The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Soldier's Home Is Battle This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world 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.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. Title: A Soldier's Home Is Battle Author: Lowell Stone Release date: September 12, 2021 [eBook #66282] Language: English Credits: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net *** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A SOLDIER'S HOME IS BATTLE *** Jerry watched from his gun post as the city vanished in a cloud of atomic smoke. His thoughts were of his wife and son, but duty demanded that-- A Soldier's Home Is Battle By Lowell Stone [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy March 1954 Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] By the time the radar signal caught their eye it was too late to do anything. Planes traveling faster than sound were already inside the defense zone of the city. Private First Class Jerry Conlon glanced from the radar screen to the other five members of his Atomic Gun Post team on the outer perimeter of the city. The look in their eyes was one of dazed alarm. Automatically he joined them in zipping shut radiation suits, and then they went for the gun controls, knowing it was too late. A flash of intolerable brightness faded out the sun. One of the boys--Conlon saw him still struggling with his radiation suit--didn't make it in time. He paid for his slowness with his life. In that instant of death before his eyes, Jerry thought of his wife and baby son. It was all he had time for. Just the image in his mind. An image of fear, because he wondered about them--were they dying even now? With the great flash Jerry dropped into the prone position that he'd been taught. He was protected because the Gun Post had been holed into the ground and re-enforced with steel-mesh concrete all around. If you see the flash, it's too late, he'd been told. Well, he'd seen the flash all right. When he dropped to the concrete base, the floor rose to meet him halfway. A few seconds later, the suction raised him off the floor and set him down next to the big gun. Jerry crawled back to the protection of the bulwark. He had a hazy glimpse of movement around him, but he couldn't see well enough out of his blinded eyes to make out what the others were doing. Things were beginning to rain down out of the sky now, and it continued to rain for what seemed to Jerry like five or ten minutes. It was fantastic how high some of the debris must have been blasted into the air, and he was afraid to move for a long time lest a rock or bit of metal should suddenly streak down. It was mostly just the smaller pieces that got as far as the Post. The biggest chunks had either been completely disintegrated or splattered along the ground in all directions from the target area. It had been a direct hit. It only took one blast, but that didn't mean it was the only one in the country. When the attack came, every big city had probably been marked for destruction. Every big city! The thought struck him with sickening force. His wife and little boy--Mildred and Billy! How about them? Had the blasts gone inland? "Conlon, are you all right?" The sound of the voice stabbed at Jerry. He studied the wavering dark form in front of his eyes, and recognition of the voice came slowly. The white blob of the face must belong to Lieutenant Blake. Ordinarily Jerry would have snapped to attention and saluted, but at the moment the formality seemed ridiculous. "I guess I'm all right, sir." "Good!" That was all Blake said as he passed from Jerry's view. * * * * * In Jerry's earphones it sounded like a strong wind was blowing. It could be the roar of a fleet of rocket planes. Was this the follow-up attack? Why wasn't the order given to man the gun? He groped forward and sprawled over a pile of debris. Where was everybody? Where was Blake? He called out. "Take it easy, Conlon," a voice said beside him. "Who--who is it?" Jerry asked, trying to determine the source of the voice. "It's me--Adam Peterman. You'll be all right after awhile. What'd you do--look into the flash?" "I saw the flash. Good God! Am I going blind?" "I once looked at a test blast with a radiation suit on. They still haven't perfected these lenses to shut out all the glare. You'll be like that for a couple of hours." "How many of the boys did the blast get?" Here he was, Jerry thought, asking about the six men in the gun crew when there must have been thousands--maybe millions--dead in the city, or what must be left of it. "There's just three of us alive so far," Peterman said. "The Lieutenant found Kroger, but he'd been crushed. The rest are either buried or blown away." "How about you? I still can't see where you are," Jerry said. "Are you hurt?" "My legs got messed up. I'm sitting on the ground. That's why you can't see me." "What about the city? What's left of it?" "From where I'm sitting I should be able to see the tops of some of the taller buildings over the concrete, but there's nothing there. I hate to think about it." "If there is anything left, the rocket planes will bring 'em down." "What rocket planes?" "Can't you hear 'em? That roar in the air. It almost drowns out the geiger meter on my suit." "Naw, Conlon, that isn't what you think! You're still hearing the sound of the blast." "After this long?" "It doesn't die out for a long time." Jerry thought about Mildred and Billy. It was this bad even in a radiation suit with special lenses to protect the eyes; special braces to minimize the shock wave effects; special material perfected during the latter part of the century to deflect ultra-radiation. How would Mildred and Billy fare back home where they were unprotected? They might even be dead. But no! They couldn't be! They were all he had left in life. They just had to be alive! The shadowy blob which was Lieutenant Blake, moved into Jerry's line of vision. Blake's form seemed to be getting smaller now; the haziness around the edges seemed to be dwindling. "How are you Peterman?" Blake asked the man with the wounded legs. "I'll make it all right, Lieutenant. I might even be able to sight the gun if you lift me into the seat." "Good man, Peterman!" Blake turned to Jerry, "Well, Conlon, it looks like you and I are the only ones on our feet. That means we've got work to do." "My eyes are bad, but I think they're clearing up now," Jerry said. "Things are pretty rough," Blake said. "From what I've been able to determine, the whole nation's been blasted." "Lieutenant--no!" Jerry cried. He moved forward toward the Lieutenant and clutched Blake by the shoulders. "I've got a wife and kid back home!" "We all have relatives back home, Conlon. You're no different than anybody else. And it's just as bad for us as it is for you. You've got to get a grip on yourself. There's nothing you can do for them one way or the other." "The hell there isn't! I'm going back to 'em!" The Lieutenant's covered hand whipped out and slapped the front of Jerry's helmet below the vision lens. Jerry went backwards and dropped to the concrete floor. "Sorry, Conlon," Blake clipped. "I didn't do that in anger. I merely wanted to snap you back to your senses! You're still in the Army, and I'm still your commanding officer. As far as the Army is concerned, none of us have any relatives." Jerry got to his feet. There was no question that the Lieutenant was right. The Army was the big boss, and soldiers were not supposed to have personal feelings. There were several million soldiers protecting many millions of people and the only way that Mildred and Billy could be protected was through the combined and strategic effort of these soldiers. There were soldiers in the interior risking their lives to protect people like Mildred and Billy--soldiers with relatives in the city that Jerry was supposed to protect. It would be a sorry plight if, at the first sign of trouble, all the men would run home to their own little families. It all seemed like a crazy nightmare to Jerry. No matter how big the catastrophe, human beings still worried about the little problems along with the big. It was a strange feeling to look over the top of the bulwark and see nothing but the dirty gray sky where the forms of big buildings should be. The shock was less horrible to him because by the time his sight returned, he was accepting the awful scene of destruction as an unchangeable fact. * * * * * It was several hours later before a small contingent of radiation clothed soldiers arrived in several jeeps. A Colonel of the Army stepped out. Blake and Conlon stood at attention as the officers introduced themselves. The Colonel's name was Harrison. "I'm trying to find out what we have to work with. Not much, I'm afraid," the Colonel said. "The Government's gone. Communication is disrupted." "Did you say there was no more government, Colonel?" Jerry asked. The Colonel nodded. "That's what I said." "Then there's no hope--nothing left to fight for any more?" "Nothing to fight for?" the Colonel snorted. "Soldier, as long as we have our hills and valleys we'll have something to fight for!" Lieutenant Blake said, "Private Conlon, no more of that defeatist talk! Please excuse him, Colonel." "That's all right," the Colonel shrugged. "It's been a shock to all of us. Now, tell me, how are you fixed?" "Two able, counting myself. One bad casualty. One dead. Three missing," Blake said. "You'll have one man replacement." "But, Colonel, that isn't enough to man the gun!" "Apparently you don't realize what's happened to the country, Lieutenant! We're not attempting to hold back the enemy. When they come they're going to flow right over us as though we aren't here." "Then what's the point of--" "The point is this. We have not received an order to surrender. We probably never will." Blake said, "We'll do the best we can, Colonel." The Colonel gave an order and one man crawled out of a jeep and strode toward them. The soldier saluted. "He is your replacement, Lieutenant," the Colonel said. Then he shook hands with Blake. "Goodbye, and good luck!" The jeeps growled into life. It was strange hearing them, Jerry thought. Usually there was the hum of the city in the background, a sort of whispering that made you realize a throbbing community was nearby. Now it was only the silence broken by the raucous sound of jeep motors. Eventually even this sound disappeared. "All right, men, start clearing up this mess," Blake snapped. "The gun has to have free traverse. After that, stay at your posts. It's going to be tough to handle this assignment short-handed, and when the secondary attack comes it's going to roll in like a tidal wave." The replacement was hardly more than a kid. Jerry thought he looked as though he could be pushed over with a heavy breath. Not much of a replacement, but he pitched into work earnestly. Jerry edged close to Peterman as he worked. The wounded man sat propped against a pile with his legs stretched out uselessly in front. "They didn't even offer to give you medical aid, Peterman," Jerry said. "I didn't expect it at a time like this," Peterman said. "The men that are left have their hands full." "For what? You heard what the Colonel said, the Government is gone--possibly the whole country! What we're doing isn't even a delaying action. We're hardly going to harass the Enemy! What's the good of hanging on? Why doesn't the Army turn us loose? I've got to find out how my wife and kid are doing! Staying here only means one thing--one foolish, stupid thing!" "You've got a point, Conlon," Peterman said through his pain. "I've got a family too. I'd be tempted to take off myself, if I had legs." "Duty! Allegiance! What does it all mean now?" Jerry said bitterly. "Not much I suppose, when they pull the curtain in front of you." * * * * * Jerry was breathing hard inside his radiation suit. "Peterman, I've got a notion to make a break!" "That decision you've got to make yourself, Conlon. Only remember, that leaving your post gives the Lieutenant the right to shoot you in the back!" "I'll take that chance. I've got to see Mildred and Billy. You think you'd do the same thing, Peterman, if you had legs? Would you?" "I might. I don't know. I'm in no position to give it much thought." "But don't you think this is stupid to wait for certain death when there's no hope--when I've got the chance to see the ones I love, maybe for the last time?" "It's stupid all right I guess." "You've got loved ones, haven't you, Peterman? You know how much it means?" Peterman clammed and refused to talk. Jerry went to the storage which was built into the side of the concrete wall, opened the door, and brought out his rifle. He examined the automatic weapon and found it undamaged. He looked around. Lieutenant Blake was out of sight inside the dugout where he was still trying to pick up messages. The replacement was mechanically heaving debris away from the traverse frame of the big gun. "Conlon." It was Peterman calling. "What do you want?" "There's only one thing I'd like you to do before you leave. You and the replacement lift me to the gunner's seat, will you? I have a bad dose of radiation on top of everything else. I don't know how long I can hold out, but I might as well be doing some good for the time I have left." Jerry put the rifle down, called to the replacement. Together they hoisted Peterman into the seat. Lieutenant Blake came out just as they finished the job. "That's what he wanted, sir," Jerry said. "You're so short-handed we didn't think you'd object." Blake said, "Peterman, you should be keeping yourself quiet." Peterman failed to answer for a long moment. Finally he said, "Damn the Enemy! Why don't they hurry up and get it over with?" Jerry walked over to where he had stacked his automatic rifle. He swung it under his arm and turned to face the Lieutenant. "I'm leaving, sir. Don't try to stop me! What we're doing here is plain stupid. I've got a wife and kid that I've got to see before I die! I'm leaving, and I'll shoot to kill if anybody tries to stop me! Got that, Lieutenant?" "I'm not going to stop you, Conlon," Blake said quietly. "I hope the rest of you can manage the gun while I'm gone!" Jerry cried. "We'll manage all right until you get back." A faint far-away roar sounded in Jerry's earphones. The sound became rapidly louder. "No sense in me coming back, Lieutenant, because from the sound of things, you won't be around much longer." Jerry backed toward the concrete steps that would take him to ground level. He climbed up, kicking away litter so that he would have places for his feet. He kept the rifle pointed at the motionless, watching men. The roar became louder. Lieutenant Blake called up to him. "You're from the inland area, aren't you, Conlon? I think the chances for your family were pretty good. Emergency stations are starting to come through from the interior. The guided missiles had a lot of near-misses." Out of the corners of Jerry's eyes he detected a strange looking dark cloud appearing along the horizon. From the west, not the east! That was odd. The dark cloud spread across the horizon, coming closer. Rocket planes! Hundreds of them! Jerry was at ground level now. Up here there would be no protection. A blast and shock wave could sweep across the flat ground unhindered. The roar became deafening. Now he could recognize the ships. They were Army Comets! He wanted to leap with joy. His spine tingled with excitement. The cloud was roaring overhead now. The Comets flashed onward, bent on a purpose, a death-dealing, earth-shaking purpose! That's the way the Enemy had wanted it. The Enemy had chosen its weapon, and the Army was on its way to blow the Enemy so sky-high that its own attack on Jerry's homeland would seem insignificant by comparison. Jerry tossed his rifle over the edge of the bulwark. The thunder overhead snuffed out the clatter of the rifle when it struck the concrete below. Jerry went down the steps holding his hands over his head. It was a full minute before he stumbled back to where he had started. "I changed my mind about leaving, Lieutenant!" Jerry shouted. He might as well have been trying to shout above the roar of a hurricane. The Lieutenant waved Jerry's arms down, and Jerry was close enough to detect a smile inside the Lieutenant's helmet. Blake turned and walked away in the direction of the dugout as though nothing had happened. Jerry pointed skyward, and the men wagged their heads understandingly. "Hell," Jerry cried, "this war isn't over yet!" *** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A SOLDIER'S HOME IS BATTLE *** Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will be renamed. Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away—you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. START: FULL LICENSE THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK To protect the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting the free distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project Gutenberg™ License available with this file or online at www.gutenberg.org/license. Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works 1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg™ electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in your possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. 1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg™ electronic works even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project Gutenberg™ electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg™ electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. 1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the Foundation” or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the United States and you are located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg™ works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg™ name associated with the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg™ License when you share it without charge with others. 1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project Gutenberg™ work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any country other than the United States. 1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: 1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg™ License must appear prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg™ work (any work on which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or with which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, copied or distributed: This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world 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.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. 1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase “Project Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg™ trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. 1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is posted with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked to the Project Gutenberg™ License for all works posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. 1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg™ License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg™. 1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project Gutenberg™ License. 1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg™ work in a format other than “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in the official version posted on the official Project Gutenberg™ website (www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg™ License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. 1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg™ works unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. 1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing access to or distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works provided that: • You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from the use of Project Gutenberg™ works calculated using the method you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark, but he has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in Section 4, “Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.” • You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg™ License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg™ works. • You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of receipt of the work. • You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free distribution of Project Gutenberg™ works. 1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. 1.F. 1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project Gutenberg™ collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg™ electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain “Defects,” such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. 1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the “Right of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark, and any other party distributing a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. 1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further opportunities to fix the problem. 1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you ‘AS-IS’, WITH NO OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. 1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. 1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone providing copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg™ work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg™ work, and (c) any Defect you cause. Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg™ Project Gutenberg™ is synonymous with the free distribution of electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from people in all walks of life. Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg™’s goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg™ collection will remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure and permanent future for Project Gutenberg™ and future generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org. Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service. The Foundation’s EIN or federal tax identification number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state’s laws. The Foundation’s business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the Foundation’s website and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation Project Gutenberg™ depends upon and cannot survive without widespread public support and donations to carry out its mission of increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed in machine-readable form accessible by the widest array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt status with the IRS. The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate. While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who approach us with offers to donate. International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. Please check the Project Gutenberg web pages for current donation methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate. Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg™ electronic works Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg™ concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project Gutenberg™ eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. Project Gutenberg™ eBooks are often created from several printed editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. Most people start at our website which has the main PG search facility: www.gutenberg.org. This website includes information about Project Gutenberg™, including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.