Devil’s Asteroid

By Manly Wade Wellman

An entertaining story that plays like '2001: A Space Odyssey' in reverse. Martians, an interplanetary cold war, asteroids, and devolution await.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wilder Publications, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 31, 2014
• ISBN: 9781633845107

Manly Wade Wellman

Manly Wade Wellman (May 21, 1903 - April 5, 1986) was an award-winning American writer. Although his science fiction and fantasy stories appeared in such pulps as Astounding Stories, Startling Stories, Unknown and Strange Stories, he is best remembered as one of the most popular contributors to the legendary Weird Tales, and for his fantasy and horror stories set in the Appalachian Mountains, which draw on the native folklore of that region. Wellman also wrote in a wide variety of other genres, including historical fiction, detective fiction, western fiction, juvenile fiction, and non-fiction. He received many awards, including the World Fantasy Award and Edgar Allan Poe Award. In 2013, the North Carolina Speculative Fiction Foundation inaugurated an award named after him to honor other North Carolina authors of science fiction and fantasy. Three of Wellman’s most famous recurring protagonists are (1) John, aka John the Balladeer, aka “Silver John”, a wandering backwoods minstrel with a silver-stringed guitar, (2) the elderly “occult detective” Judge Pursuivant, and (3) John Thunstone, also an occult investigator. Born in the village of Kamundongo in Portuguese West Africa (now Angola), where his father was stationed as a medical officer, Wellman spoke the native dialect before he learned English, and became an adopted son of a powerful chief whose vision his father restored. His family moved to the United States when he was young. He graduated from Wichita State University in Kansas with a BA in English in 1926 and received a Bachelor of Laws degree from Columbia Law School. His first story “The Lion Roared,” based on the stories told to him in his African childhood upbringing, was published in Thrilling Tales in 1927, and his first science fiction novel The Invading Asteroid was published in 1929, though he did not publish extensively until his move to New York in 1934. He died in North Carolina in 1986, aged 82.

Book preview

Devil’s Asteroid

by Manly Wade Wellman

©2014 Wilder Publications

Cover image © Can Stock Photo Inc. / isoga

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission except for brief quotations for review purposes only.

Wilder Publications, Inc.

PO Box 632

Floyd, VA 24091

ISBN 13: 978-1-63384-510-7

It was not very large, as asteroids go, but about it clung a silvery mist of atmosphere. Deeper flashes through the mist betokened water, and green patches hinted of rich vegetation. The space-patroller circled the little world knowledgeably, like a wasp buzzing around an apple. In the control room, by the forward ports, the Martian skipper addressed his Terrestrial companion.

I wissh you joy of yourr new home, he purred. Like many Martians, he was braced upright on his lower tentacles by hoops and buckles around his bladdery body, so that he had roughly a human form, over which lay a strange loose armor of light plates. In the breathing hole of his petal-tufted skull was lodged an artificial voice-box that achieved words. I rregrret—

Fitzhugh Parr glowered back. He was tall, even for a man of Earth, and his long-jawed young face darkened with wrath. Regret nothing, he snapped. You’re jolly glad to drop me on this little hell.

Hell? repeated the Martian reproachfully. But it iss a ssplendid miniaturre worrld—nineteen of yourr miless in diameterr, with arrtificial grravity centerr to hold airr and waterr; ssown, too, with Terresstrrial plantss. And companionss of yourr own rrace.

accosted

You! They drive you out? A thick, unsure voice accosted him.

There’s a catch, rejoined Parr. Something you Martian swine think is a heap big joke. I can see that, captain.

The tufted head wagged. Underr trreaty between Marrs and Earrth, judgess of one planet cannot ssentence to death crriminalss frrom the otherr, not even forr murrderr—

It wasn’t for murder! exploded Parr. I struck in self-defense!

I cannot arrgue the point. Yourr victim wass a high official perrhapss inssolent, but you Earrth folk forrget how eassy ourr crraniumss crrack underr yourr blowss. Anyway, you do not die—you arre exiled. Prreparre to dissembarrk.

Behind them three Martian space-hands, sprawling like squids near the control-board, made flutelike comments to each other. The tentacle of each twiddled an electro-automatic pistol.

Rremove tunic and bootss, directed the skipper. You will not need them. Quickly, ssirr!

Parr glared at the levelled weapons of the space-hands, then shucked his upper garment and kicked off his boots. He stood up straight and lean-muscled, in a pair of duck shorts. His fists clenched at his sides.

Now we grround, the skipper continued, and even as he spoke there came the shock of the landfall. The inner panel opened, then the outer hatch. Sunlight beat into the chamber. Goodbye, said the skipper formally. "You have thirrty ssecondss, Earrth