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The Monster and the Maiden
A great unrest was among the people, for the time of decision was again at hand. The Elders voted upon the candidates and the sacrifice was affirmed over the objections of Ryllik, the oldest.
"It is wrong to capitulate thus," he argued.
But they did not answer him, and the young virgin was taken to the grotto of smokes and fed the leaves of drowsiness.
Ryllik watched with disapproval.
"It should not be so," he stated. "It is wrong."
"It has always been so," said the others, "in the spring of the year, and in the fall. It has always been so." And they cast worried glances down the trail to where the sun was pouring morning upon the world.
The god was already traveling through the great-leafed forest.
"Let us go now," they said.
"Did you ever think of staying? Of watching to see what the monster god does?" asked Ryllik bitterly.
"Enough of your blasphemies! Come along!"
Ryllik followed them.
"We grow fewer every year," he said. "One day we shall no longer have any sacrifices left to offer."
"Then that day we die," said the others.
"So why prolong it?" he asked. "Let us fight them--now, before we are no more!"
But the others shook their heads, a summary of that resignation Ryllik had watched grow as the centuries passed. They all respected Ryllik's age, but they did not approve of his thoughts. They cast one last look back, just as the sun caught the clanking god upon his gilt-caparisoned mount, his death-lance slung at his side. Within the place where the smokes were born the maiden thrashed her tail from side to side, rolling wild eyes beneath her youthful browplates. She sensed the divine presence and began to bellow.
They turned away and lumbered across the plains.
As they neared the forest Ryllik paused and raised a scaly forelimb, groping after a thought. Finally, he spoke.
"I seem to have memory," said he, "of a time when things were different."
Collector's Fever
"What are you doing there, human?"
"It's a long story."
"Good, I like long stories. Sit down and talk. No--not on me!"
"Sorry. Well, it's all because of my uncle, the fabulously wealthy--"
"Stop. What does 'wealthy' mean?"
"Well, like rich."
"And 'rich'?"
"Hm. Lots of money."
"What's money?"
"You want to hear this story or don't you?"
"Yes, but I'd like to understand it too."
"Sorry, Rock, I'm afraid I don't understand it all myself."
"The name is Stone."
"Okay, Stone. My uncle, who is a very important man, was supposed to send me to the Space Academy, but he didn't. He decided a liberal education was a better thing. So he sent me to his old spinster alma mater to major in nonhuman humanities. You with me, so far?"
"No, but understanding is not necessarily an adjunct to appreciation."
"That's what I say. I'll never understand Uncle Sidney, but I appreciate his outrageous tastes, his magpie instinct and his gross meddling in other people's affairs. I appreciate them till I'm sick to the stomach. There's nothing else I can do. He's a carnivorous old family monument, and fond of having his own way. Unfortunately, he also has all the money in the family--so it follows, like a _xxt_ after a _zzn_, that he always _does_ have his own way."
"This money must be pretty important stuff."
"Important enough to send me across ten thousand light-years to an u
"The low-flying _zatt_ is a heavy eater, which accounts for its low flying..."
"So I've noted. That _is_ moss though, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"Good, then crating will be less of a problem."
"What's 'crating'?"
"It means to put something in a box to take it somewhere else."
"Like moving around?"
"Yes."
"What are you pla
"Yourself, Stone."
"I've never been the rolling sort..."
"Listen, Stone, my uncle is a rock collector, see? You are the only species of intelligent mineral in the galaxy. You are also the largest specimen I've spotted so far. Do you follow me?"
"Yes, but I don't want to."
"Why not? You'd be lord of his rock collection. Sort of a one-eyed man in a kingdom of the blind, if I may venture an inappropriate metaphor."
"Please don't do that, whatever it is. It sounds awful. Tell me, how did your uncle learn of our world?"
"One of my instructors read about this place in an old space log. _He_ was an old space log collector. The log had belonged to a Captain Fairhill, who landed here several centuries ago and held lengthy discourses with your people."
"Good old Foul Weather Fairhill! How is he these days? Give him my regards--"
"He's dead."
"What?"
"Dead. Kaput. Blooey. Gone. Deeble."
"Oh my! When did it happen? I trust it was an esthetic occurrence of major import--"
"I couldn't really say. But I passed the information on to my uncle, who decided to collect you. That's why I'm here--he sent me."
"Really, as much as I appreciate the compliment, I can't accompany you. It's almost deeble time--"
"I know, I read all about deebling in the Fairhill log before I showed it to Uncle Sidney. I tore those pages out. I want him to be around when you do it. Then I can inherit his money and console myself in all ma
"But I want to deeble here, among the things I've become attached to!"
"This is a crowbar. I'm going to unattach you."
"If you try it, I'll deeble right now."
"You can't. I measured your mass before we struck up this conversation. It will take at least eight months, under Earth conditions, for you to reach deebling proportions."
"Okay, I was bluffing. But have you no compassion? I've rested here for centuries, ever since I was a small pebble, as did my fathers before me. I've added so carefully to my atom collection, building up the finest molecular structure in the neighborhood. And now, to be snatched away right before deebling time, it's--it's quite unrock of you."
"It's not that bad. I promise you'll collect the finest Earth atoms available. You'll go places no other Stone has ever been before."
"Small consolation. I want my friends to see."
"I'm afraid that's out of the question."
"You are a very cruel human. I hope you're around when I deeble."
"I intend to be far away and on the eve of prodigious debaucheries when that occurs."
Under Dunghill's sub-E gravitation Stone was easily rolled to the side of the space sedan, crated, and, with the help of a winch, installed in the compartment beside the atomic pile. The fact that it was a short-jaunt sport model sedan, customized by its owner, who had removed much of the shielding, was the reason Stone felt a sudden flush of volcanic drunke
He mushroomed upwards, then swept in great waves across the plains of Dunghill. Several young Stones fell from the dusty heavens wailing their birth pains across the community band.
"Gone fission," commented a distant neighbor, above the static, "and sooner than I expected. Feel that warm afterglow!"
"An excellent deeble," agreed another. "It always pays to be a cautious collector."