the Dark Light Years Read Free

of the absurd as well as the miraculous. They must never get exalted or puffed up; for were not even their gods formed in the divine shape of a turdling?
    The third Politan much enjoyed this monologue. What is most familiar is most reassuring.
    He lay with only the tip of one snout showing above the bubbling surface of the mud, and spoke in his submerged voice, through his ockpu orifices. With one of his unsubmerged eyes, he gazed across at the dark bulk of their star-realm-ark, beautifully bulbous and black against the sky. Ah, life was good and rich, even so far away from beloved Dapdrof. Come next esod. he'd really have to change sex and become a mother; he owed it to his line; but even that... well, as he'd often heard his mother say, to a pleasant mind all was pleasant. He thought lovingly of his mother, and leant against her. He was as fond of her as ever since she had changed sex and become a Sacred Cosmopolitan.
    Then he squealed through all orifices. Behind the ark, lights were flashing. The third Politan pointed this out to his companions. They all looked where he indicated. Not lights only. A continuous growling noise.
    Not only one light Four round sources of light, cutting through the dark, and a fifth light that moved about restlessly, like a fumbling limb. It came to rest on the ark.
    "I suggest that a life form is approaching," said one of the priestlings.
    As he spoke, they saw more clearly. Heading along the valley towards them were two chunky shapes.
    From the chunky shapes came the growling noise. The chunky shapes reached the ark and stopped. The growling noise stopped.
    "How interesting! They are larger than we are," said the first Politan.
    Smaller shapes were climbing from the two chunky objects. Now the light that had bathed the ark turned its eye on to the wallow. In unison, to avoid being dazzled, the utods moved their vision to a more comfortable radiation band. They saw the smaller shapes - four of them there were, and thin-shaped - line up on the bank.
    "If they make their own light, they must be fairly intelligent," said the Cosmopolitan. "Which do you think the life forms are - the two chunky objects with eyes, or the four thin things?”
    "Perhaps the thin things are their grorgs." suggested a priestling.
    "It would be only polite to get out and see," said the Cosmopolitan. He heaved his bulk up and began to move towards the four figures. His companions rose to follow him. They heard noises coming from the figures on the bank, which were now backing away.
    "How delightful!" exclaimed the second Politan, hurrying to get ahead. "I do believe they are trying in their primitive way to communicate!”
    "What fortune that we came!" said the third Politan. but the remark was, of course, not aimed at the Cosmopolitan.
    "Greetings, creatures!" bellowed two of the priestlings.
    And it was at that moment that the creatures on the bank raised Earth-made weapons to their hips and opened fire.
    CHAPTER TWO
    Captain Bargerone struck a characteristic posture. Which is to say that he stood very still with his hands hanging limply down the seams of his sky blue shorts and rendered his face without expression. It was a form of self-control he had practiced several times on this trip, particularly when confronted by his Master Explorer. "Do you wish me to take what you are saying seriously.
    "Ainson?" he asked. "Or are you merely trying to delay take-off?”
    Master Explorer Bruce Ainson swallowed; he was a religious man, and he silently summoned the Almighty to help him get the better of this fool who saw nothing beyond his duty.
    "The two creatures we captured last night have definitely attempted to communicate with me, sir.
    Under space exploration definitions, anything that attempts to communicate with a man must be regarded as at least sub-human until proved otherwise.”
    "That is so, Captain Bargerone," Explorer Phipps said, fluttering his eyelashes nervously as he rose to the support of his boss.
    "You do