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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/22512-8.txt b/22512-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2772813 --- /dev/null +++ b/22512-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1734 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Stutterer, by R.R. Merliss + +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: The Stutterer + +Author: R.R. Merliss + +Illustrator: Riley + +Release Date: September 5, 2007 [EBook #22512] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STUTTERER *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +THE STUTTERER + +BY R. R. MERLISS + + + _A man can be killed by a toy gun--he can + die of fright, for heart attacks can kill. + What, then, is the deadly thing that must + be sealed away, forever locked in buried + concrete--a thing or an idea?_ + + +Illustrated by Riley + + +[Illustration] + +Out of the twenty only one managed to escape the planet. And he did it +very simply, merely by walking up to the crowded ticket window at one of +the rocket ports and buying passage to Earth. His Army identification +papers passed the harassed inspection of the agent, and he gratefully +and silently pocketed the small plastic stub that was handed him in +exchange for his money. + +He picked his way with infinite care through the hordes of ex-soldiers +clamoring for passage back to the multitudinous planets from which they +had come. Then he slowly climbed the heavy ramp into the waiting rocket. + +He saw with relief that the seats were strongly constructed, built to +survive the pressure of many gravities and he chose one as far removed +as possible from the other passengers. + +He was still very apprehensive, and, as he waited for the rocket to take +off, he tried hard to remember the principles of the pulse drive that +powered the ship, and whether his additional weight would upset its +efficiency enough to awaken suspicion. + +The seats filled quickly with excited hurrying passengers. Soon he heard +the great door clang shut, and saw the red light flicker on, warning of +the take-off. He felt a slow surge of pressure as the ship arose from +the ground, and his chair creaked ominously with the extra weight. He +became fearful that it might collapse, and he strained forward trying to +shift some of the pressure through his feet to the floor. He sat that +way, tense and immobile, for what seemed a long time until abruptly the +strain was relieved and he heard the rising and falling whine of the +rockets that told him the ship was in pulse drive, flickering back and +forth across the speed of light. + +He realized that the pilots had not discovered his extra weight, and +that the initial hazards were over. The important thing was to look like +a passenger, a returning soldier like the others, so that no one would +notice him and remember his presence. + +His fellow travelers were by this time chatting with one another, some +playing cards, and others watching the teledepth screens. These were the +adventurers who had flocked from all corners of the galaxy to fight in +the first national war in centuries. They were the uncivilized few who +had read about battle and armed struggle in their history books and +found the old stories exciting. + +They paid no attention to their silent companion who sat quietly looking +through the quartz windows at the diamond-bright stars, tacked against +the blackness of infinity. + +The fugitive scarcely moved the entire time of the passage. Finally when +Earth hung out in the sky like a blue balloon, the ship cut its +pulsations and swung around for a tail landing. + +The atmosphere screamed through the fins of the rocket, and the +continents and the countries, and then the rivers and the mountains took +shape. The big ship settled down as gently as a snowflake, shuddered a +few times and was quiet. + + * * * * * + +The passengers hurriedly gathered up their scattered belongings and +pushed toward the exit in a great rush to be out and back on Earth. + +The fugitive was the last to leave. He stayed well away from the others, +being fearful that, if he should touch or brush up against someone, his +identity might be recognized. + +When he saw the ramp running from the ship to the ground, he was +dismayed. It seemed a flimsy structure, supported only by tubular steel. +Five people were walking down it, and he made a mental calculation of +their weight--about eight hundred pounds he thought. He weighed five +times that. The ramp was obviously never built to support such a load. + +He hesitated, and then he realized that he had caught the eye of the +stewardess waiting on the ground. A little panicky, he stepped out with +one foot and he was horrified to feel the steel buckle. He drew back +hastily and threw a quick glance at the stewardess. Fortunately at the +moment she was looking down one field and waving at someone. + +The ramp floor was supported by steel tubes at its edges and in its +exact center. He tentatively put one foot in the middle over the support +and gradually shifted his weight to it. The metal complained creakily, +but held, and he slowly trod the exact center line to Earth. The +stewardess' back was turned toward him as he walked off across the field +toward the customhouse. + +He found it comforting to have under his feet what felt like at least +one yard of cement. He could step briskly and not be fearful of +betraying himself. + +There was one further danger: the customs inspector. + +He took his place at the end of the line and waited patiently until it +led him up to a desk at which a uniformed man sat, busily checking and +stamping declarations and traveling papers. The official, however, did +not even look up when he handed him his passport and identification. + +"Human. You don't have to go through immigration," the agent said. "Do +you have anything to declare?" + +"N-no," the traveler said. "I d-didn't bring anything in." + +"Sign the affidavit," the agent said and pushed a sheet of paper toward +him. + +The traveler picked up a pen from the desk and signed "Jon Hall" in a +clear, perfect script. + +The agent gave it a passing glance and tossed it into a wire basket. + +Then he pushed his uniform cap back exposing a bald head. "You're my +last customer for a while, until the rocket from Sirius comes in. Guess +I might as well relax for a minute." He reached into a drawer of the +desk and pulled out a package of cigarettes, of which he lit one. + +"You been in the war, too?" he asked. + +Hall nodded. He did not want to talk any more than he had to. + +The agent studied his face. + +"That's funny," he said after a minute. "I never would have picked you +for one of these so-called adventurers. You're too quiet and peaceful +looking. I would have put you down as a doctor or maybe a writer." + +"N-no," Hall said. "I w-was in the war." + +"Well, that shows you can't tell by looking at a fellow," the agent said +philosophically. He handed Hall his papers. "There you are. The left +door leads out to the copter field. Good luck on Earth!" + +Hall pocketed the stamped documents. "Thanks," he said. "I'm glad to be +here." + +He walked down the wide station room to a far exit and pushed the door +open. A few steps farther and he was standing on a cement path dug into +a hillside. + + * * * * * + +Across the valley, bright in the noon sun lay the pine covered slopes of +the Argus mountains, and at his feet the green Mojave flowering with +orchards stretched far to the north and south. Between the trees, in the +center of the valley, the Sacramento River rolled southward in a +man-made bed of concrete and steel giving water and life to what had a +century before been dry dead earth. + +There was a small outcropping of limestone near the cement walk, and he +stepped over to it and sat down. He would have been happy to rest and +enjoy for a few moments his escape and his triumph, but he had to let +the others know so that they might have hope. + +He closed his eyes and groped across the stars toward Grismet. Almost +immediately he felt an impatient tug at his mind, strong because there +were many clamoring at once to be heard. He counted them. There were +seventeen. So one more had been captured since he had left Grismet. + +"Be quiet," the told them. "I'll let you see, after a while. First I +have to reach the two of us that are still free." + +Obediently, the seventeen were still, and he groped some more and found +another of his kind deep in an ice cave in the polar regions of Grismet. + +"How goes it?" he asked. + +The figure on Grismet lay stretched out at full length on the blue ice, +his eyes closed. He answered without moving: "They discovered my +radiation about an hour ago. Pretty soon, they'll start blasting through +the ice." + +The one on Earth felt the chill despair of his comrade and let go. He +groped about again until he found the last one, the only other one left. +He was squatting in the cellar of a warehouse in the main city of +Grismet. + +"Have they picked up your trail yet?" he asked. + +"No," answered the one in the cellar. "They won't for a while. I've +scattered depots of radiation all through the town. They'll be some time +tracking them all down, before they can get to me." + +In a flash of his mind, Hall revealed his escape and the one on Grismet +nodded and said: "Be careful. Be very careful. You are our only hope." + +Hall returned then to the seventeen, and he said with his thoughts: "All +right, now you can look." Immobile in their darkness, they snatched at +his mind, and as he opened his eyes, they, too, saw the splendors of the +mountains and the valley, the blue sky, and the gold sun high overhead. + + * * * * * + +The new man was young, only twenty-six. He was lean and dark and very +enthusiastic about his work. He sat straight in his chair waiting +attentively while his superior across the desk leafed through a folder. + +"Jordan. Tom Jordan," the older man finally said. "A nice old Earth +name. I suppose your folks came from there." + +"Yes, sir," the new man said briskly. + +The chief closed the folder. + +"Well," he said, "your first job is a pretty important one." + +"I realize that, sir," Jordan said. "I know it's a great responsibility +for a man just starting with the Commission, but I'll give it every +thing I have." + +The chief leaned back in his seat and scratched his chin thoughtfully. + +"Normally we start a beginner like you working in a pair with an older +man. But we just haven't got enough men to go around. There are eight +thousand planets there"--he pointed with his thumb over his shoulder to +a wall-sized map of the galaxy--"and we've got to cover every one. It +seems reasonable that if he escaped this planet, he'll go to another +that will by its atmosphere or its temperature give him some natural +advantage over us--some place that is either burning hot or at absolute +zero, or perhaps with a chlorine or sulfur dioxide atmosphere. That's +why"--he hesitated a minute, but continued because he was a truthful +man--"I picked you for Earth. It's the most populated of all the planets +and it seems the least likely one that he would choose." + +Jordan's face dropped a little bit when he heard the last piece of +information, but he said: "I understand, sir, and if he's there, I'll +bring him back." + +The chief slouched farther back in his seat. He picked up a shard of +rubidium that served as a paper weight and toyed with it. + +"I guess you know most of the facts. They are made out of permallium. +Have you ever seen any of the stuff?" + +The new man shook his head. "I read about it though--some new alloy, +isn't it?" + +"Plenty new. It's the hardest stuff anybody has ever made. If you set +off one hundred successive atom blasts over a lump of permallium, you +might crystallize and scale maybe a micron off the surface. It will +stand any temperature or pressure we can produce. That just means +there's no way to destroy it." + +Jordan nodded. He felt a little honored that the chief was giving him +this explanation in person rather than just turning him over to one of +the scientific personnel for a briefing. He did not understand that the +old man was troubled and was talking the situation through as much for +his own sake as for anyone else's. + + * * * * * + +"That's the problem," the chief continued. "Essentially an +indestructible machine with a built-in source of power that one can't +reach. It had to be built that way--a war instrument, you know." + +He stopped and looked squarely at the bright young man sitting across +the desk. "This lousy war. You'd think the human race would grow up some +time, wouldn't you?" He filled a pipe with imported Earth tobacco and +lit it, and took a few deep puffs. "There's something else. I don't know +how they do it, but they can communicate with one another over long +distances. That made them very useful for military purposes. + +"They are loyal to one another, too. They try to protect each other and +keep one another from being captured. Do you find that surprising?" + +The question caught Jordan unprepared. "Well, yes. It is, kind of--" he +said. "They are only machines." + +The chief closed his eyes for a moment. He seemed tired. + +"Yes," he repeated, "they are only machines. Anyway, we don't know +everything about them, even yet. There are still a few secret angles, I +think. The men who could tell us are either dead or in hiding. + +"There's one fact though that gives us a great advantage. Their +brain"--he stopped on the word and considered it--"I mean their thinking +apparatus gives off a very penetrating short-wave length radiation which +you can pick up on your meters anywhere in a radius of two thousand +miles, and you can locate the source accurately if you get within fifty +miles. + +"The only real problem you'll have in finding them is the confusion +created by illegal atomic piles. You'd be surprised how many of them we +have turned up recently. They are owned by private parties and are run +illegally to keep from paying the tax on sources of power. You have to +track those down, but once you get them labeled it will be clear +sailing." + +He stopped to take a few puffs on his pipe. + +"Don't try to be a hero," he said after a few moments. "Don't get close +to the thing you are hunting. None of them yet has injured any of us, +but if one should want to, he could crush you to death with two +fingers. Use the permallium nets and net bombs if you locate him." + +He tamped his pipe out. "Well, that's it," he said. + +The new man arose. "I want you to know that I appreciate the trust you +have put in me." + +"Sure, sure," the chief said, but it was not unfriendly. "Do you like +the job?" + +"It is a great opportunity," Jordan said, and he meant it. + +"What do you think about what we do to them after we capture them?" + +The new man shrugged. "I suppose it's the only thing to do. It's not as +though they were human." + +"Yeah," the chief said. "I guess so. Anyway, good luck." + +Jordan arose and shook the chief's hand. However, just as he was +stepping through the door, his superior asked him another question. "Did +you know that one of them stutters?" + +He turned back, puzzled. "Stutters? Why should he stutter? How could +that be?" + +The chief shook his head and started cleaning out his pipe. + +"I don't know for sure. You'd better get started." He sat back in his +seat and watched the back of the new man as he disappeared through the +doorway. + +That young fellow has a lot to learn, he thought to himself. But even +so, maybe he's better off than I am. Maybe I've had too much experience. +Maybe too much experience puts you back where you started from. You've +done the wrong thing so many times and profited so many times from your +mistakes that you see errors and tragedies in everything. + +He was depressed, and he did something that usually made him feel better +again. He reached under the edge of his desk and pulled a little switch +that made the galactic map on the wall light up in three-dimensional +depth, then he swung around in his chair so he could see it. Eight +thousand planets that his race had conquered, eight thousand planets +hundreds of light-years apart. Looking at the map gave him a sense of +accomplishment and pride in humanity which even a stupid war and its +aftermath could not completely destroy. + + * * * * * + +Jon Hall, the fugitive, walked along the highway leading south from the +rocket port. There was very little traffic, only an occasional delivery +truck carrying meat or groceries. The real highway was half a mile +overhead where the copters shuttled back and forth up and down the state +in neat orderly layers. + +The seventeen were inside his head, looking through his eyes, and +feasting on the blueness of the sky, and the rich green vegetation that +covered the fertile fields. From time to time they talked to him, giving +advice, asking questions, or making comments, but mostly they looked, +each knowing that the hours of their sight might be very few. + +After walking a while, Hall became aware of someone's footsteps behind +him. He stopped suddenly in apprehension and swung around. A dozen or so +paces away was a red-headed boy of about ten or eleven, dressed in +plastic overalls, and carrying a basket of ripe raspberries. The stains +about his mouth showed that not all the raspberries were carried in the +basket. + +Hall's anxiety faded, and he was glad to see the child. He had hoped to +meet someone who was not so old that they would become suspicious, but +old enough that they might give him directions. + +He waited for the lad to catch up. + +"Hello," the boy said. "I've been walking behind you most of a mile, but +I guess you didn't hear me." + +"It looks as though you've been p-p-picking raspberries," Hall said. + +"Yup. My dad owns a patch by the river. Want some?" He proffered the +basket. + +"No, thank you," Hall answered. He resumed his walk up the highway with +the boy at his side. + +"D-do you live around here," he asked. + +"Just up the road a ways." The lad studied his companion for a minute. +"You stutter, don't you?" + +"A little." + +"There was a boy in my class who used to stutter. The teacher said it +was because he thought so far ahead of what he said he got all tangled +up." The boy reached in his basket for a handful of berries and chewed +them thoughtfully. "She was always after him to talk slower, but I guess +it didn't do any good. He still stutters." + +"Is there a p-power plant around here?" Hall asked. "You know, where the +electricity comes from." + +"You mean the place where they have the nu-nuclear fission"--the boy +stumbled on the unfamiliar word, but got it out--"and they don't let you +in because you get poisoned or something?" + +"Yes, I think that's it." + +"There are two places. There's one over at Red Mountain and another over +at Ballarat." + +"Where are they?" + +"Well--" The boy stopped to think. "Red Mountain's straight ahead, maybe +ten miles, and Ballarat's over there"--he pointed west across the orange +groves--"maybe fifteen miles." + +"Good," Hall said. "Good." And he felt glad inside of himself. Maybe it +could be done, he thought. + + * * * * * + +They walked along together. Hall sometimes listening to the chattering +of the boy beside him, sometimes listening to and answering the distant +voices of the seventeen. Abruptly, a few hundred yards before the house +that the boy had pointed out as his father's, a small sports car whipped +down the highway, coming on them almost without warning. The lad jumped +sideways, and Hall, to avoid touching him, stepped off the concrete +road. His leg sank into the earth up to the mid-calf. He pulled it out +as quickly as he could. + +The boy was looking at the fast retreating rear of the sports car. + +"Gee," he said. "I sure didn't see them coming." Then he caught sight of +the deep hole alongside the road, and he stared at it. "Gosh, you sure +made a footprint there," he said wonderingly. + +"The ground was soft," Hall said. "C-come along." + +But instead of following, the boy walked over to the edge of the road +and stared into the hole. He tentatively stamped on the earth around it. +"This ground isn't soft," he said. "It's hard as a rock." He turned and +looked at Hall with big eyes. + +Hall came close to the boy and took hold of his jacket. "D-don't pay any +attention to it, son. I just stepped into a soft spot." + +The boy tried to pull away. "I know who you are," he said. "I heard +about you on the teledepth." + +Suddenly, in the way of children, panic engulfed him and he flung his +basket away and threw himself back and forth, trying to tear free. "Let +me go," he screamed. "Let me go. Let me go." + +"Just l-listen to me, son," Hall pleaded. "Just listen to me. I won't +hurt you." + +But the boy was beyond reasoning. Terror stricken, he screamed at the +top of his voice, using all his little strength to escape. + +"If you p-promise to l-listen to me, I'll let you go," Hall said. + +"I promise," the boy sobbed, still struggling. + +But the moment Hall let go of his coat, he tore away and ran as fast as +he could over the adjacent field. + +"W-wait--don't run away," Hall shouted. "I won't hurt you. Stay where +you are. I couldn't follow you anyway. I'd sink to my hips." + +The logic of the last sentence appealed to the frightened lad. He +hesitated and then stopped and turned around, a hundred feet or so from +the highway. + +"L-listen," said Hall earnestly. "The teledepths are wr-wrong. They +d-didn't tell you the t-truth about us. I d-don't want to hurt anyone. +All I n-need is a few hours. D-don't tell anyone for j-just a few hours +and it'll be all right." He paused because he didn't know what to say +next. + +The boy, now that he seemed secure from danger had recovered his wits. +He plucked a blade of grass from the ground and chewed on an end of it, +looking for all the world like a grownup farmer thoughtfully considering +his fields. "Well, I guess you could have hurt me plenty, but you +didn't," he said. "That's something." + +"Just a few hours," Hall said. "It won't take long. Y-you can tell your +father tonight." + +The boy suddenly remembered his raspberries when he saw his basket and +its spilled contents on the highway. + +"Why don't you go along a bit," he said. "I would like to pick up those +berries I dropped." + +"Remember," Hall said, "just a few hours." He turned and started +walking again toward Red Mountain. Inside his mind, the seventeen asked +anxiously, "Do you think he'll give the alarm? Will he report your +presence?" + +[Illustration] + +Back on the highway, the boy was gathering the berries back into his +basket while he tried to make his mind up. + + * * * * * + +Jordan reached Earth atmosphere about two o'clock in the afternoon. He +immediately reported in to the Terrestrial police force, and via the +teledepth screen spoke with a bored lieutenant. The lieutenant, after +listening to Jordan's account of his mission, assured him without any +particular enthusiasm of the willingness of the Terrestrial forces to +coöperate, and of more value, gave him the location of all licensed +sources of radiation in the western hemisphere. + +The galactic agent set eagerly to work, and in the next several hours +uncovered two unlisted radiation sources, both of which he promptly +investigated. In one case, north of Eugene, he found in the backyard of +a metal die company a small atomic pile. The owner was using it as an +illegal generator of electricity, and when he saw Jordan snooping about +with his detection instruments, he immediately offered the agent a +sizable bribe. It was a grave mistake since Jordan filed charges against +him, via teledepth, not only for evading taxes, but also for attempted +bribery. + +The second strike seemed more hopeful. He picked up strong radiation in +a rather barren area of Montana; however when he landed, he found that +it was arising from the earth itself. From a short conversation with the +local authorities, he learned that the phenomenon was well known: an +atomic fission plant had been destroyed at that site during the Third +World War. + +He was flying over the lovely blue water of Lake Bonneville, when his +teledepth screen flickered. He flipped the switch on and the +lieutenant's picture flooded in. + +"I have a call I think you ought to take," the Earth official said. "It +seems as though it might be in your line. It's from a sheriff in a small +town in California. I'll have the operator plug him in." + + * * * * * + +Abruptly the picture switched to that of a stout red-faced man wearing +the brown uniform of a county peace officer. + +"You're the galactic man?" the sheriff asked. + +"Yes. My name is Tom Jordan," Jordan said. + +"Mine's Berkhammer." It must have been warm in California because the +sheriff pulled out a large handkerchief and mopped his brow. When he was +done with that he blew his nose loudly. "Hay fever," he announced. + +"Want to see my credentials?" + +"Oh sure, sure," the sheriff hastily replied. He scrutinized the card +and badge that Jordan displayed. After a moment, he said, "I don't know +why I'm looking at those. They might be fakes for all I know. Never saw +them before and I'll probably never see them again." + +"They're genuine." + +"The deuce with formality," the sheriff said heavily. "There's some kid +around here who thinks he saw that ... that machine you're supposed to +be looking for." + +"When was that?" Jordan asked. + +"About four hours ago. Here, I'll let you talk to him yourself." He +pulled his big bulk to one side, and a boy and his father walked into +the picture. The boy was red-eyed, as though he had been crying. The +father was a tall, stoop-shouldered farmer, dressed like his son in +plastic overalls. + + * * * * * + +The sheriff patted the boy on the back. "Come on, Jimmy. Tell the man +what you saw." + +"I saw him," the boy said sullenly. "I walked up the highway with him." + +Jordan leaned forward toward the screen. + +"How did you know who he was?" + +"I knew because when he stepped on the ground, he sank into it up to his +knee. He tried to say the ground was soft, but it was hard. I know it +was hard." + +"Why did you wait so long to tell anybody?" Jordan asked softly. + +The boy looked at him with defiance and dislike in his eyes and kept his +small mouth clamped shut. + +His father nudged him roughly in the ribs. + +"Answer the man," he commanded. + +Jimmy looked down at his shoes. + +"Because he asked me not to tell for a while," he said curtly. + +"Stubborn as nails," the father said not without pride in his voice. +"Got more loyalty to a lousy machine than to the whole human race." + +"Which way did he go, Jimmy?" + +"Toward Red Mountain. I think maybe to the power house. He asked me +where it was." + +"What do you think he wants with that?" the sheriff asked of Jordan. + +Jordan shrugged and shook his head. + +"Maybe it's all in the kid's head," the sheriff suggested. "These wild +teledepth programs they look at give them all kinds of ideas." + +"It isn't in my head," Jimmy said violently. "I saw him. He stepped on +the ground and stuck his foot into it. I talked to him. And I know +something else. He stutters." + +"What?" said the sheriff. "Now I know you're lying." + +The father started dragging the boy by the arm. "Come on home, Jimmy. +You got one more licking coming." + +Jordan, however, was sure the boy was not lying. "Leave him alone," he +said. "He's right. He did see him." He took a fast look at the timepiece +on his panel board. "I'll be down in an hour and a half. Wait for me." + +He flicked the switch off, and kicked up the motors. The ship shot +southward almost as rapidly as a projectile. + +He had topped the Sierras and had just turned into the great central +valley of California when, with the impact of a blow, a frightening +thought occurred to him. + +He flicked the screen on again, and he caught the sheriff sitting behind +his desk industriously scratching himself in one armpit. + +"Listen," Jordan said, speaking very fast. "You've got to send out a +national alarm. You must get every man you can down to the power plant. +You've got to stop him from getting in." + +The sheriff stopped scratching himself and stared at Jordan. + +"What are you so het up about, young man?" + +"Do it, and do it now," Jordan almost shouted. "He'll tear the pile +apart and let the hafnium go off. It'll blow half the state off the +planet." + +The sheriff was unperturbed. "Mr. Star boy," he said sarcastically, "any +grammar school kid knows that if someone came within a hundred yards of +one of those power-house piles, he'd burn like a match stick. And +besides why would he want to blow himself to pieces?" + +"He's made out of permallium." Jordan was shouting now. + +The sheriff suddenly grew pale. "Get off my screen. I'm calling +Sacramento." + + * * * * * + +Jordan set the ship for maximum speed, well beyond the safety limit. He +kept peering ahead into the dusk, momentarily fearful that the whole +countryside would light up in one brilliant flash. In a few minutes he +was sweating and trembling with the tension. + +Over Walnut Grove, he recognized the series of dams, reservoirs and +water-lifts where the Sacramento was raised up out of its bed and turned +south. For greater speed, he came close to Earth, flying at emergency +height, reserved ordinarily for police, firemen, doctors and ambulances. +He set his course by sight following the silver road of the river, +losing it for ten or fifteen miles at a time where it passed through +subterranean tunnels, picking it up again at the surface, always +shooting south as fast as the atmosphere permitted. + +At seven thirty, when the sun had finally set, he sighted the lights of +Red Mountain, and he cut his speed and swung in to land. There was no +trouble picking out the power plant; it was a big dome-shaped building +surrounded by a high wall. It was so brilliantly lit up, that it stood +out like a beacon, and there were several hundred men milling about +before it. + +He settled down on the lawn inside the walls, and the sheriff came +bustling up, a little more red in the face than usual. + +"I've been trying to figure for the last hour what the devil I would do +to stop him if he decided to come here," Berkhammer said. + +"He's not here then?" + +The sheriff shook his head. "Not a sign of him. We've gone over the +place three times." + +Jordan settled back in relief, sitting down in the open doorway of his +ship. "Good," he said wearily. + +"Good!" the sheriff exploded. "I don't know whether I'd rather have him +show up or not. If this whole business is nothing more than the crazy +imagination of some kid who ought to get tanned and a star-cop with milk +behind his ears, I'm really in the soup. I've sent out an alarm and I've +got the whole state jumping. There's a full mechanized battalion of +state troops waiting in there." He pointed toward the power plant. +"They've got artillery and tanks all around the place." + +Jordan jumped down out of the ship. "Let's see what you've got set up +here. In the meantime, stop fretting. I'd rather see you fired than +vaporized along with fifty million other people." + +"I guess you're right there," Berkhammer conceded, "but I don't like to +have anyone make a fool out of me." + + * * * * * + +At Ballarat, an old man, Eddie Yudovich, was the watchman and general +caretaker of the electrical generation plant. Actually, his job was a +completely unnecessary one, since the plant ran itself. In its very +center, buried in a mine of graphite were the tubes of hafnium, from +whose nuclear explosions flowed a river of electricity without the need +of human thought or direction. + +He had worked for the company for a long time and when he became +crippled with arthritis, the directors gave him the job so that he might +have security in his latter years. + +Yudovich, however, was a proud old man, and he never once acknowledged +to himself or to anyone else that his work was useless. He guarded and +checked the plant as though it were the storehouse of the Terrestrial +Treasury. Every hour punctually, he made his rounds through the +building. + +At approximately seven thirty he was making his usual circuit when he +came to the second level. What he discovered justified all the years of +punctilious discharge of his duties. He was startled to see a man +kneeling on the floor, just above where the main power lines ran. He had +torn a hole in the composition floor, and as Yudovich watched, he +reached in and pulled out the great cable. Immediately the intruder +glowed in the semidarkness with an unearthly blue shine and sparkles +crackled off of his face, hands and feet. + +Yudovich stood rooted to the floor. He knew very well that no man could +touch that cable and live. But as he watched, the intruder handled it +with impunity, pulling a length of wire out of his pocket and making +some sort of a connection. + +It was too much for the old man. Electricity was obviously being stolen. +He roared out at the top of his voice, and stumped over to the wall +where he threw the alarm switch. Immediately, a hundred arc lights +flashed on, lighting the level brighter than the noon sun, and a +tremendously loud siren started wailing its warning to the whole +countryside. + +The intruder jumped up as though he had been stabbed. He dropped the +wires, and after a wild look around him, he ran at full speed toward the +far exit. + +"Hold on there," Yudovich shouted and tried to give chase, but his +swollen, crooked knees almost collapsed with the effort. + +His eyes fell on a large wrench lying on a worktable, and he snatched it +up and threw it with all his strength. In his youth he had been a ball +player with some local fame as a pitcher, and in his later life, he was +addicted to playing horseshoes. His aim was, therefore, good, and the +wrench sailed through the air striking the runner on the back of the +head. Sparks flew and there was a loud metallic clang, the wrench +rebounding high in the air. The man who was struck did not even turn his +head, but continued his panicky flight and was gone in a second. + +When he realized there was no hope of effecting a capture, Yudovich +stumped over to see the amount of the damage. A hole had been torn in +the floor, but the cable itself was intact. + +Something strange caught his attention. Wherever the intruder had put +his foot down, there were many radiating cracks in the composition +floor, just as though someone had struck a sheet of ice with a sledge +hammer. + +"I'll be danged," he said to himself. "I'll be danged and double +danged." + +He turned off the alarm and then went downstairs to the teledepth screen +to notify the sheriff's office. + +A few hundred yards from the powerhouse, Jon Hall stood in the darkness, +listening to the voices of his fellows. There were eighteen of them, not +seventeen, for a short while before the one in the ice cave had been +captured, and they railed at him with a bitter hopeless anger. + +He looked toward the bright lights of the powerhouse, considering +whether he should return. "It's too late," said one of them. "The alarm +is already out." "Go into the town and mix with the people," another +suggested. "If you stay within a half mile of the hafnium pile, the +detection man will not be able to pick up your radiation and maybe you +will have a second chance." + +They all assented in that, and Hall, weary of making his own decisions +turned toward the town. He walked through a tree-lined residential +street, the houses with neatly trimmed lawns, and each with a copter +parked on the roof. In almost every house the teledepths were turned on +and he caught snatches of bulletins about himself: "... Is known to be +in the Mojave area." "... About six feet in height and very similar to a +human being. When last seen, he was dressed in--" "Governor Leibowitz +has promised speedy action and attorney general Markle has stated--" + +The main street of Ballarat was brilliantly lighted. Many of the +residents, aroused by the alarm from the powerhouse, were out, standing +in small groups in front of the stores and talking excitedly to one +another. + +He hesitated, unwilling to walk through the bright street, but uncertain +where to turn. Two men talking loudly came around the corner suddenly +and he stepped back into a store entrance to avoid them. They stopped +directly in front of him. One of them, an overalled farm hand from his +looks, said, "He killed a kid just a little while ago. My brother-in-law +heard it." + +"Murderer," the other said viciously. + +The farmer turned his head and his glance fell on Hall. "Well, a new +face in town," he said after a moment's inspection. "Say I bet you're a +reporter from one of the papers, aren't you?" + +Hall came out of the entrance and tried to walk around the two men, but +the farmer caught him by the sleeve. + +"A reporter, huh? Well, I got some news for you. That thing from Grismet +just killed a kid." + +Hall could restrain himself no longer. + +"That's a lie," he said coldly. + +The farmer looked him up and down. + +"What do you know about it," he demanded. "My brother-in-law got it from +somebody in the state guard." + +"It's still a lie." + +"Just because it's not on the teledepth, you say it's a lie," the farmer +said belligerently. "Not everything is told on the teledepth, Mr. +Wiseheimer. They're keeping it a secret. They don't want to scare the +people." + +Hall started to walk away, but the farmer blocked his path. + +"Who are you anyway? Where do you live? I never saw you before," he said +suspiciously. + +"Aw, Randy," his companion said, "don't go suspecting everybody." + +"I don't like anyone to call me a liar." + +Hall stepped around the man in his path, and turned down the street. He +was boiling inside with an almost uncontrollable fury. + + * * * * * + +A few feet away, catastrophe suddenly broke loose. A faulty section of +the sidewalk split without warning under his feet and he went pitching +forward into the street. He clutched desperately at the trunk of a tall +palm tree, but with a loud snap, it broke, throwing him head on into a +parked road car. The entire front end of the car collapsed like an egg +shell under his weight. + +For a long moment, the entire street was dead quiet. With difficulty, +Hall pulled himself to his feet. Pale, astonished faces were staring at +him from all sides. + +Suddenly the farmer started screaming. "That's him. I knew it. That's +him." He was jumping up and down with excitement. + +Hall turned his back and walked in the other direction. The people in +front of him faded away, leaving a clear path. + +He had gone a dozen steps when a man with a huge double-barreled shotgun +popped out from a store front just ahead. He aimed for the middle of +Hall's chest and fired both barrels. + +The blast and the shot struck Hall squarely, burning a large hole in his +shirt front. He did not change his pace, but continued step by step. + +The man with the gun snatched two shells out of his pocket and +frantically tried to reload. Hall reached out and closed his hand over +the barrel of the gun and the blue steel crumpled like wet paper. + +From across the street, someone was shooting at him with a rifle. +Several times a bullet smacked warmly against his head or his back. + +He continued walking slowly up the street. At its far end several men +appeared dragging a small howitzer--probably the only piece in the local +armory. They scurried around it, trying to get it aimed and loaded. + +"Fools. Stupid fools," Hall shouted at them. + +The men could not seem to get the muzzle of the gun down, and when he +was a dozen paces from it they took to their heels. He tore the heavy +cannon off of its carriage and with one blow of his fist caved it in. He +left it lying in the street broken and useless. + +Almost as suddenly as it came, his anger left him. He stopped and looked +back at the people cringing in the doorways. + +"You poor, cruel fools," Hall said again. + +He sat down in the middle of the street on the twisted howitzer barrel +and buried his head in his hands. There was nothing else for him to do. +He knew that in just a matter of seconds, the ships with their +permallium nets and snares would be on him. + + * * * * * + +Since Jordan's ship was not large enough to transport Jon Hall's great +weight back to Grismet, the terrestrial government put at the agent's +disposal a much heavier vessel, one room of which had been hastily lined +with permallium and outfitted as a prison cell. A pilot by the name of +Wilkins went with the ship. He was a battered old veteran, given to +cigar smoking, clandestine drinking and card playing. + +The vessel took off, rose straight through the atmosphere for about +forty miles, and then hung, idly circling Earth, awaiting clearance +before launching into the pulse drive. A full course between Earth and +Grismet had to be plotted and cleared by the technicians at the dispatch +center because the mass of the vessel increased so greatly with its +pulsating speed that if any two ships passed within a hundred thousand +miles of each other, they would at least be torn from their course, and +might even be totally destroyed. + +Wilkins had proposed a pinochle game, and he and Jordan sat playing in +the control room. + +The pilot had been winning and he was elated. "Seventy-six dollars so +far," he announced after some arithmetic. "The easiest day's pay I made +this month." + +Jordan shuffled the cards and dealt them out, three at a time. He was +troubled by his own thoughts, and so preoccupied that he scarcely +followed the game. + +"Spades, again," the pilot commented gleefully. "Well, ain't that too +bad for you." He gave his cigar a few chomps and played a card. + +Jordan had been looking out of the window. The ship had tilted and he +could see without rising the rim of Earth forming a beautiful geometric +arc, hazy and blue in its shimmering atmosphere. + +"Come on, play," the pilot said, impatiently. "I just led an ace." + +Jordan put down his cards. "I guess I better quit," he said. + +"What the devil!" the pilot said angrily. "You can't quit like that in +the middle of a deal. I got a flush and aces." + +"I'm sorry," Jordan said, "but I'm going to lie down in my cabin until +we are given clearance." + +He opened the door of the little room and went into the hall. He walked +down past his own cabin and stopped in front of another door, a new one +that was sheathed in permallium. He hesitated a few moments; then he +snapped open the outside latch and walked in, letting the door swing +closed behind him. + + * * * * * + +Hall lay unmoving in the middle of the floor, his legs and arms fastened +in greaves of permallium. + +Jordan was embarrassed. He did not look directly at the robot. + +"I don't know whether you want to talk to me or not," he started. "If +you don't want to, that's all right. But, I've followed you since you +landed on Earth, and I don't understand why you did what you did. You +don't have to tell me, but I wish you would. It would make me feel +better." + +The robot shrugged--a very human gesture, Jordan noted. + +"G-go ahead and ask me," he said. "It d-doesn't make any difference +now." + +Jordan sat down on the floor. "The boy was the one who gave you away. If +not for him, no one would have ever known what planet you were on. Why +did you let the kid get away?" + +The robot looked straight at the agent. "Would you kill a child?" he +asked. + +"No, of course not," Jordan said a little bit annoyed, "but I'm not a +robot either." He waited for a further explanation, but when he saw none +was coming, he said: "I don't know what you were trying to do in that +powerhouse at Ballarat, but, whatever it was, that old man couldn't have +stopped you. What happened?" + +"I l-lost my head," the robot said quietly. "The alarm and the lights +rattled me, and I got into a p-panic." + +"I see," said Jordan, frustrated, not really seeing at all. He sat back +and thought for a moment. "Let me put it this way. Why do you stutter?" + +Hall smiled a wry smile. "Th-that used to be a m-military secret," he +said. "It's our one weakness--the one Achilles heel in a m-machine that +was meant to be invulnerable." + +He struggled to a sitting position. "You see, we were m-made as +s-soldiers and had to have a certain loyalty to the country that m-made +us. Only living things are loyal--machines are not. We had to think like +human beings." + +Jordan's brows contracted as he tried to understand the robot. + +"You mean you have a transplanted human brain?" he asked incredulously. + +"In a way," Hall said. "Our b-brains are permallium strips on which the +mind of some human donor was m-magnetically imprinted. My mind was +copied f-from a man who stuttered and who got panicky when the going got +rough, and who couldn't kill a child no matter what was at s-stake." + +Jordan felt physically ill. Hall was human and he was immortal. And +according to galactic decree, he, like his fellows, was to be manacled +in permallium and fixed in a great block of cement, and that block was +to be dropped into the deep silent depths of the Grismet ocean, to be +slowly covered by the blue sediment that gradually filters down through +the miles of ocean water to stay immobile and blind for countless +millions of years. + +Jordan arose to his feet. He could think of nothing further to say. + +He stopped, however, with the door half open, and asked: "One more +question--what did you want with the electrical generator plants on +Earth?" + +[Illustration] + +Slowly and without emotion Hall told him, and when he understood, he +became even sicker. + + * * * * * + +He went across to his cabin and stood for a while looking out the +window. Then he lit a cigarette and lay down on his bunk thinking. After +a time, he put out the cigarette and walked into the hall where he paced +up and down. + +As he passed the cell door for about the tenth time, he suddenly swung +around and lifted the latch and entered. He went over to the robot, and +with a key that he took from his pocket, he unlocked the greaves and +chains. + +"There's no point in keeping you bound up like this," he said. "I don't +think you're very dangerous." He put the key back in his pocket. + +"I suppose you know that this ship runs on an atomic pile," he said in a +conversational tone of voice. "The cables are just under the floor in +the control room and they can be reached through a little trap door." + +Jordan looked directly into Hall's face. The robot was listening with +great intentness. + +"Well," the agent said, "we'll probably be leaving Earth's atmosphere in +about fifteen minutes. I think I'll go play pinochle with the pilot." + +He carefully left the door of the cell unlatched as he left. He walked +to the control room and found Wilkins, a dry cigar butt clenched between +his teeth, absorbed in a magazine. + +"Let's have another game," Jordan said. "I want some of that +seventy-six dollars back." + +Wilkins shook his head. "I'm in the middle of a good story here. Real +sexy. I'll play you after we take off." + +"Nothing doing," Jordan said sharply. "Let's play right now." + +Wilkins kept reading. "We got an eighteen-hour flight in front of us. +You have lots of time." + +The agent snatched the magazine out of his hands. "We're going to play +right now in my cabin," he said. + +"You quit when I have aces and a flush, and now you come back and want +to play again. That's not sportsmanlike," Wilkins complained, but he +allowed himself to be led back to Jordan's cabin. "I never saw anybody +so upset about losing a miserable seventy-six bucks," was his final +comment. + + * * * * * + +The robot lay perfectly still until he heard the door to Jordan's cabin +slam shut, and then he arose as quietly as he could and stole out into +the hall. The steel of the hall floor groaned, but bore his weight, and +carefully, trembling with excitement inside of his ponderous metallic +body, he made his way to the control room. He knelt and lifted the +little trap door and found the naked power cable, pulsating with +electrical current. + +In a locker under the panel board he found a length of copper wire. It +was all he needed for the necessary connection. + +Since his capture, his fellows on Grismet had been silent with despair, +but as he knelt to close the circuit, their minds flooded in on him and +he realized with a tremendous horror that there were now nineteen, that +all except he had been bound and fixed in their eternal cement prisons. + +"We are going to have our chance," he told them. "We won't have much +time, but we will have our chance." + +He closed the circuit and a tremendous tide of electric power flowed +into his head. Inside that two-inch shell of permallium was a small +strip of metal tape on whose electrons and atoms were written the +borrowed mind of a man. Connected to the tape was a minute instrument +for receiving and sending electromagnetic impulses--the chain by which +the mind of one robot was tied to that of another. + +The current surged in and the tiny impulses swelled in strength and +poured out through the hull of the ship in a great cone that penetrated +Earth's atmosphere in a quadrant that extended from Baffin land to +Omaha, and from Hawaii to Labrador. The waves swept through skin and +bone and entered the sluggish gelatinous brain of sentient beings, +setting up in those organs the same thoughts and pictures that played +among the electrons of the permallium strip that constituted Jon Hall's +mind. + +All nineteen clamored to be heard, for Hall to relay their voices to +Earth, but he held them off and first he told his story. + + * * * * * + +The Casseiopeian delegate to the Galactic Senate was at the moment +finishing his breakfast. He was small and furry, not unlike a very large +squirrel, and he sat perched on a high chair eating salted roast almonds +of which he was very fond. + +Suddenly a voice started talking inside of his head, just as it did at +that very second inside the heads of thirteen billion other inhabitants +of the northwest corner of Earth. The Casseiopeian delegate was so +startled that he dropped the dish of almonds, his mouth popping open, +his tiny red tongue inside flickering nervously. He listened spellbound. + +The voice told him of the war on Grismet and of the permallium +constructed robots, and of the cement blocks. This, however, he already +knew, because he had been one of the delegates to the Peace Conference +who had decided to dispose of the robots. The voice, however, also told +him things he did not know, such as the inability of the robots to +commit any crime that any other sane human being would not commit, of +their very simple desire to be allowed to live in peace, and most of all +of their utter horror for the fate a civilized galaxy had decreed for +them. + +When the voice stopped, the Casseiopeian delegate was a greatly shaken +little being. + + * * * * * + +Back on the ship, Hall opened the circuit to the nineteen, and they +spoke in words, in memory pictures and in sensations. + + * * * * * + +A copter cab driver was hurrying with his fare from Manhattan to Oyster +Bay. Suddenly, in his mind, he became a permallium robot. He was bound +with cables of the heavy metal, and was suspended upside down in a huge +cement block. The stone pressed firmly on his eyes, his ears, and his +chest. He was completely immobile, and worst of all, he knew that above +his head for six miles lay the great Grismet Ocean, with the blue mud +slowly settling down encasing the cement in a stony stratum that would +last till the planet broke apart. + +The cab driver gasped: "What the hell." His throat was so dry he could +scarcely talk. He turned around to his fare, and the passenger, a young +man, was pale and trembling. + +"You seeing things, too?" the driver asked. + +"I sure am," the fare said unsteadily. "What a thing to do." + + * * * * * + +For fifteen minutes, over the northwest quadrant of Earth, the words and +the pictures went out, and thirteen billion people knew suddenly what +lay in the hearts and minds of nineteen robots. + + * * * * * + +A housewife in San Rafael was at the moment in a butcher shop buying +meat for her family. As the thoughts and images started pouring into her +mind, she remained stock-still, her package of meat forgotten on the +counter. The butcher, wiping his bloodied hands on his apron froze in +that position, an expression of horror and incredulity on his face. + +When the thoughts stopped coming in, the butcher was the first to come +out of the trancelike state. + +"Boy," he said, "that's sure some way of sending messages. Sure beats +the teledepths." + +The housewife snatched her meat off the counter. "Is that all you think +of," she demanded angrily. + +"That's a terrible thing that those barbarians on Grismet are doing to +those ... those people. Why didn't they tell us that they were human." +She stalked out of the shop, not certain what she would do, but +determined to do something. + + * * * * * + +In the ship Hall reluctantly broke off the connection and replaced the +trap door. Then he went back to his cell and locked himself in. He had +accomplished his mission; its results now lay in the opinions of men. + + * * * * * + +Jordan left the ship immediately on landing, and took a copter over to +the agency building. His conversation with his superior was something he +wanted to get over with as soon as possible. + +The young woman at the secretary's desk looked at him coldly and led him +directly into the inner office. The chief was standing up in front of +the map of the galaxy, his hands in his pockets, his eyes an icy blue. + +"I've been hearing about you," he said without a greeting. + +Jordan sat down. He was tense and jumpy but tried not to show it. "I +suppose you have," he said, adding, after a moment, "Sir." + +"How did that robot manage to break out of his cell and get to the power +source on the ship in the first place?" + +"He didn't break out," Jordan said slowly. "I let him out." + +"I see," the chief said, nodding. "You let him out. I see. No doubt you +had your reasons." + +"Yes, I did. Look--" Jordan wanted to explain, but he could not find the +words. It would have been different if the robots' messages had reached +Grismet; he would not have had to justify himself then. But they had +not, and he could not find a way to tell this cold old man of what he +had learned about the robots and their unity with men. "I did it because +it was the only decent thing to do." + +"I see," the chief said. "You did it because you have a heart." He +leaned suddenly forward, both hands on his desk. "It's good for a man to +have a heart and be compassionate. He's not worth anything if he isn't. +But"--and he shook his finger at Jordan as he spoke--"that man is going +to be compassionate at his own expense, not at the expense of the +agency. Do you understand that?" + +"I certainly do," Jordan answered, "but you have me wrong if you think +I'm here to make excuses or to apologize. Now, if you will get on with +my firing, sir, I'll go home and have my supper." + +The chief looked at him for a long minute. "Don't you care about your +position in the agency?" he asked quietly. + +"Sure I do," Jordan said almost roughly. "It's the work I wanted to do +all my life. But, as you said, what I did, I did at my own expense. +Look, sir, I don't like this any better than you do. Why don't you fire +me and let me go home? Your prisoner's safely locked up in the ship." + +For answer the chief tossed him a stellogram. Jordan glanced at the +first few words and saw that it was from Galactic Headquarters on Earth. +He put it back on the desk without reading it through. + +"I know that I must have kicked up a fuss. You don't have to spell it +out for me." + +"Read it," the chief said impatiently. + +Jordan took back the stellogram and examined it. It read. + + To: Captain Lawrence Macrae Detection Agency, Grismet. + + From: Prantal Aminopterin Delegate from Casseiopeia Chairman, Grismet + Peace Committee of the Galactic Senate. + + Message: You are hereby notified that the committee by a vote of 17-0 + has decided to rescind its order of January 18, 2214, directing the + disposal of the permallium robots of Grismet. Instead, the committee + directs that you remove from their confinement all the robots and + put them in some safe place where they will be afforded reasonable + and humane treatment. + + The committee will arrive in Grismet some time during the next month + to decide on permanent disposition. + +Jordan's heart swelled as he read the gram. "It worked," he said. "They +have changed their minds. It won't be so bad being discharged now." He +put the paper back on the desk and arose to go. + +The chief smiled and it was like sunlight suddenly flooding over an +arctic glacier. "Discharged? Now who's discharging you? I'd sooner do +without my right arm." + +He reached in a desk drawer and pulled out a bottle of old Earth bourbon +and two glasses. He carefully poured out a shot into each glass, and +handed one to Jordan. + +"I like a man with a heart, and if you get away with it, why then you +get away with it. And that's just what you've done." + +He sat down and started sipping his whisky. Jordan stood uncertainly +above him, his glass in his hand. + +"Sit down, son," the old man said. "Sit down and tell me about your +adventures on Earth." + +Jordan sat down, put his feet on the desk and took a sizable swallow of +his whisky. + +"Well, Larry," he started, "I got into Earth atmosphere about 2:40 +o'clock--" + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + +This etext was produced from _Astounding Science Fiction_ April 1955. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright +on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors +have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Stutterer, by R.R. Merliss + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STUTTERER *** + +***** This file should be named 22512-8.txt or 22512-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/5/1/22512/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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R. Merliss + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2 { + text-align: left; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .blockquot{margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em; + margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; + margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .trans1 {border: solid 1px; + margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: left;} + + .zerop {margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em;} + + img {margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding:0; display:block; border:none;} + + .illo {margin-bottom: 2em; margin-top: 1.5em; font-size: smaller; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;} + .tease {margin-top: 2em; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;} + .theend {text-align: center; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 2em;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Stutterer, by R.R. Merliss + +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: The Stutterer + +Author: R.R. Merliss + +Illustrator: Riley + +Release Date: September 5, 2007 [EBook #22512] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STUTTERER *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 446px;"> +<img src="images/001.png" width="446" height="500" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h1>THE STUTTERER</h1> + +<h2>BY R. R. MERLISS</h2> + +<p class="tease"> +<i><big>A man</big> can be killed by a toy gun—he +can die of fright, for heart attacks can +kill. What, then, is the deadly thing that +must be sealed away, forever locked in +buried concrete—a thing or an idea?</i> +</p> + +<p class="illo">Illustrated by Riley</p> + + + + + + + +<p>Out of the twenty only one managed +to escape the planet. And he +did it very simply, merely by walking +up to the crowded ticket window +at one of the rocket ports and buying +passage to Earth. His Army +identification papers passed the +harassed inspection of the agent, and +he gratefully and silently pocketed +the small plastic stub that was +handed him in exchange for his +money.</p> + +<p>He picked his way with infinite +care through the hordes of ex-soldiers +clamoring for passage back to +the multitudinous planets from +which they had come. Then he slowly +climbed the heavy ramp into the +waiting rocket.</p> + +<p>He saw with relief that the seats +were strongly constructed, built to +survive the pressure of many gravities +and he chose one as far removed +as possible from the other +passengers.</p> + +<p>He was still very apprehensive, +and, as he waited for the rocket +to take off, he tried hard to remember +the principles of the pulse drive +that powered the ship, and whether +his additional weight would upset +its efficiency enough to awaken suspicion.</p> + +<p>The seats filled quickly with excited +hurrying passengers. Soon he +heard the great door clang shut, and +saw the red light flicker on, warning +of the take-off. He felt a slow +surge of pressure as the ship arose +from the ground, and his chair +creaked ominously with the extra +weight. He became fearful that it +might collapse, and he strained forward +trying to shift some of the +pressure through his feet to the floor. +He sat that way, tense and immobile, +for what seemed a long time +until abruptly the strain was relieved +and he heard the rising and falling +whine of the rockets that told him +the ship was in pulse drive, flickering +back and forth across the speed +of light.</p> + +<p>He realized that the pilots had not +discovered his extra weight, and that +the initial hazards were over. The +important thing was to look like a +passenger, a returning soldier like +the others, so that no one would +notice him and remember his presence.</p> + +<p>His fellow travelers were by this +time chatting with one another, some +playing cards, and others watching +the teledepth screens. These were the +adventurers who had flocked from +all corners of the galaxy to fight in +the first national war in centuries. +They were the uncivilized few who +had read about battle and armed +struggle in their history books and +found the old stories exciting.</p> + +<p>They paid no attention to their +silent companion who sat quietly +looking through the quartz windows +at the diamond-bright stars, tacked +against the blackness of infinity.</p> + +<p>The fugitive scarcely moved the +entire time of the passage. Finally +when Earth hung out in the sky like +a blue balloon, the ship cut its pulsations +and swung around for a tail +landing.</p> + +<p>The atmosphere screamed through +the fins of the rocket, and the continents +and the countries, and then +the rivers and the mountains took +shape. The big ship settled down +as gently as a snowflake, shuddered +a few times and was quiet.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The passengers hurriedly gathered +up their scattered belongings and +pushed toward the exit in a great +rush to be out and back on Earth.</p> + +<p>The fugitive was the last to leave. +He stayed well away from the others, +being fearful that, if he should +touch or brush up against someone, +his identity might be recognized.</p> + +<p>When he saw the ramp running +from the ship to the ground, he was +dismayed. It seemed a flimsy structure, +supported only by tubular steel. +Five people were walking down it, +and he made a mental calculation +of their weight—about eight hundred +pounds he thought. He weighed +five times that. The ramp was obviously +never built to support such +a load.</p> + +<p>He hesitated, and then he realized +that he had caught the eye of the +stewardess waiting on the ground. +A little panicky, he stepped out with +one foot and he was horrified to +feel the steel buckle. He drew back +hastily and threw a quick glance +at the stewardess. Fortunately at the +moment she was looking down one +field and waving at someone.</p> + +<p>The ramp floor was supported by +steel tubes at its edges and in its +exact center. He tentatively put one +foot in the middle over the support +and gradually shifted his weight to +it. The metal complained creakily, +but held, and he slowly trod the +exact center line to Earth. The stewardess' +back was turned toward him +as he walked off across the field +toward the customhouse.</p> + +<p>He found it comforting to have +under his feet what felt like at least +one yard of cement. He could step +briskly and not be fearful of betraying +himself.</p> + +<p>There was one further danger: +the customs inspector.</p> + +<p>He took his place at the end of +the line and waited patiently until +it led him up to a desk at which a +uniformed man sat, busily checking +and stamping declarations and traveling +papers. The official, however, +did not even look up when he +handed him his passport and identification.</p> + +<p>"Human. You don't have to go +through immigration," the agent +said. "Do you have anything to declare?"</p> + +<p>"N-no," the traveler said. "I d-didn't +bring anything in."</p> + +<p>"Sign the affidavit," the agent +said and pushed a sheet of paper toward +him.</p> + +<p>The traveler picked up a pen +from the desk and signed "Jon Hall" +in a clear, perfect script.</p> + +<p>The agent gave it a passing glance +and tossed it into a wire basket.</p> + +<p>Then he pushed his uniform cap +back exposing a bald head. "You're +my last customer for a while, until +the rocket from Sirius comes in. +Guess I might as well relax for a +minute." He reached into a drawer +of the desk and pulled out a package +of cigarettes, of which he lit one.</p> + +<p>"You been in the war, too?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>Hall nodded. He did not want to +talk any more than he had to.</p> + +<p>The agent studied his face.</p> + +<p>"That's funny," he said after a +minute. "I never would have picked +you for one of these so-called adventurers. +You're too quiet and peaceful +looking. I would have put you +down as a doctor or maybe a writer."</p> + +<p>"N-no," Hall said. "I w-was in +the war."</p> + +<p>"Well, that shows you can't tell +by looking at a fellow," the agent +said philosophically. He handed Hall +his papers. "There you are. The left +door leads out to the copter field. +Good luck on Earth!"</p> + +<p>Hall pocketed the stamped documents. +"Thanks," he said. "I'm glad +to be here."</p> + +<p>He walked down the wide station +room to a far exit and pushed the +door open. A few steps farther and +he was standing on a cement path +dug into a hillside.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Across the valley, bright in the +noon sun lay the pine covered slopes +of the Argus mountains, and at his +feet the green Mojave flowering with +orchards stretched far to the north +and south. Between the trees, in the +center of the valley, the Sacramento +River rolled southward in a man-made +bed of concrete and steel giving +water and life to what had a +century before been dry dead earth.</p> + +<p>There was a small outcropping +of limestone near the cement walk, +and he stepped over to it and sat +down. He would have been happy +to rest and enjoy for a few moments +his escape and his triumph, +but he had to let the others know +so that they might have hope.</p> + +<p>He closed his eyes and groped +across the stars toward Grismet. +Almost immediately he felt an impatient +tug at his mind, strong because +there were many clamoring at once +to be heard. He counted them. There +were seventeen. So one more had +been captured since he had left +Grismet.</p> + +<p>"Be quiet," the told them. "I'll +let you see, after a while. First I +have to reach the two of us that are +still free."</p> + +<p>Obediently, the seventeen were +still, and he groped some more and +found another of his kind deep in +an ice cave in the polar regions of +Grismet.</p> + +<p>"How goes it?" he asked.</p> + +<p>The figure on Grismet lay stretched +out at full length on the blue ice, +his eyes closed. He answered without +moving: "They discovered my +radiation about an hour ago. Pretty +soon, they'll start blasting through +the ice."</p> + +<p>The one on Earth felt the chill +despair of his comrade and let go. +He groped about again until he +found the last one, the only other +one left. He was squatting in the +cellar of a warehouse in the main +city of Grismet.</p> + +<p>"Have they picked up your trail +yet?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"No," answered the one in the +cellar. "They won't for a while. I've +scattered depots of radiation all +through the town. They'll be some +time tracking them all down, before +they can get to me."</p> + +<p>In a flash of his mind, Hall revealed +his escape and the one on +Grismet nodded and said: "Be careful. +Be very careful. You are our +only hope."</p> + +<p>Hall returned then to the seventeen, +and he said with his thoughts: +"All right, now you can look." Immobile +in their darkness, they +snatched at his mind, and as he +opened his eyes, they, too, saw the +splendors of the mountains and the +valley, the blue sky, and the gold +sun high overhead.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The new man was young, only +twenty-six. He was lean and dark +and very enthusiastic about his work. +He sat straight in his chair waiting +attentively while his superior across +the desk leafed through a folder.</p> + +<p>"Jordan. Tom Jordan," the older +man finally said. "A nice old Earth +name. I suppose your folks came +from there."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," the new man said +briskly.</p> + +<p>The chief closed the folder.</p> + +<p>"Well," he said, "your first job +is a pretty important one."</p> + +<p>"I realize that, sir," Jordan said. +"I know it's a great responsibility +for a man just starting with the +Commission, but I'll give it every +thing I have."</p> + +<p>The chief leaned back in his seat +and scratched his chin thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>"Normally we start a beginner +like you working in a pair with an +older man. But we just haven't got +enough men to go around. There +are eight thousand planets there"—he +pointed with his thumb over his +shoulder to a wall-sized map of the +galaxy—"and we've got to cover +every one. It seems reasonable that +if he escaped this planet, he'll go to +another that will by its atmosphere +or its temperature give him some +natural advantage over us—some +place that is either burning hot or +at absolute zero, or perhaps with a +chlorine or sulfur dioxide atmosphere. +That's why"—he hesitated a +minute, but continued because he +was a truthful man—"I picked you +for Earth. It's the most populated +of all the planets and it seems the +least likely one that he would +choose."</p> + +<p>Jordan's face dropped a little bit +when he heard the last piece of +information, but he said: "I understand, +sir, and if he's there, I'll bring +him back."</p> + +<p>The chief slouched farther back +in his seat. He picked up a shard of +rubidium that served as a paper +weight and toyed with it.</p> + +<p>"I guess you know most of the +facts. They are made out of permallium. +Have you ever seen any of the +stuff?"</p> + +<p>The new man shook his head. "I +read about it though—some new +alloy, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Plenty new. It's the hardest stuff +anybody has ever made. If you set +off one hundred successive atom +blasts over a lump of permallium, +you might crystallize and scale maybe +a micron off the surface. It will +stand any temperature or pressure +we can produce. That just means +there's no way to destroy it."</p> + +<p>Jordan nodded. He felt a little +honored that the chief was giving +him this explanation in person +rather than just turning him over +to one of the scientific personnel for +a briefing. He did not understand +that the old man was troubled and +was talking the situation through as +much for his own sake as for anyone +else's.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"That's the problem," the chief +continued. "Essentially an indestructible +machine with a built-in source +of power that one can't reach. It had +to be built that way—a war instrument, +you know."</p> + +<p>He stopped and looked squarely +at the bright young man sitting +across the desk. "This lousy war. +You'd think the human race would +grow up some time, wouldn't you?" +He filled a pipe with imported Earth +tobacco and lit it, and took a few +deep puffs. "There's something else. +I don't know how they do it, but +they can communicate with one another +over long distances. That made +them very useful for military purposes.</p> + +<p>"They are loyal to one another, +too. They try to protect each other +and keep one another from being +captured. Do you find that surprising?"</p> + +<p>The question caught Jordan unprepared. +"Well, yes. It is, kind +of—" he said. "They are only machines."</p> + +<p>The chief closed his eyes for a +moment. He seemed tired.</p> + +<p>"Yes," he repeated, "they are only +machines. Anyway, we don't know +everything about them, even yet. +There are still a few secret angles, +I think. The men who could tell us +are either dead or in hiding.</p> + +<p>"There's one fact though that +gives us a great advantage. Their +brain"—he stopped on the word and +considered it—"I mean their thinking +apparatus gives off a very penetrating +short-wave length radiation +which you can pick up on your +meters anywhere in a radius of two +thousand miles, and you can locate +the source accurately if you get +within fifty miles.</p> + +<p>"The only real problem you'll +have in finding them is the confusion +created by illegal atomic piles. +You'd be surprised how many of +them we have turned up recently. +They are owned by private parties +and are run illegally to keep from +paying the tax on sources of power. +You have to track those down, but +once you get them labeled it will be +clear sailing."</p> + +<p>He stopped to take a few puffs +on his pipe.</p> + +<p>"Don't try to be a hero," he said +after a few moments. "Don't get +close to the thing you are hunting. +None of them yet has injured any +of us, but if one should want to, he +could crush you to death with two +fingers. Use the permallium nets and +net bombs if you locate him."</p> + +<p>He tamped his pipe out. "Well, +that's it," he said.</p> + +<p>The new man arose. "I want you +to know that I appreciate the trust +you have put in me."</p> + +<p>"Sure, sure," the chief said, but +it was not unfriendly. "Do you like +the job?"</p> + +<p>"It is a great opportunity," Jordan +said, and he meant it.</p> + +<p>"What do you think about what +we do to them after we capture +them?"</p> + +<p>The new man shrugged. "I suppose +it's the only thing to do. It's not +as though they were human."</p> + +<p>"Yeah," the chief said. "I guess +so. Anyway, good luck."</p> + +<p>Jordan arose and shook the chief's +hand. However, just as he was stepping +through the door, his superior +asked him another question. "Did +you know that one of them stutters?"</p> + +<p>He turned back, puzzled. "Stutters? +Why should he stutter? How +could that be?"</p> + +<p>The chief shook his head and +started cleaning out his pipe.</p> + +<p>"I don't know for sure. You'd +better get started." He sat back in +his seat and watched the back of +the new man as he disappeared +through the doorway.</p> + +<p>That young fellow has a lot to +learn, he thought to himself. But +even so, maybe he's better off than +I am. Maybe I've had too much experience. +Maybe too much experience +puts you back where you started +from. You've done the wrong thing +so many times and profited so many +times from your mistakes that you +see errors and tragedies in everything.</p> + +<p>He was depressed, and he did +something that usually made him +feel better again. He reached under +the edge of his desk and pulled a +little switch that made the galactic +map on the wall light up in three-dimensional +depth, then he swung +around in his chair so he could see +it. Eight thousand planets that his +race had conquered, eight thousand +planets hundreds of light-years apart. +Looking at the map gave him a sense +of accomplishment and pride in +humanity which even a stupid war +and its aftermath could not completely +destroy.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Jon Hall, the fugitive, walked +along the highway leading south +from the rocket port. There was very +little traffic, only an occasional delivery +truck carrying meat or groceries. +The real highway was half a +mile overhead where the copters +shuttled back and forth up and +down the state in neat orderly layers.</p> + +<p>The seventeen were inside his +head, looking through his eyes, and +feasting on the blueness of the sky, +and the rich green vegetation that +covered the fertile fields. From time +to time they talked to him, giving +advice, asking questions, or making +comments, but mostly they looked, +each knowing that the hours of their +sight might be very few.</p> + +<p>After walking a while, Hall became +aware of someone's footsteps +behind him. He stopped suddenly +in apprehension and swung around. +A dozen or so paces away was a red-headed +boy of about ten or eleven, +dressed in plastic overalls, and carrying +a basket of ripe raspberries. The +stains about his mouth showed that +not all the raspberries were carried +in the basket.</p> + +<p>Hall's anxiety faded, and he was +glad to see the child. He had hoped +to meet someone who was not so old +that they would become suspicious, +but old enough that they might give +him directions.</p> + +<p>He waited for the lad to catch +up.</p> + +<p>"Hello," the boy said. "I've been +walking behind you most of a mile, +but I guess you didn't hear me."</p> + +<p>"It looks as though you've been +p-p-picking raspberries," Hall said.</p> + +<p>"Yup. My dad owns a patch by +the river. Want some?" He proffered +the basket.</p> + +<p>"No, thank you," Hall answered. +He resumed his walk up the highway +with the boy at his side.</p> + +<p>"D-do you live around here," he +asked.</p> + +<p>"Just up the road a ways." The +lad studied his companion for a +minute. "You stutter, don't you?"</p> + +<p>"A little."</p> + +<p>"There was a boy in my class who +used to stutter. The teacher said it +was because he thought so far ahead +of what he said he got all tangled +up." The boy reached in his basket +for a handful of berries and chewed +them thoughtfully. "She was always +after him to talk slower, but I guess +it didn't do any good. He still stutters."</p> + +<p>"Is there a p-power plant around +here?" Hall asked. "You know, +where the electricity comes from."</p> + +<p>"You mean the place where they +have the nu-nuclear fission"—the +boy stumbled on the unfamiliar +word, but got it out—"and they +don't let you in because you get +poisoned or something?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I think that's it."</p> + +<p>"There are two places. There's +one over at Red Mountain and another +over at Ballarat."</p> + +<p>"Where are they?"</p> + +<p>"Well—" The boy stopped to +think. "Red Mountain's straight +ahead, maybe ten miles, and Ballarat's +over there"—he pointed west +across the orange groves—"maybe +fifteen miles."</p> + +<p>"Good," Hall said. "Good." And +he felt glad inside of himself. Maybe +it could be done, he thought.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>They walked along together. Hall +sometimes listening to the chattering +of the boy beside him, sometimes +listening to and answering the distant +voices of the seventeen. Abruptly, +a few hundred yards before the +house that the boy had pointed out +as his father's, a small sports car +whipped down the highway, coming +on them almost without warning. +The lad jumped sideways, and Hall, +to avoid touching him, stepped off +the concrete road. His leg sank into +the earth up to the mid-calf. He +pulled it out as quickly as he could.</p> + +<p>The boy was looking at the fast +retreating rear of the sports car.</p> + +<p>"Gee," he said. "I sure didn't see +them coming." Then he caught sight +of the deep hole alongside the road, +and he stared at it. "Gosh, you sure +made a footprint there," he said +wonderingly.</p> + +<p>"The ground was soft," Hall +said. "C-come along."</p> + +<p>But instead of following, the boy +walked over to the edge of the road +and stared into the hole. He tentatively +stamped on the earth around +it. "This ground isn't soft," he said. +"It's hard as a rock." He turned and +looked at Hall with big eyes.</p> + +<p>Hall came close to the boy and +took hold of his jacket. "D-don't +pay any attention to it, son. I just +stepped into a soft spot."</p> + +<p>The boy tried to pull away. "I +know who you are," he said. "I +heard about you on the teledepth."</p> + +<p>Suddenly, in the way of children, +panic engulfed him and he flung +his basket away and threw himself +back and forth, trying to tear free. +"Let me go," he screamed. "Let me +go. Let me go."</p> + +<p>"Just l-listen to me, son," Hall +pleaded. "Just listen to me. I won't +hurt you."</p> + +<p>But the boy was beyond reasoning. +Terror stricken, he screamed at +the top of his voice, using all his +little strength to escape.</p> + +<p>"If you p-promise to l-listen to +me, I'll let you go," Hall said.</p> + +<p>"I promise," the boy sobbed, still +struggling.</p> + +<p>But the moment Hall let go of +his coat, he tore away and ran as +fast as he could over the adjacent +field.</p> + +<p>"W-wait—don't run away," Hall +shouted. "I won't hurt you. Stay +where you are. I couldn't follow you +anyway. I'd sink to my hips."</p> + +<p>The logic of the last sentence +appealed to the frightened lad. He +hesitated and then stopped and +turned around, a hundred feet or so +from the highway.</p> + +<p>"L-listen," said Hall earnestly. +"The teledepths are wr-wrong. They +d-didn't tell you the t-truth about +us. I d-don't want to hurt anyone. +All I n-need is a few hours. D-don't +tell anyone for j-just a few hours and +it'll be all right." He paused because +he didn't know what to say next.</p> + +<p>The boy, now that he seemed +secure from danger had recovered +his wits. He plucked a blade of grass +from the ground and chewed on an +end of it, looking for all the world +like a grownup farmer thoughtfully +considering his fields. "Well, I guess +you could have hurt me plenty, but +you didn't," he said. "That's something."</p> + +<p>"Just a few hours," Hall said. "It +won't take long. Y-you can tell your +father tonight."</p> + +<p>The boy suddenly remembered his +raspberries when he saw his basket +and its spilled contents on the highway.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you go along a bit," +he said. "I would like to pick up +those berries I dropped."</p> + +<p>"Remember," Hall said, "just a +few hours." He turned and started +walking again toward Red Mountain. +Inside his mind, the seventeen asked +anxiously, "Do you think he'll give +the alarm? Will he report your presence?"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> +<img src="images/002.png" width="700" height="446" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>Back on the highway, the boy was +gathering the berries back into his +basket while he tried to make his +mind up.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Jordan reached Earth atmosphere +about two o'clock in the afternoon. +He immediately reported in to the +Terrestrial police force, and via the +teledepth screen spoke with a bored +lieutenant. The lieutenant, after +listening to Jordan's account of his +mission, assured him without any +particular enthusiasm of the willingness +of the Terrestrial forces to coöperate, +and of more value, gave him +the location of all licensed sources +of radiation in the western hemisphere.</p> + +<p>The galactic agent set eagerly to +work, and in the next several hours +uncovered two unlisted radiation +sources, both of which he promptly +investigated. In one case, north of +Eugene, he found in the backyard of +a metal die company a small atomic +pile. The owner was using it as an +illegal generator of electricity, and +when he saw Jordan snooping about +with his detection instruments, he +immediately offered the agent a +sizable bribe. It was a grave mistake +since Jordan filed charges against +him, via teledepth, not only for +evading taxes, but also for attempted +bribery.</p> + +<p>The second strike seemed more +hopeful. He picked up strong radiation +in a rather barren area of +Montana; however when he landed, +he found that it was arising from the +earth itself. From a short conversation +with the local authorities, he +learned that the phenomenon was +well known: an atomic fission plant +had been destroyed at that site during +the Third World War.</p> + +<p>He was flying over the lovely blue +water of Lake Bonneville, when his +teledepth screen flickered. He flipped +the switch on and the lieutenant's +picture flooded in.</p> + +<p>"I have a call I think you ought +to take," the Earth official said. "It +seems as though it might be in your +line. It's from a sheriff in a small +town in California. I'll have the +operator plug him in."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Abruptly the picture switched to +that of a stout red-faced man wearing +the brown uniform of a county +peace officer.</p> + +<p>"You're the galactic man?" the +sheriff asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes. My name is Tom Jordan," +Jordan said.</p> + +<p>"Mine's Berkhammer." It must +have been warm in California because +the sheriff pulled out a large +handkerchief and mopped his brow. +When he was done with that he blew +his nose loudly. "Hay fever," he +announced.</p> + +<p>"Want to see my credentials?"</p> + +<p>"Oh sure, sure," the sheriff hastily +replied. He scrutinized the card and +badge that Jordan displayed. After +a moment, he said, "I don't know +why I'm looking at those. They +might be fakes for all I know. Never +saw them before and I'll probably +never see them again."</p> + +<p>"They're genuine."</p> + +<p>"The deuce with formality," the +sheriff said heavily. "There's some +kid around here who thinks he saw +that ... that machine you're supposed +to be looking for."</p> + +<p>"When was that?" Jordan asked.</p> + +<p>"About four hours ago. Here, I'll +let you talk to him yourself." He +pulled his big bulk to one side, and +a boy and his father walked into the +picture. The boy was red-eyed, as +though he had been crying. The +father was a tall, stoop-shouldered +farmer, dressed like his son in +plastic overalls.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The sheriff patted the boy on the +back. "Come on, Jimmy. Tell the +man what you saw."</p> + +<p>"I saw him," the boy said sullenly. +"I walked up the highway with +him."</p> + +<p>Jordan leaned forward toward the +screen.</p> + +<p>"How did you know who he +was?"</p> + +<p>"I knew because when he stepped +on the ground, he sank into it up +to his knee. He tried to say the +ground was soft, but it was hard. I +know it was hard."</p> + +<p>"Why did you wait so long to +tell anybody?" Jordan asked softly.</p> + +<p>The boy looked at him with defiance +and dislike in his eyes and kept +his small mouth clamped shut.</p> + +<p>His father nudged him roughly +in the ribs.</p> + +<p>"Answer the man," he commanded.</p> + +<p>Jimmy looked down at his shoes.</p> + +<p>"Because he asked me not to tell +for a while," he said curtly.</p> + +<p>"Stubborn as nails," the father +said not without pride in his voice. +"Got more loyalty to a lousy machine +than to the whole human race."</p> + +<p>"Which way did he go, Jimmy?"</p> + +<p>"Toward Red Mountain. I think +maybe to the power house. He asked +me where it was."</p> + +<p>"What do you think he wants +with that?" the sheriff asked of +Jordan.</p> + +<p>Jordan shrugged and shook his +head.</p> + +<p>"Maybe it's all in the kid's head," +the sheriff suggested. "These wild +teledepth programs they look at give +them all kinds of ideas."</p> + +<p>"It isn't in my head," Jimmy said +violently. "I saw him. He stepped +on the ground and stuck his foot +into it. I talked to him. And I know +something else. He stutters."</p> + +<p>"What?" said the sheriff. "Now +I know you're lying."</p> + +<p>The father started dragging the +boy by the arm. "Come on home, +Jimmy. You got one more licking +coming."</p> + +<p>Jordan, however, was sure the boy +was not lying. "Leave him alone," +he said. "He's right. He did see +him." He took a fast look at the +timepiece on his panel board. "I'll +be down in an hour and a half. +Wait for me."</p> + +<p>He flicked the switch off, and +kicked up the motors. The ship shot +southward almost as rapidly as a +projectile.</p> + +<p>He had topped the Sierras and had +just turned into the great central +valley of California when, with the +impact of a blow, a frightening +thought occurred to him.</p> + +<p>He flicked the screen on again, +and he caught the sheriff sitting +behind his desk industriously scratching +himself in one armpit.</p> + +<p>"Listen," Jordan said, speaking +very fast. "You've got to send out +a national alarm. You must get every +man you can down to the power +plant. You've got to stop him from +getting in."</p> + +<p>The sheriff stopped scratching +himself and stared at Jordan.</p> + +<p>"What are you so het up about, +young man?"</p> + +<p>"Do it, and do it now," Jordan +almost shouted. "He'll tear the pile +apart and let the hafnium go off. +It'll blow half the state off the +planet."</p> + +<p>The sheriff was unperturbed. "Mr. +Star boy," he said sarcastically, "any +grammar school kid knows that if +someone came within a hundred +yards of one of those power-house +piles, he'd burn like a match stick. +And besides why would he want to +blow himself to pieces?"</p> + +<p>"He's made out of permallium." +Jordan was shouting now.</p> + +<p>The sheriff suddenly grew pale. +"Get off my screen. I'm calling +Sacramento."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Jordan set the ship for maximum +speed, well beyond the safety limit. +He kept peering ahead into the +dusk, momentarily fearful that the +whole countryside would light up in +one brilliant flash. In a few minutes +he was sweating and trembling with +the tension.</p> + +<p>Over Walnut Grove, he recognized +the series of dams, reservoirs +and water-lifts where the Sacramento +was raised up out of its bed and +turned south. For greater speed, he +came close to Earth, flying at emergency +height, reserved ordinarily for +police, firemen, doctors and ambulances. +He set his course by sight +following the silver road of the river, +losing it for ten or fifteen miles at +a time where it passed through subterranean +tunnels, picking it up again +at the surface, always shooting south +as fast as the atmosphere permitted.</p> + +<p>At seven thirty, when the sun had +finally set, he sighted the lights of +Red Mountain, and he cut his speed +and swung in to land. There was no +trouble picking out the power plant; +it was a big dome-shaped building +surrounded by a high wall. It was +so brilliantly lit up, that it stood out +like a beacon, and there were several +hundred men milling about before +it.</p> + +<p>He settled down on the lawn inside +the walls, and the sheriff came +bustling up, a little more red in the +face than usual.</p> + +<p>"I've been trying to figure for the +last hour what the devil I would do +to stop him if he decided to come +here," Berkhammer said.</p> + +<p>"He's not here then?"</p> + +<p>The sheriff shook his head. "Not +a sign of him. We've gone over the +place three times."</p> + +<p>Jordan settled back in relief, sitting +down in the open doorway of +his ship. "Good," he said wearily.</p> + +<p>"Good!" the sheriff exploded. "I +don't know whether I'd rather have +him show up or not. If this whole +business is nothing more than the +crazy imagination of some kid who +ought to get tanned and a star-cop +with milk behind his ears, I'm really +in the soup. I've sent out an alarm +and I've got the whole state jumping. +There's a full mechanized battalion +of state troops waiting in +there." He pointed toward the power +plant. "They've got artillery and +tanks all around the place."</p> + +<p>Jordan jumped down out of the +ship. "Let's see what you've got set +up here. In the meantime, stop fretting. +I'd rather see you fired than +vaporized along with fifty million +other people."</p> + +<p>"I guess you're right there," Berkhammer +conceded, "but I don't like +to have anyone make a fool out of +me."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>At Ballarat, an old man, Eddie +Yudovich, was the watchman and +general caretaker of the electrical +generation plant. Actually, his job +was a completely unnecessary one, +since the plant ran itself. In its very +center, buried in a mine of graphite +were the tubes of hafnium, from +whose nuclear explosions flowed a +river of electricity without the need +of human thought or direction.</p> + +<p>He had worked for the company +for a long time and when he became +crippled with arthritis, the directors +gave him the job so that he +might have security in his latter +years.</p> + +<p>Yudovich, however, was a proud +old man, and he never once acknowledged +to himself or to anyone else +that his work was useless. He guarded +and checked the plant as though +it were the storehouse of the Terrestrial +Treasury. Every hour punctually, +he made his rounds through the +building.</p> + +<p>At approximately seven thirty he +was making his usual circuit when +he came to the second level. What +he discovered justified all the years +of punctilious discharge of his duties. +He was startled to see a man kneeling +on the floor, just above where +the main power lines ran. He had +torn a hole in the composition floor, +and as Yudovich watched, he reached +in and pulled out the great cable. +Immediately the intruder glowed in +the semidarkness with an unearthly +blue shine and sparkles crackled off +of his face, hands and feet.</p> + +<p>Yudovich stood rooted to the +floor. He knew very well that no man +could touch that cable and live. But +as he watched, the intruder handled +it with impunity, pulling a length +of wire out of his pocket and making +some sort of a connection.</p> + +<p>It was too much for the old man. +Electricity was obviously being +stolen. He roared out at the top of +his voice, and stumped over to the +wall where he threw the alarm +switch. Immediately, a hundred arc +lights flashed on, lighting the level +brighter than the noon sun, and a +tremendously loud siren started wailing +its warning to the whole countryside.</p> + +<p>The intruder jumped up as though +he had been stabbed. He dropped +the wires, and after a wild look +around him, he ran at full speed toward +the far exit.</p> + +<p>"Hold on there," Yudovich shouted +and tried to give chase, but his +swollen, crooked knees almost collapsed +with the effort.</p> + +<p>His eyes fell on a large wrench +lying on a worktable, and he snatched +it up and threw it with all his +strength. In his youth he had been +a ball player with some local fame +as a pitcher, and in his later life, he +was addicted to playing horseshoes. +His aim was, therefore, good, and +the wrench sailed through the air +striking the runner on the back of +the head. Sparks flew and there was +a loud metallic clang, the wrench +rebounding high in the air. The man +who was struck did not even turn +his head, but continued his panicky +flight and was gone in a second.</p> + +<p>When he realized there was no +hope of effecting a capture, Yudovich +stumped over to see the amount +of the damage. A hole had been torn +in the floor, but the cable itself was +intact.</p> + +<p>Something strange caught his attention. +Wherever the intruder had +put his foot down, there were many +radiating cracks in the composition +floor, just as though someone had +struck a sheet of ice with a sledge +hammer.</p> + +<p>"I'll be danged," he said to himself. +"I'll be danged and double +danged."</p> + +<p>He turned off the alarm and then +went downstairs to the teledepth +screen to notify the sheriff's office.</p> + +<p>A few hundred yards from the +powerhouse, Jon Hall stood in the +darkness, listening to the voices of +his fellows. There were eighteen of +them, not seventeen, for a short +while before the one in the ice cave +had been captured, and they railed +at him with a bitter hopeless anger.</p> + +<p>He looked toward the bright lights +of the powerhouse, considering +whether he should return. "It's too +late," said one of them. "The alarm +is already out." "Go into the town +and mix with the people," another +suggested. "If you stay within a +half mile of the hafnium pile, the +detection man will not be able to +pick up your radiation and maybe +you will have a second chance."</p> + +<p>They all assented in that, and +Hall, weary of making his own decisions +turned toward the town. He +walked through a tree-lined residential +street, the houses with neatly +trimmed lawns, and each with a +copter parked on the roof. In almost +every house the teledepths were turned +on and he caught snatches of +bulletins about himself: "... Is +known to be in the Mojave area." +"... About six feet in height and +very similar to a human being. When +last seen, he was dressed in—" +"Governor Leibowitz has promised +speedy action and attorney general +Markle has stated—"</p> + +<p>The main street of Ballarat was +brilliantly lighted. Many of the residents, +aroused by the alarm from the +powerhouse, were out, standing in +small groups in front of the stores +and talking excitedly to one another.</p> + +<p>He hesitated, unwilling to walk +through the bright street, but uncertain +where to turn. Two men +talking loudly came around the corner +suddenly and he stepped back +into a store entrance to avoid them. +They stopped directly in front of +him. One of them, an overalled farm +hand from his looks, said, "He killed +a kid just a little while ago. My +brother-in-law heard it."</p> + +<p>"Murderer," the other said viciously.</p> + +<p>The farmer turned his head and +his glance fell on Hall. "Well, a +new face in town," he said after a +moment's inspection. "Say I bet +you're a reporter from one of the +papers, aren't you?"</p> + +<p>Hall came out of the entrance and +tried to walk around the two men, +but the farmer caught him by the +sleeve.</p> + +<p>"A reporter, huh? Well, I got +some news for you. That thing from +Grismet just killed a kid."</p> + +<p>Hall could restrain himself no +longer.</p> + +<p>"That's a lie," he said coldly.</p> + +<p>The farmer looked him up and +down.</p> + +<p>"What do you know about it," he +demanded. "My brother-in-law got +it from somebody in the state guard."</p> + +<p>"It's still a lie."</p> + +<p>"Just because it's not on the teledepth, +you say it's a lie," the farmer +said belligerently. "Not everything +is told on the teledepth, Mr. Wiseheimer. +They're keeping it a secret. +They don't want to scare the people."</p> + +<p>Hall started to walk away, but the +farmer blocked his path.</p> + +<p>"Who are you anyway? Where +do you live? I never saw you before," +he said suspiciously.</p> + +<p>"Aw, Randy," his companion said, +"don't go suspecting everybody."</p> + +<p>"I don't like anyone to call me +a liar."</p> + +<p>Hall stepped around the man in +his path, and turned down the street. +He was boiling inside with an almost +uncontrollable fury.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>A few feet away, catastrophe suddenly +broke loose. A faulty section +of the sidewalk split without warning +under his feet and he went pitching +forward into the street. He +clutched desperately at the trunk of +a tall palm tree, but with a loud +snap, it broke, throwing him head +on into a parked road car. The entire +front end of the car collapsed like +an egg shell under his weight.</p> + +<p>For a long moment, the entire +street was dead quiet. With difficulty, +Hall pulled himself to his feet. Pale, +astonished faces were staring at him +from all sides.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the farmer started +screaming. "That's him. I knew it. +That's him." He was jumping up +and down with excitement.</p> + +<p>Hall turned his back and walked +in the other direction. The people +in front of him faded away, leaving +a clear path.</p> + +<p>He had gone a dozen steps when +a man with a huge double-barreled +shotgun popped out from a store +front just ahead. He aimed for the +middle of Hall's chest and fired both +barrels.</p> + +<p>The blast and the shot struck Hall +squarely, burning a large hole in his +shirt front. He did not change his +pace, but continued step by step.</p> + +<p>The man with the gun snatched +two shells out of his pocket and +frantically tried to reload. Hall +reached out and closed his hand +over the barrel of the gun and the +blue steel crumpled like wet paper.</p> + +<p>From across the street, someone +was shooting at him with a rifle. +Several times a bullet smacked warmly +against his head or his back.</p> + +<p>He continued walking slowly up +the street. At its far end several men +appeared dragging a small howitzer—probably +the only piece in the +local armory. They scurried around +it, trying to get it aimed and loaded.</p> + +<p>"Fools. Stupid fools," Hall shouted +at them.</p> + +<p>The men could not seem to get +the muzzle of the gun down, and +when he was a dozen paces from it +they took to their heels. He tore the +heavy cannon off of its carriage and +with one blow of his fist caved it in. +He left it lying in the street broken +and useless.</p> + +<p>Almost as suddenly as it came, +his anger left him. He stopped and +looked back at the people cringing +in the doorways.</p> + +<p>"You poor, cruel fools," Hall +said again.</p> + +<p>He sat down in the middle of the +street on the twisted howitzer barrel +and buried his head in his hands. +There was nothing else for him to +do. He knew that in just a matter of +seconds, the ships with their permallium +nets and snares would be on +him.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Since Jordan's ship was not large +enough to transport Jon Hall's great +weight back to Grismet, the terrestrial +government put at the agent's +disposal a much heavier vessel, one +room of which had been hastily lined +with permallium and outfitted as a +prison cell. A pilot by the name of +Wilkins went with the ship. He was +a battered old veteran, given to +cigar smoking, clandestine drinking +and card playing.</p> + +<p>The vessel took off, rose straight +through the atmosphere for about +forty miles, and then hung, idly circling +Earth, awaiting clearance before +launching into the pulse drive. +A full course between Earth and +Grismet had to be plotted and cleared +by the technicians at the dispatch +center because the mass of the vessel +increased so greatly with its pulsating +speed that if any two ships passed +within a hundred thousand miles of +each other, they would at least be +torn from their course, and might +even be totally destroyed.</p> + +<p>Wilkins had proposed a pinochle +game, and he and Jordan sat playing +in the control room.</p> + +<p>The pilot had been winning and +he was elated. "Seventy-six dollars +so far," he announced after some +arithmetic. "The easiest day's pay +I made this month."</p> + +<p>Jordan shuffled the cards and +dealt them out, three at a time. He +was troubled by his own thoughts, +and so preoccupied that he scarcely +followed the game.</p> + +<p>"Spades, again," the pilot commented +gleefully. "Well, ain't that +too bad for you." He gave his cigar +a few chomps and played a card.</p> + +<p>Jordan had been looking out of +the window. The ship had tilted and +he could see without rising the rim +of Earth forming a beautiful geometric +arc, hazy and blue in its shimmering +atmosphere.</p> + +<p>"Come on, play," the pilot said, +impatiently. "I just led an ace."</p> + +<p>Jordan put down his cards. "I +guess I better quit," he said.</p> + +<p>"What the devil!" the pilot said +angrily. "You can't quit like that in +the middle of a deal. I got a flush +and aces."</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry," Jordan said, "but I'm +going to lie down in my cabin until +we are given clearance."</p> + +<p>He opened the door of the little +room and went into the hall. He +walked down past his own cabin and +stopped in front of another door, a +new one that was sheathed in permallium. +He hesitated a few moments; +then he snapped open the +outside latch and walked in, letting +the door swing closed behind him.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Hall lay unmoving in the middle +of the floor, his legs and arms fastened +in greaves of permallium.</p> + +<p>Jordan was embarrassed. He did +not look directly at the robot.</p> + +<p>"I don't know whether you want +to talk to me or not," he started. +"If you don't want to, that's all +right. But, I've followed you since +you landed on Earth, and I don't +understand why you did what you +did. You don't have to tell me, but +I wish you would. It would make +me feel better."</p> + +<p>The robot shrugged—a very human +gesture, Jordan noted.</p> + +<p>"G-go ahead and ask me," he +said. "It d-doesn't make any difference +now."</p> + +<p>Jordan sat down on the floor. +"The boy was the one who gave you +away. If not for him, no one would +have ever known what planet you +were on. Why did you let the kid +get away?"</p> + +<p>The robot looked straight at the +agent. "Would you kill a child?" +he asked.</p> + +<p>"No, of course not," Jordan said +a little bit annoyed, "but I'm not +a robot either." He waited for a +further explanation, but when he +saw none was coming, he said: "I +don't know what you were trying +to do in that powerhouse at Ballarat, +but, whatever it was, that old man +couldn't have stopped you. What +happened?"</p> + +<p>"I l-lost my head," the robot said +quietly. "The alarm and the lights +rattled me, and I got into a p-panic."</p> + +<p>"I see," said Jordan, frustrated, +not really seeing at all. He sat back +and thought for a moment. "Let me +put it this way. Why do you stutter?"</p> + +<p>Hall smiled a wry smile. "Th-that +used to be a m-military secret," he +said. "It's our one weakness—the +one Achilles heel in a m-machine +that was meant to be invulnerable."</p> + +<p>He struggled to a sitting position. +"You see, we were m-made as s-soldiers +and had to have a certain loyalty +to the country that m-made us. +Only living things are loyal—machines +are not. We had to think like +human beings."</p> + +<p>Jordan's brows contracted as he +tried to understand the robot.</p> + +<p>"You mean you have a transplanted +human brain?" he asked incredulously.</p> + +<p>"In a way," Hall said. "Our +b-brains are permallium strips on +which the mind of some human +donor was m-magnetically imprinted. +My mind was copied f-from a man +who stuttered and who got panicky +when the going got rough, and who +couldn't kill a child no matter what +was at s-stake."</p> + +<p>Jordan felt physically ill. Hall was +human and he was immortal. And +according to galactic decree, he, like +his fellows, was to be manacled in +permallium and fixed in a great block +of cement, and that block was to be +dropped into the deep silent depths +of the Grismet ocean, to be slowly +covered by the blue sediment that +gradually filters down through the +miles of ocean water to stay immobile +and blind for countless millions +of years.</p> + +<p>Jordan arose to his feet. He could +think of nothing further to say.</p> + +<p>He stopped, however, with the +door half open, and asked: "One +more question—what did you want +with the electrical generator plants +on Earth?"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> +<img src="images/003.png" width="700" height="427" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>Slowly and without emotion Hall +told him, and when he understood, +he became even sicker.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>He went across to his cabin and +stood for a while looking out the +window. Then he lit a cigarette and +lay down on his bunk thinking. +After a time, he put out the cigarette +and walked into the hall where he +paced up and down.</p> + +<p>As he passed the cell door for +about the tenth time, he suddenly +swung around and lifted the latch +and entered. He went over to the +robot, and with a key that he took +from his pocket, he unlocked the +greaves and chains.</p> + +<p>"There's no point in keeping you +bound up like this," he said. "I +don't think you're very dangerous." +He put the key back in his pocket.</p> + +<p>"I suppose you know that this +ship runs on an atomic pile," he +said in a conversational tone of +voice. "The cables are just under the +floor in the control room and they +can be reached through a little trap +door."</p> + +<p>Jordan looked directly into Hall's +face. The robot was listening with +great intentness.</p> + +<p>"Well," the agent said, "we'll +probably be leaving Earth's atmosphere +in about fifteen minutes. I +think I'll go play pinochle with the +pilot."</p> + +<p>He carefully left the door of the +cell unlatched as he left. He walked +to the control room and found Wilkins, +a dry cigar butt clenched between +his teeth, absorbed in a magazine.</p> + +<p>"Let's have another game," Jordan +said. "I want some of that seventy-six +dollars back."</p> + +<p>Wilkins shook his head. "I'm in +the middle of a good story here. +Real sexy. I'll play you after we take +off."</p> + +<p>"Nothing doing," Jordan said +sharply. "Let's play right now."</p> + +<p>Wilkins kept reading. "We got an +eighteen-hour flight in front of us. +You have lots of time."</p> + +<p>The agent snatched the magazine +out of his hands. "We're going to +play right now in my cabin," he +said.</p> + +<p>"You quit when I have aces and a +flush, and now you come back and +want to play again. That's not sportsmanlike," +Wilkins complained, but +he allowed himself to be led back +to Jordan's cabin. "I never saw anybody +so upset about losing a miserable +seventy-six bucks," was his final +comment.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The robot lay perfectly still until +he heard the door to Jordan's cabin +slam shut, and then he arose as +quietly as he could and stole out into +the hall. The steel of the hall floor +groaned, but bore his weight, and +carefully, trembling with excitement +inside of his ponderous metallic +body, he made his way to the control +room. He knelt and lifted the little +trap door and found the naked +power cable, pulsating with electrical +current.</p> + +<p>In a locker under the panel board +he found a length of copper wire. +It was all he needed for the necessary +connection.</p> + +<p>Since his capture, his fellows on +Grismet had been silent with despair, +but as he knelt to close the circuit, +their minds flooded in on him and +he realized with a tremendous horror +that there were now nineteen, +that all except he had been bound +and fixed in their eternal cement +prisons.</p> + +<p>"We are going to have our +chance," he told them. "We won't +have much time, but we will have +our chance."</p> + +<p>He closed the circuit and a tremendous +tide of electric power flowed +into his head. Inside that two-inch +shell of permallium was a small +strip of metal tape on whose electrons +and atoms were written the +borrowed mind of a man. Connected +to the tape was a minute instrument +for receiving and sending electromagnetic +impulses—the chain by +which the mind of one robot was +tied to that of another.</p> + +<p>The current surged in and the +tiny impulses swelled in strength +and poured out through the hull of +the ship in a great cone that penetrated +Earth's atmosphere in a quadrant +that extended from Baffin land +to Omaha, and from Hawaii to +Labrador. The waves swept through +skin and bone and entered the sluggish +gelatinous brain of sentient +beings, setting up in those organs +the same thoughts and pictures that +played among the electrons of the +permallium strip that constituted Jon +Hall's mind.</p> + +<p>All nineteen clamored to be heard, +for Hall to relay their voices to +Earth, but he held them off and first +he told his story.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The Casseiopeian delegate to the +Galactic Senate was at the moment +finishing his breakfast. He was small +and furry, not unlike a very large +squirrel, and he sat perched on a +high chair eating salted roast almonds +of which he was very fond.</p> + +<p>Suddenly a voice started talking +inside of his head, just as it did at +that very second inside the heads of +thirteen billion other inhabitants of +the northwest corner of Earth. The +Casseiopeian delegate was so startled +that he dropped the dish of almonds, +his mouth popping open, his +tiny red tongue inside flickering +nervously. He listened spellbound.</p> + +<p>The voice told him of the war on +Grismet and of the permallium constructed +robots, and of the cement +blocks. This, however, he already +knew, because he had been one of +the delegates to the Peace Conference +who had decided to dispose of +the robots. The voice, however, also +told him things he did not know, +such as the inability of the robots +to commit any crime that any other +sane human being would not commit, +of their very simple desire to be +allowed to live in peace, and most +of all of their utter horror for the +fate a civilized galaxy had decreed +for them.</p> + +<p>When the voice stopped, the Casseiopeian +delegate was a greatly +shaken little being.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Back on the ship, Hall opened +the circuit to the nineteen, and they +spoke in words, in memory pictures +and in sensations.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>A copter cab driver was hurrying +with his fare from Manhattan to +Oyster Bay. Suddenly, in his mind, +he became a permallium robot. He +was bound with cables of the heavy +metal, and was suspended upside +down in a huge cement block. The +stone pressed firmly on his eyes, his +ears, and his chest. He was completely +immobile, and worst of all, he +knew that above his head for six +miles lay the great Grismet Ocean, +with the blue mud slowly settling +down encasing the cement in a stony +stratum that would last till the planet +broke apart.</p> + +<p>The cab driver gasped: "What the +hell." His throat was so dry he could +scarcely talk. He turned around to +his fare, and the passenger, a young +man, was pale and trembling.</p> + +<p>"You seeing things, too?" the +driver asked.</p> + +<p>"I sure am," the fare said unsteadily. +"What a thing to do."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>For fifteen minutes, over the +northwest quadrant of Earth, the +words and the pictures went out, +and thirteen billion people knew +suddenly what lay in the hearts and +minds of nineteen robots.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>A housewife in San Rafael was at +the moment in a butcher shop buying +meat for her family. As the +thoughts and images started pouring +into her mind, she remained stock-still, +her package of meat forgotten +on the counter. The butcher, wiping +his bloodied hands on his apron +froze in that position, an expression +of horror and incredulity on his +face.</p> + +<p>When the thoughts stopped coming +in, the butcher was the first to +come out of the trancelike state.</p> + +<p>"Boy," he said, "that's sure some +way of sending messages. Sure beats +the teledepths."</p> + +<p>The housewife snatched her meat +off the counter. "Is that all you +think of," she demanded angrily.</p> + +<p>"That's a terrible thing that those +barbarians on Grismet are doing to +those ... those people. Why didn't +they tell us that they were human." +She stalked out of the shop, not +certain what she would do, but determined +to do something.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>In the ship Hall reluctantly broke +off the connection and replaced the +trap door. Then he went back to his +cell and locked himself in. He had +accomplished his mission; its results +now lay in the opinions of men.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Jordan left the ship immediately +on landing, and took a copter over +to the agency building. His conversation +with his superior was something +he wanted to get over with as soon +as possible.</p> + +<p>The young woman at the secretary's +desk looked at him coldly and +led him directly into the inner office. +The chief was standing up in front +of the map of the galaxy, his hands +in his pockets, his eyes an icy blue.</p> + +<p>"I've been hearing about you," +he said without a greeting.</p> + +<p>Jordan sat down. He was tense +and jumpy but tried not to show it. +"I suppose you have," he said, adding, +after a moment, "Sir."</p> + +<p>"How did that robot manage to +break out of his cell and get to the +power source on the ship in the first +place?"</p> + +<p>"He didn't break out," Jordan +said slowly. "I let him out."</p> + +<p>"I see," the chief said, nodding. +"You let him out. I see. No doubt +you had your reasons."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I did. Look—" Jordan +wanted to explain, but he could not +find the words. It would have been +different if the robots' messages had +reached Grismet; he would not have +had to justify himself then. But they +had not, and he could not find a +way to tell this cold old man of what +he had learned about the robots and +their unity with men. "I did it because +it was the only decent thing +to do."</p> + +<p>"I see," the chief said. "You did +it because you have a heart." He +leaned suddenly forward, both hands +on his desk. "It's good for a man to +have a heart and be compassionate. +He's not worth anything if he isn't. +But"—and he shook his finger at +Jordan as he spoke—"that man is +going to be compassionate at his own +expense, not at the expense of the +agency. Do you understand that?"</p> + +<p>"I certainly do," Jordan answered, +"but you have me wrong if you think +I'm here to make excuses or to +apologize. Now, if you will get on +with my firing, sir, I'll go home and +have my supper."</p> + +<p>The chief looked at him for a +long minute. "Don't you care about +your position in the agency?" he asked +quietly.</p> + +<p>"Sure I do," Jordan said almost +roughly. "It's the work I wanted to +do all my life. But, as you said, what +I did, I did at my own expense. +Look, sir, I don't like this any better +than you do. Why don't you fire me +and let me go home? Your prisoner's +safely locked up in the ship."</p> + +<p>For answer the chief tossed him a +stellogram. Jordan glanced at the +first few words and saw that it was +from Galactic Headquarters on +Earth. He put it back on the desk +without reading it through.</p> + +<p>"I know that I must have kicked +up a fuss. You don't have to spell +it out for me."</p> + +<p>"Read it," the chief said impatiently.</p> + +<p>Jordan took back the stellogram +and examined it. It read.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>To: Captain Lawrence Macrae +Detection Agency, Grismet.</p> + +<p>From: Prantal Aminopterin +Delegate from Casseiopeia +Chairman, Grismet Peace +Committee of the Galactic +Senate.</p> + +<p>Message: You are hereby notified +that the committee by a vote of +17-0 has decided to rescind its +order of January 18, 2214, directing +the disposal of the permallium +robots of Grismet. Instead, +the committee directs that +you remove from their confinement +all the robots and put them +in some safe place where they +will be afforded reasonable and +humane treatment.</p> + +<p>The committee will arrive in Grismet +some time during the next +month to decide on permanent +disposition.</p></div> + +<p>Jordan's heart swelled as he read +the gram. "It worked," he said. +"They have changed their minds. It +won't be so bad being discharged +now." He put the paper back on +the desk and arose to go.</p> + +<p>The chief smiled and it was like +sunlight suddenly flooding over an +arctic glacier. "Discharged? Now +who's discharging you? I'd sooner +do without my right arm."</p> + +<p>He reached in a desk drawer and +pulled out a bottle of old Earth +bourbon and two glasses. He carefully +poured out a shot into each glass, +and handed one to Jordan.</p> + +<p>"I like a man with a heart, and +if you get away with it, why then +you get away with it. And that's just +what you've done."</p> + +<p>He sat down and started sipping +his whisky. Jordan stood uncertainly +above him, his glass in his hand.</p> + +<p>"Sit down, son," the old man said. +"Sit down and tell me about your +adventures on Earth."</p> + +<p>Jordan sat down, put his feet on +the desk and took a sizable swallow +of his whisky.</p> + +<p>"Well, Larry," he started, "I got +into Earth atmosphere about 2:40 +o'clock—"</p> + + +<p class="theend">THE END</p> + + + + + +<div class="trans1"><p class="zerop"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b><br /> + +This etext was produced from <i>Astounding Science Fiction</i> April 1955. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright +on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors +have been corrected without note.</p></div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Stutterer, by R.R. 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Merliss + +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: The Stutterer + +Author: R.R. Merliss + +Illustrator: Riley + +Release Date: September 5, 2007 [EBook #22512] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STUTTERER *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +THE STUTTERER + +BY R. R. MERLISS + + + _A man can be killed by a toy gun--he can + die of fright, for heart attacks can kill. + What, then, is the deadly thing that must + be sealed away, forever locked in buried + concrete--a thing or an idea?_ + + +Illustrated by Riley + + +[Illustration] + +Out of the twenty only one managed to escape the planet. And he did it +very simply, merely by walking up to the crowded ticket window at one of +the rocket ports and buying passage to Earth. His Army identification +papers passed the harassed inspection of the agent, and he gratefully +and silently pocketed the small plastic stub that was handed him in +exchange for his money. + +He picked his way with infinite care through the hordes of ex-soldiers +clamoring for passage back to the multitudinous planets from which they +had come. Then he slowly climbed the heavy ramp into the waiting rocket. + +He saw with relief that the seats were strongly constructed, built to +survive the pressure of many gravities and he chose one as far removed +as possible from the other passengers. + +He was still very apprehensive, and, as he waited for the rocket to take +off, he tried hard to remember the principles of the pulse drive that +powered the ship, and whether his additional weight would upset its +efficiency enough to awaken suspicion. + +The seats filled quickly with excited hurrying passengers. Soon he heard +the great door clang shut, and saw the red light flicker on, warning of +the take-off. He felt a slow surge of pressure as the ship arose from +the ground, and his chair creaked ominously with the extra weight. He +became fearful that it might collapse, and he strained forward trying to +shift some of the pressure through his feet to the floor. He sat that +way, tense and immobile, for what seemed a long time until abruptly the +strain was relieved and he heard the rising and falling whine of the +rockets that told him the ship was in pulse drive, flickering back and +forth across the speed of light. + +He realized that the pilots had not discovered his extra weight, and +that the initial hazards were over. The important thing was to look like +a passenger, a returning soldier like the others, so that no one would +notice him and remember his presence. + +His fellow travelers were by this time chatting with one another, some +playing cards, and others watching the teledepth screens. These were the +adventurers who had flocked from all corners of the galaxy to fight in +the first national war in centuries. They were the uncivilized few who +had read about battle and armed struggle in their history books and +found the old stories exciting. + +They paid no attention to their silent companion who sat quietly looking +through the quartz windows at the diamond-bright stars, tacked against +the blackness of infinity. + +The fugitive scarcely moved the entire time of the passage. Finally when +Earth hung out in the sky like a blue balloon, the ship cut its +pulsations and swung around for a tail landing. + +The atmosphere screamed through the fins of the rocket, and the +continents and the countries, and then the rivers and the mountains took +shape. The big ship settled down as gently as a snowflake, shuddered a +few times and was quiet. + + * * * * * + +The passengers hurriedly gathered up their scattered belongings and +pushed toward the exit in a great rush to be out and back on Earth. + +The fugitive was the last to leave. He stayed well away from the others, +being fearful that, if he should touch or brush up against someone, his +identity might be recognized. + +When he saw the ramp running from the ship to the ground, he was +dismayed. It seemed a flimsy structure, supported only by tubular steel. +Five people were walking down it, and he made a mental calculation of +their weight--about eight hundred pounds he thought. He weighed five +times that. The ramp was obviously never built to support such a load. + +He hesitated, and then he realized that he had caught the eye of the +stewardess waiting on the ground. A little panicky, he stepped out with +one foot and he was horrified to feel the steel buckle. He drew back +hastily and threw a quick glance at the stewardess. Fortunately at the +moment she was looking down one field and waving at someone. + +The ramp floor was supported by steel tubes at its edges and in its +exact center. He tentatively put one foot in the middle over the support +and gradually shifted his weight to it. The metal complained creakily, +but held, and he slowly trod the exact center line to Earth. The +stewardess' back was turned toward him as he walked off across the field +toward the customhouse. + +He found it comforting to have under his feet what felt like at least +one yard of cement. He could step briskly and not be fearful of +betraying himself. + +There was one further danger: the customs inspector. + +He took his place at the end of the line and waited patiently until it +led him up to a desk at which a uniformed man sat, busily checking and +stamping declarations and traveling papers. The official, however, did +not even look up when he handed him his passport and identification. + +"Human. You don't have to go through immigration," the agent said. "Do +you have anything to declare?" + +"N-no," the traveler said. "I d-didn't bring anything in." + +"Sign the affidavit," the agent said and pushed a sheet of paper toward +him. + +The traveler picked up a pen from the desk and signed "Jon Hall" in a +clear, perfect script. + +The agent gave it a passing glance and tossed it into a wire basket. + +Then he pushed his uniform cap back exposing a bald head. "You're my +last customer for a while, until the rocket from Sirius comes in. Guess +I might as well relax for a minute." He reached into a drawer of the +desk and pulled out a package of cigarettes, of which he lit one. + +"You been in the war, too?" he asked. + +Hall nodded. He did not want to talk any more than he had to. + +The agent studied his face. + +"That's funny," he said after a minute. "I never would have picked you +for one of these so-called adventurers. You're too quiet and peaceful +looking. I would have put you down as a doctor or maybe a writer." + +"N-no," Hall said. "I w-was in the war." + +"Well, that shows you can't tell by looking at a fellow," the agent said +philosophically. He handed Hall his papers. "There you are. The left +door leads out to the copter field. Good luck on Earth!" + +Hall pocketed the stamped documents. "Thanks," he said. "I'm glad to be +here." + +He walked down the wide station room to a far exit and pushed the door +open. A few steps farther and he was standing on a cement path dug into +a hillside. + + * * * * * + +Across the valley, bright in the noon sun lay the pine covered slopes of +the Argus mountains, and at his feet the green Mojave flowering with +orchards stretched far to the north and south. Between the trees, in the +center of the valley, the Sacramento River rolled southward in a +man-made bed of concrete and steel giving water and life to what had a +century before been dry dead earth. + +There was a small outcropping of limestone near the cement walk, and he +stepped over to it and sat down. He would have been happy to rest and +enjoy for a few moments his escape and his triumph, but he had to let +the others know so that they might have hope. + +He closed his eyes and groped across the stars toward Grismet. Almost +immediately he felt an impatient tug at his mind, strong because there +were many clamoring at once to be heard. He counted them. There were +seventeen. So one more had been captured since he had left Grismet. + +"Be quiet," the told them. "I'll let you see, after a while. First I +have to reach the two of us that are still free." + +Obediently, the seventeen were still, and he groped some more and found +another of his kind deep in an ice cave in the polar regions of Grismet. + +"How goes it?" he asked. + +The figure on Grismet lay stretched out at full length on the blue ice, +his eyes closed. He answered without moving: "They discovered my +radiation about an hour ago. Pretty soon, they'll start blasting through +the ice." + +The one on Earth felt the chill despair of his comrade and let go. He +groped about again until he found the last one, the only other one left. +He was squatting in the cellar of a warehouse in the main city of +Grismet. + +"Have they picked up your trail yet?" he asked. + +"No," answered the one in the cellar. "They won't for a while. I've +scattered depots of radiation all through the town. They'll be some time +tracking them all down, before they can get to me." + +In a flash of his mind, Hall revealed his escape and the one on Grismet +nodded and said: "Be careful. Be very careful. You are our only hope." + +Hall returned then to the seventeen, and he said with his thoughts: "All +right, now you can look." Immobile in their darkness, they snatched at +his mind, and as he opened his eyes, they, too, saw the splendors of the +mountains and the valley, the blue sky, and the gold sun high overhead. + + * * * * * + +The new man was young, only twenty-six. He was lean and dark and very +enthusiastic about his work. He sat straight in his chair waiting +attentively while his superior across the desk leafed through a folder. + +"Jordan. Tom Jordan," the older man finally said. "A nice old Earth +name. I suppose your folks came from there." + +"Yes, sir," the new man said briskly. + +The chief closed the folder. + +"Well," he said, "your first job is a pretty important one." + +"I realize that, sir," Jordan said. "I know it's a great responsibility +for a man just starting with the Commission, but I'll give it every +thing I have." + +The chief leaned back in his seat and scratched his chin thoughtfully. + +"Normally we start a beginner like you working in a pair with an older +man. But we just haven't got enough men to go around. There are eight +thousand planets there"--he pointed with his thumb over his shoulder to +a wall-sized map of the galaxy--"and we've got to cover every one. It +seems reasonable that if he escaped this planet, he'll go to another +that will by its atmosphere or its temperature give him some natural +advantage over us--some place that is either burning hot or at absolute +zero, or perhaps with a chlorine or sulfur dioxide atmosphere. That's +why"--he hesitated a minute, but continued because he was a truthful +man--"I picked you for Earth. It's the most populated of all the planets +and it seems the least likely one that he would choose." + +Jordan's face dropped a little bit when he heard the last piece of +information, but he said: "I understand, sir, and if he's there, I'll +bring him back." + +The chief slouched farther back in his seat. He picked up a shard of +rubidium that served as a paper weight and toyed with it. + +"I guess you know most of the facts. They are made out of permallium. +Have you ever seen any of the stuff?" + +The new man shook his head. "I read about it though--some new alloy, +isn't it?" + +"Plenty new. It's the hardest stuff anybody has ever made. If you set +off one hundred successive atom blasts over a lump of permallium, you +might crystallize and scale maybe a micron off the surface. It will +stand any temperature or pressure we can produce. That just means +there's no way to destroy it." + +Jordan nodded. He felt a little honored that the chief was giving him +this explanation in person rather than just turning him over to one of +the scientific personnel for a briefing. He did not understand that the +old man was troubled and was talking the situation through as much for +his own sake as for anyone else's. + + * * * * * + +"That's the problem," the chief continued. "Essentially an +indestructible machine with a built-in source of power that one can't +reach. It had to be built that way--a war instrument, you know." + +He stopped and looked squarely at the bright young man sitting across +the desk. "This lousy war. You'd think the human race would grow up some +time, wouldn't you?" He filled a pipe with imported Earth tobacco and +lit it, and took a few deep puffs. "There's something else. I don't know +how they do it, but they can communicate with one another over long +distances. That made them very useful for military purposes. + +"They are loyal to one another, too. They try to protect each other and +keep one another from being captured. Do you find that surprising?" + +The question caught Jordan unprepared. "Well, yes. It is, kind of--" he +said. "They are only machines." + +The chief closed his eyes for a moment. He seemed tired. + +"Yes," he repeated, "they are only machines. Anyway, we don't know +everything about them, even yet. There are still a few secret angles, I +think. The men who could tell us are either dead or in hiding. + +"There's one fact though that gives us a great advantage. Their +brain"--he stopped on the word and considered it--"I mean their thinking +apparatus gives off a very penetrating short-wave length radiation which +you can pick up on your meters anywhere in a radius of two thousand +miles, and you can locate the source accurately if you get within fifty +miles. + +"The only real problem you'll have in finding them is the confusion +created by illegal atomic piles. You'd be surprised how many of them we +have turned up recently. They are owned by private parties and are run +illegally to keep from paying the tax on sources of power. You have to +track those down, but once you get them labeled it will be clear +sailing." + +He stopped to take a few puffs on his pipe. + +"Don't try to be a hero," he said after a few moments. "Don't get close +to the thing you are hunting. None of them yet has injured any of us, +but if one should want to, he could crush you to death with two +fingers. Use the permallium nets and net bombs if you locate him." + +He tamped his pipe out. "Well, that's it," he said. + +The new man arose. "I want you to know that I appreciate the trust you +have put in me." + +"Sure, sure," the chief said, but it was not unfriendly. "Do you like +the job?" + +"It is a great opportunity," Jordan said, and he meant it. + +"What do you think about what we do to them after we capture them?" + +The new man shrugged. "I suppose it's the only thing to do. It's not as +though they were human." + +"Yeah," the chief said. "I guess so. Anyway, good luck." + +Jordan arose and shook the chief's hand. However, just as he was +stepping through the door, his superior asked him another question. "Did +you know that one of them stutters?" + +He turned back, puzzled. "Stutters? Why should he stutter? How could +that be?" + +The chief shook his head and started cleaning out his pipe. + +"I don't know for sure. You'd better get started." He sat back in his +seat and watched the back of the new man as he disappeared through the +doorway. + +That young fellow has a lot to learn, he thought to himself. But even +so, maybe he's better off than I am. Maybe I've had too much experience. +Maybe too much experience puts you back where you started from. You've +done the wrong thing so many times and profited so many times from your +mistakes that you see errors and tragedies in everything. + +He was depressed, and he did something that usually made him feel better +again. He reached under the edge of his desk and pulled a little switch +that made the galactic map on the wall light up in three-dimensional +depth, then he swung around in his chair so he could see it. Eight +thousand planets that his race had conquered, eight thousand planets +hundreds of light-years apart. Looking at the map gave him a sense of +accomplishment and pride in humanity which even a stupid war and its +aftermath could not completely destroy. + + * * * * * + +Jon Hall, the fugitive, walked along the highway leading south from the +rocket port. There was very little traffic, only an occasional delivery +truck carrying meat or groceries. The real highway was half a mile +overhead where the copters shuttled back and forth up and down the state +in neat orderly layers. + +The seventeen were inside his head, looking through his eyes, and +feasting on the blueness of the sky, and the rich green vegetation that +covered the fertile fields. From time to time they talked to him, giving +advice, asking questions, or making comments, but mostly they looked, +each knowing that the hours of their sight might be very few. + +After walking a while, Hall became aware of someone's footsteps behind +him. He stopped suddenly in apprehension and swung around. A dozen or so +paces away was a red-headed boy of about ten or eleven, dressed in +plastic overalls, and carrying a basket of ripe raspberries. The stains +about his mouth showed that not all the raspberries were carried in the +basket. + +Hall's anxiety faded, and he was glad to see the child. He had hoped to +meet someone who was not so old that they would become suspicious, but +old enough that they might give him directions. + +He waited for the lad to catch up. + +"Hello," the boy said. "I've been walking behind you most of a mile, but +I guess you didn't hear me." + +"It looks as though you've been p-p-picking raspberries," Hall said. + +"Yup. My dad owns a patch by the river. Want some?" He proffered the +basket. + +"No, thank you," Hall answered. He resumed his walk up the highway with +the boy at his side. + +"D-do you live around here," he asked. + +"Just up the road a ways." The lad studied his companion for a minute. +"You stutter, don't you?" + +"A little." + +"There was a boy in my class who used to stutter. The teacher said it +was because he thought so far ahead of what he said he got all tangled +up." The boy reached in his basket for a handful of berries and chewed +them thoughtfully. "She was always after him to talk slower, but I guess +it didn't do any good. He still stutters." + +"Is there a p-power plant around here?" Hall asked. "You know, where the +electricity comes from." + +"You mean the place where they have the nu-nuclear fission"--the boy +stumbled on the unfamiliar word, but got it out--"and they don't let you +in because you get poisoned or something?" + +"Yes, I think that's it." + +"There are two places. There's one over at Red Mountain and another over +at Ballarat." + +"Where are they?" + +"Well--" The boy stopped to think. "Red Mountain's straight ahead, maybe +ten miles, and Ballarat's over there"--he pointed west across the orange +groves--"maybe fifteen miles." + +"Good," Hall said. "Good." And he felt glad inside of himself. Maybe it +could be done, he thought. + + * * * * * + +They walked along together. Hall sometimes listening to the chattering +of the boy beside him, sometimes listening to and answering the distant +voices of the seventeen. Abruptly, a few hundred yards before the house +that the boy had pointed out as his father's, a small sports car whipped +down the highway, coming on them almost without warning. The lad jumped +sideways, and Hall, to avoid touching him, stepped off the concrete +road. His leg sank into the earth up to the mid-calf. He pulled it out +as quickly as he could. + +The boy was looking at the fast retreating rear of the sports car. + +"Gee," he said. "I sure didn't see them coming." Then he caught sight of +the deep hole alongside the road, and he stared at it. "Gosh, you sure +made a footprint there," he said wonderingly. + +"The ground was soft," Hall said. "C-come along." + +But instead of following, the boy walked over to the edge of the road +and stared into the hole. He tentatively stamped on the earth around it. +"This ground isn't soft," he said. "It's hard as a rock." He turned and +looked at Hall with big eyes. + +Hall came close to the boy and took hold of his jacket. "D-don't pay any +attention to it, son. I just stepped into a soft spot." + +The boy tried to pull away. "I know who you are," he said. "I heard +about you on the teledepth." + +Suddenly, in the way of children, panic engulfed him and he flung his +basket away and threw himself back and forth, trying to tear free. "Let +me go," he screamed. "Let me go. Let me go." + +"Just l-listen to me, son," Hall pleaded. "Just listen to me. I won't +hurt you." + +But the boy was beyond reasoning. Terror stricken, he screamed at the +top of his voice, using all his little strength to escape. + +"If you p-promise to l-listen to me, I'll let you go," Hall said. + +"I promise," the boy sobbed, still struggling. + +But the moment Hall let go of his coat, he tore away and ran as fast as +he could over the adjacent field. + +"W-wait--don't run away," Hall shouted. "I won't hurt you. Stay where +you are. I couldn't follow you anyway. I'd sink to my hips." + +The logic of the last sentence appealed to the frightened lad. He +hesitated and then stopped and turned around, a hundred feet or so from +the highway. + +"L-listen," said Hall earnestly. "The teledepths are wr-wrong. They +d-didn't tell you the t-truth about us. I d-don't want to hurt anyone. +All I n-need is a few hours. D-don't tell anyone for j-just a few hours +and it'll be all right." He paused because he didn't know what to say +next. + +The boy, now that he seemed secure from danger had recovered his wits. +He plucked a blade of grass from the ground and chewed on an end of it, +looking for all the world like a grownup farmer thoughtfully considering +his fields. "Well, I guess you could have hurt me plenty, but you +didn't," he said. "That's something." + +"Just a few hours," Hall said. "It won't take long. Y-you can tell your +father tonight." + +The boy suddenly remembered his raspberries when he saw his basket and +its spilled contents on the highway. + +"Why don't you go along a bit," he said. "I would like to pick up those +berries I dropped." + +"Remember," Hall said, "just a few hours." He turned and started +walking again toward Red Mountain. Inside his mind, the seventeen asked +anxiously, "Do you think he'll give the alarm? Will he report your +presence?" + +[Illustration] + +Back on the highway, the boy was gathering the berries back into his +basket while he tried to make his mind up. + + * * * * * + +Jordan reached Earth atmosphere about two o'clock in the afternoon. He +immediately reported in to the Terrestrial police force, and via the +teledepth screen spoke with a bored lieutenant. The lieutenant, after +listening to Jordan's account of his mission, assured him without any +particular enthusiasm of the willingness of the Terrestrial forces to +cooeperate, and of more value, gave him the location of all licensed +sources of radiation in the western hemisphere. + +The galactic agent set eagerly to work, and in the next several hours +uncovered two unlisted radiation sources, both of which he promptly +investigated. In one case, north of Eugene, he found in the backyard of +a metal die company a small atomic pile. The owner was using it as an +illegal generator of electricity, and when he saw Jordan snooping about +with his detection instruments, he immediately offered the agent a +sizable bribe. It was a grave mistake since Jordan filed charges against +him, via teledepth, not only for evading taxes, but also for attempted +bribery. + +The second strike seemed more hopeful. He picked up strong radiation in +a rather barren area of Montana; however when he landed, he found that +it was arising from the earth itself. From a short conversation with the +local authorities, he learned that the phenomenon was well known: an +atomic fission plant had been destroyed at that site during the Third +World War. + +He was flying over the lovely blue water of Lake Bonneville, when his +teledepth screen flickered. He flipped the switch on and the +lieutenant's picture flooded in. + +"I have a call I think you ought to take," the Earth official said. "It +seems as though it might be in your line. It's from a sheriff in a small +town in California. I'll have the operator plug him in." + + * * * * * + +Abruptly the picture switched to that of a stout red-faced man wearing +the brown uniform of a county peace officer. + +"You're the galactic man?" the sheriff asked. + +"Yes. My name is Tom Jordan," Jordan said. + +"Mine's Berkhammer." It must have been warm in California because the +sheriff pulled out a large handkerchief and mopped his brow. When he was +done with that he blew his nose loudly. "Hay fever," he announced. + +"Want to see my credentials?" + +"Oh sure, sure," the sheriff hastily replied. He scrutinized the card +and badge that Jordan displayed. After a moment, he said, "I don't know +why I'm looking at those. They might be fakes for all I know. Never saw +them before and I'll probably never see them again." + +"They're genuine." + +"The deuce with formality," the sheriff said heavily. "There's some kid +around here who thinks he saw that ... that machine you're supposed to +be looking for." + +"When was that?" Jordan asked. + +"About four hours ago. Here, I'll let you talk to him yourself." He +pulled his big bulk to one side, and a boy and his father walked into +the picture. The boy was red-eyed, as though he had been crying. The +father was a tall, stoop-shouldered farmer, dressed like his son in +plastic overalls. + + * * * * * + +The sheriff patted the boy on the back. "Come on, Jimmy. Tell the man +what you saw." + +"I saw him," the boy said sullenly. "I walked up the highway with him." + +Jordan leaned forward toward the screen. + +"How did you know who he was?" + +"I knew because when he stepped on the ground, he sank into it up to his +knee. He tried to say the ground was soft, but it was hard. I know it +was hard." + +"Why did you wait so long to tell anybody?" Jordan asked softly. + +The boy looked at him with defiance and dislike in his eyes and kept his +small mouth clamped shut. + +His father nudged him roughly in the ribs. + +"Answer the man," he commanded. + +Jimmy looked down at his shoes. + +"Because he asked me not to tell for a while," he said curtly. + +"Stubborn as nails," the father said not without pride in his voice. +"Got more loyalty to a lousy machine than to the whole human race." + +"Which way did he go, Jimmy?" + +"Toward Red Mountain. I think maybe to the power house. He asked me +where it was." + +"What do you think he wants with that?" the sheriff asked of Jordan. + +Jordan shrugged and shook his head. + +"Maybe it's all in the kid's head," the sheriff suggested. "These wild +teledepth programs they look at give them all kinds of ideas." + +"It isn't in my head," Jimmy said violently. "I saw him. He stepped on +the ground and stuck his foot into it. I talked to him. And I know +something else. He stutters." + +"What?" said the sheriff. "Now I know you're lying." + +The father started dragging the boy by the arm. "Come on home, Jimmy. +You got one more licking coming." + +Jordan, however, was sure the boy was not lying. "Leave him alone," he +said. "He's right. He did see him." He took a fast look at the timepiece +on his panel board. "I'll be down in an hour and a half. Wait for me." + +He flicked the switch off, and kicked up the motors. The ship shot +southward almost as rapidly as a projectile. + +He had topped the Sierras and had just turned into the great central +valley of California when, with the impact of a blow, a frightening +thought occurred to him. + +He flicked the screen on again, and he caught the sheriff sitting behind +his desk industriously scratching himself in one armpit. + +"Listen," Jordan said, speaking very fast. "You've got to send out a +national alarm. You must get every man you can down to the power plant. +You've got to stop him from getting in." + +The sheriff stopped scratching himself and stared at Jordan. + +"What are you so het up about, young man?" + +"Do it, and do it now," Jordan almost shouted. "He'll tear the pile +apart and let the hafnium go off. It'll blow half the state off the +planet." + +The sheriff was unperturbed. "Mr. Star boy," he said sarcastically, "any +grammar school kid knows that if someone came within a hundred yards of +one of those power-house piles, he'd burn like a match stick. And +besides why would he want to blow himself to pieces?" + +"He's made out of permallium." Jordan was shouting now. + +The sheriff suddenly grew pale. "Get off my screen. I'm calling +Sacramento." + + * * * * * + +Jordan set the ship for maximum speed, well beyond the safety limit. He +kept peering ahead into the dusk, momentarily fearful that the whole +countryside would light up in one brilliant flash. In a few minutes he +was sweating and trembling with the tension. + +Over Walnut Grove, he recognized the series of dams, reservoirs and +water-lifts where the Sacramento was raised up out of its bed and turned +south. For greater speed, he came close to Earth, flying at emergency +height, reserved ordinarily for police, firemen, doctors and ambulances. +He set his course by sight following the silver road of the river, +losing it for ten or fifteen miles at a time where it passed through +subterranean tunnels, picking it up again at the surface, always +shooting south as fast as the atmosphere permitted. + +At seven thirty, when the sun had finally set, he sighted the lights of +Red Mountain, and he cut his speed and swung in to land. There was no +trouble picking out the power plant; it was a big dome-shaped building +surrounded by a high wall. It was so brilliantly lit up, that it stood +out like a beacon, and there were several hundred men milling about +before it. + +He settled down on the lawn inside the walls, and the sheriff came +bustling up, a little more red in the face than usual. + +"I've been trying to figure for the last hour what the devil I would do +to stop him if he decided to come here," Berkhammer said. + +"He's not here then?" + +The sheriff shook his head. "Not a sign of him. We've gone over the +place three times." + +Jordan settled back in relief, sitting down in the open doorway of his +ship. "Good," he said wearily. + +"Good!" the sheriff exploded. "I don't know whether I'd rather have him +show up or not. If this whole business is nothing more than the crazy +imagination of some kid who ought to get tanned and a star-cop with milk +behind his ears, I'm really in the soup. I've sent out an alarm and I've +got the whole state jumping. There's a full mechanized battalion of +state troops waiting in there." He pointed toward the power plant. +"They've got artillery and tanks all around the place." + +Jordan jumped down out of the ship. "Let's see what you've got set up +here. In the meantime, stop fretting. I'd rather see you fired than +vaporized along with fifty million other people." + +"I guess you're right there," Berkhammer conceded, "but I don't like to +have anyone make a fool out of me." + + * * * * * + +At Ballarat, an old man, Eddie Yudovich, was the watchman and general +caretaker of the electrical generation plant. Actually, his job was a +completely unnecessary one, since the plant ran itself. In its very +center, buried in a mine of graphite were the tubes of hafnium, from +whose nuclear explosions flowed a river of electricity without the need +of human thought or direction. + +He had worked for the company for a long time and when he became +crippled with arthritis, the directors gave him the job so that he might +have security in his latter years. + +Yudovich, however, was a proud old man, and he never once acknowledged +to himself or to anyone else that his work was useless. He guarded and +checked the plant as though it were the storehouse of the Terrestrial +Treasury. Every hour punctually, he made his rounds through the +building. + +At approximately seven thirty he was making his usual circuit when he +came to the second level. What he discovered justified all the years of +punctilious discharge of his duties. He was startled to see a man +kneeling on the floor, just above where the main power lines ran. He had +torn a hole in the composition floor, and as Yudovich watched, he +reached in and pulled out the great cable. Immediately the intruder +glowed in the semidarkness with an unearthly blue shine and sparkles +crackled off of his face, hands and feet. + +Yudovich stood rooted to the floor. He knew very well that no man could +touch that cable and live. But as he watched, the intruder handled it +with impunity, pulling a length of wire out of his pocket and making +some sort of a connection. + +It was too much for the old man. Electricity was obviously being stolen. +He roared out at the top of his voice, and stumped over to the wall +where he threw the alarm switch. Immediately, a hundred arc lights +flashed on, lighting the level brighter than the noon sun, and a +tremendously loud siren started wailing its warning to the whole +countryside. + +The intruder jumped up as though he had been stabbed. He dropped the +wires, and after a wild look around him, he ran at full speed toward the +far exit. + +"Hold on there," Yudovich shouted and tried to give chase, but his +swollen, crooked knees almost collapsed with the effort. + +His eyes fell on a large wrench lying on a worktable, and he snatched it +up and threw it with all his strength. In his youth he had been a ball +player with some local fame as a pitcher, and in his later life, he was +addicted to playing horseshoes. His aim was, therefore, good, and the +wrench sailed through the air striking the runner on the back of the +head. Sparks flew and there was a loud metallic clang, the wrench +rebounding high in the air. The man who was struck did not even turn his +head, but continued his panicky flight and was gone in a second. + +When he realized there was no hope of effecting a capture, Yudovich +stumped over to see the amount of the damage. A hole had been torn in +the floor, but the cable itself was intact. + +Something strange caught his attention. Wherever the intruder had put +his foot down, there were many radiating cracks in the composition +floor, just as though someone had struck a sheet of ice with a sledge +hammer. + +"I'll be danged," he said to himself. "I'll be danged and double +danged." + +He turned off the alarm and then went downstairs to the teledepth screen +to notify the sheriff's office. + +A few hundred yards from the powerhouse, Jon Hall stood in the darkness, +listening to the voices of his fellows. There were eighteen of them, not +seventeen, for a short while before the one in the ice cave had been +captured, and they railed at him with a bitter hopeless anger. + +He looked toward the bright lights of the powerhouse, considering +whether he should return. "It's too late," said one of them. "The alarm +is already out." "Go into the town and mix with the people," another +suggested. "If you stay within a half mile of the hafnium pile, the +detection man will not be able to pick up your radiation and maybe you +will have a second chance." + +They all assented in that, and Hall, weary of making his own decisions +turned toward the town. He walked through a tree-lined residential +street, the houses with neatly trimmed lawns, and each with a copter +parked on the roof. In almost every house the teledepths were turned on +and he caught snatches of bulletins about himself: "... Is known to be +in the Mojave area." "... About six feet in height and very similar to a +human being. When last seen, he was dressed in--" "Governor Leibowitz +has promised speedy action and attorney general Markle has stated--" + +The main street of Ballarat was brilliantly lighted. Many of the +residents, aroused by the alarm from the powerhouse, were out, standing +in small groups in front of the stores and talking excitedly to one +another. + +He hesitated, unwilling to walk through the bright street, but uncertain +where to turn. Two men talking loudly came around the corner suddenly +and he stepped back into a store entrance to avoid them. They stopped +directly in front of him. One of them, an overalled farm hand from his +looks, said, "He killed a kid just a little while ago. My brother-in-law +heard it." + +"Murderer," the other said viciously. + +The farmer turned his head and his glance fell on Hall. "Well, a new +face in town," he said after a moment's inspection. "Say I bet you're a +reporter from one of the papers, aren't you?" + +Hall came out of the entrance and tried to walk around the two men, but +the farmer caught him by the sleeve. + +"A reporter, huh? Well, I got some news for you. That thing from Grismet +just killed a kid." + +Hall could restrain himself no longer. + +"That's a lie," he said coldly. + +The farmer looked him up and down. + +"What do you know about it," he demanded. "My brother-in-law got it from +somebody in the state guard." + +"It's still a lie." + +"Just because it's not on the teledepth, you say it's a lie," the farmer +said belligerently. "Not everything is told on the teledepth, Mr. +Wiseheimer. They're keeping it a secret. They don't want to scare the +people." + +Hall started to walk away, but the farmer blocked his path. + +"Who are you anyway? Where do you live? I never saw you before," he said +suspiciously. + +"Aw, Randy," his companion said, "don't go suspecting everybody." + +"I don't like anyone to call me a liar." + +Hall stepped around the man in his path, and turned down the street. He +was boiling inside with an almost uncontrollable fury. + + * * * * * + +A few feet away, catastrophe suddenly broke loose. A faulty section of +the sidewalk split without warning under his feet and he went pitching +forward into the street. He clutched desperately at the trunk of a tall +palm tree, but with a loud snap, it broke, throwing him head on into a +parked road car. The entire front end of the car collapsed like an egg +shell under his weight. + +For a long moment, the entire street was dead quiet. With difficulty, +Hall pulled himself to his feet. Pale, astonished faces were staring at +him from all sides. + +Suddenly the farmer started screaming. "That's him. I knew it. That's +him." He was jumping up and down with excitement. + +Hall turned his back and walked in the other direction. The people in +front of him faded away, leaving a clear path. + +He had gone a dozen steps when a man with a huge double-barreled shotgun +popped out from a store front just ahead. He aimed for the middle of +Hall's chest and fired both barrels. + +The blast and the shot struck Hall squarely, burning a large hole in his +shirt front. He did not change his pace, but continued step by step. + +The man with the gun snatched two shells out of his pocket and +frantically tried to reload. Hall reached out and closed his hand over +the barrel of the gun and the blue steel crumpled like wet paper. + +From across the street, someone was shooting at him with a rifle. +Several times a bullet smacked warmly against his head or his back. + +He continued walking slowly up the street. At its far end several men +appeared dragging a small howitzer--probably the only piece in the local +armory. They scurried around it, trying to get it aimed and loaded. + +"Fools. Stupid fools," Hall shouted at them. + +The men could not seem to get the muzzle of the gun down, and when he +was a dozen paces from it they took to their heels. He tore the heavy +cannon off of its carriage and with one blow of his fist caved it in. He +left it lying in the street broken and useless. + +Almost as suddenly as it came, his anger left him. He stopped and looked +back at the people cringing in the doorways. + +"You poor, cruel fools," Hall said again. + +He sat down in the middle of the street on the twisted howitzer barrel +and buried his head in his hands. There was nothing else for him to do. +He knew that in just a matter of seconds, the ships with their +permallium nets and snares would be on him. + + * * * * * + +Since Jordan's ship was not large enough to transport Jon Hall's great +weight back to Grismet, the terrestrial government put at the agent's +disposal a much heavier vessel, one room of which had been hastily lined +with permallium and outfitted as a prison cell. A pilot by the name of +Wilkins went with the ship. He was a battered old veteran, given to +cigar smoking, clandestine drinking and card playing. + +The vessel took off, rose straight through the atmosphere for about +forty miles, and then hung, idly circling Earth, awaiting clearance +before launching into the pulse drive. A full course between Earth and +Grismet had to be plotted and cleared by the technicians at the dispatch +center because the mass of the vessel increased so greatly with its +pulsating speed that if any two ships passed within a hundred thousand +miles of each other, they would at least be torn from their course, and +might even be totally destroyed. + +Wilkins had proposed a pinochle game, and he and Jordan sat playing in +the control room. + +The pilot had been winning and he was elated. "Seventy-six dollars so +far," he announced after some arithmetic. "The easiest day's pay I made +this month." + +Jordan shuffled the cards and dealt them out, three at a time. He was +troubled by his own thoughts, and so preoccupied that he scarcely +followed the game. + +"Spades, again," the pilot commented gleefully. "Well, ain't that too +bad for you." He gave his cigar a few chomps and played a card. + +Jordan had been looking out of the window. The ship had tilted and he +could see without rising the rim of Earth forming a beautiful geometric +arc, hazy and blue in its shimmering atmosphere. + +"Come on, play," the pilot said, impatiently. "I just led an ace." + +Jordan put down his cards. "I guess I better quit," he said. + +"What the devil!" the pilot said angrily. "You can't quit like that in +the middle of a deal. I got a flush and aces." + +"I'm sorry," Jordan said, "but I'm going to lie down in my cabin until +we are given clearance." + +He opened the door of the little room and went into the hall. He walked +down past his own cabin and stopped in front of another door, a new one +that was sheathed in permallium. He hesitated a few moments; then he +snapped open the outside latch and walked in, letting the door swing +closed behind him. + + * * * * * + +Hall lay unmoving in the middle of the floor, his legs and arms fastened +in greaves of permallium. + +Jordan was embarrassed. He did not look directly at the robot. + +"I don't know whether you want to talk to me or not," he started. "If +you don't want to, that's all right. But, I've followed you since you +landed on Earth, and I don't understand why you did what you did. You +don't have to tell me, but I wish you would. It would make me feel +better." + +The robot shrugged--a very human gesture, Jordan noted. + +"G-go ahead and ask me," he said. "It d-doesn't make any difference +now." + +Jordan sat down on the floor. "The boy was the one who gave you away. If +not for him, no one would have ever known what planet you were on. Why +did you let the kid get away?" + +The robot looked straight at the agent. "Would you kill a child?" he +asked. + +"No, of course not," Jordan said a little bit annoyed, "but I'm not a +robot either." He waited for a further explanation, but when he saw none +was coming, he said: "I don't know what you were trying to do in that +powerhouse at Ballarat, but, whatever it was, that old man couldn't have +stopped you. What happened?" + +"I l-lost my head," the robot said quietly. "The alarm and the lights +rattled me, and I got into a p-panic." + +"I see," said Jordan, frustrated, not really seeing at all. He sat back +and thought for a moment. "Let me put it this way. Why do you stutter?" + +Hall smiled a wry smile. "Th-that used to be a m-military secret," he +said. "It's our one weakness--the one Achilles heel in a m-machine that +was meant to be invulnerable." + +He struggled to a sitting position. "You see, we were m-made as +s-soldiers and had to have a certain loyalty to the country that m-made +us. Only living things are loyal--machines are not. We had to think like +human beings." + +Jordan's brows contracted as he tried to understand the robot. + +"You mean you have a transplanted human brain?" he asked incredulously. + +"In a way," Hall said. "Our b-brains are permallium strips on which the +mind of some human donor was m-magnetically imprinted. My mind was +copied f-from a man who stuttered and who got panicky when the going got +rough, and who couldn't kill a child no matter what was at s-stake." + +Jordan felt physically ill. Hall was human and he was immortal. And +according to galactic decree, he, like his fellows, was to be manacled +in permallium and fixed in a great block of cement, and that block was +to be dropped into the deep silent depths of the Grismet ocean, to be +slowly covered by the blue sediment that gradually filters down through +the miles of ocean water to stay immobile and blind for countless +millions of years. + +Jordan arose to his feet. He could think of nothing further to say. + +He stopped, however, with the door half open, and asked: "One more +question--what did you want with the electrical generator plants on +Earth?" + +[Illustration] + +Slowly and without emotion Hall told him, and when he understood, he +became even sicker. + + * * * * * + +He went across to his cabin and stood for a while looking out the +window. Then he lit a cigarette and lay down on his bunk thinking. After +a time, he put out the cigarette and walked into the hall where he paced +up and down. + +As he passed the cell door for about the tenth time, he suddenly swung +around and lifted the latch and entered. He went over to the robot, and +with a key that he took from his pocket, he unlocked the greaves and +chains. + +"There's no point in keeping you bound up like this," he said. "I don't +think you're very dangerous." He put the key back in his pocket. + +"I suppose you know that this ship runs on an atomic pile," he said in a +conversational tone of voice. "The cables are just under the floor in +the control room and they can be reached through a little trap door." + +Jordan looked directly into Hall's face. The robot was listening with +great intentness. + +"Well," the agent said, "we'll probably be leaving Earth's atmosphere in +about fifteen minutes. I think I'll go play pinochle with the pilot." + +He carefully left the door of the cell unlatched as he left. He walked +to the control room and found Wilkins, a dry cigar butt clenched between +his teeth, absorbed in a magazine. + +"Let's have another game," Jordan said. "I want some of that +seventy-six dollars back." + +Wilkins shook his head. "I'm in the middle of a good story here. Real +sexy. I'll play you after we take off." + +"Nothing doing," Jordan said sharply. "Let's play right now." + +Wilkins kept reading. "We got an eighteen-hour flight in front of us. +You have lots of time." + +The agent snatched the magazine out of his hands. "We're going to play +right now in my cabin," he said. + +"You quit when I have aces and a flush, and now you come back and want +to play again. That's not sportsmanlike," Wilkins complained, but he +allowed himself to be led back to Jordan's cabin. "I never saw anybody +so upset about losing a miserable seventy-six bucks," was his final +comment. + + * * * * * + +The robot lay perfectly still until he heard the door to Jordan's cabin +slam shut, and then he arose as quietly as he could and stole out into +the hall. The steel of the hall floor groaned, but bore his weight, and +carefully, trembling with excitement inside of his ponderous metallic +body, he made his way to the control room. He knelt and lifted the +little trap door and found the naked power cable, pulsating with +electrical current. + +In a locker under the panel board he found a length of copper wire. It +was all he needed for the necessary connection. + +Since his capture, his fellows on Grismet had been silent with despair, +but as he knelt to close the circuit, their minds flooded in on him and +he realized with a tremendous horror that there were now nineteen, that +all except he had been bound and fixed in their eternal cement prisons. + +"We are going to have our chance," he told them. "We won't have much +time, but we will have our chance." + +He closed the circuit and a tremendous tide of electric power flowed +into his head. Inside that two-inch shell of permallium was a small +strip of metal tape on whose electrons and atoms were written the +borrowed mind of a man. Connected to the tape was a minute instrument +for receiving and sending electromagnetic impulses--the chain by which +the mind of one robot was tied to that of another. + +The current surged in and the tiny impulses swelled in strength and +poured out through the hull of the ship in a great cone that penetrated +Earth's atmosphere in a quadrant that extended from Baffin land to +Omaha, and from Hawaii to Labrador. The waves swept through skin and +bone and entered the sluggish gelatinous brain of sentient beings, +setting up in those organs the same thoughts and pictures that played +among the electrons of the permallium strip that constituted Jon Hall's +mind. + +All nineteen clamored to be heard, for Hall to relay their voices to +Earth, but he held them off and first he told his story. + + * * * * * + +The Casseiopeian delegate to the Galactic Senate was at the moment +finishing his breakfast. He was small and furry, not unlike a very large +squirrel, and he sat perched on a high chair eating salted roast almonds +of which he was very fond. + +Suddenly a voice started talking inside of his head, just as it did at +that very second inside the heads of thirteen billion other inhabitants +of the northwest corner of Earth. The Casseiopeian delegate was so +startled that he dropped the dish of almonds, his mouth popping open, +his tiny red tongue inside flickering nervously. He listened spellbound. + +The voice told him of the war on Grismet and of the permallium +constructed robots, and of the cement blocks. This, however, he already +knew, because he had been one of the delegates to the Peace Conference +who had decided to dispose of the robots. The voice, however, also told +him things he did not know, such as the inability of the robots to +commit any crime that any other sane human being would not commit, of +their very simple desire to be allowed to live in peace, and most of all +of their utter horror for the fate a civilized galaxy had decreed for +them. + +When the voice stopped, the Casseiopeian delegate was a greatly shaken +little being. + + * * * * * + +Back on the ship, Hall opened the circuit to the nineteen, and they +spoke in words, in memory pictures and in sensations. + + * * * * * + +A copter cab driver was hurrying with his fare from Manhattan to Oyster +Bay. Suddenly, in his mind, he became a permallium robot. He was bound +with cables of the heavy metal, and was suspended upside down in a huge +cement block. The stone pressed firmly on his eyes, his ears, and his +chest. He was completely immobile, and worst of all, he knew that above +his head for six miles lay the great Grismet Ocean, with the blue mud +slowly settling down encasing the cement in a stony stratum that would +last till the planet broke apart. + +The cab driver gasped: "What the hell." His throat was so dry he could +scarcely talk. He turned around to his fare, and the passenger, a young +man, was pale and trembling. + +"You seeing things, too?" the driver asked. + +"I sure am," the fare said unsteadily. "What a thing to do." + + * * * * * + +For fifteen minutes, over the northwest quadrant of Earth, the words and +the pictures went out, and thirteen billion people knew suddenly what +lay in the hearts and minds of nineteen robots. + + * * * * * + +A housewife in San Rafael was at the moment in a butcher shop buying +meat for her family. As the thoughts and images started pouring into her +mind, she remained stock-still, her package of meat forgotten on the +counter. The butcher, wiping his bloodied hands on his apron froze in +that position, an expression of horror and incredulity on his face. + +When the thoughts stopped coming in, the butcher was the first to come +out of the trancelike state. + +"Boy," he said, "that's sure some way of sending messages. Sure beats +the teledepths." + +The housewife snatched her meat off the counter. "Is that all you think +of," she demanded angrily. + +"That's a terrible thing that those barbarians on Grismet are doing to +those ... those people. Why didn't they tell us that they were human." +She stalked out of the shop, not certain what she would do, but +determined to do something. + + * * * * * + +In the ship Hall reluctantly broke off the connection and replaced the +trap door. Then he went back to his cell and locked himself in. He had +accomplished his mission; its results now lay in the opinions of men. + + * * * * * + +Jordan left the ship immediately on landing, and took a copter over to +the agency building. His conversation with his superior was something he +wanted to get over with as soon as possible. + +The young woman at the secretary's desk looked at him coldly and led him +directly into the inner office. The chief was standing up in front of +the map of the galaxy, his hands in his pockets, his eyes an icy blue. + +"I've been hearing about you," he said without a greeting. + +Jordan sat down. He was tense and jumpy but tried not to show it. "I +suppose you have," he said, adding, after a moment, "Sir." + +"How did that robot manage to break out of his cell and get to the power +source on the ship in the first place?" + +"He didn't break out," Jordan said slowly. "I let him out." + +"I see," the chief said, nodding. "You let him out. I see. No doubt you +had your reasons." + +"Yes, I did. Look--" Jordan wanted to explain, but he could not find the +words. It would have been different if the robots' messages had reached +Grismet; he would not have had to justify himself then. But they had +not, and he could not find a way to tell this cold old man of what he +had learned about the robots and their unity with men. "I did it because +it was the only decent thing to do." + +"I see," the chief said. "You did it because you have a heart." He +leaned suddenly forward, both hands on his desk. "It's good for a man to +have a heart and be compassionate. He's not worth anything if he isn't. +But"--and he shook his finger at Jordan as he spoke--"that man is going +to be compassionate at his own expense, not at the expense of the +agency. Do you understand that?" + +"I certainly do," Jordan answered, "but you have me wrong if you think +I'm here to make excuses or to apologize. Now, if you will get on with +my firing, sir, I'll go home and have my supper." + +The chief looked at him for a long minute. "Don't you care about your +position in the agency?" he asked quietly. + +"Sure I do," Jordan said almost roughly. "It's the work I wanted to do +all my life. But, as you said, what I did, I did at my own expense. +Look, sir, I don't like this any better than you do. Why don't you fire +me and let me go home? Your prisoner's safely locked up in the ship." + +For answer the chief tossed him a stellogram. Jordan glanced at the +first few words and saw that it was from Galactic Headquarters on Earth. +He put it back on the desk without reading it through. + +"I know that I must have kicked up a fuss. You don't have to spell it +out for me." + +"Read it," the chief said impatiently. + +Jordan took back the stellogram and examined it. It read. + + To: Captain Lawrence Macrae Detection Agency, Grismet. + + From: Prantal Aminopterin Delegate from Casseiopeia Chairman, Grismet + Peace Committee of the Galactic Senate. + + Message: You are hereby notified that the committee by a vote of 17-0 + has decided to rescind its order of January 18, 2214, directing the + disposal of the permallium robots of Grismet. Instead, the committee + directs that you remove from their confinement all the robots and + put them in some safe place where they will be afforded reasonable + and humane treatment. + + The committee will arrive in Grismet some time during the next month + to decide on permanent disposition. + +Jordan's heart swelled as he read the gram. "It worked," he said. "They +have changed their minds. It won't be so bad being discharged now." He +put the paper back on the desk and arose to go. + +The chief smiled and it was like sunlight suddenly flooding over an +arctic glacier. "Discharged? Now who's discharging you? I'd sooner do +without my right arm." + +He reached in a desk drawer and pulled out a bottle of old Earth bourbon +and two glasses. He carefully poured out a shot into each glass, and +handed one to Jordan. + +"I like a man with a heart, and if you get away with it, why then you +get away with it. And that's just what you've done." + +He sat down and started sipping his whisky. Jordan stood uncertainly +above him, his glass in his hand. + +"Sit down, son," the old man said. "Sit down and tell me about your +adventures on Earth." + +Jordan sat down, put his feet on the desk and took a sizable swallow of +his whisky. + +"Well, Larry," he started, "I got into Earth atmosphere about 2:40 +o'clock--" + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + +This etext was produced from _Astounding Science Fiction_ April 1955. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright +on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors +have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Stutterer, by R.R. Merliss + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STUTTERER *** + +***** This file should be named 22512.txt or 22512.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/5/1/22512/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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