The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Unthinking Destroyer, by Roger Phillips

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Title: The Unthinking Destroyer

Author: Roger Phillips

Illustrator: W. E. Terry

Release Date: December 15, 2009 [EBook #30683]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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THE UNTHINKING DESTROYER

by ROG PHILLIPS

Gordon and Harold both admitted the possibility of thinking entities
other than human. But would they ever recognize the physical form of
some of these beings?

"Hey, Gordon!"

Gordon Marlow, Ph.D., straightened up and turned in the direction of the
voice, the garden trowel dangling in his dirt-stained white canvas
glove. His wide mouth broke into a smile that revealed even white teeth.
It was Harold Harper, an undergraduate student, who had called.

"Hop over the fence and come in," Gordon invited.

He dropped the trowel and, taking off his work gloves, reached into his
pocket and extracted an old pipe. He filled it, the welcoming smile
remaining on his lips, while Harold Harper approached, stepping
carefully between the rows of carrots, cabbages, and cauliflower.

Harold held a newspaper in his hand. When he reached Gordon Marlow he
held it open and pointed to the headline. ROBOT ROCKET SHIP TO MARS.

Gordon took the paper and read the item, puffing slowly and contentedly
on his old pipe. His eyes took on an interested look when he came to the
reporter's speculations on the possibility of intelligent life on Mars.

Finally he handed the newspaper back to Harold.

"You know, Harold," he said, "I wonder if they would recognize
intelligent life if they saw it on other planets."

"Of course they would," Harold replied. "Regardless of its form there
would be artifacts that only intelligent life could create."

"Would there?" Gordon snorted. "I wonder."

He squatted down, picking up the trowel and lazily poking it into the
rich soil at his feet.

"That's why I wonder," he continued. "We are so prone to set up tests on
what intelligent li