Transcriber's Note:
This etext was first published in Amazing Stories, July 1961. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.
COMPLETE BOOK-LENGTH NOVEL
PARIAH PLANET
By MURRAY LEINSTER
Illustrated by FINLAY
The fear led to a hate thatthreatened the lives of millions and endangered theGalactic peace.
CHAPTER I
The little Med Ship came out[6]of overdrive and the starswere strange and the Milky Wayseemed unfamiliar. Which, ofcourse, was because the MilkyWay and the local Cepheid marker-starswere seen from an unaccustomedangle and a not-yet-commonplacepattern of varyingmagnitudes. But Calhoun gruntedin satisfaction. There was abanded sun off to port, which was[7]good. A breakout at no more thansixty light-hours from one's destinationwasn't bad, in a strangesector of the Galaxy and afterthree light-years of journeyingblind.
"Arise and shine, Murgatroyd,"[8]said Calhoun. "Combyour whiskers. Get set to astonishthe natives!"
A sleepy, small, shrill voicesaid;
"Chee!"
Murgatroyd the tormal camecrawling out of his small cubbyhole.He blinked at Calhoun.
"We're due to land shortly,"Calhoun observed. "You'll impressthe local inhabitants. I'llbe unpopular. According to therecords, there's been no Med Shipinspection here for twelve standardyears. And that was practicallyno inspection, to judge bythe report."
Murgatroyd said;
"Chee-chee!"
He began to make his toilet,first licking his right-handwhiskers and then his left. Thenhe stood up and shook himselfand looked interestedly at Calhoun.Tormals are companionablesmall animals. They arecharmed when somebody speaksto them. They find great, deepsatisfaction in imitating the actionsof humans, as parrots andmynahs and parrokets imitatehuman speech. But tormals havecertain useful, genetically transmittedtalents which make themmuch more valuable than merecompanions or pets.
Calhoun got a light-readingfor the banded sun. It couldhardly be an accurate measureof distance, but it was a guide.He said;
"Hold on to something, Murgatroyd!"
Calhoun threw the overdriveswitch and the Med Ship flickedback into that questionable stateof being in which velocities ofsome hundreds of times that oflight are possible. The sensationof going into overdrive was unpleasant.A moment later, thesensation of coming out was noless so. Calhoun had experiencedit often enough, and still didn'tlike it.
The sun Weald burned hugeand terrible in space. It w