The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Ethical Way, by Joseph Farrell

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Title: The Ethical Way

Author: Joseph Farrell

Illustrator: Johnson

Release Date: April 12, 2010 [EBook #31962]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Transcriber's Note:

This etext was produced from Galaxy Science Fiction March 1958.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S.
copyright on this publication was renewed.

The Ethical Way

By JOSEPH FARRELL

_There is a way around every tabu, knock on wood--but just
watch out that the wood doesn't knock back!_

Illustrated by JOHNSON

* * * * *

"Is it time?" Jarth Rolan asked anxiously. Pilot Lan Barda pushed him
gently back into a seat. "No, but very soon. And be calm--you're
jumpier than a human."

"But we've waited so long--yes, a long time. And I _am_ anxious to get
home."

Lan peered calmly out of his vehicle. They were hovering in Earth's
upper atmosphere, at the permitted limit.

"Be patient. These people have almost reached the critical point.
We'll get the signal before long."

Jarth Rolan popped out of his chair and danced about in nervous
excitement.

"Won't it be dangerous? For us, I mean. Going down into that
radioactive atmosphere. And how about them--will any of them live?
Suppose we wait too long?"

Lan Barda laughed. He was a husky humanoid, pinkish of skin and
completely hairless, like all galactics. He slapped Jarth Rolan's
back.

"We have experts watching. These humans have used four cobalt bombs,
and plenty of smaller stuff. The fallout is close to the danger point.
Our observers will know just when we can move in because--" he winked
and his voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper--"they're using
automatically controlled instruments."

"Oh, my!" Jarth Rolan clapped his hands to his cheeks. "But those are
robots