Edward W. Ludwig

“ Garcia stepped forward, swelling his chest. Strangely, it seemed that all the hatred had been drained out of him. "I was wrong," he said. "We're not crazy and we're not dead. This planet is good. It's so good that I'd like to stay here as long as I live."
"What?" asked Captain Torkel, blinking.
"I said I'd like to stay here as long as I live."
The words echoed in the still air. They were like evil seeds, falling into fertile minds and sprouting.
"And not go back to Earth?" asked Fox, stroking his beard.
"And not go back to Earth." ”

“ If there's a God who answers prayers, it's got to be a good planet. Sirius has only one planet. This is the last chance left for the race. And look at it, Captain! The blue places must be water and the green must be land. It's bigger than Earth, but it looks almost like it!"
Captain Torkel nodded. "Whether it's good or bad, we still can't win, really. If it's bad, humanity dies and we stay on the ship for the rest of our lives. If it's good, we'll still be on it for twelve more years—six years back to Earth and another six to return here."
Lieutenant Washington began to shake. ”

“ The glowing effect of the wine remained with them. Many times they paused to nibble at the forest fruit and to throw themselves onto the soft cushions of fern.
"It's a wonderful planet," declared Captain Torkel.
"Best in the universe," said Fox.
"All," mumbled Kelly.
"And it's a long way home," said Lieutenant Washington suggestively, with a hiccough.
"A long, long way," commented Fox.
The lieutenant grumbled, "What did the people of Earth ever do for us?"
"Not a darned thing," said Fox. "Besides, I bet the sun has already exploded. That's what I bet." ”

“ Captain Torkel switched on the second layer of bow jets, braced himself in his crash-chair. Despite the effects of the deceleration compensator, his face was swollen and distorted. It was as if the soul was bubbling out of his body. ”

“ He was a young man, about thirty by Earth standards, with long black hair and wide, muscular shoulders. His handsome face reminded Captain Torkel of romantic Latin heroes in the micro-movies aboard the Star Queen.
Captain Torkel pointed to the sky. "We come from up there, from another world."
The Sirian's eyes were like black lights spearing into the captain's skull. "Yes, you come from star. You are Star People. Where is your star?"
"It's a long way—"
"Hey, he spoke in English!" cried Fox. "What the hell!"
"I—I'm going back to the rocket," stammered Van Gundy, shaking. ”

“ Lieutenant Washington, squatting like a dark Buddha and with his torso swaying drunkenly, clapped his hands in time with the dance. Fox hummed the tune, and even Kelly nodded his head rhythmically. Only Garcia stood motionless.
"It's a good planet!" exclaimed Fox at last.
Van Gundy's trembling hand whacked spit out of his harmonica. His eyes rolled fearfully toward the forest. "We don't know for sure yet."
"I think Fox is right," said Captain Torkel. "It is a good planet. Enjoy it, men. Breathe deeply. Smell those flowers. Feel the grass. Because very soon we've got to start Earthward. ”

“ Perhaps it was a blessing that Garcia did not remember!
Out of desperation that was like a prayer, a plan arose in his brain. It expanded and crystallized, then faded as memory slipped away like a rock under rising water. For a few moments he was a boy on a Dakota wheat farm, staring down at a strange grave. ”

“ Fox probably thinks he's been cheated out of his youth, and unconsciously he's trying to steal it back. Van Gundy has been knocked around so much that everything in the universe is a source of terror to him. Garcia breaks things."
He laughed sourly, blowing hot alcoholic breath into the captain's face. "And me, I'm a dipso who's no good to himself or anyone. You, Captain ... sometimes I suspect that your memory isn't quite what it use to be."
Captain Torkel scratched his stubbled chin. "Six psycho-specimens trying to save humanity. How did we become so detestable? Are all Earthmen like us?" ”

“ They moved to the portholes like frightened old men treading on slippery ice.
They looked out.
They stared for a long moment. "I don't believe it," said Fox at last. "It's a mirage. We're still in space."
"It—it frightens me," stuttered Van Gundy. "There's death out there. The air is poisonous. I feel it."
"We're crazy," Garcia spat. "As crazy as Kelly." His eyes widened. "Or maybe we're dead. Could that be?"
"E—excuse me, Captain," said Lieutenant Washington. "I think I'll go aft for a minute."
Captain Torkel said nothing. ”

“ Fox stuffed a slice of the yellow food into Kelly's mouth. The fire-haired man gulped and blinked and grinned like a summer sunrise.
"Heaven," he mumbled.
Suddenly Captain Torkel froze. "Wait. Can't you see what these people are trying to do? They can read our minds. They know that we'll probably bring millions and millions of people to their planet, that we'll probably overrun their civilization. They don't want us to go back to Earth. They want us to stay here. They're just pretending—"
He stopped as he saw the bronzed form of Taaleeb towering above him. ”

“ Fox laughed. "Kelly means he wants to stay here."
Captain Torkel wiped perspiration from his upper lip with the back of his hand. "We got to get these thoughts out of our minds. We're talking like murderers. Garcia, think of the people you used to know. Think of their faces. Imagine how it would be for them to die."
Garcia looked up into the sky, his features softening. "I can't remember any faces, Captain. I can remember how the gulls used to fly over the coast at Monterey and how the fishing boats used to bounce over the waves. That's all. The gulls and the boats will be destroyed anyway. ”

“ We do not have laws. We do not have work."
A scowl creased Captain Torkel's forehead. "But you must do work of some kind. What do you do all the time?"
"We pick fruit from the trees and make love and sing and sleep and lie in the forest and make up poems. Is there anything else to do?"
"But when you build shelters or make clothes—that is work."
Taaleeb laughed again. "No, no. Building a shelter or making clothes is just building a shelter or making clothes."
They came to the village. It lay in circle of domes about eight feet high that reflected the same shining colors as the meadow flowers. ”

“ Captain Torkel stiffened. "Get those thoughts out of your head, Garcia. There are two billion people back on Earth. They'll die unless we tell them about this planet. We've got wives, friends—"
"Not me," said Garcia sternly. "No wife and no friends."
Fox shrilled, "The only reason I volunteered for this trip was to get away from my wife and that lousy New York apartment. You're not married, are you, Captain?"
"N—no."
"Me neither," hiccoughed Lieutenant Washington. "Not many girls'll marry spacemen."
"Kelly's married, though," mused Fox. "How about it, Kelly?" ”

“ Van Gundy turned toward the aft compartment, then spun back, eyes blazing. "I won't let 'em scare me, Captain. If they don't leave me alone. I'll kill them."
"The men are like rotting trees," said Captain Torkel a few moments later, "and you can't tell which way they'll fall. Fox steals. Van Gundy is afraid of everything and everybody. Garcia keeps breaking things and threatening violence. Someday he'll break a port, and that'll be it. Finis."
Lieutenant Washington said, with a hiccough, "Too bad we didn't insist on having a psychiatrist in the crew. ”

“ Good Lord, men, we've got to act like human beings!"
Garcia stepped forward. "Why don't we decide this later? Can't we relax for a few hours, Captain?"
Lieutenant Washington nodded agreement. "He's right. You said yourself, Captain, that if the planet was good we'd spend a day or so getting the madness out of our systems."
"All right," murmured Captain Torkel, shoulders drooping. "We'll look around some more."
They walked toward the forest. Fox led Kelly by the hand. Lieutenant Washington advanced under his own power. ”

“ Maybe unconsciously he didn't want to save humanity. Kelly's crazy. You can't account for the actions of a crazy man."
Lieutenant Washington was shaking again. "And so we can't radio Earth about what we find. If the planet's good, we have to tell Earth the hard way—by traveling through space for six more years. Captain, I—I think I'm going to have to get a dr—"
Footsteps sounded on the deck behind them. Van Gundy, the lean, hawk-nosed jetman, rushed up to them. He was breathing heavily and trembling.
"Captain, Fox stole my harmonica!"
Captain Torkel scowled. ”

“ Taaleeb chuckled at Captain Torkel's hesitancy. "It is good food," he said. "Everything is good. There is no end to food and no end to wine. There is plenty for all."
Lieutenant Washington and Fox and Kelly squatted beside Captain Torkel, accepting the strange bowls and the golden flagons. ”

“ Captain Torkel was silent for a moment. "The Sirians are an alien race. Leadership seems to be an unknown concept to them, even though Taaleeb unconsciously assumed a kind of leadership this afternoon. The point is that the race isn't used to carrying out unified plans of procedure. Taaleeb might have used his method in the village, and another group might have hit upon the plan of destroying the rocket."
Lieutenant Washington shook his head. "You're wrong, Captain. The Sirians are good, innocent, child-like. Here's what happened: Garcia liked to break things. ”

“ Garcia's got rid of some of his hatred. Maybe killing Van Gundy was like a kind of shock treatment to him. And Fox—"
"He's right," Fox interrupted him. "I'm going to stay here. Don't try to talk me out of that. But I feel cleaner inside. I guess when you know that nobody'll stop you from stealing, you lose desire."
"Even Kelly's better," said the lieutenant. "Look at the way he's been talking."
Captain Torkel nodded. "Yes, and my memory's been better these past few hours. You know, men, I do keep thinking of what Taaleeb said. ”

“ The others reached their destinations and not one found a habitable world. And newer ships sent out later had no better luck. Now, all the nearest star systems have been reached, and there isn't time for the ships to go on to other systems. ”