The Space Pioneers

by Carey Rockwell

  CHAPTER 20

  Jeff Marshall was just turning the jet car into the Plaza in front ofthe Administration Building when Jane suddenly grabbed his arm.

  "Jeff, look!" she cried. "Isn't that Captain Strong?"

  The enlisted spaceman slowed the car and followed the direction ofJane's pointing finger. He saw Strong step around the corner of theAdministration Building, stop, then scurry back around to the side. Thestreets of the city were deserted. "He's running away from us," saidJeff. "Probably thinks we're part of that searching party coming back."

  He brought the car to a screaming halt in front of the building andjumped out, calling, "Captain Strong!" His voice echoed through thedeserted streets. "This is Jeff Marshall!"

  Peering around the corner of the Administration Building, Strong sawMarshall clearly and then recognized the daughter of Hyram Logan. Hedashed out of his hiding place and greeted them with a yell.

  "Jeff! Jeff! Over here!"

  The three friends of the Space Cadets were soon telling each other thelatest developments. Strong listened to Jeff's story of the professor'swork journal and shook his head disgustedly. "I was in that lab fornearly four hours this morning," he said. "If I had only known."

  "Don't blame yourself, sir," said Jeff. "You didn't know it was there!"

  "Let's find it now," said Jane desperately. "We're losing time. Thosemen back in the hills may catch the boys."

  "They haven't been caught yet," asserted Strong. "And if I know mycadets, those men will have a hard time nailing them. Come on!" Heturned and raced into the Administration Building, heading for ProfessorSykes's laboratory.

  In less than five minutes Jeff was searching through the pages of theprofessor's work journal. "There's no telling when he made thediscovery," said Jeff, scanning the mass of complicated diagrams andfigures.

  "It must have been soon after our arrival on Roald," said Jane. "Thatwas when we saw him searching the hills around our farm."

  Jeff flipped the pages back to the front of the book and began to readit from the beginning. "Here's something!" He quoted some figures fromthe book and looked at Strong.

  "That make any sense to you, sir?" he asked.

  "It sure does!" said Strong. "That's a preliminary survey on uranium!He's just getting the scent there. Keep reading."

  Jeff turned a few more pages and suddenly stopped. "Here it is!" heexclaimed. "And say--look at this!" He handed the journal over to Strongwho began to read quickly. "'... conclusive proof found today in hillssurrounding farming area of Hyram Logan. Potentially the biggest hotmetal strike I've ever seen. Am going to make a report to Vidac today.This could mean the beginning of a new era in space travel. Enough fuelto send fleets of ships on protracted voyages to any part of theuniverse....'"

  Strong stopped reading and looked at Jane and Jeff.

  "This was dated the tenth." He turned the page and continued, "This isthe day after, the eleventh. Listen to this! '... Vidac is sending myinformation to the Solar Council immediately. He was very impressed.'And so forth and so forth."

  Strong closed the journal and faced Jeff and Jane again, a triumphantsmile on his lips. "This is just what we needed. This journal isadmissible in Solar Courts as evidence the same way a ship's log is!Come on. Now we've got to get Vidac before he gets the cadets!"

  "Wait," said Jane in a fearful whisper. "Listen."

  Strong and Jeff stood still. In the distance they heard the unmistakableroar of jet cars converging on the Plaza. Strong turned to Jeff."They've either found the cadets or--"

  "Or what?" asked Jeff.

  "I--I won't say it," said Strong hesitantly, "but if anything hashappened to those boys, I'll personally dig Vidac's grave!"

  Jane had moved to the window and was watching the wild activity in thePlaza below. "They're spreading out!" she cried. "They must be searchingthe city."

  Strong rushed to the window and looked down. "That means they haven'tfound the cadets!" he exclaimed.

  "I've been thinking, sir," said Jeff. "Do you think we really haveenough proof of Vidac's guilt to make the colonists understand it wasVidac and not the cadets who could have done something to theprofessor?"

  "We've got to try!" said Strong. "We've got to try!"

  The two spacemen and Jane left the laboratory and raced down theslidestairs and through the halls of the Administration Building to thedouble doors that opened onto the Plaza. They stepped into view just asthe colonists were about to spread out and search the city. One of themen was standing on the steps shouting orders. Jeff recognized him asJoe, the man who had stopped him on the highway. There was a roar fromthe crowd when they noticed Strong, Jeff, and Jane standing in the opendoorway.

  Strong held the black journal high over his head and called for order.The colonists crowded around at the base of the steps not knowing whatto make of his sudden appearance.

  "What are you doing here?" demanded the colonist deputy. "You're CaptainStrong of the Solar Guard, aren't you?"

  "That's right," replied Strong. "And you're making a big mistakeaccusing the cadets of the murder of Professor Sykes, when you're noteven sure the professor has been murdered! The man you want to questionabout that is Lieutenant Governor Vidac!"

  A startled murmur ran through the assembled men. Strong continued, "Ihave absolute proof that Vidac received information about the biggesturanium strike in the history of the universe from Professor Sykes andplans to keep it for himself. His accusation of the cadets is a cover-upto clear himself and to throw you off the track."

  The word _uranium_ spread through the crowd like wildfire.

  "You're pretty friendly with the cadets," sneered the deputy. "How do weknow you're telling us the truth, and not just trying to save them?"

  "Yeah. Answer that one!" roared a voice from back of the crowd.

  "Do any of you understand physics?" asked Strong.

  "Physics?" asked the deputy. "What's that got to do with it?"

  "Plenty! I have information here in this journal that will prove what Ijust said! Read it for yourself. It's in the professor's ownhandwriting."

  "I can read it," said a small man in front of Strong. "Gimme thatthing!" Strong handed him the black book and told the man where to look.The man considered it for five minutes, then turned to the crowd. "He'sright! We're sitting on the hottest uranium rock in this galaxy!"

  "Where is it?" cried someone from the crowd. "Tell us where the uraniumis!"

  The mob of men, forgetting all about the cadets, were now seized withthe greed for riches. Strong took the journal back and tucked it underhis arm.

  "I'll tell you where it is," said Strong, "when we put Vidac where hebelongs! Behind bars!"

  "What are we waiting for?" cried the colonists. "Let's get thatmurdering space crawler!"

  The deputy pushed his way through the crowd and raced for his car.Others followed and once more the Plaza echoed to the roar of jets.

  Strong turned to Jeff. "You'll find Winters up in Vidac's quarters. Ihad to freeze him." He handed over the paralo-ray gun. "Get him andfollow us to the spaceport. Tell him we know everything, and if hedoesn't talk, he'll get life on a prison rock."

  "Right," said Jeff. "I'll get a confession out of him if I have to wringhis neck--and I'll get it on a soundscriber!"

  "Good. Come on, Jane," said Strong. "This is the finish of a would-betyrant!"

  Jeff turned and dashed back into the building, while Strong and Janeclimbed into the jet car and roared off toward the spaceport.

  "If we only had a paralo-ray gun," muttered Roger as he and Tom spedafter Vidac's powerful jet car.

  "Yes," agreed Tom. "This could be a trap, but what can we do?"

  Roger was silent. They had moved out of the cave as soon as Astro hadbeen taken down the hill and they knew exactly what Vidac had in mind.But their need for information about Professor Sykes and their concernfor Astro forced them to follow the powerful jet car into what they werecertain was a trap.

  "We'll ditch the jet car after
we find out where they're going," saidTom, "and figure out something afterward."

  "You think they'll go to Sykes?" asked Roger.

  "It's a pretty safe bet, Roger. The professor's been well hidden, so whynot hide Astro in the same place, hoping in the meantime to get usalso."

  "But I can't see walking into a trap, simply because we know it'sthere!"

  "Roger--look! Vidac's stopping the car! Astro's trying to get away!"

  "Astro's fighting with Bush!" shouted Roger. "Come on! Can't you get anymore push out of this wagon?"

  Tom jammed the accelerator down to the floorboard and the jet car fairlyleaped ahead. Fifty yards from Vidac's stalled car, Tom slammed on thebrake, bringing the little car to a screaming halt only two feet away.Roger was halfway out before the car had stopped moving. Beside Vidac'scar, Bush was wrestling with Astro.

  "Tom! Roger! Get back! It's a trap!" yelled Astro.

  Astro's warning came too late. While Tom and Roger sprang to help theirunit mate, Vidac slipped up on the other side and fired quickly andaccurately with a paralo-ray gun. Tom and Roger were frozen just as theywere about to pull Bush from Astro's back.

  Vidac swung the ray gun around toward Astro. "See that, big boy?" Helaughed. "Well, you're going to get the same thing if you make one funnymove. Now pile those two stiffs into the back of my car! Get moving!"

  Seething with frustration and rage, Astro turned to Roger and Tom,standing like solid slabs of stone. He picked up Roger and carried himgently to the car, placing him in the back. Then he turned and walkedtoward Tom. He made a slight movement toward Vidac and Bush, but theyleveled their guns quickly.

  "None of that," warned Vidac. Astro's shoulders drooped. He was almostin tears as he walked toward Tom. The curly-haired cadet stoodimmovable, staring at his friend. The Venusian leaned over and picked upTom gently.

  "Take it easy, Astro," whispered Tom, not moving his lips. "I'm notfrozen. He missed me!"

  Astro nearly jumped at the sound of Tom's voice. He recovered quickly,fighting back a grin of triumph. He threw a quick glance at Vidac andBush, then carefully picked Tom up and carried him to the car. As he wasabout to turn around again, he felt the sudden jolt of the paralo ray,and in the split-second before the ray took effect, Astro nearlylaughed.

  * * * * *

  Under the effects of a paralo-ray charge the body is paralyzed and thereis no feeling. Tom, however, lying beside Roger but beneath Astro inthe back seat of the car, began to suffer painful muscular cramps. Hegritted his teeth, trying to lie rigidly still, but his arms and legsbegan to jerk spasmodically and he had to move.

  Slowly he eased one arm from beneath Astro's heavy body and shifted hislegs into a more comfortable position. Though the Venusian's weightstill pressed him down in the seat, the muscular cramps were relieved.He began to pay attention to what Vidac and Bush were saying in thefront seat of the car.

  "We'll blast off as soon as we reach the spaceport," said Vidac, "and getup to the asteroid."

  "Why so fast?" asked Bush.

  "I want to get rid of those nosy space rats as quickly as possible. ThenI'll go after Strong."

  Bush shook his head. "That won't be easy. Strong's not a Space Cadet.He's Solar Guard. And good Solar Guard at that!"

  Tom smiled in wholehearted agreement with the lieutenant governor'shenchman.

  Vidac sneered. "Don't make me laugh! Didn't you see the way I convincedthose dumb colonists that the cadets were responsible for theprofessor's murder? If they'd stopped to think about it, they would haverealized I was putting one over on them. All you have to do is keeptalking, fast and loud. Keep them off balance, and don't let themthink."

  "There's the spaceport road," said Bush. "And there's the _Polaris_. Ihope we don't have any trouble with the grease monkeys when they see ushauling the cadets out."

  "If they start anything," said Vidac with a sneer, "you know what todo."

  "Sure," said Bush, patting his paralo-ray gun.

  The car roared through the gates of the spaceport and sped across thehard surface of the field. A moment later it came to a shuddering stopat the base of the giant rocket cruiser.

  "All right," said Vidac. "Get them aboard the ship. Hardy will blow agasket if we don't get this over with in a hurry."

  Hardy! The name hit Tom like a trip hammer. So Hardy was mixed up in it!Hardy, the respected Governor of Roald, the man responsible for thewelfare of the colony and the lives of the colonists, was really aswindler and a thief. Now if Jeff only had Professor Sykes's journalthey could tie everything together, providing he could stop Vidac fromsending them off to a prison rock! Tom's thoughts were suddenlyinterrupted by the movement of Astro's heavy body on top of him. Theyoung cadet broke out into a cold sweat. When he had been supposedly hitby the paralo ray his arms had been outstretched! He had been so busythinking about Hardy's connection with Vidac that he had forgotten toresume his original position.

  Astro was hauled out of the car and Bush reached in the car to get Tom.The boy braced himself and waited as the spaceman grabbed him by thefeet. He was pulled roughly out of the door and stood on his feet. Outof the corner of his eye he could see that Astro had been stood upbeside the car like a tree. Vidac turned away from the giant cadet andstarted to give Bush a hand. Suddenly he stopped and pulled out hisparalo-ray gun.

  "Boss, what're you doing?" cried Bush, jumping away from Tom and leavingthe cadet rocking on his feet, trying to pretend he was still paralyzed.He toppled forward, and before he realized what he had done, threw outhis hands to break his fall.

  Vidac laughed. "I have to hand it to you, Corbett. That was the best bitof acting I've ever seen in my life."

  Tom picked himself up from the ground and glared at Vidac. Bush stood toone side, too startled to realize what had happened.

  "You mean, he--he--" Bush stammered, his eyes wide with alarm.

  "That's right," said Vidac. "The wonder boy of the space lanes acted asif he was frozen. What were you going to do, Corbett? Take over, maybe?"

  "You'll never get away with it, Vidac," said Tom through clenched teeth."You're through and you know it!"

  "Not yet, my friend," said Vidac. "You've had your fun. Now get yourfriend out of the car and carry him aboard the _Polaris_. We're allgoing for a little ride!"

  Tom turned reluctantly and began pulling Roger out of the back of thecar. He realized that he could take no more chances with the paralo ray.As long as he was awake, there was a chance for him to do something. Helifted Roger gently to his shoulder, turned, and staggered toward thecruiser. Just as he was about to step inside the hatch, he heard thefaint roar of jets in the distance. He stumbled and fell purposely tostall for time. He and Roger sprawled full length on the deck. As Tomsat up and rubbed his knee, Bush rushed over, leaving Vidac to strugglewith the immense bulk of Astro.

  "Get up!" snarled Bush. He poked the gun within an inch of Tom's face.The cadet knew that if Bush fired at such a close range, his brainswould be burned to a crisp. He fell away from the gun.

  "I wrenched my knee," he whined. "I can't get up!"

  "If you don't get up by the time I count three," growled Bush, "I'llblast you! One, two--"

  The roar of the jets was closer now and Tom's heart began to race.Feigning pain in his leg, he started to pull himself to his feet. Heglanced toward the spaceport entrance and saw a stream of jet carspouring into the field, heading for the _Polaris_. Suddenly Tom leapedfor Bush from the crouching position. He lashed out with his right fist,while grabbing for the ray gun with his left.

  Bush was not to be tricked so easily. He fired just as the cadet jumped.But in trying to evade Tom's crashing right hand, he missed his shot andwas grazed by Tom's fist. He fell back out of the spaceship, his gunfalling inside the air-lock portal.

  Tom lay on the deck, wincing in pain. The wild shot had caught him inthe right leg and he was unable to move it. He crawled across the deck,reaching for the gun as Bush came charging up the ramp.

&nb
sp; Meanwhile, Vidac, seeing the commotion in the hatch of the spaceship,pulled his gun and leveled it at Tom. But Bush charged through the hatchjust as Vidac fired and he caught the full blast of Vidac's shot. Helanded on the deck beside Tom, stiff as a board.

  Tom reached for the gun, preparing to fight it out with Vidac. But theodds were against him. His leg was completely paralyzed and Vidac wasclimbing into the ship. He knew he couldn't reach the gun in time.

  Suddenly Vidac became aware of the jet cars streaming into thespaceport. He stopped and turned to look at them. Then, sensingsomething was wrong, he turned back to dash into the _Polaris_. Thesecond his back was turned was sufficient time for Tom to grab the gunand fire. Vidac was stopped cold, his bright eyes burning with hate,unable to move.

  "You can drop that now," said a voice in back of Tom.

  The curly-haired cadet whirled around to face Governor Hardy, holding aparalo-ray rifle up to his shoulder, aimed and ready to fire.

  "You're a good spaceman, Corbett," said Hardy in a cold, harsh voice,"but this is the last time you'll ever get into my hair!"

  Tom's leg prevented him from moving and he had turned in an awkwardsitting position to face Hardy. All he could do was bring his gun upquickly and fire over his left shoulder. Hardy fired at the sameinstant. At such close range neither could miss.

  When Captain Strong and the colonists dashed into the ship they foundtwo perfect statues.