A Matter of Matter (Stories from the Golden Age) by L. Ron Hubbard

Author:L. Ron Hubbard
Language: eng
Format: mobi, pdf
Tags: Science Fiction, Adventure
ISBN: 9781592127320
Publisher: Galaxy Press LLC.
Published: 2010-06-01T10:00:00+00:00

The following morning, Sleepy went off in a scout ship they had dredged up and took a look at the planet. He flew at ninety thousand feet, with tracers taking down all necessary data of coastlines, prominent rivers and mountains.

The geology had changed enormously, due to some thirty pounds of plutonium, a crude explosive, injected into this planet’s core. The rarefied atmosphere had broken down the component parts of methane and ammonia into something which could be breathed everywhere on the planet. There were enough seas to provide air saturation and guarantee rainfall, and enough deposits of eroded soil to make crops possible.

When he returned just after dark, he had a map of the planet as it now existed and he could send, by latitude and longitude, four other planes to scatter tons of various seeds.

When he had sent them he found Tommer recovering from a bad case of seasickness. Tommer was sitting by the galley stove being consoled by Barteber and trying to get warm.

Sleepy was about to add his condolences when a sputter of jets told of a landing spacecraft and visitors.

Doyle was in complete helmet and ammonia suit, as were the rest, and they were astonished to find a window open. Nervously, Doyle made a motion to close it, saw that Sleepy, Barteber and Tommer wore no helmets and gingerly removed his own.

“I got action,” said Doyle. “I brought your vice-president in charge of construction and he has seen fit—”

“Hello, Bainsly,” said Sleepy.

“Hello, Sleepy. What’s up?”

“You’re in time to inspect,” said Sleepy. “But have a drink.” He poured several tumblers full. “She’s got a proper atmosphere, with plenty of water in the right places. She’s got soil and the boys are out scattering seeds to hold it where it is, and I guess that is about that. We’re nine days ahead of deadline so that’s a nine million bonus.”

Doyle didn’t drink. “That’s impossible! When I left here twenty-one days ago, nothing had been done. You worked for four months—”

“You mean we studied potentials for four months,” said Sleepy.

“You could have done this in half the time!” Doyle raged. “I demand to know why you fooled around with those cats!”

“Come,” said Sleepy, and moved his languid length out to the deck.

He took the others over to the hut which had been sealed on Doyle’s departure and had the seal struck off.

“Witnesses will state that this has not been opened since you last entered it, Doyle. . . . Come in, gentlemen.”

Sleepy then began to tear up the flooring with a crowbar and shortly there were revealed cat-track pins, detonators and all manner of necessary small equipment.

“The cats were bait, Doyle,” said Sleepy. “Bainsly here can tell you all about such things. You wanted to slow us down and you thought you did. You would have gotten an entire planet remake for nothing, and transportation for your colonists as well, if this sabotage had succeeded. But you didn’t kill any men, and so I don’t think my company will make a charge.

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