Transcriber's Note:
This etext was produced from Analog Science Fact & Fiction October 1960. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.
COMBAT
By MACK REYNOLDS
Illustrated by Schoenherr
An Alien landing on Earth might be readily misled,victimized by a one-sided viewpoint. And then again ... itmight be the Earthmen who were misled....
enry Kuran answered a nod here and there, a called out greeting froma desk an aisle removed from the one along which he was progressing,finally made the far end of the room. He knocked at the door andpushed his way through before waiting a response.
There were three desks here. He didn't recognize two of the girls wholooked up at his entry. One of them began to say something, but thenBetty, whose desk dominated the entry to the inner sanctum, grinned awelcome at him and said, "Hank! How was Peru? We've been expectingyou."
"Full of Incas," he grinned back. "Incas, Russkies and Chinks. A poorcapitalist conquistador doesn't have a chance. Is the boss inside?"
"He's waiting for you, Hank. See you later."
Hank said, "Um-m-m," and when the door clicked in response to thebutton Betty touched, pushed his way into the inner office.
Morton Twombly, chief of the department, came to his feet, shook handsabruptly and motioned the other to a chair.
"How're things in Peru, Henry?" His voice didn't express too muchreal interest.
Hank said, "We were on the phone just a week ago, Mr. Twombly. It'sabout the same. No, the devil it is. The Chinese have just run intheir new People's Car. They look something like our jeepstation-wagons did fifteen years ago."
Twombly stirred in irritation. "I've heard about them."
Hank took his handkerchief from his breast pocket and polished hisrimless glasses. He said evenly, "They sell for just under two hundreddollars."
"Two hundred dollars?" Twombly twisted his face. "They can't transportthem from China for that."
"Here we go again," Hank sighed. "They also can't sell pressurecookers for a dollar apiece, nor cameras with f.2 lenses for fivebucks. Not to speak of the fact that the Czechs can't sell shoes forfifty cents a pair and, of course, the Russkies can't sell premiumgasoline for five cents a gallon."
Twombly muttered, "They undercut our prices faster than we can votethrough new subsidies. Where's it going to end Henry?"
"I don't know. Perhaps we should have thought a lot more about it tenor fifteen years ago when the best men our universities could turn outwent into advertising, show business and sales—while the best men theRusskies and Chinese could turn out were going into science andindustry." As a man who worked in the field Hank Kuran occasionallygot bitter about these things, and didn't mind this opportunity ofsounding off at the chief.
Hank added, "The height of achievement over there is to be elected tothe Academy of Sciences. Our young people call scientists egg-heads,and their height of achievement is to become a TV singer or a moviestar."
Morton Twombly shot his best field man a quick glance. "You sound asthough you need a vacation, Henry."
Henry Kuran laughed. "Don't mind me, chief. I got into a hassle with