A Star Above It and Other Stories by Chad Oliver

Author:Chad Oliver
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
ISBN: 9780575126060
Publisher: Orion
Published: 2015-07-29T16:00:00+00:00

Almost imperceptibly, the twilight deepened. Night would not fall for ten Earth-days. When it did come, it would last for a long, long time.

There was no hurry.

“I knew there was something fishy about this place,” Bob said. “I knew it the minute I got off that ship, the minute I spotted Thunderton.”

“We’ve only been here a month. Maybe we ought to give Tony the benefit of the doubt.”

“Look,” he said. “When you see some joker coming at you with a lead pipe in his hand and blood in his eye, the only doubt you’re entitled to is whether you can bash him before he bashes you.” He hesitated and then spoke slowly. “It’ll be over nineteen Earth-years before that ship comes back for us, Helen. We’re the only people from Earth on this planet except for Tony—and Tony’s been here for ten years. He’s been alone here for five years, ever since his wife died. He’s been a god—he’s had absolute power if he wanted it. If he’s flipped his wig out here, we’ve got to know about it—and fast.”

Helen looked away. She looked at their home, at the soft blue chairs and the pictures on the walls and the lazy couch before the fireplace. Something died in her eyes. “We can’t be sure he’s using those axes,” she said.

“He’s using them all right, and he’s not using them to shave himself with, either.”

There was a long silence, broken only by the wind and the beat of the sea.

“I’ll just have to go out and get some proof,” Bob said finally. “We’ll need photographs.”

“He took you out to meet one group, didn’t he? You didn’t tell me about anything wrong there.”

“I didn’t see anything,” Bob Wistert admitted. “That figures, though. He wouldn’t show me the ones he’d been working on, not unless he’s cracked more than I think he has. There’s another band of them about twenty miles east of here according to the contact map. I can get to them before night. We’ve got to know.”

“Take me with you, Bob. I don’t want to stay here alone.”

He kissed her lightly, ruffling her fragile brown hair with his hand. “No, lady. I can make better time alone, and you’ll be all right here. Just keep the door locked and keep a gun handy. Don’t let him in, Helen, no matter what happens.”

She didn’t argue. “You’ll need some food,” she said.

Packing was simple enough. He put his bed roll in his pocket and slipped the force field generator on his wrist. The food pills went into his belt slots. He pulled on his boots and was ready to go. Weapons were not permitted off the station, and it did not occur to him that he could smuggle one out in his pocket if he wanted to.

In any event, he wasn’t worried about the natives.

“Don’t worry, baby. Everything will be all right.”

“Of course.” she said.

He went out into the bright blue twilight, light-years from the planet Earth. When he had gone, Helen locked the door behind him and sat down in one of the blue chairs.

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