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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/25628-h.zip b/25628-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6e23dd2 --- /dev/null +++ b/25628-h.zip diff --git a/25628-h/25628-h.htm b/25628-h/25628-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8c6d57a --- /dev/null +++ b/25628-h/25628-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1168 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Nothing Equation, by Tom Godwin + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2 {text-align: center; clear: both;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 1em auto; clear: both; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .figcenter {margin: 2em auto; width: 600px;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: justify;} + img {border: none;} + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; margin-right: .05em; padding-top: .05em; font-size: 300%; line-height: .8em;} + .dcap {text-transform: uppercase;} + .tease {margin: 2em auto; width: 22em; padding: 1em; border-top: solid 2px;} + .theend {text-align: right; margin-top: 2em;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Nothing Equation, by Tom Godwin + +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 Nothing Equation + +Author: Tom Godwin + +Release Date: May 27, 2008 [EBook #25628] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NOTHING EQUATION *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="tease"><p><i><b>The space ships were miracles of power and precision; +the men who manned them, rich in endurance and courage. +Every detail had been checked and double checked; every +detail except—</b></i></p></div> + +<h1><big>THE NOTHING EQUATION</big></h1> + +<h2>By TOM GODWIN</h2> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/001.png" width="600" height="440" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The</span> cruiser vanished back +into hyperspace and he +was alone in the observation +bubble, ten thousand light-years +beyond the galaxy's +outermost sun. He looked out +the windows at the gigantic +sea of emptiness around him +and wondered again what the +danger had been that had so +terrified the men before him.</p> + +<p>Of one thing he was already +certain; he would find +that nothing was waiting +outside the bubble to kill him. +The first bubble attendant +had committed suicide and +the second was a mindless +maniac on the Earthbound +cruiser but it must have been +something inside the bubble +that had caused it. Or else +they had imagined it all.</p> + +<p>He went across the small +room, his magnetized soles +loud on the thin metal floor +in the bubble's silence. He sat +down in the single chair, his +weight very slight in the +feeble artificial gravity, and +reviewed the known facts.</p> + +<p>The bubble was a project +of Earth's Galactic Observation +Bureau, positioned there +to gather data from observations +that could not be made +from within the galaxy. +Since metallic mass affected +the hypersensitive instruments +the bubble had been +made as small and light as +possible. It was for that reason +that it could accommodate +only one attendant.</p> + +<p>The Bureau had selected +Horne as the bubble's first +attendant and the cruiser +left him there for his six +months' period of duty. When +it made its scheduled return +with his replacement he was +found dead from a tremendous +overdose of sleeping +pills. On the table was his +daily-report log and his last +entry, made three months +before:</p> + +<p><i>I haven't attended to the +instruments for a long time +because it hates us and +doesn't want us here. It hates +me the most of all and keeps +trying to get into the bubble +to kill me. I can hear it whenever +I stop and listen and I +know it won't be long. I'm +afraid of it and I want to be +asleep when it comes. But I'll +have to make it soon because +I have only twenty sleeping +pills left and if—</i></p> + +<p>The sentence was never +finished. According to the +temperature recording instruments +in the bubble his +body ceased radiating heat +that same night.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The bubble was cleaned, +fumigated, and inspected inside +and out. No sign of any +inimical entity or force could +be found.</p> + +<p>Silverman was Horne's replacement. +When the cruiser +returned six months later +bringing him, Green, to be +Silverman's replacement, Silverman +was completely insane. +He babbled about something +that had been waiting +outside the bubble to kill +him but his nearest to a rational +statement was to say +once, when asked for the +hundredth time what he had +seen:</p> + +<p>"Nothing—you can't really +see it. But you feel it watching +you and you hear it trying +to get in to kill you. One +time I bumped the wall and—for +God's sake—take me +away from it—take me back +to Earth ..."</p> + +<p>Then he had tried to hide +under the captain's desk and +the ship's doctor had led him +away.</p> + +<p>The bubble was minutely +examined again and the +cruiser employed every detector +device it possessed to +search surrounding space for +light-years in all directions. +Nothing was found.</p> + +<p>When it was time for the +new replacement to be transferred +to the bubble he reported +to Captain McDowell.</p> + +<p>"Everything is ready, +Green," McDowell said. "You +are the next one." His shaggy +gray eyebrows met in a +scowl. "It would be better if +they would let me select the +replacement instead of +them."</p> + +<p>He flushed with a touch of +resentment and said, "The +Bureau found my intelligence +and initiative of thought satisfactory."</p> + +<p>"I know—the characteristics +you don't need. What +they ought to have is somebody +like one of my engine +room roustabouts, too ignorant +to get scared and too +dumb to go nuts. Then we +could get a sane report six +months from now instead of +the ravings of a maniac."</p> + +<p>"I suggest," he said stiffly, +"that you reserve judgement +until that time comes, sir."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>And that was all he knew +about the danger, real or +imaginary, that had driven +two men into insanity. He +would have six months in +which to find the answer. Six +months minus— He looked at +the chronometer and saw +that twenty minutes had +passed since he left the cruiser. +Somehow, it seemed much +longer ...</p> + +<p>He moved to light a cigarette +and his metal soles +scraped the floor with the +same startling loudness he +had noticed before. The bubble +was as silent as a tomb.</p> + +<p>It was not much larger +than a tomb; a sphere eighteen +feet in diameter, made +of thin sheet steel and criss-crossed +outside with narrow +reinforcing girders to keep +the internal air pressure +from rupturing it. The floor +under him was six feet up +from the sphere's bottom and +the space beneath held the air +regenerator and waste converter +units, the storage batteries +and the food cabinets. +The compartment in which +he sat contained chair, table, +a narrow cot, banks of dials, +a remote-control panel for +operating the instruments +mounted outside the hull, a +microfilm projector, and a +pair of exerciser springs attached +to one wall. That was +all.</p> + +<p>There was no means of +communication since a hyperspace +communicator would +have affected the delicate instruments +with its radiations +but there was a small microfilm +library to go with the +projector so that he should +be able to pass away the time +pleasantly enough.</p> + +<p>But it was not the fear of +boredom that was behind the +apprehension he could already +feel touching at his +mind. It had not been boredom +that had turned Horne +into a suicide and Silverman +into—</p> + +<p>Something cracked sharply +behind him, like a gunshot +in the stillness, and he leaped +to his feet, whirling to face +it.</p> + +<p>It was only a metal reel of +data tape that had dropped +out of the spectrum analyzer +into the storage tray.</p> + +<p>His heart was thumping +fast and his attempt to laugh +at his nervousness sounded +hollow and mirthless. <i>Something</i> +inside or outside the +bubble had driven two men +insane with its threat and +now that he was irrevocably +exiled in the bubble, himself, +he could no longer dismiss +their fear as products of +their imagination. Both of +them had been rational, intelligent +men, as carefully selected +by the Observation +Bureau as he had been.</p> + +<p>He set in to search the +bubble, overlooking nothing. +When he crawled down into +the lower compartment he +hesitated then opened the +longest blade of his knife before +searching among the +dark recesses down there. He +found nothing, not even a +speck of dust.</p> + +<p>Back in his chair again he +began to doubt his first conviction. +Perhaps there really +had been some kind of an +invisible force or entity outside +the bubble. Both Horne +and Silverman had said that +"it" had tried to get in to kill +them.</p> + +<p>They had been very definite +about that part.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>There were six windows +around the bubble's walls, set +there to enable the attendant +to see all the outside-mounted +instruments and dials. He +went to them to look out, one +by one, and from all of them +he saw the same vast emptiness +that surrounded him. +The galaxy—his galaxy—was +so far away that its +stars were like dust. In the +other directions the empty +gulf was so wide that galaxies +and clusters of galaxies +were tiny, feeble specks of +light shining across it.</p> + +<p>All around him was a void +so huge that galaxies were +only specks in it....</p> + +<p>Who could know what +forces or dangers might be +waiting out there?</p> + +<p>A light blinked, reminding +him it was time to attend to +his duties. The job required +an hour and he was nervous +and not yet hungry when he +had finished. He went to the +exerciser springs on the wall +and performed a work-out +that left him tired and sweating +but which, at least, gave +him a small appetite.</p> + +<p>The day passed, and the +next. He made another +search of the bubble's interior +with the same results as +before. He felt almost sure, +then, that there was nothing +in the bubble with him. +He established a routine of +work, pastime and sleep that +made the first week pass fairly +comfortably but for the +gnawing worry in his mind +that something invisible was +lurking just outside the windows.</p> + +<p>Then one day he accidentally +kicked the wall with his +metal shoe tip.</p> + +<p>It made a sound like that +from kicking a tight-stretched +section of tin and it seemed +to him it gave a little from +the impact, as tin would do. +He realized for the first time +how thin it was—how deadly, +dangerously thin.</p> + +<p>According to the specifications +he had read it was only +one-sixteenth of an inch +thick. It was as thin as cardboard.</p> + +<p>He sat down with pencil +and paper and began calculating. +The bubble had a surface +area of 146,500 square +inches and the internal air +pressure was fourteen +pounds to the square inch. +Which meant that the thin +metal skin contained a total +pressure of 2,051,000 pounds.</p> + +<p>Two million pounds.</p> + +<p>The bubble in which he sat +was a bomb, waiting to explode +the instant any section +of the thin metal weakened.</p> + +<p>It was supposed to be an +alloy so extremely strong +that it had a high safety factor +but he could not believe +that any metal so thin could +be so strong. It was all right +for engineers sitting safely +on Earth to speak of high +safety factors but his life depended +upon the fragile wall +not cracking. It made a lot of +difference.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The next day he thought +he felt the hook to which the +exerciser spring was attached +crack loose from where it +was welded to the wall. He +inspected the base of the +hook closely and there seemed +to be a fine, hairline fracture +appearing around it.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>He held his ear to it, listening +for any sound of a leak. +It was not leaking yet but it +could commence doing so at +any time. He looked out the +windows at the illimitable +void that was waiting to absorb +his pitiful little supply +of air and he thought of the +days he had hauled and jerked +at the springs with all his +strength, not realizing the +damage he was doing.</p> + +<p>There was a sick feeling +in his stomach for the rest +of the day and he returned +again and again to examine +the hairline around the hook.</p> + +<p>The next day he discovered +an even more serious threat: +the thin skin of the bubble +had been spot-welded to the +outside reinforcing girders.</p> + +<p>Such welding often created +hard, brittle spots that would +soon crystallize from continued +movement—and there +was a slight temperature difference +in the bubble between +his working and sleeping +hours that would daily produce +a contraction and expansion +of the skin. Especially +when he used the little +cooking burner.</p> + +<p>He quit using the burner +for any purpose and began +a daily inspection of every +square inch of the bubble's +walls, marking with white +chalk all the welding spots +that appeared to be definitely +weakened. Each day he found +more to mark and soon the +little white circles were scattered +across the walls wherever +he looked.</p> + +<p>When he was not working +at examining the walls he +could feel the windows watching +him, like staring eyes. +Out of self defense he would +have to go to them and stare +back at the emptiness.</p> + +<p>Space was alien; coldly, +deadly, alien. He was a tiny +spark of life in a hostile sea +of Nothing and there was no +one to help him. The Nothing +outside was waiting day and +night for the most infinitesimal +leak or crack in the walls; +the Nothing that had been +waiting out there since time +without beginning and would +wait for time without end.</p> + +<p>Sometimes he would touch +his finger to the wall and +think, <i>Death is out there, only +one-sixteenth of an inch away</i>. +His first fears became a black +and terrible conviction: the +bubble could not continue to +resist the attack for long. It +had already lasted longer than +it should have. Two million +pounds of pressure wanted out +and all the sucking Nothing +of intergalactic space wanted +in. And only a thin skin of +metal, rotten with brittle +welding spots, stood between +them.</p> + +<p>It wanted in—the Nothing +wanted in. He knew, then, +that Horne and Silverman +had not been insane. It wanted +in and someday it would +get in. When it did it would +explode him and jerk out his +guts and lungs. Not until that +happened, not until the Nothing +filled the bubble and enclosed +his hideous, turned-inside-out +body would it ever be +content ...</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>He had long since quit +wearing the magnetized shoes, +afraid the vibration of them +would weaken the bubble still +more. And he began noticing +sections where the bubble did +not seem to be perfectly concave, +as though the rolling +mill had pressed the metal too +thin in places and it was +swelling out like an over-inflated +balloon.</p> + +<p>He could not remember +when he had last attended to +the instruments. Nothing was +important but the danger that +surrounded him. He knew the +danger was rapidly increasing +because whenever he pressed +his ear to the wall he could +hear the almost inaudible +tickings and vibrations as the +bubble's skin contracted or expanded +and the Nothing tapped +and searched with its +empty fingers for a flaw or +crack that it could tear into a +leak.</p> + +<p>But the windows were far +the worst, with the Nothing +staring in at him day and +night. There was no escape +from it. He could feel it +watching him, malignant and +gloating, even when he hid his +eyes in his hands.</p> + +<p>The time came when he +could stand it no longer. The +cot had a blanket and he used +that together with all his +spare clothes to make a tent +stretching from the table to +the first instrument panel. +When he crawled under it he +found that the lower half of +one window could still see +him. He used the clothes he +was wearing to finish the job +and it was much better then, +hiding there in the concealing +darkness where the Nothing +could not see him.</p> + +<p>He did not mind going +naked—the temperature regulators +in the bubble never let +it get too cold.</p> + +<p>He had no conception of +time from then on. He emerged +only when necessary to +bring more food into his tent. +He could still hear the Nothing +tapping and sucking in its +ceaseless search for a flaw and +he made such emergences as +brief as possible, wishing that +he did not have to come out +at all. Maybe if he could hide +in his tent for a long time and +never make a sound it would +get tired and go away ...</p> + +<p>Sometimes he thought of the +cruiser and wished they would +come for him but most of the +time he thought of the thing +that was outside, trying to get +in to kill him. When the strain +became too great he would +draw himself up in the position +he had once occupied in +his mother's womb and pretend +he had never left Earth. +It was easier there.</p> + +<p>But always, before very +long, the bubble would tick or +whisper and he would freeze +in terror, thinking, <i>This time +it's coming in ...</i></p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Then one day, suddenly, +two men were peering under +his tent at him.</p> + +<p>One of them said, "My God—<i>again!</i>" +and he wondered +what he meant. But they were +very nice to him and helped +him put on his clothes. Later, +in the cruiser, everything was +hazy and they kept asking +him what he was afraid of.</p> + +<p>"What was it—what did +you find?"</p> + +<p>He tried hard to think so +he could explain it. "It was—it +was Nothing."</p> + +<p>"What were you and Horne +and Silverman afraid of—what +was it?" the voice demanded +insistently.</p> + +<p>"I told you," he said. +"Nothing."</p> + +<p>They stared at him and the +haziness cleared a little as he +saw they did not understand. +He wanted them to believe +him because what he told +them was so very true.</p> + +<p>"It wanted to kill us. Please—can't +you believe me? It was +waiting outside the bubble to +kill us."</p> + +<p>But they kept staring and +he knew they didn't believe +him. They didn't <i>want</i> to believe +him ...</p> + +<p>Everything turned hazy +again and he started to cry. +He was glad when the doctor +took his hand to lead him +away ...</p> + +<p>The bubble was carefully +inspected, inside and out, and +nothing was found. When it +was time for Green's replacement +to be transferred to it +Larkin reported to Captain +McDowell.</p> + +<p>"Everything is ready, Larkin," +McDowell said. "You're +the next one. I wish we knew +what the danger is." He +scowled. "I still think one of +my roustabouts from the engine +room might give us a +sane report six months from +now instead of the babblings +we'll get from you."</p> + +<p>He felt his face flush and +he said stiffly, "I suggest, sir, +that you not jump to conclusions +until that time comes."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The cruiser vanished back +into hyperspace and he was +alone inside the observation +bubble, ten thousand light-years +beyond the galaxy's outermost +sun. He looked out the +windows at the gigantic sea +of emptiness around him and +wondered again what the danger +had been that had so terrified +the men before him.</p> + +<p>Of one thing he was already +certain; he would find +that nothing was waiting +outside the bubble to kill +him ...</p> + +<p class="theend"><b>THE END</b></p> + +<div class="trn"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b><br /> +This etext was produced from <i>Amazing Stories</i> December 1957. +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.</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Nothing Equation, by Tom Godwin + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NOTHING EQUATION *** + +***** This file should be named 25628-h.htm or 25628-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/6/2/25628/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://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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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 Nothing Equation + +Author: Tom Godwin + +Release Date: May 27, 2008 [EBook #25628] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NOTHING EQUATION *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + _The space ships were miracles of power and precision; + the men who manned them, rich in endurance and courage. + Every detail had been checked and double checked; every + detail except--_ + + + THE NOTHING EQUATION + + By TOM GODWIN + + + [Illustration] + + +The cruiser vanished back into hyperspace and he was alone in the +observation bubble, ten thousand light-years beyond the galaxy's +outermost sun. He looked out the windows at the gigantic sea of +emptiness around him and wondered again what the danger had been that +had so terrified the men before him. + +Of one thing he was already certain; he would find that nothing was +waiting outside the bubble to kill him. The first bubble attendant had +committed suicide and the second was a mindless maniac on the Earthbound +cruiser but it must have been something inside the bubble that had +caused it. Or else they had imagined it all. + +He went across the small room, his magnetized soles loud on the thin +metal floor in the bubble's silence. He sat down in the single chair, +his weight very slight in the feeble artificial gravity, and reviewed +the known facts. + +The bubble was a project of Earth's Galactic Observation Bureau, +positioned there to gather data from observations that could not be made +from within the galaxy. Since metallic mass affected the hypersensitive +instruments the bubble had been made as small and light as possible. It +was for that reason that it could accommodate only one attendant. + +The Bureau had selected Horne as the bubble's first attendant and the +cruiser left him there for his six months' period of duty. When it made +its scheduled return with his replacement he was found dead from a +tremendous overdose of sleeping pills. On the table was his daily-report +log and his last entry, made three months before: + +_I haven't attended to the instruments for a long time because it hates +us and doesn't want us here. It hates me the most of all and keeps +trying to get into the bubble to kill me. I can hear it whenever I stop +and listen and I know it won't be long. I'm afraid of it and I want to +be asleep when it comes. But I'll have to make it soon because I have +only twenty sleeping pills left and if--_ + +The sentence was never finished. According to the temperature recording +instruments in the bubble his body ceased radiating heat that same +night. + + * * * * * + +The bubble was cleaned, fumigated, and inspected inside and out. No sign +of any inimical entity or force could be found. + +Silverman was Horne's replacement. When the cruiser returned six months +later bringing him, Green, to be Silverman's replacement, Silverman was +completely insane. He babbled about something that had been waiting +outside the bubble to kill him but his nearest to a rational statement +was to say once, when asked for the hundredth time what he had seen: + +"Nothing--you can't really see it. But you feel it watching you and you +hear it trying to get in to kill you. One time I bumped the wall +and--for God's sake--take me away from it--take me back to Earth ..." + +Then he had tried to hide under the captain's desk and the ship's doctor +had led him away. + +The bubble was minutely examined again and the cruiser employed every +detector device it possessed to search surrounding space for light-years +in all directions. Nothing was found. + +When it was time for the new replacement to be transferred to the bubble +he reported to Captain McDowell. + +"Everything is ready, Green," McDowell said. "You are the next one." His +shaggy gray eyebrows met in a scowl. "It would be better if they would +let me select the replacement instead of them." + +He flushed with a touch of resentment and said, "The Bureau found my +intelligence and initiative of thought satisfactory." + +"I know--the characteristics you don't need. What they ought to have is +somebody like one of my engine room roustabouts, too ignorant to get +scared and too dumb to go nuts. Then we could get a sane report six +months from now instead of the ravings of a maniac." + +"I suggest," he said stiffly, "that you reserve judgement until that +time comes, sir." + + * * * * * + +And that was all he knew about the danger, real or imaginary, that had +driven two men into insanity. He would have six months in which to find +the answer. Six months minus-- He looked at the chronometer and saw that +twenty minutes had passed since he left the cruiser. Somehow, it seemed +much longer ... + +He moved to light a cigarette and his metal soles scraped the floor with +the same startling loudness he had noticed before. The bubble was as +silent as a tomb. + +It was not much larger than a tomb; a sphere eighteen feet in diameter, +made of thin sheet steel and criss-crossed outside with narrow +reinforcing girders to keep the internal air pressure from rupturing it. +The floor under him was six feet up from the sphere's bottom and the +space beneath held the air regenerator and waste converter units, the +storage batteries and the food cabinets. The compartment in which he sat +contained chair, table, a narrow cot, banks of dials, a remote-control +panel for operating the instruments mounted outside the hull, a +microfilm projector, and a pair of exerciser springs attached to one +wall. That was all. + +There was no means of communication since a hyperspace communicator +would have affected the delicate instruments with its radiations but +there was a small microfilm library to go with the projector so that he +should be able to pass away the time pleasantly enough. + +But it was not the fear of boredom that was behind the apprehension he +could already feel touching at his mind. It had not been boredom that +had turned Horne into a suicide and Silverman into-- + +Something cracked sharply behind him, like a gunshot in the stillness, +and he leaped to his feet, whirling to face it. + +It was only a metal reel of data tape that had dropped out of the +spectrum analyzer into the storage tray. + +His heart was thumping fast and his attempt to laugh at his nervousness +sounded hollow and mirthless. _Something_ inside or outside the bubble +had driven two men insane with its threat and now that he was +irrevocably exiled in the bubble, himself, he could no longer dismiss +their fear as products of their imagination. Both of them had been +rational, intelligent men, as carefully selected by the Observation +Bureau as he had been. + +He set in to search the bubble, overlooking nothing. When he crawled +down into the lower compartment he hesitated then opened the longest +blade of his knife before searching among the dark recesses down there. +He found nothing, not even a speck of dust. + +Back in his chair again he began to doubt his first conviction. Perhaps +there really had been some kind of an invisible force or entity outside +the bubble. Both Horne and Silverman had said that "it" had tried to get +in to kill them. + +They had been very definite about that part. + + * * * * * + +There were six windows around the bubble's walls, set there to enable +the attendant to see all the outside-mounted instruments and dials. He +went to them to look out, one by one, and from all of them he saw the +same vast emptiness that surrounded him. The galaxy--his galaxy--was so +far away that its stars were like dust. In the other directions the +empty gulf was so wide that galaxies and clusters of galaxies were tiny, +feeble specks of light shining across it. + +All around him was a void so huge that galaxies were only specks in +it.... + +Who could know what forces or dangers might be waiting out there? + +A light blinked, reminding him it was time to attend to his duties. The +job required an hour and he was nervous and not yet hungry when he had +finished. He went to the exerciser springs on the wall and performed a +work-out that left him tired and sweating but which, at least, gave him +a small appetite. + +The day passed, and the next. He made another search of the bubble's +interior with the same results as before. He felt almost sure, then, +that there was nothing in the bubble with him. He established a routine +of work, pastime and sleep that made the first week pass fairly +comfortably but for the gnawing worry in his mind that something +invisible was lurking just outside the windows. + +Then one day he accidentally kicked the wall with his metal shoe tip. + +It made a sound like that from kicking a tight-stretched section of tin +and it seemed to him it gave a little from the impact, as tin would do. +He realized for the first time how thin it was--how deadly, dangerously +thin. + +According to the specifications he had read it was only one-sixteenth of +an inch thick. It was as thin as cardboard. + +He sat down with pencil and paper and began calculating. The bubble had +a surface area of 146,500 square inches and the internal air pressure +was fourteen pounds to the square inch. Which meant that the thin metal +skin contained a total pressure of 2,051,000 pounds. + +Two million pounds. + +The bubble in which he sat was a bomb, waiting to explode the instant +any section of the thin metal weakened. + +It was supposed to be an alloy so extremely strong that it had a high +safety factor but he could not believe that any metal so thin could be +so strong. It was all right for engineers sitting safely on Earth to +speak of high safety factors but his life depended upon the fragile wall +not cracking. It made a lot of difference. + + * * * * * + +The next day he thought he felt the hook to which the exerciser spring +was attached crack loose from where it was welded to the wall. He +inspected the base of the hook closely and there seemed to be a fine, +hairline fracture appearing around it. + + * * * * * + +He held his ear to it, listening for any sound of a leak. It was not +leaking yet but it could commence doing so at any time. He looked out +the windows at the illimitable void that was waiting to absorb his +pitiful little supply of air and he thought of the days he had hauled +and jerked at the springs with all his strength, not realizing the +damage he was doing. + +There was a sick feeling in his stomach for the rest of the day and he +returned again and again to examine the hairline around the hook. + +The next day he discovered an even more serious threat: the thin skin of +the bubble had been spot-welded to the outside reinforcing girders. + +Such welding often created hard, brittle spots that would soon +crystallize from continued movement--and there was a slight temperature +difference in the bubble between his working and sleeping hours that +would daily produce a contraction and expansion of the skin. Especially +when he used the little cooking burner. + +He quit using the burner for any purpose and began a daily inspection of +every square inch of the bubble's walls, marking with white chalk all +the welding spots that appeared to be definitely weakened. Each day he +found more to mark and soon the little white circles were scattered +across the walls wherever he looked. + +When he was not working at examining the walls he could feel the windows +watching him, like staring eyes. Out of self defense he would have to go +to them and stare back at the emptiness. + +Space was alien; coldly, deadly, alien. He was a tiny spark of life in a +hostile sea of Nothing and there was no one to help him. The Nothing +outside was waiting day and night for the most infinitesimal leak or +crack in the walls; the Nothing that had been waiting out there since +time without beginning and would wait for time without end. + +Sometimes he would touch his finger to the wall and think, _Death is out +there, only one-sixteenth of an inch away_. His first fears became a +black and terrible conviction: the bubble could not continue to resist +the attack for long. It had already lasted longer than it should have. +Two million pounds of pressure wanted out and all the sucking Nothing of +intergalactic space wanted in. And only a thin skin of metal, rotten +with brittle welding spots, stood between them. + +It wanted in--the Nothing wanted in. He knew, then, that Horne and +Silverman had not been insane. It wanted in and someday it would get in. +When it did it would explode him and jerk out his guts and lungs. Not +until that happened, not until the Nothing filled the bubble and +enclosed his hideous, turned-inside-out body would it ever be content ... + + * * * * * + +He had long since quit wearing the magnetized shoes, afraid the +vibration of them would weaken the bubble still more. And he began +noticing sections where the bubble did not seem to be perfectly concave, +as though the rolling mill had pressed the metal too thin in places and +it was swelling out like an over-inflated balloon. + +He could not remember when he had last attended to the instruments. +Nothing was important but the danger that surrounded him. He knew the +danger was rapidly increasing because whenever he pressed his ear to the +wall he could hear the almost inaudible tickings and vibrations as the +bubble's skin contracted or expanded and the Nothing tapped and searched +with its empty fingers for a flaw or crack that it could tear into a +leak. + +But the windows were far the worst, with the Nothing staring in at him +day and night. There was no escape from it. He could feel it watching +him, malignant and gloating, even when he hid his eyes in his hands. + +The time came when he could stand it no longer. The cot had a blanket +and he used that together with all his spare clothes to make a tent +stretching from the table to the first instrument panel. When he crawled +under it he found that the lower half of one window could still see him. +He used the clothes he was wearing to finish the job and it was much +better then, hiding there in the concealing darkness where the Nothing +could not see him. + +He did not mind going naked--the temperature regulators in the bubble +never let it get too cold. + +He had no conception of time from then on. He emerged only when +necessary to bring more food into his tent. He could still hear the +Nothing tapping and sucking in its ceaseless search for a flaw and he +made such emergences as brief as possible, wishing that he did not have +to come out at all. Maybe if he could hide in his tent for a long time +and never make a sound it would get tired and go away ... + +Sometimes he thought of the cruiser and wished they would come for him +but most of the time he thought of the thing that was outside, trying to +get in to kill him. When the strain became too great he would draw +himself up in the position he had once occupied in his mother's womb and +pretend he had never left Earth. It was easier there. + +But always, before very long, the bubble would tick or whisper and he +would freeze in terror, thinking, _This time it's coming in ..._ + + * * * * * + +Then one day, suddenly, two men were peering under his tent at him. + +One of them said, "My God--_again!_" and he wondered what he meant. But +they were very nice to him and helped him put on his clothes. Later, in +the cruiser, everything was hazy and they kept asking him what he was +afraid of. + +"What was it--what did you find?" + +He tried hard to think so he could explain it. "It was--it was Nothing." + +"What were you and Horne and Silverman afraid of--what was it?" the +voice demanded insistently. + +"I told you," he said. "Nothing." + +They stared at him and the haziness cleared a little as he saw they did +not understand. He wanted them to believe him because what he told them +was so very true. + +"It wanted to kill us. Please--can't you believe me? It was waiting +outside the bubble to kill us." + +But they kept staring and he knew they didn't believe him. They didn't +_want_ to believe him ... + +Everything turned hazy again and he started to cry. He was glad when the +doctor took his hand to lead him away ... + +The bubble was carefully inspected, inside and out, and nothing was +found. When it was time for Green's replacement to be transferred to it +Larkin reported to Captain McDowell. + +"Everything is ready, Larkin," McDowell said. "You're the next one. I +wish we knew what the danger is." He scowled. "I still think one of my +roustabouts from the engine room might give us a sane report six months +from now instead of the babblings we'll get from you." + +He felt his face flush and he said stiffly, "I suggest, sir, that you +not jump to conclusions until that time comes." + + * * * * * + +The cruiser vanished back into hyperspace and he was alone inside the +observation bubble, ten thousand light-years beyond the galaxy's +outermost sun. He looked out the windows at the gigantic sea of +emptiness around him and wondered again what the danger had been that +had so terrified the men before him. + +Of one thing he was already certain; he would find that nothing was +waiting outside the bubble to kill him ... + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Amazing Stories_ December 1957. + 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 Nothing Equation, by Tom Godwin + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NOTHING EQUATION *** + +***** This file should be named 25628.txt or 25628.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/6/2/25628/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://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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