Read Online The Universe Maker by A. E. van Vogt - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: A. E. van Vogt
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arms.
She was stiff and unbending. She kept mumbling something about " It's sin! It's sin!" Her lips when he kissed her trembled. She tried to pull away, and yet simultaneously her body went limp. She took the gun out from between them and held it off to one side, as if she were afraid it might go off. If ever a person was in a state of internal conflict, it was she.
"Give me the gun," said Cargill. "We've got to be equal. A woman has got to trust a man. It can't be any other way."
He kissed her again, and this time she offered no resistance. She was crying a little under her breath, a sound as old as the relationship between a man and a woman. Cargill instinctively kissed away her tears, and then reached over and took the gun.
Just for an instant, that made her stiffen; and then— and then she let him have it.
9
It seemed to Cargill that control of the sky floater would enable him to do what he wanted. But what did he want? The weeks passed and he could not make up his mind. For some reason he had become involved in a plot. If he made a move that brought him out into the open, the plotters would once more close in upon him, and would try to force him to do their will.
Finally, one day Cargill had an idea, the beginning of purpose. The nature of that purpose made him uneasy but the idea, once it came, would not go away. He went into the control room and sat down in front of the video plate. It was not the first tune he had examined the machine or listened hi to it. But now there was a plan in his mind.
As with the floater engine and other machinery, the TV and radio mechanism was completely enclosed, making it impossible for him to examine the inner workings of the instrument. For a while Cargill simply tuned into conversations and into the one program that was on.
A Shadow station broadcasted the program, which consisted of popular music of the jive variety. After each selection, a persuasive voice urged the listener to come to Shadow City and receive Shadow training. To Cargill, who did not care for jazz, the "commercials" had been fascinating—in the beginning. Now he listened for a few moments to the repetitious music and then absently turned the dial.
Occasionally, he adjusted to see if any pictures were being broadcast. He found several. First, there was a man's coarse face and the man saying, "Now look, we've got to work this deal without any fooling." Car-gill listened long enough to the "deal" to find out that it had to do with a boss bargaining as to how much he would receive for a new floater, which had been turned over to him by the Shadows. Cargill noted down the man's name, the details of the transaction and made another adjustment.
The next picture showed the interior of a ship. Apparently, a broadcaster had been left on carelessly. Since only the bosses had TV broadcasting units Cargill presumed that he was gazing into a boss's control room. He saw no one, though he watched for several minutes. A third picture featured a youth talking to a girl. He was saying, "Aw, c'mon, Jenny, you get your ma to put your floater down near ours tonight. Don't be one of these hard-to-get women."
There were other personal conversations. Cargill identified their nature and passed on. It was too early for the only television show broadcast by the Shadows. Not that he was any longer particularly interested in it. It always featured the arrival of Tweeners and Planiacs at the terminal center just outside Shadow City. Emphasis was given to the Planiacs. It was a man-in-the-street type of show in which a Shadow interrogator questioned new arrivals who wished to take Shadow training. When he had first heard the show Cargill had hoped the Shadows would actually picturize a part of their training program. So far they had not done so.
Not for the first tune he felt disappointed that these receivers were unable to tune in on programs broadcast from Tweener cities. It was significant, of course. The Shadows were evidently
She was stiff and unbending. She kept mumbling something about " It's sin! It's sin!" Her lips when he kissed her trembled. She tried to pull away, and yet simultaneously her body went limp. She took the gun out from between them and held it off to one side, as if she were afraid it might go off. If ever a person was in a state of internal conflict, it was she.
"Give me the gun," said Cargill. "We've got to be equal. A woman has got to trust a man. It can't be any other way."
He kissed her again, and this time she offered no resistance. She was crying a little under her breath, a sound as old as the relationship between a man and a woman. Cargill instinctively kissed away her tears, and then reached over and took the gun.
Just for an instant, that made her stiffen; and then— and then she let him have it.
9
It seemed to Cargill that control of the sky floater would enable him to do what he wanted. But what did he want? The weeks passed and he could not make up his mind. For some reason he had become involved in a plot. If he made a move that brought him out into the open, the plotters would once more close in upon him, and would try to force him to do their will.
Finally, one day Cargill had an idea, the beginning of purpose. The nature of that purpose made him uneasy but the idea, once it came, would not go away. He went into the control room and sat down in front of the video plate. It was not the first tune he had examined the machine or listened hi to it. But now there was a plan in his mind.
As with the floater engine and other machinery, the TV and radio mechanism was completely enclosed, making it impossible for him to examine the inner workings of the instrument. For a while Cargill simply tuned into conversations and into the one program that was on.
A Shadow station broadcasted the program, which consisted of popular music of the jive variety. After each selection, a persuasive voice urged the listener to come to Shadow City and receive Shadow training. To Cargill, who did not care for jazz, the "commercials" had been fascinating—in the beginning. Now he listened for a few moments to the repetitious music and then absently turned the dial.
Occasionally, he adjusted to see if any pictures were being broadcast. He found several. First, there was a man's coarse face and the man saying, "Now look, we've got to work this deal without any fooling." Car-gill listened long enough to the "deal" to find out that it had to do with a boss bargaining as to how much he would receive for a new floater, which had been turned over to him by the Shadows. Cargill noted down the man's name, the details of the transaction and made another adjustment.
The next picture showed the interior of a ship. Apparently, a broadcaster had been left on carelessly. Since only the bosses had TV broadcasting units Cargill presumed that he was gazing into a boss's control room. He saw no one, though he watched for several minutes. A third picture featured a youth talking to a girl. He was saying, "Aw, c'mon, Jenny, you get your ma to put your floater down near ours tonight. Don't be one of these hard-to-get women."
There were other personal conversations. Cargill identified their nature and passed on. It was too early for the only television show broadcast by the Shadows. Not that he was any longer particularly interested in it. It always featured the arrival of Tweeners and Planiacs at the terminal center just outside Shadow City. Emphasis was given to the Planiacs. It was a man-in-the-street type of show in which a Shadow interrogator questioned new arrivals who wished to take Shadow training. When he had first heard the show Cargill had hoped the Shadows would actually picturize a part of their training program. So far they had not done so.
Not for the first tune he felt disappointed that these receivers were unable to tune in on programs broadcast from Tweener cities. It was significant, of course. The Shadows were evidently
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