Complete Fiction (Jerry eBooks)

by Robert Abernathy

  “That sounds like a plausible reason,” I admitted. “But—if he is telling the truth, we are risking Martian lives every moment we remain here! We should at least check the facts.”

  “Well . . .” The captain turned blue with concentration. “The Council, in chartering the Earth Expedition, expressed a fear that the planet might prove unavailable for colonization, due to possible inimical life forms. It’s so much nearer the Sun, and so moist, that we had anticipated just such a canalbank jungle as does exist; and it’s possible that the pressure of evolutionary competition might develop strange and fearful creatures . . . But, remember that we haven’t seen even one of these ‘fiends.’ ”

  “De Long said that a great many of them are invisible.”

  “Hmm!” said the captain. “Of course, that’s within the bounds of possibility, though not of probability; but before we came here I’d have said flying animals were improbable. We had best investigate.”

  “Eh?”

  “It’s simple. We’ll merely put de Long under the lie detector.”

  I WAS struck by the beautiful simplicity of this idea, which should have been right in my province.

  “I leave it to you to maneuver de Long into a position where we can use the detector without his knowledge,” said the captain.

  “Very well,” I said joyfully.

  It was not difficult to get de Long aboard the ship; he had never had a chance to satisfy his curiosity concerning it. I showed him through several of the cabins without doing anything to arouse his suspicions, and finally got him seated within the effective radius of the lie detector.

  “Er—I’ve been wondering about—about those werewolves you were telling me of, Sir Henry,” I improvised. “Just what are their habits?”

  “They are a dangerous sort of demon,” replied the Earthman readily. “By day they appear to be ordinary men, save that they may be distinguished by the first finger of the right hand being longer than the second; but in the dead of night the craving for human flesh comes upon them, they grow hairy, their nails become claws and their jaws lengthen, and they are wolves. They may not be slain by any weapon while in the beast form, but must be taken in human shape.”

  I quivered in spite of myself. The lie detector indicator had not moved from center—what he was saying must be the dreadful truth!

  “Are—are they the worst sort of fiend common around here?” I ventured to ask.

  De Long constricted the skin above his eyes judiciously. “The vampire is likewise a direful demon, though little known in these parts,” he declared. “It is the soul of an unsanctified corpse, which rises in the night from its grave and goes forth to suck blood and life from living men.”

  I SPRANG to my feet, unable to remain still any longer. De Long stared. “Is aught amiss?” he exclaimed anxiously.

  “No—nothing,” I muttered, and the lie detector needle leaped clear against its stop pins. “That is—I rather think we’ll be leaving Earth before very long.” With lame excuses, we managed to get the Earthman outside.

  Captain Tutwa thoroughly agreed with me that we must leave this noxious planet at once, never to return, and that Earth must be declared unfit for Martian colonization. I can solemnly say that the Blue Planet is a veritable inferno; we of Mars will do well to keep clear of it in future interplanetary explorations.

  I am sure that you can well see that Earth can never be colonized from Mars, that it must be forever shunned as a plague spot. If any of our hot-headed youth is now so foolhardy as to brave the horrors of that planet of fear, their blood is on their own heads.

  In the 75th day of the 242nd year

  of the invention of the steam

  engine,

  (Signed)

  Shapplo with the Long Proboscis,

  Interpreter, First Earth Expedi-

  tion.

  1943

  MISSION FROM ARCTURUS

  The beings from distant Arcturus were alien enough—as was to be expected—and their viewpoint was different from that of Earthmen. That, too, was to be expected. Only—their actions didn’t make sense!

  THE following items are excerpts from the Daily Oracle of Marceline, which, you may remember, is the little Missouri town (Pop. 1950, 4216) near which the so-called Arcturian invasion of Earth made its landing in the summer of 1953.

  June 22, 1953.—Last night at about 10:00 p.m. a large meteor, or fireball, was seen passing over Marceline in an easterly direction. All who saw it agreed that it was the largest they had ever viewed, and that its flight was accompanied by exceedingly loud whirring or rumbling noise.

  E.E. Horner, a farmer whose home is located three miles east of Marceline on County Route Z, reported having seen the meteor, which appeared when passing over his land to be traveling at a very low altitude, probably not more than five hundred feet. “It was going at a slant, not very fast, but I could see it was coming down and was going to hit not far east of my place,” stated Horner. “It was big and bright, with a white glare like a searchlight. It made a racket like a whole squadron of bombing planes.”

  From the observations of Horner and others who saw the phenomenon, Dr. William N. Fitzgibbons of St. Louis, who arrived here early this morning after taking a special plane as far as Brookfield, expects to locate the meteorite within a short time. It is a peculiar fact that the shock of its fall was not felt by anyone in the surrounding areas, as might have been expected with so large a meteor. This, according to Dr. Fitzgibbons, was probably due to the acute angle at which the cosmic missile struck.

  INVADERS FROM MARS LAND

  NEAR MARCELINE

  (Headline)

  June 23, 1953.—It was discovered yesterday evening by Dr. William N. Fitzgibbons and Dr. Stanley Bodine, St. Louis meteorologists,[1] that the object which descended from the skies two nights ago at a point seven miles east of Marceline is not, as previously supposed, a meteor, but is in reality a space ship, probably from Mars, containing intelligent beings.

  Little is known as yet of the vessel and its contents, but every effort is being made by civil and military authorities to prevent possible damage by the potential invaders. Troops are being rushed from Jefferson City and from other points, together with guns and equipment for repelling the Martians; the spot is being patrolled from the air by camera and bombing planes, though no attack has been made on the space ship pending word from Washington. Governor Price is expected to call out the militia.

  Drs. Fitzgibbons and Bodine, who arrived here together from St. Louis early yesterday morning to investigate the supposed meteor, started out yesterday noon in company with E.E. Horner, neighboring farmer, who was among those observing the fall of the ship, in an attempt to discover the point at which the then unknown object had crashed into the earth.

  Proceeding east in Horner’s car on County Route Z, they encountered a Model T Ford driven by Justus Hardkof, Brush Creek bottom farmer, who was able to give them the interesting information that the “meteor” had landed in his south cornfield. After examining the object from a distance, Hardkof informed them further, he had started for town to inquire whether the Government would reimburse him for the corn destroyed by the landing of the vessel.

  When they learned that the so-called meteorite was “about six rods long, and high as a one-story house,” that it was made of smooth, shiny metal, and had portholes and airscrews on the outside, the interest of the investigators naturally rose to fever heights. They returned to Hardkof’s farm with him, and accompanied him to the creek-bottom cornfield which the Martians had chosen for their landing.

  THE object, lying partly buried in the soft plowed earth, proved to be approximately a hundred feet in length, made apparently of some aluminum alloy or similar metal; its sides bore two rows of round portholes, small and brightly lighted even in the late afternoon, giving irrefutable evidence that there was intelligent life within; its airscrews also were plainly visible at a distance, as were three large searchlights set into the streamlined nose
, which evidently produced the white glare described by Horner and other witnesses. The machine had struck the ground with considerable force, throwing up large quantities of earth and flattening the young corn in windows over a wide area around it.

  The two scientists and their companion approached the mysterious ship more closely, Hardkof refusing to accompany them, but remaining at what he considered a safe distance. When they had advanced to within two hundred feet of the space ship, a slight crackle was suddenly audible in the air, and the atmosphere above and about it seemed to shimmer; simultaneously, the corn, weeds, and other green stuff in a narrow circular belt about the ship at a distance of sixty yards suddenly shriveled and fell to the ground in crumpled fragments, appearing, according to Dr. Fitzgibbons’ description, as if burnt almost to ashes. The two meteorologists paused instantly; but Horner incautiously made another step forward, and, his hand passing through the zone of deadly influence set up by the Martians, instantly became numb, shriveled, and paralyzed.

  “This,” declares Dr. Fitzgibbons, “is undoubtedly an indication that the inhabitants of the space ship, if not actively hostile to Earthly life, are at least passively inimical and potentially very dangerous. We must proceed with great care and watchfulness in this matter.”

  Horner is now in the Mercy Hospital at Brookfield, awaiting amputation of the affected hand. Doctors there declared that the case was unique, resembling in some measure a very severe case of gangrene.

  In theorizing on the possible origin of the cosmic visitor, Dr. Fitzgibbons said, “It seems probable that the space ship is from Mars, since it landed on the night side of the Earth—that is, the side away from the Sun—and Mars, 35,000,000 miles farther from the Sun, is Earth’s nearest neighbor on that side. It is barely possible, of course, that the vessel originated on Earth; but this seems very doubtful, in spite of the fact that there is no visible means of propulsion apart from the airscrews. In my brief inspection of the machine it appeared without doubt to be designed for navigating an airless void.”

  WITH the spreading of news of the invaders’ landing, symptoms of panic affected many people in the areas of Westville, Lingo, Wien, Bucklin, and Marceline. Governor Price, in a special message late last night, stated: “In this emergency, it is essential that everyone keep his head and refrain from panicky acts which may endanger others’ lives. If the emergency becomes acute, I am confident of the ability of our State and Federal troops to handle it. In the meantime, it will be much better if all civilians will endeavor to cooperate with the Army and Air Force, rather than hindering efforts to bring the situation under control.”

  EXTRA!

  ATTACK ON SPACE SHIP

  REPELLED

  Unknown Weapons Employed by In-

  vaders from Arcturus!

  June 24, 1953.—In a furious assault on the mysterious cylinder from the skies which fell near Marceline three nights ago, State troops and police, Federal infantry and artillery men failed to make any impression on the invisible defenses of the space ship. The attack raged throughout yesterday afternoon, and was augmented by aerial bombardment, which likewise proved ineffective. The ship from the stars, manned by unknown beings of diabolical intelligence, was completely unscathed by the furious barrage.

  Although the alien invaders made no attempt to fight off the attacks other than by merely passive resistance, there was little doubt in the minds of either civil or military authorities that their next move would be to launch an offensive against the forces hemming them in; and with that in mind, General Lambert Pogue and his staff, in command here since yesterday morning, worked furiously through the night to strengthen the lines of defense about the grounded space flier. Where peaceful creek-bottom farms and woodlands lay only two days ago, entrenchments have been dug, machine guns and cannon placed so as to command all possible zones of fire, and the troops wait grimly for the attack which is anticipated at almost any time.

  Until 11:00 a.m. yesterday, the Army and Air Force patrols surrounding the spot had waited for orders from executive centers in Washington; but with the arrival of General Pogue by plane, preparations were commenced for an immediate offensive.

  An effort was first made to persuade the invaders to surrender by a show of superior force, with which end in view U.S.A.F. dive bombers dropped several high-explosive bombs near the cylinder; but the beings within the space ship made no response. General Pogue then ordered an actual assault on the machine; but to the consternation of all, mortar fire failed to produce the slightest effect, the shells exploding high in the air above the alien ship. Heavy guns and bombs were now tried, but with no more result; when the smoke had rolled away, the great cylinder gleamed bright and unharmed, its silvery hull completely unscratched.

  THIS was the first inkling that the invisible shield with which the invaders have surrounded their vessel, and which was already known to be lethal to plant and animal life, also nullifies human weapons. From results obtained with machine-gun and shrapnel fire, however, the screen appears to be penetrable to nonexplosive missiles; and solid shot are expected to be used against it as soon as some can be obtained to fit the bore of the guns now in use.

  In the meantime, civilians in the battle area are urged to keep cool and cooperate with the military forces to the fullest possible extent. In the event that the situation gets out of hand, Governor Price has assured the people, evacuation measures are being prepared and will immediately be put into use.

  Invaders Are From Arcturus

  Dr. William N. Fitzgibbons, first scientific investigator to view the space vessel, informed reporters last night that the mysterious cylinder has been proved to have originated on the star Arcturus, which is a white star, larger and hotter than our Sun, at a distance of forty light years, or approximately two hundred and fifty trillion miles, from the Earth. The discovery was the result of a brilliant deduction on the part of Dr. Arthur Liddy, astronomer, of the University of Missouri.

  A spectroscope was employed to analyze the light radiating from the portholes of the vessel; inspection of photographs of the color bands displayed that this artificial light was an almost exact duplication of that of the star Arcturus.

  “Naturally, the Arcturians would duplicate their own sun’s rays for artificial lighting,” said Dr, Fitzgibbons. “That is what Earthly lighting engineers have been endeavoring to do for years with the light of our own Sun, but as yet we have not succeeded in reproducing sunlight artificially with any great degree of exactness.

  “This is an evidence of the great scientific advancement of the Arcturians; to say nothing of the marvelous knowledge indicated by the construction of such a remarkable vessel, capable of crossing forty light years of space! Either the Arcturians are remarkably long-lived, or they have discovered means of exceeding the velocity of light, which itself requires forty years to make that tremendous crossing. Gentlemen, when I consider the science necessary to build and operate such a ship, I tremble for the human race; I do not see how we can prevail against the weapons undoubtedly possessed by such formidable adversaries. We can only hope, and do what is humanly possible to avert catastrophe.”

  EXTRA!

  MINE FAILS TO DESTROY

  SPACE SHIP

  All Weapons of No Avail

  National Emergency Possibility,

  President Says

  June 25, 1953.—The firing of a huge subterranean mine of explosives, constructed in record time by U.S. Army Engineers, at 10:00 a.m. yesterday morning shook Marceline and surrounding districts, but failed to harm the apparently invulnerable Arcturian space vessel.

  Work on the mine was begun the afternoon of June 23, and progressed thereafter with the utmost haste compatible with secrecy. It was finished and filled with 100,000 pounds of T.N.T., at a total cost of over $50,000,000, by nine o’clock yesterday morning, and was fired shortly afterward. The blast, almost directly beneath the invading space ship from Arcturus which had lain in a field beside Brush Creek for four days since its fall from t
he skies June 21, ripped up through ten feet of earth and hurled the space cylinder, which has remained undamaged through a two-days’ storm of shells and bombs, high into the air. Though the shining hull, which has proved impervious to bullets, shell fragments, shrapnel, and solid shot, was apparently unharmed as the object arced upward, a cheer went up from the fortified lines in the woods and fields round about; but then, as the space ship began to fall, still turning end over end, its airscrews whirred suddenly into motion, checking its fall; after which it settled slowly, with thrumming propellers, into the woods on Drummond’s Chest, a mile north of its previous location, and only half a mile west of Macon County Road B.

  General Lambert Pogue and staff readily admitted their dismay at this turn of events. “The mine was our last and greatest attempt at the invaders’ destruction,” said General Pogue. “I tell you quite frankly, we have nothing left up our sleeve. All ordinary weapons have failed. It is up to the technical men and research engineers to devise new means of attack; we can do nothing but surround the cylinder and endeavor to prevent its crew from issuing forth.”

  WHEN the mine was fired, many people in Westville and Marceline, where the shock was most severely felt, believed that the long-anticipated and feared offensive by the Arcturians had begun. Many who had not yet gone with the refugees from these parts have now left their homes. Of the population of Linn County, more than half is believed to have evacuated to date; and from the neighboring counties, Macon, Chariton, and Randolph, many have fled. Persons have evacuated from points as distant as Carrollton, Moberly, and Chillicothe.

  Troops have again taken up positions about the heights on which the cylinder now lies.

  Twelve Soldiers Missing

  In the execution of this maneuver, twelve men were reported missing, four of them under very extraordinary circumstances.

  Squad Four of Lieutenant James P. Nelson’s platoon, under command of Corporal Walter Clark, vanished without trace after being sent to ascend the ridge from the further side. Four men ascending Drummond’s Crest from the south also vanished, under the very eyes of their comrades. Sergeant Alan Queeny and three men were a little ahead of the rest of his squad, advancing in broken order; suddenly all four whiffed into thin air, in full view of the remaining four just behind, who broke in panic and fled down the hillside. As if satisfied with their performance for the time, however, the Arcturians made no more trouble.