“Tewkes says it is impossible that it was missed! “
“But it doesn’t show on any of the charts! “ Barlor turned to look as the astrogator, who was at his console, and he crossed the control room and stood at Tewkes’ side. The man looked up, his face showing uneasiness. Barlor noted the signs of stress that were all too plain, and kept his own face emotionless as he considered.
“Captain, I’m glad you’ve come on duty,” Tewkes announced.
“Something wrong?” Barlor demanded.
“I don’t know. On the face of it there’s nothing wrong, but I have a feeling about that system we’re approaching. I’d feel a lot happier if we gave it a wide berth and
continued to Brontus Major.”
“But we can’t do that!” Barlor spoke in firm tones. “We have a ship that is one of the most heavily defended and protected in all the star fleets. If we pass this system because we fear it, and there is something wrong, then think of the unprotected space freighters which will follow our chart courses. If they run into trouble it will seriously delay our programme. No, Tewkes, we’ve got to go into orbit around this system and check it out. Something very powerful, which has its source in this system, was affecting the running of this ship, and we’ve got to find out what it was before we can permit our freighters to come near.”
“You’re right, of course, Captain,” Tewkes replied, shaking his head. “I don’t know what’s wrong, but I just don’t feel up to my work today.”
“You’ve had a lot of worry during the past two duty shifts,” Barlor said. “Why don’t you report to sickbay and let the Doc give you a stimulant? I shall need you on your toes when we do go into orbit.”
“I’m due to go off duty in an hour.” Tewkes was nodding slowly. “I’ll go and see the Doc.”
“Fine. Now give me some information. How long before we swing into orbit, and where do we make an entry into this system?”
“Ten hours is the critical period.” Tewkes glanced at the chronometer on the bulkhead. “Nineteen hundred hours, ship’s time. We’ll pass the outer planet of the four at a distance of one hundred thousand miles at a speed of five hundred thousand miles per hour. We’ll be in a figure of eight orbit, passing through the system every ten hours until our speed reduces sufficiently for us to make a satisfactory parking orbit. We shall pass all four planets in turn to check them out, starting with the outer one.”
“That sounds satisfactory to me. Are your sensors picking up any information yet?”
“Nothing at all. I’ve been getting nothing ever since we erected our shields.” There was a trace of worry in Tewkes’ voice. “We’re going to have to drop our shields in order to carry out any part of the general survey to be made.”
“And that’s when we could have trouble from that interference we first experienced.” Barlor nodded slowly. “I’m worried about that myself. But we can’t do anything until we arrive in orbit. Don’t worry about it now, Lieutenant. Let the future take care of itself. “
“Yes, Captain.” The man nodded.
Barlor glanced at the forward scanner screen. “We’ll make one orbit at least before we can hope to use any of our instruments,” he mused.
“Now you’re looking ahead, sir!” Tewkes forced a smile. “If we want to use instruments we’ve got to drop our deflector shields.”
“That’s right, but I’m not worrying about what might happen. I’m merely trying to make plans.” A grin touched Barlor’s lips, making him look several years younger with the seriousness gone from his features. “I’ll have a talk with Professor Tosk. She’ll have to get her equipment ready for any pass we make through the system. If for some reason, we are unable to maintain orbit, we must have some data on the planets before going on.”
“Professor Tosk has already been in contact with us, Captain,” Denson said, coming to Barlor’s shoulder. “I arranged a briefing for fifteen hundred hours, when you’ll be on duty. It will be a scientific briefing, so only you and I will be sitting in on the conference. But Chief Royden would like to talk to you over the communicator. He’s just called up.”
“Something wrong?” Barlor firmed his lips as he looked into Denson’s heavy face.
“He didn’t say, and you can’t guess anything from his tones.” Denson smiled at he followed Barlor back to the control console.
“Hello, Chief!” Barlor said, sitting down in the seat.
“Captain, I’m reporting that all systems are indicated as being in perfect working order, but from my experience I’d say we have trouble. I can feel it in the atmosphere down here. It’s nothing I can put my finger on, but you’ll understand what I mean.”
“You’ve got a hunch, Linus!” Barlor’s tones were harsh, for he knew Royden was not the kind of man to give way to fancies. “What’s on your mind?”
“I told you, I can’t pinpoint it, but standing here in my control room, I have the feeling that something is wrong.”
“And none of your registers or alarms are working?” Barlor demanded, running his gaze over his own assembled panels, which were blank.
“None! All registers are recording normal readings, and no alarms are flashing or buzzing.” Royden sounded tense.
“You were not feeling one hundred percent when I saw you in the mess hall,” Barlor said.
“Don’t give me that, Captain,” came the harsh retort. “You know me well enough to accept that I’m aware of what’s going on about me. If I say there’s something wrong then there is something wrong.”
“All right.” Barlor was remembering his own hunch. “I’ll come down to the engine room and have a chat with you. Keep watch until I arrive.”
“I am, don’t worry. I’m ready to cut power at the first signs of trouble.” Royden sounded edgy, and Barlor shook his head slowly as he cut the line.
“What’s the trouble, Captain?” Denson demanded.
Barlor explained Doctor Simpson’s problems, and saw Denson’s face harden.
“I don’t like the sound of that!” Denson retorted. “It could be that we are still being affected by that system up ahead.”
“It’s possible, but I wouldn’t have thought so while the deflectors are in operation. They will stop just about everything.”
“There must be life forms in this system,” Denson went on. “I think they’re hostile. They were attempting to wreck the ship before we became aware of what was happening. We’d better take all available precautions, Captain.”
“We’re doing that already!” Barlor nodded, and for a moment his dark gaze was remorseless. “I can’t think of anything else we can do. We have to check this out! We’ve got to ensure that those who will follow us will be perfectly safe to proceed to Brontus Major.”
Denson nodded. He glanced towards the astrogator’s desk. “You know, Captain, Tewkes is beginning to show signs of strain. He won’t let up. He’s been sitting at that console for hours now, trying to find out why he has no record of this planetary system.”
“I can understand how he feels, and there are one or two questions bothering me! But we shall know the answers very soon now. I’ll go down to the engine room, Collin, and talk with Linus. I’ll be back here in time to relieve you.” Denson nodded, and Barlor took his leave. He descended to the engine room deck and entered, making his way to Royden’s office, and he found the Chief there, talking seriously with his immediate subordinate, 2nd Engineer Sprague. Royden cut short his conversation when he saw Barlor, and got to his feet.
“I’m glad you’ve arrived, Captain,” he said heavily. “Sprague has just reported that one of our crewmen has collapsed. And he’s dead!”
“Dead?” Barlor frowned as shock stabbed through him. “What happened? Was there an accident?”
“No accident.” Royden spoke heavily, although his tones were deep in normal conversation. “He just fell down, and when Sprague went to him he was dead.” He paused and shook his head. “We have sent for Doc Simpson, and we’ve left the man where he’s ly
ing. But I don’t like this, Captain. I think we should get back out of range of this planetary system we’re heading for. I think something is seriously wrong. Simpson said that some of the crew were ailing, and I think the planets we’re approaching have something to do with their condition. It’s a situation that needs special care in handling. If you’re not careful you’re going to lose the entire ship.”
“I know what Doc Simpson had to say,” Barlor said slowly. “I appreciate your concern, Linus, but we have to go in and check out this system. We’re taking every precaution possible, and you know I’m a careful man. What happened to the crew member is out of our hands, and until we get a medical report from Simpson I can draw no conclusions. But you said there’s something wrong down here. What’s on your mind. What is this hunch you’ve got?”
“The worst possible thing that could happen, in my estimation,” Royden said hollowly. “All the gauges appear normal, but I have the feeling that this ship is not in deceleration. The main drive seems to have slowed, and the registers marking our velocity seem accurate, but I’ve been in space ships more years than I care to remember, and I feel that we’re travelling too fast to make an orbit. You’d better check that out before we attempt to swing, Captain.”
Barlor stared into Royden’s face for long moments while he considered, and for once he could feel indecision burning inside his mind. He knew it was wrong to accept a man’s instincts, because space travel played strange tricks on men, but his own hunches had always proved themselves, and he knew Linus Royden was of the same type. If Royden sensed there was something wrong then that was that. Something would go wrong. But Barlor had no idea what could be wrong, so they could not hope to take any preventive steps.
It was while he stood staring into Royden’s heavy face, trying to reach a decision, that the ship gave a tremendous lurch that sent them pitching across the wide cabin in a flurry of mixed-up limbs. At the same time all the alarms in the ship exploded into action. Barlor dimly clutched at a bolted-down chair to stop his headlong plunge while his thoughts ran riot. Royden had been right, but that fact alone did not give any information! He stared at the flickering red warning lights on the control panel on the bulkhead in the office, and sensed despair trying to overwhelm him for this was the most serious situation imaginable. A space ship never gave any sensation of movement, and the lurch, which could have been caused by a number of reasons, all dangerous, seemed to indicate that they had run into some kind of a force field.
That fact in itself indicated hostility, for a warning should have been issued if a force field lay in the path of the ship. Barlor struggled up, his nerves taut. Trouble was certainly upon them.
CHAPTER III
The ship settled down again and they got to their feet, unsteady, shaken by the incident. The panels were flowing with flickering lights. Royden moved away instantly, checking up on his equipment, and his face was set in harsh lines as he moved from panel to panel. Barlor watched the Chief, silent, apprehensive, for such a massive movement bespoke of tremendous power in conflict with the ship’s flight.
“I can find nothing wrong!” Royden was shaking his head slowly as he came back to Barlor.
“Let’s see if the control room can tell us anything!” Barlor moved to the desk and sat down heavily, rubbing the side of his head where it had struck the metal leg of the chair when he went sprawling. He opened the line to the bridge and Denson’s voice came through immediately. “This is the captain,” he went on tensely. “What the hell happened, Collin?”
“I’m afraid I can’t say,” came the terse reply. “We have no readings of any failures or malfunctions. The screens show nothing on the exterior of the hull. There’s nothing to account for it, Captain.”
“It seemed to me that we ran into a force field!” Barlor narrowed his gaze as he reconsidered the experience. “Do the registers show any kind of force outside the ship?”
“Nothing at all, Captain, and we do have the deflectors up.” Denson was in command of himself and the ship. His tones exuded confidence.
“Check upon our deceleration, Collin,” Barlor ordered. “The Chief is not satisfied that we have decelerated at all.”
“I’ll do it at once. Shall I call you back?”
“No. I’ll be coming back to the control room. I’d better be on duty until we turn into orbit. I’ll join you shortly, Collin.”
“Aye, aye, Captain.” The line went dead and Barlor got to his feet, still rubbing his head.
“Did it feel like a force field to you, Chief?” he demanded.
“That’s difficult to say. I think my first reaction was that we had started to swing, and that our speed was too great. But it didn’t feel like that, really, did it?”
“I don’t think so.” Barlor shook his head contemplatively. “I think we ran into some kind of a force field, but it wasn’t powerful enough to stop us, obviously. It might have been a different matter if our shields had been down. But it could be the power of the field was not intended to destroy us.”
“A warning?” Royden shook his head. “Something on those planets somewhere was affecting the working of this ship before we erected the shields. We can’t assume anything but that whatever we meet will be hostile towards us.”
“I have that in mind already.” Barlor nodded grimly. “Check out everything that’s in operation, and analyse your hunch, Linus. I’ll be in the control room if you need me.”
The Chief nodded and returned to his panels, and Barlor went back to the control room. When he confronted Denson he received a negative report, and went on a round of the instruments to see for himself that the ship had not taken damage.
“But it’s a good thing we had our deflector shields up,” Denson said tightly, following Barlor. “Captain, have you given any thought to how we should handle matters when we do get into a regular orbit. It might be dangerous for us to drop our shields.”
“I’m giving it a great deal of thought,” Barlor retorted. “But we won’t get ahead of ourselves. Let’s take this as it comes.”
“It’s the only way,” Denson agreed. “Do you want me to stay on duty?”
Barlor glanced at the chronometer and shook his head. “No, Collin. It’s time you were off duty. I’ll take over now. Get some rest. There’s no telling what we may be called upon to do in a few hours. The entire crew will be standing by when we slip into orbit.”
“Very well, Captain. I’ll get some sleep.” Denson departed, leaving Barlor in command.
Making another check of the consoles that controlled the flight, Barlor satisfied himself that they were operating normally, but he was uneasy because of the Chief Engineer’s hunch. He crossed to Tewkes’ side, shaking his head as the astrogator looked up at him.
“You shouldn’t be on duty, Lieutenant,” he said severely. “I may need you later on, when your presence and alertness may do us more good. Where is your relief?”
“Up in the astral compartment, taking independent readings, Captain,” Tewkes retorted. “I’m not happy with the showing of the instruments down here.”
“You think we’re getting false readings?” Barlor frowned.
“I don’t know what to think, so I’m not taking any chances!” Tawkes spoke firmly. “I have the feeling that something is not quite right in this business. I think we could be speeding into a trap.”
“The Chief Engineer seems to think we are travelling faster than indicated. He has a hunch. On what do you base your misgivings?”
“The same sort of thing, I suppose. I sense that there is something wrong. I can’t pin it down or explain it, but I will confess to a certain amount of uneasiness.”
Barlor remembered his own intuition earlier and suppressed a sigh. Spacemen were notorious for their reliance upon extra senses, and again he felt a twinge of misgiving as he considered the situation. He peered at the spread of planets on the forward scanner screen. They were much larger than the last time he had seen them, and he wondered about their velocit
y.
“I’d like to have the result of those independent observations being made as soon as possible,” he said. “Have you computed the course we are to take through this system?”
“Yes, Captain. It’s all been taken care of,” Tewkes smiled confidently. “We’re running in on the final approach now.”
“And you’re satisfied that our speed is as it should be?”
“I’m reasonably certain that it is. I don’t know where the Chief has got his hunch from. He can’t even see outside the hull of the ship.”
“He’s going on what he feels. I can understand how he arrives at his assumption. Anyway, I’m on duty now, so let’s have that data as soon as it comes to hand.”
Tewkes nodded and returned to the task he was performing. He began checking the circuits of his equipment. Barlor watched him for some moments, mentally acknowledging that this man knew his job. He went back to the control console, concerned by the various fears that had been expressed. He was not completely at ease himself. But he kept his own counsel. He sat watching the forward scanner screen, remaining motionless until Tewkes came to his side. Then he stirred and stretched, glancing at the clock to discover that almost an hour had passed since he had last spoken to Tewkes.
“I have the data you want to check, Captain,” the astrogator announced. “I can tell you that as far as we can tell there is nothing wrong with the performance of the ship. We are on course and travelling at the computed velocity.” Barlor nodded slowly. He looked up into Tewkes’ face before speaking.
“I’m beginning to wonder if some kind of a mind-bender has been operating against us!”
“If it has then that means there’s some kind of life form in this system, and apart from being hostile, it’s also well advanced.”
“Trying to guess at what is happening won’t help us at all.” Barlor glanced at the chronometer. “We’re getting close to the critical period. Stay glued to your instruments, Lieutenant, and we’ll have to take this as it comes.”
Nightmare Planet Page 3
