-
telligible meaning. ferences.
Then again, we were faced— Farring- Perhaps this conviction of voidlike
ton and I —with the problem of nourish- infinity lasted for millennia; perhaps
ment. We
were powerless to invent only for seconds. Then, very gradu-
anything, and Pelathon was so at sea ally, there began to seep into my in-
he was unable to devise how to supply which seemed quite unimpaired
tellect,

us with renewed energy. Since he had —indeed highly improved a knowl- —

given up eating, drinking and sleeping edge of the amazing truth.
aeons before, he was perfectly in order, Death had changed the order of
but Farrington and I came to the grim mathematics relative to the particular
AST-5
 MATHEMATICA 81

bodies, or mathematical solutions, spaces closed about it. Now it was all

known as Dr. Farrington and myself. eyes now all triangles changing,
;
—
Hence we were liberated, existing as warping, shifting. A mad phantasm, a
thought only, drifting on a tideless sea paradox of space and time.
of intellect toward the central point, the “What —what in hell’s name is it?”
absolute nucleus of all mental creation I breathed weakly.
— where, presumably, Si-Lafnor had al- “I don’t know,” Farrington muttered.
ready gone. —
“We died all right and we live again
The more the impression presented in these —these horrible bodies. They
itself, the more convinced I felt that it look as though they’re thrown to-
was the truth. Then, after a seeming gether!” He stopped. Involuntarily
eternity, gray light began to spread his eyes were chained to the riddle in
athwart the blackness. My mind focused mid-air before us.
on that tiny stretch, watching it grow,
increase in strength and size, until at WE ROSE to our elbows, and as we
last the blackness of infinity had did so there appeared in front of us,
changed to snow-white brilliance. blotting out the ceaselessly changing ap-
The sense of movement ceased. I parition, a composite series of symbols
had the impression of being very still. and signs, their basis obviously mathe-
Followed a transient little jerk and a matical. Yet, despite the fact, either
fleeting sensation of pain —then, to my by reason of sharpened mentality, or
dumfounded amazement, I was in pos- else because they could only be inter-
session of a body again, unclothed cer- preted one way, Farrington and I both
tainly, but nevertheless a body, of such read obvious words in them! I am in-
a shape and appearance that it appalled clined to believe, in this later stage of
me. I was monstrous, badly formed, writing, that theywere mathematics ap-
like some mad and crazy caricature of plying solely to the figures which had
an Earthling. Beside me, lying flat on created our bodies, and therefore were
a table of polished metal, was the gro- quite understandable.
tesque creature whom I assumed was In other words, actual speaking is
Dr. Farrington. purely a series of vibrations in air which
Rather to my surprise I found vocal can be analyzed down to figures of
cords; I spoke with considerable effort. wave length. Here we had the con-
“Doctor, it is you?” I asked quickly, summate example of the fact. I re-
staring at his atrocious face. member I had a passing surprise when
He nodded assent, glanced down at I considered that I was breathing air;
himself, then up at the machines that that gravitation was normal. Evidently
were grouped overpoweringly about us. we were on a world of some kind, then
Thus his gaze moved, until it came to we
an astounding apparition poised within a Silently we read the messages that
clear space between the predominant paraded so strangely before us.
instruments. It had no shape identical “You are both solutions in the low-
two seconds together. It was an abso- est form of mathematics. Formerly, on
lute riot of conceptions — I can describe the world you named Mathematica, the
it no other way. One moment it was particular figure-formula to which you
two-dimensional, then receded into a applied had reached its ultimate solu-
one-dimensional dot. Afterward it tion and you could go no farther. En-
passed into a composite of eight or nine ergy, in the terms of figures, failed you
dimensions, hazy, branch arms reced- —
and you died to use your own version.
ing into invisibility as unknown hyper- When those bodies ceased to exist and
AST-6
 — !

82 ASTOUNDING STORIES
your minds were liberated, you built up he had mastered the knowledge of the
—
a fresh series of figures albeit subcon- figures that created him and, by a bril-
sciously —
because you died with the de- liant process of reasoning, evolved him-
termination to reach the beginning, and self into an indivisible, uncancelling sum
that very thought built the necessary —thereby securing safety forever
formula, aided by the machines of Si- Only multiplication, division and sub-
Lafnor, which were also trained on the traction are possible in figures. Can-
conception of moving to the beginning. cellation cannot take place if the figures
“As a consequence, the figures were are built up to withstand it. It is an

correct and, after the second division of impossible feat. That is why the fig-
your minds into separate units again the ures I originally built up perpetually in-
figures built themselves up upon solu- crease their powers and multiply auto-
tion into the crude, overbalanced bodies matically.
you possess now and, naturally, brought “But with you it is different. There
—
you here since that was the original is nothing to prevent me
breaking you
object back of it all. up into new I can de-
conceptions.
“I am the original mathematician. stroy your bodies, annihilate the very
There are no figures prior to me. I figures that form your minds, those fig-
came out of a realm of supramathe- ures being of a far-advanced order.”
maticas, out of a time and space be- “Which explains, I suppose, why
yond your conceiving a circle that ;
thought cannot be annihilated by ordi-
never began and that will never end nary methods?” I asked quickly.
a circle of consummate perfection. “Exactly. Thought consists of my
That, in mathematics, is myself. figures. You cannot destroy thought
“My purpose? The creation of because I am the basis. Destroy me,
mathematics, which are actually and you destroy the infinite and the in-
thoughts. Out of those mathematics I finitesimal simultaneously. I wish you
create. I live purely by the law of fig- no harm. It is purely that my exist-
ures. My object during my ageless ence depends upon figures. You would
existence is to strive toward the ulti- both make the bases of very good uni-
mate cancellation of all figures! Only verses. Your solutions are admirable
by that method can I release myself for the groundwork.”
from an eternity of mental and figura- “Say,” muttered, glancing uneasily
I
tive toil. Everything you have seen, at Farrington, “this glorified proposition
that you have thought, that is is of my — in Euclid means business!”
configuration.” “Do you propose escaping? Purely
“So this is the beginning!” I breathed. by my own graciousness you have an
“And we, incredibly distant creations of —
atmosphere about you the concept of
your figures,gaze upon you!” —
a world of machinery. All purely for
“Yes —but such a state shall not con- your edification. In one second of your
tinue. I resent the solutions of my fig- very simple time calculation I could
ures appearing before me to question —
change everything fling you into ex-
their origin. One
other came before tinction. Crush you into infinitesimal
you — one Si-Lafnor, another extremely dust, or transform you into recurring
complex series of figures which I orig- figures that would mean an endless life
inally built a long time ago. My pur- of anguished computing, striving to find
pose with him was to break him down the way back.
into fresh numerical values, divide him “No, my friends. Si-Lafnor was
into new computations, make of him cleverenough with his mathematics; so
one grand multiplicity. Unfortunately, much so that he found the tenth dimen-
 a —

MATHEMATICA 83

sion, a problem which apparently had the original mathematician had reached
long evaded his solving. But with you the stage where the electrons —if I can
it will be a simple task to transform call —
them such comprising the atoms
you. After all, why not?” of my body were being changed into
fresh numerical values, thereby bring-
ing Farrington and me to the edge of
VI.
dissolution. Indeed, I think at this
THE SYMBOLS faded. Once again stage that we had no electrons in our
that changing apparition appeared be- make-up, something else more
but
fore us, shifting, indeterminable — relevant to a complicated agglomeration
thing of angles, figures, and uncanny of advanced figures.
trigonometry. My
brain began to buzz Then something happened. Out of
as I tried to follow the integrals and the emptiness before the wall that tow-
progressions that the being worked out ered before us a figure merged. My
before us. I, who had never been ac- heart leaped for joy as he took on
customed to anything but fairly ordi- shape.
nary mathematics, was soon lost. “Si-Lafnor!” I gasped hoarsely.
Farrington, though, seemed to un- “Thank goodness ! Look, Farring-
derstand a trifle more. His terrible ton!”
face was strained and earnest. Then “Do nothing —stand still,” came Si-
he spoke, huskily: Lafnor’s telepathic command then he —
“Unless I’m clean wrong, Vernon, and the original mathematician, literally
he’s arrived at the point where the total father and son of incredible mathe-
of his calculations will divide the figures matics, became absorbed in the most
of which we’re built up into nothing. terrific mental battle of computation.
Come on
!”
— we’ll make a material dash Though we could not see the figures
for it
that passed between them, we felt the
I needed no second invitation. We awful force of their conflict. Our
had no idea where to go, of course, bodies were torn and racked with pain
but anything was better than watching as one or other gained the mastery.
doom in the form of pure figures build
Si-Lafnor’s eyes vanished under the
up before our very eyes. We slid from
bulging contours of his forehead. He
the flat metal table on which we’d been
stood completely rigid, tussling, strug-
lying and rushed toward the door of the
gling, pitting every ounce of his as-
place. Immediately, however, a wall of
tounding powers against the overpower-
metal manifested in front of us.
ing figuring of his original computator.
We Machines which moved
fell back.
on ponderous legs came from nowhere Then something seemed to snap. A
sense of delightful comfort suddenly
and traveled in our direction. Once
stoleover me. The wrenching at brain
again the symbols danced before our
eyes.
and nerve ceased. I breathed hard, re-

“Why attempt such methods? You covering my strength, and, to my sur-

cannot defeat my figuring. I will soon

prise,found that my body was no longer
as large and repulsive as it had been
have the solution that will cancel you
” neither was Farrington’s. We had both
for all time
I stopped still, shuddering involun-
changed considerably.
tarily. So did Farrington. I began to Si-Lafnor smiled very faintly as he
feel something tearing relentlessly at looked at the changing riddle that hung
my brain and body yet nothing was— over us.
visible. With a shock I realized that “It is over,” he commented. “The
 — !

84 ASTOUNDING STORIES
original cando nothing. I have trans- us were alone indication of his supreme
formed you, even as I did myself, into mental efforts.
indivisible creations of figures that no The grayness changed to black. We
mathematical power can dissolve. Not became aware that our bodies were
one figure will cancel. You are safe floating free in absolute space, yet there
forever.” was no sensation of cold. Later we
“Correct,” agreed the symbols of the learned that the change in our bodies
original. “Si-Lafnor, you win. Not to indivisibility had rendered us im-
because your mathematics are neces- mune to all things —space-cold included.
sarily cleverer than mine —
that would Nothing could annihilate us, unless it be
—
be impossible but because you evolved some incomputable figurative system.
a quicker way than I to reach your The blackness continued. There were
solution. One day, when I finally solve no visions of stars and planets or
the greatest problem toward which I nebulae; they seemed peculiar only to
am always struggling, you will become the planetary universes of which that
the first mathematician. I can do no of Earth’s was but one in millions.
more. You are indivisible.” Lower, in those intra-atomic regions we
“Well, what happens now?” I asked beheld no such evidences, presumably
slowly. “Being indivisible is an ad- because we were beneath the microscop-
vantage, of course, but how do we get ically small, shifting in the midst of
away from here?” the abstract called ether.
“I have found many things since we if there was any, had no
Gravitation,
arrived here at the beginning,” Si-Laf- effect on us either in that curious fore-
nor replied slowly. “As you are already shortening dimension. Indeed, I am in-
aware, I arrived at the computation of clined to think that tenth dimension
the tenth dimension, a riddle that had existed purely as a mental conception
long puzzled me. By its aid space and and was devoid of all the figures that
time foreshorten to a fraction of their normally make up dimensions, matter
original extension. I was indeed work- and energy.
ing out_ further problems in the un- However, whatever the causes and
touchable safety of the dimension when effects of that strange transition, we
I became aware of your own presence ultimately merged back into Si-Lafnor’s
and struggle. I came to aid you. Now original laboratory, there to find a fallen
I shall take you back to Mathematica. figure lying at the base of the mighty
There is no reason why I cannot per- machines that still calculated and oper-
form the necessary figures to transport ated with endless precision building, —
you. I believe we will arrive and find building, into goodness knows what
my world only a little older. Besides “Why, it’s Pelathon!” exclaimed
I may now be able to return you to your Farrington, running forward, lifting the
own world.” limp mathematician in his arms.
“What’s happened to him?”
ONCE AGAIN he plunged into con- Si-Lafnor advanced slowly and looked
centration, and little by little a gray down at him. Then he shrugged his
and indeterminable mist began to creep attenuated shoulders.
about us, gathering opacity with each “He is neither dead nor alive,” he
passing moment. Presently it infolded pronounced. “Somehow, probably in
us completely. We
held each other’s trying to build up certain figures with
hands, and waited. Si-Lafnor was these machines, he has placed himself in
presently lost to sight completely, but a state of suspended animation, which
the slow and indisputable changes about will last until I can create the neces-
 MATHEMATICA 85

sary divisibility break the effect.

to ness revived by Si-Lafnor, stood aside
Most unfortunate for him. Later, I and watched him work. And very
will try to revive him. Presumably not amazing work it was, too ! We saw the
any considerable time has elapsed since fundamentals for the creation of the
our departure. There are your own second universe take place before our
dead bodies over there, just as you left eyes, though how it was done con-
them.” founded us both utterly.
Farrington and I glanced at our We saw the mammoth machines re-
corpses, then turned away, oddly sponding to the mathematician’s every
nauseated. thought.
“My now,” Si-Lafnor went on,
effort He sat at the small control board,
when Pelathon had been gently laid back the droning monsters grouped about
on the floor, “will be to return you to him, monsters that were literally the
your space and time. I cannot return sheer essence of resolved conceptions.
you to the actual Earth, that would be They moved they altered they created
; ;

—
impossible but I can return you to a energies, magnetisms, formulas, angles
world almost identical, thanks to the — all manner of composite things, work-
assistance of the tenth dimension. I ing their unforgettable traceries of mas-
will build up another series of figures ter equations and supramathematics on
identical to those that formerly created the background of endless abstract. I
your universe, and so create another smiled faintly as I tried to conceive the
universe. During that time you will be mind motivating Si-Lafnor, as I tried
traveling through space and time, to fathom the knowledge and concen-
through the tenth dimension, and will, tration he must possess to be able to
if my figures fruitify as I expect, merge perform such feats.
on to that world at the appropriate Hour after Earthly hour he sat at
period. the control board, unmoving, eyes shut
“Also, your bodies will change from for the greater part of the time, huge
these grotesque monstrosities brought — dome brightly lighted by the strange,
about by haphazard subconscious figur- all-inclusive radiation that came from a
—
ing into those normal to Earthlings. carmine mist above the titanic hall. Far-
But remember, you are henceforth in- rington and I could easily have wearied
divisible —
immortal. I made you in- had it not all been so fascinating then —
capable of cancellation, and that can at last the master mind arose and turned
never be altered.” to us.
“And when will the return take “It is complete,” he said quietly.
place?” Farrington asked eagerly. “The figures necessary are computed,
“In approximately twelve of your and are even now multiplying upon
Earthly hours you will commence the themselves. I have endeavored to re-

journey. For that period please do not produce an exact duplicate of the orig-
converse with or disturb me. I must inal conception that brought your uni-
concentrate — deeply.” verse into being. Naturally, while I

am myself part of figures I am not

still

infallible —
I am not pure evolved mind
VII.
like the original mathematician and for —
THOSE LAST HOURS on Mathe- that reason I may have made trifling
matica were undoubtedly the most re- errors of judgment here and there, but
markable that Earth-born men or — I do not believe they will affect you.
—
minds ever spent. You will both move through the tenth
Farrington and I, our natural tired- dimension to this universe I am build-
 — — !

86 ASTOUNDING STORIES
ing and will arrive there with proper —
proportioned indeed far better than
bodies.” the bodies we had possessed before.
A silence fell —then
he spoke again, Above us was the vault of stars far —
steadily “Are you ready ?”
: away in the distance hung the haze of
Farrington and I nodded and moved a mysterious mass of angles, and crazy,
to the special area beneath the machines almost four-dimensional buildings. A
which Si-Lafnor indicated. city that perpetually changed. Across
For a space we stood looking at each the sky moved and pulsated strange
—
other we, tiny brains from an un- shapes akin to cylindrical tubes that per-
imaginably distant world; he, the petually widened and contracted and, at
penultimate intellect of creation itself. times, became completely invisible.
Eyes met. Once, one of these enigmas passed over
“You have seen much, and learned us at a height of perhaps a thousand
much,” he murmured. “For your own feet, and vanished in the all-embracing
sake, I hope you never return here. night. The air was warm, almost trop-
Stay in the world you will find im- — ical. I turned to look at Farrington’s
mortal. Through your endless lives try handsome face.
to learn the purpose of these figures. "Well?” I asked quietly. “What sort
Use them, with them understand
live — of a city do you call that ?”
them! If I can revive Pelathon from “I don’t know,” he answered slowly,
his unfortunate trance I will transport staring above him at the stars. Then
him back to this world you will find very gradually he looked back at me.
this second Earth. After that he must “Do you know,” he said, “there isn’t
work own way home. I
his can do no a single known constellation in the sky
more. And now, farewell.” Nor is there a recognizable planet.
“Farewell,” we answered simultane- —
Venus, Mars, Jupiter all gone!”
ously, and watched a living switch de- “But what ” I was bewildered.
press itself under the force of the mas- “We’ll see what the city offers,” he
ter mind’s thoughts. interposed in a firm voice, and with that
Instantly gray ness and gloom were we both set off across the loose soil to-
upon us, darkening into abysmal night. ward that insane flamboyance in the
Mathematica reeled out of our concep- distance. Perhaps two hours of hard
tion walking, which did not in the least
fatigue us, brought us to the cliffs over-
ONCE AGAIN the concept of time looking the city in the valley below.
and space defeated all means of know- Almost like Neanderthal men gazing
ing how long our journey through the down on modern New York we
tenth dimension occupied. We only crouched and stared — baffled, perplexed.
realized that a universe must be form- It was a city utterly beyond our con-
ing as we moved — that the ether out- jectures —
an unsol vable puzzle in ad-
side our dimension must even then be vanced geometry and dimensions. The
a mass of shifting figures, multiplying, buildings, in the main triangular in
dividing, subtracting, all in perfect in- shape, seemed to own the odd property
visibility, working out their own incon- of being able to change their appearance
ceivable pattern. constantly. We
could see inside them,
Perhaps aeons later we found our- round them, all at the same time. We
selves suddenly upright in a world from beheld indescribable traffic, and people.
which the gray mist had cleared. We Such people! They seemed to be a
were unclothed, yet possessed of bodies mass of transfiguring lines and bars that
that were indeed Earthly, magnificently rotated and shifted in mid-air or else
 —

MATHEMATICA 87

moved with stupendous velocity. As to writing and figuring, and a substance

the strange light that hung over every- that gives perpetual cold light. It has
thing, we could not even guess at that. made my cave life habitable. Food, of
"What ” Then I looked up with course, or sleep, we shall never need
a violent start as something touched me again. That to you is novel to me no —
on the shoulder. I jumped up in utter different. Only in one thing are we
astonishment. alike now —we are immortal.”
“Good night — Pelathon !” I exploded. He paused and looked down at the
"Pelathon How did you get here?”
! city —saddened, brooding.
He shrugged. “An odd twist of time, “It is a gigantic punishment,” he said
I suppose, brought about I imagine by at last. “We made a magnificent jour-
one body taking less time to travel in ney —and this is the price. We are all

the tenth dimension than two. I have three indivisible. Nothing can kill or

been here some time now I have a — hurt us that is ;

why I so easily outwit-
cave up on the cliffs. Thought infer- ted these people when they tried to de-
ence alone told me that you were near, stroy me. We have been returned to a
and I came to find you. Needless to world in which we have no part
say, Si-Lafnor revived me from my ac- fugitives of time and space surrounded
cidentally self-inflicted suspended ani- by untouchable things.”
mation.” He said no more but motioned us to
“But this place! This isn’t anything, follow him.
like Earth !” I protested hoarsely. So ends my story Through the
“I know," he answered slowly. days and nights we have sat in this cave
“Somewhere, even as Si-Lafnor ex- gazing down on that mad city below,
pected, he made an error in his figuring — —
trying so far vainly to understand it.
— —
perhaps only one fraction but in the Farrington and I are like Greek gods;
aggregate total it produced something Pelathon, too, is much more beauteous.
utterly unlike the world you once owned. And we are deathless The grim irony
!

This world, what I have seen of it, is of it!

a profound problem in dimensions. I I have written down my experiences

have been studying it. Its peoples are with the writing materials at my com-
friendless and cruel. They have tried mand, but I realize now I have come to
to destroy me, but I escaped them easily the end of the ghastly punishment- that
— taking with me one or two odds and has been meted out to us.
ends that might be useful. I found We are alone — utterly alone — unless
stuff for clothing, some material for Pelathon
Don Kelz of the I.S.P.
by Clifton B. Kruse

Fierce, joyous energy surged through Don Kelz, as he tore into

the man with the ruthless ferocity of a cornered beast.

O
usual
F THE SEVEN TABLES
the Cafe of the Purple Flack,
six were well crowded with the
roulek-dazed —
blasters
in

tough-
whiskered, glazed-eyed menials from the
constantly arriving and departing trans-
ports of Athalon, Mars.
At the seventh table, well in the
darkest comer of the cafe, sat a leather-
faced, taciturn man, garbed in a none-
too-clean spaceman’s uniform. From
time to time he took the barest sip from
the small mug of bitters before him. To
the few chance remarks which had been
 — —:

DON KELZ OF THE I. S. P. 89

hurled his way when he had first come back. They did not relish the look in
in, the quiet stranger had given a scant Bull Gerdigan’s eyes.
suggestion of a smile. But he offered Cards clicked sharply. For moments
no reply and seemed relieved when at- scarcely a sound was made. From bis
tention was turned from him. Never- position in the far corner the silent
theless, the man’s eyes were unusually stranger arose quietly. He alone
hard. seemed unaffected by this dramatic
The hour grew and the dimly
late silence, and there was a significant
lighted hall of the Cafe of the Purple twitch to the corners of the fellow’s
Flack clouded with a bluish haze from unusually firm mouth. His gaze now
the pipefuls of Zulla. The reek of held to the implacable countenance of
roulek would have caused less-hardened old Max Durr.
nostrils to and burn.
sting Yet the Abruptly, the tension broke. few A
blasters drank on, crowding around now men dared laugh. Some one exclaimed
!”
three, now two and finally but one of “Durr takes it. Durr wins the pot
the tables whose stacks of chips towered Yet, scarcely had the old spaceman
even above the tall, full-sized tankards. stretched forth his bony fingers to claw
At the last table the four winners of in the money than Bull Gerdigan jumped
the gaming played at breath-
night’s to his feet. The huge giant roared out
taking limits. Those who had already a curse. Immediately the place became
drunk or gamed away their wages pitch dark. A second of breathless
patiently earned upon long, hard jour- silence —then the thunder of a flame
neys from Earth, Neptune and even pistol made a streak of vivid lightning
—
Pluto gazed enviously upon the re- across the room. Men screamed, cursed,
maining four whom luck had thus far fought crazily to break away from the
favored. room.
“Four dockues and a ten-eagle !” The Who fired? Who was hurt? Anx-
large, red-bearded blaster half arose ious voices called out the names of
from his chairand pounded a gnarled comrades in fearful, nerve-rasping
fist, with the grimy notes, upon the table. tones. —
Graddus Dicus Gerdigan —
—
“All on the one hand all of it, I say. Heiner! In the midst of the tumult
Come on, Max Durr my wages on the — some one thought to light a flare torch.
X17 from Pluto to Mars against yours ..The light gleamed its greenish haze.
upon the scum ship from the asteroids. Piercing shadows leaped about the room.
Shoot it all Are you a man or do the
! Suddenly a fearful cry cut sharply.
asteroids shrivel a blaster’s nerves?” “Gerdigan It’s
! Gerdigan dead —
For a tense moment the paunchy, ape- burned clear through.”
like old gray-beard returned the big Deep cries of anger burst forth in
man’s challenging glare. Max Durr’s infernal thunder.
”
eyes peered cannily from beneath the “Durr. Get him ! He killed
bushy, steel-gray eyebrows.
“Zahgat!” He spit out in imitation FROM the far end of the room a tall,

of a torp blast. “But no outcast from a shadowy figure hurtled the tables.
weevil-infested X-freighter can bluff Swiftly he grasped the flare torch from
Max Durr.” Deliberately, the old man the stiffened fingers which had held it

shoved both chips and notes to the center aloft —hurled it across the room. Now,
of the table. The cafe became charged into the midst of the sweltering, strug-
with nefarious expectancy. Big “Bull” gling mass the lithe, strong body tore
Gerdigan looked mean. A few of the its way.
less reckless among the onlookers drew “Max Durr !” The fierce whisper was
90 ASTOUNDING STORIES
a command. Bewilderedly the old space- “Who—who are you?” Old Max
man felt the steel clutch of a powerful clawed nervously at his unkempt gray
hand upon his arm. The cafe had be- beard.
come a madhouse. Nevertheless, the The younger man smiled. Immedi-
firm hand guided and shoved him from became rigidly harsh again.
ately his face
the place. He had reached to the inside pocket of
The strong body of the strange one the worn jacket. Withdrawing the hand,
who directed him on, forced its way he extended it, palm upward, toward the
between the old spaceman and the strug- befuddled old spaceman. Max Durr
gling blasters. None too soon did old stared at the small bronzed disk. He
Max feel the sting of cold night air gasped and looked up quickly to meet
upon his hot body. The shrill cries those piercing black eyes again.
issuing from the darkened cafe had al- “The—the ISP !”
ready brought the nearest guardsman to Max Durr seemed to wilt visibly.
investigate. Tremors racked the old body and what
—
“Run this way. Follow me 1” patches of the bewrinkled face still
Through the darkness of night the showed beneath the scraggy beard were
two ran with frantic haste. Max Durr drained of all color.
wheezed from the strain of keeping up “I didn’t kill Gerdigan. Truly I
with his mysterious benefactor. But, swear it. By the glory of the triple sun
clearly, the fellow knew this section of I swear it. Look once, sir. Look at my
Athalon thoroughly. They were keep- own gun. Never fired has it been this
”
ing well to the black, unlighted alleys, day,sir. I tell you
and, indeed, so frequent were the -twists “Never mind that.” The younger man
and turns that the old man was com- raised a hand to check the outburst. “I
pletely lost. see you appreciate the significance of
The other halted. Max Durr leaned the Interplanetary Secret Police. Fur-
wearily against a dark brick wall. Sharp thermore, you know enough of the
pains cut cruelly into his lungs. He council’s code of crime procedure to
moaned as he breathed. realize that the evidence against you to-
—
“I didn’t kill him.” Max Durr night would put you before a firing
forced the words between sucking gasps squad within a week.”
”
for air. “I swear it.” “Sir, I swear I didn’t
The voice was firm. The stranger “I know you didn’t kill Gerdigan,
was not the slightest out of breath Durr. I know you are innocent because
despite the wild dash. Mutely, old Max I was watching you at the time. Now,
marveled at the strength and endurance understand this. I brought you here
of such a one. A key rasped in a lock. for a reason. I had singled you out
The stranger was hauling at old Max’s from the group at the Cafe of the Purple
arm, indicating that he should enter the Flack. In fact I had intended follow-
pitch-black hole. Then, inside the place ing you from the cafe, but this killing
and the door secured again, the stranger interfered. We
are fortunate that it
flicked on a light. did not quite serve to upset my plans.”
Max Durr’s eyes widened. He The old spaceman nodded in slow
stepped back in awe at sight of the comprehension. He could not quite
strong face which held such a deep, understand it, however. Miraculously
searching gaze upon him. It was the had he been rescued by this mysterious
quiet fellow who had spent much of officer of the ISP. Of one thing only
the evening to himself at the most dis- was old Max Durr not in doubt: un-
tant table. questionably he owed his life to the
 DON KELZ OF THE I. S. P. 91

swiftness and strength of this stranger. torps. Three decks blew to smithereens,
Max Durr stiffened himself to attention. sir — killing forty blasters and two of
His quivering hand flashed a salute. the space ship’s officers. Nargate was
“Max Durr, mechanic second class of in the lunar deck —
he did,
lost his ears,
the X942, at your service, sir.” and has heard not the barest chirp of a
The officer laughed. The grotesque sound since.
spaceman was touch-
sincerity of the old “John Oskow gave his left eye. ’Twas
ing. Impulsively he shot out his own hell itself, sir. Had
I not been on duty
huge fist, grasped the old man’s hand repairing an gauge upon the plotdeck
oil

and squeezed it. ’twould have been the last of old Max
“Don Kelz of the ISP and, con- — Durr, too. But what does such a tale
found your bloody soul, I like you, Max mean to the ISP? That was eighteen
”
Durr. I think that I made no mistake Earth months ago, and
in selecting you to-night.” “Just this, Max Durr. The bore W9
“Don Kelz! Don Kelz of the ISP!” a secret cargo of dextronite a ten-liter —
Max Durr’s back would have brought cask which had been uncovered amid the
forth a glow of pride to the most ex- debris of a Saturnian ray cannon. It
acting drill sergeant. He attempted a was in the mysterious compound dextro-
salute again, but the quivering fingers nite that the Saturnians found the power
grasped the wild strands of his gray to fire their choking energy web around
beard instead. His eyes fairly popped Earth. After the holocaust upon Saturn
from beneath the bushy brows. “Say all their secrets as well as their unusual
the word, Don Kelz. ’Tis the climax civilization was wiped out
!”
—except this
of a life of faithful service upon the single cask
council’s transports that has come to Max Durr tensed. There was a mag-
Mechanic Durr. What is it about, sir ?” netic timbre to the officer’s voice.
“But understand this, Max Durr:
THE OFFICER was deadly serious The transports which blasted to the
now. He approached the old spaceman wrecked W9 found no trace of the dex-
slowly ;
his deep-set eyes seemed to tronite. And of the five survivors, not
pierce the astounded stare of old Max. a one knew a thing of its disappearance.
“You came to the Cafe of the Purple Then, a scant Earth month after you
Flack with two companions to-night? and the other four were returned to
”
One was a hunchback, deaf and Earth, both surviving officers, Engineer
“Nargate you mean!” Max Durr ex- Goring and Captain Dane, were mur-
“
claimed eagerly. ’Twas he and the dered.”
white-headed John Oskow. They had Don Kelz forced his words sharply
arrived but this morning upon an old now “The only thing which saved you,
:

from Jupiter.”
freighter Nargate and Oskow was your fortunate
“You’ve shipped with them before,” choice in signing up so soon for inter-
Don Kelz pursued. “Upon a special en- planetary service again. Nargate and
gineering transport, the W9, during the Oskow were off on the X901 to Nep-
rehabilitation of Saturn?”
Max Durr nodded “Truly
tune —you had left twenty-four hours
excitedly. earlier upon a transport bound for the
and most accurately observed, sir. And asteroids.
’twas the very W9 which suddenly “Do you follow me, Durr? The
dropped from her course as we were affair of the W9
and the missing dex-
blasting from Saturn. Struck the outer tronite has been in the hands of the
ring of Saturn, she did, and the bom- secret police for these eighteen months.
barding rocks of the ring smashed her But until chance caused you three to
 —

92 ASTOUNDING STORIES
come together again here at Athalon, mission is to serve. Duty comes first

Mars, upon the return journeys of your and —

Max Durr hear me we may —
contracts, there was little we could do. never again see the rays of the Sun.”
‘To-night I followed you three to the Unflinchingly old Max returned the
Cafe of the Purple Flack. I must fierce gaze.
choose but one of you for a very special “We’re —we’re on the job together.
mission. And I must contact that one Don Kelz —the powers your name,
bless
secretly —
for what we have since un- sir —you made no mistake in picking out
covered indicates ones who
that the old Max Durr to help you.”
wrecked the W9
and stole the dextronite Even as he spoke the old man sensed
may have reason to dispose of you, a subtle change in the officer before him.
particularly were they to suspect that an Don Kelz had hastened over to the tim-
officer of the ISP had reached you.” bered door, was leaning his ear against
Max Durr shook his head in bewilder- it, listening intently. Yet before old
ment. Thickly, he mumbled: “Then Max could shape his question into
they’ll be after me ! Could it have been words, Don Kelz sprang to his side,
that in the darkness —the killer missed grasped his arm in a viselike grip.
me and burned down Gerdigan?” “Max Durr,” his voice was low, yet
Don Kelz had turned away. From a charged with some strangely hypnotic
nondescript compartment in the wall of power. “For the honor of the council
the shack he pulled out a flame pistol, remember nothing of what has occurred
flare torch, and certain other tools which this night —
save that you fled alone
the wondering old spaceman could not alone! Do you hear? And of Don
identify. But he offered no protest Kelz of the ISP you know nothing!
when the officer tossed him the flame You must carry on. Trust me and —
pistol. never lose heart.”
“We must hurry. It is likely that Quickly Don Kelz gripped the old
certain ones among those at the cafe man’s hand. Old Max stammered in-
to-night will construe our disappearance coherently.
for what it is. At least two of the “To the bitter end, sir, but I don’t
”
others in that crowd were not ordinary quite
blasters. I know a spaceman’s waddle Abruptly, he stopped. He was sud-
too well —and their eyes were suspici- denly conscious of being alone. The
ously sharp. But are you ready, Durr ?” officer had vanished. In stupid amaze-
“All set, sir.” Max Durr’s rasping ment the old spaceman stared about the
voice came near breaking with an emo- dingy room. Of Don Kelz he neither
tional fervor new to him. “We’ll rat saw nor heard the barest evidence.
”
them out. We’ll Scarcely had he assembled his con-
fused thoughts than a thunderous bat-
DON KELZ whirled sharply upon tering shook the door. The shock caused
him. He placed both hands upon the old Max to leap in wild fright. Now
old man’s broad shoulders. a voice barked sharply: “Open up!
“Remember this. Max Durr. It is Open up, Blaster Durr, or we burn you
no ordinary criminal that we are after. out.”
Some powerful group is at work and There was no other escape. Franti-
they’ve got a ten-liter cask of dextronite. cally, the old fellow clawed over the
Remember that when the time comes walls. There wasn’t a catch, a window.
they can use it—use it to blow Athalon Planks shrieked a sibilant protest to the
— all of Mars if need he — mass of
into a ramming without. Steadily, blow after
ruin. You are with the ISP now. Our blow bounded against the door. Shiver-
 DON KELZ OF THE I. S. P. 93

in g in paralyzing terror, old Max cow- the flame pistol. Bodies thwacked upon
ered against the far wall, his eyes the planked flooring.
protruding in sheer horror, his sagging Abruptly his ears roared with hideous
mouth quivering as with severe cold. thunder. Stupidly, old Max swayed and
With a splintering crash, the door then slumped into an inert heap.
burst open. Straight across it dashed
three masked men. One of them SHARP EYES pierced the shadowy
strained to hold back a drooling-mouthed darkness. Dimly, there glowed from
brock, the slithering, reptilian blood- the cloudless sky the first flush of the
hound of Mars. The foremost of the lesser moon of Mars. Gliding noise-
group held his flame pistol upon the lessly from the niche in the wall, Don
trembling old paunch. Now swiftly an- Kelz padded softly along the winding
other grasped old Max’s waxlike arms, turns. Occasionally he could see the
twisting them behind his back. clear outlines of the two who hurried
“There’s just one here, Gotho,” the through the black alleys bearing an inert
pistol bearer called
over his shoulder to form. The two made speedily beyond
the man in the doorway with the leashed the clatter of ramshackle buildings for a
brock. “Dicus said there were two. clearing to the north. Now they halted
Listen, —
Durr you’re going to talk and briefly. Then one of them bore the old
it’ll be easier on you if you give us the spaceman’s body. The other went
right answersnow. Who was that fel- ahead in the darkness.
low that came here with you? And Sensing their purpose, Don Kelz
where is he? Come on, talk! Talk! skirted the line of buildings. Yet he
”
Why, you damned old had gone a scant hundred yards before
Viciously, his blood pounding madly, he heard the soft pur of an air cab.
old Max twisted so that the one who A voice called out, “ready.” The one
clung to his arms was hurled sharply who had waited stumbled forward,
against the wall. It was a crazy chance, breathing heavily beneath his burden.
but Max Durr was beyond reason. A A quick glance skyward revealed the
moment before, his very soul had rim of the lesser moon just above a dis-
quavered, but now he was conscious of tant roof top. Had they been expecting
a strange, terrible power in his aged such a maneuver, they might have ob-
body. It was as if the mysterious secret- served the officer’s shadowy outline
service officer were beside him, com- bounding across the clearing. The door
manding him. of the air cab clicked shut. The pur
A lightning grasp clutched the arm became a loud hum. Don Kelz straight-
which held the flame pistol. Startled, ened up, ran swiftly, leaped.
the fellow fell back, instinctively press- Strong fingers curled about the nar-
ing the stud of the gun. The blue-white row axle of the landing gear. Even as
flame seared a blinding arc, crackling the air cab soared upward, Don Kelz
the wall and ceiling of the room.Fran- hauled himself beneath the flooring,
tically he tore at the hand which held locking his legs around the landing gear
the pistol. The flame swerved across and clutching a wheel firmly. Athalon
the room. dropped away with dizzying speed. Far
A sickening cry cut through the place. —
below the vast outpost city the greatest
The seared corpse of one of the in- of all of Earth men’s interplanetary set-
truders slumped to the floor.But old —
tlements lay in slumbering darkness.
Max was falling with the backward Here and there, far below, tiny specks
stumble of the one who still clutched of light gleamed. To the northward the
94 ASTOUNDING STORIES
magnificent space ship drome glowed in The figures emerged cautiously,
phosphorescent brilliance. quietly, from the dark blotch of the air
The course of the speeding air cab cab. Don Kelz listened tensely, his
swerved sharply westward. In the hypersensitive ears attuned to the faint-
darkness below them now were the great est, sound. Though no word had been
pens for Earth cattle scaly beasts from
;
uttered, he knew that the old spaceman
Pluto; two, four and even ten-footed was alive. He could distinctly hear the
creatures shipped to and from all points wheezing gasp, slight though it was, of
in the solar system, beasts for food and Max Durr’s labored breathing.
beasts of labor. A
sudden loss of alti- One of the men had advanced to an
tude caused the air cab to skim the tops ancient doorway. In a peculiar man-
of the pens. Weird grunts, barks and ner he rapped upon the stone, called a
cries ascended as the frightened things sharp, whispered code word. From
shied at the hurtling black cab above somewhere within the mass of stone an
them. answering responded.
voice Now,
Yet, to the tense, straining officer, swiftly, the two men gathered up the
these commonplace sights and sounds unconscious form of the old spaceman
had no significance other than that of and disappeared within a black cleavage
location. They were well west of the in the stone.
Earth settlement proper. The slacken-
ing speed indicated that the destination KEEPING well to the black shadows
of the cab was at some point amid the Don Kelz moved noiselessly
of the walls,
crumpled stone ruins of an ancient toward that point where the two had
civilization. seemingly blended into the irregular
Aqueer tingling coursed along his stone mass. With his right hand mov-
spine. Don Kelz’s mind throbbed with ing before him along the wall as he
frantic thought. The tottering ruins of crept forward, fie rounded the sharp
the old Athalon, of the true Martian turn. The long narrow cleft—remnant
civilization, were mysteries suitable for of —
an ancient doorway was scarcely
impractical professors. Could it be that the width of a man’s body. Don Kelz
those who held the precious dextronite stepped into the aperture, peered into
had established a secret hide-out among thick darkness.
these ancient ruins? This was a narrow hallway, pitch-
In the midst of his perplexing black and with the smooth flooring in-
thoughts cold realization awoke Don downward. Step by step,
clined slightly
Kelz to desperate necessity. The air he forward, his right hand still
stole
cab was settling groundward. Don Kelz feeling the way along the smooth, cool
poised himself, sucked in his breath, stones. Twenty paces and the hall
tensed. The air cab must drop slowly opened into what was probably an an-
lest a jagged outcropping of crumbling cient room. Don Kelz was listening
stone wreck her. This factor gave him now, straining his ears to hear now in
his chance. Twenty feet—fifteen ten — this direction, now in that. Silence,
—Don Kelz dropped, rolled, lay still. ominously heavy, mocked his anxiously
The cab grated upon the rough soil
air beating heart. Feeling his way com-
scarcely an arm’s length from his mo- pletely around the room he determined
tionless body. Every fiber of his body the location of the three crevicelike exits
tingled with the glory of pursuit. His other than the one through which he had
eyes gleamed his fingers twitched. To-
;
entered.
night was the culmination of eighteen Stifling a fleeting tremor of panic,
long Earth months of patient work. Don Kelz forced himself to enter each
 DON KELZ OF THE
of the three in turn. There was no
slightest sound to guide him. Yet
obviously those others had proceeded
through one of these tunnellike hallways.
Forcing himself to reason calmly, he
chose the one to the right. The floor
here dropped away at a sharp angle. It
seemed logical that the criminals would
have buried themselves as deeply as
possible.
Don Kelz pressed forward with less
caution now. Cold fear struck at his
nerve ends. His hand slid smoothly
along the clammy wall, as the narrow
way wound deeper and deeper into the
unexplored regions below the ruins of
the ancient Martian city.
Twice again must he choose between
the branching tunnelways, as the narrow,
winding ramp burrowed farther and
farther underground. Abruptly, he
stopped. The walls of the ramp wid-
ened sharply to yet another mysterious
cavern. As he stepped into the place,
a current of cold air chilled the officer’s
sweating forehead. He sensed the un-
usual vastness of a great hall. Doubtless,
in ages long gone by, this had been a
great assembly chamber. A soft tinkle
caused him to halt. Again he heard it.
It was the sound of the methodical drip,
drip, drip of water falling from some
high place to smooth, hard stone.
Pausing only long enough to scratch
a sharp guide mark upon the wall be-
side the tunnel through which he had
come, Don Kelz moved speedily across
the cavern. Abruptly, his foot struck
something. He pitched forward, the
palms of his hands slapped the clammy
stones as he broke his fall. Turning
about in a hasty scramble Don Kelz
felt over the stones. His hands struck
a long metal pipe extending across the
floor of the cavern. Clutching the pipe
in rigid fingers the officer forcibly re-
strained hysterical laughter. His nerves
had been on edge.
Tingling with excitement, Don Kelz
followed the course of the pipe. To
I. S. P. 95
—
the far side of the cavern a good forty
—
paces the pipe joined an upright ex-
tension. Stout braces held the upright
pipe firmly against the smooth walls.
His body struck a metal object. He
fellover it. Don Kelz was calm now.
His eyes gleamed defiance at the thick
darkness. Reaching up, his fingers
curled about yet another metal brace.
He had stumbled upon the metal rungs
of a ladder which led upward along the
course of the upright water pipe. He
was no longer lost.
This was indeed the secret hide-out
of the mysterious marauders. Clearly,
he had not followed the right path but
even so he had gained in losing the trail.
Luck was with Don Kelz. Obviously
the hide-out was somewhere above him.
The criminals had tapped an under-
ground spring in this ancient hall in
order to insure themselves of a safe
and secret water supply.
He had climbed fully a hundred feet
above the floor of the cavern before
reaching the curved ceiling. Neverthe-
less, the pipe and metal ladder pro-
ceeded on up through a narrow tube.
Fiercely, he lashed aching muscles and
sore fingers in the long, arduous climb.
DON KELZ glided noiselessly into
the dimly lighted room. For a moment
the light stung his eyes. Then the mass
of the machines assumed shape. Bend-
ing over a desk, a scant ten paces before
him, he saw a man busily engaged in
repairing some small mechanism. The
fellow had not heard the officer’s en-
trance from the tunnel. Don Kelz
stepped forward. The crunch of his
boot upon the stone caused the man to
jerk around quickly.With the same
movement he had tugged at his flame
pistol.
The fellow’s eyes widened incredu-
lously. His mouth opened to cry out a
warning even as he jerked the flame
pistol toward the intruder. But before
a sound could be uttered Don Kelz
96 ASTOUNDING STORIES
pressed the stud of his own gun, The into his opponent. He beat mercilessly
man slumped forward. until the other sagged to the floor, his
The doorway beyond opened to a flabby mouth drooling in pain.
short hallway. Speedily, Don Kelz Don Kelzstaggered to his feet yet —
crossed die room. A
sudden exclama- his eyes held, in rigid disbelief, to the
tion halted him. Some one was calling man on the floor.
”
out from the room beyond.
pressed close to the wall, eyes
Don Kelz
gun
“Dar Warnack —you
alert, In brief seconds the shocking fact
ready. congealed in the officer’s swirling brain.
“Something must be wrong! Alex Dar Warnack, commander of Earth’s
”
didn’t outpost city of Athalon, Mars, was one
Two men, coming hurriedly through of the mysterious conspirators against
the hall, stopped abruptly. Their eyes the council. But there was no time for
popped in terror. Before them stood wonderment. The traitorous commander
the menacing figure of the agent of the lay in a moaning heap, and beyond that
ISP. steel door
“Keep your hands up,” Don Kelz Abruptly, the room trembled with a
barked the order sharply, keeping his shrillwhine. The fearful vibration
Voice low. ascended in deafening sibilation. The
For a moment the two teetered there lights in the room dimmed to faint, yel-
in the hall. Neither answered. Don lowish glows. It was the dreaded howl
Kelz had started toward them when, of a powerful ray cannon.
suddenly, the one farthest away lowered “Dar Warnack!” Don Kelz bent over
his arms. Giving his companion a quick the commander. Fiercely he clutched
shove, he ducked and ran back. the body, shook the man. “Listen in —
Don Kelz jumped away to miss the the —
name of humanity if you have left
stumbling body. Now, desperately, he in you any spark of manhood order —
fired the pistol —but too late. The sear- them to stop 1”
ing flame sprayed the heavy steel door Commander Warnack rolled his eyes,
to the room beyond. attempted to twist his head away from
Twisting himself even as he fell into those steel-sharp fingers which were bit-
the room, the one who had deflected ing into his throat. Impatiently, Don
Don Kelz’s aim lurched in a low tackle. Kelz battered the man’s head against the
The sudden crash of the heavy body stone. Dar Warnack cursed. Mad
against his knees sentDon Kelz spin- laughter gurgled insanely from thick,
ning backward. His head thwacked sagging lips.
against the wall, the gun sailing from The shrill scream of the nefarious
hishand across the room. Don Kelz mechanism beyond the steel door burned
came up fighting. The other man was into the impatient officer’s consciousness.
clawing at him. Now in the full grip slammed Dar Warnack’s
Impulsively, he
of animal ferocity the two wrestled in head down against the stone flooring
death clutches. The other was strong, with vindictive hate.
his body massive. Nevertheless, the Don Kelz swayed above the com-
officerof the ISP was young. Blood mander’s motionless body, glared about
throbbed heatedly in his veins. the room. His fists clenched in despera-
Summoning all his strength, Don Kelz tion. That door He had to get beyond
!

shot his knees up sharply. The large it. He had to stop that infernal machine.
man gasped. His clawing grip loosened. With the supply of dextronite there was
In that fraction of a second Don Kelz scant limit to the destruction a secret
heaved up, hammered 'his fist viciously ray cannon might wreak.
AST-6
 !

DON KELZ OF THE I. S. P. 97

They could conquerthe Martian out- Don Kelz had rolled , 1

twisted, kicked.
post, hold off whole fleets of the coun- Catlike he was on his feet, crouching.
cil’s transports. Obviously this had not The flame pistol swerved in a flashing
been the first intention of Wamack and arc just as the officer shot forward in a
his conspirators, but
with Wamack defi- flying tackle.
nitely out of it and only death to be So fierce was the charge that his body
gained by surrender, the remainder of drove all three operators back upon the
the gang would surely fight. controls. The machine howled to a
maddening pitch. Lances of flame shot
THE WHINE began to waver in suddenly from point to point, crackling
pitch. This could mean but one thing. malevolently. Don Kelz was fighting
Don Kelz knew enough of ray cannons crazily, blindly, pouring full strength
to interpret the weird singsong. Al- and energy into straining muscles.
ready, they were discharging the lethal Taken by surprise the three operators
waves which would soon build up suffi- struggled in disorganized fright. The
ciently to destroy Athalon. strange beastlike man seemed every-
Frantically, Don Kelz grasped a flame where at once. The four became a
pistolfrom Warnack’s holster. He grunting, sweating, cursing entangle-
jumped over the body to the steel door. ment of arms and legs.
Securing his own flame torch he pressed “Cut the power !” One of them yelled.
both pistol and torch against the massive “He forced in the full feed lever. He
”
lock, pressed both studs. made
Crackling flame bit into the steel. A fist had crashed into the fellow’s
Both torch and pistol quivered in the mouth. Still the terrible machine roared
sturdy grip and Don Kelz poured hot, in full blast. There was no time for
searing energy into the steel. Fumes direction or control. The thing was a
stung his eyes, burned 'his nose and seething, churning mass of deathly
throat. Still the white-hot fury tore energy. But tthey were getting to him
into the metal. His eyes were slits. He now. They were beating Don Kelz to
seemed' not to breathe. He poised him- the floor. He couldn’t last long. Fran-
self upon tiptoes. The metal door tically, he struggled, determined to fight
seemed to buckle away from the con- so long as life would last.
suming flares. Then a blinding lance of fire cut into
Then, swiftly, his body a perfectly the milling group. An operator stag-
timed machine, Don Kelz dropped torch gered back, to the floor. An-
fell lifeless

and Simultaneously, his shoulder

pistol. other stab of came and Don Kelz
fire
crashed against the door. Metal rasped saw the face of another become chalk-
The door swung in sharply. Yet even white. His arms had been burned away.
as it burst open, the officer’s body drove A fiery flame pistol had burned them
glowing room.
fiercely into the brilliantly to useless ash.
The noise of the terrible machine mass Fierce, joyous energy surged through
which filled nearly all of the great hall Don Kelz. Some one was helping him.
screamed with horrible intensity. Be- Some one had fired that flame pistol and
fore the controls three men hunched removed two of the operators. With the
in desperate activity. The slushing ruthless ferocity of a cornered beast Don
sound of Don Kelz’s body sliding across Kelz tore into the remaining man.
the smooth stone flooring aroused but Swaying drunkenly to his feet, the body
one of them. The fellow whirled, of his victim held above his head Don
reached for his flame pistol. Kelz hurled the mass straight toward
The searing flame lashed out. Yet the fiery points of the ray cannon.
AST-7
98 ASTOUNDING STORIES
He had won For moments he stood
! IT WAS DAYBREAK in Athalon
there, swaying unsteadily and seeing when the two reached the headquarters
only dead bodies. Then the straining building. Everywhere men stood' about
pulsations of the machine drove him to in perplexed, questioning groups, talk-
full consciousness. He was at the con- ing of the weird vibrations which had
trols,working swiftly, expertly. quavered throughout the city the night
The whine of the monster ray cannon before.
died down weirdly. For a moment the Captain Silbert, acting commander of
oppressive silence seemed more deafen- Athalon, had completed the report. The
ing than the roar of tortured energy. A crowded assembly hall was quiet. All
voice cut with shocking keenness into eyes were fixed upon the two ragged
the trancelike stillness. spacemen who had brought them the
“Don Kelz — I say, officer —'how long incredible message.
must I ride here in this blessed har- “Let us rejoice that this unbelievable
ness?” horror is ended. Athalon has experi-
Don Kelz jumped, stared open-
mouthed. Then he laughed. In sheer
enced her first traitor and, by the —
courage and strength of the men of the
nervous reaction he laughed until hot ISP, escaped a fate worse than annihila-
tears soothed his smarting eyes. tion. As you have requested, a trans-
There across the room, suspended well port will carry you and your aid, Max
above the floor, old Max Durr hung in Durr, Earthward at once.”
a sort of cage which had been cut from
Don Kelz saluted. His eyes were
the leather of an old space suit. In one
heavy with weariness, though his mouth
hand he waved a flame pistol.
was still firm and smiling.
“Get me down, I say. Glory to the
“Great Polaris! I just remembered
council, Don Kelz, but every bone of
me throbs with a special pain of his it.” Max Durr seemed suddenly
stricken.
own.” Old Max squirmed in the queer
cage, his gray beard waving stiffly with “What? What’s that?”
the rapid working of his jaw as the Old Max looked up appealingly to
words tumbled forth. Don Kelz. “My money. I just remem-
“And did I pick them off! But say, bered. We left it at the Cafe of the
Don Kelz, ’twas a crafty trick to hide —
Purple Flack all of it my wages my — —
this blessed gun close to my skin, heh? winnings. Ah, woe is me truly I must —
How do I rank as an ISP? But hurry have come into my dotage my winnings —
I want to get down.” —all of it!”
With Katharine in his
arms, he leaped, slipped
and half fell behind this ±
second juggernaut which
was plunging

The
Conclusion of:

Blue Magic
by Charles Willard Diffin
UP TO NOW: From Dra Tor’s re- mals and plants, took the new tempo.
search into electronic speed variations On Xandros, a tiny satellite of Jupiter
unthin the atom came much magic. which they know as Grokara, the cinema
Time itself was speeded up; all the per- of time runs fast. All matter becomes
ceptions, the functions of men and ani- invisible to one on slow time.
 ”

100 ASTOUNDING STORIES

Then Dra Tor’s death was announced, only cattle to Xandrians, charge in
and his daughter, Dra Vonga, using his frenzy upon the green guards.
magic, became ruler. She sent a space If Driggs and Duvaurier can rescue
ship to Earth, and, in the high Sierra, Katharine, then drive out into space,
Ranee Driggs, forestry man, finds a they may escape. They run for the ship
blue jewel. Looking into it, he sees Dra as the maddened shogas charge down.
Vonga, a ravishing and exotic beauty.
Here is more of Dra Tor’s magic — XVII.
television through synchronous vibra-
HE THUNDER
tions within the jewels, tuned vibrations
almost as high pitched as thought, and
a carrier for thought waves.
With Katharine —“ Kitten —
Putnam,
T and the din of their snarling
cries smothered all other sounds
Driggs opened his mouth and shouted
of the herd

Driggs is captured by grotesque, three- to Duvaurier and felt the words tear-

toed, green-fleshed —
men Grokarian ing at his throat. Still he heard no

men, brought to Xandros by Dra Vonga. sound but only the pandemonium of
The two Earth folk are taken to Xan- the charging herd. He pitched Du-
dros. There Dra Vonga, infatuated vaurier head first toward the little round
with the Earth man, would blast Kath- port in the rusted side of the ship and
arine in the 'magic of her withering blue flung himself on the red rock under the
flames, but sends her away instead. curve of the ship’s plates.

Driggs loves Katharine, yet against The maddened shogas went by, and
his own zvill he is tremendously drawn Driggs got to his feet, but he stood for
to Dra Vonga whose beauty is almost a moment beside the open port and
irresistible. looked across the red field.

On Xandros, Driggs finds Duvaurier, Inside the ship, Duvaurier’s voice

a Frenchman who has invented a space cried out: “Vite! Enter, m’sieu’!
ship and whose secret trial flight from They have other weapons, the green
!”
Earth has ended in captivity on Xan- ones
dros. Duvaurier has been there a hun- From a low gray building near the
dred Earth years of time, yet Driggs first of the big ships a knot of green
finds that he left the Earth only the figures emerged. They were clustered
year before. Duvaurier built the ship together as they moved out.
which brought Driggs and Katharine, Two shogas bore down upon them
and now five more are nearing comple- The shogas’ necks were arched, their
tion, for Dra Vonga plans further con- heads thrust forward, and they screamed
quest. as they ran. They were still fifty feet
The ship which took Katharine away away when the knot of men opened out
returns bearing marks of the black chalk and something they had carried was
cliffs of Grokara, and Grokara is a fear- left sparkling under the sun.

ful place. For an instant it gleamed, then a

Duvaurier’ s little rusted ship in which single thin ray of pale violet flicked out,
he made his first flight is still able to and the blinding brilliance of it blocked
drive along the lines of force which out the other gleaming and made sun-
Duvaurier has found in static tension light pale. It was a knife, a rapier

throughout all space, but the green of light, that flicked once and touched
guards prevent escape. Until Fozan, a the great beasts —
and suddenly they
Xandrian, turns loose the herd of were shogas no longer, but only two
shogas, and the great beasts, which are huge hulks that pitched limply forward
 !

BLUE MAGIC 101

and rolled and became at last inert see. —

But for Grokara behold, my
mounds, shaggy and gray. friend; Grokara is not hard to find.”
Twice the green men of Grokara He was pointing through a forward
swung the stabbing ray before Driggs port where, in a darkening sky, a moon,
moved. And even then it was the quiver incredibly huge, shone with green, lus-
of the rusted steel beneath his hand trous light.
that brought him to his senses.
“Vite, m’sieu’l” Duvaurier’s voice IT WAS still green when it had
was imploring. Driggs turned and changed from a moon to a great moun-
threw himself in a headlong dive tain-roughened globe, and from that to
through the open port. And, with the merely an expanse of barren, gray-
doorway still open, the little craft that green rock a few thousand feet below.
had brought Duvaurier through space The rock was the color of mildew and
surged up in a straight, vertical lift. reached out endlessly toward an indefi-
Duvaurier closed the port. He moved nite horizon. The ship was flying be-
a switch for a moment, and lead around neath a blanket of cloud that made the
the rim of the port became soft, then land below unchangingly dreary.
hardened instantly and sealed the rim. "Grokara,” Duvaurier said, “is of an
He looked at gauges and tried gas enormous size, but it is in no way good.
cocks which hissed loudly in the closed The green color is of copper carbonate,
cabin of the ship. He said at last: for the rock is filled with the metal.
“That violet ray, my friend, is not Now comes a gray ocean and beyond
good. The ray which you saw was that the land of the green-fleshed men.”
harmless, but what you did not see was The gray ocean under a cloud-filled
ultra-violet of very short wave lengths. sky passed swiftly; then came land and
It is more of Dra Tor’s magic. What evidences of plowed fields. But the
a pity that Dra Tor died This ray is ! cities were merely clusters of rounded
the death ray that comes from blue earth mounds. Among them groups of
stars. Our Earth astronomers know dark figures seemed as unmoving as
of it. It fills all space, but in the walls the mounds.
of my little ship is lead which screens Duvaurier said, “They are on slow
it out.” time,” and added: “I came here with
Driggs said tonelessly “That’s : her. How incredible seemed the green
good.” The wonder of this surging lift ones then
was stunning him. The whistle of air “But I remembered the research of
outside the walls was growing more a professor at the University of Ala-
faint. He said : “Now ifwe can find bama in your own country. This pro-
Grokara —damn the word I mean
!
—” fessor said that only by accident load
Jupiter —
then find Kitten man’s blood been red, for the green
Hedid not finish. Up ahead Du- chlorocruorin which he discovered in
vaurier was closing a switch which certain sea worms was equally a car-
made Driggs heavy with some new rier of oxygen. And here on Grokara
gravitation beneath his feet. Then, in both green and red-blooded animals
the centralframework of the ship, three have evolved! One gets used to them
little moved and swung
radial cylinders in time.”
toward the bow, and with that the surge Duvaurier had cut down the ship’s
of the ship forward was almost unbear- speed to pass through air without un-
able. due heating, but still the rectangles of
From up forward Duvaurier said tilled ground and the clusters of mounds
calmly: “As to mademoiselle, we will poured swiftly beneath. After that
 ; ;

102 ASTOUNDING STORIES

came mountains, with the ship sweep- level, and the green was broken by deep
ing up in a great burst of speed to canyons and small, steep-sided hills.
clear them. Then Duvaurier pointed On one hill was a fleck of red. Du-
ahead. vaurier set the ship down gently on the
“The black chalk cliffs,” he said, “and level plain near by, and Driggs stood
—which not well for mademoiselle
is silent, but with his hands making lit-
—the land of the karanas.” tle moves that were like echoes of each

Driggs snapped out : “You didn’t tell motion Duvaurier made in unscrewing
me that. What are the karanas?” the port. For the bit of red on the
“Man-beasts, yet, I think, neither little hill was very quiet.

quite beasts nor men. But they are Then he sprang outside the ship, but
horrible, m’sieu’. And I did not tell stood on the green rock, crouching,
you because what could you do? tensed and ready to spring aside. He
“But there is one hope, my friend did not move, for he was facing as fear-
Driggs. There on Grokara is a plateau some a beast as he had ever seen.
which in some odd way is insulated The ship had landed beside it. It was
from the rest. To permit the work- on all fours, facing lengthwise of the
ing of mines on that plateau, Dra ship and so looking directly toward
Vonga, by means of the tuning mecha- Driggs only ten feet away. It was a
nism in the gray ship, was able to com- shaggy beast, its hair matted with filth
municate this fast vibration to the yet even down on all four feet its back
plateau. was higher than Driggs’ waist. Its head
“The time zone surrounding the ship was thrust forward and tipped up as a
was enlarged, and included the plateau man’s head would be if he walked in
and the plateau itself became on fast such a way. And the face was gro-
time. But the karanas, having first been tesquely, yet horribly, that of a man.

driven away, have remained on slow It wasn’t an ape face, nor gorilla, for

time. Now the plateau is invisible to the cunning in the eyes was human cun-
” ning, though the ferocity was that of a
them, and they avoid it unless
beast.
Duvaurier paused and bit nervously
Driggs stood rigid for a single in-
at his lip.
stant, his tensed muscles ready to throw
“Go on,” Driggs said harshly.
him to either side then he knew that
;

“Unless there is food that attracts the thing before him was almost as still.
them,” Duvaurier said. “They see It was moving, but the motion was slow.
nothing, but their sense of scent is It came upright with dreadful delib-
keen.” eration and stood on its hind feet, and
”
Driggs answered “Yeah, sure
: the forepaws that it reached out were
and did not know what he said. He not paws but hands. The front of the
stared blindly ahead toward dull black thing asit stood erect was almost hair-

cliffs—the black chalk cliffs of Grokara. less. was the torso of a man, Driggs
It
saw, and above it that dreadful face
HORIZONTALLY across their face and the head of a man. He saw the
was a broad band of white that Du- nostril holes in its flattened nose dis-
vaurier said might be the insulating tend as the beast got his scent. Its
stratum. He moved small levers, and mouth opened wide and Driggs knew
the ship lifted easily. Atop the cliffs it was uttering some hideous cry, yet

was a plateau that seemed carpeted with no sound came.

green mould. It slipped smoothly be- Beyond this one were others that also
neath the speeding ship and became less stood erect and opened their nostrils
 : !

BLUE MAGIC 103

and rolled their lips back from yellowed But Driggs tore free. Ahead of the
fangs. ship the wave of beastly things was
Back of Driggs, Duvaurier spoke nearing the top. The side of the lit-
“It is like the slow cinema picture, tle hill was a slowly undulating mass

n’est-ce pas? This, m’sieu’, is how you of bodies, writhing beneath a blanket
appeared slow to her when she retarded of dark fur. On the hill a bit of red
your tempo. But behold the karanas lifted and fluttered in the wind.
— the man-beasts of Grokara.”
The beasts were all headed one way.
Two, at one side, turned as they got XVIII.
the man scent and drew in toward KATHARINE PUTNAM had not
Driggs and the one he had first seen
; moved. Driggs had only an irregular
took one slow step toward him and then mound red to show that she was
of
another. It was looking directly at there—that and the horde of beasts with
Driggs, yet there was no sharp focus infallible scent. And still she did not
in the gaze but rather a blind staring. move while he ran toward her, shift-
Suddenly Driggs whirled about as the ing and dodging among the huge slow-
steady forward drift of the beasts took moving things —
one in the very
until
on meaning. Directly ahead of the ship front of those climbing toward her dis-
was the , red of Katharine Putnam’s turbed a great rock.
dress, on the very top of a small,
It rolled and leaped with sudden mo-
pointed hill. The
were headed
beasts
tion as if it had come to life. It was
that way; scores of them were drawing
four or five feet in diameter, gray at
in and converging at that point. At the
first, then wet and shining and red with
base of the hill they jammed solidly to-
the ruby redness of fresh blood, for it
gether and some were halfway up.
plowed a furrow as it came through
They, moved with the slow, deadly cer-
the mass of slow-moving flesh.
tainty of engulfing water.
Driggs took one step, then Du-
And Katharine Putnam stirred at

vaurier’s arm was about him, and Du- that. She flung up one bare arm and
raised her head. She rubbed her eyes
vaurier’s voice was shouting:
—
“No, m’sieu’ they are slow, but once likeone awakening, then sprang to her
feet. Her red frock hung in rags about
theirhands close on you We will
take the ship there, and I, perhaps, can her. Her face above was ghastly pale.
She cried out: “Ranee, I didn’t mean
hold steady in the air while you get
out.”
it
to sleep —and now they’ve got me
Don’t come! Don’t!”
Against the side of Driggs’ face was
sudden pressure. Sharp points touched Then Driggs pushed a clawing hand
and pressed in, and another point caught aside, moved swiftly between two huge
beneath his jaw, then all the points be- beasts that turned their heads as they
gan to close. Duvaurier screamed :
scented him, and vaulted to the top of
“Karana!” then Driggs jerked his head the rock that had wedged against a
free. Close beside him the big hand of blocking mass of horrible flesh.
the karana closed. Its nails were thick Ahead of the rock, up the slope of
and black and hooked like great claws. the little hill, an avenue was cleared.

He had plenty of time to move away It was paved with an oozing red mass
before the hand came forward again. no longer distinguishable as separate
And once more Duvaurier tugged at bodies, and the beasts at each side of
him with his one good arm and hand. it were closing in. They moved less
“Come 1” he entreated. slowly now, for the scent of blood had
104
reached them. Driggs leaped from the
top of the rock and fought for footing
on the slippery paving of that horrible
way, and climbed. At last he stood be-
side the girl.
He did not touch her or speak to her.
He looked quickly about and saw the
same rising horror on all sides. But he
was looking for a weapon. He sprang,
suddenly, almost down to the nearest
karam, and bent and heaved on a stone
that was beneath another huge block.
Debris from the mine Duvaurier had
spoken of, a heap of great blasted rocks
— this was the hill on which Katharine
had taken refuge. And the rock frag-
ments were huge. Driggs was clearing
smaller pieces from beneath the outer
edge of a great greenish-black mass.
And at last it moved.
A karana had dislodged the first one,
and Driggs had seen his chance there.
Now he swept Katharine Putnam into
his arms and leaped and slipped and half
fell and went on again in the wake of
this second juggernaut that was plung-
ASTOUNDING STORIES
the big gray craft swooped in, and a
tube projecting from the bow swung
its muzzle upon them.
DRA VONGA walked down from
the opened port. The gold of her hair
was matched perfectly by the heavy
golden folds of her robe, draped from
her shoulders and gathered in at her
waist. She glowed as if a single ray
of sunshine had broken through the
heavy clouds and touched her.
But Duvaurier made little groaning
sounds as Driggs and Katharine came
near.
“I think,” Duvaurier said, “that the
karanas would have been kinder.”
The man-beasts were turning toward
them from all sides, always moving,
converging toward this new prey. One
of them was near Dra Vonga, and Dra
Vonga’s face told of her disgust. She
wrapped her robe more closely about
her and moved far to one side to avoid
any contaminating touch. And, for a
single moment, she was between her

ing on ahead. He was splashed with captives and the ship.

blood to his knees when he reached Duvaurier moved as if galvanized

level ground, and stood Katharine on
into life. He flung himself forward
her feet.
and dived head first through the open
port of his little ship. Sounds came
She said, “That wasn’t very nice,
Ranee, but but —
” Suddenly, her
from within. Other barking shouts
echoed from the larger ship.
attempt at brave indifference vanished.
Dra Vonga turned and moved quickly
“Ranee,” she gasped, “are we getting
away, Ranee?”
aside. A blue ray like those they had
seen in the temple shot from the muzzle
Not fifty feet away was the ship.
of the projector on the big ship.
Duvaurier had lifted it off the surface
But Duvaurier had lifted the smaller
of gray-green rock; now he was drop-
craft. It leaped upward in the instant
ping it back. The ship jarred heavily
that the blue ray slashed in below. To
as it touched, and Duvaurier jumped
Driggs’ eyes it was gone instantly-
out.
gone with the speed of light. And in
But he did not look toward the two the same moment he knew that the blue
nor at the slow karanas swinging in to- ray had touched them. Then, the ship
ward these new scents. He looked back and Dra Vonga and all the green fig-
into the leaden gray sky where a ures swarming from the port were gone
rounded darker blot was swelling like in that impenetrable haze that meant a
a bubble that is being blown. change of time sense.
Duvaurier said, “She comes. And we —
A quivering and the karanas in that
cannot escape. My little ship ” then same instant came to life.
 ;

BLUE MAGIC 105

They had been moving forward with holds you. You could have escaped,
deadly certainty, in that slow motion Ranee Driggs, but you came here in-
which was horrible, yet which meant stead because she was here. I must
safety. Now, instantly, they were mov- know why.”
ing at terrific speed, rushing in from Green men, four or five of them, came
all sides. And the air was a pande- forward with drawn weapons, then
monium of cries that came from their Driggs and the girl followed Dra Vonga
opened jaws. toward the ship, ,

Driggs gasped out “The ray it has : — But once Dra Vonga turned and
slowed us down !” Then he took the looked past them across the dreary
girl in his arms. waste of the gray-green plateau on Gro-
He would have thrown her to a place kara where the' man-beasts of Grokara
of safety, but one quick glance showed circled and drew in again in converg-
there was none. The nearest karana ing lines toward the human prey. And
was beside them one last rush; it
in Dra Vonga smiled sweetly.
stood upright its hands, with every fin-
;
“You were fun-nee, but you have
ger tipped with a black, hooked claw, shown me how to reward Fozan and
closed in —
then Dra Vonga. laughed. the others. They shall have the karanas
In a single flash of time the fearful for companions.”
din of animal sound was gone. There Suddenly, her eyes blazed with hate,
was only Dra Vonga’s soft laughter, and she spat out words: “I. will bring
and her voice. the karanas to Xandros. They will
“You were so fun-nee!” she said. touch their clawed feet to Xandros, and
“So slow, like the karanas.” instantly they will be no longer, slow.
Close before Driggs’ staring eyes a They shall haye Xandros for their own
great hand with black, hooked claws was they shall have the men: and the —
—
closing slowly. An ugly half-human women !”
body back of the claws was leaning for- Dra. Vonga turned away then and
—
ward slowly. Others of the karanas went inside the ship.
that had been rushing with horrible
clamor upon them were again caught in
XIX.
that slow deliberateness of motion.
The claws touched Driggs’ face be- DRIGGS' and Katharine Putnam
fore he jerked away. Then again he were in another room in Dra Von-
still

picked Katharine up in his arms and ga’s temple. Arkos, the Grokarian, had
dodged and circled and ran until he was brought them there when the gray ship
free of the crowding beasts that had had returned. Now they stood silent,
been almost upon them. for the room was in darkness except for
Fifty feet away Dra Vonga. was a single ray of light that came through
standing beside the big ship. Duvaurier an aperture above and shone on a pair
and his little rusted craft were gone, of black curtains.
swallowed up in the depths of space The light was blue. The curtains ab-
beyond the clouds. Dra Vonga said sorbed it and left the rest of the room in
with childish candor: “I promised not darkness. Yet one thing caught the
to harm Kit-ten and I did not, but I light and reflected it.

made no promise for. the karanas. At one side of the curtain, on a

“Now, I think I would leave you both pedestal, was a blue crystal ball a foot
here except that Du-vor might return. in diameter. A hard, indefinable blue
Besides, Dra Vonga must, study this — electric, clear as crystal. It caught
Kit-ten, and see by what magic she the blue light, and wherever one stood
 — —

106 ASTOUNDING STORIES

the reflection followed like a never-clos- out and take Driggs by the throat. He
ing eye. could not breathe for the hurt in his
Driggs, looking at it, had to fight to chest. Little tremblings ran through
turn away, for the light was hypnotic him. His pulse, pounding in his ears,
the blue of it or its steady intensity he ;
was like the exhaust of an engine far
could not tell which. away.
He touched Katharine’s hand and She stood three steps above the level
found it cold. Under his breath he said, of the room and looked down at them;
“More voodoo stuff. Don’t let it get at the man in his stained clothes where
you.” the marks of Grokara had been wiped
“I don’t like the crystal,” she whis- off, and the girl in her red frock that
pered. “I’ve seen it and looked into it. horrible, black-clawed hands had torn
I saw some rather dreadful things, to rags.
Ranee, but I think she made me see And after a time, she spoke: “Once,
them.” Ranee Driggs, you asked why I had
“Hypnotism ?” brought you from your Earth. I will
“Yes, but there was more to it than tell you now. The blue crystal told me
that.” that you would come to show me the
Driggs broke in with thoughts that lost magic of Dra Tor.”
he could not drive from his mind for Driggs’ laughter was harshly con-
long. “It’s been plenty tough for you, temptuous, but the sound was largely
but you and I are about washed up now. a reaction against the spell of her beauty
Duvaurier has gone, and that just fixed that had gripped him a moment before.
up any chance we ever had for a get- He was still struggling against it.

away. And it’s these poor devils here “Listen,” he said; “I don’t fall for
I’m thinking of. She’s going to bring that crystal-gazing bunk. Dra Tor
in those karanas, and what can I do ?” taught you plenty of — well, call it magic
He rammed his hand into a coat if you like. He was about a million
pocket and brought out all that the years ahead of us in science, I guess.
pocket held —some flakes of tobacco and But this other stuff, that’s something
two discolored matches with blue heads. else again.”
“They cleaned me,” he said “this is all ; Hestopped, expecting her to flame
I’ve got left.” out at him in anger. He felt that here
He had been whispering. Now was the end of their wild adventure,
Katharine pressed his hand and he was and he was beyond hope and so beyond
still. The heavy black curtains were caring.
moving, swinging smoothly apart. And, But Dra Vonga’s eyes did not change.
abruptly, Dra Vonga was before them. Instead she said patiently: “I will tell
She wore a robe of dead black with itto you as Dra Tor told it to me.
a single great sapphire holding it at her “The little blue jewel which you
waist. It draped loosely over her shoul- found when Arkos it was tuned to
lost
ders, and the creamy richness of her the one I held. You
looked into it, and
skin on arms and face and throat was we were joined in thought. But this”
changed to the white of alabaster, under — she pointed to the big crystal globe
that light. Even her hair was like white “is tuned to the great all-thought. For
gold. Dra Tor said that we are in an ocean of
But her lips flamed, and her eyes thought and of truth. are sur- We
were deep and dark. And the beauty rounded by it, and all knowledge is

of her, as she stood unmoving for that there, but we must learn how to reach
interminable moment, seemed to reach out and take it.”
 BLUE MAGIC 107

Driggs’ lips twisted to a cynical smile, black, and the shelf below was black;
but before he could speak Dra Vonga there were caves back there in the blue
said sharply: “Do -not laugh, Ranee shale,and water trickled from the caves
Driggs. Dra Tor was wise with great and ran across the black rock.
wisdom. —
Look now and learn !” —
Thoughts then, abruptly, Duvaurier
was gone, and Dra Vonga was speak-
SHE came quickly down the three ing. She asked eagerly “Did you see
:

steps, the gold of her sandals twinkling the magic ? The clouds, and the flames
whitely beneath the lower edge of her like the blue flames in the temple, yet
robe. She crossed to the crystal and not the same?”
stood with one hand above it, but she “I saw Duvaurier.” Driggs spoke
did not touch it. Then she stepped shortly, for the experience had shaken
back. him.
“Look, Ranee Driggs,” she said. “Du-vor !” There was only contempt
Driggs shrugged imperceptibly. He in Dra Vonga’s tone.
moved over to her side and leaned above Abruptly, she bent her own head
the blue ball. But again his thoughts above the blue crystal. Her lips moved
had gone back to Duvaurier and the soundlessly and her two hands came up
swiftness with which the little ship had and clasped and opened again with the
escaped. If they had been five minutes tensity of some emotion. Then she
sooner in finding Kitten But he drew back cautiously as if almost afraid
couldn’t blame Duvaurier to move.
All this had been thought over many “Look,” she whispered, “the lost
times since the gray ship had returned magic of Dra Tor!”
them to Xandros. He was thinking of And Driggs, looking into the crystal,
it all now as he leaned above the blue found it filled with terrible flames.
crystal—and suddenly he found himself Real flames, these. Whatever was
face to face with Duvaurier. burning was hidden under rolling clouds
The Frenchman was standing in the of smoke, and he could not see below;
cabin of his ship. Back of him was the but the smoke was such as burning oil
little three-cylindered device he had or resins might make, and the black bil-
called his impeller. One cylinder was lowing smoke masses were shot through
and slightly forward the other
vertical ; with red tongues that painted them to
two pointed straight ahead and were as sultry glowing.
close as they could be brought together. Driggs could almost feel the heat on
Duvaurier’s body was leaning forward his face. He drew back. “That’s plenty
as if resisting terrific acceleration. hot, that fire,” he said.
And then, for one brief instant, there Dra Vonga looked
at him from wide
came to Driggs an unique experience: eyes,and she breathed through parted
he heard Duvaurier’s thoughts. lips. Off at one side Katharine Put-
It was as if he thought them him- nam stood and watched and said noth-
self. —
They were words pictures and — ing at all.
they were Duvaurier’s thoughts.
still “Fire!” Dra Vonga said. “It is a
Thoughts of the mountain above the new word. But It is the lost magic.
—
red field of the gash across the moun- And it is known to you !”
tain thatmade a transverse scar. They Driggs looked across at Katharine and
both had stood there when the ship bear- spoke to her. “It’s fire,” he said. “All
ing Kitten had passed above their heads. the time I’ve been here I’ve never seen
He saw the stratum of blue clay and any fire, but I never thought of it be-
shale. The limestone above it was fore.”
 — ;

108 ASTOUNDING STORIES

“Listen, Ranee Driggs,” Dra Vonga shade had its own note. The sound was
interrupted. music. And it was pleasing, yet dis-
“Dra Tor did not tell me this magic, turbing, for it held new chords and new
for he said was not meant for Xan-
it harmonies built up from queer frac-
dros. But, after much trying, I saw tional tones. The sound came down out
it in the crystal. And I saw that a man of the flames.
from a far star would come with knowl- Dra Vonga spoke and broke the spell
edge of the magic, and by the magic he of them. “The singing flames of Dra
would save me from great harm. After Tor,” she said reverently. “And now
that he and I would be like one person you will go, for Dra Vonga would be
together we would have all magic. We alone while the flames talk to her. Kit-
would rule here and on his world, too, ten will be in no way harmed. And
’’
and you, Ranee Driggs, are free to work
Driggs asked dryly: “Did you see the new magic. But let it be soon, for
all that — all of it?” the karanas come.”
The words which had been pouring Then, in a room in the outermost cir-
from Dra Vonga’s lips came more hesi- cular building, but at the rear, Driggs
tantly now. “No,” she admitted, “the had a chance for a few words with
last was always hidden under the black Katharine before he left.
clouds. But it is so because Dra Vonga Kitten was troubled he could see —
says it will be. Will you bring this that —
and he wanted to take her in his
magic to Xandros, Ranee Driggs?” arms but found it impossible even to
Driggs slid one hand into the pocket touch her hand. A wall had come up
of his coat, and his fingers closed on between them something intangible,
;

two bits of wood two matches, com-;

something he couldn’t see clearly but
monplace things of his own world. But knew was there.
it

he was thinking of the resinous forests He walked to an outer door of the

of Xandros and of what flame would room and looked out and found that
mean. it faced on more of the wide pavement.

——
“Dra Tor” he was echoing Dra Out there the sun was shining as it had
Vonga’s words “was wise with great shone since first he came. Four ugly,
wisdom. This magic is not for Xan- glassy-skinned green men of Grokara
dros. But I will bring it for you sat in the sunshine and looked at Driggs
once.” from slitted eyes. They were Kitten’s
jailers.
XX. Across the from among
pavement,
THEY
passed out through the great Driggs had
distant trees, a plant such as
room of the temple, but they stopped, seen came rolling.was drawn into a
It
first, a single step inside the arched en- tight ball, but hands came out from the
trance. For the temple, at the end ball and pushed it across the smooth
where Dra Vonga’s throne stood on a stone.
raised platform, was ablaze with color. Where the breeze blew down from
Across the whole end of the room, Driggs and carried the human scent the
and clear to the beginning of the high plant stopped abruptly, reversed its mo-
dome, flames filled the air. Blue flames tion and rolled swiftly away, until one
and yellow that came and went and of the green guards leaped upon it and
whirled into intricate patterns or tore off leafy, cup-shaped hands and
blended to countless shades of green and ate the red center out of each. The ball
were never still. was a whirl of struggling stems and
Sound came from them as if every leaves that tore free at last and again
 BLUE MAGIC 109

formed themselves to a ball that rolled ship was. And the fifth ship was
of sight.
erratically, but swiftly, out nearly done.
Driggs hardly saw it. This was Xan- He looked then at the mountain close
dros. Things like that happened on to the ships, and he thought of Du-
Xandros. vaurier as he had seen him in the blue
Back inside the room Katharine sphere.
walked across to a chair of ornately That had been a damned funny ex-
carved wood and stood beside it, finger- perience. Had he really read Du-
ing the carving of am arm rest. She vaurier’s —
thoughts and, if he had,
did not look up, but said, “So you’re what did it mean ? Why was Duvaurier
going in for magic in a big way you — thinking of the mountain?
and Dra Vonga.” And the blue stratum, too —
he could
Driggs’ answer was a growl. “Magic see it like a flat-shadowed gash cut into
— hell But she’s a devil I’ll go that
!
;
the mountain and dividing it into an

far with you.” upper and a lower part. Seen from this
He did not turn, nor see the girl as side, the stratum was not horizontal but

she raised her eyes and looked stead- was sloped, with a pitch toward the red
ily at his lean figure making a black field.

silhouette in the doorway. “Dra Driggs shook his head —perhaps those
Vonga,” she said slowly, “is —believe it hadn’t been Duvaurier’s thoughts at all.

or not —a lovable child.” He went then in search of Fozan,

Then she added: “She And, standing on the mountain a lit-
is also the
crudest, most heartless creature I have
tle later with Fozan, he looked down on
ever seen. And she is a woman, who, the red field and the solid expanse of
forest surrounding it. He said : “Those
in her way, is desperately in love with
you. You knew trees are rotten with pitch and resin.
that, of course,
Ranee ?” No wonder Dra Tor didn’t want them
to have fire. Duvaurier kept his mouth
Driggs did not turn. “Yes,” he said,
shut, too. But we’re going to have fire
“I knew that.”
here now.”
Helooked out again at the green Fozan said, “Fire? I do not under-
guards. “I’d better not talk too much stand. All I know is that the karanas
now,” he said, “but I’ve got an idea or willcome.”
two to work out. You’ll be all right “I’m figuring to give the karanas
here, Kitten. Dra Vonga has prom- something to think about,” Driggs said.
ised, and I guess there are no mental
“I’ll cramp their lovely style quite a bit.
reservations this time.” After it’s all over I want you and your
“That’s nice,” Katharine said, and men and the shogas to go in there and
did not look up until after he had gone. clean up the karanas and green men .

both. They won’t have much fight in

DRIGGS left the temple and went to them. But first I want a firebreak two
the red field. Down at the far end five hundred feet wide all around this field.”
ships gleamed coppery-bright. Four of Driggs stopped then and drew a long
them were finished, lacking only the in- breath. And, at sight of the bewilder-
stallationof those strange generators ment on Fozan’s face, he began again
that Dra Tor had conceived. One in and put everything into simple words.
each ship would maintain a vibration But he cautioned Fozan to say nothing
—
zone about it a magnetic field, perhaps of what it all meant but to drive his
— Driggs could not tell. But inside that —
men like hell which last also needed
zone would be fast time wherever that explaining to the bronze-faced man.
110
Then, through time which would have
been many days had there been nights
to mark them, Driggs watched the fire-
break grow and become a broad avenue
circling the field. It was set back from
the field by a quarter mile, and Dra
Vonga’s temple and the lustrous, opal-
escent homes of the Xandrians were all
outside.
Men
of Fozan’s race worked to make
ASTOUNDING STORIES
Fozan and ten others, he ran up the
winding trail which would take him to
the ledge. This was the blow-off now.
If they could wipe out the karanas and
the green soldiers of Dra Vonga at one
blow, then make a surprise attack on
the temple
He came out upon the ledge of black
limestone and ran, following the black
rock, around the circle of the hill,
.

it,and the shogas, with rope harnesses while Fozan and the ten came after,
on them, hauled on cables and brought their bare feet making slapping sounds
the black trees crashing down. on the smooth rock.
Once Arkos and other Grokarians Directly above the red field he
came in the gray ship, but Dra Vonga stopped. Here was where he and Du-
was with them, too. The shogas were vaurier had stood here they had seen
;

kept at a safe distance. the gray ship take off. Now five cop-
“Is it part of the magic?’’ Dra Vonga pery ships were landing.
asked. They came in one at a time, sinking
And, Driggs’ reply, she silenced
at down cautiously, for the crews that
the shouting green men and left with Arkos had trained were not expert. But
them in the ship. the first one to land had its port open,
But still the new ships left the red and a solid stream of muddy brown and
field before the firebreak was done. black was flowing out of it when the
last ship landed.
RANCE drove the men then, and the The stream from that first broke up
crash of falling timber was an endless and became little clots of dark color,
sound. Other crews followed and —
then single units beastly things that
dragged logs and branches to the in- ran and leaped and at last were herded
side toward the field and piled other into a solid mass by green men with
branches and brittle, resinous brush on drawn weapons. The karams could
top until the inner edge of the broad think —and be driven.
avenue was like a great fuse waiting From Fozan and the others came low,
only for a spark to change it to a line moaning sounds. Until Driggs said
of fire. sharply: “Bring the fire pots, Fozan!
Back of this the firebreak was Quick !”
cleared, but between this line of brush They ran farther along the ledge,
and the red was a quarter mile of
field Fozan and the others naked, bronze- —
dense forest. The trees with shiny skinned men with red cloths about their
black trunks would each be a blazing hips. Then they headed back into the
torch together they would make a
;
caves where water, trickling, had eroded
holocaust of flame. the shale. They came back and at once,
But the five ships were gone.Driggs each was carrying a big earthenware
and Fozan and the crews with their jar that had once held wine made from
great shaggy work animals were tearing strange fruits, in the house of Fozan’s
out the last section of forest in back of father. Now the jars were empty and
the mountain when the ships came back. dry.
Driggs saw them when they were far Ten jars. But Fozan came with his
off and snapped out orders which Fozan arms filled with brush.
translated for the men. Then, with He threw it at Driggs’ feet then took
 BLUE MAGIC 111

And then, unbelievably, the whole top of the —

mountain was moving slowly
at first — —
then the sweep of it was too vast and too swift for eyes to see.
 7 :

112 ASTOUNDING STORIES

hold of Driggs’ arm and pulled at it. down at the forest’s edge, a pile of
“Come,” he said excitedly, “for I do brush had been heaped.
not understand, and it is like a vine yet Driggs said, “They know their sta-
isno vine.” tions. They know where to go. Have
He ran back toward the caves, taking they had time, Fozan?”
Driggs with him. And a moment later And Fozan, waiting, said at last

Driggs was looking at what was un- “Now! They are there!”
questionably a length of fuse. Then Driggs pointed down the slope,
It was white with a black thread and the tenth man snatched up a pot of
woven through One end of it was
it. glowing coals and darted away, follow-
lost back darkness of the caves.
in the ing atrail that vanished among the trees

The other way it ran out across the below.

ledge and, dropping, vanished under dry Down on the red field the milling
brush that had been piled above it. karanas suddenly spread out, as water
Back on the ledge the ten Xandrians spreads when a dam lets go. The green
called out suddenly and pointed down men had released them at a dozen points,
at the karanas, down at the red plain and the flood of beasts poured through
which, about the ships, had become a and changed to thousands of individual,
living sea —a pool, swarming with un-
leaping,
the man
grotesque things, crazed with
scents that filled the air.
clean life. Driggs dropped the fuse and
ran back. was then that the first little cloud
It
puffed up from the base of the hill,
He threw broken twigs and bits of
pulling other smoke after it into a
bark into the jars. Then he knelt and
straight column that rose and mush-
struck a match on the side of a jar and
roomed and, all in one instant, changed
shielded it with his hands. The match
to billowing masses of black, sooty
flamed, and the Xandrians drew back.
smoke.
The dry in the pots burned
stuff
The man who had taken the fire
cleanly with smoke, even when all
little
magic down and had seen the little pot-
ten pots were filled with fire. Driggs
ful grow fury of flame burst
into a
put in more branches, showing them
affrightedly from the forest and ran to-
how it was done, then again he gave ward them. Down below, the karanas,
orders which Fozan translated.
spreading, had almost reached the edge
of the field; the foremost were van-
THE MEN OF XANDROS ran
ishing among the trees. But now other
swiftly away, each man carrying an
smoke was rising.
earthen jar from which thin ribbons of
It came here and there at points back
smoke trailed out. Nine men, carrying
in the forest about the field. It rose
the fire magic, but the tenth stayed with
straight and changed to black masses,
Fozan and Driggs and dropped more and the separate columns broadened and
twigs and broken bits into the pot.
spread until they joined together and
Fozan said, “It is magic, Ranee made a curtain of black smoke sur-
Driggs, but what can such little magic round the field. And now the curtain
do against them?” He pointed to the was no longer black but sultry red.
field. At the foot of the hill, below Driggs
Driggs looked down, but he was look- and Fozan, the first fire was a solid wall
ing at the base of the mountain where of flame. It did not spread at once but
the forest began. The green roof of swept up the hill, coming fast.
was alive with writhing vines
the forest Driggs said in a low tone: “That’s
and waving leaves, but under them, fine!” He was standing, leaning for-
AST—
 —

BLUE MAGIC 113

ward, watching. “It’ll come up the men of Grokara, the cries of the kara-
hill,” he said. “It’ll make a draft, pull rns fleeing from the forest but not yet
the other in, sweep it across — all across back to the ships, and over all the sul-
the field.” len roar and crackle of flames.
Fozan shouted: “They come back! Sunlight was gone, and the red field
The kcircinas! See !” —
and pointed at fig- was a place of murky darkness. Smoke,
ures boiling from the forest around the spreading flat but still up high, had
field. swept across; then, suddenly, the dark-
But Driggs came up from his half- ened field took on new color as the
stooping pose and looked off to the left mountain at Driggs’ back changed to a
above the smoke, off where the dome roaring furnace.
of Dra Vonga’s temple still showed. The flames spread swiftly and swept
Another shape was in the air there up the slope as they spread. They
the rounded gray bulk of a ship that seemed to reach the top in a single leap,
rose and leaped into level flight and then came together and shot on up like
drove in fast toward them. an enormous flaming torch. Suddenly
It swelled as it came, then vaulted the still air over the field began to move.
the curtain of smoke and swept down. The towering flames pulled it in. It
It landed beside the coppery ships, and swept toward the mountain from all
from its open port came a leaping, sides, slow at first, then with hurricane
green-skinned man. force. Smoke came with it, and sparks,
It was Arkos. Behind him were oth- then flaming branches and furious heat
ers, a
gether.
mob of them pressed tightly to-
And at the center of the crowd-
— and with that the wall of flame about
the field lay down flat across the inter-
ing figures were two dots of color, one vening quarter mile of resinous forest,
red and one gold. and its voice rose to a thunder of fury
For a moment Driggs did not breathe. as it tore in.
He said in a tight whisper: “Kitten!
Under it all Driggs ran. He passed
Down there!” green men who paid no attention to him
Then he flung quick words at Fozan.
but scurried futilely back and forth.
Then he was beside the gray ship. He
XXI. saw Kitten and Dra Vonga by side side
against a clot of green bodies. Green
“GET BACK there with your men,
men were still massed at their backs.
back beyond the firebreak this’ll be ;
And in front and at the right, Arkos
hell in a few minutes !” Driggs was
waited with his ray projector in his
talking fast. “Take charge. Bring your
hand.
men in after the fire’s out and clean
up on that mob. You’ll have to do it. Arkos’ lips were drawn back in what
I won’t be here. I’m going down
” was meant for a smile of triumph. He
Then he was flinging himself down the raised his weapon as Driggs ran up;

slope but running sideways to clear the

then Dra Vonga threw herself between
oncoming flames.
them.
An opening in the trees marked an- The luster of her golden robe was
other path. He was below the fire be- dimmed here in this murky air. Smoke
fore had spread out to block him, but
it swirled down and stung in Driggs’ eyes,
the heat of it crisped the hair on one but he saw that Dra Vonga was hold-
side of his head as he passed. ing something in her hand.
He ran out into a pandemonium of She flung herself toward him with
sound. Barking shouts of the green that hand outstretched. “Take it!” she
AST-8
114 ASTOUNDING STORIES
cried. “It is the thunder death! Save Arkos. “Lift it! Straight up!” He
us!” turned, and two green
_
men who had
Driggs’ own gun was in his hand as followed whirled and threw themselves
he flung Dra Vonga clear. He flipped from the port under the muzzle of his
up on the gun and prayed that a good gun. But Arkos stood very still, star-
shellwas underneath. And, in the very ing out.
moment that light flashed from Arkos’ Driggs sprang for him and beat at
weapon, something struck Driggs and his face with his gun. “Get up for-
sent him sprawling. ward!” he ordered, but still Arkos did
The blow had hit his whole body. not move. Terror had gripped him, and
Arkos was down, too. Dra Vonga, Kit- he only stood while Driggs’ heavy gun
ten, the green men —
they were all on hammered at his face and the green
the ground. blood oozed out and ran down and
For an instant, silence swept the field dripped from his chin.
— silence, but for the roar of the flames. Dra Vonga sprang to an opening in
Then screams and barking calls and the a metal diaphragm and was gone. She
cries of thekaranas rose again. had run toward the bow of the ship and
Driggs scrambled to his feet. Arkos’ the control room. Driggs said, “If I
projector was on the ground, and he only knew how ” Then Katharine
kicked it away and swung his own gun was at his side, pulling down on his
once on them before he turned toward arm, and, after that, both of them stood
the mountain. as unmoving as Arkos and looked at
the mountain that was coming down
SUDDENLY he knew what this upon them.
meant. The fuse ! And there had been It moved slowly at first, just the upper
an explosion But who had done it ?
! half of the mountain. It came toward
Stones were rattling down on the the red fieldand seemed to disintegrate
mountainside. They were still raining as it came. Then the whole mountain-
when a second burst tore upward from top lost all shape and melted into a
the black ledge halfway up the slope, —
roaring cataract and after that the
and rocks and trees became part of a sweep of it was something too vast and
geyser that shot up and sprayed out too swift for eyes to see.
in air. A cataract —
a pounding, thundering
Again the blast hit but less strongly mass, rolling fluidly. It came toward
this time. And then, unbelievably, the them and fell, and the sound of it was

whole top of the mountain was moving. not sound but something that beat upon
Driggs was shouting as he turned. them with terrible force. And the fall-

“Inside! Get in! Get in quick! It’s ing torrent was still fluid as it spread
coming down !” out and swept toward them across the
Dra Vonga was nearest him; he field in a wave of red earth and black
pushed her toward the open port. He rocks and hurtling, flung-out branches
reached for Kitten and jerked her to- of trees.
ward him, then he was at Arkos’ side. Then the wave was beneath them,
He jammed his gun into the green flesh, and, miraculously, the ship was above
and Arkos scrambled ahead of them it in air that shivered until winds took

through the port. the ship and tossed it sickeningly.

Driggs’ voice was a scream as he Driggs and Kitten clung to a metal
shouted to make himself heard, for the cross bracing while the ship lurched and
voice of the mountain was rising above at last drove out and up.
all sound. “The controls!” he told It was on an even keel and only gen-
 BLUE MAGIC 115

tly swaying when Dra Vonga appeared Directly ahead of him was a metal
in the doorway of the compartment table through which little levers pro-
ahead. Driggs loosened his hold on the jected. The were like those
controls
metal brace and walked unsteadily to- in Duvaurier’s and it was
little ship,
ward the open port. the control board he had been look-
Smoke clouds poured past below, but ing for.
through rifts in the cloud he saw where But now, ahead of the controls,
the fleet had been and where now was where the blunt nose and forward look-
only shattered rocks and a fan-wise outs should have been, was nothing at
sweep of clean, new earth. All but one all. The end of the ship had been
of the ships had been crushed; only sheared cleanly off and lay like a huge
one rounded, coppery surface showed broken eggshell on the pavement out-
fifty feet of batttered hull above the side. A gleaming mechanism on a tri-
debris. pod stood at the point where the metal
Driggs looked up where the mountain had been sheared. A violet light
—
had been at the flat, inclined top of gleamed inside a tube, and that was all.
it. It was almost like Tabletop now. Driggs turned and found Kitten be-
Then, at last, he turned toward Dra side him. He touched her gently on
Vonga. the shoulder but said nothing, and she,
too, turned. In silence they moved back
SHEstood for a moment with her and out where Dra Vonga waited.
robe of some soft clinging golden cloth Dra Vonga glanced at Arkos stand-
wrapped about her. She was breath- ing off at a little distance. She said,
ing fast as she looked at Driggs. “Arkos will not escape now,” and smiled
“True pictures,” she said, “were in very slightly.
the crystal.And, truly, an Earth man, Driggs’ answer was low. “No,” he
by his magic, has saved Dra Vonga said, “there won’t any one escape now
from great harm. This one” she — — or ever.”
pointed at Arkos who stared insolently Beyond the open end of the ship and
—
back “turned against me. He led the past the intervening forest, clouds of
green men of Grokara and made me his smoke were mounting into the sky; the
prisoner. But you have saved me. under side of the heaving, billowy
Now we will go back to the temple.” masses were red with reflected light.
She turned and vanished then, and, Dra Vonga said softly: “In the crys-
a little later, the dome of the temple tal it has been like that always. What
slipped past the port before the ship comes now I have never seen. I know
thudded gently. Silence was about only that we two, with our magic, can
them then, until, from somewhere rule. But the crystal has told me this,
ahead, a hissing sound led up to a ring- that you must come of your own de-
”
ing metallic crash as of some huge ob- sire. And if you do not
ject falling. After that Dra Vonga A little shudder passed through Dra
reappeared. Vonga then.
She motioned Arkos ahead of her “Beyond that,” she said, “I have not
and followed him out through the port. seen.”
Driggs, the instant that she turned, was
XXII.
dashing through the opening into the
compartment ahead. He went through DRIGGS and Katharine stood at one
the next compartment and two more side while Dra Vonga talked to Arkos
after that before he came to the bow of in the harsh, barking language of the
the ship. There he stopped. green men. Driggs’ clothes were torn
116 ASTOUNDING STORIES
and grimy and streaked
stained, his face laxation that was pure bliss took pos-
with blood where a stone had struck session of him. Then the flames ex-
him the hair on one side of his head
; panded, and the sound grew with them.
had been singed. Kitten, too, was di- Blue flames, edged with gold and —
sheveled. The remnant of her little red gold, shot through with blue. They
frock hung from one shoulder. merged with inexpressible loveliness
She looked up at Driggs. “How did into rich greens which changed again
you do it?” she asked. “The moun- and were slashed by other lines; and
tain —
and the explosion ?” the lines were never still but wove them-
Driggs said dully: “I didn’t do it. selves into a deliriously bewildering pat-
Some one else did. I don’t know who.” tern. And always they sang with a
Dra Vonga called then, and Kath- throbbing,sobbing sweetness in ever-
arine moved away. changing harmony as intricate as the
”
Driggs said, “Don’t pattern of colors.
But Katharine answered in a low At the last was a single curtain of
tone: “I am sure I would be de trop. flame that reached from floor to high-
If we are all to stay hereShe ” est dome and spanned the full width of
left the thought unfinished and walked the temple —
a shimmering, quivering
away with Dra Vonga. curtain. And
a single chord of sound
“You will wait in the temple,” Dra came from and held on and still on,
it

Vonga told Driggs. until billowing clouds of blue, sodark

as to be almost black, rolled up from
IN THE TEMPLE ROOM, he below.
stopped just inside the entrance. Light And with that came the full-throated
from the opalescent dome above crash of the bass in a roaring volume of
flooded down and made the solitary fig- sound that drove Driggs’ blood until it,
ure seem very small. He waited there too, seemed crashing through his veins.
in the silence and stared unseeingly at He could not look away, and he was
the floor. drunk with color. While, under the
He was tired. He did not know what onslaught of souhd whose very beauty
was coming and could not care. The was unbearable, every nerve was vibrat-
sheared-off end of that gray ship had ing. It was too much; he had reached
meant the destruction of their last hope the end of his endurance, when, through
of escape. And now the thundering bass, a thread of melody
He was He did not
looking down. —
pierced a lilting refrain, so sweet, so
see the first color asit came. But he entrancingly lovely that each nerve re-
heard the sound, then he looked up and laxed. The melody sang tremblingly up
saw the blue flames. and up. «
They came in the darkness. They Fading, the thundering bass became
began high up under the dome pale, — the merest echo of sound, and there was
delicate flickerings that were almost left only the seductive, bewitching
colorless until a golden glow came at beauty of that one lilting melody that
the center of them, and then the flick- held him breathless.
ering flames were pale blue. He was waiting and did not know for
Sound came from them; the singing what, but the air vibrated with ex-
flames of Dra Tor seemed almost speak- pectancy. Then, from the heart of
ing, and their message was one of tran- those deepest dark-blue flames, Dra
quillity and peace. The music stole into Vonga stepped and stood in utter im-
Driggs’ weary mind and seemed to flow mobility.
on through his whole body, while a re- Slim and beautiful, she stood against
 —

BLUE MAGIC 117

the pulsing blue; and, high above, the He knew it. He was lifting his arms
shimmering curtain changed to golden when a new sound struck through.
flame that shone down caressingly upon Then discord was where utter harmony
her. had been — for somewhere, at some vast
Always the melody went on, though distance, a woman had sobbed.
itswelled and died and came again and It pierced throughsound all other
mounted higher. And, at that, the glo- and reached down inside of him and
rious figure came slowly to life. tore at him. Even the bass could not
Dra Vonga raised her arms. She drown it out, although the thunder of
was looking toward Driggs, reaching to- those dark flames battered upon him.
ward him. And again her dark-lashed Driggs heard. He
even heard the voice
eyes were softest violet, deep pools of that came after and knew if was Kit-
promise. Her scarlet lips trembled. ten’s voice.
Her voice, deep in her throat, was call- “Ranee ” Kitten said, and that
ing. was all.
“Come,” she said. “Of your own Above the roaring bass a soaring
wish and will, and because it is, Dra song in lilting, golden strains broke
”
Vonga who calls, come sharply and became a cry of pain. Or
And Ranee Driggs moved slowly for- was it Dra Vonga’s voice that had ut-
ward. tered that sharp cry?
But that sound had been Kit-
first

HE WALKED STIFFLY, like one madness

ten’s voice, and, suddenly, the
in a daze. He did not feel the touch that possessedRanee Driggs was gone.
of the floor beneath his feet. He saw He looked back. Far across the room
only Dra Vonga, glorious, irresistible, in an archway stood Kitten. Then he
the incarnation of beauty beyond be- looked up at Dra Vonga, and his hands
lieving. In all the heavens and the dropped back at his sides.
whirling worlds they held, there was for He breathed deeply in new freedom,
Driggs, in that moment, only Dra for the last allure had left. She was
—
Vonga and a song, wildly sweet, that only another woman. And back there,
wove itself into his mind and filled him across the room, Kitten was waiting.
and left no room for thought. He looked down at the floor then, and
Out of the dark-blue flames the roar- after that he turned slowly and walked
ing bass returned, and now it carried away.
the melody, while that higher singing Sounds beat about him, discordant,
tone, too beautful for a voice, changed janglingsounds, and he never heard
to a call of utter passion that struck them. He walked back to Katharine
like lances of sound through the roar- Putnam and held out his two hands. He
ing melody below. And the thunder said, “I was going down for the third
of that bass was something that took time. Can you ever understand?”
Driggs’ whole body and held it while She said quietly: “Of course I un-
that wild refrain from above shot derstand,” but made no move.
through him. “But,” Driggs went on, “it’s you I

He was close to Dra Vonga now. love. I’ve known it from the first

She was standing on the platform’s very but I couldn’t say anything until I had
edge, just above him, so near that the got this other straight.”
perfume of her body seemed part of Kitten said, “Don’t! I do under-
the music. He had only to raise his stand!” Then she flung herself into
arms and all this radiant beauty would his arms, and her own arms went about
!”
be his. his neck and clung. “Ranee Ranee !

118 ASTOUNDING STORIES
she sobbed. “I can’t stand any more.
What are we going to do ?'”
He held her then with both arms
about her, but, slowly, they both turned
and looked toward Dra Vonga.
She had stepped back, but now she
stood leaning forward, and the blue
flames came up about her and made a
shimmering of light. Her face was
pale as if every drop of blood had
drained back to her heart. But her eyes
were hot with fury.
She said, “The crystal did not show
this, Ranee Driggs. Neither did it show
the death that you and Kit-ten will die.
But first you will be like Dra Tor
shriveled, and ugly, and horrible to see.”
She straightened abruptly then, and
a change had come to the shimmering
blue about her, though what the change
was Driggs did not know. Then her
eyes opened wide with terror, while her
lips parted, and she flung up both hands.
“The flames !” she cried. “They
burn ! They burn It is the lost magic
! For a moment he could only
of Dra Tor!”
Her arms were still uplifted. There
was no time even for a step. For, in
one instant that held Driggs and Katha-
rine transfixed with horror,
ga’s creamy body changed
flame upward in a single
that tore
and left below it, at last,
straight line
only something charred and black that
toppled to the floor.
The flames were roaring now with a
new voice, and where there had been
only blue was now sullen reds and yel-
lows and sharp, vivid tongues that were
true fire. It thundered upward with
terrible speed; the whole end of the
temple was ablaze, all in one moment,
for the flames rose on a fearful blast.
Smoke went with them, billowing out
under the dome. And, suddenly, heat
that was unbearable flashed upon the
two who watched and drove them be-
fore it.
Driggs had Kitten in his arms. He
was holding her so that his body was
— —
a shield as he ran at full speed toward
the arched exit, while back of him the
temple of Dra Vonga changed to an
inferno, where flames soared upward
and timbers of walls and roof became
fire with explosive suddenness, before
they loosened and crashed down.
HE still carried her as he raced out
through the corridor, across the bridges,
above blue lagoons and on through the
circular buildings. And, at last, the exit
was ahead where the sun was shining
on the plaza outside the temple.
He could even see the gray ship and
the broken end where Dra Vonga had
destroyed it; then he was outside, at
the top of the steps leading down to the
pavement. He
stopped there, and al-
most let Katharine fall, for his arms
were suddenly limp. He was looking
across the pavement at another ship, a
little, rusted, weather-worn craft, and
at the man who stood beside it.
stare,
while his eyes burned; then he swal-
lowed hard, and his hands still touch-
ing Katharine trembled.
He said, “Duvaurier!” but it was
Dra Von- only a whisper. Then he shouted it
to white —
“Duvaurier!” and reached for Katha-
rine’s hand as they ran, in the same in-
stant, down the steps.
Massed at some distance from the
ship were green figures. Arkos’
scarred face showed among those who
stood, but five others lay on the pave-
ment in front of them. One of the
crumpled figures raised up and screamed
once before it fell back again.
Duvaurier, standing beside the ship,
was aiming a pistol at the green men,
but he called over his shoulder to them.
“Come quickly, m’sieu’ !” he said.
“They can use their ray guns if they
!”
are closer, and my pistol is empty
Perhaps Arkos understood. Or it
may have been only the sight of the two
who ran. He started forward at the
sound of Duvaurier’s words, and though
 I

BLUE MAGIC 119

the others hung back he hurled himself on fast time. I went to where I knew
in giant strides across the plaza toward would be explosives for already my plan
the littleship. He held a ray projector was made. But I only intended to drop
in his hand, and the white metal glinted them like bombs.
as he ran. “Back at Xandros, I crept in on the
But Driggs was tugging at his own darkened side where only Grokara
gun. He pulled it from its holster shines then, flying above the forest, I
;

without slackening speed, then stopped came on as near as I dared and landed
and swung up on it as Arkos aimed. and hid my ship. But first, from high
The gun jolted back satisfyingly in his above, I had seen what you were doing,
hand. mon ami, and I comprehended the plan.
Again he ran with Kitten beside him, So I added to that plan.
until Duvaurier, whose face was chalk “I placed my explosives in the caves
white and glistening with tears, was on the mountain and laid a fuse to
crying to them: “Tell me, m’sieu’, is where your fire would reach it, thinking
she — is she
” that the stratum of blue shale, once
disturbed, might be a lubricant
”
Driggs stopped and held Kitten
swaying at his side. He said gently:
He stopped and flung out his two hands.
“Dra Vonga is dead” then he gripped — “Check,” Driggs said.
the temple?”
“But about
Kitten’s hand hard and followed where
Duvaurier stumbled blindly into the lit-
For a moment Duvaurier’s face went
tle ship.
dead white. He licked his lips and
looked ahead through a forward port
XXIII. and did not turn.
SPEED. Always speed. With three “From on high,” he said, “I saw you
tiny cylinders brought together and land and saw the sabotage of the ship.
aimed forward so that all the pull was Then I dared to come down. I knew
ahead. Constant acceleration pressed another way to the underground room,
them back against the rear wall of the and I went there, not knowing what I
tiny forward compartment, while they would do but wishing to help.
strained their eyes ahead in the direc- “I found there, Dra Tor. He was
tion of travel. the shriveled one, the little mummy, but
And out there a star changed at last
I remembered him. He did not die, it

to a globe, although before that time the seems, but must have been caught in

cylinders had swung back until, after his own flames.”

a time, the globe seemed beneath their Duvaurier paused then and glanced
feet. And, at last, continents and seas at his own hand that had felt the same
lay below them, and the little ship was withering touch.
driving in on a long, easy slant toward Driggs said, “O. K. She said —
a feathery cluster that changed to enor- mean I had guessed that.”
ous cloud masses as they drew near. “Yet,” Duvaurier continued, “though
Then, with Driggs saying nothing be- Dra Tor’s mind was gone, he still could
cause his throat was too tight, but only play the music of the singing flames.
standing and pointing, Duvaurier said, He was moving his hands through many
“And now I will tell you and mademoi- bands of colored lights when he saw me.
selle what occurred —
“Then was it fear —or a return for
“This is my second return to Earth. a moment of sanity? do not know. I
Once before I came here, after leav- But Dra Tor leaped where otherto
ing you on Grokara, and as now I was lights shone on a broad disk, and he
120 ASTOUNDING STORIES
changed those lights, and there came Driggs said, “You’re not landing!
!”
the roar of fire, and I saw above me You’re not coming back
many hot blasts that ate through the Duvaurier looked away. He said
ceiling of the room like that!—So I slowly “I have destroyed the only
:

turned and ran and waited outside.” woman I ever loved. What is there for
He had been talking fast. Now he me here? I prefer to stay in the vibra-
stopped and again passed his tongue tion of that new time which Dra Tor
over his lips, and his hand on a little created and which she used.”
lever trembled. “And she?” he asked. Then he looked up at them and smiled
“Was it the flames?” quickly, but his eyes were wet. He
Driggs nodded. “Instantly,” he said. touched Driggs’ shoulder with his one
“She never knew.” good hand, then reached and took
Katharine’s hand and bent and kissed it,
BLACK MOUNTAIN
was ahead of “Do not forget Duvaurier,” he said.
them, and the ship was settling slowly — —
“And who knows it may be that
down where Driggs had picked this one some day I shall return? But go now.
peak from a vast, far-flung mountain Go back. But do not forget, though
empire. He could even see the clear- in a moment it will be to you as if

ing and here and there a part of the
trail. It was all unreal
unbelievable, but, at last, they were di-
rectly above the clearing, and the ship
had no motion except the trembling that
came with the soft rumble of a motor
Duvaurier had never been.”
and entirely They went down the swaying ladder,
Driggs first, reaching up and steadying
Katharine. Then he waited until she
was beside him, and, in the same in-
stant, they took the last step down to

that drove a generator and sent the cur-
rent through Duvaurier’s wonderful gas.
Katharine, looking down through a
lower port, gave a startled exclamation.
“There’s nothing moving!” she said.
“It’s all standing still!”
Almost under them was the corral.
The horse was there, and the big roan
had one foot raised and his head flung
high. Wreckage was strewn across the
clearing, and just outside the corral a
fox made a brown blot of color, and
its eyes gleamed. It, too,
Only after a moment was motion
be seen. Then the horse’s one foot
sinking down, and another one raised
slowly; and the fox also moved and
drew gradually away from the fence.
Duvaurier had opened the little port
and was lowering a ladder of rope with
wooden crossbars. He said: “I will
not land, for to contact the Earth would
change the vibration of me and the ship
and all that is in it. Our magnetism,
I think, would be discharged.”
the ground. And in that instant the
whole world came to life.
All had been still. Now alders, at
the clearing’s edge, were flickering; the
wind came and touched them and blew
the ragged edges of Katharine’s dress
and lifted her brown hair away from
her face. The big roan dashed madly
for the far end of the inclosure, scream-
ing with fear. While the bit of color
that had been the fox flashed in a
and van-
straight line across the clearing
ished into the woods.
stood still.
Driggs drew a long breath and looked
to at Katharine, then both of them raised
was their faces and looked above where the
rusted ship had been. But now there
was only the blue of the Sierra sky and
a few fleecy clouds drifting.
“In a moment,” Duvaurier had said,
“it will be to you as if Duvaurier had
never been.” And already it was un-
real.
But Katharine Putnam laughed in a
shaky voice and looked down at the tat-
tered remnants of her red frock.
 BLUE MAGIC 121

“Ranee ” she said. And again, “Say it again. I want to see if I

“Ranee ” but could say nothing got that right. You said it was two
”
more. hours ago
“Sure, it wasn’t any more than that.”
ANOTHER VOICE came before Driggs said, “Two hours !” and
Driggs could speak; it came from the waited and looked down at Katharine
head of the trail in the familiar drawl who looked back. “And it took you
of Ed Putnam’s voice. “What?” Ed half an hour to get up to Tabletop, Kit-
Putnam was asking, “was that noise I ten;
so it’s only been an hour and a
”
heard? ’Twas kinda like thunder, but half since then
— you two ain’t a sight!”
well, if Kitten was looking at him. She said,
He came out from among the big “I don’t in the least understand. But,
pines and stood looking at them and oh, Ranee, does it matter?”
at the clearing. He was tall and lean, She still looked up at him, and her
and his long face seemed longer when eyes were aglow with a light that Dra
he was open-mouthed and with his jaw Vonga’s eyes had never known the ;

fallen. eyes of a woman who gives with no

He said: “You
keep dynamite
will thought of asking —eyes of love. Her
in your shack, will you! But you’re face was flushed; her lips trembled.
alive, both of you. Gosh, I had a pre- Driggs opened his arms and, when —
sentiment a couple of hours back when he had her close, bent down. He said:
Kitten went mooning out of the lodge “Now it’s this that’s like a dream. But
”
and started off up this is real, too.”
Driggs broke in sharply. “Say that He kissed her then, on the lips, while
!”
over again she clung to him. “There isn’t any-
“What do you mean?” thing else that matters,” he told her.

THE END

NEXT MONTH:

ENTROPY, by Nat Schachner

A great science-fiction novel.

Redemption Cairn, by Stanley G. Weinbaum

The latest and greatest of his novelettes.

Outlaws of the Stars, by Stanley Wade Wellman

A novelette by an old favorite.
 A
CONES tale of force which
science could not fathom

by Frank Belknap Long, Jr.

H E had never seen such skies,

dory beyond bright glory,
wonder beyond wonder, un-
furled and unfurling in the black celes-
tial vault above him. The Earth and the
than he had known on Earth in the days
of his youth, but glorious all the same.
A man could live here, stand upright and
walk with springy step. Incased in a
flexible, metallic space suit surmounted
Moon were the brightest of all bright by a nonflexible helmet, with fifty-pound
stars. Outshining even the first-magni- weights attached to his thighs and an
tude suns in the immeasurable galaxies oxygen tank strapped to his shoulder, he
which spanned interstellar space, they could survive.
circled about each other, displaying in On the thin strip which did not ex-
their wheeling courses home fires ceed two thousand miles in width at any
sheathed in sky flame. point, the conditions of climate and
Venus was a tiny green moon swing- temperature were sufficiently stable to
ing across this field of glory, and the support intelligent, incased and guarded
farther planets, which shone as stars, life. On all the other portions of the
turned fully illumed faces toward the planet there reigned scorching heat and
man from Earth. a cold that froze all known elements
It was night on Mercury night iti — solid.
a world of day and night. Across a On the dark face the cold frequently
thin strip on the surface of the Sun’s fell to within a few degrees of the abso-
nearest neighbor there occurred the lute zero,and on the bright face the
familiar alternations of sunlight and sun shriveled the mineral face of its
darkness which Gibbs Crayley knew and little progeny. Ten times as hot as the
loved. The liberations of the little sunlight of Earth, the solar radiations
planet, which rotated only once on its blighted and blasted every alien shape
axis in its swift journey about the solar of protoplasm. The dark face was in-
disk, had conferred a precious boon. finitely bleaker than Earth’s antarctic
Revolving at an uneven rate over an wastes; the bright face hotter than the
orbit of extreme eccentricity, with wide sands of the Sahara.
variations at perihelion and aphelion, it Gibbs Crayley was a social exile. He
sometimes lagged a little in its rotation, had experimented too audaciously, with
and sometimes got ahead of schedule. germs, on Earth. Rawboned and un-
This divergence splashed sunlight over gainly, with a rough-hewn, tremendously
on its dark face, and brought alternating kindly face, he looked in all respects the
night and day to a narrow strip of its opposite of Faustian. But a kind of
hoary crust. Satanic detachment dwelt within him.
Thus, the man from Earth had ex- He was at once fervent and cold and a—
perienced the precious solace of light littledangerous.
change, of brightness after a period of He had saved more lives than he had
shadows and of cold, comforting dark- lost through his daring medical inno-
ness when the solar glare with its deadly, vations, but his ruthless audacity in the
short-wave radiations became intol- sphere of bacteriology had encountered
erable. public hostility on Earth. In response
They were longer days and nights to official pressure and the sting of his
Gone was the horror now. It had been burned away by the
white fire of a consuming curiosity.
124 ASTOUNDING STORIES
own scrupulous conscience, he had ex- Awe and alienage weighed heavily upon
iled himself. them as they advanced, but the heavens
He had become a space explorer, an brought splendors that eclipsed the star
adventurer of the skyways. Mars and pageants of Earth’s night skies; and
Venus and the dark Plutonian wastes the plain over which they moved sent
had known his stride, and he had de- stimulating little shocks up their incased
scended into the lunar crates, and bodies. The red metallic soil was elec-
collected incredible flora from the trically surcharged, and at night it

meteor-pitted plains of a tiny asteroid glowed with a faints reddish phosphor-

far out in space.
The great space ship of cobalt glass
gloomed in the star-studded night be-
hind him. Looking back, he saw an
immense, melon-shaped mass flecked
with Venus light. Beside him walked
Mona Massin, who was too beautiful
for Earth. Mona Massin was as cold
and as fervent as Gibbs Crayley.
Mona was cold to men who pursued
her ceaselessly, and fervent when the
fabulous glories of far planets beckoned
her. The twenty-three-year-old Ameri-
can girl was an astronomer by birth and
choice, and to her the disciplines, exac-
tions and rewards of scientific research
were the whole of life. On Earth, men
pursued her, but now, in the cold, star-
hung Mercurian night she walked be-
side a man too dangerous for Earth, and
was unafraid.
escence.
In the vicinity of the space ship the
terrain was level and flat, but far in
the distance high peaks reared. With
only their flash lamps to guide them,
they moved cautiously, testing every step
with electrodynamometer-tipped staffs to
avoid the shock patches.
A misstep in that alien realm and a
man would crumple and his body sear to
a crisp within a blasted space suit. For-
tunately, the dangerously surcharged
patches were scattered and infrequent.
Mona’s cat had stumbled into one and
its pathetic little body was now a charred
cinder under the bright Mercurian skies.
Mona’s Persian cat whose large green
eyes had thrilled Mona with hints of
strangeness and whose wilful playful-
ness had delighted every one.
Crayley had made a little space suit
for it equipped with oxygen tank and

MERCURY was still unexplored. weights, and it had followed her across

Earth colonies mushroomed into magni- the dark crust, the only feline quadruped
ficenceon the Venusian plateaus and the ever to tread so near the Sun. Now it
rust-red deserts of Mars, but Mercury’s —
was gone a crisp.
proximity to the solar disk had hitherto Mona walked next to Crayley, and on
discouraged all attempts at colonization. her right walked William Seaton, an
There were these two —and six others. engineer from Vermont Parkerson, a ;

All were citizens of the United States middle-aged biologist; and a tall, gan-
with the exception of Girolamo Lorenzo, gling youth of twenty-two named Fred
the Latin biochemist, who was back in Wilkus, who hailed from Texas and ex-
the huge space ship recovering from a celled in the art of cookery.
severe illness. Intrepid Earthfolk, On Crayley’s left walked Tom Gray-
suicide battalion people, walking slowly son, a metallurgist with sand-colored
in their suits of flexibledifrolchrome, hair and a twelve-cylinder mind; and
weighted down with high-frequency coils young Allen Wilson, an associate mem-
and oxygen tanks and thigh-weights, and ber of the National Biological Institute,
living, from instant to instant, danger- and instructor in invertebrate paleon-
ously. tology at Boston University. *
Here was high adventure indeed. The explorers intended to cross the
 CONES 125

habitable strip to the extremity of the BEYOND the goggle-eyed helmets of

darkface. It was their first long trek. their space suits surged air, tainted with
For two weeks the great space ship heavy gases and ionized by cosmic rays.
California had lain in a natural hollow Crayley was thankful for the oxygen
in the red metallic valley, under skies which surged behind the goggles and,
that blazed through an atmosphere of as he moved over the unpredictable ter-
unbreathable gases by day and shone rain, he altered the release gauge on the
frostily by night. And for two weeks tank strapped to his shoulder by two
the little human voyagers had been far- degrees. He knew that as the flow
ing forth for perilous momentary in- diminished he would breathe less freely,
spections of that cold, bright, new little but oxygen here was more precious than
world. water on the deserts of Earth, and he
They had early discovered the electro- could not afford to squander it.
magnetic quality of the crust, having He turned his head and gazed with
tested it with galvanometers, galvano- disapproval at the girl by his side. “No
scopes and electrodynamometers, till the place for women,” he mused. “Perky
full strangeness and menace of the little what she is. Getting
fool, that’s
phenomenon were apparent to all. hysterical because her blamed cat got
Parts of the soil were feebly sur- singed. Probably her idea is to have
charged, parts seemed to harbor currents a swell time getting plastered on oxygen
in themagnetic field that did not register while we’re getting blue in the face on
predicably on any of their instruments, emergency rations.”
and in patches there was a voltage suffi- Mona Massin hadn’t moved her gauge
cient to rock a mountain. The shock one little bit. It still stood at a luxury
patches, they called them, and avoided level. At imminent risk to himself
them as they would have avoided plague Crayley raised his electrodynamometer-
quagmires on Earth. tipped staff and whacked her oxygen
There was no flora on the rust-colored tank loudly.
plain which harbored the space ship. Within the goggles of her helmet,
Slightly luminous dust and tiny rounded Mona’s eyes flared. She wanted to raise
pebbles covered a solid substratum of her staff and hit back, hard. She knew
crust that was as malleable as some soft what he was trying to convey. But she
metal, but infinitely more resistant than had plenty of oxygen, enough to last
the soils of Earth. This crust was also until they reached the frozen face,
rust-red in hue and unmistakably metal- turned around and trekked back to the
lic,although the specimens which Tom California. He was just trying to
Grayson examined revealed the presence humiliate and annoy her.
of at least two elements unknown on Suddenly, she obeyed her impulse.
Earth. She actually raised her staff and swung
There wasn’t much light on the ittoward Crayley’s incased form. As
planet’s crust. The tiny Venus moon the wand of metal swung toward him
cast a greenish glow, and the constella- Crayley jerked violently and his huge
tions, which were brighter than all the body stiffened. His electrodynamometer
blue-and-orange giants in the arch of had recorded a mountain-moving charge
Earth’s skies, contributed brighter star- in the patch of illumed soil before him.
light than Crayley had ever known. Yet, As Mona’s staff whacked against his
despite this celestial fanfare the dark- shoulder he swooped sidewise, caught
ness was only faintly relieved by nebu- her about the knees, and carried her
lous outlines that wavered and engulfed swiftly backward in a running tackle.
the little band. The man on Crayley’s left, not under-
126 ASTOUNDING STORIES
standing, stepped forward into the shock night, with only their torches and metal-
patch. For some inexplicable reason his lic staffs to guide them.
own electrodynamometer had failed to
register.
II.
One second he was stepping confi-
dently forward into the illumed semi- IT WAS nearly an hour after the
circle cast by his electric torch, the next when Gibbs
horrible galvanic accident,

only a part of him could be seen wav- Crayiey stopped suddenly in his tracks
ing frantic hands in the Venus light. his goggles with wide
and stared through
There was a burst of flame that blotted eyes. On the torch-illumed semicircle
out the stars. The lower portion of his of soil before him something had moved.
body shriveled, was consumed. Mona saw it, too, and she threw out her

right arm, gently shoving back the two

Like a dry leaf in a blast furnace,
beside her.
young Grayson’s limbs withered into
Only Fred Wilkus on Crayley’s left
inert ash with a faint, hissing sound.
moved forward into the region of
The upper portion of his body came
dubious stirring. He did not recoil or
down with a horrible thud on the soil
shrivel, but stepped right through it and
and a scarlet banner swiftly widened at
continued to test his way with his staff
the feet of Parkerson, Seaton, Wilkus
on the level terrain beyond. Observing
and Allen Wilson.
this, Crayiey and the others knew that
For an instant, the four men were it was not a shock patch which con-
too appalled to move. Gazing through
fronted them.
their goggles at the hideous spectacle of
But they were less confident than
a limbless torso, space suit blasted away,
Wilkus. They hesitated before advanc-
spinning upright on a red field, they ex-
ing, their four staffs meeting experi-
perienced a caustic kind of horror.
mentally above tire region of the stirring.
Light spiraled from sandy hair gal-
Only the sand had stirred. As though
vanically extended.Faster and faster
blown by a faint breeze, the fine par-
spun the body and then flame merci- — ticlesof metallic dust which covered the
fully engulfed it.
surface stratum had assumed a gro-
Crayiey helped his companion up, tesque and nearly symmetrical pattern
threw his right arm about her shoulder beneath their extended staffs.
to steady her.She flung him away from Crayiey knew that there was no
her, stumbled to the edge of the shock breeze. The weather needle on Mona’s
patch and was caught and held by Fred helmet did not even vibrate. He raised
Wilkus. There was no attempt at com- his gloved hand and made signs in the
munication. Messages in sign language torchlight.
could have been exchanged, but weren’t. “Something moved there,” he con-
They moved on almost instantly to veyed with his fingers. “Invisible
—
avoid funking like aviators going up energy, perhaps. Watch; be careful.”
a second time after a crash. They advanced again, less confidently.
The three young men and Parkerson Three yards ahead of them Fred Wilkus
fell into line with Mona and Crayiey. was smiling cynically within his helmet.
They were the leaders, these two, how- “The cautious old fool,” he ruminated.
ever much
they appeared to dislike one “I can’t figure what Mona sees in him.
another Mona, too beautiful for Earth
: He has to test everything. She says it’s
and Crayiey, too impersonal and ruth- the scientific temperament I’d —
say,
less. With slow steps they resumed plain nuts.”
their journey into the dark Mercurian It was the last thought that ever
 CONES 127

stalked the corridors of his brain. A can’t go on now. We’ve got to get him
little to the right of him, a bright, purple back to the ship, quickly.”
light flashed in the darkness. A scream The others came up, clustered about
was wrenched from his twistedmouth the tall scientist and his limp burden.
behind his goggles. His arms wrapped Mona’s fingers explained: “We’ve got
themselves about his body; his testing to go back. Wilkus is horribly injured.”
staff went clattering. The light moved Parkerson was the first to grasp the
nearer, hovered for an instant above urgency of the situation. He stepped to
him. Crayley’s side and took part of Wilkus’
When Crayley picked him up he weight upon his shoulders, although it
seemed as light as Mona’s little charred was so negligible that Crayley could have
cat.The body within the space suit had borne it alone. Mona drew the two
become a husk of flabby flesh over pro- young men back into line, and with
jecting bones. Crayley’s scalp tight- leaden hearts the entire party retraced
ened. He
seemed to be holding a nearly their steps on the dark plain.
empty and when he flashed his
suit, Imbued with abnormal caution, they
electric torch on the goggle-eyed helmet now swung their staffs in wide arcs be-
he saw beyond the quartz a face that fore them, but they did not encounter
seemed almost a skull, two eyes that any shock patches until the vast, gleam-
shone with the light of idiocy, and a ing bulk of the California loomed in
mouth that drooled. reassuring relief against the sky. Then
He flashed off the light, and stood, for Mona’s electrodynamometer recorded
and instant, in nearly total darkness, one about five hundred feet from the
holding the awful burden. The others stern of the great ship, and the party
were coming toward him, swinging their made a cautious circuit about it.

torches in wide arcs. An ordinary man

would have cried out, or sobbed in A MOMENT LATER, they were
terror. But Crayley merely snapped off ascending a gleaming ladder over a
the light so that he could think more curving surface of cobalt glass. As they
clearly. The thing staggered him, but surged upward, Crayley and Parkerson
he did not experience fright. struggled painfully to keep their burden
Mona was the first to reach his side. upright between them. They crawled
She splashed torchlight over him, over beneath enormous hatches, and down
his burden. another ladder inside, and along a short
Her gloved hand went up her fingers;
corridor that blazed with cold light
moved. “What happened? An electric lamps. Crayley threw a switch at the
patch?” she conveyed. end of the passage and the crescent-
Crayley’s helmet turned slowly in shaped hatches descended and fell into
negation. place with a sharp, metallic clang.
“Then what?” They went down still another ladder
Crayley’s fingers moved. “I don’t and emerged into a longer and wider
know. I saw a bright flash, and he went passageway lined with circular, metal
limp. Look here.” benches with cylindrical legs. Crayley
He snapped his flashlight on again, gently eased down his burden on one of
focused it on the goggle eyes in Wilkus’ these and sank down beside it with a
helmet. Mona peered, and cried out in- relieved sigh. Mona seated herself
voluntarily. A drooling, idiot face opposite and fumbled with the screws of
looked at her, with eyes that were her helmet. Across from her sat
viscous and uprolled. Parkerson, and beside her young Seaton
Crayley’s fingers conveyed : “We and Allen Wilson.
128 ASTOUNDING STORIES
Parkerson was watching her within about on the bench. She saw the empty
his helmet. He had eyes only for her. space suit on the floor, and glanced
Despite the limp horror that rested on swiftly in turn at each of the silent men
the bench beside him he had eyes only — Seaton and Wilson sitting appalled on
for the woman who was too beautiful the benches, Parkerson staring in horror,
for Earth. Crayley staring with tight lips and shin-
Crayley got his helmet off first. He ing eyes. For fully ten seconds she
lowered it swiftly to the bench and stood stood without a sound, staring too.
up. For an instant, his gaze swept the Then she crumpled.
three men and the one woman and the
thing beside him that was no longer
III.
moving. Then he unstrapped his oxygen
tank and thigh weights, and wriggling WHEN she opened her eyes again
out of his suit deposited it in inside-out she was lying on the berth in her own
disarray on the bench beside Parkerson. cabin. Parkerson was standing at the
Sweat gleamed on his pale brow. foot of the bed, staring down at her.
Parkerson’s helmet came off next, She couldn’t recall, for an instant, where
then Mona’s and Wilson’s. Young she was, what had happened. Then the
Seaton’s face was as white as the Venus pitiful, hideous memories returned,
moon’s when it came into view. There flooding her brain. She sat up with a
ensued further emergements, gasps and little cry.
grunts in the cold, lamp-illumed passage- Dr. Henry Parkerson had eyes only
way. Every one was looking at Mona. for her. It was shocking and disturbing,
Every one wanted to be sure that Mona at such a moment. He moved to the
was all right before the limp suit yielded edge of the berth, sat down and took
a shape of horror. her small hand in his.
Mona stood with her helmet in her “Frightened, child?” he asked.
hand, staring; with frightened, anxious She looked at him. “No not fright- —
eyes at the limp man, and, for the first ened. What has happened to Wilkus ?”
time in her life, indifferent to all else. Parkerson avoided her gaze.
Only Crayley ignored her. He had “Tell me,” she insisted.
glanced at her anxiously for an instant, “He died,” said Parkerson.
but now he wasn’t observing her at all. Mona was relieved. The strained look
He was nervously engaged in unscrew- went out of her face, and she moistened
ing the helmet of the injured man. her dry lips with her tongue.
The helmet was lifted off to the “I’m glad, she said. “I am not a
accompaniment of divergent reactions. sentimentalist.”
Parkerson’s features contracted and his
“Crayley an inhuman beast,” said
is
teeth clamped down over his lower lip.
Parkerson, in an embittered tone.
A low moan rippled over the teeth of
“While Wilkus was still alive he took
white-faced William Seaton. Allen ”
him to the laboratory and
Wilson simply threw -his arm before his
face and sank down on a metal bench. Mona’s face grew strained again.

Crayley ’s eyes blazed. Hastily, with “Yes?”

tremulous fingers, he stripped the space Parkerson shrugged. “How do I

suit from the stricken man. Wilkus’ know what he did? Killed him, per-
shrunken, white body was a ghastly, piti- haps.”
ful mockery of the human form. Mona moved swiftly to the edge of
Mona saw the shriveled body, the the berth, gripped the metal leverage rail
drooling, idiot face moving, jerking which ran parallel to the pillows and
AST-8
 9 —

CONES 129

descended to the floor. “I am going to matched his own and was really magni-
him,” she said. “Where is he now ?” ficent.
“He is still in the laboratory,” said “At least we are capable of mercy,”
Parkerson. said Mona. “The others are callous,
He placed himself squarely before sentimental barbarians who delight in
the door. suffering.”
“Mona,” he pleaded. “I must talk Crayley’s scowl increased in volume.
to you. You don’t even realize how “Don’t be so grandiose and self-
much I adore you. You are so lovely righteous,” he said. “The others were
that just looking at you is a torment. conditioned from birth in a sloppy, sen-
'
I’m afraid poor Lorenzo is cracking up. timental tradition. No man is respon-
He’s been brooding, torturing him- sible for his conditioning.”
”
self “But you did kill him.”
“It’s just his Latin temperament,” Crayley shook his head. “I didn’t
said Mona coldly. “It’s just the in- have to send him out mercifully,” he
fluenza wearing oflf.” said. “He died before I could etherize
Parkerson shook his head. “It’s you, him.”
your great beauty. It has turned the “What did you find?” she asked.
heads of every one on this ship. I don’t “Something rather horrible, Mona
know why I’m pleading Lorenzo’s case horrible, and incredible.”
when I’m desperately in love with you On
” a white-topped table behind him
myself. Mona, I
a lamp was burning. Its intense flame
Mona looked at him steadily for an
cast a flickering radianceon a number
instant. The contempt in her eyes was
of surgical instruments arranged in
blighting. “You are a sentimental weak-
rows, test tubes in a metal rack, and a
ling,” she said. She took his arm and
pair of discarded rubber gloves. Obvi-
simply pulled him aside. As she slipped
ously, Crayley had concluded his exam-
through the sliding metal portal she saw
ination. His hands were bare ;
the ether
his shoulders sag. She felt both con-
cone with its massive base of bellows
tempt and pity for him.
had been wheeled into a corner of the
Crayley and she understood one an-
laboratory, and a rubber sheet covered
other. At least, she understood Crayley.
the still form of Wilkus completely.
An impersonal flame consumed him.
But Crayley was eager to share his
Never was a man more detached, more
passionless. Love to Crayley was a
discovery. He knew that Mona had an
appreciative mind. Her mind was really
sickly flame in a barren land,which tar-
the only thing about her that appeared to
nished the bright glow of wisdom’s lamp.
fascinate him. He said suddenly: “I’ll

show you, Mona.”

SHE found him beside the withered
body of Fred Wilkus. He raised his He removed
stepped to the table and
eyes and scowled when she entered the the sheet. Mona turned pale. The body

laboratory and shut the sliding door of Wilkus was rigid and blue it had —
behind her. She walked toward the turned blue all over. It looked as though
it had been poured on the operating
table where the dead man reposed be-
. neath a rubber sheet. table. But Mona wasn’t going to faint
“Parkerson told me you found it this time, if she could helpit. She
necessary to kill him,” she said. gnawed at her lower lip and dug her
Crayley looked at her. He had al- nails into her palms.

ways thought her a rash little fool, but “He should have died out there,” said
he had to concede that her impersonality the calm man beside her, gesturing with
AST—
130 ASTOUNDING STORIES
his hands. “His vitality seems to have the flame,” he said. “And when you
been tremendous.” view it through green glass it looks
Mona said : “It’s ghastly, Gibbs.” yellow, not green, as it should.”
Gibbs Crayley scowled. “So is all “Then there’s no calcium at all,” said
life, Mona. Here, and on Earth. Mona. “No calcium even in — in the
Ghastly, or very great. When we pene- cells of his body.”
trate beneath the surface cruelty, the Crayley nodded. “Apparently not.
essential parasitism of nearly all living We know that when calcium compounds
forms, we uncover a base of sublimity. are moistened with hydrochloric acid
I mean, everywhere is so stu-
life they turn the Bunsen flame deep orange.
pendously complex, so unpredictable, Strontium also turns the flame orange-
so ” He shrugged. “But perhaps red, which often conceals the character-
it all came about by chance, even the istic calcium glow, but strontium shows

strange and utterly alien life forms that yellow under green glass. The faintly
must exist here.” orange tinge was undoubtedly imparted
He had put on his rubber gloves by strontium. Calcium would show
again, and was gripping the base of the finch green under green glass.”
burner. While Mona watched, horror- His eyes were bright with the wonder
hand
struck, he raised the flaccid, bluish of discovery. “I used spectroscopic tests
of the dead man and moved the burner to make sure,” he said. “The character-
toward it. istic lines of calcium, orange and green
“Look, Mona,” he said. and faint indigo, were wholly absent.
The intense blue flame enveloped the Mona, something dissolved all the cal-
hand of the corpse as far as the wrist. cium in Wilkus’ body.”
The flame flared, shot out fiery jets of
radiation that looked like miniature MONA’S EYES were shining as
replicas of the solar prominences. It brightly as those of her companion.
turned greenish, then purple, then blue They were a strange pair, inhuman, de-
again. It swirled in fiery billows about tached, emotion-seared only by the
the limp, flabby flesh —
coruscated, soared science flame within them.
”
and subsided, as Crayley moved the “But could a man live if
burner here and there over the lifeless “A little while, apparently,” said
member. Crayley, anticipating her thought. “I
“That hand has been dipped in hydro- would have said no, but we can’t dispute
chloric acid, dilute solution,” he said. this evidence. The withdrawal of cal-
Mona’s brow was furrowed. Gone cium from all the cells of his body con-

was the horror now. Like the vestigial
stirrings of terror in Crayley’s mind,
had been burned away by the white
of a consuming curiosity.
Crayley turned to the table again,
picked up a thin glass slide with his
gloved hand, held it before the fire-
ensheathed flesh.
“Look through that glass, Mona,” he
commanded. “What color do you see?”
“Yellow,” said Mona, in a hushed
whisper. The wonder of it was break-
ing all about her in crackling waves.
“Only the faintest tinge of orange in
stituted a kind of melting out, release
it or flowing away of tissues and plasma.
fire His body shriveled and melted like tal-
low in hot sunlight. But apparently the
neural patterns were not destroyed com-
pletely. Motor and sensory nerves
functioned, though the brain relapsed
into idiocy.”
“But what caused it?” asked Mona.
“Only one thing could have caused it,”
replied Crayley. “Radiation. Invisible,
spectrum-ray radiation, more intense
than anything we have ever known on
Earth, a terrific bombardment by ultra-
 —

CONES 131

violet. Not just waves filtering through, Crayley shook his head. “Perhaps,
but some inconceivably powerful con- but I hardly think so. I think it used
centration of ultra-violet such as must the rays as a kind of weapon. Some-
exist within a few million miles of the thing tangible moved out there.”
Sun. So-called black-sheep rays per- He gripped the edge of the rubber
haps, which would be deadly to all life sheet and drew it completely over Wil-

on Earth. kus’ body. Then he slipped off his

His lips tightened. “Why, even the gloves, and straightened out the objects
comparatively harmless members of the on the table.His fingers were shaking
ultra-violet family will drain the calcium a little.

from protoplasm. Single cells, amoebae, Mona said, “Are you going out again,
slipper animalcules exposed to ultra- Gibbs?”
violet and whirled in a centrifuge will Gibbs Crayley nodded slowly. “I shall
become viscous blebs in a few seconds take the infra-red stroboscopic camera,”
viscous blebs with a hardened core. he said.
“The radiation drains the calcium Mona’s brow crinkled. “Why not
from the outer surface of the cell and just one of the ordinary infra-red cam-
deposits it about the nucleus. Such eras?” she inquired. “If you just want
radiation as I have suggested would do to penetrate darkness you won’t need a
that to all the cells of the human body, stroboscopic lens.”
would drain off the external lime “Not merely darkness,” said Crayley.
”
and “I may need something 1

beside a plate
Crayley shivered a little for the first sensitive to infra-red heat.”
time. “It is Mona. But
pretty horrible, “But why?”
there’s a great wonder here, too. Out- “Suppose the shape were moving in-
side in the cold and darkness, there are credibly fast. We use infra-red plates
intelligent beings, Mona. Mercury is because the molecules of our retinas are
not uncontaminated by the disease of insensitive to waves that are in the
life.” nature of heat rather than visible light.
Mona stared, wide-eyed. “But ultra- But the molecules of our retinas don’t
violet doesn’t penetrate metal. How did register swift motion either. see We
the rays sear Wilkus through his space objects moving at terrific speeds merely
suite ?” as blurs.”
“You are forgetting the properties of “And no plate can correct that limi-
difrolchrome,” said Crayley. “Like the tation,” said Mona, nodding.
new space-suit and space-ship metals it “That is true. But the stroboscopic
is a silvern alloy. Ultra-violet will pene- lens can. simply arrests the motion
It
trate silver —
if the radiation is intense, at one point, takes a dozen swift images
and the sheet or screen is not too thick.” at intervals of one ten-millionth of a
“What kind of life, do you think, second and telescopes them into a single
Gibbs?” said Mona, in a grim tone. image. The infra-red plates will take
“I do not know. Something invisible care of the darkness, but I shall need a
or nearly so, that walks or crawls or stroboscopic lens to register movements
glides in darkness. I saw a flash of too swift to effect chemical changes in
purple light. We both saw the sands the human eye.”
move. Something was resting on the “But what makes you think the ob-
sand and arose as we approached.” moving incredibly fast?” asked
jects are
“But do you think the form was com- Mona.
posed of invisible light itself?” “They are invisible, or nearly so.
132 ASTOUNDING STORIES

That can mean one of three things. radiant particles above or below invis-
Either they are composed of some alien wave length. In that
ible light itself in
form of energy which emits light waves case, no instrument of science could de-
too long or short for visual perception, tect them. But I think we can rule that
or they are moving so rapidly as to be out, for waves below light
possibility
perceptible merely as faint blurs, or would be odorless and hueless. Theo-
”
they retically they could exist, but that they
He scowled. “They are composed of could move anything tangible, or pro-
 CONES 133

It was the last thought that ever

stalked the corridors of his brains. A
bright light flashed in the darkness —
moved nearer

duce subsidiary radiation as substantial IV.

as ultra-violet is unthinkable.
“We are then left with two possi-
THE NEXT two and a half hours
were to confirm Mona’s intuitions more
bilities : the forms are composed not of
grimly than Mona had anticipated, but
stable matter, but of invisible energy
a perverse fate denied Crayley the privi-
producing ultra-violet as a by-product;
or, they are moving so rapidly that our
lege of sharing the risk in person. On
the way up to the main observation
eyes would perceive them in bright light
chamber at the rear of the vessel, the
as mere blurs, and in darkness not at
all.”
leader of the Mercury exploratory ex-
“It will be a terrible risk,” said Mona, pedition wrenched the tendon of his
quietly. right ankle atrociously on a ladder rung.

“Perhaps,” said Crayley. Parkerson and the two young men

134 ASTOUNDING STORIES
stood white-faced and listened to him
curse and rave. For the first time, he
surrendered to expansive emotions with
a volatile vehemence that did not even
respect the presence of Mona Massin.
The ankle wrench had thwarted him at
a vital point.
Mona “He’s a tremendous
thought:
human being with warts in any life-size
portrait.” But Mona wasn’t shocked.
She wasn’t even embarrassed. The
provocation, she felt, was enormous, and
she sympathized with him and wanted
to harangue fate, too, in words as vigor-
ous and as salty.
Seaton and Wilson immediately vol-
unteered to serve as proxies.
looked at Mona all the time they were
getting into their space suits, kept star-
ing at her through goggle eyes of quartz
when transformed them
their helmets
into shapes of nightmare.
Mona experienced a momentary
twinge. They were so very young, so
eager, so pathetically confident so very —
much in love with her, too. She hoped
that they would be careful.
The stroboscopic camera was a com-
pact and impressive device. A small
metallic cone, about the size of an oxy-
gen tank, surmounted a spectroscopic
focusing panel and a curved, flexible
carrier. In obedience to Crayley’s in-
structions Parkerson had removed it
from a storage container in one corner
of the chamber, loaded it with a dozen
plates and handed it to young Seaton.
White-faced with pain, Crayley stood
up and watched the two cumbersomely
clothed and efficiently equipped youths
climb awkwardly up a ladder to the cor-
ridor above. Grimly he watched them
disappear through a circular door and
heard the air-suction pump wheeze, and
saw the cold lights flicker as the portal
clamped shut on their receding boots.
Parkerson was staring steadily at
Mona, in a kind of trance. But Mona
had eyes only for Crayley. As a spasm
of pain convulsed his features her
face twitched a little. She seized his
sleeveand tried to draw him to one of
the benches which lined the wall. But
he refused to be guided.
With a muffled grunt he jerked his
arm free, limped painfully across the
chamber, and seated himself in a metal-
lic swivel chair before a network of
interlocking mechanisms and a switch-
board that glittered in the cold, light
lamps.
For a moment, he swayed in the chair,
moodily staring at the heavy partition
of cobalt glass, with compressed lips.
Then he clutched a double throw switch
and manipulated it with vigor. faint A
They whirring sound arose and a tiny open-
ing appeared in the center of the wall
above the massed mechanisms and circu-
lar metal switchboard. Swiftly, the
hole widened as the cobalt glass with-
drew in overlapping crescents from an
observation window of miraculously
transparent glass.
THROUGH the exposed window,
Crayley stared grimly out into the black
Mercurian night. At first he saw
merely moving flashes of light on the
faintly luminous metallic plain far
below. Then one torch flare cut across
the other, and the cumbersomely clad
little figure of Allen Wilson stood out in
-sudden, blinding relief. He was mov-
ing forward very slowly and cautiously,
with testing staff extended and electric
torch focused on the soil before him.
Suddenly, Crayley saw something
which froze his heart. An orb of purple
light shone clear and bright, for an in-
stant, above the plodding, tiny figure.
Then it vanished, and as it did so the
figure before the semicircle of torchlight
crumpled. Crayley’s face went gray.
The torch flare of the other explorer
continued to cut a bright swath across
the alien terrain without for a full five
seconds after Wilson’s torch and staff
went clattering. Then it was lifted up.
own The light itself was lifted high into the
 CONES 135

air and its beams danced fantastically on vacuum suction tubes at the base of the
objects far away. California roared into activity. Crayley
Crayley could not see Seaton’s form, swung about, shut off the beam control
but he could follow the youth’s move- rheostat and said in a perfectly calm
ments by the shifting of the torch. The tone: “Get the camera, Parkerson.”
engineer had been picked up by some- Parkerson nodded, crossed the cham-
thing, and was moving about high in ber to the vacuum tube receiver which
the air. stood in the center of a tangled skein
Crayley leaned tensely forward, and of cold heat tubes, refrigerating wires,
manipulated a rheostatic, control mech- and complex oscillators. He clicked
anism near the center of the panel. In- open the wafer-thin steel cover and
stantly, the plain below was flooded with thrust his hand deep into the tube. The
pale-yellow light. From an immense cold of space seemed to gnaw at his
arc lamp in the stern of the California, fingers as he grasped the little camera
light streamed out in wavering crescents and drew it forth.
on the dark soil. Crayley started vio- The camera had simply been exposed
lently, sat rigid, and his eyes opened to to a temperature of fifty degrees below
their' widest expanse. zero and smoke poured from it as
High above the rust-red plain, the Parkerson carried it across the chamber.
grotesque figure of Seaton was dancing Crayley seized it with shaking fingers
and bobbing about. His difrolchrome- and broke it open. From its interior a
incased limbs were stretched wide. He thin sheaf of plates
fell out into his

seemed spread-eagled against a field of hand. Crayley laid the camera down
star-flecked blackness, crucified upon quickly and handed the plates to Mona,
empty air. whose fingers were still warm.
Crayley had the feeling that the jerk-
ing figure was already dead. He turned, MONA held the plates firmly, and
with sweat on his brow, and shook his stared at them for an instant in fear and
head grimly. Mona and Parkersort were trembling. She did not think that the
standing beside him, staring. All the plates contained a single image. But
blood had ebbed from Mona’s cheeks. she knew that if there were images
Below the suspended man a vague, gray- visibleon even one of the plates they
ish blur seemed to intercept the light might prove blasting and awful to her
and dim the plain beyond. conventional, human self, and, to the
Suddenly, as they watched, the sus- scientist in her, more wonderful than
pended figure fell to the ground. It all the stars of heaven. Fearfully she
appeared to strike the soil forcibly, lifted the topmost plate and turned it
turning over and over, and went careen- slowly about. Covered with emulsion,
ing along the plain until it collided with sensitive to infra-red radiation, it had
the limp form of Allen Wilson. been automatically developed within the
Both forms were horribly limp. The camera, and was very dry and brittle.
space suits had acquired a ghastly inert- The plate contained a clear image.
ness. They lay spread out like empty Crayley sucked in his breath sharply as
sacks on the red Mercurian soil. Cray- he stared at it. Mona simply stood
ley could see the camera clearly. The quietly, hardly understanding, looking at
little apparatus was standing on its cir- the queer, cone-shaped object with con-
cular base a few from the limp
feet tracted brows. Then a weird sensation
bodies. Crayley swung about in his of alienage rushed through her being.
chair and manipulated another rheostat. Crayley said “I should say that it
:

The camera disappeared as the was a sentient form perhaps not in- —
136 ASTOUNDING STORIES
telligent, but certainly sentient. It’s actually shapes of energy, moving fields
utterly unlike anything we’ve imagined, of force, endowed with intelligence and
though.” —
conscious purpose with a. central core
It was impossible to judge the object’s of unstripped electrons, perhaps.
size exactly, smooth plain on
for the "I’m sure they’re not protoplasmic,
which it stood contained no other large and I don’t believe they’re gaseous or
object to serve as a gauge. But, by com- mineral. It’s guess work, of course, but
paring it with the scattered metallic I think they’re connected in some way

pebbles which were of nearly uniform
size, Crayley concluded that it was very
large, about four times as tall as a man,
and proportionately huge in
dimensions.
was cone-shaped, but there was
It
something vaguely and disturbingly
lifelike about it. From the base of
tapering body a single long rod de-
with the electromagnetic field, with the
shock patches. We haven’t begun to
fathom the mysteries of the electromag-
its other netic field and energy transformation
and I don’t believe we ever shall. But
we do know that magnetism has a most
powerful effect on light.
its “If we put a sodium flame before the
slit of a spectroscope we get a bright

scended, and there were four rods pro- double line. If we put the flame be-
jecting sidewise from its narrow sum- tween the poles of an electromagnet the
mit. Where the base of the rod rested line broadens. Here the experiment
on the soil there were curious little flares, might be even more impressive.
as though the shape were standing on a “Mercury’s crust is apparently an
surface which gave off light in corus- electromagnetic field of undreamed of
cating flashes. potency. I believe that these cones are
It was really simply a pivoting or generators of ultra-violet radiation, and
standing cone, with one leg and four that they draw a kind of electromag-
arms, but something about its geometry netic nourishment from the shock plates.
was vaguely disquieting more than that— They are energy shapes formed and re-
— frightening. Mona shivered when plenished by the electromagnetic field.

Crayley said suddenly: “Look at the Don’t you see ?

second plate, Mona.”
Mona obeyed, gasped. “There are
three of them here,” she
Crayley seized the plate and scrutin-
ized it hastily. “By heavens, yes three
— and grouped strangely.”
“Five on this,” said Mona, extending
the third plate.
Crayley spent more time over the
eleventh and twelfth plates than over
“All Earth life is in reality shaped
by energy, too. Protoplasm itself is an
said. electrical phenomena, shaped by energy
and radiation. The mild conductor and
— transformer which we know as proto-
plasm is the product of an environment
not heavily charged with solar and
crustal energies.
“The earth is comparatively far from
the solar disk, that great furnace of all

the others. When, at last, he raised his radiant power. The deadly ultra-violets
eyes his lips were set in tight lines. are slaughtered in our upper at-
“I’m afraid we’re in imminent dan- mosphere, other rays reach us in feeble
ger,” he said. dilutions. What do we know of the
Parkerson started. “What do you cosmic radiations at white heat, at full

mean, Gibbs?” blast ?”

“Simply this. I believe that these He shivered suddenly. Mona turned
cones are sentient and intelligent entities pale, because he was not the shivering
which are moving so rapidly that we per- kind.
ceive them as faint blurs. I think they’re “I think they’re planning to attack the
 CONES 137

ship,” he said, quietly enough. “They he held a blunt-nosed, blue-barreled

seem to lie forming into a kind of at- flame pistol.
tacking unit. Just look at this picture. Girolamo Lorenzo, the Latin bio-
They’re all grouped about in a wedge- chemist had brooded on Mona’s un-
shaped formation, at least fifteen cones, earthly beauty too long and too intensely
with the tapering ends pointed at the for his own
peace of spirit. The flame
ship.” gun in hishands spat its lethal charge
He handed the last plate to Mona and before he reached the center of the
swirled about in his chair until he was chamber. Parkerson was swaying di-
gazing downward at the nearly lightless rectly in the line of fire. As he jumped

plain far below. Beyond the observa- frantically aside, a long tongue of cold,

tion window only the star-blanketed sky
was clearly visible. Below was black-
ness, save for the faintest glimmerings
of light here and there where the tenu-
ous starlight and the Venus rays glit-
green flame spurted toward him, and
wrapped him completely about.
Crayley leaped from his chair with
an alarmed cry. In a fraction of time
his brain had grasped the significance of

tered on the points of tiny pebbles. the explosion and its sequel. Somehow,
the poor, crippled maniac, aflame with
But Cray ley knew that across that
jealous rage, had descended into the
metallic stretch of soil, invisible shapes
propulsion chamber and exploded a
of power were hideously moving. He
also knew that the cones were assembling
rocket charge. The California was now
clear of Mercury’s crust and plunging
on the immense shock patch which mush-
roomed out into the darkness several skyward at a steadily accelerating speed.
hundred feet from the stern of the Crayley shouted. “Get down, Mona.
California.
Throw yourself down.”
He hardly expected that Mona would
obey. She was swaying rigidly against
CRAYLEY gripped the arms of his
the control panel, too stunned and utterly
metal chair and started to rise. As he
bewildered to duck or cry out. But he
did so, a violent tremor went through
shouted in hopeless desperation, to draw
the great ship. There was a roar that
the maniac’s fire.
drowned out all sound, even Parkerson’s
Girolamo Lorenzo ceased to advance.
choking gasp, and Mona’s scream.
He turned slowly about, and leveled the
There was a slow detonation, that shook
snub-nosed, still-smoking pistol at Cray-
every object in the chamber. Crayley
ley’s head.
felt the swivel chair spin; he felt his
“No one of you shall live,” he said.
heart leap within him. The floor seemed Crayley’s features were perfectly com-
to rise up, suddenly and horribly.
posed. was the end, of course. But
It
All about three terrified people the he had read nature’s book fearlessly,
familiar silences were obliterated in a walked with rare spirits, and dared the
blast ofsound that split the eardrums of gulfs between the planets. He had no
Henry Parkerson. There ensued an in- fear of death.
stant of comparative silence, while the “You poor devil,” he said. “Don’t
plates of the California emitted eerie you realize what my death will mean?
cracklings! You can’t pilot the California without
Then, into that swaying, blast-rocked the knowledge inside my skull. If you
chamber there stumbled another man. burn my brain you’ll be lost in space.
His face was a distorted mask of hate Mona will die, too. If you want to
”
and fury; his gray lips writhed as he kill
staggered across the floor. In his hand Crayley went suddenly white. His
 —

138 ASTOUNDING STORIES

speech congealed. Before him the pale, toward Venus’ orbit. Another rocket
tortured face of the biochemist was charge had exploded in the basal com-
changing color. His skin had become a partments and the magnetic stabilizers
coppery red in the steady radiance of had begun to function.
the cold, light lamps. For an instant, For one terrible moment, Crayley
this coppery hue persisted. Then it feared that Mona was dead. Blood
deepened to a glossy black. Though his pounded in his temples as he dragged
rage-convulsed lips still continued to himself to her side and slipped his arm
writhe back from teeth the color of beneath her shoulder. He lifted her
blood his eyes seemed to see nothing. slightly, staring with frightened eyes at

The were faded, and stared

pupils
from an atrophied expanse of black and
shriveled skin. Suddenly, as Crayley
gazed horror-struck, the Latin’s squat
frame went taut from crown to toe.
The torso stiffened and the arms went
up and out. The legs jerked upward as
her pale, unmoving countenance.
Instantly, her eyelids flickered open.
At first everything in the swaying
square of her vision danced and wavered
fantastically. She saw a white blur that
slowly became a face. It was a familiar
face, but it wore an unfamiliar expres-

though a puppet master had manipulated sion. Crayley’s rough-hewn, impersonal

them from above. features were suffused with tenderness

The body rose up from and and relief.

the floor,
hovered, for an instant, with spas-
“What happened ?” she asked. “Some-
thing lifted Lorenzo up. I saw a blaze
modically jerking limbs, in the center of ”
the chamber. Then blinding light of light. Is he
Crayley’s arms tightened about her.
flashed all about it.
He nodded grimly. “Lorenzo is gone,”
Crayley threw his arm before his face
he said. “The massed cones on little
and staggered backward as an unimagin-
Mercury took a parting shot at us
ably destructive blast of deadly ultra-
blasted us with ultra-violet radiation
violet torethrough the cobalt glass walls
when we were miles from the crust.
of the vessel, and cut a deep swath of
Luckily it wasn’t a flooding radiation
radiant energy through the cold light
but a single narrow shaft, apparently,
glow. The blinding flame that wrapped
which bored through the walls of the
Lorenzo was from his own burning vesseland killed Lorenzo instantly.”
body. Ten seconds after he had arisen
Mona’s eyes filmed a little. “Poor
he descended again. But nothing settled ”
lad,” shemurmured. “He
on the floor but a thin sprinkling of
“I know,” said Crayley. “He loved
inert gray ash.
—
you so did Wilkus, Seaton, Wilson
—
and Parkerson in their fashion. But,
MONA had fallen to the floor in a Mona, you will never know how deeply
dead faint. She lay at the base of the ”
I
control board and Crayley had to crawl There was a momentary pause when it
toward her on his hands and knees. seetped to Mona that he was going to
Stabbing pains were racking his right say it rather awkwardly. So, to spare
leg and thigh. When he tried to rise him embarrassment, she put her arms
to his feet the pain increased. He about his neck and drew his head firmly
dragged himself along the floor, across downward.
Parkerson’s limp form, a.nd over ten —“love you, Mona,” he concluded,
feet of vibrating metal. quite simply, at last, and there was only a
The great ship was now roaring faint, insistent droning in the observa-
evenly through the black ether gulfs tion chamber when their lips met.
 TRIMMED
EDGES
Well, here it is. Another step ahead. The pages are certainly
easier to handle, aren’t they? And it is better for filing. I believe,
too, that the covers will hold better.

It costs more money to put the magazine out this way but if —
you play the game, I’ll play it with you. Have you introduced
ASTOUNDING to any new readers lately? We need your loyal
cooperation during 1936 if we are to keep our course progressively
upward.

I think you’ll enjoy this issue.

Lovecraft comes back to science-
fiction! Three novelettes! Ten stories altogether eight of them —
complete! You know sometimes letters to Brass Tacks undertake
to compare other magazines in the field with ours but they in- —
variably overlook story-for-story and page-by-page value in such
comparisons.

I have struggled conscientiously for two and a half years to

give you the biggest value in the field. One after another I have
sought and brought back into the fold writers who had drifted away.
It is easy to forget perhaps, but we need to remember how
ASTOUNDING has brought the field back to life.
And our program holds so much yet to be accomplished. There
are some GREAT stories, by great writers, now in preparation. I
am —
planning months ahead because I have faith to believe YOU,
every one of you, will pass the word along as to our consistent
progress.

Believe me, I need a GROWING

reader audience to support
what I have in mind. This month’s surprise with the smooth edges
is proof ofmy good faith. May I have proof of your support?
When I know endless thousands of readers are reaching out to
enlarge our reading circle, I can move confidently toward our ul-
—
timate goal a science-fiction magazine that not only has no equal;
but one which CAN’T be equaled! The Editor. —
 — I

The Psycho Power

Conquest
by R. R. Winterbotham
TEVEN WALLECK’S voice car- it at the time and I have since lost the
ried a deep, somber note. Had clipping. It was conducted under sci-
it not been for his clipped enunci- entific laboratory conditions, yet it dis-
ation the tone might have been de- closed that in a group of subjects if
scribed as mysterious. But he had a half ofthem knew certain facts the re-
businesslike manner about him. He maining half could learn the truth in a
turned to solving mysteries of the uni- proportion higher than could be ac-
verse rather than to creating new ones. counted for by mere guesswork.”
“In many ways hypnotism is a con- “But such a proportion would not be
dition closely related to normal sleep,” beyond mathematical possibility, in one
Professor Walleck told his assistant, isolated experiment.” Vance looked
young Vance Gibbons. “On the other well pleased with himself for this ob-
hand, there are certain characteristics servation.
which make hypnotism different from “No, not in one experiment,” asserted
ordinary sleep. It lies on the fringe
the professor, “but my own trifling ob-
between science and hokus-pokus and servations corroborate these results. If
for that reason it has become one of the
there is no telepathy there is, at least,
sacred cows of science, neither to be
contagion of thought.
overly exploited nor explored.
“Just what thought? An electrical
is
“There are a number of things sci-
impulse? it should obey laws
If so,
ence would like to know about hypnosis,
governing One nervous sys-
electricity.
but the subject is approached carefully,
lest scientific reputations be jeopard-
tem, delicately attuned to another —
think en rapport is the term used
ized.”
should be able to receive impulses just
“And telepathy, I suppose, isone of
as easily as a radio receiver picks up
these things?” Vance put in, with one
radio signals. Psychology is a new sci-
of his serious smiles.
ence. As great discoveries lie ahead in
“Yes, if there is such a thing as te-
that field as those in the field of astron-
lepathy it must be related in some way
omy at the time of Galileo.
to suggestion, or hypnotism. Scientists
have run across several things that have “For instance, how many times have
startled them —coincidences, perhaps, you and I felt a weird realization as
we did something or said something: ‘I
yet so strangely recurrent that the
word coincidence does not wholly ex- have done, or said this before.’ Science
plain. calls it an illusion of memory and in

“I have in mind an experiment com- extreme cases it is said to amount to

pleted a year ago in an Eastern uni- a type of insanity called paramnesia.
versity. Unhappily, I made no note of Yet it occurs in sane minds. Still, call-
 THE PSYCHO POWER CONQUEST
ing a thing an illusion does not make
it one. Science demands proof.
“How many times have two, three or
even four individuals in widely sepa-
rated parts of the world worked out
the same discoveries? I recall, scarcely
six weeks ago, how I mailed a scientific
paper to a periodical. A few days later
I received a copy of the magazine car-
rying a paper by another scientist bear-
ing the same title as the one I had
written.
141
“The article was by a man I knew
only by reputation. His treatise must
have been on the presses while mine
was in the mail. Such examples are
abundant. They indicate that subcon-
scious minds constantly are inducting
telepathic messages, but only a small
part of these seep through to our con-
sciousness in recognizable form.”
“How do you propose to prove your
theory?” inquired Vance.
The professor pointed to a small
 ;;

142 ASTOUNDING STORIES

cabinet in one corner of the room. It rows of creatures like Brulf. They
looked like a small model radio. In- stood motionless as the rocks around
side the cabinet, Professor Walleck dis- them, save for their tentacles, which
closed rows of vacuum tubes in an ul- swayed nervously. The whistle of their
trashort wave hook-up. One of the con- voices quieted at Brulf’s entrance.
spicuous features of the apparatus was Sigov, a majestic creature on a high
the presence of a crystal, used on early dias in the center of the chamber, was
radio sets, but long since abandoned in not different from the others, save that
favor of the vacuum tube. his head was larger.
“This,” declared Professor Walleck, “I have returned, beloved victyl!”
proudly, “is my thought interceptor.” Brulf intoned in his whistling buzz. He
raised his tentacles and spread them in
IN A FARAWAY WORLD Brulf salute.
entered the dank passage leading from The nervous swaying of tentacles in
the bleak surface of his planet. A mov- the cavern stopped.The auditory ten-
ing conveyor swept him swiftly through tacles were held forward and the
smelly corridors, lighted with a soft telepathic ones looped about the brain-
phosphorescent glow. Twice the crea- covered heads. Brulf felt a flood of
ture changed from one belted conveyor telepathic questions: “Is it hope or —
to another. doom ?”
Brulf had been away fifteen years “For many s emesti I have wandered
in Earth time, yet not a thing he saw through space in the cruiser,” Brulf be-
had been changed. Nor had Brulf ex- gan. “I followed your orders, sire,
pected a change. The inhabitants of his visiting each planet nearer the Sun than
planet, Pluto, huddled as they were in ours. I visited even some of the larger
the core of their world, had nothing satellites.”
further to look forward to in develop- “Did you find life?” asked Victyl
ing their present home. Sigov.
Stepping from the last conveyor, “In a sense, I found life on nearly
Brulf moved in a circular, rolling gait all, but resembling our own intelligent

on his three tripodlike legs as he walked
toward the fanlike door of the palace
of the victyl, Sigov, the dictator of the
remnants of the dying planet.
Brulf had a slender, cylindrical torso,
rigid as a pillar of stone, connected with
forms I found only two parallels. On
five of the eight planets and on all of
the satellites, conditions were such that
our race could not hope to survive.
“Neptune and Uranus were too bleak
Saturn, too gaseous Jupiter, too large
;

a globular head, which was covered, not
with hair, but with a spongy, external
brain, where the head joined the torso
grew a dozen tentacles, specialized for
sight, sound, speech, smell, touch, fight-
ing and telepathy.
Touching a button with one of the
tentacles, Brulf watched the door fold
aside. He rolled into a musty cavern.
Overhead the walls shot upward toward
Mercury, too hot. Mars is habitable,
but it lacks water, necessitating a change
in our mode of life. Venus and the
Earth alone are suitable for our race.”
“What of Venus?” inquired Sigov,
anxiously.
“It is the least preferable of the two
remaining planets. It does not turn on
its axis. It is uncomfortably warm and
its humidity is high. Nevertheless it has

a huge dome, covered with phosphores- conditions suitable for our race.”
cent material which cast an eerie glow “And the Earth?”
over the chamber. “It is ideal. Its climate is uneven
Along the sides of the room stood due to a tipping of its axis, but it has
 THE PSYCHO POWER CONQUEST 143

pleasant conditions in most parts of its Brulf was chosen for the scouting
land surface that are even more suited trip. He had acute perceptive powers,
to ourselves than Pluto was billions of ingenuity and a vast knowledge. His
quasisemesti ago. There are plentiful return marked 'the final step in the
water and luxurious vegetation on its preparations to leave the planet.
surface.” Sigov had finished his meditation.
‘‘The life there, what is it like?” “What are the failings of this race
“It has a highly intelligent form of of Earth men, Brulf,” he asked.
life, chief ! Its creatures, called men, “They have many failings, supreme
are different from ourselves, but they victyl. They are easy to fool they are
;

follow our own principle of subsistence. and savage; they have all of the
selfish
The creatures are slightly less civilized, shortcomings of an immature race.”
due to later development, but they have “Are they susceptible to hypnotism
created vast works. and suggestion ?”
Among the Earth men are ingenious “Aye! They are most easily influ-
engineers and scientists. The Earth enced, although they have not yet solved
men have developed powerful engines the secret of telepathy. In fact, it was
of destruction, far surpassing our own, through unguarded telepathy that I was
although lacking in subtlety. We can able to learn their language, their habits,
easily overcome them with strategy, but their innermost thoughts, while my
he caipiot expect to win by force alone.” transport rested on the huge glacier of
Victyl Sigov raised his tentacles to ' the southern ice cap. It was unfor-
his brain surface. Brulf and his fellow tunate that I landed there, for no men
creatures understood that the ruler was live in that region. Had I stopped in
thinking. As one, they raised their another part of the world I might have
swaying ligaments in unison to aid. captured some of these creatures and
They sent thought currents pounding on brought them back.”
the brain of the victyl to help in solving Sigov lifted his tentacles once more.
the problem. This time it was not to think, but to
It had been this mass brainwork of broadcast an order.
the mightiest thinkers of Pluto that “Our weapon shall be hypnotism,”
had struggled with and solved the prob- the victyl decided.
lem of meeting the dying years of the
planet. FOR WEEKS and months Profes-
“As the last embers of Pluto’s inner sor Walleck and his assistant had
heat burned low, they worked out a vast worked upon their experiments with the
underground living program. Now, small thought interceptor.
even that method of living was insuffi- “We have learned that the small
cient to keep alive the inhabitants. The amount of energy produced in
electrical
heat of the inner city was dy-
artificial thought may be carried to another brain
ing. In a few more quasisemesti, each by induction,” the professor said at
one representing more than three hun- length. “We can detect this with the
dred Earth years, the planet would be interceptor. But attempts to rebroad-
cold, dead and lifeless. cast this energy on a magnified scale are
During the last quasisemesti, huge shameful failures. Something is lack-
transports had been built to traverse ing, either in the machine or our men-
space. The population was scientifically tal make-up.”
reduced to a mere ten thousand who “Are you positive you need the crys-
were to carry the seed of Pluto’s life tal in your set?” Vance asked. That
to a new world. shining piece of mineral bothered him.
 —

144 ASTOUNDING STORIES

It represented the archaic in modern that thing, my Lord, it’s a creature’s
!”
surroundings. head
“Yes,” nodded the “This
scientist. Vance’s voice was drawn into a ter-
special piece of mineral, which I have rified whisper. His face, even in hyp-
dubbed hyperasestone, has a certain notism, was contorted with fear.
!”
hypnotic effect. It brings the mind in “I feel drawn toward the object
tune with the machine. Let us try once Vance rose from his chair. His fin-
more.” gers relaxed as they dropped the imag-
The professor stood in front of inary alpine stick.
Vance, seated on a chair in front of “What is happening now?” begged
the machine. Professor Walleck stroked Professor Walleck.
his assistant’s forehead. Through train- Vance suddenly toppled forward into
ing, Vance found it easy to succumb to the scientist’s arms.
hypnotism. His eyelids fluttered, then “Come out of it !” ordered the pro-
closed in sleep. The scientist turned on fessor. “But remember what you
the machine. saw.”
“You your mind en rapport
will place Vance slowly opened his eyes. “I
with the machine,” whispered the pro- had a strange dream,” said the assist-
fessor, “and tell what you feel and see.” ant.
For a moment Vance was silent. “There was something very genuine
Then he spoke. about it,” the professor shook his head.
“I see huge glaciers, high mountains. “I could almost feel it, too. What hap-
I feel intense cold. Three men are be- pened, that caused you to swoon?”
side me — one of them is Commander “Everything grew blank. It was as
Eagleston, in charge of the American if I had been hypnotized while hypno-

antarctic expedition. Now I feel a tized.”

contagion of fear. Something is flying The following morning the newspa-
overhead. a huge disk-shaped ob-
It is pers of the land carried the story that
ject, spewing fire like a meteor. My Commander Eagleston of the antarctic
companions clutch their alpine sticks, expedition and three companions had
for we have no weapons. The meteor is disappeared while on a short exploring
settling slowly, too slowly on the ice. trip nearQueen Maude’s range. The
I feel a desire to run and a curiosity party had not reported by radio for
to stay. I am standing stifl with Com- more than twelve hours.
mander Eagleston.
“Now a section of the disk is folding BRULF and his dozen companions
back. There are men inside —no they scrutinized the captives closely. He
are not men, but creatures from another noted the dissimilarities between the
world. Something as large as a bushel Earthmen and himself.
basket, covered with spongy gray mat- Commander Eagleston and his three
ter is protruding.” companions had not been conscious
“What is it?” whispered Professor since theyhad been placed in the hyp-
Walleck excitedly. His machine was notic stupor at the time of their cap-
working for the first time, but was it ture.
a dream or fact? “What do you make of them, Brulf ?”
“I feel a surge of thoughts thoughts — asked Philig, second in command of
that are strange and baffling; thoughts the scouting ship.
that give me
complete understanding of Brulf jerked his auditory tentacle, a
things I have never known. They come sign of negation. “One of them,” he
from that spongy thing in the door began pointing to Jimpson, a geologist,
AST-9
 THE PSYCHO POWER CONQUEST 145

“recently has been in telepathic commu- “One thing me,” mused

bothers .

nicationwith some one. The others Philig. “Why was Jimpson sending out
do not even suspect such a thing as telepathic signals? They were not clear
telepathy exists. I’m not sure that this and somewhat dissociated, but they were
one does, but he has been communicat- signals. Somewhere, I believe, is an
ing. I’m sure of that. Strange, I did Earth man who is fumbling with the
not know the Earth men were aware secrets of telepathy.”
of telepathy. We must control our “We must work swiftly,” observed
thought messages hereafter.” Brulf.
“Can we use the men we have?” asked That night eighty-seven men of the
Sigov. antarctic expedition were lulled into
“All are persons of importance, ap- a hypnotic sleep and a dozen strange
parently. That is good. Our early monsters took over control of their
operations depend on the use of leaders, colony.
hypnotized of course.”
“Let us try the wiges,” suggested PROFESSOR WALLECK picked
Philig. up the morning paper.
“Try them,” Brulf ordered. “There is a great deal of space de-
From cargo storerooms, Philig
the voted to the antarctic expedition to-
brought four bright and shiny gems day,” he said to his assistant.
and placed one in the hand of each of “That has been true since the false
the captives. Brulf whistled loudly to alarm over Eagleston’s disappearance a
arouse the four hypnotized men through few days ago,” replied Vance. “Strange
their senses of hearing. how a small breakdown in the radio
Without uttering a sound, Brulf men- could have made the whole world fear
tally directed the four ,
men to jump, for his safety.”
walk, talk and do other simple tasks. “Humph!” grunted the scientist.
The wiges, crystals made from a min- “Do you realize that no one heard a
eral abundant on the inner core of word from Antarctica for a full twenty-
the planet Piute, amplified the telepathic four hours?”
impulses without additional machinery. “Radio trouble,” insisted Vance.
“The wiges work perfectly. This “What about your bad dream during
man Jimpson responds better than any our telepathy experiment?”
of the others. We will use him as a “Too much mince pie,” suggested the
key man in our plan.” assistant.
“Good !”wheezed Philig with satis- “Our thought interceptor hasn’t
faction. “While you set up headquar- worked since.”
ters here, I will return with the cruiser “What I saw was too
in the vision
to Pluto to get the expedition under- unreal to be true. Why, one would sus-
way. Do you have sufficient wiges?” pect the Earth was being invaded by
“There are one million in the hold,” a race from another world, if my dream
replied Brulf.“In a world possessing was taken seriously.”
communication facilities such as this Professor Walleck paced the floor,
that will be sufficient. I think, however, then returned to his chair. “How do
it might be a good plan to overcome the you account for the fact that four men
colony on this ice cap. There are fewer disappeared, including Commander
than one hundred, according to the in- Eagleston, and in your dream there
formation we get from these. If we were the same number in the party, in-
catch them sleeping we can take them cluding yourself?”
without use of the wiges.” “Coincidence 1”
AST-10
146
“Things like that are happening daily
and we try to explain them with a
word,” sniffed Professor Walleck. “But
let it be for a while. DM you read this
paper?”
“No,” replied Vance, taking the sheet
ASTOUNDING STORIES
suspects our presence,” Philig an-
nounced proudly. “Our headquarters
are on an uninhabited continent at the
South Pole. While the weather there is
mild, compared to that of our own
world, it is too cold for the Earth men

offered by the scientist. and we are safe from discovery.

“It says that during the exploring “Our captives are kept in a constant
trip,just before the radio went bad, state of hypnotism and at our orders
Dr. Jimpson, the noted geologist, dis- they keep in touch with other parts of
covered a new type of precious stone. the Earth so that no one will suspect
He calls it a wige. Hum! Strange what is going on. We have even started
name.” preliminary propaganda, to speed the
“He describes it as being a hydro- distribution of wiges, by means of radio
carbon with the carbon atom in a differ- communication.”
ent position from that of any other “What is Brulf’s plan?” asked the
molecular substance known on Earth,” victyl.

the scientist went on. “He says the “The wiges act to hypnotic' waves in
chemical formula for wiges is H2C. a manner similar to that of some min-
Does that mean anything to you?” erals to radio waves. When sufficient
“The cold is affecting Dr. Jimpson’s wiges are distributed throughout the
mind. It is a nearly impossible com- Earth we will accomplish mass hypno-
bination. If oxygen were substituted tism to bring about a hysteria of slum-
for carbon, I’d say he had found a crys- ber. We will then take over key points
tal of ice.” on Earth and methodically subjugate the
“Dr. Jimpson is a reputable scientist. inhabitants. We can keep slaves for our
He doesn’t make rash statements to get needs and slay the remainder.”
his name in theSunday sections. I “Will the Earth men keep the wiges
would like to obtain one of the wiges.” after they are distributed?” asked the
Professor Walleck glanced toward the victyl.
laboratory wherein stood his thought in- “Brulf has reported to you that Earth
terceptor. “It might work there.” men are selfish. As the wiges are dis-
Vance read through the article. “It tributed a hypnotic suggestion will be
says Dr. Jimpson and several compan- made that the crystals are valuable keep-
ions are returning home a few months sakes. The wiges will never be dis-
ahead of the others with a cargo of carded.”
wiges. Perhaps you can have him in Sigov nodded in admiration of the
for a few glasses of ale on condition plan evolved by Brulf and Philig.
he brings along some of his precious “We shall leave at once for the
!”
crystals.” Earth,” announced Sigov. “Get ready

PHILIG entered the victyl’s cavern PROFESSOR WALLECK’S spa-

and saluted his chief.
“Everything. is ready on Earth,” he
reported. “By the time we arrive the
wiges will be distributed.”
“You have established headquarters
on Earth?”
“We have, and outside of ninety-one
captive humans no one on the planet
ghetti dinners were famous and Dr.
Jimpson, fresh from the hardships of
an antarctic expedition had enjoyed
himself immensely. Now, as Dr. Jimp-
son, Vance and the host sat about the
laboratory alternately puffing and chew-
ing cigars, the conversation drifted aim-
lessly from one topic to another.
 THE PSYCHO POWER CONQUEST 147

Professor Walleck observed that it “Vance,” he cried, “wake up. We have

was not the same old Jimpson. The it perfectly!”
geologist seemed preoccupied. His Vance opened his eyes. He saw Pro-
thoughts were disconnected. fessor Walleck’s flushed face. He saw
“What are these wiges?” asked the Dr. Jimpson in front of him, still fa-
host of Dr. Jimpson. “Tell me about natically discussing wiges.
them.” “Don’t you see, Vance? Your bad
Jimpson dropped his preoccupied dream was true. Dr. Jimpson has been
manner like a cloak. He leaned for- hypnotized.”
ward eagerly. Jimpson turned to Professor Walleck.
“They are more precious than dia- “What were you saying?” he asked.
monds,” he whispered. “I have one for Professor Walleck’s voice lowered it-
you and one for Vance as a token of self to abare whisper. “I am the crea-
our friendship. There was only one turewho hypnotized you, Jimpson. You
small pocket in the territory we explored now are under my power.”
and we brought back all we could find.” Jimpson’s eyes closed.
Jimpson held out a crystal the size “You are not in this room. You are
of a pea. Professor Walleck took it. with Commander Eagleston exploring
Another was handed to Vance. At its the foot of Queen Maude’s range six
touch, Vance felt a queer lulling sensa- months ago. Now where are you?”
tion. His nerves were soothed by its “I am at the base of Queen Maude’s
touch. range,” came Jimpson’s voice, calmly.
Professor Walleck carried his crystal “Tell me what you see and what hap-
to the thought interceptor. pens.”
“I should like to try an experiment, For an hour and a half Professor
if you don’t mind,” he explained, re- Walleck and his assistant listened to the
placing the crystal in the machine with strangest tale they had ever heard.
the wige. Jimpson did not seem to hear, When Jimpson had finished, the pro-
he was talking eagerly about wiges to fessor spoke again.
Vance. “Youare no longer Dr. Jimpson of
Professor Walleck switched on the the antarctic expedition. You are my
thought interceptor. He stroked assistant, Vance Gibbons, and Vance is

Vance’s forehead. The young man Dr. Jimpson.”

promptly went to sleep. A
puzzled frown appeared on Jimp-
son’s face.
“Tell me,” ordered the scientist,
“what Dr. Jimpson is thinking.” “Tell me who I am not,” said the
geologist.
Vance was silent for a moment. Then
“You are not Dr. Jimpson,” repeated
he spoke softly. “Our minds are not
Professor Walleck.
cn rapport,” he said.
“I am not Dr. Jimpson.”
“What am I thinking?” asked Pro- “When I awaken you, you will not
fessor Walleck. be Dr. Jimpson, therefore you will not
“You are wondering
Dr. Jimpson
if be under any hypnotic influence. You
has been hypnotized. You fear that he will be Vance Gibbons. Awaken, Vance
!”
and other members of the antarctic ex- Gibbons
pedition have fallen into the power of Dr. Jimpson opened his eyes. “I must
creatures from another world. You be- have been sleeping, professor,” he said.
lieve that is why I cannot read his tel- “I hope you won’t fire me for loafing.”
epathic thoughts.” Vance held his sides to keep from
Professor Walleck looked startled. laughing as he watched the geologist
148 ASTOUNDING STORIES
rise and walk into the laboratory. Jimp- throw five units into each crystal and
son’s imitation of Vance Gibbons was the owner will receive the full force.
done to perfection. This force, in turn, is generated in the
“For the present, Vance, I am going crystal owner. He passes it on to those
to have the services of two assistants,” he is in contact with.
the professor explained. “To avoid “There will be some resistance, no
confusion, I think it will be advisable doubt, and we calculate only two and
for you to take a trip to the Rocky one half psychopower will be passed on
Mountains for a month or two until — to nonpossessors of crystals. But our
disposed of.”
this invasion is prisoners have been hypnotized to give
“What are you going to do about the the crystals to no one who cannot influ-
invasion?” Vance inquired anxiously. ence at least one thousand persons.
“For the present, I think I’ll play the “We get the following: 5,000,000
stock market.” The' scientist smiled units^ given off by possessors of crys-
cryptically. “By the way, Vance, if you tals ;
2,500 units given off and received
wish to sell your wige, I think I can by nonpossessors of crystals; total
getyou a good price for it.” power 12,500,000,000 units. The popu-
“For goodness’ sake, Steven, take the lation of the Earth is not more than

thing ” Vance stopped suddenly. 4,000,000,000. We have enough power

An odd expression crossed his face. to hypnotize the Earth's people. Mass
“But it is valuable,” he went on. “I hysteria is cumulative, and, as the first

shall not want to part with it.” million fall asleep, newspapers, radio
He heard the professor’s deep- and other forms of communication will
throated laugh. carry on the hysteria until ninety per
“Keep it then,” said Walleck. cent of the population is asleep.” *
“Have you been in touch with the
THE SPACE FLEET from Pluto progress of events?” questioned Sigov.
landed atop Ross barrier. It had been “Not for several weeks. I have rea-
a monotonous voyage and the travelers son to believe one Earth man, a certain
rolled out on the slippery ice to stretch Professor Walleck, is developing tel-
their tentacles. Sigov, waving his liga- epathic machinery. We
can guard our
ments in satisfaction at safe arrival, telepathy to some extent, but observa-
met Brulf at the deserted Eagleston ex- tion of the entire Earth means sure de-
pedition headquarters. tection. There is no chance of our plans
“Is everything ready?” asked the failing, however.”
victyl. “We shall proceed at once with our
“Everything, my . victyl,” replied conquest.”
Brulf with a wave of his sight tentacle. Sigov raised his tentacles. Ten thou-
“The Earth men found here were sent sand brain men of Pluto, assembled on
back to civilization with a million wiges. the polar ice cap lifted theirs in unison,
I ordered them to travel in every land, Sigov opened a small case, containing a
giving crystals to people of importance, large wige crystal.
leaders of men.” “Concentrate!” ordered Sigov. A
“Are you sure one million wiges is whistling wail arose ordering Earth men
enough ?” to sleep.
“My computations, sire, disclose The power of thought waves made
three psychopower units sufficient to
* Boris Sidis in his treatise, Psychology of
hypnotize a human. In cases of mob Buggesion, gives a similar formula, which is
somewhat modified here, showing the growth of
hysteria two and one half will do the mass hysteria in such cases as the South Sea
bubble, Tuiipomania, the Crusades and to which
trick. Our telepathic powers can might be added the chain-letter craze.
 —

THE PSYCHO POWER CONQUEST 149

themselves felt. Radio was influenced closer as the aircraft guns checked the
and power stations reported certain dis- range.
turbances. Scientists —save
wiley the The ship rolled with the force of the
Professor Walleck who was
chuckling explosion as a high explosive shell
in his laboratory as he sent messages of struck the cruiser amidship. Brulf had
warning to the State department at warned the brain men of the powerful
Washington, which was notifying other engines of destruction on Earth. Philig
governments throughout the world heard a cracking as the ship broke in
were puzzled. But the world did not two like a match. The shrill whistling
sleep. Nowhere was there a suggestion screams of terror of the brain men
of mass mania. The mind of man was sounded about him.
impervious to telepathic suggestion. Then the ship crashed to the ground.
“Cease!” ordered Sigov. Near Rome another ship landed. But
The tentacles lowered. The disci- instead of findingmankind asleep, they
plined army other-world creatures
of were greeted by an army. Machine
stood motionless. Sigov gave another guns mowed down the Earth’s invaders,
order. leaving them dead on the field of battle.
Without waiting to check the results, Similar occurrences were happening
the Pluto men, confident of success, filed everywhere, as Sigov and Brulf flew to-
into the space cruisers. ward New York.
Beyond the harbor drifted two battle-
BRULF, now a hero among his fel- ships. The space cruiser drew closer.
low creatures, rode in the flagship with
A long cannon spouted flame and thun-
the dictator, Sigov. The flagship was
to conquer New York, the world’s larg-
der. A
shell struck the ship with ter-
rific force. As the smoke cleared away
est city.Other ships were dispatched to
bits of metal splashed like rain into the
Paris, Tokyo, Berlin, London, Cairo,
ocean. Not a trace of the ship was left.
Melbourne, Shanghai, Moscow, Rio de
Janeiro, Lima, Mexico City, Quebec,
Montreal and Los Angeles.
THE WORLD settled down to its
routine of murders, wars, business, sun-
From these key cities the conquest
rises and sunsets after that. The at-
was to spread until the entire world
tempted invasion was soon forgotten by
would be under domination of the brain
every one, save a small group of sci-
men. There would be a great slaughter
entists who twirled forks in snarls of
before the Moon changed.
spaghetti at another of Professor Wal-
Philig, sailing for London, soared
leck’s famous dinners.
rapidly toward his destination. Below
the forests and deserts of the Earth The group settled back with indi-
vidual, well-fed looks at the conclusion
spread out like a splotched painting. For
of the meal. Dr. Jimpson, the toast-
several hours he burned through the
master, arose.
stratosphere. Then he ordered the ship
to descend toward the spires of the city. “I think Steven owes us an explana-
Scarcely a thousand feet above the tion of how he saved the world,” Dr.
city he saw activity below. He could Jimpson said. “I also would like to
not believe his eyes. The should
city know how I got the crazy idea for sev-
be asleep. Suddenly the ship trembled. eral months that I was Vance Gibbons,
He clutched frantically at the controls his assistant.”

as a bomb burst near by. Beaming, Professor Walleck stood

The ship sailed away from the city. and fumbled with the silverware. He
Bombs followed. Each explosion was was not above basking in admiration.
150
in fact, he enjoyed it a little
but he felt bashful.
“It was not wholly through
forts,” he said with a feeble attempt at
modesty. “I am referring to martyrs
who sleep as a result of the invasion.”
He paused while a murmur ran around
the table. “I know you thought the in-
vaders were repelled without casual-
ties,” he went on smilingly. “But un-
fortunately we have a few.
“You recall the methods used by the
men from Pluto; how wiges were dis-
tributed to bring about a mass hysteria
of slumber. My assistant Vance Gibbons
gave me a warning of their arrival dur-
ing an early experiment with telepathy.
ASTOUNDING STORIES
too well, Professor paused for the laughter to
die out.
my ef- “I then obtained a gentleman’s agree-
ment from all newspapers, radio stations
and other communicating agencies
throughout the world to hold up new*
of a slumber epidemic for at least
twenty-four hours after the first re-
ports were received. I notified foreign
governments of the invasion and had
traps set to catch the invaders.
“Meanwhile the young millionaires
were becoming maniacal over wiges.
They organized expeditions. Just as the
wealth of the world is centered in a few
hands, the wiges became centered in
still fewer hands, since the desire for

As luck would have it, his mind became them was greater. Only a few wiges
attuned with Dr. Jimpson’s at the min- were outstanding at the time of the at-
ute they arrived and placed Commander tack. Even Vance, my assistant, sur-
Eagleston’s party in their power. rendered his.
“I suspected hypnosis as the invad- “With the wiges concentrated in a
ers’ weapon and when Dr. Jimpson re- score of hands their power was greatly
turned from the South Pole I took reduced. The effectiveness of the .plan
special precautions to avoid receiving depended on wide distribution and quick
suggestions from him. As you know it communication of the hysteria. With
is difficult, nearly impossible to hyp- radio and newspapers suppressed, the
notize an unwilling patient. I became mania stood still.” *
more than unwilling — I was stubborn. “The wige millionaires were isolated
He could not catch me off guard. by their own choosing. They were pro-
“Vance, however, succumbed and I tecting their hoards in miserly fashion.
watched the effects. I saw it was the As a result only about 1,000 persons
object of the invaders that each recipi- fell asleep at the suggestion of the men
ent of the wige should keep it fn his pos- of Pluto. We can spare most of them.
session. manipulated Dr. Jimpson
I They will sleep for many years and
from by suggesting he was
their control when they awaken they will be older
not Dr. Jimpson and therefore not un- and wiser, thus more valuable to the
der control of the invaders. I con- world. In studying out the weaknesses
fiscated his stock of wiges and mailed of mankind and selecting a weapon to
samples to a score or so wastrel sons conquer man, themen of the Pluto over-
”
of millionaires. looked one thing
“I picked them from the social reg- “And that was?” Vance looked to
ister as the most worthless of the people his superior.
in our land, and consequently the most “Greed.” Professor Walleck chuckled.
easily spared. I told each how these
simple crystals were bound to become * Under the formula given before the power
of the wiges, when centered in twenty hands in.
valuable as precious gems and that it stead of 1,000,000 would be 250,000 jpsycliopower
units, even If communication facilities were un-
would be a good idea to comer the hindered. This would hypnotize only about
30,000 persons. Professor Walleck's figure is
market.” under that.
 :: : : —

Can't Science Fiction be a Combination that and this story is that in this one they
do not almost conquer the world.
of Both? Nova Solis: Nice title. If the Sun ever did
become a nova, perhaps Pluto would be left as
Dear Editor : an incandescent mass. The explosion would
Please put this brief message in Brass Tacks. surely be more swift and violent than de-
The best type of science-fiction story is the in- scribed.
terplanetary tale. To all authors who write The Green Doom: When we ask for stories
stories of other worlds, I want to give this very
ns in the good old days we don’t want to go
important advice before writing any more
:
back quite as far as this.
arns, read Through Space and Time by Sir ,

ames Jeans. Build your tales around facts The Mad Moon: Amusing.
not dreams. Remember one logical convincing
: Human Machines: Is this intended to bring
story is worth more than a million fantasies. some new information to us? Same goes for
Follow this suggestion, and perhaps science- this ns for The Green Doom.
fiction will become something more than just a
joke. —I. M. Wright, Boston, Massachusetts.
The Fourth-Dimensional Demonstrator: Scien-
tifically impossible, but quite hilarious. I sympa-
thize with the fellow who got tangled up in
the tesseract. I once made one myself.
Avalanche: A fair imitation of John W.
We Try to Hit a Medium! Campbell.
Forbidden Light: Page 121, line 41 “He:

Dear Editor damned the north end.” Page 38 “That’s

:

If the law of something or other prohibits the Milky Way Galaxy.” The author ought to
changing of the amount of matter in the world, learn some astronomical nomenclature.
then every time a person travels into time, the Same page : “I thought the sun was the
amount of matter in that person is subtracted hottest body.” Some scientist. Also some
from say 11)35 and changed, or added to. say scientists in that story, not giving their dis-
1957, thus violating the law which prohibits coveries to other scientists. Altogether an ex-
changing the amount of matter in the universe, tremely mediocre story.
or rather in existence. I claim your magazine
I notice that John Russell Fearn has made
is a science-fiction magazine, and that you ought
himself ridiculous by apologizing for his lack
to have, as far as possible, science stories in
your magazine —
accurate science.
As far as I have gone, the November issue is
of science. What right does he have to say
what kind of stories he prefers? He only writes
just about perfect. It must be Weinbaum. them. We are the readers who pay for the
privilege of reading the stories, and if he doesn't
After reading the first part of Blue Magic I write the way we want him to, let him try
know why the readers have been calling for
Difljn. — Tom Jackson, 5155 Wornall Road, Kan-
sas City, Missouri.
and sell a story. As to that, the editor is
just as much at fault for accepting it.
It comes to my mind at this time that there
ought to be some kind of distinction between
stories which have real scientific value and those
which are just fantastic adventure tales. The
Generally Speaking! term “fantasy” is sometimes used but this
seems to denote more of the weird. What
Dear Editor would one call n story like The Mad Moon,
Impressions of the December issue which has very little science in it, yet is more
Cover Practically
: same colors as last than an adventure story? Stories such as The
month. Figure all out of proportion. Blue Infinity I like to call “scientihooey” stories,
Davey Jones’ Ambassador The first science- but that term would not apply to The Mad
fiction story
subsea creatures.
I read, back in 1929, was about
The only difference between
—
Moon. Milton A. Rothman, 2113 N. Franklin
Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
 : —
152 ASTOUNDING STORIES
Too Many T. V.’sJ
Dear Editor
Ihave read Astounding Stories since its re-
birth under the banner of Street & Smith. I
have also seen its coming to life under skilful
guidance, and I can’t begin to express my ap-
preciation of your work and the work of your
authors and artists.
It isn’t always the stories and the sketches
that accompany them, but it is the spirit of
the magazine itself and the executive work of
one individual that makes a magazine a success.
One can’t say that the other science-fiction
magazines publish poor stories, but there are
other things wrong.
After reading the December issue I have
come to one conclusion that I am sure would
improve Astounding Stories. It really does not
need much improvement, but why not make it
perfect? The general run of stories have good
plots and are well written I have no objection
;
in that direction. But every story that you
have published is of the thought-variant type,
—
every story is different too different.
Now, I think you should include in each
issue a more conservative story of the adven-
ture type so that there would be more of a
balance in the issue in general. This balance
is what the sctence-fictionists call “the good
old days” but haven’t quite been able to put
their finger on it. With this balance we could
more fully appreciate the new thought-variant
stories.
I am sincerely sorry to hear that Dold will
not be able to be with us for some time, but
maybe the rest will refresh nis imagination.
I hope to see another story by Don Stuart
in your pages. I am convinced that his stories
Twilight and Night are two of the very best
science-fiction stories that I have ever read.
He completely captured an air of deep melan-
choly in those stories that makes them .classics.
To write another sequel to them would spoil
their weird charm.
Stanley Weinbaura’s The Mad Moon demands
a sequel dwelling on the former civilization of
the “loonies.” If written well, it would have
it all over The Mad Moon, which, I think, is
not quite up to the Weinbaum standard.
Oeorge Harman, 1432 Elmdale Avenue, Chicago,
Illinois.
Ten Best of the Year!
Dear Editor :
Since it is the custom of the critics to pick
the ten best novels of the year, at about this
time. I’ve decided to pick what I consider the
ten best stories published in Astounding during
the past year.
Leading the pack, ns the best story of the
year, was that masterfully written Twelve
Fighty-Seven, by John Taine. Taine’s charac-
ters are much more believable than either
Smith’s or Campbell’s. His heroes are not
supermen who can do no wrong, but are human
beings who make mistakes just like the rest
of us do. I hope Taine is good for one serial
a year.
Night, by Don A. Stuart, takes second place.
This story might aptly be called a symphony
in words, so beautifully is it constructed. As
a stylist, Stuart is unequaled in science -fiction
to-day.
In third place, we find Star Ship Invincible,
by Frank K. Kelly. It is a wonderfully written
story of conflicting emotions. Kelly is espe-
cially good at this type of story. Isn’t he
about due for another?
Alas! All Thinking! by Harry Bates, ranks
next. Although the ending is depressing, it
suited the mood of the story perfectly.
Next we find Greater Glories, by C. L. Moore.
Miss Moore creates an atmosphere in her stories
which grips the reader until the end. Fantasy
of this high type is not out of place in Astound-
ing. but none by Clark Ashton Smith, please.
The Son of Old Faithful, by Raymond Z.
Gallun, ranks next This was an excellent de-
:
scription of the reactions people of different
worlds might be expected to undergo when they
meet for the first time.
The Far Way, by David R. Daniels, was a
big story in a few words. It is seldom that a
story this short can be called great.
Parasite Planet, by Stanley G. Weinbaum,
was the best adventure-type story of the past
year. Weinbaum is particularly good at writing
this type of story.
Proxima Centauri, by Murray Leinster, was
an excellent character-adventure story. Murray
is about due for another novelette, isn’t he?
Last, but not least, The Phantom Dictator,
by Wallace West. This was a different story,
both as to plot and ending.
There were many other excellent stories but
these ten were, in my opinion, outstanding. If
you can keep the magazine as well-balanced as
it is at present it should satisfy both the
adventure and the science seekers. I still have
—
hopes for a quarterly. Richard H. Jamison,
5141 Dresden Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri.
A Letter to the Art Editor
Dear Mr. Lawler:
This note should have been written you at
least tw’o weeks ago and would have been ex-*
cept for a series of unforeseen occurrences over
which I had no control and which placed me in
a position where I was unable to make definite
plans for the future. At three separate times
I’ve been on the point of returning to New York
and each time had to give up the idea.
Really, the most pressing reason for my stay-
ing on here for some time longer is that my
father has come to depend on me almost en-
tirely and I fear my leaving him at a time like
this might break him up badly and possibly re-
sult fatally, as his heart isn’t any too strong.
When I left New York, I fully expected to be
back and at work by this time, but these un-
foreseen circumstances which have developed
make my eventual return indefinite. When I
do get back, I’ll just have to hope for the best
and pick up whatever work there is to do.
On looking over the last issue of Astounding
(December) I was glad to see that you have
secured good men to do the work. The illus-
trating of the magazine has worried me con-
stantly while here and somehow I’ve felt guilty
of leaving you in a hole. It’s a real relief to
know that this was not the case.
Before closing I want to thank you a great
deal for the work you have given me as well as
for your kindness and the patience you have
shown when things didn’t go as smoothly as
they should have. Perhaps, when this unavoid-
able situation here is straightened out, you may
be able to use me again. I sincerely hope so.
And now, let me wish you, the magazine, and
every one connected with it the best of good
fortune for the future. Once more thank —
you! Very sincerely, W. Elliott Dold, Jr.
Was It That Bad?
Dear Editor
Somehow the December Astounding didn’t
have much appeal for me. Davey Jones’ Am-
bassador and The Mad Moon are two stories
that I did enjoy, however. Murray Leinster
slipped this time with a rather old plot, not
written up differently enough to overlook its
age. The other stories were less than the aver-
age on the most part. Just an off month, I
suppose.
Not only that, but you have to give us that
bad news about Dold —
one of the best illustra-
tors of science-fiction
long time.
—
and a year is an awfully
Well, let’s hope it’s sooner than a
year. I’m certainly glad that Wesso is coming
back. He should have dono it sooner.
 : : !

BRASS TACKS 153

The other artists used in the December issue
aren’t so good. In fact, some of them are ter-
rible. Please add Frank R. Paul to your staff
of artists. I’m sure that you could get him to
do some of the interior work. I didn’t care so
much for Brown’s cover this time, or that hor-
rible cut for the story titles. The twenty-cent
sign could be made smaller and stuck in the
upper left-hand corner.
Astounding Stories starts its seventh year
with the January issue. Congratulations! Jack
Darrow, 4224 N. Sawyer Ave., Chicago, Illinois.
Opinions Are Important!
Dear Editor :
An issue or two ago, you requested criticism
on Astounding Stories. I have noticed several
things about the magazine but have refrained
from mentioning them because the magazine has
slowly and steadily improved since its revival.
My chief adverse criticism is concerning the
readers’ corner. Brass Tacks. Puerile, insipid,
and thoughtless letters should be left out. They
do not even give an insight into the readers’
reactions to the various stories. They merely
take up space and disgust the more serious
readers.
About the science in the stories
be of two types
1. The known and logical science of our civ-
ilization.
2. Imaginary developments on
sciences with a few excursions into fields that
are seemingly forbidden.
I am strongly against the use of religious or
metaphysical ideas in stories. They have no
place in any rational world. I refer particu-
larly to The Einstein Express.
Forbidden Light was only C Class. The ideas
tounding a month is not enough and that we
need something to go with it. We have been
eating of the regular course of our science-
fiction dinner for so long that we would now
like to have some dessert to go with the regular
meal. How about a quarterly?
I notice in your editorial for the November
issue that you have a chance to get another
article along the same lines as Lo If this is
possible, by all means do it, for I like Lo 1 very
— much, and while I wouldn't like to see articles
like this in every issue, yet one in the near
future would be just the thing.
I have been reading science-fiction for a
long time, and as long as a story is well writ-
ten and is science-fiction it doesn’t make any
difference to me whether it has little or lots of
science in it. I like the stories of Smith far
better than those that have less science in them.
On the other hand, I have read many stories
which have had very little science but were
much better than some that had half the laws
and theories of my college physics books mixed
up in their plots. I still think that Rebirth is
the best science-fiction story I have ever read.
By all means keep Brown on the cover illus-
trations. The paintings on the covers of As-
tounding are far better than those on any other
science-fiction magazines. Brown manages to
get enough color into his paintings without
making them look unreal. Not only that, but
: it should his figures are more lifelike than those of the
other magazines. I think that a sensible pic-
ture will draw more attention than one that
our own
looks like a circus billboard. —
James A. McCor-
mick, Jr., 328 Graham St., Elkins, West Virginia.
The “Demonstrator” Gets a Victim!
Dear Editor :

were not entirely new. It was primarily an Forbidden Light was a little too hackneyed
adventure story. Davey Jones Ambassador was
’
for my sensitive stomach, but, outside of that,
by far the best story of the issue. It had the the December issue is plenty smooth. Two
proper balance between science and fiction. The stories, in particular, have stuck in my memory :

Mad Moon was an interesting adventure story. Mad Moon and The Fourth- Dimensional Dem-
Nova Solis is old stuff with very little that is onstrator. Mad Moon is a return to the level-
interesting or ne\y. Human Machines is a little headed Weinbaum style, after that rather fluffy
better. The problem of the insurgent against romance of last month.
a change in life habits is always interesting. The Fourth-Dimensional Demonstrator left me
The Fourth-Dimensional Demonstrator added laughing, of course. In fifteen minutes, I
the right amount of humor to the magazine. calmed down enough to reread it. If I don’t
Avalanche tried to be dramatic but failed. watch out, I’ll be doing it again. More like
Blue Magic is another of the extremely in- this one, and you can boost your price to fifty
teresting stories by Diffin —
pure adventure but cents and I won’t even squeak.
I see by a letter from Mr. Holmes H. Welch
enthralling. Although a scientist, my chief
hobby is adventurous science-fiction. I noticed that I’m crazy. I’ve suspected it for a long
no thought-variant story in this issue. They time, Mr. Welch. Thank you for fixing my
are usually the most interesting. convictions. By the way, how did you come to
In closing, I may say that I eagerly await discover Astounding? You must read it occa-
the appearance of Astounding each month. For- sionally, else how come your knowledge of Fearn,
get all the insane suggestions about bindings, van Kainpen and all the rest?
smooth edges, slick paper, and concentrate on Can be possible, Mr. Welch, that you are
it
getting good stories, that have new ideas and tarred the same disintegrator, that you
with
good adventure in them. also, a mind so inferior that you seek
“are
You asked for criticism and this is a long recompense by slinking away to your super-
letter as a result. —
Thomas S. Gordner, P. O. sympathetic dream world’’? Are you, perhaps,
speaking from experience? Have a good look at
Box 1924, Knoxville, Tennessee.
yourself. See if you are in a fit condition to
cast the first stone at Astounding’s crowd of
futile nonentities?
Keep Weinbaum, Gallun, Vincent, Smith,
The Regular Course —and Then Some! Campbell and Taine at work, not to mention
Jack Williamson and Nat Schachner, and you’ll
Dear Editor :
—
keep this reader satisfied. W. B. Hoskins, 65
There have been so many requests lately for N. Pleasant St., Oberlin, Ohio.
Astounding to publish a reprint, a quarterly or
go semimonthly that it would seem to me that
it is time to do something about it. For my
part, I am not so sure that it would do to put Has Its Place!
out two issues a month, but I do think that a
Fantastic Fiction
reprint or quarterly would be very welcome to Dear Editor
the readers of your magazine. In every science- For a long time I have intended to write
fiction magazine, every month, there are numer- expressing my gratification at the improved tone
ous requests for .one or the other of these and I of Astounding Stories. I consider your maga-
think the circulation you have built would be zine as the foremost standard bearer of this
greatly increased by an addition of some sort. type of fiction.
I feel, and several others readers have ex- I am unable to understand why fantastic
pressed the same opinion, that one issue of As- fiction is generally deuied literary recognition.
 — : :

154 ASTOUNDING STORIES

Since, by its very nature, fiction is imaginative,
why should there be any limitation? Of course
many stories of this type have been so poorly
written as to discredit fantastic fiction in
general.
Far too many of them have no real plot at
all but are mere elaborations of a single hack-
pages so long as the stories are good. Now in
this little square, why not put the name of the
best story or the name of a beginning serial?
Then, when wo readers go to reread some of
the stories, w*e can see which one has the one
we want to read.
A w ord about the November issue. I don’t
r

neyed idea, such as the scientist making a mon- believe the issue was up to your standards at
ster and losing control of it, or a mad scientist all. I don’t believe that red and black make a
who seeks to rule the world, but is blown up, very good color combination. I mean the shade
with all his fiendish equipment, in the last of the lied Peri’s space ship. Then these two
chapter. Fantasy alone, is not enough. Fan- colors, in direct contrast with white and yel-
tastic fiction like other forms of literature must low, do not appeal to me.
have depth, atmosphere, convincing plots, and Now the stories. The best, to my way of
characterizations. thinking, was The Red Peri , I Am Not God, and
I differ very strongly with Mr. Welch, who the new serial Blue Magic. The rest were not
writes that science-fiction fans are largely luna- up to standard. But all the issues can’t be
tics trying to escape into the dream world of perfect and most of them are. I remain a satis-
imagination.
is
I consider that the imagination
the greatest of man’s attributes, the one
fied science-fiction fan. —
Randall O’Brien, 2124
Rockingham Rd., Davenport, Iow a. r

thing that separates man from animal.

Nothing has been accomplished but what
existed first in some man’s imagination. A
properly developed and trained imagination in-
spires boldness in thought and action, rather
than weakness. 1 cannot find words to express
We Take It On All Sides!
my appreciation of Night. Hang on to Don Dear Editor
Stuart !Derelict also was glorious. :

The Lotus Eaters was splendid! What an Yes, I’m back, and I'm sorry I’ve got to slam
imagination Weinbaum has you. It’s about as pleasant as having a tooth
All is brought out
in such a matter-of-fact way.
!

Give us more out, for I love my Astounding —

but skip that.
You, editor mine, are too obliging. A few
stories of the philosophical type.
Forbidden Light was —
punk only another months ago, the cry was “Give us more adven-
ture, we’re tired of superscicnce. Back to those
wrecker-of-civilization story mounted on the
plane of an adventure story. happy days !” So you complied and now look.
Nat Schachner’s stories are uniformly bad. You took us too literally don’t you yet know
;

At least, he is consistent in this. As a special that the great big public is just a great big sap?
favor please fire Frank Belknap Long. His It has to be spoon fed, doesn’t know what it
stories are a little too tenuous and hazy, too does want. By the old cave-man fiction, we
many vague menaces and frightening phantoms didn’t really mean the same old Stories. Yet
never fully explained.
More power to C. L. Moore Probably the
that’s what you’re giving us
stuff! In one word —
medieval!
—
same old hack
!

reason some people do not read fantastic stories And there haven’t been new treatments Look !

is that they are bound to make them think at The Red Peri! A good story, nicely written,
that being a function as many shun as they but not one new idea not one! — It wasn't
would fhe presence of the evil one conse- —
quently science-fiction is ruled out. How’s that
worth the tradition Astounding Stories has been
building since ’33. Shades of Colossus and Ir-
—
for a theory? Haskell Benton, Iowa Park, relevant !Not a thought-variant in months,
Texas. with the possible exception of The Adaptive
Ultimate 1
Cut down on adventure and try to improve
your short tales As for Schachner’s newest
!
Objection Sustained! Mr. Schachner, I am ashamed of you I don’t
!

Dear Editor intend to be irreverent, but the title should

have been I Am Not Good.
:

Your editorial comments on helpful criticism And the Novem-

have moved me to submit a few. Brown has ber cover, that mess of exhaust from the Red
turned out his third really fine cover. When Peri’s jets looked as if the cover had smeared.
the Cycle Met was the only really poor story in Well, I forgive Brown on the principle that
this issue. The fundamental theory was per- “the king can do no wrong,” as every one says
he’s tops. Still, a cat can look at a king, and
fectly correct, but that the time cycle should end
people who live in glass houses get all the
and begin at the blank wall of oblivion, is fool-
ish. Since it was the same cycle all through, breaks. —
Sidney P.irchby, 38 Nightingale Ave.,
Higham’s Park, Essex, England.
how was it that the men named in the story
had not existed before at the dawn of the world?
Also, Polaris was not the polar star in those
days the author completely forgot the preces-
;

sion of the equinoxes. Furthermore, the life of

any one planet is but a fraction of a second of
We Try for a Balance!
eternity, and thus the cycle could not possibly
return to the beginning of things in time to save
Dear Editor
This afternoon I began with The Red Peri in
one measly solar system. the November issue, and needless to say, I’ve
I know that there’s a lot to say no but I still
only stopped now that I’ve read through the
want Hawk Carse and John Hanson stories. whole magazine. Really, it’s a w onderful issue
r

Since my last epistle, I’ve seen several more

requests in Brass Tacks. At least, make an — —
the w'hole of it a result obtained by a very
experiment. —
Jim Blish, 131 Harrison St., East
Orange, New Jersey.
careful balancing of the different types of tales
that make up science-fiction. And it’s a change,
too, for the majority of the stories lean toward
the adventure type. After so many thought-
variant themes, with action decidedly in the
background, the difference is certainly refreshing.
A New Suggestion! Blue Magic brings something that has been
absent for so long that I had forgotten that it
Dear Editor : existed. It sounds very much like “save the
After reading Brass Tacks for over two years, earth while rescuing the beautiful damsel” sort
and after having one of my letters published, I of plot, but with Diffin behind the guns, it’s
just can’t help writing another. I would like to enough to make me wish that Astounding lias
put in a word about the outside of Astounding already gone semimonthly so that I could read
Stories. On the end you have a little square the next installment in two weeks.
that says “160 pages.” To my way of reason- Blue Magic is, I think, the main reason I’m
ing that is merely a waste of space. We read- writing this letter, in spite of the fact that I
ers don’t care so much for the number of began by mentioning Weinbaum. I’m not so
 : ! ! ;
BRASS TACKS
sure that too many stories in the vein of Blue
Magic and The Red Peri would go over so well
but I, at least, am awfully glad to see them in
this issue. They make one think of the old
days when science-fiction was all blood and
thunder and after a couple of years of heroes
; I believe that, on tiie whole, seasoned science-
going through their appointed tasks with very
little red haze to obstruct their collective vision,
it seems good very good.—
The Adaptive Ultimate was a new idea.
However, it seems to me that it would be in-
teresting to read a story where the superper-
son did get hold of the movement of things
might people not have been better off if all of
them had been given injections of the adaptive
serum? I am very much pleased with this
(Jte Co.,
—
month’s issue. David R. Daniels, Consolidated
Ignacio, California.
Here's One Pleased!
Dear Editor
I have just finished reading the November
issue of Astounding and I have to sit down and
write you a letter of commendation. I believe
it is the best issue you have published so far.
The Red Peri was excellent. I am, in a way
sorry that this story calls for a sequel, because
sequels are rarely as good as the original.
Ships That Come Back was a good character
study. I believe I would have liked it better
had the mysterious force been explained a little.
When the Cycle Met was, in my opinion the
poorest story in the magazine. There is in the
Einstein theory, as far as I can see, no support
for the idea set forth in this story. If the
solar system were suddenly to revert to a period
a thousand years previous, why would the men
and buildings not also revert?
Blue Magic Man, oh, man! Am
I glad to
see Diffin back in the fold? He was always
one of my favorite authors and after reading
the first installment of this story, I do not think
he will fail to hold his place in my esteem. And
don’t let it be as long between this story and
his next one as it was between this one and his
last one.
The Lichen From Eros was another of Mr.
Long’s delightful stories. The author solved a
difficult problem in a very ingenious manner, in
conquering the seeming unconquerable. But he
states in the beginning that adapted traits were
permanent unless superseded by other adaptive
traits. Then, at the end, when the operation
was performed on Kyra, she remained beautiful
until the gland was removed, then reverted to
the original state. Should she not have re-
tained whatever adaptive characteristics she pos-
sessed at the moment of the operation?
I was not greatly impressed by I Am Not
God. After I had read about four pages of
the second installment, I could have laid aside
the magazine and written a conclusion just like
Mr. Schachner’s.
The cover was the best in many months. I
am glad to see that the demand for twice-a-
month issues has died down somewhat of late.
I would rather see a quarterly or an annual, or
both.
Well, Mr. Editor, my original intention was
to write you a letter of praise, but I am afraid
my good intentions got lost by the wayside.
However, in spite of all the faults which are
getting fewer all the time, I still like As-
tounding Stories better than any magazine I
have seen, and if 1936 shows as much improve-
ment as 1935 has, Astounding will be the most
—
famous magazine in the world. J. J. Johnston,
Mowbray, Manitoba, Canada.
Hints and Answers
Dear Editor :
The November issue was a marvel The Red
!
Peri was a fine example of literature and The
Adaptive Ultimate was refreshing in its selec-
::
155
tion of adaptation for plot. I was disappointed
when I saw that Blue Magic had three-toed
monsters. I hope Charles Diffin overcomes that
in the story, for monsters are a rehash and
should be relegated to horror stories.
fiction readers rejected The Blue Infinity and
the new readers are the ones who accepted it.
Am I right?
Howard V. Brown is doing fine work on the
cover. Those who call his work “glorified lolly-
pop” must have a sweet tooth. If they’d think
of space or the unknown when they looked at
the cover instead of the candy shop, they would
do better.
I think a science editorial would be welcome,
but don’t be afraid to delve deeply into the
subject. A general discussion is not always
satisfactory.
nati, Ohio.
—
Dale Tarr, 908 Vine St., Cincin-
Good and Bad!
Dear Editor
It has been a long time since I have written,
but I still can tell an excellent story when I see
one. I am referring to The Adaptive Ultimate,
by John Jessel. Either the author’s dSbut is
extremely auspicious or it is another pseudonym
for a top-notch author. The story contained
two desired goals of a good science-fiction story :
science and fiction. This combination has been
achieved by very few science-fiction writers.
To start at the cover, it was good and bad.
I am afraid Brown let his imagination run away
from him, for I could not see where that beacon-
like globe on the top of the tetrahedron came in.
Although The Red Peri was a good story, it
could never measure up to Hawk Carse of the
good old days.
When reading Fruit of the Moon-Weed the
beginning made me feel sick, for it was terrible,
but the ending was so well inserted and unex-
pected that it balanced, and the story turned
out pretty good.
Ships That Come Back was indeed reminiscent
of the bygone days. It was well written and
succeeded in its aim :to describe space travel-
ing in the raw. The binding of magazine is
O. K. with me.
When the Cycle Met was fair. David H. Beau-
mont is evidently a beginner, yet shows promise.
Frank Belknap Long's The Lichen From Eros
started out slowly
— —
which is a bad way to start
out then gathered momentum and was excel-
lent in spots, but the climax played itself out
and the end was slow like the beginning. How-
ever, I like Long's work.
I Am Not God was like The Adaptive Ulti-
—
mate an excellent story. Nat Schacliner is the
master of science-fiction. The story is a com-
bination of good fiction and plausible science,
plus good psychology. Schacliner is always
welcome.
Concerning the editorials I think it would be
:
good to have them, but their length should
never exceed one page. The subject of discus-
sion can vary from anything scientific to un-
proven theories and much discussed hypothesis.
Yours till Astounding is a semimonthly. Ray-—
mond Peel Mariella, 5227 Chancellor St., Phila-
delphia, Pennsylvania.
A Veteran Approves!
Dear Editor
I have been reading good old Astounding for
the last five years.
veteran, doesn’t it?
That rather makes me a
As a whole, I think you have done a good
job. But, I did like Dr. Hanson’s stories and I
don’t see why you don’t publish them again.
In a new magazine, one always makes mis-
takes. Now I like a little adventure or drama,
to sort of keep up the spirits of the story. But
why do you have to have such stories as Islands
of the Sun, The Lady of the Moon, Blue Magic,
Fruit of the Moon-Weea, Princess of Pallist
I Am Not God was very interesting, and, even
 t :: ! ;
156 ASTOUNDING STORIES
though fiction, think quite possible.
I Intra -
Planetary was interesting story, and
another
was written surprisingly well. When the Cycle
Met was an excellent short, in fact, too short
it was a sequel to a previous story, I believe.
The Red Peri wasn’t so bad, although 1 wouldn’t
call it very much science-fiction. Twelve Eighty-
seven conies to a conclusion with a bang. Please
give us better short stories.
I have studied science for two years at school,
and couldn’t get enough of it. Your magazine is
a young one and has already, as I perceive from
your cover, the largest circulation or any science-
fiction magazine. You want that to continue, so
why not devote more time to a careful selection
of short stories? Also how about less of the
hero pulling his ray gun and killing hundreds
of Venusians and escaping from some place that
no one could ever possibly escape from?
Give your fans plenty of sequels. Can’t you
tell that they like them? —
Samuel D. Chempreis,
322 Pine St., Waterbury, Connecticut.
We Try to Improve
Dear Editor
That was a fine November issue you put out.
I have only read the short stories so far, but
they are certainly O. Iv. Why didn’t F. B. Long,
Jr., make a novel or novelette out of The Lichen
From Eros And since when lias it been known
as two asteroids instead of one?
What has happened to your new interior
artist? I think he knew his stuff. Dold isn’t
so bad, but his drawings are dark. Marchioni is
good.
To Raymond Hood : You say the
himself a good bit of self-praise. He
ing in his own words what the readers say.
what do you know Williamson’s
of ability?
story The Galactic Circle was very good but did
not, to my mind, compare with The Legion of
Space.
I think your magazine is improving steadily.
Make all the improvements you can. I am not
in favor of a semimonthly. —
William E. Stocks,
1107 Bingham Rd., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
He Likes It —But - been
Dear Editor
Thank you for presenting us with an
issue on the anniversary of Old Faithful, The
Mightiest Machine, and The Irrelevant. This is
one of the best issues that I have read for a
long time. Here is my opinion of the Decem-
ber issue : about, I shall elucidate If you have good eye-
Forbidden Light: One of the best, but Mr.
Montague does not explain how the Panchette
family got the forbidden light, if all of it is ab-
sorbed by the stratosphere.
Davey Jones’ Ambassador: Really a master-
piece. Instead of making his characters from
different places inhuman monstrosities, which
mean to conquer the world, he gifts them with
enough reason to see both sides of every case.
There is one mistake How could the ovoid stand
: ever expect to see this" letter in Brass Tacks.
the decrease in pressure?
The Mad Moon: Written in the best Wein-
baum style. He is too generous with his atmos-
phere, however. Several of his moons have not
enough gravitation pull to hold an atmosphere.
Nova Solis: An excellent short story.
The Green Doom: Pretty good, but don’t you
think the theme is hackneyed?
The Fourth- Dimensional Demonstrator:
very good, humorous story. Let’s have more of
them.
Avalanche: Good. The theme is old.
Van Houten Don’t use that amateur-scientist
stuff.
:
There should be enough proved scientific
theories to back up the fiction.
Burhans An excellent idea about rocket-ship
: known ‘^Patricia.” If he would only give his
models.
Martin :I agree with you on Night. It was
one of the best science-fiction stories I have ever
read.
: a
Ellisson : Harl Vincent is good for many
more stories.
I am for the blood-and-thunder stories if they
are backed up by science. After all, there are
many kinds of fiction, but we want science-
fiction.
Please make Astounding a bimonthly. — Harold
Kessler, 5220 12th Ave., Brooklyn, New York.
Remember Hawk Carse?
Dear Editor
In the November issue of Astounding, I found
in the Table of Contents, the following sen-
tences under the title of, The Red Peri: “You
have approved of Weinbaum’s stories. He has
gone forward in this one to a point reminiscent
of You tell me!” Now, maybe I’m just/
bit thickheaded, but I’ll be hanged if I can
figure out the meaning of it. Perhaps you will
explain ?
In the March issue of 1034, we find a list of
storiesand authors that seem to stand out from
allthe rest, such as. Rebirth, Born of the Sun,
The Time Impostor and many other good sto-
ries.Maybe it’s me. I might be mistaken but it
seems to me these stories are much different
from the ones we have now. They seem to be
better and newer, original, if you know what I
mean. The ones we have now are original, to be
sure, but they don’t have that fascinating,
breath-taking newness about them. Are we run-
ning out of stories like this?
The information I asked for in the last
month’s issue, was received with a hearty wel-
come and for those who wish to know, the
editor gave story Into the Hydrospere, was written by Neil
is only tell- R. Jones. Is there any chance of getting him?
And My letter seems to be composed of a bunch of
His questions, but if you will bear with me and
print this letter in Brass Tacks so we can see
what the views of other readers are, I will be
—
very much obliged. Ross Wilson, Jr., It. F. D. 2,
Box 89 A. Chesterfield, Missouri.
Well! Well!
Dear Editor :
At last It has happened
The impossible has
!
We have at last seen a
accomplished !
drawing which shows the planet Earth, not with
the ever-present Western Hemisphere in the
all-star featured position but with Africa plainly vis-
ible. Howdid this happen? Where were you,
dear editor, when they slipped this bit of heresy
into good old Astounding?
In case you don't know what I am talking
:
sight, you will see on page 53 of the December,
1935, issue of Astounding Stories, in the upper
right-hand corner a little white patch showing
between the mountains and right over the mid-
dle “loonie’s” head, the planet Earth with the
continent of Africa plainly visible. Also, if you
look closely you will see parts of Europe and a
tiny little bit of Asia.
First I
: want it understood that I do not
In fact, I do not even expect it to be read.
What is more likely is that it will be thrown
into the wastepaper basket after a prolonged
acknowledgment has been made of its .receipt.
I have grown up with the firm belief that vou
write these letters yourself and that vou
all of
never print anything that you receive. ‘ So
much for that.
A Tops, in my opinion, is The Mad Moon. In
this I believe Weinbaum is better than ever be-
fore. In this he has done away with one of his
characteristics that is a source of constant an-
noyance to me. He has made his heroine have
a little bit of sense —
not much, but a little.
Which is more than I can say for his better-
feminine characters some good sense, he would
be, to my way of thinking, one of your outstand-
ing authors. He has a very vivid imagination,
but with It he has the ability to make his sto-
 :: ! :

BRASS TACKS 157

ries seem realistic, despite the fantastic crea- I many readers asking for the return of
notice
tures he invents. He makes it seem absolutely Hawk Carse and John Hanson. Why not? I
possible that there might be a race of loonies also agree with the bunch clamoring for Keller,
or, to use the scientific words, Lunje Jovis Mag- Wesso and Paul. Wesso and Paul are really
nicapites, that there might be a parcat of a good.
Blinker. What happened to the semimonthly plan? I
This is a wonderful quality for an author to hope you do not publish any more blood stream
possess. Burroughs has it so has Merritt — — stories. The first few w ere passable, but now T

and so also has Weinbaum, and if it were not they are monotonous.
for the one little fault that he has, which I Here are some suggestions to improve the ap-
mentioned above, he w’ould be splendid, colossal, pearance of Astounding:
euperepic, and dozens of other things. 1. Print the authors’ pictures.
Blue Magic got off to a dull start, but is 2. Smooth the edges of the magazine.
picking up rapidly. Forbidden Light was a lit- 3. Get Paul, Wesso, and Muller to illustrate.
tle slow at first but ended with a bang-up finish. Do not be afraid to show how good you
Davey Jones’ Ambassador was good. Nova Solis
4.
are —
Robert A. Madle, 333 E. Belgrade St.,
was pretty good and so was The Green Doom. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Human Machines and Avalanche weren’t so hot.
Aside from that, the issue was O. .K.
The Skylark stories are A 1. Let us have
more of them by all means. Don Stuart is
swell. I would like to see some more of his No Science, but “Skylark” Was Good!
stories.
I am looking forward to Smothered Seas. Dear Editor
Both of these authors are favorites of mine. I Your editorial in the December issue contains
am very sorry to hear about Elliott Dold. Yours an intriguing mixture of good and bad news.
for a bigger and better Astounding. A. A. Mc-
Namara, 604 S. St. Andrews Place, Los Angeles,
— I was very sorry to hear about Dold's illness,
and hope that he is back with us soon. How-
California. ever, every cloud has a silver lining. The silver
lining in this case being your announcement of
Wesso’s return. This is the best news I’ve heard
Checking Up! in a long time. In my estimation, Wesso was,
and is, the greatest of science-fiction artists.
Dear Editor It’s been a long time since I’ve read anything
This is the first time I have ever written any like the delightful nonsensical tale of The Mad
magazine the first day it came from the news Moon. Just how does Weinbaum set about the
stands. May a young but experienced reader business of manufacturing one of bis plots? The
make an attempt at answering a few epistles screwy characters emanating from his bursting
which were printed in Brass Tacks of the De- cranium belong in Baum’s Fantastic Land of
cember Astounding? As the stories are all ex- Ozz.
cellent, there is no need of my writing the pros About the proper balance of science and ad-
and cons which, undoubtedly, have all been said venture in your stories My vote goes to the
:

before. adventure. The wilder and woolier the stories,

Van Houten : Your idea concerning science- the better I like them. I must admit that I
fiction on the radioa swell one. is don’t know a thing about science, and all I get
Rothman me that Twelve Eighty-
You told
: out of the really scientific ones is a pounding,
seven is evidently you referred
science-fiction ;
screaming headache. However, I really enjoyed
to my I agree with you heart-
letter of October. Smith’s last Skylark story, which did contain
Twelve Eighty-seven most certainly was
ily ;

science-fiction. But if you wT ill go over my let-

plenty of science.
The fellow w ho illustrated The Mad Moon
r —
ter a little more carefully, you will notice that
I said that the aforementioned story is not the the yarn perfectly. ——
Thompson, I think. has caught the spirit of
C. E. McGonicle, 1019 Mid-
science-fiction type, meaning that it is not the dlesex St., Lowell, Massachusetts.
sensational type that makes every science-fic-
tionist heart beat faster.
Welch Our broad-minded editor printed an-
:

other of your missiles which again insults the

intelligence of us readers. True, science-fiction- A Joyful Return!
ists are slightly insane if you call abnormal
mentality, insanity. We do not have inferior Dear Editor
minds. I have found that to be true through Aconstant reader of science-fiction returns
my correspondence with Douglas Blakely, Bob home after three months’ absence to find the
Cloud, Ramon Alvarez del-Ray, and others of a October, November and December issues of As-
high mental caliber. How can you say such a tounding waiting for him.
thing after reading one of Ramon’s mighty epis- First he picks up the October issue “Well, :

tles, or are they too far over your head? that’s an interesting cover. Brown always did
Plimsoll I have never yet seen a white cor-
: good work anyway. Let’s have a look at the
puscle that looked- like the one C. R. Thomson contents page Schachner. Stuart. Daniels,
!

drew for Intra-Planetary. If I ever do isolate a Weinbaum, Ross, Gallun, Corbett, Kruse and
freak corpuscle, I will spend an hour or so over Haggard What a line-up!”
!

my microscope in preference to seeing the latest Then the November issue : “Knock me over
horror movie. with a feather What happened to Brown this
!

Our magazine is a shining proof that hard month? That tan space ship looks terrible!
work, discretion, and applied brains, can bring Blue Magic by Diffin That is a treat. Wein-
!

out perfection. You have tried hard to please baum again in The Red Peri! Bring on his
us, editor, and your success has been greater stories, editor they don’t bore me. Another
than has been anticipated. Willis Conover, Jr.,
280 Shepard Ave., Kenmore, New York.
— Binder story !
;

More Haggard !”
Now the December: “Well, this is better!
Brown is at his best this time. It reminds me
of the masterpiece on the May, 3935, cover. Keep
your golden paint materials at work, Mr. Brown.
What a Christmas present More Weinbaum,
He Favors Jessel! Haggard, Diffin. In other words I am satis-
!

fied !”
Dear Editor Let’s havemore Leinster. Fearn and Wein-
My primary reason for writing this letter is baum The Fourth-Dimensional Demonstrator,
!

to compliment John Jessel for writing that su-
perb story The Adaptive Ultimate. That story
—
was a classic much better than Campbell’s or
the others. For originality, science and interest
it was unsurpassable, and it was written by a
newcomer, too. In my humble opinion, he al-
ready ranks with the top-notch authors.
Blue Infinity and The Red Peri were all tickets
And, by the way, did
to a delightful evening.
this fellow by the name of J. George Frederick
drop off the map? Bring him back, editor,
I can truly say that Astounding is getting
better every month but like hundreds of other
readers I have favorite authors whose stories do
 ::
158 ASTOUNDING STORIES
not appear in your magazine. What about David
Keller? Eshback, P, Schuyler Miller, Leslie F.
Stone, and Henry Kostckos?
I know that these authors have been asked
for before, but if we keep begging, maybe some
day you will bring them back, along with those
—
twice-a-month issues. John Chapman, 500 15th
Ave. S. E., Minneapolis, Minnesota.
How About a Sequel?
Dear Editor
After having closed the cover on your Novem-
ber issue of Astounding Stories, I realized the
The Red Peri is about the best novel that you
have published for some time. This letter is a
request for a sequel to The Red Peri. The
author advances a startling theory, which, al-
though contrary to common belief, I think has
reasonable foundations. His graphic method of
portrayal only serves to make the story more
enjoyable.
Diffln’s new serial sounds like a corker, and
after skimming over the second part of Blue
Magic I am sure that this serial will be fully as
good as Twelve Eighty-Seven.
I hope that you will keep up the high caliber
of your stories and here’s wishing for a sequel
to The Red Peri. —
Edward Alpert, Donald Brag-
man, 402 South Crouse St., Syracuse, New York.
Thank You!
Dear Editor
I wish to compliment you on the December
issue of Astounding Stories for its most excel-
lent variety of stories. I believe Mr. Weinbaum’s
The Mad Moon and the artist who illustrated it
should be credited with the* best story and draw-
ings in the issue.
Youhave indeed progressed greatly since
Street & Smith have taken over the magazine.
I am
sure that Mr. Dold will be missed by us
all, but here’s wishing him a speedy recovery.
An artist of his caliber is second to none. I
have every copy of your magazine on file, back
to the beginning, and loan them to my friends
only under solemn promises to return them as
quickly as possible.
May we have Hawk Carse and Seaton and
Crane and a few more of the scientific-adventure
type? Here’s wishing you the best of luck, and
—
never mind the staples or edges it’s the inside,
not the outside, that we readers are interested
in. —
Bayard L. Clark, Box 1228, Springfield,
Massachusetts.
How About This Suggestion?
Dear Editor:
Wow ! I’m taken back a bit by the December
issue. Even if it’s doubtful that I’ll get into two
consecutive issues of Astounding Stories, I want
to tell you, editor, that you have done a good
job. Every one of the stories w as from good to
T
excellent and the illustrations were all perfect.
The cover illustration wasn’t so hot, but it’ll do.
The excellent group of the collection of mas-
terpieces in the magazine were The Mad Moon,
Davey Jones' Ambassador, and Avalanche. Nova
Solis jtist missed because the ending was kind
of flat and toneless.
The rest, yes, eyen Forbidden Light were
trailing because of various reasons. Forbidden
Light, because of the weird-story aspect Green : the cover illustration and the inside picture illus-
Doom, because of an age-old plot The Fourth-
;
Dimensional Demonstrator was interesting and
different, but it seemed too trivial. Human
Machines was worth about a dime a dozen, but
it was well written
it.
—
the only thing that saved
But, gee From one extreme to another
! brought out well. I can say that this one came
First we get too much science and kick. Then
you give us not a thought-variant in the lot ! I
derers.
—
don’t call that fair even to us blood-and-thun-
, ! : ! ! — ;
The exclamation at the beginning of the let-
ter was for the idea submitted by Charles Bur-
hans about the models. I am also a model
maker and I think the idea is a honey I’m !
getting sick of airplanes and I think that space
ships and such is a very good substitute. These
small plans have made a big hit in the air-
story magazines, and I think it would give As-
tounding the extra kick it needs to put it in the
lead, permanent, once and for all
Please discontinue your practice of telling the
names of the coming stories. It takes away all
the suspense of opening the cover to the Con-
tents Page and eagerly scanning the new titbits
of pleasure. Now all of that is gone, if you
keep on with it. There is an alternative, you
know !
And please tell Brown to remember that we
want impressions
don’t
we want scenes —
of scenes on the cover
Raymond Van Houten, 26
Seeley St., Paterson, New Jersey.
From a Faithful Disciple!
Dear Editor :
I have avidly followed the fortunes of the old
—
Astounding saw her rise and fall and was very
much pleased with the regenerated magazine.
The thought-variant idea was good and produced
some wonderful stories. As I say, I’ve had my
finger on Astounding’s pulse for a long time in
silence, but now I have a few bricks to hurl.
I do not think your December issue was up to
par. Brown’s animated gingerbread man on the
cover was terrible, no less, and the novel that it
depicted — the less
It was a childish nightmare
said about that the better!
I like Charles
!
Diffin, but think some one else must be writing
Blue Magic. He is capable of something much
better.
For Weinbaum, I have nothing but praise ; his
stories fairly sparkle, all of them He is your !
one author who realizes that too much detail
will spoil a story as quickly as vagueness. His
nomenclature is so matter-of-fact as to seem an
actuality, and his breezy manner of bringing in
the romantic is not at all sticky.
Leinster’s satirical effort was fair, and with
the possible exception of Gallun’s “fish story”
the rest were all just mediocre. I will say the
plots were all good
time.
—
they’ve stood the test of
Whatever has become of Cummings, Wan-
drei. Starzl, and Schacliner?
For us childish folk, couldn’t you try an oc-
casional interplanetary? I would like to hear
from the miss from Mansfield who was, or is,
a neighbor of mine. Any one w ho cares to take T
the initiative to write. I will be glad to write to.
Looking forward to next month’s Brass Tacks.
R. W. Parr, U. S. S. Sandpiper, San Francisco,
California.
The Good and the Bad!
Dear Editor
Herewith I formulate a dusty manuscript to
grace the archives of your files. One from the
misty intricacies of ray cerebrum.
I just finished reading the December issue of
your magazine, and was dissatisfied with only
two of your stories. I’ll give a treatise on those
first. Forbidden Light had too much “darling”
and “dear” in it. Any supposedly cold, prac-
tical scientist would not be what he is if he
falls in love with a sob sister like the one here.
There is not the slightest resemblance between
tration of the monster carrying that piece of ice.
Also, it would seem slightly out of reason for
the monster to be strapped to the top of the
car that he so easily slung at the ice house.
Davey Jones’ Ambassador brings out a new
theory and the science of the story seems to be
up to my expectations.
The Mad Moon gives one the best description
of life on a moon that I have read for a long
time. I bet there were only a few that didn’t
 :
:: ! :
BRASS TACKS
like this one. For Nova Solis; at least the hu-
mans had chance for future life, however
a part of Mr. Montague’s story which caused me
dreamy. The Green Doom, bears suspicious re-
semblance to I Am Not God. That picture of a
sea monster in Human Machines may have been
a sailor once but I was absolutely unable to
visualize him in that shape and form.
Avalanche had full retribution for the wronged
anyway. I never had a better laugh than that
while reading The Fourth-Dimensional Demon-
strator. This bit of comedy was entirely wel-
come. Let’s have a Derelict sequel and a page
of scientific facts. —
Hudson Frazier Pritchard,
P. O. Box 525, Princeton, West Virginia.
We Miss Dold, Too
Dear Editor
1 think that the announcement of the illness
of that acme of illustrators, Elliott Dold, is the
worst bit of news that has graced the pages of
our “marvel mag” since the coming of Lol This
superartist has some intangible quality which he
lends to his masterpieces that is nothing short
of perfection. 1, for one, shall miss him greatly.
The stories in the December issue were good,
but not any better than the ones in previous
issues. The Fourth-Dimensional Demonstrator
and The Mad Moon were the best. I surely wish
Leinster was as prolific as Stanley G. Weinbaum.
1 tried to save all the installments of Blue
Magic until I have them all and could read them
in a lump, but the temptation was too power-
ful. After reading the first two installments, I
am rather in doubt as to what 1 think of them.
The best word that I can .conjure is "perplex-
ing.” Anyway, it looks like a pretty good story,
and I will wait for the concluding installment
before I draw any conclusions. —
Douglas Blakely,
4510 Edina Boulevard, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Indefinable Something?
Dear Editor
Somehow the December issue does not seem to
satisfy. It lacks that indefinable something that
characterized all of the former issues. The
cover also displeased. The monster looked like
King Kong and the two men looked like fuzzy-
cheeked schoolboys who were playing hooky.
However, there were a few stones that did
please these were The Mad Moon, The Fourth-
; I’ll be satisfied. I never expected about twenty
Dimensional Demonstrator, and Nova Solis. For-
hidden Light did not have enough scientific ex-
planation to suit me, although 1 don’t like too
much of it.
The controversy about too much science in
the stories is proving interesting reading. My
opinion is that you should have a few stories
in each issue to satisfy those who are searching
for blood and thunder.
Now about the much-wanted quarterly again :
it should have one full-length novel which ordi-
narily ought to be a serial, one novelette and
three or four shorts. I am sure that every one
who reads the magazine would buy a quarterly.
Please let us have a definite answer. Lyman
Martin, 65 Howe St., Marlboro, Massachusetts.
—
Attack!
Dear Editor
I am writing to you, the editor of a science-
fiction publication. As the name implies, this
corner in the bookshelf of literature is intended
to be devoted to a presentation of imaginative
or actual science combined, of course, with fic-
tion. Every reader of science-fiction must have
been amazed upon reading one of the tales in
the December issue of Astounding Stories. One
of the authors seemed to be ignorant of the
meaning of this description. I refer to James
Montague, author of Forbidden Light.
Stories have been written whose plots are
based on impossibilities. Stories have been
written which contain miscalculations and de-
! :
159
fiances of the laws of science. However, the
to write this letter was small indeed, but “in
small things we are defeated.”
I refer to the speech of Gidean at the top of
page 124 “The damned lightning starts from the
:
ground, Stanton, and that isn’t natural, is it?”
In this, he exposes definitely a fact which makes
itself evident throughout the story, namely
that he knows very little of science or the sub-
ject with which he deals.
Mr. Montague apparently never learned one
of the basic laws of electricity
tive electric charges move.
—The
that only nega-
fact that
whether lightning moves up from the earth or
down from the sky cannot be determined be-
cause, to the naked eye, lightning appears simul-
taneous as it would travel 15,500 miles before
the eye could register even its existence.
Though the initial error is a minor one, I con-
sider it far greater than the deeply laid mis-
takes which critics are always digging for, be-
cause it openly, brazenly, almost in an empha-
sized manner, show’s Mr. Montague’s ignorance.
Every high-school boy knows that lightning
strikes upward from negative earth to the posi-
tive clouds. This exposure is as undisguised as
it is irreparable.
The handling of the rest of the plot, as is
natural from one ignorant of science, is done
very clumsily. None of the scientific points are
fully explained probably because Mr. Montague’s
limited knowledge wouldn’t allow a plausible
explanation.
The other stories in the magazine are above
average. Blue Magic is promising it seems to
;
be a particularly interesting tale.
Human Machines has a very unsatisfactory
—
and indefinite ending. Robert L. Harder, Jr.,
225 East 4th St., Berwick, Pennsylvania.
Another New Idea
Dear Editor :
just got the December issue about two hours
I
ago and it’s the best issue yet. The only thing
I didn’t care for was the cover. As for the
illustrations Dold’s, Marchioni’s, and Howard
:
V. Browm’s are very good. Flatos’ and Snaty’s
are almost as good, but the ones that I liked the
best were Thompson’s for The Mad Moon.
I hear that Wesso is coming back : that’s
swell. Too bad Dold is going to be gone for a
year, but if Wesso can take his place for a while,
pictures for one magazine in one issue.
Some one said that the magazine won’t last
them for a whole month, but I’ll tell you what I
did. I got a ten-cent box of water colors, some
blotters, and painted the pictures in some of
my magazines. The colors have to be blotted
right away to keep the pages from wrinkling.
Thus you can get about ten hours more enjoy-
ment out of Astounding each month, and also
brighten up your magazines. How’s that for an
—
idea? Morris Dollens, 126 Twelfth Ave., North
St. Paul, Minnesota.
Re: “Fantasy Magazine V*
Dear Editor
It is a well-known fact that science-fiction
fans comprise the most enthusiastic group of
readers in the entire magazine fiction field. In
no other magazines can one find, for instance,
such lengthy readers’ departments, where one
is able to discuss the magazine and its stories
or criticize scientific theories, expounding one’s
own views.
However, the readers’ departments are, of
necessity, limited in their scope. To take care
of this deficiency, science-fiction fan magazines
have come into existence. At present there are
a great number of them, but the one that is,
I believe, generally recognized as the leader in
the field is Fantasy Magazine. This is a small
printed magazine that is sold through subscrip-
tion only.
 : :: :

160 ASTOUNDING STORIES

Among the features included in its contents I haven’t anything to complain about. I’ve
for every issue are a biography or interview
: found that if I don't like a certain story I am
with a prominent science-fiction author a gos- ;
sure to like it the next time I pick up the
sip and news column giving outside and advance magazine. So keep up the good work and try
information concerning authors and stories a to figure out a way to make up that new maga-
complete and authoritative column concerning
science-fiction in the movies science-fiction
;

zine.— Lester L. A. Neland,

Ave., Chicago, Illinois.
1846 North Park
;
news in foreign countries a service department
;

giving complete information on rare science-

fiction, and scientifiction articles by
scientific
well-known authors and fans occasional out-
standing science-fiction stories and satires.
;
A New Reader Tells Why!
Readers of Astounding Stories, you will be
greatly interested in Fantasy Magazine. Why Dear Editor
not give it a trial? For further information I am a very new reader and perhaps slightly
send your name and address to Julius Schwartz, younger than most of your readers, since I am
255 East 188th St., New York City. only eleven. I have enjoyed only two issues of
—
Astounding Stories November and December.
My mother gave me money this morning to buy
therJanuary issue if it has come.
My father is a newspaperman and I have
More Adventure, Mystery, Romance! been living in Berlin, Germany. We just came
home in October and I have been in seven coun-
tries in the last two years Canada, England,
Dear Editor Holland, Germany, France, Ireland, and Amer-
:

Textbooks on chemistry, physics and astron- ica. In none of these countries have I found
omy may be obtained from the neighborhood so much enjoyment as I do in Astounding
library, so please keep some
of the said sciences
Stories.
out of our magazine. We
readers read Astound- And now to do the mission of the letter
ing for the adventure, mystery, and romance
contained in the stories, and not for a con- on the Editor’s Page in the December issue you
glomeration of equations and dry scientific fact. asked more readers to write on the subject of
the balance—of science and adventure in the
So please, give us more adventure and less stories.
science.
In the December issue: Davey Jones Ambas-
Well, Mr.
The Red
Weinbaum, let’s have the sequel to
Peri, whose way you paved so ex- sador—exactly right Nova —a ; story Solis
’
fine
but a adventure. The Mad Moon
Human Machines —
too
little little
cellently,
story.
with the ending of that marvelous — I repeat,
exactly
enough adventure but too
right.
The little science.
I suppose the semimonthly question has been Fourth-Dimensional Demonstrator— neither
settled by this time so I shall not make further
enough science nor enough adventure— too much
comment other than this I hope Astounding Avalanche— an excellent
luck — Robert Gibson Thompson, 404
:
love. story, just right.
remains a monthly.
Before I forget, allow me to congratulate you, Best of !

Mr. John Jessel, on the delightful tale, The
Adaptive Ultimate. It’s truly a swell story, if
you will forgive the colloquialism.
I see that you are trying to get Wesso to
illustrate for Astounding Stories. I sincerely
hope that you will allow him to do at least
one cover. Then, and then only, will Astound-
ing Stories have a chance to reach the peak
that the old Astounding Stories set.
Of all the childish nonsense
Burhans of Lakewood, Ohio, wants
littlemodels of rocket ships, does he? Well,
Charlie, conduct your carving elsewhere.
Astounding Stories is a science-fiction magazine
and not a publication for people who have noth-
ing else to do but carve rocket ships. Plans
of this sort may be found in other magazines,
so please, Mr. Editor, don’t desecrate Astound-
ing Stories with such childish nonsense as this.
Now that I think of it, I have another point
to bring out. What was
so great or extraordi-
nary about The Mightiest Machine and several
other of those so-called masterpieces? Also
what is so wonderful about Brown’s cover
illustrations? Why don’t you try Wesso?
McKernan, 827 Greenwood Ave., San Mateo,
Phil
California.
West 7th St., Owensboro, Kentucky.
They Want Humor!
Dear Editor
We, the cosigners of this letter, have organ-
! So Charles ized as a committee of five to protect our in
to carve terests against the insidious influence of the
three of Cleveland. The suggestions and criti-
cisms made by these three in the January
Astounding are at decided variance to our
wishes. Realizing the potency of their methods,
we have decided to fight the devil with his own
fire. Therefore, we have cooperated to write
this reciprocal letter, signed by five instead of
three and designed to checkmate the influence
of the three.
In regard to the illustrations, we wish to
— remain neutral, in so much as we do not
favor one artist any more than any other. In
our collective opinion, the matter is relatively
— unimportant anyway.
We are unanimously in favor of humor and
plenty of it. We do not like stories as the
Skylark stories and The Blue Infinity. Top-
most among our favorites are Old Faithful ,

Islands of the Sun, Twelve Eighty-Seven, and

No Complaints! Redmask of the Outlands. We hope and be
lieve that Astounding will continue to give us
Dear Editor : stories of similar quality. The Mad Moon,
Here is a letter from an old reader of Smothered Seas, and Laboratory Cooperator-S
Astounding Stories. In fact, I bought the first are recent examples of good science-fiction.
issue of the first science-fiction magazine on a Last, but not at all least, we are not ready
news stand. But this is my first letter to any to pay a nickel more to get smooth edges. The
magazine of the type. three of Cleveland are idiots to suggest such
This is the reason I saw a letter in Brass a thing. We would not mind paying five cents
:

Tacks of the December issue from Robert Pratt more for more pages in higher quality stories * —
of Cedarhurst, New York, asking that you start w e believe the latter order would be hard to
T

a science-fiction magazine with only one or two

main characters. This type of magazine would
give the author a chance to describe all the
fine points in his story. It would not mean
that one author would write every issue along
as it was put together.
I have wished for a magazine of this type
ever since I bought my first and that must
have been eight or nine years ago. I still like
them.
fill — but Me are not concerned about the edges.
It’s all the same to me if Astounding is printed
on scrolls.
In closing, we wish to state that while there
has been some' slight dissension on a few points,
on the whole the foregoing represents with fair
accuracy the opinions and desires of five of your
—
devoted readers. Lar G. Planet, H. V. Sparks,
Doctor Vac M. Toob, N. G., A. S. Townding,
O. M. Davidson, Jr.. Box 24, Ged. Louisiana.
AST— 10
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 THE TOWERS OF MANHATTAN from a new angle—
New York’s new Triborough Bridge. In the foreground: Howard
Hougland, wearing the picturesque engineers’ “hard hat.” “An
engineer’s life is packed with action,” he says. “When my pep

is at low ebb, there is nothing like a Camel. I always get a ’lift’

with a Camel. I also prefer Camel’s good taste.”

WINTER SPORTS TAKE

ENERGY TOO. Says Margaret
Lynam {left ) : “When I feel ex-
hausted from a long day outdoors,
Camels renew my flow of energy.”

"IAM A STEELWORKER on
the Triborough Bridge,” says Ben
Parsons {above). “When tired, I

get a ‘lift’ with a Camel.”

•
TUNE IN Camel Caravan with
!

Walter O’Keefe, Deane Janis, Ted

Husing, Glen Gray and the Casa Loma
Orchestra. Tuesday and Thursday—
m. E. S. T., 8 p. m. C. S. T., 9:30
p.
m. M. S. T., 8:30 p. m. P. S. T.— over
p.
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• Camels are made from finer, MORE EXPENSIVE TOBACCOS

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( Signed R. J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO CO., Winston-Salem, N. C.

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