by Roland Starr
Farrell nodded, but turned back to his equipment, and Vonner glanced at Hanton.
“Commander, I’m handling a problem down in sickbay. I want to be kept informed of any changes in the situation up here.” He took hold of Hanton’s arm and led his Number Two into a corner, tersely explaining about Bardo. When Hanton’s face showed shock, Vonner nodded grimly. “I don’t want this to go any further,” he went on. “You’re second in command so you have to know, in case anything
happens to me. We’ve got to eject Bardo from the ship, but that’s the rub. The moment we switch off the immobiliser Bardo is going to regain animation, and he’ll run amok through the ship. Nothing will be powerful enough to stop him!”
“It’s incredible, Captain!” Hanton’s lean face was showing extreme incredulity. “But we’ve entered the unknown by coming out this far from Earth, and there’s a lot to be learned by our scientists.”
“Talking of scientists, I’d better have a word about this situation with Quillon Reid. Doctor Morley has everything under control, but Reid might have a few scientific tricks up his sleeve that we can use. Keep a line open to the sickbay at all times, Commander! If anything goes wrong down there you’ll have to seal off the area with a force field. You know the location of the observation cells down there. Contact Wayland in the engine room and arrange for a force screen to be thrown around the area, and it will have to be tapped into the main drive and used at maximum force if it is to have any effect.”
Hanton nodded, his face grim, and, as Vonner turned away, Hanton was still shaking his head in disbelief.
Vonner returned to the sick bay and found the situation there had remained under Curran’s control. The colonel grinned tensely when Vonner confronted him.
“We think we’ve pulled it off, Captain!” he reported cheerfully. “The Doc says the crisis has passed, but we’ve got to keep this equipment powered to its present level. If we drop below the critical standard then Bardo will break free of the force and start rampaging, and he’ll use our power to build himself up into a monster more powerful than the ship.”
“That’s a relief,” Vonner retorted. “You’ll take personal command of this situation, Philo, and ensure that the rules are obeyed. While we’ve got Bardo under our influence there’s no cause for alarm, and I’m not going to consider doing anything about him until we get into Uralis Digis orbit.”
“That’s what I was hoping you’d decide,” Curran replied, nodding emphatically. “While we’re out here in deep space we don’t have much chance of survival if anything goes wrong, but orbiting a planet, even if it is unsuitable for human life, gives one a better sense of security. But wouldn’t it be as well to turn the ship around and head back to Omina? We’re not more than twenty-four hours out from there!”
“I’ve already considered that, and it would take us as long to decelerate and turn back as it would to reach Uralis Digis.” Vonner shook his head. “No, Philo, we have to go through with this. So be on your toes at all times. I want to know if there is any change in the conditions here. I’ve already ordered a force field to be set up around this area, tapped into main drive, and that should be powerful enough to hold Bardo if he does start breaking out.”
“If it isn’t then we’ll never see Earth again!” Curran retorted. “But I’ve already made arrangements to cover every contingency, Captain. I’m taking it in turns with Sergeant Nevin to supervise the whole thing down here, and there are back-up crews at the ready. It will throw quite a strain upon the security section, but that’s what we’re here for.”
“Thank you, Philo! I can rest assured that you will handle it correctly. But no word of this must leak out to the crew.”
“I’ve already briefed my men. They won’t talk.”
“Good!” Vonner looked at the equipment, then nodded. “This is all we can do right now. It’s going to be a nerve-racking time, but we’ll have to tolerate it. We’ll be reaching Uralis Digis in around three months, so prepare yourself for a long term of duty!”
“We could have done without this!” Curran replied slowly, shaking his head. “But at least we know we are doing all that is possible under the circumstances. The only thing I haven’t done yet is pray, and we may all need to do that before we solve this little problem.”
Vonner nodded and smiled wryly as he departed. But despite the gravity of the situation, and the fatal possibilities available in it, he could not help thinking about the man behind it all. Ed Bardo had caused more trouble than the rest of the crew together, and yet Bardo had not been responsible for his actions. What had hit Bardo could have struck at any member of the crew, and but for the grace of God, Vonner was aware, it might have been him in that observation room, a victim to the strange and terrifying processes that had to be employed to keep Man alive in the vast, illimitable reaches of farthest space.
CHAPTER VI
With Bardo under control, Vonner found day-to-day life settling down to its usual routine, although the knowledge that a kind of time bomb lay inanimate in the observation section did not aid his peace of mind. But the power induced to immobilise Bardo appeared to do exactly what was intended, and as the days passed uneventfully, Vonner began to accept the situation.
Lieutenant Farrell failed to make a breakthrough with his investigation into the mysterious signal that had been received, and when Vonner at last called a conference upon the subject, which was attended by Farrell and Aaron Marr, the Astrogator, they came to the conclusion that the ship should continue on its present course towards Uralis Digis.
“I think any ship outward bound from Earth would certainly touch Uralis Digis, Captain!” Marr commented. “They would need to use it as a navigational aid, and it is the last known planet before Omina.”
“We cast around Space looking for Omina for a long time after reaching Uralis Digis!” Vonner said. “So if a ship did arrive in the vicinity of Uralis then it would remain there if it had found trouble of any kind.”
“But we’re getting nearer to Uralis every day!” Farrell objected, “and if there is a ship there in trouble it would be transmitting its distress call continuously.”
“I assume that you’re trying all wavelengths!” Vonner said, and grinned when a smile touched Farrell’s lips. “That was a silly remark!” he continued. “Of course you’ll be monitoring all wavelengths.”
“It’s not that so much, Captain,” Farrell replied, still smiling. “But when a distress signal is transmitted automatically by a ship it goes out on all wavelengths simultaneously, so I don’t have to search the wavelengths. We’d get the message no matter what band we were using.”
“And there’s been not the slightest trace of another signal in the past two weeks?” Vonner queried.
“Not a single dot!” Farrell shook his head.
“I’d hate to think there is a Space Force ship out here somewhere and in trouble!” Vonner mused. “I think we’ll go into orbit around Uralis Digis and you can get a message off to Earth, Howie. We’ll wait in orbit for a reply.”
“It will take a week or two, using Warpwave, Captain!”
“I’d rather lose a couple of weeks that way than start a run for home only to learn upon arrival that we have left one of our ships out here in trouble!” Vonner’s brow was furrowed as he looked at the two intent faces confronting him.
“I agree with you!” Farrell nodded. “We have about ten weeks before Uralis orbit. I’ll check out my equipment and start preparations immediately. We’ll be ready by the time you want us to transmit.”
“Thank you, Howie!” Vonner nodded. “You can leave us now. You have enough problems on your mind without sitting in and listening to Aaron’s.”
Farrell nodded and got up. He saluted and departed, and Vonner heaved a sigh when he returned his attention to Marr.
“I can tell by your face that you haven’t been getting a lot of sleep lately, Aaron,” he said softly.
“We all have our problems, Captain,” Marr replied, his flesh
y face set in harsh lines, and his brown eyes were filled with a brooding expression. “But I’ve made a reverse list of our points of call on the outward trip, and I think we’ll find our way back to Earth without too much trouble.”
“Let’s go over your list,” Vonner suggested. “I can remember quite a number of the constellations we visited, and perhaps I can name some that you’ve overlooked. But in any case we can take the sting out of your problems by including a message to Earth along with the one I plan to send from Uralis orbit. We transmitted a complete log of our journey on the outwards leg, and Earth can send us new co-ordinates to guide us in from Uralis.”
Marr’s face cleared and he nodded.
“That would be the perfect answer to all my problems,” he commented. “I can’t help being an old worrier, Captain, but I am shouldering a great deal of responsibility.” His hard face softened momentarily. “But I wouldn’t want to be carrying the burden you’re bearing at the moment. There are some rumours going around the ship that something is seriously wrong with Ed Bardo!”
“There are always rumours circulating the ship, Aaron,” Vonner replied without hesitation. “You’ve been a spaceman long enough to know better than to listen.”
“How is Ed making out?” Marr gazed steadily into Vonner’s eyes.
“He’s taking it easy. No duties.”
“I tried to see him when I was last off duty but they wouldn’t let me into his section.”
“No. We’re keeping him isolated. We can’t overlook the fact that although he appears normal now, he has suffered a bout of space mania, and you know well enough that anyone who has shown such symptoms must be under constant observation while he’s in Space.”
“That’s right.” Marr sighed and got to his feet. “Well I’ll get off duty now. Captain. I feel easier about my problems, knowing that we can get fresh co-ordinates from Space Force Base.”
“We’re beating our problems one by one,” Vonner said, getting up from his seat.
He remained in the big assembly room after Marr had departed, and when he considered the situation he had to admit that the urgency had receded. But Bardo’s continuing presence aboard the ship was a source of constant uneasiness, and he wished the next ten weeks would pass quickly. When they reached Uralis Digis a part of his troubles would end, but with their end would arise another new set of worries. They would have to get Bardo off the ship.
He dared not consider that problem until it was utterly essential to admit to its presence. But he fancied that Dalus Wayland might have the answer to it. Wayland usually found a way around the apparently impossible, and Vonner tried to dismiss the grim facts from his thoughts as he went on duty.
The weeks passed slowly, and Vonner found himself engulfed in a constricting routine that had him on duty in the control room or standing by in the sickbay in a consuming round of wearying vigil. He slept badly during the time he allowed himself to relax, but did not report the fact to Adah Morley. The flight proved to be uneventful, and there were no alarms concerning Bardo’s condition. The immobiliser maintained its steady level of power input, and held Bardo inanimate and powerless.
There was still a week’s flight to Uralis Digis, although the big planet was clearly visible on the forward scanner screen. For long hours at a time Vonner sat staring at the bright dot that was the planet, and it did not appear to come closer. It had no atmosphere, and had proved a big disappointment to the scientific section on their outward trip, for Uralis Digis had been rated as highly likely to support human life. But the discovery of a lack of atmosphere had diverted all interested attention. Now Vonner was intent upon gaining orbit around it, and each time he came on duty he checked the co-ordinates and found that the ship was already decelerating and changing course to conform with the data fed into the control computer.
Two days before they were due to slip into orbit around Uralis Digis Vonner received an emergency call from the engine room. He had just come on duty for his daily stint in the control room when the alarm sounded, and he opened a direct line to the powerful heart of the ship.
“Wayland here, Captain,” the Chief Engineer reported tersely. “I need to switch off main drive! I’ve got circuits going out of action all over the place.”
“We can’t cut main power!” Vonner rapped instantly. “I need the immobiliser in the sickbay. Will emergency power hold it at its present level of input?”
“No, Captain. I need to shut down everything except life support systems.” Wayland sounded impatient.
“Sorry, Dalus, but I can’t give the order,” Vonner said through stiff lips. “I know you wouldn’t ask for this unless it was a dire necessity. But we must maintain that power level to the sickbay immobiliser!”
“Captain, if I don’t shut off pretty quick there’ll be no main drive left!”
“If you do, the ship will be destroyed, Dalus!” Vonner countered harshly.
“What in hell do you mean?”
“Can you put main drive out of gear and leave the power on?” Vonner cut in.
“No! This is an emergency! If we don’t cut power then I won’t answer for the safety of the ship.”
“Have you any idea what your trouble is?” Vonner demanded.
“None at all. That’s why I want to shut down before something serious happens.”
“Check out your systems and try to locate the trouble, then report on it, but whatever happens, Dalus, you must maintain level power to the immobiliser.”
“Just what are they doing in the sickbay with that immobiliser?” Wayland demanded.
“I’ll explain that to you if I get the chance, but you’d better attend to your emergency. Can you divert power from the main drive to those circuits supplying the sickbay?”
“Impossible! I can’t isolate certain sections of the ship! It would be very simple for my staff if we could do that at times.” Wayland was sounding more and more angry. “I’ll check out what’s happening down here, but don’t hold me responsible for any serious damage that may occur because we’re not shutting down completely.”
“I take full responsibility for my order,” Vonner retorted.
The line went dead and Vonner tightened his lips as he stared at the forward scanner screen. He had been mentally crossing his fingers for weeks, hoping to gain orbit around the planet, but in the back of his mind had lain the knowledge that if a spaceman feared certain conditions arising then Fate usually arranged for those conditions to materialise, and he drew a sharp breath as he called for Hanton to come and relieve him.
When Hanton appeared Vonner gave him a situation report. He saw Hanton’s expression change, and nodded grimly.
“This is the one thing I’ve been afraid of,” Vonner remarked. “I’d better get down to the engine room and see what’s going on. I’ll keep in touch with you. But let me know if Curran reports any significant changes down in the sickbay.”
Hanton nodded, and Vonner hurried from the control room, his mind overburdened with worry. He descended to the engine room, and entered to find smoke drifting along the companionways. All the engine room crewmen were on duty, and panels were being taken apart. Wayland was in the centre of all the activity, and when Vonner approached him the Chief Engineer shook his head hopelessly.
“Captain, I can’t stop to talk to you now. Give me about five minutes. I’m still trying to find out what caused the trouble!”
“I’ll stick around, and I won’t get in your way!” Vonner replied, stepping into the background. He stared around critically. To the inexperienced eye there seemed to be utter chaos in the engine room, but Vonner was aware that Way-land would have everything under control. He watched circuits being replaced, and other components were being checked out.
Eventually Wayland emerged from the activity and confronted Vonner. Gasping for breath, Wayland shook his head wonderingly.
“Captain, I just don’t know what to say about this!” he said at length. “I’ve never come across anything like it in all
my experience.”
“Be more explicit, Dalus!” Vonner retorted. He was afraid of what he might learn. There was too much trouble here for it to be merely incidental to the trip. Space and star ships usually were trouble-free. Engines never wore out. Replacement of working parts was carried out regularly, and Vonner could look back upon trips that had lasted for months at a time and ships that had not required even the changing of a valve or fuse.
“There was no reason why this trouble should have erupted like it did!” Wayland said carefully. “There were no indications on the testers. The registers were normal. You can look at the recorders if you like. Then suddenly it was like a firework display!”
“More sabotage?” Vonner asked softly.
Wayland looked into Vonner’s eyes for a moment, then shook his head.
“I don’t know what to think, Captain! I can’t find any fault in the engine room anywhere. Connections carrying the input circuits were blowing out left, right and centre, and that’s usually due to an overload, which is impossible on these circuits.”
“Are you checking for signs of sabotage?” Vonner glanced around, a part of his mind cold with the knowledge that Bardo was also a mystery now! Was it possible that he was still able to function despite the immobiliser? Vonner dared not ponder too deeply upon the question. He was afraid of what the answer might be.
“I will get to the bottom of it, without a doubt!” There was determination in Wayland’s heavy tones. His dark eyes glittered for a moment. “What’s going on in the sickbay, Captain? What are they using the immobiliser for? What’s so vital about it that I have to maintain power to it even at the risk of destroying the ship?”
“When you have your report on what’s happened here come up to the control room to talk to me, Dalus,” Vonner told him. “I shall explain everything then. But is this crisis over now? Have you stopped whatever went wrong?”
