Science fiction; Short stories; Space flight to the moon -- Fiction
At fifty thousand miles they had lost all thought of danger. They spoke
of space and the unseen medium that must be there. After forming
the only logical conclusion about the nature of this, they passed on
to matters of relativity and the nature of time and of life itself,
understanding each in its turn.
They became so absorbed in conversation they did not even notice when
they stopped talking and conversed in pure thought. Not even did they
realize that a golden glow had come to their faces and bodies that was
not simple light. And they were content in knowing they would never
return to earth, knowing also that they would not die.
The rocket carried them one hundred thousand miles through space before
it happened.
"There is someone behind us," Jones said, simply.
[Illustration: As he looked through the glassite hull of the space
ship at the surface of the Moon a strange thing happened. A shimmering
figure appeared in a halo of light.]
They looked, and beheld a man standing in space. He was hardly a man
anymore, as men are called, but one like themselves. A golden glow
seemed to blend with him. He smiled.
"Welcome!"
"We have been expecting you," said Moore, smiling in return. "Your
voice, your thoughts reached us. We know you are one of those who came
out in a rocket before us. But your name is not clear."
The being seemed mildly surprised. Then he laughed; a thing that was
as the tinkle of small bells, as the dew of a cool meadow before the
rising sun or the joyous song of a nightingale.
"I am one of them," he said, "and all of them. We who have overcome
the chains of gravity, who have become one in thought and find it
impossible to do otherwise, have no need for individuality."
"But you have a body," said Jones. "Surely that gives you some sort of
individuality."
"Yes, if one's mind is bound, controlled by matter. But the mind
working without resistance is a perfect machine. It is able to control
matter in every respect. We take this form or that form as a matter of
expedience."
"We have reasoned that all this is due to release from gravity," Moore
reflected. "But we do not understand completely. Will you tell us?"
"Even those on Earth know that gravity hampers the mind," the being
said. "This they have learned through observation of mental factors in
relation to the gravitational pull of the sun and moon. But look into
my mind and you will see more clearly."
They looked, and saw a copper disk turn before a powerful magnet. And
they saw resistance caused by electric currents induced in the copper,
so that a great deal of power was required to turn the disk, even
slowly. This, the thoughts indicated, was a principal well known to
those yet on Earth.
Next came the relationship between magnetism and gravity, clearly
demonstrated.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account