Astounding Science Fiction, British Edition, December 1955 — page 42: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

40 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION man, rolled by holding a score of crimson-faced, owl-eyed creatures some of whom were looking absently at the floor, some at each other, out the sides, anywhere, but directly at the great invader atop the bluff. From the time the train was first observed until realization dawned that it was not going to stop occupied precisely one hour and twenty-four minutes. That was its speed record from the eastward hill to the bluff. Lowering his binoculars, Commodore Leigh said in baffled tones to Pascoe, “Did you get a clear, sharp view of them?” “Yes. Red-faced with beak noses and blinkless eyes. One had his hand resting on a window ledge and I noticed it was five-fingered like ours but with digits more slender.”’ ‘Far less than walking pace,’’ commented Leigh. ‘‘That’s what it’s doing. I can amble faster even with corns on both feet.”” He had another puzzled look outside. The train had gained forty yards in the interval. “I wonder whether the power Boydell attributed to them is based on some obscure form of cunning.” “How do you mean?’’ “If they cannot cope with us while we hold the ship in force, they’ve got to entice us out of it.” “Well, we aren’t out of it, are we?” Pascoe countered. ‘““Nobody has developed a mad desire to catch that train. And, if anybody did, he’d over- take it so fast he’d get wherever it’s going before he had time to pull up. I don’t see how they can bait us into being foolhardy merely by crawling around.” “The tactic would be according to their own logic, not ours,” Leigh pointed out. “Perhaps on this world to crawl is to invite attack. A wild-dog pack reacts that way: the animal that limps gets torn to pieces.” He thought it over, continued, “I’m suspicious of this episode. I don’t like the ostentatious way in which they all kept their eyes fixed on something else as they went ast. It isn’t natural.” ‘“Hah!”’ said Pascoe, prepared to argue. Leigh waved him down. “I know it’s a childish blunder to judge any species by the standards of our own, but I still say it isn’t natural to have eyes and not use them.” “On Terra,’ chipped in Walterson, seriously, “some folk have arms, legs, eyes and even brains that they don’t use. That’s because they have the misfortune to be incurably afflicted, as you know.” He went on, encouraged by the other’s silence. ““What if this track is a connecting link between the town and a sanatorium or hospital? Maybe its sole purpose is to carry sick people.” “We'll soon find out.’ Leigh resorted to the intercom. “‘Williams, is the copter ready yet?” “Assembled and now being fueled, commodore. It can take off in ten minutes’ time.” “Who is duty pilot?” “Ogilvy.” | ‘Tell him to fly ahead of that train and report what’s at the other end COMIC OOKS.COM