San first explained the motive power of the flyer. He pointed out that within the hub of the strange wheel lay the motor mechanisms. For centuries now the Earthlings had been using the solar power machine in place of the old electric, fuel and water driven machines of the ancients. All power, as one knows, is derived from the solar rays that come across the ninety-three million miles of space between Earth and the sun. The ancients had had to depend upon wood, coal, oil and electricity to gather this force, but it had remained for the 30th century man to take that power directly from the sun itself. This was done by the heliogenerators, great mirrors that concentrated the heat-rays. Formerly man had to resort to steam engines, to utilize the heat to derive their power. But with the discovery of great deposits of radio-active ores in various parts of the world, the sun’s energy was taken up and concentrated on the radium without the need of engines and by the release of energy a powerful rocket effect was obtained.
A Demonstration
IT was by this method that the Japanese had planned to propel their flyer. The girdle of mirrors would receive the sun’s rays, and send it to the rotor housing within the sphere where the radium was located. The convex mirrors were provided to reverse this power, so that it would act as a brake for the machine, tossing off the heat generated by the concave mirrors, and by this intricate method of “cooling” bring the sphere to a halt.[4]
Now by setting the sphere in the sunlight that poured through the window, San Tu Ackwa, after switching on the rotor motors within, allowed them to generate power. A cable fastened to a small box with a keyboard on its surface showed how much power the motors were generating. When the dial showed a sufficient amount he touched one of the keys and controlled the movements of the sphere. It rose and moved about the room, circled their heads, went out the window to the length of its cord, then returned to the table top and alighted without a jar.
With that demonstration completed the inventor now proceeded to point out the features of the wheel that were puzzling the Mentor and his engineers. Opening one section of the rim he showed the living quarters for the crew and interplanetary passengers. Series of spiral stairways joined the rim of the wheel to the hub with its machineries and engines. The spokes of the wheel that held the rim in place were hollow shafts whereby the passengers could fly to the hub. These shafts were also to carry the ventilation pipes as well as the water to the living quarters. In fact nothing seemed to have been forgotten for the comfort of the passengers, the heating and the refrigerating, the lighting, the sanitation measures, the radio and Visual apparatus. And every living-room, bed-room, diningroom and bathroom, as well as several kitchens, was as well equipped in miniature as it would be in life-size.
THE feature that was strangely striking, however, was that the living quarters were upon the rim of the wheel, the ceilings being toward the hub of the machine. Yoto Murca here took up the explanation. He demonstrated that inasmuch as in space there is no gravity, and gravity can be replaced only by some other force, they proposed to utilize centrifugal force for this purpose. To understand centrifugal force better it must be understood that whereas gravity operates toward the center of mass centrifugal force operates away from the center. Therefore, in the quarters set in the rim of the wheel which was to produce centrifugal farce by rotating around the hub, that which is “up” means toward the axis, while “down” is outward from the center, the axis of rotation. It was calculated that if the wheel made one revolution in about 8 seconds with its diameter of 100 feet, a man would be pressed to the floor with the same force as he would be pressed normally to the surface of the Earth.
FOR hours the Mentor and the scientists discussed the machine. A few minor adjustments were suggested here and there, but on the whole it was agreed that the space-flyer was practical, and the Mentor gave the inventors the assurance that a trial ship would be constructed under their supervision at the far end of the island of Cuba, where the great experimental laboratories were located in which all the newest inventions were built and given trial. The following day the two Japanese left with a letter to the governor of the laboratories instructing him to place men and materials at their disposal. It would take many months to build the space-flyer, since casts would have to be built for its many intricate parts. And it would take even longer to completely fit it out as the Mentor directed. But his eyes were shining brightly as he bid San Tu Ackwa and Yoto Murca good day. He was happy in the realization that the Earthlings were to master another great field of science. However, no announcement would be given to the world until the space-flyer had proved itself.
CHAPTER III
The Mentor’s Decision
IN his chambers now sat the Mentor alone. He was weary. For the days that had passed since the conference he had been working, accepting and rejecting new plans for the welfare of his people, and only now did he find himself with a few hours of leisure. But there was no rest for him. He was too much troubled with the momentous question at hand to be able to seek recreation. What was the world to do about its women? True, there were something like forty millions of young immature females in the world, thousands of whom were daily reaching the age where they would take upon themselves the duties of wifehood, only to succumb as their mothers had in that terrible hour. With each generation the problem grew, for nothing seemed possible to save the women. And what was the world to do when man should at last find himself without a single woman in his midst? True, the life span of the individual had been greatly lengthened by science. The seventy years of the ancients had been prolonged to two hundred, but in that alone was no solution.
The Mentor slowly turned to President Chang’s suggestion concerning a raid upon another world for women. Astronomers knew that at least two of the planets sustained life, namely, Venus and Mars, and a number of the satellites of both Jupiter and Saturn were also known to be congenial to human life. And now with the invention of the space-flyer such a raid could eventually be made. But what if life upon these planets was different from our own? Perhaps Nature had not repeated herself and the beings of these other worlds were of a different species. And even if human life dwelt upon these worlds, the Mentor was still averse to engaging in wholesale kidnapping. To rob another world of its female population was to leave it in the same predicament as the Earth was now in. And how could the Earth’s people, whose only religion was Brotherhood, willingly cause such a condition upon a sister planet? No, the Mentor decided, mankind would not consent to despoil others in an effort to save itself. Other measures must be used. Wearily he pushed the button that would bring a clerk to him. Fifteen minutes later, two of the most renowned members of the medical profession stood before him. These men had just come from the Medical Congress that had met to take up the studies of a Dr. Moore with regard to changing the present method of bringing children into the world.
“WHAT is the decision of the Congress?” asked the Mentor.
“Sir, to do what he proposes will be a momentous step for us to take,” answered one of the doctors. “Nature can not be changed in a day, and the time required to make the alterations Moore expects will be too long, for by that time thousands of our women must be sacrificed! For the sake of womanhood itself the Congress agrees that such a project should not be considered. It is too late for us to proceed upon such a course, although there is no doubt about its feasibility!” Doctor Horace Wilson sighed as he finished.
The Mentor nodded his head sadly. “And yet, doctor, something has to be done, as you well know. Is it possible for you to ‘de-wing’ our people as Mentor once winged us?”
Wilson nodded slowly, almost unwillingly, “It can be done, sir! Acting on your suggestion of several months previous I have had a number of my assistants experimenting on such a solution. They only await your commands to manufacture the serums in bulk!”
“It is not the solution that we want,” sighed the Mentor, “but I know your department has done everything possible to save the lives of our women. Howard Mentor, of course,
never dreamed of an unknown disease arising, when he set about to give us wings. Of course, we realize it will take generations for us to undo what he has done, but I wish you God’s aid. Else we die!”
Here Doctor Herbert Morris, the second scientist, spoke. “I believe, Mentor, that it is wrong for us to turn to this means . . . yet. You know that for many years we have been working upon the possibility of producing our young through mechanical agencies. Up to this time it is true we’ve had little success, but now I am beginning to see a glimmering of light We have been working along the wrong lines, but at last results are beginning to show. If you will only consent to wait one more year I am certain that we can produce all the winged children required!”
“A YEAR is a long time, doctor, and our women die daily.”
“I know that, sir, but if you will but give us that length of time I am positive we can save the rest as well as bring into being as many females as are needed to offset the present deficit. Of course when that is accomplished, it will mean that the duties of childbearing must afterward be left wholly to our machines, but in doing so we shall stabilize the number of men and women, and man will not be deprived of woman’s companionship!”
“If we could be sure of success, doctor, I would gladly give my permission to continue your experiments before Dr. Wilson commences his task of removing the wings from our future race. The loss of our women is appalling!”
Morris nodded. He knew that only yesterday there had passed away the Mentor’s own beautiful mate. The nations were grieving with their kindly leader.
It was then that Wilson spoke. “Sir,” said he, “I think that my colleague is right. It were best that he be given that single year to accomplish his purpose. I have been in his laboratories and have seen the great progress he is making. In the meantime I would suggest that all women be sterilized temporarily!”
With that the Mentor’s dark eyes brightened. “Well thought, doctor. Why has no one thought of such a respite sooner? Better we have no children, than to allow the women to die! Doctor Morris shall have his year, and before night the word will be sent around the World!” He smiled and held out his hand to Morris. “To your success, sir!” Then he was shaking hands with Doctor Wilson. That afternoon word went out that child-bearing was to be forbidden for a year’s term.
CHAPTER IV
The Strange Visitor
IT was a week later that the Mentor was startled by a message that came to him from the Lick Astronomical Observatory upon the Pacific Coast. When its significance dawned on him he immediately took to the air with but a single attendant, his eldest son, Alvin Page. The world was surprised to hear of his sudden departure, for it was seldom that the planet ruler ever left the seat of government. For days now the Earthlings had been in a ferment. The edict forbidding the conception of young-that had followed the meeting of the ten terrestrial leaders had left the populace restless and puzzled. Since they had known that the condition of the womanhood of the world was serious, it was natural that they should see in this unprecedented journey of the Mentor something concerning the matter at hand. However, the message requesting the Mentor’s presence at Lick had had nothing to do with the affairs of the globe.
Its content was of far different purport. The observatory upon Mount Hamilton was by far the largest of its kind in the world, the lenses of the telescope measuring fifty feet across! And what the astronomers had sighted in them had been so strangely arresting that they had sent immediately for the planet ruler. For what had been seen was indubitably a man-made machine leaving the cloud-shrouded face of the planet Venus! And it was headed for Earth!
For three hours they had watched it before the planet ruler was appraised of the strange fact, though often it disappeared from their lenses, for it showed nothing more than a pencil streak of light out in the void. It was impossible to determine its shape, but there was no doubt that it was propelled by sentient beings. It was only by an accident, however, that it had been discovered at all by a student who had for the first time turned his eyes upon that distant planet. When the strange shape had swum into his vision he had called for a more learned astronomer. Photographs had instantly been taken and developed while others still peered at the moving flash of light that appeared to move slowly on its course.
VENUS with her all-enfolding shrouds has always been an enigma to Earth. Much has been written about her, but little is known. For although man with his great telescopes has been enabled to read the faces of the other planets clearly, Venus had continued to hide her secrets. Once or twice through the centuries a rift had been reported in the Venusian clouds and one astronomer had thought that he glimpsed a city upon the planet’s surface, but he could never be certain. They did know, however, that the thick, vapory atmosphere differed but little from that of Earth, the clouds themselves acting as a shield against the intense heat the sun radiated upon it. Mercury without this shield was an inferno upon its one surface always turned to the sun, while upon the opposite face that lay forever away from the great star the temperature dropped at times to absolute zero. Mars, on the other hand, was known to be inhabited, for the telescopic photographs marked a number of great structures and more than one queer craft had been seen moving through the dusty atmosphere of that world. On the satellite moon of the Earth, on the shores of the long dead seas, the ruins of wondrous cities had been discovered that bespoke a race of beings whose needs had been identical with that of the Earthlings. Why then should not the beautiful planet Venus that lay upon the Earth horizon have life thereon?
All day and night the Mentor and his son had flown across sea and lowlands, plateaux and mountains, and near dawn they came within sight of the towering dome of the observatory upon Mount Hamilton. Arriving on the broad roof just below the dome, they were met by a group of astronomers who without words led them directly to the telescope. In a few minutes they were staring at the long bright ship that now, as it neared Earth, could be recognized clearly as of cylindrical shape. One strange feature of the flyer lay in the fact that the sun’s rays, that should have struck it obliquely as it hurtled on its way, were not being reflected but appeared instead to pass directly through it, as though the machine were half transparent!
Down to Earth!
“WITHOUT a doubt,” observed Professor D’Arcy, governor of the observatory, “the Venusians are bent upon paying us a call, but whether it is to be a friendly visit or one for purposes of attack we have no way of telling. It is evident, however, that they are far more advanced than we of Earth, since they have succeeded in conquering the void. We have been trying to get in touch with them by means of the radio, but have so far failed.”
“Ah, but you are wrong, Professor, in believing that Venus is superior to us in intellect,” the Mentor remonstrated, “just because they have beaten us in the secret of interplanetary travel. True, they are the first to have sent out their ships, but not many months will elapse before an Earthly ship also will be launched into space!”
“You mean it is possible?”
Quickly the Mentor told of the invention of the Japanese and of the certainty that it would succeed. “Heretofore, our scientists have failed because of their misconceptions of what constitutes a space-flying machine, but though I have not announced the fact to the world, I am certain that the Japanese sphere will do all that its inventors claim. In fact, I have never been more certain of an untried experiment as I am of this. I will not hesitate to go up in it on the initial trip!”
“The principles propounded are sound, sir. Pray that it may be all that you expect, for not only will it widen the horizon of the Earthling, but perhaps some day our people will journey on across the great Outer Void to other Universes and Galaxies! And what’s more, our scientists will no longer need to depend upon faulty telescopes to examine the world that lies beyond.”
For many hours the watchers never left the telescopes as they studied the progress of the Venusian vessel. After careful computation it was estimated that the ship’
s speed was approximately 200 miles per second, and as Venus was then traveling toward her inferior conjunction and was something like 26,000,000 miles distant from Earth, it would take the space-flyer at least thirty-five hours to reach Earth. Already for more than thirty hours the scientists had watched her on her course. Another four hours and she would arrive! When or where the flyer would land upon Earth they had no way of knowing.
THE next few hours were feverish ones for the astronomers, for other observers had seen the Venusian machine and were in communication with one another. Then the broadcasting stations were sending the news in relays around the world and efforts were made to photograph it in the Tele-Visual screens. The observatories had announced that the ship was gradually slowing down. At ten o’clock, Pacific time, the ship was seen to enter the atmosphere, traveling at about three hundred miles an hour. Slowly it encircled the globe, dropping lower and lower until it could be seen by the naked eye. Twice more it swung around the globe before it dropped to an isolated spot along the Florida coast not many miles south of the old resort city of Miami. Immediately the Mentor dispatched an order that none should approach the stranger within a radius of two thousand feet, until it could be discovered whether the Venusians came as friends or foes. With D’Arcy, his son and a number of the scientists, the Mentor left Lick and headed for the Eastern seaboard.
They flew at top speed, for the Mentor was greatly worried about this strange circumstance. In his heart he feared that the arrival of the interplanetary machine boded no good for his world. And the Earthlings were unprepared for an attack, since their development was along unwarlike lines. The Mentor did not speak of his fears to his companions as they winged their way across the 3000 miles to the Eastern coast. Flying at 150 to 175 miles per hour they could not hope to reach Florida in less than nineteen or twenty hours. It was a long trip to take, flying so swiftly, and especially for the two members of the party who had already flown more than that distance not many hours before. Moreover, they were encountering head winds, and time was always lost in crossing the mighty mountain ranges of the west.
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