Return From Omina

by Roland Starr

  “He was aboard Orion,” Vonner spoke crisply. “Dalus, did you make any arrangements back on Orion for handling Bardo?”

  “I got some plans made, but there hasn’t been time to do anything. Now I’ve got to check out this ship!”

  “Delegate the inspection of this ship to your assistant, and go back to Orion and collaborate with Curran, Dalus. We’ve got to get rid of Bardo. If we’re slow in doing something now we may find ourselves in bad trouble aboard both ships.”

  “I’ll carry out your orders, Captain!” Wayland closed the line and Vonner sighed heavily as he met Farrell’s worried gaze.

  “I think we’d be better off taking a chance on this ship and transferring the whole crew across, Captain, then destroying Orion and Bardo with it,” Farrell observed.

  “I can’t take such a drastic step!” Vonner retorted. “What kind of a report could I make when I got back to Earth?”

  “If you don’t do something drastic then the odds are against us getting back there,” Farrell said.

  “I’m going to order Orion to drop farther astern of us!” Vonner motioned for an open line. “Bardo got an image across here, and probably he was just having a look around.

  I don’t know whether distance can stop him or not, but I’m going back to Orion shortly to take steps against the menace of Bardo. I’ll go with Wayland when he detaches.” He paused until he heard the operator aboard Orion answering Farrell’s call. “This is Captain Vonner aboard Alba,” he said sharply. “I want Orion to drop back astern of us until the planet intrudes between us. Maintain that new station at all costs! Bardo has been seen aboard this ship. Report that to Colonel Curran. Tell the Colonel that I’m coming back aboard Orion with Chief Wayland. I also want the entire crew to prepare to transfer to this ship. Is that clear? Repeat the orders.”

  “Yes, sir!” There was a note of cool efficiency in the operator’s tones. Vonner’s orders were repeated, and then the line went dead.

  Vonner relaxed slightly, his mind working fast as he considered. He stared around the control room, checking the panels instinctively, and there was still nothing wrong aboard the ship. But that reek of Pteturium in the captain’s quarters! He frowned as he considered. Did its presence indicate part of the reason why Alba was deserted? Had someone aboard the ship used Pteturium, a deadly poisonous gas, to get rid of most of the crew? Vonner thrust down the questions yet again. If someone had killed off the entire crew and deserted in a shuttle then what was the crazy reason behind such a tactic? Anyone with any knowledge and experience of Space would be aware that no one could survive long in a ship’s shuttle this far out from Earth!

  Had space mania manifested itself aboard Alba? Vonner did not feel like making guesses, but space mania seemed the only sane answer to these posers.

  He dragged his mind away from his thoughts. There would be time later for thinking over the situation, but only if he acted now and did something constructive about

  Bardo. If he failed to beat Bardo then there would be nothing left for anyone to consider.

  By the time he was ready to go back to Orion with Dalus Wayland most of the off-duty crewmen aboard his ship were ready to detach and come to Alba. Vonner waited until he received an all-clear report from Wayland before sending the order that brought a number of shuttles out of their bays, and he stood in Alba’s control room with Wayland at his side and watched the shuttles emerging from the hull of Orion.

  “We’ll go back in one of them, Dalus,” Vonner said. “I don’t know what we’re going to do about Bardo, but we’re tackling him at once, and we’ll make a do or die attempt to finish him.”

  “You saw an image of him aboard this ship!” Wayland’s tones were tight and dry, but unemotional. “I’ve got the feeling that he’s become too tough for us! He should have been dealt with as soon as his condition was noticed!”

  Vonner smiled thinly. He was at fault, he knew, and yet he was not to blame because Bardo had influenced him. But now he was aware of the dangers in the situation, and he stood fighting his impatience until the shuttles arrived and began to unload. When Hanton reported to the control room, Vonner acquainted him with the situation and departed with Wayland.

  The trip back to Orion, which had decelerated to let Alba pull away, was one fraught with worry for Vonner, but the moment they docked he stepped through the inner airlock door and hurried to the control room. Wayland made his way to the sickbay. Vonner checked the control room, finding one officer and a crewman on duty, and learned that no further sightings of Bardo had been made. He left and went down to the sickbay.

  Philo Curran was still on duty in the corridor before Bardo’s observation room, leaning against a wall with one powerful shoulder, his heavy figure sagging with weariness, his fleshy face showing gaunt signs of strain.

  “No change here, Captain!” Curran reported, pushing himself erect and turning to look at the registers on the equipment despite his confident report.

  “You heard that I saw Bardo over there on the Alba!” Vonner demanded.

  “I got the report, sir!” Curran nodded slowly, his expression not changing as he regarded Vonner. “I suggest you clear this ship except for a few key men, and let me tackle Bardo with an atomic cannon. One of my men can cut the power to the immobiliser and I’ll take on Bardo when he comes out of that room.”

  “Let’s get down to cases,” Vonner retorted. “What is your suggestion, Dalus? How can you help us?”

  “I can seal off that room and cut off its supply of air. But the Doc reported that Bardo isn’t breathing now.”

  “And he’s got no other organs functioning!” Curran put in. “He’s no longer human!”

  “Is there any way of getting a shot at him without switching off the immobiliser?” Vonner asked.

  “No chance there!” Wayland shook his head. “No one can step into the area of influence without coming under the effects of the immobiliser! We can only handle it that way as Philo suggests. One of his men will have to switch off, and someone has got to stand here in this corridor and blast Bardo as he comes out of the room.”

  “And there’s the rub,” Curran said curdy. “It’s a do or die effort! If the weapons we use prove to be of insufficient power then we lose out.”

  “Supposing two of us handled a couple of disintegrators?” Vonner demanded.

  “We’ve got to be careful about using weapons inside

  the ship,” Wayland warned. “If you hit some vital equipment we could be in serious trouble.”

  “If we destroy a wall or two it will be a small price to pay for getting rid of Bardo!” Vonner countered. “If we go ahead with this method then it’s got to succeed.” He looked steadily into Curran’s taut features. “You’ve fought one of these men before, Philo! What are our chances of getting him before he can do any damage?”

  “It all depends upon his power!” Curran shook his head. “We can’t judge the extent of his strength, but he’s been in that room three months, and if he’s been sucking power from surrounding sources then he’ll have come on a great deal. I doubt if anything less than a cannon will stop him.”

  “But there’s a doubt in your mind whether a cannon will be powerful enough to do that at this stage?” Vonner asked.

  Curran nodded slowly. Vonner glanced at Wayland, who was frowning, rubbing his chin with a calloused hand.

  “Can we have a back-up squad with anything in their hands which might stop Bardo if he gets past the first attack upon him?” Vonner demanded.

  “I could put up a force field behind you,” Wayland replied slowly. “It would cut you off from the rest of the ship, and if you failed to stop Bardo and he didn’t start feeding off the power I’d be using then there might be a chance of containing him.”

  “But it’s risky, is that it?” Vonner persisted.

  “Anything we attempt will be risky,” Curran said sharply. “I suggest we get at it, Captain, and find out what will happen!”

  “I’m getting impati
ent myself, but I have a duty to the ship, Philo!” Vonner’s tones were steady. “I’m not concerned about giving my life in this attack, but I am worried that I’ll do something wrong and lose some of my crew. But apart from that, I have to think of the safety of the ship, and if I can take any safeguards at all then that’s the way of it. Dalus, you go ahead and get a force field set up in the corridor beyond the door at our backs. Philo, get a couple of cannon and we’ll check them out. The two of us will remain in here, plus one of your best men to switch off the immobiliser when we’re ready for action.”

  “Right, sir!” Curran’s eyes glittered as he straightened. “I’ve got everything prepared, and we’ve been ready for a long time now. Dalus, how long will it take you to get your force field around us?”

  “About thirty minutes,” the Chief Engineer retorted. “I’m on my way to start things moving.”

  “I’ll be back here in thirty minutes then,” Vonner said. “I need to give some orders to Hanton aboard Alba.”

  He turned away and departed, feeling a sense of relief in the back of his mind. At last they were getting some action. All the delaying tactics and wondering was done. Now Bardo and the problems he gave rise to would be settled.

  Making for a shuttle bay, Vonner used a shuttle communicator to talk to Hanton aboard the Alba, and gave his second in command specific orders. Hanton repeated the orders word perfectly.

  “Good!” Vonner commented. “That takes care of all and every eventuality.”

  “There’s one thing, Captain,” Hanton said. “Doc Morley wants permission to come back to Orion before you make the attempt against Bardo.”

  “There’s no need for the doctor to risk her life,” Vonner said instantly. “She can’t be of any help here! There will be no injured men to treat if we fail to stop Bardo when the immobiliser is switched off. If we fail we’ll die! There are no two ways about that!”

  “The doctor is here in the control room, if you’ll speak to her personally,” Hanton insisted.

  “All right!” Vonner drew a swift breath, visualising Adah’s face as he waited. There was no emotion inside him at that moment, and he had no idea of his love for her. When her voice came through he listened to her request to be permitted to return to Orion, then refused permission. “No, Doctor!” he said stiffly. “Your presence here would serve no useful purpose. You have most of my crew aboard Alba now, and that’s where you should be, ready to take care of them. The rest of the crew will be coming over to Alba as soon as my preparations here have been completed. There will be barely half a dozen of us left here when the attack against Bardo commences. Is that clear?”

  “Very well, Captain, but I was under the impression that I am the sole authority on Bardo’s condition, and if you come up against any snag at all then I might be able to provide a solution. I’m not trying to tell you your duty, but you should have the best available information right at your fingertips when you make the dangerous attempt to eject Bardo.”

  “Thank you, Doctor!” Vonner smiled grimly. “You are the most vital person aboard Alba right now!” He paused, his mind flitting across the broad spectrum of his duties. “If we fail here then all that will be lost is a captain who is not indispensable and a few security men, plus the Chief Engineer. But there are capable officers already handling our duties aboard Alba so we wouldn’t be irreplaceable. But you’re a different proposition. You will be needed on the next phase of the flight to Earth. You must be protected at all costs.”

  “Are you certain that your brain-washing process isn’t wearing a bit thin, Captain?” Adah demanded.

  “I’m certain it isn’t,” he retorted. “Why do you ask?”

  “If you don’t know then it doesn’t matter! Very well, Captain, I’ll be standing by here in case you need my advice, and good luck when you start operating.”

  “Thank you. Tell Hanton I need to talk to Howie Farrell!” Vonner waited through the ensuing silence, then Farrell’s voice came through. “Howie, are you ready to start transmitting to Earth?” he demanded.

  “In about thirty minutes now, Captain,” came the firm reply. “Is there anything you wish to add to the present messages?”

  “Nothing, except to tell you to make a report on what happens aboard Orion after we’ve made our attempt to eject Bardo. You may be in a position to know the result. If we fail here we shall be dead. But Commander Hanton has his orders regarding his actions if that eventuality should occur. You’ll maintain contact with your communications man aboard this ship. That is all, Howie.”

  “I’ve got it, Captain. Good luck.”

  “Thanks, we’re going to need it! Give me Hanton again, will you?”

  Hanton spoke tersely, and Vonner could distinguish tension in his subordinate’s tones.

  “Anything yet on why that ship was abandoned?” Vonner asked.

  “Lieutenant Mellon in the engine room is still working on the memory banks, Captain,” came the steady reply. “I’ll let you know if we do get anything.”

  “Yes, let me know immediately!” Vonner considered. “I don’t think there’s anything else I can tell you now, Hanton. If things go wrong for us aboard Orion then you await fresh orders from Earth and follow them. You’ll get new co-ordinates for the flight back from your present position, so good luck if we fail to make it.”

  “Good luck to you, Captain,” Hanton retorted tensely.

  “We’ll be standing by. Let us know if there’s anything at all we can do to help.”

  “Just remain on receive.” Vonner said. “Over and out!”

  The line went dead, and Vonner went back to the sickbay. He found Wayland there again, with one of his crewmen, and equipment which would provide a force field was being set up. Passing through the doorway into the inner corridor, Vonner found Curran and one of his guards checking out the small but overwhelmingly powerful cannon. Two were being set up, consisting of tripods and bulbous barrels, with power-lines attached.

  “We’re about ready, Captain,” Curran reported. “Dalus is on the point of testing his force field. If it operates correctly then we can get to work.”

  “I’m wondering what lies beyond the observation section,” Vonner said. “If my memory serves me correctly there are store-rooms backing on to the observation rooms, aren’t there?”

  “That’s right. Wayland keeps all his spare parts in them.” Curran paused and looked into Vonner’s face for a moment. “I think I know what’s on your mind,” he went on slowly. “It’s been in the back of my mind, actually, and I was going to mention it before we committed ourselves to action.”

  “Tell me what you’re thinking,” Vonner suggested.

  “If we start hitting Bardo where it hurts and he turns away from us he might go straight through the back wall of his cell and gain those storerooms.” Curran kept his voice steady, but his eyes were filled with grim calculation.

  “That’s right, and I think we’d better cover that direction before we make any attempt at Bardo. We don’t want him rampaging through the ship!”

  “Wayland won’t like the suggestion,” Curran said. “It will mean another delay. But you’re right to insist upon us taking all possible precautions.”

  Vonner turned and went to the outer corridor, to find Wayland on his way in to report.

  “We’re ready to test the force field, Captain!” the Chief Engineer said.

  “Test it, by all means, but before we continue just give a thought to the rear of Bardo’s cell and what lies behind it.”

  “My storerooms!” Wayland’s dark eyes glinted. “Hell, we’d better protect them, and also the sides of Bardo’s cell. He could turn away from you if you give him too much power, and if he busts through any of the bulkheads he’ll be loose inside the ship. You’ll have to give me another thirty minutes, Captain!”

  “I don’t like these delays any more than you do, Dalus, but let’s play it as safe as we can,” Vonner retorted.

  They waited it out, and eventually Wayland
returned to report that he had covered all directions Bardo could take if he burst through their attempts to block him.

  “If you’ll go inside the inner corridor and remain there we’ll test the fields,” Wayland said. “You’d better leave the door open so we can communicate visually. I’ll need to see what’s happening in there where you’ll be.”

  “And you and your assistant had better arm yourselves with lasers in case Bardo gets past us. We may need all available power if we find we can’t hold him.”

  “I’ve arranged for main drive to be tapped, so you’ll be getting everything we’ve got.” Wayland allowed tension to creep into his tones for the first time. “The only danger there is that if Bardo is able to tap into the nearest power source he’ll be robbing the force fields to make himself stronger. Then there’ll be no holding him!”

  “We’ve got to take a certain amount of risk, and I think we’ve covered most eventualities to the best of our ability,” Vonner said. He paused, frowning, for in the back of his mind there was a slight hint of concern, a strand of his subconscious mind warning that he might have overlooked something.

  “What’s wrong, Captain?” Wayland demanded, noting Vonner’s change of expression. “Have we forgotten anything?”

  “I don’t know. But we can’t keep putting off this attempt. Test your fields, Dalus, and if they’re satisfactory then we’ll get on with it.”

  Wayland nodded and turned away, and Vonner entered the inner corridor and went to Curran’s side.

  “We’re ready for testing,” he said. “Just check me out with this cannon, Philo, and when Dalus gives us the okay we’ll get started.”

  Curran nodded, tight-lipped now, and his tones were curt and husky as he explained the operation of the cannon.

  “We’ll watch Bardo on the scanner screen on the immobiliser,” he said quietly. “If he shows signs of movement then we can expect him to bust through the door of his room. That’s the moment we hit him. All you have to do is operate this lever on the side, Captain. There’ll be no more than the need to make a rough alignment of the sights, for we’ll be too close for comfort to Bardo when he comes. Just keep the power hitting him, that’s all!”