diff options
Diffstat (limited to '31986.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 31986.txt | 1578 |
1 files changed, 1578 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/31986.txt b/31986.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7fe19be --- /dev/null +++ b/31986.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1578 @@ +Project Gutenberg's No Charge for Alterations, by Horace Leonard Gold + +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: No Charge for Alterations + +Author: Horace Leonard Gold + +Illustrator: H. Sharp + +Release Date: April 14, 2010 [EBook #31986] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NO CHARGE FOR ALTERATIONS *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + No Charge For Alterations + + By H. L. GOLD + + _Illustrator_: H. Sharp + +[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Amazing Stories +April-May 1953. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the +U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] + + +[Sidenote: _"Wanta know what's wrong with women these days? Spoiled! The +whole kit and kaboodle of 'em. They want to sing in nightclubs and hook +up with some millionaire and wear beautiful clothes. Housework is +something for gadgets to take care of, with maids to run the gadgets. +Afraid to get a few calluses on their dainty hands!_ + +"_We got a way to handle that on Deneb. A girl gets highfalutin up +there, the Doc puts her in the Ego Alter room. Thicken up her ankles a +little, take some of the sparkle out of her eyes and hair, and you get a +woman fit to pull a plow!_" + +_Hold it, Madam! H. L. Gold said that; not us. Personally, we like +girls--not Percherons!_] + + +If there was one thing Dr. Kalmar hated, and there were many, it was +having a new assistant fresh from a medical school on Earth. They always +wanted to change things. They never realized that a planet develops its +own techniques to meet its own requirements, which are seldom similar to +those of any other world. Dr. Kalmar never got along with his assistants +and he didn't expect to get along with this young Dr. Hoyt who was +coming in on the transfer ship from Vega. + +Dr. Kalmar had been trained on Earth himself, of course, but he +wistfully remembered how he had revered Dr. Lowell when he had been +Lowell's assistant. He'd known that his own green learning was no match +for Dr. Lowell's wisdom and experience after 30 years on Deneb, and he +had avidly accepted his lessons. + +Why, he grumbled to himself on his way to the spaceport to meet the +unknown whippersnapper, why didn't Earth turn out young doctors the way +it used to? They ought to have the arrogance knocked out of them before +they left medical school. That's what must have happened to him, because +his attitude had certainly been humble when he landed. + +The spaceport was jammed, naturally. Ship arrivals were infrequent +enough to bring everybody from all over the planet who was not on duty +at the farms, mines, factories, freight and passenger jets and all the +rest of the busy activities of this comparatively new colony. They +brought their lunches and families and stood around to watch. Dr. Kalmar +went to the platform. + +The ship sat down on a mushroom of fire that swiftly became a flaming +pancake and then was squashed out of existence. + +"I'm waiting for a shipment of livestock," enthused the man standing +next to Dr. Kalmar. + +"You're lucky," the doctor said. "They can't talk back." + +The man looked at him sympathetically. "Meeting a female?" + +"Gabbier and more annoying," said Dr. Kalmar, but he didn't elaborate +and the man, with the courtesy of the frontier, did not pry for an +explanation. + +Livestock and freight came down on one elevator and passengers came down +another. Slidewalks carried the cargo to Sterilization and travelers to +the greeting platform. Dr. Kalmar felt his shoulders droop. The man with +the medical bag had to be Dr. Hoyt and he was even more brisk, erect and +muscular than Dr. Kalmar had expected, with a superior and inquisitive +look that made the last assistant, unbearable as he'd been, seem as +tractable as one of the arriving cows. + +Dr. Hoyt spotted him instantly and came striding over to grab his hand +in a grip like an ore-crusher. "You're Dr. Kalmar. Glad to know you. I'm +sure we'll get along fine together. Miserable trip. Had to change ships +four times to get here. Hope the food's better than shipboard slop. Got +a nice hospital to work in? Do I live in or out?" + +Dr. Kalmar was grudgingly forced to say rapidly, "Right. Likewise. I +hope so. Too bad. Suits us. I think so. In." + +He got Dr. Hoyt into a jetcab and told the driver to make time back to +the hospital. Appointments were piling up while he had to make the +courtesy trip out to the spaceport, which was another nuisance. Now he'd +have all of those and a talkative assistant who'd want to know the +reasons for everything. + +"Pretty barren," said Dr. Hoyt, looking out the window at the +vegetationless ground below. "Why's that?" + +He'd known he was going to Deneb, Dr. Kalmar thought angrily. The least +he could have done was read up on the place. _He_ had. + +"It's an Earth-type planet," Dr. Kalmar said in a blunt voice, "except +that life never developed on it. We had to bring everything--benign germ +cultures, seed, animals, fish, insects--a whole ecology. Our farms are +close to the cities. Too wasteful of freight to move them out very far. +Another few centuries and we'll have a _real_ population, millions of +people instead of the 20,000 we have now in a couple of dozen +settlements around this world. Then we'll have the whole place a nice +shade of green." + +"City boy myself," said Dr. Hoyt. "Hate the country. Hydroponics and +synthetic meat--that's the answer." + +"For Earth. It'll be a long time before we get that crowded here on +Deneb." + +"Deneb," the young doctor repeated, dissatisfied. "That's the name of +the star. You mean to tell me the planet has the same name?" + +"Most solar systems have only one Earth-type planet. It saves a lot of +trouble to just call that planet Deneb, Vega or whatever." + +"Is _that_ clutch of shacks the _city_?" exclaimed Dr. Hoyt. + +"Denebia," said Dr. Kalmar, beginning to enjoy himself finally. + +"Why, you could lose it in a suburb or Bosyorkdelphia!" + +"That monstrosity that used to be New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, +Rhode Island and Massachusetts? I wouldn't want to." + +He was pleased when Dr. Hoyt sank into stunned silence. If luck was with +him, that stupefaction might last the whole day. It seemed as though it +might, for the sight of the modest little hospital was too much for the +youngster who had just come from the mammoth health factories of Earth. + +Dr. Hoyt revived somewhat when he saw the patients waiting in the +scantily furnished outer room, but Dr. Kalmar said, "Better get yourself +settled," and opened a door for his immature colleague. + +"But there's only one bed in this room," Dr. Hoyt objected. "You must +have made a mistake." + +Dr. Kalmar, recalling the crowded cubicles of Earth, gave out a proud +little dry laugh. "You're on Deneb now, boy. Here you'll have to get +used to spaciousness. We like elbow room." + +The young doctor went in hesitantly, leaving the door open for a fast +escape in case an error had been made. Dr. Kalmar had done the same when +he'd arrived nine years ago. Judging by his own experience, it would +take Dr. Hoyt a full six months to get used to having a room all to +himself. There would be plenty of time to start showing him the ropes +tomorrow, and in the meantime there were the backed-up appointments to +be taken care of. + +Dr. Kalmar went to his office and had his nurse, Miss Dupont, send in +the first patient. + +It was a girl of 17, Avis Emery, who had been brought by her parents. +She sat sullenly, dark-haired, too daintily pretty and delicately +shapely for a frontier world like this, while Mr. Emery put the file +from Social Control on the doctor's desk. + +"We're farmers--" the man began. + +Dr. Kalmar interrupted, "The information is in the summary. Avis is to +be assigned her mate next year, but she wants to go to Earth and become +a nightclub singer. She refuses to marry a boy who'd be able to help +around the farm, and she won't work on it herself." + +[Illustration] + +He looked up severely at the parents. "This is your own fault, you know. +You pampered her. Farm labor is too valuable for pampering. We can't +afford it." + +"You can blame me, Doc," said Mr. Emery miserably. "She's such a pretty +little thing--I couldn't work her the way Sue and I work ourselves." + +"And then she started getting notions," Mrs. Emery added, giving her +husband a vicious glare. Dr. Kalmar could imagine the nights of argument +and accusation before they were at last forced to go for medical help to +solve their self-created problem. "Singing in nightclubs back on Earth, +marrying a billionaire, living in a sky yacht!" + +"Avis," said Dr. Kalmar gently. "You know it's not that easy, don't you? +There are lots and lots of pretty girls on Earth and very few +billionaires. If you did get a job singing in a nightclub, you know +you'd have to do some unpleasant things because there's so much +competition for customers. Things like stripteasing, drinking at the +tables and going out with whoever the owner tells you to." + +The girl's face grew animated for the first time. "Well, sure! Why do +you think I want to go?" + +"And you don't love Deneb and your farm?" + +"I hate both of them!" + +"But you realize that we must have food. Doesn't it make you feel +important to grow more food so we can increase our population?" + +"No! Why should I care? I want to go to Earth!" + +Dr. Kalmar shook his head regretfully. He pushed a button on his desk. +It was connected to a gravity generator directly under the girl's chair. +Four gravities suddenly pushed her down into it and a hypodermic needle +jabbed her swiftly with a hypnotic drug. She slumped. He released the +button and the artificial gravity abated, but she remained dazed and +relaxed. + +"You're not going to hurt her, are you, Doc?" Mr. Emery begged. + +"Certainly not. But I suppose you know Social Control's orders." + +They nodded, the husband gloomily, the wife with a single sharp jerk of +her head. + +"You go right ahead and do it," she said. "I'm sick of working my +fingers to the bone while she primps and preens and talks all the time +about going to Earth." + +"Come, Avis," Dr. Kalmar said in a low, commanding voice. + +She stood up, blank-faced, and followed him out to the Ego Alter room. +He closed the door, sat her down in the insulated seat next to the +control console, put the wired plastic helmet on her and adjusted it to +fit her skull snugly. + +Running his finger down the treatment sheet of her Social Control file, +he set the dials according to its instructions. The psychic areas to be +reduced were sex drive, competitiveness and imagination, while the areas +of reproductive urge and cooperation were to be intensified. He +regulated the individual timers and sent the varying charge through her +brain. + +There was no reaction, no convulsion, no distortion of features. She sat +there as if nothing had happened, but her personality had changed as +completely as though she had been retrained from birth. + +Miss Dupont came in without knocking. She knew, of course, that any +patient in the Ego Alter room would be incapable of being disturbed. + +"Rephysical, Dr. Kalmar?" she asked. + +"I'm afraid so. Will you prepare her, please?" + +The nurse removed the girl's clothes. There was no resistance. + +"Such a lovely body," she said. "It's a shame." + +He shrugged. "Until we have enough people and farms and industries, Miss +Dupont, we'll just have to get used to altering people to fit the needs +of our society. I'm sure you understand that." + +"Yes, but it still seems a shame. Bodies like that don't grow on trees." + +[Illustration] + +He gently moved the girl into the Rephysical Chamber. "They grow in this +machine, though. As soon as we can afford it, which ought to be only a +few hundred years from now, we can make any woman look like this, or +even better." + +"And don't forget the men," Miss Dupont said as he started the +mitogenetic generator. "We could use some Adonises around here." + +"We'll have them," he assured her. + +"Somebody will. None of us'll live that long." + +Working like a sculptor with a cathode in one hand and an anode in the +other, Dr. Kalmar began reshaping the girl who stood fixedly in the +boxlike chamber. The flesh fled from the cathode and chased after the +anode as he broadened the fine nose, thickened the mobile lips, squared +the slender jaw and drew out carefully the delicately arched orbital +ridges. + +"I'll leave the curl in her hair," he said. "Every woman needs at least +one feature she can be proud of." + +"You're telling me," Miss Dupont replied. + +"Synthetic tissue, please." + +She drew out a tube with a variable nozzle and started working just +ahead of him. A spray of high-velocity cells shot through the girl's +smooth skin at the neck, shoulders, breasts, hips and legs, forming +shapeless lumps that he guided into cords and muscles. The slim figure +quickly broadened, grew brawny and competent-looking, the body of a +woman who could breed phenomenally while farming alongside her man. + +Dr. Kalmar racked up the instruments and helped Miss Dupont dress the +girl in coveralls and sandals. He felt the pride of craftsmanship when +he found that the clothing supplied for her by Social Control exactly +fitted her. He injected an antidote to the hypnotic and gave her the +standard test for emotional response as her expressionless face cleared +to placidity. + +"Do you know where you are, Avis?" + +"Yes. Ego Alter and Rephysical." + +"What have we done to you?" + +"Changed me to fit my environment." + +"Do you resent being changed?" + +"No." She paused and looked worried. "Who's taking care of the crops +while I'm here?" + +"They can wait till you and your parents get back, Avis. Let's show them +the change, shall we?" + +"All right," she said. "I think they'll be proud of me. This is how they +always wanted me to be." + +"And you?" + +"Oh, I feel much better. As if I don't have to try so hard." + +[Illustration] + +"I'm glad, Avis. Miss Dupont, better have a sedative ready when her +father sees her. I think he'll need it." + +"And her mother?" asked the nurse practically. + +"She'll probably want a drink to celebrate. Give her one." + + * * * * * + +Dr. Kalmar's prognosis was correct, only it didn't go far enough. His +young assistant from Earth had come scooting out of his disquietingly +large quarters and was jittering in the office when they entered. + +"Is _that_ the pretty girl who was waiting when we came in?" he yelped +in outrage. "What have you done to her?" + +Dr. Kalmar gave the sedative to him instead of Mr. Emery, who was +shocked, but had known in advance what to expect. Miss Dupont prepared +another sedative quickly, gave Mrs. Emery a celebration drink and moved +the family toward the door. + +"She looks fine, Doctor," the mother said happily. "Avis ought to be a +big help around the house and farm from now on." + +"I'm sure she will," he said. + +"But she was so lovely!" wept Mr. Emery, though in a rapidly becalming +voice as the sedative took effect. + +The door closed behind them. + +"You ought to be reported to the Medical Association back on Earth!" Dr. +Hoyt said angrily. "Ruining a girl's looks like that!" + +Dr. Kalmar sighed. He had hoped to be able to put off this orientation +lecture until the following day, when there wouldn't be so many patients +jamming his appointment book. + +"All right, let's get it over with. First, I was also trained on Earth +and know how Ego Alter and Rephysical are used there: Ego Alter to +remove psychic blocks so people can compete better, and Rephysical so +they'll be more attractive. Second, we're not under the jurisdiction of +Earth's Medical Association. Third, we'd damn well better not be, +because our problems and solutions aren't the same at all." + +"You'd have been jailed for spoiling that girl's chances of a good +marriage!" + +"I didn't," Dr. Kalmar said quietly. "I improved them." + +"You did nothing of the--" Dr. Hoyt stopped. "Improved? How?" + +"I keep telling you this is a frontier world and you keep acting as if +you understand, but you don't. Look, a family is an economic liability +on Earth; it consumes without producing. That's why girls have so much +trouble finding husbands there. Out here it's different. A family is an +asset--if every member in it is willing to work." + +"But a pretty girl like that can always get by." + +"No Denebian can afford to marry a pretty girl. It's too risky. She +can't work as hard as we do and still take care of her looks. And he'd +worry about her constantly, which would cut into his efficiency. By +having me make her a merely attractive girl in a wholesome, hearty way, +Social Control guarantees more than just a marriage for her--it +guarantees a contented married life." + +"Sweating away on a farm," Dr. Hoyt said. + +"Now that her anti-social strivings are gone, she'll realize that Deneb +needs farmers instead of nightclub singers. She'll take pride in being a +good worker, she'll raise as many children as she'll be capable of +bearing, and she'll have a good husband and a prosperous farm. That +wouldn't have satisfied her before. It will now. And she's better for it +and so is Deneb." + +Dr. Hoyt shook his head. "It's all upside down." + +"You'll get used to it. Why not take today off and explore Denebia? You +need a rest after all those months in space." + +"Maybe I will," said Dr. Hoyt vaguely, slightly anesthetized. + +"Good." Dr. Kalmar buzzed for Miss Dupont. "Send in the next patient, +please. Oh, and Dr. Hoyt is taking the day off." + + * * * * * + +But the young assistant was stunned into staying by the huge size of the +Social Control file that was carried by the next patient, Mr. Fallon, +and his wife. + +"I know just what you're thinking, Dr. Kalmar!" cried Mrs. Fallon +distractedly, but with a nervously bright smile. "Those awful Fallons +again! I don't blame you a bit, but--" + +As a matter of fact, that was exactly what Dr. Kalmar was thinking, plus +the defeated feeling that they were all he needed to make the day +complete. + +"Good Lord, what's in all those files?" Dr. Hoyt exclaimed. + +Dr. Kalmar could have explained, but he didn't feel up to it. + +Mr. Fallon, a wispy, shyly affable, poetic-looking chap, did it for him. +"Papers," he said. + +"I know that, but why so many?" Dr. Hoyt asked impatiently. + +Miss Dupont seemed wryly amused as she watched his consternation. + +"I guess you might say it's because I can't make my mind up," confessed +Mrs. Fallon with an uneasy giggle. She was a big woman who might have +gurgled over a collection of toy dogs on Earth, but here she was a +freight checker and her husband was a statistician in the Department of +Supply, though on Earth he might have been anything from a composer to a +social worker. "No matter how often we rephysical Harry, I always get +tired of his looks in a few months." + +"And how often has that been done?" Dr. Hoyt demanded. + +"I think it's eleven times. Isn't that right, dear?" + +"No, sweet," said Mr. Fallon. "Thirteen." + +Dr. Kalmar could have interrupted, but he considered it wiser to let his +assistant learn the hard way. Miss Dupont was enjoying it too much to +interfere. + +"We've made him tall and we've made him short, skinny, fat, bulging with +muscle, red hair, black hair, blond hair, gray hair--I don't know, just +about everything in the book," said Mrs. Fallon, "and I simply can't +seem to find one I'd like for keeps." + +"Then why the devil don't you get another husband?" + +Mrs. Fallon looked shocked. "Why, he was assigned to me!" + +"Dr. Hoyt just came from Earth," Dr. Kalmar cut in at last, before a +brawl could start. "He's not familiar with our methods." + +"Let's hear the cockeyed reason," Dr. Hoyt said resignedly. + +"We keep our population balanced," said Dr. Kalmar. "Too many of either +sex creates tension, hostility, loss of efficiency; look at Earth if you +want proof. We can't risk even a little of that, so we use prenatal sex +control to keep them exactly equal." + +"There's a wife for every man," Mr. Fallon put in genially, "and a +husband for every woman. Works out fine." + +"With no surplus," Dr. Kalmar added. "There are no floaters to allow the +kind of marital moving day you have on Earth, where so many just up and +shift over to new mates. We get ours for life. That's where Ego Alter +and Rephysical come in." + +"You mean people bring in their mates to have them done over?" + +"If they're not satisfied and if the mates agree to be changed." + +"I don't mind," said Mr. Fallon virtuously. "I figure Mabel will decide +what she wants one of these changes, and then we can settle down and be +happy with each other." + +"But what about you?" asked Dr. Hoyt, bewildered. "Don't you want her +changed?" + +"Oh, no. I like her fine just as she is." + +"You see now how it works?" Dr. Kalmar asked. "We can't have a variety +of mates, but we can have all the variety we want in one mate. It comes +to the same thing, as far as I can see, and causes much less confusion, +especially since we need stable relationships." + +Dr. Hoyt was striving heroically to stay indignant in spite of the +sedative. "And do many ask to have their mates changed?" + +"I guess we're a sort of record, aren't we?" Mr. Fallon boasted. + +"I guess you are," agreed Dr. Kalmar. "And now, Dr. Hoyt, if there +aren't any more questions, I'd like to proceed with this couple." + +Dr. Hoyt stretched his eyes wide to keep them open. "It's all screwy to +me, but it's none of my business. As soon as I finish my internship, I'm +heading back to Earth, where things make sense, so I don't have to +understand this mishmash you call a planet. Need help?" + +"If you'd find out what Mrs. Fallon has in mind this time, it would let +me run the patients through a lot faster." + +"How would they feel about it?" Dr. Hoyt asked. + +"It's all right with me," Mr. Fallon said amiably. "I'm pretty used to +this, you know." + +"But what are we going to make you look like, Harry?" his wife fretted. +"I felt very jealous of other women when you were handsome and I didn't +like you just ordinary-looking." + +"Why not go through the model book with Dr. Hoyt?" suggested Dr. Kalmar. +"There are still some types you haven't tried." + +"There _are_?" she asked in gratified astonishment. "Would you mind very +much, Dr. Hoyt?" + +"Glad to," he said. + +Miss Dupont brought out the model book for him, and he and Mrs. Fallon +studied the facial and physical types that were very explicitly +illustrated there in three-dimensional full color. Mr. Fallon, +contentedly working out math problems on a sheet of paper, left the +choice entirely to her. + + * * * * * + +Meanwhile, Dr. Kalmar and Miss Dupont swiftly took care of a succession +of other patients, raising the tolerance level of frustration in a +watchmaker, replating the acne-pitted skin of a sensitive youth, +restoring a finger lost in a machine-shop accident, and building up +good-natured aggression in an ore miner whose productivity had slumped. + +Mrs. Fallon still hadn't decided when the last patient had been taken +care of. She said unhappily, "I don't know. I simply absolutely don't +know. Couldn't you suggest _something_, Dr. Hoyt?" + +"Wouldn't be ethical," he told her bluntly. "Not allowed to." + +Dr. Kalmar, checking the Social Control papers with Miss Dupont, +wondered if he should interfere. It would lower confidence in Dr. Hoyt, +which meant that people would insist on Dr. Kalmar's treating them. +Then, instead of having an assistant to remove some of the load, he'd +have to do the work of two men. He decided to let the young doctor +handle it. + +But Dr. Hoyt stood up in exasperation, slammed the book shut, and said, +"Mrs. Fallon, if you know what you want, I'll be glad to oblige. But I'm +not a telepathy--" + +"Is there anything I can do?" Dr. Kalmar interrupted quickly, before his +assistant could create any more damage. + +"He doesn't have to get huffy," Mrs. Fallon said indignantly. "All I +asked for was a suggestion or two." + +"Insult my wife, will he?" Mr. Fallon belligerently added. + +"It's my fault," Dr. Kalmar said. "Dr. Hoyt just got in today from Earth +and he's tired and he naturally doesn't understand all our ways yet--" + +"_Yet?_" Dr. Hoyt repeated in disgust. "What makes you think I'll +ever--" + +"And I shouldn't have burdened him with this problem until he's had a +chance to rest up and look around," Dr. Kalmar continued in a slightly +louder voice. "Now, let's see if we can't settle this problem before +closing time, eh?" + +The Fallons subsided, Dr. Hoyt watched with a sarcastic eye, though he +kept silent as Dr. Kalmar and Miss Dupont, working as a shrewd team, +gave them the suggestion they had been looking for. It was all done very +smoothly, so smoothly that Dr. Kalmar felt professional pride because +even his stiff-necked assistant was unable to detect the fact that it +_was_ a suggestion. + +Dr. Kalmar got Mrs. Fallon to reminisce about the alterations her +husband had undergone, and Miss Dupont promptly agreed with her when she +explained why each had been unsatisfactory. It took some time, but he +eventually brought her back to what Mr. Fallon had looked like when +she'd first married him. + +"Now, isn't that the strangest thing?" she said, puzzled. "I can't +remember. Can you, dear?" + +"It's a little mixed up," Mr. Fallon admitted. "Let's see, I know I was +taller and I think I had a long, thin face--" + +"Oh, we don't have to guess," Dr. Kalmar said. "Nurse, we have the +information on file, don't we?" + +"Yes, Doctor," she said, and instantly produced a photograph. They +evidently thought it was merely filing efficiency; they hadn't noticed +her searching for the picture quietly while Dr. Kalmar had been leading +them on. He had, in fact, delayed asking her until she'd nodded to +indicate that she had found it. + +Mr. Fallon frowned as if he'd recognized the face but couldn't remember +the name. His wife gave a little shriek of admiration. + +"Why, Harry, you looked perfectly wonderful!" + +"Those deep dimples made shaving pretty hard," he recalled. + +"But they're _darling_! Why did you ever let me change you?" + +"Because I wanted you to be happy, sweet." + +It was as simple as that--a bit of practical psychology based on +knowledge of the patients. Dr. Kalmar wished wistfully that old Dr. +Lowell had been there to observe. He would have approved, which might +have made up for Dr. Hoyt's unpleasant expression. + +"I hope this is the one you want," Dr. Kalmar said as he took them to +the front door after the rephysical. + +"Goodness, I hope so!" Mrs. Fallon exclaimed. She looked fondly at her +husband, and this time had to look up to see his face. "I'm almost +_positive_ this is what I want Harry to be." + +"Well, if it isn't, sweet," Mr. Fallon said, "we'll try something else. +I don't mind as long as it makes you happy." + +They closed the door behind them, leaving the hospital empty of all but +the small staff. + +"They're crazy!" Dr. Hoyt exploded. "He's not the one we should be +changing. That idiotic female needs a good Ego Alter!" + +"He hasn't asked for it," Dr. Kalmar pointed out patiently. + +"Then he ought to!" + +"That's his decision, isn't it? There's such a thing as ethics, you +know." + +"I've never seen anything more insane than the way you work," snapped +Dr. Hoyt. "I can't wait to finish my stretch here and go home." + +He stamped out, weaving slightly because of the sedative. + +"Well, what do you think of our assistant?" asked Dr. Kalmar. + +"He's cute," Miss Dupont said irrationally. + +Dr. Kalmar glowered at her. He'd forgotten that she was due to have a +mate assigned to her this year. + + * * * * * + +Routine at the hospital was anything but routine. Dr. Hoyt barely kept +from yelping each time someone was treated, and his help was given so +unwillingly that Dr. Kalmar, sweating under a double load and with Dr. +Hoyt to argue with at the same time, was all for putting him on the ship +and asking Earth for another intern. But Miss Dupont talked him out of +it. + +For no discernible reason other than loneliness, Dr. Hoyt was taking her +out. She was pleased, even though he crabbed constantly about the +shabby-looking clothes she wore, which were typical of Deneb, and the +way they fitted her. + +Either the two of them didn't talk shop, or she had no influence with +him--his criticism and impatience grew sharper each week. + +It bothered Dr. Kalmar more than he thought it should, and much more +than Mrs. Kalmar wanted it to. She was a pleasant little woman who liked +things as they were, which was why Dr. Kalmar had hesitated all this +while to ask her to undergo a slight rephysical; he would have preferred +her a little taller, more filled out, her slight wrinkles deleted and, +while he was thinking about it, he wished she'd let him give her +space-black hair instead of her indeterminately blondish mop. But he'd +rather have her as she was than peevish, so he had never mentioned it. + +"Don't let the boy upset you, she said. "It's only that he's so young +and inexperienced. You can't expect him to adjust quickly to a new +environment and a whole new medical orientation." + +"But that's just what annoys me! Why, I used to hang onto every word of +Dr. Lowell's when I came here! I never thought I knew better than he +did." + +"Well, dear, you're you and Dr. Lowell is Dr. Lowell and Dr. Hoyt is Dr. +Hoyt." + +He tried to think of an answer and couldn't. "I suppose so." + +"Maybe you'd feel better if you spoke to Dr. Lowell about it." + +"What could he do? This is really an internal problem that I should work +out with Dr. Hoyt. I can't involve Dr. Lowell in it." + +But it became intolerable when there was a young girl who wanted to be a +boy and Dr. Kalmar and Dr. Hoyt got into the worst battle yet. +Naturally, she had to be given an Ego Alter to make her happy about +being a girl, whereas Dr. Hoyt argued that she should be allowed to be a +boy if that was what she wanted. Dr. Kalmar explained angrily once more +that the sexes were exactly balanced and Dr. Hoyt quoted the rule of +personal choice. It was applicable on Earth, but not on Deneb, Dr. +Kalmar retorted, to which Dr. Hoyt snorted something about playing God. + +Dr. Kalmar confessed harshly to his wife that she was right. He had to +bring old Dr. Lowell into the situation; it was out of Dr. Kalmar's +control and was keeping the hospital in a turmoil. It was time for Dr. +Lowell to inspect the hospital, the job he had taken in place of actual +retirement. Dr. Kalmar needed help from Miss Dupont to bring the problem +out into the open. But she became unexpectedly obstinate. + +"I won't hurt Leo's career," she explained flatly. + +Dr. Kalmar gave her a vacant look. "Leo?" + +She blushed. "Dr. Hoyt. He's honestly trying to understand, but he finds +it so different from Earth. Practically everything we do here is in +reverse." + +"But so is our environment, Miss Dupont. Earth is over-crowded and Deneb +is under-populated, so of course our methods would be the opposite of +Earth's. He has to be made to see that we must solve our problems our +own way." + +She studied his face suspiciously. "That's all you want?" + +"Certainly. Damn it, do you think I want him fired and sent back to +Earth before his internship's up? I know it would hurt his record. +Besides, I need an assistant--but not one I have to bicker with every +time I make a move." + +"Well, in that case--" + +"Good girl. All you have to do is help me hold off the cases he'd argue +about until Dr. Lowell gets here." He stared down glumly at his hands, +which were gripping each other tightly. "God knows I'm no diplomat. Dr. +Lowell is. He convinced me easily enough when I came here. Maybe he can +do the same with Dr. Hoyt." + +"Oh, I hope he can," Miss Dupont said earnestly. "I want so much to have +you and Leo work together in harmony." + +He glanced up, curious. "Why?" + +"Because I'm in love with him." + +He found himself nodding bitterly. Having Dr. Hoyt go back to Earth +wouldn't be a fraction as bad as Miss Dupont leaving with him. So now +there was something else to worry about. + + * * * * * + +Dr. Lowell came bouncing out of the jetcab a few days later. "The +hospital better be spotless!" he called out jovially, paying off the +hackie. "I'm in a mean mood. Liable to suspend everybody." + +There was a strange lift to Dr. Kalmar's spirits as the old man entered +the office. He wished without hope that he could inspire the same sort +of reverence and respect. Impossible, of course. Dr. Lowell was great; +he himself was nothing more than competent. + +Dr. Kalmar introduced his young assistant to the old man. + +"Young and strong," Dr. Lowell approved. "That's what we need on Deneb. +Skill is important, but health and youth even more so." + +"For those who stay," said Dr. Hoyt frostily. "I'm not." + +Dr. Kalmar felt himself quiver with rage. The wet-nosed pup couldn't +talk to Dr. Lowell like that! + +But Dr. Lowell was saying cheerily, "You seem to have made up your mind +to go back. No matter. Some decisions are like egg-shells--made only to +be broken. I hope that's what you'll do with yours." + +"Not a chance," Dr. Hoyt said. He didn't take the arrogant expression +off his face even when Miss Dupont looked at him pleadingly. + +"Then I say let's signal the next ship--" Dr. Kalmar began. + +Dr. Lowell cut in quickly, "You two have patients to attend to, I see. +Don't worry about me. I know my way around this poor little wretch of a +building. Not much like Earth hospitals, is it?" He headed for the +medical supply room, adding just before he went in, "A lot can be said +for small installations. The personal touch, you know." + +Dr. Kalmar enviously realized how deftly the old man had put the +youngster in his place, whereas he would have stood there and slugged it +out verbally. Lord, if he could only acquire that awesome wisdom! + +"Well, back to work," he said, trying to imitate the cheeriness at +least. + +"Sure, let's ruin some more lives," Dr. Hoyt almost snarled. + +"Leo, _please_!" whispered Miss Dupont imploringly. + +Five minutes later the two doctors were furiously arguing over a very +old man who had been sent by Social Control to have his eyesight +strengthened. + +"You have no right to let anybody dodder around like this!" Dr. Hoyt +yelled. "What in hell is Rephysical for if not for such cases?" + +"You probably think we ought to make him look like 25 again," Dr. Kalmar +yelled back. "If that's all you've learned working here--" + +"Now, now," said Dr. Lowell soothingly. He'd come in unnoticed by either +of the men. "Dr. Hoyt is right, of course. We _would_ like to make old +people young and some day we'll be able to afford it. But not for some +time to come." + +"Why not?" Dr. Hoyt demanded in a lower tone, visibly flattered by Dr. +Lowell's seemingly taking his side. + +"Rephysical can't actually make anyone young. It can only give the +outward appearance of youth and replace obviously diseased parts. But an +old body is an old organism; it has to break down eventually. If we give +it more vigor than it can endure, it breaks down too soon, much sooner +than if we let it age normally. That represents economic loss as well as +a humanitarian one." + +"I don't follow you," Dr. Hoyt said bewilderedly. + +"Well, our patient used to be a machinist. A good one. Now he's only +able to be an oiler. A good one, too, when you improve his eyesight. He +can go on doing that for years, performing a useful function. But he'd +wear himself out in no time as a machinist again if you de-aged him." + +"Is that supposed to make sense?" + +"It does," said Dr. Lowell, "for Deneb." + +Dr. Hoyt wanted to continue the discussion, but Dr. Lowell was already +on his way to inspect another part of the hospital. Grumbling, the young +man helped chart the optical nerves that had to be replaced and measure +the new curve of the retinas ordered by Social Control. + +But he fought just as strenuously over other cases, especially a retired +freight-jet pilot who had to have his reflexes slowed down so he could +become a contented meteorologist. Whenever there was a loud disagreement +of this sort, Dr. Lowell was there to mediate calmly. + + * * * * * + +At the end of the day, Dr. Kalmar was emotionally exhausted. He said as +he and Dr. Lowell were washing up, "The kid's hopeless. I thought you +could straighten him out--God knows I couldn't--but he'll never see why +we have to work the way we do." + +"What do you suggest?" Dr. Lowell asked through a towel. + +"Send him back to Earth. Get an intern who's more malleable." + +Dr. Lowell tossed the towel into the sterilizer. "Can't be done. We're +expanding so fast all over the Galaxy that Earth can't train and ship +out enough doctors for the new colonies. If we sent him back, I don't +know when we'd get another." + +Dr. Kalmar swallowed. "You mean it's him or nobody?" + +"Afraid so." + +"But he'll never fit in on Deneb!" + +"You did," Dr. Lowell said. + +Dr. Kalmar tried to smile modestly. "I realized immediately how little I +knew and how much more experience you had. I was willing to learn. Why, +I used to listen to you and watch you work and try to see your reasons +for doing things--" + +"You think so?" asked Dr. Lowell. + +Dr. Kalmar glanced at him in astonishment. "You know I did. I still do, +for that matter." + +"When you landed on Deneb," said Dr. Lowell, "you were the most +stubborn, opinionated young ass I'd ever met." + +Dr. Kalmar's smile became an appreciative grin. "Damn, I wish I had that +light touch of yours!" + +"You were so dogmatic and argumentative that Dr. Hoyt is a suggestible +schoolboy in comparison." + +"Well, you don't have to go that far," Dr. Kalmar said. "I get what +you're driving at--every intern needs orientation and I should be more +patient and understanding." + +"Then you don't follow me at all," stated Dr. Lowell. "Invite Dr. Hoyt, +Miss Dupont and me to your house for dinner tonight and maybe you'll get +a better idea of what I mean." + +"Anything for a free meal, eh?" + +"And to keep a doctor here on Deneb that we'd lose otherwise." + +"Implying that I can't do it." + +"Isn't that the decision you'd come to?" + +"Yes, I guess it is," Dr. Kalmar confessed. "All right, how about dinner +at my house tonight? I'll round up the other two and call Harriet so +she'll expect us." + +"Delighted to come," said Dr. Lowell. "Nice of you to ask me." + +Miss Dupont was elated at the invitation and Dr. Hoyt said he had +nothing else to do anyway. On the videophone Mrs. Kalmar was dismayed +for a moment, until Dr. Lowell told her to put through an emergency +order to Central Commissary and he'd verify it. + +That was when Dr. Kalmar realized how serious the old man was. On a raw +planet where crises were everyday routine, a situation had to be +catastrophic before it could be called an emergency. + + * * * * * + +Dinner on Deneb was the same as anywhere else in the Galaxy. To free +women for other work, food was delivered weekly in cooked form. A +special messenger from Central Commissary had brought the emergency +rations and Mrs. Kalmar had simply punctured the self-heat cartridges +and put the servings in front of each guest; the containers were +disposable plates and came with single-use plastic utensils. No garbage, +no preparation, no cleaning up afterward, except to toss them all into +the converter furnace. Dr. Hoyt was still not accustomed to wholly grown +foods; he'd been raised on synthetics, of course, which were the staples +on Earth. + +"Well, that was good," said Dr. Lowell, getting up from the table with +his round little belly comfortably expanded. "Now, let's have a few +drinks before we start a professional bull session. Where do you keep +your liquor? I'd like to mix my special so Dr. Hoyt can see we colonials +are not so provincial." + +"Good Lord, I haven't had your special for years!" exclaimed Dr. Kalmar. +"Since about the time I came to Deneb, in fact." + +"That's why it's a special. Reserved for state occasions, such as +arrivals of colleagues from our dear old home planet." + +"Oh, you don't have to go to all that bother," said Dr. Hoyt. "You'd +have to make it twice--once now and once when I leave." + +"That won't be for quite a while, will it?" Miss Dupont asked anxiously. + +"As soon as I finish my internship. No more alien worlds for me. I like +Earth." + +Mrs. Kalmar got him to talk about it, which was much easier than getting +him to stop, while Dr. Kalmar showed the old man where the liquor stock +and fixings were kept. Watching him mix the ingredients with a chemist's +care, Dr. Kalmar felt a glow of nostalgia. He recalled the celebration +at Dr. Lowell's house, several months after he had come from Earth, when +he'd enjoyed himself so much that he'd passed out. It was one of the +pleasanter memories of his start on Deneb. + +"Can't mix them all in a single batch," Dr. Lowell explained, bringing +the drinks over one at a time as he finished preparing them. "Mrs. +Kalmar ... Miss Dupont ... our gracious host, Dr. Kalmar ... and now Dr. +Hoyt and myself." He lifted his glass at Dr. Hoyt. "Welcome to our +latest associate--product, like ourselves, of the great medical schools +of Earth. It's a forlorn hope, but may he learn as much from us about +our peculiar methods as we learn from him about the latest terrestrial +advances." + +Dr. Hoyt, smiling as if he didn't think it possible, stood up when +they'd downed their toast to him. "To Earth," he said. "May I get back +in record time." He gulped it, said, "Delicious--for a colonial drink," +and froze with his smile as fixed as if it had been painted on. + +"Leo!" Miss Dupont cried, and shook him, but he stayed frozen. + +"The man's allergic to alcohol!" said Dr. Kalmar, astonished. + +"Do something!" Mrs. Kalmar begged. "Don't let him stand there like +that! He--he looks like a petrified man!" + +"Don't get panicky," said Dr. Lowell in a quiet, confident voice. +"That's when you passed out, Dr. Kalmar. Right after your first taste of +my special." + +"But _we_ haven't," Dr. Kalmar objected. + +"Naturally. Your drinks weren't drugged." + +"Drugged?" shrieked Miss Dupont. "You doped him?" + +"That's rather obvious, isn't it?" + +"But--what for?" Dr. Kalmar stammered. + +"Same reason I slipped you a mickey not long after you got here. We +can't take any chances that he'll ship back to Earth. You see?" + +"I don't," raged Miss Dupont. "I think it's a cheap, dirty, foul trick +and it won't work, either. You can't _keep_ him drugged." + +"I don't like you talking to Dr. Lowell like that," said Dr. Kalmar +indignantly. + +"You should be the last one to object," Mrs. Kalmar pointed out. "He +said he drugged you, too." + +"I know," Dr. Kalmar said blankly. "I don't understand--" + +"You will," promised Dr. Lowell. "Just come along and don't interfere. +Better give him the order; it'll keep things straighter." + +Mrs. Kalmar was grimly disapproving and Miss Dupont was close to +hysteria. Only Dr. Kalmar retained his awed respect for Dr. Lowell. If +the old man said it was all right, it was, even if he couldn't see the +reason. + +"Go ahead," urged Dr. Lowell. + +"Dr. Hoyt!" + +"Yes, Dr. Kalmar?" + +"You will come with us!" + +"Yes, Dr. Kalmar." + +Dr. Lowell took them back to the hospital. + +"Now what?" asked Dr. Kalmar. + +"You actually don't know?" Miss Dupont demanded. "He wants to put Leo +through the Ego Alter." + +"That's absurd," Dr. Kalmar said angrily, "and an outright slander. Dr. +Lowell wouldn't consider such a thing--the boy didn't ask for it and it +wasn't authorized by Social Control." + +Dr. Lowell smiled genially and opened the door to the Ego Alter room. "I +hate to disillusion you, Dr. Kalmar. That's exactly what I have in +mind--the same thing I did to you." + +"That's absurd," Dr. Kalmar repeated, but with less conviction and more +confusion than before. + +"It worked. Tell him to sit down." + +Dr. Kalmar did, and automatically fitted the wired plastic helmet to Dr. +Hoyt's head. + +"You can't!" cried Miss Dupont as he reached for the dials on the +control console. "It's not fair!" + +"Let's not get involved in a discussion on ethics," Dr. Lowell said. +"Deneb can't afford to lose him; we need every doctor we have. If he +goes back to Earth it may be years before we get a replacement." + +"But you can't do it without his consent!" + +"There's time for that later," the old man grinned. "Keep his eyes on +you, Dr. Kalmar, while you build up his father image. Cut down on +hostility, aggression and power drive. Boost social responsibility and +adventurousness. But make sure he's looking at you constantly." + +"I won't allow it," said Mrs. Kalmar flatly. "You won't make my husband +violate his oath." + +"I did it to him, didn't I?" Dr. Lowell replied jovially. "It got you a +husband." + +Miss Dupont grabbed at Dr. Kalmar's hand, but he had already turned on +the current. + +"Anything else?" he asked. + +"Well, he has to get married, of course," Dr. Lowell said. "Let him look +at Miss Dupont--she's scheduled for this year, isn't she?--while you +give him a shot of mating urge. Now, wipe out the memory of this +incident and put him on a joy jag. We can validate that by liquoring him +up afterward. When you're finished, bring him to." + +Dr. Hoyt came out of it almost with a whoop. He lurched out of the +insulated seat, stared at Miss Dupont for a moment with eyes that almost +glittered, and seized and kissed her. + +"My goodness!" she gasped. + +"Now, what were you saying about ethics?" Dr. Lowell asked. + +There was no answer. Both Miss Dupont and Mrs. Kalmar had frozen. + +"You drugged them, too?" Dr. Kalmar weakly wanted to know. + +"A bit slower-acting," admitted the old man. "All you have to do with +them is wipe out the last half hour. Don't want any witnesses to an +unethical act, you know. Oh, and put them on a jag also." + +Dr. Kalmar followed instructions. + +Finished, they left the three uproariously drunk in the waiting room and +went to wash up. Dr. Kalmar went along bewilderedly. The old man was as +unconcerned as if he did this sort of thing daily. + +"I was as arrogant and belligerent as this squirt was?" + +"Worse," Dr. Lowell said. "He was willing to finish out his internship. +You weren't. Still worried about the ethics?" + +"Yes. Naturally." + +"All right, apply some logic, then. Are you happier on Deneb than you'd +have been on Earth?" + +"Well, certainly. I'd have been lucky to get a job doctoring in a summer +camp. I wouldn't trade a roomy planet like this for the jammed cubicles +of Earth. And I like our methods better than terrestrial dogma. But +those are my preferences. I can't inflict them on anybody else." + +"The hell they were your preferences. You bickered more about our +methods and longed more loudly for the tenements of Earth than this lad +ever did. All it took was a slight Ego Alter and you have a happier life +than you would have had. Right?" + +Dr. Kalmar felt his tension ease. If the old man said it was right, it +was. He became momentarily resentful when he realized that that reaction +had been installed by Dr. Lowell, but then he smiled. It really was +right. A bit arbitrary, perhaps, but for the good of Dr. Hoyt and Deneb +in the long run, just as it had been for himself. + +"Look," he said, drying his arms. "I've been wanting my wife to go +through a slight rephysical." + +"Why don't you ask her?" + +"The fact is that I'm afraid she'll think I'm dissatisfied and I don't +want her to get resentful." + +"Maybe she'd like you to do some changing, too." + +"What for? I'm all right." + +"She probably feels the same way about herself." + +"But all I want are a few changes in her. She's as high as a space pilot +now. It would be a cinch to--" + +Dr. Lowell flung down the towel and gave him an outraged glare. "There's +such a thing as professional ethics, Dr. Kalmar!" + +"But you--" + +"That's different. It was a social decision, not a selfish one. If you +ask her and she agrees, that's up to her. But you can't take advantage +of her in an egocentric, arbitrary way. You just try it and I'll have +you sent back to Earth." + +Dr. Kalmar felt his knees grow weak in alarm. "No, no. It's not that +important. Just an insignificant kind of wish." + +And it was, he discovered when they went out to the waiting room. Unused +to jags, Mrs. Kalmar was more affectionate than she'd been since they +were first married; he'd have to remember to go on them periodically +with her. Miss Dupont, unwilling to budge out of Dr. Hoyt's tight arms, +had glassily joyous eyes. Dr. Hoyt didn't let her go until he caught +sight of Dr. Kalmar. + +"Greatest doctor I ever met," he said enthusiastically. "Won'ful planet, +Deneb. Just wanna marry Miss Dupont, stay here and learn at your feet. +Okay?" + +Dr. Kalmar's glance at the old man was no less worshipful. "It couldn't +be okayer," he said. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's No Charge for Alterations, by Horace Leonard Gold + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NO CHARGE FOR ALTERATIONS *** + +***** This file should be named 31986.txt or 31986.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/9/8/31986/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan 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. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |