Blish,James – And all the Stars a Stage

day before embarkation would be possible, a lookout spotted a reptilian

head coming along the surface of the lake toward them. As it drew closer,

the head rose, on the end of an impossibly long neck and then the

creature’s bow wave broadened, yard by yard.

Dr. Chase-Huebner studied it through binoculars. “Something like a

plesiosaur, only much bigger,” she said finally. “I wouldn’t like to count

on the charged wire stopping it-and even if it did, that neck is plenty

long enough for it to arch over the wire and grab anybody close by.”

“Maybe we could order some natives to swim around behind it and stick

thorns in it?” Ailiss said dubiously.

“Useless. There must be yards of blubber under that bide to keep such a

monster afloat, especially in fresh water. And in fact the chest looks

armored-I can’t tell about the rest of it. We’ll be very lucky if we can

even shoot it.~

‘I can shoot it,” jorn said abruptly. “If I’ve got time.” He was already

working frantically at the juryrigged exterior board which fed power to the

fence. “Hey, you, drive that little truck over here-no, dammit, closer, I

want to be able to reach the engine.”

And all the Stars a Stage 131 The monstees chest rose higher in

the water, its head weaving back and forth nearly a hundred

feet in the air. The shallow water churned to either side of

its chest.

“It s got flippers,” the lookout said. “Not legs.”

“Lots of sea animals back home made fair speed overland on flippers, for

short distances,” Dr. ChaseHuebner said. “And a short distance is all this