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diff --git a/18460-h/18460-h.htm b/18460-h/18460-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..90b3485 --- /dev/null +++ b/18460-h/18460-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2072 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Flight From Tomorrow, by H. Beam Piper. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + p .initcap { font-size: 2em; line-height: 0.2em; } + + ins.correction { text-decoration:none; + border-bottom: thin dotted gray; + } + + .bbox {border: solid 2px; padding: 1em; } + + .center {text-align: center;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Flight From Tomorrow, by Henry Beam Piper + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Flight From Tomorrow + +Author: Henry Beam Piper + +Release Date: May 27, 2006 [EBook #18460] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FLIGHT FROM TOMORROW *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, L.N. Yaddanapudi and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div style="margin-bottom: 3em; background-image: url(images/ill1.png); + background-position: top right; + background-repeat: no-repeat; + padding-top: 350px; + padding-bottom: 20px;"> + +<div> +<h1 style="text-align: left">Flight From Tomorrow</h1> + +<h2 style="text-align: left"><i>COMPLETE NOVELET</i></h2> + +<h3 style="text-align: left"><i>by H. Beam Piper</i></h3> + +<p>There was no stopping +General Zarvas' rebellion</p></div> +</div> + +<div style=" + background-image: url(images/ill2.png); + background-position: top left; + background-repeat: no-repeat; + padding-top: 350px;"> + +<p style="margin-left: 300px;"><i>Hunted and hated in two +worlds, Hradzka dreamed of a +monomaniac's glory, stranded in +the past with his knowledge of the +future. But he didn't know the past +quite well enough....</i></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="ch1" id="ch1"></a>1</h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="initcap">B</span>ut yesterday, a whole +planet had shouted: <i>Hail +Hradzka! Hail the Leader!</i> +Today, they were screaming: <i>Death +to Hradzka! Kill the tyrant!</i></p> + +<p>The Palace, where Hradzka, surrounded +by his sycophants and +guards, had lorded it over a solar system, +was now an inferno. Those who +had been too closely identified with +the dictator's rule to hope for forgiveness +were fighting to the last, +seeking only a quick death in combat; +one by one, their isolated points +of resistance were being wiped out. +The corridors and chambers of the +huge palace were thronged with +rebels, loud with their shouts, and +with the rasping hiss of heat-beams +and the crash of blasters, reeking +with the stench of scorched plastic +and burned flesh, of hot metal and +charred fabric. The living quarters +were overrun; the mob smashed +down walls and tore up floors in +search of secret hiding-places. They +found strange things—the space-ship +that had been built under one of the +domes, in readiness for flight to the +still-loyal colonies on Mars or the +Asteroid Belt, for instance—but +Hradzka himself they could not find.</p> + +<p>At last, the search reached the +New Tower which reared its head five +thousand feet above the palace, the +highest thing in the city. They blasted +down the huge steel doors, cut the +power from the energy-screens. They +landed from antigrav-cars on the upper +levels. But except for barriers +of metal and concrete and energy, +they met with no opposition. Finally, +they came to the spiral stairway +which led up to the great metal +sphere which capped the whole structure.</p> + +<p>General Zarvas, the Army Commander +who had placed himself at +the head of the revolt, stood with +his foot on the lowest step, his followers +behind him. There was Prince +Burvanny, the leader of the old nobility, +and Ghorzesko Orhm, the merchant, +and between them stood +Tobbh, the chieftain of the mutinous +slaves. There were clerks; laborers; +poor but haughty nobles: and +wealthy merchants who had long +been forced to hide their riches from +the dictator's tax-gatherers, and soldiers, +and spacemen.</p> + +<p>"You'd better let some of us go +first sir," General Zarvas' orderly, +a blood-stained bandage about his +head, his uniform in rags, suggested. +"You don't know what might be up +there."</p> + +<p>The General shook his head. "I'll +go <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: The original has a comma instead of a period.">first.</ins>" Zarvas Pol was not the +man to send subordinates into danger +ahead of <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: The original reads 'himseelf'.">himself</ins>. "To tell the +truth, I'm afraid we won't find anything +at all up there."</p> + +<p>"You mean...?" Ghorzesko Orhm +began.</p> + +<p>"The 'time-machine'," Zarvas Pol +replied. "If he's managed to get it +finished, the Great Mind only knows +where he may be, now. Or when."</p> + +<p>He loosened the blaster in his holster +and started up the long spiral. +His followers spread out, below; +sharp-shooters took position to cover +his ascent. Prince Burvanny and +Tobbh the Slave started to follow +him. They hesitated as each motioned +the other to precede him; then the +nobleman followed the general, his +blaster drawn, and the brawny slave +behind him.</p> + +<p>The door at the top was open, and +Zarvas Pol stepped through but +there was nothing in the great spherical +room except a raised <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: The original reads 'dias'.">dais</ins> some +fifty feet in diameter, its polished +metal top strangely clean and +empty. And a crumpled heap of +burned cloth and charred flesh that +had, not long ago, been a man. An +old man with a white beard, and the +seven-pointed star of the Learned +Brothers on his breast, advanced to +meet the armed intruders.</p> + +<p>"So he is gone, Kradzy Zago?" +Zarvas Pol said, holstering his weapon. +"Gone in the 'time-machine', to +hide in yesterday or tomorrow. And +you let him go?"</p> + +<p>The old one nodded. "He had a +blaster, and I had <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: The original has a comma instead of a period.">none.</ins>" He indicated +the body on the floor. "Zoldy +Jarv had no blaster, either, but he +tried to stop Hradzka. See, he +squandered his life as a fool squanders +his money, getting nothing for +it. And a man's life is not money, +Zarvas Pol."</p> + +<p>"I do not blame you, Kradzy +Zago," General Zarvas said. "But +now you must get to work, and +build us another 'time-machine', so +that we can hunt him down."</p> + +<p>"Does revenge mean so much to +you, then?"</p> + +<p>The soldier made an impatient gesture. +"Revenge is for fools, like that +pack of screaming beasts below. I +do not kill for revenge; I kill because +dead men do no harm."</p> + +<p>"Hradzka will do us no more +harm," the old scientist replied. "He +is a thing of yesterday; of a time +long past and half-lost in the mists +of legend."</p> + +<p>"No matter. As long as he exists, +at any point in <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: 'spacetime' hyphenated to conform to majority usage in text.">space-time</ins>, Hradzka is +still a threat. Revenge means much +to Hradzka; he will return for it, +when we least expect him."</p> + +<p>The old man shook his head. "No, +Zarvas Pol, Hradzka will not return."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p><span class="initcap">H</span>radzka holstered his blaster, +threw the switch that sealed +the "time-machine", put on the antigrav-unit +and started the time-shift +unit. He reached out and set the +destination-dial for the mid-Fifty-Second +Century of the Atomic Era. +That would land him in the Ninth +Age of Chaos, following the Two-Century +War and the collapse of the +World Theocracy. A good time for +his purpose: the world would be +slipping back into barbarism, and yet +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: The original reads 'posess'.">possess</ins> the technologies of former +civilizations. A hundred little national +states would be trying to regain +social stability, competing and +warring with one another. Hradzka +glanced back over his shoulder at +the cases of books, record-spools, +tri-dimensional pictures, and scale-models. +These people of the past +would welcome him and his science +of the future, would make him their +leader.</p> + +<p>He would start in a small way, by +taking over the local feudal or tribal +government, would arm his followers +with weapons of the future. Then he +would impose his rule upon neighboring +tribes, or princedoms, or communes, +or whatever, and build a +strong sovereignty; from that he +envisioned a world empire, a Solar +System empire.</p> + +<p>Then, he would build "time-machines", +many "time-machines". He +would recruit an army such as the +universe had never seen, a swarm of +men from every age in the past. At +that point, he would return to the +Hundredth Century of the Atomic +Era, to wreak <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: The original reads 'vengance'.">vengeance</ins> upon those +who had risen against him. A slow +smile grew on Hradzka's thin lips as +he thought of the tortures with +which he would put Zarvas Pol to +death.</p> + +<p>He glanced up at the great disc +of the indicator and frowned. Already +he was back to the year 7500, +A.E., and the temporal-displacement +had not begun to slow. The disc was +turning even more rapidly—7000, +6000, 5500; he gasped slightly. Then +he had passed his destination; he +was now in the Fortieth Century, but +the indicator was slowing. The hairline +crossed the Thirtieth Century, +the Twentieth, the Fifteenth, the +Tenth. He wondered what had gone +wrong, but he had recovered from his +fright by this time. When this insane +machine stopped, as it must around +the First Century of the Atomic +Era, he would investigate, make repairs, +then shift forward to his target-point. +Hradzka was determined +upon the Fifty-Second Century; he +had made a special study of the +history of that period, had learned +the language spoken then, and he understood +the methods necessary to +gain power over the natives of that +time.</p> + +<p>The indicator-disc came to a stop, +in the First Century. He switched +on the magnifier and leaned forward +to look; he had emerged into normal +time in the year 10 of the Atomic +Era, a decade after the first uranium-pile +had gone into operation, and +seven years after the first atomic +bombs had been exploded in warfare. +The <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: The original reads 'alitmeter'.">altimeter</ins> showed that he was +hovering at eight thousand feet +above ground-level.</p> + +<p>Slowly, he cut out the antigrav, +letting the "time machine" down easily. +He knew that there had been +no danger of materializing inside +anything; the New Tower had been +built to put it above anything that +had occupied that space-point at any +moment within history, or legend, +or even the geological knowledge of +man. What lay below, however, was +uncertain. It was night—the visi-screen +showed only a star-dusted, +moonless-sky, and dark shadows below. +He snapped another switch; for +a few micro-seconds a beam of intense +light was turned on, automatically +photographing the landscape +under him. A second later, the developed +picture was projected upon +another screen; it showed only wooded +mountains and a barren, brush-grown +valley.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p><span class="initcap">T</span>he "time-machine" came to +rest with a soft jar and a crashing +of broken bushes that was audible +through the sound pickup. +Hradzka pulled the main switch; +there was a click as the shielding +went out and the door opened. A +breath of cool night air drew into +the hollow sphere.</p> + +<p>Then there was a loud <i>bang</i> inside +the mechanism, and a flash of blue-white +light which turned to pinkish +flame with a nasty crackling. Curls +of smoke began to rise from the +square black box that housed the +"time-shift" mechanism, and from +behind the instrument-board. In a +moment, everything was glowing-hot: +driblets of aluminum and silver were +running down from the instruments. +Then the whole interior of the "time-machine" +was afire; there was barely +time for Hradzka to leap through +the open door.</p> + +<p>The brush outside impeded him, +and he used his blaster to clear a +path for himself away from the big +sphere, which was now glowing faintly +on the outside. The heat grew in +intensity, and the brush outside was +taking fire. It was not until he had +gotten two hundred yards from the +machine that he stopped, realizing +what had happened.</p> + +<p>The machine, of course, had been +sabotaged. That would have been +young Zoldy, whom he had killed, or +that old billy-goat, Kradzy Zago; the +latter, most likely. He cursed both of +them for having marooned him in +this savage age, at the very beginning +of atomic civilization, with all +his printed and recorded knowledge +destroyed. Oh, he could still gain +mastery over these barbarians; he +knew enough to fashion a crude +blaster, or a heat-beam gun, or an +atomic-electric conversion unit. But +without his books and records, he +could never build an antigrav unit, +and the secret of the "temporal shift" +was lost.</p> + +<p>For "Time" is not an object, or a +medium which can be travelled along. +The "Time-Machine" was not a vehicle; +it was a mechanical process +of displacement within the space-time +continuum, and those who constructed +it knew that it could not be +used with the sort of accuracy that +the dials indicated. Hradzka had ordered +his scientists to produce a +"Time Machine", and they had combined +the possible—displacement +within the space-time continuum—with +the sort of fiction the dictator +demanded, for their own well-being. +Even had there been no sabotage, +his return to his own "time" was +nearly of zero probability.</p> + +<p>The fire, spreading from the "time-machine", +was blowing toward him; +he observed the wind-direction and +hurried around out of the path of +the flames. The light enabled him +to pick his way through the brush, +and, after crossing a small stream, he +found a rutted road and followed it +up the mountainside until he came +to a place where he could rest concealed +until morning.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="ch2" id="ch2"></a>2</h2> + + +<p><span class="initcap">I</span>t was broad daylight when +he woke, and there was a strange +throbbing sound; Hradzka lay +motionless under the brush where he +had slept, his blaster ready. In a +few minutes, a vehicle came into +sight, following the road down the +mountainside.</p> + +<p>It was a large thing, four-wheeled, +with a projection in front which +probably housed the engine and a +cab for the operator. The body of +the vehicle was simply an open rectangular +box. There were two men in +the cab, and about twenty or thirty +more crowded into the box body. +These were dressed in faded and +nondescript garments of blue and +gray and brown; all were armed with +crude weapons—axes, bill-hooks, +long-handled instruments with serrated +edges, and what looked like broad-bladed +spears. The vehicle itself, +which seemed to be propelled by +some sort of chemical-explosion engine, +was dingy and mud-splattered; +the men in it were ragged and unshaven. +Hradzka snorted in contempt; +they were probably warriors +of the local tribe, going to the fire +in the belief that it had been started +by raiding enemies. When they +found the wreckage of the "time-machine", +they would no doubt believe +that it was the chariot of some +god and drag it home to be venerated.</p> + +<p>A plan of action was taking shape +in his mind. First, he must get +clothing of the sort worn by these +people, and find a safe hiding-place +for his own things. Then, pretending +to be a deaf-mute, he would go +among them to learn something of +their customs and pick up the language. +When he had done that, he +would move on to another tribe or +village, able to tell a credible story +for himself. For a while, it would +be necessary for him to do menial +work, but in the end, he would establish +himself among these people. +Then he could gather around him a +faction of those who were dissatisfied +with whatever conditions existed, organize +a conspiracy, make arms for +his followers, and start his program +of power-seizure.</p> + +<p>The matter of clothing was attended +to shortly after he had crossed +the mountain and descended into the +valley on the other side. Hearing a +clinking sound some distance from +the road, as of metal striking stone, +Hradzka stole cautiously through the +woods until he came within sight of +a man who was digging with a mattock, +uprooting small bushes of a +particular sort, with rough gray bark +and three-pointed leaves. When he +had dug one up, he would cut off the +roots and then slice away the root-bark +with a knife, putting it into a +sack. Hradzka's lip curled contemptuously; +the fellow was gathering +the stuff for medicinal use. He had +heard of the use of roots and herbs +for such purposes by the ancient +savages.</p> + +<p>The blaster would be no use here; +it was too powerful, and would destroy +the clothing that the man was +wearing. He unfastened a strap +from his belt and attached it to a +stone to form a hand-loop, then, +inched forward behind the lone herb-gatherer. +When he was close enough, +he straightened and rushed forward, +swinging his improvised weapon. The +man heard him and turned, too late.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p><span class="initcap">A</span>fter undressing his victim, +Hradzka used the mattock +to finish him, and then to dig a +grave. The fugitive buried his own +clothes with the murdered man, and +donned the faded blue shirt, rough +shoes, worn trousers and jacket. The +blaster he concealed under the jacket, +and he kept a few other Hundredth +Century gadgets; these he +would hide somewhere closer to his +center of operations.</p> + +<p>He had kept, among other things, +a small box of food-concentrate capsules, +and in one pocket of the newly +acquired jacket he found a package +containing food. It was rough +and unappetizing fare—slices of cold +cooked meat between slices of some +cereal substance. He ate these before +filling in the grave, and put the +paper wrappings in with the dead +man. Then, his work finished, he +threw the mattock into the brush and +set out again, grimacing disgustedly +and scratching himself. The clothing +he had appropriated was verminous.</p> + +<p>Crossing another mountain, he descended +into a second valley, and, +for a time, lost his way among a tangle +of narrow ravines. It was dark +by the time he mounted a hill and +found himself looking down another +valley, in which a few scattered +lights gave evidence of human habitations. +Not wishing to arouse suspicion +by approaching these in the +night-time, he found a place among +some young evergreens where he +could sleep.</p> + +<p>The next morning, having breakfasted +on a concentrate capsule, he +found a hiding-place for his blaster +in a hollow tree. It was in a sufficiently +prominent position so that +he could easily find it again, and +at the same time unlikely to be +discovered by some native. Then he +went down into the inhabited valley.</p> + +<p>He was surprised at the ease with +which he established contact with +the natives. The first dwelling which +he approached, a cluster of farm-buildings +at the upper end of the valley, +gave him shelter. There was a +man, clad in the same sort of rough +garments Hradzka had taken from +the body of the herb-gatherer, and +a woman in a faded and shapeless +dress. The man was thin and work-bent; +the woman short and heavy. +Both were past middle age.</p> + +<p>He made inarticulate sounds to +attract their attention, then gestured +to his mouth and ears to indicate his +assumed affliction. He rubbed his +stomach to portray hunger. Looking +about, he saw an ax sticking in a +chopping-block, and a pile of wood +near it, probably the fuel used by +these people. He took the ax, split +up some of the wood, then repeated +the hunger-signs. The man and the +woman both nodded, laughing; he +was shown a pile of tree-limbs, and +the man picked up a short billet of +wood and used it like a measuring-rule, +to indicate that all the wood +was to be cut to that length.</p> + +<p>Hradzka fell to work, and by mid-morning, +he had all the wood cut. He +had seen a circular stone, mounted +on a trestle with a metal axle +through it, and judged it to be some +sort of a grinding-wheel, since it was +fitted with a foot-pedal and a rusty +metal can was set above it to spill +water onto the grinding-edge. After +chopping the wood, he carefully +sharpened the ax, handing it to the +man for inspection. This seemed to +please the man; he clapped Hradzka +on the shoulder, making commendatory +sounds.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p><span class="initcap">I</span>t required considerable time +and ingenuity to make himself a +more or less permanent member of +the household. Hradzka had made a +survey of the farmyard, noting the +sorts of work that would normally +be performed on the farm, and he +pantomimed this work in its simpler +operations. He pointed to the east, +where the sun would rise, and to the +zenith, and to the west. He made +signs indicative of eating, and of +sleeping, and of rising, and of working. +At length, he succeeded in conveying +his meaning.</p> + +<p>There was considerable argument +between the man and the woman, but +his proposal was accepted, as he expected +that it would. It was easy to +see that the work of the farm was +hard for this aging couple; now, for +a place to sleep and a little food, +they were able to acquire a strong +and intelligent slave.</p> + +<p>In the days that followed, he made +himself useful to the farm people; +he fed the chickens and the livestock, +milked the cow, worked in the fields. +He slept in a small room at the top +of the house, under the eaves, and +ate with the man and woman in the +farmhouse kitchen.</p> + +<p>It was not long before he picked +up a few words which he had heard +his employers using, and related +them to the things or acts spoken +of. And he began to notice that +these people, in spite of the crudities +of their own life, enjoyed some +of the advantages of a fairly complex +civilization. Their implements +were not hand-craft products, but +showed machine workmanship. There +were two objects hanging on hooks +on the kitchen wall which he was +sure were weapons. Both had wooden +shoulder-stocks, and wooden fore-pieces; +they had long tubes extending +to the front, and triggers like +blasters. One had double tubes +mounted side-by-side, and double +triggers; the other had an octagonal +tube mounted over a round tube, +and a loop extension on the trigger-guard. +Then, there was a box on the +kitchen wall, with a mouthpiece and +a cylindrical tube on a cord. Sometimes +a bell would ring out of the +box, and the woman would go to +this instrument, take down the tube +and hold it to her ear, and talk into +the mouthpiece. There was another +box from which voices would issue, +of people conversing, or of orators, +or of singing, and sometimes instrumental +music. None of these +were objects made by savages; these +people probably traded with some +fairly high civilization. They were +not illiterate; he found printed matter, +indicating the use of some phonetic +alphabet, and paper pamphlets +containing printed reproductions of +photographs as well as verbal text.</p> + +<p>There was also a vehicle on the +farm, powered, like the one he had +seen on the road, by an engine in +which a hydrocarbon liquid-fuel was +exploded. He made it his business to +examine this minutely, and to study +its construction and operation until +he was thoroughly familiar with it.</p> + +<p>It was not until the third day +after his arrival that the chickens +began to die. In the morning, +Hradzka found three of them dead +when he went to feed them, the rest +drooping unhealthily; he summoned +the man and showed him what he had +found. The next morning, they were +all dead, and the cow was sick. She +gave bloody milk, that evening, and +the next morning she lay in her +stall and would not get up.</p> + +<p>The man and the woman were also +beginning to sicken, though both of +them tried to continue their work. +It was the woman who first noticed +that the plants around the farmhouse +were withering and turning yellow.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p><span class="initcap">T</span>he farmer went to the stable +with Hradzka and looked at the +cow. Shaking his head, he limped +back to the house, and returned carrying +one of the weapons from the +kitchen—the one with the single +trigger and the octagonal tube. As +he entered the stable, he jerked down +and up on the loop extension of the +trigger-guard, then put the weapon +to his shoulder and pointed it at +the cow. It made a flash, and roared +louder even than a hand-blaster, and +the cow jerked convulsively and was +dead. The man then indicated by +signs that <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: The original reads 'Hrakzka'.">Hradzka</ins> was to drag the +dead cow out of the stable, dig a +hole, and bury it. This Hradzka did, +carefully examining the wound in the +cow's head—the weapon, he decided, +was not an energy-weapon, but a +simple solid-missile projector.</p> + +<p>By evening, neither the man nor +the woman were able to eat, and +both seemed to be suffering intensely. +The man used the communicating-instrument +on the wall, probably +calling on his friends for help. +Hradzka did what he could to make +them comfortable, cooked his own +meal, washed the dishes as he had +seen the woman doing, and tidied up +the kitchen.</p> + +<p>It was not long before people, +men and women whom he had seen +on the road or who had stopped at +the farmhouse while he had been +there, began arriving, some carrying +baskets of food; and shortly after +Hradzka had eaten, a vehicle like +the farmer's, but in better condition +and of better quality, arrived and a +young man got out of it and entered +the house, carrying a leather bag. +He was apparently some sort of a +scientist; he examined the man and +his wife, asked many questions, and +administered drugs. He also took +samples for blood-tests and urinalysis. +This, Hradzka considered, was +another of the many contradictions +he had encountered among these +people—this man behaved like an +educated scientist, and seemingly +had nothing in common with the +peasant herb-gatherer on the mountainside.</p> + +<p>The fact was that Hradzka was +worried. The strange death of the +animals, the blight which had +smitten the trees and vegetables +around the farm, and the sickness +of the farmer and his woman, all +mystified him. He did not know of +any disease which would affect +plants and animals and humans; he +wondered if some poisonous gas +might not be escaping from the +earth near the farmhouse. However, +he had not, himself, been affected. +He also disliked the way in which +the doctor and the neighbors seemed +to be talking about him. While he +had come to a considerable revision +of his original opinion about the +culture-level of these people, it was +not impossible that they might suspect +him of having caused the whole +thing by witchcraft; at any moment, +they might fall upon him and put +him to death. In any case, there was +no longer any use in his staying +here, and it might be wise if he left +at once.</p> + +<p>Accordingly, he filled his pockets +with food from the pantry and +slipped out of the farmhouse; +before his absence was discovered +he was well on his way down the +road.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="ch3" id="ch3"></a>3</h2> + + +<p><span class="initcap">T</span>hat night, Hradzka slept +under a bridge across a fairly +wide stream; the next morning, +he followed the road until he came +to a town. It was not a large place; +there were perhaps four or five +hundred houses and other buildings +in it. Most of these were dwellings +like the farmhouse where he had +been staying, but some were much +larger, and seemed to be places of +business. One of these latter was a +concrete structure with wide doors +at the front; inside, he could see +men working on the internal-combustion +vehicles which seemed to be +in almost universal use. Hradzka +decided to obtain employment here.</p> + +<p>It would be best, he decided, to +continue his pretense of being a +deaf-mute. He did not know whether +a world-language were in use at this +time or not, and even if not, the +pretense of being a foreigner unable +to speak the local dialect might be +dangerous. So he entered the vehicle-repair +shop and accosted a man in a +clean shirt who seemed to be issuing +instructions to the workers, going +into his pantomime of the homeless +mute seeking employment.</p> + +<p>The master of the repair-shop +merely laughed at him, however. +Hradzka became more insistent in +his manner, making signs to indicate +his hunger and willingness to work. +The other men in the shop left their +tasks and gathered around; there +was much laughter and unmistakably +ribald and derogatory remarks. +Hradzka was beginning to give up +hope of getting employment here +when one of the workmen approached +the master and whispered something +to him.</p> + +<p>The two of them walked away, +conversing in low voices. Hradzka +thought he understood the situation; +no doubt the workman, thinking to +lighten his own labor, was urging +that the vagrant be employed, for no +other pay than food and lodging. +At length, the master assented to his +employee's urgings; he returned, +showed Hradzka a hose and a bucket +and sponges and cloths, and set him +to work cleaning the mud from one +of the vehicles. Then, after seeing +that the work was being done +properly, he went away, entering a +room at one side of the shop.</p> + +<p>About twenty minutes later, +another man entered the shop. He +was not dressed like any of the other +people whom Hradzka had seen; he +wore a gray tunic and breeches, +polished black boots, and a cap with +a visor and a metal <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: The original reads 'insigna'.">insignia</ins> on it; +on a belt, he carried a holstered +weapon like a blaster.</p> + +<p>After speaking to one of the +workers, who pointed Hradzka out +to him, he approached the fugitive +and said something. Hradzka made +gestures at his mouth and ears and +made gargling sounds; the newcomer +shrugged and motioned him to come +with him, at the same time producing +a pair of handcuffs from his belt +and jingling them suggestively.</p> + +<p>In a few seconds, Hradzka tried +to analyze the situation and estimate +its possibilities. The newcomer was +a soldier, or, more likely, a policeman, +since manacles were a part of +his equipment. Evidently, since the +evening before, a warning had been +made public by means of communicating +devices such as he had seen +at the farm, advising people that a +man of his description, pretending +to be a deaf-mute, should be detained +and the police notified; it had been +for that reason that the workman had +persuaded his master to employ +Hradzka. No doubt he would be +accused of causing the conditions +at the farm by sorcery.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p><span class="initcap">H</span>radzka shrugged and nodded, +then went to the water-tap to +turn off the hose he had been using. +He disconnected it, coiled it and +hung it up, and then picked up the +water-bucket. Then, without warning, +he hurled the water into the policeman's +face, sprang forward, swinging +the bucket by the bale, and hit the +man on the head. Releasing his grip +on the bucket, he tore the blaster or +whatever it was from the holster.</p> + +<p>One of the workers swung a +hammer, as though to throw it. +Hradzka aimed the weapon at him +and pulled the trigger; the thing +belched fire and kicked back painfully +in his hand, and the man fell. +He used it again to drop the policeman, +then thrust it into the waistband +of his trousers and ran outside. +The thing was not a blaster at all, +he realized—only a missile-projector +like the big weapons at the farm, +utilizing the force of some chemical +explosive.</p> + +<p>The policeman's vehicle was +standing outside. It was a small, +single-seat, two wheeled affair. +Having become familiar with the +principles of these hydro-carbon +engines from examination of the +vehicle of the farm, and accustomed +as he was to far more complex +mechanisms than this crude affair, +Hradzka could see at a glance how +to operate it. Springing onto the +saddle, he kicked away the folding +support and started the engine. Just +as he did, the master of the repair-shop +ran outside, one of the small +hand-weapons in his hand, and fired +several shots. They all missed, but +Hradzka heard the whining sound +of the missiles passing uncomfortably +close to him.</p> + +<p>It was imperative that he recover +the blaster he had hidden in the +hollow tree at the head of the valley. +By this time, there would be a concerted +search under way for him, +and he needed a better weapon than +the solid-missile projector he had +taken from the policeman. He did +not know how many shots the thing +contained, but if it propelled solid +missiles by chemical explosion, there +could not have been more than five +or six such charges in the cylindrical +part of the weapon which he had +assumed to be the charge-holder. On +the other hand, his blaster, a weapon +of much greater power, contained +enough energy for five hundred +blasts, and with it were eight extra +energy-capsules, giving him a total +of four thousand five hundred +blasts.</p> + +<p>Handling the two-wheeled vehicle +was no particular problem; although +he had never ridden on anything of +the sort before, it was child's play +compared to controlling a Hundredth +Century strato-rocket, and Hradzka +was a skilled rocket-pilot.</p> + +<p>Several times he passed vehicles +on the road—the passenger vehicles +with enclosed cabins, and cargo-vehicles +piled high with farm produce. +Once he encountered a large +number of children, gathered in front +of a big red building with a flagstaff +in front, from which a queer +flag, with horizontal red and white +stripes and a white-spotted blue +device in the corner, flew. They +scattered off the road in terror at +his approach; fortunately, he hit +none of them, for at the speed at +which he was traveling, such a +collision would have wrecked his +light vehicle.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p><span class="initcap">A</span>s he approached the farm +where he had spent the past +few days, he saw two passenger-vehicles +standing by the road. One was +a black one, similar to the one in +which the physician had come to the +farm, and the other was white +with black trimmings and bore the +same device he had seen on the cap +of the policeman. A policeman was +sitting in the driver's seat of this +vehicle, and another policeman was +standing beside it, breathing smoke +with one of the white paper cylinders +these people used. In the +farm-yard, two men were going about +with a square black box; to this box, +a tube was connected by a wire, and +they were passing the tube about +over the ground.</p> + +<p>The policeman who was standing +beside the vehicle saw him approach, +and blew his whistle, then drew the +weapon from his belt. Hradzka, who +had been expecting some attempt to +halt him, had let go the right-hand +steering handle and drawn his own +weapon; as the policeman drew, he +fired at him. Without observing the +effect of the shot, he sped on; before +he had rounded the bend above +the farm, several shots were fired +after him.</p> + +<p>A mile beyond, he came to the +place where he had hidden the +blaster. He stopped the vehicle and +jumped off, plunging into the brush +and racing toward the hollow tree. +Just as he reached it, he heard a +vehicle approach and stop, and the +door of the police vehicle slam. +Hradzka's fingers found the belt of +his blaster; he dragged it out and +buckled it on, tossing away the +missile weapon he had been carrying.</p> + +<p>Then, crouching behind the tree, +he waited. A few moments later, he +caught a movement in the brush +toward the road. He brought up the +blaster, aimed and squeezed the +trigger. There was a faint bluish +glow at the muzzle, and a blast of +energy tore through the brush, +smashing the molecular structure of +everything that stood in the way. +There was an involuntary shout of +alarm from the direction of the road; +at least one of the policemen had +escaped the blast. Hradzka holstered +his weapon and crept away for +some distance, keeping under cover, +then turned and waited for some +sign of the presence of his enemies. +For some time nothing happened; he +decided to turn hunter against the +men who were hunting him. He +started back in the direction of the +road, making a wide circle, flitting +silently from rock to bush and from +bush to tree, stopping often to look +and listen.</p> + +<p>This finally brought him upon one +of the policemen, and almost terminated +his flight at the same time. +He must have grown over-confident +and careless; suddenly a weapon +roared, and a missile smashed +through the brush inches from his +face. The shot had come from his +left and a little to the rear. Whirling, +he blasted four times, in rapid +succession, then turned and fled for +a few yards, dropping and crawling +behind a rock. When he looked back, +he could see wisps of smoke rising +from the shattered trees and bushes +which had absorbed the energy-output +of his weapon, and he caught +a faint odor of burned flesh. One +of his pursuers, at least, would pursue +him no longer.</p> + +<p>He slipped away, down into the +tangle of ravines and hollows in +which he had wandered the day before +his arrival at the farm. For the +time being, he felt safe, and finally +confident that he was not being +pursued, he stopped to rest. The +place where he stopped seemed +familiar, and he looked about. In a +moment, he recognized the little +stream, the pool where he had bathed +his feet, the clump of seedling pines +under which he had slept. He even +found the silver-foil wrapping from +the food concentrate capsule.</p> + +<p>But there had been a change, since +the night when he had slept here. +Then the young pines had been +green and alive; now they were +blighted, and their needles had +turned brown. Hradzka stood for a +long time, looking at them. It was +the same blight that had touched +the plants around the farmhouse. +And here, among the pine needles on +the ground, lay a dead bird.</p> + +<p>It took some time for him to admit, +to himself, the implications of +vegetation, the chickens, the cow, +the farmer and his wife, had all +sickened and died. He had been in +this place, and now, when he had +returned, he found that death had +followed him here, too.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p><span class="initcap">D</span>uring the early centuries of +the Atomic Era, he knew, there +had been great wars, the stories of +which had survived even to the +Hundredth Century. Among the +weapons that had been used, there +had been artificial plagues and epidemics, +caused by new types of bacteria +developed in laboratories, +against which the victims had +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: The original reads 'posessed'.">possessed</ins> no protection. Those germs +and viruses had persisted for +centuries, and gradually had lost +their power to harm mankind. Suppose, +now, that he had brought some +of them back with him, to a century +before they had been developed. +Suppose, that was, that he were a +human plague-carrier. He thought of +the vermin that had infested the +clothing he had taken from the +man he had killed on the other side +of the mountain; they had not troubled +him after the first day.</p> + +<p>There was a throbbing mechanical +sound somewhere in the air; he +looked about, and finally identified +its source. A small aircraft had come +over the valley from the other side +of the mountain and was circling +lazily overhead. He froze, shrinking +back under a pine-tree; as long as +he remained motionless, he would +not be seen, and soon the thing +would go away. He was beginning to +understand why the search for him +was being pressed so relentlessly; as +long as he remained alive, he was +a menace to everybody in this First +Century world.</p> + +<p>He got out his supply of food concentrates, +saw that he had only three +capsules left, and put them away +again. For a long time, he sat under +the dying tree, chewing on a twig +and thinking. There must be some +way in which he could overcome, or +even utilize, his inherent deadliness +to these people. He might find some +isolated community, conceal himself +near it, invade it at night and infect +it, and then, when everybody +was dead, move in and take it for +himself. But was there any such isolated +community? The farmhouse +where he had worked had been fairly +remote, yet its inhabitants had +been in communication with the +outside world, and the physician had +come immediately in response to +their call for help.</p> + +<p>The little aircraft had been circling +overhead, directly above the +place where he lay hidden. For a +while, Hradzka was afraid it had +spotted him, and was debating the +advisability of using his blaster on +it. Then it banked, turned and went +away. He watched it circle over the +valley on the other side of the mountain, +and got to his feet.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="ch4" id="ch4"></a>4</h2> + + +<p><span class="initcap">A</span>lmost at once, there was +a new sound—a multiple throbbing, +at a quick, snarling +tempo that hinted at enormous +power, growing louder each second. +Hradzka stiffened and drew his +blaster; as he did, five more aircraft +swooped over the crest of the mountain +and came rushing down toward +him; not aimlessly, but as though +they knew exactly where he was. As +they approached, the leading edges +of their wings sparkled with light, +branches began flying from the trees +about him, and there was a loud +hammering noise.</p> + +<p>He aimed a little in front of them +and began blasting. A wing flew +from one of the aircraft, and it +plunged downward. Another came +apart in the air; a third burst into +flames. The other two zoomed upward +quickly. Hradzka swung his +blaster after them, blasting again and +again. He hit a fourth with a blast +of energy, knocking it to pieces, and +then the fifth was out of range. He +blasted at it twice, but without effect; +a hand-blaster was only good +for a thousand yards at the most.</p> + +<p>Holstering his weapon, he hurried +away, following the stream and keeping +under cover of trees. The last of +the attacking aircraft had gone away, +but the little scout-plane was still +circling about, well out of blaster-range.</p> + +<p>Once or twice, Hradzka was compelled +to stay hidden for some time, +not knowing the nature of the pilot's +ability to detect him. It was during +one of these waits that the next +phase of the attack developed.</p> + +<p>It began, like the last one, with a +distant roar that swelled in volume +until it seemed to fill the whole +world. Then, fifteen or twenty +thousand feet out of blaster-range, +the new attackers swept into sight.</p> + +<p>There must have been fifty of +them, huge tapering things with +wide-spread wings, flying in close +formation, wave after V-shaped +wave. He stood and stared at them, +amazed; he had never imagined that +such aircraft existed in the First +Century. Then a high-pitched screaming +sound cut through the roar of +the propellers, and for an <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's note: The original reads 'instand'.">instant</ins> he +saw countless small specks in the +sky, falling downward.</p> + +<p>The first bomb-salvo landed in the +young pines, where he had fought +against the first air attack. Great +gouts of flame shot upward, and +smoke, and flying earth and debris. +Hradzka turned and started to run. +Another salvo fell in front of him; +he veered to the left and plunged on +through the undergrowth. Now the +bombs were falling all about him, +deafening him with their thunder, +shaking him with concussion. He +dodged, frightened, as the trunk of +a tree came crashing down beside +him. Then something hit him across +the back, knocking him flat. For a +moment, he lay stunned, then tried +to rise. As he did, a searing light +filled his eyes and a wave of intolerable +heat swept over him. Then +darkness....</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p><span class="initcap">"N</span>o, Zarvas Pol," Kradzy +Zago repeated. "Hradzka +will not return; the 'time-machine' +was sabotaged."</p> + +<p>"So? By you?" the soldier asked.</p> + +<p>The scientist nodded. "I knew the +purpose for which he intended it. +Hradzka was not content with having +enslaved a whole Solar System: +he hungered to bring tyranny and +serfdom to all the past and all the +future as well; he wanted to be +master not only of the present but +of the centuries that were and were +to be, as well. I never took part in +politics, Zarvas Pol; I had no hand +in this revolt. But I could not be +party to such a crime as Hradzka +contemplated when it lay within my +power to prevent it."</p> + +<p>"The machine will take him out of +our space-time continuum, or back +to a time when this planet was a +swirling cloud of flaming gas?" +Zarvas Pol asked.</p> + +<p>Kradzy Zago shook his head. "No, +the unit is not powerful enough for +that. It will only take him about +ten thousand years into the past. +But then, when it stops, the machine +will destroy itself. It may destroy +Hradzka with it or he may escape. +But if he does, he will be left +stranded ten thousand years ago, +when he can do us no harm.</p> + +<p>"Actually, it did not operate as +he imagined and there is an infinitely +small chance that he could +have returned to our 'time', in any +event. But I wanted to insure against +even so small a chance."</p> + +<p>"We can't be sure of that," Zarvas +Pol objected. "He may know more +about the machine than you think; +enough more to build another like +it. So you must build me a machine +and I'll take back a party of volunteers +and hunt him down."</p> + +<p>"That would not be necessary, and +you would only share his fate." +Then, apparently changing the subject, +Kradzy Zago asked: "Tell me, +Zarvas Pol; have you never heard +the legends of the Deadly Radiations?"</p> + +<p>General Zarvas smiled. "Who has +not? Every cadet at the Officers' +College dreams of re-discovering +them, to use as a weapon, but nobody +ever has. We hear these tales of +how, in the early days, atomic engines +and piles and fission-bombs +emitted particles which were utterly +deadly, which would make anything +with which they came in contact +deadly, which would bring a horrible +death to any human being. But these +are only myths. All the ancient experiments +have been duplicated time +and again, and the deadly radiation +effect has never been observed. Some +say that it is a mere old-wives' +terror tale; some say that the deaths +were caused by fear of atomic +energy, when it was still unfamiliar; +others contend that the fundamental +nature of atomic energy has altered +by the degeneration of the fissionable +matter. For my own part, I'm +not enough of a scientist to have an +opinion."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p><span class="initcap">T</span>he old one smiled wanly. +"None of these theories are +correct. In the beginning of the +Atomic Era, the Deadly Radiations +existed. They still exist, but they +are no longer deadly, because all life +on this planet has adapted itself to +such radiations, and all living things +are now immune to them."</p> + +<p>"And Hradzka has returned to a +time when such immunity did not +exist? But would that not be to his +advantage?"</p> + +<p>"Remember, General, that man has +been using atomic energy for ten +thousand years. Our whole world has +become drenched with radioactivity. +The planet, the seas, the atmosphere, +and every living thing, are all radioactive, +now. Radioactivity is as +natural to us as the air we breathe. +Now, you remember hearing of the +great wars of the first centuries of +the Atomic Era, in which whole +nations were wiped out, leaving only +hundreds of survivors out of millions. +You, no doubt, think that such +tales are products of ignorant and +barbaric imagination, but I assure +you, they are literally true. It was +not the blast-effect of a few bombs +which created such holocausts, but +the radiations released by the bombs. +And those who survived to carry on +the race were men and women whose +systems resisted the radiations, and +they transmitted to their progeny +that power of resistance. In many +cases, their children were mutants—not +monsters, although there were +many of them, too, which did not +survive—but humans who were +immune to radioactivity."</p> + +<p>"An interesting theory, Kradzy +Zago," the soldier commented. "And +one which conforms both to what we +know of atomic energy and to the +ancient legends. Then you would say +that those radiations are still deadly—to +the non-immune?"</p> + +<p>"Exactly. And Hradzka, his body +emitting those radiations, has returned +to the First Century of the +Atomic Era—to a world without immunity."</p> + +<p>General Zarvas' smile vanished. +"Man!" he cried in horror. "You +have loosed a carrier of death among +those innocent people of the past!"</p> + +<p>Kradzy Zago nodded. "That is +true. I estimate that Hradzka will +probably cause the death of a hundred +or so people, before he is dealt +with. But dealt with he will be. Tell +me, General; if a man should appear +now, out of nowhere, spreading a +strange and horrible plague wherever +he went, what would you do?"</p> + +<p>"Why, I'd hunt him down and kill +him," General Zarvas replied. "Not +for anything he did, but for the +menace he was. And then, I'd cover +his body with a mass of concrete +bigger than this palace."</p> + +<p>"Precisely." Kradzy Zago smiled. +"And the military commanders and +political leaders of the First Century +were no less ruthless or efficient +than you. You know how atomic energy +was first used? There was an +ancient nation, upon the ruins of +whose cities we have built our own, +which was famed for its idealistic +humanitarianism. Yet that nation, +treacherously attacked, created the +first atomic bombs in self defense, +and used them. It is among the people +of that nation that Hradzka has +emerged."</p> + +<p>"But would they recognize him as +the cause of the calamity he brings +among them?"</p> + +<p>"Of course. He will emerge at the +time when atomic energy is first +being used. They will have detectors +for the Deadly Radiations—detectors +we know nothing of, today, for a +detection instrument must be free +from the thing it is intended to detect, +and today everything is radioactive. +It will be a day or so before +they discover what is happening to +them, and not a few will die in that +time, I fear; but once they have +found out what is killing their people, +Hradzka's days—no, his hours—will +be numbered."</p> + +<p>"A mass of concrete bigger than +this place," Tobbh the Slave repeated +General Zarvas' words. "<i>The Ancient +Spaceport!</i>"</p> + +<p>Prince Burvanny clapped him on +the shoulder. "Tobbh, man! You've +hit it!"</p> + +<p>"You mean...?" Kradzy Zago began.</p> + +<p>"Yes. You all know of it. It's stood +for nobody knows how many millennia, +and nobody's ever decided +what it was, to begin with, except +that somebody, once, filled a valley +with concrete, level from mountain-top +to mountain-top. The accepted +theory is that it was done for a +firing-stand for the first Moon-rocket. +But gentlemen, our friend +Tobbh's explained it. It is the tomb +of Hradzka, and it has been the tomb +of Hradzka for ten thousand years +before Hradzka was born!"</p> +<hr /> + +<div class="bbox"> + +<h3>Transcriber's Note</h3> + +<p>This etext was produced from "Future" combined with "Science +Fiction Stories" September/October 1950. Extensive research +did not uncover any evidence that the copyright on this +publication was renewed.</p> + +<p>Section Number "1" has been added at the beginning of the +narrative.</p> + +<p>The following typos have been corrected in the text.</p> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align='left'>I'll go first,</td><td align='left'>I'll go first.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>himseelf</td><td align='left'>himself</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>dias</td><td align='left'>dais</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>posess</td><td align='left'>possess</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>vengance</td><td align='left'>vengeance</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>alitmeter</td><td align='left'>altimeter</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Hrakzka</td><td align='left'>Hradzka</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>insigna</td><td align='left'>insignia</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>posessed</td><td align='left'>possessed</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>instand</td><td align='left'>instant</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>had none," He indicated</td><td align='left'>had none." He indicated</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p>One instance of "spacetime" has been changed to "space-time" +to conform with the majority usage in the text.</p> + +<p>The following words occur with equal frequency in both the +hyphenated and unhyphenated forms.</p> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align='left'>farm-yard</td><td align='left'>farmyard</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>hydro-carbon</td><td align='left'>hydrocarbon</td></tr> +</table></div> + +</div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Flight From Tomorrow, by Henry Beam Piper + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FLIGHT FROM TOMORROW *** + +***** This file should be named 18460-h.htm or 18460-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/8/4/6/18460/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, L.N. 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