The Earth In Peril

by Donald A Wollheim (ed)

  He was speaking now as Holm, helpless and despairing, was forced to listen to his mad utterances.

  “Stupid Holm, stupid, for you to attempt to thwart my purposes. But you were always so, even when we worked side by side in the university’s laboratories, always working from your unchanging point of view, never doubting in the least but that all plant life had been put on earth for the sole purpose of being useful to us animals—us humans. Never considering that a plant may be and is a more perfect organism than any animal, and that as such it should have a better right to dominate the world than those crude botches of life that make up animal life, human life.

  “You think me mad, Holm. Maybe so, but seeing the chaos and ugliness the animal races spread on earth, I determined that they no longer deserved to live, that the plants are at least equal to them and probably superior. And why not? A plant lives, even as animals live. It breathes as they breathe. It sleeps as they sleep and awakens as they awaken. It eats and drinks as they eat and drink, though in an infinitely superior manner, taking the raw and inorganic elements for its nourishment. You knew all this, Holm; you knew the work of Bose and Kasenin and Taylor; you knew that they have proved that plants can feel pain and can shrink from pain, can be intoxicated by certain substances and can reach toward the pleasure of intoxication, can feel even as animals can feel, and when given the power, can fight their enemies even as animals do. Plants that catch and kill insects and tiny animals in a myriad of ingenious ways, plants that feign death when approached by enemies, plants that store water against the dry season—you knew of these and a myriad others, yet you would not admit that plants have consciousness, intelligence.

  “But I knew that it was in fact only their immobility that had restricted the plant races. If they had no roots to hamper them, if they were able to move at will as animals are able to move, I knew that they would sweep all human and animal life before them from the face of the earth. A plant world, Holml It was my ideal, a plant world in which a mighty civilization of the cool-minded plant races might some day develop.

  “It was my dream, that, and I resolved to attain it, to loose the great plant races in full power upon earth, to wipe out all those animal species to which I myself, to my misfortune, belonged. So I set to work on the most gigantic task, surely, ever attempted, the task of reversing the order of domination of species that had reigned for such eons on earth, of raising up the plant races to rule and of annihilating for all time the animal races. To do that but one thing was necessary, and that was to give the plants power of movement. And there was a way, I saw, in which that might be accomplished.

  “That way was simple enough in principle. Of the nine food elements required by all plants, only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are present in the atmosphere in a form obtainable by plants. The remaining six the plant races could obtain only by sending roots down into the soil. If I were to add those six elements to the earth’s atmosphere, in the form of gaseous compounds, the plant life, of earth would need roots no longer. And since it is nature’s rule to swiftly atrophy or wither any part of a living creature no longer used or needed, the roots of all plant life would swiftly vanish. I' needed only to add those gaseous compounds to the atmosphere, therefore, to cause a colossal plant revolt over all the earth.

  “So I set myself to cause that plant revolt, in that way. Gathering together all funds I could command I disappeared completely from my accustomed life. My plan required that I find some spot on earth’s surface where all of the six elements I required were present in quantities, and for a long time I searched for such a place. At last, however, I found the place I sought, here on the summit of this mountain above Hartville. The tests I made showed me that at a certain depth were present all the elements I needed, and so at once I began to prepare to use them.

  “To cover my plans I announced myself in Hartville and elsewhere as a mine prospector, and for that expressed reason caused the great shaft here in the summit to be sunk- to the depth of the minerals I needed. I had these buildings erected, and very secretly began the installation of an atomic pile to give me an unfailing supply of power, and then when all the supplies and equipment I needed were here I announced myself as dissatisfied with results and abandoned the place. Thus it was soon forgotten by all who knew of it, and in a few weeks. I could come back secretly and begin work here without anyone knowing of my existence.

  “My problem was a great one, to release the six elements I needed from their mineral compounds in the great shaft’s depths, and to build them up again into gaseous compounds that could be poured up into the atmosphere. That is why I chose the atom, as an infinite source of power. I knew that once the plants lost their roots the flow of these food element gases would have to be continuous or they would die. The mightiness and abundance of atomic power would insure their continuation, even after my death.

  “Then, after two years of preparation, I switched on my atomic generator and sat batk to watch.

  “I watched, Holm, and saw the plant life about me changing, saw the smaller plants on the mountain’s slopes swiftly losing their roots, acquiring tendrils instead of leaves—tendrils that replaced the leaves, as I saw, because they could more efficiently obtain and ingest the nine elements now taken from the air instead of three. And, drawing themselves slowly over the ground with those tendrils, the plants acquired power of movement. I knew then that my theory had been correct to the last iota, and that given power of movement the plant races could meet the animal races on equal terms and could vanquish them.

  "I watched that change going on upon the mountain, safe from it myself since there was no smaller plant life on the mountain’s summit or upper slopes to form plant-masses that might menace me. And I knew that it was going on, more slowly, over all the world. The radio set I had brought with me informed me of those changes that were puzzling the whole world—changes of which none, not even you, Holm, had suspected the true meaning. And here on the mountain those changes were continuing, and even the stunted trees here on the summit were being affected, were putting forth masses of tendrils and were swiftly losing their roots, were striving also for power of movement. I watched their changes here on the summit, knowing that I could destroy them if I wished at any time before they could become dangerous to me. And so, last night the plant-masses had reached such a state of activity that they were able to pour down into the village in search of the animal food they sensed there, to strike the first great blow of the plant races at the world.

  “And so last night, Holm, you came here in a futile effort to stop the holocaust. But you are too late. For with every hour earth’s plant life changes as it has changed here, and when it shall have completely formed itself over all earth it will sweep all other living creatures from the face of earth and leave the great plant races supreme upon it for all timel”

  Mandall’s voice ceased, and to me, crouching there beneath the window in the fading light of sunset, it seemed that all things about me—the great shaft and its roaring current of gases, the building against which I crouched, the great tree-things whose masses of tendrils whipped restlessly about —that all these things were turning swiftly about me as I listened to the doom which one man had cast upon the world. Then as my spinning brain steadied a little I raised myself again to the window’s edge, peered inside it. Mandall was regarding Holm still with his burning eyes, and as I looked I saw Holm raise his head and face him.

  “Mandall^ you’re mad!” he said. “To send this terror upon earth—to raise these plant-creatures against your own race—”

  “My own race!” cried Mandall in mad anger. “My own race, a race of botched animals—a race that I disown! The plant races shall be master, shall sweep it and all others from the face of earth!”

  He wheeled toward the open door, took a step outside, his eyes gazing bumingly out over the scene without. And as he did so I clung there for the moment incapabl'e of motion, the horror that had weighed upon my mind with each passing hour seeming to numb i
t now from further action.

  I strove, though, to gather my whirling thoughts, and raised myself a little farther above the window’s level. Holm was sitting still opposite me, head down, in all his attitude expressing clearly the unutterable despair that filled him’. I gazed fearfully toward Mandall, standing still outside the building’s door, his back toward us, then made a swift motion. Holm, however, had not looked up, had not seen, and now in something like desperation I gave utterance to a low hiss, hardly audible. It was heard by Holm, though, for he looked quickly up at the sound of it, and then was staring at me with suddenly widening eyes, a cry of recognition upon his lips.

  I silenced him in time with a frantic gesture, though, then pointed questioningly toward Mandall, outside the door. Holm looked toward him, his eyes alight now with hope, and then shook his head silently, motioning with his head in explanation toward the pistol plainly in sight in Mandall’s belt. He nodded swiftly toward his own bonds, and I divined* instantly that he wished me to release him, and that whereas two of us might overcome Mandall, in spite of his pistol, one could not hope to do it. I glanced again toward Mandall, whose somber gaze over the great vista before him was unchanged, and then drew myself gently up and over the open window’s edge, and lowered myself silently inside.

  Standing motionless for a moment with pounding heart, I took a silent step forward. It was but a dozen steps that separated. me from Holm, yet each one seemed infinite in length as I stepped silently across the room toward him.

  I stole a glance toward Mandall as I moved on, but he had not turned, not moved, and now my hopes were running high as I stepped on, with my knife open in my hand. Holm was watching me come, his soul in his eyes, and then I was beside him, was stooping swiftly and with my blade was severing the bonds that held his wrists, was reaching then to sever those that held his ankles, reaching—

  “Harley! Behind you!”

  It was Holm’s sharp cry beside me that made me whirl instantly around, and as I did so I had a momentary glimpse of Mandall’s tall form towering over me, of the pistol in his hand raised above my head. So sudden had been that warning cry, so swift and sudden had been Mandall’s leap back inside toward me when he had turned to see me, that I had no chance to grasp him, to grapple with him. I could but fling up my arms in a vain attempt to halt the blow from the pistol that even then was descending upon me. For even as I made that vain endeavor to avoid it the blow crashed down upon my head, and then brilliant light seemed

  to burst from all things about me as I sank nervelessly downward into darkness.

  Pain-shot darkness, black torments of racking pain—it was through those that I struggled back to consciousness. I was aware first of the dull roar of the shaft’s gaseous currents, outside, and then of strange scuffling, smiting sounds that seemed to come from near me. Even then I was aware that it could have been but moments that I had lain in that unconsciousness, for my upflung arms had saved me from much of the force of the blow that had stunned me. Nearly dead from exhaustion as I was, though, after my wild climb up the mountainside, and half unconscious still from the crashing blow, it was only after moments of effort that I could open my eyes.

  I was lying where I had fallen, where Holm had been, and now as I looked slowly about I saw through the open door Holm and Mandall, locked together in a struggle in the clearing outside. My blade had severed the bonds on Holm’s wrists and though his ankles still were tied he was clinging with all the strength of mad despair to Mandall, who was struggling himself to shake him off; silently, except for the sound of their panting breathing and their scuffling over the ground in the clearing outside, with the great tree-monsters beyond them whipping their • tendrils wildly about and straining to and fro.

  I strove to lift myself from the floor, to reel out toward that struggling pair, but my stunned, exhausted body could not obey my will. I saw Mandall gradually beating down Holm’s resistance, and I sobbed, writhed, and then with a supreme effort threw out my arms and dragged myself, only half-conscious still, a little across the floor. I crept forward toward the door, toward that switch which would put the dampers in the atomic pile, the switch that would save the world. On—on—while now Mandall and Holm were reeling still across the clearing in mad battle, always nearer to the great tree-monsters at the clearing’s edge whose tendrils were straining toward them.

  Now I was within a yard of the switch, was dragging myself forward with the last remnants of my strength toward it. And as I did so I saw Mandall, struggling there with Holm almost within reach of the great tree-monsters’ tendrils, glance momentarily toward me and see me.' As he glimpsed me there almost at the switch his eyes became mad, and with insane strength he thrust Holm down to the ground, was leaping with pistol in hand toward me.

  In that moment I knew it for the end; both Holm and I would be dead and the last chance of halting the world’s doom gone. But even as Mandall leaped I saw something else, something that made me cry out crazily myself. I saw Holm, thrust to the ground by the other, spring upward with one last wild access of strength, saw him in spite of his bound ankles hurling himself in one swift motion upon Mandall and knocking him backward toward the clearing’s edge, knocking him backward toward the tree-monsters whose myriad tendrils were straining toward him! There was a wild scream from Mandall as those numberless tendrils whipped about him; I saw him hoisted swiftly upward by them, still other tendrils shooting out to tighten about him, and then he had been drawn downward and out of sight into the tendril-covered mass of the tree-monsters, his mad screams abruptly ceasing.

  Sunset was fading in the.west again when Holm and I passed out of the building, to pause outside its door. It had not been until that morning that I had awakened, and during the hours of that day Holm and I had destroyed as much of the deadly apparatus as we safely could. Now, as we passed out of the building into the unchanged glory of sunset, we stood silent for a time in the silence that seemed to lie over all the world.

  Before us there drooped, brown and dead and withered, those great tree-monsters that Mandall’s hand had loosed upon the world, and that had drawn Mandall himself to death. Brown and dead and withered they were now, their tendrils hanging limp and motionless—dead and withered as all those plant-hordes that had formed over earth, we knew, must be; dead and withered as Mandall himself had foretold would be the case were the great shaft’s uprush of gaseous compounds halted.

  Beyond those brown, dead, monstrous things, too, Holm and I could see far down and over the countryside in the sunset’s light, fading now to twilight; could see, on the mountain’s lower slopes far below, brown, motionless masses, brown and dead plant-masses, lying strewn about as they had perished, and we knew that over all earth the plant-masses that had formed would be lying dead also; knew that already the terror that had descended upon the peoples of earth so inexplicably would have lifted, as inexplicably, to them, and that upward already would be rising the joyful clamor of a world reprieved at the very moment of death.

  "Mandall’s doom.” It was Holm speaking, gazing out over that far reach of mountain and valley. “Mandall’s doom —and surely the world passed almost beneath it.”

  But my own eyes were on the brown, dead monsters before us. "Mandall’s doom—yes,” I said.

  We were silent again then, there in the deepening twilight, were walking in silence through those withered tree-things to the summit’s edge, were passing over that edge and down the slope, down toward the world. The darkness of night was descending swiftly upon us, white points gleaming out here and there above us. Steadily, though, we moved onward, downward, down the slope of the great mountain whose summit rose darkly behind us, its great bulk looming black against the sky’s scattered stars.

  MARY ANONYMOUS BY BRYCE WALTON

  TEN MILES out of New Washington the duralium observation tower was a slim needle stuck in the ground. Three officers of the UN High Command waited at the top of it, within view of the rocket. They waited for zero hour. They were Major-G
eneral Engstrand, Lt. Colonel Morgenson, and Major Schauffer.

  At 0500, Professor Michelson entered. He still wore a chemical-stained smock, a faded shirt and a pair of baggy trousers. He sat down in a dissolving way indicating a vast accumulated weariness. He felt old, very old, now that the last big project was finished.

  “The G-Agent’s all loaded,” he finally said. “Three tons.” He looked out the window. “You may give the firing orders, sir,” he said to Major-General Engstrand.

  Relief sighed voicelessly in the tower room.

  Schauffer also looked out the window. Morgenson contemplated his fingernails. Engstrand stood very straight, filled with the magnitude of this moment’s promise of final victory. Then he grabbed up the phone. "All right, Burkson. Everything’s set. The rocket will go as scheduled.”

  He sat down and wiped slowly at his puffy but somehow powerful face.

  The slim and calm Schauffer turned, got a bottle out of the liquor cabinet, poured four drinks. “We’ve worked long and hard,” he said. “A toast to a well earned victory, gentlemen.”

  They drank.

  Michelson was thinking, not of a well earned victory, but of retirement and rest. Forty years he had worked. For victory over the Eurasians. After that, for victory over the