Beyond Lies the Wub

Beyond Lies the Wub was the first story ever published by science fiction writer Philip K. Dick. In this short story Peterson buys a "wub" from a local before his departure from Mars and takes it back aboard the ship on which he is a crew member. But the captain Franco cites his concerns about the extra weight of having this huge pig-like creature on-board, although he really seems more interested in how it might taste. Once in space however, the crew realize that the wub is an intelligent being, able to use telepathy and perhaps even control people's minds.