Short story, possibly a Bradbury one: adventurers find a weapon cache of dead Martian civilization, and...












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This is a short story, I think by Ray Bradbury or Sheckley.



Two (?) adventurers/archaelogists are inside of the weapon cache left by Martian civilization which was destroyed by war. Eventually they find a chamber marked "Absolute weapon" (or ultimate weapon). They fight over who will get it, and only one of them survives. He opens the lock, releasing sentient blob that eats his fallen companions and then him, as well.










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5















This is a short story, I think by Ray Bradbury or Sheckley.



Two (?) adventurers/archaelogists are inside of the weapon cache left by Martian civilization which was destroyed by war. Eventually they find a chamber marked "Absolute weapon" (or ultimate weapon). They fight over who will get it, and only one of them survives. He opens the lock, releasing sentient blob that eats his fallen companions and then him, as well.










share|improve this question









New contributor




c69 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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  • Hi there! That's some info already but could you please take a look at these guidelines on story-id, see if they trigger any more memories to edit in? :)

    – Jenayah
    1 hour ago














5












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This is a short story, I think by Ray Bradbury or Sheckley.



Two (?) adventurers/archaelogists are inside of the weapon cache left by Martian civilization which was destroyed by war. Eventually they find a chamber marked "Absolute weapon" (or ultimate weapon). They fight over who will get it, and only one of them survives. He opens the lock, releasing sentient blob that eats his fallen companions and then him, as well.










share|improve this question









New contributor




c69 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












This is a short story, I think by Ray Bradbury or Sheckley.



Two (?) adventurers/archaelogists are inside of the weapon cache left by Martian civilization which was destroyed by war. Eventually they find a chamber marked "Absolute weapon" (or ultimate weapon). They fight over who will get it, and only one of them survives. He opens the lock, releasing sentient blob that eats his fallen companions and then him, as well.







story-identification short-stories ray-bradbury






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edited 1 hour ago









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  • Hi there! That's some info already but could you please take a look at these guidelines on story-id, see if they trigger any more memories to edit in? :)

    – Jenayah
    1 hour ago



















  • Hi there! That's some info already but could you please take a look at these guidelines on story-id, see if they trigger any more memories to edit in? :)

    – Jenayah
    1 hour ago

















Hi there! That's some info already but could you please take a look at these guidelines on story-id, see if they trigger any more memories to edit in? :)

– Jenayah
1 hour ago





Hi there! That's some info already but could you please take a look at these guidelines on story-id, see if they trigger any more memories to edit in? :)

– Jenayah
1 hour ago










1 Answer
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"The last weapon" (1953) by Robert Sheckley, available at the Internet Archive.



Two (?) adventurers/archaelogists are inside of the weapon cache left by Martian civilization.




Edsel was in a murderous mood. He, Parke, and Faxon had spent
three weeks in this part of the deadlands, breaking into every mound
they came across, not finding anything, and moving on to the next.
The swift Martian summer was passing and each day became a little
colder. Each day Edsel’s nerves, uncertain at the best of times, had
frayed a little more. Little Faxon was cheerful, dreaming of all the
money they would make when they found the weapons, and Parke
plodded silently along, apparently made of iron, not saying a word
unless he was spoken to.




Eventually they find a chamber marked "Absolute weapon" (or ultimate weapon).




At the end of the room was a door. There were letters in Martian
script engraved on it.



“ What’s that stuff say?” Edsel asked.



“ Something about ‘ final weapons,’ ” Parke told him, squinting at
the delicate tracery. “ A warning to stay out.” He opened the door.
Both men started to step inside, then recoiled suddenly.




Note that a second mention of said weapons is made later on, this time with the titular "last weapon":




“ With those troops — the force-field — and the weapons — I can take
over the world.” He said it coldly, knowing it was a fact. He turned
to go back to the cave, to activate the Synthetics, but stopped first
to pick up the little black box Edsel had carried.



Engraved on it, in flowing Martian script, was, “ The Last Weapon.”



I wonder what it could be, Parke asked himself. He had let Edsel live
long enough to try out all the others; no use chancing a misfire
himself. It was too bad he hadn’t lived long enough to try this one,
too.




He opens the lock, releasing sentient blob that eats his fallen companions and then him, as well.




Well, he told himself, let’s see what the Martians considered their
last weapon. He opened the box.



A vapour drifted out, and Parke threw the hox from him, thinking
about poison gas.



The vapour mounted, drifted haphazardly for a while, then glim- mered
white in the dying light, and Parke saw that it was just a tre-
mendous mouth, topped by a pair of unblinking eyes.



“ Ho ho,” the mouth said. “ Protoplasm ! ” It drifted to the body of
Edsel. Parke lifted the blaster and took careful aim.



“ Quiet protoplasm,” the thing said, nuzzling Edsel’s body. “ I like
quiet protoplasm.” It took down the body in a single gulp.




A protoplasm, if I am to believe Wikipedia, is "the living content of a cell that is surrounded by a plasma membrane".





I found it by CTRL + Fing this page for weapon. It's a page containing a short description of all Sheckley's stories, which I had found when answering Short story by Sheckley about a man from the future who radiates love and lust.






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    1 Answer
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    active

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    1 Answer
    1






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

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    active

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    5














    "The last weapon" (1953) by Robert Sheckley, available at the Internet Archive.



    Two (?) adventurers/archaelogists are inside of the weapon cache left by Martian civilization.




    Edsel was in a murderous mood. He, Parke, and Faxon had spent
    three weeks in this part of the deadlands, breaking into every mound
    they came across, not finding anything, and moving on to the next.
    The swift Martian summer was passing and each day became a little
    colder. Each day Edsel’s nerves, uncertain at the best of times, had
    frayed a little more. Little Faxon was cheerful, dreaming of all the
    money they would make when they found the weapons, and Parke
    plodded silently along, apparently made of iron, not saying a word
    unless he was spoken to.




    Eventually they find a chamber marked "Absolute weapon" (or ultimate weapon).




    At the end of the room was a door. There were letters in Martian
    script engraved on it.



    “ What’s that stuff say?” Edsel asked.



    “ Something about ‘ final weapons,’ ” Parke told him, squinting at
    the delicate tracery. “ A warning to stay out.” He opened the door.
    Both men started to step inside, then recoiled suddenly.




    Note that a second mention of said weapons is made later on, this time with the titular "last weapon":




    “ With those troops — the force-field — and the weapons — I can take
    over the world.” He said it coldly, knowing it was a fact. He turned
    to go back to the cave, to activate the Synthetics, but stopped first
    to pick up the little black box Edsel had carried.



    Engraved on it, in flowing Martian script, was, “ The Last Weapon.”



    I wonder what it could be, Parke asked himself. He had let Edsel live
    long enough to try out all the others; no use chancing a misfire
    himself. It was too bad he hadn’t lived long enough to try this one,
    too.




    He opens the lock, releasing sentient blob that eats his fallen companions and then him, as well.




    Well, he told himself, let’s see what the Martians considered their
    last weapon. He opened the box.



    A vapour drifted out, and Parke threw the hox from him, thinking
    about poison gas.



    The vapour mounted, drifted haphazardly for a while, then glim- mered
    white in the dying light, and Parke saw that it was just a tre-
    mendous mouth, topped by a pair of unblinking eyes.



    “ Ho ho,” the mouth said. “ Protoplasm ! ” It drifted to the body of
    Edsel. Parke lifted the blaster and took careful aim.



    “ Quiet protoplasm,” the thing said, nuzzling Edsel’s body. “ I like
    quiet protoplasm.” It took down the body in a single gulp.




    A protoplasm, if I am to believe Wikipedia, is "the living content of a cell that is surrounded by a plasma membrane".





    I found it by CTRL + Fing this page for weapon. It's a page containing a short description of all Sheckley's stories, which I had found when answering Short story by Sheckley about a man from the future who radiates love and lust.






    share|improve this answer




























      5














      "The last weapon" (1953) by Robert Sheckley, available at the Internet Archive.



      Two (?) adventurers/archaelogists are inside of the weapon cache left by Martian civilization.




      Edsel was in a murderous mood. He, Parke, and Faxon had spent
      three weeks in this part of the deadlands, breaking into every mound
      they came across, not finding anything, and moving on to the next.
      The swift Martian summer was passing and each day became a little
      colder. Each day Edsel’s nerves, uncertain at the best of times, had
      frayed a little more. Little Faxon was cheerful, dreaming of all the
      money they would make when they found the weapons, and Parke
      plodded silently along, apparently made of iron, not saying a word
      unless he was spoken to.




      Eventually they find a chamber marked "Absolute weapon" (or ultimate weapon).




      At the end of the room was a door. There were letters in Martian
      script engraved on it.



      “ What’s that stuff say?” Edsel asked.



      “ Something about ‘ final weapons,’ ” Parke told him, squinting at
      the delicate tracery. “ A warning to stay out.” He opened the door.
      Both men started to step inside, then recoiled suddenly.




      Note that a second mention of said weapons is made later on, this time with the titular "last weapon":




      “ With those troops — the force-field — and the weapons — I can take
      over the world.” He said it coldly, knowing it was a fact. He turned
      to go back to the cave, to activate the Synthetics, but stopped first
      to pick up the little black box Edsel had carried.



      Engraved on it, in flowing Martian script, was, “ The Last Weapon.”



      I wonder what it could be, Parke asked himself. He had let Edsel live
      long enough to try out all the others; no use chancing a misfire
      himself. It was too bad he hadn’t lived long enough to try this one,
      too.




      He opens the lock, releasing sentient blob that eats his fallen companions and then him, as well.




      Well, he told himself, let’s see what the Martians considered their
      last weapon. He opened the box.



      A vapour drifted out, and Parke threw the hox from him, thinking
      about poison gas.



      The vapour mounted, drifted haphazardly for a while, then glim- mered
      white in the dying light, and Parke saw that it was just a tre-
      mendous mouth, topped by a pair of unblinking eyes.



      “ Ho ho,” the mouth said. “ Protoplasm ! ” It drifted to the body of
      Edsel. Parke lifted the blaster and took careful aim.



      “ Quiet protoplasm,” the thing said, nuzzling Edsel’s body. “ I like
      quiet protoplasm.” It took down the body in a single gulp.




      A protoplasm, if I am to believe Wikipedia, is "the living content of a cell that is surrounded by a plasma membrane".





      I found it by CTRL + Fing this page for weapon. It's a page containing a short description of all Sheckley's stories, which I had found when answering Short story by Sheckley about a man from the future who radiates love and lust.






      share|improve this answer


























        5












        5








        5







        "The last weapon" (1953) by Robert Sheckley, available at the Internet Archive.



        Two (?) adventurers/archaelogists are inside of the weapon cache left by Martian civilization.




        Edsel was in a murderous mood. He, Parke, and Faxon had spent
        three weeks in this part of the deadlands, breaking into every mound
        they came across, not finding anything, and moving on to the next.
        The swift Martian summer was passing and each day became a little
        colder. Each day Edsel’s nerves, uncertain at the best of times, had
        frayed a little more. Little Faxon was cheerful, dreaming of all the
        money they would make when they found the weapons, and Parke
        plodded silently along, apparently made of iron, not saying a word
        unless he was spoken to.




        Eventually they find a chamber marked "Absolute weapon" (or ultimate weapon).




        At the end of the room was a door. There were letters in Martian
        script engraved on it.



        “ What’s that stuff say?” Edsel asked.



        “ Something about ‘ final weapons,’ ” Parke told him, squinting at
        the delicate tracery. “ A warning to stay out.” He opened the door.
        Both men started to step inside, then recoiled suddenly.




        Note that a second mention of said weapons is made later on, this time with the titular "last weapon":




        “ With those troops — the force-field — and the weapons — I can take
        over the world.” He said it coldly, knowing it was a fact. He turned
        to go back to the cave, to activate the Synthetics, but stopped first
        to pick up the little black box Edsel had carried.



        Engraved on it, in flowing Martian script, was, “ The Last Weapon.”



        I wonder what it could be, Parke asked himself. He had let Edsel live
        long enough to try out all the others; no use chancing a misfire
        himself. It was too bad he hadn’t lived long enough to try this one,
        too.




        He opens the lock, releasing sentient blob that eats his fallen companions and then him, as well.




        Well, he told himself, let’s see what the Martians considered their
        last weapon. He opened the box.



        A vapour drifted out, and Parke threw the hox from him, thinking
        about poison gas.



        The vapour mounted, drifted haphazardly for a while, then glim- mered
        white in the dying light, and Parke saw that it was just a tre-
        mendous mouth, topped by a pair of unblinking eyes.



        “ Ho ho,” the mouth said. “ Protoplasm ! ” It drifted to the body of
        Edsel. Parke lifted the blaster and took careful aim.



        “ Quiet protoplasm,” the thing said, nuzzling Edsel’s body. “ I like
        quiet protoplasm.” It took down the body in a single gulp.




        A protoplasm, if I am to believe Wikipedia, is "the living content of a cell that is surrounded by a plasma membrane".





        I found it by CTRL + Fing this page for weapon. It's a page containing a short description of all Sheckley's stories, which I had found when answering Short story by Sheckley about a man from the future who radiates love and lust.






        share|improve this answer













        "The last weapon" (1953) by Robert Sheckley, available at the Internet Archive.



        Two (?) adventurers/archaelogists are inside of the weapon cache left by Martian civilization.




        Edsel was in a murderous mood. He, Parke, and Faxon had spent
        three weeks in this part of the deadlands, breaking into every mound
        they came across, not finding anything, and moving on to the next.
        The swift Martian summer was passing and each day became a little
        colder. Each day Edsel’s nerves, uncertain at the best of times, had
        frayed a little more. Little Faxon was cheerful, dreaming of all the
        money they would make when they found the weapons, and Parke
        plodded silently along, apparently made of iron, not saying a word
        unless he was spoken to.




        Eventually they find a chamber marked "Absolute weapon" (or ultimate weapon).




        At the end of the room was a door. There were letters in Martian
        script engraved on it.



        “ What’s that stuff say?” Edsel asked.



        “ Something about ‘ final weapons,’ ” Parke told him, squinting at
        the delicate tracery. “ A warning to stay out.” He opened the door.
        Both men started to step inside, then recoiled suddenly.




        Note that a second mention of said weapons is made later on, this time with the titular "last weapon":




        “ With those troops — the force-field — and the weapons — I can take
        over the world.” He said it coldly, knowing it was a fact. He turned
        to go back to the cave, to activate the Synthetics, but stopped first
        to pick up the little black box Edsel had carried.



        Engraved on it, in flowing Martian script, was, “ The Last Weapon.”



        I wonder what it could be, Parke asked himself. He had let Edsel live
        long enough to try out all the others; no use chancing a misfire
        himself. It was too bad he hadn’t lived long enough to try this one,
        too.




        He opens the lock, releasing sentient blob that eats his fallen companions and then him, as well.




        Well, he told himself, let’s see what the Martians considered their
        last weapon. He opened the box.



        A vapour drifted out, and Parke threw the hox from him, thinking
        about poison gas.



        The vapour mounted, drifted haphazardly for a while, then glim- mered
        white in the dying light, and Parke saw that it was just a tre-
        mendous mouth, topped by a pair of unblinking eyes.



        “ Ho ho,” the mouth said. “ Protoplasm ! ” It drifted to the body of
        Edsel. Parke lifted the blaster and took careful aim.



        “ Quiet protoplasm,” the thing said, nuzzling Edsel’s body. “ I like
        quiet protoplasm.” It took down the body in a single gulp.




        A protoplasm, if I am to believe Wikipedia, is "the living content of a cell that is surrounded by a plasma membrane".





        I found it by CTRL + Fing this page for weapon. It's a page containing a short description of all Sheckley's stories, which I had found when answering Short story by Sheckley about a man from the future who radiates love and lust.







        share|improve this answer












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        answered 1 hour ago









        JenayahJenayah

        15.9k479115




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