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Norton, Andre, 1912-2005

"Plague Ship"

The sweet odor of their verdant life was strong. But
how could any of the four now on duty tell what was rightfully there and
what might have been brought in? And could they be sure anything _had_
been introduced?
Dane stood there, his eyes searching those lines of greens--such a
mixture of greens from the familiar shade of Terra's fields to greens
tinged with shades first bestowed by other suns on other worlds--looking
for one which was alien enough to be noticeable. Only Mura, who knew
this garden as he knew his own cabin, could have differentiated between
them. They would just dump everything and trust to luck--
He was suddenly aware of a slight movement in the banks--a shivering of
stem, quiver of leaf. The mere act of his passing had set some sensitive
plant to register his presence. A lacy, fern-like thing was contracting
its fronds into balls. He should not stay--disturbing the peace of the
hydro. But it made little difference now--within a matter of hours all
this luxuriance would be thrust out to die and they would have to depend
upon canned oxgy and algae tanks.


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