Untouched By Human Hands Part 22

"Here I have a whole world-"

"Don't get sentimental-"

"And the love of a girl named Martha."

From his bunk Mark saw the stars for the last time. Big, bigger than ever, endlessly floating in the still waters of s.p.a.ce.

"The stars..." Mark said.

"Yes?"

"The sun?"

"-shall s.h.i.+ne as he s.h.i.+nes now, and heretofore."

"A b.l.o.o.d.y poet."

"A poor poet"

"And girls?"

"I dreamed of a girl named Martha once. Maybe if-"

"What do you think of girls? And stars? And Earth?" And it was bedtime, this time forever.

Charles stood beside the body of his friend. He felt for a pulse once, and allowed the withered hand to fall. He walked to a corner of the shack and turned off the tired air pump.

The tape that Mark had prepared had a few cracked inches left to run. "I hope he finds his Martha," the robot croaked.

Then the tape broke.

His rusted limbs would not bend, and he stood frozen, staring back at the naked stars. Then he bowed his head.

"The Lord is my shepherd," Charles said. "I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me..."

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fict.i.tiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

"The Monsters" copyright 1953 by Robert Sheckley. First appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.

"Cost of Living" copyright 1952 by Robert Sheckley. First appeared in Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine.

"The Altar" copyright 1953 by Robert Sheckley. First appeared in Fantastic.

"Shape" copyright 1953 by Robert Sheckley. First appeared in Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine under the t.i.tle "Keep Your Shape."

"The Impacted Man" copyright 1952 by Robert Sheckley. First appeared in Astounding Science Fiction.

"Untouched by Human Hands" copyright 1953 by Robert Sheckley. First appeared in Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine under the t.i.tle "One Man's Poison."

"The King's Wishes" copyright 1953 by Robert Sheckley. First appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.

"Warm" copyright 1953 by Robert Sheckley. First appeared in Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine.

"The Demons" copyright 1953 by Robert Sheckley. First appeared in Fantasy Magazine.

"Specialist" copyright 1953 by Robert Sheckley. First appeared in Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine.

"Seventh Victim" copyright 1953 by Robert Sheckley. First appeared in Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine.

"Ritual" copyright 1953 by Robert Sheckley. First appeared in Climax.

"Beside Still Waters" copyright 1953 by Robert Sheckley. First appeared in Amazing Stories.

Copyright 1954 by Robert Sheckley.

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