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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d92a6e9 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #50713 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/50713) diff --git a/old/50713-h.zip b/old/50713-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 556542b..0000000 --- a/old/50713-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/50713-h/50713-h.htm b/old/50713-h/50713-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index d7e0747..0000000 --- a/old/50713-h/50713-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6113 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=us-ascii" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of one Against The Moon, by Donald A. 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Wollheim - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: One Against the Moon - -Author: Donald A. Wollheim - -Release Date: December 17, 2015 [EBook #50713] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ONE AGAINST THE MOON *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/cover.jpg" width="351" height="500" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1><i>One Against -the Moon</i></h1> - - -<p>DONALD A. WOLLHEIM</p> - - -<p><i>The World Publishing Company</i><br /> -CLEVELAND AND NEW YORK</p> - -<p><i>Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 56-9261</i></p> - -<p>FIRST EDITION</p> - -<p>HC856</p> - -<p>Copyright 1956 by Donald A. Wollheim. All rights<br /> -reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form<br /> -without written permission from the publisher, except for brief<br /> -passages included in a review appearing in a newspaper or magazine.<br /> -Manufactured in the United States of America.</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: Extensive research did not uncover any<br /> -evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><i>To<br /> -WILLIAM BALTER<br /> -A fixed star in a fickle sky</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><i>DONALD A. WOLLHEIM</i></p> - - -<p>HAS WRITTEN<br /> -<i>The Secret of Saturn's Rings</i><br /> -<i>The Secret of the Martian Moons</i></p> - -<p>HAS EDITED<br /> -<i>Terror in the Modern Vein</i><br /> -<i>Every Boy's Book of Science-Fiction</i><br /> -<i>The Portable Novels of Science</i><br /> -<i>Flight into Space</i><br /> -<i>Adventures on Other Planets</i><br /> -<i>The Pocket Book of Science-Fiction</i></p> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph3"><i>Contents</i></p> - - -<div class="center"> -<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents"> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c1_To_Dream_of_Stars"><i>1. To Dream of Stars</i></a></td><td align="right">13</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c2_White_Sands_or_Red"><i>2. White Sands or Red?</i></a></td><td align="right">23</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c3_Up_the_Space_Ladder"><i>3. Up the Space Ladder</i></a></td><td align="right">33</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c4_Riding_the_Atoms"><i>4. Riding the Atoms</i></a></td><td align="right">51</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c5_Fall_Without_End"><i>5. Fall Without End</i></a></td><td align="right">61</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c6_Target_Luna"><i>6. Target: Luna</i></a></td><td align="right">71</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c7_The_Honeycomb_Place"><i>7. The Honeycomb Place</i></a></td><td align="right">81</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c8_Robinson_Crusoe_Carew"><i>8. Robinson Crusoe Carew</i></a></td><td align="right">92</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c9_From_Stone_Age_to_Iron_Age"><i>9. From Stone Age to Iron Age</i></a></td><td align="right">102</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c10_The_Incredible_Footprints"><i>10. The Incredible Footprints</i></a></td><td align="right">111</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c11_The_Glass_Man"><i>11. The Glass Man</i></a></td><td align="right">121</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c12_The_Long_Trek"><i>12. The Long Trek</i></a></td><td align="right">131</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c13_The_Sun_and_the_Trap"><i>13. The Sun and the Trap</i></a></td><td align="right">147</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c14_The_Man_From_Lake_Baikal"><i>14. The Man From Lake Baikal</i></a></td><td align="right">157</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c15_Getaway_Bomb"><i>15. Getaway Bomb</i></a></td><td align="right">165</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c16_On_the_Crater_Floor"><i>16. On the Crater Floor</i></a></td><td align="right">175</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c17_Moon_Calling_Earth"><i>17. Moon Calling Earth</i></a></td><td align="right">187</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c18_Madmans_Battle"><i>18. Madman's Battle</i></a></td><td align="right">198</td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c19_Riding_the_Tornado"><i>19. Riding the Tornado</i></a></td><td align="right">208</td></tr> -</table></div> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h1><i>One Against the Moon</i></h1> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c1_To_Dream_of_Stars" id="c1_To_Dream_of_Stars"><i>1. To Dream of Stars</i></a></h2> - - -<p>That morning began like all the preceding mornings of the past two -years with the tinny jangling of the little alarm clock on Robin -Carew's bureau. Opening his black eyes, he struggled into a sitting -position on the narrow bed, reached out his hand and turned off the -alarm. He yawned, swung his feet to the floor, rubbed his eyes. It was -half past seven again of another workday morning.</p> - -<p>There was no inkling that this day would be any different from others. -It was Monday again, which meant the start of the next five and a half -days' stretch of work. Sunday had come and gone, now just a memory -of a walk in the city's small park and sitting on a bench under the -afternoon sun reading a library book on astronomy.</p> - -<p>Well, there was no getting around it, Robin thought. The stars, the -glory of the heavens—for him perhaps they would always be just a -daydream of his idle hours, never to be more than a vision of the -imagination, a thrill to be shared only by the printed words of other -men's observations and doings.</p> - -<p>He got up, yawned his entire five foot three, stared in the tarnished -mirror over the worn bureau. He looked blankly at himself, then -suddenly winked. Ah, he thought, while there's life there's hope—and -besides, he had to get to work. He ran a brush through his tousled -brown hair, took off his pajamas, and climbed into his work clothes. -Grabbing his towel and his toothbrush, he opened the door and went out -into the hall toward the washroom.</p> - -<p>The facilities at the Y were always clean at least, and maybe in a few -more months he would be promoted out of the apprentice class at the -factory. Then he could afford to get a bigger room on the floor above -with his own washstand and shower.</p> - -<p>After he had returned and finished dressing, he glanced out the narrow -window. He could just make out a slit of sky and spot the sidewalk -below. It was a sunny day, he saw, and a warm one. Putting on his -jacket, he left his cap behind and went out, locking the door of his -little room behind him.</p> - -<p>Not waiting for the creaky elevator, he skipped down the iron stairs to -the lobby. Waving hello to a couple of his fellow boarders, he made his -way over to the newsstand. There he paused to glance at the headlines, -to scan the racks of magazines to see if there were any he might think -of buying that he hadn't seen before. He didn't notice any. His eye, -rapidly discarding the featured stories in the papers about the usual -crimes and politics, was caught by a small heading:</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>ROCKET PROGRAM AHEAD OF SCHEDULE—PROJECT CHIEF REPORTS TESTS ARE MANY -MONTHS ADVANCED!</p></blockquote> - -<p>Robin stopped, rapidly glanced over the story. He wished he had the -time to read the whole story, but he knew he hadn't. Anyway, he could -probably borrow a copy during lunch hour from one of the fellows. But -it was stories like that which fascinated him.</p> - -<p>As he went into the cafeteria at the Y and sat eating a quick -breakfast, he thought about the story. He'd always been fascinated by -rockets and the stars. Even when still a kid at the orphanage, he'd -read everything he could get on the subject. He'd never stopped doing -so. Now that he was out of the school, out on his own the past three -years, he still had the bug.</p> - -<p>The White Sands and Redstone rocket experiments were making headlines -more and more. The first dozen little satellites had been thrilling -reading—the discussions of the permanent artificial satellite -program, now under way, was even more so, for it promised to be the -beginning of the long-projected Space Platform, from which in turn -would come the first real space flight.</p> - -<p>Robin wished he knew more of the things that were going on. Somewhere -out there in the West, on the deserts and sands of New Mexico a couple -of thousand miles away, history was being made. Many of the fellows -working there couldn't be much older than he.</p> - -<p>But fate was a grim and arbitrary thing. For others, a college -education could bring to a fine point the talent for mathematics and -chemistry and physics that was needed for this work. For an orphan -boy, however, the world reserved less glamorous and more immediately -practical objectives. Oh, sure, he'd had a chance at a scholarship, but -somehow he just hadn't made it. The manual training programs stressed -at the State Home had just not allowed him the extra time to study for -a scholarship. Even though his instructors had given him the chance, he -simply hadn't been able to make it.</p> - -<p>For him, the study of abstract science was to be a matter of home -reading. He'd devoured all the books in the library on the stars. And -he still dreamed, even while working in the carpentry shop of the -factory here, of flying through space on wings of flame.</p> - -<p>Perhaps, if he'd had a mother and father like most fellows, he'd have -gone to college, might even now be on his way to help the rocket men -conquer the universe. But his folks had died somewhere in the holocaust -of war, back during the fall of Hitler's Germany, back when he was -just a frightened and helpless kid of seven.</p> - -<p>As he had agreed a thousand times since then, Robin reflected, as he -spooned cereal to his mouth, he was lucky even so. For somehow the GI's -had found a battered, dirty envelope sewn into his worn internment-camp -jacket with identification that proved him the American-born son of -American parents, who had been interned in the enemy country. But where -his parents were ... well, there had been some terrible bombing in -those days. There was never any trace of the Carews. Robin had only a -vague memory of his people, somewhere lost amid a nightmare of terror.</p> - -<p>As most of the kids in the orphanage had, Robin dreamed of someday -finding his folks, of finding them rich. But it was, as always, a -dream. The American army had brought him home, had sought to trace his -folks, and had failed. Well, Robin still was lucky. It was no shame to -be a workingman in a democratic country.</p> - -<p>Time was passing. Robin hastily gulped down the glass of milk he knew -he needed for his daily labors, and, paying his check, dashed out. He -caught the bus at the corner, crowding in with others on their way, and -rode it for fifteen minutes out to the edge of town where the big plant -stood.</p> - -<p>He jumped off and headed for the main gates. He noticed a large crowd -of men standing in front of them. Why were they standing, he thought, -why didn't they go on in, punch their cards? He came up to them, saw -them standing around talking uneasily, some milling around, holding -their lunch pails idly in their hands. Robin pushed through to the main -gate. He saw a knot of men staring at a sign tacked on the post. He got -closer and read it.</p> - -<p>It was a statement from the management. It seemed that the plant was -closed for six weeks, due to a combination of circumstances. There was -a shortage in the raw materials because of the heavy floods in the -mining areas that spring, and so the management had decided to take -advantage of that shortage to retool and recondition the works. Men in -several departments would be called in during the next few days, the -rest would be laid off temporarily. Another notice tacked below that -stated that the company had arranged with the union for compensation -during the period.</p> - -<p>Robin stared at the notice numbly for a minute. He himself had not yet -been admitted to the union, for he was only a learning apprentice. -For him there would possibly be only a period of six barren, workless -weeks. He wandered away from the gates, drifted around idly, listening -to the groups of men talking.</p> - -<p>Most of them seemed to be taking it calmly enough. Several of them were -talking with growing enthusiasm of organizing a hunting-and-fishing -trip upstate for the next week or so. One was talking of going home to -visit the old folks back at the farm. Most of them seemed to be looking -forward more or less to a period of loafing around at home with their -families.</p> - -<p>Suddenly Robin felt more alone than usual. For him, there was no -family. Even at its best an orphanage has a certain coldness, a certain -impersonal precision that can never make up for the warmth of family -life. He had friends there, but surely by this time they, too, had -left, having gone into business or into the armed forces.</p> - -<p>The cold halls of the Y offered no particular relaxation. Even -utilizing the city library to burrow deep into his favorite imaginative -studies of science seemed a barren prospect for six whole weeks.</p> - -<p>He wandered away from the men, walked along the great factory wall, -hands in his pockets, strolling slowly away from the city, along the -road to the open country, beyond the end of the bus lines. He thought -about himself. He took stock of himself.</p> - -<p>Nearly twenty now, he was a good mechanic, a pretty good carpenter, -handy. He'd always be able to get a job somewhere in which he could -work with his hands. He'd never thought too much though about the -future. He would be taken sooner or later by the armed forces. They -hadn't needed him and he hadn't thought about volunteering first. He -was always a little sensitive about his height, for he was short for -his age. This had probably operated subconsciously to keep him from -joining up.</p> - -<p>I could sign up now, he thought. This might be the time. Besides, he -went on in his reasoning, if I volunteered I could pick my own branch -of the service. I could pick the Air Force and maybe get to see some -rockets and jets in action. I couldn't rate a pilot's commission -because I'm no college man, but I bet I could qualify as a mechanic, -get to work on the rocket planes. Why, maybe I could even manage to -get sent to White Sands, work on the Space Platform and the Artificial -Satellites. Maybe someday I'll be one of the guys who help tool up the -first rocket to the moon!</p> - -<p>He found himself growing excited at the thought. But, he reminded -himself, my chances are slim of getting what I want. There are so -many good guys in the Air Force, my own chance of being sent to one -particular place is small, really small.</p> - -<p>Somehow, he knew if he couldn't be around the rockets, he wouldn't be -happy under discipline. He'd had enough barracks life in the orphanage, -more didn't appeal to him without some special compensation—something -like White Sands.</p> - -<p>So—he had six weeks with nothing to do. He walked on, beyond the town -now, alongside the highway, the morning sun shining down, the blue sky -beaming overhead, and he began to feel himself swelling with energy, -glowing with ambition.</p> - -<p>Six weeks ... six weeks. He was young, he had no ties. Maybe he could -hitchhike to White Sands in time to look around, maybe spot a rocket go -winging off into the sky, then hitchhike back in time for the factory's -reopening.</p> - -<p>The idea blazed into his mind, he felt his pulse beating -uncontrollably. Maybe, maybe, his mind added to the picture, maybe -you could get a job in White Sands, near the field. Maybe they hire -civilian workers? Or—maybe if you enlist there they'll let you serve -there?</p> - -<p>Abruptly he turned around, started walking rapidly back to the city. -He'd do it, he told himself excitedly. He'd do it. He'd go back to the -Y now, today, collect what he needed, take the few dollars he'd saved -up, and go.</p> - -<p>His mind repeated a rhythm as he walked. Do it now, if you don't do it -now, you'll never do it. This is your chance. Go. The West is calling. -The rockets are calling. Make a break for yourself. Go!</p> - -<p>He reached the end of the bus line, hopped on the bus, vibrated in tune -to his racing thoughts all the way back.</p> - -<p>But an hour and a half later, when he was standing in the bus terminal, -the first flush of excitement had drained away. Now he felt a cold -chill running through him. He had made the break, packed a few -necessities, drew his small reserve of cash from the bank, paid his -room rent six weeks in advance, and bought a ticket on the bus going -westward.</p> - -<p>He couldn't afford the entire trip to New Mexico, so he bought passage -for a few hundred miles. After that he'd hike and thumb rides the rest -of the way. He didn't want to resort to charity so he had kept enough -funds to keep him in food and lodgings if necessary and maybe take him -part way home again.</p> - -<p>For a moment before boarding the bus, Robin hesitated. Was it after all -but a daydream that he was pursuing? Was the cold reality to prove too -indifferent to the hopes of just an ordinary young fellow? Would White -Sands prove a disappointment? Was this a mistake he would regret?</p> - -<p>For just a second he hesitated and then, shaking his head angrily as -if to drive out such thoughts, he stepped aboard the bus, slung his -lightly packed valise onto the rack over an empty seat, and sat down. -He would refuse to give up his vision. He would see this through.</p> - -<p>The horn honked, two or three more passengers swung aboard, the driver -threw in the clutch, and the bus drove out of the terminal, along the -long, dusty road west.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c2_White_Sands_or_Red" id="c2_White_Sands_or_Red"><i>2. White Sands or Red?</i></a></h2> - - -<p>From Missouri where the bus ride had ended, the time had passed with -difficulty. There had been two hot days through Kansas, standing by -lonely roadsides while cars whizzed by without stopping, the strong sun -beating down over the flat green plains, the insects alive with the -fever of the endless wheat. Robin had to keep heading south, south and -west always, driving down when cars were going that way. Down through -Oklahoma, thumbing his way, sometimes with an Eastern tourist on his -way to California, sometimes with a tired rancher or oil worker on a -short haul to his home or town, sometimes with a bored truck driver -anxious to have someone to talk to on the long trip.</p> - -<p>The closer he drew to his objective, the more excited he became. When -the oil fields and gray lands of Oklahoma began to turn to the green -flatness of the Texas Panhandle he grew silent, more intense. And -finally, one morning when he sped out of Amarillo sharing the high -front seat of a giant trailer truck bound for El Paso, he was almost -speechless for miles and miles. Then, suddenly, as the road clicked -across the invisible border of New Mexico, he began to talk. A sudden -calm invaded his nerves. He talked with the driver about things back -home, exchanged comments on the affairs in the news, his eyes taking -stock of this land all the time.</p> - -<p>It was barren—for vast stretches dry desert and flat rock with -only sparse clumps of desert green—now and then a stretch of good -grasslands where cattle could be seen grazing. In the distance, gaunt -mountain chains rose and fell; and the air was getting clear and thin -as the road gradually rose in altitude.</p> - -<p>After a bite in Roswell, when he piled back into the truck, Robin knew -he was on his last stretch. After the next stop, Alamogordo, he would -reach his destination, Las Cruces. Mention of Alamogordo, though, set -the driver talking about the atom bomb, for that had been the town that -had first seen the birth of that eerie fire which seemed so destined to -transform the world.</p> - -<p>"Did you ever see one of those blasts?" asked Robin quietly.</p> - -<p>"Yeah," said the driver slowly. "Guess you could say so. Didn't -actually see the thing itself, but I seen the glare one morning while -putting over in Alamogordo. Quite a sight. You know the blast was -plenty far away too; they don't fire them things off anywhere near -where they can hurt anybody. Wisht I'd get to see one of them rockets -go up they're always firing off at White Sands too. But I guess you -gotta be on the grounds for that, and they don't let visitors hang -around."</p> - -<p>"No visitors?" asked Robin, a little uneasily.</p> - -<p>"Nope. That's all top-secret stuff out there. Now that they got those -man-made satellite projects in operation, it's even more so. Maybe they -let a few reporters in on special occasions, or some high brass with -clearance from Washington, but nobody else can get in. Can't even get -the GI's who are out there to talk much about it. You'll see a lot of -them around Las Cruces Saturday nights on furlough but they just don't -discuss it."</p> - -<p>"How far is White Sands from Las Cruces?" asked Robin.</p> - -<p>"Oh, not too far, maybe thirty miles. The proving grounds are out on -the desert though, part of the Holloman Air Development Center that -is taking up a lot of this here Tularosa Basin these years. Without a -pass, you can't even get in sight of it. But, heck, you wouldn't want -to, I hope. Might get conked when one of those whacking big rockets -come down. They're always shooting 'em up on tests, making them bigger -and bigger. You can't tell me they always know where they're going to -come down!"</p> - -<p>They passed Alamogordo, drove an hour more through the stillness of the -desert, and suddenly they were in Las Cruces. The truck drew to a halt, -and Robin dropped off, his valise in his hand. The city didn't seem -aware of its unique position on the map of world history.</p> - -<p>Robin trudged along the main street until he found a small hotel within -his means. He got a room, washed from the trip, brushed his clothes. -He had not taken any pants to spare, having put on a strong pair of -khaki work trousers, figuring correctly that they were more the thing -for hitchhiking than his one good Sunday suit. By the time he went -downstairs night had fallen.</p> - -<p>He got a bite to eat, walked around the town a bit, went back and to -bed. He was dog-tired from the long day's ride.</p> - -<p>Next day he walked the town, looking it over, asking questions about -how to get to White Sands. He found that the truck driver's advice had -been right. There simply was no way a visitor could just go and watch. -It was all top-secret stuff, barred to any but legitimate personnel.</p> - -<p>He found an Air Force recruiting office, went in, and talked with the -sergeant in charge. Robin had begun to dread the thought that in the -end he might have to go back to his home city and back to work in the -factory. He had so fixed his mind on the rockets, he couldn't bring -himself to admit defeat now.</p> - -<p>The Air Force man confirmed the usual information. Robin pressed him to -say whether if he signed up for the service in Las Cruces he wouldn't -stand a good chance of being assigned there. The sergeant laughed.</p> - -<p>"Well, it's possible, but it might take a little doing. You get in -the Air Force, let us train you for a good job, say you work to be a -mechanic for jets and rockets, then maybe you might be assigned here. -But there are lots of stations for men, and you might not. Still, if -you were to work for it, say after a year in service, you might apply -for a transfer to White Sands; it could be that you could get it. -But there's no guarantee, none at all. If the force needs you more -somewhere else, that'll have to be it. Why not sign up and try for it?"</p> - -<p>But Robin shook his head. "Not yet. I want to see if maybe I can get a -civilian job there first, or maybe just visit it once."</p> - -<p>The sergeant nodded. "You can try. After that, come around and see me -again." Robin nodded, and left.</p> - -<p>He thought about that as he walked the streets. It might be a good -alternative. It did offer at least a chance at the work he dreamed of, -at being near the rockets. Yet—to be so near <i>now</i> and be stopped. A -year, even in the Air Force, still seemed a mighty long time to wait.</p> - -<p>He found the civilian employment office for the White Sands Proving -Grounds, but it was not only closed, it being Saturday afternoon, but -there was a sign saying, <i>No Help Wanted</i>.</p> - -<p>That night he began to notice men in Air Force dress blues, others -in GI khaki, and even some in ordinary olive-drab fatigues appearing -in the streets. He realized it was Saturday night and the streets -were beginning to show the signs of life for the men's one night a -week in town. Ranchers were driving in, their cars lining the curbs. -Buses bearing the name of White Sands would come in, unload their -pleasure-hungry men, and park somewhere or else go back. White-capped -MP's were appearing at corners to augment the local police.</p> - -<p>Nevertheless, there was mighty little disturbance. There weren't the -noisy carryings-on that usually marked towns near army bases when -soldiers had a night off. These were picked men, and they behaved -themselves.</p> - -<p>Robin was not a drinker and not a roisterer, yet that evening he -wondered if he oughtn't to have been. For if he could have learned -to hang around some of the livelier bars, he might have been able to -strike up conversations with the men of White Sands. After a while, he -did indeed enter one, sat nursing a lone beer while listening to the -men.</p> - -<p>But they did not talk business. They talked the talk that soldiers on -leave talk everywhere. Their girl friends, their pals, their latest -jokes, gossip, but never a word about rockets, never a word about -satellites, never a whisper about their work.</p> - -<p>Robin drifted with the crowd in the streets for several hours, finally -again found another corner in a dim tavern where he sat, by this time -a little tired, a little confused, wondering whether he had not made a -mistake in coming here at all. The whole day had been frustration and -his spirits were at low ebb.</p> - -<p>Two men in fatigue denims were seated near him, arguing. One was -plainly far gone under the influence of liquor. He was bleary-eyed, -nodding and mumbling. The other, trying to hold him, shaking him, was -actually almost as far gone. He was mumbling something about getting up -and going; they had to make the last truck to camp.</p> - -<p>Finally the two got up, staggered to the men's room, and disappeared -inside. Robin resumed his meditations, noting that the place was nearly -empty now, that the streets were silent. Obviously time had run out for -the men, and they were on their way back to camp. Suddenly it occurred -to him that the two soldiers had failed to come out of the lavatory.</p> - -<p>Robin slipped out of his seat, opened the door of the washroom, and -went in. The two men were there, together on the floor, sound asleep.</p> - -<p>Hastily Robin knelt down, shook them. "Wake up, you got to go back to -camp!" he called. But he couldn't budge them. One mumbled something -without opening his eyes, slumped back, and began to snore. The other -didn't even respond that much.</p> - -<p>For a moment Robin stood beside them, thinking that he ought to go and -tell the proprietor. Then he heard a voice call loudly outside in the -bar:</p> - -<p>"Any of youse guys going back tonight better step on it! Bus's leaving -in two minutes!"</p> - -<p>An MP rounding up the stragglers, Robin thought. And in that moment, -a sudden chill ran through him, a sudden wild thought leaped into -his head. He stood transfixed for an instant. For an instant which -seemed to last an eternity, an instant in which all his training, all -his instincts and ambitions fought and struggled together in a mad -hysteria. Here was an opportunity, here was a chance—yet a trickery, -an illegality.</p> - -<p>If he borrowed one of the unconscious men's jackets, borrowed his pass, -he could ride back to White Sands that very night, and in the dark and -confusion, who would know?</p> - -<p>Nobody, he felt sure. The next day—well, he'd be surely found, -arrested. But—in the meantime, for a blessed hour or so, he would see -the rockets in their gaunt glory, in their towering eminences, see an -assault against the skies, watch the hissing blue flame ascend to the -heavens, see a sight he would remember with joy the rest of his life.</p> - -<p>What then if he spent some bad hours under arrest? What even if he went -to jail? Actually what could they do to him? He was no spy, he was no -saboteur. No matter how exhaustive the investigation, it would prove -nothing evil against him.</p> - -<p>He remembered a sermon that had once been given at the orphanage. He -remembered the minister dwelling on the opportunities of life. He -remembered that which had sparked his imagination then, the minister's -depiction of the various roads each man must choose. "There comes a -time," the speaker had said, "in every man's life when various roads -open out before him, each leading in a different direction. If, at that -moment, he makes his choice, then his entire life may be forever set -upon a channel, and the other possible lives will vanish."</p> - -<p>Was not this then such a crossroads? Robin could go back, be a factory -hand, be a contented mechanic or carpenter, marry, settle down, and -live his life without ever seeing rockets. Or he could take the road -that now, for a brief flicker, seemed open to him.</p> - -<p>He bent down, removed the khaki work jacket the smaller of the two men -was wearing, shrugged his own shoulders into it, felt in its pocket, -pulled out a folded piece of paper, glanced at it. <i>Pass</i>, it read. -<i>Seven hours. Red Sands Station.</i></p> - -<p>He shoved it into his pocket, pushed open the washroom door, and walked -rapidly to the street, his head down.</p> - -<p>As he emerged onto the street, he was grabbed roughly by an MP. "Hurry, -feller," the man said. "What station?"</p> - -<p>"Red Sands," muttered Robin in a low voice, and was instantly whirled -around bodily and given a push. "Up the street and around the corner. -The second bus. Run!"</p> - -<p>Robin broke into a run, dashed around the corner. In the darkened side -street, three buses were warming up, the first already beginning to -roll. Robin ran for the second, and just as it was pulling away from -the curb, several hands reached out of the door, took hold of Robin's -hands, and heaved him aboard.</p> - -<p>He found a seat in the back of the crowded bus, kept his head down to -avoid having anybody realize he was a stranger, and caught his breath.</p> - -<p>The bus gathered speed, roared down the quiet side streets, and turned -onto the highway beyond the town. Robin was on his way to the rockets, -to the famous White Sands Proving Grounds ... or was he? What was the -Red Sands Station anyway? <i>Red</i> Sands? Why had he never heard of it?</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c3_Up_the_Space_Ladder" id="c3_Up_the_Space_Ladder"><i>3. Up the Space Ladder</i></a></h2> - - -<p>The bus roared on through the night, its cargo of men now mainly -silent, dozing as their vehicle jolted along. The moon, which was full, -shed a pale glow over the desolate landscape through which the road ran -straight as an arrow. The vehicle had departed from the main highway -fairly soon after leaving town, and had gone along another leading out -into the wastes which was the government reserve. Robin had caught -a momentary glimpse of floodlighted signs warning casual motorists -against the use of the road, warning all that it was U.S. property.</p> - -<p>The men in the bus talked little. Most of them tired, and some a little -the worse for a night's revels, were sleeping. Two or three snored -away, unmindful of the hard seats and the jolting along the road. -Seated in the back, shoulder to shoulder with several others, Robin -kept quiet, watching the scene through the open windows and seeing -what could be seen of the terrain without making his observations too -obvious.</p> - -<p>Thus far the landscape was the familiar desert of New Mexico, desolate -and arid flatland with which Robin had become familiar on the trip -down. On the horizon he could see the humps of mountains, the peaks -that bordered the vast proving grounds.</p> - -<p>Near him, a couple of soldiers were conversing in low tones and Robin -caught snatches of their conversation. At first it was mainly talk of -what they had seen and done that night, their girl friends, and so on. -By and by they began to talk a bit about their work. Robin strained his -ears.</p> - -<p>"I was thinking of asking for a transfer back to White Sands," said one -of the men slowly. "Some of that new fuel they're bringing in makes me -real uneasy."</p> - -<p>"Ahh," said the other, "you're just letting that extra security talk -give you nerves. Sure, it's supposed to be atomic stuff, new, maybe -even untested as far as I know, but, nuts, you can't get blown up any -worse than you can handling that liquid oxygen and peroxide they got at -White Sands. In fact, I understand that this stuff isn't half as tricky -to pour as the old stuff."</p> - -<p>"Yeah, I know. I seen some of it being poured yesterday into that new -big fellow they're lining up for tomorrow. But the point is that even -if it's easier to pour—none of that fizzing and spitting you get when -you leak a drop or two—it's atomic. That's the thing, atomic. What -would happen if a White Sands rocket blew ... it'd be a big bang, sure -enough, but it wouldn't blow the whole countryside to bits. But take -this new stuff ... whew ... we'd all be one Bikini if it went off all -at once."</p> - -<p>The other soldier was silent a moment. "Well," he said finally, "could -be. On the other hand, I heard them say that it is really not half -as explosive as the old stuff. That loxygen they use in the original -Vikings is really dangerous, will go off quick at any spark. But this -new stuff, it won't actually go off until it's touched off after the -rocket has gone up a few miles. It's actually hard to blast—and then I -understand they ain't sure it'll work."</p> - -<p>The other one nodded. "Uh uh, so they say, but you notice where they -moved our outfit, didn't you? They don't want to blow the main fields -out of existence by accident, just in case they might be a little -wrong. So they invented this Red Sands layout. I don't even like the -name."</p> - -<p>The soldiers fell silent awhile. Robin turned these words over -carefully. He had read nothing of any Red Sands operation, and -he remembered nothing of any talk about atomic fuels. In fact -he'd understood that the problem was still one they had failed to -solve—though the idea was intriguing.</p> - -<p>Chemical fuels, he knew, had definitely limited drive capacities. The -most powerful chemical fuels possible even theoretically were those -already in use, and were basically merely liquid oxygen and liquid -hydrogen. And he knew that the main obstacle that always had to be -faced by rocket engineers was the tremendous quantities and weights of -the fuels to be burned in order to lift even a single pound of cargo.</p> - -<p>Atomic power, if liberated, had on the other hand almost unlimited -possibilities as fuel. A mere pound or so of atomically liberated -material could probably drive a spaceship a million miles with a full -pay load too. But how to combine atomic explosions with controlled -rocket fire? The problem had never been answered—at least not in the -magazine and newspaper stories he had ever read.</p> - -<p>He thought about it awhile. Then the bus honked its horn. Robin -craned his neck, looked forward. He saw they were paralleling a high -wire fence and coming to a lighted area. A large sign on a wide road -entrance branching off caught his eye and he read the magic words, -<i>White Sands</i>.</p> - -<p>For a moment he thought the bus was going to enter as the driver slowed -down. They came abreast of the gateway but the driver merely honked -and waved and passed it by, Robin catching a glimpse of whitewashed -barracks and low hangarlike structures beyond the gate. Then they -roared on into the moonlit night, on toward the empty reaches of the -desert where the mountains loomed dark in the horizon.</p> - -<p>Where was Red Sands? How far? Robin speculated on it. He had evidently -hit on something more than he'd reckoned. This was a development -unknown to the public. This was something that must have combined the -special nature of the Los Alamos atomic testing grounds with the rocket -grounds. And it was obviously tucked far away from them all.</p> - -<p>Suppose they caught him there, would he get off as lightly as he -might at White Sands? Where atomics was concerned, secrecy was -still enforced, despite the release of much information due to the -installation of peaceful atomic plants in various parts of the world. -But everyone knew that the world was still merely at the threshold of -atomic glories and the nations were still anxiously vying with each -other for leadership.</p> - -<p>He supposed that perhaps he might be sent to jail. He might perhaps be -confined to the Red Sands grounds until such time as what he was to -learn had become public property. That might take years! Robin squirmed -a little as he thought over this possibility. It didn't appeal to him. -Yet, the die was cast and there was now little he could do about it.</p> - -<p>He could, he thought, surrender now to the men in the bus. In that -way, he'd be stopped from entering the forbidden area at all and might -then merely get a bawling out and be released. But something in him -absolutely rebelled at the thought. This far he had gone, this far he -had moved toward the realization of a dream that had held him from -childhood. He would go on, and if he were to pay the penalties for -trespassing, he would at least see what he was paying for. Maybe, -maybe, he would yet see a rocket go off.</p> - -<p>What was it the soldier had said, "that big fellow ... for tomorrow." -Then Robin would be in time.</p> - -<p>The bus roared on for what seemed at least another hour. Finally it -approached another fenced-in area, slowed down, and came to a halt -briefly before a guarded gateway. The men stirred in their seats, the -sleepers were nudged awake, everyone started to squirm around. The -driver exchanged a few words with the guards, the bus shifted gears, -rolled slowly through the gate, and came to a stop. Stiffly the men -began to climb out.</p> - -<p>Robin waited until about half the men had preceded him, then, keeping -his head low, followed. As the men jumped down from the bus, they -stepped up to an MP standing by and showed him their passes. He -examined each with a flashlight, took it, and waved the men on.</p> - -<p>Robin's feet hit the ground. Carefully keeping close to the man in -front of him, he dug for the pass he'd found in his borrowed jacket. -Holding it out, he stepped up to the guard. The pass was seized, -scrutinized, and with a tap of the hand, Robin was waved on.</p> - -<p>The men were striding off in the direction of a group of low, long -buildings of the standard army barracks type. Robin took the same -general direction, casting his eyes about trying to estimate where he -was and what was around.</p> - -<p>The moon was high and its light was strong in the clear desert air. A -few dim bulbs showed on posts and one or two lights were flashed in -the windows of the barracks. The men were heading directly for their -beds—and Robin knew he had to head in the same direction if he did -not wish to incur suspicion. It was a ticklish moment, for he did not -dare do anything to arouse the suspicion that he was a stranger here.</p> - -<p>It was a long walk across the parade grounds and he allowed as much -space as possible to drag out between himself and the other men. He -came closer to the dark barracks buildings, walked along toward a -dark doorway through which another man had gone. Turning his head he -saw no one near him who might be watching, and Robin stepped into the -dark doorway, then quickly side-stepped, slipped around the side of -the building, and walked silently down the dark space between the two -adjoining barracks.</p> - -<p>At the far end of the structures, remaining hidden in the shadow cast -by the moon, he looked outward. He could see, stretching out beyond, -the level ground of the desert. He could make out the structures of -what looked like hangars and machine shops, and he could see a number -of vehicles, trucks, and odd cranes parked around. Far away he caught a -glimpse of something white. Was it a rocket?</p> - -<p>He crouched in the shadow and waited. After a while he heard no more -footsteps, he saw the last lights in the barracks flicker out and -silence descend on the station. He glanced at his watch. It was about -two in the morning.</p> - -<p>Silently he moved out of the barracks' shadow, walked fast and softly -to the shadow of the nearest truck. Reaching it, he paused, looked -back. Nothing stirred. Proceeding in that fashion, Robin moved from -shadow to shadow, keeping as little in the bright moonlight as he -could. He reached a building, clearly a tool house. He walked along -it, went on beyond, passed through the shadowed side of a long hangar, -found a narrow roadway leading out to where the mysterious white object -rested. He walked alongside it, half stooping, but feeling sure that no -one had seen him. The Red Sands Station was silent.</p> - -<p>The white object proved to be a good deal farther away than he'd -thought. He knew that distances in the desert were very deceptive, felt -himself growing tired. Why, this objective might be two or three miles -away, he realized now, but only increased his pace as if in answer to -his tiring frame. The cold, dry desert air was bracing, and nothing -moved save the occasional scurry of some tiny rat or lizard.</p> - -<p>What he had seen was indeed a rocket. It was at first a dot of white. -Then it grew into a line of white like a snowy tree. As he neared it -he realized its true dimensions. It was a tall giant rocket, as tall -as an eight-story building, long and slim, towering in the desert -like an obelisk left by some Aztec ruler. It was held by a framework -of metal girders, like that of a newly completed building whose outer -skeleton had not yet been dismantled. Near it stood a truck on high, -thick wheels which bore a long, cranelike apparatus resembling the -tentacles of some weird monster-insect. The rocket stood with its four -wide-flanged fins jutting out near the base.</p> - -<p>Robin stopped at its base and stared up. He studied it, saw that it was -apparently segmented, having lines of cleavage that divided it into -four parts, the one at the pointed top being the shortest. This was a -four-step rocket, he recognized, and knew at that moment that here also -was a step beyond what the public knew.</p> - -<p>He walked slowly around it, awed and silent. He noticed now that there -was a thin metal ladder running up the standing framework. The crane -in the truck was for loading the top, he knew, but he could use this -ladder himself to climb up without trying to start the truck-driven -lift.</p> - -<p>He reached the bottom rung of the skeleton ladder, saw a sign attached -to the framework. He looked at it, saw a number, apparently the code -designation of this rocket. Glancing over it, the moonlight was not -strong enough to allow him to read the words. He looked at the parked -truck with the crane, walked over to it, looked inside. He found a -flashlight in the dashboard compartment, took it. Lying over the seat -was a pea jacket. The air was cold and would become colder. Robin -borrowed it, shrugged into it. He saw a package lying beneath it, -lifted it. A couple of candy bars it was. The driver must have had a -sweet tooth. Robin stuffed the candy into the pocket of the jacket, -which had other things in it as well.</p> - -<p>He returned to the rocket, read the work sheet by his flashlight. Most -of it was incomprehensible. He saw that the sheet referred only to the -fueling. Steps two, three, and four were fueled. Step one, the big one -at the base was still empty and he saw that it was marked for fueling -by five that morning. Firing time, he noted, was set for six.</p> - -<p>Robin glanced up. Here was a chance to examine the rocket completely. -Glancing around again, he swung up the ladder, started the climb. The -rocket's sides were welded metal, shiny and painted white. The various -fuel sections were numbered in large black letters and the contents -listed. He saw that the first and main fuel chamber occupied half of -the length. The three upper sections, already loaded, he remembered, -were marked in liters. The name of the fuel was meaningless to him. It -must be, he thought, the atomic stuff the soldier had mentioned. This -rocket could be a huge atomic bomb, he thought, chilled for a moment. -But he continued climbing. At the very tip, he saw that two small, -circular doors, like the escape hatches of submarines, were set flush -in the side. One was closed, the upper and larger one was slightly -ajar. He reached it, looked in. He flashed his light, peered around. It -was a narrow, closetlike space, filling a section of the uppermost tip, -just beneath the point of the top. It was padded and empty.</p> - -<p>Robin looked out from his perch at the top of the ladder. He looked -away across the desert to the distant buildings of the Red Sands -Station. He started suddenly. Something was blinking in the distance. -He strained his eyes. Two tiny white lights were moving toward him from -far away. He heard the distant purr of a motor. A jeep was coming to -the rocket from the Red Sands Station. Had they seen his flashlight? -Were they coming to investigate?</p> - -<p>He glanced desperately downward. The ground seemed so far away. He -could never climb down the ladder in time to escape detection. The -jeep was approaching swiftly. What could he do?</p> - -<p>In a flash of inspiration, he saw the open port of the dark -closet-space at the rocket's tip. He climbed into it, swinging out from -the ladder, hovering over the abyss, swinging his legs into the dark, -padded interior. He crammed himself into it, found he fitted it neatly -with very little room to spare and, grasping the circular door, pulled -it toward him. It swung shut on its oiled hinges, clicked tightly into -place.</p> - -<p>Robin crouched down, silent.</p> - -<p>For a while there was dead silence. Robin wondered if he would be able -to hear anything that went on outside, considering the padding of the -little space. For once he was thankful for being so short. If he'd been -a few inches taller, he'd have found his position very uncomfortable. -It was cramped, but not unbearable.</p> - -<p>He strained his ears, finally heard the vibrations of the jeep draw up -to the base of the rocket and stop. He heard faint sounds which must -have been the muffled voices of the jeep's riders. He lay quietly, -hoping he would not be discovered.</p> - -<p>Outside, the jeep had come to a stop and the two men in the front seat -stared around suspiciously. "I'd have sworn I saw a light for a moment -out here," said the driver.</p> - -<p>The other scratched his head, looked around. "I'd better get out and -look around, just to be certain."</p> - -<p>They both descended from the jeep. One went over and looked into the -trucks and carriers, peering under them for possible hideaways. The -other poked around the scaffolding at the base of the rocket. "This is -the one they're firing off tomorrow, isn't it?" he asked when the other -joined him after a moment.</p> - -<p>"Yeah," answered his companion, "or rather this morning. In fact in -only a few hours. They've only got to load the main fuel chambers and -they're ready." He shined his flashlight on the operations chart, the -same one that Robin had examined earlier. "I wonder how come they -loaded the other three earlier. That's odd. I thought that stuff -couldn't hang around too long."</p> - -<p>"Don't you know," said the other, "this is that big top-secret -experimental job they were working so fast on this week? Something to -do with a new kind of fuel, fairly stable but loaded with radioactive -elements. Some type of new compound which is supposed to add an atomic -disintegration impetus when it goes off. Heard one of the engineers -explain it as something like plutonium particles in suspension which -get touched off atomically as they emerge in the rocket blast. They -don't know for sure it will work."</p> - -<p>The other looked up at the towering structure. "I guess that's how come -they're sending it up first with the regular loxygen fuel—so if the -whole thing goes bang at once, it'll be high enough up not to blow the -rest of us to kingdom come." He walked around the base a bit, stopped, -flashed his light down, and picked up something. It was a cardboard -sign that had been lying on the ground. He looked at it a moment.</p> - -<p>"Hey, this must have fallen from the cargo chamber," he said, showing -his comrade the sign.</p> - -<p>It read: <i>Instruments in place. Do not disturb.</i> He turned it over. On -the back it read: <i>Ready for loading.</i></p> - -<p>"I better put this back where it fell from," he said, adding, "but -which side is correct? Did you say they were firing it at six?"</p> - -<p>At his companion's assent, he said, "Well, I guess maybe they must have -loaded the cameras and radio equipment this afternoon. I'll go up, put -this back, and check it."</p> - -<p>The man started up the ladder, the same one that Robin had climbed a -short while before. When he had arrived before the section where Robin -lay hidden, he tried the circular door of that section. It was tightly -shut. This signified to him that it was already loaded and without -further thought he carefully attached the little sign reading <i>Do not -disturb</i> to the door.</p> - -<p>After a few more minutes' search, the two men climbed back in their -jeep and drove back to the barracks-grounds.</p> - -<p>Inside the rocket, Robin had been unable to hear what they had been -saying. Their voices came to him heavily muffled and distorted and he -could not recognize the words. He heard the man come up the scaffolding -ladder and try the door. But it had been tight and it had not budged. -Then he'd gone down and a little later Robin had heard the jeep drive -away.</p> - -<p>Robin lay there quietly on the soft padding and wondered how long he -should stay in hiding. They might have left a man on guard or they -might be keeping an eye on the rocket. If he came out right away, they -might spot him. Better wait here a half hour, he said to himself, and -then tried to make himself more comfortable.</p> - -<p>The day had been a long one and a tense one. He was more tired than -he'd thought. The tiny, cramped cubby-hole in the nose of the rocket -was pitch-dark, cushioned, and utterly quiet. Robin rested his eyes. -Before he knew it, he was sound asleep. The air was close and became -stale; Robin's slumber slowly became deep and drugged.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The sun rose at five and with it there arrived the men who would load -and launch the rocket—several truckloads in fact, with a couple of -tanks of fuel. The volatile liquids were readied for pouring into the -tanks and chambers of the first and main firing section. The engineers -arrived. They began to check the loads and the preparations.</p> - -<p>"The instruments in place?" asked Major Bronck, who was in charge of -this operation. His assistant, a civilian engineer, glanced up the -ladder.</p> - -<p>"According to the notice up there, they are. I don't remember seeing -them installed myself, though. May have been done after we left -yesterday."</p> - -<p>"Who was in charge of them?" the major asked.</p> - -<p>"Jackson, sir," the answer came, "but he hasn't been in camp today. -Must have been left overnight in town."</p> - -<p>The major frowned. "Well, I don't see the instruments around so I -guess he loaded them all right. Sloppy way of doing things, though. I -don't like it. In fact, I don't particularly like this whole job. It's -too hasty, too irregular."</p> - -<p>The other smiled, shrugged. "Can't help it. Big rush orders from -Washington. They wouldn't even let us put this shot off till Monday. -Had to get a fast test on this atomic fuel. I guess it's another of -those things they think the Russians are up to."</p> - -<p>"Ahh, that's always an excuse for rushing. But I still say haste makes -waste. Well, anyway we've got our orders so off it goes this morning. -Trackers on the job?"</p> - -<p>"Sure, they're right on it. But we've still got to load the animals. -This is going to be a high flier and the space-medicine people want in -on it. Here's their stuff now."</p> - -<p>A light truck rolled up and two men came out carrying a crate. One of -the automatic rolling cranes lifted them all up to the nose of the -rocket. There, just below the instrument compartment, they opened -another port and installed their burden, shutting the compartment again -and sealing it.</p> - -<p>The major glanced at his watch, looked around. The main chamber was -loaded, the tank had departed. At his order, the rolling scaffolding -was swiftly detached and driven away. Now the rocket stood alone on its -own fins, pointing skyward into the pink and orange dawn, its side a -dazzling white, its nose a bright red, each section banded in green.</p> - -<p>"How far do you think it will go?" the major asked his assistant.</p> - -<p>"Anybody's guess," was the reply. "The fuel is untested and -unpredictable. If this trick fuel fails to work, the whole thing will -go up maybe six miles and then drop. If the atomic stuff turns into a -bomb they'll hear the bang in Las Vegas. If it works as they expect, -it might go up several hundred miles, maybe even more. It could make -a better satellite rocket than the ones we've got up already. In fact -that's what they're hoping. They think they may be able to make this -the start of a real space-platform program—for once carrying a pay -load up worth the carrying. But who knows?"</p> - -<p>The two climbed into a car and drove to where the concrete dugout was -located. Entering it they nodded to the communications men and other -engineers already gathered. The major took his place at the firing -panel. He looked at his timer, waited a few minutes. Gradually the -small talk ceased and a hush fell over the little guiding post. The -major reached for the firing button.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Back in the rocket, Robin opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed -when his head cleared from the grogginess of his deep sleep was a -slight hissing noise somewhere below him. The air felt different in his -little compartment. Somewhere a thin stream of oxygen was escaping into -the chamber.</p> - -<p>He twisted around, felt about with his hands, located it. There was a -thin line of holes along the seam of the padding underneath him. Now -he heard other noises. Below him, a faint chattering, a scolding, the -sound of something scratching. He put his ear down near the hole from -where the air was issuing and listened.</p> - -<p>Yes, he thought to himself, animals. Somebody put some animals in the -space just below me. Sounds like monkeys' chattering. Must be where the -air is coming from.</p> - -<p>He had a headache. Bad air in here, he thought, and realized that had -it not been for the animals being placed below him, he might have -suffocated in that space. It was then that he fully realized what had -happened—that he'd fallen asleep.</p> - -<p>The animals hadn't been there when he had first climbed in. So he must -have slept for several hours at least. He squirmed around, reflecting -on it, still not quite gathering his drugged wits together. That meant -that the men must have arrived and started work on this rocket again.</p> - -<p>He thought this over, and a great uneasiness came over him. He strove -to remember something urgent, something he knew he had to bring back to -mind. Something about five o'clock and six o'clock.</p> - -<p>Loading time, launching time. Yes! They were firing this rocket at -six! But what time was it now? How long had he slept? He looked at the -luminous dial of his watch but was chagrined to find it had run down -and he'd forgotten to wind it.</p> - -<p>He glanced rapidly around his little space, wondering how he could find -out whether it was already day. Several glimpses of light hit his eyes. -He saw that in three or four places there were tiny glass openings no -larger than would admit a thick wire. He tried to look through one, but -all he could see was blue sky. It was morning then.</p> - -<p>He strained his ears for outside noises, truck engines, men talking. -But there was not a sound from outside. Only the faint squeakings of -the animals below him. He twisted around again to face the little round -door.</p> - -<p>It was padded on the inside, it had no handle there, nothing to get a -grip on. He scrabbled in the padding with his fingers, reached the rim, -and tried to push. There was no give. It was airtight, automatically -sealed.</p> - -<p>He pushed against it, wondered what to do. He squirmed around against -the padding, lay back with his head against the cushioning on the -opposite side, his back resting on the floor padding, and put his feet -against the side of the little door. Thus braced he was all set to -shove the strength of his legs against the door in an effort to push it -outward.</p> - -<p>He was about to do so when the rocket went off.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c4_Riding_the_Atoms" id="c4_Riding_the_Atoms"><i>4. Riding the Atoms</i></a></h2> - - -<p>Suddenly it felt as if a giant had placed his huge palm squarely on -Robin's chest and was pushing him down. As he tried to exert pressure -against the door, the counter pressure of the invisible hand increased. -For an instant Robin was thunderstruck. Had he suddenly become weak? -What was this?</p> - -<p>His first emotion, that of amazement, changed in a split second to one -of terror at his newly discovered weakness, and again from that to -a feeling of stunned shock. There was no invisible hand! It was the -rocket itself moving!</p> - -<p>Without thinking, Robin struggled to rise, but his muscles could not -obey him. In the first seconds the pressure on him was mild, he might -have been able to move if he'd given some extra effort. But by the time -his astonishment had worn off, the pressure had climbed beyond the -limitations of the cramped space and his young muscles.</p> - -<p>The rocket had started slowly as these great towering constructions -do. The first blasts barely served to push it away from its launching -guides. It seemed to tremble in every plate as if precariously perched -upon the short, furious blast of yellow. Then the fiery tail lengthened -as the tall, thin metal body rose slowly, lifted like a thin white -pencil on the roaring cataract of burning gases.</p> - -<p>Now it was its own length from the ground, now pushing up faster, -giving in split seconds the curious impression that it might topple -over at any instant. But the steady rise gained in speed, the rocket -pushed away from its burning tail ever faster, the fire turned from -yellow to blue, and within a few more blinks of the eye it was hurtling -into the sky, vanishing into a dot, and then was beyond sight.</p> - -<p>To Robin it seemed again as if a giant hand were pressing down. He felt -it spreading over his body, felt himself being pushed relentlessly by -superior weight against the matting of the compartment floor. His head -was thrust down as if by a giant forefinger of this invisible monster -leaning over him. Now it seemed as if the giant, in maniacal malice, -was leaning his weight on his hand, pressing on Robin, trying to shove -him through the floor if possible.</p> - -<p>He gasped for breath, could barely catch it against the growing -pressure on his chest. His eyes sank into their sockets and he tried to -close them but found the effort too much.</p> - -<p>All about him there was a roaring sound, a humming and thrumming, and -now began a thin, piercing whistling, which was the air outside rushing -past. The whistle rapidly increased to an ear-splitting shriek, then -vanished, leaving eddies of unheard auditory vibrations. Robin tried -to close his mouth, which had been forced open by the prying finger of -pressure. He felt as if in another moment he must cave in, be squashed -flat. His brain reeled dizzily, then suddenly a merciful blackness fell -over him and he knew no more.</p> - -<p>At that very moment, though he could no longer sense it, there was a -click, audible through the length of the vibrating column of metal, -and the first section snapped off. Its great fuel tanks, so full of -volatile gases an instant before, had emptied themselves in a fury of -chemical combustion. The automatic releases had loosened the whole -bottom half, the main fuel section, thrust it into space to fall and -shatter upon the desert miles below. At that same split second, another -series of relays touched off the second firing section.</p> - -<p>The new firing tubes blasted into action. Of a design different from -those that preceded it, of a design new to the world of man, the -experimental jet burst forth. For an instant it seemed as if the -pressure had vanished in the rocket, for a split second the rocket -stopped accelerating as it waited for the new impact. Then like a blast -of lightning newly released from a storm, a shot of energy flashed -through the racing metal body. The giant hand came down on everything -within it with a firmness and power not sensed before.</p> - -<p>There was a blast now emerging from the tail of the flying rocket -something like that of an atomic bomb, but not quite. It was not -an explosion, but an atomic reaction. It was a rocket flare of an -intensity and heat beyond all the potential of mere chemical reactions. -It was atomic fire, chained and harnessed to the tail of a rocket.</p> - -<p>The thin white pencil, reduced in length, raced on into the dark -stratospheric sky.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Back at Red Sands there was intense excitement in the control dugout. -Major Bronck was racing around, anxiously yelling into telephones, -watching the checkers, trying to keep track of everything happening at -once.</p> - -<p>At first the ascent had been neat and according to routine. The crew in -the dugout, the radar crew at the main camp, and the one co-operating -with them from White Sands itself were checking all right. Then in an -instant all three almost lost touch as their objective nearly swooped -out of range. The trackers fought to get it back in focus, and one by -one finally caught it again, farther and faster than they had planned -for.</p> - -<p>"It's running wild!" was the way one startled crew chief told the -major. "Going up and out like crazy!"</p> - -<p>The crew on the tracking telescopes racing around the desert were -calling in their story. Visually they had lost it completely. They had -gotten a nice set of telescopic photos of the first phase, then they -had failed to adjust quickly enough to the unexpected second phase. Now -they were sweeping the sky desperately hoping to pick it up again, but -without success.</p> - -<p>Major Bronck called for a check on the last and surest guide. Among the -instruments loaded in the nose of the rocket was a radio tone-signal -sender. As a last resort, they should be able to pick up that signal -from the rocket itself, confirm the story they were getting from their -radar men. But the men at the radio listening posts reported no sound. -And when the major asked if they had had it in the first place, the men -admitted that they had not. There had never been any buzz on the ether -from the rocket at all!</p> - -<p>At that moment, the main Red Sands camp got on the phone. A voice from -the commander's office wanted to know why the instruments had not been -loaded. It seems that the man responsible for them had just turned up -at camp. Jackson had reported his jacket stolen, his pass along with it.</p> - -<p>Therefore the instruments for whose installation he had been charged -with were still reposing in the camp! There had been a series of -bungles, the major thought, as he tried to explain the situation. -Obviously the rocket had not been checked as it should have been. -Obviously whoever had calculated the course and power of the new fuels -had erred very considerably.</p> - -<p>"But we've still got it on radar. Yes, sir. We'll hold it. We'll -definitely see where it comes down, sir."</p> - -<p>The major listened, white-faced, to the commander's angry spluttering. -"Yes, I know, sir. Top-secret stuff. But even if it lands a thousand -miles away, we'll know, we'll spot it. Even if it managed to assume a -satellite orbit, we could keep track of it. It's still going straight -up. It might make an orbit. If it did, there'd be no chance of it -coming down intact for foreign examination. It would probably circle -the Earth a few times in a wild ellipse and then burn up in the -atmosphere. We won't lose it."</p> - -<p>But lose it they did. The radars held it for two hours more, until -finally it was beyond even the limits of their extended capacities. It -was going up, up, and out, and even at the last there was no sign of it -slowing down enough to form an orbit.</p> - -<p>When they finally checked it off as permanently lost, they knew they -had witnessed the dawn of a new era. This rocket had assumed and passed -the escape velocity. It was headed out into the trackless bounds of -outer space. It would never return to Earth.</p> - -<p>There was even speculation that its last known course might intersect -the Moon's orbit. Opinion in Washington, after all the reports were -in, was divided on that. But, in spite of the bungling, the rocket had -proved a valuable point. From that day onward, rocketry in the United -States took a new tack.</p> - -<p>Robin Carew was dreaming. He was falling down an elevator shaft, -falling swiftly floor after floor. Looking down at him from the space -at the top of the high shaft was a gigantic face, leering at him while -stretching a giant arm down the shaft trying to reach him.</p> - -<p>In his dream he had the curious mixed-up feeling of wishing the giant -could catch him and stop his fall and at the same time being afraid -that the giant might be successful and crush him in his huge fingers. -He was falling, falling, and squirm as he might, the bottom of this -terrible shaft was nowhere in sight.</p> - -<p>Robin thrashed around, trying to grab a cable, trying to catch one of -the innumerable doors as they rushed past. He banged his hand against -one, grabbed tight, jerked.</p> - -<p>His eyes snapped open, his mind struggled to gain a grasp of where -he was. Nothing seemed to make sense. It was dark and he was bumping -around in a tiny, tight space. Yet somehow he couldn't get his feet -down, he still was falling. Suddenly he felt dizzy and then became -aware of the aches all over his body.</p> - -<p>He stopped thrashing, let himself rest. He bumped against the tight -side again, took the opportunity to stretch his body out straight and -found he could not. He was touching both sides of the narrow space.</p> - -<p>His eyes found the space not entirely dark. A faint trace of light -showed from a couple of spots somewhere in the dark enclosure. He -realized where he was. He remembered now the take-off, the pressure. -Why, he thought with a shock, the rocket went off. And I'm in it! We -must be falling back to the sands now. In a few minutes we'll crash and -that will be the end.</p> - -<p>He waited awhile, expecting to be snuffed out at any instant. But -there was nothing. Just silence. And now a faint rustling sound where -something was stirring and squeaking below him. The animals, he -thought, are alive in the space below me.</p> - -<p>Then it occurred to him that he was not falling back, but perhaps -falling away. His mind, which had been numbed from the pain and -pressure, began to reassemble what he knew about rockets. And -consciously the thought formed—the sensation of free fall is the same -as the sensation of weightlessness found in space rockets. He thought -he was falling, but was it not just as likely that instead he was -simply beyond gravity?</p> - -<p>He felt himself over for broken spots, but somehow miraculously he had -not been damaged. His eyes burned and he supposed they were bloodshot. -A smear of stickiness around his face convinced him he'd suffered a -nosebleed. But otherwise he was sound. He patted the jacket he wore and -his hand encountered the cylindrical hardness of the flashlight he'd -borrowed from the supply truck. He took it out, snapped it on.</p> - -<p>The little padded compartment was the same, the door still tightly -wedged. He turned the light carefully around it, saw that the -faint break in the total darkness before had come from two tiny -openings—glass insets. Probably, he thought, the openings for the -instruments, possibly the lens spots for cameras.</p> - -<p>He switched off his flashlight, put an eye to an opening. The spot -of glass was thick but amazingly clear. He caught a glimpse of -blue-black sky and a jagged line of misty gray and white, beneath which -stretched the edge of a great brown-and-green bowl. He stared at it in -puzzlement, watching it as it swung slowly away.</p> - -<p>He realized that the rocket had developed a slow spin, that his viewing -spot would gradually circle the region around him. And he realized that -the great brownish bowl was the Earth.</p> - -<p>From the darkness of the sky he realized that he must already be high -in the stratosphere, possibly well beyond it. From the curvature of the -horizon, he must be far up, several hundred miles, he guessed. And he -could see that the curvature was increasing as he watched. The rocket -was still traveling upward, traveling at an immense rate of speed. -Its last rockets had blasted away and had left it with a heritage of -unparalleled speed.</p> - -<p>Robin screwed up his eyes again, mentally calculated. He revised his -estimate of his height, doubled it, redoubled it. Why, he might be a -thousand miles up, two thousand, perhaps many times that! How fast was -he traveling?</p> - -<p>He didn't know. He couldn't tell. He remembered the talk about -atomic fuels he had overheard. Could it be that the inventors had -miscalculated? Could it be that he was already in outer space, heading -for the void, never to return to Earth?</p> - -<p>He screwed his eye again to the outlet. In the short time since he'd -first looked the sky had darkened. It was black, jet-black, and the -stars were fiery points of white. The Earth now seemed like a ball, a -vast ball whose fringes glowed with the pale mistiness of a sun-lit -blanket of air. But where he was there was no air. He was beyond any -atmosphere. No whistling of atmospheric friction was present in the -length of the silent rocket.</p> - -<p>And then a blinding white glow poked a piercing beam through the tiny -eye-spot. It was the sun, unshielded, brilliant. In a moment the tiny -ray vanished as the rocket continued its slow turning, but Robin in -that instant had come to realize what had happened.</p> - -<p>He was in outer space, beyond Earth, never to return. He was the first -man to reach that untracked void that bounded on all the stars and -suns of a universe. He was the first—but who would ever know? Who -could ever hear of him, whose helpless body, imprisoned in its shining -airtight shell, now seemed doomed to float unsuspected forever on the -cosmic tides of interplanetary space?</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c5_Fall_Without_End" id="c5_Fall_Without_End"><i>5. Fall Without End</i></a></h2> - - -<p>For a moment Robin felt dizzy again, and the falling sensation wracked -him. It was the weightlessness, he knew. The sensation of being without -weight was the same as that of being in free fall. And he was operating -beyond the effects of gravity. Somehow the atomic rocket fuels had been -far greater or far more effective than the inventors had calculated. He -knew that they had never intended this rocket to be shot beyond Earth's -grip—for if they had, they would not have loaded it with the test -animals and they would not have placed a parachute-release arrangement -in the nose.</p> - -<p>However, it now occurred to him he might be wrong about this. He had -seen the reference to the parachute on the loading chart, and he now -remembered lettering indicating parachute on the body of the rocket -just above the little entryway to the topmost cargo compartment. Still, -perhaps there was no parachute there.</p> - -<p>He squirmed around again, trying to get used to the nauseating -sensation of free fall. He felt as if he had to exert conscious effort -to keep his stomach from turning inside out. He felt an impulse to -scream, to thrash his hands, and he had to remind himself that it was -an illusion.</p> - -<p>For a while he just rested, floating in the little space, bumping -steadily against one wall or another, with barely inches to spare. The -tiny burning sunbeam pierced through again and vanished. Robin looked -through the peephole.</p> - -<p>It was the dead black of outer space now, a black beyond conception, -black with nothing in it to reflect. And against it an inconceivable -array of brilliant points of light—the stars in numbers beyond any -seen through the blanket of atmosphere. White, with some yellows and -reds, and a few bluish ones here and there. The Earth moved again into -sight and it was distinctly smaller—though still an impressively -vast bowl—but beginning distinctly to resemble a monstrous globe -in bas-relief, breathtakingly impressive with its living face, its -shifting misty veil of air and water vapor.</p> - -<p>Robin became aware that he was thirsty. Yes, and hungry too. He took -stock of his situation. He felt through his pockets, came up with one -of the candy bars he had taken. He hefted it thoughtfully. Should he -eat it now or save it?</p> - -<p>That raised the question he had been unconsciously avoiding. Save it -for what?</p> - -<p>If he was indeed heading for the boundless regions of space, then he -was a doomed man. If he ate now, it would mean that starvation would -come sooner. If he delayed, doled it to himself in small bits, it could -only prolong the agony awhile, but would not the result still be the -same?</p> - -<p>There was the chance, the odd chance, that the rocket somehow might yet -return to Earth. It might describe a circle, an arc, finally begin to -fall back. If it did so, the parachute would operate and perhaps land -Robin in safety.</p> - -<p>Somehow it didn't seem likely to Robin, yet that chance existed. If so, -it would have to return to Earth before a full starvation period could -result in death. Robin had read somewhere that one could go without -food for as much as thirty days, but without water for not more than -seven or eight. If the rocket were describing an arc or a parabola, -then it would surely start its return within less than that week's -leeway.</p> - -<p>With this in mind, Robin unwrapped the candy bar and ate it. The second -one he would save as long as possible. But what about water?</p> - -<p>The squeaking of the test animals broke in on his thoughts. Surely -they must have been supplied with some sort of food for their flight? -Robin switched himself around to face the floor and began to dig at -the padding there. He managed to loosen it, pull it to one side, -revealing the floor of the compartment. As he had hoped, it was not -a metal plate. His own chamber, the one for the instruments, was not -a section in itself but only part of a section paneled off by braced -plasterboard. And what was more there were already holes drilled -through it so that the air in both sections would be equalized.</p> - -<p>This answered another question Robin had been trying to avoid. How was -it the air was remaining fresh now, though it had gone stale while he -was hiding? Apparently there was a small supply of oxygen operating -automatically in the animal section that seeped through into the upper -compartment too. Evidently once the rocket went into flight this -started to work and would continue for the originally calculated period.</p> - -<p>Robin dug his fingers into the openings and pulled. Gradually the -plasterboard bent away and opened a space into the section below. He -looked down, using his flashlight.</p> - -<p>There were two cages below, well padded. In one, two little brown -monkeys clung together floating just above the floor and looking -terrified. They chattered when they saw him, but remained tightly -locked in each other's arms. In the other, four small rabbits were -placidly nibbling bits of lettuce, although one rabbit was upside -down, another sideways on the side of the cage.</p> - -<p>There were a couple of small boxes set in each cage, and Robin could -see that they dispensed food and water to the animals at presumably -regular intervals. Robin reached down next to the monkeys' cage and -started to work loose the small water holder there. He found it slid -out of place once he turned the holding bolt. As he drew the little -flask upward, one of the monkeys made an effort to nip his finger, but -he withdrew it in time.</p> - -<p>The water flask drawn up into Robin's compartment made him feel better. -This would make his stay a little more comfortable for a while. He felt -sorry for the monkeys, who might go thirsty now, but he had a suspicion -that the two little beasts were probably too hysterically frightened to -eat or drink anyway. Robin wet his throat a little.</p> - -<p>He looked back down, reached out, and investigated the food -compartment. Sure enough, there were several bananas in the monkeys' -food container. They would do also.</p> - -<p>He glanced around the space below again. There were the oxygen tanks, -set up with a timer, one gently hissing away. There also was a small -heating unit with a thermostat that evidently kept the temperature in -the animal division at a level—and almost certainly was doing the same -for the whole section.</p> - -<p>Robin grimaced to himself as he worked the padding back into place -on the floor. He might manage to be quite comfortable for a while -longer—a day or so more. While there's life, there's hope, he said to -himself. Better check the parachute question, too, while I'm at it.</p> - -<p>He reversed himself in a neatly executed weightless somersault and -making what had once been his roof the floor, worked the padding out -there. But here he was thwarted, for he found the rounded metal side of -the section's nose. If there were a parachute, it obviously occupied -its own compartment at the very tip of the rocket's nose.</p> - -<p>He looked out the peephole from his upside-down perch, stared musingly -at the panoply of the stars. He wondered if he could recognize a -planet should one swing across his narrow field of vision, decided -that perhaps he might not be able to do so, so vast were the number of -stars present. He looked again at Earth, noticing that it had visibly -rotated on its axis. That meant that time had passed, a good deal of -it. Mentally he tried to calculate just how much. He was looking at -the Eastern Hemisphere now, or a corner of it. At least half a day, or -maybe a day and a half, or more. How could he tell how long he had been -asleep, how long unconscious?</p> - -<p>He realized that he was tired, that his body still ached from the -painful take-off. He closed his eyes, and without actually wanting to, -fell asleep.</p> - -<p>His sleeping body swung slowly to and fro in the tiny space, bumping -gently from one side to the other. As he slept he dreamed of falling, -dreamed of falling over huge endless cliffs, of dropping down strange -chasms, of being carried by huge birds and suddenly being dropped.</p> - -<p>His subconscious mind would never give up the insistent awareness -that his body was falling. It was a certain thing that such would -be the dreams of anyone in space flight. The built-in machinery of -self-protection identifies a sense of loss of weight with the automatic -warning of a fall. Ten thousand thousand generations of climb from -primeval arboreal ancestry found the warning valid—no conscious -knowledge otherwise would ever shut off this instinctive alarm.</p> - -<p>He awoke again with a start and a convulsive grasp for a tree branch. -But he shook off the sensation and rubbed his eyes. He took another -sip from the water flask, reached into the compartment below and took -one of the bananas. The monkeys were still in each other's arms, but -now asleep. The rabbits were nosing the corners of their cage as if -everything were perfectly normal.</p> - -<p>He looked through his peephole and saw the Moon.</p> - -<p>It was large, it was vast, it took up most of the view in his range. -It looked as close as the Earth had looked before. He looked upon the -stupendous moonscape with awe. It was the vision one strains to see -through a telescope. He had often paid a dime to look at it through -the six-inch telescope at the City Science Museum. This was the same -vision, but bigger and clearer, so very, very clear.</p> - -<p>He could see only a small section of the Moon, but that was impressive. -A particularly rugged area of jagged mountains, huge craters, high -walled and wide bottomed, with long rills and ridges running across the -surfaces.</p> - -<p>It shone white under the sun, with immensely black shadows breaking -it where the sun failed to penetrate. Yet there were more than whites -and grays and blacks here. He saw that without the atmosphere of Earth -there were other more delicate shadings. The sides of some mountains -had bluish and greenish tinges, and more than one crater bottom showed -a distinct faint tinge of pale green, or in other spots yellowish -blotches. And in one small spot he distinctly saw a mistiness of the -surface, saw that a faint fuzziness barred the clear sight of the -crater bottom.</p> - -<p>He stared with wonder at the sight and the Moon slowly turned out of -his vision as the rocket turned. He looked away, deep in thought.</p> - -<p>He had read enough about the Moon in his astronomical readings. He knew -the various theories, the latest conjectures. He knew that mistiness, -that evidences of clouding had been seen often by astronomers, but -the sight was nevertheless rare. No two astronomers ever happened -to be looking at the same place at the same time. It was always one -man's word, and it was never possible to predict such a thing, nor to -photograph it.</p> - -<p>He knew that those men who made a special study of the Moon recognized -these things and had come to accept them as evidence that what was -once regarded as a dead world was not entirely dead. They had charted -these color shifts in certain spots, one or two areas could be -predicted well enough to occasionally be provable to others. Pickering -had seen many such color changes, had even attributed it to some sort -of fast-growing vegetation.</p> - -<p>Robin remembered that it was now largely believed that the Moon had not -quite ceased its volcanic internal action. He recalled that astronomers -had begun to admit that the evidence of these bits of mist and the -further evidence of actual mapped changes in the Lunar topography had -proved that something was still warm and boiling within the crust of -Old Luna.</p> - -<p>Then it occurred to Robin that if the Moon were that close to him, he -might really be falling upon it!</p> - -<p>He peered out, saw again a section of Luna in view. It was close. -Evidently the nose of the rocket had indeed been propelled far beyond -Earth's atmosphere, beyond its gravitational grip. If the Moon had -been elsewhere, perhaps the rocket nose would have swung about and -eventually returned to fall upon the Earth, as Robin had originally -surmised. But by chance his orbit, that of the rocket nose in free -space, had cut too close to the body of the Moon. The rocket was -dangerously near to being seized in the grip of the Moon's gravity and -pulled down to it.</p> - -<p>Robin mulled this thought over and realized that it was possibly the -truth. He glued his eye to the peephole and tried to determine where he -was.</p> - -<p>After a while, he saw that the Moon was gradually increasing in size. -The rocket nose was definitely approaching the Lunar sphere. Because -the Earth no longer swung into view, Robin also realized that the -rocket nose must have reversed itself, must be heading moonward, must -be falling to the Moon!</p> - -<p>It would fall faster and faster now, as its trip through space was -ending. It was held in the grip of a new world and would speed to its -final destruction like a meteoric bullet. It would be another meteor -blasting into the surface to flash instantly into powder!</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c6_Target_Luna" id="c6_Target_Luna"><i>6. Target: Luna</i></a></h2> - - -<p>Now that Robin recognized the certainty that he would never return, -that he was a doomed man, a curious sort of change came over him. Up -to this time, he had been carefully suppressing his inner thoughts, -comforting himself with the hope that the trip would somehow end -up safely. Yet while his mind was dwelling on that thought to the -exclusion of others, his nerves had been under tension. He had felt -himself continually on the edge of breakdown, in proximity to screaming.</p> - -<p>But Robin had been trained well. His life had never been a -particularly easy one and the crying had almost certainly got out of -his system during the days when as a little boy he had wandered through -a war-torn land hungry and homeless. Life in an orphanage, at best, -lacks much of the careful comforts of parents' hands, and those who had -come out of such upbringing learn strong self-control early, learn to -hold their jumping nerves in check at moments of tension and crisis.</p> - -<p>Now that the conscious realization that a crash into the Moon was -inevitable had forced itself into acceptance, Robin felt a slipping -away of this tension. The die had been cast, the doubt had been -removed. He actually felt an easing of his mind, felt himself able to -take cooler estimate of his situation.</p> - -<p>He curled himself up in his narrow, closetlike space as comfortably as -possible and thought the matter over. He was hungry again and still -thirsty and this time he ate the second candy bar without saving any. -At the rate of speed he was traveling, it could not be many hours more -before he flashed to a sudden, fiery, meteoric death. He turned that -thought over in his mind, while he drank some more water.</p> - -<p>A meteoric end, he thought, to flash like a blazing firebolt, to crash -with the violence of an explosion against the dry, dusty surface of the -Moon. It might have been spectacular to observe, but he would never -know. He wondered if it would be seen from the Earth.</p> - -<p>Suddenly, like an automatic switch being thrown on an electronic -relay, a memory shot into his thoughts. He was well-read in astronomy, -particularly on the subject of the Moon, and the thought that struck -him was this: <i>Astronomers did not see meteors crash into the Moon!</i> -They just didn't! And Moon observation under powerful telescopes -was most exact; if even fair-sized meteors hit the Moon with the -same explosive impact that they hit Earth, they would be seen beyond -question. Further, since the Moon was a companion of the Earth, and our -home planet was bombarded with countless meteors daily, the Moon must -be a target of a like number. Of course, the meteors that hit Earth -were almost entirely burned up by atmospheric friction long before -reaching the surface.</p> - -<p>But the Moon apparently had no atmosphere ... there should have been -nothing to prevent them from constantly battering the face of the Moon -in a continuous, heavy rain of iron and rock. Lunar meteors should be -visible all the time. But they were not!</p> - -<p>So ... what would really happen when his rocket hit the Moon?</p> - -<p>Robin was tingling with strange excitement. Facing death as he was, -he knew that even at the moment of dying he would be rewarded with -at least one secret of the universe now unknown to men. What was the -secret? He wracked his brain trying to bring back to memory all that he -had read on that problem.</p> - -<p>And he brought back the memory that during the past few years a growing -number of astronomers had begun to believe that the Moon was not -entirely without an atmosphere. It wasn't believed to have much of one, -but it had been pointed out that most meteors to hit Earth burn up at -least thirty miles high. And the atmosphere at that height on Earth was -very, very thin. So thin indeed that if the Moon had a belt of air only -that dense, it might not be particularly detectable from Earth, might -not make much difference from the surface—it was almost a vacuum so -far as living matter would be concerned—but it would suffice to burn -up meteors!</p> - -<p>So it seemed likely that his rocket nose would be heated to -incandescence by the tenuous Lunar atmosphere and burn to ash long -before it touched the surface.... It wasn't a comforting thought—he -rather preferred the original conception of crashing.</p> - -<p>Robin smiled grimly to himself. A dismal prospect, indeed. He had -somehow cherished the hope that at least some wreckage of his rocket -would be scattered about the surface, to be discovered some day by the -explorers of the future, perhaps hundreds of years later. They would -speculate upon it, perhaps trace it and in that way know that one Robin -Carew had, in death, been the first to reach the Moon.</p> - -<p>But to burn up on high, even that faint honor would be denied him!</p> - -<p>He looked again through the peephole. The Moon was close now, very -close. He looked down upon a heaving and fearful view—a vast sea of -glistening white, with streaks and patches of gray, and here and there -great gaping clefts of black. Huge ringed craters, their saw-toothed -mountain walls soaring into the sky—and craters upon craters, big ones -and little ones, broken ones, craters breaking into the boundaries of -others, little ones dotting the bottom of big ones, cracks and clefts -shooting from their bases; a ring of jagged mountains running across -the moonscape; areas of apparently flat plains.</p> - -<p>The sun was directly overhead, for it was still full moon and the glare -was great, the shadows that mark the setting or rising of a Lunar day -not too obvious, stunted patches of jet blackness. But the Moon was -not entirely whites and grays, for indeed it was gently tinted in -spots with other colorations. He could see for himself that there were -greenish tints in some flat spots, yellowish and purpling areas. And -yes, there was even in one tiny patch in a crater floor a faint cloudy -mass, a mere haziness that indicated some sort of gaseous mist.</p> - -<p>Robin drank in the scene, the view of another world, that world which -has dazzled the dreamers of Earth for thousands of years. These might -be his last moments, but he could not be denied the saturation of his -senses.</p> - -<p>The rocket was fast heading down toward a point near the center. -The Moon was spreading out, filling the view, and the rocket's slow -rotation no longer brought anything into view but moonscape, a constant -shifting view, with wonders upon wonders moving into his eye's scope.</p> - -<p>Robin drew back a moment, rubbed his arms, scratched his legs. He felt -himself tingling, wondered if it were his nerves. He felt itchy, hoped -his nerves would not give way. He thought to himself, I may have only -minutes now. I shall watch till the end. Then he heard a faint, faint -noise.</p> - -<p>From somewhere there was a humming. The merest shadow of a hum, -and Robin listened to it, startled. The humming rose in pitch, it -was no dream, and as he sat, mouth open, amazed, there was a thin, -high-pitched screaming outside the rocket and he suddenly began to feel -hot.</p> - -<p>Robin had but a second in which to think to himself, There's an -atmosphere and we're burning up, when there came a new sound. A sort of -<i>bloop</i> from over his head, a snapping noise, and something seemed to -grab the rocket and jerk it upside down violently.</p> - -<p>Robin was tossed in a sharp somersault, banging against the original -floor of his compartment in a jumble of arms and legs. He sat up and -realized that he was sitting—not floating—but actually sitting -<i>against gravity's pull</i>! He scrambled onto his knees, peeped through -his peephole.</p> - -<p>The sky was back in view, the Moon was below the falling ship and he -could see the edge of a huge, circular orange mass above him, straining -and pulling. It was the parachute from the nose of the rocket. It was -the orange parachute designed to land the instrument nose and the test -animals safely in the New Mexico desert. And it had been set to open -automatically upon the pressure of air when falling.</p> - -<p>There was an atmosphere around the Moon then ... a thin, thin one, -but the delicate detonator of the chute had functioned. The great -hemispheric mass of delicate nylon had opened, had found a purchase, -and was dragging the rocket back from a disastrous burn-out.</p> - -<p>Robin breathed a sigh of relief, strained his eyes to see the moonscape -again. The rocket was still falling, mighty fast it seemed. He could -see the moonscape rise out, expand to fill the view. The rocket was -warm now, definitely still heating from the thin friction. It vibrated -and whistled but it swung in no breeze. It was moving too fast. In that -almost unnoticeable belt of tenuous air there would be no winds that -could deflect it. The parachute was open, but the air was not thick -enough to do more than slow it down too gradually for it to be saved.</p> - -<p>It would, he realized, still crash into the surface with a deadly -force. It would hit like a shell from a cannon, and the explorers of -the far future would have their mysterious fragments of tooled metal to -speculate on.</p> - -<p>Below him Robin saw the jagged mountain peaks reaching up for him -into the dark black sky. He scanned it, remembering his Moon books, -remembering the cold photos taken by distant Terrestrial cameras and -the careful diagrams and names given by men long dead. He was hitting -near the center of the Moon, a little above it, and the crater whose -walls were reaching up ... why he could even name it. He grinned wryly. -It would be Theophilus, and it seemed he would miss it, hit somewhere -near it in a bay of the so-called Sea of Tranquillity.</p> - -<p>Rushing up toward him, Theophilus was no peaceful Greek ancient. It -was a barren, toothed, rocky edge, miles up, without the snow that -makes our mountains majestic, without a trace of the forests that -conceal a mountain's jagged sides, without even the gentle weathering -of rain and water.</p> - -<p>And the Sea of Tranquillity—a dark, wrinkled plain that looked as if -it had gone through the agonies of torture ages past. The marks of -almost-vanished volcanoes on it, pale circular rings like pocks of -burst bubbles, rambling ridges, and ugly cracks, and here and there -domes rising gray out of the surface, like the tops of giant bubbles -working their way out of the dry and flaky crust.</p> - -<p>Robin watched in dread fascination. He heard the whistling and -shrieking of the rocket like a demon in torment. He himself was burning -and itching as he was being baked, although he felt no fever. The -rocket was warm but getting no warmer. The topmost peak of Theophilus -was rushing up into his sky like a fast-growing stone geyser.</p> - -<p>He watched it shoot up, saw it grow, saw the ground become clearer and -clearer, each ghastly detail spreading out, assuming three-dimension -reality. Now the peak was on a level with his eyes, now it was beyond -him, and he was in the last few seconds of his fall.</p> - -<p>The rocket seemed to be slowing slightly. The atmosphere was possibly -getting a trifle thicker at the surface, enough to prolong the agony -a minute or two or three longer. Above him the parachute strained and -twisted. But still the rocket was falling too fast. It rushed down, -straining to complete its act of affinity with a new gravity, as if -tired of its brief period of interplanetary freedom, and anxious to -pledge allegiance to a new gravitational master.</p> - -<p>Below, the moonscape was coming up fast. Robin could see well enough to -begin to speculate where exactly he would hit. There was a small circle -that must have been a crater scar. There were several dark lines that -might be a network of cracks. And there was a dome.</p> - -<p>He remembered those domes. They had been quite a recent discovery too. -Not easily seen until latter-day instruments showed the surface of the -Moon dotted with these odd bumps. Their nature was still a mystery.</p> - -<p>It looked as if Robin would find out the hard way what their -construction was. For now he was clearly heading directly for the -center of the one below him. A bubble-top pushing out from the plain, -hard and shiny like lava, glistening in the sun against the gray and -dusty surface of the plain around it.</p> - -<p>Theophilus's wall was already on the horizon, high and towering. And -now Robin realized how terribly fast the rocket was still falling. The -mountain was a measuring stick and it was fearful.</p> - -<p>There was a moment of dreadful suspense as the rocket raced to a bull's -eye on the upthrust center of the dome. The rounded surface rushed up.</p> - -<p>Robin flattened himself against the padding, clutched his head in his -hands, and stiffened himself. The rocket hummed against the thin air, -it vibrated against the parachute, there was a terrible split second of -shock when the bullet-shaped structure of the rocket's cargo nose made -its contact with its Lunar target, and then a clap of sound in Robin's -ear like a blockbuster going off.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c7_The_Honeycomb_Place" id="c7_The_Honeycomb_Place"><i>7. The Honeycomb Place</i></a></h2> - - -<p>Robin had no time to wonder why he had not been instantly killed by the -crash, because the explosion on hitting the surface of the dome was -followed instantly by a tremendous roaring sound that surrounded the -entire rocket nose. This was in turn accompanied by a powerful pressure -on the rocket, which threw Robin against the nose-end cushioning and -held him there.</p> - -<p>The pressure was not steady, changing as the roaring itself changed, -with sudden bursts of sound, convulsive shoves, and changes in pitch. -The rocket was being slowed by a terrific outward burst of gases, -gases that must have been imprisoned in a huge volcanic bubble whose -outermost surface was the dome, so mysterious to Terrestrial observers. -By bursting through the thin lava shell, Robin's rocket had released -these pent-up gases and was boring its way down on its still rapid -momentum against the pressure of this column of gas.</p> - -<p>Robin did not know this at the time, though he figured it out later. At -the time, he had all he could do to keep himself from being battered -black-and-blue by the jolting rocket. He kept his head clutched tightly -in his arms, rode with the bumps and roars, and tried to keep his -breath from being knocked out of his lungs.</p> - -<p>There was another violent shock and crack and again the rocket bounced -to a new flow of gases. It had slammed through one huge bubble, -breaking through the bottom shell only to burst into a lower pocket -of gas. The roaring subsided to a lower pitch as the new gases did -not find the near-vacuum of the surface that the first gas bubble had -opened upon. The rocket fell steadily, bursting through a third, and -then a fourth such bubble. It was clear that the surface of the Moon, -at least in that area, was a mass of congealed gas pockets, a honeycomb -of thin-walled lava bubbles, perhaps quite deep.</p> - -<p>The rocket was almost entirely devoid of its original space momentum -by the time it hit the bottom of the last bubble, snapped the thin -crust, and fell through it. This time there was a sudden hissing around -the battered nose and a warmth began to flow through the body of the -rocket. It was enveloped in a belt of hot steam through which it fell -several hundred feet and then hit something with a loud splashing -noise. The sound vanished as the rocket sank deep into the new -substance, came to a halt, and bobbed back upward.</p> - -<p>Robin had gotten hold of himself after the third bubble and was hanging -on, mentally trying to estimate what had happened. This last sound had -been familiar. It must have been water, and the bobbing back of the -rocket to the surface confirmed his views. He felt the rocket bounce a -couple of times and then subside to a gentle rocking and rolling.</p> - -<p>Robin held on for a moment, getting his balance. In some ways the -new motion was more disturbing than all that had gone before—the -cylindrical body of the rocket, with its blunt end and its rounded -nose, was twisting and turning as only can be done by a bottle tossed -in a flowing stream. Robin tried to get hold of himself, orient himself -to the odd seasick motion, then managed to work his way to the peephole.</p> - -<p>He could see nothing. Whatever was outside was without light. But it -sounded like water lapping against the sides, it felt like water's -forces, and the rocket seemed definitely to be afloat. Robin used his -flashlight, tried to direct its beam through the tiny camera outlet. -After a little manipulation he succeeded in getting some reflection -from outside.</p> - -<p>It was water, and the rocket seemed to be floating rapidly along -on some sort of dark subterraneous tide. Robin sat back, puzzled. -Water—under the Moon?</p> - -<p>He held on, still feeling a little dizzy, feeling dirty and itchy, but -suddenly beneath it all a little thrilled and pleased. He had survived -the crash by some miracle—he was on the Moon and alive! What next?</p> - -<p>Next was quick to come. There was a sudden dip in the current and -the rocket tilted forward as it shot down a spillway, down a violent -decline on a raging torrent, sliding down an unseen waterfall for a -surprisingly long time, leveling out at a fast clip, sliding down new -tunnels through which the water raced, hitting the side of sharp turns -with occasional glancing blows, down more dips and falls, spinning -violently around in unseen whirlpools, and finally racing out on a fast -stream to gradually slow down and finally come to rest, gently bobbing.</p> - -<p>Robin had been knocked around during this breathless ride and only -gradually did he realize it was over. Warily he raised his head from -where he was sprawled in his tiny closet-compartment and waited. But -the gentle bobbing continued.</p> - -<p>He put his eye to the peephole and looked. There was a glow outside, a -grayish, pale glow, but he could see that the nose of the rocket was -somehow grounded on something dry while the tail was still in the water -rocking to the current.</p> - -<p>He considered his next course of action for a few seconds. It seemed as -if he had a chance to escape from his vehicle at last. But escape to -what?</p> - -<p>Was there air outside, wherever it was that he found himself? If there -were air, was it enough to sustain him? Might it not be poisonous or -utterly lacking in oxygen?</p> - -<p>Well, Robin thought to himself, there isn't really any choice. If I -stay here, I'll starve to death or suffocate. If I go out, I may die -even sooner. But now or later, if it has to be, it won't make any -difference. Whatever the odds in favor of my being able to breathe -here, I've got to take them.</p> - -<p>He twisted around, found the circular port through which he had -originally entered the rocket. He worked at it with his fingers, -realizing that it might be quite difficult to open. He worked away -the padding that lined the interior, found that it had an arrangement -that had automatically sealed it when closed. There was no handle on -the inside, for it had never been planned to be opened from that side. -However, there were several screws over a small plate, and Robin set to -work to unscrew them. He had a Boy Scout knife in his pants pocket—the -kind with several blades—and with the back of the biggest blade he -worked out the screws.</p> - -<p>The panel off, he saw how the sealed gimbals worked, clicked them open -and pushed open the door. It held tight for a moment, then popped open. -There was a sudden drop in the pressure, Robin's ears popped, and he -gasped for breath.</p> - -<p>The air outside was lower in pressure than that inside the cargo nose -of the rocket, which had been sealed at Earth level. But it was air and -it was breathable. Robin drew in several deep lungfuls, savoring it.</p> - -<p>It was oddly exhilarating, as if highly charged with oxygen. At the -same time there was a smell of mold and dampness and a definite taste -of sulfur and phosphorus like that just after a kitchen match has been -lighted. Even so, the air was breathable.</p> - -<p>Robin worked his head and shoulders through the narrow opening, slid -forward and landed on hands and knees on the rocky surface. He got to -his feet, looked around.</p> - -<p>He was standing on the bank of a rushing stream of water, which was -pouring out of a large gap in the side of a cliff. The cliff ran -straight up, gently curving to form part of the ceiling several -hundred feet overhead. The extent of this ceiling was impossible to -determine—it was dark and obscure—but it seemed to Robin almost at -once that he was in some sort of gigantic enclosed space—a vast cavern -beneath the surface of the Moon, probably several miles beneath it.</p> - -<p>The water coming from the underground falls rushed out to form a wide, -shallow river which flowed along one side of the cavern and widened out -to a few hundred feet clear across to the farther wall. On Robin's side -the floor of the cavern rose in a slow slope until it reached its wall -perhaps three hundred feet away. Robin could not estimate the length -of the cavern. Looking along the river bank, the cave seemed to become -veiled in a general mistiness and gathering darkness.</p> - -<p>The light itself came from no definite source, but seemed to emanate -from the rocky walls and ceiling, from the clayey ground, and from -the general atmosphere. Robin supposed that the source was a natural -phosphorescence which he knew was not too uncommon even in Terrestrial -caverns.</p> - -<p>All around on the soil bordering the flowing water was a forest, a -forest with the weirdest vegetation Robin had ever seen. Plants growing -in clumps and clusters, plants whose large treelike stalks resembled -a whitish-blue bamboo, and which burst into globular blue bulbs which -seemed to serve as leaves. Among these tree-sized growths was a rich -undergrowth of tight balls of varying yellow and green and purple, -growing like thick, squat mushrooms. And everywhere else a thick, lush -carpet of green, not grasslike but rather like some oversize moss.</p> - -<p>In this forest there were no sounds of birds or animals, but only that -of plants swaying in the river breeze, the rushing of the waters, and -from somewhere distant in the unseen end of the cavern a strange, -steady hissing sound.</p> - -<p>The rocket, or what was left of it, lay wedged against a section of the -bank, its nose up and its tail swaying in the current. Robin looked at -it, amazed to find it so small. All that was left of the rocket was -the cargo nose, which was the only part sent off after the last of the -rocket sections had discharged their forces and been dropped off. The -whole affair was not more than about ten feet long, from the battered, -blunted red nose, from which several long, straggling orange cords -hung—all that was left of the parachute and its attachments—down -to the scraped and battered white cylinder that was the cargo -compartment. The compartment ended in a flat plate which bore only a -few wires that had once connected it with the break-away mechanism -of the last of the atomic blasting chambers. This alone was the load -of the eight-story tower of energy which had been the Red Sands -experimental rocket.</p> - -<p>Robin, without further delay, bent down to the cylinder and began -to haul and push it entirely out of the water to the dry ground. He -knew he could not afford to risk its loss. To his surprise, moving -the rocket head was an easy task. It was extremely light and he found -himself possessed of tremendous strength, tired and bruised and sore as -he was.</p> - -<p>It was, he thought, as he pulled the rocket along, the Moon and its -weak gravity. He would only weigh a sixth of his Earth weight here, so -would the cargo head, yet he would have the muscles necessary for much -more than that weight. He would literally be a superman here—if he -could survive.</p> - -<p>Survival, he knew, would be the question. He didn't know whether even -now he might be inhaling poison from the strange, thin sublunar air. He -didn't know what mysterious radioactive rays might be bathing him with -their baleful influence. He didn't know whether any of the vegetation -in this cavern world would be edible.</p> - -<p>Having brought the cargo cylinder to a safe spot many feet from -the water, Robin looked for the door that would open the animal -compartment. He found it, forced it open. Inside were the two cages. -Gently he reached in, unscrewed them from their holdings, and lifted -them out.</p> - -<p>One of the monkeys was dead, probably killed by some of the jouncing -the rocket had taken. The other, looking miserable, was clinging to the -bars chattering. Robin looked at it, and the monkey looked back. The -young man unlatched the cage, reached in, and took the little brown -animal by the back of the neck. But the monkey made no effort to bite. -Instead, it twisted around, grabbed Robin's arm, and hung tight.</p> - -<p>When his grip was released, the monkey scurried up Robin's arm and -clung to his shoulder, recognizing the need for companionship after its -frightening experiences.</p> - -<p>The rabbits had fared slightly better. One of them was dead, but the -other three, while somewhat beaten around, were alive and sniffling -their pink noses. Robin saw that there was very little food or water -left for the animals.</p> - -<p>Here then was the means to test the Moon's capacity to produce food -and drink. First, however, Robin decided he would build a pen for the -rabbits. If he were lucky, he could breed them and have at least one -source of food suited to his system.</p> - -<p>He went over to the nearest clump of ball-trees, looked them over, -tested his strength on them. They broke easily and quickly when -he grasped one by the trunk and pulled. He found that it could be -splintered into shreds fairly rapidly and that inside the shell of the -stalk was a mass of cottony matter.</p> - -<p>He shredded a number of the stalks, and then staked them out in the -ground to make a small fenced pen, tying the whole together with one -of the long cords hanging from the parachute nose. Into this makeshift -pen, he released the three rabbits. He filled the cup from their cage -with water from the river, placed it in the pen. The rabbits hopped -over, sniffed, and drank. They seemed to suffer no ill effects.</p> - -<p>Robin broke open one of the ball-like growths from the tree, found it -contained a substance resembling a combination of melon and potato. He -offered some of this to the rabbits and after an interval they ate it -and seemed to like it.</p> - -<p>The monkey was chattering away as Robin did this and suddenly scampered -down and snatched a piece of the ball-food, stuffing it into its mouth. -Robin had not wanted to use the little creature for a test but the -damage was done. However, the monkey seemed to enjoy it.</p> - -<p>Robin sat down on the ground and watched. He felt tired, now realized -just how tired he was, how sorely he ached from his experience. He -felt warm and headachy now that the strain was over. He knew he still -had things to do. He wanted to try to make a fire and cook the rabbit -that had been killed. He was thirsty as well. He wanted to tie a cord -to the monkey so that the animal would not run away into the unknown -and possibly dangerous regions of the cavern. He wanted to find a safe -place to sleep and hide should there be some sort of animal life around.</p> - -<p>But he was growing terribly sleepy and feeling quite sick. He curled -up, and before he could stop himself, he was asleep.</p> - -<p>The rabbits nibbled on. The monkey sat on a ball in one of the strange -trees and watched in silence. Far off, somewhere in the cavern, the -mysterious hissing continued.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c8_Robinson_Crusoe_Carew" id="c8_Robinson_Crusoe_Carew"><i>8. Robinson Crusoe Carew</i></a></h2> - - -<p>When Robin Carew opened his eyes, he knew he was a very sick man. -He felt warm, sticky, and he hurt all over. He tried to sit up, but -everything spun dizzily around him. His arms, legs, and body were -burning intolerably and there was an itch throughout him that he could -do nothing about. He lay back, trying to gain strength.</p> - -<p>A little later he managed to crawl to the water's edge, fill the -container he had used in the trip from Earth, drag himself back. For a -period whose length he could not determine he lay helpless in fever -and pain, arousing himself only long enough to drink to soothe his -tortured body.</p> - -<p>Finally, the fever broke. He sat up, feeling weak but with his mind -clear at long last. He dragged himself to his feet, blessing the light -gravity, aware that if he were back home his body would not have -responded. He felt that he was gaunt, he knew he had been through a -terrible siege, and he could only guess at the time he had lain there, -tossing about on the strange Lunar ground, unprotected in the queer -climate of this unknown cavern. It must, he felt, have been days—Earth -days, of course—that his attack had lasted.</p> - -<p>Later on he decided that he had suffered from a severe case of space -burn. Having traveled through the emptiness of the void between the -planets, the vessel had been nearly unprotected from the cosmic rays -and the more penetrating of the sun's invisible rays. He considered -himself lucky to have survived at all.</p> - -<p>He desperately needed food now to rebuild his body. He looked at the -rabbit pen. The little animals were there and evidently prospering on -the ball-food he had prepared for them before his sickness. It was -almost all gone and he broke open and pared more at once. He wondered -how long it would be before the animals bred—he knew that rabbits bred -fast and abundantly, and hoped it would hold true on the Moon.</p> - -<p>There was a sudden chattering in one of the strange trees and he looked -up to see a little brown face peering at him. In a moment, the monkey -leaped to the ground, then leaped in one tremendous jump to Robin's -shoulder and perched there happy at finding companionship again. The -monkey looked none the worse for its experience and evidently was -getting along nicely on the Lunar vegetation. Thus encouraged, Robin -fed himself, first carefully testing everything on the monkey, who -objected to nothing.</p> - -<p>But somehow the food was not entirely satisfying to the man, who felt -that he needed more than that to recover his full energy. He looked -again at the rabbits, looked also for the carcass of the dead one. -But he found that part of it had rotted and part had been consumed. -He looked closely and saw his first glimpse of a Lunar counterpart to -animal life.</p> - -<p>There were many tiny creatures, a half inch to an inch in length, -looking at first like ants but on closer inspection appearing more like -three-segmented worms, for they lacked legs and moved in an inchworm's -fashion. Instead of antennae, each little worm-ant had on its front -segment a single upstanding stalk ending in a little yellow ball. Robin -touched one of these and it glowed momentarily. An organ of light, he -thought, something like the ones carried by deep-sea fishes. The tiny -things were eating the dead rabbit.</p> - -<p>Robbin went back and examined the three remaining rabbits. Two were -males and the female was evidently heavy with young. Well, he could -afford to dispense with one of the males, then, for he knew his body -needed meat.</p> - -<p>He put the rabbit back though, realizing that first he must make a -fire and determine how to cook his meal. He searched his pockets. He -was wearing the GI jacket he'd taken from the soldier in Las Cruces. As -he had hoped, he dug up a pack of matches in one pocket. He turned it -over in thought. When this pack was used up, how could he make fire?</p> - -<p>He piled some trunks of dead tree stalks in a cleared spot; he lit -them with one of his matches. They caught fire rapidly and soon he had -a nice blaze going. He watched the smoke rise and saw that it drifted -rapidly away in the same direction the current was flowing—evidence of -more caverns somewhere beyond.</p> - -<p>He opened his scout knife, hesitated. He'd never cooked a rabbit -before. In fact, he'd never had occasion to cook anything for himself. -It was meat, he thought, and even if it were eaten raw—well, savages -did, so he, too, could manage. He thought about boiling it in water, -then realized that the light air pressure might allow water to boil -without getting the necessary cooking effects. The best method -therefore was to fry it where he could observe the progress.</p> - -<p>Steeling himself, he seized the rabbit, killed and skinned it, the -latter a process which he found thoroughly unpleasant. Cleaning it of -its entrails, another unpleasant task, he cut the meat up into sizable -chunks, skewered a couple of pieces on a metal rod which had been part -of one of the cages from the rocket, and sat down to cook it over the -open fire.</p> - -<p>It turned out to be a longer job than he'd thought, and he burned the -meat quite thoroughly in the process, but finally he made it edible -and chewed it slowly. He needed salt, he realized, and wondered if he -could find any. This would have priority when he began his explorations.</p> - -<p>He hung the balance of the meat on a ball-tree with a piece of cord. He -had seen no evidence of flying insects or creatures, and hoped thereby -to be able to preserve the rest of the meat.</p> - -<p>Thus fed, he sat down and began to map out his course. I must do things -systematically, he told himself. I must keep track of time, set up a -regular pattern of living, find a permanent base of operations. I shall -have to explore this cavern and those beyond it, find all possible -enemies and invent ways and means of defending myself. I shall have to -breed my rabbits in quantity, find a way of using their pelts and fur. -I shall have to determine a use for everything left from the rocket's -material—metals and the like.</p> - -<p>For, he continued telling himself, my one aim shall be to stay alive -long enough to be found some day by exploring rockets from Earth. I -am a Robinson Crusoe of a new world. Crusoe waited twenty-eight years -for rescue, I must be as courageous. In his case, he had no evidence -that any ship would ever bother to call on him. In my case I know that -rockets are being made that will eventually lead to further Moon trips. -I know that men are planning to come here. I must wait it out, even for -twenty-eight years.</p> - -<p>But it was not that simple and he knew it. But first things first, and -the first task was to survive.</p> - -<p>With the monkey scampering on ahead, he set out to walk to the -cavern wall. He found it to be dark and glistening, a lavalike sheet -resembling the bubble it was. Leaning against it and looking upward, -he saw that it curved gradually up, and that indeed he was in a flaw -within a very porous world. Like the inside of a Clark candy bar, he -thought, with a wry smile.</p> - -<p>Astronomers on Earth had always been puzzled by the lightness of the -Moon. They had speculated on it as being mainly pumice. Lately there -had been much speculation and opinion holding forth the theory that the -Moon was porous, had these bubbles and air pockets all through it, that -the Moon's water and atmosphere had all gone underground to be sealed -off in these hollow spaces. He now knew they were right.</p> - -<p>Most of these Moon bubbles, large enough to hold cities, must be -entirely sealed off. But others were linked, sometimes broken into by -quakes or the volcanic action which was still going on in the depths of -what had once been considered a dead world. This particular cavern was -such a bubble.</p> - -<p>Robin walked along the outer wall and saw a dark black spot in it, and -then others. He came to them, found they were breaks in the surface, -pocks caused by smaller bubbles. He looked into one that opened at the -base. Using his flashlight, he could see that it was a small, almost -entirely spherical cave. He found others pocking the walls of the -cavern bubble.</p> - -<p>This then was the ideal spot for a permanent home. Not that he needed -shielding from the elements, for obviously there were no elements -here—no rain, snow, clouds, or weather oddities. Neither was there -night or day.</p> - -<p>Robin would move his possessions into this cave, simply to have them -located and safe. Besides, there might be some larger form of life, -some carnivores around—he could not tell. Better to be safe than -sorry, he said to himself.</p> - -<p>He acted at once, carrying the rocket nose and its stuff to the cave, -transferring his rabbits and their pen to a spot just outside the cave -door. He would need a bowl for water and, using his screwdriver blade, -he finally managed to detach the curved rocket nose and found himself -in possession of a deep bowl. He took this down to the water, filled it -and carried it back to his cave.</p> - -<p>Already he began to feel cheerier. Nothing like work, he thought, to -take your mind off your other problems. Suddenly he realized he was -tired.</p> - -<p>How long had he been at this? He did not know. Now he realized that -with no sunrise or sunset visible in his underground world, he could -not tell time. He looked at his wrist watch, but it had stopped -running, of course. He decided to take a nap; he lay down and fell -asleep.</p> - -<p>When he woke up, he set his watch at eight o'clock, decided to consider -this the beginning of a day. He found the notebook he'd carried in his -back pocket, opened it, and set up his new calendar. Using the date of -the rocket's take-off, he allowed five days as a probable estimate of -the time passed since. He had no means of knowing how long he had been -ill, he suspected it had been longer, but decided to let it stand. -After arriving at the date, he made the time eight in the morning, laid -out the times he expected to eat, to work, to sleep. He would try to -live according to a full Terrestrial day, checking the passage of time -by his watch.</p> - -<p>He then listed all the things he expected would have to be done, and -decided to check them off as he completed them. Next he ate breakfast -from the fruit of the ball-tree. He spent the rest of that morning -trying to find a means of making fire. He had some bits of steel from -the rocket, and he tried to strike sparks on everything that resembled -rock. After a search, he found some fragments of rock near the water -that gave off a spark. Whether these were flints or not, he did not -care, so long as they worked for him.</p> - -<p>With this discovery he knew he would be free from worry about the -problem of matches. His next problem was to secure a weapon. This -solved itself rather fast with a bow and arrow. A long, flexible metal -tube from the rear connections of the rocket, bent to make a bow when -tied with a string of nylon cord, made a satisfactory <i>twang</i> when -pulled. He made arrows out of the fibers of the Moontree stalks, and -practiced shooting.</p> - -<p>The next few days followed the same pattern. Robin enlarged his area -of exploration, finding several other kinds of Lunar vegetation and a -number of other insect-worms. He found several that were quite large, -one as large as a squirrel. It was an odd thing, humping itself along -in little bounds—a creature of a dozen ball-like segments, two of -which had toothed mouths, although only the ball in front had an eye, -a lidless orb set in the center of this ball. But the creature was -fringed with the light-rod organs as the tiny worm-ants had been.</p> - -<p>Robin tried to cook part of this creature but the monkey refused to -touch it and he found it entirely unpalatable. On the other hand, he -found that when he removed the little yellow balls from the top of the -light stalks on the creature, they remained glowing—even as do the -abdomens of fireflies. He therefore diligently set about catching a -number of these Moonrats, as he named them, and making a lantern for -himself by filling a glass tube with the glow organs. This worked out -quite nicely when he experimented in his dark cave-home, emitting a -clear, though pale, yellow light.</p> - -<p>His rabbit had a nice litter at last, and Robin carefully saw that they -were kept well supplied with food and drink. He would eat no more meat -until there were several dozen adults, all breeding. But he felt that -now he was assured of a source of clothing when his own would give out. -He knew that eventually he would have to dress himself entirely in the -products of his own ingenuity. His Earth clothes could last no more -than a few years. He had already devised for himself an experimental -pair of sandals from the rinds of the ball-tree fruit and the stalks of -the Moontrees. They would do, and he carefully removed his shoes and -put them away. When he had heavy exploring to do, or if and when he -might try to reach the surface, he would need his good heavy leather -shoes. Until then, the makeshift sandals would do.</p> - -<p>For he knew that someday he would have to reach the surface. If and -when the first astronauts arrived, they would not go below. They would -probably never suspect the presence of these unseen areas beneath -the crust, possibly not for many dozens of years. It would be on the -surface that Robin would have to go to find rescue. That was the -greatest problem he would have to solve. Against that terrible trip, he -would have to conserve and plan.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile, he had a toehold on life here, if conditions within his -sublunar cavern did not change. But they were changing ... and not for -the better.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c9_From_Stone_Age_to_Iron_Age" id="c9_From_Stone_Age_to_Iron_Age"><i>9. From Stone Age to Iron Age</i></a></h2> - - -<p>When he woke up one morning Robin was vaguely aware of something -different. He opened his eyes to the dark interior of his cave-home and -lay there on his bed of padding from the cargo chamber. For a while he -rested quietly in that pleasant half-sleep of awakening after a good -rest. Unconsciously his hand moved down searching for a blanket, but of -course there was none. He'd never needed one before.</p> - -<p>He unconsciously groped again for the blanket, then opened his eyes -wide and sat up. There was a slight chill in the air at that! Now he -noticed the monkey, asleep, curled up tightly against his leg. That was -odd because previously the little fellow had slept outside. What had -brought him in?</p> - -<p>Robin got up and Cheeky, as Robin had named his friend, woke up -instantly and leaped to his shoulder. "What's the trouble, fellow?" -asked Robin, patting him on the head. Then the young man left the -cave and looked around. At first nothing seemed greatly changed. The -temperature had dropped a few degrees, no doubt about it. Yet there was -no special draft, no break in the bubble walls to account for it.</p> - -<p>He looked at the plants and then realized that some of them were -beginning to change color. A grayness was creeping in subtly. The balls -of Moontree fruit, which had been his chief sustenance, were showing -signs of wrinkling and had either already shriveled or were beginning -to.</p> - -<p>Robin glanced around sharply, looked into his notebook calendar. He -calculated the days that had passed. When his rocket had crashed -the Moon had been full. This meant it was high noon of a Lunar day -on the surface above. But a Lunar day lasted about a Terrestrial -month—twenty-eight days to be exact. When the sun was at its height, -the temperature of the surface crust was to be measured as high as 240 -degrees Fahrenheit. By sunset it might be down to 160 degrees, but -immediately after sunset it would drop with great speed and shortly -begin to go as low as a hundred below zero and continue to drop for yet -another hundred degrees.</p> - -<p>And Robin had perhaps been in his sublunar cavern for ten or maybe -twelve days. The sun had set above, the Lunar night was there. -Though the cavern was insulated by the best sort of insulation in -the universe—a honeycomb of several miles between the surface and -itself—a honeycomb in many cases consisting of sealed bubbles, some -near vacuums—there was bound to be a gradual loss of the stored-up -heat from the long Lunar day. It might take a while for this to become -noticeable, especially in view of the obviously warm volcanic action -from the unseen areas near the core of the Moon below, yet there it was.</p> - -<p>So now Robin knew that the Lunar day did have a counterpart here, that -there would be monthly seasons in his cavern and that he was facing a -winter that might last ten days more.</p> - -<p>He looked around, pondering this. Could he survive? He had probably -only a short time to work this out. Obviously he had to work fast and -make good.</p> - -<p>"Come, Cheeky," he said, "no time for foolishness. No daily swim in the -river this morning. Harvest time is here."</p> - -<p>He glanced at his rabbits, but they did not seem to mind the -temperature drop. He went into the clumps of Moontrees and began to -gather their fruit—the big balls—as fast as possible. They were still -plump enough to hold food-pulp. He realized that if he waited, they -would probably dry up on their trees, shrivel to seed as the increasing -cold drew the moisture from them. He spent that day in gathering a -harvest, in piling great masses of the fruit in a small cavern-wall -bubble near his sleeping chamber. When he had amassed enough to see him -through at least two weeks, he gathered the fallen trunks and dried-up -old stalks and piled them in the narrow entrance to this storage cave. -He built a fire there, paced it out, and spread it out to burn slowly. -He would have to keep this fire going and another like it in front of -his own sleeping cavern.</p> - -<p>He transferred the rabbits to his bubble-home also, rebuilding their -pen.</p> - -<p>As he had expected, the temperature in his hidden world continued -its fall. A few days later it was quite chilly and the Moontrees had -acted as he surmised. Their fruits had withered quite rapidly, finally -dropping off as small hard seeds. The tree stalks dried out, turned -hard, and fell. Robin gathered them as fuel for his fires, found that -they were quite excellent, and also that the fresh-fallen ones could be -woven into basketry.</p> - -<p>The river continued to flow, but was more sluggish, and its waters -began to grow cold. On the other hand, the Moonworms and other little -creatures seemed to be having their heyday. They were out in quantities -greater than he had ever seen and were busily gathering the fallen -seeds, carrying them away, evidently preferring them to the fruit.</p> - -<p>Robin made himself a jacket from an extra part of the padding, -stitching it together with cord and thongs made from shell fibers. With -a fire going at the door of his cave, he found he still wouldn't need -blankets.</p> - -<p>During the balance of the Lunar night Robin was forced to remain close -to his caves, tending his fires, conserving all his energies. Outside, -the temperature never actually reached freezing, or at least not that -Robin could estimate. But at its worst, it was definitely chilly and -the river fairly cold.</p> - -<p>The view within the cavern cleared somewhat of its usual mugginess -and he could see much more. He could now make out the walls on all -sides, and discovered that the farthest distance, in the direction in -which the river ran, was perhaps several miles off. The vegetation had -mainly flattened, was drying up, and he could see everywhere the little -ball-segmented insects humping and squirming about.</p> - -<p>He saw a number of varieties he had not noticed before. One day -venturing out with his bow and arrow, he disturbed something working -amid a pile of broken stalks. The thing rushed out, directly at him. It -was large, as large as a dog, and it ran straight for him silently, its -wide mouth gaping.</p> - -<p>He shot it, saw it fall over as it was about to leap at him. When he -dug his arrow out, he saw that it was no wormlike insect, no segmented -creature. It was a recognizable animal, a creature with two short -stubby feet, two small extensions that were like hands on each side of -an oval body. A definite head surmounted this, with one eerie eye set -in the middle over its wide mouth. Two little breathing holes in the -side attested to its possession of lungs. A long, curving rod grew out -of the top of its skull and held a large yellow light-ball over it.</p> - -<p>There was yet another peculiarity about this Moonhound, as Robin -called it. It had no definite color. Its skin was faintly transparent, -and he could see its inner organs shadowy within.</p> - -<p>All this reminded Robin that there must be vast cavern worlds totally -without light, yet having flora and fauna.</p> - -<p>When there is no light, there is no need for pigmentation. Hence, this -creature had none.</p> - -<p>Robin also surmised that it was probably the cold that drove this -beast into the lighted cavern in search of food, for he had never seen -evidence of anything that large during the warm period.</p> - -<p>Robin brought the carcass back to his cave and went to work to skin -and cook it. At first he was not going to, for the hairless, colorless -nature of it was rather repellent. But one thing Robin had learned long -ago was not to let his emotions dictate to his needs. Like it or not, -he was going to make use of everything here he could. He had a task, -and that was to survive.</p> - -<p>As a matter of fact, the meat cooked very nicely, turned brown in the -fire, and tasted good. Further, it had a bone structure, which the -Moonworms hadn't, and Robin saved these bones, knowing that there were -many things that they could be used for. He remembered museum exhibits -of bone needles, bone knives, and bone implements, including arrowheads -and buttons that the Indians had made use of.</p> - -<p>After that, Robin deliberately hunted for these Moonhounds and caught -several others before the winter was over.</p> - -<p>The warmth returned about when Robin had figured, starting a day or so -after the surface sunrise. It rose rapidly, faster than it had fallen, -and just as fast, new Moontrees were shooting up, new Moonmushrooms -were growing, and the river was becoming warmer.</p> - -<p>As time went on and month followed month, Robin found himself working -into a comfortable, if primitive, routine. He charted exactly what to -do on what days. He could tell in advance what he would be eating, what -he would be harvesting. His rabbits had become sufficient in number to -permit slaughtering, and he began to acquire a pile of rabbit furs. -He found it no longer possible to keep all his rabbits in one pen, -and finally liberated the majority of them and left them to shift for -themselves. This worked out fine, and he never lacked the sight of -at least one or two bunnies anywhere he looked. During the two weeks -of winter each month they simply holed up as they might have done on -Earth. It was an odd sight seeing the rabbits run wild, for their -powerful leg muscles were many times stronger than was required by the -weak gravity and, when they ran in a hurry, they would bounce many feet -high in fantastic leaps.</p> - -<p>Robin was now wearing a rabbit-fur outfit of coat, pants, and hat -during the winter periods, equipped with bone buttons he'd carved from -the Moonhound skeletons. He was, if anything, beginning to gain weight, -but he was also aware of the paleness of his skin. He wondered whether -staying in this sunless world a sufficient number of years would not -make him as palely transparent as the Moonhounds.</p> - -<p>But all this time Robin had not forgotten his ultimate mission—to -reach the surface and signal for help. He had worked out the problem in -his own mind. He had to make some sort of space suit, something that -would permit him to venture out on the nearly airless surface long -enough to set up a signal that astronomers might see.</p> - -<p>He knew he had the materials for part of this suit in the metal -salvaged from the rocket nose. He could polish a section sufficiently -to make a heliograph with which he could flash a code message to any -high-powered telescope that might be pointed his way. But he had also -to fashion the metal into an airtight space helmet, and that he did not -know how to do. The suit itself he could probably fashion from cloth -and tanned skins, sew and seal it tight enough with animal fats and -bone glue to be airtight for a short period, but he needed the helmet. -He had the glass for it too, the little peepholes for the camera -outlets and a large circular plate that had been set in the very base -of the cargo nose and evidently intended for a wide-vision camera shot -of the Earth. This plate would be his face plate.</p> - -<p>Robin was aware of the hissing noise that he had first noticed on his -arrival, but he had never investigated it. It was far off, somewhere -along the wall of the cavern. One work period, when he found himself -ahead of schedule, he set out to find the source of the noise.</p> - -<p>Following the wall, with Cheeky running ahead chattering, the hiss -gradually grew in volume. Robin made his way over a sharp cleft, -skirted a large bubble-cave in the wall, and after about two miles of -walking, came upon the source.</p> - -<p>Issuing from a break in the outer cavern wall was a stream of blue -flame. For several hundred feet around it no vegetation grew, the -ground being covered with thin gray ash. Robin looked at the loudly -hissing lance of blue fire.</p> - -<p>It probably was a breakthrough from some adjoining bubble, one filled -with a gas of some inflammable sort. Somehow in the course of the -breakthrough, this leakage had been set aflame. And there it was now, a -burning gas jet, sharp and hot.</p> - -<p>At that moment, Robin knew he had the answer to his metalworking -problem. He'd tried to melt the metal of the rocket over his fires but -he had been totally unsuccessful. But this jet, this hot blue flame, -this surely would do the trick!</p> - -<p>For him the space helmet was now a certainty. It might take time, but -now it could be done. That and more was possible, for he had enough -metal to make a few necessities like a decent frying pan and a pot -to use for boiling and perhaps a water container for a really long -exploration trip.</p> - -<p>That was the end of Robin's first "Stone Age" period and the beginning -of his "Iron Age."</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c10_The_Incredible_Footprints" id="c10_The_Incredible_Footprints"><i>10. The Incredible Footprints</i></a></h2> - - -<p>Using the gas jet proved to be considerably more difficult than might -have been supposed. It was hard to approach too closely to the thing -without running the danger of getting scorched. Also, to hold metal in -it long enough to allow it to melt or become pliable it was necessary -to find a way of holding the object without getting burned.</p> - -<p>Robin did get several blisters before he finally worked out a system. -Making himself a pair of thick rabbit-skin gloves lined with a thin -coating of the ash from the area around the flame proved to be part of -the solution. A pair of bone pliers proved to be another part, though -the necessity of replacing these was continuous.</p> - -<p>Working patiently then, Robin managed to cut and work some of the -sheets of metal from the rocket nose. He made himself a hammer of hard -stone with which to pound some shape into his pieces and finally had -fashioned for himself a serviceable, though crude, frying pan and other -implements he needed.</p> - -<p>His next project was to be the space helmet, the first essential part -of any space suit. He considered this a long time, planning just how to -make it. He had a good sheet of metal for the job, but he didn't want -to make any errors in working it, and he wanted to have as few seams -as possible. Welding had thus far proved a task he had not mastered. -He considered making the joints airtight by means of some sort of -vegetable- or animal-fat product.</p> - -<p>Robin sat in his cave watching the rebirth of life in the bubble-world -after one of the winter half-months and thinking. He watched his -monkey, Cheeky, turning over rocks for Moonworms—although the little -brown pet had never been able to eat them, he seemed to enjoy the -hunting of these odd creatures. He watched the rabbits bounding around, -listened to those he kept penned up in the next cave.</p> - -<p>"What am I waiting for?" he asked himself, half aloud. The monkey -stopped at the sound of his voice, looked at him. Robin had developed -the habit of talking to himself. He was aware of the danger that years -of this hermit's life might well cause him to forget how to talk, and -he did not want that. "I can't use a space suit until I can find a way -to the surface—a safe way. And I've never even really explored this -cavern itself. Maybe there's a simpler way of communication with the -surface."</p> - -<p>He sat and thought. The monkey dashed over to him, jumped on his knee, -chattering. "I really ought to get about exploring this place," Robin -went on. "You know, Cheeky, there might be some more things we can -use. What do you say, shall we spend this next week playing Columbus, -looking for more bubble worlds to conquer?"</p> - -<p>The monkey chattered happily, jumped off his knee, and ran around. -"Guess you like the idea," said Robin. "Let's get about it, then."</p> - -<p>He got up and made his preparations. He filled a sack with enough -food for several days. He took his homemade canteen, made from a -hollowed-out Moontree fruit rind, filled it with water and hung it -around his neck. He took his flashlight and knife, his bow and arrow, -and his lantern of light organs. He had discovered that the little -light-giving bulbs the animals carried would glow for about two days -after their removal, and therefore he constantly kept this lantern -refilled with his latest catches.</p> - -<p>He looked to see whether his special lot of penned rabbits had enough -food and water for the period and then, whistling to Cheeky, Robin set -out. He went down to the bank of the flowing stream on which he had -been originally carried and then set out to follow this rivulet its -length into the distances of the bubble-world.</p> - -<p>He followed the flowing stream for about twelve miles. The bubble -widened out and the water, which had originally brushed the other side -of the cavern where Robin had lived, had now narrowed as a bank of dry -ground formed on the opposite side. Robin found himself walking through -an ever deepening thicket of growing Moontrees which went on for many -miles.</p> - -<p>The stream twisted and moved off at right angles finally rushing into a -deep pool. Robin went over and gazed into it. Plainly the pool had some -sort of underground opening, for the water was swirling around with no -visible surface outlet. So this was where the stream ran to! Doubtless -it emptied into another bubble somewhere below, probably to fall like -a waterfall into that space, there to become another stream and empty -still again farther down until it ended in some vast reservoir of -sublunar seas.</p> - -<p>But Robin was not interested in going farther down, he sought a way -upward toward the surface, toward the sight of Earth. He turned away -from the whirlpool, walked boundingly on to the farther wall of his -home-bubble.</p> - - -<p>He reached it in time for his sleep period. It seemed as solid and -impregnable as the wall around his home region.</p> - -<p>Robin and Cheeky slept next to the wall and after their sleep resumed -their search. Robin walked along the wall, looking again for some -break. He saw in the distance a jagged line of black against the -shining brown-gray of the cliff. When he reached it, it was a crack, a -break in the surface of the bubble, reaching up several hundred feet. -He came up to it.</p> - -<p>It was wide, about ten feet wide, and dark. Robin shone his flashlight -in, but as far as its rays could reach it was a dark tunnel. "Maybe -this is what we're looking for," Robin said to Cheeky. "It seems to -slant slightly upward. Maybe it will take us to the next bubble."</p> - -<p>Cheeky peered in, walked in slowly and out of sight. "Hey," called -Robin, "wait for me!" He followed the scampering monkey.</p> - -<p>Now his lantern proved handy. The glow it shed could barely be noticed -in the light of the great bubble, but here in the darkness of the -cleft, the pale glow was distinct and definitely illuminated the ground -a few feet in front of him. On he walked, holding the lantern ahead of -him, watching Cheeky's long tail flick in and out of its circle of dim -light, as the monkey would dash ahead and dash back.</p> - -<p>Soon Robin found himself walking in almost total darkness, save for -the limited glow of his lantern. The floor of the cleft occasionally -slanted sharply, sometimes breaking steeply downward, sometimes -necessitating jumps upward into the darkness. In the Moon's light -gravity, Robin was a fantastic jumper, but the darkness made the -problem very disconcerting. It was a strange thing to have to leap -upward into a black void in hopes that what seemed like a wall in front -of you would turn out to have a top and be but a giant step upward. He -soared in the darkness, not knowing how near or how far the roof of the -tunnel was, feeling strangely disembodied, the monkey clinging to his -neck in transit.</p> - -<p>He missed several such jumps, managed to avoid being bruised severely -only by the feathery softness with which he fell afterward. When the -going was straight, Cheeky would leap down and go ahead.</p> - -<p>Suddenly he heard a screeching from the monkey. He stopped, flashed -his flashlight. The monkey was clutching the edge of a deep break, a -pit cut sharply across the floor of the tunnel. Robin quickly reached -the spot, scooped up Cheeky. His flashlight revealed the other side of -the pit several yards away. Turning its rays downward, he could see no -bottom to this crack within the tunnel. He shuddered, thinking what -might have happened had he gone into it. Then, gathering Cheeky, Robin -leaped.</p> - -<p>He soared lightly across the abyss and landed safely on the other side. -He went on, slowly, carefully.</p> - -<p>A spot of light appeared before him. He stared at it and continued -moving forward. The light widened, became the end of the tunnel, became -the entrance to something new. He hastened on and burst at last into a -new cavern-world, the world of the next bubble.</p> - -<p>It looked much like his old one, but it was definitely smaller. The -rounded ceiling could be made out quite clearly and he estimated its -diameter as not more than a half mile. The far side of the bubble could -be seen clearly and this one, he noticed, even from where he stood, had -many such clefts and cracks in the wall. It was, he supposed, either an -older bubble, more cracked in the course of eons of moonquakes and heat -changes, or else it was more tightly knitted in a close mass of such -bubbles.</p> - -<p>A thick jungle of giant Moontrees was growing here, stalklike plants -resembling those he knew, but seemingly larger and more profuse. Robin -started to walk through it toward the farther wall of the bubble. -Cheeky had leaped into the stalks and was swinging through them ahead -of him, when suddenly the monkey uttered a terrified shriek and there -arose a strange high-pitched barking sound. Robin pushed through and -saw the monkey, high in the top of a Moontree and a strange sort of -Moonhound leaping for him. This kind of Moonhound was considerably -bigger than the ones he had seen in his original bubble. It was -uttering the eager bark of a hungry beast sighting its prey.</p> - -<p>Robin unlimbered his bow and fitting an arrow into it, let fly. The -sharp missile skewered the Moonbeast and the animal twisted in mid-air -and fell thrashing to the ground. Robin dashed in and finished it off -with a blow from the stone club he carried.</p> - -<p>Cheeky came down from the tree cautiously, advanced to the dead animal, -and prodded it. Then the monkey uttered a shriek, bared its teeth, and -began to pommel the dead body as if he had been the one to bring it -down.</p> - -<p>Robin examined the animal. It was similar in many ways to the -Moonhounds, yet different, and Robin's private theory that the -Moonhound represented the equivalent of a mammal type seemed verified. -Whereas the Moonhound was a wolf or dog, this creature corresponded -more closely to a leopard or tiger.</p> - -<p>The flesh of this creature seemed as if it might possibly make a -substitute for leather—although it, too, was eerily transparent and -it, too, possessed but one central eye and a large light organ.</p> - -<p>Robin trekked on through this jungle until at last he reached the -opposite wall. He was aware as he walked that there was a good deal of -native life here, much more than had been evident in his own cavern. -Evidently the first bubble was pretty much cut off from the general -labyrinth of sublunar caverns. For as Robin walked, he caught glimpses -of other Moonbeasts, slipping in and out, sometimes surprised and -scurrying away. Moonworms, the equivalent of Earth's insect life, -were here in plenty too, and there were many giant growths which were -different from those in his own cave, and some fruits of considerable -promise were growing on them.</p> - -<p>"We could do some farming now," said Robin to Cheeky. "I'll bring back -some of the seeds from these bigger trees and plant them back home. -It'll give us some variety."</p> - -<p>The monkey merely chattered and pushed on ahead.</p> - -<p>At the farther wall, the original observation of many cracks was -confirmed. The wall was broken like an eggshell and Robin could see -that dozens of tunnels went out, probably leading to several other -bubbles. He decided that the following day he would look for the ones -that seemed to lead upward. But it was the time for sleep again.</p> - -<p>He found a little cave, similar to the ones in which he had made his -home, and there he and Cheeky ate their meal, cooking some of the meat -from the Moontiger over a small open fire. The meat looked strange in -its almost glassy appearance, yet it browned and tasted very good.</p> - -<p>A thin stream of water meandered out of one of the cracks and from this -Robin drank and refilled his canteen. He and the monkey curled up, now -fed and contented, and went to sleep.</p> - -<p>Robin awoke suddenly. He opened his eyes, puzzled. The monkey was -screeching somewhere. He sat up, called, "Cheeky!"</p> - -<p>The little creature dashed back to him. It had been outside the cave -and it was excited. It was chattering and complaining as never before. -The monkey jumped up and down in a perfect ecstasy of fury. Robin -looked at it in wonder. He'd never seen Cheeky so excited. He sat up, -looked around.</p> - -<p>At first he saw nothing unusual. Outside the cave all was quiet. Then -he noticed that his food pack had been moved. It had been dragged -outside the cave, and its contents pulled out.</p> - -<p>Robin got to his feet, went to it. Something had come into the cave -silently, had taken the sack, and had examined its contents. He looked -about, amazed and wondering.</p> - -<p>Now he saw that other things had been touched. His canteen had been -rolled over and the stopper unplugged. The water that had been inside -was a little puddle on the cave floor.</p> - -<p>Alarmed, Robin strung his bow, notched an arrow, and looked carefully -around at the surrounding vegetation. Something was there, something -big and cunning.</p> - -<p>His eyes searched the ground and then he saw an outline in water from -the canteen. Whatever it was had stepped into the puddle and then -walked out of the cave. Robin saw a series of footprints.</p> - -<p>Something that walked on two legs, something that took steps with a -man-sized stride, something with three toes on each foot, that walked -upright, was able to open bottles, look into sacks, and spy on sleeping -strangers.</p> - -<p>Something that might well be to the Moontiger and the Moonhound what -Earth man was to the Earth tiger and the Earth hound. Moonman!</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c11_The_Glass_Man" id="c11_The_Glass_Man"><i>11. The Glass Man</i></a></h2> - - -<p>The situation was so astonishing that for a while Robin did not do -anything but sit down inside his cave and catch his breath. Somehow -he had assumed all along that he would not find anything on a human -scale on the Moon. His life had been mainly confined to the first -cavern-bubble he'd arrived at and this, as he now realized, had been a -rather isolated one.</p> - -<p>Unconsciously, he had assumed that life in other protected airtight -sublunar areas would be on a similarly low and limited level. Now he -realized that he had had no right to make such an assumption. The Moon -might harbor thousands and tens of thousands of bubbles; some might be -hundreds of miles in scale; some, lower down, nearer the still-warm -volcanic heart of the satellite, might even approach tropical climates -and show little of the semi-monthly seasonal changes. In such places -life might grow in profusion, might compel the kind of battle for -existence as would bring out the evolution of a brain-carrying creature -living on its wits.</p> - -<p>And, although he was probably a little farther away from the central -caverns at this moment, he was actually on the outskirts of the linked -bubbles. In such border regions he might indeed encounter rovers and -wanderers from the more prolific areas.</p> - -<p>But the problem was now how to find this prowler. There was, he hoped, -only one of them. The creature was probably hanging around somewhere, -even now, keeping an eye on Robin's doings.</p> - -<p>Robin got to his feet, looked through his provisions. He found a bit -of rabbit meat, took it out, and skewered it on a cooking stick. He -then knelt inside his cave-refuge and built a fire, using his flint and -steel. Over this fire he hung the bit of meat and set it to roasting. -He carefully began to fan the smoke out of the cave, knowing that -it would carry the new and tongue-tempting odor of cooked meat to -everything in the vicinity.</p> - -<p>Robin slipped out of the cave and hid himself in a thick clump of -growth nearby. Cheeky clung to his shoulder, hushed to silence. They -waited.</p> - -<p>After a few minutes Robin saw a slight motion in the vegetation at the -other side of the cave entrance. He watched, and a moment later saw a -head thrust itself out, and then a figure emerge and silently stalk to -the cave and look in. It was manlike, walking on two feet and it had -two arms. It was oddly misty, seeming naked and semi-transparent like -the other animal life.</p> - -<p>In one hand the creature carried a long stick to which something sharp -and glassy was attached—clearly a type of spear. The creature paused -at the cave mouth, then seeing no one within and unable to resist the -tantalizing curiosity of cooking meat and a small fire, it went inside.</p> - -<p>Immediately Robin dashed out of hiding, ran across the small space and -blocked the entrance of the cave with his body. The creature within was -bending over the meat, but on hearing Robin, it turned, and made a wild -dash for the cave mouth.</p> - -<p>It collided with Robin. For a moment there was a wild scramble of arms -and legs and then Robin's greatly superior Earth muscles overpowered -the other's and the creature was caught. Robin held it tightly in his -arms, carried it into the cave, and sat it down.</p> - -<p>The spear had been knocked aside in the tussle and Robin looked at it -with a glance. One glance was enough to make the young man realize that -he had had a narrow escape. Its tip was bright and as sharp as a piece -of broken glass. If the creature had thought to jab that spear, it -might have been deadly.</p> - -<p>But now the captured being was sitting quietly in a sort of -resignation, merely looking at Robin with the same curiosity that Robin -bestowed upon it. It was very much like a human being, perhaps some -four feet tall. But its head was somewhat triangular in shape, having -only one eye (Robin never found any Moon creatures with two), and was -topped with a large yellow light bulb that extended a foot above.</p> - -<p>Robin took the bit of meat, cut off a piece and held it out to the -creature. The Moonman looked at it, then reached out a hand and took -it. It smelled it, then tasted it, and, finding the taste to its -liking, swiftly gobbled it down.</p> - -<p>Robin ate some too, and this gesture seemed to reconcile the other. A -fairly universal gesture, Robin thought. Only friends would share a -meal. Probably would hold true anywhere in the universe.</p> - -<p>Now Robin picked up the other's spear and examined it. Seeing this, the -creature picked up one of Robin's sacks and also looked at it.</p> - -<p>The sharp point of the spear was something that looked like glass but -glistened far more, seemed sharper, harder, and heavier. Robin turned -it over, and the realization struck him that this spearhead was a -diamond, a single six-inch-long shard of diamond!</p> - -<p>After the first shock of this discovery, Robin realized that he should -have expected it. On such a volcanic world as the Moon had once been, -there might well be lots of diamond in great masses. What could be -easier to use for weapons and cutting edges than chunks broken from -such masses. Such a chunk brought back to Earth might be worth an -emperor's ransom—but who could think of such values here?</p> - -<p>Getting the friendship of the Moonman proved to be easy after that -first effort. For the creature made no further effort to escape, seemed -itself to desire Robin's companionship. In fact, as it turned out, -Robin would have had a hard time getting rid of it. It seemed anxious -now to stay close to the Earthling, to share him with Cheeky.</p> - -<p>The glass-skinned being had a language, for it soon began to jabber -away at Robin in a high-pitched squeaky tongue. After a little -experimentation, Robin was able to get it to repeat the name Robin, and -in turn, he found out that the Glassie's own name was something nearly -like Korree.</p> - -<p>Korree was evidently a very primitive sort of savage in spite of his -ability to speak. As Robin set out to re-cross this bubble and return -to his own holdings, the creature wound in and out ahead of him, -returning steadily to see if all was well. Korree had no clothes and no -understanding of them. He had only his spear, which Robin had returned -to him and he had apparently lost faith in that, the first time Robin -used his bow and arrow on a yapping Moontiger.</p> - -<p>The trip through the dark tunnels back to Robin's original bubble was -comparatively easy, for no sooner did they get into the darkness than -Korree's light organ began to glow brightly enough to render Robin's -lantern dim. When they came to the cleft, Robin had to pick the Moonman -up and jump with him, for Korree's muscles were built only for Moon -gravity and that leap was beyond his normal ability.</p> - -<p>Once back in what Robin now thought of as the safety of his original -bubble, the two settled down to work together. Korree soon got the hang -of the simple duties Robin gave him—feeding the rabbits, slaughtering, -skinning, and tanning. They spent the time trying to learn each other's -languages.</p> - -<p>Robin carefully jotted down each new sound or word he could identify in -the Glassie's speech and Korree in turn seemed anxious to imitate the -English.</p> - -<p>It took about four months before they had a working interchange of -ideas. Robin found that the Glassie's language was quite limited in -many ways, though having a great many variations of verb form—a -typical characteristic of primitive tongues. Finally, however, Robin -heard Korree's story.</p> - -<p>His people lived many bubbles away, possibly many months of travel, -though the Glassie idea of time was very vague and seemed hedged around -by all sorts of untranslatable mystic conditions. There were maybe -several hundred of them and they formed one big tribe or family.</p> - -<p>There were many such tribes, usually one to a bubble-cavern. Korree -indicated that somewhere—he pointed downward—were greater caverns -where many tribes lived, tribes of great strength or magic or -knowledge. Robin could not decide which was meant—probably all three. -But Korree had never been there. These downward regions were taboo to -his people.</p> - -<p>Robin's suspicion was that the Glassies from Korree's group had been -forced to live in the less desirable outer areas by the stronger and -more advanced races who had seized the better regions.</p> - -<p>Korree indicated that there were many bubbles that were not inhabited -because of great terrors, either by heat or cold. Robin assumed he -meant caverns of jungle and caverns more exposed to the surface -temperatures.</p> - -<p>Korree himself had broken some sort of tribal rule or magic and had -been chased out of his home. He was a lonely outcast. That was why he -had gone with Robin when Robin had given him food. This symbolized -acceptance into Robin's tribe. And though Robin looked to him like a -very strange sort of man indeed—a solid man, a "rock" man was the -way Korree explained Robin's nontransparent flesh and his tremendous -strength—Korree had been glad to find acceptance anywhere.</p> - -<p>Carefully questioning Korree about the surface, Robin found that the -Glassie had apparently no conception of what sort of a world the Moon -really was. To him it was a place of many enclosed spaces. The surface -he had neither seen nor even dreamed of. That there could be a place -where the enclosures ended and the world "dropped off" into nothing, -this was something he could not imagine.</p> - -<p>Robin then asked questions about the upward regions. Korree indicated -that these were less and less habitable, that his people strove always -to go down, never up. Robin twisted his questions around, trying to -determine if the Glassies had ever seen anything that might signify the -surface. He described the sun and the Earth to Korree but the Glassie -seemed unable to understand. But when he spoke of the sun as being a -bright glowing thing so bright that it hurt the eyes to look at it, -Korree seemed to remember something.</p> - -<p>Carefully the Glassie told Robin that he had heard of a tribe that -lived somewhere in the upper regions, where in one part of their bubble -there sometimes came a terrible white-hot light that hurt when one -looked upon it. This light was not always there, but shone through the -top of the cavern, which Korree explained was like the substance of his -arm—that is, semi-transparent.</p> - -<p>Robin became very excited when he heard this. It sounded to him as if -somewhere up near the surface there must be an airtight cleft or bubble -whose outer crust might be natural volcanic glass. Through this the sun -might sometimes penetrate to produce the phenomenon Korree described.</p> - -<p>Plainly then, this was the place Robin must find. It looked like the -ideal place to begin his projected signaling to Earth. But whether it -was or not, Robin would have to make a visit there to see.</p> - -<p>Korree did not like the idea, but indicated he would be willing to go -along. "Could you lead me there?" Robin asked.</p> - -<p>"Much hard," Korree replied. "Can make do. You-me not like. Many-winter -trip, many bubbles."</p> - -<p>But Robin was determined. "We will go. First I must make a space suit. -I may need it." Korree spread out a hand in acceptance.</p> - -<p>It took about two months more to finish what Robin hoped would be -a workable space suit. The helmet he finally managed to weld into -something like a practical shape. It fitted over his head snugly, the -little glass plate in front of his eyes. Its seams were closed as best -as could be managed and sealed with melted animal fat. The bottom of -the helmet fitted snugly over Robin's shoulders and would be attached -to baggy leather arm-and-hand coverings. The bottom of Robin's body -would be simply encased in several layers of clothing made as airtight -as possible.</p> - -<p>To carry a supply of air, Robin fashioned a large sack of Moonhound -skins, which, when filled with air and brought to the surface of the -Moon, would swell up like a huge balloon. He hoped that by breathing -from this reserve he might be able to survive on the surface for -perhaps twenty or thirty minutes. This would be all he would need, -he estimated, to rush out, set up some sort of reflector or flare -if he could contrive such, and dash back to safety. "Safety" would, -of course, be some previously sealed dome extending to the surface, -through which he could cut a space narrow enough to leave, and yet, one -which would not be entirely exhausted of its inner gases by the time -Robin got back to reseal it.</p> - -<p>This was a long-chance project, yet it was the only hope Robin could -think of. The matter could at least be examined at closer range if he -could but find the cavern with the translucent roof. This would be an -ideal base for his project.</p> - -<p>Robin packed his equipment, liberated the last of his penned rabbits, -and loaded as much food as he could in big sacks which he and Korree -carried. Then, preceded again by Cheeky's monkey bounds, Robin turned -his back on his "home" and headed back to the tunnel and the caverns -beyond.</p> - -<p>It had been over a year and a half since he had been cast away on the -Moon, perhaps nearer two years. And now he was ready at long last to -begin the long trek home.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c12_The_Long_Trek" id="c12_The_Long_Trek"><i>12. The Long Trek</i></a></h2> - - -<p>As they progressed, Robin queried Korree as best he could as to the -exact location of this fabled place from which the sun could be seen. -"I not know from here," the Glassie replied. "Go from home place, yes. -We go Korree home place first."</p> - -<p>Robin thought about that as they trudged along. He went easily and -lightly in spite of his huge load—a collection of sacks and equipment -tied together to make a bundle more than his own height. But bundle and -all, Robin was lighter and stronger by far than he would be on Earth. -"Won't they kill you if you go back?" he asked the Moonman.</p> - -<p>Korree turned his head and Robin almost imagined he could see his -brains whirl. Through the glassy skin, he could see the shadows of his -skull structure and the pulsing of veins and arteries. "With Robin they -not do so. You make them give us free way." Obviously he regarded the -Earthling as an all-powerful being to whom things like tribal death -sentences would be mere nothings.</p> - -<p>Robin smiled uneasily. Without firearms and modern weapons he could -still be overpowered if enough of the Moonmen attacked him at once. He -would have to think about his approach to the tribe before he got there.</p> - -<p>They reached the tunnel and made their way once more through its dark -recesses to the jungle-bubble where he had encountered Korree. They -passed through this without incident. The Glassie led the way to one of -several cracks and tunnels at the far end. With Robin following and the -monkey Cheeky perched on the huge pack, Korree entered this tunnel.</p> - -<p>As before, it was dark and narrow and seemed to wind ahead. Several -times they stepped around breaks in the floor, or ducked under low -passages where the ceiling had dipped. They walked on, Korree's bobbing -headlight casting a pale-yellowish glow a few feet ahead. Robin was -watching the floor carefully, straining his attention to keep his -footing safe. His ears registered the echo of their motions and the -changing pitch as the tunnel widened or receded, but he paid less and -less attention to this.</p> - -<p>Suddenly he looked up. And saw not the one glow of Korree's light but -a number of smaller ones around them, distant ones, bobbing slightly, -one or two yellow, one small white one, and three verging on red. He -started and stared but Korree had said nothing.</p> - -<p>Finally he reached out and tapped the Glassie and whispered, "What are -those lights?"</p> - -<p>Korree said back in a normal tone, "Animals. White light is hunting -eater. I watch it."</p> - -<p>"Here? In this tunnel?" asked Robin, startled.</p> - -<p>"Not in tunnel," said the Glassie. "In new bubble-place."</p> - -<p>Robin looked around. Sure enough he had not noticed the echo of their -feet in the last few minutes. The floor had changed from rock to sandy -dirt and he realized that he had lost some of the enclosed-air feeling. -It was indeed a new bubble-cavern—but a lightless one!</p> - -<p>Now, as he looked carefully, he realized that there were many lights -around. There were tiny ones bobbing on the ground that were probably -Moonworms. The others were almost certainly those of various animals. -He took his flashlight out, suddenly clicked it on, and swung it around.</p> - -<p>They were in an open area, sandy with sparse clumps of mushroomlike -vegetation growing here and there. He caught the scurrying flash -of several translucent animal bodies dodging out of sight from the -unexpected light of his flash. And when the beam was off, he noticed -the headlights returning, augmented in number.</p> - -<p>"There are many bubble-places without light?" asked Robin.</p> - -<p>"Many," said Korree. "Glassies not live there, but many animals hunt -there."</p> - -<p>Robin wondered whether there might in fact be more bubbles without -light than with. He realized that that was probably the case; it very -likely explained the nearly complete lack of pigment in the flesh of -the native animals, the presence of the light stalks on all of them. It -had probably evolved originally in lightlessness, and the Glassies had -moved into the caverns fortunate enough to have natural phosphorescence -only after they had discovered them much later in their history. This -possibly also accounted for the single eye of Moon creatures—the -conditions for the use of two eyes to develop perspective and delicate -differentiations of shading and coloring simply never existed.</p> - -<p>"Are there animals here without eye or light?" asked Robin thoughtfully.</p> - -<p>"Yes," Korree answered softly. "Big eaters, they—"</p> - -<p>There was a sudden rush of sound ahead, a crashing of plants nearby, -an instant winking out of all headlights, including Korree's, and then -Robin felt himself thrown to the ground as something vast and huge and -heavy seemed to envelop him.</p> - -<p>He felt himself being smothered under a pulsing blanket of warm flesh, -a veritable wall that covered him from head to foot, crushing out his -strength. Robin recovered, ripped out with his hands, kicked with his -feet. He felt his strong Terrestrial muscles tearing into the tissue of -the creature, and swinging wildly, he got to his knees and then to his -feet, veritably lifting the entire bulk of the creature.</p> - -<p>He reached for his knife and as he got it open he felt the sharp edge -of a jaw and the hot breath of a large mouth near his ear. He thrust -out with the knife hard and furiously, cutting the mass to bits.</p> - -<p>There was a sharp screech and he felt the blanket of flesh pull away -and struggle to withdraw. He got his flashlight with his other hand, -flicked it on to see his opponent better.</p> - -<p>He saw a wall of gelatinous flesh rolling back before him. It rolled -off the prostrate but unharmed body of Korree, gathered itself in a -mass and rolled rapidly away, uttering loud screeches. The thing was a -ball of flesh, several yards across. It had a wide, many-toothed mouth. -It had several flat flanged spots which were probably ears, and it was -lacking an eye, lacking any light organ.</p> - -<p>It hardly needed them. Obviously the thing simply rolled around in the -darkness of the cavern, guided by the sounds of moving animals, rolling -over them, flattening out, and devouring them.</p> - -<p>Korree got to his feet. He said nothing, seemed to take it for granted -that the great Earthling would have bested this thing, of course, and -started off again. Robin frowned, decided he'd have to watch himself -lest the Glassie sometime really overestimate his capacities.</p> - -<p>They traversed the rest of the lightless cavern without incident, this -time Robin keeping his flashlight switching on and off regularly, long -enough to sweep the moonscape sufficiently to gain warnings of future -assaults. Once they saw the ball-like bulk of a Moonbowler, as Robin -mentally named it, in the distance, and they both carefully stopped and -held their breath until it rolled away.</p> - -<p>At the far wall, Korree searched the various breaks until he found the -one through which he had originally come.</p> - -<p>They passed through another lightless cavern, this one less of a desert -than the other, where giant mushrooms towered like great trees in the -darkness and where little chittering Moonmice ran about their feet, -tiny green lights sparkling.</p> - -<p>The next cavern was a lighted one and this was now almost familiar to -them. Beyond that was another lighted one through which a channel of -water flowed only to disappear into a tiny crack in the far wall. This -water, however, was yellowish and evil-smelling and made the entire -cavern malodorous. Yet it too had its quota of strange vegetation.</p> - -<p>A series of rather small bubbles, not more than a couple of dozen -yards across, came next, and then they arrived at a wide, deep one. -The spot in the wall which let out on it was near the roof of this -bubble, and they made their way delicately along a series of faults -and ledges. Looking down, Robin could see that a lake of some bubbling -oily substance filled the lower level of the bubble. Along one side, -tucked in a corner near a tunnel opening, many hundreds of feet down, -he spotted something odd. He stopped. Korree turned back, made his way -along the narrow ledge and looked down to where he pointed.</p> - -<p>There was a small cleared space just before the opening, and there were -several objects too far away to be seen clearly, but they looked for -all the world like some sort of eggs. As they watched, Robin saw what -seemed a shadowy figure move near one. Because of the curious glassy -skins, that was probably an animal. Robin softly asked Korree what it -was.</p> - -<p>"Is Glassie like Korree," answered Korree quietly.</p> - -<p>"A friend? One of your people? And what are they doing there?" asked -Robin.</p> - -<p>Korree shook his head violently. "Not Korree people. That one is from -down place. Is mighty people from...." He pointed downward to the -Moon's core. "They come here to take...." He pointed now at the curious -chemical lake. "They bring back down with them," he finished.</p> - -<p>Robin gasped. Here was evidence of his reasoning. The Glassies that -lived near the core of the Moon were higher in civilization. Here -evidently was a place where something usable could be gathered—the -fluid of that lake. Possibly it might be fuel for burning, or substance -usable as tar or cement. The beings down below came up for it, put it -in tanks—the egg-shaped objects—and brought it back to their greater -caverns.</p> - -<p>Someday this would have to be investigated. If he ever returned to -Earth, this would have to be explored. But now—were these unknowns -dangerous to him? He asked Korree, who shrugged. In his halting -fashion he conveyed to the Earthling that if the Glassies of the -upper crust left those lower down alone, they were not bothered. The -implication however was that Korree's people were only too willing to -stay out of the way of the powerful underlords.</p> - -<p>After several more caverns—the trip had already taken over a -week—including one marvelous one in which several flaming gas jets -made amazing patterns in an otherwise lightless world, Korree finally -led the way into a large lighted cavern many miles wide, stopped and -announced, "Korree home."</p> - -<p>Robin looked around, adjusted his pack and called to Cheeky to return. -The monkey, which had scampered on ahead, obediently dashed back and to -safety on the pack. This was an important moment to Robin. He mustered -his plans, and stepped out after Korree who had started out again -holding his spear high in the air in some sort of native signal.</p> - -<p>For a short while they walked without seeing anyone. They were in -a forest of ball-trees when suddenly they found themselves quietly -surrounded by Glassies. Evidently they had been trailed since entering -the cavern and at a sufficient distance from the tunnel mouth the -Glassies had popped out of concealment.</p> - -<p>There were about twenty or so, all armed with the diamond spears -and they effectively encircled the travelers. Korree had apparently -expected this, for he showed no surprise, but Robin stopped short and -Cheeky started jumping up and down on the huge pack and shrieking at -the pack of beings.</p> - -<p>It was odd seeing a mass of Glassies. Robin could see that they -differed from each other as individuals. Some were larger, some -smaller, and the shadings within their bodies gave rather clear -evidence of fatness, of recent eating, and such. Like Korree they wore -no garments at all.</p> - -<p>One of the Glassies said something sharply to Korree, who answered -promptly. The spokesman had a black circle painted on his chest—this -was obviously a symbol of some sort of tribal authority. Robin stepped -forward, walked up to this Glassie, who promptly withdrew, uneasy in -the presence of this unknown.</p> - -<p>From his pocket Robin took his pack of matches, the one that had been -with him all the way from Earth. There were still three matches left, -saved for just some occasion as this, carefully conserved by the use of -Robin's flint and steel. Robin walked up to a small ball-tree nearby, -held the match aloft, then struck it, and rapidly held it to the -stalklike trunk. After a second the plant caught fire and was a blazing -mass.</p> - -<p>While the Glassies were gazing in amazement at this unexpected display, -Robin drew in his breath, set his pack down, and gave a leap straight -upward with all his strength.</p> - -<p>He soared some thirty feet high and then gently floated down to the -ground again. This was a feat that anyone with Earth muscles could do, -but it was something that Lunar muscles had never been developed for. -When the Glassies tore their eyes away from the burning tree it was to -find Robin apparently vanished. Looking around, one of them discovered -him in the air, floating gently back to the ground.</p> - -<p>With one accord the Glassies shrieked and ran away. When Robin hit the -ground, he was alone with Korree—who looked as nearly smug as it was -possible for his unearthly features to look.</p> - -<p>The Earthling picked up his sack, whistled to Cheeky to come to him, -and started off again. In a few minutes, Korree led him to the tribal -center, the "village" of his people.</p> - -<p>There were no houses or tents or any structures with roofs. Each family -group apparently fenced off their section of ground with a barrier -of low, pointed sticks, their points diagonally outward. Within this -barrier, the family squatted with their few possessions. There was no -such thing as privacy among this primitive group. The females of the -tribe apparently stayed within their family plots, with the young, the -extra spears and hunting sticks, the leftover supplies of food, and a -pile in the center of each circle of what must have been some sort of -blankets, apparently woven crudely from vegetable fibers. Robin assumed -that during the cold periods, these were used.</p> - -<p>The males of the tribe were gathered before a central circle, watching -their visitors approach. Korree went to them, stopped, and spoke at -length. Robin could not understand him, but he knew what he must -be saying. His Glassie friend was obviously first boasting of his -friendship with the magical stranger, then warning them of terrible -consequences if they failed to obey and honor the stranger, doubtless -inserting a demand for his own full pardon of whatever tribal offense -had brought about his own banishment, and demanding the aid of the -tribal leaders in assisting them on their way.</p> - -<p>When he had finished, Robin walked straight up to the Glassie with the -chest marking, reached out and extracted from the tip of his quivering -light-organ stalk a copper cent which Robin had first palmed in his -hand. To the astonished native, he presented this token—one of the -coins Robin had had in his pocket on his unexpected trip from New -Mexico.</p> - -<p>The Glassie took it, stared at it. The face on the coppery-yellow coin -seemed to hypnotize him. No one had ever seen such a thing—a bit of -bright rock with a face on it! But this additional evidence of Robin's -magic clinched the argument.</p> - -<p>Robin and Korree stayed in that cavern for about three days. In that -time Korree managed to obtain fairly specific directions from one -old-timer as to the cavern they sought. He had also evidently repaired -his tribal fences, for Robin could not fail to notice that Korree was -always accompanied by a group of anxious and placating Glassies. He -imagined that when Korree returned to stay, it would be as a chieftain.</p> - -<p>The nature of the tribe's culture remained much of a mystery. They were -very primitive, yet they seemed to have a complicated series of taboos -and ceremonies. There was clearly a very definite code of marriage and -family relations, though its limitations were puzzling.</p> - -<p>Robin discovered something about them, however. One of the circular -enclosures was apparently a tribal storehouse, or temple, or arsenal, -or magic circle—exactly what he could not tell—save that no family -lived within and there were little piles of oddities carefully placed -inside its magic circle. The penny Robin had "pulled from the chief's -head" reposed therein on a raised mound. The burnt match stick lay -beside it. The rest of the contents seemed to be curiously shaped -stones, odd bits of animal skin, a skeleton of something big and round -which might perhaps have been that of a Moonbowler slain by the hero of -the tribe. Several diamond spearheads were there, including some that -had fractured in use. And something that glistened like metal.</p> - -<p>Robin saw this latter, and, stepping boldly inside the magic circle, -picked this object up and examined it. It was a knife blade!</p> - -<p>It was nothing of Terrestrial manufacture. It was about nine inches -long and a couple of inches wide at the hilt, tapering down to a point. -It was edged on one side, and bore the marks of having been hammered -down and shaped by a hand mallet rather than ever having felt the heat -of a forge. Engraved in its rather soft white metal were a series of -odd hooks and lines that looked like writing of a sort. The hilt end -was jagged as if the blade had been snapped off in careless usage.</p> - -<p>Robin called to Korree and asked him about the object. Korree consulted -with the chief and returned. "Sharp thing, it come from down-there -people," he said, pointing to the regions below. "Glassie of those die -in break of tunnel. We find, take this."</p> - -<p>Well, Robin thought, this adds to the evidence. There is some sort of -higher civilization below. Not yet at the fire-building stage, but -advancing at the dawn of the Iron Age. I wonder if this is really -writing or just a design? And I wonder what metal this is? Not iron -surely.</p> - -<p>He thought a while, then deciding that as a creature of magic he could -get away with it, informed Korree that he would take the knife blade -away with him. The Glassies seemed unconcerned. It was evident that -Robin was far outside their taboos.</p> - -<p>The question of time among the Glassies was an odd one. The Earthling -had surmised as much in his observations of Korree. There seemed to be -no effort to divide the periods into rest and work. Some hunted and -worked when they felt like it, others slept at the same time.</p> - -<p>When the time came, Robin and Korree made their way out of the cavern -upward along a ledge on one side of the bubble wall, through a fault -higher up and began to climb a sloping tunnel.</p> - -<p>For several more days they traveled, always working upward, passing -through bubbles of gradually diminishing diameter and sparser -vegetation. At one point they waded through a shallow pond, at another -they choked in a sulfury cloud of gas that hung about. They squeezed -through ever tighter cracks, and the air began to get distinctly -thinner and harder to breathe. They were both getting exhausted quite -easily; Robin knew they were nearing the surface and the spongy mass of -the Moon's interior was tightening.</p> - -<p>Then at last they stood in a tiny spherical bubble and gazed at a pool -of brackish water at one end. There were no cracks in this little -cave, no further tunnel or means of progress. "What now?" asked Robin, -turning to his companion. Had they taken the wrong turn and come to a -dead end?</p> - -<p>Korree went over to the water pool. He gestured at it, made motions of -holding his breath. "We go down in here, move under and come up ... -out." He waved a hand in a down-and-under gesture. Robin looked into -the water. Maybe the Glassie was right. It was possible that the water -at the bottom passed into a fault and led into another cavern. But -could he risk it?</p> - -<p>Korree nodded and without another word, suddenly jumped into the water, -spear and all, and vanished. Robin waited. In a little while Korree's -head appeared again and the Glassie climbed out. "Tunnel over there," -he said, waving beyond the wall of the bubble. "Go up sharp."</p> - -<p>Well, there was nothing to do but to try it. Robin set down his pack -and thought a moment. Cheeky the monkey was scampering around the floor -of the small bubble. Robin took off his jacket and shoes, took out of -his pocket anything that might be damaged by water, and leaped into the -pool.</p> - -<p>It was an eerie sensation. The water was as dense as on Earth but its -weight was so much less. It seemed almost to lack substance as Robin -pushed through it, dived deep, and let himself come up again as far as -possible.</p> - -<p>He broke water in total darkness. He was outside the cavern, but -exactly where he could not tell. Korree with his light organ had known -and that was sufficient. Robin reached for a bank, felt a sloping wall. -He grabbed it, pulled himself up in the darkness. That much was right. -There was a tunnel here running steeply upward. He sniffed the air. It -was strange—breathable, but strange. This part of the Moon enclosure -was certainly cut off from the other sections, that was certain.</p> - -<p>Robin let himself back into the water, swam for the cavern, and came -up in it. He got hold of Cheeky, opened his pack, and extracted his -homemade space helmet. He stuffed the monkey into it, closed end -upward, and got into the water again. Moving swiftly under water, the -terrified animal clutching the inside of the helmet, Robin transferred -him to the other side, found a small level section by probing around, -and deposited the helmet. He returned for the rest of his pack by this -method, and finally everything was complete again in the new passage. -By the light of Korree's head, he saw that they were in a narrow tunnel -angling steeply upward. Robin's clothes and the pack had dried with -great speed in the thin air and the low gravity. They made their way -up this passage with difficulty and at last found themselves facing a -lighted opening.</p> - -<p>They emerged into a new cavern, but one quite different from those -that had gone before. It was long, perhaps two or three miles long, -but narrow, not more than a hundred feet or so at the widest. Looking -upward, the steep perpendicular walls seemed to come together and -closed up tightly about a quarter of a mile high.</p> - -<p>A faint phosphorescence dimly lighted the new area. As they walked on, -Robin became aware that there was no vegetation here, that his feet -were moving through light dust. He let it run through his fingers. It -felt chalky as pumice.</p> - -<p>He looked around them again and then he realized that he had at last -reached the surface of the Moon. He was walking through the bottom of -a long crack in the surface, a cleft that had somehow closed up again -to preserve a cache of air. But this dust, this was the surface dust of -Luna, fallen to the bottom of the cleft!</p> - -<p>As they walked, the dimness seemed to diminish. A whitish glow began -to envelop them. Robin blinked at the strange light. Things began to -take on strange colorations that he had not noticed before. He looked -upward and saw that the ceiling of the cleft no longer was bathed in -blackness. Instead there seemed a break there, a glassy glimmer through -which poured a dazzling white light.</p> - -<p>Somewhere up there the crack had been sealed by volcanic action into -grayish natural glass. Somewhere outside the sun was shining down upon -the Moon. Its rays were bathing the surface above the concealed cleft -and some were finding their way down. For the first time in many long -and difficult months Robin felt warmth and light together. He had -reached the sunlight!</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c13_The_Sun_and_the_Trap" id="c13_The_Sun_and_the_Trap"><i>13. The Sun and the Trap</i></a></h2> - - -<p>There had been a distinct chill in the strange surface canyon, but from -the moment that the white sunlight began to stream in, there was a -definite warming effect. The rays were diffused by the substance above -which sealed the cleft, yet the sun was strong while it lasted. Robin -felt good as he bathed in its rays. He looked at himself, at Korree, in -wonder.</p> - -<p>For the clear white light was the first normal lighting he had seen -in all the time he had been marooned below. Now he received the first -true color visualization of himself and his companion. He saw from -his hands that he had become very pale-skinned; all his normal tan -had been lost in the cavern worlds. He unpacked the bright, gleaming -space helmet and used it as a makeshift mirror. His hair had faded to a -light blond, and there were several white hairs now visible, the result -presumably of his period of exposure to the unshielded rays of the sun -during his passage through space.</p> - -<p>In the clear light Korree seemed even more transparent than ever, -and indeed Robin could make out the shadowy, pulsating shapes of his -internal organs quite clearly—his skeleton standing out sharply. He -realized how dim and abnormal the phosphorescence of the caverns had -really been.</p> - -<p>Reshouldering his pack, they continued up the deep canyon. In a little -while, the gray ashy surface gave way to sandy soil and there was a -dampness in the air that indicated the presence of one of the deposits -of water. Now the familiar Lunar vegetation was making its presence -known and before long they were wandering through a very dense thicket -of huge ball-trees and plants.</p> - -<p>Robin had never seen such a dense jungle growth on the Moon before and -he attributed it to the occasional bath of sunlight this one cavern -received. It was like a hothouse, a natural one, more or less sealed -with a high dampness, natural warmth augmented by screened sunlight.</p> - -<p>Soon the two found themselves forcing their way single file through the -growth, while Cheeky swung into the tops and made his own way, happy -in the sort of thick, warm forest his monkey nature demanded. Robin -pushed his way through first, with Korree following in the path the -Earthling cleared.</p> - -<p>Robin went on through the jungle, struggling in spite of his powerful -Earth muscles to push his pack along. After a while he stopped to rest, -looked back. He saw behind him only the bruised and broken stalks of -the ball-trees he'd passed through. There was no sign of Korree.</p> - -<p>Robin stared, but the forest was too thick to allow much vision. He set -the pack down, called, "Korree!"</p> - -<p>There was no answer. Somewhere in the distance a stalk snapped. Robin -called again. Still no answer. He started back a few steps, retracing -his path, but there was still no sign of his Glassie friend.</p> - -<p>He suddenly felt uneasy. What was going on here? How had his companion -vanished? He went back to where he had left his pack, waited, again -calling his friend's name. But still there was no answer. There were -more crackling noises somewhere in the thick vegetation. Perhaps Korree -was in trouble there?</p> - -<p>Robin turned in that direction, started to push through the barrier of -tree stalks. Suddenly there was a rushing noise, a chorus of shrieks -all around, and something heavy fell around him.</p> - -<p>He whirled, but something sticky and tight was encircling his body. He -caught glimpses of glasslike, one-eyed faces jumping around him, hiding -in the branches, shrieking. He struggled again to free himself but the -encircling Glassies threw more of the sticky ropes around him, more -things like barrel staves that fell and tied him up.</p> - -<p>He struggled to use his full strength against them but his arms were -pinned to his sides, he was tight amid the stalks and he could not -brace himself. Fight as he might, he was caught, and he saw that there -were stalk-ropes attached to those that had trapped him and these were -being further secured by the creatures around him.</p> - -<p>He stopped struggling, quieted. It was obviously no use to waste his -strength. Let's see what they intend to do next, he thought.</p> - -<p>For a while they did nothing. Then his Glassie captors—he still could -see little of them so thick was the jungle—seemed to be working their -way together so that all their attached ropes were soon leading off in -the same direction. Then they started to pull.</p> - -<p>Had Robin chosen to resist it might have become a fruitless tug of war, -but he did not. He had decided that his best course was to go along -with them. Doubtless they would lead him to their village or at least -to an open space where his great Earth strength might then come into -better play.</p> - -<p>For a while, therefore, he allowed himself to be led through the -Moontree forest, dragging himself enough to give his captors a workout. -Robin had cagily decided that the more tired they were when they -finally arrived, the better for him.</p> - -<p>After a time the thicket of plants came to an end and Robin found -himself, as he had presumed, at the native settlement. Unlike the ones -he had seen in Korree's home cavern, these Glassies were cavemen. They -evidently made their homes in a section of this narrow surface-cleft -where one of the walls was greatly pocked with holes and openings. -The cliff walls were apparently quite like pumice here. Under the -circumstances and because of the limited width of the area, it was -quite logical that the inhabitants should have made use of these holes.</p> - -<p>There were several dozen such cave entrances and Robin could see a -fair number of Glassies around them, including women and young ones. -His captors, he now saw, numbered about fifteen, all male hunters like -Korree. They hustled him along to a central cave, whose entrance was -decorated with blue circles, clearly the designation of their chief.</p> - -<p>Korree was already there, tied, as was Robin. He looked relieved to see -the Earthling, and also a little puzzled at seeing that Robin too was a -prisoner.</p> - -<p>"They catch me when Robin not looking," he said, explaining the -obvious. "I not like these Glassies' ways. I think they mean kill."</p> - -<p>Robin looked around at them. "We'll see. Back in my land, we have a -saying, 'There's many a slip between the cup and the lip.' I think we -will get away. Wait and watch."</p> - -<p>Korree immediately showed relief. He had a profound faith in Robin's -magical abilities. To him, therefore, Robin's lack of fright was enough -evidence that all was really well.</p> - -<p>The band gathered before the chief's cave was waiting. Presently a -voice came from the cave darkness. It questioned one of the captors, -who turned and repeated the query to Korree. Korree answered at length, -and his answer in turn was repeated into the cave.</p> - -<p>At Robin's query, Korree said that he had just informed the hidden -chief that Robin was a great man-beast who would destroy them all if he -was not immediately released and placated.</p> - -<p>More cave talk and interchange. There was a delay for a while and -Robin could faintly hear voices within the cave, as if the chief were -discussing the matter with someone else. Then a command was issued. The -captors pulled on the ropes and urged Korree and Robin to the door of -another cave. They pushed them into this and rolled a large boulder in -front of the cave mouth to block their exit.</p> - -<p>It was dark inside the cave but not so dark that they could not see -that it was about twenty feet long and that there were a number of -piles of stuff around, food possibly, or remnants of things. Korree and -Robin eased themselves down on the hard floor.</p> - -<p>Robin studied the vegetable cords that bound him. He twisted his hands -and pulled until he got his elbow up where he could exert pressure. -Then he strained against one of the bonds. In a few seconds it parted -and broke. In this way he snapped bond after bond until he was free. He -was sticky from them, for the stalks had been soaked in some sort of -adhesive substance which had made them so effective. But the strength -of Earth muscles was more than they had ever held before.</p> - -<p>Next Robin went to work on Korree's bonds and broke them off one by -one. The two silently stretched their cramped bodies. Korree glanced -back at the dark end of the cave and his headlight organ glowed -brightly for a moment. Something among the bundles was stirring -slightly. Korree said quietly, "Another prisoner or a listener?"</p> - -<p>Robin looked. Yes, there was something over there, apparently tied up -also. It might be a Glassie prisoner, or it might be some one of his -captors trying to spy on them. He shrugged. Let them try. They couldn't -understand English.</p> - -<p>The two sat down near the entrance, conversed quietly. Korree was of -the opinion that the Glassies would eventually kill them in some sort -of ceremony. Robin never had found out how different tribes of Glassies -acted toward each other. Evidently they did not make war, but neither -did they have much contact or exchange. In general, they treated each -other like suspicious strangers, avoiding contact whenever possible. -But it seemed now that when strangers did force their way into -unwelcome tribal caverns, death was the result. This was fairly typical -of the most primitive savages on Earth and it was evidently a rule for -that level of culture anywhere in the universe.</p> - -<p>For a while then they sat silently, thinking about their plight. Robin, -somehow, was not too worried. He had become so used to the superiority -of his muscles that he felt that he could eventually manage his escape -when the time came. The question was, where could he escape to? This -particular region was not actually a part of the honeycomb of Luna's -interior—it was a cleft sealed in by a trick of volcanic fate on the -very surface. Probably it had no other exit than the one which led into -it.</p> - -<p>Again, escape though he might, could he save Korree too? He thought -about it in silence. Korree broke the meditations. "Have hunger. Is -food here?"</p> - -<p>"There must be some around," said Robin, glancing back at the things in -the rear of their prison-cave. The figure back there stirred a bit. And -then there was a mumbling sound and a voice said something. The voice -was deep and strong, unlike the sound of a Glassie's tongue. But Robin -could not understand it. Korree too looked and listened.</p> - -<p>"Did you understand him?" Robin asked his companion.</p> - -<p>Korree shook his head. Now at the sound of Robin's words occurred the -most astonishing surprise that Robin had yet encountered. The unseen -speaker spoke again:</p> - -<p>"Who is that? Is there someone here who speaks English?"</p> - -<p>It was a human voice! It spoke Robin's language, though the intonation -and accent were not quite right. Robin and Korree hastened back to -the rear of their cave to the reclining figure of the speaker. In the -light of Korree's head-stalk, it was indeed a man, an Earth man!</p> - -<p>He was lying, tied hand and foot, on a pile of scraps, but he was -raising his head, staring at them eagerly. He was a young man, -evidently not much older than Robin. His blue eyes looked at them with -relief and he smiled widely.</p> - -<p>"You are a human! I thought I was dreaming when I heard a voice I could -understand. You must be an American ... then the Americans must have -beaten us here after all!"</p> - -<p>Robin knelt down by the man, worked at his bonds. They were tight, -real cord of nylon or some Earth-made substance. It took the combined -strength of the two of them to finally open the knots and free the man.</p> - -<p>"Who are you?" Robin asked, as he worked. "Do you have a rocket on the -surface?"</p> - -<p>The man got to his feet, rubbed his muscles. He was dressed in a simple -blue one-piece flyer's coverall. He was taller and slimmer than Robin, -and his hair was tousled and reddish.</p> - -<p>"My name is Piotr Ivanovitch Kareff," he said, bowing with a European -gracefulness. "I regret to tell you that my rocket is indeed on the -surface—but there it will stay forever. We crashed. But I am so glad -to see you. You do not know how glad."</p> - -<p>Robin shook hands. "I hate to disappoint you, but I must tell you that -we are in the same predicament. I have no rocket here. I was hoping -when I heard your voice that you might have one we could go back in."</p> - -<p>The other looked confused, shook his head. "No rocket? Oh, that is too -bad. Very bad."</p> - -<p>The Glassie, who had been watching them without understanding too much -of the rapid-fire quality of normal speech, suddenly said, "Have hunger -much. Is food here."</p> - -<p>He turned his back on the two men, pawed through the scraps on the cave -floor, coming up with some of the provisions that Robin had packed with -him.</p> - -<p>"I'm hungry, also," said the Russian. "They have not fed me since they -threw me in here. Is this stuff good to eat?"</p> - -<p>"Try it," said Robin and the three sat down and ate. Robin sat munching -and stared at the other man. The first human he had seen in almost two -years. A real live man! But where did he come from? How did he get -here? And how was it he was a prisoner?</p> - -<p>For a while after they had finished, they looked at each other. The -Russian spoke. "You must have a story to tell me, Robin Carew. How did -you say you got here?"</p> - -<p>Robin briefly outlined what had happened to him, the other listening -attentively. When Robin had finished, he asked, "Now I want to know -about you? It's your turn."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Piotr, "I shall tell you."</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c14_The_Man_From_Lake_Baikal" id="c14_The_Man_From_Lake_Baikal"><i>14. The Man From Lake Baikal</i></a></h2> - - -<p>"I was an orphan of World War II," said Piotr Ivanovitch Kareff in a -quiet voice, speaking precise English with a fair fluency. "My family -were all vanished, I know not what happened to them. I was brought back -to Russia by our soldiers and sent to a state school in the Urals set -up to take care of such as myself.</p> - -<p>"There I was a good scholar and I made myself good marks. When I was -old enough, I qualified for study at a higher institute and was sent -to a college for engineers. I was always interested in astronomy and -rocket aviation and I was therefore trained along those lines.</p> - -<p>"When I was eighteen, I was allowed to continue my engineering -education as a part of my military duty. I was in the army, yet still -studying, only this time I was stationed at one of the big experimental -centers we have deep in Siberia. You probably do not know about them. -They are very secret.</p> - -<p>"The one I was at was located near the shores of Lake Baikal, the big -inland sea in Central Asia near Mongolia. This was the biggest center -for the study of liquid-fuel rockets. While I learned the theory, I -also worked on the actual projects and helped fire many of our big -rockets. These were designed after the German V-_2, the same designs -you Americans are also building on. We, too, had captured German -scientists who had worked on these. They had much to show us, and one -of the smartest of these men was the Captain Von Borck who even became -a member of the party or so he said.</p> - -<p>"I am not a political man, I am really interested in rockets, so I did -not pay too much attention to these things. Von Borck may be truly -believing what he desires, I do not know, but I think he is just what -you call an opportunity seeker.</p> - -<p>"After my army service, I chose to remain at the Lake Baikal station as -a regular engineer. I worked on the thousand-mile rockets, and finally -on the satellite rockets, and I helped get them up there. It was a nice -race with you Americans. We knew a little of your plans—those you -publish in the papers—and we always were urged to beat you. Sometimes -we did. Sometimes you beat us.</p> - -<p>"At our centers we made a game of this. It was serious to our country, -but to us, men of science, all discoveries by human beings are great -things. We liked to think of our work as a great game of mental chess -with you Americans—with the pieces on the board carefully hidden from -sight and reported only through guesswork and bad witnesses.</p> - -<p>"When the satellites were up and flying their orbits around the Earth, -yours and ours, the next game was obviously to race for the Moon. -Should we plant the Red flag there, or you the Stars and Stripes? So we -worked at that. We did not this time know what you were doing. Maybe -you had different ideas.</p> - -<p>"So Van Borck discovered a means of using atomic explosions in a steady -rocket stream and explained the principle. We worked on this motor -a while and finally the Ministry ordered the building of one rocket -which could fly to the Moon with this super-powerful engine. At first -our commander at the base said it should be a robot-piloted model, but -Moscow did not want that. They wanted that men should go on that first -trip. They wanted that a Soviet man should be first to reach the Moon.</p> - -<p>"They did not know about you, Robin, and your stowaway trip! Ha! But -even the Americans do not apparently know about you, alas for both of -us!"</p> - -<p>Piotr stopped a moment, got to his feet, went to the door of the cave -and listened. He came back. "No one there watching us. I go on," he -said.</p> - -<p>"So finally was built a big rocket with the first atomic explosive -engine. Von Borck himself was going to go in it as its engineer. But -Von Borck was not really a Soviet man, and I do not think Moscow was -happy about it. So they allowed for the ship to have a three-man crew. -I was selected, because I am young and quick and have a good record, -and also maybe because I have no family to be sorry I not come back -maybe. Arkady Pavlovitch Zverin was the third, who was also an orphan.</p> - -<p>"Came a day when the big rocket was complete and ready. We said good-by -to our friends and at the right time we went up the ladder and into our -big rocket. That day, which seems to me so long ago, must have been not -even a week ago yet!</p> - -<p>"We took off perfectly, we blasted for ten minutes—I thought my head -would burst—and we were on our way. Von Borck piloted it, but there -was really little to do. When it came time to reverse the rockets and -make our landing, we had trouble. Our gyroscope control was stuck and -we had to fight with it by hand to move it. This made a delay and when -we did get our jets reversed and working, our timing was off. Von Borck -struggled to slow us up and come to a real stop, but we were a little -too fast. We came down blasting away, and we hit very hard.</p> - -<p>"The rocket was partly smashed. The engines and tubes all crushed. The -nose was badly jarred and poor Arkady was killed by the impact. Von -Borck, too, was thrown from his seat, knocked unconscious on the floor -of our little cabin. I was badly bruised, but I remained conscious.</p> - -<p>"Fortunately for us, the little cabin remained airtight. When all was -still, I looked over what happened. I looked outside. We were in a -large crater, whose bottom was crisscrossed with cracks. One of these, -running into the distance, was quite glassy and I saw that something -like steam was issuing from a point near it. This meant to me that -somewhere underneath the surface there might be a place with air and -water.</p> - -<p>"I had at first thought all was lost and I would remain in the little -cabin until the air was used up or the food gave out. This would be -only a few days. But I thought that any chance, however little, was -better than no chance. So I managed to get to the locker and get out -two space suits. One I put on Von Borck who was still unconscious, but -whom I could not leave behind. The other I got into myself.</p> - -<p>"I took the German over my shoulder and managed to get out of the ship -through the lock which was still intact. Carrying my companion—it was -easy, he was so light on the Moon—I explored the cracks near where the -ship fell. I found a way leading down and even a series of very natural -air locks—a most unusual development.</p> - -<p>"Passing through many caves and tunnels I made my way and finally got -to this one. Von Borck had regained consciousness but he was not in his -right senses. He was talking nonsense. He believed—I do not know how -to put it—he was the King of the Trolls. He thought he was somewhere -in—fairyland or hell or some supernatural place. He did not remember -the trip.</p> - -<p>"When we first met these Moon people—you call them Glassies—Von Borck -said they were his Trolls. He killed four of them with his own hands -and the rest became afraid of him, thought him a god or demon come to -rule them. He let me alone a little while, then he seized me, tied me -up himself, and put me here.</p> - -<p>"I am afraid that he plans to sacrifice us. He is completely crazy and -he has these Glassies obeying him. I am sorry for us."</p> - -<p>Piotr stopped talking. He looked at Korree appraisingly. Robin -understood his intention. "I'm afraid that Korree won't have any -influence with these Glassies. They are a different tribe."</p> - -<p>Robin rubbed his hands a bit. "I really think we should be able to -escape, even so. We now outnumber Von Borck two to one and I think if -we pick our time we could manage to make a getaway. We'll have to be -careful. Do you think you could get back to your rocket on the surface?"</p> - -<p>The Russian nodded. "I guess we could. I was planning to go back from -the start."</p> - -<p>"Is there anything there we could use to signal the Earth with?" asked -Robin. "A radio, flares, mirrors?"</p> - -<p>Piotr nodded. "We had speaker-radio equipment, but it was smashed in -the landing. It was the first thing I tried after we hit. But we do -have flares. We could signal with them."</p> - -<p>"I imagine," said Robin, "that both the Americans and Russians must -be working on Moon rockets now. If we can signal back there, the next -rocket along might come to this crater and find us."</p> - -<p>"Good," said the Russian rocketeer. "Only how do we get to the surface? -I have a space suit, which is probably in Von Borck's cave. Von Borck -must have a suit too, if we can find it, though I think it will be much -too big for you."</p> - -<p>Robin explained about his homemade space suit. Piotr was quite -impressed. The suit which was packed in Robin's big sack was in the -prison cave where it had been thrown and they unpacked it. Piotr -examined the helmet with interest. "Very good. It might work. It seems -airtight."</p> - -<p>"I tested it under water," said Robin. "It didn't leak any bubbles."</p> - -<p>The Russian nodded. "But I don't believe your big bag of air would -work. How would you blow it up in the first place? I think you would -have had a hard time anyway. But fortunately there are three oxygen -tanks on my own suit. I can detach one for your use."</p> - -<p>He nodded, looking over the homemade helmet. In the half light of -the cave Robin looked at his new friend with interest. There was -something about his face which struck an odd chord in Robin's mind. -Something about him brought back faint, almost forgotten memories, dim -frightening memories of bombs exploding, of falling buildings, of a -frightened child, and great loss.</p> - -<p>Robin suddenly asked, "How did you learn to speak English so well?"</p> - -<p>Piotr looked up. "I was wondering when you would ask that. I always -knew English, I spoke it as a little child. When I was found by the -soldiers in Dresden, I was but a little boy, maybe six or seven. I -spoke some German, but mostly I spoke English. They could find no sign -of my parents, my family, so they took me back to Russia with them. I -studied English too in school, but I always knew it."</p> - -<p>Robin started, his heart pounding very strangely. "Where did you get -your name? That's Russian."</p> - -<p>The other stared at him hard. "No, it's not. My name—Piotr Ivanovitch -Kareff—means Peter the son of John Kareff."</p> - -<p>Robin was sure he knew now, but he doggedly insisted on his next -question. "My father's name was also John. John Carew. And how do you -spell your last name?"</p> - -<p>"Why," said Peter, a curious smile beginning to force its way to his -lips, "just like it's pronounced in Russia—Kareff—C-A-R-E-W—Kareff."</p> - -<p>And at the same instant, tears of joy sprang uncontrollably to their -eyes and the two brothers grabbed each other, laughing and pounding one -another's back in wild reunion.</p> - -<p>Korree stared uncomprehendingly at the curious sight of two Earth men -apparently taken leave of their senses.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c15_Getaway_Bomb" id="c15_Getaway_Bomb"><i>15. Getaway Bomb</i></a></h2> - - -<p>After they had recovered from their outburst of enthusiasm the two let -go of each other and sat down out of breath. "Well, this is really -amazing," said Robin finally. "Here I have to go to the Moon to find my -brother. You know I really do not remember very much."</p> - -<p>"Of course not. You could not have been more than four years old when -we parted. I was about three years older, I guess. Perhaps we can put -what we do know together and find out what did happen. I know that -Father and Mother were interned in Germany by the Nazis. That when -the war was nearing its end, the Germans started to move them and -other prisoners around. In the confusion, we were stranded somewhere -and there was heavy bombardment going on. I lost you and Mom and Dad -somewhere, wandered by myself for many days. I was with a band of -Russian people who had been taken to Germany by the Nazis to do slave -labor. They were making their way back to their homes and I clung to -them. So the Soviet Army simply counted me among its own orphans and -took me back. But maybe you know more about our family?" Peter looked -expectantly at his younger brother.</p> - -<p>Robin nodded. "I don't remember what happened. I was too young. I only -remember being terribly frightened and alone and things going bang. -When I was older I looked up the orphanage records. It seems that Dad -had been some sort of business agent in Germany and when the U.S. -got into the war he was interned along with Mom and the two of us. -Evidently they were killed in some sort of bombardment at the war's -end and I was the only one who survived. You are listed as having been -killed with them, according to the American Army report."</p> - -<p>Korree was moving restlessly during this conversation, not -understanding very much of it. Now he pulled at Robin's sleeve, -pointed. "Look. Cheeky come."</p> - -<p>Sure enough Robin's simian pet had finally found them. Evidently having -easily avoided capture by the Glassies, the little animal had been -searching for his master. Now his little head appeared around the edge -of the big rock that sealed their cave. At a whistle from Robin, Cheeky -pushed his way through the narrow gap and scampered to his friend.</p> - -<p>Peter watched the monkey with interest. "I wonder if we can't make use -of your pet to help us get out of here," he said. "We really ought to -start thinking of escape. I don't know when Von Borck will take the -notion to start something bad."</p> - -<p>"Well, let's start planning it out," said Robin. "First, we ought to -see what we have to work with. I think that the Glassies simply threw -everything I had with me in here too. That should make things fairly -simple. What did they have of yours?"</p> - -<p>They went over to the pile of things, with Korree along to light the -way, and examined it. Everything was present. Of Peter's property, his -space suit was there, intact, with its three shoulder oxygen tanks. -Robin picked up a gun belt that had evidently been part of the outfit, -but the holster was empty. Peter commented, "Von Borck took it when he -turned on me. He is armed also."</p> - -<p>But Robin noticed that the German rocket pilot had evidently not -thought to take the pack of additional pistol ammunition that was -clipped to the belt. He withdrew a clip and turned it over, then said:</p> - -<p>"We should be able to use these to start a diversion of some sort. If -we can get their attention elsewhere, we can easily push aside the -rock that seals our cave and make a run for it. We ought not to wait -for Von Borck to make up his mind."</p> - -<p>"Ah yes," said his brother. "There is good gunpowder in those bullets. -We could make a small bomb for a fuse or a display."</p> - -<p>"I think a bomb will do the trick. Let's get at it." Robin suited -his action to the words. He sat down, spread a clean piece of cloth -he found among Peter's property on the floor and began to pull the -cartridges apart and gently shake out the powder.</p> - -<p>Back on Earth, such a job would have been hard without instruments -and great force. Here on the Moon, it was not easy but their strength -enabled them to twist off the metal rims. Soon they had a neat little -pile of explosive powder gathered together.</p> - -<p>This they packed into a small glass tube among Peter's explorational -equipment until it was tight and filled the space. They twisted a dry -fiber until it was cordlike and rolled it in a little remaining powder -till it was thoroughly blackened. This they inserted in the end of the -tube as a fuse.</p> - -<p>"Now we should get our stuff together and get ready," said Robin. "I -don't think it would be a good idea to go back the way I came in; we'd -just be cutting ourselves off. The idea is to reach your rocket on the -surface. Which way did you come?"</p> - -<p>Peter indicated the opposite direction. "I came in through a hole -rather high in the wall, came down here along a narrow ledge. I can -find it again, I think."</p> - -<p>"Then let's get into our equipment and get ready," said Robin. He began -to load his huge pack again, but Peter intervened.</p> - -<p>"You really can leave some of that behind now," he said. "Make it -easier to move fast. Besides we've got some narrow places to squeeze -through on our way to the surface. I'd suggest leaving most of the food -behind. Take enough for a couple of meals more. You'll only need your -space helmet and space clothes."</p> - -<p>Peter was climbing into his space suit, an airtight rubberized affair -with electric heating grids. This on, he put on his space helmet for -the sake of convenience, though he left the little panel of the face -window open. Robin slung his own helmet from his shoulder—its vision -plate, being homemade, was fixed in place.</p> - -<p>When they were ready, they went over to the entrance and peeked through -the narrow, open space. "Why, it's dark outside!" said Robin.</p> - -<p>Where before the deep cleft had been lighted by the white light of the -outside sun, now it was dark. It was not as dark as the bubble-caverns -below had been, for a faint light still penetrated down from the -ceiling. They could make out the darker shadows of the surrounding -growth, and the Glassies outside were moving figures each illuminated -by a small circle of light from their head stalks.</p> - -<p>"Evidently the sun is going down on the Moon's surface," said Peter. -"It was low on the horizon when my rocket arrived. I wonder how cold it -will get in this place?"</p> - -<p>"It seems to be a little colder already," said Robin. "This may bring -Von Borck out of his cave to see what's happening."</p> - -<p>Robin called to Korree, explained what they were about to do. Then -while Korree kept a hand on Cheeky, the two Earthlings leaned their -shoulders against the big boulder and pushed it aside easily—an effort -which would have blocked Moon muscles.</p> - -<p>Korree had dimmed his headlight and the two men kneeled down and -carefully lighted the fuse of their bomb with Robin's flint and steel. -The end of the fiber sputtering, Robin took Cheeky and pressed the -glass vial into the monkey's paws. "Over there," he whispered to the -monkey urgently, and pointed a finger to the darkness opposite the -direction in which they would be heading. "Take it over there and leave -it," he whispered.</p> - -<p>He'd often taught Cheeky to fetch and carry, and he hoped the animal -would obey. It did. Grabbing the glass tube with its smoking fuse, the -monkey dashed off into the darkness.</p> - -<p>"I hope he remembers to drop it and come back," said Robin. Peter -nodded. "Let's get started."</p> - -<p>The men and Korree started slowly out of the cave. There was a very -faint dimness about them, a starlight glow that was just enough to -distinguish the presence of objects. They moved slowly, avoiding the -telltale lights of passing Glassies. Korree kept his own stalklight -dark.</p> - -<p>Suddenly the peace and darkness were split by a sharp, violent -explosion somewhere behind them. Immediately following was a -screeching, recognizable as the sound of an angry monkey and almost as -frightening.</p> - -<p>For an instant there was stunned silence and then pandemonium broke -loose. Glassies came running in all directions, slamming into each -other, not knowing what had happened. Some were running away from the -noise, some were running to investigate the terrible bang, and others -were simply running for cover in the caves. In the mad helter-skelter, -Robin and Peter and Korree ran as fast as they could to the far end of -the cleft.</p> - -<p>They dodged tree stalks, pushed through other patches, stumbled -occasionally over obstacles, but carried on. Robin noticed even as -he ran that the vegetation was already drying up and dying rapidly. -The cessation of sunlight had probably been quite abrupt as the sun -had sunk behind whatever crater walls made up the horizon above them. -Evidently the growth here was geared to a short, heavy life and sudden -death.</p> - -<p>Over the frightened, high-pitched voices of the Glassies, Robin now -heard another sound, the roaring voice of a man. Von Borck had been -brought out. He was yelling something, shouting angrily.</p> - -<p>Peter called to Robin as they dashed along. "He's trying to get them to -order. He knows we did it. But they don't understand him."</p> - -<p>On they ran. Now behind them they heard some signs of pursuit. -Evidently Peter was overoptimistic. Somehow Von Borck must have -managed to get the Glassies to realize his meaning. Hitting some and -shoving others, he had clearly gotten a few, who were still in awe -of his "magic," to follow him. They could hear the sounds of stalks -cracking far behind them as they ran. But they had a good head start.</p> - -<p>Robin had been hanging on to Korree's arm, dragging him with him in -huge, leaping steps. But as they dashed on, he realized that Peter was -slowing his own steps to accommodate and that the sounds of Von Borck's -rush behind them were beginning to be louder.</p> - -<p>Korree evidently realized this too. "Leave me," he gasped. "I make -out." With a twist he slipped out of Robin's hand and ran into the -darkness.</p> - -<p>"Wait!" yelled Robin after him, stopping. But Peter turned back, -grabbed his brother. "He's right. He'll be better off here. We couldn't -get him to the surface anyway. Come on! Quick!"</p> - -<p>With a sudden lurch of his heart and lump in his throat Robin -recognized the truth of this. He grabbed Peter's hand and the two of -them started off faster than ever, heading for the far wall in huge -Earthborn leaps.</p> - -<p>It was an eerie experience dashing madly along in the near blackness -of the cleft. The faint glow which came from above, probably only the -light of a million million faraway stars, filtered through the curious -translucent material of the cleft top, serving only to make patches of -blackness against patches of even greater blackness. Far behind them a -faint flickering indicated the movements of the natives. Now and then a -startling flicker would prove the presence of some startled Moonworm, -uncovered as a stalk was thrown over in the rush.</p> - -<p>Behind them they could hear a crashing and every now and then a shouted -word. Robin wondered what was being said, but Peter, sensing his -wonder, gasped out, "He's shouting ... the word for devils! When ... he -came to ... he believed himself ... in some sort ... of Troll -kingdom ... with me ... as a ... devil."</p> - -<p>"Crazy! Stark raving mad!" shouted Robin back.</p> - -<p>On they went. The helmet banging against Robin's back made him feel -clumsy and odd, yet he moved through the air with the agility of a -phantom.</p> - -<p>Now, suddenly, there loomed a dark wall before them and they caught -themselves back just in time to keep from smashing headlong into it. -"The wall!" shouted Robin.</p> - -<p>Peter pulled his arm, started hurrying along to one side. He gave a -sharp cry of relief, pulled Robin to him. "Here we are, the ledge. Go -on up!"</p> - -<p>Peter started off. Robin followed as fast as was possible. There was -evidently a thin ledge running up the side of the cave. In places it -was a gentle slope angling upward, in other parts there was a sudden -step. In their haste there was no time to pick and choose their steps. -Several times Robin tripped, almost falling, but he had built up such a -momentum that he simply slammed and banged over the obstacles, charging -up the ledge with a luck and agility that would have made a mountain -goat jealous.</p> - -<p>Behind them, at the base of the cliff, they now heard Von Borck's -roaring. "<i>Teufel!</i>" he was calling. Then suddenly from where the -madman stood, there beamed out a flash of yellow light. A flashlight, -thought Robin, he had a flash.</p> - -<p>The beam passed rapidly over the cave wall seeking the escapers. Once -or twice they froze against the side as it passed over them, dashing on -as soon as it was gone. Then Von Borck's light caught them, held them.</p> - -<p>"Keep running," yelled Peter, "it's not far now!"</p> - -<p>The two kept up. Then there was a sharp report below them and something -went <i>spang</i> on the rock wall near Robin. A bullet ... the mad rocket -pilot was firing at them.</p> - -<p>Now they simply raced on, ignoring the German's wild shots. "Here we -are!" gasped Peter and seemed to melt right into the cliff face. Robin -saw the black opening in the next second and tumbled into it, to be -caught by his brother's arms.</p> - -<p>For an instant they stood there in the darkness, catching their breath. -Then a light appeared in Peter's hand, and Robin saw that he held -an electric torch there, part of his space-suit equipment. The beam -illuminated a narrow, dark tunnel leading steeply upward apparently -through the solid rock.</p> - -<p>"This way!" said Peter and started off. Robin followed him on into the -narrow path that would lead him at long last to the surface of the -Moon.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c16_On_the_Crater_Floor" id="c16_On_the_Crater_Floor"><i>16. On the Crater Floor</i></a></h2> - - -<p>The tunnel was very narrow, a mere crack in the wall, and Robin was -hard put to squeeze through in a couple of spots. But it was not too -long and, in a few minutes, Robin felt from the change in air and echo -that it had opened out into a wider area.</p> - -<p>Peter's flash confirmed this. They were in a small air-pocket bubble -several yards wide. They crossed this while Peter searched along the -floor. He stopped, pointed down.</p> - -<p>"We go down again, through this hole in the floor. There's a short -drop of only a few feet, but be careful."</p> - -<p>Peter stepped over to the hole, sat down, and eased himself out of -sight. Robin looked down, could see the floor of another cave just -below. He dropped his pack through and squeezed down.</p> - -<p>Here they were in a sort of shallow flaw running lengthwise, and they -had to walk in a crouched position to keep their heads from bumping the -low ceiling.</p> - -<p>Robin wondered how Peter knew which way to go, but looking carefully, -he realized that his brother was only following the trail of his -footsteps made on arriving—for there was a thin coating of dust on -this floor that showed the trail.</p> - -<p>"How did you ever find this passage?" asked Robin, his voice echoing -flat and high in the passage.</p> - -<p>"Saw the sealed cleft top running across the bottom of this crater. -Found a spot near it where some sort of gas was hissing out. Went down -it, and simply followed every lead that pointed in the direction of -the cleft." Robin knew that behind this reply undoubtedly lay a lot of -sweat and agony. Peter had made the trip carrying an unconscious body -with him!</p> - -<p>The low passage ended in a small cave-bubble. A break at the top of -this was the next line of direction. Peter had simply dropped down on -his arrival, but they waited to catch their breath. They would have to -jump for it.</p> - -<p>"Do you suppose Von Borck is following us?" asked Robin while waiting.</p> - -<p>Peter shook his head. "I doubt it. First, we'd probably have been able -to hear him coming. Second, he'd still know enough to go get his space -suit before following us. Third, he won't remember anything of this -trip and will have to find his way."</p> - -<p>Rested, Robin gave Peter a boost, hoisting him as high as he could to -the top of the cave-bubble. Peter jumped the short distance remaining, -catching a grip on the edge of the hole in the cave ceiling. He pulled -himself up, then dropped his nylon cord down for Robin to grasp and -help himself up.</p> - -<p>Up above there was still another small bubble, broken on one side. A -whole series of broken bubbles lay revealed, and they walked along this -section gingerly. This area was greatly cracked and seamed. It was -clear to them that there was a possibility of a fall-in.</p> - -<p>Beyond that group they came to another break leading upward, and again -they moved on. Now Robin found himself breathing very heavily. "I'm -getting very tired," he gasped at last.</p> - -<p>Peter stopped. They were still in the break and a severe slope was -rising before them. "It's the air pressure. It's getting quite low -already. You've been used to the low pressure of the bubbles below, as -you tell me, but we are close to the surface and the limited amount -of air sealed in this particular bubble-system is thinning beyond -the safety point. We'll have to go slow and rest often. I don't want -to have to use our oxygen supplies until we are at the limit of our -natural abilities."</p> - -<p>Robin finally caught his breath, felt power returning. Now the two -pushed on, going very carefully and slowly, with rests every few steps.</p> - -<p>The steep rise ended at a narrow opening. Peter paused here, motioned -to Robin to join him. "This is the crisis point," he said. "Listen."</p> - -<p>Robin strained his ears. He was aware of the pounding of his heart -struggling for oxygen. He was aware of a ringing in his ears from the -low pressure. But now he heard over that a thin whistling, a high, -steady rustling whistle coming from somewhere across the narrow, long -cave he was looking in upon.</p> - -<p>"What is it?" he whispered.</p> - -<p>"A most unusual phenomenon," whispered Peter back. "The only thing that -keeps the air in all this subterranean region from being sucked away to -the surface. It's a volcanic current of hot gas, racing through this -long channel at tremendous speed. It must come up from somewhere in the -still-warm interior; it must be rushing to some vast cold spot below. -But it serves as an effective curtain cutting off the stale air on this -side from the near-vacuum of the surface. Its density, velocity, and -heat perform the miracle."</p> - -<p>Peter shone the lamp across and down the cave. The passage cleared a -long, tunnellike channel which ran down into darkness on one side and -away into equal darkness on the other. Only a few yards across from -them he could see the gray surface of the wall. There seemed to be -nothing else except the whistling noise.</p> - -<p>"Edge along the wall here carefully," said Peter, and started off. He -kept one shoulder rubbing the wall near them and walked carefully down -the passage.</p> - -<p>Robin edged out, following him closely. He felt no movement of air, -yet he detected a faint trace of warmth on his outer side. Somewhere, -invisible to him, that cataract of volcanic air was flowing. Was it a -few feet or a fraction of an inch? He could not tell.</p> - -<p>The wall bellied wider a little, allowing a chance to get farther away -from the unseen wind. Peter was waiting here. "I think we'd better -adjust our space equipment now. We have a short way to go, then we'll -have to fight our way across that air blast. There's an opening to the -surface at one point nearby. Once we cross the wind and get to it, -we'll be outside."</p> - -<p>Robin let down his pack. Peter examined Robin's equipment again, -looking worried. He shook his head once or twice. "I hope it works out -all right, but some changes will have to be made."</p> - -<p>He took the big bladder Robin had constructed as an air bag. "This -won't work, but it will come in handy in a different way." He took -Robin's pocket knife and began to cut the big sack apart to make thin -long strips of leather. When he had finished with that, he looked over -at Robin and said:</p> - -<p>"Now you'll have to wind these strips around you as tight as you can. -Begin as high up on your chest as possible, and go on down. Wind them -around your arms and legs, around your fingers, if possible. Don't -undress, but wind the strips over your clothes. Make them tight. I'll -help you."</p> - -<p>As they worked to do so, Peter explained further. "Having an air helmet -is not enough for space. The pressure of your blood and the gases -in your system will make it impossible for you to breathe or move, -if your body is not tightly encased. A real space suit like mine is -pressurized, built with a layer of air pockets all over, which increase -their pressure in proportion to the decrease outside. But if you don't -have this pressure, even having air around your head will not help. So -make those bandages tight, as tight as you can without stopping your -breathing completely."</p> - -<p>They worked on, winding the leather around and around, until Robin felt -as if he were being encased in a strait jacket, felt like a living -mummy. Strips were wrapped around his fingers under his gloves, his -gloves fitting over them and further strapped.</p> - -<p>Next Peter strapped one of his three oxygen tanks to Robin's back. "I -hope this will work well enough to keep you breathing until we reach -the rocket. Fortunately you made your helmet deep enough to come down -far over your shoulders. I can work this air tube up high enough for -you to grasp the end in your mouth. The air will force its way into -your lungs. You'll have to struggle to force your exhalation out of -your nose. It's difficult, especially the first time, but you'll have -to cope with it."</p> - -<p>As he held the helmet preparatory to putting it over Robin's head, -he gave him some last-minute instructions. "We won't be able to -communicate once I get this on you. You've no radio and your mouth will -be full anyway. So listen carefully.</p> - -<p>"The rocket is about a hundred yards away. I'll lead the way, and I'll -tie this cord around your waist so you won't lose me. Follow me as -close as you can. There's a possibility that your glass plate may fog -up or ice over from the water vapor inside your helmet. If it does, -hang on to the cord and keep moving after me! But don't stop ... and -don't give up! All set?"</p> - -<p>Robin's heart was beating fast, he felt strange and stifled in his -bindings. This was the zero instant. He nodded, held out his hand. -Peter grasped it, shook it. "When you're all set, follow me across the -wind stream. It's powerful—don't let it throw you."</p> - -<p>Robin put the end of the air tube in his mouth. Peter pushed the -homemade helmet down over his head, secured it tightly, almost -painfully, until no space was left for air to escape. Then Peter -reached behind Robin to the small tank strapped there and turned a -petcock.</p> - -<p>Instantly Robin started to choke as he felt something being rammed down -his lungs. He caught himself, recognizing that his lungs were being -forcibly inflated. He struggled to get control of his diaphragm to -expel the excess air pressure. He managed finally to do so, feeling a -whiff of air rush through his nostrils. He fought a bit more with the -unpleasant current, felt himself getting a grip on it.</p> - -<p>Through the plate of his helmet he saw Peter watching him anxiously. -Then Peter rapidly tied the nylon cord around his own waist, let it out -a few feet, and tied the other end around Robin's. Peter snapped shut -the visor of his own helmet, touched the air controls of his own suit, -and nodding to Robin, stepped out into the tunnel.</p> - -<p>Robin followed closely, conscious of the tight, restricting bands, -still fighting the unpleasant pressure of the air tube blowing down -his lungs. Peter walked a few steps, pointed a gloved hand across the -passage, shone his light.</p> - -<p>There was a narrow black gap across there. Through it Robin caught a -glimpse of bright white specks—the stars!</p> - -<p>Then Peter made a dash, seemed to be picked up by a giant hand and -whirled wildly across the passage. The cord tightened and Robin jumped -into the space to avoid being pulled off his feet.</p> - -<p>He was struck at once by a terrific onrush. A hot, violent blast -slammed into him. He lost his footing, felt himself being hurled -headlong into a furious tornado. The cord leaped out, and Peter pulled -on it hard. Robin swung about, fetched up against the other side of the -wall of the cave with a bang, was pulled to his feet before he had even -started to fall, and was propelled right through the gap in the wall.</p> - -<p>Suddenly all was still. The whistling of the wind, the roar of the -current as it struck him, had vanished. Only the sucking and rushing of -the oxygen in his own helmet could be heard. He was outside, on the -surface of the Moon at last!</p> - -<p>The gap opened from the wall of a cliff. Above him, the cliff soared -to become a mountainous edge of a deep, wide crater. He turned his -head, but Peter was impatient. He felt the pull of the cord, turned -and followed Peter, who was moving away from the crater wall in long, -low strides, strides that ate up distance like an Earthly giant in -seven-league boots. Robin adjusted his pace, followed closely.</p> - -<p>For a while he forgot his personal danger and simply gazed around at -the fabulous moonscape. The crater's other wall was maybe a dozen -miles away, but the thin air—the almost indetectably tenuous air that -clustered at the bottom of this crater made the distance seem nothing. -He could even make out details of the far edge.</p> - -<p>And yet this section of the Moon was in the night-time. The sun had -passed it by. It should have been dark, pitch-dark, by the logic of the -interplanetary space. Yet it wasn't. Everything instead was bathed in -a cold greenish-blue light that covered the surface like the glow of a -half-dozen full moons.</p> - -<p>He looked up. Directly in the center of the sky overhead was the source -of the radiation. A great glowing ball of green and blue and white, -a ball with a misty aura surrounding it, a globe that struck Robin -instantly as familiar. It was the Earth. The home world, seen in all -its glory, a giant full-moon Earth, continents and islands clearly -outlined, a glory of pale colors, poles agleam with dazzling -white ... it was a sight that momentarily stopped Robin in his tracks, -hypnotized with wonder.</p> - -<p>The cord pulled him out of it, and on he dashed, looking about him in -the pale Earthlight.</p> - -<p>The surface was thick with cosmic dust, here and there the rounded -domelike surface of a congealed volcanic bubble. Cracks crossed and -crisscrossed the surface, and Peter and he had to bound across many of -them. He saw rising slightly above the surface a long rill of whitish -substance, racing across the crater bottom. With a start he realized -that that must be the glasslike roof of the great cleft he had so -recently escaped from.</p> - -<p>Above, the sky was nearly black and myriad stars shone bright from the -distance. The outlines of the surrounding mountains walled in the two -boys as if they were pygmy boxers in a gargantuan ring.</p> - -<p>Robin was forcing the air from his nostrils, allowing the oxygen to -rush into his lungs. He began now to feel the first faint chill of -surrounding space. He realized that it must already be nearly a hundred -and fifty below zero on the surface, probably even much more than that. -He had to keep moving, keep moving.</p> - -<p>But it was getting colder. He felt the cold penetrate him as his suit -radiated the warmth that was in it. Now he wondered what was happening -outside. Something was obscuring his view. Was it mist he was passing -through?</p> - -<p>He had heard of mist on the Moon's surface, but he had seen none when -he had first emerged. Yet his vision was being obscured more and more -by a cloudiness. He strained his eyes, suddenly realized that the mist -was not outside, it was inside! The slight amount of vapor inside his -helmet was beginning to frost up on the inside of his face plate. What -Peter had feared was beginning to happen.</p> - -<p>Robin missed his footing, stumbled, not having seen the little ridge -they had passed. Peter, now barely visible ahead of him, had not -stopped. Robin felt the cord tighten as he slowed down, uncertain of -where his feet were landing.</p> - -<p>He began to feel groggy, realized that he was becoming frightened. He -gritted his teeth on the unpleasant air tube, said to himself, <i>Get a -hold on, stay firm. Only a few more steps to go. Hang on! Hang on!</i></p> - -<p>He conquered his panic. Blind or not, he would keep on until he passed -out. The face plate was now solid white, completely opaque. He stumbled -on, allowing the tight cord to direct him, pull him.</p> - -<p>On and on, the journey seemed endless. Running, jumping, and bouncing, -his feet banging against unseen rocks, hitting into cracks, kicking -out, flying through space in bounds of blind horror. It was a nightmare -such as he'd never dreamed.</p> - -<p>Then, as he came down hard and banged into something, he felt his -helmet slip a little, jog slightly. There was a <i>whish</i> and suddenly -his face plate cleared completely. At the same instant he felt as if -his eyes would pop, while something snatched at his nose and sucked the -breath from him.</p> - -<p>Through the clear plate he caught a wild glimpse of a large metallic -structure sticking up out of the ground. The Russian rocket, he thought -wildly. It was big like a huge bullet, gleaming brightly and polished. -He saw it nearing him, realized he was being dragged along by Peter.</p> - -<p>He realized also that his helmet had slipped a gap, that the air within -had been sucked out, that the water vapor clogging his face plate had -been snatched out with it, and that his face was exposed. But the -oxygen tube was still in his mouth, still forcing air into him, and his -nostrils were having it sucked out almost as fast. Somehow the thin -stream of air rushing from the helmet kept his face from all the rigors -of vacuum. His eyes were bulging and paining, he felt his nose spraying -blood and a red film kept clogging the face plate and being snatched -away by the escaping air.</p> - -<p>Then as he realized he could no longer stand the agony, he felt himself -grabbed under the shoulders, hoisted up, shoved into a small dark space -and felt through his fingers the clang of a metal door. There came a -hissing noise, and as consciousness at last oozed away from him, he -knew that they had reached the air lock of the Soviet rocket and that -his ordeal was over.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c17_Moon_Calling_Earth" id="c17_Moon_Calling_Earth"><i>17. Moon Calling Earth</i></a></h2> - - -<p>The impression of a damp cloth moving gently over his face was Robin's -first sensation on recovering his senses. He opened his eyes to find -Peter leaning over him, carefully mopping away the soreness from his -nose and face. Robin's eyes hurt and he blinked several times, each -time feeling their rawness.</p> - -<p>"Easy does it," said Peter, smiling. "Your eyes are very bloodshot, but -fortunately there's no real damage. You couldn't have been exposed to -the outside for more than a few seconds. Nosebleed's stopped, too."</p> - -<p>Robin raised his head, feeling a little dizzy and weak at first. He -was lying in a hammock slung across the narrow space of the rocket's -tiny cabin. He took in the limited quarters slowly, while flexing his -muscles to discover other points of sensitivity. His clothing had been -removed, the tight bandaging unwrapped. He was wearing some sort of -loose aviation coverall that his brother had dressed him in.</p> - -<p>"Have I been out long?" Robin asked, rising to a sitting position.</p> - -<p>"Maybe a half-hour," said his brother. "Mostly shock and overexertion, -I guess. You've got some bruises on your shins and feet, but nothing -that should stop you. Feel like some hot food? Real Earth food?"</p> - -<p>Robin was suddenly hungry and the memories of a hundred forgotten foods -flooded his senses. He nodded, and greedily attacked the full mess kit -that his brother had been heating. It contained merely some sort of -frankfurter, some canned potato, a chunk of black bread, and a cup of -something that must have been condensed cabbage soup ... but to Robin -it was the best banquet he'd had in many months. For the first time he -ate meat that wasn't rabbit or a Moon creature, vegetable that wasn't -Moontree fruit. His tongue reveled in the flavors. A glass of hot tea -was the final sensation.</p> - -<p>Refreshed, he looked around. The little cabin, occupying the entire -nose of the rocket, must have been a tight squeeze indeed for a -three-man crew. The controls and the pilot's seat occupied a good -section of it. There was space for only two hammocks, which were -obviously not to be spread out except when taking off or sleeping, and -Peter was rolling up the one in which Robin had been resting. There was -a built-in electric grid, a nozzle from which water was piped, a large -number of observational and recording instruments, a couple of folding -seats, nothing much else. Several thick glass bull's-eye windows were -set in a circle around the nose, at a level with the pilot's eyes. -Light came from one large electric bulb hanging in the nose of the -ship. The whole cabin was tilted over at an angle, the result of the -crash.</p> - -<p>"I'm surprised that everything is in such good condition," said Robin. -"I had expected to see a complete ruin."</p> - -<p>"Well," said Peter, "I've got to admit that Von Borck was definitely a -good pilot. The crash was probably not his fault. We were actually not -supposed to land. Our orders were to try to circle the Moon in a narrow -orbit, then return. We were to land only if Von Borck was sure he could -do it and get away again.</p> - -<p>"What happened though was that after we had crossed the dividing line -in space where the Moon's pull equaled the Earth's pull, our gyroscopic -controls jammed. Von Borck couldn't turn the rockets in our rear to -the indicated direction. We struggled with the gyro for about forty -minutes, even going outside to get at the airless tube section beneath -this sealed cabin. When we finally got the controls operating, it was -far too late to attempt to establish an orbit. Instead, Von Borck -did the next best thing—he decided to attempt a direct landing. He -reversed the rocket entirely, slowed us down and came down in an -effort to land on his jets. It's a very difficult balancing trick, -especially on an unknown landing field with uncertain distances.</p> - -<p>"Actually he almost succeeded. He came down just a little too -fast, smashed up our tubes, rammed the whole rear down into the -pumice-and-dust surface, leaving our nose cabin sticking out unharmed. -Von Borck slammed his head against the metal paneling. I took a spill, -and Arkady who had volunteered to stand at the opposite observation -port from the pilot in order to inform him of any dangers from that -side was thrown across the room and killed."</p> - -<p>Robin nodded slowly. "But why didn't you just stay here instead of -going out?"</p> - -<p>Peter went to a wall cabin, opened it. Inside there were about a -half-dozen small containers and cans. "That's the whole stock of food -we have left," was the reply. "We couldn't have stayed here too long. -When I looked around outside I saw mist issuing from that spot in the -cliff we came through. Obviously we'd die if we didn't find some place -to stay. I went outside, buried Arkady, explored a little, realized -that that rill out there was a sealed cleft which probably held air. So -I loaded Von Borck, who had been unconscious for hours, and set out to -go underground."</p> - -<p>Robin got up, walked around. He was already in better shape. He looked -at the panels, found them complex and with the markings in Russian. -"What's the source of the electricity?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"There's an atomic pile somewhere in the rear of the rocket," -Peter replied. "That's something you don't smash easily. It's still -operating."</p> - -<p>"Can we send a message back to Earth then?" asked Robin. "If we've the -power, and this ship must have a radio...."</p> - -<p>"We tried that, but the radio was smashed in the landing. However, -there is an emergency wave sender which was designed for just such a -thing. I don't know if that's working. Let's see."</p> - -<p>Peter opened a door set in the floor of the rocket which opened on an -area jammed with equipment, wiring, and extra supplies. He reached -around, extracted a small black box. He held it up, shook it gently. -Handing it to Robin, he took out a roll of wire, and seating himself at -the pilot's seat began to connect the box to the rocket. When it was -plugged in to the electric system of the cabin, Peter flicked a switch -and turned a knob. A thin humming came from the box.</p> - -<p>"It works," he said. "This gives off a steady signal wave going on the -general air-travel band. The radio buzz can be heard from Earth if it's -being sought. By following it, astronomers can trace exactly where this -rocket is. All we have to do is leave this on—it will run for years on -our atomic power source. Eventually, rockets will locate us."</p> - -<p>"But surely there must be some way of calling their attention even -sooner?" said Robin. "Do you have flares?"</p> - -<p>"You're right," Peter said excitedly. "We've got them. And it is night -outside. If we use our flares, they could be seen on any decent-sized -telescope. Shall we set them off?"</p> - -<p>Robin nodded. "No time like now."</p> - -<p>Peter reached again into the floor storages, opening another section, -and began to pull out another space suit. "This was Arkady's," he said. -"It should fit you."</p> - -<p>It did. This time, Robin felt none of the uneasiness that had assailed -him on his previous experience on the outside. In a few minutes, he and -Peter were standing a short distance away from the rocket and setting -out the flares.</p> - -<p>Although the suit was cumbersome, it was not too uncomfortable. Instead -of tight bandaging, the fabric of the suit consisted of some sort of -self-inflating air sacs, which maintained an equal and natural pressure -on the surface of Robin's body. The helmet, which was really airtight -and warmed, was entirely comfortable, although again the breathing was -a matter of a forced intake and a willful exhalation.</p> - -<p>They set up the flares, which were magnesium-burning giant candles, a -safe distance from the rocket, wired them to a detonator powered from -the ship. Then, before going back, Robin and Peter simply stood and -looked around.</p> - -<p>All about, the giant bare mountains ringed the crater. Their gaunt, -jagged outlines were a black ring against which was set the star-strewn -wonder of the sky, in whose exact center slowly rotated the marvelous -globe of Mother Earth.</p> - -<p>The eerie Earthlight threw odd shadows and dark spots across the -grayness of the plain. Here and there the mysterious-looking domes -rose, the tops of bubbles as Robin had reason to know. In other places -smaller craters and ringed ridges broke the surface.</p> - -<p>"It looks desolate and barren," commented Peter on the helmet-radio. -"Yet, you know, when we landed in the sunlight of the Moon's day, it -wasn't all like this. There were patches of low scrubby plants growing -in the lowest sections near spots where some air must have been seeping -out. This crater is considerably lower than much of the surrounding -areas on this central part of the Moon. The air here may be almost -unnoticeable, but it is still just a bit denser even than it must be on -the 'seas' beyond these crater walls."</p> - -<p>"How did you spot that break in the wall we came through?" asked Robin, -turning to search for it.</p> - -<p>"As a matter of fact, it was quite obvious," said his brother. "In the -sunlight, there's a distinct stream of vapor coming out of it and a lot -of frozen water vapor all around. Further, it was just there that the -green vegetation was growing thickest. It was quite inviting to a man -looking for refuge ... otherwise I'd probably never have thought of it."</p> - -<p>They trudged back to the rocket, climbed through the lock into the -safety of the tiny cabin. Robin set the firing pin of the detonator -switch, looked out. "It's the Western Hemisphere that's facing the Moon -now," he said. "Just coming into view. Must be early morning around the -New Mexico belt. You know, your Russian friends won't see this flare."</p> - -<p>Peter looked up, shrugged. "We can fire another flare twelve hours -later," he said. "I am not particular who rescues us. I am an American, -you know. I owe something to the Soviets too. When you look at the -world from here, from another planet, these distinctions of nationality -seem so—somehow—unimportant. We are all humans, all from the same -ancestors. Even if we were not brothers, we would feel ourselves such. -Our roots go to all parts of the world. If you add up all people's -ancestors a hundred generations back, you will realize that there can't -be anyone who is not distantly related to everyone else—that we all -share somebody in our ancestry who lived in every country of the world, -shared all the histories of the past and all the different politics and -opinions."</p> - -<p>Peter grew quiet, as if a little amazed at his own outburst. Robin drew -close to him, threw an arm around him. "I think when more men get out -among the stars, people are going to realize that we can't afford to -think of ourselves as anything other than citizens of Mother Earth. -In the face of the universe, of Moonmen, of the inhabitants of the -millions of other planets that must exist, our national differences -seem so small, so much a private family matter as not to be thrashed -out in the public of our interstellar neighbors. I think it's good we -are brothers. All men are brothers."</p> - -<p>Robin threw the switch.</p> - -<p>Outside, the crater suddenly lighted up in a blinding white glare, -a blaze that threw wild, dancing black shadows several miles across -the floor, that momentarily lighted the great crags and precipices -of the mountains, that made an outburst of grandeur in a moonscape of -unearthly terror and beauty.</p> - -<p>Five minutes later, when the flares had died down, Robin again threw -the switch. The second set of magnesium bombs went off and again the -crater was brilliantly lighted.</p> - -<p>"On Earth that should stand out very sharply. It is nearly a new moon -for them. This spot of light will be like a blinding diamond on a black -velvet setting," said Peter poetically.</p> - -<p>They rested now, taking their space suits off, lolling around on two -hammocks, just talking, renewing acquaintance, exchanging experiences. -They ate another meal, slept, finally donned their outfits again and -set off the next set of flares a half Earth-day later, when the massive -area of Eurasia was on the face of the globe in the Lunar sky.</p> - -<p>"Now the Russian observers have had a chance to see us," said Peter. -"We ought to go back to the underground world again. Our supplies here -are not enough. In order to eat and breathe the next few months, we -will have to live among the Glassies. We have to go back to the great -cleft again."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Robin. "And that brings up the question of Von Borck. He'll -be waiting for us, you know."</p> - -<p>His brother nodded. "Ah, but this time we will be the ones who are -armed and ready." He reached down, took out a second gun belt, handed -it to Robin. "Use this. Strap it around your space suit."</p> - -<p>Robin looked at it, lifted the pistol in its holster. "It's an army -automatic," said Peter. "A Tokarev .30, built much the same as an -American Colt. Here, I'll show you how it works."</p> - -<p>He cautioned about the lack of a safety catch, showed how to load the -clip of bullets. "Be careful of it, though. It has a strong kickback on -Earth—here on the Moon, it may be quite tricky to fire a gun."</p> - -<p>They dressed again in their outfits, loaded on other supplies that -might come in handy, including a light carbine, hunting knife and axe, -and waterproof pack of matches. They slung the gun belts around their -waists, tied the nylon cord to each other as an added precaution, and -made a last check of the rocket cabin.</p> - -<p>The little radio signal was still humming. Some day it would bring a -rescue ship. Whether that would be a matter of months or a matter of -years was the only question. Robin gulped a bit at the prospect of -spending more years away from his own world. Sight of Earth, the taste -of real food had made him quite homesick.</p> - -<p>He thrust such thoughts away, snapped tight his helmet plate, and -nodded to Peter. They climbed out of the rocket, sealing the air-lock -door. They stood for a moment outside the wreck, taking their bearings.</p> - -<p>They turned to head for the cliff wall, when something went <i>ping</i> -off a metal fixture on Robin's helmet. He started, pulled back and -something seemed to flick past his eyes and pop against the side of the -rocket.</p> - -<p>He yelled and ducked for cover. "Look out, Peter! Get down!"</p> - -<p>Standing on the surface, just outside the narrow crack that led -underground, was the figure of a man—a man wearing a space suit -similar to theirs, with a small dark object in his hand which issued a -little flash of red fire.</p> - -<p>"It's Von Borck," gasped Robin, "and he's shooting at us!"</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c18_Madmans_Battle" id="c18_Madmans_Battle"><i>18. Madman's Battle</i></a></h2> - - -<p>Robin lay flat against the ground, holding himself motionless. Peter's -voice came over his helmet-radio. "Did you get hit?"</p> - -<p>"No," said Robin. "Something may have chipped my helmet but there's no -leak, so I guess it wasn't a direct shot. How about you? Where are you?"</p> - -<p>From his position he couldn't see his brother, who had obviously fallen -somewhere near. "I'm down just behind you," came Peter's voice. "We'll -have to find better cover than this. There's a slight ridge about a -foot high a couple of yards to your left. Crawl over to it and get -behind it."</p> - -<p>Robin cautiously raised his head. It drew no fire and he realized that -lying down in the darkness of the gray surface, the greenish Earthlight -was not sufficient to outline him to Von Borck's eyes. He eased up on -his arms and crawled slowly to the ridge. Behind this was a measure of -protection. He was now free to twist his body around to look for Peter. -In the cumbersome helmet and suit, the only way he could look around -was to move his whole body.</p> - -<p>Peter was crawling after him slowly. There was a sudden spurt of dust -from the ground just behind him, like a tiny geyser. "Von's still -shooting at you," said Robin. "Hurry!"</p> - -<p>Peter slid quickly into refuge behind the ridge at Robin's side. -Twisting his body, he unstrapped the light carbine rifle from his back, -brought it around in front of him. "Have you ever fired a rifle or a -pistol, Robin?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"I learned some target shooting at school," said Robin. "I was a pretty -fair shot. But I never handled a revolver."</p> - -<p>Peter slid the rifle over to him. "Then you use this. I'll use my -pistol. We'll have to get him before he gets us."</p> - -<p>Robin held the rifle awkwardly. He glanced at it, saw that it was -loaded, slid the bolt action. "I don't like this," he said. "If there -was only some way we could capture him and hold him until we're -rescued. You said he's a good man with rockets. Maybe he can be -straightened out mentally if we can get him back to Earth."</p> - -<p>Peter shrugged, grunted. "Don't waste time dreaming. Sure he was a good -engineer. But right now it's him or us. If he has his way, none of us -will ever return to Earth alive. Just remember he's doing his very best -to kill us—we cannot dare do any less. Sure, if we get a break, we'll -capture him. Right now, though, we'd better shoot him or we'll never -get out of this alive."</p> - -<p>Peter suited his action to his words. He clumsily forced his thickly -gloved finger through the trigger guard and grasped the pistol. He -swiftly raised up, aimed, and pulled the trigger.</p> - -<p>There was a flash of red and simultaneously Peter fell over backward -and rolled over once with a yell of pain. Robin turned, stricken with -horror. "What happened! Are you hit?"</p> - -<p>Peter's voice came back. "No, I'm not hit, but I almost wrenched my -arm off! It was the gun's recoil, the kick! I completely forgot what -a terribly strong recoil a pistol would have on the Moon. It was like -holding a rocket engine in my hand for a split second. It simply hurled -me right over."</p> - -<p>Peter rolled himself over on his chest, resuming his position next to -Robin. "We'll have to be careful when we fire. Remember the kick will -be many times stronger than back on Earth."</p> - -<p>There was another spurt of dust to one side of them. Another evidence -of Von Borck's shooting. Possibly he had caught a glimpse of Peter's -scramble.</p> - -<p>Robin slid the rifle out in front of him, cocked it for firing. He -crawled to a break in the ridge, propped the butt of the gun against a -small outcropping of rock along the surface, rolled himself clumsily -into position. Raising his head, he saw the figure of Von Borck still -standing against the narrow entrance to the wall. He aimed the rifle as -well as he was able under the handicaps, pressed it hard, and pulled -the trigger.</p> - -<p>He felt a sharp shock as the rifle tried to kick out of his hands, -but he had bolstered it well. He saw a chunk of rock split from the -cliffside just over the German's head. Von Borck ducked as the dust -began to fall upon him in its slow Lunar fashion, then the German moved -back into the break.</p> - -<p>Robin again aimed the rifle, this time directly at the dark center of -the break in the cliff. Again he fired. This time the figure of the -space-suited man backed out of sight entirely.</p> - -<p>"What now?" asked Robin. "Shall we wait for him to come back or shall -we try to follow him?"</p> - -<p>"Better take the chance and go after him," said his brother's voice. -"Must follow up every advantage."</p> - -<p>"Then let's go," said Robin and leaped to his feet. Peter jumped up -with him and they both started to sprint for the entrance in the cliff.</p> - -<p>They ran for it in low, swift leaps, and this time Robin saw what ease -and fun running on the Moon's surface could be if you had the proper -outfit for it. It was so light and easy, like running in a dream, -gliding rapidly over the faintly lighted eerie moonscape in a world of -absolute silence and motionlessness.</p> - -<p>For an instant, as they closed in on the cliff, Robin saw Von Borck's -figure appear, there was another flash of red and then the man vanished -again. But the boys did not halt. Together they charged the entrance. -In a matter of seconds, they reached it, blocked it.</p> - -<p>There was no sign of the German. They shone their flashlamps into the -channel behind the opening. There was nothing.</p> - -<p>Robin could feel the faint rustling movement of the rushing air -current, but he could see nothing in motion. Again he was struck by the -weirdness of the phenomenon.</p> - -<p>"Where'd he go?" he whispered, even though his voice could not be heard -outside of their helmets.</p> - -<p>"He's probably hiding somewhere. We'll have to follow him. Get ready -and then remember to throw yourself hard across that air blast. It's -strong." Peter checked the nylon that tied them together. "Shall I -untie this or shall we jump together?"</p> - -<p>"Let's go together," said Robin. They held hands, and, backing up, took -a running start and threw themselves into the darkness of the break.</p> - -<p>There was again the buffeting of a powerful wind, and Robin felt -himself being caught off his feet by the force of a hurricane. Before -he could be swept away, a jerk at the cord around his waist threw him -down, and he rolled over on the windless far side of the tunnel, safe -with Peter.</p> - -<p>He became aware of outside noises. He followed Peter's example and -opened the plate of his helmet. For an instant he gasped for air, then -adjusted to the thin atmosphere.</p> - -<p>Both brothers listened. But they heard nothing. "He must have headed -back for the cleft," said Peter. "We'll have to follow him."</p> - -<p>They started to retrace their tracks. Partly down the wind tunnel they -found the downward slope on which they had traveled before. Robin -flashed his lamp down its steep pitch. He saw nothing. Gingerly he -began to work his way cautiously down the sharp slope.</p> - -<p>Peter followed behind. Halfway down, Robin stopped for breath. When he -caught it, he whispered, "I just thought of something. How do we know -Von went down here? Maybe he's gone farther up the tunnel, waiting to -slip back and get behind us."</p> - -<p>"I don't think so," said Peter. "I looked in the dust up along the -tunnel for his footprints and saw none. He must be ahead of us."</p> - -<p>They slid on down the slope, found themselves at the beginning of the -upper series of connected broken bubbles. Along this they trekked, -passing along the debris-strewn floor, picking their way carefully. -Shining their lamps ahead as they went, they saw no sign of motion.</p> - -<p>Finally they came to the hole in the floor, through which they would -have to drop several feet into the cave below. Robin switched off his -light as they approached it, whispered to Peter to do the same.</p> - -<p>They stood silently in the pitch darkness. Then Robin nudged Peter, -pointed with his hand against Peter's. The hole in the floor was -faintly visible. There was a dim flickering coming from it. Robin -whispered, "It must be Von's flashlamp. He's down there, waiting for -us."</p> - -<p>Peter nodded in the darkness. "It was the logical spot. He probably -hopes to shoot us as we drop through the hole."</p> - -<p>The two stepped carefully up to the hole, not yet using their lights. -They kneeled down, looked.</p> - -<p>The cave below was almost dark. But from just outside it, from the -tunnel that led into it, was a flickering light. Their crazed enemy was -lurking there, waiting.</p> - -<p>"What do we do now?" muttered Peter.</p> - -<p>Robin looked carefully. "I think I have it. Untie the cord and give it -to me."</p> - -<p>Peter untied his end of the nylon rope that linked them. Robin undid -his end, took his flashlamp, tied it to the cord. He whispered his plan -to Peter.</p> - -<p>Robin lit the flash, backed away from the hole several feet, and then -kicked some rocks and began to make a clattering noise. At the same -time he began to talk loudly, as if conversing with Peter.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile, Peter was crouched at the edge of the hole, his Tokarev -automatic firmly wedged against one side of the hole while it was -pointing directly at the faint spot of light below which Von Borck was -hiding.</p> - -<p>Robin reached the hole, making sure he was creating enough noise for -the rocket pilot to hear him. Then he waved his lamp a few times, -flickering it around the cave below, and kneeling down, began to lower -it on the cord, trying to keep its beam pointed at the tunnel in which -their foe waited. This was the bait on their trap.</p> - -<p>Just as he had expected, as the swinging lamp was about halfway down, -dangling presumably in the helpless hand of a man being lowered to the -floor—as Von Borck was supposed to think—the figure of the German -appeared in the cave, uttering a wild yell of triumph and aiming a big -pistol at the moving light.</p> - -<p>Two guns went off at the same instant. There were two flashes of -fire, two deafening blasts of sound. Von Borck's bullet shattered the -swinging flashlamp, blew it into a dozen fragments.</p> - -<p>Peter's bullet struck Von Borck in the chest, hurling him against the -wall to fall in a heap on the floor.</p> - -<p>Without wasting time, Peter simply stepped into the hole and drifted -downward in the low force of Moon gravity. Robin followed suit. They -leaned over the German's body.</p> - -<p>Robin looked at the pale, mustached face, the staring eyes. "I think -he's dead," he said. "Though he could be only unconscious." He reached -over, started to feel the man's face to find out whether he still -breathed.</p> - -<p>"Look out!" shouted Peter suddenly and grabbed Robin, pulling him to -one side. Robin looked up and back.</p> - -<p>Above him, with maddening leisureliness, the entire ceiling of the -underground bubble was dropping down, dropping in several giant chunks, -several Earth tons of rock falling toward them.</p> - -<p>With a mad scramble the two leaped to safety in the tunnel leading -downward. There was a slow grinding crash as the shattered roof of the -cave settled to the floor, crushing the body beneath it, blocking and -sealing the tunnel.</p> - -<p>"Come on!" Peter grabbed Robin's arm. "The rest of it is caving in! -We'd better run!"</p> - -<p>They dashed down the tunnel, as it crashed behind them. On they ran, -following the twisted trail through fault and cleft and bubble, with -disaster following their steps. Finally the ruin and destruction came -to an end as they reached the last steep slope downward to the great -sealed cleft.</p> - -<p>"What happened?" asked Robin, as they paused at last to catch their -breath.</p> - -<p>"The explosions!" gasped Peter. "The concussions of our pistols -shattered the delicate balance of the honeycomb undersurface here. -We're lucky it didn't all come down at once, rather than in the form of -a chain reaction. We're lucky to be alive, believe me!"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Robin, beginning to make his way down the last tunnel that -led to the open ledge of the great bubble-world where the Glassies -lived. "Yes, we're lucky to be alive, but how will we ever get back to -the surface now? We're sealed in. Maybe forever."</p> - -<p>Peter was silent as they reached the ledge, looked into the vastness -of the cleft-world, saw the faint flickering lights of Moonworm and -Moonman. "Maybe we'll never get out. Robinson Crusoe lived twenty-eight -years on his island before he was rescued. It may be fifty before they -find us in here."</p> - -<p>Robin shrugged. "When I first landed here, I said to myself that while -there's life there's hope. Now there are two of us. And that's an -advance...."</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c19_Riding_the_Tornado" id="c19_Riding_the_Tornado"><i>19. Riding the Tornado</i></a></h2> - - -<p>They looked down from their point on the high ledge into the length -of the cleft-world. A very faint light streak could be seen looking -upward—this was the curious volcanic glass of the surface roof. -Through it penetrated just a hint of the full Earthlight that bathed -the outer moonscape. Down were shadows and darkness, in the distance -little bits of moving lights, flickering sparks, that may have been the -Glassies' head-stalks.</p> - -<p>The two men used their remaining flashlamp to light up the narrow -ledge. Carefully they made their way down the steep side of the cavern -wall, their light swinging slowly back and forth. "Suppose the Glassies -see the light?" said Peter. "We may be in for trouble."</p> - -<p>"Maybe," said Robin, "but this time we'll be alert for it. We'll have -to steer clear of overhanging spots, keep our light swinging about, but -I have an idea we'll have no trouble. That bomb and the shooting will -probably make them keep their distance."</p> - -<p>Down they went until they reached the level surface. Then they started -off across the space to the faraway place where the lights could be -seen. It was the winter half-month now for the sublunar world. The Moon -growths had fallen, shriveled, died. Their seeds lay dormant for the -next sun period. It was fairly chilly in the cavern, yet not as cold as -it might have been. Somewhere, thought Robin, there is a warm volcanic -current keeping this cavern from freezing over.</p> - -<p>They kept a good distance between each other, the long, thin, strong -cord linking them being kept almost taut. The reasoning behind this -was that if another lassoing attempt were made, it would be almost -impossible to get both at once. As long as one were free to get at his -firearms, they could overcome such an attack.</p> - -<p>On they went, with still no sign of meeting any opposition. Then Robin -saw a sudden faint flicker in a clump of darkness to one side. He -stopped, whispered into his helmet-radio what he had seen. Rapidly -his eyes swept the scene, and, yes, there was another suddenly doused -flicker on the other side. The Glassies must be watching them, waiting.</p> - -<p>Now the two proceeded at a slow pace, widely swinging their light from -side to side to prevent ambush. "Somehow," said Robin, "we are going to -have to prove we're friendly. We may have to live here a long time."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Peter, "but how?"</p> - -<p>They walked only a few steps farther before the answer was given them. -Something was standing directly in their path. As their light swung -near it, this figure raised two hands high and its head-stalk light -flashed into brilliant prominence.</p> - -<p>It was a Glassie standing there, a transparent-bodied Moonman whose odd -face bore the equivalent of a broad smile and whose chest was decorated -with a painted black circle. Robin stared at the figure of this chief a -moment. He saw something move on the Glassie's shoulder—a tiny, dark, -manlike creature no bigger than a doll.</p> - -<p>This creature opened its mouth, uttered a sharp shriek. "Cheeky!" -gasped Robin. And at the sound of his voice the little monkey leaped -from the Glassie's shoulder in one monstrous Lunar bound and arrived at -Robin's foot. Another jump and it was in Robin's arms, screeching with -joy.</p> - -<p>The Glassie chief came forward. It spoke, "Robin! Good see you. Good -see you." It was Korree! Now he too moved forward to grasp Robin -awkwardly but happily ... Korree wearing the marking of the tribal head!</p> - -<p>Now other Glassies appeared around them, but they held no weapons -in their hands, no sticky hoops or bindings. They stood around the -newcomers with awe and uncertainty—willing to be guided by Korree's -actions but aware of the possible results of an encounter with -space-suited Earthlings.</p> - -<p>Korree turned a moment, waved them on, speaking in their tongue. Peter -came up, nodding, shoving his pistol back into its holster.</p> - -<p>"I see your two friends have won the day while we were up above," he -said. "They were indeed friends."</p> - -<p>The two brothers were escorted back to the site of the native -settlement in a crowd of bobbing head-stalk lights and jabbering -Glassies. Korree explained as they walked.</p> - -<p>It seemed that the explosion of the homemade bomb had completely -disrupted the fear in which Von Borck had held the Glassies. -This was greater magic to them, and it was the mysterious little -being—Cheeky—who had accomplished it. In the first excitement, the -Glassies had fled and hid. That was when the German had come after -Peter and Robin, leaving the Glassies behind.</p> - -<p>This, too, was an indication that even the powerful stranger who had -usurped the role of chief by the expedient of his mere existence and -strength had bowed to the power of the little monkey. In Moonman -tribes, the chief never fled the scene of his authority. To do so was -to abdicate it. Von Borck had unknowingly destroyed his authority by -his abrupt chase after Robin and Peter.</p> - -<p>When Korree made his way back to the cave-village after giving up his -attempt to follow his Earthling friends, he had arrived to find the -Glassies cowering in fear of the capering Cheeky, who was unhurt by the -blast.</p> - -<p>Korree had gathered up Cheeky in his arms and by so doing had made -himself the master of the situation. That was how it came about that -the two brothers had been met by a friendly admiring reception rather -than a hostile one.</p> - -<p>"But what happened when Von Borck returned here to get his space suit?" -asked Robin.</p> - -<p>Korree waved a hand as if the answer was obvious. "Glassies hide," -he said simply. "Korree hide. Cheeky hide. Everyone hide." And so -Von Borck arrived to find himself deserted and unwelcome. And he had -promptly left to follow the trail to the surface.</p> - -<p>Once back at the site of the caves, they found themselves honored -guests. In the days that followed, they set up a cave for themselves, -organized a home. Cheeky seemed to have now attached himself to Korree -and went everywhere with the Glassie. Robin and Peter rested, set up a -regimen of native food, observed the Glassies' way of life.</p> - -<p>The sun came up again on the surface and flooded the cleft with its -light. The Moontrees grew rapidly in dense profusion. The two brothers -gradually explored the length and breadth of the little world, -systematically working around it in search of some new path upward.</p> - -<p>But their search seemed fruitless. There were a number of holes and -breaks in the walls and caves, but none promised a place of exit to the -surface.</p> - -<p>They went back to the original ledge and tunnel, tried to work their -way in, but it was blocked with fallen stone and jammed too tightly for -passage.</p> - -<p>They discussed the possibility of making explosives, blasting through, -but discarded this as they realized the basic fragility of the whole -cleft setup. Such blastings might do worse damage, might even crack -a direct opening to the surface through which the air within the -cleft-bubble would rush out, leaving it a sterile, cold, and dead -region.</p> - -<p>Finally after another Lunar night and another Lunar day, exhausting -still one more Earth month, they settled down to a slow steady picking -and shoveling. They worked in the blocked tunnel in all their spare -time, carefully picking away chips of rock, pushing others aside, -burrowing around fallen slabs, slowly, gradually, painfully working -their way along the old path. But it was hard and unrewarding work. It -went slowly and they were always afraid of a cave-in.</p> - -<p>Two or three times such an event did occur, and had it not been for -the slowness with which things fell on the Moon, one or the other -brother would surely have been pinned down. On the third such disaster, -the two quit the task, returned to their home in the Glassie village -discouraged.</p> - -<p>"This will not work," said Robin. "We'll have to give up this entire -approach. It would be months or even years before we could make our -entire way and by that time one of us would surely be killed in the -tunnels. They are still highly unsettled, still shifting."</p> - -<p>They sat down, looked at each other. "There must still be a way," said -Peter. "We must find a way to reach the surface. Otherwise we will -remain here forever."</p> - -<p>Robin nodded, deep in thought. Another night was coming over the cleft. -The sun was passing swiftly from overhead. A chill began to touch the -air, as darkness blacked out the cavern. It would be another two weeks -before they could resume any work on their problem. Robin started to -build a fire in their cave, one they burned every Moon winter's night. -As he did so a thought struck him.</p> - -<p>He turned. "When we were first returning from the surface it occurred -to me as we came out that there had to be some sort of volcanic current -warming this cavern, sun or no sun. Now it seems to me that if we could -find that current, we would find some sort of air stream or water -stream, that must go upward. We ought to look for the warmest spot in -the cavern, trace it."</p> - -<p>Peter turned, a sharp light in his eye. "And now that you say it, do -you know what that current is? It's the one that passes the break in -the crater wall—the constant hurricane that we broke through to get in -here, which rushes by the break so hard and so fast that it seals this -cavern's quiet inner air as perfectly as if it were an air lock. It has -to be that very current which passes somewhere lower down and warms -this cleft!"</p> - -<p>Robin nodded, a sharp excitement stirring him. "I think we have hit -on it. The night time is the time to hunt for it. Find the spot or -places in this cleft that stay warmest and they must be nearest the -underground wind tunnel."</p> - -<p>So they set out on a new course of exploration, this time scouting the -bubble in the dark of the night. It grew chillier, but in their space -suits, which they had resumed for this expedition, they could keep -warm. They found several areas along the ground where it seemed a bit -warmer than in the cave generally, but after several days of search, -this clue also seemed fruitless. The areas were such that no amount of -digging short of high explosives would suffice.</p> - -<p>Finally when the long Lunar night was almost over, they awakened from -sleep in the cave to face the thought that this too was a blind alley. -Korree entered, the monkey on his shoulder. He made his way to them, -noticed their air of sadness, asked them why.</p> - -<p>Tired, Robin explained to him what they were looking for. His Glassie -friend cocked his head. "You come my home. I show you hot spot," he -said.</p> - -<p>The two men looked up. "What?" asked Peter. Korree repeated his -statement. Peter looked at Robin quizzically. Without another word the -two got up and followed the Glassie.</p> - -<p>The deep cave where the chief made his home was only a short distance -from their own. Here, at the very back of the chief's home, they found -what they sought. There was a thin, sharp crack in the rear wall. The -stone around it was definitely warmer than that in the rest of the -cave. Putting their ears to the crack, they could hear the faint high -whistling of the air current that must be roaring past only a foot or -two beyond.</p> - -<p>"This is why it was picked as the chief's cave," said Robin. "It's -practically air-conditioned!"</p> - -<p>The next day, after the sun had finally made its appearance, the two -started to work in the back of Korree's cave. They worked carefully -with axe and pick, enlarging the crack, chipping away at it. Finally, -they dislodged a sizable segment of rock, enough to allow one man to -squeeze through.</p> - -<p>Sure enough, there was a dark underground channel through whose center -rushed the eternal current of hot volcanic air. This channel probably -had its source somewhere in the still-mysterious depths of the Moon's -core. It wound and forced its way upward doubtless to dissipate -somewhere, as the cold of the surface bore away its warmth, probably to -wind up downward again as a mass of cold gas.</p> - -<p>There was barely enough room at the side of the tunnel for a man to -stand flat against the wall, without touching the blast.</p> - -<p>Robin, who had gone through to examine it, came back out into the light -of Korree's cave. "Well," he asked Peter, "what do we do now?"</p> - -<p>His brother nodded. "I think we can get to the surface all right. Just -get in the blast and let ourselves be blown along upward. When we find -that break, we'll get out of the current and we'll be able to reach our -rocket."</p> - -<p>"Uh huh," said Robin, "and then how do we get back down here again?"</p> - -<p>Peter shrugged. "I don't know. There must be a way."</p> - -<p>The two returned to their own place and talked it over. But the -opportunity was too good to pass up. "Sooner or later," said Robin, -"we're going to do it. So we may as well face that. As for getting -back, perhaps we could simply walk all the way down the channel, -keeping carefully to the side of dead air just beyond the blast."</p> - -<p>Peter frowned. "I don't think you'll find much of that. There can't be -many places where such a dead air channel exists. On the other hand, -if we attack the problem of returning by the old route, we may be able -to find a way through it from that end—or make a new one. Back at the -rocket there are explosives, better tools than those we have. I think -we should risk it."</p> - -<p>"Yes," Robin added, "I think so too. Besides, we ought to fire off some -more flares. Our signals may never have been seen."</p> - -<p>That being settled, the two Earthlings again donned their space suits, -equipped themselves, tied themselves together with a length of cord. -They returned to Korree's cave, explained their project and gravely -shook hands with their Glassie friend.</p> - -<p>Then Robin carefully eased himself through the break into the dark -channel. Peter squeezed through after him, as Robin flattened himself -along the wall and moved aside. Their helmets sealed, Robin counted to -three, and then both leaped forward.</p> - -<p>Instantly the racing wind current caught them up, snatched them off -their feet. They found themselves being blown madly along the darkness -like leaves before a gale.</p> - -<p>The air was hot and Robin felt himself almost scorched as he was hurled -along, his elbows and legs occasionally scraping the wall, once feeling -himself somersaulting upward, twisting and turning in the horrible -blast.</p> - -<p>For a dreadful moment he felt panicky, out of control, utterly helpless -in the grip of the underground tornado. He lighted the flash, saw it -wildly flickering. He drew his legs up, ducked his head, and found he -could get his equilibrium. Ahead of him the tunnel was ascending. He -felt himself rising, felt the slight drag occasionally at his belt as -Peter's bouncing body followed his.</p> - -<p>Now the air began to cool and seemed to slow down slightly. The passage -leveled off, he was whirling down a straight passage, and suddenly, in -a split second of awareness, he saw a faint spot of bright light ahead -of him. He rushed toward it, like a ball buoyed on a stream from a fire -hose. It must be the exit to the surface, he thought, and in a second -held out the axe he gripped in his hand.</p> - -<p>The handle caught at the opening as he went sailing by, jammed, swung -his body against the wall with a smack. Peter's body flashed past, -caught up short by the cord, and also hit the body of airless space on -the outer side of the channel.</p> - -<p>They climbed dazedly to their feet and struggled to the narrow break. -They staggered out onto the surface, now bathed in the blindingly -brilliant light of the sun rising over the peaks of the farther -mountains ringing the crater.</p> - -<p>Around them were the first shoots of the stubborn and hardy surface -vegetation in this crater, dwarfed cousins of the plants below.</p> - -<p>They caught their breath. "Better get moving," said Peter finally. -"This sun is dangerous."</p> - -<p>They started across the floor of the crater, the several hundred feet -to where the nose of the wrecked Russian rocket rested. Both men knew -they were bruised from the short, mad trip. There would be scraped -shins and knees and elbows. But they had made it, that was the thing.</p> - -<p>They were about a hundred feet out, when suddenly Robin stopped, stared -into the sky. Peter followed his glance.</p> - -<p>There was something up there. When they had first glanced up, there was -the Earth still in its place, though now but a crescent. There were the -myriad stars, and the corona-encircled sun. And now there was another -celestial object. A tiny spot of reddish orange was growing in the sky, -growing as they watched it.</p> - -<p>"What is it?" asked Robin in a half whisper, afraid to venture the -thought that was rioting around in his head.</p> - -<p>Peter simply stared, transfixed.</p> - -<p>The moving spot of fire grew rapidly, enlarged, took shape. It was a -tiny stream of energy, like the tail of a tiny comet. It came still -closer. Now they could see a flash of white and silver at its core, -and still it drew closer. Now it took definite shape, a tiny body of -metal and paint riding down on a long stream of atomic fire!</p> - -<p>Then in mere seconds it hung over them, no longer tiny but a giant -tower of polished metal hanging over the crater floor, falling ever -more slowly, its great column of rocket fire reaching and scorching the -surface of the rock. And suddenly, the fire was gone, there was a faint -thud felt through the ground, and the two brothers stood staring.</p> - -<p>Out there, not very distant, was standing a glorious, tall, slender -rocket ship, fresh with paint, beautifully and delicately balanced on -finely tapered fins, graceful as only a space craft can be.</p> - -<p>On its side, clearly visible in the sunlight, was a large blue circle -on which was superimposed the white star of the United States Air -Force. There were numbers and things and a small, black air lock now -opening near the nose of the rocket, but Robin and Peter hardly noticed -these through the tears of joy that sprang to their eyes as they ran -and bounded over the Moon's surface to greet their rescuers. Waving -their hands, shouting, heedless of whether they were being heard, they -were Robinson Crusoes no longer. They were on their way home.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph3"><i>ABOUT THE AUTHOR</i></p> - - -<p>Donald A. Wollheim, born in 1914, has lived in New York City all his -life. At first a free-lance writer of stories and articles mainly for -science-fiction magazines, he began his career as editor in 1940. He -has edited all kinds of magazines, including detective, sports, and -western periodicals. In 1952, Mr. Wollheim was invited to launch Ace -Books and has since held the position of editor of these paperbacks.</p> - -<p>Science fiction is Mr. Wollheim's chief interest and hobby. His -collection of science-fiction books and magazines is one of the largest -and his list of published books is a long one. Many distinguished -anthologies of fantasy and science fiction bear his name as editor. -Among his most recent books of original fiction are <i>The Secret of -Saturn's Rings</i> and <i>The Secret of the Martian Moons</i>.</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's One Against the Moon, by Donald A. 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Wollheim - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: One Against the Moon - -Author: Donald A. Wollheim - -Release Date: December 17, 2015 [EBook #50713] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ONE AGAINST THE MOON *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - - One Against the Moon - - DONALD A. WOLLHEIM - - The World Publishing Company - CLEVELAND AND NEW YORK - - Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 56-9261 - - FIRST EDITION - - HC856 - - Copyright 1956 by Donald A. Wollheim. All rights - reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in - any form without written permission from the publisher, - except for brief passages included in a review appearing - in a newspaper or magazine. - - Manufactured in the United States of America. - - [Transcriber's Note: Extensive research did not uncover any - evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - - - - To - WILLIAM BALTER - A fixed star in a fickle sky - - - - - DONALD A. WOLLHEIM - - HAS WRITTEN - - The Secret of Saturn's Rings - The Secret of the Martian Moons - - HAS EDITED - - Terror in the Modern Vein - Every Boy's Book of Science-Fiction - The Portable Novels of Science - Flight into Space - Adventures on Other Planets - The Pocket Book of Science-Fiction - - - - - Contents - - - 1. Dream of Stars 13 - - 2. White Sands or Red? 23 - - 3. Up the Space Ladder 33 - - 4. Riding the Atoms 51 - - 5. Fall Without End 61 - - 6. Target: Luna 71 - - 7. The Honeycomb Place 81 - - 8. Robinson Crusoe Carew 92 - - 9. From Stone Age to Iron Age 102 - - 10. The Incredible Footprints 111 - - 11. The Glass Man 121 - - 12. The Long Trek 131 - - 13. The Sun and the Trap 147 - - 14. The Man From Lake Baikal 157 - - 15. Getaway Bomb 165 - - 16. On the Crater Floor 175 - - 17. Moon Calling Earth 187 - - 18. Madman's Battle 198 - - 19. Riding the Tornado 208 - - - - -One Against the Moon - - - - -_1. To Dream of Stars_ - - -That morning began like all the preceding mornings of the past two -years with the tinny jangling of the little alarm clock on Robin -Carew's bureau. Opening his black eyes, he struggled into a sitting -position on the narrow bed, reached out his hand and turned off the -alarm. He yawned, swung his feet to the floor, rubbed his eyes. It was -half past seven again of another workday morning. - -There was no inkling that this day would be any different from others. -It was Monday again, which meant the start of the next five and a half -days' stretch of work. Sunday had come and gone, now just a memory -of a walk in the city's small park and sitting on a bench under the -afternoon sun reading a library book on astronomy. - -Well, there was no getting around it, Robin thought. The stars, the -glory of the heavens--for him perhaps they would always be just a -daydream of his idle hours, never to be more than a vision of the -imagination, a thrill to be shared only by the printed words of other -men's observations and doings. - -He got up, yawned his entire five foot three, stared in the tarnished -mirror over the worn bureau. He looked blankly at himself, then -suddenly winked. Ah, he thought, while there's life there's hope--and -besides, he had to get to work. He ran a brush through his tousled -brown hair, took off his pajamas, and climbed into his work clothes. -Grabbing his towel and his toothbrush, he opened the door and went out -into the hall toward the washroom. - -The facilities at the Y were always clean at least, and maybe in a few -more months he would be promoted out of the apprentice class at the -factory. Then he could afford to get a bigger room on the floor above -with his own washstand and shower. - -After he had returned and finished dressing, he glanced out the narrow -window. He could just make out a slit of sky and spot the sidewalk -below. It was a sunny day, he saw, and a warm one. Putting on his -jacket, he left his cap behind and went out, locking the door of his -little room behind him. - -Not waiting for the creaky elevator, he skipped down the iron stairs to -the lobby. Waving hello to a couple of his fellow boarders, he made his -way over to the newsstand. There he paused to glance at the headlines, -to scan the racks of magazines to see if there were any he might think -of buying that he hadn't seen before. He didn't notice any. His eye, -rapidly discarding the featured stories in the papers about the usual -crimes and politics, was caught by a small heading: - - ROCKET PROGRAM AHEAD OF SCHEDULE--PROJECT CHIEF - REPORTS TESTS ARE MANY MONTHS ADVANCED! - -Robin stopped, rapidly glanced over the story. He wished he had the -time to read the whole story, but he knew he hadn't. Anyway, he could -probably borrow a copy during lunch hour from one of the fellows. But -it was stories like that which fascinated him. - -As he went into the cafeteria at the Y and sat eating a quick -breakfast, he thought about the story. He'd always been fascinated by -rockets and the stars. Even when still a kid at the orphanage, he'd -read everything he could get on the subject. He'd never stopped doing -so. Now that he was out of the school, out on his own the past three -years, he still had the bug. - -The White Sands and Redstone rocket experiments were making headlines -more and more. The first dozen little satellites had been thrilling -reading--the discussions of the permanent artificial satellite -program, now under way, was even more so, for it promised to be the -beginning of the long-projected Space Platform, from which in turn -would come the first real space flight. - -Robin wished he knew more of the things that were going on. Somewhere -out there in the West, on the deserts and sands of New Mexico a couple -of thousand miles away, history was being made. Many of the fellows -working there couldn't be much older than he. - -But fate was a grim and arbitrary thing. For others, a college -education could bring to a fine point the talent for mathematics and -chemistry and physics that was needed for this work. For an orphan -boy, however, the world reserved less glamorous and more immediately -practical objectives. Oh, sure, he'd had a chance at a scholarship, but -somehow he just hadn't made it. The manual training programs stressed -at the State Home had just not allowed him the extra time to study for -a scholarship. Even though his instructors had given him the chance, he -simply hadn't been able to make it. - -For him, the study of abstract science was to be a matter of home -reading. He'd devoured all the books in the library on the stars. And -he still dreamed, even while working in the carpentry shop of the -factory here, of flying through space on wings of flame. - -Perhaps, if he'd had a mother and father like most fellows, he'd have -gone to college, might even now be on his way to help the rocket men -conquer the universe. But his folks had died somewhere in the holocaust -of war, back during the fall of Hitler's Germany, back when he was -just a frightened and helpless kid of seven. - -As he had agreed a thousand times since then, Robin reflected, as he -spooned cereal to his mouth, he was lucky even so. For somehow the GI's -had found a battered, dirty envelope sewn into his worn internment-camp -jacket with identification that proved him the American-born son of -American parents, who had been interned in the enemy country. But where -his parents were ... well, there had been some terrible bombing in -those days. There was never any trace of the Carews. Robin had only a -vague memory of his people, somewhere lost amid a nightmare of terror. - -As most of the kids in the orphanage had, Robin dreamed of someday -finding his folks, of finding them rich. But it was, as always, a -dream. The American army had brought him home, had sought to trace his -folks, and had failed. Well, Robin still was lucky. It was no shame to -be a workingman in a democratic country. - -Time was passing. Robin hastily gulped down the glass of milk he knew -he needed for his daily labors, and, paying his check, dashed out. He -caught the bus at the corner, crowding in with others on their way, and -rode it for fifteen minutes out to the edge of town where the big plant -stood. - -He jumped off and headed for the main gates. He noticed a large crowd -of men standing in front of them. Why were they standing, he thought, -why didn't they go on in, punch their cards? He came up to them, saw -them standing around talking uneasily, some milling around, holding -their lunch pails idly in their hands. Robin pushed through to the main -gate. He saw a knot of men staring at a sign tacked on the post. He got -closer and read it. - -It was a statement from the management. It seemed that the plant was -closed for six weeks, due to a combination of circumstances. There was -a shortage in the raw materials because of the heavy floods in the -mining areas that spring, and so the management had decided to take -advantage of that shortage to retool and recondition the works. Men in -several departments would be called in during the next few days, the -rest would be laid off temporarily. Another notice tacked below that -stated that the company had arranged with the union for compensation -during the period. - -Robin stared at the notice numbly for a minute. He himself had not yet -been admitted to the union, for he was only a learning apprentice. -For him there would possibly be only a period of six barren, workless -weeks. He wandered away from the gates, drifted around idly, listening -to the groups of men talking. - -Most of them seemed to be taking it calmly enough. Several of them were -talking with growing enthusiasm of organizing a hunting-and-fishing -trip upstate for the next week or so. One was talking of going home to -visit the old folks back at the farm. Most of them seemed to be looking -forward more or less to a period of loafing around at home with their -families. - -Suddenly Robin felt more alone than usual. For him, there was no -family. Even at its best an orphanage has a certain coldness, a certain -impersonal precision that can never make up for the warmth of family -life. He had friends there, but surely by this time they, too, had -left, having gone into business or into the armed forces. - -The cold halls of the Y offered no particular relaxation. Even -utilizing the city library to burrow deep into his favorite imaginative -studies of science seemed a barren prospect for six whole weeks. - -He wandered away from the men, walked along the great factory wall, -hands in his pockets, strolling slowly away from the city, along the -road to the open country, beyond the end of the bus lines. He thought -about himself. He took stock of himself. - -Nearly twenty now, he was a good mechanic, a pretty good carpenter, -handy. He'd always be able to get a job somewhere in which he could -work with his hands. He'd never thought too much though about the -future. He would be taken sooner or later by the armed forces. They -hadn't needed him and he hadn't thought about volunteering first. He -was always a little sensitive about his height, for he was short for -his age. This had probably operated subconsciously to keep him from -joining up. - -I could sign up now, he thought. This might be the time. Besides, he -went on in his reasoning, if I volunteered I could pick my own branch -of the service. I could pick the Air Force and maybe get to see some -rockets and jets in action. I couldn't rate a pilot's commission -because I'm no college man, but I bet I could qualify as a mechanic, -get to work on the rocket planes. Why, maybe I could even manage to -get sent to White Sands, work on the Space Platform and the Artificial -Satellites. Maybe someday I'll be one of the guys who help tool up the -first rocket to the moon! - -He found himself growing excited at the thought. But, he reminded -himself, my chances are slim of getting what I want. There are so -many good guys in the Air Force, my own chance of being sent to one -particular place is small, really small. - -Somehow, he knew if he couldn't be around the rockets, he wouldn't be -happy under discipline. He'd had enough barracks life in the orphanage, -more didn't appeal to him without some special compensation--something -like White Sands. - -So--he had six weeks with nothing to do. He walked on, beyond the town -now, alongside the highway, the morning sun shining down, the blue sky -beaming overhead, and he began to feel himself swelling with energy, -glowing with ambition. - -Six weeks ... six weeks. He was young, he had no ties. Maybe he could -hitchhike to White Sands in time to look around, maybe spot a rocket go -winging off into the sky, then hitchhike back in time for the factory's -reopening. - -The idea blazed into his mind, he felt his pulse beating -uncontrollably. Maybe, maybe, his mind added to the picture, maybe -you could get a job in White Sands, near the field. Maybe they hire -civilian workers? Or--maybe if you enlist there they'll let you serve -there? - -Abruptly he turned around, started walking rapidly back to the city. -He'd do it, he told himself excitedly. He'd do it. He'd go back to the -Y now, today, collect what he needed, take the few dollars he'd saved -up, and go. - -His mind repeated a rhythm as he walked. Do it now, if you don't do it -now, you'll never do it. This is your chance. Go. The West is calling. -The rockets are calling. Make a break for yourself. Go! - -He reached the end of the bus line, hopped on the bus, vibrated in tune -to his racing thoughts all the way back. - -But an hour and a half later, when he was standing in the bus terminal, -the first flush of excitement had drained away. Now he felt a cold -chill running through him. He had made the break, packed a few -necessities, drew his small reserve of cash from the bank, paid his -room rent six weeks in advance, and bought a ticket on the bus going -westward. - -He couldn't afford the entire trip to New Mexico, so he bought passage -for a few hundred miles. After that he'd hike and thumb rides the rest -of the way. He didn't want to resort to charity so he had kept enough -funds to keep him in food and lodgings if necessary and maybe take him -part way home again. - -For a moment before boarding the bus, Robin hesitated. Was it after all -but a daydream that he was pursuing? Was the cold reality to prove too -indifferent to the hopes of just an ordinary young fellow? Would White -Sands prove a disappointment? Was this a mistake he would regret? - -For just a second he hesitated and then, shaking his head angrily as -if to drive out such thoughts, he stepped aboard the bus, slung his -lightly packed valise onto the rack over an empty seat, and sat down. -He would refuse to give up his vision. He would see this through. - -The horn honked, two or three more passengers swung aboard, the driver -threw in the clutch, and the bus drove out of the terminal, along the -long, dusty road west. - - - - -_2. White Sands or Red?_ - - -From Missouri where the bus ride had ended, the time had passed with -difficulty. There had been two hot days through Kansas, standing by -lonely roadsides while cars whizzed by without stopping, the strong sun -beating down over the flat green plains, the insects alive with the -fever of the endless wheat. Robin had to keep heading south, south and -west always, driving down when cars were going that way. Down through -Oklahoma, thumbing his way, sometimes with an Eastern tourist on his -way to California, sometimes with a tired rancher or oil worker on a -short haul to his home or town, sometimes with a bored truck driver -anxious to have someone to talk to on the long trip. - -The closer he drew to his objective, the more excited he became. When -the oil fields and gray lands of Oklahoma began to turn to the green -flatness of the Texas Panhandle he grew silent, more intense. And -finally, one morning when he sped out of Amarillo sharing the high -front seat of a giant trailer truck bound for El Paso, he was almost -speechless for miles and miles. Then, suddenly, as the road clicked -across the invisible border of New Mexico, he began to talk. A sudden -calm invaded his nerves. He talked with the driver about things back -home, exchanged comments on the affairs in the news, his eyes taking -stock of this land all the time. - -It was barren--for vast stretches dry desert and flat rock with -only sparse clumps of desert green--now and then a stretch of good -grasslands where cattle could be seen grazing. In the distance, gaunt -mountain chains rose and fell; and the air was getting clear and thin -as the road gradually rose in altitude. - -After a bite in Roswell, when he piled back into the truck, Robin knew -he was on his last stretch. After the next stop, Alamogordo, he would -reach his destination, Las Cruces. Mention of Alamogordo, though, set -the driver talking about the atom bomb, for that had been the town that -had first seen the birth of that eerie fire which seemed so destined to -transform the world. - -"Did you ever see one of those blasts?" asked Robin quietly. - -"Yeah," said the driver slowly. "Guess you could say so. Didn't -actually see the thing itself, but I seen the glare one morning while -putting over in Alamogordo. Quite a sight. You know the blast was -plenty far away too; they don't fire them things off anywhere near -where they can hurt anybody. Wisht I'd get to see one of them rockets -go up they're always firing off at White Sands too. But I guess you -gotta be on the grounds for that, and they don't let visitors hang -around." - -"No visitors?" asked Robin, a little uneasily. - -"Nope. That's all top-secret stuff out there. Now that they got those -man-made satellite projects in operation, it's even more so. Maybe they -let a few reporters in on special occasions, or some high brass with -clearance from Washington, but nobody else can get in. Can't even get -the GI's who are out there to talk much about it. You'll see a lot of -them around Las Cruces Saturday nights on furlough but they just don't -discuss it." - -"How far is White Sands from Las Cruces?" asked Robin. - -"Oh, not too far, maybe thirty miles. The proving grounds are out on -the desert though, part of the Holloman Air Development Center that -is taking up a lot of this here Tularosa Basin these years. Without a -pass, you can't even get in sight of it. But, heck, you wouldn't want -to, I hope. Might get conked when one of those whacking big rockets -come down. They're always shooting 'em up on tests, making them bigger -and bigger. You can't tell me they always know where they're going to -come down!" - -They passed Alamogordo, drove an hour more through the stillness of the -desert, and suddenly they were in Las Cruces. The truck drew to a halt, -and Robin dropped off, his valise in his hand. The city didn't seem -aware of its unique position on the map of world history. - -Robin trudged along the main street until he found a small hotel within -his means. He got a room, washed from the trip, brushed his clothes. -He had not taken any pants to spare, having put on a strong pair of -khaki work trousers, figuring correctly that they were more the thing -for hitchhiking than his one good Sunday suit. By the time he went -downstairs night had fallen. - -He got a bite to eat, walked around the town a bit, went back and to -bed. He was dog-tired from the long day's ride. - -Next day he walked the town, looking it over, asking questions about -how to get to White Sands. He found that the truck driver's advice had -been right. There simply was no way a visitor could just go and watch. -It was all top-secret stuff, barred to any but legitimate personnel. - -He found an Air Force recruiting office, went in, and talked with the -sergeant in charge. Robin had begun to dread the thought that in the -end he might have to go back to his home city and back to work in the -factory. He had so fixed his mind on the rockets, he couldn't bring -himself to admit defeat now. - -The Air Force man confirmed the usual information. Robin pressed him to -say whether if he signed up for the service in Las Cruces he wouldn't -stand a good chance of being assigned there. The sergeant laughed. - -"Well, it's possible, but it might take a little doing. You get in -the Air Force, let us train you for a good job, say you work to be a -mechanic for jets and rockets, then maybe you might be assigned here. -But there are lots of stations for men, and you might not. Still, if -you were to work for it, say after a year in service, you might apply -for a transfer to White Sands; it could be that you could get it. -But there's no guarantee, none at all. If the force needs you more -somewhere else, that'll have to be it. Why not sign up and try for it?" - -But Robin shook his head. "Not yet. I want to see if maybe I can get a -civilian job there first, or maybe just visit it once." - -The sergeant nodded. "You can try. After that, come around and see me -again." Robin nodded, and left. - -He thought about that as he walked the streets. It might be a good -alternative. It did offer at least a chance at the work he dreamed of, -at being near the rockets. Yet--to be so near _now_ and be stopped. A -year, even in the Air Force, still seemed a mighty long time to wait. - -He found the civilian employment office for the White Sands Proving -Grounds, but it was not only closed, it being Saturday afternoon, but -there was a sign saying, _No Help Wanted_. - -That night he began to notice men in Air Force dress blues, others -in GI khaki, and even some in ordinary olive-drab fatigues appearing -in the streets. He realized it was Saturday night and the streets -were beginning to show the signs of life for the men's one night a -week in town. Ranchers were driving in, their cars lining the curbs. -Buses bearing the name of White Sands would come in, unload their -pleasure-hungry men, and park somewhere or else go back. White-capped -MP's were appearing at corners to augment the local police. - -Nevertheless, there was mighty little disturbance. There weren't the -noisy carryings-on that usually marked towns near army bases when -soldiers had a night off. These were picked men, and they behaved -themselves. - -Robin was not a drinker and not a roisterer, yet that evening he -wondered if he oughtn't to have been. For if he could have learned -to hang around some of the livelier bars, he might have been able to -strike up conversations with the men of White Sands. After a while, he -did indeed enter one, sat nursing a lone beer while listening to the -men. - -But they did not talk business. They talked the talk that soldiers on -leave talk everywhere. Their girl friends, their pals, their latest -jokes, gossip, but never a word about rockets, never a word about -satellites, never a whisper about their work. - -Robin drifted with the crowd in the streets for several hours, finally -again found another corner in a dim tavern where he sat, by this time -a little tired, a little confused, wondering whether he had not made a -mistake in coming here at all. The whole day had been frustration and -his spirits were at low ebb. - -Two men in fatigue denims were seated near him, arguing. One was -plainly far gone under the influence of liquor. He was bleary-eyed, -nodding and mumbling. The other, trying to hold him, shaking him, was -actually almost as far gone. He was mumbling something about getting up -and going; they had to make the last truck to camp. - -Finally the two got up, staggered to the men's room, and disappeared -inside. Robin resumed his meditations, noting that the place was nearly -empty now, that the streets were silent. Obviously time had run out for -the men, and they were on their way back to camp. Suddenly it occurred -to him that the two soldiers had failed to come out of the lavatory. - -Robin slipped out of his seat, opened the door of the washroom, and -went in. The two men were there, together on the floor, sound asleep. - -Hastily Robin knelt down, shook them. "Wake up, you got to go back to -camp!" he called. But he couldn't budge them. One mumbled something -without opening his eyes, slumped back, and began to snore. The other -didn't even respond that much. - -For a moment Robin stood beside them, thinking that he ought to go and -tell the proprietor. Then he heard a voice call loudly outside in the -bar: - -"Any of youse guys going back tonight better step on it! Bus's leaving -in two minutes!" - -An MP rounding up the stragglers, Robin thought. And in that moment, -a sudden chill ran through him, a sudden wild thought leaped into -his head. He stood transfixed for an instant. For an instant which -seemed to last an eternity, an instant in which all his training, all -his instincts and ambitions fought and struggled together in a mad -hysteria. Here was an opportunity, here was a chance--yet a trickery, -an illegality. - -If he borrowed one of the unconscious men's jackets, borrowed his pass, -he could ride back to White Sands that very night, and in the dark and -confusion, who would know? - -Nobody, he felt sure. The next day--well, he'd be surely found, -arrested. But--in the meantime, for a blessed hour or so, he would see -the rockets in their gaunt glory, in their towering eminences, see an -assault against the skies, watch the hissing blue flame ascend to the -heavens, see a sight he would remember with joy the rest of his life. - -What then if he spent some bad hours under arrest? What even if he went -to jail? Actually what could they do to him? He was no spy, he was no -saboteur. No matter how exhaustive the investigation, it would prove -nothing evil against him. - -He remembered a sermon that had once been given at the orphanage. He -remembered the minister dwelling on the opportunities of life. He -remembered that which had sparked his imagination then, the minister's -depiction of the various roads each man must choose. "There comes a -time," the speaker had said, "in every man's life when various roads -open out before him, each leading in a different direction. If, at that -moment, he makes his choice, then his entire life may be forever set -upon a channel, and the other possible lives will vanish." - -Was not this then such a crossroads? Robin could go back, be a factory -hand, be a contented mechanic or carpenter, marry, settle down, and -live his life without ever seeing rockets. Or he could take the road -that now, for a brief flicker, seemed open to him. - -He bent down, removed the khaki work jacket the smaller of the two men -was wearing, shrugged his own shoulders into it, felt in its pocket, -pulled out a folded piece of paper, glanced at it. _Pass_, it read. -_Seven hours. Red Sands Station._ - -He shoved it into his pocket, pushed open the washroom door, and walked -rapidly to the street, his head down. - -As he emerged onto the street, he was grabbed roughly by an MP. "Hurry, -feller," the man said. "What station?" - -"Red Sands," muttered Robin in a low voice, and was instantly whirled -around bodily and given a push. "Up the street and around the corner. -The second bus. Run!" - -Robin broke into a run, dashed around the corner. In the darkened side -street, three buses were warming up, the first already beginning to -roll. Robin ran for the second, and just as it was pulling away from -the curb, several hands reached out of the door, took hold of Robin's -hands, and heaved him aboard. - -He found a seat in the back of the crowded bus, kept his head down to -avoid having anybody realize he was a stranger, and caught his breath. - -The bus gathered speed, roared down the quiet side streets, and turned -onto the highway beyond the town. Robin was on his way to the rockets, -to the famous White Sands Proving Grounds ... or was he? What was the -Red Sands Station anyway? _Red_ Sands? Why had he never heard of it? - - - - -_3. Up the Space Ladder_ - - -The bus roared on through the night, its cargo of men now mainly -silent, dozing as their vehicle jolted along. The moon, which was full, -shed a pale glow over the desolate landscape through which the road ran -straight as an arrow. The vehicle had departed from the main highway -fairly soon after leaving town, and had gone along another leading out -into the wastes which was the government reserve. Robin had caught -a momentary glimpse of floodlighted signs warning casual motorists -against the use of the road, warning all that it was U.S. property. - -The men in the bus talked little. Most of them tired, and some a little -the worse for a night's revels, were sleeping. Two or three snored -away, unmindful of the hard seats and the jolting along the road. -Seated in the back, shoulder to shoulder with several others, Robin -kept quiet, watching the scene through the open windows and seeing -what could be seen of the terrain without making his observations too -obvious. - -Thus far the landscape was the familiar desert of New Mexico, desolate -and arid flatland with which Robin had become familiar on the trip -down. On the horizon he could see the humps of mountains, the peaks -that bordered the vast proving grounds. - -Near him, a couple of soldiers were conversing in low tones and Robin -caught snatches of their conversation. At first it was mainly talk of -what they had seen and done that night, their girl friends, and so on. -By and by they began to talk a bit about their work. Robin strained his -ears. - -"I was thinking of asking for a transfer back to White Sands," said one -of the men slowly. "Some of that new fuel they're bringing in makes me -real uneasy." - -"Ahh," said the other, "you're just letting that extra security talk -give you nerves. Sure, it's supposed to be atomic stuff, new, maybe -even untested as far as I know, but, nuts, you can't get blown up any -worse than you can handling that liquid oxygen and peroxide they got at -White Sands. In fact, I understand that this stuff isn't half as tricky -to pour as the old stuff." - -"Yeah, I know. I seen some of it being poured yesterday into that new -big fellow they're lining up for tomorrow. But the point is that even -if it's easier to pour--none of that fizzing and spitting you get when -you leak a drop or two--it's atomic. That's the thing, atomic. What -would happen if a White Sands rocket blew ... it'd be a big bang, sure -enough, but it wouldn't blow the whole countryside to bits. But take -this new stuff ... whew ... we'd all be one Bikini if it went off all -at once." - -The other soldier was silent a moment. "Well," he said finally, "could -be. On the other hand, I heard them say that it is really not half -as explosive as the old stuff. That loxygen they use in the original -Vikings is really dangerous, will go off quick at any spark. But this -new stuff, it won't actually go off until it's touched off after the -rocket has gone up a few miles. It's actually hard to blast--and then I -understand they ain't sure it'll work." - -The other one nodded. "Uh uh, so they say, but you notice where they -moved our outfit, didn't you? They don't want to blow the main fields -out of existence by accident, just in case they might be a little -wrong. So they invented this Red Sands layout. I don't even like the -name." - -The soldiers fell silent awhile. Robin turned these words over -carefully. He had read nothing of any Red Sands operation, and -he remembered nothing of any talk about atomic fuels. In fact -he'd understood that the problem was still one they had failed to -solve--though the idea was intriguing. - -Chemical fuels, he knew, had definitely limited drive capacities. The -most powerful chemical fuels possible even theoretically were those -already in use, and were basically merely liquid oxygen and liquid -hydrogen. And he knew that the main obstacle that always had to be -faced by rocket engineers was the tremendous quantities and weights of -the fuels to be burned in order to lift even a single pound of cargo. - -Atomic power, if liberated, had on the other hand almost unlimited -possibilities as fuel. A mere pound or so of atomically liberated -material could probably drive a spaceship a million miles with a full -pay load too. But how to combine atomic explosions with controlled -rocket fire? The problem had never been answered--at least not in the -magazine and newspaper stories he had ever read. - -He thought about it awhile. Then the bus honked its horn. Robin -craned his neck, looked forward. He saw they were paralleling a high -wire fence and coming to a lighted area. A large sign on a wide road -entrance branching off caught his eye and he read the magic words, -_White Sands_. - -For a moment he thought the bus was going to enter as the driver slowed -down. They came abreast of the gateway but the driver merely honked -and waved and passed it by, Robin catching a glimpse of whitewashed -barracks and low hangarlike structures beyond the gate. Then they -roared on into the moonlit night, on toward the empty reaches of the -desert where the mountains loomed dark in the horizon. - -Where was Red Sands? How far? Robin speculated on it. He had evidently -hit on something more than he'd reckoned. This was a development -unknown to the public. This was something that must have combined the -special nature of the Los Alamos atomic testing grounds with the rocket -grounds. And it was obviously tucked far away from them all. - -Suppose they caught him there, would he get off as lightly as he -might at White Sands? Where atomics was concerned, secrecy was -still enforced, despite the release of much information due to the -installation of peaceful atomic plants in various parts of the world. -But everyone knew that the world was still merely at the threshold of -atomic glories and the nations were still anxiously vying with each -other for leadership. - -He supposed that perhaps he might be sent to jail. He might perhaps be -confined to the Red Sands grounds until such time as what he was to -learn had become public property. That might take years! Robin squirmed -a little as he thought over this possibility. It didn't appeal to him. -Yet, the die was cast and there was now little he could do about it. - -He could, he thought, surrender now to the men in the bus. In that -way, he'd be stopped from entering the forbidden area at all and might -then merely get a bawling out and be released. But something in him -absolutely rebelled at the thought. This far he had gone, this far he -had moved toward the realization of a dream that had held him from -childhood. He would go on, and if he were to pay the penalties for -trespassing, he would at least see what he was paying for. Maybe, -maybe, he would yet see a rocket go off. - -What was it the soldier had said, "that big fellow ... for tomorrow." -Then Robin would be in time. - -The bus roared on for what seemed at least another hour. Finally it -approached another fenced-in area, slowed down, and came to a halt -briefly before a guarded gateway. The men stirred in their seats, the -sleepers were nudged awake, everyone started to squirm around. The -driver exchanged a few words with the guards, the bus shifted gears, -rolled slowly through the gate, and came to a stop. Stiffly the men -began to climb out. - -Robin waited until about half the men had preceded him, then, keeping -his head low, followed. As the men jumped down from the bus, they -stepped up to an MP standing by and showed him their passes. He -examined each with a flashlight, took it, and waved the men on. - -Robin's feet hit the ground. Carefully keeping close to the man in -front of him, he dug for the pass he'd found in his borrowed jacket. -Holding it out, he stepped up to the guard. The pass was seized, -scrutinized, and with a tap of the hand, Robin was waved on. - -The men were striding off in the direction of a group of low, long -buildings of the standard army barracks type. Robin took the same -general direction, casting his eyes about trying to estimate where he -was and what was around. - -The moon was high and its light was strong in the clear desert air. A -few dim bulbs showed on posts and one or two lights were flashed in -the windows of the barracks. The men were heading directly for their -beds--and Robin knew he had to head in the same direction if he did -not wish to incur suspicion. It was a ticklish moment, for he did not -dare do anything to arouse the suspicion that he was a stranger here. - -It was a long walk across the parade grounds and he allowed as much -space as possible to drag out between himself and the other men. He -came closer to the dark barracks buildings, walked along toward a -dark doorway through which another man had gone. Turning his head he -saw no one near him who might be watching, and Robin stepped into the -dark doorway, then quickly side-stepped, slipped around the side of -the building, and walked silently down the dark space between the two -adjoining barracks. - -At the far end of the structures, remaining hidden in the shadow cast -by the moon, he looked outward. He could see, stretching out beyond, -the level ground of the desert. He could make out the structures of -what looked like hangars and machine shops, and he could see a number -of vehicles, trucks, and odd cranes parked around. Far away he caught a -glimpse of something white. Was it a rocket? - -He crouched in the shadow and waited. After a while he heard no more -footsteps, he saw the last lights in the barracks flicker out and -silence descend on the station. He glanced at his watch. It was about -two in the morning. - -Silently he moved out of the barracks' shadow, walked fast and softly -to the shadow of the nearest truck. Reaching it, he paused, looked -back. Nothing stirred. Proceeding in that fashion, Robin moved from -shadow to shadow, keeping as little in the bright moonlight as he -could. He reached a building, clearly a tool house. He walked along -it, went on beyond, passed through the shadowed side of a long hangar, -found a narrow roadway leading out to where the mysterious white object -rested. He walked alongside it, half stooping, but feeling sure that no -one had seen him. The Red Sands Station was silent. - -The white object proved to be a good deal farther away than he'd -thought. He knew that distances in the desert were very deceptive, felt -himself growing tired. Why, this objective might be two or three miles -away, he realized now, but only increased his pace as if in answer to -his tiring frame. The cold, dry desert air was bracing, and nothing -moved save the occasional scurry of some tiny rat or lizard. - -What he had seen was indeed a rocket. It was at first a dot of white. -Then it grew into a line of white like a snowy tree. As he neared it -he realized its true dimensions. It was a tall giant rocket, as tall -as an eight-story building, long and slim, towering in the desert -like an obelisk left by some Aztec ruler. It was held by a framework -of metal girders, like that of a newly completed building whose outer -skeleton had not yet been dismantled. Near it stood a truck on high, -thick wheels which bore a long, cranelike apparatus resembling the -tentacles of some weird monster-insect. The rocket stood with its four -wide-flanged fins jutting out near the base. - -Robin stopped at its base and stared up. He studied it, saw that it was -apparently segmented, having lines of cleavage that divided it into -four parts, the one at the pointed top being the shortest. This was a -four-step rocket, he recognized, and knew at that moment that here also -was a step beyond what the public knew. - -He walked slowly around it, awed and silent. He noticed now that there -was a thin metal ladder running up the standing framework. The crane -in the truck was for loading the top, he knew, but he could use this -ladder himself to climb up without trying to start the truck-driven -lift. - -He reached the bottom rung of the skeleton ladder, saw a sign attached -to the framework. He looked at it, saw a number, apparently the code -designation of this rocket. Glancing over it, the moonlight was not -strong enough to allow him to read the words. He looked at the parked -truck with the crane, walked over to it, looked inside. He found a -flashlight in the dashboard compartment, took it. Lying over the seat -was a pea jacket. The air was cold and would become colder. Robin -borrowed it, shrugged into it. He saw a package lying beneath it, -lifted it. A couple of candy bars it was. The driver must have had a -sweet tooth. Robin stuffed the candy into the pocket of the jacket, -which had other things in it as well. - -He returned to the rocket, read the work sheet by his flashlight. Most -of it was incomprehensible. He saw that the sheet referred only to the -fueling. Steps two, three, and four were fueled. Step one, the big one -at the base was still empty and he saw that it was marked for fueling -by five that morning. Firing time, he noted, was set for six. - -Robin glanced up. Here was a chance to examine the rocket completely. -Glancing around again, he swung up the ladder, started the climb. The -rocket's sides were welded metal, shiny and painted white. The various -fuel sections were numbered in large black letters and the contents -listed. He saw that the first and main fuel chamber occupied half of -the length. The three upper sections, already loaded, he remembered, -were marked in liters. The name of the fuel was meaningless to him. It -must be, he thought, the atomic stuff the soldier had mentioned. This -rocket could be a huge atomic bomb, he thought, chilled for a moment. -But he continued climbing. At the very tip, he saw that two small, -circular doors, like the escape hatches of submarines, were set flush -in the side. One was closed, the upper and larger one was slightly -ajar. He reached it, looked in. He flashed his light, peered around. It -was a narrow, closetlike space, filling a section of the uppermost tip, -just beneath the point of the top. It was padded and empty. - -Robin looked out from his perch at the top of the ladder. He looked -away across the desert to the distant buildings of the Red Sands -Station. He started suddenly. Something was blinking in the distance. -He strained his eyes. Two tiny white lights were moving toward him from -far away. He heard the distant purr of a motor. A jeep was coming to -the rocket from the Red Sands Station. Had they seen his flashlight? -Were they coming to investigate? - -He glanced desperately downward. The ground seemed so far away. He -could never climb down the ladder in time to escape detection. The -jeep was approaching swiftly. What could he do? - -In a flash of inspiration, he saw the open port of the dark -closet-space at the rocket's tip. He climbed into it, swinging out from -the ladder, hovering over the abyss, swinging his legs into the dark, -padded interior. He crammed himself into it, found he fitted it neatly -with very little room to spare and, grasping the circular door, pulled -it toward him. It swung shut on its oiled hinges, clicked tightly into -place. - -Robin crouched down, silent. - -For a while there was dead silence. Robin wondered if he would be able -to hear anything that went on outside, considering the padding of the -little space. For once he was thankful for being so short. If he'd been -a few inches taller, he'd have found his position very uncomfortable. -It was cramped, but not unbearable. - -He strained his ears, finally heard the vibrations of the jeep draw up -to the base of the rocket and stop. He heard faint sounds which must -have been the muffled voices of the jeep's riders. He lay quietly, -hoping he would not be discovered. - -Outside, the jeep had come to a stop and the two men in the front seat -stared around suspiciously. "I'd have sworn I saw a light for a moment -out here," said the driver. - -The other scratched his head, looked around. "I'd better get out and -look around, just to be certain." - -They both descended from the jeep. One went over and looked into the -trucks and carriers, peering under them for possible hideaways. The -other poked around the scaffolding at the base of the rocket. "This is -the one they're firing off tomorrow, isn't it?" he asked when the other -joined him after a moment. - -"Yeah," answered his companion, "or rather this morning. In fact in -only a few hours. They've only got to load the main fuel chambers and -they're ready." He shined his flashlight on the operations chart, the -same one that Robin had examined earlier. "I wonder how come they -loaded the other three earlier. That's odd. I thought that stuff -couldn't hang around too long." - -"Don't you know," said the other, "this is that big top-secret -experimental job they were working so fast on this week? Something to -do with a new kind of fuel, fairly stable but loaded with radioactive -elements. Some type of new compound which is supposed to add an atomic -disintegration impetus when it goes off. Heard one of the engineers -explain it as something like plutonium particles in suspension which -get touched off atomically as they emerge in the rocket blast. They -don't know for sure it will work." - -The other looked up at the towering structure. "I guess that's how come -they're sending it up first with the regular loxygen fuel--so if the -whole thing goes bang at once, it'll be high enough up not to blow the -rest of us to kingdom come." He walked around the base a bit, stopped, -flashed his light down, and picked up something. It was a cardboard -sign that had been lying on the ground. He looked at it a moment. - -"Hey, this must have fallen from the cargo chamber," he said, showing -his comrade the sign. - -It read: _Instruments in place. Do not disturb._ He turned it over. On -the back it read: _Ready for loading._ - -"I better put this back where it fell from," he said, adding, "but -which side is correct? Did you say they were firing it at six?" - -At his companion's assent, he said, "Well, I guess maybe they must have -loaded the cameras and radio equipment this afternoon. I'll go up, put -this back, and check it." - -The man started up the ladder, the same one that Robin had climbed a -short while before. When he had arrived before the section where Robin -lay hidden, he tried the circular door of that section. It was tightly -shut. This signified to him that it was already loaded and without -further thought he carefully attached the little sign reading _Do not -disturb_ to the door. - -After a few more minutes' search, the two men climbed back in their -jeep and drove back to the barracks-grounds. - -Inside the rocket, Robin had been unable to hear what they had been -saying. Their voices came to him heavily muffled and distorted and he -could not recognize the words. He heard the man come up the scaffolding -ladder and try the door. But it had been tight and it had not budged. -Then he'd gone down and a little later Robin had heard the jeep drive -away. - -Robin lay there quietly on the soft padding and wondered how long he -should stay in hiding. They might have left a man on guard or they -might be keeping an eye on the rocket. If he came out right away, they -might spot him. Better wait here a half hour, he said to himself, and -then tried to make himself more comfortable. - -The day had been a long one and a tense one. He was more tired than -he'd thought. The tiny, cramped cubby-hole in the nose of the rocket -was pitch-dark, cushioned, and utterly quiet. Robin rested his eyes. -Before he knew it, he was sound asleep. The air was close and became -stale; Robin's slumber slowly became deep and drugged. - - * * * * * - -The sun rose at five and with it there arrived the men who would load -and launch the rocket--several truckloads in fact, with a couple of -tanks of fuel. The volatile liquids were readied for pouring into the -tanks and chambers of the first and main firing section. The engineers -arrived. They began to check the loads and the preparations. - -"The instruments in place?" asked Major Bronck, who was in charge of -this operation. His assistant, a civilian engineer, glanced up the -ladder. - -"According to the notice up there, they are. I don't remember seeing -them installed myself, though. May have been done after we left -yesterday." - -"Who was in charge of them?" the major asked. - -"Jackson, sir," the answer came, "but he hasn't been in camp today. -Must have been left overnight in town." - -The major frowned. "Well, I don't see the instruments around so I -guess he loaded them all right. Sloppy way of doing things, though. I -don't like it. In fact, I don't particularly like this whole job. It's -too hasty, too irregular." - -The other smiled, shrugged. "Can't help it. Big rush orders from -Washington. They wouldn't even let us put this shot off till Monday. -Had to get a fast test on this atomic fuel. I guess it's another of -those things they think the Russians are up to." - -"Ahh, that's always an excuse for rushing. But I still say haste makes -waste. Well, anyway we've got our orders so off it goes this morning. -Trackers on the job?" - -"Sure, they're right on it. But we've still got to load the animals. -This is going to be a high flier and the space-medicine people want in -on it. Here's their stuff now." - -A light truck rolled up and two men came out carrying a crate. One of -the automatic rolling cranes lifted them all up to the nose of the -rocket. There, just below the instrument compartment, they opened -another port and installed their burden, shutting the compartment again -and sealing it. - -The major glanced at his watch, looked around. The main chamber was -loaded, the tank had departed. At his order, the rolling scaffolding -was swiftly detached and driven away. Now the rocket stood alone on its -own fins, pointing skyward into the pink and orange dawn, its side a -dazzling white, its nose a bright red, each section banded in green. - -"How far do you think it will go?" the major asked his assistant. - -"Anybody's guess," was the reply. "The fuel is untested and -unpredictable. If this trick fuel fails to work, the whole thing will -go up maybe six miles and then drop. If the atomic stuff turns into a -bomb they'll hear the bang in Las Vegas. If it works as they expect, -it might go up several hundred miles, maybe even more. It could make -a better satellite rocket than the ones we've got up already. In fact -that's what they're hoping. They think they may be able to make this -the start of a real space-platform program--for once carrying a pay -load up worth the carrying. But who knows?" - -The two climbed into a car and drove to where the concrete dugout was -located. Entering it they nodded to the communications men and other -engineers already gathered. The major took his place at the firing -panel. He looked at his timer, waited a few minutes. Gradually the -small talk ceased and a hush fell over the little guiding post. The -major reached for the firing button. - - * * * * * - -Back in the rocket, Robin opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed -when his head cleared from the grogginess of his deep sleep was a -slight hissing noise somewhere below him. The air felt different in his -little compartment. Somewhere a thin stream of oxygen was escaping into -the chamber. - -He twisted around, felt about with his hands, located it. There was a -thin line of holes along the seam of the padding underneath him. Now -he heard other noises. Below him, a faint chattering, a scolding, the -sound of something scratching. He put his ear down near the hole from -where the air was issuing and listened. - -Yes, he thought to himself, animals. Somebody put some animals in the -space just below me. Sounds like monkeys' chattering. Must be where the -air is coming from. - -He had a headache. Bad air in here, he thought, and realized that had -it not been for the animals being placed below him, he might have -suffocated in that space. It was then that he fully realized what had -happened--that he'd fallen asleep. - -The animals hadn't been there when he had first climbed in. So he must -have slept for several hours at least. He squirmed around, reflecting -on it, still not quite gathering his drugged wits together. That meant -that the men must have arrived and started work on this rocket again. - -He thought this over, and a great uneasiness came over him. He strove -to remember something urgent, something he knew he had to bring back to -mind. Something about five o'clock and six o'clock. - -Loading time, launching time. Yes! They were firing this rocket at -six! But what time was it now? How long had he slept? He looked at the -luminous dial of his watch but was chagrined to find it had run down -and he'd forgotten to wind it. - -He glanced rapidly around his little space, wondering how he could find -out whether it was already day. Several glimpses of light hit his eyes. -He saw that in three or four places there were tiny glass openings no -larger than would admit a thick wire. He tried to look through one, but -all he could see was blue sky. It was morning then. - -He strained his ears for outside noises, truck engines, men talking. -But there was not a sound from outside. Only the faint squeakings of -the animals below him. He twisted around again to face the little round -door. - -It was padded on the inside, it had no handle there, nothing to get a -grip on. He scrabbled in the padding with his fingers, reached the rim, -and tried to push. There was no give. It was airtight, automatically -sealed. - -He pushed against it, wondered what to do. He squirmed around against -the padding, lay back with his head against the cushioning on the -opposite side, his back resting on the floor padding, and put his feet -against the side of the little door. Thus braced he was all set to -shove the strength of his legs against the door in an effort to push it -outward. - -He was about to do so when the rocket went off. - - - - -_4. Riding the Atoms_ - - -Suddenly it felt as if a giant had placed his huge palm squarely on -Robin's chest and was pushing him down. As he tried to exert pressure -against the door, the counter pressure of the invisible hand increased. -For an instant Robin was thunderstruck. Had he suddenly become weak? -What was this? - -His first emotion, that of amazement, changed in a split second to one -of terror at his newly discovered weakness, and again from that to -a feeling of stunned shock. There was no invisible hand! It was the -rocket itself moving! - -Without thinking, Robin struggled to rise, but his muscles could not -obey him. In the first seconds the pressure on him was mild, he might -have been able to move if he'd given some extra effort. But by the time -his astonishment had worn off, the pressure had climbed beyond the -limitations of the cramped space and his young muscles. - -The rocket had started slowly as these great towering constructions -do. The first blasts barely served to push it away from its launching -guides. It seemed to tremble in every plate as if precariously perched -upon the short, furious blast of yellow. Then the fiery tail lengthened -as the tall, thin metal body rose slowly, lifted like a thin white -pencil on the roaring cataract of burning gases. - -Now it was its own length from the ground, now pushing up faster, -giving in split seconds the curious impression that it might topple -over at any instant. But the steady rise gained in speed, the rocket -pushed away from its burning tail ever faster, the fire turned from -yellow to blue, and within a few more blinks of the eye it was hurtling -into the sky, vanishing into a dot, and then was beyond sight. - -To Robin it seemed again as if a giant hand were pressing down. He felt -it spreading over his body, felt himself being pushed relentlessly by -superior weight against the matting of the compartment floor. His head -was thrust down as if by a giant forefinger of this invisible monster -leaning over him. Now it seemed as if the giant, in maniacal malice, -was leaning his weight on his hand, pressing on Robin, trying to shove -him through the floor if possible. - -He gasped for breath, could barely catch it against the growing -pressure on his chest. His eyes sank into their sockets and he tried to -close them but found the effort too much. - -All about him there was a roaring sound, a humming and thrumming, and -now began a thin, piercing whistling, which was the air outside rushing -past. The whistle rapidly increased to an ear-splitting shriek, then -vanished, leaving eddies of unheard auditory vibrations. Robin tried -to close his mouth, which had been forced open by the prying finger of -pressure. He felt as if in another moment he must cave in, be squashed -flat. His brain reeled dizzily, then suddenly a merciful blackness fell -over him and he knew no more. - -At that very moment, though he could no longer sense it, there was a -click, audible through the length of the vibrating column of metal, -and the first section snapped off. Its great fuel tanks, so full of -volatile gases an instant before, had emptied themselves in a fury of -chemical combustion. The automatic releases had loosened the whole -bottom half, the main fuel section, thrust it into space to fall and -shatter upon the desert miles below. At that same split second, another -series of relays touched off the second firing section. - -The new firing tubes blasted into action. Of a design different from -those that preceded it, of a design new to the world of man, the -experimental jet burst forth. For an instant it seemed as if the -pressure had vanished in the rocket, for a split second the rocket -stopped accelerating as it waited for the new impact. Then like a blast -of lightning newly released from a storm, a shot of energy flashed -through the racing metal body. The giant hand came down on everything -within it with a firmness and power not sensed before. - -There was a blast now emerging from the tail of the flying rocket -something like that of an atomic bomb, but not quite. It was not -an explosion, but an atomic reaction. It was a rocket flare of an -intensity and heat beyond all the potential of mere chemical reactions. -It was atomic fire, chained and harnessed to the tail of a rocket. - -The thin white pencil, reduced in length, raced on into the dark -stratospheric sky. - - * * * * * - -Back at Red Sands there was intense excitement in the control dugout. -Major Bronck was racing around, anxiously yelling into telephones, -watching the checkers, trying to keep track of everything happening at -once. - -At first the ascent had been neat and according to routine. The crew in -the dugout, the radar crew at the main camp, and the one co-operating -with them from White Sands itself were checking all right. Then in an -instant all three almost lost touch as their objective nearly swooped -out of range. The trackers fought to get it back in focus, and one by -one finally caught it again, farther and faster than they had planned -for. - -"It's running wild!" was the way one startled crew chief told the -major. "Going up and out like crazy!" - -The crew on the tracking telescopes racing around the desert were -calling in their story. Visually they had lost it completely. They had -gotten a nice set of telescopic photos of the first phase, then they -had failed to adjust quickly enough to the unexpected second phase. Now -they were sweeping the sky desperately hoping to pick it up again, but -without success. - -Major Bronck called for a check on the last and surest guide. Among the -instruments loaded in the nose of the rocket was a radio tone-signal -sender. As a last resort, they should be able to pick up that signal -from the rocket itself, confirm the story they were getting from their -radar men. But the men at the radio listening posts reported no sound. -And when the major asked if they had had it in the first place, the men -admitted that they had not. There had never been any buzz on the ether -from the rocket at all! - -At that moment, the main Red Sands camp got on the phone. A voice from -the commander's office wanted to know why the instruments had not been -loaded. It seems that the man responsible for them had just turned up -at camp. Jackson had reported his jacket stolen, his pass along with it. - -Therefore the instruments for whose installation he had been charged -with were still reposing in the camp! There had been a series of -bungles, the major thought, as he tried to explain the situation. -Obviously the rocket had not been checked as it should have been. -Obviously whoever had calculated the course and power of the new fuels -had erred very considerably. - -"But we've still got it on radar. Yes, sir. We'll hold it. We'll -definitely see where it comes down, sir." - -The major listened, white-faced, to the commander's angry spluttering. -"Yes, I know, sir. Top-secret stuff. But even if it lands a thousand -miles away, we'll know, we'll spot it. Even if it managed to assume a -satellite orbit, we could keep track of it. It's still going straight -up. It might make an orbit. If it did, there'd be no chance of it -coming down intact for foreign examination. It would probably circle -the Earth a few times in a wild ellipse and then burn up in the -atmosphere. We won't lose it." - -But lose it they did. The radars held it for two hours more, until -finally it was beyond even the limits of their extended capacities. It -was going up, up, and out, and even at the last there was no sign of it -slowing down enough to form an orbit. - -When they finally checked it off as permanently lost, they knew they -had witnessed the dawn of a new era. This rocket had assumed and passed -the escape velocity. It was headed out into the trackless bounds of -outer space. It would never return to Earth. - -There was even speculation that its last known course might intersect -the Moon's orbit. Opinion in Washington, after all the reports were -in, was divided on that. But, in spite of the bungling, the rocket had -proved a valuable point. From that day onward, rocketry in the United -States took a new tack. - -Robin Carew was dreaming. He was falling down an elevator shaft, -falling swiftly floor after floor. Looking down at him from the space -at the top of the high shaft was a gigantic face, leering at him while -stretching a giant arm down the shaft trying to reach him. - -In his dream he had the curious mixed-up feeling of wishing the giant -could catch him and stop his fall and at the same time being afraid -that the giant might be successful and crush him in his huge fingers. -He was falling, falling, and squirm as he might, the bottom of this -terrible shaft was nowhere in sight. - -Robin thrashed around, trying to grab a cable, trying to catch one of -the innumerable doors as they rushed past. He banged his hand against -one, grabbed tight, jerked. - -His eyes snapped open, his mind struggled to gain a grasp of where -he was. Nothing seemed to make sense. It was dark and he was bumping -around in a tiny, tight space. Yet somehow he couldn't get his feet -down, he still was falling. Suddenly he felt dizzy and then became -aware of the aches all over his body. - -He stopped thrashing, let himself rest. He bumped against the tight -side again, took the opportunity to stretch his body out straight and -found he could not. He was touching both sides of the narrow space. - -His eyes found the space not entirely dark. A faint trace of light -showed from a couple of spots somewhere in the dark enclosure. He -realized where he was. He remembered now the take-off, the pressure. -Why, he thought with a shock, the rocket went off. And I'm in it! We -must be falling back to the sands now. In a few minutes we'll crash and -that will be the end. - -He waited awhile, expecting to be snuffed out at any instant. But -there was nothing. Just silence. And now a faint rustling sound where -something was stirring and squeaking below him. The animals, he -thought, are alive in the space below me. - -Then it occurred to him that he was not falling back, but perhaps -falling away. His mind, which had been numbed from the pain and -pressure, began to reassemble what he knew about rockets. And -consciously the thought formed--the sensation of free fall is the same -as the sensation of weightlessness found in space rockets. He thought -he was falling, but was it not just as likely that instead he was -simply beyond gravity? - -He felt himself over for broken spots, but somehow miraculously he had -not been damaged. His eyes burned and he supposed they were bloodshot. -A smear of stickiness around his face convinced him he'd suffered a -nosebleed. But otherwise he was sound. He patted the jacket he wore and -his hand encountered the cylindrical hardness of the flashlight he'd -borrowed from the supply truck. He took it out, snapped it on. - -The little padded compartment was the same, the door still tightly -wedged. He turned the light carefully around it, saw that the -faint break in the total darkness before had come from two tiny -openings--glass insets. Probably, he thought, the openings for the -instruments, possibly the lens spots for cameras. - -He switched off his flashlight, put an eye to an opening. The spot -of glass was thick but amazingly clear. He caught a glimpse of -blue-black sky and a jagged line of misty gray and white, beneath which -stretched the edge of a great brown-and-green bowl. He stared at it in -puzzlement, watching it as it swung slowly away. - -He realized that the rocket had developed a slow spin, that his viewing -spot would gradually circle the region around him. And he realized that -the great brownish bowl was the Earth. - -From the darkness of the sky he realized that he must already be high -in the stratosphere, possibly well beyond it. From the curvature of the -horizon, he must be far up, several hundred miles, he guessed. And he -could see that the curvature was increasing as he watched. The rocket -was still traveling upward, traveling at an immense rate of speed. -Its last rockets had blasted away and had left it with a heritage of -unparalleled speed. - -Robin screwed up his eyes again, mentally calculated. He revised his -estimate of his height, doubled it, redoubled it. Why, he might be a -thousand miles up, two thousand, perhaps many times that! How fast was -he traveling? - -He didn't know. He couldn't tell. He remembered the talk about -atomic fuels he had overheard. Could it be that the inventors had -miscalculated? Could it be that he was already in outer space, heading -for the void, never to return to Earth? - -He screwed his eye again to the outlet. In the short time since he'd -first looked the sky had darkened. It was black, jet-black, and the -stars were fiery points of white. The Earth now seemed like a ball, a -vast ball whose fringes glowed with the pale mistiness of a sun-lit -blanket of air. But where he was there was no air. He was beyond any -atmosphere. No whistling of atmospheric friction was present in the -length of the silent rocket. - -And then a blinding white glow poked a piercing beam through the tiny -eye-spot. It was the sun, unshielded, brilliant. In a moment the tiny -ray vanished as the rocket continued its slow turning, but Robin in -that instant had come to realize what had happened. - -He was in outer space, beyond Earth, never to return. He was the first -man to reach that untracked void that bounded on all the stars and -suns of a universe. He was the first--but who would ever know? Who -could ever hear of him, whose helpless body, imprisoned in its shining -airtight shell, now seemed doomed to float unsuspected forever on the -cosmic tides of interplanetary space? - - - - -_5. Fall Without End_ - - -For a moment Robin felt dizzy again, and the falling sensation wracked -him. It was the weightlessness, he knew. The sensation of being without -weight was the same as that of being in free fall. And he was operating -beyond the effects of gravity. Somehow the atomic rocket fuels had been -far greater or far more effective than the inventors had calculated. He -knew that they had never intended this rocket to be shot beyond Earth's -grip--for if they had, they would not have loaded it with the test -animals and they would not have placed a parachute-release arrangement -in the nose. - -However, it now occurred to him he might be wrong about this. He had -seen the reference to the parachute on the loading chart, and he now -remembered lettering indicating parachute on the body of the rocket -just above the little entryway to the topmost cargo compartment. Still, -perhaps there was no parachute there. - -He squirmed around again, trying to get used to the nauseating -sensation of free fall. He felt as if he had to exert conscious effort -to keep his stomach from turning inside out. He felt an impulse to -scream, to thrash his hands, and he had to remind himself that it was -an illusion. - -For a while he just rested, floating in the little space, bumping -steadily against one wall or another, with barely inches to spare. The -tiny burning sunbeam pierced through again and vanished. Robin looked -through the peephole. - -It was the dead black of outer space now, a black beyond conception, -black with nothing in it to reflect. And against it an inconceivable -array of brilliant points of light--the stars in numbers beyond any -seen through the blanket of atmosphere. White, with some yellows and -reds, and a few bluish ones here and there. The Earth moved again into -sight and it was distinctly smaller--though still an impressively -vast bowl--but beginning distinctly to resemble a monstrous globe -in bas-relief, breathtakingly impressive with its living face, its -shifting misty veil of air and water vapor. - -Robin became aware that he was thirsty. Yes, and hungry too. He took -stock of his situation. He felt through his pockets, came up with one -of the candy bars he had taken. He hefted it thoughtfully. Should he -eat it now or save it? - -That raised the question he had been unconsciously avoiding. Save it -for what? - -If he was indeed heading for the boundless regions of space, then he -was a doomed man. If he ate now, it would mean that starvation would -come sooner. If he delayed, doled it to himself in small bits, it could -only prolong the agony awhile, but would not the result still be the -same? - -There was the chance, the odd chance, that the rocket somehow might yet -return to Earth. It might describe a circle, an arc, finally begin to -fall back. If it did so, the parachute would operate and perhaps land -Robin in safety. - -Somehow it didn't seem likely to Robin, yet that chance existed. If so, -it would have to return to Earth before a full starvation period could -result in death. Robin had read somewhere that one could go without -food for as much as thirty days, but without water for not more than -seven or eight. If the rocket were describing an arc or a parabola, -then it would surely start its return within less than that week's -leeway. - -With this in mind, Robin unwrapped the candy bar and ate it. The second -one he would save as long as possible. But what about water? - -The squeaking of the test animals broke in on his thoughts. Surely -they must have been supplied with some sort of food for their flight? -Robin switched himself around to face the floor and began to dig at -the padding there. He managed to loosen it, pull it to one side, -revealing the floor of the compartment. As he had hoped, it was not -a metal plate. His own chamber, the one for the instruments, was not -a section in itself but only part of a section paneled off by braced -plasterboard. And what was more there were already holes drilled -through it so that the air in both sections would be equalized. - -This answered another question Robin had been trying to avoid. How was -it the air was remaining fresh now, though it had gone stale while he -was hiding? Apparently there was a small supply of oxygen operating -automatically in the animal section that seeped through into the upper -compartment too. Evidently once the rocket went into flight this -started to work and would continue for the originally calculated period. - -Robin dug his fingers into the openings and pulled. Gradually the -plasterboard bent away and opened a space into the section below. He -looked down, using his flashlight. - -There were two cages below, well padded. In one, two little brown -monkeys clung together floating just above the floor and looking -terrified. They chattered when they saw him, but remained tightly -locked in each other's arms. In the other, four small rabbits were -placidly nibbling bits of lettuce, although one rabbit was upside -down, another sideways on the side of the cage. - -There were a couple of small boxes set in each cage, and Robin could -see that they dispensed food and water to the animals at presumably -regular intervals. Robin reached down next to the monkeys' cage and -started to work loose the small water holder there. He found it slid -out of place once he turned the holding bolt. As he drew the little -flask upward, one of the monkeys made an effort to nip his finger, but -he withdrew it in time. - -The water flask drawn up into Robin's compartment made him feel better. -This would make his stay a little more comfortable for a while. He felt -sorry for the monkeys, who might go thirsty now, but he had a suspicion -that the two little beasts were probably too hysterically frightened to -eat or drink anyway. Robin wet his throat a little. - -He looked back down, reached out, and investigated the food -compartment. Sure enough, there were several bananas in the monkeys' -food container. They would do also. - -He glanced around the space below again. There were the oxygen tanks, -set up with a timer, one gently hissing away. There also was a small -heating unit with a thermostat that evidently kept the temperature in -the animal division at a level--and almost certainly was doing the same -for the whole section. - -Robin grimaced to himself as he worked the padding back into place -on the floor. He might manage to be quite comfortable for a while -longer--a day or so more. While there's life, there's hope, he said to -himself. Better check the parachute question, too, while I'm at it. - -He reversed himself in a neatly executed weightless somersault and -making what had once been his roof the floor, worked the padding out -there. But here he was thwarted, for he found the rounded metal side of -the section's nose. If there were a parachute, it obviously occupied -its own compartment at the very tip of the rocket's nose. - -He looked out the peephole from his upside-down perch, stared musingly -at the panoply of the stars. He wondered if he could recognize a -planet should one swing across his narrow field of vision, decided -that perhaps he might not be able to do so, so vast were the number of -stars present. He looked again at Earth, noticing that it had visibly -rotated on its axis. That meant that time had passed, a good deal of -it. Mentally he tried to calculate just how much. He was looking at -the Eastern Hemisphere now, or a corner of it. At least half a day, or -maybe a day and a half, or more. How could he tell how long he had been -asleep, how long unconscious? - -He realized that he was tired, that his body still ached from the -painful take-off. He closed his eyes, and without actually wanting to, -fell asleep. - -His sleeping body swung slowly to and fro in the tiny space, bumping -gently from one side to the other. As he slept he dreamed of falling, -dreamed of falling over huge endless cliffs, of dropping down strange -chasms, of being carried by huge birds and suddenly being dropped. - -His subconscious mind would never give up the insistent awareness -that his body was falling. It was a certain thing that such would -be the dreams of anyone in space flight. The built-in machinery of -self-protection identifies a sense of loss of weight with the automatic -warning of a fall. Ten thousand thousand generations of climb from -primeval arboreal ancestry found the warning valid--no conscious -knowledge otherwise would ever shut off this instinctive alarm. - -He awoke again with a start and a convulsive grasp for a tree branch. -But he shook off the sensation and rubbed his eyes. He took another -sip from the water flask, reached into the compartment below and took -one of the bananas. The monkeys were still in each other's arms, but -now asleep. The rabbits were nosing the corners of their cage as if -everything were perfectly normal. - -He looked through his peephole and saw the Moon. - -It was large, it was vast, it took up most of the view in his range. -It looked as close as the Earth had looked before. He looked upon the -stupendous moonscape with awe. It was the vision one strains to see -through a telescope. He had often paid a dime to look at it through -the six-inch telescope at the City Science Museum. This was the same -vision, but bigger and clearer, so very, very clear. - -He could see only a small section of the Moon, but that was impressive. -A particularly rugged area of jagged mountains, huge craters, high -walled and wide bottomed, with long rills and ridges running across the -surfaces. - -It shone white under the sun, with immensely black shadows breaking -it where the sun failed to penetrate. Yet there were more than whites -and grays and blacks here. He saw that without the atmosphere of Earth -there were other more delicate shadings. The sides of some mountains -had bluish and greenish tinges, and more than one crater bottom showed -a distinct faint tinge of pale green, or in other spots yellowish -blotches. And in one small spot he distinctly saw a mistiness of the -surface, saw that a faint fuzziness barred the clear sight of the -crater bottom. - -He stared with wonder at the sight and the Moon slowly turned out of -his vision as the rocket turned. He looked away, deep in thought. - -He had read enough about the Moon in his astronomical readings. He knew -the various theories, the latest conjectures. He knew that mistiness, -that evidences of clouding had been seen often by astronomers, but -the sight was nevertheless rare. No two astronomers ever happened -to be looking at the same place at the same time. It was always one -man's word, and it was never possible to predict such a thing, nor to -photograph it. - -He knew that those men who made a special study of the Moon recognized -these things and had come to accept them as evidence that what was -once regarded as a dead world was not entirely dead. They had charted -these color shifts in certain spots, one or two areas could be -predicted well enough to occasionally be provable to others. Pickering -had seen many such color changes, had even attributed it to some sort -of fast-growing vegetation. - -Robin remembered that it was now largely believed that the Moon had not -quite ceased its volcanic internal action. He recalled that astronomers -had begun to admit that the evidence of these bits of mist and the -further evidence of actual mapped changes in the Lunar topography had -proved that something was still warm and boiling within the crust of -Old Luna. - -Then it occurred to Robin that if the Moon were that close to him, he -might really be falling upon it! - -He peered out, saw again a section of Luna in view. It was close. -Evidently the nose of the rocket had indeed been propelled far beyond -Earth's atmosphere, beyond its gravitational grip. If the Moon had -been elsewhere, perhaps the rocket nose would have swung about and -eventually returned to fall upon the Earth, as Robin had originally -surmised. But by chance his orbit, that of the rocket nose in free -space, had cut too close to the body of the Moon. The rocket was -dangerously near to being seized in the grip of the Moon's gravity and -pulled down to it. - -Robin mulled this thought over and realized that it was possibly the -truth. He glued his eye to the peephole and tried to determine where he -was. - -After a while, he saw that the Moon was gradually increasing in size. -The rocket nose was definitely approaching the Lunar sphere. Because -the Earth no longer swung into view, Robin also realized that the -rocket nose must have reversed itself, must be heading moonward, must -be falling to the Moon! - -It would fall faster and faster now, as its trip through space was -ending. It was held in the grip of a new world and would speed to its -final destruction like a meteoric bullet. It would be another meteor -blasting into the surface to flash instantly into powder! - - - - -_6. Target: Luna_ - - -Now that Robin recognized the certainty that he would never return, -that he was a doomed man, a curious sort of change came over him. Up -to this time, he had been carefully suppressing his inner thoughts, -comforting himself with the hope that the trip would somehow end -up safely. Yet while his mind was dwelling on that thought to the -exclusion of others, his nerves had been under tension. He had felt -himself continually on the edge of breakdown, in proximity to screaming. - -But Robin had been trained well. His life had never been a -particularly easy one and the crying had almost certainly got out of -his system during the days when as a little boy he had wandered through -a war-torn land hungry and homeless. Life in an orphanage, at best, -lacks much of the careful comforts of parents' hands, and those who had -come out of such upbringing learn strong self-control early, learn to -hold their jumping nerves in check at moments of tension and crisis. - -Now that the conscious realization that a crash into the Moon was -inevitable had forced itself into acceptance, Robin felt a slipping -away of this tension. The die had been cast, the doubt had been -removed. He actually felt an easing of his mind, felt himself able to -take cooler estimate of his situation. - -He curled himself up in his narrow, closetlike space as comfortably as -possible and thought the matter over. He was hungry again and still -thirsty and this time he ate the second candy bar without saving any. -At the rate of speed he was traveling, it could not be many hours more -before he flashed to a sudden, fiery, meteoric death. He turned that -thought over in his mind, while he drank some more water. - -A meteoric end, he thought, to flash like a blazing firebolt, to crash -with the violence of an explosion against the dry, dusty surface of the -Moon. It might have been spectacular to observe, but he would never -know. He wondered if it would be seen from the Earth. - -Suddenly, like an automatic switch being thrown on an electronic -relay, a memory shot into his thoughts. He was well-read in astronomy, -particularly on the subject of the Moon, and the thought that struck -him was this: _Astronomers did not see meteors crash into the Moon!_ -They just didn't! And Moon observation under powerful telescopes -was most exact; if even fair-sized meteors hit the Moon with the -same explosive impact that they hit Earth, they would be seen beyond -question. Further, since the Moon was a companion of the Earth, and our -home planet was bombarded with countless meteors daily, the Moon must -be a target of a like number. Of course, the meteors that hit Earth -were almost entirely burned up by atmospheric friction long before -reaching the surface. - -But the Moon apparently had no atmosphere ... there should have been -nothing to prevent them from constantly battering the face of the Moon -in a continuous, heavy rain of iron and rock. Lunar meteors should be -visible all the time. But they were not! - -So ... what would really happen when his rocket hit the Moon? - -Robin was tingling with strange excitement. Facing death as he was, -he knew that even at the moment of dying he would be rewarded with -at least one secret of the universe now unknown to men. What was the -secret? He wracked his brain trying to bring back to memory all that he -had read on that problem. - -And he brought back the memory that during the past few years a growing -number of astronomers had begun to believe that the Moon was not -entirely without an atmosphere. It wasn't believed to have much of one, -but it had been pointed out that most meteors to hit Earth burn up at -least thirty miles high. And the atmosphere at that height on Earth was -very, very thin. So thin indeed that if the Moon had a belt of air only -that dense, it might not be particularly detectable from Earth, might -not make much difference from the surface--it was almost a vacuum so -far as living matter would be concerned--but it would suffice to burn -up meteors! - -So it seemed likely that his rocket nose would be heated to -incandescence by the tenuous Lunar atmosphere and burn to ash long -before it touched the surface.... It wasn't a comforting thought--he -rather preferred the original conception of crashing. - -Robin smiled grimly to himself. A dismal prospect, indeed. He had -somehow cherished the hope that at least some wreckage of his rocket -would be scattered about the surface, to be discovered some day by the -explorers of the future, perhaps hundreds of years later. They would -speculate upon it, perhaps trace it and in that way know that one Robin -Carew had, in death, been the first to reach the Moon. - -But to burn up on high, even that faint honor would be denied him! - -He looked again through the peephole. The Moon was close now, very -close. He looked down upon a heaving and fearful view--a vast sea of -glistening white, with streaks and patches of gray, and here and there -great gaping clefts of black. Huge ringed craters, their saw-toothed -mountain walls soaring into the sky--and craters upon craters, big ones -and little ones, broken ones, craters breaking into the boundaries of -others, little ones dotting the bottom of big ones, cracks and clefts -shooting from their bases; a ring of jagged mountains running across -the moonscape; areas of apparently flat plains. - -The sun was directly overhead, for it was still full moon and the glare -was great, the shadows that mark the setting or rising of a Lunar day -not too obvious, stunted patches of jet blackness. But the Moon was -not entirely whites and grays, for indeed it was gently tinted in -spots with other colorations. He could see for himself that there were -greenish tints in some flat spots, yellowish and purpling areas. And -yes, there was even in one tiny patch in a crater floor a faint cloudy -mass, a mere haziness that indicated some sort of gaseous mist. - -Robin drank in the scene, the view of another world, that world which -has dazzled the dreamers of Earth for thousands of years. These might -be his last moments, but he could not be denied the saturation of his -senses. - -The rocket was fast heading down toward a point near the center. -The Moon was spreading out, filling the view, and the rocket's slow -rotation no longer brought anything into view but moonscape, a constant -shifting view, with wonders upon wonders moving into his eye's scope. - -Robin drew back a moment, rubbed his arms, scratched his legs. He felt -himself tingling, wondered if it were his nerves. He felt itchy, hoped -his nerves would not give way. He thought to himself, I may have only -minutes now. I shall watch till the end. Then he heard a faint, faint -noise. - -From somewhere there was a humming. The merest shadow of a hum, -and Robin listened to it, startled. The humming rose in pitch, it -was no dream, and as he sat, mouth open, amazed, there was a thin, -high-pitched screaming outside the rocket and he suddenly began to feel -hot. - -Robin had but a second in which to think to himself, There's an -atmosphere and we're burning up, when there came a new sound. A sort of -_bloop_ from over his head, a snapping noise, and something seemed to -grab the rocket and jerk it upside down violently. - -Robin was tossed in a sharp somersault, banging against the original -floor of his compartment in a jumble of arms and legs. He sat up and -realized that he was sitting--not floating--but actually sitting -_against gravity's pull_! He scrambled onto his knees, peeped through -his peephole. - -The sky was back in view, the Moon was below the falling ship and he -could see the edge of a huge, circular orange mass above him, straining -and pulling. It was the parachute from the nose of the rocket. It was -the orange parachute designed to land the instrument nose and the test -animals safely in the New Mexico desert. And it had been set to open -automatically upon the pressure of air when falling. - -There was an atmosphere around the Moon then ... a thin, thin one, -but the delicate detonator of the chute had functioned. The great -hemispheric mass of delicate nylon had opened, had found a purchase, -and was dragging the rocket back from a disastrous burn-out. - -Robin breathed a sigh of relief, strained his eyes to see the moonscape -again. The rocket was still falling, mighty fast it seemed. He could -see the moonscape rise out, expand to fill the view. The rocket was -warm now, definitely still heating from the thin friction. It vibrated -and whistled but it swung in no breeze. It was moving too fast. In that -almost unnoticeable belt of tenuous air there would be no winds that -could deflect it. The parachute was open, but the air was not thick -enough to do more than slow it down too gradually for it to be saved. - -It would, he realized, still crash into the surface with a deadly -force. It would hit like a shell from a cannon, and the explorers of -the far future would have their mysterious fragments of tooled metal to -speculate on. - -Below him Robin saw the jagged mountain peaks reaching up for him -into the dark black sky. He scanned it, remembering his Moon books, -remembering the cold photos taken by distant Terrestrial cameras and -the careful diagrams and names given by men long dead. He was hitting -near the center of the Moon, a little above it, and the crater whose -walls were reaching up ... why he could even name it. He grinned wryly. -It would be Theophilus, and it seemed he would miss it, hit somewhere -near it in a bay of the so-called Sea of Tranquillity. - -Rushing up toward him, Theophilus was no peaceful Greek ancient. It -was a barren, toothed, rocky edge, miles up, without the snow that -makes our mountains majestic, without a trace of the forests that -conceal a mountain's jagged sides, without even the gentle weathering -of rain and water. - -And the Sea of Tranquillity--a dark, wrinkled plain that looked as if -it had gone through the agonies of torture ages past. The marks of -almost-vanished volcanoes on it, pale circular rings like pocks of -burst bubbles, rambling ridges, and ugly cracks, and here and there -domes rising gray out of the surface, like the tops of giant bubbles -working their way out of the dry and flaky crust. - -Robin watched in dread fascination. He heard the whistling and -shrieking of the rocket like a demon in torment. He himself was burning -and itching as he was being baked, although he felt no fever. The -rocket was warm but getting no warmer. The topmost peak of Theophilus -was rushing up into his sky like a fast-growing stone geyser. - -He watched it shoot up, saw it grow, saw the ground become clearer and -clearer, each ghastly detail spreading out, assuming three-dimension -reality. Now the peak was on a level with his eyes, now it was beyond -him, and he was in the last few seconds of his fall. - -The rocket seemed to be slowing slightly. The atmosphere was possibly -getting a trifle thicker at the surface, enough to prolong the agony -a minute or two or three longer. Above him the parachute strained and -twisted. But still the rocket was falling too fast. It rushed down, -straining to complete its act of affinity with a new gravity, as if -tired of its brief period of interplanetary freedom, and anxious to -pledge allegiance to a new gravitational master. - -Below, the moonscape was coming up fast. Robin could see well enough to -begin to speculate where exactly he would hit. There was a small circle -that must have been a crater scar. There were several dark lines that -might be a network of cracks. And there was a dome. - -He remembered those domes. They had been quite a recent discovery too. -Not easily seen until latter-day instruments showed the surface of the -Moon dotted with these odd bumps. Their nature was still a mystery. - -It looked as if Robin would find out the hard way what their -construction was. For now he was clearly heading directly for the -center of the one below him. A bubble-top pushing out from the plain, -hard and shiny like lava, glistening in the sun against the gray and -dusty surface of the plain around it. - -Theophilus's wall was already on the horizon, high and towering. And -now Robin realized how terribly fast the rocket was still falling. The -mountain was a measuring stick and it was fearful. - -There was a moment of dreadful suspense as the rocket raced to a bull's -eye on the upthrust center of the dome. The rounded surface rushed up. - -Robin flattened himself against the padding, clutched his head in his -hands, and stiffened himself. The rocket hummed against the thin air, -it vibrated against the parachute, there was a terrible split second of -shock when the bullet-shaped structure of the rocket's cargo nose made -its contact with its Lunar target, and then a clap of sound in Robin's -ear like a blockbuster going off. - - - - -_7. The Honeycomb Place_ - - -Robin had no time to wonder why he had not been instantly killed by the -crash, because the explosion on hitting the surface of the dome was -followed instantly by a tremendous roaring sound that surrounded the -entire rocket nose. This was in turn accompanied by a powerful pressure -on the rocket, which threw Robin against the nose-end cushioning and -held him there. - -The pressure was not steady, changing as the roaring itself changed, -with sudden bursts of sound, convulsive shoves, and changes in pitch. -The rocket was being slowed by a terrific outward burst of gases, -gases that must have been imprisoned in a huge volcanic bubble whose -outermost surface was the dome, so mysterious to Terrestrial observers. -By bursting through the thin lava shell, Robin's rocket had released -these pent-up gases and was boring its way down on its still rapid -momentum against the pressure of this column of gas. - -Robin did not know this at the time, though he figured it out later. At -the time, he had all he could do to keep himself from being battered -black-and-blue by the jolting rocket. He kept his head clutched tightly -in his arms, rode with the bumps and roars, and tried to keep his -breath from being knocked out of his lungs. - -There was another violent shock and crack and again the rocket bounced -to a new flow of gases. It had slammed through one huge bubble, -breaking through the bottom shell only to burst into a lower pocket -of gas. The roaring subsided to a lower pitch as the new gases did -not find the near-vacuum of the surface that the first gas bubble had -opened upon. The rocket fell steadily, bursting through a third, and -then a fourth such bubble. It was clear that the surface of the Moon, -at least in that area, was a mass of congealed gas pockets, a honeycomb -of thin-walled lava bubbles, perhaps quite deep. - -The rocket was almost entirely devoid of its original space momentum -by the time it hit the bottom of the last bubble, snapped the thin -crust, and fell through it. This time there was a sudden hissing around -the battered nose and a warmth began to flow through the body of the -rocket. It was enveloped in a belt of hot steam through which it fell -several hundred feet and then hit something with a loud splashing -noise. The sound vanished as the rocket sank deep into the new -substance, came to a halt, and bobbed back upward. - -Robin had gotten hold of himself after the third bubble and was hanging -on, mentally trying to estimate what had happened. This last sound had -been familiar. It must have been water, and the bobbing back of the -rocket to the surface confirmed his views. He felt the rocket bounce a -couple of times and then subside to a gentle rocking and rolling. - -Robin held on for a moment, getting his balance. In some ways the -new motion was more disturbing than all that had gone before--the -cylindrical body of the rocket, with its blunt end and its rounded -nose, was twisting and turning as only can be done by a bottle tossed -in a flowing stream. Robin tried to get hold of himself, orient himself -to the odd seasick motion, then managed to work his way to the peephole. - -He could see nothing. Whatever was outside was without light. But it -sounded like water lapping against the sides, it felt like water's -forces, and the rocket seemed definitely to be afloat. Robin used his -flashlight, tried to direct its beam through the tiny camera outlet. -After a little manipulation he succeeded in getting some reflection -from outside. - -It was water, and the rocket seemed to be floating rapidly along -on some sort of dark subterraneous tide. Robin sat back, puzzled. -Water--under the Moon? - -He held on, still feeling a little dizzy, feeling dirty and itchy, but -suddenly beneath it all a little thrilled and pleased. He had survived -the crash by some miracle--he was on the Moon and alive! What next? - -Next was quick to come. There was a sudden dip in the current and -the rocket tilted forward as it shot down a spillway, down a violent -decline on a raging torrent, sliding down an unseen waterfall for a -surprisingly long time, leveling out at a fast clip, sliding down new -tunnels through which the water raced, hitting the side of sharp turns -with occasional glancing blows, down more dips and falls, spinning -violently around in unseen whirlpools, and finally racing out on a fast -stream to gradually slow down and finally come to rest, gently bobbing. - -Robin had been knocked around during this breathless ride and only -gradually did he realize it was over. Warily he raised his head from -where he was sprawled in his tiny closet-compartment and waited. But -the gentle bobbing continued. - -He put his eye to the peephole and looked. There was a glow outside, a -grayish, pale glow, but he could see that the nose of the rocket was -somehow grounded on something dry while the tail was still in the water -rocking to the current. - -He considered his next course of action for a few seconds. It seemed as -if he had a chance to escape from his vehicle at last. But escape to -what? - -Was there air outside, wherever it was that he found himself? If there -were air, was it enough to sustain him? Might it not be poisonous or -utterly lacking in oxygen? - -Well, Robin thought to himself, there isn't really any choice. If I -stay here, I'll starve to death or suffocate. If I go out, I may die -even sooner. But now or later, if it has to be, it won't make any -difference. Whatever the odds in favor of my being able to breathe -here, I've got to take them. - -He twisted around, found the circular port through which he had -originally entered the rocket. He worked at it with his fingers, -realizing that it might be quite difficult to open. He worked away -the padding that lined the interior, found that it had an arrangement -that had automatically sealed it when closed. There was no handle on -the inside, for it had never been planned to be opened from that side. -However, there were several screws over a small plate, and Robin set to -work to unscrew them. He had a Boy Scout knife in his pants pocket--the -kind with several blades--and with the back of the biggest blade he -worked out the screws. - -The panel off, he saw how the sealed gimbals worked, clicked them open -and pushed open the door. It held tight for a moment, then popped open. -There was a sudden drop in the pressure, Robin's ears popped, and he -gasped for breath. - -The air outside was lower in pressure than that inside the cargo nose -of the rocket, which had been sealed at Earth level. But it was air and -it was breathable. Robin drew in several deep lungfuls, savoring it. - -It was oddly exhilarating, as if highly charged with oxygen. At the -same time there was a smell of mold and dampness and a definite taste -of sulfur and phosphorus like that just after a kitchen match has been -lighted. Even so, the air was breathable. - -Robin worked his head and shoulders through the narrow opening, slid -forward and landed on hands and knees on the rocky surface. He got to -his feet, looked around. - -He was standing on the bank of a rushing stream of water, which was -pouring out of a large gap in the side of a cliff. The cliff ran -straight up, gently curving to form part of the ceiling several -hundred feet overhead. The extent of this ceiling was impossible to -determine--it was dark and obscure--but it seemed to Robin almost at -once that he was in some sort of gigantic enclosed space--a vast cavern -beneath the surface of the Moon, probably several miles beneath it. - -The water coming from the underground falls rushed out to form a wide, -shallow river which flowed along one side of the cavern and widened out -to a few hundred feet clear across to the farther wall. On Robin's side -the floor of the cavern rose in a slow slope until it reached its wall -perhaps three hundred feet away. Robin could not estimate the length -of the cavern. Looking along the river bank, the cave seemed to become -veiled in a general mistiness and gathering darkness. - -The light itself came from no definite source, but seemed to emanate -from the rocky walls and ceiling, from the clayey ground, and from -the general atmosphere. Robin supposed that the source was a natural -phosphorescence which he knew was not too uncommon even in Terrestrial -caverns. - -All around on the soil bordering the flowing water was a forest, a -forest with the weirdest vegetation Robin had ever seen. Plants growing -in clumps and clusters, plants whose large treelike stalks resembled -a whitish-blue bamboo, and which burst into globular blue bulbs which -seemed to serve as leaves. Among these tree-sized growths was a rich -undergrowth of tight balls of varying yellow and green and purple, -growing like thick, squat mushrooms. And everywhere else a thick, lush -carpet of green, not grasslike but rather like some oversize moss. - -In this forest there were no sounds of birds or animals, but only that -of plants swaying in the river breeze, the rushing of the waters, and -from somewhere distant in the unseen end of the cavern a strange, -steady hissing sound. - -The rocket, or what was left of it, lay wedged against a section of the -bank, its nose up and its tail swaying in the current. Robin looked at -it, amazed to find it so small. All that was left of the rocket was -the cargo nose, which was the only part sent off after the last of the -rocket sections had discharged their forces and been dropped off. The -whole affair was not more than about ten feet long, from the battered, -blunted red nose, from which several long, straggling orange cords -hung--all that was left of the parachute and its attachments--down -to the scraped and battered white cylinder that was the cargo -compartment. The compartment ended in a flat plate which bore only a -few wires that had once connected it with the break-away mechanism -of the last of the atomic blasting chambers. This alone was the load -of the eight-story tower of energy which had been the Red Sands -experimental rocket. - -Robin, without further delay, bent down to the cylinder and began -to haul and push it entirely out of the water to the dry ground. He -knew he could not afford to risk its loss. To his surprise, moving -the rocket head was an easy task. It was extremely light and he found -himself possessed of tremendous strength, tired and bruised and sore as -he was. - -It was, he thought, as he pulled the rocket along, the Moon and its -weak gravity. He would only weigh a sixth of his Earth weight here, so -would the cargo head, yet he would have the muscles necessary for much -more than that weight. He would literally be a superman here--if he -could survive. - -Survival, he knew, would be the question. He didn't know whether even -now he might be inhaling poison from the strange, thin sublunar air. He -didn't know what mysterious radioactive rays might be bathing him with -their baleful influence. He didn't know whether any of the vegetation -in this cavern world would be edible. - -Having brought the cargo cylinder to a safe spot many feet from -the water, Robin looked for the door that would open the animal -compartment. He found it, forced it open. Inside were the two cages. -Gently he reached in, unscrewed them from their holdings, and lifted -them out. - -One of the monkeys was dead, probably killed by some of the jouncing -the rocket had taken. The other, looking miserable, was clinging to the -bars chattering. Robin looked at it, and the monkey looked back. The -young man unlatched the cage, reached in, and took the little brown -animal by the back of the neck. But the monkey made no effort to bite. -Instead, it twisted around, grabbed Robin's arm, and hung tight. - -When his grip was released, the monkey scurried up Robin's arm and -clung to his shoulder, recognizing the need for companionship after its -frightening experiences. - -The rabbits had fared slightly better. One of them was dead, but the -other three, while somewhat beaten around, were alive and sniffling -their pink noses. Robin saw that there was very little food or water -left for the animals. - -Here then was the means to test the Moon's capacity to produce food -and drink. First, however, Robin decided he would build a pen for the -rabbits. If he were lucky, he could breed them and have at least one -source of food suited to his system. - -He went over to the nearest clump of ball-trees, looked them over, -tested his strength on them. They broke easily and quickly when -he grasped one by the trunk and pulled. He found that it could be -splintered into shreds fairly rapidly and that inside the shell of the -stalk was a mass of cottony matter. - -He shredded a number of the stalks, and then staked them out in the -ground to make a small fenced pen, tying the whole together with one -of the long cords hanging from the parachute nose. Into this makeshift -pen, he released the three rabbits. He filled the cup from their cage -with water from the river, placed it in the pen. The rabbits hopped -over, sniffed, and drank. They seemed to suffer no ill effects. - -Robin broke open one of the ball-like growths from the tree, found it -contained a substance resembling a combination of melon and potato. He -offered some of this to the rabbits and after an interval they ate it -and seemed to like it. - -The monkey was chattering away as Robin did this and suddenly scampered -down and snatched a piece of the ball-food, stuffing it into its mouth. -Robin had not wanted to use the little creature for a test but the -damage was done. However, the monkey seemed to enjoy it. - -Robin sat down on the ground and watched. He felt tired, now realized -just how tired he was, how sorely he ached from his experience. He -felt warm and headachy now that the strain was over. He knew he still -had things to do. He wanted to try to make a fire and cook the rabbit -that had been killed. He was thirsty as well. He wanted to tie a cord -to the monkey so that the animal would not run away into the unknown -and possibly dangerous regions of the cavern. He wanted to find a safe -place to sleep and hide should there be some sort of animal life around. - -But he was growing terribly sleepy and feeling quite sick. He curled -up, and before he could stop himself, he was asleep. - -The rabbits nibbled on. The monkey sat on a ball in one of the strange -trees and watched in silence. Far off, somewhere in the cavern, the -mysterious hissing continued. - - - - -_8. Robinson Crusoe Carew_ - - -When Robin Carew opened his eyes, he knew he was a very sick man. -He felt warm, sticky, and he hurt all over. He tried to sit up, but -everything spun dizzily around him. His arms, legs, and body were -burning intolerably and there was an itch throughout him that he could -do nothing about. He lay back, trying to gain strength. - -A little later he managed to crawl to the water's edge, fill the -container he had used in the trip from Earth, drag himself back. For a -period whose length he could not determine he lay helpless in fever -and pain, arousing himself only long enough to drink to soothe his -tortured body. - -Finally, the fever broke. He sat up, feeling weak but with his mind -clear at long last. He dragged himself to his feet, blessing the light -gravity, aware that if he were back home his body would not have -responded. He felt that he was gaunt, he knew he had been through a -terrible siege, and he could only guess at the time he had lain there, -tossing about on the strange Lunar ground, unprotected in the queer -climate of this unknown cavern. It must, he felt, have been days--Earth -days, of course--that his attack had lasted. - -Later on he decided that he had suffered from a severe case of space -burn. Having traveled through the emptiness of the void between the -planets, the vessel had been nearly unprotected from the cosmic rays -and the more penetrating of the sun's invisible rays. He considered -himself lucky to have survived at all. - -He desperately needed food now to rebuild his body. He looked at the -rabbit pen. The little animals were there and evidently prospering on -the ball-food he had prepared for them before his sickness. It was -almost all gone and he broke open and pared more at once. He wondered -how long it would be before the animals bred--he knew that rabbits bred -fast and abundantly, and hoped it would hold true on the Moon. - -There was a sudden chattering in one of the strange trees and he looked -up to see a little brown face peering at him. In a moment, the monkey -leaped to the ground, then leaped in one tremendous jump to Robin's -shoulder and perched there happy at finding companionship again. The -monkey looked none the worse for its experience and evidently was -getting along nicely on the Lunar vegetation. Thus encouraged, Robin -fed himself, first carefully testing everything on the monkey, who -objected to nothing. - -But somehow the food was not entirely satisfying to the man, who felt -that he needed more than that to recover his full energy. He looked -again at the rabbits, looked also for the carcass of the dead one. -But he found that part of it had rotted and part had been consumed. -He looked closely and saw his first glimpse of a Lunar counterpart to -animal life. - -There were many tiny creatures, a half inch to an inch in length, -looking at first like ants but on closer inspection appearing more like -three-segmented worms, for they lacked legs and moved in an inchworm's -fashion. Instead of antennae, each little worm-ant had on its front -segment a single upstanding stalk ending in a little yellow ball. Robin -touched one of these and it glowed momentarily. An organ of light, he -thought, something like the ones carried by deep-sea fishes. The tiny -things were eating the dead rabbit. - -Robbin went back and examined the three remaining rabbits. Two were -males and the female was evidently heavy with young. Well, he could -afford to dispense with one of the males, then, for he knew his body -needed meat. - -He put the rabbit back though, realizing that first he must make a -fire and determine how to cook his meal. He searched his pockets. He -was wearing the GI jacket he'd taken from the soldier in Las Cruces. As -he had hoped, he dug up a pack of matches in one pocket. He turned it -over in thought. When this pack was used up, how could he make fire? - -He piled some trunks of dead tree stalks in a cleared spot; he lit -them with one of his matches. They caught fire rapidly and soon he had -a nice blaze going. He watched the smoke rise and saw that it drifted -rapidly away in the same direction the current was flowing--evidence of -more caverns somewhere beyond. - -He opened his scout knife, hesitated. He'd never cooked a rabbit -before. In fact, he'd never had occasion to cook anything for himself. -It was meat, he thought, and even if it were eaten raw--well, savages -did, so he, too, could manage. He thought about boiling it in water, -then realized that the light air pressure might allow water to boil -without getting the necessary cooking effects. The best method -therefore was to fry it where he could observe the progress. - -Steeling himself, he seized the rabbit, killed and skinned it, the -latter a process which he found thoroughly unpleasant. Cleaning it of -its entrails, another unpleasant task, he cut the meat up into sizable -chunks, skewered a couple of pieces on a metal rod which had been part -of one of the cages from the rocket, and sat down to cook it over the -open fire. - -It turned out to be a longer job than he'd thought, and he burned the -meat quite thoroughly in the process, but finally he made it edible -and chewed it slowly. He needed salt, he realized, and wondered if he -could find any. This would have priority when he began his explorations. - -He hung the balance of the meat on a ball-tree with a piece of cord. He -had seen no evidence of flying insects or creatures, and hoped thereby -to be able to preserve the rest of the meat. - -Thus fed, he sat down and began to map out his course. I must do things -systematically, he told himself. I must keep track of time, set up a -regular pattern of living, find a permanent base of operations. I shall -have to explore this cavern and those beyond it, find all possible -enemies and invent ways and means of defending myself. I shall have to -breed my rabbits in quantity, find a way of using their pelts and fur. -I shall have to determine a use for everything left from the rocket's -material--metals and the like. - -For, he continued telling himself, my one aim shall be to stay alive -long enough to be found some day by exploring rockets from Earth. I -am a Robinson Crusoe of a new world. Crusoe waited twenty-eight years -for rescue, I must be as courageous. In his case, he had no evidence -that any ship would ever bother to call on him. In my case I know that -rockets are being made that will eventually lead to further Moon trips. -I know that men are planning to come here. I must wait it out, even for -twenty-eight years. - -But it was not that simple and he knew it. But first things first, and -the first task was to survive. - -With the monkey scampering on ahead, he set out to walk to the -cavern wall. He found it to be dark and glistening, a lavalike sheet -resembling the bubble it was. Leaning against it and looking upward, -he saw that it curved gradually up, and that indeed he was in a flaw -within a very porous world. Like the inside of a Clark candy bar, he -thought, with a wry smile. - -Astronomers on Earth had always been puzzled by the lightness of the -Moon. They had speculated on it as being mainly pumice. Lately there -had been much speculation and opinion holding forth the theory that the -Moon was porous, had these bubbles and air pockets all through it, that -the Moon's water and atmosphere had all gone underground to be sealed -off in these hollow spaces. He now knew they were right. - -Most of these Moon bubbles, large enough to hold cities, must be -entirely sealed off. But others were linked, sometimes broken into by -quakes or the volcanic action which was still going on in the depths of -what had once been considered a dead world. This particular cavern was -such a bubble. - -Robin walked along the outer wall and saw a dark black spot in it, and -then others. He came to them, found they were breaks in the surface, -pocks caused by smaller bubbles. He looked into one that opened at the -base. Using his flashlight, he could see that it was a small, almost -entirely spherical cave. He found others pocking the walls of the -cavern bubble. - -This then was the ideal spot for a permanent home. Not that he needed -shielding from the elements, for obviously there were no elements -here--no rain, snow, clouds, or weather oddities. Neither was there -night or day. - -Robin would move his possessions into this cave, simply to have them -located and safe. Besides, there might be some larger form of life, -some carnivores around--he could not tell. Better to be safe than -sorry, he said to himself. - -He acted at once, carrying the rocket nose and its stuff to the cave, -transferring his rabbits and their pen to a spot just outside the cave -door. He would need a bowl for water and, using his screwdriver blade, -he finally managed to detach the curved rocket nose and found himself -in possession of a deep bowl. He took this down to the water, filled it -and carried it back to his cave. - -Already he began to feel cheerier. Nothing like work, he thought, to -take your mind off your other problems. Suddenly he realized he was -tired. - -How long had he been at this? He did not know. Now he realized that -with no sunrise or sunset visible in his underground world, he could -not tell time. He looked at his wrist watch, but it had stopped -running, of course. He decided to take a nap; he lay down and fell -asleep. - -When he woke up, he set his watch at eight o'clock, decided to consider -this the beginning of a day. He found the notebook he'd carried in his -back pocket, opened it, and set up his new calendar. Using the date of -the rocket's take-off, he allowed five days as a probable estimate of -the time passed since. He had no means of knowing how long he had been -ill, he suspected it had been longer, but decided to let it stand. -After arriving at the date, he made the time eight in the morning, laid -out the times he expected to eat, to work, to sleep. He would try to -live according to a full Terrestrial day, checking the passage of time -by his watch. - -He then listed all the things he expected would have to be done, and -decided to check them off as he completed them. Next he ate breakfast -from the fruit of the ball-tree. He spent the rest of that morning -trying to find a means of making fire. He had some bits of steel from -the rocket, and he tried to strike sparks on everything that resembled -rock. After a search, he found some fragments of rock near the water -that gave off a spark. Whether these were flints or not, he did not -care, so long as they worked for him. - -With this discovery he knew he would be free from worry about the -problem of matches. His next problem was to secure a weapon. This -solved itself rather fast with a bow and arrow. A long, flexible metal -tube from the rear connections of the rocket, bent to make a bow when -tied with a string of nylon cord, made a satisfactory _twang_ when -pulled. He made arrows out of the fibers of the Moontree stalks, and -practiced shooting. - -The next few days followed the same pattern. Robin enlarged his area -of exploration, finding several other kinds of Lunar vegetation and a -number of other insect-worms. He found several that were quite large, -one as large as a squirrel. It was an odd thing, humping itself along -in little bounds--a creature of a dozen ball-like segments, two of -which had toothed mouths, although only the ball in front had an eye, -a lidless orb set in the center of this ball. But the creature was -fringed with the light-rod organs as the tiny worm-ants had been. - -Robin tried to cook part of this creature but the monkey refused to -touch it and he found it entirely unpalatable. On the other hand, he -found that when he removed the little yellow balls from the top of the -light stalks on the creature, they remained glowing--even as do the -abdomens of fireflies. He therefore diligently set about catching a -number of these Moonrats, as he named them, and making a lantern for -himself by filling a glass tube with the glow organs. This worked out -quite nicely when he experimented in his dark cave-home, emitting a -clear, though pale, yellow light. - -His rabbit had a nice litter at last, and Robin carefully saw that they -were kept well supplied with food and drink. He would eat no more meat -until there were several dozen adults, all breeding. But he felt that -now he was assured of a source of clothing when his own would give out. -He knew that eventually he would have to dress himself entirely in the -products of his own ingenuity. His Earth clothes could last no more -than a few years. He had already devised for himself an experimental -pair of sandals from the rinds of the ball-tree fruit and the stalks of -the Moontrees. They would do, and he carefully removed his shoes and -put them away. When he had heavy exploring to do, or if and when he -might try to reach the surface, he would need his good heavy leather -shoes. Until then, the makeshift sandals would do. - -For he knew that someday he would have to reach the surface. If and -when the first astronauts arrived, they would not go below. They would -probably never suspect the presence of these unseen areas beneath -the crust, possibly not for many dozens of years. It would be on the -surface that Robin would have to go to find rescue. That was the -greatest problem he would have to solve. Against that terrible trip, he -would have to conserve and plan. - -Meanwhile, he had a toehold on life here, if conditions within his -sublunar cavern did not change. But they were changing ... and not for -the better. - - - - -_9. From Stone Age to Iron Age_ - - -When he woke up one morning Robin was vaguely aware of something -different. He opened his eyes to the dark interior of his cave-home and -lay there on his bed of padding from the cargo chamber. For a while he -rested quietly in that pleasant half-sleep of awakening after a good -rest. Unconsciously his hand moved down searching for a blanket, but of -course there was none. He'd never needed one before. - -He unconsciously groped again for the blanket, then opened his eyes -wide and sat up. There was a slight chill in the air at that! Now he -noticed the monkey, asleep, curled up tightly against his leg. That was -odd because previously the little fellow had slept outside. What had -brought him in? - -Robin got up and Cheeky, as Robin had named his friend, woke up -instantly and leaped to his shoulder. "What's the trouble, fellow?" -asked Robin, patting him on the head. Then the young man left the -cave and looked around. At first nothing seemed greatly changed. The -temperature had dropped a few degrees, no doubt about it. Yet there was -no special draft, no break in the bubble walls to account for it. - -He looked at the plants and then realized that some of them were -beginning to change color. A grayness was creeping in subtly. The balls -of Moontree fruit, which had been his chief sustenance, were showing -signs of wrinkling and had either already shriveled or were beginning -to. - -Robin glanced around sharply, looked into his notebook calendar. He -calculated the days that had passed. When his rocket had crashed -the Moon had been full. This meant it was high noon of a Lunar day -on the surface above. But a Lunar day lasted about a Terrestrial -month--twenty-eight days to be exact. When the sun was at its height, -the temperature of the surface crust was to be measured as high as 240 -degrees Fahrenheit. By sunset it might be down to 160 degrees, but -immediately after sunset it would drop with great speed and shortly -begin to go as low as a hundred below zero and continue to drop for yet -another hundred degrees. - -And Robin had perhaps been in his sublunar cavern for ten or maybe -twelve days. The sun had set above, the Lunar night was there. -Though the cavern was insulated by the best sort of insulation in -the universe--a honeycomb of several miles between the surface and -itself--a honeycomb in many cases consisting of sealed bubbles, some -near vacuums--there was bound to be a gradual loss of the stored-up -heat from the long Lunar day. It might take a while for this to become -noticeable, especially in view of the obviously warm volcanic action -from the unseen areas near the core of the Moon below, yet there it was. - -So now Robin knew that the Lunar day did have a counterpart here, that -there would be monthly seasons in his cavern and that he was facing a -winter that might last ten days more. - -He looked around, pondering this. Could he survive? He had probably -only a short time to work this out. Obviously he had to work fast and -make good. - -"Come, Cheeky," he said, "no time for foolishness. No daily swim in the -river this morning. Harvest time is here." - -He glanced at his rabbits, but they did not seem to mind the -temperature drop. He went into the clumps of Moontrees and began to -gather their fruit--the big balls--as fast as possible. They were still -plump enough to hold food-pulp. He realized that if he waited, they -would probably dry up on their trees, shrivel to seed as the increasing -cold drew the moisture from them. He spent that day in gathering a -harvest, in piling great masses of the fruit in a small cavern-wall -bubble near his sleeping chamber. When he had amassed enough to see him -through at least two weeks, he gathered the fallen trunks and dried-up -old stalks and piled them in the narrow entrance to this storage cave. -He built a fire there, paced it out, and spread it out to burn slowly. -He would have to keep this fire going and another like it in front of -his own sleeping cavern. - -He transferred the rabbits to his bubble-home also, rebuilding their -pen. - -As he had expected, the temperature in his hidden world continued -its fall. A few days later it was quite chilly and the Moontrees had -acted as he surmised. Their fruits had withered quite rapidly, finally -dropping off as small hard seeds. The tree stalks dried out, turned -hard, and fell. Robin gathered them as fuel for his fires, found that -they were quite excellent, and also that the fresh-fallen ones could be -woven into basketry. - -The river continued to flow, but was more sluggish, and its waters -began to grow cold. On the other hand, the Moonworms and other little -creatures seemed to be having their heyday. They were out in quantities -greater than he had ever seen and were busily gathering the fallen -seeds, carrying them away, evidently preferring them to the fruit. - -Robin made himself a jacket from an extra part of the padding, -stitching it together with cord and thongs made from shell fibers. With -a fire going at the door of his cave, he found he still wouldn't need -blankets. - -During the balance of the Lunar night Robin was forced to remain close -to his caves, tending his fires, conserving all his energies. Outside, -the temperature never actually reached freezing, or at least not that -Robin could estimate. But at its worst, it was definitely chilly and -the river fairly cold. - -The view within the cavern cleared somewhat of its usual mugginess -and he could see much more. He could now make out the walls on all -sides, and discovered that the farthest distance, in the direction in -which the river ran, was perhaps several miles off. The vegetation had -mainly flattened, was drying up, and he could see everywhere the little -ball-segmented insects humping and squirming about. - -He saw a number of varieties he had not noticed before. One day -venturing out with his bow and arrow, he disturbed something working -amid a pile of broken stalks. The thing rushed out, directly at him. It -was large, as large as a dog, and it ran straight for him silently, its -wide mouth gaping. - -He shot it, saw it fall over as it was about to leap at him. When he -dug his arrow out, he saw that it was no wormlike insect, no segmented -creature. It was a recognizable animal, a creature with two short -stubby feet, two small extensions that were like hands on each side of -an oval body. A definite head surmounted this, with one eerie eye set -in the middle over its wide mouth. Two little breathing holes in the -side attested to its possession of lungs. A long, curving rod grew out -of the top of its skull and held a large yellow light-ball over it. - -There was yet another peculiarity about this Moonhound, as Robin -called it. It had no definite color. Its skin was faintly transparent, -and he could see its inner organs shadowy within. - -All this reminded Robin that there must be vast cavern worlds totally -without light, yet having flora and fauna. - -When there is no light, there is no need for pigmentation. Hence, this -creature had none. - -Robin also surmised that it was probably the cold that drove this -beast into the lighted cavern in search of food, for he had never seen -evidence of anything that large during the warm period. - -Robin brought the carcass back to his cave and went to work to skin -and cook it. At first he was not going to, for the hairless, colorless -nature of it was rather repellent. But one thing Robin had learned long -ago was not to let his emotions dictate to his needs. Like it or not, -he was going to make use of everything here he could. He had a task, -and that was to survive. - -As a matter of fact, the meat cooked very nicely, turned brown in the -fire, and tasted good. Further, it had a bone structure, which the -Moonworms hadn't, and Robin saved these bones, knowing that there were -many things that they could be used for. He remembered museum exhibits -of bone needles, bone knives, and bone implements, including arrowheads -and buttons that the Indians had made use of. - -After that, Robin deliberately hunted for these Moonhounds and caught -several others before the winter was over. - -The warmth returned about when Robin had figured, starting a day or so -after the surface sunrise. It rose rapidly, faster than it had fallen, -and just as fast, new Moontrees were shooting up, new Moonmushrooms -were growing, and the river was becoming warmer. - -As time went on and month followed month, Robin found himself working -into a comfortable, if primitive, routine. He charted exactly what to -do on what days. He could tell in advance what he would be eating, what -he would be harvesting. His rabbits had become sufficient in number to -permit slaughtering, and he began to acquire a pile of rabbit furs. -He found it no longer possible to keep all his rabbits in one pen, -and finally liberated the majority of them and left them to shift for -themselves. This worked out fine, and he never lacked the sight of -at least one or two bunnies anywhere he looked. During the two weeks -of winter each month they simply holed up as they might have done on -Earth. It was an odd sight seeing the rabbits run wild, for their -powerful leg muscles were many times stronger than was required by the -weak gravity and, when they ran in a hurry, they would bounce many feet -high in fantastic leaps. - -Robin was now wearing a rabbit-fur outfit of coat, pants, and hat -during the winter periods, equipped with bone buttons he'd carved from -the Moonhound skeletons. He was, if anything, beginning to gain weight, -but he was also aware of the paleness of his skin. He wondered whether -staying in this sunless world a sufficient number of years would not -make him as palely transparent as the Moonhounds. - -But all this time Robin had not forgotten his ultimate mission--to -reach the surface and signal for help. He had worked out the problem in -his own mind. He had to make some sort of space suit, something that -would permit him to venture out on the nearly airless surface long -enough to set up a signal that astronomers might see. - -He knew he had the materials for part of this suit in the metal -salvaged from the rocket nose. He could polish a section sufficiently -to make a heliograph with which he could flash a code message to any -high-powered telescope that might be pointed his way. But he had also -to fashion the metal into an airtight space helmet, and that he did not -know how to do. The suit itself he could probably fashion from cloth -and tanned skins, sew and seal it tight enough with animal fats and -bone glue to be airtight for a short period, but he needed the helmet. -He had the glass for it too, the little peepholes for the camera -outlets and a large circular plate that had been set in the very base -of the cargo nose and evidently intended for a wide-vision camera shot -of the Earth. This plate would be his face plate. - -Robin was aware of the hissing noise that he had first noticed on his -arrival, but he had never investigated it. It was far off, somewhere -along the wall of the cavern. One work period, when he found himself -ahead of schedule, he set out to find the source of the noise. - -Following the wall, with Cheeky running ahead chattering, the hiss -gradually grew in volume. Robin made his way over a sharp cleft, -skirted a large bubble-cave in the wall, and after about two miles of -walking, came upon the source. - -Issuing from a break in the outer cavern wall was a stream of blue -flame. For several hundred feet around it no vegetation grew, the -ground being covered with thin gray ash. Robin looked at the loudly -hissing lance of blue fire. - -It probably was a breakthrough from some adjoining bubble, one filled -with a gas of some inflammable sort. Somehow in the course of the -breakthrough, this leakage had been set aflame. And there it was now, a -burning gas jet, sharp and hot. - -At that moment, Robin knew he had the answer to his metalworking -problem. He'd tried to melt the metal of the rocket over his fires but -he had been totally unsuccessful. But this jet, this hot blue flame, -this surely would do the trick! - -For him the space helmet was now a certainty. It might take time, but -now it could be done. That and more was possible, for he had enough -metal to make a few necessities like a decent frying pan and a pot -to use for boiling and perhaps a water container for a really long -exploration trip. - -That was the end of Robin's first "Stone Age" period and the beginning -of his "Iron Age." - - - - -_10. The Incredible Footprints_ - - -Using the gas jet proved to be considerably more difficult than might -have been supposed. It was hard to approach too closely to the thing -without running the danger of getting scorched. Also, to hold metal in -it long enough to allow it to melt or become pliable it was necessary -to find a way of holding the object without getting burned. - -Robin did get several blisters before he finally worked out a system. -Making himself a pair of thick rabbit-skin gloves lined with a thin -coating of the ash from the area around the flame proved to be part of -the solution. A pair of bone pliers proved to be another part, though -the necessity of replacing these was continuous. - -Working patiently then, Robin managed to cut and work some of the -sheets of metal from the rocket nose. He made himself a hammer of hard -stone with which to pound some shape into his pieces and finally had -fashioned for himself a serviceable, though crude, frying pan and other -implements he needed. - -His next project was to be the space helmet, the first essential part -of any space suit. He considered this a long time, planning just how to -make it. He had a good sheet of metal for the job, but he didn't want -to make any errors in working it, and he wanted to have as few seams -as possible. Welding had thus far proved a task he had not mastered. -He considered making the joints airtight by means of some sort of -vegetable- or animal-fat product. - -Robin sat in his cave watching the rebirth of life in the bubble-world -after one of the winter half-months and thinking. He watched his -monkey, Cheeky, turning over rocks for Moonworms--although the little -brown pet had never been able to eat them, he seemed to enjoy the -hunting of these odd creatures. He watched the rabbits bounding around, -listened to those he kept penned up in the next cave. - -"What am I waiting for?" he asked himself, half aloud. The monkey -stopped at the sound of his voice, looked at him. Robin had developed -the habit of talking to himself. He was aware of the danger that years -of this hermit's life might well cause him to forget how to talk, and -he did not want that. "I can't use a space suit until I can find a way -to the surface--a safe way. And I've never even really explored this -cavern itself. Maybe there's a simpler way of communication with the -surface." - -He sat and thought. The monkey dashed over to him, jumped on his knee, -chattering. "I really ought to get about exploring this place," Robin -went on. "You know, Cheeky, there might be some more things we can -use. What do you say, shall we spend this next week playing Columbus, -looking for more bubble worlds to conquer?" - -The monkey chattered happily, jumped off his knee, and ran around. -"Guess you like the idea," said Robin. "Let's get about it, then." - -He got up and made his preparations. He filled a sack with enough -food for several days. He took his homemade canteen, made from a -hollowed-out Moontree fruit rind, filled it with water and hung it -around his neck. He took his flashlight and knife, his bow and arrow, -and his lantern of light organs. He had discovered that the little -light-giving bulbs the animals carried would glow for about two days -after their removal, and therefore he constantly kept this lantern -refilled with his latest catches. - -He looked to see whether his special lot of penned rabbits had enough -food and water for the period and then, whistling to Cheeky, Robin set -out. He went down to the bank of the flowing stream on which he had -been originally carried and then set out to follow this rivulet its -length into the distances of the bubble-world. - -He followed the flowing stream for about twelve miles. The bubble -widened out and the water, which had originally brushed the other side -of the cavern where Robin had lived, had now narrowed as a bank of dry -ground formed on the opposite side. Robin found himself walking through -an ever deepening thicket of growing Moontrees which went on for many -miles. - -The stream twisted and moved off at right angles finally rushing into a -deep pool. Robin went over and gazed into it. Plainly the pool had some -sort of underground opening, for the water was swirling around with no -visible surface outlet. So this was where the stream ran to! Doubtless -it emptied into another bubble somewhere below, probably to fall like -a waterfall into that space, there to become another stream and empty -still again farther down until it ended in some vast reservoir of -sublunar seas. - -But Robin was not interested in going farther down, he sought a way -upward toward the surface, toward the sight of Earth. He turned away -from the whirlpool, walked boundingly on to the farther wall of his -home-bubble. - - -He reached it in time for his sleep period. It seemed as solid and -impregnable as the wall around his home region. - -Robin and Cheeky slept next to the wall and after their sleep resumed -their search. Robin walked along the wall, looking again for some -break. He saw in the distance a jagged line of black against the -shining brown-gray of the cliff. When he reached it, it was a crack, a -break in the surface of the bubble, reaching up several hundred feet. -He came up to it. - -It was wide, about ten feet wide, and dark. Robin shone his flashlight -in, but as far as its rays could reach it was a dark tunnel. "Maybe -this is what we're looking for," Robin said to Cheeky. "It seems to -slant slightly upward. Maybe it will take us to the next bubble." - -Cheeky peered in, walked in slowly and out of sight. "Hey," called -Robin, "wait for me!" He followed the scampering monkey. - -Now his lantern proved handy. The glow it shed could barely be noticed -in the light of the great bubble, but here in the darkness of the -cleft, the pale glow was distinct and definitely illuminated the ground -a few feet in front of him. On he walked, holding the lantern ahead of -him, watching Cheeky's long tail flick in and out of its circle of dim -light, as the monkey would dash ahead and dash back. - -Soon Robin found himself walking in almost total darkness, save for -the limited glow of his lantern. The floor of the cleft occasionally -slanted sharply, sometimes breaking steeply downward, sometimes -necessitating jumps upward into the darkness. In the Moon's light -gravity, Robin was a fantastic jumper, but the darkness made the -problem very disconcerting. It was a strange thing to have to leap -upward into a black void in hopes that what seemed like a wall in front -of you would turn out to have a top and be but a giant step upward. He -soared in the darkness, not knowing how near or how far the roof of the -tunnel was, feeling strangely disembodied, the monkey clinging to his -neck in transit. - -He missed several such jumps, managed to avoid being bruised severely -only by the feathery softness with which he fell afterward. When the -going was straight, Cheeky would leap down and go ahead. - -Suddenly he heard a screeching from the monkey. He stopped, flashed -his flashlight. The monkey was clutching the edge of a deep break, a -pit cut sharply across the floor of the tunnel. Robin quickly reached -the spot, scooped up Cheeky. His flashlight revealed the other side of -the pit several yards away. Turning its rays downward, he could see no -bottom to this crack within the tunnel. He shuddered, thinking what -might have happened had he gone into it. Then, gathering Cheeky, Robin -leaped. - -He soared lightly across the abyss and landed safely on the other side. -He went on, slowly, carefully. - -A spot of light appeared before him. He stared at it and continued -moving forward. The light widened, became the end of the tunnel, became -the entrance to something new. He hastened on and burst at last into a -new cavern-world, the world of the next bubble. - -It looked much like his old one, but it was definitely smaller. The -rounded ceiling could be made out quite clearly and he estimated its -diameter as not more than a half mile. The far side of the bubble could -be seen clearly and this one, he noticed, even from where he stood, had -many such clefts and cracks in the wall. It was, he supposed, either an -older bubble, more cracked in the course of eons of moonquakes and heat -changes, or else it was more tightly knitted in a close mass of such -bubbles. - -A thick jungle of giant Moontrees was growing here, stalklike plants -resembling those he knew, but seemingly larger and more profuse. Robin -started to walk through it toward the farther wall of the bubble. -Cheeky had leaped into the stalks and was swinging through them ahead -of him, when suddenly the monkey uttered a terrified shriek and there -arose a strange high-pitched barking sound. Robin pushed through and -saw the monkey, high in the top of a Moontree and a strange sort of -Moonhound leaping for him. This kind of Moonhound was considerably -bigger than the ones he had seen in his original bubble. It was -uttering the eager bark of a hungry beast sighting its prey. - -Robin unlimbered his bow and fitting an arrow into it, let fly. The -sharp missile skewered the Moonbeast and the animal twisted in mid-air -and fell thrashing to the ground. Robin dashed in and finished it off -with a blow from the stone club he carried. - -Cheeky came down from the tree cautiously, advanced to the dead animal, -and prodded it. Then the monkey uttered a shriek, bared its teeth, and -began to pommel the dead body as if he had been the one to bring it -down. - -Robin examined the animal. It was similar in many ways to the -Moonhounds, yet different, and Robin's private theory that the -Moonhound represented the equivalent of a mammal type seemed verified. -Whereas the Moonhound was a wolf or dog, this creature corresponded -more closely to a leopard or tiger. - -The flesh of this creature seemed as if it might possibly make a -substitute for leather--although it, too, was eerily transparent and -it, too, possessed but one central eye and a large light organ. - -Robin trekked on through this jungle until at last he reached the -opposite wall. He was aware as he walked that there was a good deal of -native life here, much more than had been evident in his own cavern. -Evidently the first bubble was pretty much cut off from the general -labyrinth of sublunar caverns. For as Robin walked, he caught glimpses -of other Moonbeasts, slipping in and out, sometimes surprised and -scurrying away. Moonworms, the equivalent of Earth's insect life, -were here in plenty too, and there were many giant growths which were -different from those in his own cave, and some fruits of considerable -promise were growing on them. - -"We could do some farming now," said Robin to Cheeky. "I'll bring back -some of the seeds from these bigger trees and plant them back home. -It'll give us some variety." - -The monkey merely chattered and pushed on ahead. - -At the farther wall, the original observation of many cracks was -confirmed. The wall was broken like an eggshell and Robin could see -that dozens of tunnels went out, probably leading to several other -bubbles. He decided that the following day he would look for the ones -that seemed to lead upward. But it was the time for sleep again. - -He found a little cave, similar to the ones in which he had made his -home, and there he and Cheeky ate their meal, cooking some of the meat -from the Moontiger over a small open fire. The meat looked strange in -its almost glassy appearance, yet it browned and tasted very good. - -A thin stream of water meandered out of one of the cracks and from this -Robin drank and refilled his canteen. He and the monkey curled up, now -fed and contented, and went to sleep. - -Robin awoke suddenly. He opened his eyes, puzzled. The monkey was -screeching somewhere. He sat up, called, "Cheeky!" - -The little creature dashed back to him. It had been outside the cave -and it was excited. It was chattering and complaining as never before. -The monkey jumped up and down in a perfect ecstasy of fury. Robin -looked at it in wonder. He'd never seen Cheeky so excited. He sat up, -looked around. - -At first he saw nothing unusual. Outside the cave all was quiet. Then -he noticed that his food pack had been moved. It had been dragged -outside the cave, and its contents pulled out. - -Robin got to his feet, went to it. Something had come into the cave -silently, had taken the sack, and had examined its contents. He looked -about, amazed and wondering. - -Now he saw that other things had been touched. His canteen had been -rolled over and the stopper unplugged. The water that had been inside -was a little puddle on the cave floor. - -Alarmed, Robin strung his bow, notched an arrow, and looked carefully -around at the surrounding vegetation. Something was there, something -big and cunning. - -His eyes searched the ground and then he saw an outline in water from -the canteen. Whatever it was had stepped into the puddle and then -walked out of the cave. Robin saw a series of footprints. - -Something that walked on two legs, something that took steps with a -man-sized stride, something with three toes on each foot, that walked -upright, was able to open bottles, look into sacks, and spy on sleeping -strangers. - -Something that might well be to the Moontiger and the Moonhound what -Earth man was to the Earth tiger and the Earth hound. Moonman! - - - - -_11. The Glass Man_ - - -The situation was so astonishing that for a while Robin did not do -anything but sit down inside his cave and catch his breath. Somehow -he had assumed all along that he would not find anything on a human -scale on the Moon. His life had been mainly confined to the first -cavern-bubble he'd arrived at and this, as he now realized, had been a -rather isolated one. - -Unconsciously, he had assumed that life in other protected airtight -sublunar areas would be on a similarly low and limited level. Now he -realized that he had had no right to make such an assumption. The Moon -might harbor thousands and tens of thousands of bubbles; some might be -hundreds of miles in scale; some, lower down, nearer the still-warm -volcanic heart of the satellite, might even approach tropical climates -and show little of the semi-monthly seasonal changes. In such places -life might grow in profusion, might compel the kind of battle for -existence as would bring out the evolution of a brain-carrying creature -living on its wits. - -And, although he was probably a little farther away from the central -caverns at this moment, he was actually on the outskirts of the linked -bubbles. In such border regions he might indeed encounter rovers and -wanderers from the more prolific areas. - -But the problem was now how to find this prowler. There was, he hoped, -only one of them. The creature was probably hanging around somewhere, -even now, keeping an eye on Robin's doings. - -Robin got to his feet, looked through his provisions. He found a bit -of rabbit meat, took it out, and skewered it on a cooking stick. He -then knelt inside his cave-refuge and built a fire, using his flint and -steel. Over this fire he hung the bit of meat and set it to roasting. -He carefully began to fan the smoke out of the cave, knowing that -it would carry the new and tongue-tempting odor of cooked meat to -everything in the vicinity. - -Robin slipped out of the cave and hid himself in a thick clump of -growth nearby. Cheeky clung to his shoulder, hushed to silence. They -waited. - -After a few minutes Robin saw a slight motion in the vegetation at the -other side of the cave entrance. He watched, and a moment later saw a -head thrust itself out, and then a figure emerge and silently stalk to -the cave and look in. It was manlike, walking on two feet and it had -two arms. It was oddly misty, seeming naked and semi-transparent like -the other animal life. - -In one hand the creature carried a long stick to which something sharp -and glassy was attached--clearly a type of spear. The creature paused -at the cave mouth, then seeing no one within and unable to resist the -tantalizing curiosity of cooking meat and a small fire, it went inside. - -Immediately Robin dashed out of hiding, ran across the small space and -blocked the entrance of the cave with his body. The creature within was -bending over the meat, but on hearing Robin, it turned, and made a wild -dash for the cave mouth. - -It collided with Robin. For a moment there was a wild scramble of arms -and legs and then Robin's greatly superior Earth muscles overpowered -the other's and the creature was caught. Robin held it tightly in his -arms, carried it into the cave, and sat it down. - -The spear had been knocked aside in the tussle and Robin looked at it -with a glance. One glance was enough to make the young man realize that -he had had a narrow escape. Its tip was bright and as sharp as a piece -of broken glass. If the creature had thought to jab that spear, it -might have been deadly. - -But now the captured being was sitting quietly in a sort of -resignation, merely looking at Robin with the same curiosity that Robin -bestowed upon it. It was very much like a human being, perhaps some -four feet tall. But its head was somewhat triangular in shape, having -only one eye (Robin never found any Moon creatures with two), and was -topped with a large yellow light bulb that extended a foot above. - -Robin took the bit of meat, cut off a piece and held it out to the -creature. The Moonman looked at it, then reached out a hand and took -it. It smelled it, then tasted it, and, finding the taste to its -liking, swiftly gobbled it down. - -Robin ate some too, and this gesture seemed to reconcile the other. A -fairly universal gesture, Robin thought. Only friends would share a -meal. Probably would hold true anywhere in the universe. - -Now Robin picked up the other's spear and examined it. Seeing this, the -creature picked up one of Robin's sacks and also looked at it. - -The sharp point of the spear was something that looked like glass but -glistened far more, seemed sharper, harder, and heavier. Robin turned -it over, and the realization struck him that this spearhead was a -diamond, a single six-inch-long shard of diamond! - -After the first shock of this discovery, Robin realized that he should -have expected it. On such a volcanic world as the Moon had once been, -there might well be lots of diamond in great masses. What could be -easier to use for weapons and cutting edges than chunks broken from -such masses. Such a chunk brought back to Earth might be worth an -emperor's ransom--but who could think of such values here? - -Getting the friendship of the Moonman proved to be easy after that -first effort. For the creature made no further effort to escape, seemed -itself to desire Robin's companionship. In fact, as it turned out, -Robin would have had a hard time getting rid of it. It seemed anxious -now to stay close to the Earthling, to share him with Cheeky. - -The glass-skinned being had a language, for it soon began to jabber -away at Robin in a high-pitched squeaky tongue. After a little -experimentation, Robin was able to get it to repeat the name Robin, and -in turn, he found out that the Glassie's own name was something nearly -like Korree. - -Korree was evidently a very primitive sort of savage in spite of his -ability to speak. As Robin set out to re-cross this bubble and return -to his own holdings, the creature wound in and out ahead of him, -returning steadily to see if all was well. Korree had no clothes and no -understanding of them. He had only his spear, which Robin had returned -to him and he had apparently lost faith in that, the first time Robin -used his bow and arrow on a yapping Moontiger. - -The trip through the dark tunnels back to Robin's original bubble was -comparatively easy, for no sooner did they get into the darkness than -Korree's light organ began to glow brightly enough to render Robin's -lantern dim. When they came to the cleft, Robin had to pick the Moonman -up and jump with him, for Korree's muscles were built only for Moon -gravity and that leap was beyond his normal ability. - -Once back in what Robin now thought of as the safety of his original -bubble, the two settled down to work together. Korree soon got the hang -of the simple duties Robin gave him--feeding the rabbits, slaughtering, -skinning, and tanning. They spent the time trying to learn each other's -languages. - -Robin carefully jotted down each new sound or word he could identify in -the Glassie's speech and Korree in turn seemed anxious to imitate the -English. - -It took about four months before they had a working interchange of -ideas. Robin found that the Glassie's language was quite limited in -many ways, though having a great many variations of verb form--a -typical characteristic of primitive tongues. Finally, however, Robin -heard Korree's story. - -His people lived many bubbles away, possibly many months of travel, -though the Glassie idea of time was very vague and seemed hedged around -by all sorts of untranslatable mystic conditions. There were maybe -several hundred of them and they formed one big tribe or family. - -There were many such tribes, usually one to a bubble-cavern. Korree -indicated that somewhere--he pointed downward--were greater caverns -where many tribes lived, tribes of great strength or magic or -knowledge. Robin could not decide which was meant--probably all three. -But Korree had never been there. These downward regions were taboo to -his people. - -Robin's suspicion was that the Glassies from Korree's group had been -forced to live in the less desirable outer areas by the stronger and -more advanced races who had seized the better regions. - -Korree indicated that there were many bubbles that were not inhabited -because of great terrors, either by heat or cold. Robin assumed he -meant caverns of jungle and caverns more exposed to the surface -temperatures. - -Korree himself had broken some sort of tribal rule or magic and had -been chased out of his home. He was a lonely outcast. That was why he -had gone with Robin when Robin had given him food. This symbolized -acceptance into Robin's tribe. And though Robin looked to him like a -very strange sort of man indeed--a solid man, a "rock" man was the -way Korree explained Robin's nontransparent flesh and his tremendous -strength--Korree had been glad to find acceptance anywhere. - -Carefully questioning Korree about the surface, Robin found that the -Glassie had apparently no conception of what sort of a world the Moon -really was. To him it was a place of many enclosed spaces. The surface -he had neither seen nor even dreamed of. That there could be a place -where the enclosures ended and the world "dropped off" into nothing, -this was something he could not imagine. - -Robin then asked questions about the upward regions. Korree indicated -that these were less and less habitable, that his people strove always -to go down, never up. Robin twisted his questions around, trying to -determine if the Glassies had ever seen anything that might signify the -surface. He described the sun and the Earth to Korree but the Glassie -seemed unable to understand. But when he spoke of the sun as being a -bright glowing thing so bright that it hurt the eyes to look at it, -Korree seemed to remember something. - -Carefully the Glassie told Robin that he had heard of a tribe that -lived somewhere in the upper regions, where in one part of their bubble -there sometimes came a terrible white-hot light that hurt when one -looked upon it. This light was not always there, but shone through the -top of the cavern, which Korree explained was like the substance of his -arm--that is, semi-transparent. - -Robin became very excited when he heard this. It sounded to him as if -somewhere up near the surface there must be an airtight cleft or bubble -whose outer crust might be natural volcanic glass. Through this the sun -might sometimes penetrate to produce the phenomenon Korree described. - -Plainly then, this was the place Robin must find. It looked like the -ideal place to begin his projected signaling to Earth. But whether it -was or not, Robin would have to make a visit there to see. - -Korree did not like the idea, but indicated he would be willing to go -along. "Could you lead me there?" Robin asked. - -"Much hard," Korree replied. "Can make do. You-me not like. Many-winter -trip, many bubbles." - -But Robin was determined. "We will go. First I must make a space suit. -I may need it." Korree spread out a hand in acceptance. - -It took about two months more to finish what Robin hoped would be -a workable space suit. The helmet he finally managed to weld into -something like a practical shape. It fitted over his head snugly, the -little glass plate in front of his eyes. Its seams were closed as best -as could be managed and sealed with melted animal fat. The bottom of -the helmet fitted snugly over Robin's shoulders and would be attached -to baggy leather arm-and-hand coverings. The bottom of Robin's body -would be simply encased in several layers of clothing made as airtight -as possible. - -To carry a supply of air, Robin fashioned a large sack of Moonhound -skins, which, when filled with air and brought to the surface of the -Moon, would swell up like a huge balloon. He hoped that by breathing -from this reserve he might be able to survive on the surface for -perhaps twenty or thirty minutes. This would be all he would need, -he estimated, to rush out, set up some sort of reflector or flare -if he could contrive such, and dash back to safety. "Safety" would, -of course, be some previously sealed dome extending to the surface, -through which he could cut a space narrow enough to leave, and yet, one -which would not be entirely exhausted of its inner gases by the time -Robin got back to reseal it. - -This was a long-chance project, yet it was the only hope Robin could -think of. The matter could at least be examined at closer range if he -could but find the cavern with the translucent roof. This would be an -ideal base for his project. - -Robin packed his equipment, liberated the last of his penned rabbits, -and loaded as much food as he could in big sacks which he and Korree -carried. Then, preceded again by Cheeky's monkey bounds, Robin turned -his back on his "home" and headed back to the tunnel and the caverns -beyond. - -It had been over a year and a half since he had been cast away on the -Moon, perhaps nearer two years. And now he was ready at long last to -begin the long trek home. - - - - -_12. The Long Trek_ - - -As they progressed, Robin queried Korree as best he could as to the -exact location of this fabled place from which the sun could be seen. -"I not know from here," the Glassie replied. "Go from home place, yes. -We go Korree home place first." - -Robin thought about that as they trudged along. He went easily and -lightly in spite of his huge load--a collection of sacks and equipment -tied together to make a bundle more than his own height. But bundle and -all, Robin was lighter and stronger by far than he would be on Earth. -"Won't they kill you if you go back?" he asked the Moonman. - -Korree turned his head and Robin almost imagined he could see his -brains whirl. Through the glassy skin, he could see the shadows of his -skull structure and the pulsing of veins and arteries. "With Robin they -not do so. You make them give us free way." Obviously he regarded the -Earthling as an all-powerful being to whom things like tribal death -sentences would be mere nothings. - -Robin smiled uneasily. Without firearms and modern weapons he could -still be overpowered if enough of the Moonmen attacked him at once. He -would have to think about his approach to the tribe before he got there. - -They reached the tunnel and made their way once more through its dark -recesses to the jungle-bubble where he had encountered Korree. They -passed through this without incident. The Glassie led the way to one of -several cracks and tunnels at the far end. With Robin following and the -monkey Cheeky perched on the huge pack, Korree entered this tunnel. - -As before, it was dark and narrow and seemed to wind ahead. Several -times they stepped around breaks in the floor, or ducked under low -passages where the ceiling had dipped. They walked on, Korree's bobbing -headlight casting a pale-yellowish glow a few feet ahead. Robin was -watching the floor carefully, straining his attention to keep his -footing safe. His ears registered the echo of their motions and the -changing pitch as the tunnel widened or receded, but he paid less and -less attention to this. - -Suddenly he looked up. And saw not the one glow of Korree's light but -a number of smaller ones around them, distant ones, bobbing slightly, -one or two yellow, one small white one, and three verging on red. He -started and stared but Korree had said nothing. - -Finally he reached out and tapped the Glassie and whispered, "What are -those lights?" - -Korree said back in a normal tone, "Animals. White light is hunting -eater. I watch it." - -"Here? In this tunnel?" asked Robin, startled. - -"Not in tunnel," said the Glassie. "In new bubble-place." - -Robin looked around. Sure enough he had not noticed the echo of their -feet in the last few minutes. The floor had changed from rock to sandy -dirt and he realized that he had lost some of the enclosed-air feeling. -It was indeed a new bubble-cavern--but a lightless one! - -Now, as he looked carefully, he realized that there were many lights -around. There were tiny ones bobbing on the ground that were probably -Moonworms. The others were almost certainly those of various animals. -He took his flashlight out, suddenly clicked it on, and swung it around. - -They were in an open area, sandy with sparse clumps of mushroomlike -vegetation growing here and there. He caught the scurrying flash -of several translucent animal bodies dodging out of sight from the -unexpected light of his flash. And when the beam was off, he noticed -the headlights returning, augmented in number. - -"There are many bubble-places without light?" asked Robin. - -"Many," said Korree. "Glassies not live there, but many animals hunt -there." - -Robin wondered whether there might in fact be more bubbles without -light than with. He realized that that was probably the case; it very -likely explained the nearly complete lack of pigment in the flesh of -the native animals, the presence of the light stalks on all of them. It -had probably evolved originally in lightlessness, and the Glassies had -moved into the caverns fortunate enough to have natural phosphorescence -only after they had discovered them much later in their history. This -possibly also accounted for the single eye of Moon creatures--the -conditions for the use of two eyes to develop perspective and delicate -differentiations of shading and coloring simply never existed. - -"Are there animals here without eye or light?" asked Robin thoughtfully. - -"Yes," Korree answered softly. "Big eaters, they--" - -There was a sudden rush of sound ahead, a crashing of plants nearby, -an instant winking out of all headlights, including Korree's, and then -Robin felt himself thrown to the ground as something vast and huge and -heavy seemed to envelop him. - -He felt himself being smothered under a pulsing blanket of warm flesh, -a veritable wall that covered him from head to foot, crushing out his -strength. Robin recovered, ripped out with his hands, kicked with his -feet. He felt his strong Terrestrial muscles tearing into the tissue of -the creature, and swinging wildly, he got to his knees and then to his -feet, veritably lifting the entire bulk of the creature. - -He reached for his knife and as he got it open he felt the sharp edge -of a jaw and the hot breath of a large mouth near his ear. He thrust -out with the knife hard and furiously, cutting the mass to bits. - -There was a sharp screech and he felt the blanket of flesh pull away -and struggle to withdraw. He got his flashlight with his other hand, -flicked it on to see his opponent better. - -He saw a wall of gelatinous flesh rolling back before him. It rolled -off the prostrate but unharmed body of Korree, gathered itself in a -mass and rolled rapidly away, uttering loud screeches. The thing was a -ball of flesh, several yards across. It had a wide, many-toothed mouth. -It had several flat flanged spots which were probably ears, and it was -lacking an eye, lacking any light organ. - -It hardly needed them. Obviously the thing simply rolled around in the -darkness of the cavern, guided by the sounds of moving animals, rolling -over them, flattening out, and devouring them. - -Korree got to his feet. He said nothing, seemed to take it for granted -that the great Earthling would have bested this thing, of course, and -started off again. Robin frowned, decided he'd have to watch himself -lest the Glassie sometime really overestimate his capacities. - -They traversed the rest of the lightless cavern without incident, this -time Robin keeping his flashlight switching on and off regularly, long -enough to sweep the moonscape sufficiently to gain warnings of future -assaults. Once they saw the ball-like bulk of a Moonbowler, as Robin -mentally named it, in the distance, and they both carefully stopped and -held their breath until it rolled away. - -At the far wall, Korree searched the various breaks until he found the -one through which he had originally come. - -They passed through another lightless cavern, this one less of a desert -than the other, where giant mushrooms towered like great trees in the -darkness and where little chittering Moonmice ran about their feet, -tiny green lights sparkling. - -The next cavern was a lighted one and this was now almost familiar to -them. Beyond that was another lighted one through which a channel of -water flowed only to disappear into a tiny crack in the far wall. This -water, however, was yellowish and evil-smelling and made the entire -cavern malodorous. Yet it too had its quota of strange vegetation. - -A series of rather small bubbles, not more than a couple of dozen -yards across, came next, and then they arrived at a wide, deep one. -The spot in the wall which let out on it was near the roof of this -bubble, and they made their way delicately along a series of faults -and ledges. Looking down, Robin could see that a lake of some bubbling -oily substance filled the lower level of the bubble. Along one side, -tucked in a corner near a tunnel opening, many hundreds of feet down, -he spotted something odd. He stopped. Korree turned back, made his way -along the narrow ledge and looked down to where he pointed. - -There was a small cleared space just before the opening, and there were -several objects too far away to be seen clearly, but they looked for -all the world like some sort of eggs. As they watched, Robin saw what -seemed a shadowy figure move near one. Because of the curious glassy -skins, that was probably an animal. Robin softly asked Korree what it -was. - -"Is Glassie like Korree," answered Korree quietly. - -"A friend? One of your people? And what are they doing there?" asked -Robin. - -Korree shook his head violently. "Not Korree people. That one is from -down place. Is mighty people from...." He pointed downward to the -Moon's core. "They come here to take...." He pointed now at the curious -chemical lake. "They bring back down with them," he finished. - -Robin gasped. Here was evidence of his reasoning. The Glassies that -lived near the core of the Moon were higher in civilization. Here -evidently was a place where something usable could be gathered--the -fluid of that lake. Possibly it might be fuel for burning, or substance -usable as tar or cement. The beings down below came up for it, put it -in tanks--the egg-shaped objects--and brought it back to their greater -caverns. - -Someday this would have to be investigated. If he ever returned to -Earth, this would have to be explored. But now--were these unknowns -dangerous to him? He asked Korree, who shrugged. In his halting -fashion he conveyed to the Earthling that if the Glassies of the -upper crust left those lower down alone, they were not bothered. The -implication however was that Korree's people were only too willing to -stay out of the way of the powerful underlords. - -After several more caverns--the trip had already taken over a -week--including one marvelous one in which several flaming gas jets -made amazing patterns in an otherwise lightless world, Korree finally -led the way into a large lighted cavern many miles wide, stopped and -announced, "Korree home." - -Robin looked around, adjusted his pack and called to Cheeky to return. -The monkey, which had scampered on ahead, obediently dashed back and to -safety on the pack. This was an important moment to Robin. He mustered -his plans, and stepped out after Korree who had started out again -holding his spear high in the air in some sort of native signal. - -For a short while they walked without seeing anyone. They were in -a forest of ball-trees when suddenly they found themselves quietly -surrounded by Glassies. Evidently they had been trailed since entering -the cavern and at a sufficient distance from the tunnel mouth the -Glassies had popped out of concealment. - -There were about twenty or so, all armed with the diamond spears -and they effectively encircled the travelers. Korree had apparently -expected this, for he showed no surprise, but Robin stopped short and -Cheeky started jumping up and down on the huge pack and shrieking at -the pack of beings. - -It was odd seeing a mass of Glassies. Robin could see that they -differed from each other as individuals. Some were larger, some -smaller, and the shadings within their bodies gave rather clear -evidence of fatness, of recent eating, and such. Like Korree they wore -no garments at all. - -One of the Glassies said something sharply to Korree, who answered -promptly. The spokesman had a black circle painted on his chest--this -was obviously a symbol of some sort of tribal authority. Robin stepped -forward, walked up to this Glassie, who promptly withdrew, uneasy in -the presence of this unknown. - -From his pocket Robin took his pack of matches, the one that had been -with him all the way from Earth. There were still three matches left, -saved for just some occasion as this, carefully conserved by the use of -Robin's flint and steel. Robin walked up to a small ball-tree nearby, -held the match aloft, then struck it, and rapidly held it to the -stalklike trunk. After a second the plant caught fire and was a blazing -mass. - -While the Glassies were gazing in amazement at this unexpected display, -Robin drew in his breath, set his pack down, and gave a leap straight -upward with all his strength. - -He soared some thirty feet high and then gently floated down to the -ground again. This was a feat that anyone with Earth muscles could do, -but it was something that Lunar muscles had never been developed for. -When the Glassies tore their eyes away from the burning tree it was to -find Robin apparently vanished. Looking around, one of them discovered -him in the air, floating gently back to the ground. - -With one accord the Glassies shrieked and ran away. When Robin hit the -ground, he was alone with Korree--who looked as nearly smug as it was -possible for his unearthly features to look. - -The Earthling picked up his sack, whistled to Cheeky to come to him, -and started off again. In a few minutes, Korree led him to the tribal -center, the "village" of his people. - -There were no houses or tents or any structures with roofs. Each family -group apparently fenced off their section of ground with a barrier -of low, pointed sticks, their points diagonally outward. Within this -barrier, the family squatted with their few possessions. There was no -such thing as privacy among this primitive group. The females of the -tribe apparently stayed within their family plots, with the young, the -extra spears and hunting sticks, the leftover supplies of food, and a -pile in the center of each circle of what must have been some sort of -blankets, apparently woven crudely from vegetable fibers. Robin assumed -that during the cold periods, these were used. - -The males of the tribe were gathered before a central circle, watching -their visitors approach. Korree went to them, stopped, and spoke at -length. Robin could not understand him, but he knew what he must -be saying. His Glassie friend was obviously first boasting of his -friendship with the magical stranger, then warning them of terrible -consequences if they failed to obey and honor the stranger, doubtless -inserting a demand for his own full pardon of whatever tribal offense -had brought about his own banishment, and demanding the aid of the -tribal leaders in assisting them on their way. - -When he had finished, Robin walked straight up to the Glassie with the -chest marking, reached out and extracted from the tip of his quivering -light-organ stalk a copper cent which Robin had first palmed in his -hand. To the astonished native, he presented this token--one of the -coins Robin had had in his pocket on his unexpected trip from New -Mexico. - -The Glassie took it, stared at it. The face on the coppery-yellow coin -seemed to hypnotize him. No one had ever seen such a thing--a bit of -bright rock with a face on it! But this additional evidence of Robin's -magic clinched the argument. - -Robin and Korree stayed in that cavern for about three days. In that -time Korree managed to obtain fairly specific directions from one -old-timer as to the cavern they sought. He had also evidently repaired -his tribal fences, for Robin could not fail to notice that Korree was -always accompanied by a group of anxious and placating Glassies. He -imagined that when Korree returned to stay, it would be as a chieftain. - -The nature of the tribe's culture remained much of a mystery. They were -very primitive, yet they seemed to have a complicated series of taboos -and ceremonies. There was clearly a very definite code of marriage and -family relations, though its limitations were puzzling. - -Robin discovered something about them, however. One of the circular -enclosures was apparently a tribal storehouse, or temple, or arsenal, -or magic circle--exactly what he could not tell--save that no family -lived within and there were little piles of oddities carefully placed -inside its magic circle. The penny Robin had "pulled from the chief's -head" reposed therein on a raised mound. The burnt match stick lay -beside it. The rest of the contents seemed to be curiously shaped -stones, odd bits of animal skin, a skeleton of something big and round -which might perhaps have been that of a Moonbowler slain by the hero of -the tribe. Several diamond spearheads were there, including some that -had fractured in use. And something that glistened like metal. - -Robin saw this latter, and, stepping boldly inside the magic circle, -picked this object up and examined it. It was a knife blade! - -It was nothing of Terrestrial manufacture. It was about nine inches -long and a couple of inches wide at the hilt, tapering down to a point. -It was edged on one side, and bore the marks of having been hammered -down and shaped by a hand mallet rather than ever having felt the heat -of a forge. Engraved in its rather soft white metal were a series of -odd hooks and lines that looked like writing of a sort. The hilt end -was jagged as if the blade had been snapped off in careless usage. - -Robin called to Korree and asked him about the object. Korree consulted -with the chief and returned. "Sharp thing, it come from down-there -people," he said, pointing to the regions below. "Glassie of those die -in break of tunnel. We find, take this." - -Well, Robin thought, this adds to the evidence. There is some sort of -higher civilization below. Not yet at the fire-building stage, but -advancing at the dawn of the Iron Age. I wonder if this is really -writing or just a design? And I wonder what metal this is? Not iron -surely. - -He thought a while, then deciding that as a creature of magic he could -get away with it, informed Korree that he would take the knife blade -away with him. The Glassies seemed unconcerned. It was evident that -Robin was far outside their taboos. - -The question of time among the Glassies was an odd one. The Earthling -had surmised as much in his observations of Korree. There seemed to be -no effort to divide the periods into rest and work. Some hunted and -worked when they felt like it, others slept at the same time. - -When the time came, Robin and Korree made their way out of the cavern -upward along a ledge on one side of the bubble wall, through a fault -higher up and began to climb a sloping tunnel. - -For several more days they traveled, always working upward, passing -through bubbles of gradually diminishing diameter and sparser -vegetation. At one point they waded through a shallow pond, at another -they choked in a sulfury cloud of gas that hung about. They squeezed -through ever tighter cracks, and the air began to get distinctly -thinner and harder to breathe. They were both getting exhausted quite -easily; Robin knew they were nearing the surface and the spongy mass of -the Moon's interior was tightening. - -Then at last they stood in a tiny spherical bubble and gazed at a pool -of brackish water at one end. There were no cracks in this little -cave, no further tunnel or means of progress. "What now?" asked Robin, -turning to his companion. Had they taken the wrong turn and come to a -dead end? - -Korree went over to the water pool. He gestured at it, made motions of -holding his breath. "We go down in here, move under and come up ... -out." He waved a hand in a down-and-under gesture. Robin looked into -the water. Maybe the Glassie was right. It was possible that the water -at the bottom passed into a fault and led into another cavern. But -could he risk it? - -Korree nodded and without another word, suddenly jumped into the water, -spear and all, and vanished. Robin waited. In a little while Korree's -head appeared again and the Glassie climbed out. "Tunnel over there," -he said, waving beyond the wall of the bubble. "Go up sharp." - -Well, there was nothing to do but to try it. Robin set down his pack -and thought a moment. Cheeky the monkey was scampering around the floor -of the small bubble. Robin took off his jacket and shoes, took out of -his pocket anything that might be damaged by water, and leaped into the -pool. - -It was an eerie sensation. The water was as dense as on Earth but its -weight was so much less. It seemed almost to lack substance as Robin -pushed through it, dived deep, and let himself come up again as far as -possible. - -He broke water in total darkness. He was outside the cavern, but -exactly where he could not tell. Korree with his light organ had known -and that was sufficient. Robin reached for a bank, felt a sloping wall. -He grabbed it, pulled himself up in the darkness. That much was right. -There was a tunnel here running steeply upward. He sniffed the air. It -was strange--breathable, but strange. This part of the Moon enclosure -was certainly cut off from the other sections, that was certain. - -Robin let himself back into the water, swam for the cavern, and came -up in it. He got hold of Cheeky, opened his pack, and extracted his -homemade space helmet. He stuffed the monkey into it, closed end -upward, and got into the water again. Moving swiftly under water, the -terrified animal clutching the inside of the helmet, Robin transferred -him to the other side, found a small level section by probing around, -and deposited the helmet. He returned for the rest of his pack by this -method, and finally everything was complete again in the new passage. -By the light of Korree's head, he saw that they were in a narrow tunnel -angling steeply upward. Robin's clothes and the pack had dried with -great speed in the thin air and the low gravity. They made their way -up this passage with difficulty and at last found themselves facing a -lighted opening. - -They emerged into a new cavern, but one quite different from those -that had gone before. It was long, perhaps two or three miles long, -but narrow, not more than a hundred feet or so at the widest. Looking -upward, the steep perpendicular walls seemed to come together and -closed up tightly about a quarter of a mile high. - -A faint phosphorescence dimly lighted the new area. As they walked on, -Robin became aware that there was no vegetation here, that his feet -were moving through light dust. He let it run through his fingers. It -felt chalky as pumice. - -He looked around them again and then he realized that he had at last -reached the surface of the Moon. He was walking through the bottom of -a long crack in the surface, a cleft that had somehow closed up again -to preserve a cache of air. But this dust, this was the surface dust of -Luna, fallen to the bottom of the cleft! - -As they walked, the dimness seemed to diminish. A whitish glow began -to envelop them. Robin blinked at the strange light. Things began to -take on strange colorations that he had not noticed before. He looked -upward and saw that the ceiling of the cleft no longer was bathed in -blackness. Instead there seemed a break there, a glassy glimmer through -which poured a dazzling white light. - -Somewhere up there the crack had been sealed by volcanic action into -grayish natural glass. Somewhere outside the sun was shining down upon -the Moon. Its rays were bathing the surface above the concealed cleft -and some were finding their way down. For the first time in many long -and difficult months Robin felt warmth and light together. He had -reached the sunlight! - - - - -_13. The Sun and the Trap_ - - -There had been a distinct chill in the strange surface canyon, but from -the moment that the white sunlight began to stream in, there was a -definite warming effect. The rays were diffused by the substance above -which sealed the cleft, yet the sun was strong while it lasted. Robin -felt good as he bathed in its rays. He looked at himself, at Korree, in -wonder. - -For the clear white light was the first normal lighting he had seen -in all the time he had been marooned below. Now he received the first -true color visualization of himself and his companion. He saw from -his hands that he had become very pale-skinned; all his normal tan -had been lost in the cavern worlds. He unpacked the bright, gleaming -space helmet and used it as a makeshift mirror. His hair had faded to a -light blond, and there were several white hairs now visible, the result -presumably of his period of exposure to the unshielded rays of the sun -during his passage through space. - -In the clear light Korree seemed even more transparent than ever, -and indeed Robin could make out the shadowy, pulsating shapes of his -internal organs quite clearly--his skeleton standing out sharply. He -realized how dim and abnormal the phosphorescence of the caverns had -really been. - -Reshouldering his pack, they continued up the deep canyon. In a little -while, the gray ashy surface gave way to sandy soil and there was a -dampness in the air that indicated the presence of one of the deposits -of water. Now the familiar Lunar vegetation was making its presence -known and before long they were wandering through a very dense thicket -of huge ball-trees and plants. - -Robin had never seen such a dense jungle growth on the Moon before and -he attributed it to the occasional bath of sunlight this one cavern -received. It was like a hothouse, a natural one, more or less sealed -with a high dampness, natural warmth augmented by screened sunlight. - -Soon the two found themselves forcing their way single file through the -growth, while Cheeky swung into the tops and made his own way, happy -in the sort of thick, warm forest his monkey nature demanded. Robin -pushed his way through first, with Korree following in the path the -Earthling cleared. - -Robin went on through the jungle, struggling in spite of his powerful -Earth muscles to push his pack along. After a while he stopped to rest, -looked back. He saw behind him only the bruised and broken stalks of -the ball-trees he'd passed through. There was no sign of Korree. - -Robin stared, but the forest was too thick to allow much vision. He set -the pack down, called, "Korree!" - -There was no answer. Somewhere in the distance a stalk snapped. Robin -called again. Still no answer. He started back a few steps, retracing -his path, but there was still no sign of his Glassie friend. - -He suddenly felt uneasy. What was going on here? How had his companion -vanished? He went back to where he had left his pack, waited, again -calling his friend's name. But still there was no answer. There were -more crackling noises somewhere in the thick vegetation. Perhaps Korree -was in trouble there? - -Robin turned in that direction, started to push through the barrier of -tree stalks. Suddenly there was a rushing noise, a chorus of shrieks -all around, and something heavy fell around him. - -He whirled, but something sticky and tight was encircling his body. He -caught glimpses of glasslike, one-eyed faces jumping around him, hiding -in the branches, shrieking. He struggled again to free himself but the -encircling Glassies threw more of the sticky ropes around him, more -things like barrel staves that fell and tied him up. - -He struggled to use his full strength against them but his arms were -pinned to his sides, he was tight amid the stalks and he could not -brace himself. Fight as he might, he was caught, and he saw that there -were stalk-ropes attached to those that had trapped him and these were -being further secured by the creatures around him. - -He stopped struggling, quieted. It was obviously no use to waste his -strength. Let's see what they intend to do next, he thought. - -For a while they did nothing. Then his Glassie captors--he still could -see little of them so thick was the jungle--seemed to be working their -way together so that all their attached ropes were soon leading off in -the same direction. Then they started to pull. - -Had Robin chosen to resist it might have become a fruitless tug of war, -but he did not. He had decided that his best course was to go along -with them. Doubtless they would lead him to their village or at least -to an open space where his great Earth strength might then come into -better play. - -For a while, therefore, he allowed himself to be led through the -Moontree forest, dragging himself enough to give his captors a workout. -Robin had cagily decided that the more tired they were when they -finally arrived, the better for him. - -After a time the thicket of plants came to an end and Robin found -himself, as he had presumed, at the native settlement. Unlike the ones -he had seen in Korree's home cavern, these Glassies were cavemen. They -evidently made their homes in a section of this narrow surface-cleft -where one of the walls was greatly pocked with holes and openings. -The cliff walls were apparently quite like pumice here. Under the -circumstances and because of the limited width of the area, it was -quite logical that the inhabitants should have made use of these holes. - -There were several dozen such cave entrances and Robin could see a -fair number of Glassies around them, including women and young ones. -His captors, he now saw, numbered about fifteen, all male hunters like -Korree. They hustled him along to a central cave, whose entrance was -decorated with blue circles, clearly the designation of their chief. - -Korree was already there, tied, as was Robin. He looked relieved to see -the Earthling, and also a little puzzled at seeing that Robin too was a -prisoner. - -"They catch me when Robin not looking," he said, explaining the -obvious. "I not like these Glassies' ways. I think they mean kill." - -Robin looked around at them. "We'll see. Back in my land, we have a -saying, 'There's many a slip between the cup and the lip.' I think we -will get away. Wait and watch." - -Korree immediately showed relief. He had a profound faith in Robin's -magical abilities. To him, therefore, Robin's lack of fright was enough -evidence that all was really well. - -The band gathered before the chief's cave was waiting. Presently a -voice came from the cave darkness. It questioned one of the captors, -who turned and repeated the query to Korree. Korree answered at length, -and his answer in turn was repeated into the cave. - -At Robin's query, Korree said that he had just informed the hidden -chief that Robin was a great man-beast who would destroy them all if he -was not immediately released and placated. - -More cave talk and interchange. There was a delay for a while and -Robin could faintly hear voices within the cave, as if the chief were -discussing the matter with someone else. Then a command was issued. The -captors pulled on the ropes and urged Korree and Robin to the door of -another cave. They pushed them into this and rolled a large boulder in -front of the cave mouth to block their exit. - -It was dark inside the cave but not so dark that they could not see -that it was about twenty feet long and that there were a number of -piles of stuff around, food possibly, or remnants of things. Korree and -Robin eased themselves down on the hard floor. - -Robin studied the vegetable cords that bound him. He twisted his hands -and pulled until he got his elbow up where he could exert pressure. -Then he strained against one of the bonds. In a few seconds it parted -and broke. In this way he snapped bond after bond until he was free. He -was sticky from them, for the stalks had been soaked in some sort of -adhesive substance which had made them so effective. But the strength -of Earth muscles was more than they had ever held before. - -Next Robin went to work on Korree's bonds and broke them off one by -one. The two silently stretched their cramped bodies. Korree glanced -back at the dark end of the cave and his headlight organ glowed -brightly for a moment. Something among the bundles was stirring -slightly. Korree said quietly, "Another prisoner or a listener?" - -Robin looked. Yes, there was something over there, apparently tied up -also. It might be a Glassie prisoner, or it might be some one of his -captors trying to spy on them. He shrugged. Let them try. They couldn't -understand English. - -The two sat down near the entrance, conversed quietly. Korree was of -the opinion that the Glassies would eventually kill them in some sort -of ceremony. Robin never had found out how different tribes of Glassies -acted toward each other. Evidently they did not make war, but neither -did they have much contact or exchange. In general, they treated each -other like suspicious strangers, avoiding contact whenever possible. -But it seemed now that when strangers did force their way into -unwelcome tribal caverns, death was the result. This was fairly typical -of the most primitive savages on Earth and it was evidently a rule for -that level of culture anywhere in the universe. - -For a while then they sat silently, thinking about their plight. Robin, -somehow, was not too worried. He had become so used to the superiority -of his muscles that he felt that he could eventually manage his escape -when the time came. The question was, where could he escape to? This -particular region was not actually a part of the honeycomb of Luna's -interior--it was a cleft sealed in by a trick of volcanic fate on the -very surface. Probably it had no other exit than the one which led into -it. - -Again, escape though he might, could he save Korree too? He thought -about it in silence. Korree broke the meditations. "Have hunger. Is -food here?" - -"There must be some around," said Robin, glancing back at the things in -the rear of their prison-cave. The figure back there stirred a bit. And -then there was a mumbling sound and a voice said something. The voice -was deep and strong, unlike the sound of a Glassie's tongue. But Robin -could not understand it. Korree too looked and listened. - -"Did you understand him?" Robin asked his companion. - -Korree shook his head. Now at the sound of Robin's words occurred the -most astonishing surprise that Robin had yet encountered. The unseen -speaker spoke again: - -"Who is that? Is there someone here who speaks English?" - -It was a human voice! It spoke Robin's language, though the intonation -and accent were not quite right. Robin and Korree hastened back to -the rear of their cave to the reclining figure of the speaker. In the -light of Korree's head-stalk, it was indeed a man, an Earth man! - -He was lying, tied hand and foot, on a pile of scraps, but he was -raising his head, staring at them eagerly. He was a young man, -evidently not much older than Robin. His blue eyes looked at them with -relief and he smiled widely. - -"You are a human! I thought I was dreaming when I heard a voice I could -understand. You must be an American ... then the Americans must have -beaten us here after all!" - -Robin knelt down by the man, worked at his bonds. They were tight, -real cord of nylon or some Earth-made substance. It took the combined -strength of the two of them to finally open the knots and free the man. - -"Who are you?" Robin asked, as he worked. "Do you have a rocket on the -surface?" - -The man got to his feet, rubbed his muscles. He was dressed in a simple -blue one-piece flyer's coverall. He was taller and slimmer than Robin, -and his hair was tousled and reddish. - -"My name is Piotr Ivanovitch Kareff," he said, bowing with a European -gracefulness. "I regret to tell you that my rocket is indeed on the -surface--but there it will stay forever. We crashed. But I am so glad -to see you. You do not know how glad." - -Robin shook hands. "I hate to disappoint you, but I must tell you that -we are in the same predicament. I have no rocket here. I was hoping -when I heard your voice that you might have one we could go back in." - -The other looked confused, shook his head. "No rocket? Oh, that is too -bad. Very bad." - -The Glassie, who had been watching them without understanding too much -of the rapid-fire quality of normal speech, suddenly said, "Have hunger -much. Is food here." - -He turned his back on the two men, pawed through the scraps on the cave -floor, coming up with some of the provisions that Robin had packed with -him. - -"I'm hungry, also," said the Russian. "They have not fed me since they -threw me in here. Is this stuff good to eat?" - -"Try it," said Robin and the three sat down and ate. Robin sat munching -and stared at the other man. The first human he had seen in almost two -years. A real live man! But where did he come from? How did he get -here? And how was it he was a prisoner? - -For a while after they had finished, they looked at each other. The -Russian spoke. "You must have a story to tell me, Robin Carew. How did -you say you got here?" - -Robin briefly outlined what had happened to him, the other listening -attentively. When Robin had finished, he asked, "Now I want to know -about you? It's your turn." - -"Yes," said Piotr, "I shall tell you." - - - - -_14. The Man From Lake Baikal_ - - -"I was an orphan of World War II," said Piotr Ivanovitch Kareff in a -quiet voice, speaking precise English with a fair fluency. "My family -were all vanished, I know not what happened to them. I was brought back -to Russia by our soldiers and sent to a state school in the Urals set -up to take care of such as myself. - -"There I was a good scholar and I made myself good marks. When I was -old enough, I qualified for study at a higher institute and was sent -to a college for engineers. I was always interested in astronomy and -rocket aviation and I was therefore trained along those lines. - -"When I was eighteen, I was allowed to continue my engineering -education as a part of my military duty. I was in the army, yet still -studying, only this time I was stationed at one of the big experimental -centers we have deep in Siberia. You probably do not know about them. -They are very secret. - -"The one I was at was located near the shores of Lake Baikal, the big -inland sea in Central Asia near Mongolia. This was the biggest center -for the study of liquid-fuel rockets. While I learned the theory, I -also worked on the actual projects and helped fire many of our big -rockets. These were designed after the German V-_2, the same designs -you Americans are also building on. We, too, had captured German -scientists who had worked on these. They had much to show us, and one -of the smartest of these men was the Captain Von Borck who even became -a member of the party or so he said. - -"I am not a political man, I am really interested in rockets, so I did -not pay too much attention to these things. Von Borck may be truly -believing what he desires, I do not know, but I think he is just what -you call an opportunity seeker. - -"After my army service, I chose to remain at the Lake Baikal station as -a regular engineer. I worked on the thousand-mile rockets, and finally -on the satellite rockets, and I helped get them up there. It was a nice -race with you Americans. We knew a little of your plans--those you -publish in the papers--and we always were urged to beat you. Sometimes -we did. Sometimes you beat us. - -"At our centers we made a game of this. It was serious to our country, -but to us, men of science, all discoveries by human beings are great -things. We liked to think of our work as a great game of mental chess -with you Americans--with the pieces on the board carefully hidden from -sight and reported only through guesswork and bad witnesses. - -"When the satellites were up and flying their orbits around the Earth, -yours and ours, the next game was obviously to race for the Moon. -Should we plant the Red flag there, or you the Stars and Stripes? So we -worked at that. We did not this time know what you were doing. Maybe -you had different ideas. - -"So Van Borck discovered a means of using atomic explosions in a steady -rocket stream and explained the principle. We worked on this motor -a while and finally the Ministry ordered the building of one rocket -which could fly to the Moon with this super-powerful engine. At first -our commander at the base said it should be a robot-piloted model, but -Moscow did not want that. They wanted that men should go on that first -trip. They wanted that a Soviet man should be first to reach the Moon. - -"They did not know about you, Robin, and your stowaway trip! Ha! But -even the Americans do not apparently know about you, alas for both of -us!" - -Piotr stopped a moment, got to his feet, went to the door of the cave -and listened. He came back. "No one there watching us. I go on," he -said. - -"So finally was built a big rocket with the first atomic explosive -engine. Von Borck himself was going to go in it as its engineer. But -Von Borck was not really a Soviet man, and I do not think Moscow was -happy about it. So they allowed for the ship to have a three-man crew. -I was selected, because I am young and quick and have a good record, -and also maybe because I have no family to be sorry I not come back -maybe. Arkady Pavlovitch Zverin was the third, who was also an orphan. - -"Came a day when the big rocket was complete and ready. We said good-by -to our friends and at the right time we went up the ladder and into our -big rocket. That day, which seems to me so long ago, must have been not -even a week ago yet! - -"We took off perfectly, we blasted for ten minutes--I thought my head -would burst--and we were on our way. Von Borck piloted it, but there -was really little to do. When it came time to reverse the rockets and -make our landing, we had trouble. Our gyroscope control was stuck and -we had to fight with it by hand to move it. This made a delay and when -we did get our jets reversed and working, our timing was off. Von Borck -struggled to slow us up and come to a real stop, but we were a little -too fast. We came down blasting away, and we hit very hard. - -"The rocket was partly smashed. The engines and tubes all crushed. The -nose was badly jarred and poor Arkady was killed by the impact. Von -Borck, too, was thrown from his seat, knocked unconscious on the floor -of our little cabin. I was badly bruised, but I remained conscious. - -"Fortunately for us, the little cabin remained airtight. When all was -still, I looked over what happened. I looked outside. We were in a -large crater, whose bottom was crisscrossed with cracks. One of these, -running into the distance, was quite glassy and I saw that something -like steam was issuing from a point near it. This meant to me that -somewhere underneath the surface there might be a place with air and -water. - -"I had at first thought all was lost and I would remain in the little -cabin until the air was used up or the food gave out. This would be -only a few days. But I thought that any chance, however little, was -better than no chance. So I managed to get to the locker and get out -two space suits. One I put on Von Borck who was still unconscious, but -whom I could not leave behind. The other I got into myself. - -"I took the German over my shoulder and managed to get out of the ship -through the lock which was still intact. Carrying my companion--it was -easy, he was so light on the Moon--I explored the cracks near where the -ship fell. I found a way leading down and even a series of very natural -air locks--a most unusual development. - -"Passing through many caves and tunnels I made my way and finally got -to this one. Von Borck had regained consciousness but he was not in his -right senses. He was talking nonsense. He believed--I do not know how -to put it--he was the King of the Trolls. He thought he was somewhere -in--fairyland or hell or some supernatural place. He did not remember -the trip. - -"When we first met these Moon people--you call them Glassies--Von Borck -said they were his Trolls. He killed four of them with his own hands -and the rest became afraid of him, thought him a god or demon come to -rule them. He let me alone a little while, then he seized me, tied me -up himself, and put me here. - -"I am afraid that he plans to sacrifice us. He is completely crazy and -he has these Glassies obeying him. I am sorry for us." - -Piotr stopped talking. He looked at Korree appraisingly. Robin -understood his intention. "I'm afraid that Korree won't have any -influence with these Glassies. They are a different tribe." - -Robin rubbed his hands a bit. "I really think we should be able to -escape, even so. We now outnumber Von Borck two to one and I think if -we pick our time we could manage to make a getaway. We'll have to be -careful. Do you think you could get back to your rocket on the surface?" - -The Russian nodded. "I guess we could. I was planning to go back from -the start." - -"Is there anything there we could use to signal the Earth with?" asked -Robin. "A radio, flares, mirrors?" - -Piotr nodded. "We had speaker-radio equipment, but it was smashed in -the landing. It was the first thing I tried after we hit. But we do -have flares. We could signal with them." - -"I imagine," said Robin, "that both the Americans and Russians must -be working on Moon rockets now. If we can signal back there, the next -rocket along might come to this crater and find us." - -"Good," said the Russian rocketeer. "Only how do we get to the surface? -I have a space suit, which is probably in Von Borck's cave. Von Borck -must have a suit too, if we can find it, though I think it will be much -too big for you." - -Robin explained about his homemade space suit. Piotr was quite -impressed. The suit which was packed in Robin's big sack was in the -prison cave where it had been thrown and they unpacked it. Piotr -examined the helmet with interest. "Very good. It might work. It seems -airtight." - -"I tested it under water," said Robin. "It didn't leak any bubbles." - -The Russian nodded. "But I don't believe your big bag of air would -work. How would you blow it up in the first place? I think you would -have had a hard time anyway. But fortunately there are three oxygen -tanks on my own suit. I can detach one for your use." - -He nodded, looking over the homemade helmet. In the half light of -the cave Robin looked at his new friend with interest. There was -something about his face which struck an odd chord in Robin's mind. -Something about him brought back faint, almost forgotten memories, dim -frightening memories of bombs exploding, of falling buildings, of a -frightened child, and great loss. - -Robin suddenly asked, "How did you learn to speak English so well?" - -Piotr looked up. "I was wondering when you would ask that. I always -knew English, I spoke it as a little child. When I was found by the -soldiers in Dresden, I was but a little boy, maybe six or seven. I -spoke some German, but mostly I spoke English. They could find no sign -of my parents, my family, so they took me back to Russia with them. I -studied English too in school, but I always knew it." - -Robin started, his heart pounding very strangely. "Where did you get -your name? That's Russian." - -The other stared at him hard. "No, it's not. My name--Piotr Ivanovitch -Kareff--means Peter the son of John Kareff." - -Robin was sure he knew now, but he doggedly insisted on his next -question. "My father's name was also John. John Carew. And how do you -spell your last name?" - -"Why," said Peter, a curious smile beginning to force its way to his -lips, "just like it's pronounced in Russia--Kareff--C-A-R-E-W--Kareff." - -And at the same instant, tears of joy sprang uncontrollably to their -eyes and the two brothers grabbed each other, laughing and pounding one -another's back in wild reunion. - -Korree stared uncomprehendingly at the curious sight of two Earth men -apparently taken leave of their senses. - - - - -_15. Getaway Bomb_ - - -After they had recovered from their outburst of enthusiasm the two let -go of each other and sat down out of breath. "Well, this is really -amazing," said Robin finally. "Here I have to go to the Moon to find my -brother. You know I really do not remember very much." - -"Of course not. You could not have been more than four years old when -we parted. I was about three years older, I guess. Perhaps we can put -what we do know together and find out what did happen. I know that -Father and Mother were interned in Germany by the Nazis. That when -the war was nearing its end, the Germans started to move them and -other prisoners around. In the confusion, we were stranded somewhere -and there was heavy bombardment going on. I lost you and Mom and Dad -somewhere, wandered by myself for many days. I was with a band of -Russian people who had been taken to Germany by the Nazis to do slave -labor. They were making their way back to their homes and I clung to -them. So the Soviet Army simply counted me among its own orphans and -took me back. But maybe you know more about our family?" Peter looked -expectantly at his younger brother. - -Robin nodded. "I don't remember what happened. I was too young. I only -remember being terribly frightened and alone and things going bang. -When I was older I looked up the orphanage records. It seems that Dad -had been some sort of business agent in Germany and when the U.S. -got into the war he was interned along with Mom and the two of us. -Evidently they were killed in some sort of bombardment at the war's -end and I was the only one who survived. You are listed as having been -killed with them, according to the American Army report." - -Korree was moving restlessly during this conversation, not -understanding very much of it. Now he pulled at Robin's sleeve, -pointed. "Look. Cheeky come." - -Sure enough Robin's simian pet had finally found them. Evidently having -easily avoided capture by the Glassies, the little animal had been -searching for his master. Now his little head appeared around the edge -of the big rock that sealed their cave. At a whistle from Robin, Cheeky -pushed his way through the narrow gap and scampered to his friend. - -Peter watched the monkey with interest. "I wonder if we can't make use -of your pet to help us get out of here," he said. "We really ought to -start thinking of escape. I don't know when Von Borck will take the -notion to start something bad." - -"Well, let's start planning it out," said Robin. "First, we ought to -see what we have to work with. I think that the Glassies simply threw -everything I had with me in here too. That should make things fairly -simple. What did they have of yours?" - -They went over to the pile of things, with Korree along to light the -way, and examined it. Everything was present. Of Peter's property, his -space suit was there, intact, with its three shoulder oxygen tanks. -Robin picked up a gun belt that had evidently been part of the outfit, -but the holster was empty. Peter commented, "Von Borck took it when he -turned on me. He is armed also." - -But Robin noticed that the German rocket pilot had evidently not -thought to take the pack of additional pistol ammunition that was -clipped to the belt. He withdrew a clip and turned it over, then said: - -"We should be able to use these to start a diversion of some sort. If -we can get their attention elsewhere, we can easily push aside the -rock that seals our cave and make a run for it. We ought not to wait -for Von Borck to make up his mind." - -"Ah yes," said his brother. "There is good gunpowder in those bullets. -We could make a small bomb for a fuse or a display." - -"I think a bomb will do the trick. Let's get at it." Robin suited -his action to the words. He sat down, spread a clean piece of cloth -he found among Peter's property on the floor and began to pull the -cartridges apart and gently shake out the powder. - -Back on Earth, such a job would have been hard without instruments -and great force. Here on the Moon, it was not easy but their strength -enabled them to twist off the metal rims. Soon they had a neat little -pile of explosive powder gathered together. - -This they packed into a small glass tube among Peter's explorational -equipment until it was tight and filled the space. They twisted a dry -fiber until it was cordlike and rolled it in a little remaining powder -till it was thoroughly blackened. This they inserted in the end of the -tube as a fuse. - -"Now we should get our stuff together and get ready," said Robin. "I -don't think it would be a good idea to go back the way I came in; we'd -just be cutting ourselves off. The idea is to reach your rocket on the -surface. Which way did you come?" - -Peter indicated the opposite direction. "I came in through a hole -rather high in the wall, came down here along a narrow ledge. I can -find it again, I think." - -"Then let's get into our equipment and get ready," said Robin. He began -to load his huge pack again, but Peter intervened. - -"You really can leave some of that behind now," he said. "Make it -easier to move fast. Besides we've got some narrow places to squeeze -through on our way to the surface. I'd suggest leaving most of the food -behind. Take enough for a couple of meals more. You'll only need your -space helmet and space clothes." - -Peter was climbing into his space suit, an airtight rubberized affair -with electric heating grids. This on, he put on his space helmet for -the sake of convenience, though he left the little panel of the face -window open. Robin slung his own helmet from his shoulder--its vision -plate, being homemade, was fixed in place. - -When they were ready, they went over to the entrance and peeked through -the narrow, open space. "Why, it's dark outside!" said Robin. - -Where before the deep cleft had been lighted by the white light of the -outside sun, now it was dark. It was not as dark as the bubble-caverns -below had been, for a faint light still penetrated down from the -ceiling. They could make out the darker shadows of the surrounding -growth, and the Glassies outside were moving figures each illuminated -by a small circle of light from their head stalks. - -"Evidently the sun is going down on the Moon's surface," said Peter. -"It was low on the horizon when my rocket arrived. I wonder how cold it -will get in this place?" - -"It seems to be a little colder already," said Robin. "This may bring -Von Borck out of his cave to see what's happening." - -Robin called to Korree, explained what they were about to do. Then -while Korree kept a hand on Cheeky, the two Earthlings leaned their -shoulders against the big boulder and pushed it aside easily--an effort -which would have blocked Moon muscles. - -Korree had dimmed his headlight and the two men kneeled down and -carefully lighted the fuse of their bomb with Robin's flint and steel. -The end of the fiber sputtering, Robin took Cheeky and pressed the -glass vial into the monkey's paws. "Over there," he whispered to the -monkey urgently, and pointed a finger to the darkness opposite the -direction in which they would be heading. "Take it over there and leave -it," he whispered. - -He'd often taught Cheeky to fetch and carry, and he hoped the animal -would obey. It did. Grabbing the glass tube with its smoking fuse, the -monkey dashed off into the darkness. - -"I hope he remembers to drop it and come back," said Robin. Peter -nodded. "Let's get started." - -The men and Korree started slowly out of the cave. There was a very -faint dimness about them, a starlight glow that was just enough to -distinguish the presence of objects. They moved slowly, avoiding the -telltale lights of passing Glassies. Korree kept his own stalklight -dark. - -Suddenly the peace and darkness were split by a sharp, violent -explosion somewhere behind them. Immediately following was a -screeching, recognizable as the sound of an angry monkey and almost as -frightening. - -For an instant there was stunned silence and then pandemonium broke -loose. Glassies came running in all directions, slamming into each -other, not knowing what had happened. Some were running away from the -noise, some were running to investigate the terrible bang, and others -were simply running for cover in the caves. In the mad helter-skelter, -Robin and Peter and Korree ran as fast as they could to the far end of -the cleft. - -They dodged tree stalks, pushed through other patches, stumbled -occasionally over obstacles, but carried on. Robin noticed even as -he ran that the vegetation was already drying up and dying rapidly. -The cessation of sunlight had probably been quite abrupt as the sun -had sunk behind whatever crater walls made up the horizon above them. -Evidently the growth here was geared to a short, heavy life and sudden -death. - -Over the frightened, high-pitched voices of the Glassies, Robin now -heard another sound, the roaring voice of a man. Von Borck had been -brought out. He was yelling something, shouting angrily. - -Peter called to Robin as they dashed along. "He's trying to get them to -order. He knows we did it. But they don't understand him." - -On they ran. Now behind them they heard some signs of pursuit. -Evidently Peter was overoptimistic. Somehow Von Borck must have -managed to get the Glassies to realize his meaning. Hitting some and -shoving others, he had clearly gotten a few, who were still in awe -of his "magic," to follow him. They could hear the sounds of stalks -cracking far behind them as they ran. But they had a good head start. - -Robin had been hanging on to Korree's arm, dragging him with him in -huge, leaping steps. But as they dashed on, he realized that Peter was -slowing his own steps to accommodate and that the sounds of Von Borck's -rush behind them were beginning to be louder. - -Korree evidently realized this too. "Leave me," he gasped. "I make -out." With a twist he slipped out of Robin's hand and ran into the -darkness. - -"Wait!" yelled Robin after him, stopping. But Peter turned back, -grabbed his brother. "He's right. He'll be better off here. We couldn't -get him to the surface anyway. Come on! Quick!" - -With a sudden lurch of his heart and lump in his throat Robin -recognized the truth of this. He grabbed Peter's hand and the two of -them started off faster than ever, heading for the far wall in huge -Earthborn leaps. - -It was an eerie experience dashing madly along in the near blackness -of the cleft. The faint glow which came from above, probably only the -light of a million million faraway stars, filtered through the curious -translucent material of the cleft top, serving only to make patches of -blackness against patches of even greater blackness. Far behind them a -faint flickering indicated the movements of the natives. Now and then a -startling flicker would prove the presence of some startled Moonworm, -uncovered as a stalk was thrown over in the rush. - -Behind them they could hear a crashing and every now and then a shouted -word. Robin wondered what was being said, but Peter, sensing his -wonder, gasped out, "He's shouting ... the word for devils! When ... he -came to ... he believed himself ... in some sort ... of Troll -kingdom ... with me ... as a ... devil." - -"Crazy! Stark raving mad!" shouted Robin back. - -On they went. The helmet banging against Robin's back made him feel -clumsy and odd, yet he moved through the air with the agility of a -phantom. - -Now, suddenly, there loomed a dark wall before them and they caught -themselves back just in time to keep from smashing headlong into it. -"The wall!" shouted Robin. - -Peter pulled his arm, started hurrying along to one side. He gave a -sharp cry of relief, pulled Robin to him. "Here we are, the ledge. Go -on up!" - -Peter started off. Robin followed as fast as was possible. There was -evidently a thin ledge running up the side of the cave. In places it -was a gentle slope angling upward, in other parts there was a sudden -step. In their haste there was no time to pick and choose their steps. -Several times Robin tripped, almost falling, but he had built up such a -momentum that he simply slammed and banged over the obstacles, charging -up the ledge with a luck and agility that would have made a mountain -goat jealous. - -Behind them, at the base of the cliff, they now heard Von Borck's -roaring. "_Teufel!_" he was calling. Then suddenly from where the -madman stood, there beamed out a flash of yellow light. A flashlight, -thought Robin, he had a flash. - -The beam passed rapidly over the cave wall seeking the escapers. Once -or twice they froze against the side as it passed over them, dashing on -as soon as it was gone. Then Von Borck's light caught them, held them. - -"Keep running," yelled Peter, "it's not far now!" - -The two kept up. Then there was a sharp report below them and something -went _spang_ on the rock wall near Robin. A bullet ... the mad rocket -pilot was firing at them. - -Now they simply raced on, ignoring the German's wild shots. "Here we -are!" gasped Peter and seemed to melt right into the cliff face. Robin -saw the black opening in the next second and tumbled into it, to be -caught by his brother's arms. - -For an instant they stood there in the darkness, catching their breath. -Then a light appeared in Peter's hand, and Robin saw that he held -an electric torch there, part of his space-suit equipment. The beam -illuminated a narrow, dark tunnel leading steeply upward apparently -through the solid rock. - -"This way!" said Peter and started off. Robin followed him on into the -narrow path that would lead him at long last to the surface of the -Moon. - - - - -_16. On the Crater Floor_ - - -The tunnel was very narrow, a mere crack in the wall, and Robin was -hard put to squeeze through in a couple of spots. But it was not too -long and, in a few minutes, Robin felt from the change in air and echo -that it had opened out into a wider area. - -Peter's flash confirmed this. They were in a small air-pocket bubble -several yards wide. They crossed this while Peter searched along the -floor. He stopped, pointed down. - -"We go down again, through this hole in the floor. There's a short -drop of only a few feet, but be careful." - -Peter stepped over to the hole, sat down, and eased himself out of -sight. Robin looked down, could see the floor of another cave just -below. He dropped his pack through and squeezed down. - -Here they were in a sort of shallow flaw running lengthwise, and they -had to walk in a crouched position to keep their heads from bumping the -low ceiling. - -Robin wondered how Peter knew which way to go, but looking carefully, -he realized that his brother was only following the trail of his -footsteps made on arriving--for there was a thin coating of dust on -this floor that showed the trail. - -"How did you ever find this passage?" asked Robin, his voice echoing -flat and high in the passage. - -"Saw the sealed cleft top running across the bottom of this crater. -Found a spot near it where some sort of gas was hissing out. Went down -it, and simply followed every lead that pointed in the direction of -the cleft." Robin knew that behind this reply undoubtedly lay a lot of -sweat and agony. Peter had made the trip carrying an unconscious body -with him! - -The low passage ended in a small cave-bubble. A break at the top of -this was the next line of direction. Peter had simply dropped down on -his arrival, but they waited to catch their breath. They would have to -jump for it. - -"Do you suppose Von Borck is following us?" asked Robin while waiting. - -Peter shook his head. "I doubt it. First, we'd probably have been able -to hear him coming. Second, he'd still know enough to go get his space -suit before following us. Third, he won't remember anything of this -trip and will have to find his way." - -Rested, Robin gave Peter a boost, hoisting him as high as he could to -the top of the cave-bubble. Peter jumped the short distance remaining, -catching a grip on the edge of the hole in the cave ceiling. He pulled -himself up, then dropped his nylon cord down for Robin to grasp and -help himself up. - -Up above there was still another small bubble, broken on one side. A -whole series of broken bubbles lay revealed, and they walked along this -section gingerly. This area was greatly cracked and seamed. It was -clear to them that there was a possibility of a fall-in. - -Beyond that group they came to another break leading upward, and again -they moved on. Now Robin found himself breathing very heavily. "I'm -getting very tired," he gasped at last. - -Peter stopped. They were still in the break and a severe slope was -rising before them. "It's the air pressure. It's getting quite low -already. You've been used to the low pressure of the bubbles below, as -you tell me, but we are close to the surface and the limited amount -of air sealed in this particular bubble-system is thinning beyond -the safety point. We'll have to go slow and rest often. I don't want -to have to use our oxygen supplies until we are at the limit of our -natural abilities." - -Robin finally caught his breath, felt power returning. Now the two -pushed on, going very carefully and slowly, with rests every few steps. - -The steep rise ended at a narrow opening. Peter paused here, motioned -to Robin to join him. "This is the crisis point," he said. "Listen." - -Robin strained his ears. He was aware of the pounding of his heart -struggling for oxygen. He was aware of a ringing in his ears from the -low pressure. But now he heard over that a thin whistling, a high, -steady rustling whistle coming from somewhere across the narrow, long -cave he was looking in upon. - -"What is it?" he whispered. - -"A most unusual phenomenon," whispered Peter back. "The only thing that -keeps the air in all this subterranean region from being sucked away to -the surface. It's a volcanic current of hot gas, racing through this -long channel at tremendous speed. It must come up from somewhere in the -still-warm interior; it must be rushing to some vast cold spot below. -But it serves as an effective curtain cutting off the stale air on this -side from the near-vacuum of the surface. Its density, velocity, and -heat perform the miracle." - -Peter shone the lamp across and down the cave. The passage cleared a -long, tunnellike channel which ran down into darkness on one side and -away into equal darkness on the other. Only a few yards across from -them he could see the gray surface of the wall. There seemed to be -nothing else except the whistling noise. - -"Edge along the wall here carefully," said Peter, and started off. He -kept one shoulder rubbing the wall near them and walked carefully down -the passage. - -Robin edged out, following him closely. He felt no movement of air, -yet he detected a faint trace of warmth on his outer side. Somewhere, -invisible to him, that cataract of volcanic air was flowing. Was it a -few feet or a fraction of an inch? He could not tell. - -The wall bellied wider a little, allowing a chance to get farther away -from the unseen wind. Peter was waiting here. "I think we'd better -adjust our space equipment now. We have a short way to go, then we'll -have to fight our way across that air blast. There's an opening to the -surface at one point nearby. Once we cross the wind and get to it, -we'll be outside." - -Robin let down his pack. Peter examined Robin's equipment again, -looking worried. He shook his head once or twice. "I hope it works out -all right, but some changes will have to be made." - -He took the big bladder Robin had constructed as an air bag. "This -won't work, but it will come in handy in a different way." He took -Robin's pocket knife and began to cut the big sack apart to make thin -long strips of leather. When he had finished with that, he looked over -at Robin and said: - -"Now you'll have to wind these strips around you as tight as you can. -Begin as high up on your chest as possible, and go on down. Wind them -around your arms and legs, around your fingers, if possible. Don't -undress, but wind the strips over your clothes. Make them tight. I'll -help you." - -As they worked to do so, Peter explained further. "Having an air helmet -is not enough for space. The pressure of your blood and the gases -in your system will make it impossible for you to breathe or move, -if your body is not tightly encased. A real space suit like mine is -pressurized, built with a layer of air pockets all over, which increase -their pressure in proportion to the decrease outside. But if you don't -have this pressure, even having air around your head will not help. So -make those bandages tight, as tight as you can without stopping your -breathing completely." - -They worked on, winding the leather around and around, until Robin felt -as if he were being encased in a strait jacket, felt like a living -mummy. Strips were wrapped around his fingers under his gloves, his -gloves fitting over them and further strapped. - -Next Peter strapped one of his three oxygen tanks to Robin's back. "I -hope this will work well enough to keep you breathing until we reach -the rocket. Fortunately you made your helmet deep enough to come down -far over your shoulders. I can work this air tube up high enough for -you to grasp the end in your mouth. The air will force its way into -your lungs. You'll have to struggle to force your exhalation out of -your nose. It's difficult, especially the first time, but you'll have -to cope with it." - -As he held the helmet preparatory to putting it over Robin's head, -he gave him some last-minute instructions. "We won't be able to -communicate once I get this on you. You've no radio and your mouth will -be full anyway. So listen carefully. - -"The rocket is about a hundred yards away. I'll lead the way, and I'll -tie this cord around your waist so you won't lose me. Follow me as -close as you can. There's a possibility that your glass plate may fog -up or ice over from the water vapor inside your helmet. If it does, -hang on to the cord and keep moving after me! But don't stop ... and -don't give up! All set?" - -Robin's heart was beating fast, he felt strange and stifled in his -bindings. This was the zero instant. He nodded, held out his hand. -Peter grasped it, shook it. "When you're all set, follow me across the -wind stream. It's powerful--don't let it throw you." - -Robin put the end of the air tube in his mouth. Peter pushed the -homemade helmet down over his head, secured it tightly, almost -painfully, until no space was left for air to escape. Then Peter -reached behind Robin to the small tank strapped there and turned a -petcock. - -Instantly Robin started to choke as he felt something being rammed down -his lungs. He caught himself, recognizing that his lungs were being -forcibly inflated. He struggled to get control of his diaphragm to -expel the excess air pressure. He managed finally to do so, feeling a -whiff of air rush through his nostrils. He fought a bit more with the -unpleasant current, felt himself getting a grip on it. - -Through the plate of his helmet he saw Peter watching him anxiously. -Then Peter rapidly tied the nylon cord around his own waist, let it out -a few feet, and tied the other end around Robin's. Peter snapped shut -the visor of his own helmet, touched the air controls of his own suit, -and nodding to Robin, stepped out into the tunnel. - -Robin followed closely, conscious of the tight, restricting bands, -still fighting the unpleasant pressure of the air tube blowing down -his lungs. Peter walked a few steps, pointed a gloved hand across the -passage, shone his light. - -There was a narrow black gap across there. Through it Robin caught a -glimpse of bright white specks--the stars! - -Then Peter made a dash, seemed to be picked up by a giant hand and -whirled wildly across the passage. The cord tightened and Robin jumped -into the space to avoid being pulled off his feet. - -He was struck at once by a terrific onrush. A hot, violent blast -slammed into him. He lost his footing, felt himself being hurled -headlong into a furious tornado. The cord leaped out, and Peter pulled -on it hard. Robin swung about, fetched up against the other side of the -wall of the cave with a bang, was pulled to his feet before he had even -started to fall, and was propelled right through the gap in the wall. - -Suddenly all was still. The whistling of the wind, the roar of the -current as it struck him, had vanished. Only the sucking and rushing of -the oxygen in his own helmet could be heard. He was outside, on the -surface of the Moon at last! - -The gap opened from the wall of a cliff. Above him, the cliff soared -to become a mountainous edge of a deep, wide crater. He turned his -head, but Peter was impatient. He felt the pull of the cord, turned -and followed Peter, who was moving away from the crater wall in long, -low strides, strides that ate up distance like an Earthly giant in -seven-league boots. Robin adjusted his pace, followed closely. - -For a while he forgot his personal danger and simply gazed around at -the fabulous moonscape. The crater's other wall was maybe a dozen -miles away, but the thin air--the almost indetectably tenuous air that -clustered at the bottom of this crater made the distance seem nothing. -He could even make out details of the far edge. - -And yet this section of the Moon was in the night-time. The sun had -passed it by. It should have been dark, pitch-dark, by the logic of the -interplanetary space. Yet it wasn't. Everything instead was bathed in -a cold greenish-blue light that covered the surface like the glow of a -half-dozen full moons. - -He looked up. Directly in the center of the sky overhead was the source -of the radiation. A great glowing ball of green and blue and white, -a ball with a misty aura surrounding it, a globe that struck Robin -instantly as familiar. It was the Earth. The home world, seen in all -its glory, a giant full-moon Earth, continents and islands clearly -outlined, a glory of pale colors, poles agleam with dazzling -white ... it was a sight that momentarily stopped Robin in his tracks, -hypnotized with wonder. - -The cord pulled him out of it, and on he dashed, looking about him in -the pale Earthlight. - -The surface was thick with cosmic dust, here and there the rounded -domelike surface of a congealed volcanic bubble. Cracks crossed and -crisscrossed the surface, and Peter and he had to bound across many of -them. He saw rising slightly above the surface a long rill of whitish -substance, racing across the crater bottom. With a start he realized -that that must be the glasslike roof of the great cleft he had so -recently escaped from. - -Above, the sky was nearly black and myriad stars shone bright from the -distance. The outlines of the surrounding mountains walled in the two -boys as if they were pygmy boxers in a gargantuan ring. - -Robin was forcing the air from his nostrils, allowing the oxygen to -rush into his lungs. He began now to feel the first faint chill of -surrounding space. He realized that it must already be nearly a hundred -and fifty below zero on the surface, probably even much more than that. -He had to keep moving, keep moving. - -But it was getting colder. He felt the cold penetrate him as his suit -radiated the warmth that was in it. Now he wondered what was happening -outside. Something was obscuring his view. Was it mist he was passing -through? - -He had heard of mist on the Moon's surface, but he had seen none when -he had first emerged. Yet his vision was being obscured more and more -by a cloudiness. He strained his eyes, suddenly realized that the mist -was not outside, it was inside! The slight amount of vapor inside his -helmet was beginning to frost up on the inside of his face plate. What -Peter had feared was beginning to happen. - -Robin missed his footing, stumbled, not having seen the little ridge -they had passed. Peter, now barely visible ahead of him, had not -stopped. Robin felt the cord tighten as he slowed down, uncertain of -where his feet were landing. - -He began to feel groggy, realized that he was becoming frightened. He -gritted his teeth on the unpleasant air tube, said to himself, _Get a -hold on, stay firm. Only a few more steps to go. Hang on! Hang on!_ - -He conquered his panic. Blind or not, he would keep on until he passed -out. The face plate was now solid white, completely opaque. He stumbled -on, allowing the tight cord to direct him, pull him. - -On and on, the journey seemed endless. Running, jumping, and bouncing, -his feet banging against unseen rocks, hitting into cracks, kicking -out, flying through space in bounds of blind horror. It was a nightmare -such as he'd never dreamed. - -Then, as he came down hard and banged into something, he felt his -helmet slip a little, jog slightly. There was a _whish_ and suddenly -his face plate cleared completely. At the same instant he felt as if -his eyes would pop, while something snatched at his nose and sucked the -breath from him. - -Through the clear plate he caught a wild glimpse of a large metallic -structure sticking up out of the ground. The Russian rocket, he thought -wildly. It was big like a huge bullet, gleaming brightly and polished. -He saw it nearing him, realized he was being dragged along by Peter. - -He realized also that his helmet had slipped a gap, that the air within -had been sucked out, that the water vapor clogging his face plate had -been snatched out with it, and that his face was exposed. But the -oxygen tube was still in his mouth, still forcing air into him, and his -nostrils were having it sucked out almost as fast. Somehow the thin -stream of air rushing from the helmet kept his face from all the rigors -of vacuum. His eyes were bulging and paining, he felt his nose spraying -blood and a red film kept clogging the face plate and being snatched -away by the escaping air. - -Then as he realized he could no longer stand the agony, he felt himself -grabbed under the shoulders, hoisted up, shoved into a small dark space -and felt through his fingers the clang of a metal door. There came a -hissing noise, and as consciousness at last oozed away from him, he -knew that they had reached the air lock of the Soviet rocket and that -his ordeal was over. - - - - -_17. Moon Calling Earth_ - - -The impression of a damp cloth moving gently over his face was Robin's -first sensation on recovering his senses. He opened his eyes to find -Peter leaning over him, carefully mopping away the soreness from his -nose and face. Robin's eyes hurt and he blinked several times, each -time feeling their rawness. - -"Easy does it," said Peter, smiling. "Your eyes are very bloodshot, but -fortunately there's no real damage. You couldn't have been exposed to -the outside for more than a few seconds. Nosebleed's stopped, too." - -Robin raised his head, feeling a little dizzy and weak at first. He -was lying in a hammock slung across the narrow space of the rocket's -tiny cabin. He took in the limited quarters slowly, while flexing his -muscles to discover other points of sensitivity. His clothing had been -removed, the tight bandaging unwrapped. He was wearing some sort of -loose aviation coverall that his brother had dressed him in. - -"Have I been out long?" Robin asked, rising to a sitting position. - -"Maybe a half-hour," said his brother. "Mostly shock and overexertion, -I guess. You've got some bruises on your shins and feet, but nothing -that should stop you. Feel like some hot food? Real Earth food?" - -Robin was suddenly hungry and the memories of a hundred forgotten foods -flooded his senses. He nodded, and greedily attacked the full mess kit -that his brother had been heating. It contained merely some sort of -frankfurter, some canned potato, a chunk of black bread, and a cup of -something that must have been condensed cabbage soup ... but to Robin -it was the best banquet he'd had in many months. For the first time he -ate meat that wasn't rabbit or a Moon creature, vegetable that wasn't -Moontree fruit. His tongue reveled in the flavors. A glass of hot tea -was the final sensation. - -Refreshed, he looked around. The little cabin, occupying the entire -nose of the rocket, must have been a tight squeeze indeed for a -three-man crew. The controls and the pilot's seat occupied a good -section of it. There was space for only two hammocks, which were -obviously not to be spread out except when taking off or sleeping, and -Peter was rolling up the one in which Robin had been resting. There was -a built-in electric grid, a nozzle from which water was piped, a large -number of observational and recording instruments, a couple of folding -seats, nothing much else. Several thick glass bull's-eye windows were -set in a circle around the nose, at a level with the pilot's eyes. -Light came from one large electric bulb hanging in the nose of the -ship. The whole cabin was tilted over at an angle, the result of the -crash. - -"I'm surprised that everything is in such good condition," said Robin. -"I had expected to see a complete ruin." - -"Well," said Peter, "I've got to admit that Von Borck was definitely a -good pilot. The crash was probably not his fault. We were actually not -supposed to land. Our orders were to try to circle the Moon in a narrow -orbit, then return. We were to land only if Von Borck was sure he could -do it and get away again. - -"What happened though was that after we had crossed the dividing line -in space where the Moon's pull equaled the Earth's pull, our gyroscopic -controls jammed. Von Borck couldn't turn the rockets in our rear to -the indicated direction. We struggled with the gyro for about forty -minutes, even going outside to get at the airless tube section beneath -this sealed cabin. When we finally got the controls operating, it was -far too late to attempt to establish an orbit. Instead, Von Borck -did the next best thing--he decided to attempt a direct landing. He -reversed the rocket entirely, slowed us down and came down in an -effort to land on his jets. It's a very difficult balancing trick, -especially on an unknown landing field with uncertain distances. - -"Actually he almost succeeded. He came down just a little too -fast, smashed up our tubes, rammed the whole rear down into the -pumice-and-dust surface, leaving our nose cabin sticking out unharmed. -Von Borck slammed his head against the metal paneling. I took a spill, -and Arkady who had volunteered to stand at the opposite observation -port from the pilot in order to inform him of any dangers from that -side was thrown across the room and killed." - -Robin nodded slowly. "But why didn't you just stay here instead of -going out?" - -Peter went to a wall cabin, opened it. Inside there were about a -half-dozen small containers and cans. "That's the whole stock of food -we have left," was the reply. "We couldn't have stayed here too long. -When I looked around outside I saw mist issuing from that spot in the -cliff we came through. Obviously we'd die if we didn't find some place -to stay. I went outside, buried Arkady, explored a little, realized -that that rill out there was a sealed cleft which probably held air. So -I loaded Von Borck, who had been unconscious for hours, and set out to -go underground." - -Robin got up, walked around. He was already in better shape. He looked -at the panels, found them complex and with the markings in Russian. -"What's the source of the electricity?" he asked. - -"There's an atomic pile somewhere in the rear of the rocket," -Peter replied. "That's something you don't smash easily. It's still -operating." - -"Can we send a message back to Earth then?" asked Robin. "If we've the -power, and this ship must have a radio...." - -"We tried that, but the radio was smashed in the landing. However, -there is an emergency wave sender which was designed for just such a -thing. I don't know if that's working. Let's see." - -Peter opened a door set in the floor of the rocket which opened on an -area jammed with equipment, wiring, and extra supplies. He reached -around, extracted a small black box. He held it up, shook it gently. -Handing it to Robin, he took out a roll of wire, and seating himself at -the pilot's seat began to connect the box to the rocket. When it was -plugged in to the electric system of the cabin, Peter flicked a switch -and turned a knob. A thin humming came from the box. - -"It works," he said. "This gives off a steady signal wave going on the -general air-travel band. The radio buzz can be heard from Earth if it's -being sought. By following it, astronomers can trace exactly where this -rocket is. All we have to do is leave this on--it will run for years on -our atomic power source. Eventually, rockets will locate us." - -"But surely there must be some way of calling their attention even -sooner?" said Robin. "Do you have flares?" - -"You're right," Peter said excitedly. "We've got them. And it is night -outside. If we use our flares, they could be seen on any decent-sized -telescope. Shall we set them off?" - -Robin nodded. "No time like now." - -Peter reached again into the floor storages, opening another section, -and began to pull out another space suit. "This was Arkady's," he said. -"It should fit you." - -It did. This time, Robin felt none of the uneasiness that had assailed -him on his previous experience on the outside. In a few minutes, he and -Peter were standing a short distance away from the rocket and setting -out the flares. - -Although the suit was cumbersome, it was not too uncomfortable. Instead -of tight bandaging, the fabric of the suit consisted of some sort of -self-inflating air sacs, which maintained an equal and natural pressure -on the surface of Robin's body. The helmet, which was really airtight -and warmed, was entirely comfortable, although again the breathing was -a matter of a forced intake and a willful exhalation. - -They set up the flares, which were magnesium-burning giant candles, a -safe distance from the rocket, wired them to a detonator powered from -the ship. Then, before going back, Robin and Peter simply stood and -looked around. - -All about, the giant bare mountains ringed the crater. Their gaunt, -jagged outlines were a black ring against which was set the star-strewn -wonder of the sky, in whose exact center slowly rotated the marvelous -globe of Mother Earth. - -The eerie Earthlight threw odd shadows and dark spots across the -grayness of the plain. Here and there the mysterious-looking domes -rose, the tops of bubbles as Robin had reason to know. In other places -smaller craters and ringed ridges broke the surface. - -"It looks desolate and barren," commented Peter on the helmet-radio. -"Yet, you know, when we landed in the sunlight of the Moon's day, it -wasn't all like this. There were patches of low scrubby plants growing -in the lowest sections near spots where some air must have been seeping -out. This crater is considerably lower than much of the surrounding -areas on this central part of the Moon. The air here may be almost -unnoticeable, but it is still just a bit denser even than it must be on -the 'seas' beyond these crater walls." - -"How did you spot that break in the wall we came through?" asked Robin, -turning to search for it. - -"As a matter of fact, it was quite obvious," said his brother. "In the -sunlight, there's a distinct stream of vapor coming out of it and a lot -of frozen water vapor all around. Further, it was just there that the -green vegetation was growing thickest. It was quite inviting to a man -looking for refuge ... otherwise I'd probably never have thought of it." - -They trudged back to the rocket, climbed through the lock into the -safety of the tiny cabin. Robin set the firing pin of the detonator -switch, looked out. "It's the Western Hemisphere that's facing the Moon -now," he said. "Just coming into view. Must be early morning around the -New Mexico belt. You know, your Russian friends won't see this flare." - -Peter looked up, shrugged. "We can fire another flare twelve hours -later," he said. "I am not particular who rescues us. I am an American, -you know. I owe something to the Soviets too. When you look at the -world from here, from another planet, these distinctions of nationality -seem so--somehow--unimportant. We are all humans, all from the same -ancestors. Even if we were not brothers, we would feel ourselves such. -Our roots go to all parts of the world. If you add up all people's -ancestors a hundred generations back, you will realize that there can't -be anyone who is not distantly related to everyone else--that we all -share somebody in our ancestry who lived in every country of the world, -shared all the histories of the past and all the different politics and -opinions." - -Peter grew quiet, as if a little amazed at his own outburst. Robin drew -close to him, threw an arm around him. "I think when more men get out -among the stars, people are going to realize that we can't afford to -think of ourselves as anything other than citizens of Mother Earth. -In the face of the universe, of Moonmen, of the inhabitants of the -millions of other planets that must exist, our national differences -seem so small, so much a private family matter as not to be thrashed -out in the public of our interstellar neighbors. I think it's good we -are brothers. All men are brothers." - -Robin threw the switch. - -Outside, the crater suddenly lighted up in a blinding white glare, -a blaze that threw wild, dancing black shadows several miles across -the floor, that momentarily lighted the great crags and precipices -of the mountains, that made an outburst of grandeur in a moonscape of -unearthly terror and beauty. - -Five minutes later, when the flares had died down, Robin again threw -the switch. The second set of magnesium bombs went off and again the -crater was brilliantly lighted. - -"On Earth that should stand out very sharply. It is nearly a new moon -for them. This spot of light will be like a blinding diamond on a black -velvet setting," said Peter poetically. - -They rested now, taking their space suits off, lolling around on two -hammocks, just talking, renewing acquaintance, exchanging experiences. -They ate another meal, slept, finally donned their outfits again and -set off the next set of flares a half Earth-day later, when the massive -area of Eurasia was on the face of the globe in the Lunar sky. - -"Now the Russian observers have had a chance to see us," said Peter. -"We ought to go back to the underground world again. Our supplies here -are not enough. In order to eat and breathe the next few months, we -will have to live among the Glassies. We have to go back to the great -cleft again." - -"Yes," said Robin. "And that brings up the question of Von Borck. He'll -be waiting for us, you know." - -His brother nodded. "Ah, but this time we will be the ones who are -armed and ready." He reached down, took out a second gun belt, handed -it to Robin. "Use this. Strap it around your space suit." - -Robin looked at it, lifted the pistol in its holster. "It's an army -automatic," said Peter. "A Tokarev .30, built much the same as an -American Colt. Here, I'll show you how it works." - -He cautioned about the lack of a safety catch, showed how to load the -clip of bullets. "Be careful of it, though. It has a strong kickback on -Earth--here on the Moon, it may be quite tricky to fire a gun." - -They dressed again in their outfits, loaded on other supplies that -might come in handy, including a light carbine, hunting knife and axe, -and waterproof pack of matches. They slung the gun belts around their -waists, tied the nylon cord to each other as an added precaution, and -made a last check of the rocket cabin. - -The little radio signal was still humming. Some day it would bring a -rescue ship. Whether that would be a matter of months or a matter of -years was the only question. Robin gulped a bit at the prospect of -spending more years away from his own world. Sight of Earth, the taste -of real food had made him quite homesick. - -He thrust such thoughts away, snapped tight his helmet plate, and -nodded to Peter. They climbed out of the rocket, sealing the air-lock -door. They stood for a moment outside the wreck, taking their bearings. - -They turned to head for the cliff wall, when something went _ping_ -off a metal fixture on Robin's helmet. He started, pulled back and -something seemed to flick past his eyes and pop against the side of the -rocket. - -He yelled and ducked for cover. "Look out, Peter! Get down!" - -Standing on the surface, just outside the narrow crack that led -underground, was the figure of a man--a man wearing a space suit -similar to theirs, with a small dark object in his hand which issued a -little flash of red fire. - -"It's Von Borck," gasped Robin, "and he's shooting at us!" - - - - -_18. Madman's Battle_ - - -Robin lay flat against the ground, holding himself motionless. Peter's -voice came over his helmet-radio. "Did you get hit?" - -"No," said Robin. "Something may have chipped my helmet but there's no -leak, so I guess it wasn't a direct shot. How about you? Where are you?" - -From his position he couldn't see his brother, who had obviously fallen -somewhere near. "I'm down just behind you," came Peter's voice. "We'll -have to find better cover than this. There's a slight ridge about a -foot high a couple of yards to your left. Crawl over to it and get -behind it." - -Robin cautiously raised his head. It drew no fire and he realized that -lying down in the darkness of the gray surface, the greenish Earthlight -was not sufficient to outline him to Von Borck's eyes. He eased up on -his arms and crawled slowly to the ridge. Behind this was a measure of -protection. He was now free to twist his body around to look for Peter. -In the cumbersome helmet and suit, the only way he could look around -was to move his whole body. - -Peter was crawling after him slowly. There was a sudden spurt of dust -from the ground just behind him, like a tiny geyser. "Von's still -shooting at you," said Robin. "Hurry!" - -Peter slid quickly into refuge behind the ridge at Robin's side. -Twisting his body, he unstrapped the light carbine rifle from his back, -brought it around in front of him. "Have you ever fired a rifle or a -pistol, Robin?" he asked. - -"I learned some target shooting at school," said Robin. "I was a pretty -fair shot. But I never handled a revolver." - -Peter slid the rifle over to him. "Then you use this. I'll use my -pistol. We'll have to get him before he gets us." - -Robin held the rifle awkwardly. He glanced at it, saw that it was -loaded, slid the bolt action. "I don't like this," he said. "If there -was only some way we could capture him and hold him until we're -rescued. You said he's a good man with rockets. Maybe he can be -straightened out mentally if we can get him back to Earth." - -Peter shrugged, grunted. "Don't waste time dreaming. Sure he was a good -engineer. But right now it's him or us. If he has his way, none of us -will ever return to Earth alive. Just remember he's doing his very best -to kill us--we cannot dare do any less. Sure, if we get a break, we'll -capture him. Right now, though, we'd better shoot him or we'll never -get out of this alive." - -Peter suited his action to his words. He clumsily forced his thickly -gloved finger through the trigger guard and grasped the pistol. He -swiftly raised up, aimed, and pulled the trigger. - -There was a flash of red and simultaneously Peter fell over backward -and rolled over once with a yell of pain. Robin turned, stricken with -horror. "What happened! Are you hit?" - -Peter's voice came back. "No, I'm not hit, but I almost wrenched my -arm off! It was the gun's recoil, the kick! I completely forgot what -a terribly strong recoil a pistol would have on the Moon. It was like -holding a rocket engine in my hand for a split second. It simply hurled -me right over." - -Peter rolled himself over on his chest, resuming his position next to -Robin. "We'll have to be careful when we fire. Remember the kick will -be many times stronger than back on Earth." - -There was another spurt of dust to one side of them. Another evidence -of Von Borck's shooting. Possibly he had caught a glimpse of Peter's -scramble. - -Robin slid the rifle out in front of him, cocked it for firing. He -crawled to a break in the ridge, propped the butt of the gun against a -small outcropping of rock along the surface, rolled himself clumsily -into position. Raising his head, he saw the figure of Von Borck still -standing against the narrow entrance to the wall. He aimed the rifle as -well as he was able under the handicaps, pressed it hard, and pulled -the trigger. - -He felt a sharp shock as the rifle tried to kick out of his hands, -but he had bolstered it well. He saw a chunk of rock split from the -cliffside just over the German's head. Von Borck ducked as the dust -began to fall upon him in its slow Lunar fashion, then the German moved -back into the break. - -Robin again aimed the rifle, this time directly at the dark center of -the break in the cliff. Again he fired. This time the figure of the -space-suited man backed out of sight entirely. - -"What now?" asked Robin. "Shall we wait for him to come back or shall -we try to follow him?" - -"Better take the chance and go after him," said his brother's voice. -"Must follow up every advantage." - -"Then let's go," said Robin and leaped to his feet. Peter jumped up -with him and they both started to sprint for the entrance in the cliff. - -They ran for it in low, swift leaps, and this time Robin saw what ease -and fun running on the Moon's surface could be if you had the proper -outfit for it. It was so light and easy, like running in a dream, -gliding rapidly over the faintly lighted eerie moonscape in a world of -absolute silence and motionlessness. - -For an instant, as they closed in on the cliff, Robin saw Von Borck's -figure appear, there was another flash of red and then the man vanished -again. But the boys did not halt. Together they charged the entrance. -In a matter of seconds, they reached it, blocked it. - -There was no sign of the German. They shone their flashlamps into the -channel behind the opening. There was nothing. - -Robin could feel the faint rustling movement of the rushing air -current, but he could see nothing in motion. Again he was struck by the -weirdness of the phenomenon. - -"Where'd he go?" he whispered, even though his voice could not be heard -outside of their helmets. - -"He's probably hiding somewhere. We'll have to follow him. Get ready -and then remember to throw yourself hard across that air blast. It's -strong." Peter checked the nylon that tied them together. "Shall I -untie this or shall we jump together?" - -"Let's go together," said Robin. They held hands, and, backing up, took -a running start and threw themselves into the darkness of the break. - -There was again the buffeting of a powerful wind, and Robin felt -himself being caught off his feet by the force of a hurricane. Before -he could be swept away, a jerk at the cord around his waist threw him -down, and he rolled over on the windless far side of the tunnel, safe -with Peter. - -He became aware of outside noises. He followed Peter's example and -opened the plate of his helmet. For an instant he gasped for air, then -adjusted to the thin atmosphere. - -Both brothers listened. But they heard nothing. "He must have headed -back for the cleft," said Peter. "We'll have to follow him." - -They started to retrace their tracks. Partly down the wind tunnel they -found the downward slope on which they had traveled before. Robin -flashed his lamp down its steep pitch. He saw nothing. Gingerly he -began to work his way cautiously down the sharp slope. - -Peter followed behind. Halfway down, Robin stopped for breath. When he -caught it, he whispered, "I just thought of something. How do we know -Von went down here? Maybe he's gone farther up the tunnel, waiting to -slip back and get behind us." - -"I don't think so," said Peter. "I looked in the dust up along the -tunnel for his footprints and saw none. He must be ahead of us." - -They slid on down the slope, found themselves at the beginning of the -upper series of connected broken bubbles. Along this they trekked, -passing along the debris-strewn floor, picking their way carefully. -Shining their lamps ahead as they went, they saw no sign of motion. - -Finally they came to the hole in the floor, through which they would -have to drop several feet into the cave below. Robin switched off his -light as they approached it, whispered to Peter to do the same. - -They stood silently in the pitch darkness. Then Robin nudged Peter, -pointed with his hand against Peter's. The hole in the floor was -faintly visible. There was a dim flickering coming from it. Robin -whispered, "It must be Von's flashlamp. He's down there, waiting for -us." - -Peter nodded in the darkness. "It was the logical spot. He probably -hopes to shoot us as we drop through the hole." - -The two stepped carefully up to the hole, not yet using their lights. -They kneeled down, looked. - -The cave below was almost dark. But from just outside it, from the -tunnel that led into it, was a flickering light. Their crazed enemy was -lurking there, waiting. - -"What do we do now?" muttered Peter. - -Robin looked carefully. "I think I have it. Untie the cord and give it -to me." - -Peter untied his end of the nylon rope that linked them. Robin undid -his end, took his flashlamp, tied it to the cord. He whispered his plan -to Peter. - -Robin lit the flash, backed away from the hole several feet, and then -kicked some rocks and began to make a clattering noise. At the same -time he began to talk loudly, as if conversing with Peter. - -Meanwhile, Peter was crouched at the edge of the hole, his Tokarev -automatic firmly wedged against one side of the hole while it was -pointing directly at the faint spot of light below which Von Borck was -hiding. - -Robin reached the hole, making sure he was creating enough noise for -the rocket pilot to hear him. Then he waved his lamp a few times, -flickering it around the cave below, and kneeling down, began to lower -it on the cord, trying to keep its beam pointed at the tunnel in which -their foe waited. This was the bait on their trap. - -Just as he had expected, as the swinging lamp was about halfway down, -dangling presumably in the helpless hand of a man being lowered to the -floor--as Von Borck was supposed to think--the figure of the German -appeared in the cave, uttering a wild yell of triumph and aiming a big -pistol at the moving light. - -Two guns went off at the same instant. There were two flashes of -fire, two deafening blasts of sound. Von Borck's bullet shattered the -swinging flashlamp, blew it into a dozen fragments. - -Peter's bullet struck Von Borck in the chest, hurling him against the -wall to fall in a heap on the floor. - -Without wasting time, Peter simply stepped into the hole and drifted -downward in the low force of Moon gravity. Robin followed suit. They -leaned over the German's body. - -Robin looked at the pale, mustached face, the staring eyes. "I think -he's dead," he said. "Though he could be only unconscious." He reached -over, started to feel the man's face to find out whether he still -breathed. - -"Look out!" shouted Peter suddenly and grabbed Robin, pulling him to -one side. Robin looked up and back. - -Above him, with maddening leisureliness, the entire ceiling of the -underground bubble was dropping down, dropping in several giant chunks, -several Earth tons of rock falling toward them. - -With a mad scramble the two leaped to safety in the tunnel leading -downward. There was a slow grinding crash as the shattered roof of the -cave settled to the floor, crushing the body beneath it, blocking and -sealing the tunnel. - -"Come on!" Peter grabbed Robin's arm. "The rest of it is caving in! -We'd better run!" - -They dashed down the tunnel, as it crashed behind them. On they ran, -following the twisted trail through fault and cleft and bubble, with -disaster following their steps. Finally the ruin and destruction came -to an end as they reached the last steep slope downward to the great -sealed cleft. - -"What happened?" asked Robin, as they paused at last to catch their -breath. - -"The explosions!" gasped Peter. "The concussions of our pistols -shattered the delicate balance of the honeycomb undersurface here. -We're lucky it didn't all come down at once, rather than in the form of -a chain reaction. We're lucky to be alive, believe me!" - -"Yes," said Robin, beginning to make his way down the last tunnel that -led to the open ledge of the great bubble-world where the Glassies -lived. "Yes, we're lucky to be alive, but how will we ever get back to -the surface now? We're sealed in. Maybe forever." - -Peter was silent as they reached the ledge, looked into the vastness -of the cleft-world, saw the faint flickering lights of Moonworm and -Moonman. "Maybe we'll never get out. Robinson Crusoe lived twenty-eight -years on his island before he was rescued. It may be fifty before they -find us in here." - -Robin shrugged. "When I first landed here, I said to myself that while -there's life there's hope. Now there are two of us. And that's an -advance...." - - - - -_19. Riding the Tornado_ - - -They looked down from their point on the high ledge into the length -of the cleft-world. A very faint light streak could be seen looking -upward--this was the curious volcanic glass of the surface roof. -Through it penetrated just a hint of the full Earthlight that bathed -the outer moonscape. Down were shadows and darkness, in the distance -little bits of moving lights, flickering sparks, that may have been the -Glassies' head-stalks. - -The two men used their remaining flashlamp to light up the narrow -ledge. Carefully they made their way down the steep side of the cavern -wall, their light swinging slowly back and forth. "Suppose the Glassies -see the light?" said Peter. "We may be in for trouble." - -"Maybe," said Robin, "but this time we'll be alert for it. We'll have -to steer clear of overhanging spots, keep our light swinging about, but -I have an idea we'll have no trouble. That bomb and the shooting will -probably make them keep their distance." - -Down they went until they reached the level surface. Then they started -off across the space to the faraway place where the lights could be -seen. It was the winter half-month now for the sublunar world. The Moon -growths had fallen, shriveled, died. Their seeds lay dormant for the -next sun period. It was fairly chilly in the cavern, yet not as cold as -it might have been. Somewhere, thought Robin, there is a warm volcanic -current keeping this cavern from freezing over. - -They kept a good distance between each other, the long, thin, strong -cord linking them being kept almost taut. The reasoning behind this -was that if another lassoing attempt were made, it would be almost -impossible to get both at once. As long as one were free to get at his -firearms, they could overcome such an attack. - -On they went, with still no sign of meeting any opposition. Then Robin -saw a sudden faint flicker in a clump of darkness to one side. He -stopped, whispered into his helmet-radio what he had seen. Rapidly -his eyes swept the scene, and, yes, there was another suddenly doused -flicker on the other side. The Glassies must be watching them, waiting. - -Now the two proceeded at a slow pace, widely swinging their light from -side to side to prevent ambush. "Somehow," said Robin, "we are going to -have to prove we're friendly. We may have to live here a long time." - -"Yes," said Peter, "but how?" - -They walked only a few steps farther before the answer was given them. -Something was standing directly in their path. As their light swung -near it, this figure raised two hands high and its head-stalk light -flashed into brilliant prominence. - -It was a Glassie standing there, a transparent-bodied Moonman whose odd -face bore the equivalent of a broad smile and whose chest was decorated -with a painted black circle. Robin stared at the figure of this chief a -moment. He saw something move on the Glassie's shoulder--a tiny, dark, -manlike creature no bigger than a doll. - -This creature opened its mouth, uttered a sharp shriek. "Cheeky!" -gasped Robin. And at the sound of his voice the little monkey leaped -from the Glassie's shoulder in one monstrous Lunar bound and arrived at -Robin's foot. Another jump and it was in Robin's arms, screeching with -joy. - -The Glassie chief came forward. It spoke, "Robin! Good see you. Good -see you." It was Korree! Now he too moved forward to grasp Robin -awkwardly but happily ... Korree wearing the marking of the tribal head! - -Now other Glassies appeared around them, but they held no weapons -in their hands, no sticky hoops or bindings. They stood around the -newcomers with awe and uncertainty--willing to be guided by Korree's -actions but aware of the possible results of an encounter with -space-suited Earthlings. - -Korree turned a moment, waved them on, speaking in their tongue. Peter -came up, nodding, shoving his pistol back into its holster. - -"I see your two friends have won the day while we were up above," he -said. "They were indeed friends." - -The two brothers were escorted back to the site of the native -settlement in a crowd of bobbing head-stalk lights and jabbering -Glassies. Korree explained as they walked. - -It seemed that the explosion of the homemade bomb had completely -disrupted the fear in which Von Borck had held the Glassies. -This was greater magic to them, and it was the mysterious little -being--Cheeky--who had accomplished it. In the first excitement, the -Glassies had fled and hid. That was when the German had come after -Peter and Robin, leaving the Glassies behind. - -This, too, was an indication that even the powerful stranger who had -usurped the role of chief by the expedient of his mere existence and -strength had bowed to the power of the little monkey. In Moonman -tribes, the chief never fled the scene of his authority. To do so was -to abdicate it. Von Borck had unknowingly destroyed his authority by -his abrupt chase after Robin and Peter. - -When Korree made his way back to the cave-village after giving up his -attempt to follow his Earthling friends, he had arrived to find the -Glassies cowering in fear of the capering Cheeky, who was unhurt by the -blast. - -Korree had gathered up Cheeky in his arms and by so doing had made -himself the master of the situation. That was how it came about that -the two brothers had been met by a friendly admiring reception rather -than a hostile one. - -"But what happened when Von Borck returned here to get his space suit?" -asked Robin. - -Korree waved a hand as if the answer was obvious. "Glassies hide," -he said simply. "Korree hide. Cheeky hide. Everyone hide." And so -Von Borck arrived to find himself deserted and unwelcome. And he had -promptly left to follow the trail to the surface. - -Once back at the site of the caves, they found themselves honored -guests. In the days that followed, they set up a cave for themselves, -organized a home. Cheeky seemed to have now attached himself to Korree -and went everywhere with the Glassie. Robin and Peter rested, set up a -regimen of native food, observed the Glassies' way of life. - -The sun came up again on the surface and flooded the cleft with its -light. The Moontrees grew rapidly in dense profusion. The two brothers -gradually explored the length and breadth of the little world, -systematically working around it in search of some new path upward. - -But their search seemed fruitless. There were a number of holes and -breaks in the walls and caves, but none promised a place of exit to the -surface. - -They went back to the original ledge and tunnel, tried to work their -way in, but it was blocked with fallen stone and jammed too tightly for -passage. - -They discussed the possibility of making explosives, blasting through, -but discarded this as they realized the basic fragility of the whole -cleft setup. Such blastings might do worse damage, might even crack -a direct opening to the surface through which the air within the -cleft-bubble would rush out, leaving it a sterile, cold, and dead -region. - -Finally after another Lunar night and another Lunar day, exhausting -still one more Earth month, they settled down to a slow steady picking -and shoveling. They worked in the blocked tunnel in all their spare -time, carefully picking away chips of rock, pushing others aside, -burrowing around fallen slabs, slowly, gradually, painfully working -their way along the old path. But it was hard and unrewarding work. It -went slowly and they were always afraid of a cave-in. - -Two or three times such an event did occur, and had it not been for -the slowness with which things fell on the Moon, one or the other -brother would surely have been pinned down. On the third such disaster, -the two quit the task, returned to their home in the Glassie village -discouraged. - -"This will not work," said Robin. "We'll have to give up this entire -approach. It would be months or even years before we could make our -entire way and by that time one of us would surely be killed in the -tunnels. They are still highly unsettled, still shifting." - -They sat down, looked at each other. "There must still be a way," said -Peter. "We must find a way to reach the surface. Otherwise we will -remain here forever." - -Robin nodded, deep in thought. Another night was coming over the cleft. -The sun was passing swiftly from overhead. A chill began to touch the -air, as darkness blacked out the cavern. It would be another two weeks -before they could resume any work on their problem. Robin started to -build a fire in their cave, one they burned every Moon winter's night. -As he did so a thought struck him. - -He turned. "When we were first returning from the surface it occurred -to me as we came out that there had to be some sort of volcanic current -warming this cavern, sun or no sun. Now it seems to me that if we could -find that current, we would find some sort of air stream or water -stream, that must go upward. We ought to look for the warmest spot in -the cavern, trace it." - -Peter turned, a sharp light in his eye. "And now that you say it, do -you know what that current is? It's the one that passes the break in -the crater wall--the constant hurricane that we broke through to get in -here, which rushes by the break so hard and so fast that it seals this -cavern's quiet inner air as perfectly as if it were an air lock. It has -to be that very current which passes somewhere lower down and warms -this cleft!" - -Robin nodded, a sharp excitement stirring him. "I think we have hit -on it. The night time is the time to hunt for it. Find the spot or -places in this cleft that stay warmest and they must be nearest the -underground wind tunnel." - -So they set out on a new course of exploration, this time scouting the -bubble in the dark of the night. It grew chillier, but in their space -suits, which they had resumed for this expedition, they could keep -warm. They found several areas along the ground where it seemed a bit -warmer than in the cave generally, but after several days of search, -this clue also seemed fruitless. The areas were such that no amount of -digging short of high explosives would suffice. - -Finally when the long Lunar night was almost over, they awakened from -sleep in the cave to face the thought that this too was a blind alley. -Korree entered, the monkey on his shoulder. He made his way to them, -noticed their air of sadness, asked them why. - -Tired, Robin explained to him what they were looking for. His Glassie -friend cocked his head. "You come my home. I show you hot spot," he -said. - -The two men looked up. "What?" asked Peter. Korree repeated his -statement. Peter looked at Robin quizzically. Without another word the -two got up and followed the Glassie. - -The deep cave where the chief made his home was only a short distance -from their own. Here, at the very back of the chief's home, they found -what they sought. There was a thin, sharp crack in the rear wall. The -stone around it was definitely warmer than that in the rest of the -cave. Putting their ears to the crack, they could hear the faint high -whistling of the air current that must be roaring past only a foot or -two beyond. - -"This is why it was picked as the chief's cave," said Robin. "It's -practically air-conditioned!" - -The next day, after the sun had finally made its appearance, the two -started to work in the back of Korree's cave. They worked carefully -with axe and pick, enlarging the crack, chipping away at it. Finally, -they dislodged a sizable segment of rock, enough to allow one man to -squeeze through. - -Sure enough, there was a dark underground channel through whose center -rushed the eternal current of hot volcanic air. This channel probably -had its source somewhere in the still-mysterious depths of the Moon's -core. It wound and forced its way upward doubtless to dissipate -somewhere, as the cold of the surface bore away its warmth, probably to -wind up downward again as a mass of cold gas. - -There was barely enough room at the side of the tunnel for a man to -stand flat against the wall, without touching the blast. - -Robin, who had gone through to examine it, came back out into the light -of Korree's cave. "Well," he asked Peter, "what do we do now?" - -His brother nodded. "I think we can get to the surface all right. Just -get in the blast and let ourselves be blown along upward. When we find -that break, we'll get out of the current and we'll be able to reach our -rocket." - -"Uh huh," said Robin, "and then how do we get back down here again?" - -Peter shrugged. "I don't know. There must be a way." - -The two returned to their own place and talked it over. But the -opportunity was too good to pass up. "Sooner or later," said Robin, -"we're going to do it. So we may as well face that. As for getting -back, perhaps we could simply walk all the way down the channel, -keeping carefully to the side of dead air just beyond the blast." - -Peter frowned. "I don't think you'll find much of that. There can't be -many places where such a dead air channel exists. On the other hand, -if we attack the problem of returning by the old route, we may be able -to find a way through it from that end--or make a new one. Back at the -rocket there are explosives, better tools than those we have. I think -we should risk it." - -"Yes," Robin added, "I think so too. Besides, we ought to fire off some -more flares. Our signals may never have been seen." - -That being settled, the two Earthlings again donned their space suits, -equipped themselves, tied themselves together with a length of cord. -They returned to Korree's cave, explained their project and gravely -shook hands with their Glassie friend. - -Then Robin carefully eased himself through the break into the dark -channel. Peter squeezed through after him, as Robin flattened himself -along the wall and moved aside. Their helmets sealed, Robin counted to -three, and then both leaped forward. - -Instantly the racing wind current caught them up, snatched them off -their feet. They found themselves being blown madly along the darkness -like leaves before a gale. - -The air was hot and Robin felt himself almost scorched as he was hurled -along, his elbows and legs occasionally scraping the wall, once feeling -himself somersaulting upward, twisting and turning in the horrible -blast. - -For a dreadful moment he felt panicky, out of control, utterly helpless -in the grip of the underground tornado. He lighted the flash, saw it -wildly flickering. He drew his legs up, ducked his head, and found he -could get his equilibrium. Ahead of him the tunnel was ascending. He -felt himself rising, felt the slight drag occasionally at his belt as -Peter's bouncing body followed his. - -Now the air began to cool and seemed to slow down slightly. The passage -leveled off, he was whirling down a straight passage, and suddenly, in -a split second of awareness, he saw a faint spot of bright light ahead -of him. He rushed toward it, like a ball buoyed on a stream from a fire -hose. It must be the exit to the surface, he thought, and in a second -held out the axe he gripped in his hand. - -The handle caught at the opening as he went sailing by, jammed, swung -his body against the wall with a smack. Peter's body flashed past, -caught up short by the cord, and also hit the body of airless space on -the outer side of the channel. - -They climbed dazedly to their feet and struggled to the narrow break. -They staggered out onto the surface, now bathed in the blindingly -brilliant light of the sun rising over the peaks of the farther -mountains ringing the crater. - -Around them were the first shoots of the stubborn and hardy surface -vegetation in this crater, dwarfed cousins of the plants below. - -They caught their breath. "Better get moving," said Peter finally. -"This sun is dangerous." - -They started across the floor of the crater, the several hundred feet -to where the nose of the wrecked Russian rocket rested. Both men knew -they were bruised from the short, mad trip. There would be scraped -shins and knees and elbows. But they had made it, that was the thing. - -They were about a hundred feet out, when suddenly Robin stopped, stared -into the sky. Peter followed his glance. - -There was something up there. When they had first glanced up, there was -the Earth still in its place, though now but a crescent. There were the -myriad stars, and the corona-encircled sun. And now there was another -celestial object. A tiny spot of reddish orange was growing in the sky, -growing as they watched it. - -"What is it?" asked Robin in a half whisper, afraid to venture the -thought that was rioting around in his head. - -Peter simply stared, transfixed. - -The moving spot of fire grew rapidly, enlarged, took shape. It was a -tiny stream of energy, like the tail of a tiny comet. It came still -closer. Now they could see a flash of white and silver at its core, -and still it drew closer. Now it took definite shape, a tiny body of -metal and paint riding down on a long stream of atomic fire! - -Then in mere seconds it hung over them, no longer tiny but a giant -tower of polished metal hanging over the crater floor, falling ever -more slowly, its great column of rocket fire reaching and scorching the -surface of the rock. And suddenly, the fire was gone, there was a faint -thud felt through the ground, and the two brothers stood staring. - -Out there, not very distant, was standing a glorious, tall, slender -rocket ship, fresh with paint, beautifully and delicately balanced on -finely tapered fins, graceful as only a space craft can be. - -On its side, clearly visible in the sunlight, was a large blue circle -on which was superimposed the white star of the United States Air -Force. There were numbers and things and a small, black air lock now -opening near the nose of the rocket, but Robin and Peter hardly noticed -these through the tears of joy that sprang to their eyes as they ran -and bounded over the Moon's surface to greet their rescuers. Waving -their hands, shouting, heedless of whether they were being heard, they -were Robinson Crusoes no longer. They were on their way home. - - - - -_ABOUT THE AUTHOR_ - - -Donald A. Wollheim, born in 1914, has lived in New York City all his -life. At first a free-lance writer of stories and articles mainly for -science-fiction magazines, he began his career as editor in 1940. He -has edited all kinds of magazines, including detective, sports, and -western periodicals. In 1952, Mr. Wollheim was invited to launch Ace -Books and has since held the position of editor of these paperbacks. - -Science fiction is Mr. Wollheim's chief interest and hobby. His -collection of science-fiction books and magazines is one of the largest -and his list of published books is a long one. Many distinguished -anthologies of fantasy and science fiction bear his name as editor. -Among his most recent books of original fiction are _The Secret of -Saturn's Rings_ and _The Secret of the Martian Moons_. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's One Against the Moon, by Donald A. 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