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Second Landing, by Floyd Wallace
The Project Gutenberg EBook of Second Landing, by Floyd Wallace This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Second Landing
Author: Floyd Wallace
Release Date: March 30, 2008 [EBook #24958]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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SECOND LANDING
By FLOYD WALLACE
A gentle fancy for the Christmas Season--an oft-told tale with a wistful twistful of Something that left the Earth with a wing and a prayer.
Earth was so far away that it wasn't visible. Even the sun was only a twinkle. But this vast distance did not mean that isolation could endure forever. Instruments within the ship intercepted radio broadcasts and, within the hour, early TV signals. Machines compiled dictionaries and grammars and began translating the major languages. The history of the planet was tabulated as facts became available.
The course of the ship changed slightly; it was not much out of the way to swing nearer Earth. For days the two within the ship listened and watched with little comment. They had to decide soon.
"We've got to make or break," said the first alien.
"You know what I'm in favor of," said the second.
"I can guess," said Ethaniel, who had spoken first. "The place is a complete mess. Th