Quarry

By E.C.Tubb

Radford threw a folder on the firing-bench. “All right,” he said before the agent could protest. “I know that you’re overdue for a vacation, but it can’t be helped. Things are on the boil. The discovery of the Free Union has shot the status quo all to hell and everyone’s out snatching for what they can grab. Both us and our friends of the Outworld Federation are eager to make friends and influence people—especially the people of the Free Union. We tell them that, as children of Earth, descendants of long-forgotten expeditions, they should come back to Momma and take their place in the Terran League. The opposition claim that, as long­term settlers on extra-terrestrial planets, their real interest lies in becoming a part of the Outworld Federation.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wildside Press
• Release date: Feb 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9781479457939

Book preview

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

Copyright © 1969 by E.C. Tubb.

Originally published in Vision of Tomorrow #2, December 1969 issue.

Copyright © 1969 by E.C. Tubb; copyright © 2020 by Lisa John.

Reprinted by permission of the Cosmos Liberary Agency.

Published by Wildside Press LLC.

wildsidepress.com | bcmystery.com

Table of Contents

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

QUARRY

QUARRY

E.C. TUBB

On the far wall a man sprang into life, running towards a distant horizon. Leaver waited until the target became small in simulated distance and fired. A red spot glowed on the back of the figure’s head as a bell rang success. He tripped the switch to repeat the projection.

Your turn,, he said to Radford. Fire at a hundred and aim at the body.

The Chief of Terran League Special Intelligence grunted, stubbornly waited until the reeling numerals showed three times that distance, then fired. He missed. Quickly he fired again, scoring a hit on the third attempt. Leaver chuckled as he repeated the projection. His gun coughed five times. A red spot glowed on each arm, each leg and the head of the target-figure.

You’re getting rusty, he commented. That’s what comes of letting others do your dirty work. Or maybe you should use a knife. You’re pretty good at planting those—in the back.

Radford ignored the sarcasm. I’ve got work for you, he said. You’ll have to leave right away.

I’ve only just got back!

So what? Radford threw a folder on the firing-bench. All right, he said before the agent could protest. I know that you’re overdue for a vacation, but it can’t be helped. Things are on the boil. The discovery of the Free Union has shot the status quo all to hell and everyone’s out snatching for what they can grab. Both us and our friends of the Outworld Federation are eager to make friends and influence people—especially the people of the Free Union. We tell them that, as children of Earth, descendants of long-forgotten expeditions, they should come back to Momma and take their place in the Terran League. The opposition claim that, as longterm settlers on extra-terrestrial planets, their real interest lies in becoming a part of the Outworld Federation.

Two dogs snarling over a juicy bone, said Leaver. What do they say? The peoples of the Free Union. Or don’t they get a chance to say anything?

Radford was grim. They are playing it smart, he confessed. "Running a stand-off by playing the League against the Federation and vice versa. If one moves in to make a grab the other will jump to protect. The Free Union