INTRODUCTION
Carlos Abraham in "Las revistas argentinas de ciencia ficción" believes Luis Rodríguez Torres is a pseudonym, possibly of a Spanish author. "Nothing but Earthlings" was published in the June 1956 issue of Más Allá ("Beyond") (#37) and was illustrated by Eusevi. For further information on this era of Argentine science fiction, see Rachel Haywood Ferreira's "Más Allá, El Eternauta, and the Dawn of the Golden Age of Latin American Science Fiction (1953-59)" and "How Latin America Saved the World and Other Forgotten Futures".
For complete scans of Más Allá, including the illustrations, see: https://ahira.com.ar/revistas/mas-alla-de-la-ciencia-y-de-la-fantasia/
NOTHING BUT EARTHLINGS
OUTSIDE, the stars were shining. Inside, in the central chamber, there were three beings. One of them was referred to as a trilobe. The others were simple. They were inside the acceleration tanks, submerged in a colorless liquid. Only their vibrating membranes were slightly visible.
- "I didn't like that treaty with the colony," said the trilobe; "I didn't like it from the first moment."
- "But it's like they didn't really know what it was, or what it meant to us."
- "Yes. They knew it, Two-Three. The thing is, they just think themselves very clever."
- "They think themselves very superior," said Seven-Three.
- "That's right, but they're not."
- "Oh no! They're just some earthling swine."
- "Swine, you say?" asked Two-Three.
- "Yes. And filthy, too."
Two-Three briefly fluttered his upper vibrapods.
- "I don't understand," he said.
- "It's a metaphor," the trilobe explained.
- "A terrestrial metaphor, I suppose, right?"
- "Yes, terrestrial. They use a very peculiar language, don't you think?"
- "Very peculiar indeed," said Seven-Three, without fluttering his vibrapods, though he had a hard time containing himself.
A light flashed on the dashboard.
- "Engines," a voice announced. "Coordinates C-H-M."
The light went out.
- "Give me gyrocontrol," the trilobe ordered.
Two-Three turned a dial. A light flashed on the dashboard.
- "Gyrocontrol," someone said.
- "Set for JS," the trilobe ordered.
The light went out. The acceleration tanks tilted as gravity shifted to what had been a wall.
- "Give me engines, Two-Three."
A light flashed.
- "Engines."
- "Accelerate to zw, coordinates C-L-M."
The light went out. The colorless liquid briefly covered the membranes in the acceleration tanks. When it returned to its normal level, Two-Three asked:
- "Have you been there, Sicos?"
- "Yes" - the trilobe said - "I was there after Dietz."
- "That Dietz was as much of a swine as the others," said Seven-Three.
- "No, not that much. He was a swine, but he was smart."
- "Yes, very smart to do what he did."
- "It wasn't his fault. He didn't know it was a colony," said Two-Three.
- "No, of course he didn't. He'll know now, won't he, Sicos?"
- "Yes," said Sicos, "I think so."
The others fluttered their vibrapods. They were very amused.
- "Filthy earthlings!" said Seven-Three.
- "I can't get used to them."
- "I've already explained to you that was a metaphor, Two-Three" - said Sicos.
- "I know; but I can't get used to it. It disgusts me."
- "Yes, all of them disgust me."
- "It's just that they're distinct. You'll never get used to being different. Remember, Two-Three, that everything is different and that nothing is the same, or even similar. Much less two races."
- "Yes, but all this disgusts me. I can't stand it."
- "Me neither," said Seven-Three, "ever since I've seen them."
- "They're different, that's all," said Sicos. "They don't understand it. But we can't stand them. That time, after the one with Dietz, we could hardly speak."
- "Are they really that disgusting?" Two-Three asked.
- "Much more so," Seven-Three said, trying to restrain his vibrapods with difficulty.
- "Especially that which they value most."
- "What's that?"
- "Women" - said Sicos - "That's what they call them: women."
- "It's very interesting, Two-Three. They're a vital phenomenon for them. They need them."
- "To reproduce, you know? - explained Sicos.
- "Exactly. They're always with women. They're like themselves, and I can't explain any difference that there may be. They're always mixed, earthlings and women.
- "Stop" - said Two-Three.
- "Oh, you don't like it!" Seven-Three continued, unfurling a vibrapod and bending it gracefully. "Look, women and earthlings are always together. It's very interesting and vital."
- "It's disgusting. Stop, Seven-Three. Don't say such things."
- "Don't you understand, Two-Three? They consider it natural. It's vital."
- "It's disgusting. How can one live without a prudent separation between individuals? I don't understand. Vital, you say? It's disgusting! Stop, Seven-Three."
- "It's vital for them. If you think about it that way, you won't find it so disgusting. It's simply vital. Think about how vital it is. Look: women and earthlings always together; very close together, Two-Three; very close together, almost without any separation."
- "Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop!"
- "It's fine, Two-Three. I was just trying to explain how vital it is to them. They're always together; women and earthlings; although they're the same thing and there's no difference."
- "Stop."
- "They're all earthlings! How vital!... very vital; essential."
- "Stop! I can't stand it! Oh, enough already!" - Two-Three fluttered in the liquid, his vibrapods curling spasmodically.
- "Enough!" he said. "Enough, Seven-Three! You're overstepping your bounds."
- "Enough already, Seven-Three," said Sicos. "You already know it, Two-Three. Are you aware?"
- "I'm aware, Sicos. Now I understand why we're going there."
- "To explain to them that they mustn't destroy our colonies," said Seven-Three. "Filthy earthlings!"
- "Don't say it like that."
- "It's just a metaphor; you know that."
- "It's disgusting."
- "I believe it already! I was there with Sicos, after Dietz, right, Sicos?"
- "Yes. I believe we were there after Dietz."
The others rejoiced and fluttered their vibrapods. Two-Three was very happy and had unfurled almost all of his vibrapods.
A light started flashing.
- "Servocontrol" - a voice announced-. "Meteor cloud."
The light went out, and a buzzer sounded. Liquid covered the vibrating membranes, and the acceleration tanks shifted. The colorless liquid stirred a little. Then, the gravity was as it was before, and the liquid returned to its normal level.
The light flashed again.
- "Servocontrol. En route," the voice announced.
- "That's efficiency, said Seven-Three. "Almost earthling efficiency."
- "Almost," said Sicos.
The others fluttered their vibrapods. They were very amused.
- "They're very curious and they control each other with a very special control system" - said Sicos.
- "Do you mean that they control others amongst themselves? - asked Two-Three."
- "Exactly. It's not quite control, but it could be considered as such."
- "That's terrible!"
- "For them it's not," - Seven-Three explained. - "Look, you control someone else. But I'm stronger, so I can control both of you. Do you understand?"
- "It's astonishing."
- "They don't consider it to be." - said Sicos-. "They're used to it. The strongest always controls."
- "It's terrible! And don't they notice the capabilities of each person, their ideas, their mental control, their lobes?"
- "Oh, no!" said Seven-Three. "They're just earthlings. They don't notice anything. The strongest is always in control. If someone, through his abilities or his ideas, tries to control someone, someone stronger always comes along and controls him in turn. Two or more will also unite to control those who are weak."
- "I don't understand."
- "It can't be understood," said Sicos. "Suppose you, Two-Three, that you join with Seven-Three against me."
Two-Three fluttered his vibrapods.
- "Against you, Sicos?"
- "Yes. Let's suppose, I said."
- "Impossible. It couldn't be."
- "They do it," Seven-Three said. Two-Three did not answer. His vibrapods submerged into the acceleration tank. Everyone was silent for a moment, only the faint hum of the engines could be heard.
- "Several join together, and that makes them strong" - explained Sicos - "You, Two-Three, could join together with Seven-Three against me."
- "Stop, Sicos; it disgusts me!"
- "It's like that, Two-Three, it's like that."
- "We're going to have to explain ourselves to them very well" - said Seven-Three.
- "I think so" - said Sicos-. "I'm almost sure of it."
The others fluttered their vibrapods. Sicos knew how to keep them in a permanent state of joy. They felt very happy and content to be with Sicos. He always had phrases that produced a great deal of joy in them. He was very comical.
- "I suppose they have Colonies, too," said Two-Three.
- "Yes, they have them on the planets of their star."
- "Are we going to use the weapon against their planet?"
- "Ask Seven-Three."
- "The weapon against their planet?" Seven-Three said, forgetting to control his vibrapods. "Against their planet, you say? Look here: you and Sicos are a couple of filthy earthlings!"
Sicos and Two-Three fluttered their vibrapods happily. They were very amused and happy.
- "You're a filthy earthling; and you, Sicos, are what the earthlings call a captain!"
The others were becoming more and more amused; they got along very well with each other, it's true, and Two-Three had unfurled all his vibrapods.
- "Very good," said Sicos. "Very good, Seven-Three. I'm a captain, but you're a lieutenant."
Seven-Three suddenly lost control. He was so amused that he couldn't answer anything.
- "And me?" asked Two-Three, without lowering his vibrapods for a moment.
- "You?" said Seven-Three, getting a reaction. "You're just a filthy earthling!"
Sicos and Two-Three felt very satisfied. Two-Three was no longer impressed by the term and forgot to lower his vibrapods.
- "Very good!" said Sicos. "And so, Lieutenant, you're not in favor of using the weapon against the planet, are you?"
- "No, Captain, I'm not in favor of it at all. I'm going to use the weapon against the star."
- "Against the star?" - said Two-Three.
- "Yes, filthy earthling. Remember that they have colonies on some planets."
- "But they won't be able to live long in their colonies, will they? Seven-Three?"
- "No, filthy earthling, they won't be able to live after their star is gone."
- "Very good, lieutenant" - said Sicos-. "Use your weapon as you wish."
- "Yes, captain; as I wish."
A light flashed.
- "Engines" - announced a voice. - "Coordinates C - L - M."
The light went out.
- "Give me observation" - Sicos ordered.
- "Yes, Captain," said Two-Three.
- "Observation," someone said.
- "Connect to the central chamber."
The lights dimmed, and the acceleration tanks spun on their axis. A screen lit up, presenting a view of outer space thick with stars.
- "Filthy earthling" - Sicos ordered -, "give me gyrocontrol."
- "Gyrocontrol" - a voice said.
- "Full rotation."
The stars began to move on the screen.
- "Observation, filthy earthling."
A light flashed.
- "Observation."
- "Locate the star," Sicos said.
The stars spun. Suddenly a bright glow illuminated the chamber.
- "Give me gyrocontrol" - Sicos ordered.
- "Gyrocontrol."
- "Cease rotation! There you have it; it's yours, Lieutenant."
- "Very good, give me engines, filthy earthling" - said Seven-Three.
A light flashed.
- "Engines" - a voice announced.
- "To a critical distance. Advance."
The tanks turned, and the star began to slowly enlarge.
A light flashed, and the star stopped approaching.
- "Engines," the voice said. "Critical distance."
- "Very interesting, Lieutenant."
- "Yes, Captain. But it will be much more interesting very soon."
Sicos and Two-Three fluttered their vibrapods. Their happiness was very contagious. Seven-Three couldn't control himself and unfurled almost all of his vibrapods.
- "Give me power," he said to Two-Three.
A light flashed.
- "Power," someone said.
- "You talk like an earthling."
- "What did you say?"
- "Nothing. Ready weapons!"
Another light flashed.
- "Power" - the voice announced -. "Ready to make contact."
- "Wait a minute."
The lights went out.
- "Very interesting, Lieutenant. What are you waiting for?"
- "Your order, Captain. You're in command."
- "Ah! I've forgotten. Whenever you like, Lieutenant."
- "Yes, Captain. Filthy earthling!"
- "Lieutenant?"
- "Give me power."
The lights flashed.
- "Power. Ready to make contact."
- "Still talking like an earthling?"
- "What do you mean?"
- "Nothing. Contact!"
The lights went out. On the screen, the star began to glow more and more intensely, until it extinguished the others with its brightness.
- "Give me observation" - Sicos ordered.
- "Observation" - a voice announced.
- "Disconnect."
The light went out. An instant later the screen went dark, and the chamber lights flashed normally.
- "What a disgusting glow!" said Seven-Three. "It seems that everything about them is disgusting."
- "Filthy earthling!"
- "Captain?"
- "Give me engines."
- "Engines," someone said.
- "Accelerate to zw, coordinates C-H-M."
The liquid briefly covered the membranes. When it returned to its normal level, Seven-Three said:
- "I suppose you liked it, filthy earthlings."
The others fluttered their vibrapods happily.
- "I can't get used to the glow," said Two-Three.
- "Yes, Lieutenant; a bit too strong, this glow."
- "Disgusting. It seems like everything about them was disgusting. In every way they're always the same."
- "Do you think so?" said Sicos. "Remember that there's nothing that's equal, not even similar."
- "I'd like to know what they must have thought," said Two-Three.
Seven-Three could hardly control himself.
- "Can you imagine one time they actually ever thought?" he said before lowering his vibrapods.
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