SECOND VARIETY

by Philip K. Dick

THE RUSSIAN SOLDIER made his way nervously up the ragged

side of the bill, holding his gun ready. He glanced around

him, licking his dry lips, his face set. From time to time he

reached up a gloved band and wiped perspiration from his

neck, pushing down his coat collar.

Eric turned to Corporal Leone. "Want him? Or can I have

him?" He adjusted the view sight so the Russian's features

squarely filled the glass, the lines cutting across his hard,

sombre features.

Leone considered. The Russian was close, moving rapidly,

almost running. "Don't fire. Wait," Leone tensed. "I don't

think we're needed."

The Russian increased his pace, kicking ash and piles of

debris out of his way. He reached the top of the hill and

stopped, panting, staring around him. The sky was overcast,

drifting clouds of grey particles. Bare trunks of trees jutted up

occasionally; the ground was level and bare, rubble-strewn,

with the ruins of buildings standing out here and there like

yellowing skulls.

The Russian was uneasy. He knew something was wrong. He

started down the hill. Now he was only a few paces from the

bunker. Eric was getting fidgety. He played with his pistol,

glancing at Leone.

"Don't worry," Leone said. "He won't get here. They'll

take care of him."

"Are you sure? He's got damn far."

"They hang around close to the bunker. He's getting into

the bad part. Get set!"

The Russian began to hurry, sliding down the hill, his

boots sinking into the heaps of grey ash, trying to keep his

gun up. He stopped for a moment, lifting his field-glasses to

his face.

"He's looking right at us," Eric said.

The Russian came on. They could see his eyes, like two

blue stones. His mouth was open a little. He needed a

shave; his chin was stubbled. On one bony cheek was a

square of tape, showing blue at the edge. A fungoid spot. His

coat was muddy and torn. One glove was missing. As he ran

his belt counter bounced up and down against him.

Leone touched Eric's arm. "Here one comes."

Across the ground something small and metallic came,

flashing in the dull sunlight of mid-day. A metal sphere. It

raced up the hill after the Russian, its treads flying. It was

small, one of the baby ones. Its claws were out, two razor pro-

jections spinning in a blur of white steel. The Russian heard

it. He turned instantly, firing. The sphere dissolved into par-

ticles. But already a second had emerged and was following

the first. The Russian fired again.

A third sphere leaped up the Russian's leg, clicking and

whirring. It jumped to the shoulder. The spinning blades dis-

appeared into the Russian's throat.

Eric relaxed. "Well, that's that. God, those damn things

give me the creeps. Sometimes I think we were better off be-

fore."

"If we hadn't invented them, they would have." Leone lit

a cigarette shakily. "I wonder why a Russian would come all

this way alone. I didn't see anyone covering him."

Lieutenant Scott came slipping up the tunnel, into the bunk-

er. "What happened? Something entered the screen."

"An Ivan."

"Just one?"

Eric brought the screen view around. Scott peered into it.

Now there were numerous metal spheres crawling over the

prostrate body, dull metal globes clicking and whirring, saw-

ing up the Russian into small parts to be carried away.

"What a lot of claws," Scott murmured.

"They come like flies. Not much game for them any more."

Scott pushed the sight away, disgusted. "Like flies. I wonder

why he was out there. They know we have claws all around."

A larger robot had joined the smaller spheres. It was direct-

ing operations, a long blunt tube with projecting eyepieces.

There was not much left of the soldier. What remained

was being brought down the hillside by the host of claws.

"Sir," Leone said. "If it's all right, I'd like to go out there

and take a look at him."

"Why?"

"Maybe he came with something."

Scott considered. He shrugged. "All right. But be careful."

"I have my tab." Leone patted the metal band at his

wrist. "I'll be out of bounds."

He picked up his rifle and stepped carefully up to the

mouth of the bunker, making his way between blocks of con-

crete and steel prongs, twisted and bent. The air was cold at

the top. He crossed over the ground towards the remains of the

soldier, striding across the soft ash. A wind blew around him,

swirling grey particles up in his face. He squinted and pushed

on.

The claws retreated as he came close, some of them stiffen-

ing into immobility. He touched his tab. The Ivan would

have given something for that! Short hard radiation emitted

from the tab neutralized the claws, put them out of commis-

sion. Even the big robot with its two waving eyestalks re-

treated respectfully as he approached.

He bent down over the remains of the soldier. The gloved

hand was closed tightly. There was something in it. Leone

pried the fingers apart. A sealed container, aluminium. Still

shiny.

He put it in his pocket and made his way back to the

bunker. Behind him the claws came back to life, moving

into operation again. The procession resumed, metal spheres

moving through the grey ash with their loads. He could hear

their treads scrabbling against the ground. He shuddered.

Scott watched intently as he brought the shiny tube out

of his pocket. "He had that?"

"In his hand." Leone unscrewed the top. "Maybe you

should look at it, sir."

Scott took it. He emptied the contents out in the palm of

his hand. A small piece of silk paper, carefully folded. He

sat down by the light and unfolded it.

"What's it say, sir?" Eric said. Several officers came up

the tunnel. Major Hendricks appeared.

"Major," Scott said. "Look at this."

Hendricks read the slip. "This just come?"

"A single runner. Just now."

"Where is he?" Hendricks asked sharply.

"The claws got him."

Major Hendricks grunted. "Here." He passed it to his com-

panions. "I think this is what we've been waiting for. They

certainly took their time about it."

"So they want to talk terms," Scott said. "Are we going

along with them?"

"That's not for us to decide." Hendricks sat down. "Where's

the communications officer? I want the Moon Base."

Leone pondered as the communications officer raised the

outside antenna cautiously, scanning the sky above the bunker

for any sign of a watching Russian ship.

"Sir," Scott said to Hendricks. "It's sure strange they sud-

denly came around. We've been using the claws for almost a

year. Now all of a sudden they start to fold."

"Maybe claws have been getting down in their bunkers."

"One of the big ones, the kind with stalks, got into an

Ivan bunker last week," Eric said. "It got a whole platoon

of them before they got their lid shut."

"How do you know?"

"A buddy told me. The thing came back withwith re-

mains."

"Moon Base, sir," the communications officer said.

On the screen the face of the lunar monitor appeared. His

crisp uniform contrasted to the uniforms in the bunker. And

he was clean shaven. "Moon Base."

"This is forward command L-Whistle. On Terra. Let me

have General Thompson."

The monitor faded. Presently General Thompson's heavy

features came into focus. "What is it, Major?"

"Our claws got a single Russian runner with a message.

We don't know whether to act on itthere have been tricks

like this in the past."

"What's the message?"

"The Russians want us to send a single officer on policy

level over to their lines. For a conference. They don't state

the nature of the conference. They say that matters of" He

consulted the slip. "Matters of grave urgency make it ad-

visable that discussion be opened between a representative of

the UN forces and themselves."

He held the message up to the screen for the general to

scan. Thompson's eyes moved.

"What should we do?" Hendricks asked.

"Send a man out."

"You don't think it's a trap?"

"It might be. But the location they give for their forward

command is correct. It's worth a try, at any rate."

"I'll send an officer out. And report the results to you as

soon as he returns."

"All right. Major." Thompson broke the connection. "The

screen died. Up above, the antenna came slowly down.

Hendricks rolled up the paper, deep in, thought.

"I'll go," Leone said.

"They want somebody at policy level." Hendricks rubbed

his jaw. "Policy level. I haven't been outside in months. May-

be I could use a little air."

"Don't you think it's risky?"

Hendricks lifted the view sight and gazed into it. The re-

mains of the Russian were gone. Only a single claw was in

sight. It was folding itself back, disappearing into the ash, like

a crab. Like some hideous metal crab. . .

"That's the only thing that bothers me." Hendricks rubbed

his wrist. "I know I'm safe as long as I have this on me. But

there's something about them. I hate the damn things. I wish

we'd never invented them. There's something wrong with

them. Relentless little"

"If we hadn't invented them, the Ivans would have."

Hendricks pushed the sight back. "Anyhow, it seems to be

winning the war. I guess that's good."

"Sounds like you're getting the same jitters as the Ivans."

Hendricks examined his wrist watch. "I guess I had better

get started, if I want to be there before dark."

He took a deep breath and then stepped out on to the grey,

rubbed ground. After a minute he lit a cigarette and stood

gazing around him. The landscape was dead. Nothing stirred.

He could see for miles, endless ash and slag, ruins of build-

ings. A few trees without leaves or branches, only the trunks.

Above him the eternal rolling clouds of grey, drifting between

Terra and the sun'.

Major Hendricks went on. Off to the right something

scuttled, something round and metallic. A claw, going lickety-

split after something. Probably after a small animal, a rat.

They got rats, too. As a sort of sideline.

He came to the top of the little hill and lifted his field-

glasses. The Russian lines were a few miles ahead of him.

They had a forward command post there. The runner had

come from it.

A squat robot with undulating arms passed by him, its arms

weaving inquiringly. The robot went on its way, disappearing

under some debris. Hendricks watched it go. He had never

seen that type before. There were getting to be more and

more types he had never seen, new varieties and sizes com-

ing up from the underground factories.

Hendricks put out his cigarette and hurried on. It was in-

teresting, the use of artificial forms in warfare. How had

they got started? Necessity. The Soviet Union had gained

great initial success, usual with the side that got the war go-

ing. Most of North America had been blasted off the map. Re-

taliation was quick in coming, of course. The sky was full of

circling disc-bombers long before the war began; they had

been up there for years. The discs began sailing down all

over Russia within hours after Washington got it.

But that hadn't helped Washington.

The American bloc governments moved to the Moon Base

the first year. There was not much else to do. Europe was

gone; a slag heap with dark weeds growing from the ashes and

bones. Most of North America was useless; nothing could be

planted, no one could live. A few million people kept going

up in Canada and down in South America. But during the

second year Soviet parachutists began to drop, a few at first,

then more and more. They wore the first really effective anti-

radiation equipment; what was left of American production

moved to the moon along with the governments.

All but the troops. The remaining troops stayed behind as

best they could, a few thousand here, a platoon there. No one

knew exactly where they were; they stayed where they could,

moving around at night, hiding in ruins, in sewers, cellars, with

the rats and snakes. It looked as if the Soviet Union had the

war almost won. Except for a handful of projectiles fired off

from the moon daily, there was almost no weapon in use

aginst them. They came and went as they pleased. The war,

for all practical purposes, was over. Nothing effective opposed

them.

And then the first claws appeared. And overnight the com-

plexion of the war changed.

The claws were awkward, at first. Slow. The Ivans knocked

them off almost as fast as they crawled out of their under-

ground tunnels. But then they got better, faster, and more cun-

ning. Factories, all on Terra, turned them out. Factories a

long way underground, behind the Soviet lines, factories that

had once made atomic projectiles, now almost forgotten.

The claws got faster, and they got bigger. New types ap-

peared, some with feelers, some that flew. There were a

few jumping kinds. The best technicians on the moon were

working on designs, making them more and more intricate,

more flexible. They became uncanny; the Ivans were having a

lot of trouble with them. Some of the little claws were

learning to hide themselves, bun-owing down into the ash,

lying in wait.

And then they started getting into the Russian bunkers,

slipping down when the lids were raised for air and a look

around. One claw inside a bunker, a churning sphere of

blades and metalthat was enough. And when one got in

others followed. With a weapon like that the war couldn't

go on much longer.

Maybe it was already over.

Maybe he was going to hear the news. Maybe the Polit-

buro had decided to throw in the sponge. Too bad it had taken

so long. Six years. A long time for war like that, the way

they had waged it. The automatic retaliation discs, spinning

down all over Russia, hundreds of thousands of them. Bacteria

crystals. The Soviet guided missiles, whistling through the air.

The chain bombs. And now this, the robots, the claws

The claws weren't like other weapons. They were alive,

from any practical standpoint, whether the Governments

wanted to admit it or not. They were not machines. They

were living things, spinning, creeping, shaking themselves up

suddenly from the grey ash and darting towards a man, climb-

ing up him, rushing for his throat. And that was what they

had been designed to do. Their job.

They did their job well. Especially lately, with the new

designs coming up. Now they repaired themselves. They were

on their own. Radiation tabs protected the UN troops, but if

a man lost his tab he was fair game for the claws, no matter

what his uniform. Down below the surface automatic ma-

chinery stamped them out. Human beings stayed a long way

off. It was too risky; nobody wanted to be around them.

They were left to themselves. And they seemed to be doing

all right. The new designs were faster, more complex. More

efficient.

Apparently they had won the war.

Major Hendricks lit a second cigarette. The landscape de-

pressed him. Nothing but ash and ruins. He seemed to be

alone, the only living thing in the whole world. To the right

the ruins of a town rose up, a few walls and heaps of debris.

He tossed the dead match away, increasing his pace. Sudden-

ly he stopped, jerking up his gun, his body tense. For a min-

ute it looked like

From behind the shell of a ruined bilding a figure came,

walking slowly towards him, walking hesitantly.

Hendricks biinked. "Stop!"

The boy stopped. Hendricks lowered his gun. The boy

stood silently, looking at him. He was small, not very old.

Perhaps eight. But it was hard to tell. Most of the kids who

remained were stunted. He wore a faded blue sweater, rag-

ged with dirt, and short pants. His hair was long and matted.

Brown hair. It hung over his face and around his ears. He

held something in his arms.

"What's that you have?" Hendrisks said sharply.

The boy held it out. It was a toy, a bear. A teddy bear.

The boy's eyes were large, but without expression.

Hendricks relaxed. "I don't want it. Keep it."

The boy bugged the bear again.

"Where do you live?" Hendricks said.

"In there."

"The ruins?"

"Yes."

"Udderground?"

"Yes."

"How many are there?"

"Howhow many?"

"How many of you. How big's your settlement?"

The boy did not answer.

Hendricks frowned. "You're not all by yourself, are you?"

The boy nodded.

"How do you stay alive?"

"There's food."

"What kind of food?"

"Different."

Hendricks studied him. "How old are you?"

"Thirteen."

It wasn't possible. Or was it? The boy was thin, stunted.

And probably sterile. Radiation exposure, years straight. No

wonder he was so small. His arms and legs were like pipe-

cleaners, knobby and thin. Hendricks touched the boy's arm.

His skin was dry and rough; radiation skin. He bent down,

looking into the boy's face. There was no expression. Big

eyes, big and dark.

"Are you blind?" Hendricks said.

"No. I can see some."

"How do you get away from the claws?"

"The claws?"

"The round things. That run and burrow."

"I don't understand."

Maybe there weren't any claws around. A lot of areas were

free. They collected mostly around bunkers, where there were

people. The claws had been designed to sense warmth, warmth

of living things.

"You're lucky." Hendricks straightened up. "Well? Which

way are you going? Backback there?"

"Can I come with you?"

"With me?" Hendricks folded his arms. "I'm going a long

way. Miles. I have to hurry." He looked at his watch. "I have

to get there by nightfall."

"I want to come."

Hendricks fumbled in his pack. "It isn't worth it. Here." He

tossed down the food cans he had with him. "You take

these and go back. Okay?"

The boy said nothing.

"I'll be coming back this way. In a day or so. If

you're around here when I come back you can come along

with me. All right?"

"I want to come along with you now."

"It's a long walk."

"I can walk."

Hendricks shifted uneasily. It made too good a target, two

people walking along. And the boy would slow him down.

But he might not come back this way. And if the boy were

really all alone

"Okay. Come along."

The boy fell in beside him. Hendricks strode along. The

boy walked silently, clutching his teddy bear.

"What's your name?" Hendricks said, after a time.

"David Edward Derring."

"David? Whatwhat happened to your mother and father?"

"They died."

"How?"

"In the blast."

"How long ago?"

"Six years."

Hendricks slowed down'. "You've been alone six years?"

"No. There were other people for a while. They went

away."

"And you've been alone since?"

"Yes."

Hendricks glanced down. The boy was strange, saying very

little. Withdrawn. But that was the way they were, the chil-

dren who had survived. Quiet. Stoic. A strange kind of fatal-

ism gripped them. Nothing came as a surprise. They accepted

anything that came along. There was no longer any normal,

any natural course of things, moral or physical, for them to

expect. Custom, habit, all the determining forces of learning

were gone; only brute experience remained.

"Am I walking too fast?" Hendricks said.

"No."

"How did you happen to see me?"

"I was waiting."

"Waiting?" Hendricks was puzzled. "What were you waiting

for?"

"To catch things."

"What kind of things?"

"Things to eat."

"Oh." Hendricks set his lips grimly. A thirteen-year-old

boy, living on rats and gophers and half-rotten canned food.

Down in a hole under the ruins of a town. With radiation

pools and claws, and Russian dive-mines up above, coasting

around in the sky.

"Where are we going?" David asked.

"To the Russian lines."

"Russian?"

"The enemy. The people who started the war. They

dropped the first radiation bombs. They began all this."

The boy nodded. His face showed no expression.

"I'm an American," Hendricks said.

There was no comment. On they went, the two of them,

Hendricks walking a little ahead, David trailing behind him,

bugging his dirty teddy bear against his chest.

About four in the afternoon they stopped to eat. Hendricks

built a fire in a hollow between some slabs of concrete. He

cleared the weeds away and heaped up bits of wood. The Rus-

sians' lines were not very far ahead. Around him was what

had once been a long valley, acres of fruit trees and grapes.

Nothing remained now but a few bleak stumps and the moun-

tains that stretched across the horizon at the far end. And the

clouds of rolling ash that blew and drifted with the wind,

settling over the weeds and remains of buildings, walls here

and there, once in a while what had been a road.

Hendricks made coffee and heated up some boiled mutton

and bread. "Here." He handed bread and mutton to David.

David squatted by the edge of the fire, his knees knobby and

white. He examined the food and then passed it back shaking

his head.

"No."

"No? Don't you want any?"

"No."

Hendricks shrugged. Maybe the boy was a mutant, used to

special food. It didn't matter. When he was hungry he would

find something to eat. The boy was strange. But there were

many strange changes coming over the world. Life was not the

same any more. It would never be the same again. The hu-

man race was going to have to realize that.

"Suit yourself," Hendricks said. He ate the bread and mut-

ton by himself, washing it down with coffee. He ate slowly,

finding the food hard to digest. When he was done he got

to his feet and stamped the fire out.

David rose slowly, watching him with his young-old eyes.

"We're going," Hendricks said.

"All right."

Hendricks walked along, his gun in his arms. They were

close; he was tense, ready for anything. The Russians should

be expecting a runner, an answer to their own runner, but

they were tricky. There was always the possibility of a slip-

up. He scanned the landscape around him. Nothing but slag

and ash, a few hills, charred trees. Concrete walls. But some-

where ahead was the first bunker of the Russian lines, the

forward command. Underground, buried deep, with only a

periscope showing, a few gun muzzles. Maybe an antenna.

"Will we be. there soon?" David asked.

"Yes. Getting tired?"

"No."

"Why, then?"

David did not answer. He plodded carefully along behind,

picking his way over the ash. His legs and shoes were grey

with dust. His pinched face was streaked, lines of grey ash in

rivulets down the pale white of his skin. There was no col-

our to his face. Typical of the new children, growing up in

cellars and sewers and underground shelters.

Hendricks slowed down. He lifted his field-glasses and stud-

ied the ground ahead of him. Were they there, someplace,,

waiting for him? Watching him, the way his men had watched

the Russian runner? A chill went up his back. Maybe they

were getting their guns ready, preparing to fire, the way his

men had prepared, made ready to kill.

Hendricks stopped, wiping perspiration from his face.'

"Damn." It made him uneasy. But he should be expected.

The situation was different.

He strode over the ash, holding his gun tightly with both

hands. Behind him came Davis. Hendricks peered around,

tight-lipped. Any second it might happen. A burst of white

light, a blast, carefully aimed from inside a deep concrete

bunker.

He raised his arm and waved it around in a circle.

Nothing moved. To the right a long ridge ran, topped with

dead tree trunks. A few wild vines had grown up around the

trees, remains of arbours. And the eternal dark weeds.

Hendricks studied the ridge. Was anything up there? Per-

fect place for a lockout. He approached the ridge warily,

David coming silently behind. If it were his command he'd

have a sentry up there, watching for troops trying to infiltrate

into the command area. Of course, if it were his command

there would be claws around the area for full protection.

He stopped, feet apart, hands on his hips.

"Are we there?" David said.

"Almost."

"Why have we stopped?"

"I don't want to take any chances." Hendricks advanced

slowly. Now the ridge lay directly beside him, along his right.

Overlooking him. His uneasy feeling increased. If an Ivan

were up there he wouldn't have a chance. He waved his arm

again. They should be expecting someone in the UN uniform,

in response to the note capsule. Unless the whole thing was a

trap.

"Keep up with me." He turned towards David. "Don't drop

behind."

"With you?"

"Up beside me? We're close. We can't take any chances.

Come on'."

"I'll be all right." David remained behind him, in the rear,

a few paces away, still clutching his teddy bear.

"Have it your way." Hendricks raised his glasses again,

suddenly tense. For a momenthad something moved? He

scanned the ridge carefully. Everything was silent. Dead. No

life up there, only tree trunks and ash. Maybe a few rats.

The big black rats that had survived the claws. Mutants

built their own shelters out of saliva and ash. Some kind of

plaster. Adaption. He started forward again.

A tall figure came out on the ridge above him, cloak

flapping. Grey-green. A Russian. Behind him a second soldier

appeared, Russian. Both lifted their guns, aiming.

Hendricks froze. He opened his mouth. The soldiers were

kneeling, sighting down the side of the slope. A third figure

had joined them on the ridge top, a smaller figure in grey-

green. A woman. She stood behind the other two.

Hendricks found his voice. "Stop!" He waved at them fran-

tically. "I'm"

The two Russians fired. Behind Hendricks there was a

faint pop. Waves of heat lapped against him, throwing him to

the ground. Ash tore at his face, grinding into his eyes and

nose. Choking, he pulled himself to his knees. It was all a

trap. He was finished. He had come to be killed, like a steer.

The soldiers and the woman were coming down the side of

the ridge towards him, sliding down through the soft ash.

Hendricks was numb. His head throbbed. Awkwardly, he got

his rifle up and took aim. It weighed a thousand tons; he could

hardly hold it. His nose and cheeks stung. The air was full of

the blast smell, a bitter acrid stench.

"Don't fire," the first Russian said, in heavily accented Eng-

lish.

The three of them came up to him, surrounding him. "Put

down your rifle, Yank," the other said.

Hendricks was dazed. Everything had happened so fast. He

had been caught. And they had blasted the boy. He turned

his head. David was gone. What remained of him was strewn

across the ground.

The three Russians studied him curiously. Hendricks sat,

wiping blood from his nose, picking out bits of ash. He shook

his head, trying to clear it. "Why did you do it?" he mur-

mured thickly. "The boy."

"Why?" One of the soldiers helped him roughly to his feet

He turned Hendricks around. "Look."

Hendricks closed his eyes.

"Look." The two Russians pulled him forward. "See. Hurry

up. There isn't much time to spare, Yank!"

Hendricks looked. And gasped.

"See now? Now do you understand?"

From the remains of David a metal wheel rolled. Relays,

glinting metal. Parts, wiring. One of the Russians kicked at the

heap of remains. Parts popped out, rolling away, wheels and

springs and rods. A plastic section fell in, half charred. Hen-

dricks bent shakily down. The front of the head had come off.

He could make out the intricate brain, wires and relays, tiny

tubes and switches, thousands of minute studs

"A robot," the soldier holding his arm said. "We watched it

tagging you."

"Tagging me?"

"That's their way. They tag along with you. Into the bunk-

er. That's how they get in."

Hendricks biinked, dazed. "But"

"Come on." They led him towards the ridge, sliding and

slipping on the ash. The woman reached the top and stood

waiting for them.

"The forward command," Hendricks muttered. "I came to

negotiate with the Soviet"

"There is no more forward command. They got in. We'll

explain." They reached the top of the ridge. "We're all that's

left. The three of us. The rest were down in the bunker."

"This way. Down this way." The woman unscrewed a lid,

a grey manhole cover set in the ground. "Get in."

Hendricks lowered himself. The two soldiers and the wom-

an came behind him, following him down the ladder. The

womafi closed the lid after them, bolting it tightly into

place.

"Good thing we saw you," one of the two soldiers grunted.

"It had tagged you about as far as it was going to."

"Give me one of your cigarettes," the woman said. "I

haven't had an American cigarette for weeks."

Hendricks pushed the pack to her. She took a cigarette and

passed the pack to the two soldiers. In the corner of the small

room the lamp gleamed fitfully. The room was low-ceilinged,

cramped. The four of them sat around a small wood table. A

few dirty dishes were stacked to one side. Behind a ragged

curtain a second room was partly visible. Hendricks saw the

corner of a cot, some blankets, clothes hung on a hook.

"We were here," the soldier beside him said. He took off

his helmet, pushing his blond hair back. "I'm Corporal Rudi

Maxer. Polish. Impressed in the Soviet Army two years ago."

He held out his hand.

Hendricks hesitated and then shook. "Major Joseph Hen-

dricks"

"Klaus Epstein." The other soldier shook with him, a small

dark man with thinning hair. Epstein plucked nervously at his

ear. "Austrian. Impressed God knows when. I don't remem-

ber. The three of us were here, Rudi and I, with Tasso." He

indicated the woman. "That's how we escaped. All the rest

were down in the bunker."

"Andand they got in?"

Epstein lit a cigarette. "First just one of them. The kind

that tagged you. Then it let others in."

Hendricks became alert. "The kind? Are there more than

one kind?"

"The little boy. David. David holding his teddy bear.

That's Variety Three. The most effective."

"What are the other types?"

Epstein reached into his coat. "Here." He tossed a packet

of photographs on to the table, tied with a string. "Look for

yourself."

Hendricks untied the string.

"You see," Rudi Maxer said, "that was why we wanted to

talk terms. The Russians I mean. We found out about a week

ago. Found out that your claws were beginning to make up

new designs on their own. New types of their own. Better

types. Down in your underground factories behind our lines.

You let them stamp themselves, repair themselves. Made

them more ~nd more intricate. It's your fault this happened."

Hendricks examined the photos. They had been snapped

hurriedly; they were blurred and indistinct. The first few

showedDavid. David walking along a road, by himself. Da-

vid and another David. Three Davids. All exactly alike. Each

with a ragged teddy bear.

All pathetic.

"Look at the others," Tasso said.

The next picture, taken at a great distance, showed a tower-

ing wounded soldier sitting by the side of a path, his arm in

a sling, the stump of one leg extended, a crude crutch on his

lap. Then two wounded soldiers, both the same, standing side

by side.

"That's variety One. The Wounded Soldier." Klaus

reached out and took the pictures. "You see, the claws were

designed to get to human beings. To find them. Each kind

was better than the last. They got farther, closer past most of

our defences, into our lines. But as long as they were merely

machines, metal spheres with claws and horns, feelers, they

could be picked off like any other object. They could be de-

tected as lethal robots as soon as they were seen. Once

we caught sight of them"

"Variety One subverted our whole north wing," Rudi said.

"It was a long time before anyone caught on. Then it was

too late. They came in, wounded soldiers, knocking and beg-

ging to be let in. So we let them in. And as soon as they

were in they took over. We were watching out for ma-

chines ..."

"At that time it was thought there was only the one type,"

Klaus Epstein said. "No one suspected there were other types.

The pictures were flashed to us. When the runner was sent to

you, we knew of just one type. Variety One. The big Wound-

ed Soldier. We thought that was all."

"Your line fell to"

"To Variety Three. David and his bear. That worked even

better." Klaus smiled bitterly. "Soldiers are suckers for chil-

dren. We brought them in and tried to feed them. We found

out the hard way what they were after. At least those who

were in the bunker."

"The three of us were lucky," Rudi said. "Klaus and I

werewere visiting Tasso when it happened. This is her

place." He waved a big hand around. "This little cellar. We

finished and climbed the ladder to start back. From the ridge

we saw. There they were, all around the bunker. Fighting was

still going on. David and his bear. Hundreds of them. Klaus

took the pictures."

Klaus tied up the photographs again.

"And it's going on all along your line?" Hendricks said.

"Yes."

"How about our lines?" Without thinking, he touched the

tab on Ms arm. "Can they"

"They're not bothered by your radiation tabs. It makes no

difference to them, Russian, American, Pole, German. It's all

the same. They're doing what they were designed to do. Car-

rying out the original idea. They track down life, wherever

they find it."

"They go by warmth," Klaus said. "That was the way you

constructed them from the very start. Of course, those you

designed were kept back by the radiation tabs you wear.

Now they've got around that. These new varieties are lead-

lined."

"What's the other variety?" Hendricks asked. "The David

type, The Wounded Soldierwhat's the other?"

"We don't know." Klaus pointed up at the wall. On the

wall were two metal plates, ragged at the edges. Hendricks

got up and studied them. They were bent and dented.

"The one on the left came off a Wounded Soldier," Rudi

said. "We got one of them. It was going along towards our

old bunker. We got it from the ridge, the same way we got

the David tagging you."

The plate was stamped: I-V. Hendricks touched the other

plate. "And this came from the David type?"

"Yes." The plate was stamped: III-V.

Klaus took a look at them, leaning over Hendricks' broad

shoulder. "You can see what we're up against. There's anoth-

er type. Maybe it was abandoned. Maybe it didn't work. But

there must be a Second Variety. There's One and Three."

"You were lucky," Rudi said. "The David tagged you all the

way here and never touched you. Probably thought you'd get

it into a bunker, somewhere."

"One gets in and it's all over," Klaus said. "They move

fast. One lets all the rest inside. They're inflexible. Machines

with one purpose. They were built for only one thing."

He rubbed sweat from his lip. "We saw."

They were silent.

"Let me have another cigarette, Yank," Tasso said. "They

are good. I almost forgot how they were."

It was night. The sky was black. No stars were visible

through the rolling clouds of ash. Klaus lifted the lid cau-

tiously so that Hendricks could look out.

Rudi pointed into the darkness. "Over that way are the

bunkers. Where we used to be. Not over a half a mile from

us. It was just chance Klaus and I were not there when it

happened. Weakness. Saved by our lusts."

"All the rest must be dead," Klaus said in a low voice. "It

came quickly. This morning the Politburo reached their deci-

sion. They notified usforward comamnd. Our runner was

sent out at once. We saw him start towards the direction of

your lines. We covered him until he was out of sight."

"Alex Radrivsky. We both knew him. He disappeared about

six o'clock. The sun had just come up. About noon Klaus and

I had an hour relief. We crept off, away from the bunkers.

No one was watching. We came here. There used to be a

town here, a few houses, a street. This cellar was part of a

big farmhouse. We knew Tasso would be here, hiding down

in her little place. We had come here before. Others from the

bunkers came here. Today happened to be our turn."

"So we were saved," Klaus said. "Chance. It might have

been others. Wewe finished, and then we came up to

the surface and started back along the ridge. That was when we

saw them, the Davids. We understood right away. We had

seen the photos of the First Variety, the Wounded Soldier.

Our Commissar distributed them to us with an explanation.

If we had gone another step they would have seen us. As it

was we had to blast two Davids before we got back. There

were hundreds of them, all around. Like ants. We took

pictures and slipped back here, bolting the lid tight."

"They're not so much when you catch them alone. We

moved faster than they did. But they're inexorable. Not like

living things. They came right at us. And we blasted them."

Major Hendricks rested against the edge of the lid adjusting

his eyes to the darkness. "Is it safe to have the lid up at all?"

"If we're careful. How else can you operate your trans-

mitter?"

Hendricks lifted the small belt transmitter slowly. He

pressed it against his ear. The metal was cold and damp. He

blew against the mike, raising up the short antenna. A faint

hum sounded in his ear. "That's true, I suppose."

But he still hesitated.

"We'll pull you under if anything happens," Klaus said.

"Thanks." Hendricks waited a moment, resting the trans-

mitter against his shoulder. "Interesting, isn't it?"

"What?"

"This, the new types. The new varieties of claws. We're

completely at their mercy, aren't we? By now they've prob-

ably gotten into the UN lines, too. It makes me wonder if

we're not seeing the beginning of a new species. The new

species. Evolution. The race to come after man."

Rudi grunted. "There is no race after man."

"No? Why not? Maybe we're seeing it now, the end of

human beings, the beginning of the new society."

"They're not a race. They're mechanical killers. You made

them to destroy. That's all they can do. They're machines

with a job."

"So it seems now. But how about later on? After the war

is over. Maybe, when there aren't any humans to destroy,

their real potentialities wHI begin to show."

"You talk as if they were alivel"

"Aren't they?"

There was silence. "They're machines," Rudi said. "They

look like people, but they're machines."

"Use your transmitter, Major," Klaus said. "We can't stay

up here forever."

Holding the transmitter tightly Hendricks called the code

of the command bunker. He waited, listening. No response.

Only silence. He checked the leads carefully. Everything was

in place.

"Scott!" he said into the mike. "Can you hear me?"

Silence. He raised the mast up full and tried again. Only

static.

"I don't get anything. They may hear me but they may

not want to answer."

"Tell them it's an emergency."

"They'll think I'm being forced to call. Under your direc-

tion." He tried again, outlining briefly what he had learned.

But still the phone was silent, except for the faint static.

"Radiation pools kill most transmission," Klaus said, aft-

er awhile. "Maybe that's it."

Hendricks shut the transmitter up. "No use. No answer.

Radiation pools? Maybe. Or they hear me, but won't answer.

Frankly, that's what I would do, if a runner tried to call

from the Soviet lines. They have no reason to believe such a

story. They may hear everything I say"

"Or maybe it's too late."

Hendricks nodded.

"We better get the lid down," Rudi said nervously. "We

don't want to take unnecessary chances."

They climbed slowly back down the tunnel. Klaus bolted

the lid carefully into place. They descended into the kitch-

en. The air was heavy and close around them.

"Could they work that fast?" Hendricks said. "I left the

bunker this noon. Ten hours ago. How could they move so

quickly?"

"It doesn't take them long. Not after the first one gets in.

It goes wild. You know what the little claws can do.

Even one of these is beyond belief. Razors, each finger. Ma-

niacal."

"All right." Hendricks moved away impatiently. He stood

with his back to them. '

"What's the matter?" Rudi said.

"The Moon Base. God, if they've gotten there"

"The Moon Base?"

Hendricks turned around. "They couldn't have got to the

Moon base. How would they get there? It isn't possible. I

can't believe it."

"Wh~t is this Moon Base? We've heard rumours, but

nothing definite. What is the actual situation? You seem

concerned."

"We're supplied from the moon. The governments are

there, under the lunar surface. All our people and industries.

That's what keeps us going. If they should find some way

of getting off Terra, on to the moon"

"It only takes one of them. Once the first one gets in it

admits the others. Hundreds of them, all alike. You should

have seen them. Identical. Like ants."

"Perfect socialism," Tasso said. "The ideal of the Com-

munist state. All citizens interchangeable."

Klaus grunted angrily. "That's enough. Well? What next?"

Hendricks paced back and forth, around the small room.

The air was full of smells of food and perspiration. The

others watched him. Presently Tasso pushed through the cur-

tain, into the other room. "I'm going to take a nap."

The curtain closed behind her. Rudi and Klaus sat down

at the table, still watching Hendricks. "It's up to you," Klaus

said. "We don't know your situation."

Hendricks nodded.

"It's a problem." Rudi drank some coffee, filling his cup

from a rusty pot. "We're safe here for a while, but we can't

stay here forever. Not enough food or supplies."

"But if we go outside"

"If we go outside they'll get us. Or probably they'll get us.

We couldn't go very far. How far is your command bunker,

Major?"

"What if they're already there?" Klaus said.

Rudi shrugged. "Well, then we come back here."

Hendricks stopped pacing. "What do you think the chances

are they're already in the American lines?"

"Hard to say. Fairly good. They're organized. They know

exactly what they're doing. Once they start they go like a horde

of locusts. They have to keep moving, and fast. It's secrecy

and speed they depend on. Surprise. They push their way in

before anyone has any idea."

"I see," Hendricks murmured.

From the other room Tasso stirred. "Major?"

Hendricks pushed the curtain back. "What?"

Tasso looked up at him lazily from the cot. "Have you

any more American cigarettes left?"

Hendricks went into the room and sat down across from

her, on a wood stool. He felt in his pockets. "No. All

gone."

"Too bad."

"What nationality are you?" Hendricks asked after a

while.

"Russian."

"How did you get here?"

"Here?"

"This used to be France. This was part of Normandy.

Did you come with the Soviet army?"

"Why?"

"Just curious." He studied her. She had taken off her coat,

tossing it over the end of the cot. She was young, about

twenty. Slim. Her long hair stretched out over the pillow.

She was staring at him silently, her eyes dark and large.

"What's on your mind?" Tasso said.

"Nothing. How old are you?"

"Eighteen." She continued to watch him, unblinking, her

arms behind his head. She had on Russian army pants and

shirt. Grey-green. Thick leather belt with counter and car-

tridges. Medicine kit.

"You're in the Soviet army?"

"No."

"Where did you get the uniform?"

She shrugged. "It was given to me," she told him.

"Howhow old were you when you came here?"

"Sixteen."

"That young?"

Her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

Hendricks rubbed his jaw. "Your life would have been a

lot different if there had been no war. Sixteen. You came

here at sixteen. To live this way."

"I had to survive."

"I'm not moralizing."

"Your life would have been different, too," Tasso mur-

mured. She reached down and unfastened one of her boots.

She kicked the boot off, on to the floor. "Major, do you want

to go in the other room? I'm sleepy."

"It's going to be a problem, the four of us here. It's

going to be hard to live in these quarters. Are there just

two rooms?"

"Yes."

"How big was the cellar originally? Was it larger than this?

Are there other rooms filled up with debris? We might be

able to open one of them."

"Perhaps. I really don't know." Tasso loosened her belt.

She made herself comfortable on the cot, unbuttoning her

shirt. "You're sure you have no more cigarettes?"

"I had only the one pack."

"Too bad. Maybe if we get back to your bunker we can

find some." The other boot fell. Tasso reached up for the

light cord. "Good night."

"You're going to sleep?"

"That's right." '

The room plunged into darkness. Hendricks got up and

made his way past the curtain, into the kitchen.

And stopped, rigid.

Rudi stood against the wall, his feet \yhite and gloaming.

His mouth opened and closed but no sounds came. Klaus

stood in front of him, the muzzle of his pistol in Rudi's

stomach. Neither of them moved. Klaus, his hand tight around

his gun, his features set. Rudi, pale and silent, spread-

eagled against the wall.

"What" Hendricks muttered, but Klaus cut him off.

"Be quiet, Major. Come over here. Your gun. Get out your

gun."

Hendricks drew his pistol. "What is it?" -

"Cover him." Klaus motioned him forward. "Beside me.

Hurry!"

Rudi moved a little, lowering his arms. He turned to Hen-

dricks, licking his lips. The whites of his eyes shone wildly.

Sweat dripped from his forehead, down his cheeks. He fixed

his gaze on Hendricks. "Major, he's gone insane. Stop him."

Rudi's voice was thin and hoarse, almost inaudible.

"What's going on?" Hendricks demanded.

Without lowering his pistol Klaus answered. "Major, re-

member our discussion? The Three Varieties? We knew about

One and Three. But we didn't know about Two. At least, we

didn't know before." Klaus' fingers tightened around the gun

butt. "We didn't know before, but we know now."

He pressed the trigger. A burst of white heat rolled out of

the gun, licking around Rudi.

"Major, this is the Second Variety."

Tasso swept the curtain aside. "Klaus! What did you do?"

Klaus turned from the charred form, gradually sinking

down the wall on to the floor. "The Second Variety, Tasso.

Now we know. We have all three types identified. The dan-

ger is less. I"

Tasso stared past him at the remains of Rudi, at the black-

ened, smouldering fragments and bits of cloth. "You killed

him."

"Him? It, you mean. I was watching. I had a feeling, but

I wasn't sure. At least, I wasn't sure before. But this eve-

ning was certain." Klaus rubbed his pistol butt nervously.

"We're lucky. Don't you understand? Another hour and it

might"

"You were certain?" Tasso pushed past him and bent down,

over the steaming remains on the floor. Her face became

hard. "Major, see your yourself. Bones. Flesh."

Hendricks bent down beside her. The remains were human

remains. Seared flesh, charred bone fragments, part of a skull.

Ligaments, viscera, blood. Blood forming a pool against the

wall.

"No wheels," Tasso said calmly. She straightened up. "No

wheels, no parts, no relays. Not a claw. Not the Second

Variety." She folded her arms. "You're going to have to be

able to explain this."

Klaus sat down at the table, all the colour drained sud-

denly from his face. He put his head in his hands and

rocked back and forth.

"Snap out of it." Tasso's fingers closed over his shoulder.

"Why did you do it? Why did you kill him?"

"He was frightened," Hendricks said. "All this, the

whole thing, building up around us."

"Maybe."

"What, then? What do you think?"

"I think he may have had a reason for killing Rudi. A

good reason."

"What reason?"

"Maybe Rudi learned something."

Hendricks studied her bleak face. "About what?" he asked.

"About him. About Klaus."

Klaus looked up quickly. "You can see what she's try-

ing to say. She thinks I'm the Second Variety. Don't you

see. Major? Now she wants you to believe I killed him on

purpose. That I'm"

"Why did you kill him, then?" Tasso said.

"I told you." Klaus shook his head wearily. "I thought he

was a claw. I thought I knew."

"Why?"

"I had been watching him. I was suspicious."

"Why?"

"I thought I had something. Heard something. I thought

I heard himwhirr."

There was silence.

"Do you believe that?" Tasso said to Hendricks.

"Yes. I believe what he says."

"I don't. I think he killed Rudi for a good purpose." Tasso

touched the rifle, resting in the comer of the room. "Ma-

jor"

"No." Hendricks shook his head. "Let's stop it right now.

One is enough. We're afraid, the way he was. If we kill him

we'll be doing what he did to Rudi."

Klaus looked gratefully up at him. "Thanks. I was afraid.

You understand, don't you? Now she's afraid, the way I was.

She wants to kill me."

"No more killing." Hendricks moved towards the end of

the ladder. "I'm going above and try the transmitter once

more. If I can't get them we're moving back towards my

lines tomorrow morning."

Klaus rose quickly. "I'll come up with you and give you

a hand."

The night air was cold. The earth was cooling off. Klaus

took a deep breath, filling his lungs. He and Hendricks

stepped on to the ground, out of the tunnel. Klaus planted

his feet wide apart, the rifle up, watching and listening.

Hendricks crouched by the tunnel mouth, turning the small

transmitter.

"Any luck?" Klaus asked presently.

"Not yet."

"Keep trying. Tell them what happened."

Hendricks kept trying. Without success. Finally he lowered

the antenna. "It's useless. They can't hear me. Or they hear

me and won't answer. Or"

"Or they don't exist."

"I'll try once more." Hendricks raised the antenna. "Scott,

can you hear me? Come in!"

He listened. There was only static. Then, still very faint-

ly

"This is Scott."

His fingers tightened. "Scott! Is it you?"

"This is Scott."

Klaus squatted down. "Is it your command?"

"Scott, listen. Do you understand? About them, the claws.

Did you get my message? Did you hear me?"

"Yes." Faintly. Almost inaudible. He could hardly make

out the word.

"You got my message? Is everything all right at the bunk-

er? None of them have got in?"

"Everything is all right."

"Have they tried to get in?"

The voice was weaker."

"No."

Hendricks turned to Klaus. "They're all right."

"Have they been attacked?"

"No." Hendricks pressed the phone tighter to his ear. "Scott,

I can hardly hear you. Have you notified the Moon Base?

Do they know? Are they alerted?"

No answer.

"Scott! Can you hear me?"

Silence.

Hendricks relaxed, sagging. "Faded out. Must be radiation

pools."

Hendricks and Klaus looked at each other. Neither of them

said anything. After a time Klaus said, "Did it sound like

any of your men? Could you identify the voice?"

"It was too faint."

"You couldn't be certain?"

"No."

"Then it could have been"

"I don't know. Now I'm not sure. Let's go back down and

get the lid closed."

They climbed back down the ladder slowly into the warm

cellar. Klaus bolted the lid behind them. Tasso waited for

them, her face expressionless.

"Any luck?" she asked.

Neither of them answered. "Well?" Klaus said at last.

"What do you think. Major? Was it your officer, or was it

one of them?"

"I don't know."

"Then we're just where we were before."

Hendricks stared down at the floor, his jaw set. "We'll have

to go. To be sure."

"Anyhow, we have food here for only a few weeks. We'd

have to go up after that, in any case."

"Apparently so."

"What's wrong?" Tasso demanded. "Did you get across to

your bunker? What's the matter?"

"It may have been one of my men," Hendricks said

slowly. "Or it may have been one of them. But we'll never

know standing here." He examined his watch. "Let's turn

in and get some sleep. We want to be up early tomorrow."

"Early?"

"Our best chance to get through the claws should be early

in the morning," Hendricks said.

The morning was crisp and clear. Major Hendricks studied

the countryside through his field-glasses.

"See anything?" Klaus said.

"No."

"Can you make out our bunkers?"

"Which way?"

"Here." Klaus took the glasses and adjusted them. "I know

where to look." He looked a long time, silently.

Tasso came to the top of the tunnel and stepped up on

to the ground. "Anything?"

"No." Klaus passed the glasses back to Hendricks. "They're

out of sight. Come on. Let's not stay here."

The three of them made their way down the side of the

ridge, sliding in the soft ash. Across a flat rock a lizard scut-

tled. They stopped instantly, rigid.

"What was it?" Klaus muttered.

"A lizard."

The lizard ran on, hurrying through the ash. It was ex-

actly the same colour as the ash.

"Perfect adaptation," Klaus said. "Proves we were right.

Lysenko, I mean."

They reached the bottom of the ridge and stopped, stand-

ing close together, looking around them.

"Let's go." Hendricks started off. "It's a good long trip,

on foot."

Klaus fell in beside him. Tasso walked behind, her pistol

held alertly. "Major, I've been meaning to ask you some-

thing," Klaus said. "How did you run across the David? The

one that was tagging you."

"I met it along the way. In some ruins."

"What did it say?"

"Not much. It said it was alone. By itself."

"You couldn't tell it was a machine? It talked like a liv-

ing person? You never suspected?"

"It didn't say much. I noticed nothing unusual."

"It's strange, machines so much like people that you can

be fooled. Almost alive. I wonder where it'll end."

"They're doing what you Yanks designed them to do,"

Tasso said. "You designed them to hunt out life and de-

stroy. Human life. Wherever they find it."

Hendricks was watching Klaus intently. "Why did you ask

me? What's on your mind?"

"Nothing," Klaus answered.

"Klaus thinks you're the Second Variety," Tasso said calm-

ly, from behind them. "Now he's got bis eye on you."

Klaus flushed. "Why not? We sent a runner to the Yank

lines and he comes back. Maybe he thought he'd find some

good game here."

Hendricks laughed harshly. "I came from the UN bunkers.

There were human beings all around me."

"Maybe you saw an' opportunity to get into the Soviet lines.

Maybe you saw your chance. Maybe you"

"The Soviet lines had already been taken over. Your lines

had been invaded before I left my command bunker. Don't

forget that."

Tasso came up beside him. "That proves nothing at all,

Major."

"Why not?"

"There appears to be little communication between the

varieties. Each is made in a different factory. They don't

seem to work together. You might have started for the Soviet

lines without knowing anything about the work of the other

varieties. Or even what the other varieties were like."

"How do you know so much about the claws?" Hendricks

said.

"I've seen them. I've observed them. I observed them take

over the Soviet bunkers."

"You know quite a lot," Klaus said. "Actually, you saw

very little. Strange that you should have been such an acute

observer."

Tasso laughed. "Do you suspect me, now?"

"Forget it," Hendricks said. They walked on in silence.

"Are we going the whole way on foot?" Tasso said, after

a while. "I'm not used to walking." She gazed around at the

plain of ash, stretching OU\f on all sides of them, as far as

they could see. "How dreary."

"It's like this all the way," Klaus said.

"In a way I wish you had been in your bunker when the

attack came."

"Somebody else would have been with you, if not me,"

Klaus muttered.

Tasso laughed, putting her hands in her pockets. "I sup-

pose so."

They walked on, keeping their eyes on the vast plain of

silent ash around them.

The sun was setting. Hendricks made his way forward

slowly, waving Tasso and Klaus back. Klaus squatted down,

resting his gun butt against the ground.

Tasso found a concrete slab and sat down with a sigh.

"It's good to rest."

"Be quiet," Klaus said sharply.

~ Hendricks pushed up to the top of the rise ahead of

them. The same rise the Russian runner had come up, the

day before. Hendricks dropped down, stretching himself out,

peering through his glasses at what lay beyond.

Nothing was visible. Only ash and occasional trees. But

there, not more than fifty yards ahead, was the entrance of

the forward command bunker. The bunker from which he

had come. Hendricks watched silently. No motion. No sign of

life. Nothing stirred.

Klaus slithered up beside him. "Where is it?"

"Down there." Hendricks passed him the glasses. Clouds of

ash rolled across the evening sky. The world was darkening.

They had a couple of hours of light left, at the most. Prob-

ably not that much.

"I don't see anything," Klaus said.

"That tree there. The stump. By the pile of bricks. The

entrance is to the right of the bricks."

"I'll have to take your word for it."

"You and Tasso cover me from here. You'll be able to

sight all the way to the bunker entrance."

"You're going down alone?"

"With my wrist tab I'll be safe. The ground around the

bunker is a living field of claws. They collect down in the

ash. Like crabs. Without tabs you wouldn't have a chance."

"Maybe you're right."

"I'll walk slowly all the way. As soon' as I know for cer-

tain"

"If they're down inside the bunker you won't be able to get

back up here. They go fast. You don't realize."

"What do you suggest?"

Klaus considered. "I don't know. Get them to come up

to the surface. So you can see."

Hendricks brought his transmitter from his belt, raising

the antenna. "Let's get started."

Klaus signalled to Tasso. She crawled expertly up the side

of the rise to where they were sitting.

"He's going down alone," Klaus said. "We'll cover him

from here. As soon as you see him start back, fire past him

at once. They come quick."

"You're not very optimistic," Tasso said.

"No, I'm not."

Hendricks opened the breech of his gun, checking it

carefully. "Maybe things are all right."

"You didn't see them. Hundreds of them. All the same.

Pouring out like ants."

"I should be able to find out without going down all the

way." Hendricks locked his gun, gripping it in one hand,

the transmitter in the other. "Well, wish me luck."

Klaus put out his hand. "Don't go down until you're sure.

Talk to them from up here. Make them show themselves."

Hendricks stood up. He stepped down the side of the rise.

A moment later he was walking slowly towards the pile of

bricks and debris beside the dead tree stump. Towards the

entrance of the forward command bunker.

Nothing stilred. He raised the transmitter, clicking it on.

"Scott? Can you hear me?"

Silence.

"Scott! This is Hendricks. Can you hear me? I'm standing

outside the bunker. You should be able to see me in the view

sight."

He listened, the transmitter gripped tightly. No sound. Only

static. He walked forward. A claw burrowed out of the ash

and raced towards him, studied him intently, and then fell in

behind him, dogging respectfully after him, a few paces

away. A moment later a second big claw joined it. Silently,

the claws trailed him, as he walked slowly towards the

bunker.

Hendricks stopped, and behind him, the claws came to a

halt. He was close now. Almost to the bunker steps.

"Scott! Can you hear me? I'm standing right above

you. Outside. On the surface. Are you picking me up?"

He waited, holding his gun against his side, the trans-

mitter tightly to his ear. Time passed. He strained to hear,

but there was only silence, and faint static.

Then, distantly, metallically

"This is Scott."

The voice was neutral. Cold. He could not identify it. But

,the earphone was minute.

"Scott, listen. I'm standing right above you. I'm on the

surface, looking down into the bunker entrance."

"Yes."

"Can you see me?"

"Yes."

"Through the view sight? You have the sight trained on

me?"

"Yes."

Hendricks pondered. A circle of claws waited quietly on all

sides of him. "Is everything all right in the bunker? Noth-

ing unusual has happened?"

- "Everything is all right."

"Will you come up to the surface? I want to see you for a

moment." Hendricks took a deep breath. "Come up here

with me. I want to talk to you."

"Come down."

"I'm giving you an order."

Silence.

"Are you coming?" Hendricks listened. There was no re-

sponse. "I order you to come to the surface."

"Come down."

Hendricks set bis jaw. "Let me talk to Leone."

There was a long pauslr He listened to the static. Then a

voice came, hard, thin, metallic. The same as the other.

"This is Leone."

"Hendricks. I'm on the surface. At the bunker entrance. I

want one of you to come up here."

"Come down."

"Why come down? I'm giving you an order!"

Silence. Hendricks lowered the transmitter. He looked

carefully around him. The entrance was just ahead. Almost

at his feet. He lowered the antenna and fastened the trans-

mitter to his belt. Carefully, he gripped his gun with both

hands. He moved forward, a step at a time. If they could see

him they knew he was starting towards the entrance. He

closed his eyes a moment.

Then he put his foot on the first step that led downward.

Two Davids came up at him, their faces identical and

expressionless. He blasted them into particles. More came

rushing silently up, a whole pack of them. All exactly the

same.

Hendricks turned and raced back, away from the bunker,

back towards the rise.

At the top of the rise Tasso and Klaus were firing down.

The small claws were already streaking up toward them,

shining metal spheres going fast, racing frantically through

the ash. But he had no time to think about that. He knelt

down, aiming at the bunker entrance, gun against his cheek.

The Davids were coming out in groups, clutching their ted-

dy bears, their thin knobby legs pumping as they ran up the

steps to the surface. Hendricks fired into the main body of

them. They burst apart, wheels and springs flying in all di-

rections. He fired again, through the mist of particles.

A giant lumbering figure rose up in the bunker entrance,

tall and swaying. Hendricks paused, amazed. A man, a sol-

dier. With one leg, supporting himself with a crutch.

"Major!" Tasso's voice came. More firing. The huge figure

moved forward, Davids swarming around it. Hendricks broke

out of his freeze. The First Variety. The Wounded Soldier.

He aimed and fired. The soldier burst into bits, parts and

relays flying. Now many Davids were out on the flat

ground, away from the bunker. He fired again and again,

moving slowly back, half-crouching and aiming.

From the rise, Klaus fired down. The side of the rise was

alive with claws making their way up. Hendricks retreated to-

wards the rise, running and crouching. Tasso had left Klaus

and was circling slowly to the right, moving away from

the rise.

A David slipped up towards him, its small white face ex-

pressionless, brown hair hanging down in its eyes. It bent

over suddenly, opening its arms. Its teddy bear hurtled down

and leaped across the ground, bounding towards him. Hen-

dricks fired. The bear and the David both dissolved. He

grinned, blinking. It was like a dream.

"Up here!" Tasso's voice. Hendricks made his way to-

wards her. She was over by some columns of concrete, walls

of a ruined building. She was firing past him, with the

hand pistol Klaus had given her.

"Thanks." He joined her, gasping for breath. She pulled

him back, behind the concrete, fumbling at her belt.

"Close your eyes!" She unfastened a globe from her waist.

Rapidly, she unscrewed the cap, locking it into place. "Close

your eyes and get down."

She threw the bomb. It sailed in an arc, an expert, roll-

ing and bouncing to the entrance of the bunker. Two

Wounded Soldiers stood uncertainly by the brick pile. More

Davids poured from behind them, out on to the plain. One of

the Wounded Soldiers moved towards the bomb, stooping

awkwardly down to pick it up.

The bomb went off. The concussion whirled Hendricks

around, throwing him on his face. A hot wind rolled over

him. Dimly he saw Tasso standing behind the columns, firing

slowly and methodically at the Davids coming out of the rag-

ing clouds of white fire.

Back along the rise Klaus struggled with a ring of claws

circling around him. He retreated, blasting at them and

moving back, trying to break through the ring.

Hendricks struggled to his feet. His head ached. He could

hardly see. Everything was licking at him, raging and whirl-

ing. His right arm would not move.

Tasso pulled back toward him. "Come on. Let's go."

"KlausHe's still up there."

"Come on!" Tasso dragged Hendricks back, away from

the columns. Hendricks shook his head, trying to clear it.

Tasso led him rapidly away, her eyes intense and bright,

watching for claws that had escaped the blast.

One David came out of the rolling clouds of flame. Tasso

blasted it. No more appeared.

"But Klaus. What about him?" Hendricks stopped, stand-

ing unsteadily. "He"

"Come on!"

They retreated, moving farther and farther away from the

bunker. A few small claws followed them for a little while

and then gave up, turning back and going off.

At last Tasso stopped. "We can stop here and get our

breaths."

Hendricks sat down on some heaps of debris. He wiped

his neck, gasping. "We left Klaus back there."

Tasso said nothing. She opened her gun, sliding a fresh

round of blast cartridges into place.

Hendricks stared at her, dazed. "You left him back there

on purpose."

Tasso snapped the gun together. She studied the heaps of

rubble around them, her face expressionless. As if she were

watching for something.

"What is it?" Hendricks demanded. "What are you look-

ing for? Is something coming?" He shook his head, trying

to understand. What was she doing? What was she wait-

ing for? He could see nothing. Ash lay all around them,

ash and ruins. Occasional stark tree trunks, without leaves

or branches. "What

Tasso cut him off. "Be still." Her eyes narrowed. Suddenly

her gun-came up. Hendricks turned, following her gaze.

Back the way they had come a figure appeared. The figure

walked unsteadily toward them. Its clothes were torn. It

limped as it made its way along, going very slowly and care-

fully. Stopping now and then, resting and getting its strength.

Once it almost fell. It stood for a moment, trying to steady

itself. Then it came on.

Klaus.

Hendricks stood up. "Klaus!" He started towards him.

"How the hell did you"

Tasso fired. Hendricks swung back. She fired again, the

blast passing him, a searing line of heat. The beam caught

Klaus in the chest. He exploded, gears and wheels flying.

For a moment he continued to walk. Then he swayed back

and forth. He crashed to the ground, his arms flung out. A

few more wheels rolled away.

Silence.

Tasso turned to Hendricks. "Now you understand why he

killed Rudi."

Hendricks sat down again slowly. He shook his head. He

was numb. He could not think.

"Do you see?" Tasso said. "Do you understand?"

Hendricks said nothing. Everything was slipping away from

him, faster and faster. Darkness, rolling and plucking at him.

He closed his eyes.

Hendricks opened his eyes slowly. His body ached all

over. He tried to sit up but needles of pain shot through

his arm and shoulder. He gasped.

"Don't try to get up," Tasso said. She bent down, putting

her cold hand against his forehead.

It was night. A few stars glinted above, shining through

the drifting clouds of ash. Hendricks lay back, his teeth

locked. Tasso watched him impassively. She had built a fire

with some wood and weeds. The fire licked feebly, hissing

at a metal cup suspended over it. Everything was silent. Un-

moving darkness, beyond the fire.

"So he was the Second Variety," Hendricks murmured.

"I had always thought so."

"Why didn't you destroy him sooner?" he wanted to know.

"You held me back." Tasso crossed to the fire to look

into the metal cup. "Coffee. It'll be ready to drink in a

while."

She came back and sat down beside him. Presently she

opened her pistol and began to disassemble the firing mech-

anism, studying it intently.

"This is a beautiful gun," Tasso said, half-aloud. "The

construction is superb."

"What about them? The claws."

"The concussion from the bomb put most of them out of

action. They're delicate. Highly organized, I suppose."

"The Davids, too?"

"Yes."

"How did you happen to have a bomb like that?"

Tasso shrugged. "We designed it. You shouldn't under-esti-

mate our technology. Major. Without such a bomb you and

I would no longer exist."

"Very useful."

Tasso stretched out her legs, warming her feet in the heat

of the fire. "It surprised me that you did not seem to under-

stand, after he killed Rudi. Why did you think he"

"I told you. I thought he was afraid."

"Really? You know. Major, for a little while I suspected

yow. Because you wouldn't let me kill him. I thought you

might be protecting him." She laughed.

"Are we safe here?" Hendricks asked presently.

"For a while. Until they get reinforcements from some

other area." Tasso began to clean the interior of the gun

with a bit of rag. She finished and pushed the mechanism

back into place. She closed the gim, ninning her fingers along

the barrel.

"We were lucky," Hendricks murmured.

"Yes. Very lucky."

"Thanks for pulling me away."

Tasso did not answer. She glanced up at him, her eyes

bright in the fire light. Hendricks examined his arm. He could

not move his fingers. His whole side seemed numb. Down

inside him was a dull steady ache.

"How do you feel?" Tasso asked.

"My arm is damaged."

"Anything else?"

"Internal injuries."

"You didn't get down when the bomb went off."

Hendricks said nothing. He watched Tasso pour the coffee

from the cup into a flat metal pan. She brought it 'over to

him.

"Thanks." He struggled up enough to drink. It was hard

to swallow. His insides turned over and he pushed the pan

away. "That's all I can drink now."

Tasso drank the rest. Time passed. The clouds of ash

moved across the dark sky above them. Hendricks rested,

his mind blank. After a while he became aware that Tasso

was standing over him, gazing down at him.

"What is it?" he murmured.

"Do you feel any better?"

"Some."

"You know, Major, if I hadn't dragged you away they

would have got you. You would be dead. Like Rudi."

"I know."

"Do you want to know why I brought you out? I could

have left you. I could have left you there."

"Why did you bring me out?"

"Because we have to get away from here." Tasso stirred

the fire with a stick, peering calmly down into it. "No hu-

man being can live here. When their reinforcements come

we won't have a chance. I've pondered about it while you

were unconscious. We have perhaps three hours before they

come."

"And you expect me to get us away?"

"That's right. I expect you to get us out of here."

"Why me?"

"Because I don't know any way." Her eyes shone at hirn

in the half-light, bright and steady. "If you can't get us

out of here they'll kill us within three hours. I see nothing

else ahead. Well, Major? What are you going to do? I've

been waiting all night. While you were unconscious I sat

here, waiting and listening. It's almost dawn. The night is

almost over." i

Hendricks considered. "It's curious," he said at last.

"Curious?"

"That you should think I can get us out of here. I won-

der what you think I can do."

"Can you get us to the Moon Base?"

"The Moon Base? How?"

"There must be some way."

Hendricks shook his head. "No. There's no way that I

know of."

Tasso said nothing. For a moment her steady gaze wav-

ered. She ducked her head, turning abruptly away. She

scrambled to her feet. "More coffee?"

"No."

"Suit yourself." Tasso drank silently. He could not see her

face. He lay back against the ground, deep in thought,

trying to concentrate. It was hard to think. His head still

hurt. And the numbing daze still hung over him.

"There might be one way," he said suddenly.

"Oh?"

"How soon is dawn?"

"Two hours. The sun wiH be coming up shortly."

"There's supposed to be a ship near here. I've never seen

it. But I know it exists."

"What kind of a ship?" Her voice was sharp.

"A rocket cruiser."

"Will it take us off? To the Moon Base?"

"It's supposed to. In case of emergency." He rubbed his

forehead.

"What's wrong?"

"My head. It's hard to think, lean hardlyhardly con-

centrate. The bomb."

"Is the ship near here?" Tasso slid over beside him, set-

tling down on her haunches. "How far is it? Where is it?"

"I'm trying to think."

Her fingers dug into his arm. "Nearby?" Her voice was

like iron. "Where would it be? Would they store it under-

ground? Hidden underground?"

"Yes. In a storage locker."

"How do we find it? Is it marked? Is there a code marker

to identify it?"

Hendricks concentrated. "No. No markings. No code sym-

bol."

"What, then?"

"A sign."

"What sort of sign?"

Hendricks did not answer. In the flickering light his eyes

were glazed, two sightless orbs. Tasso's fingers dug into his

arm.

"What sort of sign? What is it?"

"I1 can't think. Let me rest."

"All right." She let go and stood up. Hendricks lay back

against the ground, his eyes closed. Tasso walked away

from him, her hands in her pockets. She kicked a rock out of

her way and stood staring up at the sky. The night blackness

was already beginning to fade into grey. Morning was com-

ing.

Tasso gripped her pistol and walked around the fire in a

circle, back and forth. On the ground Major Hendricks lay,

his eyes closed, unmoving. The greyness rose in the sky,

higher and higher. The landscape became visible, fields of

ash stretching out in all directions. Ash and ruins of build-

ings, a wall here and 'there, heaps of concrete, the naked

trunk of a tree.

The air was cold and sharp. Somewhere a long way off

a bird made a few bleak sounds.

Hendricks stirred. He opened his eyes. "Is it dawn? Al-

ready?"

"Yes."

Hendricks sat up a little. "You wanted to know something.

You were asking me."

"Do you remember now?"

"Yes."

"What is it?" She tensed. "What?" she repeated sharply.

"A well. A ruined well. It's in a storage locker under a

well."

"A well." Tasso relaxed. "Then we'll find a well." She

looked at her watch. "We have about an hour, Major. Do

you think we can find it in an hour?"

"Give me a hand up," Hendricks said.

Tasso put her pistol away and helped him to his feet.

"This is going to be difficult."

"Yes it is." Hendricks set his lips tightly. "I don't think

we're going to go very far."

They began to walk. The early sun cast a little warmth

down on them. The land was flat and barren, stretching out

grey and lifeless as far as they could see. A few birds

sailed silently, far above them, circling slowly.

"See anything?" Hendricks said. "Any claws?"

"No. Not yet."

They passed through some ruins, upright concrete and

bricks. A cement foundation. Rats scuttled away. Tasso

jumped back warily.

"This used to be a town," Hendricks said. "A village. Pro-

vincial village. This was all grape country, once. Where we

are now."

They came on to a ruined street, weeds and cracks criss-

crossing it. Over to the right a stone chimney stuck up.

"Be careful," he warned her.

A pit yawned, an open basement. Ragged ends of pipes

jutted up, twisted and bent. They passed part of a house, a

bathtub turned on its side. A broken chair. A few spoons

and bits of china dishes. In the centre of the street the

ground had sunk away. The depression was filled with

weeds and debris and bones.

"Over here," Hendricks murmured.

"This way?"

"To the right."

They passed the remains of a heavy duty tank; Hendricks'

belt counter clicked ominously. The tank had been radia-

tion blasted. A few feet from the tank a mummified

body lay sprawled out, mouth open. Beyond the road was

a flat field. Stones and weeds, and bits of broken glass.

"There," Hendricks said.

A stone well jutted up, sagging and broken. A few boards

lay across it. Most of the well had sunk into rubble. Hen-

dricks walked unsteadily toward it, Tasso beside him.

"Are you certain about this?" Tasso said. "This doesn't

look like anything."

"I'm sure." Hendricks sat down at the edge of the well,

his teeth locked. His breath came quickly. He wiped per-

spiration from his face. "This was arranged so the senior

command officer could get away. If anythiag happened.

If the bunker fell."

"That was you?"

"Yes."

"Where is the ship? Is it here?"

"We're standing on it." Hendricks ran his hands over the

surface of the well stones. "The eye-lock responds to me, not

to anybody else. It's my ship. Or it was supposed to be."

There was a sharp click. Presently they heard a low

grating sound from below them.

"Step back," Hendricks said. He and Tasso moved away

from the well.

A section of the ground slid back. A metal frame pushed

slowly up through the ash, shoving bricks and weeds out of

the way. The action ceased, as the ship nosed into view.

"There it is," Hendricks said.

The ship was small. It rested quietly, suspended in its mesh

frame, like a blunt needle. A rain of ash sifted down into the

dark cavity from which the ship had been raised. Hendricks

made his way over to it. He mounted the mesh and unscrewed

the hatch, pulling it back. Inside the ship the control banks

and the pressure seat were visible.

Tasso came and stood beside him, gazing into the ship.

"I'm not accustomed to rocket piloting," she said, after a

while.

Hendricks glanced at her. "I'll do the piloting."

"Will you? There's only one seat, Major. I can see it's

built to carry only a single person."

Hendricks' breathing changed. He studied the interior of

the ship intently. Tasso was right. There was only one seat.

The ship was built to carry only one person. "I see," he

said slowly. "And the one person is you."

She nodded.

"Of course."

"Why?"

"You can't go. You might not live through the trip. You're

injured. You probably wouldn't get there."

"An interesting point. But you see, I know where the

Moon Base is. And you don't. You might fly around for

months and not find it. It's well hidden. Without knowing

what to look for"

"I'll have to take my chances. Maybe I won't find it.

Not by myself. But I think you'll give me all the informa-

tion I need. Your life depends on it."

"How?"

"If I find the Moon Base in time, perhaps I can get them

to send a ship back to pick you up. If I find the Base in

time. If not, then you haven't a chance. I imagine there are

supplies on the ship. They will last me long enough"

Hendricks moved quickly. But his injured arm betrayed

him. Tasso ducked, sliding lithely aside. Her hand came

up, lightning fast. Hendricks saw the gun butt coming. He

tried to ward off the blow, but she was too fast. The metal

butt struck against the side of his head, just above his ear.

Numbing pain rushed through him. Pain and rolling clouds

of blackness. He sank down, sliding to the ground.

Dimly, he was aware that Tasso was standing over him,

kicking him with her toe.

"Major! Wake up."

He opened his eyes, groaning.

"Listen to me." She bent down, the gun pointed to his

face. "I have to hurry. There isn't much time left. The

ship is ready, but you must tell me the information I

need before I leave."

Hendricks shook his head, trying to clear it.

"Hurry up! Where is the Moon Base? How do I find it?

What do I look for?"

Hendricks said nothing.

"Answer me!"

"Sorry."

"Major, the ship is loaded with provisions. I can coast for

weeks. I'll find the Base eventually. And in a half hour

you'll be dead. Your only chance of survival" She

broke off.

Along the slope, by some crumbling 'ruins, something

moved. Something in the ash. Tasso turned quickly, aiming.

She fired. A puff of flame leaped. Something scuttled away,

rolling across the ash. She fired again. The claw burst apart,

wheels flying.

"See?" Tasso said. "A scout. It won't be long."

"You'll bring them back here to get me?"

"Yes. As soon as possible."

Hendricks looked up at her. He studied her intently.

"You're telling the truth?" A strange expression had come

over his face, an avid hunger. "You will come back for me?

You'll get me to the Moon Base?"

"I'll get you to the Moon Base. But tell me where it is!

There's only a little time left."

"All right." Hendricks picked up a piece of rock, pulling

himself to a sitting position. "Watch."

Hendricks began to scratch in the ash. Tasso stood by

him, watching the motion of the rock. Hendricks was sketch-

ing a crude lunar map.

"This is the Appenine Range. Here is the Crater of Archi-

medes. The Moon Base is beyond the end of the Appenine,

about two hundred miles. I don't know exactly where. No

one on Terra knows. But when you're over the Appenine,

signal with one red flare and a green flare, followed by two

red flares in quick succession. The Base monitor will record

your signal. The Base is under the surface, of course. They'll

guide you down with magnetic grapples."

"And the controls? Can I operate them?"

"The controls are virtually automatic. All you have to do

is give the right signal at the right time."

"I will."

"The seat absorbs most of the take-off shock. Air and tem-

perature are automatically controlled. The ship will leave

Terra and pass out into free space. It'll line itself up with

the moon, falling into an orbit around it, about a hundred

miles above the surface. The orbit will carry you over the

Base. When you're in the region of the Appenine, release

the signal rockets."

Tasso slid into the ship and lowered herself into the pres-

sure seat. The arm locks folded automatically around her.

She fingered the controls. "Too bad you're not going, Ma-

jor. All this put here for you, and you can't make the trip."

"Leave me the pistol."

Tasso pulled the pistol from her belt. She held it in her

hand, weighing it thoughtfully. "Don't go too far from this

location. It'll be hard to find you, as it is."

"No. I'll stay here by the well."

Tasso gripped the take-off switch, running her fingers over

the smooth metal. "A beautiful ship, Major. Well built. I

admire your workmanship. You people have always done

good work. You build fine things. Your work, your crea-

tions, are your greatest achievement."

"Give me the pistol," Hendricks said impatiently, holding

out his hand. He struggled to his feet.

"Good-bye, Major." Tasso tossed the pistol past Hendricks.

The pistol clattered and rolled away. Hendricks hurried

after it. He bent down, snatching it up.

The hatch of the ship clanged shut. The bolts fell into

place. Hendricks made his way back. The inner door was

being sealed. He raised the pistol unsteadily.

There was a shattering roar. The ship burst up from its

metal cage, fusing the mesh behind it. Hendricks cringed,

pulling back. The ship shot up into the rolling clouds of ash,

disappearing into the sky.

Hendricks stood watching a long time, until even the

streamer had dissipated. Nothing stirred. The morning air was

chill and silent. He began to walk aimlessly back the way'

they had come. Better to keep moving around. It would be a

long time before help cameif it came at all.

He searched his pockets until he found a package of ciga-

rettes. He lit one grimly. They had all wanted cigarettes from

him. But cigarettes were scarce.

A lizard slithered by him, through the ash. He halted,

rigid. The lizard disappeared. Above, the sun rose higher in

the sky. Some flies landed on a flat rock to one side of him.

Hendricks kicked at them with his foot.

It was getting hot. Sweat trickled down his face, into his

collar. His mouth was dry.

Presently he stopped walking and sat down on some de-

bris. He unfastened his medicine kit and swallowed a few

narcotic capsules. He looked around him. Where was he?

Something lay ahead. Stretched out on the ground. Silent

and unmoving.

Hendricks drew his gun quickly. It looked like a man.

Then he remembered. It was the remain of Klaus. The Sec-

ond Variety. Where Tasso had blasted him. He could see

wheels and relays and metal parts, strewn around on the ash.

Glittering and sparkling in the sunlight.

Hendricks got to his feet and walked over. He nudged

the inert form with his foot, turning it over a little. He could

see the metal hull, the aluminium ribs and struts. More wiring

fell out. Like viscera. Heaps of wiring, switches and relays.

Endless motors and rods.

He bent down. The brain cage had been smashed by the

fall. The artificial brain was visible. He gazed at it. A maze

of circuits. Miniature tubes. Wires as fine as hair. He

touched the brain cage. It swung aside. The type plate was

visible. Hendricks studied the plate.

And blanched.

IVV.

For a long time he stared at the plate. Fourth Variety. Not

the Second. They had been wrong. There were more types. Not

just three. Many more, perhaps. At least four. And Klaus

wasn't the Second Variety.

Suddenly he tensed. Something was coming, walking

through the ash beyond the hill. What was it? He strained

to see. Figures. Figures coming slowly along, making their

way through the ash.

Coming towards him.

Hendricks crouched quickly, raising his gun. Sweat dripped

"down into his eyes. He fought down rising panic, as the fig-

ures neared.

The first was a David. The David saw him and increased

its pace. The others hurried behind it. A second David. A

third. Three Davids, all alike, coming toward him silently,

without expression, their thin legs rising and falling. Clutch-

ing their teddy bears.

He aimed and fired. The first two Davids dissolved into

particles. The third came on. And the figure behind it.

Climbing silently towards him across the grey ash. A Wound-

ed Soldier, towering over the David. And"

And behind the Wounded Soldier came two Tassos, walk-

ing side by side. Heavy belt, Russian army pants, shirt, long

hair. The familiar figure, as he had seen her only a little

while before. Sitting in the pressure seat of the ship. Two

slim, silent figures, both identical.

They were very near. The David bent down suddenly,

dropping its teddy bear. The bear raced across the ground.

Automatically, Hendricks' fingers tightened around the trig-

ger. The bear was gone, dissolved into mist. The two Tasso

Types moved on, expressionless, walking side by side, through

the grey ash.

When they were almost to him, Hendricks raised the pis-

tol waist high and fired.

The two Tassos dissolved. But already a new group was

starting up the rise, five or six Tassos, all identical, a line of

them coming rapidly towards him.

And he had given her the ship and the signal code. Be-

cause of him she was on her way to the moon, to the Moon

Base. He had made it possible.

He had been right about the bomb, after all. It had been

designed with knowledge of the other types, the David Type

and the Wounded Soldier Type. And the Klaus Type. Not

designed by human beings. It had been designed by one of

the underground factories, apart from all human contact.

The line of Tassos came up to him. Hendricks braced him-

self, watching them calmly. The familiar face, the belt, the

heavy shirt, the bomb carefully in place.

The bomb

As the Tassos reached for him, a last ironic thought drifted

through Hendricks' mind. He felt a little better, thinking

about it. The bomb. Made by the Second Variety to destroy

the other varieties. Made for that end alone.

They were already beginning to design weapons to use

against each other.

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