Earthmen Die Hard!

They climbed the hill together, arm in arm. At the crest, they stoppedand looked back into the moon-brightened valley where the thin needleof metal pointed skyward.

The night wind blew her dress tightly about her slim legs, and shereached a hand to her head to keep the blonde curls from whipping abouther face.

He put his arm about her waist, squeezed her gently. "Only a few morehours to wait," he said, reassuringly.

The great ship from beyond the Galaxy drew alongside the tiny planet,matched its orbit, cut its drive, and drifted slightly toward the lonemoon. The ship was nearly as large as the planet itself, but there wasno interchange of gravity between the two bodies, for the ship was of asubstance made beyond the stars.

Inspector Ryt looked at his sky chart. Yes, it was Sol III. Then helooked through the port hole at his left and adjusted the lens. Then heswore by the Seven Sister Suns of Sagittarius.

The lens showed him the moonlit side of the planet. There were lightsthere, little rows of lights forming checkered patterns in variousareas. And there were other lights, greater lights which flickeredviciously among the patterns, leaving squat, circular clouds above them.

Ryt's cheeks puffed out in uncontrollable wrath. "Contaminated!" hebellowed. "And they are warring on each other!"

He turned from the lens, his gross body glowing in red anger."Krembyl!" he screamed. "Krembyl!"

The door at the far side of the room swung open, and the entity calledKrembyl fluttered in. "Yes?" he asked, his body trembling at the mannerin which his name had rung out.

"Your records show Sol III as sterile. Decontaminated!"

"Y-yes, sir," Krembyl stammered. "I—I took care of it myself. Justa—a few days ago...."

"Look!" shouted Inspector Ryt. "Look for yourself!"

Krembyl went hesitantly to the lens and adjusted himself before it. Hesaw the sparkling lights below, the flashes, the tiny clouds, and hisbody went pale pink with the shame of defeat.

"I—I am sorry, sir." He turned from the instrument, his pale pinkfading to an ashen gray. "I just don't understand it. I have renovatedthe planet several times...."

"Several times?"

"Why, y-yes." Krembyl hurried to a shelf of documents along one wall,scanned the titles briefly selected one, and returned to the desk."Here it is, sir. You will find my reports quite in order, sir."

"Damn the reports!" snapped the inspector. "I want to know why thisplanet hasn't been cared for properly!" He darkened his body with ascowl.

Krembyl fumbled the document open, flipped a few pages. "Here it is,sir. All written down, sir. All in correct order, sir.

"Cosmos 66, 9238," he read. "Malignant growth noted.

"Cosmos 67, 9238 Decontamination process begun.

"Method: Entire planet encircled with electrical impulses which causedhydrogen and oxygen to unite into a heavy liquid. Process continued fora full 40 of planet revolutions.

"Result: Planet covered with the liquid to an average depth of 30fathoms. Contaminating elem