The Starchild by Frederik Pohl

Author:Frederik Pohl [Pohl, Frederik]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-12-23T05:00:00+00:00

TO THE PLANNER, OR TO WHOEVER SUCCEEDS HIM IF HE IS NOW DEAD:

You and those who serve with you ignored my warning and discounted the dimming of the Sun.

I send you now a pack of beasts to show that my powers can do more than frighten. They will destroy much. They may yet destroy more.

If I send them again, it will not be to the headquarters of the Planner—if anything remains of that to be destroyed.

The next demonstration will occur in the vaults of the Planning Machine.

Gann looked up, his lips taut, his eyes narrowed. "The Planning Machine!" he said. "General, we must tell Sister Delta Four at once! This must be conveyed to the Machine immediately."

The general rasped, "That decision will be made by me, Major. What have you to say for yourself?"

Startled, Gann said, "Why—I don't know what you mean, General. I didn't have anything to do with ..." Then he saw that the general was no longer standing with his arms at his side. One hand held a laser gun again, and it was pointing at him.

"You're under arrest," clipped General Wheeler metallically. "Do not attempt to draw those weapons. Do not speak or move."

Gann opened his mouth, then closed it again. This was the overwhelming, culminating insanity of a fantastic experience. Himself under arrest!

But for what? He dared not even ask. The general's iron expression showed that he meant his orders to be obeyed.

Behind him, Boysie Gann heard the movements of the guards, coming near—and past them, a distant booming.

He recognized that sound. Another stray pyropod! He forgot his orders and cried: "General! There's another one."

General Wheeler rapped, "Be silent! I will not speak again! The men will take care of your beast!" His voice was queerly loud, Gann thought, even in his confusion— almost as if the general were speaking not to him, but to the roomful of witnesses.

But he could not help himself. He knew what one single pyropod could do, knew that even the Planner's guards might not be able to cope with it—and knew that in that room was the body and heart of the girl he loved, even though they might be inhabited by the cold, machinelike mind of Sister Delta Four. He whirled, drew his laser gun and was ready as the roar of the pyropod shrieked to the door of the room and the creature appeared.

Gann fired at the red eyes.

The guards were ready too, alerted by the sound and by Gann's quick action; they had turned and were firing. The creature was caught in a dozen bolts of destroying energy. It puffed into flame and exploded ...

And between Gann and the door, Sister Delta Four, whispering into her linkbox, fell silently forward. She dropped to the floor and did not move, though the linkbox hooted questioningly to her.

"She's hit!" cried Gann and, dropping his weapons, raced to her. He caught her up in his arms, and stared into her black eyes.

His hands were covered with blood. Along one

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