OOMPHEL ...
... IN THE SKY
By H. BEAM PIPER
Transcriber's Note
This etext was produced from Analog Science Fact—ScienceFiction, November 1960. Extensive research did not uncoverany evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication wasrenewed.
Since Logic derives from postulates, it never has, andnever will, change a postulate. And a religious beliefis a system of postulates ... so how can a man fight anative superstition with logic? Or anything else ...?
Illustrated by Bernklau
Miles Gilbert watchedthe landscape slide awaybelow him, its quilt ofrounded treetops mottledred and orange inthe double sunlight and, in shadedplaces, with the natural yellow of thevegetation of Kwannon. The aircarbegan a slow swing to the left, andGettler Alpha came into view, a monstroussmear of red incandescencewith an optical diameter of two feetat arm's length, slightly flattened onthe bottom by the western horizon.In another couple of hours it wouldbe completely set, but by that timeBeta, the planet's G-class primary,would be at its midafternoon hottest.He glanced at his watch. It was 1005,but that was Galactic Standard Time,and had no relevance to anything thatwas happening in the local sky. It didmean, though, that it was five minutesshort of two hours to 'cast-time.
He snapped on the communicationscreen in front of him, and HarryWalsh, the news editor, looked outof it at him from the office in Bluelake,halfway across the continent. Hewanted to know how things were going.
"Just about finished. I'm going tolook in at a couple more native villages,and then I'm going to Sanders'plantation to see Gonzales. I hopeI'll have a personal statement fromhim, and the final situation-progressmap, in time for the 'cast. I take itMaith's still agreeable to releasing thestory at twelve-hundred?"
"Sure; he was always agreeable.The Army wants publicity; it wasGovernment House that wanted tosit on it, and they've given that upnow. The story's all over the placehere, native city and all."
"What's the situation in town,now?"
"Oh, it's still going on. Some disorders,mostly just unrest. Lot of[Pg 122]street meetings that could haveturned into frenzies if the policehadn't broken them up in time. Acouple of shootings, some sleep-gassing,and a lot of arrests. Nothing toworry about—at least, not immediately."
That was about what he thought."Maybe it's not bad to have a littletrouble in Bluelake," he considered."What happens out here in the plantationcountry the Government Housecrowd can't see, and it doesn't worrythem. Well, I'll call you from Sanders'."
He blanked the screen. In the seatin front, the native pilot said: "Somecontragravity up ahead, boss." Itsounded like two voices speaking inunison, which was just what it was."I'll have a look."
The pilot's hand, long and thin,like a squirrel's, reached up and pulleddown the fifty-power binoculars ontheir swinging arm. Miles looked atthe screen-map and saw a native villagejust ahead of the dot of light thatmarked the position of the aircar. Hespoke the native name of the villagealoud, and added:
"Let down there, Heshto. I'll see