Martians were weak, sensitive, a dying race,
frail and impotent before the superiority of master
Earthmen. Only in the sly and mentally skillful
game of Duchal might sons of the red planet
emerge gloriously from their shells.
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Planet Stories Summer 1955.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Chester Farrell emerged from the narrow alley and paused before thebarbed wire fence.
Behind him, the Martian city was a maze of strange sounds, angularbuildings, acrid odors and dark shadows.
Before him, beyond the fence, three spaceships pointed their bowstoward a star-studded sky. The slender ships gleamed dully in thestarlight as they rested on the red desert.
He touched the money in his pocket to reassure himself that at last, hehad the fare for the trip to Earth.
His eyes scanned the heavens, searched for the bright light that wasEarth.
Earth! In itself, the planet meant little to him. The seas, mountains,valleys and forests did not cause the burning desire inside him.
He closed his eyes and remembered a brick house in Cleveland and thebrown-haired woman and chubby boy who lived there. He recalled slender,soft fingers that touched him gently and a small form that waddleduncertainly across their living room floor.
Three years ago, he had left Louise and Sammy on Earth. He had come toMars to make a small fortune.
The dream had not materialized: the Mars Mining Corporation didn't wantto pay their employees good salaries although the ores transported toEarth sold for tremendous profits. They paid their employees as littleas possible.
It was simple: Governments wanted colonists on Mars to exploit theplanet. Mars Mining wanted colonists to remain and operate their mines.The two groups, political and business, collaborated and ... while thetrip to Mars cost only a hundred dollars, the return trip to Earth costone thousand dollars.
Because of the high price of living on Mars and the low salaries, thefee was an encouragement to remain on the planet.
It had taken him three years to save enough money to rejoin his family.
Bitterness filled him as he studied the motionless ships. Convertiblespaceships. The bulkheads inside the hull were collapsible and thespace in a ship was constantly adjusted into different size storageholds and passenger compartments.
During the voyage to Earth, he would be the only passenger and wouldoccupy a coffin-like compartment. Every other available foot of spacewould be filled with valuable ores.
When the ship returned to Mars, the passenger compartments would bespacious, luxurious and comfortable. They would be filled with hundredsof propaganda-fed, eager colonists who were unaware of the economictrap before them.
As he turned and followed the fence toward the spaceport's officebuildings he heard the faint sounds behind him.
A whisper of movement across the red sand.
An animal?
He glanced uneasily at the tiny lights from the office buildings. Inthe thin atmosphere, light carried a long distance and was deceptive.The lights seemed near but he knew he still had a fifteen minute walkahead of him.
Once more he heard the indefinable sound behind him.
His imagination?
A Martian?
An Earthman, a sound of harsh breathing informed him.
He leaped to one side as the sounds neared his back.
Too late. Something crashed into the side of his head and bright lightsdanced gaily inside his skull.
He fell and rolled frantically across the soft sand.
As he scr