diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 4 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63609-h.zip | bin | 617915 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63609-h/63609-h.htm | 1483 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63609-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 271759 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63609-h/images/illus1.jpg | bin | 174376 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63609-h/images/illus2.jpg | bin | 146934 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63609.txt | 1374 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63609.zip | bin | 24855 -> 0 bytes |
10 files changed, 17 insertions, 2857 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..47daadb --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #63609 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63609) diff --git a/old/63609-h.zip b/old/63609-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index a607b8e..0000000 --- a/old/63609-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63609-h/63609-h.htm b/old/63609-h/63609-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index f657480..0000000 --- a/old/63609-h/63609-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1483 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=us-ascii" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of Beer-trust Busters, by A. R. Stuart. - </title> - <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> - - <style type="text/css"> - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - - h1,h2 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - clear: both; -} - -p { - margin-top: .51em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .49em; -} - -hr { - width: 33%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: 33.5%; - margin-right: 33.5%; - clear: both; -} - -hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} -hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} - -.center {text-align: center;} - -.right {text-align: right;} - -/* Images */ -.figcenter { - margin: auto; - text-align: center; -} - -div.titlepage { - text-align: center; - page-break-before: always; - page-break-after: always; -} - -div.titlepage p { - text-align: center; - text-indent: 0em; - font-weight: bold; - line-height: 1.5; - margin-top: 3em; -} - - - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Beer-Trust Busters, by A. R. Stuart - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Beer-Trust Busters - -Author: A. R. Stuart - -Release Date: November 3, 2020 [EBook #63609] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEER-TRUST BUSTERS *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>Beer-Trust Busters</h1> - -<h2>By A. R. STUART</h2> - -<p>"It's a hell of a note when one guy controls the<br /> -beer situation—let's do Dudley dirty!" rang the<br /> -war cry of Doc, Listless and Outhouse. And the<br /> -intrepid trio went blearily about the business of<br /> -dirtying Dudley—empty bottles marking their trail.</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Planet Stories Fall 1945.<br /> -Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that<br /> -the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>We pulled into the spaceport with the asteroid in tow. Platinum—20%. -Very nice. We cleared our papers and sold the deposit for a tidy sum. -There was only one thing to do and we did it.</p> - -<p>"Three beers," said Outhouse. Six feet four he was and built like one. -The bartender brought them over. None of those mechanical mixers for -us like they have in the high class joints. We like human company. -Maybe that's why I'm always fighting with Outhouse Murphy and Listless -Lomack.</p> - -<p>"Nice spotting on that asteroid, Doc," said Listless, downing his beer -in a gulp and ordering three more, all for himself. "It's nice to have -an astrophysicist in the crew. Sometimes you actually have a purpose."</p> - -<p>"More than a third class navigator," I yipped. But I was feeling pretty -good. We all were. Money in our pockets, a good ship to roam around in -and the best of company. We sat around over more beer, discussing plans -for a real bender of which this was only the beginning, as you might -say. When we finally picked out what we wanted to do, we called for the -bill.</p> - -<p>Murphy picked it up and set it down.</p> - -<p>"What's the matter?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"Look," he commanded.</p> - -<p>I added up the column and checked the total. Then I thought back over -the number of drinks we'd had. Listless pulled out a pocket slipstick -but I didn't need it.</p> - -<p>"The price," I said in a hushed whisper, "has doubled."</p> - -<p>Listless turned to the bartender.</p> - -<p>"What's the idea?" he asked. The guy shrugged.</p> - -<p>"That's the latest," he said. "I can't help it. I gotta pay more, I -gotta charge more."</p> - -<p>"Who's your supplier?" asked Outhouse.</p> - -<p>"Drake," said the bartender.</p> - -<p>Murphy turned to us.</p> - -<p>"I got suspicions," he informed us. "I got to go chase 'em up. I'll be -back in a little while."</p> - -<p>Listless and I debated whether to order more. It was almost cheaper to -drink hard liquor but we decided that discretion was the better part of -hangover and stuck to beer.</p> - -<p>We hung around for about an hour and finally the door was shadowed by -Murphy's tremendous form. If an elephant can slide, Murphy slid onto a -stool. He ordered a couple and turned to us.</p> - -<p>"Well, boys, what do you think of the doings of Dirty Dudley?"</p> - -<p>Listless and I looked at each other.</p> - -<p>"Dudley D. Drake, young tycoon; embezzled from his father, sold short -on his brother and now controls the beer situation."</p> - -<p>"Oh," we said among other unprintables, "that is a fine, tender, sore -spot with us, Outhouse. How come?"</p> - -<p>"I'm not sure but from what I heard down at the alumni house it has -something to do with the malting process. I think he's got a law passed -or something like that. He had enough influence and he's nasty enough. -In college we used to call him the 'Doctor of the Doublecross.'"</p> - -<p>"You mean you know the punk?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"Yeah. He tried to get my place on the wrestling team once. He dropped -a table on me from the second floor." A dreamy smile played over the -lips of an amused Outhouse.</p> - -<p>"What happened?" asked Lomack.</p> - -<p>"Oh, I caught it and threw it back up at him. Very messy. But he stayed -away from me after that. I haven't seen him in six or seven years. And -now he starts treading on my toes again. To say nothing of you two -souses. I think it's time to renew an old acquaintance. Let's go."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>We followed him out into the street and caught a 'copter to the Drake -building. A beautiful job in steelite and stone, like the Drake heart, -I gathered. The stone was only for effect, the steelite held it up. We -settled down on the roof, got out and paid the driver. We walked up to -the reception clerk. Murphy took it from there.</p> - -<p>"Mr. Drake is too busy to receive visitors," said the clerk at the -desk. "I'm sorry."</p> - -<p>He really was, too, when Murphy leaned over and put one big hand -completely around his neck.</p> - -<p>"Look," said Murphy, "you just call him on the viewer and tell him that -Outhouse is here to finish a job on a table. He'll see us."</p> - -<p>The clerk tried to gulp but Murphy's fingers were in the way of his -epiglottis. So he nodded his head. He was released with caution but -there wasn't any need for that now. The clerk picked up the dial and -called Drake. Dudley's face appeared on the screen. Dark and handsome -he was like a long snake, with a little trick mustache that looked like -an old time toothbrush.</p> - -<p>"What is it?" he snapped. "You know I'm busy."</p> - -<p>"There's something about a table, sir, and an outhouse"—the -receptionist started, but Drake caught sight of Murphy's features -shoved in front of the screen.</p> - -<p>"Hello, Dudley," cooed Murphy. "Think you'll be able to see me? I -wouldn't refuse if I were you." Murphy picked up that poor operator and -gestured with him. "Remember the table, Dudley? You wouldn't want me to -do that to this poor fellow, would you? And besides, I've got a couple -of geniuses with me. We want to talk to you about beer."</p> - -<p>Drake sat back in his chair and grinned a nasty grin.</p> - -<p>"It's all right, Harkness," he directed. "Send them down."</p> - -<p>The clerk lay limply back in the chair and pointed voicelessly toward a -private elevator. Murphy pointed a finger at him.</p> - -<p>"Remember, please, that I am a proper noun. When you say Outhouse, -don't put '<i>an</i>' in front of it." We bowed courteously and stalked off.</p> - -<p>The elevator was waiting for us. We got in, and it slipped soundlessly -down to Drake's office. He was sitting waiting for us, his elbows on -the desk, hands clasped together. He didn't bother to get up when we -came in. Nor even offer chairs.</p> - -<p>"Enter one Outhouse," he said, "and two crummy friends. I am delighted."</p> - -<p>I excite easily. I started to hop up and down. But Murphy put a hand -on my shoulder and I staggered to a rest. So I decided to turn on the -brain, while Outhouse handled the other stuff.</p> - -<p>"What's the dope on this beer business?" asked Murphy.</p> - -<p>"Pretty simple," said Drake. "There has been a law passed just recently -and tucked away in the files where it will not be noticed, unless, -of course, there should be a need for it. The gist of it is that -all malting done on the planet must be carried on under government -supervision. That means strict control of course. The purest grains, -the most carefully controlled processes, all that sort of thing. -And if any detail is overlooked or found not satisfactory, a rather -large fine is incurred. I own the larger part of the malting plants as -you well know, although there are some others. They won't offer much -trouble however, for you see, I am the government supervisor."</p> - -<p>I started to swear and again Murphy reached over, this time over my -mouth. Then he pointed to a recorder disc. Clever guy, Dudley. If I'd -said what I was going to say he could have put me up for the rest of my -life and probably would.</p> - -<p>Drake smiled and clicked off the switch.</p> - -<p>"Now you can say what you like," he told me. "Nice of me, isn't it?"</p> - -<p>"We will keep the conversation on friendly terms," directed Murphy, -"just in case."</p> - -<p>"Now to get down to business. It is our intention to bust your combine. -Perhaps you would like to buy us off?" We hadn't thought of it till -then but it sounded like a good idea. Listless and I nodded.</p> - -<p>Drake sneered.</p> - -<p>"How?" he asked. "I've got the Earth covered. And the other planets -haven't the necessary conditions. The cloud layers on Venus keep out -most of the sunlight and Mars and the rest of the outer planets are too -far away. You're welcome to try Mercury."</p> - -<p>Sure, Mercury would be swell. It's either too hot or too cold. He had -us stopped all right. But—crumbs! I was sore.</p> - -<p>"We're starting this cold," I yipped, "but we're gonna take you over -the oleos and blow you out our jets. You should have bowed low when we -came in. You didn't know you were talking to a group of experts." I -included Murphy and Listless grandly. I'm really the smart guy in the -bunch but I didn't have to tell that to Drake. I knew I was good, that -was sufficient.</p> - -<p>Drake laughed.</p> - -<p>"Go ahead and try," he said.</p> - -<p>"Let's go, guys," I told them. We slammed out of the office, catching -a last glimpse of Drake's nasty look as the elevator door closed. We -traveled to the landing level, bade the clerk a pleasant goodbye after -we pulled him out from under the desk, and hailed a 'copter.</p> - -<p>"Big talk, Doc," sighed Listless when we were seated at a quiet little -midtown bar. "But how are you going to do it?"</p> - -<p>"I dunno," I said, "but give me time."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>We were taking a jog around the track. It being a nice warm sunny -day, Listless had decided that what we needed was to work some of the -alcohol out of our systems. I objected, but was roped in anyway. Murphy -merely sniffed. With his build he was immune. However he said he needed -some fresh air so he would come along and hold a timer on us. Listless -protested but I said swell. That's Listless for you; "Come on, Doc. -Let's run off a couple of fast miles." Sure. Until somebody comes along -to check up on him. Then he starts making excuses. But the two of us -dragged him along.</p> - -<p>So here we were on the city track, along with half a dozen other -undeveloped individuals, pounding around a cinder path in the park, -each of us trying to breathe so the other wouldn't hear and feel the -jar clear up to the occiput every time a foot came down. This must be -awful on Listless' toes, I thought. He likes to wiggle 'em every time -he gets in the pilot seat.</p> - -<p>On the third lap, Murphy started yelling and swinging his arm.</p> - -<p>"Come on, Lomack, oil your oleos. Chase him, Doc. You guys are doing -time."</p> - -<p>Listless stuck out his chest and lengthened his stride but soon came -back to the old stumble. I'm built pretty light so it didn't bother me -much. I just stepped up the pace with him but I didn't slow down when -he did. So I was looking at the timer, my head stuck under Murphy's arm -when Listless broke an imaginary tape with his nose.</p> - -<p>"How'd we do?" he panted when he got his breath.</p> - -<p>"Swell," Outhouse enthused. "Sixty seconds less and you'd have only -been a minute over the record."</p> - -<p>"Oh," said Lomack.</p> - -<p>"Yeah?" I said. "Oh. And what's more, Listless, you tentacle-toed ape, -I got an idea running around that track. I think, I think, I really -think, that we can do Dudley dirty."</p> - -<p>"What is it?" queried Murphy.</p> - -<p>"I'm not saying yet," I replied. "I've got to think it over for a while -and examine the holes."</p> - -<p>"Moth holes?" said Listless.</p> - -<p>"Nuts," said I.</p> - -<p>"Marbles," said Outhouse. "Keep it to yourself, Doc, if you want to."</p> - -<p>"Well," said Listless slowly, "I bet one thing. I bet whatever it is, I -gotta navigate."</p> - -<p>"You not only gotta navigate," I replied, "you gotta navigate <i>well</i>."</p> - -<p>"Now listen—"</p> - -<p>"Now listen, nothing," I screeched. "Not only will this bust up Dear -Old Dudley's beer combine but it will also be a wonderful, beautiful, -perfect demonstration of—"</p> - -<p>"Of what?" asked Outhouse enticingly.</p> - -<p>"Never mind," I said cunningly, "we'll let that take care of itself -when the time comes."</p> - -<p>"Yeah, yeah, yeah," said Listless, who got his name because he's -lazy, though <i>he</i> says it's because he can hold his liquor, "he's got -another half throttled idea which means I'll be back to work at the old -slipstick."</p> - -<p>"That's the trouble with you, Listless," I said haughtily. "You're -limited to the depth of an astroplex navigator. Now take the thoughts -of a real scientist." Here I strutted a bit. "You never could -understand anything deeper than <i>Arctic Nights</i>. But a brain—like -me—" I added modestly. "People will stand and point in awe when—"</p> - -<p>"The model scientist," sneered Lomack, "meaning of course, a small -imitation of the real thing."</p> - -<p>I let out a howl and went for him. We were all set for a nice scrap -when Murphy broke it up.</p> - -<p>"Now," he said, "if you two specimens of would-be manhood are going to -shower and dress, get to it. I gotta date."</p> - -<p>"Glass, bottle or demijohn?" I asked from my tangled position. He -stalked off. Then I untangled Listless' fingers from my hair and -unwrapped his legs from around my middle, thus taking the pressure off -him and letting him up. He took his teeth from around my forefinger and -admitted that I had him licked. That's one thing I like about Lomack; -when he's beaten he admits it.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>I made a nifty little jog to the locker room while Listless limped -along behind. We showered, got our loafer suits out of the lockers, and -feeling pretty swell, sauntered out into a soft evening.</p> - -<p>"Boy," breathed Listless, taking a deep breath as though he hadn't had -enough on the track, "this is lovely. Let's go find Murphy."</p> - -<p>Which meant a bender of course. For, as I have mentioned, Murphy is -a man with all the physical capabilities of a three-year-old gorilla -on a hashish jag. And if you wonder at the strange figures of speech -we sometimes use, it is because Murphy was once an archaeologist who -taught languages and made a side line specialty of ancient idioms. -Until he got tired of teaching college boys and associating with -professors. He was always hurting someone in wrestling, boxing or -social intercourse so he finally dropped the whole business and went on -a tear. Lomack and I picked him up in a low orbit space dive. He found -us not repugnant and we rather enjoyed his finesse in a fight so we -stuck together. When he wasn't off on a bat.</p> - -<p>"Where to?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"You know better than that," I was admonished. "You mean where first.</p> - -<p>"Just plain <i>where</i> is even better," I concluded.</p> - -<p>He took from his pocket a bunch of those little plastic souvenirs they -put on bottles—he had plenty of opportunity to swipe them—and picked -out five with the names of bars on them.</p> - -<p>"I'll toss 'em up," he explained, "and you grab one when they come -down. That'll be a starter."</p> - -<p>So in the soft, yellowish red rays of a late and tired sun I watched -while he turned three times to the west, went through the motions of -blowing a beer head and tossed up his hand. The light tinkled quietly -on the crystal clear figures as they soared lazily upward against a -darkening blue. Spinning and tumbling they reached the zenith of flight -and slowly gained velocity as they returned to the mother of all—but -I wax poetic. I reached out my hand and snatched one. "<i>Benny's -Barometric Beer</i>," it read.</p> - -<p>"I remember that joint," mused Listless. "They adjust the gas pressure -to equal outside pressure. Result—no burp."</p> - -<p>"Even in thunderstorms?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"Automatic pressure regulator."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus2.jpg" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>So we went to Benny's. That's a nice quiet place downtown. As a rule, -we don't go for the rainbow palaces and throne rooms that cater to -the more exclusive and less interesting trade. All they ever have is -acrobatic dancing at quarter gravity and stuff that Murphy could do -at 3g's without straining anyone but me. And besides, with Dudley in -control, the beer in those places would probably cost us half a credit. -So we went to <i>Benny's</i> and Murphy wasn't there. Then we went to the -<i>Sun Spot</i> and the only thing we recognized was the rise in price. -We hit three or four more places but they were all modernized—no -Outhouse. I was beginning to get sore about the rise in the cost of -living. And Listless didn't seem to know what it was all about. After -the fourth joint he started to argue with the bartenders. Which didn't -do a bit of good because in those particular places, the bartenders -were automatics. Finally we sallied into the <i>Solar Spin Club</i> and -walked, stalked or clambered up to the bar. The regular customers -walked, Listless stalked and I clambered.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The <i>club</i> was a pretty good bet because it has an old-fashioned bar in -the rear for those who like to tell their trouble to a bartender who is -deaf. Nobody knew that except a couple of us. Next to the bar were some -tables. At one of these sat Brother Dudley and a couple of friends. -Looking very disconsolate. Standing at the less brightly lit end of -the bar were three lovely ladies laughing hysterically at one, broad -Outhouse.</p> - -<p>"He's telling dirty jokes again," I sniffed.</p> - -<p>"Sometimes," sighed Listless, "I wish I had studied the more cultural -subjects. It helps."</p> - -<p>"Helps what?" I demanded. "Anybody can do Drake. And anyway, you never -met anyone who could appreciate them."</p> - -<p>He started to grin in a nasty way.</p> - -<p>"Present company excepted," I yiped. "You know what I mean. Don't try -to get high-handed with me, you swizzle. I'm over your head like a -Heaviside Layer." Then I calmed down.</p> - -<p>"This isn't going to make Dudley feel any too friendly toward us," -mused Listless, giving the three solos at the table the once-over.</p> - -<p>"Look at him," I said. "He doesn't feel good to anybody, ever. We -should worry."</p> - -<p>"Two beers," I ordered, ruefully counting out the exorbitant amount I -had learned was necessary. Drake seemed to brighten a little at that. -Going right out of our pockets into his, the bum.</p> - -<p>We stoked our holds in a hurry, ordered a couple more and gave Outhouse -the high sign.</p> - -<p>He started toward us and the bevy of beauties followed along -automatically. Reminded me of a barnyard.</p> - -<p>"Hi, folks," he greeted us. "Look what I got it." The three girls -giggled. Drake and his buddies sat and brooded. I kept an eye on them -just to see when things got started. Listless was aware of them too, -'cause I saw him tenderly feel his hip pocket for his applicator. -That's what he called it. But Murphy had told him about that gadget. He -said it was called a brass knuckle in the old days. Listless of course, -had to be high-toned and make it out of plastic on his little press.</p> - -<p>The more we talked and laughed and the noisier we got, the glummer the -other three became. I guess they wanted silence. Finally they looked at -each other. I gave Murphy the nudge.</p> - -<p>"Routine Three," I whispered. I loved that one. And we weren't feeling -too frisky yet. Not that we wanted to avoid a fight, you understand, -but we had two more days of healthy drinking to do if we wanted to -preserve our record. Murphy nodded his agreement to my suggestion and -I strolled over to the slot machine control and put a coin in the -smoothest, dreamiest, slowest dance number I could pick out. The music -controlled the gravity strength of the floor, and with that piece I -knew there wouldn't be enough field to flatten a quart of quicksilver. -Outhouse carefully detached his arm from where it was, made sure there -was plenty of room then turned and thumbed his nose at the boys. They -snarled and jumped for him.</p> - -<p>Tsk, tsk, I thought, is that what Dudley learned in college? For -Murphy bent his knees, stretched out his arms and gathered them in. In -two steps he made the dance floor and tossed them gently up over it. -While they scrambled and twisted, weightlessly, trying to get down, we -grabbed the three girls. All of us charged through the door and into a -'copter.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus1.jpg" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>"Now where?" asked Lomack after we had lost ourselves in a traffic -level.</p> - -<p>"Any place where we can test Drake's products," I told him. "Then the -next time we meet him we'll really have something to yell about."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"C'mon on, Doc. Wake up! Something's happened."</p> - -<p>"Hrrmph, brrrp, splat, phtooey," I replied as intelligibly as was -possible under the circumstances. I opened my eyes and couldn't see a -thing.</p> - -<p>"Snap out of it. Hurry up." It was Listless' voice whispering through -the darkness.</p> - -<p>I groped around and found a light switch. I pushed it. There was a -tremendous flash as the world disintegrated. I jumped up, banged my -head against something and flopped back half dead. I heard Lomack -laughing fit to kill. The ape. The lights went on. He was doubled over -alongside my berth back in the ship. I looked at the light fixture. -He'd taken out the regular element and substituted a flash lamp.</p> - -<p>"Very funny," I moaned, rubbing my head where I had hit it against -the upper bunk. "Lucky you didn't blind me for life." I slipped back -under the covers, turned over and was all set for another snooze when I -remembered. I sat up in a hurry.</p> - -<p>"What time is it?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"Two days later," said Listless. I relaxed. We were O.K. then. I was -afraid for a moment that we had gone soft. But two days isn't so bad. -That's a lot of beer and, I shivered, a hell of a lot of credits.</p> - -<p>I staggered out of the berth, put on some clothes and went to the -galley. Murphy was still eating. I reached for the bacon. No pills for -us, not while they still grow pigs. There was silence while we shoveled -it in. After the second cup of coffee, I sat back and gave forth with a -big sigh.</p> - -<p>"Now," I said, "it is time to consider more serious things."</p> - -<p>"Like Dirty Dudley," put in Listless.</p> - -<p>"My old college chum," remarked Outhouse.</p> - -<p>"And the idea you had in the park the other day," added Lomack.</p> - -<p>"What is it?" asked Listless. "A new theory that will set the -astrologers back on their ears?"</p> - -<p>"No," I replied. "It's not a new theory. It's an old and accepted one. -But nobody ever thought of testing it out. That's what I want to do. -And in testing it we will beat the beer combine at their own game. This -will get us much praise from the thinking population as well as all -good beer drinkers."</p> - -<p>"He means the Society of Astrophysicists," said Murphy. He turned to -me. "You and that bunch. You're dead and don't know it."</p> - -<p>"Yeah," said Listless, "moping around a bunch of archives in dusty old -halls. You oughta go there and bury yourself, Doc."</p> - -<p>"Shut up, shut up, shut up," I yelled. To think of a grown man like me -acting that way. Sometimes I get disgusted with myself. But not in this -bunch. They always beat me to it.</p> - -<p>"Lemme talk." I outlined the details of the plan without giving away -the fundamental idea. When I had finished, Listless leaned back and -groaned.</p> - -<p>"I knew it," he said. "I gotta make five hauling trips before I even -get started figuring orbits. Whenever you have an idea, Doc, it's just -one load after another. And what are you going to do with them after -you get them set up out there?"</p> - -<p>"I'll tell you when we're ready," I said. "And don't worry about the -orbits. I'll figure those. I couldn't trust you with such a delicate -task."</p> - -<p>"I always knew you went around in circles, Doc," complained Murphy, -"but this is the first time I ever saw it come out literally."</p> - -<p>"Not circles, you culture hound, ellipses as any student would know."</p> - -<p>"And what, may I ask again, is the purpose of this little venture?" -Lomack was trying to be funny.</p> - -<p>"In addition to dishing Dudley," I replied calmly, "I'm going to -demonstrate that Einstein was right."</p> - -<p>As we walked past the striped side of the ship to set out for supplies -I glanced at the bow. We were in! Childishly printed, showing that one -of us had been blotto, I read: "<i>Beerbuster</i>," sprawled on the bow -plate. The previous name, "<i>Zebra</i>," the remnant of a five-day drunk, -had been obliterated by the simple process of smearing catsup on it. -The ship was all ready to go.</p> - -<p>So were we.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>We were out in free space beyond Pluto's orbit towing a third load of -asteroids; four big, juicy ones, taking them to the empty region we'd -picked for the job. I was doing the piloting, pretty routine once the -course was picked. Listless was back in the store room checking over -the equipment we had picked up on this trip and, incidentally, giving -his toes a rest. He twiddles his lowest extremities so much when he -pilots that after a while he gets cramps and has to quit. Wears hell -out of his socks that way. I heard him yell as he stubbed one of his -darlings against a plate. We had half a dozen plates back there with -specially designed foundations. They were to go on the asteroids and -Listless had figured out an embedding foundation to fasten the plates -to the rocky surfaces we had to deal with. We'd left Murphy out with -the fifteen we'd already carted. Which might sound dangerous to Murphy, -but in spite of what I say, Listless is a mighty good navigator and can -find a comet in a dark nebula if he wants to.</p> - -<p>We came up to the cluster and spotted Murphy soaring about with a plate -in one hand. He saw us and tried to wave the plate but only succeeded -in wiggling himself. Those big plates, with disintegration chambers -attached have plenty of inertia.</p> - -<p>Two of the rocks on which he had completed the job were separated. I -surrendered the controls to Lomack who swung the ship around and sent -the four we were towing swinging toward the rest of the pile. Then he -jumped the ship at the right moment and they came to a stop not twenty -feet from the others. Nice shooting, I thought, although I wouldn't -admit it. Murphy came across to the ship and we started unloading the -plates.</p> - -<p>The machinists had done a beautiful job. To standard plates they had -added the fuel chamber and encased the whole in a shell of steelite. -From this shell projected the adjustable pincer clamps which would -dig into the solid rock and set immovably, making a rigid base for -operations. They were full-sized, liner plates and we estimated three -to an asteroid in a tripod formation which would give any orbit I was -likely to want.</p> - -<p>We tied them in a convenient hollow and went on an inspection trip to -see how Murphy had made out with his installations. Listless checked -angles and tested foundations.</p> - -<p>"Looks O.K., Doc," he commented. "Think you have enough mass?"</p> - -<p>I counted. Nineteen.</p> - -<p>"Let's make it an even twenty," I decided. "We can tie the rest of the -plates on in back and we won't have to load and unload. You go back -and get them while Murphy and I fix up a couple more."</p> - -<p>Listless hopped back to the ship and beat it for the asteroid belt. I -set out with Murphy, two plates and a hand excavator. We picked out -spots, bored holes for the pincers, set the points and exploded the -charges that drove them home. I stepped back to look it over. It was -a nice idea. Space ships to order in any conceivable size. And these -little babies were going to nip Dudley right where the hair was short. -We made several more trips to the stock pile and stopped once for a -rest and sleep before the ship came back.</p> - -<p>Murphy called my attention to it.</p> - -<p>"He's coming in," he said over the space phone. I turned to look. The -<i>Beerbuster</i> was starting her spin. Suddenly Murphy grabbed me.</p> - -<p>"Out of the way," he yelled. "That slipstick expert miscalculated his -stop."</p> - -<p>I stood and stared at the load of plates aimed straight at my head. -Outhouse threw me one way and jumped the other. But the bundle came to -a stop about twenty-five feet over us.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The air lock opened and Lomack stepped out, a big grin on his face. -He jumped toward us with the tie line in his hand. I picked up my -excavator by the wrong end and started for him.</p> - -<p>"You did that on purpose, you undernourished breakfast," I gritted, -diving for him. He stepped out of my way and I landed on a sharp-edged -rock with a very tender part of my anatomy.</p> - -<p>"Hold it, Doc, until you see what I brought back." He made the ship -fast and ducked back in the air lock. He came out with a case.</p> - -<p>"Here y'are, Doc. Catch." The box sailed through space into my waiting -arms. I caught the Drake label on the side.</p> - -<p>"And there are five more like it in the stock room."</p> - -<p>"Well," I hesitated. "In that case, I'll excuse you," I told him. I -tossed it back and jumped after it. Murphy followed. He could smell -beer through that helmet. We took off our suits and had a good stretch. -Then we opened up. Lovely, lovely bottles. But not half so good as our -beer was going to be we told each other.</p> - -<p>"I thought you boys would like a little refreshment," Listless expanded -under our praise. "But I didn't want to interfere with work so I held -it down to half a dozen."</p> - -<p>We went through the first two and then Outhouse and I had a good sleep -in the ship's bunks while Lomack went out to look around and fiddle a -bit. When we woke up we felt like a million, and it wasn't long before -the three of us had the rest of the plates installed and ready to run.</p> - -<p>We turned in for a final nap before the big day.</p> - -<p>I woke up as nervous as a Martian juju. This was it. Listless was -sitting at the control box, when I came in from breakfast, fingers -ready to press the buttons tied into the plate chambers. Murphy was -running around the ship putting up filters over observation ports at my -suggestion. They still didn't have an inkling of what I was shooting at.</p> - -<p>"O.K.," I choked. "Let 'er go."</p> - -<p>Listless pressed the main contact. The box warmed up with a steadily -rising hum. The little lights blinked on and the main panel showed -the location of each asteroid. I read the figures off to him and his -fingers ran over the board more nervously than his toes would ever go. -The dots of light on the indicator panel started slowly in motion. They -built up speed, flashing faster and faster around the two focal points -I had calculated.</p> - -<p>"Take an observation," I told Murphy, sweating.</p> - -<p>He shot a glance out of the bow port, filter in his hand, ready to slap -it on.</p> - -<p>"No stuff yet," he reported.</p> - -<p>The asteroids were revolving dizzily now.</p> - -<p>Suddenly a tremor passed through the ship.</p> - -<p>"There she goes!" I screamed. Murphy's eyes bugged out against the -transparent plate.</p> - -<p>"There's something out there, Doc," he yelled. "Light by all that's -uncontrollable. It's getting bigger. And brighter!" Lomack was still -madly balancing the orbits, speeding up the asteroids like rocks on -strings. A burst of brilliance came streaming through the forward -observation. Murphy put up the filter.</p> - -<p>I sat back with a breath of deep, deep relief.</p> - -<p>"There you are, boys," I wheezed. "One sun as per specification. -Completely under control. Lomack, if your fingers were fast enough we -could use it for a blinker. All you have to do is control the speeds -the right way."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Listless had established equilibrium by now, and threw over the box -to automatic. He went back to the store room and brought out the last -case. We sat down and drank to my health. Several times. And to my -brain. Often.</p> - -<p>"How'd you figure it?" asked Murphy when the back pounding was over.</p> - -<p>"Boys," I said in a superior tone, "it's really very simple." Murphy -threw the opener at me, so I got down to business.</p> - -<p>"You both know the rudiments of Einstein, don't you?" I asked. They -nodded in agreement.</p> - -<p>"Well, you know the theory of space warp. Not the way the plates work -but the fundamental proposition. Gravity does not exist as such. I mean -there is no actual attraction between the sun and the planets. The sun -is of such tremendous mass that it warps space elliptically around -it in such a way that any body of a given mass and speed just has to -travel a certain way. Instead of speaking of orbits, you might say, -that, like marbles, the planets fall into certain grooves and there -they stay."</p> - -<p>I stopped for a long one.</p> - -<p>"As I was saying, I thought that if the sun establishes grooves for the -planets to travel in, what would happen if we establish the grooves by -means of planets without a sun? Why, it follows as the noon the morning -that with the conditions just right, a sun would have to come into -existence. When we started those asteroids whizzing around we created -a sort of 'mass vacuum' in the center, and mass just had to rush in -to fill it. Or maybe it isn't even mass; just energy with an apparent -mass due to an apparent attraction. Anyway, there's your sun. We can -sell lots. We go to the boys and ask them how big a plant they want to -build, government supervision doesn't hold in free space you know, so -we can go in, snag an asteroid of the right size and set it up in a -slow orbit around our little power plant. Charges will be reasonable -but sufficient. And all the free beer we want."</p> - -<p>Listless belched hopefully.</p> - -<p>"That's very important," put in Murphy.</p> - -<p>"You win the brass plated bus bar, Doc," conceded Listless. "But, oh -boy, if it hadn't worked."</p> - -<p>"The thing to do now," said the ever-practical Murphy, "is to set up -a couple of choice locations. Listless, how about hopping back to the -Belt and picking up a nice, big, round rock to set up the first plant -on?"</p> - -<p>"It's okay with me," Listless agreed.</p> - -<p>"I don't like to leave the set up yet," I protested. "I'm not sure of -the equilibrium point. Let's take that control out to One and set it up -there. Murphy and I will stick there and keep our eyes on the system -until you get back. I can handle any slight variables that may show up."</p> - -<p>So we put up a dome on the first planetoid and moved the control -equipment into it. With enough food and an air supply to last a couple -of days, we decided that Listless could head straight for Earth and see -if he could interest one of the lesser brewers in our plan.</p> - -<p>After Listless had gone, Murphy and I sat around lazily, telling each -other what we would do after we got the beer industry running smoothly. -We puttered around with our minds, taking an occasional glance at the -new sun, dropping off for a cat nap when we felt like it. I was in the -middle of one of those when Murphy woke me up shaking my shoulder.</p> - -<p>"Huh?" I said sleepily.</p> - -<p>"Get up, Doc, there's a ship coming in." I rubbed my eyes and gazed out -through the dome port. It wasn't the <i>Buster</i>. There were no stripes on -it. And this ship had different lines.</p> - -<p>It seemed to be searching for something. Stopping here and there among -the whirling planetoids, like a huge shark smelling for game, the pilot -must have spotted the gleam of our dome, for suddenly he headed right -for us.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>I jumped into my spacealls just ahead of Murphy. We didn't know who -it was, but I had a darned good idea. Something told me that our long -delayed visit from Drake was about to arrive.</p> - -<p>The ship pulled in close to headquarters, the lock opened and three -figures appeared. Hooking in their lines they sailed over to us.</p> - -<p>As they came closer I could make out Dudley's handsome features. With -an expression on them I didn't like. The other two just looked familiar.</p> - -<p>"Hello, Outhouse," he sneered. "You too, genius. I must admit you did -it. It's really too bad that your sun isn't stable, isn't it?"</p> - -<p>I started to bridle.</p> - -<p>"Whaddayamean, not stable?" I roared. "You know damn well that I know -damn well that that sun is stable as space itself."</p> - -<p>"I said it wasn't stable, didn't I? How's a small sun like that going -to stand up under the atomic bomb we're going to plant in it? Take it -easy, Outhouse!"</p> - -<p>For Murphy had started to place his feet for a spring. But he couldn't -do anything against the paralyzers that suddenly appeared in the hands -of Dudley's henchmen. I remembered them now. No hope in that direction. -They were the two whose girls we had taken back in the <i>Solar Spin -Club</i>. They must have had an interest in Drake's business 'cause I -can't see knocking a guy off for stealing your girl. I guess they took -that sort of thing seriously though, they got such few opportunities -from the looks of them.</p> - -<p>"Now that we have that settled, I guess we know what we can expect," -said Murphy.</p> - -<p>"That's right," said Drake silkily. "We are going to aim the bomb right -at the center of your little beer plant. Where's your partner?"</p> - -<p>We looked at each other. Then we turned back to Drake and shrugged.</p> - -<p>"No spikka da Inglish," we said.</p> - -<p>Drake's voice hardened. I didn't like the sound of it.</p> - -<p>"Where did he go? Come across or you'll be here to watch that bomb go -off."</p> - -<p>The two pleasant customers he'd brought with him didn't even bat an -eye. I guess they were pretty used to his dealings.</p> - -<p>I was beginning to get hot. That's a habit with me. I started to jump -up and down, as well as I could with no gravity for the down.</p> - -<p>"Dirty Dudley, you dastard—" I started but that was as far as I got. -He stepped forward and slapped the side of my helmet with the butt of -a paralyzer he pulled out of his belt. In the close confines of the -plastecele casing it sounded like all the tail plates in Space Port One -had dropped on me all at once. When I recovered and got up, Drake was -covering Murphy carefully with the paralyzer and the other two guys -were getting ready to jump back to the ship. For the bomb, I guessed. -Drake turned to me.</p> - -<p>"A couple more cracks like that and your ears won't be much good," he -told me. "Better take it easy with your tongue."</p> - -<p>I started to sputter but a glance from Outhouse silenced me. I guess he -knew Drake better than I did, although I was beginning to catch up with -him.</p> - -<p>Drake cautiously started to throw his eyes around.</p> - -<p>"Well, where is he?"</p> - -<p>"We don't know," I popped up, sticking out my head, literally.</p> - -<p>"I didn't ask you," said Drake, giving me a dirty look and casting a -speculative eye over my helmet.</p> - -<p>"That's the straight dope, Drake," said Murphy, backing me up. "Lomack -is behind the whole thing and he wouldn't tell us what he intends to -do."</p> - -<p>"Don't kid me." Dirty Dudley was great on sneers. "You guys wouldn't -put all the time and work and money in this if you didn't know what you -were doing."</p> - -<p>"Yeah, we would," said Outhouse. "That's something you wouldn't -understand, Drake. We trust each other."</p> - -<p>I thought he was going to get bad again but he only smiled.</p> - -<p>"Go ahead," he advised, "and see where it gets you."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>All this time I knew that Murphy was just waiting his chance to jump at -Drake when suddenly the expression on his face told me that something -was up. I didn't dare turn around but I shifted for comfort and managed -to trip. As I picked myself up under Drake's watchful scrutiny I cast -a quick one over my shoulder. It was the <i>Beerbuster</i>, once <i>Zebra</i>, -coming in with a tail of one asteroid trailing along behind. I didn't -know what to do. Listless, unarmed, was going to walk right into a -trap. For I wasn't too sure that Drake was going to take us off when -the bomb let loose. Why should he? A nice experiment, three fine boys -busted up. Don't do it again, says the government. He'd be in the clear.</p> - -<p>But Lomack must have had his eyes peeled and his toes socked, for he -shifted into an orbit instead of coming straight in.</p> - -<p>In the meantime, Drake had spotted him, too, and had called his men -on the space phone. They had the bomb all set. "Bring that thing over -here and then get back on board," yelled Drake. The two men gingerly -picked up the globe and jumped daintily for us. They came to a gentle -stop, set it down, and beat it hastily for the ship again. Drake called -Listless.</p> - -<p>"Hey, you space bum! This is Drake. I've got your two buddies under -control down here. Leave your ship and come on in or they won't last -much longer. Don't try anything funny or I'll knock them off right now."</p> - -<p>Murphy and I listened tensely. There was silence for a moment.</p> - -<p>"<i>Brrrack!</i>" said Listless. It was the prettiest sound.</p> - -<p>Drake was taken aback. For the moment it took to get started he -couldn't think of an adequate reply. That was all the time Listless -needed. Murphy and I stood in open-mouthed admiration at what came -next. I could almost see Listless' stiff toes bursting through his -socks.</p> - -<p>From traveling in a short orbit, the tail of the <i>Beerbuster</i> was -standing out at right angles to the direction of flight. In a moment, -Listless had flicked on the side plates, swung the ship around tail -first and farther so that the asteroid followed through in a sweeping -arc and headed straight for us. Drake stood in stunned astonishment; -and because Drake was the brains, the two bums stood in the port of -their ship and just looked. Which was their very hard luck.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The asteroid finished up its arc smack against Drake's ship. Like a -gigantic hammer it smashed and crumpled the plates and the heat of the -collision flashed into brilliant orange. The two boys on Drake's side, -for once not stopping for orders, had left but they had forgotten about -their lines. When the mass of rock hit, they were jerked like live fish -on the ends of leaders. We heard them scream through the mike and then -they were silent.</p> - -<p>I laughed; I couldn't help it, desperate as the situation was. Dirty -Dudley was really getting smeared—but good.</p> - -<p>In the meanwhile Outhouse had wasted neither energy nor purpose in -gathering Drake in while his attention was concentrated on ducking. -Dirty Dudley didn't have a chance. I caught the paralyzer as it flew my -way. But I didn't need it. Drake was out. Murphy had clonked him on the -helmet with a metal-clad excavator. I was avenged.</p> - -<p>Listless got the tail under control and brought the rock in the usual -way. He swung it nicely over our heads and put it nicely next to us. I -didn't even duck. Then he opened the lock and came across. There were -two other men with him.</p> - -<p>"What happened?" he asked. I told him. He went over and took a look at -Drake and stirred him with his foot.</p> - -<p>"Good thing I brought witnesses," he remarked. Then he introduced us -to the other two and told us that they were interested in starting a -brewery around our private light.</p> - -<p>"It would have been very nice," said Parker, the senior partner, "to -get away from Drake. He was slowly driving us out of business. Now of -course, he won't offer any trouble. So I guess we'll stick to Earth."</p> - -<p>My heart sank.</p> - -<p>"Just the same, I like it out here. How about letting me take over one -of your planets for a private home?"</p> - -<p>It was a thought. Private homes, private grounds, private planets. No -looking over your neighbor's fences.</p> - -<p>Sure.</p> - -<p>The hell with the beer.</p> - -<p>We'd go in for real estate.</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Beer-Trust Busters, by A. R. Stuart - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEER-TRUST BUSTERS *** - -***** This file should be named 63609-h.htm or 63609-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/6/0/63609/ - -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 print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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 in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. 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 -www.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 unprotected by copyright law 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 in the United States and - most other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the - United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you - are located before using this ebook. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (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 The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, 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 -works not protected by U.S. copyright law 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 1.F.3. 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 MERCHANTABILITY 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 information page at -www.gutenberg.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. 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 in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, 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 contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -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 www.gutenberg.org/donate - -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: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty 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 not protected by copyright 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: 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. - - - -</pre> - -</body> -</html> diff --git a/old/63609-h/images/cover.jpg b/old/63609-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index e27e537..0000000 --- a/old/63609-h/images/cover.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63609-h/images/illus1.jpg b/old/63609-h/images/illus1.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index e5f5d17..0000000 --- a/old/63609-h/images/illus1.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63609-h/images/illus2.jpg b/old/63609-h/images/illus2.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index f0fc26d..0000000 --- a/old/63609-h/images/illus2.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63609.txt b/old/63609.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 819027e..0000000 --- a/old/63609.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1374 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Beer-Trust Busters, by A. R. Stuart - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Beer-Trust Busters - -Author: A. R. Stuart - -Release Date: November 3, 2020 [EBook #63609] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEER-TRUST BUSTERS *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - Beer-Trust Busters - - By A. R. STUART - - "It's a hell of a note when one guy controls the - beer situation--let's do Dudley dirty!" rang the - war cry of Doc, Listless and Outhouse. And the - intrepid trio went blearily about the business of - dirtying Dudley--empty bottles marking their trail. - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Planet Stories Fall 1945. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -We pulled into the spaceport with the asteroid in tow. Platinum--20%. -Very nice. We cleared our papers and sold the deposit for a tidy sum. -There was only one thing to do and we did it. - -"Three beers," said Outhouse. Six feet four he was and built like one. -The bartender brought them over. None of those mechanical mixers for -us like they have in the high class joints. We like human company. -Maybe that's why I'm always fighting with Outhouse Murphy and Listless -Lomack. - -"Nice spotting on that asteroid, Doc," said Listless, downing his beer -in a gulp and ordering three more, all for himself. "It's nice to have -an astrophysicist in the crew. Sometimes you actually have a purpose." - -"More than a third class navigator," I yipped. But I was feeling pretty -good. We all were. Money in our pockets, a good ship to roam around in -and the best of company. We sat around over more beer, discussing plans -for a real bender of which this was only the beginning, as you might -say. When we finally picked out what we wanted to do, we called for the -bill. - -Murphy picked it up and set it down. - -"What's the matter?" I asked. - -"Look," he commanded. - -I added up the column and checked the total. Then I thought back over -the number of drinks we'd had. Listless pulled out a pocket slipstick -but I didn't need it. - -"The price," I said in a hushed whisper, "has doubled." - -Listless turned to the bartender. - -"What's the idea?" he asked. The guy shrugged. - -"That's the latest," he said. "I can't help it. I gotta pay more, I -gotta charge more." - -"Who's your supplier?" asked Outhouse. - -"Drake," said the bartender. - -Murphy turned to us. - -"I got suspicions," he informed us. "I got to go chase 'em up. I'll be -back in a little while." - -Listless and I debated whether to order more. It was almost cheaper to -drink hard liquor but we decided that discretion was the better part of -hangover and stuck to beer. - -We hung around for about an hour and finally the door was shadowed by -Murphy's tremendous form. If an elephant can slide, Murphy slid onto a -stool. He ordered a couple and turned to us. - -"Well, boys, what do you think of the doings of Dirty Dudley?" - -Listless and I looked at each other. - -"Dudley D. Drake, young tycoon; embezzled from his father, sold short -on his brother and now controls the beer situation." - -"Oh," we said among other unprintables, "that is a fine, tender, sore -spot with us, Outhouse. How come?" - -"I'm not sure but from what I heard down at the alumni house it has -something to do with the malting process. I think he's got a law passed -or something like that. He had enough influence and he's nasty enough. -In college we used to call him the 'Doctor of the Doublecross.'" - -"You mean you know the punk?" I asked. - -"Yeah. He tried to get my place on the wrestling team once. He dropped -a table on me from the second floor." A dreamy smile played over the -lips of an amused Outhouse. - -"What happened?" asked Lomack. - -"Oh, I caught it and threw it back up at him. Very messy. But he stayed -away from me after that. I haven't seen him in six or seven years. And -now he starts treading on my toes again. To say nothing of you two -souses. I think it's time to renew an old acquaintance. Let's go." - - * * * * * - -We followed him out into the street and caught a 'copter to the Drake -building. A beautiful job in steelite and stone, like the Drake heart, -I gathered. The stone was only for effect, the steelite held it up. We -settled down on the roof, got out and paid the driver. We walked up to -the reception clerk. Murphy took it from there. - -"Mr. Drake is too busy to receive visitors," said the clerk at the -desk. "I'm sorry." - -He really was, too, when Murphy leaned over and put one big hand -completely around his neck. - -"Look," said Murphy, "you just call him on the viewer and tell him that -Outhouse is here to finish a job on a table. He'll see us." - -The clerk tried to gulp but Murphy's fingers were in the way of his -epiglottis. So he nodded his head. He was released with caution but -there wasn't any need for that now. The clerk picked up the dial and -called Drake. Dudley's face appeared on the screen. Dark and handsome -he was like a long snake, with a little trick mustache that looked like -an old time toothbrush. - -"What is it?" he snapped. "You know I'm busy." - -"There's something about a table, sir, and an outhouse"--the -receptionist started, but Drake caught sight of Murphy's features -shoved in front of the screen. - -"Hello, Dudley," cooed Murphy. "Think you'll be able to see me? I -wouldn't refuse if I were you." Murphy picked up that poor operator and -gestured with him. "Remember the table, Dudley? You wouldn't want me to -do that to this poor fellow, would you? And besides, I've got a couple -of geniuses with me. We want to talk to you about beer." - -Drake sat back in his chair and grinned a nasty grin. - -"It's all right, Harkness," he directed. "Send them down." - -The clerk lay limply back in the chair and pointed voicelessly toward a -private elevator. Murphy pointed a finger at him. - -"Remember, please, that I am a proper noun. When you say Outhouse, -don't put '_an_' in front of it." We bowed courteously and stalked off. - -The elevator was waiting for us. We got in, and it slipped soundlessly -down to Drake's office. He was sitting waiting for us, his elbows on -the desk, hands clasped together. He didn't bother to get up when we -came in. Nor even offer chairs. - -"Enter one Outhouse," he said, "and two crummy friends. I am delighted." - -I excite easily. I started to hop up and down. But Murphy put a hand -on my shoulder and I staggered to a rest. So I decided to turn on the -brain, while Outhouse handled the other stuff. - -"What's the dope on this beer business?" asked Murphy. - -"Pretty simple," said Drake. "There has been a law passed just recently -and tucked away in the files where it will not be noticed, unless, -of course, there should be a need for it. The gist of it is that -all malting done on the planet must be carried on under government -supervision. That means strict control of course. The purest grains, -the most carefully controlled processes, all that sort of thing. -And if any detail is overlooked or found not satisfactory, a rather -large fine is incurred. I own the larger part of the malting plants as -you well know, although there are some others. They won't offer much -trouble however, for you see, I am the government supervisor." - -I started to swear and again Murphy reached over, this time over my -mouth. Then he pointed to a recorder disc. Clever guy, Dudley. If I'd -said what I was going to say he could have put me up for the rest of my -life and probably would. - -Drake smiled and clicked off the switch. - -"Now you can say what you like," he told me. "Nice of me, isn't it?" - -"We will keep the conversation on friendly terms," directed Murphy, -"just in case." - -"Now to get down to business. It is our intention to bust your combine. -Perhaps you would like to buy us off?" We hadn't thought of it till -then but it sounded like a good idea. Listless and I nodded. - -Drake sneered. - -"How?" he asked. "I've got the Earth covered. And the other planets -haven't the necessary conditions. The cloud layers on Venus keep out -most of the sunlight and Mars and the rest of the outer planets are too -far away. You're welcome to try Mercury." - -Sure, Mercury would be swell. It's either too hot or too cold. He had -us stopped all right. But--crumbs! I was sore. - -"We're starting this cold," I yipped, "but we're gonna take you over -the oleos and blow you out our jets. You should have bowed low when we -came in. You didn't know you were talking to a group of experts." I -included Murphy and Listless grandly. I'm really the smart guy in the -bunch but I didn't have to tell that to Drake. I knew I was good, that -was sufficient. - -Drake laughed. - -"Go ahead and try," he said. - -"Let's go, guys," I told them. We slammed out of the office, catching -a last glimpse of Drake's nasty look as the elevator door closed. We -traveled to the landing level, bade the clerk a pleasant goodbye after -we pulled him out from under the desk, and hailed a 'copter. - -"Big talk, Doc," sighed Listless when we were seated at a quiet little -midtown bar. "But how are you going to do it?" - -"I dunno," I said, "but give me time." - - * * * * * - -We were taking a jog around the track. It being a nice warm sunny -day, Listless had decided that what we needed was to work some of the -alcohol out of our systems. I objected, but was roped in anyway. Murphy -merely sniffed. With his build he was immune. However he said he needed -some fresh air so he would come along and hold a timer on us. Listless -protested but I said swell. That's Listless for you; "Come on, Doc. -Let's run off a couple of fast miles." Sure. Until somebody comes along -to check up on him. Then he starts making excuses. But the two of us -dragged him along. - -So here we were on the city track, along with half a dozen other -undeveloped individuals, pounding around a cinder path in the park, -each of us trying to breathe so the other wouldn't hear and feel the -jar clear up to the occiput every time a foot came down. This must be -awful on Listless' toes, I thought. He likes to wiggle 'em every time -he gets in the pilot seat. - -On the third lap, Murphy started yelling and swinging his arm. - -"Come on, Lomack, oil your oleos. Chase him, Doc. You guys are doing -time." - -Listless stuck out his chest and lengthened his stride but soon came -back to the old stumble. I'm built pretty light so it didn't bother me -much. I just stepped up the pace with him but I didn't slow down when -he did. So I was looking at the timer, my head stuck under Murphy's arm -when Listless broke an imaginary tape with his nose. - -"How'd we do?" he panted when he got his breath. - -"Swell," Outhouse enthused. "Sixty seconds less and you'd have only -been a minute over the record." - -"Oh," said Lomack. - -"Yeah?" I said. "Oh. And what's more, Listless, you tentacle-toed ape, -I got an idea running around that track. I think, I think, I really -think, that we can do Dudley dirty." - -"What is it?" queried Murphy. - -"I'm not saying yet," I replied. "I've got to think it over for a while -and examine the holes." - -"Moth holes?" said Listless. - -"Nuts," said I. - -"Marbles," said Outhouse. "Keep it to yourself, Doc, if you want to." - -"Well," said Listless slowly, "I bet one thing. I bet whatever it is, I -gotta navigate." - -"You not only gotta navigate," I replied, "you gotta navigate _well_." - -"Now listen--" - -"Now listen, nothing," I screeched. "Not only will this bust up Dear -Old Dudley's beer combine but it will also be a wonderful, beautiful, -perfect demonstration of--" - -"Of what?" asked Outhouse enticingly. - -"Never mind," I said cunningly, "we'll let that take care of itself -when the time comes." - -"Yeah, yeah, yeah," said Listless, who got his name because he's -lazy, though _he_ says it's because he can hold his liquor, "he's got -another half throttled idea which means I'll be back to work at the old -slipstick." - -"That's the trouble with you, Listless," I said haughtily. "You're -limited to the depth of an astroplex navigator. Now take the thoughts -of a real scientist." Here I strutted a bit. "You never could -understand anything deeper than _Arctic Nights_. But a brain--like -me--" I added modestly. "People will stand and point in awe when--" - -"The model scientist," sneered Lomack, "meaning of course, a small -imitation of the real thing." - -I let out a howl and went for him. We were all set for a nice scrap -when Murphy broke it up. - -"Now," he said, "if you two specimens of would-be manhood are going to -shower and dress, get to it. I gotta date." - -"Glass, bottle or demijohn?" I asked from my tangled position. He -stalked off. Then I untangled Listless' fingers from my hair and -unwrapped his legs from around my middle, thus taking the pressure off -him and letting him up. He took his teeth from around my forefinger and -admitted that I had him licked. That's one thing I like about Lomack; -when he's beaten he admits it. - - * * * * * - -I made a nifty little jog to the locker room while Listless limped -along behind. We showered, got our loafer suits out of the lockers, and -feeling pretty swell, sauntered out into a soft evening. - -"Boy," breathed Listless, taking a deep breath as though he hadn't had -enough on the track, "this is lovely. Let's go find Murphy." - -Which meant a bender of course. For, as I have mentioned, Murphy is -a man with all the physical capabilities of a three-year-old gorilla -on a hashish jag. And if you wonder at the strange figures of speech -we sometimes use, it is because Murphy was once an archaeologist who -taught languages and made a side line specialty of ancient idioms. -Until he got tired of teaching college boys and associating with -professors. He was always hurting someone in wrestling, boxing or -social intercourse so he finally dropped the whole business and went on -a tear. Lomack and I picked him up in a low orbit space dive. He found -us not repugnant and we rather enjoyed his finesse in a fight so we -stuck together. When he wasn't off on a bat. - -"Where to?" I asked. - -"You know better than that," I was admonished. "You mean where first. - -"Just plain _where_ is even better," I concluded. - -He took from his pocket a bunch of those little plastic souvenirs they -put on bottles--he had plenty of opportunity to swipe them--and picked -out five with the names of bars on them. - -"I'll toss 'em up," he explained, "and you grab one when they come -down. That'll be a starter." - -So in the soft, yellowish red rays of a late and tired sun I watched -while he turned three times to the west, went through the motions of -blowing a beer head and tossed up his hand. The light tinkled quietly -on the crystal clear figures as they soared lazily upward against a -darkening blue. Spinning and tumbling they reached the zenith of flight -and slowly gained velocity as they returned to the mother of all--but -I wax poetic. I reached out my hand and snatched one. "_Benny's -Barometric Beer_," it read. - -"I remember that joint," mused Listless. "They adjust the gas pressure -to equal outside pressure. Result--no burp." - -"Even in thunderstorms?" I asked. - -"Automatic pressure regulator." - -So we went to Benny's. That's a nice quiet place downtown. As a rule, -we don't go for the rainbow palaces and throne rooms that cater to -the more exclusive and less interesting trade. All they ever have is -acrobatic dancing at quarter gravity and stuff that Murphy could do -at 3g's without straining anyone but me. And besides, with Dudley in -control, the beer in those places would probably cost us half a credit. -So we went to _Benny's_ and Murphy wasn't there. Then we went to the -_Sun Spot_ and the only thing we recognized was the rise in price. -We hit three or four more places but they were all modernized--no -Outhouse. I was beginning to get sore about the rise in the cost of -living. And Listless didn't seem to know what it was all about. After -the fourth joint he started to argue with the bartenders. Which didn't -do a bit of good because in those particular places, the bartenders -were automatics. Finally we sallied into the _Solar Spin Club_ and -walked, stalked or clambered up to the bar. The regular customers -walked, Listless stalked and I clambered. - - * * * * * - -The _club_ was a pretty good bet because it has an old-fashioned bar in -the rear for those who like to tell their trouble to a bartender who is -deaf. Nobody knew that except a couple of us. Next to the bar were some -tables. At one of these sat Brother Dudley and a couple of friends. -Looking very disconsolate. Standing at the less brightly lit end of -the bar were three lovely ladies laughing hysterically at one, broad -Outhouse. - -"He's telling dirty jokes again," I sniffed. - -"Sometimes," sighed Listless, "I wish I had studied the more cultural -subjects. It helps." - -"Helps what?" I demanded. "Anybody can do Drake. And anyway, you never -met anyone who could appreciate them." - -He started to grin in a nasty way. - -"Present company excepted," I yiped. "You know what I mean. Don't try -to get high-handed with me, you swizzle. I'm over your head like a -Heaviside Layer." Then I calmed down. - -"This isn't going to make Dudley feel any too friendly toward us," -mused Listless, giving the three solos at the table the once-over. - -"Look at him," I said. "He doesn't feel good to anybody, ever. We -should worry." - -"Two beers," I ordered, ruefully counting out the exorbitant amount I -had learned was necessary. Drake seemed to brighten a little at that. -Going right out of our pockets into his, the bum. - -We stoked our holds in a hurry, ordered a couple more and gave Outhouse -the high sign. - -He started toward us and the bevy of beauties followed along -automatically. Reminded me of a barnyard. - -"Hi, folks," he greeted us. "Look what I got it." The three girls -giggled. Drake and his buddies sat and brooded. I kept an eye on them -just to see when things got started. Listless was aware of them too, -'cause I saw him tenderly feel his hip pocket for his applicator. -That's what he called it. But Murphy had told him about that gadget. He -said it was called a brass knuckle in the old days. Listless of course, -had to be high-toned and make it out of plastic on his little press. - -The more we talked and laughed and the noisier we got, the glummer the -other three became. I guess they wanted silence. Finally they looked at -each other. I gave Murphy the nudge. - -"Routine Three," I whispered. I loved that one. And we weren't feeling -too frisky yet. Not that we wanted to avoid a fight, you understand, -but we had two more days of healthy drinking to do if we wanted to -preserve our record. Murphy nodded his agreement to my suggestion and -I strolled over to the slot machine control and put a coin in the -smoothest, dreamiest, slowest dance number I could pick out. The music -controlled the gravity strength of the floor, and with that piece I -knew there wouldn't be enough field to flatten a quart of quicksilver. -Outhouse carefully detached his arm from where it was, made sure there -was plenty of room then turned and thumbed his nose at the boys. They -snarled and jumped for him. - -Tsk, tsk, I thought, is that what Dudley learned in college? For -Murphy bent his knees, stretched out his arms and gathered them in. In -two steps he made the dance floor and tossed them gently up over it. -While they scrambled and twisted, weightlessly, trying to get down, we -grabbed the three girls. All of us charged through the door and into a -'copter. - -"Now where?" asked Lomack after we had lost ourselves in a traffic -level. - -"Any place where we can test Drake's products," I told him. "Then the -next time we meet him we'll really have something to yell about." - - * * * * * - -"C'mon on, Doc. Wake up! Something's happened." - -"Hrrmph, brrrp, splat, phtooey," I replied as intelligibly as was -possible under the circumstances. I opened my eyes and couldn't see a -thing. - -"Snap out of it. Hurry up." It was Listless' voice whispering through -the darkness. - -I groped around and found a light switch. I pushed it. There was a -tremendous flash as the world disintegrated. I jumped up, banged my -head against something and flopped back half dead. I heard Lomack -laughing fit to kill. The ape. The lights went on. He was doubled over -alongside my berth back in the ship. I looked at the light fixture. -He'd taken out the regular element and substituted a flash lamp. - -"Very funny," I moaned, rubbing my head where I had hit it against -the upper bunk. "Lucky you didn't blind me for life." I slipped back -under the covers, turned over and was all set for another snooze when I -remembered. I sat up in a hurry. - -"What time is it?" I asked. - -"Two days later," said Listless. I relaxed. We were O.K. then. I was -afraid for a moment that we had gone soft. But two days isn't so bad. -That's a lot of beer and, I shivered, a hell of a lot of credits. - -I staggered out of the berth, put on some clothes and went to the -galley. Murphy was still eating. I reached for the bacon. No pills for -us, not while they still grow pigs. There was silence while we shoveled -it in. After the second cup of coffee, I sat back and gave forth with a -big sigh. - -"Now," I said, "it is time to consider more serious things." - -"Like Dirty Dudley," put in Listless. - -"My old college chum," remarked Outhouse. - -"And the idea you had in the park the other day," added Lomack. - -"What is it?" asked Listless. "A new theory that will set the -astrologers back on their ears?" - -"No," I replied. "It's not a new theory. It's an old and accepted one. -But nobody ever thought of testing it out. That's what I want to do. -And in testing it we will beat the beer combine at their own game. This -will get us much praise from the thinking population as well as all -good beer drinkers." - -"He means the Society of Astrophysicists," said Murphy. He turned to -me. "You and that bunch. You're dead and don't know it." - -"Yeah," said Listless, "moping around a bunch of archives in dusty old -halls. You oughta go there and bury yourself, Doc." - -"Shut up, shut up, shut up," I yelled. To think of a grown man like me -acting that way. Sometimes I get disgusted with myself. But not in this -bunch. They always beat me to it. - -"Lemme talk." I outlined the details of the plan without giving away -the fundamental idea. When I had finished, Listless leaned back and -groaned. - -"I knew it," he said. "I gotta make five hauling trips before I even -get started figuring orbits. Whenever you have an idea, Doc, it's just -one load after another. And what are you going to do with them after -you get them set up out there?" - -"I'll tell you when we're ready," I said. "And don't worry about the -orbits. I'll figure those. I couldn't trust you with such a delicate -task." - -"I always knew you went around in circles, Doc," complained Murphy, -"but this is the first time I ever saw it come out literally." - -"Not circles, you culture hound, ellipses as any student would know." - -"And what, may I ask again, is the purpose of this little venture?" -Lomack was trying to be funny. - -"In addition to dishing Dudley," I replied calmly, "I'm going to -demonstrate that Einstein was right." - -As we walked past the striped side of the ship to set out for supplies -I glanced at the bow. We were in! Childishly printed, showing that one -of us had been blotto, I read: "_Beerbuster_," sprawled on the bow -plate. The previous name, "_Zebra_," the remnant of a five-day drunk, -had been obliterated by the simple process of smearing catsup on it. -The ship was all ready to go. - -So were we. - - * * * * * - -We were out in free space beyond Pluto's orbit towing a third load of -asteroids; four big, juicy ones, taking them to the empty region we'd -picked for the job. I was doing the piloting, pretty routine once the -course was picked. Listless was back in the store room checking over -the equipment we had picked up on this trip and, incidentally, giving -his toes a rest. He twiddles his lowest extremities so much when he -pilots that after a while he gets cramps and has to quit. Wears hell -out of his socks that way. I heard him yell as he stubbed one of his -darlings against a plate. We had half a dozen plates back there with -specially designed foundations. They were to go on the asteroids and -Listless had figured out an embedding foundation to fasten the plates -to the rocky surfaces we had to deal with. We'd left Murphy out with -the fifteen we'd already carted. Which might sound dangerous to Murphy, -but in spite of what I say, Listless is a mighty good navigator and can -find a comet in a dark nebula if he wants to. - -We came up to the cluster and spotted Murphy soaring about with a plate -in one hand. He saw us and tried to wave the plate but only succeeded -in wiggling himself. Those big plates, with disintegration chambers -attached have plenty of inertia. - -Two of the rocks on which he had completed the job were separated. I -surrendered the controls to Lomack who swung the ship around and sent -the four we were towing swinging toward the rest of the pile. Then he -jumped the ship at the right moment and they came to a stop not twenty -feet from the others. Nice shooting, I thought, although I wouldn't -admit it. Murphy came across to the ship and we started unloading the -plates. - -The machinists had done a beautiful job. To standard plates they had -added the fuel chamber and encased the whole in a shell of steelite. -From this shell projected the adjustable pincer clamps which would -dig into the solid rock and set immovably, making a rigid base for -operations. They were full-sized, liner plates and we estimated three -to an asteroid in a tripod formation which would give any orbit I was -likely to want. - -We tied them in a convenient hollow and went on an inspection trip to -see how Murphy had made out with his installations. Listless checked -angles and tested foundations. - -"Looks O.K., Doc," he commented. "Think you have enough mass?" - -I counted. Nineteen. - -"Let's make it an even twenty," I decided. "We can tie the rest of the -plates on in back and we won't have to load and unload. You go back -and get them while Murphy and I fix up a couple more." - -Listless hopped back to the ship and beat it for the asteroid belt. I -set out with Murphy, two plates and a hand excavator. We picked out -spots, bored holes for the pincers, set the points and exploded the -charges that drove them home. I stepped back to look it over. It was -a nice idea. Space ships to order in any conceivable size. And these -little babies were going to nip Dudley right where the hair was short. -We made several more trips to the stock pile and stopped once for a -rest and sleep before the ship came back. - -Murphy called my attention to it. - -"He's coming in," he said over the space phone. I turned to look. The -_Beerbuster_ was starting her spin. Suddenly Murphy grabbed me. - -"Out of the way," he yelled. "That slipstick expert miscalculated his -stop." - -I stood and stared at the load of plates aimed straight at my head. -Outhouse threw me one way and jumped the other. But the bundle came to -a stop about twenty-five feet over us. - - * * * * * - -The air lock opened and Lomack stepped out, a big grin on his face. -He jumped toward us with the tie line in his hand. I picked up my -excavator by the wrong end and started for him. - -"You did that on purpose, you undernourished breakfast," I gritted, -diving for him. He stepped out of my way and I landed on a sharp-edged -rock with a very tender part of my anatomy. - -"Hold it, Doc, until you see what I brought back." He made the ship -fast and ducked back in the air lock. He came out with a case. - -"Here y'are, Doc. Catch." The box sailed through space into my waiting -arms. I caught the Drake label on the side. - -"And there are five more like it in the stock room." - -"Well," I hesitated. "In that case, I'll excuse you," I told him. I -tossed it back and jumped after it. Murphy followed. He could smell -beer through that helmet. We took off our suits and had a good stretch. -Then we opened up. Lovely, lovely bottles. But not half so good as our -beer was going to be we told each other. - -"I thought you boys would like a little refreshment," Listless expanded -under our praise. "But I didn't want to interfere with work so I held -it down to half a dozen." - -We went through the first two and then Outhouse and I had a good sleep -in the ship's bunks while Lomack went out to look around and fiddle a -bit. When we woke up we felt like a million, and it wasn't long before -the three of us had the rest of the plates installed and ready to run. - -We turned in for a final nap before the big day. - -I woke up as nervous as a Martian juju. This was it. Listless was -sitting at the control box, when I came in from breakfast, fingers -ready to press the buttons tied into the plate chambers. Murphy was -running around the ship putting up filters over observation ports at my -suggestion. They still didn't have an inkling of what I was shooting at. - -"O.K.," I choked. "Let 'er go." - -Listless pressed the main contact. The box warmed up with a steadily -rising hum. The little lights blinked on and the main panel showed -the location of each asteroid. I read the figures off to him and his -fingers ran over the board more nervously than his toes would ever go. -The dots of light on the indicator panel started slowly in motion. They -built up speed, flashing faster and faster around the two focal points -I had calculated. - -"Take an observation," I told Murphy, sweating. - -He shot a glance out of the bow port, filter in his hand, ready to slap -it on. - -"No stuff yet," he reported. - -The asteroids were revolving dizzily now. - -Suddenly a tremor passed through the ship. - -"There she goes!" I screamed. Murphy's eyes bugged out against the -transparent plate. - -"There's something out there, Doc," he yelled. "Light by all that's -uncontrollable. It's getting bigger. And brighter!" Lomack was still -madly balancing the orbits, speeding up the asteroids like rocks on -strings. A burst of brilliance came streaming through the forward -observation. Murphy put up the filter. - -I sat back with a breath of deep, deep relief. - -"There you are, boys," I wheezed. "One sun as per specification. -Completely under control. Lomack, if your fingers were fast enough we -could use it for a blinker. All you have to do is control the speeds -the right way." - - * * * * * - -Listless had established equilibrium by now, and threw over the box -to automatic. He went back to the store room and brought out the last -case. We sat down and drank to my health. Several times. And to my -brain. Often. - -"How'd you figure it?" asked Murphy when the back pounding was over. - -"Boys," I said in a superior tone, "it's really very simple." Murphy -threw the opener at me, so I got down to business. - -"You both know the rudiments of Einstein, don't you?" I asked. They -nodded in agreement. - -"Well, you know the theory of space warp. Not the way the plates work -but the fundamental proposition. Gravity does not exist as such. I mean -there is no actual attraction between the sun and the planets. The sun -is of such tremendous mass that it warps space elliptically around -it in such a way that any body of a given mass and speed just has to -travel a certain way. Instead of speaking of orbits, you might say, -that, like marbles, the planets fall into certain grooves and there -they stay." - -I stopped for a long one. - -"As I was saying, I thought that if the sun establishes grooves for the -planets to travel in, what would happen if we establish the grooves by -means of planets without a sun? Why, it follows as the noon the morning -that with the conditions just right, a sun would have to come into -existence. When we started those asteroids whizzing around we created -a sort of 'mass vacuum' in the center, and mass just had to rush in -to fill it. Or maybe it isn't even mass; just energy with an apparent -mass due to an apparent attraction. Anyway, there's your sun. We can -sell lots. We go to the boys and ask them how big a plant they want to -build, government supervision doesn't hold in free space you know, so -we can go in, snag an asteroid of the right size and set it up in a -slow orbit around our little power plant. Charges will be reasonable -but sufficient. And all the free beer we want." - -Listless belched hopefully. - -"That's very important," put in Murphy. - -"You win the brass plated bus bar, Doc," conceded Listless. "But, oh -boy, if it hadn't worked." - -"The thing to do now," said the ever-practical Murphy, "is to set up -a couple of choice locations. Listless, how about hopping back to the -Belt and picking up a nice, big, round rock to set up the first plant -on?" - -"It's okay with me," Listless agreed. - -"I don't like to leave the set up yet," I protested. "I'm not sure of -the equilibrium point. Let's take that control out to One and set it up -there. Murphy and I will stick there and keep our eyes on the system -until you get back. I can handle any slight variables that may show up." - -So we put up a dome on the first planetoid and moved the control -equipment into it. With enough food and an air supply to last a couple -of days, we decided that Listless could head straight for Earth and see -if he could interest one of the lesser brewers in our plan. - -After Listless had gone, Murphy and I sat around lazily, telling each -other what we would do after we got the beer industry running smoothly. -We puttered around with our minds, taking an occasional glance at the -new sun, dropping off for a cat nap when we felt like it. I was in the -middle of one of those when Murphy woke me up shaking my shoulder. - -"Huh?" I said sleepily. - -"Get up, Doc, there's a ship coming in." I rubbed my eyes and gazed out -through the dome port. It wasn't the _Buster_. There were no stripes on -it. And this ship had different lines. - -It seemed to be searching for something. Stopping here and there among -the whirling planetoids, like a huge shark smelling for game, the pilot -must have spotted the gleam of our dome, for suddenly he headed right -for us. - - * * * * * - -I jumped into my spacealls just ahead of Murphy. We didn't know who -it was, but I had a darned good idea. Something told me that our long -delayed visit from Drake was about to arrive. - -The ship pulled in close to headquarters, the lock opened and three -figures appeared. Hooking in their lines they sailed over to us. - -As they came closer I could make out Dudley's handsome features. With -an expression on them I didn't like. The other two just looked familiar. - -"Hello, Outhouse," he sneered. "You too, genius. I must admit you did -it. It's really too bad that your sun isn't stable, isn't it?" - -I started to bridle. - -"Whaddayamean, not stable?" I roared. "You know damn well that I know -damn well that that sun is stable as space itself." - -"I said it wasn't stable, didn't I? How's a small sun like that going -to stand up under the atomic bomb we're going to plant in it? Take it -easy, Outhouse!" - -For Murphy had started to place his feet for a spring. But he couldn't -do anything against the paralyzers that suddenly appeared in the hands -of Dudley's henchmen. I remembered them now. No hope in that direction. -They were the two whose girls we had taken back in the _Solar Spin -Club_. They must have had an interest in Drake's business 'cause I -can't see knocking a guy off for stealing your girl. I guess they took -that sort of thing seriously though, they got such few opportunities -from the looks of them. - -"Now that we have that settled, I guess we know what we can expect," -said Murphy. - -"That's right," said Drake silkily. "We are going to aim the bomb right -at the center of your little beer plant. Where's your partner?" - -We looked at each other. Then we turned back to Drake and shrugged. - -"No spikka da Inglish," we said. - -Drake's voice hardened. I didn't like the sound of it. - -"Where did he go? Come across or you'll be here to watch that bomb go -off." - -The two pleasant customers he'd brought with him didn't even bat an -eye. I guess they were pretty used to his dealings. - -I was beginning to get hot. That's a habit with me. I started to jump -up and down, as well as I could with no gravity for the down. - -"Dirty Dudley, you dastard--" I started but that was as far as I got. -He stepped forward and slapped the side of my helmet with the butt of -a paralyzer he pulled out of his belt. In the close confines of the -plastecele casing it sounded like all the tail plates in Space Port One -had dropped on me all at once. When I recovered and got up, Drake was -covering Murphy carefully with the paralyzer and the other two guys -were getting ready to jump back to the ship. For the bomb, I guessed. -Drake turned to me. - -"A couple more cracks like that and your ears won't be much good," he -told me. "Better take it easy with your tongue." - -I started to sputter but a glance from Outhouse silenced me. I guess he -knew Drake better than I did, although I was beginning to catch up with -him. - -Drake cautiously started to throw his eyes around. - -"Well, where is he?" - -"We don't know," I popped up, sticking out my head, literally. - -"I didn't ask you," said Drake, giving me a dirty look and casting a -speculative eye over my helmet. - -"That's the straight dope, Drake," said Murphy, backing me up. "Lomack -is behind the whole thing and he wouldn't tell us what he intends to -do." - -"Don't kid me." Dirty Dudley was great on sneers. "You guys wouldn't -put all the time and work and money in this if you didn't know what you -were doing." - -"Yeah, we would," said Outhouse. "That's something you wouldn't -understand, Drake. We trust each other." - -I thought he was going to get bad again but he only smiled. - -"Go ahead," he advised, "and see where it gets you." - - * * * * * - -All this time I knew that Murphy was just waiting his chance to jump at -Drake when suddenly the expression on his face told me that something -was up. I didn't dare turn around but I shifted for comfort and managed -to trip. As I picked myself up under Drake's watchful scrutiny I cast -a quick one over my shoulder. It was the _Beerbuster_, once _Zebra_, -coming in with a tail of one asteroid trailing along behind. I didn't -know what to do. Listless, unarmed, was going to walk right into a -trap. For I wasn't too sure that Drake was going to take us off when -the bomb let loose. Why should he? A nice experiment, three fine boys -busted up. Don't do it again, says the government. He'd be in the clear. - -But Lomack must have had his eyes peeled and his toes socked, for he -shifted into an orbit instead of coming straight in. - -In the meantime, Drake had spotted him, too, and had called his men -on the space phone. They had the bomb all set. "Bring that thing over -here and then get back on board," yelled Drake. The two men gingerly -picked up the globe and jumped daintily for us. They came to a gentle -stop, set it down, and beat it hastily for the ship again. Drake called -Listless. - -"Hey, you space bum! This is Drake. I've got your two buddies under -control down here. Leave your ship and come on in or they won't last -much longer. Don't try anything funny or I'll knock them off right now." - -Murphy and I listened tensely. There was silence for a moment. - -"_Brrrack!_" said Listless. It was the prettiest sound. - -Drake was taken aback. For the moment it took to get started he -couldn't think of an adequate reply. That was all the time Listless -needed. Murphy and I stood in open-mouthed admiration at what came -next. I could almost see Listless' stiff toes bursting through his -socks. - -From traveling in a short orbit, the tail of the _Beerbuster_ was -standing out at right angles to the direction of flight. In a moment, -Listless had flicked on the side plates, swung the ship around tail -first and farther so that the asteroid followed through in a sweeping -arc and headed straight for us. Drake stood in stunned astonishment; -and because Drake was the brains, the two bums stood in the port of -their ship and just looked. Which was their very hard luck. - - * * * * * - -The asteroid finished up its arc smack against Drake's ship. Like a -gigantic hammer it smashed and crumpled the plates and the heat of the -collision flashed into brilliant orange. The two boys on Drake's side, -for once not stopping for orders, had left but they had forgotten about -their lines. When the mass of rock hit, they were jerked like live fish -on the ends of leaders. We heard them scream through the mike and then -they were silent. - -I laughed; I couldn't help it, desperate as the situation was. Dirty -Dudley was really getting smeared--but good. - -In the meanwhile Outhouse had wasted neither energy nor purpose in -gathering Drake in while his attention was concentrated on ducking. -Dirty Dudley didn't have a chance. I caught the paralyzer as it flew my -way. But I didn't need it. Drake was out. Murphy had clonked him on the -helmet with a metal-clad excavator. I was avenged. - -Listless got the tail under control and brought the rock in the usual -way. He swung it nicely over our heads and put it nicely next to us. I -didn't even duck. Then he opened the lock and came across. There were -two other men with him. - -"What happened?" he asked. I told him. He went over and took a look at -Drake and stirred him with his foot. - -"Good thing I brought witnesses," he remarked. Then he introduced us -to the other two and told us that they were interested in starting a -brewery around our private light. - -"It would have been very nice," said Parker, the senior partner, "to -get away from Drake. He was slowly driving us out of business. Now of -course, he won't offer any trouble. So I guess we'll stick to Earth." - -My heart sank. - -"Just the same, I like it out here. How about letting me take over one -of your planets for a private home?" - -It was a thought. Private homes, private grounds, private planets. No -looking over your neighbor's fences. - -Sure. - -The hell with the beer. - -We'd go in for real estate. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Beer-Trust Busters, by A. R. Stuart - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEER-TRUST BUSTERS *** - -***** This file should be named 63609.txt or 63609.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/6/0/63609/ - -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 print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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 in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. 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 -www.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 unprotected by copyright law 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 in the United States and - most other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the - United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you - are located before using this ebook. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (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 The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, 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 -works not protected by U.S. copyright law 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 1.F.3. 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 MERCHANTABILITY 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 information page at -www.gutenberg.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. 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 in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, 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 contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -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 www.gutenberg.org/donate - -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: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty 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 not protected by copyright 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: 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. - diff --git a/old/63609.zip b/old/63609.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index a585157..0000000 --- a/old/63609.zip +++ /dev/null |
