Nightmare Planet

by Donald S. Rowland

  Breathing heavily, Barlor went to the guard’s side. The man was recovering, his eyes wide, almost blank with shock. He was muttering something that was unintelligible in Barlor’s ears, and his expression showed complete panic.

  “Sit still!” Barlor commanded harshly. “We’re moving out of here. Hold on for a few moments.”

  He paused for an instant, and saw that the guard had understood. Then he went back to the control seat, skirting the hole in the floor, and he took over the controls and moved the shuttle back towards the spot where the other shuttle was waiting. Opening the line of the communicator set, he called Franklin, and breathed an inaudible sigh of relief when a reply came immediately.

  “What’s been happening, Captain?” the lieutenant demanded. “We picked up traces of shooting with our sensors.”

  “I’ll explain when I’m inside the force-field with you,” Barlor said heavily. “Open up as I come in, then close it behind me.”

  He concentrated upon what he had to do, but risked a glance at the ground beneath the ship. Now there were no signs of the massive kangaroos they had seen earlier. He sighed heavily and steadied the ship, then dropped in neatly beside his own vessel. As soon as he killed the power he saw Lieutenant Franklin emerging from the other craft, and got up slowly and opened his hatch.

  “What happened, Captain?” Franklin demanded, sticking his head into the hatch opening and wrinkling his nose at the stench. A thin haze of blue smoke was drifting slowly inside the cabin.

  “Let’s get your man out of here,” Barlor said tightly, and Franklin had to come into the cabin to help him lift the dazed security guard.

  They took the guard to the other ship and put him aboard. Professor Tosk began to examine him, and there was silence while Barlor recounted the incidents that had occurred. When he lapsed into silence Franklin shook his head slowly.

  “We saw those kangaroos go bounding away, Captain,”

  he said. “But they gave no indication of being aware of what was happening to you. They seemed to have no interest in what was going on. What do you think happened to Banham and the other guard?”

  “I wouldn’t even try to guess,” Barlor retorted. “The answer is obviously under those trees. From the flimsy evidence of what I saw I would imagine both men were taken over by an alien life form. That thing I killed was not Sergeant Banham! That’s the only fact I can be sure of I think the guard who was shot must have seen something envelop Banham, and was trying to kill it after it assumed Banham’s figure. We took Banham at face value, and almost paid the penalty.”

  “That figures,” Franklin said. “And I suppose we can deduce from all this that the first landing party entered those trees and met the same end as our two men.”

  “This man is in a very serious condition, Captain!” Professor Tosk reported, and Barlor turned to look down at the guard. “I don’t think it is just the effects of the stranglehold that was applied to his neck. I think he has been contaminated by whatever invaded Sergeant Banham’s body. It is a pity you had to kill Sergeant Banham. I might have made some interesting discoveries by examining him.”

  “Let’s get the record straight before we go any further,” Barlor said sharply. “It wasn’t Sergeant Banham I killed. It is a fact that Banham himself did not emerge from the woods after entering. It was an alien life form that had assumed Banham’s appearance, possibly with the intention of getting through our defences in order to attack. That guard was watching what we thought was Banham, and was holding a weapon covering the figure, but Banham, or what was Banham, managed to attack without being shot.”

  “So we’ve got to try and discover what secret lies in the shelter of those woods,” Franklin said.

  “And we’d better put this man back in the other shuttle away from the rest of us, just in case,” Professor Tosk said.

  Barlor nodded wearily. “It’s almost time for us to make contact with Voyager. Take that man back to the other shuttle, Lieutenant, and put a guard on the outside of the craft. We’ll do nothing else until we have made contact with Voyager. I shall want a medical team down here and a full enquiry into these circumstances made before we lower the force-field again.”

  “The first landing party couldn’t have known what hit them,” Franklin muttered as he was helped to remove the guard who had been with Barlor.

  “We still don’t know what happened,” Barlor reminded grimly. “But we will find out.”

  He tried not to think of Denson and the others, and went to the control seat and sank wearily into it. There was a sheen of sweat on his forehead. He checked the time/and then opened the communicator lines, putting out their callsign. It was almost time for Voyager to appear above the horizon. Professor Tosk came to his side.

  “Captain, I know this is only a side issue, but it may be important,” the woman said. There was no trace of nerves in her tones or manner, and Barlor reminded himself once again that she was completely dedicated to her work. “While you went off in the other shuttle I was making observations of our surroundings, and I noted something which struck me as being most significant.”

  “What was that?” he demanded, only half his attention upon her words. He was listening to their callsign being automatically transmitted, and the control upon the set was switching regularly from transmit to receive in order to give Voyager the opportunity to come in as soon as contact was made.

  “Those kangaroos!” Professor Tosk lowered her tones slightly. “I watched them through the telescope, and I was amazed that they showed no fear of your shuttle when you hovered above them. But when trouble started, when your weapons began firing, they all moved out as if they had sensors attached to them. They could not have heard anything, and they certainly didn’t see anything. But the moment our sensors registered power emissions from your weapons those creatures made off.”

  “That doesn’t prove anything conclusively, except that perhaps those creatures have good noses for danger.”

  “There was one other point, and that was most significant of all!” Professor Tosk paused, and Barlor felt himself gripped with impatience.

  “Well?” he demanded tersely.

  “Each of those kangaroos was wearing a long, narrow case slung from its neck on some kind of a strap.”

  “I didn’t notice that!” Barlor frowned as he gave the woman all of his attention. “Was it something like a cowbell that the animals back on Earth used to wear, or something with a different function?” he demanded.

  “It was difficult to tell at the distance, but it seemed to me that those creatures carried their cases as if they had them from choice. They didn’t appear to be tame in the sense that an owner would equip each one with a case. I think those creatures are intelligent of their own right, with the ability to think for themselves and to reason logically.”

  “They certainly didn’t enter the trees,” Barlor said thoughtfully. “That’s where our troubles started.”

  “And where it all ended for the first landing party, no doubt!” the professor retorted.

  Barlor was about to chide her when the communicator cut out. The next instant a voice came through, and Barlor recognised the astrogator’s tones.

  “Voyager calling Shuttle. Come in please.”

  “This is Captain Barlor. Are your recorders working?”

  “Yes, Captain, and we’re relieved to hear you.” Tewkes permitted his relief to sound in his tones.

  “Can you get a shuttle detached before you leave us?” Barlor demanded.

  “It will be a close thing, but if you give your requirements it can be done.”

  Barlor explained the situation as tersely as possible and asked for a medical team to be detached. When he lapsed into silence Tewkes spoke immediately.

  “I’m already programming the co-ordinates for a third shuttle to detach, Captain, and a message is being conveyed to Doctor Simpson. A medical team will be on its way down to you within fifteen minutes. Is there anything else?”

  “Nothi
ng that I can think of right now,” Barlor retorted. “The ship will continue to follow its orbital pattern, and we will make fresh contact when next you come over the horizon. I hope we shall have this problem sorted out by the time you’ve completed your next orbit.”

  “Very well, Captain. I will inform the third shuttle to maintain contact with you during their descent.”

  “Thank you. Now I wish to talk to Lieutenant Hassel.” Barlor kept his tones steady.

  There was a click, then Hassel’s voice sounded.

  “Nothing to report. Captain,” Hassel said tightly. “Have you located the first landing party?”

  “Negative! I hope to have more to report on your next orbit. Have you anything to report? Has there been any unusual activity-picked up by the ship’s sensors?”

  “Nothing at all, Captain. It’s too quiet, if you ask me. But do you need any more men down there?”

  “No, I’ll make do with what I have, plus the medical team. That will be all, Lieutenant, until your next orbit. Over and out.”

  The line went dead and Barlor leaned back in his seat, his eyes glittering as he considered. He peered through a viewport and stared at the trees in the distance, wondering what mystery they concealed. It was obvious that some alien life form had entered Sergeant Banham’s body and mind. The trees could be avoided, of course, but Barlor knew he had to discover exactly what had occurred to his patrol. He needed to make contact with any intelligent form of life on the planet, for there were those missile sites on the outer planet to be explained. He thought of Professor Tosk’s theory that those kangaroo-type animals were intelligent, but they had shown no interest at all in the shuttles. He toyed with the idea of sending out another patrol to try and make contact with the kangaroos, but decided that he had better await the arrival of Doctor Simpson and the medical team. A detailed examination of the guard who had almost been killed by Sergeant Banham was necessary to discover if contact with whatever alien life form had invaded Banham was dangerous.

  There was an uneasy silence in the shuttle while they awaited the arrival of the third shuttle, and when its pilot cut into the communicator his harsh tones filled the single cabin.

  “This is Shuttle Three. Come in, Captain, please.”

  Barlor replied instantly.

  “We are hovering over you at two thousand feet,” came the steady report. “If you will guide us in and cut your force-field we will land.”

  “Come down, and keep me advised of your height,” Barlor replied. “Hover again at one hundred feet. I have you on visual now. Make your descent.”

  He watched the progress of the shuttle on his scanners, and signalled for the artificer to cut the force-field as the third shuttle came in for its landing. As soon as it touched down within a few feet of Barlor’s craft the force-field was re-erected. Barlor left the shuttle immediately, meeting Doctor Simpson as the man emerged from the third craft.

  “What’s wrong, Captain?” Simpson demanded, his blue eyes afire with professional curiosity, and his manner changed slightly as Barlor explained. “I see,” he retorted. “Well I’d better have a look at your crewman before we do anything else.” He turned and motioned for one of his assistants to join him and they carried some equipment across to Denson’s shuttle, where the security guard was lying in a semi-conscious state.

  Barlor signalled for Lieutenant Franklin to join him, and spoke in quiet tones.

  “Have your best man with you, Lieutenant, and cover the medical team. If the guard looks like attacking anyone then kill him.”

  “Captain!” There was a note of shock in Franklin’s harsh tones, and then the man nodded grimly. “I guess you’re right, sir!” he commented softly. “Sergeant Banham grabbed him, and their contact has had some effect. We can’t afford to lose the doctor.”

  “That’s right.” Barlor nodded. “I’m going to wait for a medical report, then I’m going to take a look under those trees. I suspect that’s where the danger lies, and I’m beginning to think we might find the remains of Denson’s landing party there.”

  “Captain, I’ll volunteer to take a look through the woods, and alone,” Franklin said. “I think it is my job. You shouldn’t put yourself at risk, if I may say so, sir.”

  “I’ll need you to remain in command here,” Barlor retorted. “Don’t forget that Major Hammond was commanding the security of Denson’s party, and you know how good he was.”

  “Was?” Franklin queried, and tightened his lips when Barlor nodded slowly. “Yes, Captain,” he added. “I suppose the Major must be dead, because nothing short of that would prevent him being here to greet our landing.”

  “That’s my opinion, for what it’s worth,” Barlor said. “So you will take command here, Lieutenant, and don’t take any chances at all, no matter how slight they may seem. But before I go into the woods to check out what I suspect might have happened to the first landing party I mean to make contact with the intelligent life forms of this planet. However, take up your position now, and make sure that nothing happens to Doctor Simpson.”

  Franklin nodded and motioned for a guard to join him. They went into what had been Denson’s shuttle, and Barlor remained outside, staring into the distance, wondering about the mystery that was awaiting him. He would have to solve it before they could move on. He had to ensure that the freight route to Brontus Major was clear, and this planetary system lay right across the course those freighters would have to take.

  It was some minutes later when Moriah Simpson emerged from the craft and came to Barlor’s side. The tall, thin figure of the doctor was dripping sweat, and there was a dull sheen of perspiration on his forehead.

  “Well, Doc?” Barlor demanded, and his tones were thick with curiosity. “What have you to report?”

  “That man is under the influence of some kind of mind parasite, I’d say, a mental invader!” Simpson kept his tones low, and looked around furtively as if afraid of being overheard. “It’s not safe to leave him unguarded, and your guards must have orders that no personal contact must be made with him. If we were here alone, Captain, I’d tell you to kill that guard before he can infect the rest of the ship’s crew with whatever it is holding him.”

  “You’re not telling me anything I haven’t already worked out for myself,” Barlor said grimly. “But you’ve corroborated my suspicions. The point is, how was Sergeant Banham infected, or invaded, by this alien life form? Was it contact, or did something merely enter his brain?”

  “The answer to that makes all the difference between being able to take adequate measures against personal invasion and being completely at the mercy of this alien,” Simpson agreed. “I can’t say yet how it happened, Captain, and until I do have an idea I suggest that none of the crew is permitted to leave the confines of this landing area, and the force-field must be maintained without fail.”

  “I agree with you as far as it goes, Doc, but I’m not going to sit around waiting for your answers. I know there is some kind of intelligent life on this planet and I mean to make contact with it as soon as possible. I’m going to take one of the shuttles and carry out a reconnaissance.”

  “And if this intelligent life form you’re seeking turns out to be the one that attacked Sergeant Banham?” Simpson demanded, arching his eyebrows.

  “Then it will be too bad for me!” Barlor spoke firmly, his decision made. He would set out immediately, no matter what the risk. He had to get this expedition completed as quickly as possible, and that meant taking risks. But he would not ask his crew to take any chances. He meant to go out alone, to pit his wits and nerve and skill against the unknown as he had done in the past.

  CHAPTER IX

  Barlor took two security guards with him when he departed from the landing area in Denson’s shuttle. He waited for confirmation that the force-field had been closed behind him before moving away from the area, and then he sent the craft speeding over the brilliantly-sunlit ground at a height of fifty feet. He could see a group of the kangaroo-type an
imals in the distance — the ones that had fled from near the woods when the trouble started, and in the absence of the skilled experience of Professor Norvall, who had accompanied Denson, Barlor had a semantics transmuter to hand.

  He brought the shuttle to a hovering position over the kangaroos and studied the animals. They appeared to take no notice of the shuttle, and Barlor glanced around at the two guards in the rear of the cabin. One was on the alert at the Ilor ray projector, the other watching from a viewport.

  “I wouldn’t want to face one of those big animals with my bare hands,” one of the men commented.

  “I plan to do just that,” Barlor said. ‘Tm going to set the ship down about twenty yards from the herd and then alight. You will close the hatch behind me and keep me covered. You can leave the screens down, but be ready to erect them at the first signs of trouble.”

  “Captain, do you think that’s the safe way of handling it?” one of the two protested in respectful tones. “I think one of us should be out there to cover you.”

  “Taking care of the ship is what counts,” Barlor retorted. “Just do like I say, and keep me in view at all times. If anything should happen to me then make a report of it. Now we’re going down.”

  He swung the shuttle away from the kangaroos and set it down some twenty yards beyond the group. Checking his sidearm, he ensured it had its lowest setting. Then he slung the semantics equipment from one shoulder and motioned for a guard to take his place at the control seat.

  “You know how to handle the ship,” he said. “If anything does go wrong for me then get back to the landing area. Now cut the shields and let me out of here.”

  He alighted from the craft and stood upon firm ground, the bright green turf short and springy under his feet. When he looked at the herd of kangaroos he drew a swift breath, for they looked gigantic from ground level, at least fifteen feet tall and proportionately built. Some of them were sitting on their powerful haunches, staring at the ship, but others were grazing like sheep, cropping the grass, moving slowly as they fed, and the silence that filled the sunlight was heavy and brooding.