May 1930

by Unknown

  I saw many glances being cast out the dome side-windows toward the distant, far-down plains of the Mare Imbrium. The brigands believed that the Grantline camp lay in that direction.

  Anita whispered, "Which is their giant electronic projector, Gregg?"

  I could see it amidships of the deck. It was already in place. Potan was there now, superintending the men who were connecting it. The most powerful weapon on the ship, it had, Potan said, an effective range of some ten miles. I wondered what it would do to a Grantline building! The Erentz double walls would withstand it for a time, I was sure. But it would blast an Erentz fabric-suit, no doubt of that. Like a lightning bolt, it would kill--its flashing free-stream of electrons shocking the heart, bringing instant death.

  I whispered, "We must smash that before we leave! But first turn it on Miko, if he signals now."

  * * * * *

  I was tensely watchful for that signal. The electronic projector obviously was not yet ready. But when it was connected, I must be near it, to persuade its duty-man to fire it on Miko. With this done we would have more time to plan our other tasks. I did not think Potan would be ready for his attack before another time of sleep here in the ship's routine. Things would be quieter then--I would watch my chance to send a signal to Earth, and then we would escape.

  With my thoughts roving, we had been standing quietly at the cubby door-oval for perhaps fifteen minutes. My hand in my side pouch clutched the little bullet projector. The brigands had taken it from me and given it to Potan. He had placed it on the settle with my Erentz suit; and when we gained his confidence he had forgotten it and left it there. I had it now, and the feel of its cool sleek handle gave me a measure of comfort. Things could go wrong so easily--but if they did, I was determined to sell my life as dearly as possible. And a vague thought was in my mind: I must not use the last bullet. That would be for Anita.

  I shook myself free from such sinister fancy.

  "That electronic projector is remote-controlled. Look, Anita--that's the signal room over us. The giant projector will be aimed and fired from up there."

  It seemed so. A thirty-foot skeleton tower stood on the deck near us, with a spiral ladder leading up to a small square steel cubby at the top. Through the cubby window-ovals I could see instrument panels. A single Martian was up there; he had called down to Potan concerning the electronic projector.

  * * * * *

  The roof of this little tower room was close under the dome--a space of no more than four feet. A pressure lock-exit in the dome was up there, with a few steps leading up to it from the roof of the tower signal-room. We could escape that way, perhaps. In the event of dire necessity it might be possible. But only as a desperate resort, for it would put us on the top of the glassite dome, with a sheer hundred feet or more down its sleek bulging exterior side, and down the outside bulge of the ship's hull, to the rocks below. There might be a spider ladder outside leading downward, but I saw no evidence of it. If Anita and I were forced to escape that way, I wondered how we could manage a hundred foot jump to the rocks and land safely. Even with the slight gravity of the Moon it would be a dangerous fall.

  "You are Gregg Haljan?"

  I started as one of the brigands, coming up behind us, addressed me.

  "Yes."

  "Commander Potan tells me you were chief navigator of the Planetara?"

  "Yes."

  "You shall pilot us when we advance upon the Grantline camp. I am control-commander here--Brotow, my name."

  He smiled. A giant fellow, but spindly. He spoke good English. He seemed anxious to be friendly.

  "We are glad to have you and George Prince's sister with us." He shot Anita an admiring glance. "I will show you our controls, Haljan."

  "All right," I said. "Whatever I can do to help...."

  "But not now. It will be some hours before we are ready."

  I nodded, and he wandered away. Anita whispered:

  "Did he mean that signal room up here in the tower? Oh, Gregg, maybe it's only the ship's control room!"

  "I don't know. But the projector range-finders are up there, and I think it's the signal room."

  "Suppose we go up and see? Gregg, Miko's signals might start any minute."

  * * * * *

  And the electronic projector now seemed about ready. It was time for me to act. But a reluctant instinct was upon me. Our Erentz suits were here close behind us in Potan's cubby. I hated to leave them: if anything happened and we had to make a sudden dash, there would be no time to garb ourselves in the suits. To adjust the helmets was bad enough.

  I whispered swiftly, "We must get into our suits--find some pretext." I drew her back through the cubby doorway where we would be more secluded.

  "Anita, listen: I've been a fool not to plan our escape more carefully! We're in too great a danger here."

  It seemed to me suddenly that we were in desperate plight. Was it premonition?

  "Anita, listen: if anything happens and we have to make a dash--"

  "Up through that dome-lock, Gregg? It's a manual control; you can see the levers."

  "Yes. It's a manual. But up there--how would we get down?"

  She was far calmer than I. "There may be an outside ladder, Gregg."

  "I don't think so. I haven't seen it."

  "Then we can get out the way they brought us in. The hull-porte--it's a manual, too."

  "Yes, I think I can find our way down through the hull corridors. I mean, for a quick run. If we have to run, you stay close behind me. I've this bullet projector, and evidently there aren't many men in the lower corridors."

  "There are guards outside on the rocks."

  We had seen them through the dome windows. But there were not many--only two or three. A surprise rush at them would turn the trick.

  * * * * *

  We donned our Erentz suits.

  "What will we do with the helmets?" Anita demanded. "Leave them here?"

  "No--take them with us. I'm not going to get separated from them; it's too dangerous."

  "We'll look strange going up to that signal room equipped like this," she commented.

  "I can't help it. We'll figure out something to explain it."

  She stood before me, a queer-looking little figure in the now deflated, bagging suit with her slim neck and head protruding above the metal circle of its collar.

  "Carry your helmet, Anita. I'll take mine."

  We could adjust the helmets and start the Erentz motors all within a few seconds.

  "I'm ready, Gregg."

  "Come on, then. Let me go first."

  I had the bullet projector in an outer pouch of the suit where I could instantly reach it. This was more rational: we had a fighting chance now. The fear which had swept me so suddenly began to recede. I was calm.

  "We'll climb the tower to the signal room," I whispered. "Do it boldly."

  We stepped from the cubby. Potan was not in sight; he was on the further deck beyond the central cabin structure perhaps, or had gone below.

  On the deck, we were immediately accosted. This was different--our appearance in the Erentz suits!

  "Where are you going?"

  This fellow spoke in Martian. I answered in English.

  "Up there."

  * * * * *

  He stood before us, towering over me. I saw a group of nearby workers stop to regard us. In a moment we would be causing a commotion, and it was the last thing I desired.

  I said in Martian, "Commander Potan told me, what I wish I can do. From the dome we look around--see where is the Grantline camp--I am pilot of this ship to go there."

  The man who had called himself Brotow passed near us. I appealed to him.

  "We put on our suits. I thought we might go up on the dome for a minute and look around. If I'm to pilot the ship...."

  He hesitated, his glance sweeping the deck as though to ask Potan. Someone said in Martian:

  "The commander is down in the stern storeroom."

  It decided Br
otow. He waved away the Martian who had stopped me.

  "Let them alone."

  Anita and I gave him our most friendly smiles.

  "Thanks."

  He bowed to Anita with a sweeping gesture. "I will show you over the control room presently."

  His gaze went to the peak of the bow. The little hooded cubby there was the control room. Satisfaction swept me. Then this, above us in the tower, must surely be the signal room. Would Brotow follow us up? I hoped not. I wanted to be alone with the duty-man up there, giving me a chance to get at the projector controls if Miko's signal should come.

  I drew Anita past Brotow, who had stood aside. "Thanks," I repeated. "We won't be long."

  We mounted the little ladder.

  CHAPTER XXXI - In the Tower Cubby

  "Hurry, Anita!"

  I feared that Potan might come up from the hull at any moment and stop us. The duty-man over us gazed down, his huge head and shoulders blocking the small signal room window. Brotow called up in Martian, telling him to let us come. He scowled, but when we reached the trap in the room floor-grid, we found him standing aside to admit us.

  I flung a swift glance around. It was a metallic cubby, not much over fifteen feet square, with an eight-foot arched ceiling. There were instrument panels. The range-finder for the giant projector was here; its little telescope with the trajectory apparatus and the firing switch were unmistakable. And the signalling apparatus was here! Not a Martian set, but a fully powerful Botz ultra-violet helio sender with its attendant receiving mirrors. The Planetara had used the Botz system, so I was thoroughly familiar with it. I saw, too, what seemed to be weapons: a row of small fragile glass globes, hanging on clips along the wall--bombs, each the size of a man's fist. And a broad belt with bombs in its padded compartments.

  My heart was pounding as my first quick glance took in these details. I saw also that the room had four small oval window openings. They were breast-high above the floor; from the deck below I knew that the angle of vision was such that the men down there could not see into this room except to glimpse its upper portion near the ceiling. And the helio set was banked on a low table near the floor.

  In a corner of the room a small ladder led through a ceiling trap to the cubby roof. This upper trap was open. Four feet above the room-roof was the arch of the dome, with the entrance to the upper exit-lock directly above us. The weapons and the belt of bombs were near this ascending ladder, evidently placed here as equipment for use from the top of the dome.

  * * * * *

  I turned to the solitary duty-man. I must gain his confidence at once. Anita had laid her helmet aside. She spoke first.

  "We were with Set Miko," she said smilingly, "in the wreck of the Planetara. You heard of it? We know where the treasure is."

  This duty-man was a full seven feet tall, and the most heavy-set Martian I had ever seen. A tremendous, beetling-browed, scowling fellow. He stood with hands on his hips, his leather-garbed legs spread wide; and as I fronted him I felt like a child. He was silent, glaring down at me as I drew his attention from Anita.

  "You speak English? We are not skilled with Martian."

  I wondered if at the next time of sleep this fellow would be on duty here. I hoped not; it would not be easy to trick him and find an opportunity to flash a signal. But that task was some hours away as yet; I would worry about it when the time came. Just now I was concerned with Miko and his little band, who at any moment might arrive in sight. If we could persuade this scowling duty-man to turn the projector on them....

  He answered me in ready English:

  "You are the man Gregg Haljan? And this is the sister of George Prince--what do you want up here?"

  "I am a navigator. Brotow wants me to pilot the ship when we advance to attack Grantline."

  "This is not the control room."

  "No, I know it isn't."

  I put my helmet carefully on the floor-grid beside Anita's. I straightened to find the brigand gazing at her. He did not speak; he was still scowling. But in the dim blue glow of the cubby I caught the look in his eyes.

  * * * * *

  I said hastily, "Grantline knows your ship has landed here on Archimedes. His camp is off there on the Mare Imbrium. He sent up a signal--you saw it, didn't you?--just before Miss Prince and I came aboard. He was trying to pretend that he was your Earth-party, Miko and Coniston."

  "Why?"

  The fellow turned his scowl on me, but Anita brought his gaze back to her. She put in quickly:

  "Grantline, as Brother always said, has no great cunning. I believe he's planning now to creep up on us, catch us unaware by pretending that he is Miko."

  "If he does that," I said, "we will turn this electronic projector on him and annihilate him. You have its firing mechanism here."

  "Who told you so?" he shot at me.

  I gestured. "I see it here. It's obvious. I'm skilled at trajectory-firing. If Grantline appears down there now, I'll help you--"

  "Is it connected?" Anita demanded boldly.

  "Yes," he said. "You have on your Erentz suits: are you going to the dome-roof? Then go."

  But that was what we did not want to do. Anita's glance seemed to tell me to let her handle this. I turned toward one of the cubby windows; she said sweetly:

  "Are you in charge of this room? Show me how that projector is operated; it will be invincible against the Grantline camp."

  "Yes."

  * * * * *

  I had my back to them for a moment. Through the breast-high oval I could see down across the deck-space and out through the side dome windows. And my heart suddenly leaped into my throat. It seemed that down there in the Earthlit shadows, where the spreading base of the giant crater joined the plains, a light was bobbing. I gazed, stricken. Miko's lights? Was he advancing, preparing to signal? I tried to gauge the distance; it was not over two miles from here.

  Or was it not a light at all? With the naked eye, I could not be sure. Perhaps there was a telescopic finder here in the cubby....

  I was subconsciously aware of the voices of Anita and the duty-man behind me. Then abruptly I heard Anita's low cry. I whirled around.

  The giant Martian had gathered her into his huge arms, his heavy-jowled gray face with a leering grin close to hers!

  He saw me coming. He held her with one arm: his other flung at me, caught me, knocked me backward. He rasped:

  "Get out of here! Go up to the dome, leave us."

  Anita was silently struggling with her little hands at his thick throat. His blow flung me against a settle. But I held my feet. I was partly behind him. I leaped again, and as he tried to disengage himself from Anita to front me, her clutching fingers impeded him.

  My bullet projector was in my hand. But in that second as I leaped, I had the sense to realize I should not fire it and with its noise alarm the ship. I grasped its barrel, reached upward and struck with its heavy metal butt. The blow caught the Martian on the skull, and simultaneously my body struck him.

  We went down together, falling partly upon Anita. But the giant had not cried out, and as I gripped him now, I felt his body limp. I lay panting. Anita squirmed silently from under us. Blood from the giant's head was welling out, hot and sticky against my face as I lay sprawled on him.

  * * * * *

  I cast him off. He was dead, his fragile Martian skull split open by my blow.

  There had been no alarm. The slight noise we made had not been heard down on the busy deck. Anita and I crouched by the floor. From the deck all this part of the room could not be seen.

  "Dead!"

  "Oh, Gregg--"

  It forced our hand. I could not wait now for Miko to come. But I could flash the Earth signal now, and then we would have to make our run to escape.

  Abruptly I remembered that light down at the crater-base! I kept Anita out of sight on the floor and went cautiously to a window. The deck was in turmoil with brigands moving about excitedly. Not because of what had happened in our tower signal room
; they were unaware of that.

  Miko's signals were showing! I could see them now plainly, down at the crater-base. A group of hand-lights and a small waving helio-beam.

  And they were being answered from the ship! Potan was on the deck--a babble of voices, above which his rose with roars of command. At one of the dome windows a brigand with a hand search-beam was sending its answering light. And I saw that Potan was working over a deck telescope-finder.

  It had all come so suddenly that I was stunned. But I did not wait to read the signals. I swung back at Anita.

  "It's Miko! And they are answering him! Get your helmet; I'll try firing the projector."

  Or would I instead try to send a brief flash-signal to Earth? There would be no time to do both: we must escape out of here. The route up through the dome was the only feasible one now.

  This range mechanism of the projector was reasonably familiar, and I felt that I could operate it. The range-finder and switch were on a ledge at one of the windows. I rushed to it. As I swung the little telescope, training it down on Miko's lights, I could see the huge projector on the deck swinging similarly. Its movement surprised the men who were attending it. One of them called up to me, but I ignored him.

  * * * * *

  Then Potan looked up and saw me. He shouted in Martian at the duty-man, whom he doubtless thought was behind me: "Be ready! We may fire on them, whoever they are. I'll give you the word."

  The signals were proceeding. It had only been a moment. I caught something like, "Haljan is impostor."

  I was aiming the projector. I was aware of Anita at my elbow. I pushed her back.

  "Put on your helmet!"

  I had the range. I flung the firing switch.

  At the deck window the giant projector spat its deadly electronic stream. The men down there leaped away from it with surprise. I heard Potan's voice, his shout of protest and anger.

  But down in the Earthglow at the crater-base, Miko's lights had not vanished! I had missed! An error in the range? Abruptly I knew it was not that. Miko's lights were still there. His signals still coming. And I remarked now a faint distortion about them, the glow of his little group of hand-lights faintly distorted and vaguely shot with a greenish cast. Benson curve-lights! I realized it.