COUNTERWEIGHT
By JERRY SOHL
Every town has crime—but
especially a town that is
traveling from star to star!
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Worlds of If Science Fiction, November 1959.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Sure I'm a Nilly, and I've died seven times, always in the blacknessof the outer reaches, and I'm not alone, although there aren't verymany of us, never were.
It made sense. Interstellar was new and they wanted him on the shipbecause he was a trained observer. They wanted facts, not gibberish.But to ask a man to give up two years of his life—well, that wasasking a lot. Two years in a sardine can. Still, it had an appeal KeithEllason knew he couldn't deny, a newsman's joy of the clean beat, aplanetary system far afield, a closeup view of the universe, history inthe making.
Interstellar Chief Rexroad knocked the dottle from his pipe in a tray,saying, "Transworld Press is willing to let you have a leave ofabscence, if you're interested."
He knew Secretary Phipps from years of contacting, and now Phipps said,"Personally, I don't want to see anybody else on the job. You've got afine record in this sort of thing."
Keith Ellason smiled, but just barely. "You should have called me forthe first trip."
Phipps nodded. "I wish we had had you on the Weblor I."
"Crewmen," Rexroad said, "make poor reporters."
The Weblor I had taken off on the first trip to Antheon five yearsbefore with a thousand families, reached the planet with less than fivehundred surviving colonists. Upon the return to Earth a year later, thecrew's report of suffering and chaos during the year's outgoing voyagewas twisted, distorted and fragmentary. Ellason remembered it well. Thedecision of Interstellar was that the colonists started a revolutionfar out in space, that it was fanned by the ignorance of CaptainSessions in dealing with such matters.
"Space affects men in a peculiar way," Phipps said. "We have conqueredthe problem of small groups in space—witness the discovery ofAntheon, for example—but when there are large groups, control is moredifficult."
"Sessions," Rexroad said, "was a bully. The trouble started at aboutthe halfway point. It ended with passengers engaging in open warfarewith each other and the crew. Sessions was lucky to escape with hislife."
"As I recall," Ellason said, "there was something about stunners."
Phipps rubbed his chin. "No weapons were allowed on the ship, but youmust remember the colonists were selected for their intelligence andresourcefulness. They utilized these attributes to set up weapon shopsto arm themselves."
"The second trip is history," Rexroad said. "And a puzzle."
Ellason nodded. "The ship disappeared."
"Yes. We gave control to the colonists."
"Assuming no accident in space," Phipps said, "it was a wrong decision.They probably took over the ship."
"And now," Ellason said, "you're going to try again."
Rexroad said very gravely, "We've got the finest captain inInterplanetary. Harvey Branson. No doubt you've heard of him. He'sspent his life in our own system, and he's handpicking his own crew. Wehave also raised prerequisites for applicants. We don't think anythingis going to happen, but if it does, we want to get an impersonal,unprejudiced view. That's where you come in. You do the observing, thereporting. We'll evaluate it on your return