The Morgue Ship had gleaned information from
space that would end the three hundred year war,
knowledge that would defeat the aggressor
Martians--if Brandon could carry it to Earth.
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Planet Stories Winter 1944.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Logan's way of laughing was bad. "There's a new body up in the
air-lock, Brandon. Climb the rungs and have a look."
Logan's eyes had a green shine to them, eager and intent. They were
ugly, obscene.
Brandon swore under his breath. This room of the Morgue Ship was
crowded with their two personalities. Besides that, there were scores
of cold shelves of bodies freezing quietly, and the insistent
vibration of the coroner tables, machinery spinning under them. And
Logan was like a little machine that never stopped talking.
"Leave me alone." Brandon rose up, tall and thinned by the years,
looking as old as a pocked meteor. "Just keep quiet."
Logan sucked his cigarette. "Scared to go upstairs? Scared it might be
your son we just picked up?"
Brandon reached Logan in about one stride, and while the Morgue Ship
slipped on through space, he clenched the coroner's blue uniform with
the small bones inside it and hung it up against the wall, pressing
inward until Logan couldn't breathe. Logan blew air, his eyes looked
helpless. He tried to speak and could only grunt like a stuck pig. He
waved his short arms, flapping.
Brandon kept him there, crucified on a fist.
"I told you. Let me search for my own son's body in my own way. I don't
need your tongue."
Logan's eyes were losing their shine, were getting blind and glazed.
Brandon stepped back, releasing the little assistant. Logan bumped
softly against metal flooring, his mouth hungry for air, his nostrils
flaring for breath. Brandon watched the little face of Logan over the
crouched, gasping body, with red color and anger shooting up into it
with every passing second.
"Coward!" he threw it out of himself, Logan did. "Got
yellow--neon-tubing--for your spine. Coward. Never went to war. Never
did anything for Earth against Mars."