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diff --git a/29354.txt b/29354.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1d59b6f --- /dev/null +++ b/29354.txt @@ -0,0 +1,820 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of This One Problem, by M. C. Pease + +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: This One Problem + +Author: M. C. Pease + +Release Date: July 8, 2009 [EBook #29354] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THIS ONE PROBLEM *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + _Piracy in the past has acquired the gaudy technicolor of high + romance. In the present, piracy is as tawdry as tabloid headlines. + But piracy in the far future, when presented as vividly as in this + story, can be scary stuff._ + + + this + one + problem + + _by ... M. C. Pease_ + + + The shortest distance between two points may be + the long way around--and a path of dishonor may + well turn into the high road to virtue. + + +Marc Polder, Resident Comptroller of Torran, strolled idly down the +dusty littered path that passed for a street. In the half-light of the +pint-sized moon overhead the town looked almost romantic. One day, when +civilization had at last been brought to these Asteroid bases, memory +would make Torran heroic. But now, with the fact before the eyes, it was +merely dirty and squalid. Only the scum of the Solar System called it +home. + +Idly Marc Polder pushed a swinging door aside and entered what passed on +Torran for a restaurant. Pushing his way through the tables until he saw +his only aide, Female Personnel Manager Lee Treynor, he sat down. + +"What's new?" he asked. + +"Not a thing." But for a certain softness of voice and curve of +unmade-up lips, Lee could have passed for a boy. Her light hair was +short, she wore a man's coveralls. She added, "Only the usual murder, +arson and brigandage that you don't want to hear about." + +"Don't let such trifles get you down," said Marc with a crooked +half-smile. + +"I'm fed up," the girl said shortly. "I must have been still wet behind +the ears when I agreed to come out here two months ago. I thought I was +going to help establish a place where decent people could live and work. +So far I've just watched my boss swig Venerian swamp beer with the worst +elements in town, and do nothing about the lawlessness that runs riot +all over the place." + +"Look, lady," Marc answered gently, "I certainly admire those lofty +sentiments of yours. I admit they are maybe what ought to be. But the +way I see it they just don't fit the facts. Out here the Federation +space fleet is supposed to be the big stick. Only right now it's off +playing mumbly-peg with the Venerians. + +"The Big Wheels seem to think there'll be a shooting war in a couple of +months. There's only three or four destroyers left in the whole damn +Asteroid Belt. And without the big stick behind me I'm not hankering to +commit suicide by looking for trouble." + +Marc smiled again ruefully. "What I can do I try to do," he added with +sudden earnestness. "I figure the most important thing is to protect the +Asteroid Development Company so they can buy the nuclear ore the +Astrodites bring in. Without that ore the Federation's going to be in a +hell of a fix if it actually does come to war. And along with that +there's the matter of guarding the stuff the Navy's got stored here." He +waved toward the Navy warehouse that could be seen outside the window. + +"Listening to and fraternizing with the characters you call the biggest +crooks in town," the comptroller went on with a shrug, "I've a chance at +getting tipped off in advance to anything that may make trouble for our +interests. As long as I ignore their rackets they accept me in their +midst, talk freely with me around. And it's a hell of a lot easier to +stop something when you know the score beforehand." + +The young woman's lips parted as if she seemed about to say something. +Then they closed in a thin line. Obviously she was not happy with Marc +Polder's explanation. She was too young to be willing to compromise her +ideals, no matter how potent the logic of necessity. + +She was about to leave the table when the shrill screams of a distant +whistle sliced through the noise of the crowd. Voices broke off in +mid-sentence and bodies froze into immobility. As the siren's piercing +tones faded the restaurant's customers looked at one another in silent +terror. Then, as the shock wore off and unanswered questions were +beginning to fly, a man suddenly ran in through the revolving doors. + +"Raiders!" he gasped. "The listening gear's picked up a signal that's +not from any Astrodite or destroyer. Signal Corps figures it's a +pirate!" + +There was a mad rush for the doors and seconds later the place was empty +except for Marc Polder, still sitting calmly at the table drinking his +beer, and Lee Treynor who sat watching him. + +"What are you going to do?" she finally asked. + +"I don't know. What _can_ I do?" Marc said. + +"Good heavens!" the girl exploded. "Are you just going to sit there +guzzling beer while pirates take over the town?" She stared at him +incredulously. + +"What do you suggest I do?" the comptroller asked. "We haven't anything +to fight with. There's no way we can get help. As far as I can see +there's nothing we _can_ do--not yet anyway." He calmly lifted his +glass. + +"You mean we're just going to _sit_ here?" the girl gaped. + +"Sure. The others left to hide their money and valuables. I've got +nothing to hide." + +"What about that stuff the Navy has cached in their warehouse?" Lee +asked. "That new rocket fuel their destroyers use when they need a +little extra push. Isn't that worth hiding?" + +"The hyper-degenerate-thorium, you mean? I'd like to hide that +somewhere," Marc conceded. "But where do you hide ten tons of stuff in +five minutes? Besides, it wouldn't do the raiders any good. Too hot. +It'll burn out their jets. They'd go up like an A-bomb two minutes after +they threw it on. They know that. Only thing they could do with it is +sell it to Venus. Not that that would be bad. Shortage of H.D.T.'s may +be the chief reason why there's been no war started yet. But for now +there's nothing you and I can do." Calmly he lit a cigarette. + +"Of course," he went on, smiling, "we _could_ bum a ride out with some +of the company men. No doubt they're all hightailing it away from here +in their space-buggies." + +"I'm surprised," Lee said with a trace of sarcasm, "that you're not +doing just that, leaving me and the other women to the beasts!" + +Marc eyed her unblinkingly. "You know as well as I do that most of the +females on this asteroid take pirates in their stride. They might even +welcome a change of partners. As for you"--he paused--"you stick close +to me and keep your pretty mouth shut. I think we'll manage somehow." + +In silence they walked back to the comptroller's office. + +"Marc," Lee said as they entered, "what about the new radar? Maybe we +could get a message out with it, in code or something." + +"What?" Marc turned, astonished. "You want to play our only hole-card on +an off-chance like that? There aren't more than four or five people +here who even know it's been set up on the other side of the asteroid. +There's hardly a chance the raiders will find out about it. And you want +to blast the news at them!" He looked disgusted. + +The girl said stubbornly, "You can't just give up without a fight. And +that's our only weapon." + +"Look," Marc said grimly, "that's only a second-hand destroyer radar, so +it wouldn't carry far. No. I'm not going to use it on any such +harebrained scheme as that. And if you breathe a word about it I'll take +you apart." He added with a faint smile, "Not that _that_ wouldn't be a +pleasure." + +Looking at him she knew he meant the tender joke and the knowledge +helped her. + +"I think," Marc went on after a moment, "I'd better warn the boys over +on the radar project or they might accidentally start it up while the +raiders are here." He closed the door as he went into the inner office +to make the call. + +A moment later he emerged and studied the still angry girl through +half-closed eyes. She blushed under his scrutiny, said coldly, "What's +the matter? Afraid I'm not attractive enough for our visitors?" + +He grinned. "You could do with a mite of padding here and there. But I +was thinking the other way, as a matter of fact. It's a pity you don't +have a small mustache." + +"You don't have to insult me!" Lee cried bitterly. "I'm _glad_ I'm +thin!" + +"I'm not insulting you," Marc said mildly. "I even wish you were a bit +skinnier. It's the plump girls our guests are going to be looking at +first. Remember now--you stick right with me and keep your mouth shut, +d'you hear?" + +"I hear," she said shortly. But he could see the fear she was trying to +hide and he knew she was honestly frightened for the first time in her +adult life. She said, "What will they--be like?" + +"If it's John Mantor, and I suspect it is, they'll be rough," Marc +informed her. "He's a tough ex-pilot who got bounced off Space Patrol +and turned outlaw. He seems to hold a grudge against the whole human +race. If it's one of the others--it may be a lot worse." + +"I don't see why outlaws are allowed to exist at all," she said. + +Marc sighed, shook his head. "A lot of people have felt that way over a +lot of pirates over a lot of eras. But somehow they keep turning up." + +A few minutes later the space-scarred pirate ship had made a rocky +landing in the middle of the small spaceport and John Mantor, pirate +chief, drove up to the comptroller's office in a cloud of dust. He was +tall and dirty and thin and tough. "Which one of you is the +comptroller?" he demanded, as he faced Marc Polder and Lee Treynor. + +"I am," Marc said, not rising from behind the desk. + +"Then you're the guy responsible for any trouble here," Mantor said. "So +I'm going to tell you how to avoid trouble." His brutally scarred face +twisted into a grin. + +"There's a lot of loot around here. I'm not going to ask you where it +is. My boys can take care of that matter. But there's also the Navy +warehouse. Maybe we won't know what some of the stuff in there is for, +so you're going to tell us." + +Mantor leaned across the desk, his eyes as hard and cold as chips of +duratite. "And if you won't, there's going to be trouble and you'll be +it--you and your friend here." + +Marc sat impassively, meeting the hard-eyed gaze. "That warehouse is +government property," he said. "So far, there's only piracy against you. +But if you raid that building you're going to be the personal problem of +the Navy. If I were you I'd leave it alone." + +"You let me worry about that," said Mantor. + +"Besides," Marc went on, "I don't see what good the stuff in that +warehouse can be to you. There's little of cash value in there. And I +doubt if you can use any of the parts on your ship." + +"That could be," Mantor replied. "But on the other hand, maybe we can +find a market for certain items." He smiled coldly. Watching, Lee knew +he referred to Venus. She sat perfectly still, praying for him not to +notice her. + +Mantor spread his hands on the desk, a look of hatred and ferocity on +his face. "What I want to know is--are you or are you not going to +cooperate? And I want to know fast." + +"Don't get me wrong," Marc said softly. "I'm not telling you what to do +or what not to do. But that warehouse is the thing I'm here to protect. +And if I were to agree to help you, the Navy would be after me, too. So +I've got to say to hell with you." + +John Mantor rocked back on his heels, hooking his thumbs in his belt. A +slow smile spread over his face. "Okay," he said. "I think I get what +you mean. So I guess we got to work you over. And we'll do it where +there aren't any outside witnesses." + +Marc grinned back at him. + +Lee was puzzled. It took her a moment to realize that the grins sealed a +contract between the two men. Marc would cooperate if he were beaten up +enough first to satisfy a later investigation--but not too severely for +his own comfort! + +Lee found it difficult to hide her contempt. She stared at her hands, +clenched in her lap, and waited for Mantor to leave. + +The looting and destruction were well under way an hour later when a +couple of Mantor's men joined their chief, who stood with a somewhat +bruised Marc Polder and an unharmed but furious Lee Treynor. Between +them they carried a small, obviously heavy box. + +"You know what this stuff is, boss?" one of the men asked. "They got a +hundred or a hundred-fifty boxes like this in there." He nodded at the +Navy warehouse. + +They set the box down and Mantor flung back its lid. It was filled with +small grey pellets. Mantor picked up a handful and stood fingering them. + +"Looks like rocket fuel," he said. "Only I've never seen any this color. +And it's too heavy, also." He turned to the comptroller. "_You_ tell me +what it is." + +Marc shrugged. "I don't know. It's a Navy secret." + +Mantor's eyes glinted. Without warning his fist flew out, sent the +comptroller sprawling in the dust where he lay stunned. Lee's hands flew +to her mouth barely in time to suppress a cry. + +After a few moments Marc rolled over slowly and pushed himself painfully +to a sitting position. He looked up at Mantor who stood watching him +coldly, his fist flexing. + +The comptroller licked his lips and looked around at the several men who +stood watching, their faces impassive. "Okay," he said in a +none-too-steady voice. "I'll tell you. You'd find out anyway from the +files." + +"Cut the alibis and give," Mantor growled. + +"Keep your shirt on." Marc's voice indicated he was regaining control of +himself. "It's H.D.T.--Hyper-Degenerate-Thorium--the stuff the +destroyers use to get extra push." + +Mantor roared his glee. "Pack it aboard, boys--_all_ of it! And put it +where it will be handy, just in case." + +This was it, Lee thought as she stood by, watching--the final bitter +pill. Mantor had as much as told them he was working for Venus. And the +H.D.T. was all Venus needed to be ready for war--a war that might well +blast civilization from the Solar System. Strange that so much should +depend upon one man; tragic that the one man was a weakling. + +With an effort Lee forced herself to be fair. It might have done no good +to lie, she conceded. But anyone with even a normal amount of simple +courage would have tried. + +It was about two hours later when the siren went off again like a +banshee wailing to a low-hanging moon. Men came running from all +directions, shouting questions at the tops of their voices. + +A midget auto came skidding down the pirate ship's ramp, its driver +standing on the accelerator. The car knifed through the swirling crowd, +barely missing several people, and skidded to a dusty stop directly in +front of Mantor. + +"_Radar signal!_" the driver yelled. "The search receiver picked up a +signal that sounds like a destroyer's radar. It suddenly came in strong. +Probably sneaked up on us from behind that damn moon. It's coming in +fast and braking hard!" + +There was a mad scramble as the looters raced for their ship. +Heavy-handed horseplay was forgotten. They knew they were helpless +against a Navy destroyer. Their only hope lay in a fast getaway. Seconds +could easily spell the difference between safety and defeat. + +In less than ten minutes the ship's locks were sealed and they fired +off. As the flames roared out and the huge ship lifted swiftly it was +obvious that they were throwing on all the fuel their jets could take. + +Marc Polder had faded back into the crowd at the first sound of the +siren. As he stood watching the blastoff Lee joined him, hands in her +pockets, looking more than ever like a boy. + +"Maybe my idea of asking for help wasn't so far-fetched," she said +quietly. "Maybe the patrol might have been here in time. Maybe you +wouldn't have had to tell them about the H.D.T." + +"Maybe," Marc answered without turning his eyes from the dwindling point +of reddish light high in the dark sky. + +"And just by way of keeping the record straight," the girl went on in a +voice that began to rasp, "you know as well as I do that the files don't +list any H.D.T. It's under a code name." + +"Maybe," Marc replied in a noncommittal tone. + +The point of light in the sky suddenly turned blue. Lee was staring at +it too, now. And she knew also what the change of color meant. Mantor +had started to use the new fuel! + + * * * * * + +Suddenly there was a blinding flash. Lee cried out and staggered back, +covering her eyes. Marc, who had closed his eyes when the color change +came, took hold of the girl's arm. + +"I told you what would happen if they used the stuff," he said gently. +"It's too hot for their jet chambers. It melts the walls. A lot of gas +piles up in the tubes. The pressure pushes the fire back. And when it +gets shoved back into the recoil chamber and you lose the protective +layers of cold gas there--well, then you've got to look for your ship +with an ionization gauge! + +"I told you all that long ago. The trouble is, you're too idealistic, +Lee. That's not the same as _having ideals_. I admire ideals--I might +even confess to a few of my own. But _you_ don't stop to figure out just +what your ideals are--exactly what you're fighting for. + +"You come to a crisis like this one and you forget about the _big_ goal. +All you see is this one problem. And by giving them yes-or-no +answers--good or bad, brave or cowardly--to the problem of the +moment--you may miss a simple solution to the big one. + +"You've got to keep a cool head and never forget for even a moment +exactly what it is you want to accomplish." His voice was gentle, and it +held no rebuke. + +"All right," said Lee unhappily, "you win. You needn't bother to rub in +the salt. I was going to chase you through all the inquiry courts for +this. Instead, you got a lucky break, so I can't do a thing. You ought +to be tarred and feathered through every city of the Federation, but +because a destroyer happened to stumble in here at the right time you'll +end up a hero." Her voice caught in a sob. + +"Oh, the destroyer," Marc replied. "Ah, yes, that _was_ lucky, wasn't +it? The only hitch is--there wasn't any destroyer. Probably not one +within a million miles!" He laughed as Lee turned surprise-widened eyes +toward him. + +"What they thought was a destroyer was the radar system on the side of +the rock, bouncing a signal off the moon. I gave the radar boys the word +just before Mantor dropped in on us. The crew did a damned good job of +juggling the power and frequency and all." He grinned. "Remind me to buy +them a beer sometime." + +He laughed then at the girl's expression as it changed from bitter +disillusion to something akin to awe, close to hero-worship. + +"And this, by the way," Polder said, "is as good a time as any to tell +you that I'd like to see you look like a woman, for a change. How about +changing into a dress before we go into town. You know, I've never seen +you out of that uniform?" + +She hesitated, unsure of herself now. "That will take a little time," +she said doubtfully. + +He put hands on her slim shoulders, gave her a gentle shove toward her +quarters. "We've got time," he told her. "Lots of it. But I've been +waiting quite a while." + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Fantastic Universe_ March 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 the Project Gutenberg EBook of This One Problem, by M. C. 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