THE SONS OF JAPHETH
By RICHARD WILSON
Illustrated by ENGLE
His duty was clear and simple: strafe Noah's
ark and kill every human on it. The tricky
part was making sure the animals lived!
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Infinity, December 1956.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Pilot Officer Roy Vanjan happened to be spaceborne when the Earthexploded. In that way he escaped the annihilation along with one otherman, revered old Dr. Garfield Gar, who was in the space station.
Roy had backed well off in preparation for a mach ten dive on Kabul,which the enemy had lately taken over. He had one small omnibomb leftin his racks and Kabul had seemed to be about the right size. But thenthe destruction of Earth changed his plans.
He watched, expressionless, as the planet exploded. He shrugged. Therewas nothing to do now but go see Dr. Gar.
Roy's foescope clamored insistently and he tensed, thinking aspaceborne enemy was on him, but it was only a piece of exploding Earthstumbling by.
Dr. Gar was alone in the space station because all able-bodied men hadbeen called to fight World War V. The governments of Earth, in a raremoment of conscience during the Short Truce, had agreed that Dr. Gar,as the embodiment of all Earthly knowledge, should be protected fromharm.
Pilot Officer Roy Vanjan didn't receive as warm a reception from oldDr. Gar as he might have, considering that they were the only twopeople left. The old man was combing his white beard with his fingersand didn't offer to shake hands.
"Well," said Roy as he defused his bomb and secured his single-seaterin the spacelock, "I guess it's all over."
"Scarcely a historic statement," Dr. Gar said, "but it describes thesituation."
"If you don't have anything for me to do I'd just as soon have a drink.They usually let me have a stiff one after I complete a mission."
Dr. Gar examined the hard young pilot from under shaggy white eyebrows."I do have another mission for you but you can have a drink first.Peach brandy is all that's left."
"That'll be fine," Roy said. "I was never particular."
"Then you're my man," Dr. Gar said, giving him a deep look, "because Iwant you to go back in time and destroy humanity."
"Whatever you say." Roy's training showed. "But if I may comment,wouldn't that be superfluous? Except for you and me the human race isfinished. We've achieved our objective." He spoke without irony.
"Never my objective."
"I'm not a scholar and I mean no offense," Roy said, "but I believe itwas the co-ordinated spatial theory you announced back in '06 that madeit possible."
"Misapplication," Dr. Gar said wearily, not wanting to go into itfurther for such an audience. Though, he thought, he'd never haveanother. "Come into my study and have your brandy."
"I still don't understand," Roy said later. He reached tentatively forthe bottle. When the old man made no objection he poured a second stiffone.
"You want me to go back in time and wipe out all human life," Roy said."I assume you'll tell me when and where. All right. That would destroyour ancestors and so we'd cease to exist, too. Wouldn't it be simplerto kill ourselves now? That is, if you see no point to our furtherexistence."
Old Dr. Gar watched the other remnant of Earthly life twirl the brandyin the goblet. He looked at the viewscreen. It showed a panorama