The Terrible Answer Read online

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  _They came to Mars inquiring after the stuff of Empire. They got--_

  The TERRIBLE ANSWER

  By Arthur G. Hill

  They came down to Mars ahead of the rest because Larkin had bought anunfair advantage--a copy of the Primary Report. There were seven ofthem, all varying in appearance, but with one thing in common; in theeyes of each glowed the greed for Empire. They came down in a flash oforange tail-fire and they looked first at the Martians.

  "Green," marveled Evans. "What a queer shade of green!"

  "Not important," Cleve, the psychologist, replied. "Merely a matter ofpigmentation. White, yellow, black, green. It proves only that God lovesvariety."

  "And lord how they grin!"

  Cleve peered learnedly. "Doesn't indicate a thing. They were born withthose grins. They'll die with them."

  Of the seven strong men, Larkin exuded the most power. Thus, his role ofleader was a natural one. No man would ever stand in front of Larkin. Hesaid, "To hell with color or the shape of their mouths. What we're afterlies inside. Come on. Let's set up a camp."

  "For the time being," Cleve cautioned, "we must ignore them. Later--weknow what to do. I'll give the nod."

  They brought what they needed out of the ship. They brought the plastictents, broke the small, attached cylinders, and watched the tents bulgeup into living quarters. They set up the vapor condenser and it beganfilling the water tank from the air about them. They plugged a line intothe ship and attached it to the tent-line. Immediately the gasses in theplastic tents began to glow and give off both light and heat.

  They did many things while the Martians stood silently by with theirarms hanging, their splay-feet flat on the ground, their slash-mouthsgrinning.

  The seven sat down to their first meal under the Martian stars and whilethey ate the rich, delicate foods, they listened to the words of Larkin."A new empire waiting to be built. A whole planet--virgin--new."

  "Not new," Dane, the archeologist, said. "It's older than Earth. It'sbeen worked before."

  Larkin waved an impatient hand. "But hardly scratched. It can have risenand fallen a thousand times for all we care. The important thing is thevital ingredient of empire. Is it here? Can it be harnessed? Are we orare we not, on the threshold of wealth, splendor, and progress so greatas to take away the breath?"

  And as Larkin spoke, all seven men looked at the Martians; lookedcovertly while appearing to study the rolling plain and the purpleridges far away; the texture of the soil; the color of the sky; the foodon their plates; the steaming fragrance of their coffee. They looked atall these things but they studied the Martians.

  "Stupid-looking animals," Evans muttered. "Odd though. So like us--yetso different."

  At first there had been only a handful of Martians to grin at thelanding of the ship. Now they numbered over a hundred, their ranksaugmented by stragglers who came to stare with their fellows in happysilence.

  "The prospects are excellent," Cleve said. Then he jerked his attentionback to Larkin from whom it had momentarily wandered. When Larkin spoke,one listened.

  * * * * *

  Larkin had been directing his words toward a young man named Smith.Smith had inherited a great deal of money which was fine. But Larkinwasn't too sure of his qualifications otherwise. "--the pyramids,"Larkin was saying. "Would they have ever been built if the men upabove--the men with vision--had had to worry about a payroll?"

  Smith regarded the Martians with not quite the impersonal stare of theother six Earthlings. Once or twice he grinned back at them. "I'll grantthe truth of what you say," he told Larkin, "but what good were thepyramids? They're something I could never figure."

  Smith had a sardonic twist of mouth that annoyed Larkin. "Let's notquibble, man. I merely used the pyramids as an example. Call themEmpire; call them any Empire on Earth from the beginning of knownhistory and let's face facts."

  "Facts?" Smith asked. He had been looking at a six-foot-six Martian,thinking what a magnificent specimen he was. If only they'd wipe offthose silly grins.

  "Yes, facts. The building must be done. It is a law of nature. Man mustprogress or not. And what empire can arise without free labor? Can wedevelop this planet at union scale? Impossible! Yet it's crying to bedeveloped."

  Cleve knocked the ashes off his cigar and frowned. Being a man of directaction, he inquired. "Do you want your money back, Smith?"

  The latter shook his head. "Oh no! Don't get me wrong, gentlemen. I'mfor empire first, last and always. And if we can lay the foundations ofone on the backs of these stupid creatures, I'm for it."

  "I still don't like your--"

  "My outspoken manner? Don't give it a thought, old man. I just don'twant to be all cloyed up with platitudes. If we're going to chain thechildren of Israel into the house of bondage, let's get on with it."

  "I don't like your attitude," Larkin said stubbornly. "In the long run,it will benefit these people."

  "Let's say, rather, that it may benefit their children. I doubt if thesejokers will be around very long after we start cracking the whip."

  Dane was stirred. "The whip," he murmured. "Symbol of empire." Butnobody heard him. They were too busy listening to Larkin and Smith--andwatching the Martians.

  The Martians stood around grinning, waiting patiently for something tohappen. Larkin's attitude toward them had changed again. First there hadbeen curiosity. Then a narrow-eyed calculation; now he regarded themwith contempt. The careful, studied checks and tests would be made ofcourse. But Larkin, a man of sure instincts, had already made up hismind.

  He stretched luxuriously. "Let's call it a day and turn in. Tomorrowwe'll go about the business at hand with clearer heads."

  "A good idea," Cleve said, "but first, one little gesture. I think itwould be judicious." He eyed the Martians, settling finally upon one--amale--standing close and somewhat apart from the rest. Cleve scowled.Standing erect, he called, "Hey--you!" He interpreted the words with abeckoning gesture of his arm. "Come here! Here, boy! Over here!"

  The Martian reacted with a typically Earthian gesture. He pointed to hisown chest with one green finger, while a questioning expressionreflected through the eternal grin.

  "Yes, you! On the double."

  * * * * *

  The Martian came forward. There was in his manner a slight hesitation,and Smith expected to see his hind quarters wriggle like that of adog--uncertain, but eager to please.

  Cleve pointed with a martinet gesture toward the smoked-out cigar butthe'd thrown to the ground. "Pick it up!"

  The Martian stood motionless.

  "Pick--it--_up_, you stupid lout!"

  _Larkin--now beyond sanity--was gibbering in thegrave._]

  The Martian understood. With a glad little whimper, he bent over andtook the cigar butt in his hand.

  "There," Cleve said. "Garbage can! Get it? _Garbage can._ Place fortrash--for cigar butts. Put it in there."

  Smith wasn't sure whether the grin deepened or not. He thought it did,as the Martian laid the cigar butt carefully into the trash can.

  "Okay, you fella," Cleve barked, still scowling. "Back and away now.Stay out there! Get it? Only come when you're called."

  It took a few eloquent gestures, including the pantomime of swinging awhip, before the Martian understood and complied. After he backed intothe circle of his fellows, Cleve dropped the cruel overseer manner andturned with satisfaction to Larkin. "I think there will be no trouble atall," he said. "Tomorrow we'll really get down to cases. I predictsmooth sailing."

  They said goodnight to each other and went about the b
usiness ofpreparing for slumber. As he raised the glowing flap of his tent, Larkinsaw Smith lounging in a chair before the electric heat unit. "Aren't yougoing to get some sleep?"

  "In a little while. I'm going to wait around until those two famousmoons come. Want to see them first hand."

  "A waste of time," Larkin said. "Better keep your mind on more importantthings."

  "Goodnight," Smith said. Larkin did not reply, and Smith turned his headto look at the Martians. He wondered where they had come from. Theyprobably had a village somewhere over the rise. He regarded them withoutfear or apprehension