Read Online Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein - Free Book Online Page A

wish. Or free association, if you prefer."
                "Just let yourself float," he said softly. "Two gravities makes you feel heavy, doesn't it? I usually just sleep through it myself. It pulls the blood out of the brain, makes one sleepy. They are beginning to boost the drive again. We'll all have to sleep . . . We'll be heavy . . . We'll have to sleep. .
                I started to tell him that he had better put his watch away-or it would spin right out of his hand. Instead I fell asleep.
     
                When I woke up, the other acceleration bunk was occupied by Dr. Capek. "Howdy, bub," he greeted me. "I got tired of that confounded perambulator and decided to stretch out here and distribute the strain."
                "Uh, are we back on two gravities again?"
                "Eh? Oh yes! We're on two gravities."
                "I'm sorry I blacked out. How long was I asleep?"
                "Oh, not very long. How do you feel?"
                "Fine. Wonderfully rested, in fact."
                "It frequently has that effect. Heavy boost, I mean. Feel like seeing some more pictures?"
                "Why, certainly, if you say so, Doctor."
                "Okay." He reached up and again the room went dark.
                I was braced for the notion that he was going to show me more pictures of Martians; I made up my mind not to panic. After all, I had found it necessary on many occasions to pretend that they were not present; surely motion pictures of them should not affect me-I had simply been surprised earlier.
                They were indeed stereos of Martians, both with and without Mr. Bonforte. I found it possible to study them with detached mind, without terror or disgust.
                Suddenly I realized that I was enjoying looking at them!
                I let out some exclamation and Capek stopped the film. "Trouble?"
                "Doctor-you hypnotized me!"
                "You told me to."
                "But I can't be hypnotized."
                "Sorry to hear it."
                "Uh-so you managed it. I'm not too dense to see that." I added, "Suppose we try those pictures again. I can't really believe it."
                He switched them on and I watched and wondered. Martians were not disgusting, if one looked at them without prejudice; they weren't even ugly. In fact, they possessed the same quaint grace as a Chinese pagoda. True, they were not human in form, but neither is a bird of paradise-and birds of paradise are the loveliest things alive.
                I began to realize, too, that their pseudo limbs could be very expressive; their awkward gestures showed some of the bumbling friendliness of puppies. I knew now that I had looked at Martians all my life through the dark glasses of hate and fear.
                Of course, I mused, theft stench would still take getting used to, but-and then I suddenly realized that I was smelling them, the unmistakable odor-and I didn't mind it a bit! In fact, I liked it. "Doctor!" I said urgently. "This machine has a 'smellie' attachment-doesn't it?"
                "Eh? I believe not. No, I'm sure it hasn't-too much parasitic weight for a yacht."
                "But it must. I can smell them very plainly."
                "Oh, yes." He looked slightly shamefaced. "Bub, I did one thing to you that I hope will cause you no inconvenience."
                "Sir?"
                "While we were digging around inside your skull it became evident that a lot of your neurotic orientation about Martians was triggered by their body odor. I didn't have time to do a deep job so I had to offset it. I asked Penny-that's the youngster who was in here before-for a loan of some of the perfume she uses. I'm afraid that from here on