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diff --git a/29240.txt b/29240.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f155b96 --- /dev/null +++ b/29240.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1066 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Be It Ever Thus, by Robert Moore Williams + +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: Be It Ever Thus + +Author: Robert Moore Williams + +Release Date: June 25, 2009 [EBook #29240] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BE IT EVER THUS *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + _Men have fought and died for life and liberty since the beginning + of time, and they will continue the fight until time finally comes + to an end. Here is a thoroughly readable story about just such a + situation--a story which could well be a forecast of the chilling + future of your children and ours._ + + + be + it + ever + thus + + _by ... Robert Moore Williams_ + + + The planet's natives were so similar to their conquerors that no + one could tell them apart--except for their difference in thinking. + + +This was Graduation Day. The senior class from the Star Institute of +Advanced Science was scheduled to go through the Museum of the Conquered +and observe the remnants of the race that had once ruled this planet. +There were many such museums maintained for the purpose of allowing the +people to see the greatness their ancestors had displayed in conquering +this world and also to demonstrate how thorough and how complete that +conquest had been. Perhaps the museums had other reasons for existing, +but the authorities did not reveal these reasons. Visiting such a museum +was part of the exercises of every graduating class. + +Billy Kasker arrived early, to take care of all last minute problems for +Mr. Phipper, the instructor who would take the group through the museum, +and to make certain that all of the members of the graduating class knew +what they were supposed to do on the trip. Billy Kasker was class +president. A handsome, husky youth, accommodating, generous, and +thoughtful to a fault. He was well liked both by the faculty and the +students. He was pleasant to everybody, even to Joe Buckner, who called +him "teacher's pet" and sneeringly remarked that he had been elected +class president as a result of a superb job of boot-licking. + +Even such remarks as these had not disturbed Bill Kasker. He still acted +as if Joe Buckner was his best friend. + +"Are we all here, Billy?" the instructor called. + +"All here, sir," Billy Kasker answered. + +"Very well. Let's start to the museum. As we go through you may ask any +questions you wish. However, I must insist you stay close to me and not +wander from the group. We will be in no danger, you understand--the +creatures living in the museum have had their fangs pulled most +effectively--but even so we must not take chances." + +The instructor led off. He was a fussy little person in a shiny black +coat and a soft hat that was too big for him. No matter how much paper +he stuffed inside the brim, the hat never seemed to fit right. Peering +through glasses that were always threatening to fall off, he moved away +from the Star Institute toward the nearby museum. The class of eight +girls and nine boys followed him. + +"Why do we have to go through this old museum?" Joe Buckner complained. +"We already know everything about it." + +"It's the rule," Billy Kasker answered. "The faculty thinks we should +see the situation at first hand. Then we will have a better +understanding of it." + +Joe Buckner grunted disdainfully. "You're always sucking in with the big +shots and telling everybody what they say." + +"You asked me. I tried to tell you." Billy Kasker's voice was still +pleasant. If a slight glint appeared in his eyes, it remained there for +only a second. + +The museum was an open area many miles long. It was enclosed by a high, +electrically charged fence along which guard towers were placed at +regular intervals. There was only one gate, to which the instructor led +the class. A captain, resplendent in a brilliant uniform, came out of +the guard house to greet them. + +"The graduating class from the Star Institute, eh? Good. We had notice +that you were coming. Guard, bring Mr. Phipper a _Thor_ gun, then open +the gates." The last was spoken in a brisk tone to the guard who had +followed the captain. + +The _Thor_ gun was brought immediately. It was a small weapon, with a +belt and holster. The captain took it from the holster. Watching, Billy +Kasker had the impression that the weapon was made of glittering, spun +glass. It had a short, heavy barrel in which tiny instruments were +visible. Billy Kasker watched very closely. + +"Do you know how to use it?" the captain asked. + +"Oh, yes," the instructor answered. + +"Is it so dangerous in there that we need a _Thor_ gun?" Susan Sidwell +said. Susan had majored in ionic chemistry and had graduated with high +honors. + +"No, it isn't dangerous at all," the instructor answered hastily. "The +weapon is worn merely for the sake of tradition." + +"No danger at all, young lady," the captain said. "Nothing to worry +about. Not while you've got this, anyhow." He patted the _Thor_ gun +which the instructor was buckling to his waist. + +The gates were open. The instructor in the lead, the group passed +through. Billy Kasker brought up the rear. Joe Buckner was directly +ahead of him. + +They went first to see the wreckage of the city--shattered walls, +tumbled buildings, streets with rubble still piled in them. Weeds and +creeping vines grew over the broken bones of this city as if they were +attempting to hide the ugly scars. + +The instructor adjusted his voice to the proper tone. He had made this +same speech to many graduating classes and he knew exactly what he was +going to say. + +"You understand, of course, that this part of the old city was almost +completely destroyed in our attack of the year 4021 After Yevbro, or the +year 1967, according to the way the natives reckoned time on this +planet. This part of it has been allowed to remain the way our ships +left it, as an example of the effectiveness of our weapons." + +His voice gave the impression that he was personally participating in +that attack and was enjoying the destruction that had taken place. He +stood straight, squared his shoulders and breathed deeply. + +"What happened to the natives who lived here?" Billy Kasker asked. + +The instructor frowned. "Oh, they were killed." At first he was a little +irritated at the question, then again satisfaction came back into his +voice. + +"They got what was coming to them for trying to resist our sky ships," +Joe Buckner said. + +"Oh, yes, they deserved their fate." The instructor hitched the _Thor_ +gun a little higher on his hip. + +Billy Kasker was silent. + +"We will go next to the fields, then to the factory section--such of as +there is--then to that part of the city which we have allowed the +natives to rebuild. Come." + +The class moved out of the city. Here they saw their first natives. Clad +mostly in rags--many of them bent and stooped, some of them showing the +marks of hunger--they were a quiet people who kept strictly out of the +way of the class group. But except for the clothing and the marks of +hunger, they were identical in appearance with their conquerors. + +"Why, they look just like us!" Joe Buckner said indignantly. He sounded +outraged at the resemblance. + +"There are many differences," the instructor said quickly. "Note their +clothing, how poorly made it is. They make it themselves out of the wool +of some kind of animal--deer, I believe, or bear." + +"Sheep," Billy Kasker corrected. + +"Oh, yes, sheep is the name of the animal. Thank you, Billy." + +"You're welcome, sir." + +"But they oughtn't to look like _us_!" Joe Buckner continued. + +"There are chemical differences," Susan Sidwell said. "Once, in the +laboratory, we analyzed their blood. The color was different for one +thing. They also have a much different metabolism." + +"But suppose one of them escaped from the museum and got into our part +of the world. How would we know he wasn't one of us, if he put on our +clothes?" Joe Buckner sounded outraged. + +"That is one purpose our bracelets serve," the instructor answered. "A +very good question, Joe. As you know, each of us receives a bracelet at +birth, which is slipped over the hand and onto the wrist. Made of +_plasticum_, which cannot be cut by any method, the bracelet has the +unique property of expanding in size as the wearer grows. It cannot be +removed except by cutting off the arm of the wearer." He laughed as if +he had made a good joke. "But I am sure no one would ever think of doing +that. The bracelet carries the serial number assigned to each of us." + +He held up his arm, exhibiting the gleaming circle of _plasticum_ on his +wrist. To him--to all of them--it was a badge of honor, a mark that +proved one belonged to a superior race. "If one of the natives escaped, +the absence of a bracelet would disclose his identity at once. We would +take measures to have him eliminated." + +"I see," Joe Buckner said. He sounded mollified. "How would we eliminate +him?" + +"I believe it is customary to use a _Thor_ gun in such cases--a large +caliber which will disintegrate him instantly. The model I have will +only blast a hole a few inches in diameter." + +"I'm going to be a _Thorgunman_," Joe Buckner said with sudden +enthusiasm. + +"Good!" the instructor said. "That is a very fine calling. If I had my +life to live over again--" He sighed for lost opportunities. + +At the announcement of his ambition, Joe Buckner rose higher in the +opinion of the class. + +"Observe how they make their living," the instructor continued. + +The class saw the natives at work tilling the soil. The technique used +here was very crude but mildly interesting. They used plows and harrows +for loosening the soil, devices that were pulled by large animals. + +"_Horses_, I believe they call the animals. Of course, we don't allow +them to have power-drawn equipment." + +"It's not at all like the way we obtain our food," Billy Kasker said +thoughtfully. + +"Oh, no," the instructor answered. "We synthesize our foods. As a matter +of fact, they are _required_ to grow their food. That way, they have to +spend so much time finding something to eat that they can't cause +trouble." He grinned as if something in the idea pleased him. + +"Serves them right," Joe Buckner said. + +The natives working in the fields seemed not to see the class. When the +group came near, they stopped talking and worked harder. + +"Scared to talk when we're around," Joe Buckner said. "They're yellow!" + +"Now for the factory section," the instructor said. + +The factories were small and unimpressive. Working here with very crude +tools and with no power equipment, the natives were making farm +machinery. + +"Why don't we give them better tools?" Billy Kasker asked. + +"What have they got coming?" Joe Buckner exclaimed. "They lost, didn't +they?" + +"Yes, but--" + +"If you had your way you'd be sucking in and helping the side that lost. +Pretty soon you'd discover _you_ had lost!" + +"Hardly that," Billy Kasker replied. "But it seems more human--" + +"_Human?_ That's a laugh!" Joe Buckner slapped his thighs and roared +with laughter. + +"Come along," the instructor said. + +"Look--there are children playing games!" Susan Sidwell observed. +"Horrible-looking little brats, aren't they?" She pointed to a group of +brown-skinned youngsters playing some kind of a game that involved a +ball and a club. One threw the ball, the second struck at it with the +club. + +"What a stupid way to play," Joe Buckner said. + + * * * * * + +As soon as the young natives saw the graduating group coming, they +stopped their game and ran away. They seemed very frightened. + +"The young ones fear us," the instructor explained. "The older ones fear +us too, but they don't show it so much." He watched the fleeing +youngsters with every evidence of great inward satisfaction. + +Billy Kasker's lips closed in a thin straight line. + +"Now we will go to the rebuilt section." + +They walked on. + +"One of the natives is following us," Susan Sidwell suddenly said. + +Turning, the group saw that a member of the conquered race was coming +along the street behind them. He was dressed all in brown--his hat, his +shirt, his pants. + +The instructor put his hand on the butt of the _Thor_ gun. + +The native walked past the group without seeming to see it. He was +whistling between his teeth. He walked on ahead of them, turned down an +alley, and disappeared. The instructor took his hand off the _Thor_ gun. + +"He wasn't really following us; he wouldn't dare. Does anybody have any +questions?" He looked brightly around the group. + +"Yes, I have," Joe Buckner said. "Why don't we just kill all of these +natives? They're not any good to us." + +The instructor smiled slyly. "I'll tell you a little secret about that. +It's awfully hard to kill _all_ of any race. No matter how thoroughly +you do the job, a few always manage to escape. Then they breed and +increase in spite of everything you do. + +"After we had conquered this planet we had trouble catching all of the +natives. They were the most cantankerous, persistent race you can +imagine. So these museums were set up, to lure them in here. We +announced that these places would be set aside and that they would not +be bothered as long as they remained in the museums. All in all, we made +the museums rather attractive places, hoping that--" + +"I see the plan!" Joe Buckner said glowingly. "After you got them all +into the museums--_blooie!_--knock all of them off at once!" + +The instructor smiled. He looked as pleased as if he had thought of the +idea himself. A little stir of applause ran through the group as they +expressed their gratitude to their rulers for making this world safe for +them. + +"Why haven't they been killed before now?" Billy Kasker asked. "These +museums were opened over forty years ago. Surely--" + +"I don't know about that," the instructor answered. "I think probably +our rulers are waiting for a propitious time, or perhaps for an incident +that will give them an excuse to carry out their plan." + +"I hope they don't wait too long," Joe Buckner said. "Golly, I want to +be a _Thorgunner_ and get in on the mop-up when it comes!" + +The group stirred, seemed to look forward to the day of the final +slaughter. + +"Any other questions?" the instructor asked. + +"I have one," Billy Kasker said hesitantly. "It doesn't exactly have +anything to do with our trip through the museum--it's something I ran +across in a book--but I don't quite understand it, and I wondered--" + +"Go right ahead, Billy. What do you have on your mind?" + +"Well, ah, did--did you ever hear of a _changeling_? I know it's a kind +of a silly question but--" + +"A _changeling_?" The instructor frowned. + +"I think it comes out of a fairy story or something like that," Billy +Kasker said. + +"Oh, yes. Now I recall the word." The instructor's face lighted. "It's a +story about the fairies taking one child from its crib and substituting +another for it. The substituted child was called a _changeling_. Or +perhaps some poor mother, wishing to give her child a better chance, +stole the child of a rich mother and put her child in its place. I +really don't remember too much about it." + +"Thank you, sir. You have explained it very lucidly." + +The instructor beamed. + +Joe Buckner sniffed. "Asking a question, then telling the instructor he +has explained it very clearly when you didn't even ask a sensible +question in the first place--that's what I call sucking in! Who ever +heard of a _changeling_?" + +The group moved on. They came to the section of the city that had been +repaired. The streets had been cleared of the rubble, houses had been +rebuilt, and here and there little touches of green grass showed where +an attempt to add a touch of beauty had been made. + +They saw very few of the natives. Far ahead of them they occasionally +glimpsed a native slipping furtively out of the way. Behind them, always +at a distance, heads occasionally poked around corners at them. + +"They're very cowardly," the instructor said. + +"Where's Billy Kasker?" Susan Sidwell suddenly asked. + +The group halted. Billy Kasker was no longer following them. A little +stir of consternation ran through them as they realized the class +president was missing. + +"Billy! Billy!" the instructor called. + +There was no answer. + +"I just don't understand this. He knows he should remain with us." + +"Maybe some of these horrible natives grabbed him!" Susan Sidwell said. +The group was startled--and suddenly afraid. + + * * * * * + +The instructor took a deep breath. "I have a _Thor_ gun. I'll go find +him. Joe, you are in charge of the group until I return. All of you +remain in the middle of the street and don't move." + +The instructor went back along the street. He was exasperated and a +little alarmed. If anything happened to Billy, how could he explain the +matter to the gate captain or to Billy's parents? + +"Billy!" he called again and again. + +Suddenly he had an answer from an alley. + +"Here, sir--here I am. Are you looking for me? I'm sorry, sir." Billy +himself appeared in the alley. + +Reassured at the sight of the youth, but angry, the instructor moved +into the alley. "What is the meaning of this? You have alarmed all of +us." + +"I'm awfully sorry, sir. But I saw something back here that interested +me, and I stopped to take a look. I hope you will forgive me." His +manner was so contrite and his chagrin so complete that the instructor +had no choice but to forgive him. + +"Of course, Billy. But you mustn't do anything like this again. It might +be dangerous." + +"I won't, sir. I promise. But I wonder, since you are here, if you would +be good enough to explain to me the thing I saw back here. It will only +take a minute." + +"What is it?" + +"It's something in one of the houses. I came back looking at something +else, then caught a glimpse of this. If you will come into the back yard +you can see it. I would really like to have you explain it to me, sir. +You are always so clear in your explanations." Billy Kasker's manner was +very winning. + +"Well, if it will only take a minute--" The instructor followed Billy +into the back yard. At the rear was a shed with an open window. A plot +of grass separated the shed from the house. On the second floor of the +house, a window had been shattered. + +"There's something up there in that broken window. If you will come +here, sir, you can see it better." + +"Um. Ah! Oh, yes." The instructor's back was to the open window of the +shed. He stared upward at the house. + +Two brown-coated arms came out of the window of the shed and clamped a +fierce grip around his throat, jerking him backward against the wall. He +grabbed frantically for the _Thor_ gun. + +The face of the brown native appeared in the window of the shed. "Get +that gun, Billy!" + +Billy Kasker was already in action. He snatched the gun from the +instructor's flailing hands. + +The brown native leaned from the window. Muscles bulging in his powerful +arms, he lifted the instructor upward and through the window. A thump +came from inside the shed. Billy Kasker, _Thor_ gun ready for use, went +through the door. + +The instructor was writhing on the floor. The native had a knee on his +chest, a knife in his hand. + +"This is for the race you _think_ you've conquered!" the native said. He +plunged the knife into the instructor's throat. Green liquid spurted +from the wound. + +"Green blood!" the native said. "One of the chemical differences." He +came to his feet. The dying instructor was forgotten. The native's hand +went out. "Billy, am I glad to see you. I was afraid you wouldn't +recognize me in spite of the tune I was whistling as I walked past you +on the street." + +"I wouldn't forget," Billy Kasker said. + +"But, Billy, it's been twelve years since I traded you, as a kid of +five, for one of their brats--changing the bracelet as I changed you. +Many times since then I've thought you had forgotten, or that I wouldn't +live to see the day when you came back here with a graduating class." + +"I don't forget," Billy Kasker said. "I'm even class president!" The +words burst out of him as if he was still having trouble understanding +what they meant. + +"That's wonderful, Billy. You're accepted as one of them, but you're one +of us all the time. You're in with them, you're set. You have done a +wonderful job and I'm proud of you." + +The glow in the native's eyes was a wonderful sight to behold. In it +there showed the hope of the future for all the conquered natives of +this lost planet that had once been called Earth--the faith, the sure +knowledge that they would rise again ... indeed, that they were already +rising. + +"Thank you! But--" Billy nodded toward the body of the instructor, then +spun hastily as a sound came from the rear of the shed, the _Thor_ gun +coming to focus. A trap door was rising there. Three natives were +looking up from under it. + +"They're all right," the brown native said quickly. "They're with us." + +Three ragged men scrambled up from below. They looked at the brown +native, then at the body of the instructor on the floor. A look of +fierce exultation appeared on their faces. Then they looked at Billy +Kasker and at the _Thor_ gun he was holding. + +"Give the _Thor_ gun to Jim," the brown native said. + +Without hesitation Billy Kasker handed the gun to the native who reached +for it. Jim did everything but kiss the weapon. "God, the years I've +spent dreaming of the moment when I would get one of these babies into +my hands! One was all I needed." + +"Don't stand there gloating, Jim--get moving," the brown native said. +"Within a month I want you not only to know how a _Thor_ gun works but +to be manufacturing them by the dozens, including the large sizes. This +is the gun that has been stopping us all these years--it is the gun that +is going to take us out of these pig pens they call museums. Get +moving!" + +"Yes, sir." Jim was already gone through the trap door. + + * * * * * + +The brown native jerked off the instructor's clothes, then worked +quickly but deftly with his knife. As he finished, the instructor's hand +separated from the arm at the wrist. + +"He said no one would ever _think_ of doing anything like that," Billy +Kasker said. + +"Nobody but one of us stinking natives." The brown man removed the +_plasticum_ bracelet, began to work with the fingers of his left hand. +"I've spent years learning how to throw my thumb out of joint, just +getting ready for the time--" + +The _plasticum_ bracelet slipped over the collapsed thumb. It fitted +very snugly on his wrist. He held it up. + +"Neat, eh. This makes me one of the conquerors." + +"A nice fit. But we have very little time. The group will become +alarmed." + +The second native began to take the instructor's body down the trap +door. The brown native swiftly slipped off his clothes and donned the +garments the instructor had worn. + +"Ed, where's that _Thor_ gun model? I've got to have something that +looks and feels like a genuine _Thor_ gun to turn in at the gate." + +"Here it is, sir." The third native handed a gleaming replica of the +_Thor_ gun to the brown man. He slipped it into the holster. It fitted +snugly. + +"How do I look, Billy?" + +Billy Kasker surveyed the brown native. He was remarkably changed. No +longer did he look like one of the natives, he looked like a conqueror. +"Just a little higher on the nose with the glasses. And maybe a little +less stuffing inside the brim of the hat. But--can you carry off the +part of the instructor?" + +"I can carry it off or die trying," the brown native said. + +"Good!" The two shook hands, then turned and went out the door. As they +left, Billy Kasker saw that Ed was mopping the last remnants of the +green blood from the floor. + +"Perfect, down to the last detail," Billy Kasker said. "You're a genius +at planning." + +"You have to be a genius to stay alive. Okay, Billy. Here is where we go +into our act." + +They had moved into the street and the group had seen them. The voice +that came from the brown native's mouth was the voice of the instructor, +hot and angry. + +"Billy, this sort of conduct is intolerable. You know better than to +wander off like this. What possible explanation can you offer for your +conduct?" + +Billy Kasker was very penitent. He was embarrassed, he was humiliated, +and he showed both very clearly. He had lost all of his air of easy +aplomb. "I'm very sorry, sir. I didn't think--" + +"That's just it, you didn't think. You saw nothing in that alley, yet +you asked me to come back and look. Is that the way you waste your and +my time?" + +"It won't happen again, sir," Billy Kasker said contritely. + +"See that it doesn't." + +"Yah!" Joe Buckner gloated. "This is one time the class president got it +in the neck!" + +"A very good point you have brought out," the instructor said. "Billy +has just demonstrated his unfitness to be class president. I am +therefore removing him from this position and appointing you in his +stead." + +"What?" Joe Buckner gasped, giddy with pleasure. + +Billy Kasker took his position in line. No longer did he bring up the +rear. Joe Buckner now had that position of honor. The group showed some +sympathy for Billy, but not very much or very long. When he lost his +position as president they seemed to change their minds about him. + +The group moved slowly through the city. As if nothing had happened, the +instructor explained what they were seeing. When they asked questions, +he answered them. Billy Kasker asked no more questions. + +They finally came to the gate and the same resplendent captain greeted +them. He accepted the _Thor_ gun and the holster, handed them to the +guard. + +"How are things in the museum?" + +"Everything is in good order, sir." + +"Good. I've had the impression they were getting a little restless +lately." + +"I saw no signs of it." + +"Fine. Did you have any trouble with the group?" + +"Very little. Billy Kasker wandered off for a few moments and I had to +demote him. But it was nothing. See you next year when I bring another +graduating class through to show them around." + +The group began to separate to go to their own homes. Billy Kasker +lingered a little, to speak to the instructor. "I've already asked my +folks, sir, so I know it will be all right with them, so if you would +like to come home with me tonight--" + +"Hmmmm." + +"Trying to suck in again," Joe Buckner said. "It won't do you any good +now. You're cooked for good this time!" + +Billy Kasker seemed not to hear him. His eyes were on the instructor. +"We would be very glad to have you, sir. We could talk about a great +many things." + +"Why, Billy, in that case I will be glad to come home with you." + +They moved away together. "There's one thing I want made completely +clear," Billy Kasker said. + +"What is that?" + +"When the time comes, there is one conqueror I've got on _my_ list!" + +"That jerk I made class president? Of course, Billy. We will be glad to +save him for you alone." The instructor's smile was a happy one. + +"Good. That's agreed then." In the gathering dusk, Billy Kasker's voice +was as sharp as the edge of a knife driving home into a throat from +which green blood spurted.... + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Fantastic Universe_ January 1954. + 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 Project Gutenberg's Be It Ever Thus, by Robert Moore Williams + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BE IT EVER THUS *** + +***** This file should be named 29240.txt or 29240.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/2/4/29240/ + +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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