by Earl
But Jon’s bewilderment was still greater when a few minutes later, human figures darted at him. Jon gasped. Instead of highly civilized citizens of some advanced time, these were hairy men dressed in animal skins, and wielding primitive clubs! Suddenly it all seemed clear to Jon.
“Jumping Jupiter!” he exclaimed. “The professor made some error. Instead of sending me ten thousand years into the future, he sent me ten thousand years into the past! Those are prehistoric cave men!”
They came rushing in a yelling horde, and Jon was forced to fire with his raygun. He tried to just wound them, clipping them in the legs. Howls of pain went up, but the rest rushed on. Soon a club knocked Jon’s gun away, and he was borne down by sheer weight of numbers.
“Kill stranger!” yelled one man, obviously the chief, in guttural tones.
“Wait!” Jon yelled, happy to hear they could talk. “I’m not your enemy. I’m not from an enemy tribe of yours. I’m a man from the twentieth century. From your future. Do you understand?”
The chief shook a puzzled head. “You evil magician! You have funny clothes. You use exploding stick. We kill you!”
Jon was worse off than before. They began dragging him to a cliff, to be thrown off. Suddenly, a sepulchral voice came from the heart of a tree! “Leave him alone! Flee!”
With one frightened glance at the talking tree, the superstitious cave men fled in howling terror, leaving Jon free. Jon himself was amazed. Since when did trees talk?
But then the tree, which was hollow, toppled over and a man stepped out. Jon stared, utterly startled, for the man, though dressed in a monk-like robe, was obviously intelligent and civilized.
“Monks in the Stone Age?” Jon said to himself, entirely confused.
The stranger smiled. “I saw you get captured before. I heard what you said, about coming from the twentieth century. But this isn’t the Stone Age. This is the year ten thousand A.D.!”
Jon sat down, overwhelmed. “Then the professor didn’t make a mistake. But how can this be the future? What’s happened to modern, mechanized civilization?”
The monk’s face became sad. “I guess you might call this the Second Stone Age. A great catastrophe happened to civilization a hundred years ago. A terrific plague swept over Earth. Not only Earth, but every planet where mankind had settled. People died by the millions. So many scientists and leaders died that everything was snarled up. Factories were deserted. Machines rusted away. Soon, losing all knowledge, mankind was reduced to a primitive horde of savages, such as captured you. So the civilization that you knew collapsed entirely!”
Jon was stunned. It was a joke on the professor—a horribly grim joke. He had thought he was sending Jon into a great new era—a super-civilization at its apex.
“But you,” said Jon, puzzled, “you’re not a savage—?”
The monk explained. “Not everybody turned savage. Here and there, a few isolated monasteries survived. We hope to rebuild civilization. But there is so much scientific knowledge lost. We don’t even know how to make matches! Yet one man from the scientific past, like yourself, could show us in a few years how to reconstruct civilization. Will you stay and help us?”
Jon did not answer for long minutes. It was a tremendous decision to make. If he stayed, he could help bring back a dead civilization! If he refused, he would be letting the whole world of the future remain in Stone Age backwardness.
“I’ve got to do it,” Jon said at last, gripping the monk’s hand. “I’ll stay and help you rebuild civilization!”
But Jon had forgotten one thing. At that moment, a glow surrounded him and the next second, Jon was back in the cabin laboratory of Professor McLane. Jon told his startling story, and the professor’s eyes bulged with amazement. Then Jon started to walk toward the time chair. “Send me back. It’s my duty, and I promised them.”
But the professor was dragging him away. “Oh, no you don’t!” he cried. “I’ll show you how to work the controls. You’ll send me to the future, to help them. As a scientist, I will be of more help than you. It will be the greatest adventure in history—and I gladly volunteer!”
Convinced that McLane was right, Jon listened closely to the complicated instructions. Then he worked the controls and watched the professor fade away, happily looking forward to his great task in the future.
Suddenly, sparks sprang from the machine. Jon staggered back as the whole apparatus cracked apart. Jon picked himself up from the floor, dazed but unhurt, and stared at the broken wreck.
“There is no return for Professor McLane,” Jon said softly. “But he’s got a lifetime job—in the Stone Age of the future!”
THE NEW MOON
A new world! Yes, there was no doubt of it now. Lieutenant Jon Jarl of the Space Patrol let out a boyish yell of pride and joy. He couldn’t help it. In this interplanetary age of 2261 A. D., with all planets and worlds visited by rocketship, it was no small event to discover a new body in space!
Jon calmed down. Looking around at the short horizon, he could see that it was a very tiny world. In fact, no more than a mile in diameter. Still, this miniature worldlet or planetoid was not listed on any of the star charts, so it was a new world. And it had no name.
But the most amazing thing of all was that this small world was only 200,000 miles from Earth! It hung in space between the Earth and Moon. Why had it never been seen in telescopes? Jon knew the answer. It was too dark. All around him the rocky surface was almost black. Thus it reflected little light and telescopes had missed it. For the same reason, many spaceships had gone right past without seeing it, for it almost blended with the blackness of space.
Jon himself had only stumbled on it by sheer accident, while cruising through space. He had almost crashed into it. Barely in time he had braked his rocketship, turned aside, and then circled and landed.
Jon was puzzled now. If this worldlet was this close to Earth, it must be within Earth’s powerful gravitational field, just like the Moon. Therefore, was this Earth’s second Moon? Did Earth have two moons instead of one? Excited with this thought, Jon ran into his ship and dragged out his mounted tripod telescope. He eagerly trained it on the Earth and the Moon and made rapid calculations of this worldlet’s orbit.
After an hour, Jon turned away stunned. “No, it is not a moon of Earth,” he mumbled aloud. “Sizzling stars! It’s something even more amazing than that. Everybody knows that many planets have moons. Earth has a moon. Mars has two moons. Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus have many moons. But for the first time in history, I’ve come across a moon which—”
Jon stopped, overcome himself at the astounding discovery. In all the history and adventure of interplanetary travel, nothing like this had ever been suspected before!
Elated, Jon dashed to the radio inside his ship. He would announce this amazing event to Earth—but he decided not to give the whole thing away. He would save that for a dramatic announcement in person, on Earth. “Attention, Earth,” he said into the mike. “Lieutenant Jon Jarl of the Space Patrol reporting. I have just discovered an unknown moonlet! It is a small body between Earth and Moon, uncharted on any space maps. Message received?”
After a long wait, Jon was puzzled. No acknowledgment of his startling statement came back. Then he knew the reason, for a powerful blanket wave hissed out of his receiver, with this message from Earth . . .
Attention, all Space Patrol ships! Big jail-break on Earth! Over a hundred desperate criminals broke out, seized a big rocket liner, and shot into space! Watch for them!
Jon grinned wryly at this trick of fate. Just as he had big news for Earth, that jailbreak had to occur and spoil his announcement. Nobody had caught his weak signal, with the powerful signal from headquarters booming all through space for the emergency.
But it soon proved that Jon’s signal had been picked up after all, by one nearby ship. It turned and sped for the dark moonlet. Jon waved eagerly and ran toward the ship as it landed. It must be some passing space-liner that had picked up his me
ssage and had decided to come to see the new little world.
Jon gasped as the hatchway swung open. Sullen, hard-faced men in denim uniforms crowded out, holding rayguns at him. It was the shipload of escaped criminals!
Jon whipped out his twin rayguns, but it was hopeless. Dozens of guns were trained on him. “Start shooting if you dare, Space Copper!” grated a harsh voice. “It’s only a hundred to one!”
Jon was brave—but not stupid. He dropped his guns helplessly. One criminal strode forward, obviously their leader. He was a small, scrawny man with a goatee and a sharp, cunning face.
“Brain Bates, that’s me,” he announced in a cackling voice. “I engineered the jailbreak into space. We were heading out for open space when I picked up your signal—that you had discovered this moonlet. I instantly ordered a landing here.”
“Aw, Boss,” spoke up one thug, glancing nervously toward the globe of Earth so close in space. “Let’s get away from this peanut world. It’s too close to Earth! We’re gonna get spotted quick and—”
“Shut up, you stupid fool!” snapped Brain Bates. “Don’t you see this is the best possible hide-out for us? This little worldlet is unknown. Nobody even suspects its existence. It has existed for ages this close to Earth, and was never seen. We can stay here for years, safe from detection. Why, this is the biggest break we could have!”
Jon groaned to himself. It was true. Brain Bates was nobody’s fool. Jon had discovered a new world—only to have it taken over by vicious lawbreakers as an ideal hide-out!
“There is only one outsider who knows where we are,” the mastermind criminal went on, leering mockingly at Jon. “With him out of the way, we’re utterly safe!”
Jon turned cold. They would now ray him down on the spot, in cold blood. A dozen guns aimed for him, ready to hiss out death.
“Wait,” Jon said calmly, although his nerves were quivering. “There’s something I know about this new worldlet that is very important. Something that stunned me when I discovered it.”
Would this announcement work on Brain Bates? Would he bite? Jon held his breath. It was his only hope.
Brain Bates sneered cynically. “Trying to save your skin with a trick, Copper?” he cackled. “It won’t work. I’m too smart.”
Jon shrugged, hoping his knees weren’t shaking. “All right, kill me,” he drawled. “Then you’ll never find out what I discovered.”
“Gold?” snapped Brain Bates suddenly, cupidity working its way into his face. “Jewels? Something valuable? Don’t shoot, boys. This guy knows something, and we’re going to find out what.”
He poked Jon in the ribs. “Get going. Show us what you found. And it had better be good!”
Jon slowly let out his breath, in relief. He was saved from instant death. But could he prolong his life and save himself entirely? Something clicked in Jon’s mind and he stepped along firmly. When they came to a big rock, Jon pointed dramatically at it. “Under that,” he said.
“Blast it to shreds with our rayguns!” yelled Brain Bates excitedly. “If it’s some kind of treasure, we’ll grab it.”
Rayguns went to work. Their hissing rays ate up the rock slowly, dissolving it into atomic shreds, and giving off a vivid shower of disintegrating sparks. It took an hour.
Finally the rock was gone—and nothing was under it. Brain Bates whirled on Jon in fury. “What kind of trick was this?” he raged. “Blast him down, boys!”
But instead, a sizzling ray came from above, and struck among the criminals! Jon yelled in joy. Streaking down was an armed cruiser of the mighty Space Patrol. He was saved!
The battle was brief. The Space Patrol swiftly rounded up the criminals before they could scatter. “You’ve got the wrong name, Mr. Brain Bates,” Jon said, grinning at the glum criminal leader. “There was no treasure of any kind. It was just a trick to get you to blast that rock—and make a bright light! I knew that some Space Patrol ship would see it, far out in space, and investigate.” Jon paused and went on. “But there is a great new thing about this worldlet that I discovered. I was amazed to find out that it was not a second moon of Earth at all. It turned out to be the Moon’s moon!”
Blank faces, both of criminals and police, stared back.
“Don’t you see?” explained Jon. “It revolves around our Moon. Therefore it is a moon of the Moon! A sort of grandchild moon of the Earth!”
“Sizzling comets!” gasped the officer of the Space Patrol. “That’s the most sensational astronomic discovery of a century! And in honor of your great find, Lieutenant Jarl, there can be only one name for it . . .”
It was Jon’s turn to gasp. He had a world named after him . . . Jarlia!
JON JARL LOSES HIS JOB
Lieutenant Jon Jarl of the Space Patrol was bringing in his man. His rocketship landed at Space Port on Earth, and Jon led forth his handcuffed captive. He was known as Planet Pete, notorious and clever bandit of the spaceways. After a long hunt and chase, Jon Jarl had finally caught and arrested him.
All Jon had to do now was deliver his prisoner to headquarters in the city, and the case was closed. As they walked away from the ship, Planet Pete spoke. “Take these blasted handcuffs off, Copper,” he snarled. “After all, I’m caught now. I can’t get away. They hurt my wrists.”
Jon hesitated and then unlocked the handcuffs. It was safe now, he was armed and the prisoner wasn’t. Planet Pete couldn’t escape. Jon walked carefully behind him.
Suddenly, Planet Pete stopped and pointed up in the sky with a look of horror on his face. “That big space-liner!” he cried. “It’s coming down like a comet! It’s going to crash!”
Instinctively, Jon whirled to see the tragic event. Nothing was happening in the sky. Too late, Jon realized the trick. Before he could turn back, a hard fist banged into the back of his head and Jon went sprawling to the ground. His head hit the hard edge of a concrete runway, and Jon blacked out.
Jon was only out a few seconds. But as he groaned and staggered to his feet, he saw the running figure of his prisoner leaping into Jon’s own ship. Jon pulled his gun but his hand was shaky. Before he could shoot, the swift little rocketship zoomed up into the sky and vanished from sight.
Planet Pete had escaped in Jon’s own ship! Jon had been taken in by the oldest trick in history!
He knew what the consequences would be when he reported to headquarters. But, squaring his shoulders, he reported the episode to the Chief. “It was a stupid blunder, sir,” he finished. “I deserve demotion.”
“Great Jupiter!” the Chief exploded. “Letting a prisoner escape like that is one of the worst offenses my men can commit. I’m sorry. Lieutenant Jarl, but the punishment is worse than just demotion.” His face was grim and stony. “Turn in your badge and uniform!”
Jon stood paralyzed. “But, sir, I—I—you mean I’m kicked out of the service?”
An hour later, a forlorn figure in civilian clothing wandered out of headquarters. He was plain Mr. Jon Jarl now, an ordinary citizen. He was dishonorably discharged from the Space Patrol.
No longer would he wear the green and gold uniform of the honored Space Patrol. No longer would he blaze through space in his rocketship, hounding down criminals. No longer would he taste the glory and adventure of his former career. It was all over, finished.
How long Jon walked, with these thoughts torturing him, he did not know. He had forgotten to eat or sleep. Suddenly he saw his reflection in a shop window. Already he looked hollow-eyed, unshaven, like a human derelict.
Jon straightened. No sense brooding over it and going to pieces. He would now have to get a job, start life over. He stopped before an employment agency’s door and read the job listings available.
WORKERS NEEDED IN THE MARTIAN CANALS.
BE A MINER IN THE MINES OF MERCURY.
WANTED, ENGINEERS, URANUS.
HELP WANTED. JEWEL MINES OF SATURN.
Jon applied for the jewel mines of Saturn. After paying a fee, he was sent in a big space-liner to the ringe
d planet.
The Superintendent first assigned Jon to the lowly task of drilling rock. Jon worked hard. It was the best way to forget his bitter degradation. He was promoted to running the mine elevators, then to sorting ores, and finally to grading the valuable jewels. Jon was beginning to like the job. He was building up a new career.
And one day the Superintendent called him into his office. “I’ve been watching you, Jon Jarl,” he said. “You’re a good worker. By the way, I checked up on you. You were once with the Space Patrol. You were discharged for letting a crook escape.”
Jon’s shoulders slumped. This was it. “Give me my pay,” he muttered. “I’ll go.”
“Don’t be silly,” the Superintendent laughed. “You had a tough break, that’s all. Listen, I want to promote you. You can fly a spaceship, and your previous training as a Space Patrolman makes you a top-notch pilot, which is just what I need now to run our armored ship to Earth with a load of jewels. Want the job, at double your former pay?”
“Do I?” grinned Jon. “That’s right down my alley.”
Later, the Superintendent led Jon to a small one-man rocketship with thick metal walls. “There she is,” the Superintendent said. “You’ll take it all alone to Earth. We use a small, one-man ship because that way it has tremendous speed. If you are attacked in space, the armor protects you and the jewels, and you can easily run away from the attackers. No robbery can succeed against this armored ship, except by some kind of cunning trickery.”
“Nobody’s going to trick me,” Jon promised grimly. “I’ll get the jewels through to Earth.”
“One last thing,” warned the Superintendent. “That notorious space bandit, Planet Pete, is still at large. Watch out for him!”
So Planet Pete, the criminal who had brought disgrace to Jon, was still at large? Jon watched grimly, as he sped through the black void toward Earth. Behind him, in a sack, was a fortune in jewels from the mines of Saturn.
