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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..aa88a0a --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #63787 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63787) diff --git a/old/63787-h.zip b/old/63787-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 354cf76..0000000 --- a/old/63787-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63787-h/63787-h.htm b/old/63787-h/63787-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index c8260d1..0000000 --- a/old/63787-h/63787-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1284 +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 The Purple Pariah, by Byron Tustin. - </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; -} - -.blockquot { - margin-left: 5%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Purple Pariah, by Byron Tustin - -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: The Purple Pariah - -Author: Byron Tustin - -Release Date: November 17, 2020 [EBook #63787] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PURPLE PARIAH *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>THE PURPLE PARIAH</h1> - -<h2>By BYRON TUSTIN</h2> - -<p><i>It was round and purple and awfully, awfully<br /> -sad. And it told the most melancholy story Archie<br /> -Simms had ever heard. Yup, 'twas a real million-year<br /> -tragedy, this tale of the purple pariah.</i></p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Planet Stories March 1954.<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>The rocket ship whirled down from the sky and crashed into the -hillside. A cloud of dust rose lazily from the spot and mingled with -the white fumes escaping from the vessel.</p> - -<p>The escape hatch opened and Archie Simms jumped down to the surface of -the planet.</p> - -<p>"Oh-oh, Ed—here's the welcoming committee!" he yelled. Ed Bailey's -face appeared in the doorway.</p> - -<p>The two men stared grimly at a motionless purple sphere, about eight -feet in diameter, that rested fifty feet from the damaged rocket. On -the surface of the sphere were two huge, sad eyes that watched the -rocket ship with melancholy attention.</p> - -<p>"What is it?" asked Ed Bailey.</p> - -<p>"Damned if I know," snorted Archie Simms. He ambled toward the purple -sphere. "Shoo," he said. "Go on, get out of here. Shoo!" The purple -sphere did not move, but its two huge eyes regarded him sadly.</p> - -<p>"Hey, don't get too close to it."</p> - -<p>"Don't worry." Archie procured a rock from the ground and hurled it at -the purple sphere. He missed; the eyes of the sphere contemplated him -even more sadly. The sphere did not move.</p> - -<p>"Should I fire the cannon at it?" queried Ed.</p> - -<p>"Leave it alone. It just wants to sit there and watch us." He walked up -to the purple sphere and examined it closely. He petted it between its -two huge eyes and it looked at him sadly.</p> - -<p>Ed jumped down from the ship with a large book under one arm. He paged -hurriedly through it. Archie ran his hand gently over the purple -sphere's fur. The purple sphere eyed him sadly.</p> - -<p>"Here's where we are," said Ed. "That meteor rammed us just as we came -to Sector QMA. That star up there's XTM-L-48935; we're on the eighth -planet. Says here the place was explored twenty years ago: No life on -it."</p> - -<p>"Wonder how they missed this fellow," commented Archie, stroking the -sphere sympathetically. The sphere looked at him with great, sad eyes.</p> - -<p>"Incompetent bastards," Ed remarked pleasantly. "That's the racket we -should be in, Arch:—space exploring. You get lots of money and you -don't do any work. Why, I've heard stories—"</p> - -<p>"Let's see about it when we get back," suggested Archie.</p> - -<p>"Funny, though;—here's this thing waiting for us as soon as we smash. -They must've been blind drunk when they explored this place. Or else -purple there's come since."</p> - -<p>"Maybe that's it."</p> - -<p>"I'll check." He riffled through some more pages. "This damn index is -alphabetical. Maybe it's from another planet and just visiting."</p> - -<p>"Who knows?"</p> - -<p>"What do you think they'll call it in here?"</p> - -<p>"I can't ever find anything in that damn catalogue. Try under spheres: -Purple spheres."</p> - -<p>"Mmmm." He concentrated on the index. "'Parallelopipeds' ... -'pseudospheres' ... 'rhombi' ... 'segmented objects' ... here it is: -'Spheres.' They've got a lot of spheres here! All sorts of 'em. We've -got to go by color. You think he's purple?"</p> - -<p>"Sort of purple."</p> - -<p>"Here's something violet: 'Spheres, violet. Fire-breathing mammal -of Planet III, TRP-U-44476, Sector LKW. Approximately three feet -in diameter. Females frequently found with yellow polka dots on -underside.'"</p> - -<p>"Try again. Melancholy here's three times that big." He stooped down -and gazed up at the purple sphere from underneath. "Uh-uh, no yellow -polka dots either." The purple sphere looked down at him with sad eyes.</p> - -<p>"What's ochre?" asked Ed Bailey.</p> - -<p>"God knows!"</p> - -<p>"Is this thing ochre?"</p> - -<p>"God knows that too, Bailey." He turned abruptly to the purple sphere: -"Are you ochre?" The purple sphere looked at him sadly.</p> - -<p>"Cut the clowning," rasped Ed. "Here's an index. 'Ochre:—pale yellow.'"</p> - -<p>"You learn something every day."</p> - -<p>"Here's a good bet: 'Spheres, Fuchsia.' Would you call it Fuchsia?"</p> - -<p>"I guess he's pretty Fuchsia."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"'Spheres, Fuchsia: Most common shape and color of Chameleon Tiger of -Planet IV, YAP-A-90909, Sector WKM. Reptile; can assume any geometrical -shape and/or color. Is carnivorous, and exceedingly dangerous. -Approximately eight feet in diameter.'"</p> - -<p>"More like it! This boy must be their great-grandaddy. He doesn't look -dangerous: Maybe he's senile."</p> - -<p>"You'd better get away. It might chew off your head any minute. I'll -bet you that's what it is: A 'Chameleon Tiger.'"</p> - -<p>"When we get the boat fixed, let's take him back to—what is it?"</p> - -<p>"YAP-A-90909, Sector WKM."</p> - -<p>"Maybe somebody'll hand us a reward. What say, boy?—you, there, with -the big eyes—what say to going home?" The purple sphere looked at him -with sad eyes.</p> - -<p>"There any other spheres in there, Ed?"</p> - -<p>"No more purple babies. This must be him. I wish it'd change into a -green cube, so we'd get positive identification. Tell it to change into -a green cube."</p> - -<p>"Hey, boy, can you change into a green cube?" Archie asked. The purple -sphere regarded him sadly. "Ed, throw me that old canteen." The canteen -was thrown down. "Now look, boy." He carefully drew a circle and a -square in the sand. "See this? This is a sphere. That's you, get it?" -He pointed to the circle, then to the purple sphere. "This is a cube, -see?" He indicated the square. "Now, we want you to change into a cube; -get it? A green cube." The purple sphere blinked its great eyes and -continued to stare at Archie sadly.</p> - -<p>"It's an idiot," cried Ed Bailey. "Let me shoot it. Maybe we can make a -stew out of it."</p> - -<p>"Leave it alone. We can't kill it—not with those big eyes. We ought to -take it back to earth and slap it in a zoo."</p> - -<p>"We ought to shoot it. Maybe it's got some playmates around here. -Archie, you got no business petting big purple balls. Remember what -happened when you started fooling around with that orange thing back on -LTX-R-76—whatever it was?"</p> - -<p>"He didn't have any eyes, Ed. Look at this thing's eyes: It couldn't -hurt us; it just wants to watch. I think we should—"</p> - -<p>His words were drowned by a frightful noise and a terrible shock. The -sky went dark.</p> - -<p>"Damn unpleasant sunsets they got around here," yawned Ed nonchalantly.</p> - -<p>Archie picked himself up from the dust. "What sort of a crazy planet -are you muggs running here?" He shook his fist at the purple sphere. -"Hey—hey, Ed—look! It glows in the dark!" The sphere's purple fur -emitted rich violet light, and its great eyes shone bright white around -their jet black pupils. They looked sadly at Archie. Ed lit a cigarette.</p> - -<p>"So do lots of things. It makes a better target this way. I think we -ought to have it for breakfast tomorrow. We got a lot of work to do, -and I'm sick of beans."</p> - -<p>"You let it alone, Bailey, or I'll smash you."</p> - -<p>"I was just kidding. You can keep it." He yawned viciously. "I'm -turning in. If you want to stick around with Fido all night, hop to it. -I'm closing this hatch and getting as far away as I can."</p> - -<p>He threw down his cigarette. "Coming?"</p> - -<p>Archie petted the sphere tenderly, then ambled leisurely to the -ship. "Coming. Not that I don't trust Melancholy, but there might be -something else crawling around out there. Help me up."</p> - -<p>Ed held out his arms and assisted his comrade aboard the ruined rocket -ship. They shut the hatch behind them.</p> - -<p>All night the purple sphere glowed in the dark, watching the ship with -great, sad, luminescent eyes.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Another frightful noise and its concomitant shock hurled Archie -violently out of his bunk. "God-awful planet," he muttered as he -climbed off of Ed Bailey. "How's that old song go? 'Where the sun comes -up like thunder from—'"</p> - -<p>"You got better things to do than sing. Let's get going. I'll check the -engine and you see if you can't fix the radio."</p> - -<p>Archie yawned loudly and opened the escape hatch. "Hey, Ed, -Melancholy's still out here!"</p> - -<p>"Fix that radio, damn you!" shouted Ed from the recesses of the ship.</p> - -<p>Archie sat diligently in the open hatchway and tried to fix the radio. -Frequently he addressed comments to the purple sphere and the purple -sphere gazed at him with its sad eyes.</p> - -<p>The morning passed but the radio did not heal. At eleven o'clock Archie -grabbed two hot wires and shouted in anguish. Rising to his feet, he -kicked the radio savagely out the open hatch. It crashed against the -ground and slid toward the purple sphere. The purple sphere looked up -at Archie sadly.</p> - -<p>Archie hurled a wrench at it and the purple sphere winced. "Stop -looking at me like that!" shouted Archie. "Fix it yourself, damn you!"</p> - -<p>The purple sphere sidled forward and sat on top of the radio. The radio -disappeared from view.</p> - -<p>"Hey, Ed! Ed!" called Archie. "It just ate our radio!"</p> - -<p>Ed hurried up from the back of the ship. "You ass," he said. "Why did -you let him have it? I should bash your teeth in." He brandished a -hammer threateningly.</p> - -<p>"Let's not lose our tempers, Ed," smiled Archie anxiously.</p> - -<p>"Okay. Forget it. We'll never get out of here by fighting." He stepped -resolutely into the cabin and returned with an ugly looking steel tube. -"I'm going to roast Fido right off that radio."</p> - -<p>"Hey, wait a minute, Ed!" Archie held his comrade's arm. "—After all, -I gave him the radio. Maybe he thought I'm trying to make friends."</p> - -<p>"You blockhead! I ought to turn Betsy here on you. What were you up -to—feeling sorry for monstrous there? Okay ... you get the radio back -your way. Spend all month doing it! Just sit looking into handsome's -limpid pools and maybe she'll kiss you and give you back your radio. -Damn 'Chameleon Tiger!'"</p> - -<p>He brandished his hammer aloft and returned to the nether regions.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Several minutes later the purple sphere sidled backward and the radio -returned to view. It emitted curious noises. The purple sphere looked -up at Archie sadly.</p> - -<p>"You fixed it!" cried the amazed Simms. "Ed! Ed! Come here! He fixed -it! It works!" Ed returned to stare at the radio in disbelief.</p> - -<p>"Hey, that's pretty damn good. What about asking him to fix the rest of -the ship?"</p> - -<p>"I'll try. Hey, Melancholy! Fix up our rocket ship, okay?"</p> - -<p>The purple sphere sidled forward until it stood directly beneath the -escape hatch. Then it looked up at Archie.</p> - -<p>"It wants to get in," explained Archie. "Do we still have that old ramp -I stole on Mercury?"</p> - -<p>"Right here."</p> - -<p>Together they lowered the ramp. The purple sphere sidled forward and -vainly attempted to climb upward.</p> - -<p>"He's too heavy," said Simms. "We'll have to jump down and push him."</p> - -<p>"Don't like," said the cautious Bailey. "Then he's on and we're off. -That's too much like suicide."</p> - -<p>"We can trust him. He fixed the radio, didn't he?"</p> - -<p>"All right, wise guy. It's your funeral, too." They hopped down and, -straining mightily, pushed the purple sphere to the top of the ramp.</p> - -<p>"Will he go through the hatch?" cried Ed. "I can't see around him."</p> - -<p>"Hope so," panted Archie, "or he's going to roll back on top of us. -There he goes. We made it!"</p> - -<p>The purple sphere vanished into the ship.</p> - -<p>"What do we do now?" cried the excitable Bailey. "He may curl up and -hibernate in there, for all you know. If he's not out in an hour, I'm -going to shoot him!"</p> - -<p>The odor of hot metal drifted out the emergency hatch. "He's schmooling -around in there," said Ed.</p> - -<p>"Leave him alone, Ed. Let's look around." Ed grumbled, but followed the -retreating form of Archie Simms. They had strayed over a mile from the -ship when the sun blasted out the end of another day.</p> - -<p>"We'd better head back," said the cautious Bailey, turning around.</p> - -<p>"Okay, but not that way. The ship's over there."</p> - -<p>"Nuts, Arch; the ship's that way."</p> - -<p>"Who you trying to fool? Don't you think I know what way we came?"</p> - -<p>"You fathead," snorted Bailey, gripping his ugly looking steel tube -more tightly. "I might've known you'd get us lost! You and your -'Chameleon Tiger!' Damn both of you!"</p> - -<p>"Oh, shut up. We aren't going to get back by shouting. Let's start -walking your way and see what happens."</p> - -<p>Time passed.</p> - -<p>"Well," admitted the chagrined Ed Bailey, six hours later, "maybe -you're right."</p> - -<p>"We're good and lost now," replied Arch. "Probably can't even find the -ship in the day, now. She's down in one of those sand valleys and we've -passed millions of 'em."</p> - -<p>"I wouldn't care if you hadn't parked that monster inside. Maybe he's -eating our boat. I saw some metal eating things in the catalogue."</p> - -<p>"Said he's carnivorous, Ed."</p> - -<p>"Also said he could change to a cube. Oh, damn the whole stinking mess. -You and your little friends."</p> - -<p>"Wait till morning. Maybe we'll find our way."</p> - -<p>"Oh, sure," said Ed bitterly.</p> - -<p>The intrepid spacemen sat sadly down on a big stone and gazed up at the -night sky.</p> - -<p>"Funny constellations," proclaimed Ed angrily.</p> - -<p>"Look there," said Archie, pointing. "Northern lights."</p> - -<p>"Northern lights, hell!" cried Ed. "They don't move like that. It's -something behind that hill—and it's coming!" He placed the steel tube -to his shoulder. "I'll take ten of 'em with me," he grated.</p> - -<p>A luminescent purple sphere appeared atop the hill.</p> - -<p>"It's the marines!" shouted Archie, knocking down the barrel of Ed's -gun. "Smell? I can smell it from here—hot metal! It's Melancholy, come -to rescue us!"</p> - -<p>"Or to eat us! I'll take care of him!"</p> - -<p>"You fool! Give me that!" The two men grappled for possession of the -gun. The purple sphere stopped and watched them sadly. Finally Archie -obtained the weapon and angrily tore it apart. He threw the parts as -far as he could, then turned furiously on Ed.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>"Mel here's our only friend in the world. He hasn't tricked us yet and -we've got to lay all our dough on him. Now get up." Ed rose groggily -to his feet. "Take us back to the ship," Archie commanded the purple -sphere. The purple sphere sidled off and they followed it.</p> - -<p>Dawn literally broke as they topped a rise and looked down once again -on the rocket ship. The polished fuselage, so grotesquely twisted the -day before, was now smooth. The ship rested on the side of the hill, -her prow aimed at the sky.</p> - -<p>"I'll be damned," snorted Ed Bailey. "He's done it. Let's get out of -here quick."</p> - -<p>"See if it works."</p> - -<p>They climbed aboard. Before he shut the emergency hatch, Archie looked -down into the sad eyes of the purple sphere. The purple sphere had -never looked sadder, he decided. Then he shut the hatch.</p> - -<p>"D'you think maybe he's booby-trapped it to explode in the air?" -wondered the suspicious Bailey.</p> - -<p>"No."</p> - -<p>"Well, here's nothing. Hold on." Bailey pressed a button. There -followed a dull roar, a blinding flash of light, and the little rocket -ship whirled up into the sky.</p> - -<p>The purple sphere looked after it sadly. A large crystal tear welled up -in each of his great, unhappy eyes and trickled slowly down his purple -fur.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"The little punk didn't cross us after all," admitted Ed Bailey -grudgingly, turning momentarily from the controls.</p> - -<p>"This is enough. It's in better shape than when we bought it," -testified Archie.</p> - -<p>"Okay. Set a course out of this Sector, and we'll hit the road."</p> - -<p>"Wait a second: We've got to go back there and thank Melancholy."</p> - -<p>"WHAT did you say? THANK it? Why? It won't understand. It'll just stand -there with those idiotic eyes and moon at you."</p> - -<p>"If it's smart enough to fix our ship, it's worth thanking," proclaimed -Archie.</p> - -<p>"Well," grumbled Ed, "maybe you're right. We'd still be rotting here if -it weren't for Fido."</p> - -<p>"Maybe we can even take him aboard and lug him back to YAP, or wherever -he's from. He must be awful lonely here."</p> - -<p>"Over my dead body. He'd take too much weight. And I don't want to -get mixed up with any more Chameleon Tigers. They might not all have -such nice, sad eyes. If we bring Fido on here, we drop him off at the -nearest zoo. I won't go near YAP. One Fido's enough."</p> - -<p>"We ought to do something for him, Ed."</p> - -<p>"Thanking him's too much. I'm not going to cart purple spheres around -the galaxy. We'd be the laughing stock of the century. He stays here!"</p> - -<p>He punched a button fiercely and swung the ship into a sharp curve. -"Where'll we set? This place all looks the same."</p> - -<p>"Just put her down," advised Arch. "I'll bet Melancholy gets there in -ten minutes."</p> - -<p>"How much?"</p> - -<p>"Fifty."</p> - -<p>"You're on." The ship whirled down from the sky and slid along the -sand. Archie opened the escape hatch and waited. Five minutes later the -purple sphere mounted a nearby rise and sidled down into the valley. It -halted fifty feet from the ship and watched Archie with sad eyes.</p> - -<p>"You lose, Ed," announced Archie.</p> - -<p>"Damn monster," snorted Ed. "Thank it and let's get out of here."</p> - -<p>"Aren't you going to thank it?"</p> - -<p>"No, damn it! Me thank a big purple ball? You can thank it for both -of us. Might try kicking it a few times and see whether you get any -reaction."</p> - -<p>Archie leaped down on the sand and hurried to the side of the purple -sphere. The purple sphere looked at him sadly. Archie petted it between -and beneath its eyes. Suddenly he stood up.</p> - -<p>"Hey Ed! It's been crying!"</p> - -<p>Ed snorted angrily but said nothing. "No, really, Ed! It's all wet -under its eyes, here!" He petted it the more tenderly. The purple -sphere looked at him sadly.</p> - -<p>"Come on," yelled Ed. "I'm sick of this mush."</p> - -<p>"Just a second," replied Archie. "Well—good-bye," he said to the -purple sphere. "I don't know whether you get me. Do you know what I'm -saying? No. Thanks anyway." He petted the purple sphere between its -great eyes; the eyes watched him sadly. He cursed softly, then turned -on his heel and hurried toward the rocket ship. Suddenly he pivoted -again and said to the purple sphere:</p> - -<p>"You maybe saved our lives, Mel. Anything we can do for you? Any place -we can take you? Say the word and we'll do it."</p> - -<p>The purple sphere looked at Archie sadly. Then it sidled rapidly -forward, knocked Archie unceremoniously off his feet, and climbed on -top of him. Archie shrieked: "Hey! Ouch! Get off! Stop him, Ed! Stop -him! He's hurting me something aw—" His voice became muffled and -stopped. Ed stood petrified while Archie slowly disappeared into the -purple sphere. All the while, the purple sphere looked up at Ed out of -sad eyes.</p> - -<p>Then Archie was gone. Ed swore a terrible oath and possessed himself -of another ugly looking steel tube. He leveled it to his shoulder and -pushed a button. A terrible gaping crack appeared in one of the purple -sphere's eyes and a green ichor trickled thickly out. The purple sphere -rolled over and sidled away at an incredible speed. Ed fired again. He -missed.</p> - -<p>"Damn purple punk," he yelled after the retreating purple sphere. "I'll -get you yet. I'll get you!"</p> - -<p>He slammed the emergency hatch and leaped into the pilot's seat. He -jockeyed the little rocket ship into the air above the strange planet. -Miles away, he saw the purple sphere bowling hastily over the sand. He -gained on it steadily, following as rapidly as he could. Shortly he was -close enough: He sighted in an eyepiece mounted with crosshairs and saw -there a greatly enlarged image of the speeding purple sphere. He threw -an ugly looking steel lever. The ship rocked violently and a cloud of -dust rose from the spot where the purple sphere should have been.</p> - -<p>"Stand still, damn you!" shouted Ed. Again he lined the purple sphere -up in the crosshairs. Again he pressed the button, and again the purple -sphere swerved aside in time. Ed pounded his fist desperately on the -instrument panel.</p> - -<p>"I'll kill you," he shouted; "I'll kill you! I'll kill you if it takes -a year—and if I don't have you then, I'll come back with the whole -damned fleet and kill you!" He threw the lever again, and again, and -again.</p> - -<div class="blockquot"> -<p><i>Mr. Bailey has wounded me in the eye, Mr. Simms.</i></p> - -<p><i>I am sorry that I hurt you, Mr. Simms, but it was the only way ... I -have understood everything that you and Mr. Bailey have thought and -said, Mr. Simms, but I cannot impress my thoughts upon you until I -have taken you inside me. I am sorry that it was so painful for you -when I brought you inside me; I am sorry that you are unconscious; but -you can understand me, now. I did not wish to hurt you, but you were -so large that I had difficulty bringing you inside me.</i></p> - -<p><i>Mr. Bailey is chasing me in the rocket ship, Mr. Simms. He is -shooting at me with a terrible weapon. I know what he is thinking, -so I am able to change my direction before he fires. But shortly I -shall grow tired, Mr. Simms; I would not grow tired had Mr. Bailey -not wounded me in the eye; but he has wounded me in the eye and I am -bleeding. I must tell you what I must tell you quickly, Mr. Simms, so -that you will stop Mr. Bailey from shooting at me.</i></p> - -<p><i>I only tried to help you, Mr. Simms. I did not wish to hurt you. I -saw you throw your radio away and I knew that you desired me to repair -it. I repaired it; subsequently I repaired your vessel. When you and -Mr. Bailey lost your way in the hills, I came to find you and I led -you back to the ship. I have only tried to help you; I did not wish to -hurt you.</i></p> - -<p><i>Mr. Bailey thinks that I have eaten you and is trying to destroy -me. I must explain things to you, so that you can prevent him from -destroying me.</i></p> - -<p><i>I only wanted to help you and Mr. Bailey. I know how much you need -help and I wanted to help you, because you were kind to me. I did not -expect a reward; I thought merely that I would help you and that then -you would leave me. At last you and Mr. Bailey climbed into your ship -and left. I cried, for I had wanted to tell you about myself. But I -could not tell you without hurting you and bringing you inside me. I -did not wish to hurt you, and I knew that if I brought you inside me, -Mr. Bailey would not understand. I would not bring Mr. Bailey inside -me because he does not like me.</i></p> - -<p><i>But you returned, and I thought that perhaps I had not repaired your -ship effectively. No; I discovered that you wished to thank me for my -aid. I did not expect that you would thank me; I expected that you -would depart without thanking me. Why should you thank me? You did not -think that I would understand. But you thanked me and then you asked -me whether you could do anything for me. I saw in your mind that you -were sincere: You did not only say that you wished to do something for -me; you wished to do something for me. So I took you inside me, and -Mr. Bailey has wounded me in the eye, and now he is following me in -your rocket ship, and he is shooting at me.</i></p> - -<p><i>You can help me, Mr. Simms. I shall tell you how you can help me and -then I shall let you out.</i></p> - -<p><i>I have lived on this planet for millions of years, Mr. Simms. In all -that time I have been alone. No one had ever visited me until you -came. There is no other life on this planet and I have been all alone. -At times it has been more than I can bear. At times I have wished to -destroy myself. But I cannot do that and I must not, for my people -need me.</i></p> - -<p><i>Many millions of years ago I lived with my people on a large planet -that revolved about a large star in a galaxy that is very distant now.</i></p> - -<p><i>I am not of this galaxy, Mr. Simms.</i></p> - -<p><i>I was the wisest among my people. They called me the Purple Sage. I -was versed in all wisdom and I knew all answers. The people came to me -for knowledge and revered me as the wisest of all beings.</i></p> - -<p><i>Several million years ago our galaxy approached your galaxy. Your -galaxy was very different then; I watched it change, these millions -of years. Our galaxy approached and I perceived that the two galaxies -would pass through each other.</i></p> - -<p><i>This is a rare phenomenon, Mr. Simms, but it was undoubtedly known -to your astronomers many years ago. Galaxies are nothing more than -enormous vacuums, and in any one passage of two galaxies through one -another, there are likely to be not more than two or three stellar -collisions.</i></p> - -<p><i>I determined that my planet was quite safe. As your galaxy -approached, I determined to conduct an interesting experiment. I -constructed a large space ship and planned to fly it to one of the -planets of your galaxy. Then I would return to my own planet. I hoped -to determine whether your galaxy was similar to mine.</i></p> - -<p><i>My people wept at my departure and asked me what would become of them -if I did not return. I told them that the officials would care for -them. I thought then that I was little more than an ornament and their -grief more rhetorical than sincere.</i></p> - -<p><i>A bright star was due to pass close to our sun; I entered my space -ship and steered toward it. I landed on this planet.</i></p> - -<p><i>This is a curious planet, Mr. Simms. You have noticed the phenomenon -of the sunset. The surface of the planet expands and contracts all at -once, rather than doing so by slow degrees. As a result, the sun rises -and sets instantly. When I arrived in my space ship, the phenomenon -was much more exaggerated. I emerged from my ship and walked about the -planet. I did not expect the contraction which came at sunset. It was -terrible: I was thrown against a jagged pinnacle of rock and severely -injured. For many centuries I could not move. Slowly I recovered. I -returned to my ship. In the course of many such sunsets, it had been -shattered to atoms. The delicate instruments had been ruined. I worked -many years on the ship, but I could do nothing to repair it. At last I -abandoned the task.</i></p> - -<p><i>Nothing is left of it now. Millions of years have passed and its dust -is mingled with the dust of this planet.</i></p> - -<p><i>I watched my people recede from me. When I lay next to the jagged -pinnacle that had wounded me, I could still see my planet in the sky. -By the time that I was well, I could discern my sun from the other -stars only with difficulty.</i></p> - -<p><i>The years have passed slowly and now my galaxy is a point of light -that I can no longer resolve in the distance.</i></p> - -<p><i>I am growing tired, Mr. Simms, and Mr. Bailey still follows me. He -shoots at me no longer, but he understands that I must rest. I shall -complete my tale as rapidly as I can.</i></p> - -<p><i>I waited milleniums, but no one came. Without my aid, my people could -never have built a space ship with which to rescue me. I did not have -the materials. I waited alone, confident at some times that help would -come, confident at most that I would remain here forever ... alone.</i></p> - -<p><i>Then you came, Mr. Simms. I saw immediately that your ship was -damaged and I knew that it was not damaged badly. I wished to save you -from my fate. I wished to repair your ship; I did not dare attempt -to repair it, however; you would have thought that I was trying to -hurt you and you would have destroyed me. I could only wait until a -suitable opportunity presented itself.</i></p> - -<p><i>You were very kind, Mr. Simms. You petted me between my eyes. The -contact of your hand, the first contact with a living being in -millions of years, drove me to distraction. I almost brought you -inside me then and there, but I restrained myself. I knew that Mr. -Bailey would not understand and would destroy me.</i></p> - -<p><i>Now you have told me that you wish to help me. Mr. Simms, I wish to -return to my own people. In the course of these years of exile, I have -thought many thoughts that will be useful to them. And who was there -to instruct them, after my departure? I wish to return to my people, -Mr. Simms.</i></p> - -<p><i>I believe that you and Mr. Bailey could return me in safety. It would -require several major alterations in the design of your ship, but I -have thought about such alterations for many years and I am confident -that they can be made.</i></p> - -<p><i>I do not think that you would regret the voyage. You would be -feted at great length; there would be a splendid celebration in the -hippodrome and you and Mr. Bailey would be seated in chairs of state. -You would find it difficult to leave us. Nor would you go unrewarded -in larger coin: I would inform you of the cures to any diseases that -may still plague your people and I would give you the answers to many -of their ills.</i></p> - -<p><i>I would promise your safe return; we would build a great ship for -you; it would be a time machine as well as a space craft and would -return you to your planet no earlier or later than you might choose. -There would be another magnificent celebration to bid you farewell. -No, Mr. Simms, you would not regret returning me to my people.</i></p> - -<p><i>But let us look at the other side of the matter: It is quite possible -that I shall fail. It is quite possible that we would all be destroyed -in the starless vastnesses of space. I can offer you no proof of my -competence except your repaired radio and your repaired vessel. And -those were simple tasks.</i></p> - -<p><i>I am very tired, Mr. Simms. I can run no longer. I must let you out. -Tell Mr. Bailey what I have told you. I pray that you may decide to -help me. I pray, but I do not hope. I am sorry that I hurt you; please -forgive me for hurting you, if you do nothing else.</i></p> - -<p><i>When I see Mr. Bailey descend and talk to you, I shall cease running. -I shall remain where I ceased running. You and Mr. Bailey will decide -what you must do. If you will not help me, then I must ask one other -favor: Fly to where I am sitting and shoot your weapon at me. I shall -not move. I believe that it is capable of destroying me.</i></p></div> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Ed Bailey pressed the button again and the purple sphere swerved aside. -"Lousy purple punk," he shouted.</p> - -<p>The purple sphere stopped in its tracks and the rocket shot past it. Ed -swore and swung about. He looked down. A man's body lay stretched on -the sand and the purple sphere hurried away.</p> - -<p>Ed dropped down and rushed to the side of the prostrate figure.</p> - -<p>"I made it drop you," he sobbed over the body, "I made it drop you. My -God!—you look half-digested!" He felt Archie Simms' body. "Your arm's -broke!"</p> - -<p>Archie's lips moved feverishly. "Got to—got to help it—or kill it," -he groaned.</p> - -<p>"Come on," said Ed. He lifted the wounded man to his shoulders. "You're -okay now. Don't talk. I'll get you aboard."</p> - -<p>"It saved us—got to help it—or kill it."</p> - -<p>"I'll make hash of it," said Ed, placing Archie on his bunk. He -procured a hypodermic needle from a wall cabinet. "Sorry, Arch, I'm -putting you under till we get back. I can't help you. See you in a -month." He plunged the needle into Archie's arm.</p> - -<p>"Got to—help it ... or kill it," sobbed Archie weakly. "Got to ... -help ... it...." He slept.</p> - -<p>Ed slipped behind the controls of the rocket. He pressed a button and -the little boat whirled up into the sky. It vanished rapidly into the -empty distances.</p> - -<p>On a distant hilltop sat the purple sphere. He followed the path of the -retreating rocket with sad eyes. He waited for many hours. The sun set -and he glowed dimly against the stars. He watched the stars sadly. Then -he cried.</p> - -<p>He cried for seven days and seven nights.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Eight years passed.</p> - -<p>The rocket whirled down from the sky and crashed into the hillside. -A cloud of dust rose lazily from the spot and mingled with the fumes -escaping from the vessel.</p> - -<p>Straightway the escape hatch opened and Archie Simms jumped down to the -surface of the planet.</p> - -<p>"Here he is, Ed!" he shouted back into the ship. Ed's face appeared in -the doorway.</p> - -<p>"Fido," he remarked pleasantly.</p> - -<p>"We've come," said Archie. "It's been a long drag, but we made it."</p> - -<p>The purple sphere's left eye was black and swollen.</p> - -<p>"Sorry I shot you," said Ed. "I didn't know...." The purple sphere -looked sadly up at him. Archie petted it between the eyes and pointed -to the ship.</p> - -<p>"There she is," he said. "All yours. Take care of her."</p> - -<p>Ed eased down the ramp, then hopped to the ground. He and Archie pushed -the purple sphere into the ship.</p> - -<p>Archie nudged his partner gently. "Look, Ed, he's smiling!"</p> - -<p>"Lousy purple punk," snorted Ed. "You know we won't get out of this -mess alive, Simms. Lousy purple punk...."</p> - -<p>"Oh, let's have lunch."</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Purple Pariah, by Byron Tustin - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PURPLE PARIAH *** - -***** This file should be named 63787-h.htm or 63787-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/7/8/63787/ - -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. 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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/63787-h/images/cover.jpg b/old/63787-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index d772da9..0000000 --- a/old/63787-h/images/cover.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63787-h/images/illus.jpg b/old/63787-h/images/illus.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index c964bcb..0000000 --- a/old/63787-h/images/illus.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63787.txt b/old/63787.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 9adb24b..0000000 --- a/old/63787.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1186 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Purple Pariah, by Byron Tustin - -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: The Purple Pariah - -Author: Byron Tustin - -Release Date: November 17, 2020 [EBook #63787] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PURPLE PARIAH *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - THE PURPLE PARIAH - - By BYRON TUSTIN - - It was round and purple and awfully, awfully - sad. And it told the most melancholy story Archie - Simms had ever heard. Yup, 'twas a real million-year - tragedy, this tale of the purple pariah. - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Planet Stories March 1954. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -The rocket ship whirled down from the sky and crashed into the -hillside. A cloud of dust rose lazily from the spot and mingled with -the white fumes escaping from the vessel. - -The escape hatch opened and Archie Simms jumped down to the surface of -the planet. - -"Oh-oh, Ed--here's the welcoming committee!" he yelled. Ed Bailey's -face appeared in the doorway. - -The two men stared grimly at a motionless purple sphere, about eight -feet in diameter, that rested fifty feet from the damaged rocket. On -the surface of the sphere were two huge, sad eyes that watched the -rocket ship with melancholy attention. - -"What is it?" asked Ed Bailey. - -"Damned if I know," snorted Archie Simms. He ambled toward the purple -sphere. "Shoo," he said. "Go on, get out of here. Shoo!" The purple -sphere did not move, but its two huge eyes regarded him sadly. - -"Hey, don't get too close to it." - -"Don't worry." Archie procured a rock from the ground and hurled it at -the purple sphere. He missed; the eyes of the sphere contemplated him -even more sadly. The sphere did not move. - -"Should I fire the cannon at it?" queried Ed. - -"Leave it alone. It just wants to sit there and watch us." He walked up -to the purple sphere and examined it closely. He petted it between its -two huge eyes and it looked at him sadly. - -Ed jumped down from the ship with a large book under one arm. He paged -hurriedly through it. Archie ran his hand gently over the purple -sphere's fur. The purple sphere eyed him sadly. - -"Here's where we are," said Ed. "That meteor rammed us just as we came -to Sector QMA. That star up there's XTM-L-48935; we're on the eighth -planet. Says here the place was explored twenty years ago: No life on -it." - -"Wonder how they missed this fellow," commented Archie, stroking the -sphere sympathetically. The sphere looked at him with great, sad eyes. - -"Incompetent bastards," Ed remarked pleasantly. "That's the racket we -should be in, Arch:--space exploring. You get lots of money and you -don't do any work. Why, I've heard stories--" - -"Let's see about it when we get back," suggested Archie. - -"Funny, though;--here's this thing waiting for us as soon as we smash. -They must've been blind drunk when they explored this place. Or else -purple there's come since." - -"Maybe that's it." - -"I'll check." He riffled through some more pages. "This damn index is -alphabetical. Maybe it's from another planet and just visiting." - -"Who knows?" - -"What do you think they'll call it in here?" - -"I can't ever find anything in that damn catalogue. Try under spheres: -Purple spheres." - -"Mmmm." He concentrated on the index. "'Parallelopipeds' ... -'pseudospheres' ... 'rhombi' ... 'segmented objects' ... here it is: -'Spheres.' They've got a lot of spheres here! All sorts of 'em. We've -got to go by color. You think he's purple?" - -"Sort of purple." - -"Here's something violet: 'Spheres, violet. Fire-breathing mammal -of Planet III, TRP-U-44476, Sector LKW. Approximately three feet -in diameter. Females frequently found with yellow polka dots on -underside.'" - -"Try again. Melancholy here's three times that big." He stooped down -and gazed up at the purple sphere from underneath. "Uh-uh, no yellow -polka dots either." The purple sphere looked down at him with sad eyes. - -"What's ochre?" asked Ed Bailey. - -"God knows!" - -"Is this thing ochre?" - -"God knows that too, Bailey." He turned abruptly to the purple sphere: -"Are you ochre?" The purple sphere looked at him sadly. - -"Cut the clowning," rasped Ed. "Here's an index. 'Ochre:--pale yellow.'" - -"You learn something every day." - -"Here's a good bet: 'Spheres, Fuchsia.' Would you call it Fuchsia?" - -"I guess he's pretty Fuchsia." - - * * * * * - -"'Spheres, Fuchsia: Most common shape and color of Chameleon Tiger of -Planet IV, YAP-A-90909, Sector WKM. Reptile; can assume any geometrical -shape and/or color. Is carnivorous, and exceedingly dangerous. -Approximately eight feet in diameter.'" - -"More like it! This boy must be their great-grandaddy. He doesn't look -dangerous: Maybe he's senile." - -"You'd better get away. It might chew off your head any minute. I'll -bet you that's what it is: A 'Chameleon Tiger.'" - -"When we get the boat fixed, let's take him back to--what is it?" - -"YAP-A-90909, Sector WKM." - -"Maybe somebody'll hand us a reward. What say, boy?--you, there, with -the big eyes--what say to going home?" The purple sphere looked at him -with sad eyes. - -"There any other spheres in there, Ed?" - -"No more purple babies. This must be him. I wish it'd change into a -green cube, so we'd get positive identification. Tell it to change into -a green cube." - -"Hey, boy, can you change into a green cube?" Archie asked. The purple -sphere regarded him sadly. "Ed, throw me that old canteen." The canteen -was thrown down. "Now look, boy." He carefully drew a circle and a -square in the sand. "See this? This is a sphere. That's you, get it?" -He pointed to the circle, then to the purple sphere. "This is a cube, -see?" He indicated the square. "Now, we want you to change into a cube; -get it? A green cube." The purple sphere blinked its great eyes and -continued to stare at Archie sadly. - -"It's an idiot," cried Ed Bailey. "Let me shoot it. Maybe we can make a -stew out of it." - -"Leave it alone. We can't kill it--not with those big eyes. We ought to -take it back to earth and slap it in a zoo." - -"We ought to shoot it. Maybe it's got some playmates around here. -Archie, you got no business petting big purple balls. Remember what -happened when you started fooling around with that orange thing back on -LTX-R-76--whatever it was?" - -"He didn't have any eyes, Ed. Look at this thing's eyes: It couldn't -hurt us; it just wants to watch. I think we should--" - -His words were drowned by a frightful noise and a terrible shock. The -sky went dark. - -"Damn unpleasant sunsets they got around here," yawned Ed nonchalantly. - -Archie picked himself up from the dust. "What sort of a crazy planet -are you muggs running here?" He shook his fist at the purple sphere. -"Hey--hey, Ed--look! It glows in the dark!" The sphere's purple fur -emitted rich violet light, and its great eyes shone bright white around -their jet black pupils. They looked sadly at Archie. Ed lit a cigarette. - -"So do lots of things. It makes a better target this way. I think we -ought to have it for breakfast tomorrow. We got a lot of work to do, -and I'm sick of beans." - -"You let it alone, Bailey, or I'll smash you." - -"I was just kidding. You can keep it." He yawned viciously. "I'm -turning in. If you want to stick around with Fido all night, hop to it. -I'm closing this hatch and getting as far away as I can." - -He threw down his cigarette. "Coming?" - -Archie petted the sphere tenderly, then ambled leisurely to the -ship. "Coming. Not that I don't trust Melancholy, but there might be -something else crawling around out there. Help me up." - -Ed held out his arms and assisted his comrade aboard the ruined rocket -ship. They shut the hatch behind them. - -All night the purple sphere glowed in the dark, watching the ship with -great, sad, luminescent eyes. - - * * * * * - -Another frightful noise and its concomitant shock hurled Archie -violently out of his bunk. "God-awful planet," he muttered as he -climbed off of Ed Bailey. "How's that old song go? 'Where the sun comes -up like thunder from--'" - -"You got better things to do than sing. Let's get going. I'll check the -engine and you see if you can't fix the radio." - -Archie yawned loudly and opened the escape hatch. "Hey, Ed, -Melancholy's still out here!" - -"Fix that radio, damn you!" shouted Ed from the recesses of the ship. - -Archie sat diligently in the open hatchway and tried to fix the radio. -Frequently he addressed comments to the purple sphere and the purple -sphere gazed at him with its sad eyes. - -The morning passed but the radio did not heal. At eleven o'clock Archie -grabbed two hot wires and shouted in anguish. Rising to his feet, he -kicked the radio savagely out the open hatch. It crashed against the -ground and slid toward the purple sphere. The purple sphere looked up -at Archie sadly. - -Archie hurled a wrench at it and the purple sphere winced. "Stop -looking at me like that!" shouted Archie. "Fix it yourself, damn you!" - -The purple sphere sidled forward and sat on top of the radio. The radio -disappeared from view. - -"Hey, Ed! Ed!" called Archie. "It just ate our radio!" - -Ed hurried up from the back of the ship. "You ass," he said. "Why did -you let him have it? I should bash your teeth in." He brandished a -hammer threateningly. - -"Let's not lose our tempers, Ed," smiled Archie anxiously. - -"Okay. Forget it. We'll never get out of here by fighting." He stepped -resolutely into the cabin and returned with an ugly looking steel tube. -"I'm going to roast Fido right off that radio." - -"Hey, wait a minute, Ed!" Archie held his comrade's arm. "--After all, -I gave him the radio. Maybe he thought I'm trying to make friends." - -"You blockhead! I ought to turn Betsy here on you. What were you up -to--feeling sorry for monstrous there? Okay ... you get the radio back -your way. Spend all month doing it! Just sit looking into handsome's -limpid pools and maybe she'll kiss you and give you back your radio. -Damn 'Chameleon Tiger!'" - -He brandished his hammer aloft and returned to the nether regions. - - * * * * * - -Several minutes later the purple sphere sidled backward and the radio -returned to view. It emitted curious noises. The purple sphere looked -up at Archie sadly. - -"You fixed it!" cried the amazed Simms. "Ed! Ed! Come here! He fixed -it! It works!" Ed returned to stare at the radio in disbelief. - -"Hey, that's pretty damn good. What about asking him to fix the rest of -the ship?" - -"I'll try. Hey, Melancholy! Fix up our rocket ship, okay?" - -The purple sphere sidled forward until it stood directly beneath the -escape hatch. Then it looked up at Archie. - -"It wants to get in," explained Archie. "Do we still have that old ramp -I stole on Mercury?" - -"Right here." - -Together they lowered the ramp. The purple sphere sidled forward and -vainly attempted to climb upward. - -"He's too heavy," said Simms. "We'll have to jump down and push him." - -"Don't like," said the cautious Bailey. "Then he's on and we're off. -That's too much like suicide." - -"We can trust him. He fixed the radio, didn't he?" - -"All right, wise guy. It's your funeral, too." They hopped down and, -straining mightily, pushed the purple sphere to the top of the ramp. - -"Will he go through the hatch?" cried Ed. "I can't see around him." - -"Hope so," panted Archie, "or he's going to roll back on top of us. -There he goes. We made it!" - -The purple sphere vanished into the ship. - -"What do we do now?" cried the excitable Bailey. "He may curl up and -hibernate in there, for all you know. If he's not out in an hour, I'm -going to shoot him!" - -The odor of hot metal drifted out the emergency hatch. "He's schmooling -around in there," said Ed. - -"Leave him alone, Ed. Let's look around." Ed grumbled, but followed the -retreating form of Archie Simms. They had strayed over a mile from the -ship when the sun blasted out the end of another day. - -"We'd better head back," said the cautious Bailey, turning around. - -"Okay, but not that way. The ship's over there." - -"Nuts, Arch; the ship's that way." - -"Who you trying to fool? Don't you think I know what way we came?" - -"You fathead," snorted Bailey, gripping his ugly looking steel tube -more tightly. "I might've known you'd get us lost! You and your -'Chameleon Tiger!' Damn both of you!" - -"Oh, shut up. We aren't going to get back by shouting. Let's start -walking your way and see what happens." - -Time passed. - -"Well," admitted the chagrined Ed Bailey, six hours later, "maybe -you're right." - -"We're good and lost now," replied Arch. "Probably can't even find the -ship in the day, now. She's down in one of those sand valleys and we've -passed millions of 'em." - -"I wouldn't care if you hadn't parked that monster inside. Maybe he's -eating our boat. I saw some metal eating things in the catalogue." - -"Said he's carnivorous, Ed." - -"Also said he could change to a cube. Oh, damn the whole stinking mess. -You and your little friends." - -"Wait till morning. Maybe we'll find our way." - -"Oh, sure," said Ed bitterly. - -The intrepid spacemen sat sadly down on a big stone and gazed up at the -night sky. - -"Funny constellations," proclaimed Ed angrily. - -"Look there," said Archie, pointing. "Northern lights." - -"Northern lights, hell!" cried Ed. "They don't move like that. It's -something behind that hill--and it's coming!" He placed the steel tube -to his shoulder. "I'll take ten of 'em with me," he grated. - -A luminescent purple sphere appeared atop the hill. - -"It's the marines!" shouted Archie, knocking down the barrel of Ed's -gun. "Smell? I can smell it from here--hot metal! It's Melancholy, come -to rescue us!" - -"Or to eat us! I'll take care of him!" - -"You fool! Give me that!" The two men grappled for possession of the -gun. The purple sphere stopped and watched them sadly. Finally Archie -obtained the weapon and angrily tore it apart. He threw the parts as -far as he could, then turned furiously on Ed. - -"Mel here's our only friend in the world. He hasn't tricked us yet and -we've got to lay all our dough on him. Now get up." Ed rose groggily -to his feet. "Take us back to the ship," Archie commanded the purple -sphere. The purple sphere sidled off and they followed it. - -Dawn literally broke as they topped a rise and looked down once again -on the rocket ship. The polished fuselage, so grotesquely twisted the -day before, was now smooth. The ship rested on the side of the hill, -her prow aimed at the sky. - -"I'll be damned," snorted Ed Bailey. "He's done it. Let's get out of -here quick." - -"See if it works." - -They climbed aboard. Before he shut the emergency hatch, Archie looked -down into the sad eyes of the purple sphere. The purple sphere had -never looked sadder, he decided. Then he shut the hatch. - -"D'you think maybe he's booby-trapped it to explode in the air?" -wondered the suspicious Bailey. - -"No." - -"Well, here's nothing. Hold on." Bailey pressed a button. There -followed a dull roar, a blinding flash of light, and the little rocket -ship whirled up into the sky. - -The purple sphere looked after it sadly. A large crystal tear welled up -in each of his great, unhappy eyes and trickled slowly down his purple -fur. - - * * * * * - -"The little punk didn't cross us after all," admitted Ed Bailey -grudgingly, turning momentarily from the controls. - -"This is enough. It's in better shape than when we bought it," -testified Archie. - -"Okay. Set a course out of this Sector, and we'll hit the road." - -"Wait a second: We've got to go back there and thank Melancholy." - -"WHAT did you say? THANK it? Why? It won't understand. It'll just stand -there with those idiotic eyes and moon at you." - -"If it's smart enough to fix our ship, it's worth thanking," proclaimed -Archie. - -"Well," grumbled Ed, "maybe you're right. We'd still be rotting here if -it weren't for Fido." - -"Maybe we can even take him aboard and lug him back to YAP, or wherever -he's from. He must be awful lonely here." - -"Over my dead body. He'd take too much weight. And I don't want to -get mixed up with any more Chameleon Tigers. They might not all have -such nice, sad eyes. If we bring Fido on here, we drop him off at the -nearest zoo. I won't go near YAP. One Fido's enough." - -"We ought to do something for him, Ed." - -"Thanking him's too much. I'm not going to cart purple spheres around -the galaxy. We'd be the laughing stock of the century. He stays here!" - -He punched a button fiercely and swung the ship into a sharp curve. -"Where'll we set? This place all looks the same." - -"Just put her down," advised Arch. "I'll bet Melancholy gets there in -ten minutes." - -"How much?" - -"Fifty." - -"You're on." The ship whirled down from the sky and slid along the -sand. Archie opened the escape hatch and waited. Five minutes later the -purple sphere mounted a nearby rise and sidled down into the valley. It -halted fifty feet from the ship and watched Archie with sad eyes. - -"You lose, Ed," announced Archie. - -"Damn monster," snorted Ed. "Thank it and let's get out of here." - -"Aren't you going to thank it?" - -"No, damn it! Me thank a big purple ball? You can thank it for both -of us. Might try kicking it a few times and see whether you get any -reaction." - -Archie leaped down on the sand and hurried to the side of the purple -sphere. The purple sphere looked at him sadly. Archie petted it between -and beneath its eyes. Suddenly he stood up. - -"Hey Ed! It's been crying!" - -Ed snorted angrily but said nothing. "No, really, Ed! It's all wet -under its eyes, here!" He petted it the more tenderly. The purple -sphere looked at him sadly. - -"Come on," yelled Ed. "I'm sick of this mush." - -"Just a second," replied Archie. "Well--good-bye," he said to the -purple sphere. "I don't know whether you get me. Do you know what I'm -saying? No. Thanks anyway." He petted the purple sphere between its -great eyes; the eyes watched him sadly. He cursed softly, then turned -on his heel and hurried toward the rocket ship. Suddenly he pivoted -again and said to the purple sphere: - -"You maybe saved our lives, Mel. Anything we can do for you? Any place -we can take you? Say the word and we'll do it." - -The purple sphere looked at Archie sadly. Then it sidled rapidly -forward, knocked Archie unceremoniously off his feet, and climbed on -top of him. Archie shrieked: "Hey! Ouch! Get off! Stop him, Ed! Stop -him! He's hurting me something aw--" His voice became muffled and -stopped. Ed stood petrified while Archie slowly disappeared into the -purple sphere. All the while, the purple sphere looked up at Ed out of -sad eyes. - -Then Archie was gone. Ed swore a terrible oath and possessed himself -of another ugly looking steel tube. He leveled it to his shoulder and -pushed a button. A terrible gaping crack appeared in one of the purple -sphere's eyes and a green ichor trickled thickly out. The purple sphere -rolled over and sidled away at an incredible speed. Ed fired again. He -missed. - -"Damn purple punk," he yelled after the retreating purple sphere. "I'll -get you yet. I'll get you!" - -He slammed the emergency hatch and leaped into the pilot's seat. He -jockeyed the little rocket ship into the air above the strange planet. -Miles away, he saw the purple sphere bowling hastily over the sand. He -gained on it steadily, following as rapidly as he could. Shortly he was -close enough: He sighted in an eyepiece mounted with crosshairs and saw -there a greatly enlarged image of the speeding purple sphere. He threw -an ugly looking steel lever. The ship rocked violently and a cloud of -dust rose from the spot where the purple sphere should have been. - -"Stand still, damn you!" shouted Ed. Again he lined the purple sphere -up in the crosshairs. Again he pressed the button, and again the purple -sphere swerved aside in time. Ed pounded his fist desperately on the -instrument panel. - -"I'll kill you," he shouted; "I'll kill you! I'll kill you if it takes -a year--and if I don't have you then, I'll come back with the whole -damned fleet and kill you!" He threw the lever again, and again, and -again. - - _Mr. Bailey has wounded me in the eye, Mr. Simms._ - - _I am sorry that I hurt you, Mr. Simms, but it was the only - way ... I have understood everything that you and Mr. Bailey have - thought and said, Mr. Simms, but I cannot impress my thoughts upon - you until I have taken you inside me. I am sorry that it was so - painful for you when I brought you inside me; I am sorry that you - are unconscious; but you can understand me, now. I did not wish to - hurt you, but you were so large that I had difficulty bringing you - inside me._ - - _Mr. Bailey is chasing me in the rocket ship, Mr. Simms. He is - shooting at me with a terrible weapon. I know what he is thinking, - so I am able to change my direction before he fires. But shortly I - shall grow tired, Mr. Simms; I would not grow tired had Mr. Bailey - not wounded me in the eye; but he has wounded me in the eye and I - am bleeding. I must tell you what I must tell you quickly, Mr. - Simms, so that you will stop Mr. Bailey from shooting at me._ - - _I only tried to help you, Mr. Simms. I did not wish to hurt you. I - saw you throw your radio away and I knew that you desired me to - repair it. I repaired it; subsequently I repaired your vessel. When - you and Mr. Bailey lost your way in the hills, I came to find you - and I led you back to the ship. I have only tried to help you; I - did not wish to hurt you._ - - _Mr. Bailey thinks that I have eaten you and is trying to destroy - me. I must explain things to you, so that you can prevent him from - destroying me._ - - _I only wanted to help you and Mr. Bailey. I know how much you need - help and I wanted to help you, because you were kind to me. I did - not expect a reward; I thought merely that I would help you and - that then you would leave me. At last you and Mr. Bailey climbed - into your ship and left. I cried, for I had wanted to tell you - about myself. But I could not tell you without hurting you and - bringing you inside me. I did not wish to hurt you, and I knew that - if I brought you inside me, Mr. Bailey would not understand. I - would not bring Mr. Bailey inside me because he does not like me._ - - _But you returned, and I thought that perhaps I had not repaired - your ship effectively. No; I discovered that you wished to thank - me for my aid. I did not expect that you would thank me; I expected - that you would depart without thanking me. Why should you thank me? - You did not think that I would understand. But you thanked me and - then you asked me whether you could do anything for me. I saw in - your mind that you were sincere: You did not only say that you - wished to do something for me; you wished to do something for me. - So I took you inside me, and Mr. Bailey has wounded me in the eye, - and now he is following me in your rocket ship, and he is shooting - at me._ - - _You can help me, Mr. Simms. I shall tell you how you can help me - and then I shall let you out._ - - _I have lived on this planet for millions of years, Mr. Simms. In - all that time I have been alone. No one had ever visited me until - you came. There is no other life on this planet and I have been all - alone. At times it has been more than I can bear. At times I have - wished to destroy myself. But I cannot do that and I must not, for - my people need me._ - - _Many millions of years ago I lived with my people on a large - planet that revolved about a large star in a galaxy that is very - distant now._ - - _I am not of this galaxy, Mr. Simms._ - - _I was the wisest among my people. They called me the Purple Sage. - I was versed in all wisdom and I knew all answers. The people came - to me for knowledge and revered me as the wisest of all beings._ - - _Several million years ago our galaxy approached your galaxy. Your - galaxy was very different then; I watched it change, these millions - of years. Our galaxy approached and I perceived that the two - galaxies would pass through each other._ - - _This is a rare phenomenon, Mr. Simms, but it was undoubtedly known - to your astronomers many years ago. Galaxies are nothing more than - enormous vacuums, and in any one passage of two galaxies through - one another, there are likely to be not more than two or three - stellar collisions._ - - _I determined that my planet was quite safe. As your galaxy - approached, I determined to conduct an interesting experiment. I - constructed a large space ship and planned to fly it to one of the - planets of your galaxy. Then I would return to my own planet. I - hoped to determine whether your galaxy was similar to mine._ - - _My people wept at my departure and asked me what would become of - them if I did not return. I told them that the officials would - care for them. I thought then that I was little more than an - ornament and their grief more rhetorical than sincere._ - - _A bright star was due to pass close to our sun; I entered my space - ship and steered toward it. I landed on this planet._ - - _This is a curious planet, Mr. Simms. You have noticed the - phenomenon of the sunset. The surface of the planet expands and - contracts all at once, rather than doing so by slow degrees. As a - result, the sun rises and sets instantly. When I arrived in my - space ship, the phenomenon was much more exaggerated. I emerged - from my ship and walked about the planet. I did not expect the - contraction which came at sunset. It was terrible: I was thrown - against a jagged pinnacle of rock and severely injured. For many - centuries I could not move. Slowly I recovered. I returned to my - ship. In the course of many such sunsets, it had been shattered to - atoms. The delicate instruments had been ruined. I worked many - years on the ship, but I could do nothing to repair it. At last I - abandoned the task._ - - _Nothing is left of it now. Millions of years have passed and its - dust is mingled with the dust of this planet._ - - _I watched my people recede from me. When I lay next to the jagged - pinnacle that had wounded me, I could still see my planet in the - sky. By the time that I was well, I could discern my sun from the - other stars only with difficulty._ - - _The years have passed slowly and now my galaxy is a point of light - that I can no longer resolve in the distance._ - - _I am growing tired, Mr. Simms, and Mr. Bailey still follows me. He - shoots at me no longer, but he understands that I must rest. I - shall complete my tale as rapidly as I can._ - - _I waited milleniums, but no one came. Without my aid, my people - could never have built a space ship with which to rescue me. I did - not have the materials. I waited alone, confident at some times - that help would come, confident at most that I would remain here - forever ... alone._ - - _Then you came, Mr. Simms. I saw immediately that your ship was - damaged and I knew that it was not damaged badly. I wished to save - you from my fate. I wished to repair your ship; I did not dare - attempt to repair it, however; you would have thought that I was - trying to hurt you and you would have destroyed me. I could only - wait until a suitable opportunity presented itself._ - - _You were very kind, Mr. Simms. You petted me between my eyes. The - contact of your hand, the first contact with a living being in - millions of years, drove me to distraction. I almost brought you - inside me then and there, but I restrained myself. I knew that Mr. - Bailey would not understand and would destroy me._ - - _Now you have told me that you wish to help me. Mr. Simms, I wish - to return to my own people. In the course of these years of exile, - I have thought many thoughts that will be useful to them. And who - was there to instruct them, after my departure? I wish to return - to my people, Mr. Simms._ - - _I believe that you and Mr. Bailey could return me in safety. It - would require several major alterations in the design of your ship, - but I have thought about such alterations for many years and I am - confident that they can be made._ - - _I do not think that you would regret the voyage. You would be - feted at great length; there would be a splendid celebration in the - hippodrome and you and Mr. Bailey would be seated in chairs of - state. You would find it difficult to leave us. Nor would you go - unrewarded in larger coin: I would inform you of the cures to any - diseases that may still plague your people and I would give you - the answers to many of their ills._ - - _I would promise your safe return; we would build a great ship for - you; it would be a time machine as well as a space craft and would - return you to your planet no earlier or later than you might - choose. There would be another magnificent celebration to bid you - farewell. No, Mr. Simms, you would not regret returning me to my - people._ - - _But let us look at the other side of the matter: It is quite - possible that I shall fail. It is quite possible that we would all - be destroyed in the starless vastnesses of space. I can offer you - no proof of my competence except your repaired radio and your - repaired vessel. And those were simple tasks._ - - _I am very tired, Mr. Simms. I can run no longer. I must let you - out. Tell Mr. Bailey what I have told you. I pray that you may - decide to help me. I pray, but I do not hope. I am sorry that I - hurt you; please forgive me for hurting you, if you do nothing - else._ - - _When I see Mr. Bailey descend and talk to you, I shall cease - running. I shall remain where I ceased running. You and Mr. Bailey - will decide what you must do. If you will not help me, then I must - ask one other favor: Fly to where I am sitting and shoot your - weapon at me. I shall not move. I believe that it is capable of - destroying me._ - - * * * * * - -Ed Bailey pressed the button again and the purple sphere swerved aside. -"Lousy purple punk," he shouted. - -The purple sphere stopped in its tracks and the rocket shot past it. Ed -swore and swung about. He looked down. A man's body lay stretched on -the sand and the purple sphere hurried away. - -Ed dropped down and rushed to the side of the prostrate figure. - -"I made it drop you," he sobbed over the body, "I made it drop you. My -God!--you look half-digested!" He felt Archie Simms' body. "Your arm's -broke!" - -Archie's lips moved feverishly. "Got to--got to help it--or kill it," -he groaned. - -"Come on," said Ed. He lifted the wounded man to his shoulders. "You're -okay now. Don't talk. I'll get you aboard." - -"It saved us--got to help it--or kill it." - -"I'll make hash of it," said Ed, placing Archie on his bunk. He -procured a hypodermic needle from a wall cabinet. "Sorry, Arch, I'm -putting you under till we get back. I can't help you. See you in a -month." He plunged the needle into Archie's arm. - -"Got to--help it ... or kill it," sobbed Archie weakly. "Got to ... -help ... it...." He slept. - -Ed slipped behind the controls of the rocket. He pressed a button and -the little boat whirled up into the sky. It vanished rapidly into the -empty distances. - -On a distant hilltop sat the purple sphere. He followed the path of the -retreating rocket with sad eyes. He waited for many hours. The sun set -and he glowed dimly against the stars. He watched the stars sadly. Then -he cried. - -He cried for seven days and seven nights. - - * * * * * - -Eight years passed. - -The rocket whirled down from the sky and crashed into the hillside. -A cloud of dust rose lazily from the spot and mingled with the fumes -escaping from the vessel. - -Straightway the escape hatch opened and Archie Simms jumped down to the -surface of the planet. - -"Here he is, Ed!" he shouted back into the ship. Ed's face appeared in -the doorway. - -"Fido," he remarked pleasantly. - -"We've come," said Archie. "It's been a long drag, but we made it." - -The purple sphere's left eye was black and swollen. - -"Sorry I shot you," said Ed. "I didn't know...." The purple sphere -looked sadly up at him. Archie petted it between the eyes and pointed -to the ship. - -"There she is," he said. "All yours. Take care of her." - -Ed eased down the ramp, then hopped to the ground. He and Archie pushed -the purple sphere into the ship. - -Archie nudged his partner gently. "Look, Ed, he's smiling!" - -"Lousy purple punk," snorted Ed. "You know we won't get out of this -mess alive, Simms. Lousy purple punk...." - -"Oh, let's have lunch." - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Purple Pariah, by Byron Tustin - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PURPLE PARIAH *** - -***** This file should be named 63787.txt or 63787.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/7/8/63787/ - -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. 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