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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..6e07fa5 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #61759 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/61759) diff --git a/old/61759-h.zip b/old/61759-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index f06faa3..0000000 --- a/old/61759-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/61759-h/61759-h.htm b/old/61759-h/61759-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 38dedbf..0000000 --- a/old/61759-h/61759-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3031 +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 Cave-dwellers of Saturn, by John Wiggin. - </title> - <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> - - <style type="text/css"> - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - - h1,h2 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - clear: both; -} - -p { - margin-top: .51em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .49em; -} - -hr { - width: 33%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: 33.5%; - margin-right: 33.5%; - clear: both; -} - -hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} -hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} - -.center {text-align: center;} - -.right {text-align: right;} - -.caption {font-weight: bold;} - -/* Images */ -.figcenter { - margin: auto; - text-align: center; -} - -div.titlepage { - text-align: center; - page-break-before: always; - page-break-after: always; -} - -div.titlepage p { - text-align: center; - text-indent: 0em; - font-weight: bold; - line-height: 1.5; - margin-top: 3em; -} - - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Cave-Dwellers of Saturn, by John Wiggin - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere 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/license - - -Title: Cave-Dwellers of Saturn - -Author: John Wiggin - -Release Date: April 5, 2020 [EBook #61759] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAVE-DWELLERS OF SATURN *** - - - - -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="348" height="500" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>Cave-Dwellers of Saturn</h1> - -<h2>By JOHN WIGGIN</h2> - -<p>Across Earth's radiant civilization lay the<br /> -death-shot shadows of the hideous globe-headed<br /> -dwarfs from Mars. One lone Earth-ship dared<br /> -the treachery blockade, risking the planetoid<br /> -peril to find Earth's life element on<br /> -mysterious Saturn of the ten terrible rings.</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Planet Stories Winter 1939.<br /> -Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that<br /> -the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>It was a crisp, clear morning in the city of Copia. A cold winter's -sun glinted on the myriad roof tops of the vast spreading metropolis. -To the north, snow-covered hills gleamed whitely, but the streets -of Copia were dry and clean. There were not many people stirring at -such an early hour. The dozen broad avenues which converged like the -spokes of a great wheel on Government City in the center of Copia were -quite deserted. There was little apparent activity around and about the -majestic Government buildings, but the four mammoth gates were open, -indicating that Government City was open for business.</p> - -<p>At the north gate the sentry, sitting behind his black panel with its -clusters of little lights, switches, and push-buttons, glanced upward. -There was a faint humming and a man was circling downward about a -hundred feet above him. The rays of the early sun flashed off a helmet -and the sentry knew that this man was a soldier. The newcomer dropped -rapidly, the stubbed wings on his back a gray blur. Then the humming -ceased as the soldier switched off his oscillator and landed lightly on -the ground before the sentry.</p> - -<p>The sentry's swift glance took in the immensely tall, broad-shouldered -figure, covered to the ankles in the green cloak. He took in also the -pink, smiling face and merry blue eyes, and the lock of bright red hair -which showed as the soldier pushed his helmet backward off his forehead.</p> - -<p>"Your business?" asked the sentry.</p> - -<p>"I have orders to report to the Commander-in-Chief," said the soldier, -with a pleasant smile.</p> - -<p>"Let's see," said the sentry, glancing at the insignia on the helmet, -"you're a decurion of the Eightieth Division. And the name?"</p> - -<p>"Dynamon," said the soldier.</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes," said the sentry, with a recollective smile, "I remember you -as an athlete. Didn't I see you in the Regional Games two years ago?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said the soldier, with pleased surprise. "I was on the team from -North Central 4B."</p> - -<p>"I thought so," the sentry chuckled. "As I remember you walked away -with practically everything but the stadium. Hold on a minute now and -I'll clear the channels for you."</p> - -<p>The sentry bent over the panels, punched some buttons, threw a switch, -and recited a few words in a monotone. He listened for a moment, then -threw the switch back and looked up.</p> - -<p>"It seems you're expected," he said, "third building to the right and -they'll take care of you there."</p> - -<p>Ten minutes later Dynamon stood in the doorway of a large, beautiful -room and saluted. The salute was answered by a grizzled, dark-skinned -man sitting behind an enormous desk. This man was Argallum, -Commander-in-Chief of the Armies of the World. He rose and beckoned to -the young soldier.</p> - -<p>"This way, Dynamon," said he, opening a small door. "What we have to -talk about requires platinum walls."</p> - -<p>Dynamon's face was a mask as he followed the Commander-in-Chief into -the little room, but his heart was pounding and his mind working fast. -The platinum room! That meant that he was about to learn a secret of -the most vital importance to the world. He remembered now, that there -was a delegation of Martians in Copia. They had arrived about a week -before, ostensibly to carry on negotiations in an effort to avert -the ugly crisis that was developing between Earth and Mars. But the -conviction was growing among the citizens of Copia that the chief -object of the Martian delegation was to spy. It was a well-known fact -that the grotesque little men from the red planet had a superhuman -sense of hearing that seemed to enable them to tune in on spoken -conversations miles away, much as human beings tuned radio sets. They -could hear through walls of brick, stone or steel; the one substance -they could not hear through was platinum. Hence the little room off -the Commander-in-Chief's office which was entirely sheathed in this -precious metal.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Argallum sat down heavily behind a little desk and gestured Dynamon to -be seated opposite him.</p> - -<p>"On the basis of your fine record," said Argallum, "I have selected -you, Dynamon, to lead a dangerous expedition. You may refuse the -assignment after you hear about it, and no blame will attach to you -if you do. It is dangerous, and your chances of returning from it are -unknown. But here it is, anyway.</p> - -<p>"The situation with Mars is growing worse each month. They are making -demands on us which, if we accepted them, would destroy the sovereign -independence of the World-State. We would become a mere political -satellite of Mars. But if we don't accept their demands, we are liable -to a sudden attack from them which we could not withstand. They have -got us in a military way and they know it. We might be able to stand -them off for a while with our fine air force, but if they ever got a -foothold with their land forces, then it's good-bye. They have a new -weapon called the Photo-Atomic Ray against which we have absolutely no -defense. It's a secret lethal ray which far outranges our voltage-bombs -and which penetrates any armor or insulation we've got."</p> - -<p>"Now, of course, our Council of Scientists has been working on the -problem of a defense against the Ray. But the only thing they've come -up with is a vague idea. They believe that there is a substance which -they call 'tridium,' which would absorb or neutralize the Photo-Atomic -Ray. They don't know what tridium looks like, but by spectro-analysis -they know that it exists on the planet Saturn. So I am sending you with -an expedition to Saturn to find, if you can, the substance known as -'tridium,' and bring some of it back if possible."</p> - -<p>"Saturn!" gasped the decurion.</p> - -<p>"I said it would be dangerous," Argallum said, bleakly. "No human being -has ever set foot on the planet, and very little is known about it. -But that's where you'll find tridium, if we're to believe Saturn's -spectrum. You will have the latest, fastest Cosmos Carrier. You will -have a completely equipped expedition. You will have for assistants -the best young men we can find. As head of the expedition, you will be -promoted to the rank of centurion. Do you accept the assignment?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir," said Dynamon, unhesitatingly, "I accept the assignment."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Dynamon walked thoughtfully out of Government city by the North Gate. -The sentry noticed that his helmet was now adorned with the badge -of centurion, and came to a smart salute. Dynamon went past him -without seeing him, and the sentry glared after the new centurion -disapprovingly. Lost in thought, Dynamon kept on walking until he -came to with a start, and found himself in the middle of the shopping -district.</p> - -<p>The sun was getting uncomfortably warm and Dynamon switched off the -electric current that heated his long cloak and looked around him. A -sign in a shop window said, "Only fourteen more shopping days before -the Twenty-fifth of December." Dynamon sighed. He wouldn't be around on -this Twenty-fifth and it was going to be a very gay one. It was to be -the nine hundredth anniversary of the Great Armistice—from which had -come the unification of all the peoples of the Earth. Dynamon sighed -again.</p> - -<p>The long peace was threatened.</p> - -<p>The Earth, in this year of grace 3057, was a wonderful place to live -in, and Copia was the political and cultural center of the Earth. -For nine hundred years now, the peoples of the Earth had lived at -peace with one another as members of a single integrated community. -The World-State had grown into something which that war-torn handful -of people back in 1957 could scarcely have imagined. No longer did -region war against region, or group against group, or class against -class. Humanity had finally united to fight the common enemies—death, -disease, old age, starvation.</p> - -<p>And on this nine hundredth anniversary of the Great Armistice, the -people of the World would have a great deal to celebrate. Disease was -now unknown, as was starvation. Arduous physical labor was abolished, -for now, the heaviest and the slightest tasks were performed by -machines. Pain had been reduced, both physical and mental. Helpless -senility was a thing of the past. Death alone remained. But even death -had been postponed. Human beings now lived to be almost three hundred -years old.</p> - -<p>All in all, Dynamon mused, as he strolled along the broad avenue, the -human race had evolved a pretty satisfactory civilization. More was -the pity, then, that human restlessness and vaulting ambition should -have led to the construction of the great Cosmos Carriers. If Man had -been content to stay on his own little planet, then communication would -never have been established with the jealous little men of Mars, and -this beautiful civilization would not now be threatened by a visitation -of the terrible Martians and their frightful Photo-Atomic Ray. -Dynamon's deep chest swelled a little with pride at the thought that he -had been selected by the Commander-in-Chief to take an important part -in the coming conflict.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>He turned the corner and found himself standing before an imposing -building. Across the top of the facade in block letters was the legend, -"State Theater of Comedy." A few minutes later he stood in front of a -doorway at the side of the great theater building. The door opened and -a tall, lovely girl appeared.</p> - -<p>"Dynamon!" she exclaimed, "I didn't expect to see you for another -ten days." She stepped out of the doorway, and reached her arms up -impulsively, kissing Dynamon.</p> - -<p>The tall young soldier gripped her shoulders hard for a minute, and -then stepped back and looked down into her soft brown eyes.</p> - -<p>"Yes, I know, Keltry," he said soberly. "I had to report on short -notice."</p> - -<p>"Oh!" said the girl called Keltry, "are you here on duty?"</p> - -<p>"Very secret duty," said Dynamon with a meaning look. He twiddled an -imaginary radio-dial in his ear and looked around mysteriously.</p> - -<p>The smile died on Keltry's smooth brown face, to be replaced by an -expression of concern.</p> - -<p>"You mean—them?" she whispered.</p> - -<p>Dynamon nodded. "Yes, I am being transferred to a new post," he said -slowly, "and I thought, if you had no objections, I would ask to have -you transferred along with me."</p> - -<p>"Do you need to ask a question like that?" said Keltry. "You know -perfectly well I'd have a lot of objections if you didn't ask for my -transfer."</p> - -<p>"There may be some danger," he said, giving her an eloquent look.</p> - -<p>"All the more reason why I should be with you," Keltry said quietly.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Four days later, a conference was breaking up in the platinum room -behind the Commander-in-Chief's office. Argallum stood up behind his -desk and carefully folded a number of big charts. He laid one on top of -another, making a neat stack on the desk, then he looked keenly at the -four young men standing before him.</p> - -<p>"Once more, gentlemen," Argallum said, "for the sake of emphasis, -I repeat—Dynamon has complete authority over the expedition. You, -Mortoch"—looking at a lean, hawk-nosed man in a soldier's helmet—"are -in command of the soldiers. And you, Thamon"—turning to a studious, -stoop-shouldered man—"are in charge of civilian activities. And -Borion"—glancing at a stocky, broad-shouldered figure—"you are -responsible for the Carrier. But in the last analysis, you are all -under Dynamon's orders. This is a desperate venture you're going on and -there can be no division of authority."</p> - -<p>There was a moment of silence. Argallum seemed satisfied with the set, -determined expressions on the four men in the room with him. "Are there -any further questions?" he said.</p> - -<p>Dynamon shifted his feet uneasily. "Is the decision—on Keltry, final?" -he said huskily.</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid it is, Dynamon," said Argallum, gently. "I had the director -of the theater over here for half an hour trying to talk him around, -but it was no good. He said he would under no circumstances spare -Keltry. He said she was the most promising young actress in Copia, -and that he would forbid her to go on any dangerous trip. Inasmuch as -Keltry is still an apprentice, the Director has full authority over -her. I can do nothing."</p> - -<p>Dynamon drew himself up to his full height and squared his shoulders. -"Yes, sir," he said briefly.</p> - -<p>"Very well then," said Argallum, "I won't see you again. You will take -off from Vanadium Field promptly at four o'clock tomorrow morning. -Every one of the one hundred and twenty-nine people on the expedition -has his secret orders to be there at three. Dynamon, you have a -hand-picked personnel and every possible resource that our scientists -could think of to help you. May you succeed in your mission."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, sir," they chorused.</p> - -<p>Argallum shook hands separately with each of the four men, after which -they filed out of the platinum room.</p> - -<p>Outside the War Building, Mortoch, the decurion, and Borion, the -Navigator, took their leave of Dynamon and strolled away toward the -West Gate. But Thamon, the scientist, fell in stride with Dynamon.</p> - -<p>"For your sake, I'm sorry," said the stoop-shouldered scientist shyly, -"I mean—about Keltry."</p> - -<p>"Thanks, Thamon," said the centurion. "It was a nasty blow. I don't -know how I'm going to get along without her. I guess I'll just have to."</p> - -<p>"Well—I just wanted you to know," said Thamon, "that I sympathized."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>In the middle of Vanadium Field a great gray shape, like a vast -slumbering whale, could be indistinctly seen in the soft half-light -of the false dawn. No lights showed on the field and no sound was -heard. But scores of people clustered around the sides of the Cosmos -Carrier, dwarfed to ant-like proportions by its great size. Inside the -Carrier, standing near the thick double doors in the Carrier's belly, -was Dynamon, near him his three chief lieutenants, Mortoch, Thamon, and -Borion. The members of the little expeditionary force filed past the -youthful Commander, each one halting before him for a brief inspection. -One hundred brawny soldiers, divided into squads of ten, stepped -through the double doors, each squad led by its decurion. Dynamon ran a -practiced eye over the equipment of each man and then for good measure -turned him over to the scrutiny of the Chief Decurion, Mortoch. Then -came twenty-five civilians, including ten engineers, four dieticians, -five administrators, and six scientists. But for a cruel prank of -fate, Dynamon reflected, his own dear Keltry would be a member of the -expedition.</p> - -<p>But there was no time for regretting that which could not be. Dynamon -turned and walked toward Borion.</p> - -<p>"Are you satisfied?" he asked the navigator. Borion nodded, and -Mortoch and Thamon likewise nodded in answer to Dynamon's unspoken -question.</p> - -<p>"All right," said the young centurion. "Stations!"</p> - -<p>A moment later the great outer door of the Cosmos Carrier swung -silently shut, after which the thick inner door was secured and the -great ship hermetically sealed. Dynamon followed the navigator into the -control room.</p> - -<p>"This is a gorgeous ship!" said Borion. "It's absolutely the last word. -There's a cluster of magnets underneath our feet that are brutes and -yet they can be so finely controlled, I'll guarantee you won't feel -a bump at any time. Dynamon, these magnets are so strong that this -ship will go at least ten times faster than anything that has yet been -built. Once we get up out of the stratosphere, beyond the danger of -friction, we can go almost twenty miles a second. You ready for the -take-off? If you want to use the loud speaker system just throw that -switch."</p> - -<p>Dynamon nodded; a moment later his voice was heard in every compartment -of the Cosmos Carrier.</p> - -<p>"Men, we are taking off. Hold your stations for five minutes, after -which you may take your ease until further commands."</p> - -<p>"Come and watch the altimeter," Borion said after Dynamon closed the -loud speaker switch. "You won't believe we're off the ground, these -controls are so smooth." The centurion watched the needle creep gently -upward a few feet at a time. But he could feel no trace of motion.</p> - -<p>"I'm going to take her up vertically to two thousand feet," said -Borion. "Then we'll be clear of all obstacles and can pick up our -course horizontally—"</p> - -<p>"Yes, good," Dynamon broke in quickly, "but don't tell me your course -until we are out of the stratosphere."</p> - -<p>"Aye, aye, sir," said Borion with a wink, "little pitchers have big -ears, don't they?"</p> - -<p>"How soon will we get out of the stratosphere?" Dynamon asked.</p> - -<p>"Well, I'm lifting her very slowly," answered the navigator, "I don't -want to take any chances on friction. I would say in about three hours -from now we will be ready to go."</p> - -<p>"I will be with you then," said Dynamon, and walked out the door.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The young centurion had in mind to make a thorough inspection of the -entire ship, but he had scarcely been ten minutes away from the control -room when the loud-speaker system boomed forth.</p> - -<p>"Centurion Dynamon is requested to come to the control room." Dynamon -hurried up a metal staircase and then through a companionway. As he -threw open the door to the control room, Borion turned quickly and -laid a finger on his lips. Then the navigator gestured Dynamon toward -a series of glass panels. There were six of these panels, each about a -foot square, and ranged in two vertical rows of three each. One word, -"periscopes," was stenciled at the top, and beside each mirror were -other labels, "port bow," "port beam," "port quarter." The other three -panels were labeled in the same way, designating their location on -the starboard side. Borion flicked the switch beside the "starboard -quarter" panel and it become dimly illuminated. Dynamon threw a swift -glance at the altimeter, and saw that it said two thousand feet. Then -he bent over and peered into the periscope panel. A wide panorama of -twinkling lights spread out before him, the street lights of Copia. -But the pale blue of approaching dawn was creeping fast over the city, -shedding just enough light to reveal a dark shape a mile behind the -Cosmos Carrier, and perhaps a thousand feet below. As Dynamon stared -into the periscope screen, he thought he could detect a faint glow of -red in the following shape. He turned questioningly to Borion. The -navigator was writing rapidly on a piece of paper. A second later he -handed the paper to Dynamon. It said:</p> - -<p>"I queried Headquarters and was told that the conference with the -Martian delegation is still officially going on. But that Carrier -following us is bright red, the color of the Martian Carriers."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Dynamon held the piece of paper in his hand for a minute and gazed -doubtfully into the periscope screen. Then he took the pencil from -Borion and, bending over, wrote the following:</p> - -<p>"I don't like the looks of this. Can we out-run them once we get out of -the atmosphere?"</p> - -<p>Borion nodded slowly.</p> - -<p>"As far as I know, we can," he said, "unless—" he reached for the -paper in Dynamon's hand and wrote "—unless they have developed a new -wrinkle in their Carriers that we don't know anything about."</p> - -<p>"Well," said Dynamon, "we won't waste time worrying about things over -which we have no control. Proceed as usual."</p> - -<p>There followed some anxious hours, which Dynamon spent with his eyes -glued to the periscope mirror. In a short time the early golden -rays of the sun appeared, and the Martian Carrier followed behind -inexorably, glowed an ugly menacing crimson. Once Dynamon instructed -his communications officer to speak to the Martian ship.</p> - -<p>"Lovely morning, Mars. Where are you bound for?" was the casual message.</p> - -<p>There came back a terse answer, "Test flight, and you?"</p> - -<p>"We're testing, too," Dynamon's communications officer said. "We'll -show you some tricks up beyond the stratosphere."</p> - -<p>All so elaborately casual, Dynamon thought grimly. It was fairly -evident that the Martian ship intended to follow the Earth Carrier to -find out where it was going. Those inhuman devils! Why did the Earth's -people ever have to come in contact with them?</p> - -<p>Dynamon's thoughts went back to his childhood, to that terrible -time when the men of Mars had abruptly declared war and descended -suddenly onto the Earth in thousands of Cosmos Carriers. Only the -timely invention of that remarkable substance, Geistfactor, had saved -Earth then. It was a creamy liquid, which spread over any surface, -rendered the object invisible. The principle underlying Geistfactor was -simplicity itself, being merely an application of ultra high-frequency -color waves. But it saved the day for Earth. The World Armies, cloaked -in their new-found invisibility, struck in a dozen places at the -ravaging hordes from Mars. The invaders, in spite of their prodigious -intellectual powers, could not defend themselves against an unseen -enemy, and had been forced to withdraw the remnants of their army and -sue for peace.</p> - -<p>But the unremitting jealousy and hatred of the little men with the -giant heads for Earth's creatures was leading to new trouble. It -enraged the Martians to think that human beings, whom they despised as -inferior creatures, should have first thought of spanning the yawning -distances between the planets of the solar system. It was doubly -humiliating to the Martians that when they, too, followed suit and -went in for interplanetary travel, they could do no better than to -copy faithfully the human invention of the Cosmos Carrier. It was only -too evident that Mars was gathering its strength for another lightning -thrust at the Earth. This time, with the Photo-Atomic Ray, there was -no doubt that they intended to destroy or subjugate Earth's peoples -for good. And to that end the Martians had been inventing new bones of -contention and had been contriving new crises. A peace-minded World -Government had been trying to stave off the inevitable conflict with -conference after conference. But to those on the inside it was only too -evident that the Martians could invent pretexts for war faster than -Earth could evade them.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Dynamon, watching the blood-red Carrier in the periscope mirror, felt a -surging bitterness at the Martians. If they could only be reasonable, -he reflected, if only they could be <i>human</i>, then he, Dynamon, would -not now be floating away on a dangerous mission far from the Earth and -the woman he loved. He tried to imagine what Keltry was doing at that -moment. In his mind's eye he could see her on the stage of the Theater -of Comedy, enthralling audiences with her youthful charm as she played -a part in the latest witty comedy, or sang a gay ballad in a new revue.</p> - -<p>He broke out of his reverie and tossed a glance at the altimeter. The -needle was moving much faster now, climbing steadily toward seventy -thousand feet.</p> - -<p>"It's about time to go now, isn't it?" he asked Borion.</p> - -<p>The navigator nodded. "Just about," he said, and put his hand on a -lever marked "gravity repellor."</p> - -<p>As the navigator pushed the lever smoothly forward, Dynamon turned back -to the periscope mirror and saw the red ship behind suddenly dwindle in -size. The new Cosmos Carrier was beginning to show its speed.</p> - -<p>Apparently, the Martians were momentarily caught off guard. The red -Carrier diminished to a tiny speck against the dark background of -the Earth. But then it began to grow in size again as the Martians -unleashed the power in their great magnets.</p> - -<p>"Borion, how about friction?" Dynamon asked.</p> - -<p>"We don't have to worry about that yet," was the answer, "we're not -going fast enough. And the temperature outside is about sixty-five -below."</p> - -<p>Dynamon nodded and glanced again at the altimeter. The needle was -steadily climbing, a mile every ten seconds. Once again he looked into -the screen of the periscope. The Earth was now far enough away so that -the young centurion could begin to make out the broad arc which was -a part of the curving circumference of the globe. Silently he said a -final good-bye to Keltry and turned to speak to Borion. At that moment -the door of the control room burst open and an engineer stepped in and -saluted the navigator.</p> - -<p>"Stowaway, sir," the engineer said. "Just found her in the munitions -compartment."</p> - -<p>Dynamon stared out through the open door at the woman who stood out -there between two soldiers.</p> - -<p>It was Keltry.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>It was a harried and heartsick centurion who, a few minutes later, -called a conference in his own quarters. Borion and Thamon sat -regarding him gravely, while Mortoch, the second in command, lounged -against the wall, a faint, derisive smile on his lean face.</p> - -<p>"We are faced with a situation," Dynamon said heavily. "I would like to -hear some opinions."</p> - -<p>"Flagrant case of indiscipline," Mortoch said promptly; "that is, if -we can regard this impersonally."</p> - -<p>"Personalities," said Dynamon sharply, "will have no influence on my -final decision."</p> - -<p>"In that case," said Mortoch harshly, "it seems to me, you are bound -to put back to Earth and hand the woman over to the right people for -corrective action."</p> - -<p>"Good heavens!" cried Borion, "I hope we don't have to do that. We -already have a problem on our hands in the shape of that Martian -Carrier."</p> - -<p>"What do you say, Thamon?" the centurion asked after a significant -pause.</p> - -<p>"Well," said the scientist quietly, "you can't altogether regard the -situation without considering personalities. Keltry stowed away for a -very personal reason, and one which it is hard to condemn entirely. I -think we are over-emphasizing the official breach of discipline. I, -personally, can't see that it makes so much difference. After all, -we on this expedition are on our own and are likely to remain so for -some time to come. I am in favor of going along about our business and -forgetting how Keltry came aboard."</p> - -<p>"Spoken like a civilian," said Mortoch sourly, "and I hold to my -opinion. Just because Dynamon was promoted over my head, I see no -reason for trying to curry favor with him."</p> - -<p>There was an awkward silence during which Dynamon's face grew very pink -and his blue eyes grew cold.</p> - -<p>"I'm going to forget what you just said, Mortoch," he said. "You are a -valued member of this expedition, and you are much too good a soldier -to overlook the danger that lies in that kind of talk. Without my -participation, you are out-voted two to one. We will not turn back."</p> - -<p>He stood up with a gesture of dismissal and the three lieutenants filed -out of the door. He paced the floor of his quarters for a few minutes, -then walked to the door and gave orders for the prisoner to be sent in.</p> - -<p>"Ah, Keltry darling," he said after the guard had left the two of them -alone, "you have put me in an impossible position."</p> - -<p>"I don't see why it should be that bad," Keltry answered. "It was an -inhuman thing to do to separate us and I just wasn't going to permit -it."</p> - -<p>"Yes, but don't you see?" said Dynamon, "I will be accused of playing -favorites because I don't turn around and take you back to Earth."</p> - -<p>"I'm not asking favors," Keltry retorted calmly, "I just want to be a -member of this expedition."</p> - -<p>Whatever Dynamon was going to answer to that, it was interrupted by the -loud-speaker booming:</p> - -<p>"Centurion Dynamon is requested at the control room."</p> - -<p>Dynamon leapt to his feet, crushed Keltry to him in a swift brief -embrace and then opened the door.</p> - -<p>"Escort the prisoner to the scientist's quarters," he ordered, "and -release her."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Dynamon walked into the control room and saw that Borion's face was -gray. The navigator was standing in front of the periscope screens -looking from one to another. The centurion walked over and stood beside -him.</p> - -<p>"The Martians are showing their hand finally," said Borion. "They have -decided that we're headed for another planet, and I don't think that -they want to let us carry out our intention. See, here and here?" -Dynamon peered into the port and starboard bow panels. He could see -dozens of little red specks rapidly growing larger.</p> - -<p>"They will try and surround us," Borion said, "and blanket our magnets -with their own."</p> - -<p>"That's not so good, is it?" Dynamon murmured. "What is our altitude -from Earth?"</p> - -<p>"Forty miles," was the reply, "and I think they still may be able to -overhear our conversation."</p> - -<p>"Let them," said Dynamon quietly, "We have no secrets from them and -they may as well know that we're going to out-run them. Full speed, -Borion!"</p> - -<p>The Navigator advanced the "repellor" lever as far as it would go. -There was a slight jerk under foot. Then he adjusted a needle on a -large dial and moved the "attractor" lever to its full distance. There -was another jerk as the great Carrier lunged forward through space. -Borion smiled.</p> - -<p>"I put the attractor beam on the moon," he said, "and we'll be hitting -it up close to nineteen miles a second in a few minutes. We should walk -away from those drops of blood, over there."</p> - -<p>"Are we pointing away from them enough?" Dynamon asked. "What's to -prevent them from changing their course and cutting over to intercept -us? See, that's what they appear to be doing now."</p> - -<p>The navigator peered critically at the forward periscope screens. "It -may be a close shave at that," he admitted. "But please trust me, -Dynamon, I'll make it past them."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The tiny red specks in the periscope screens were growing shockingly -fast, indicating the frightful speed at which the Earth-Carrier was -traveling. Bigger and bigger they grew under Dynamon's fascinated gaze. -The centurion darted a glance at Borion. In this fantastic encounter, -every second counted. Could the navigator elude the pursuing red -Carriers? Borion haunched tensely over the control levers, his eyes -glued to the screens. The Martian ships were as big as cigars now and -tripling their size with every heartbeat. Dynamon clenched his fist -involuntarily and fought down an impulse to shout a warning. That would -be worse than useless now—the fate of the expedition was entirely in -the hands of Borion.</p> - -<p>Dynamon held his breath as a flash of red flicked across the port bow -periscope screen. The Carrier heaved under his feet for a second then -quickly settled to an even keel again. The sweat stood out in little -drops on Borion's forehead.</p> - -<p>"Too close for comfort," muttered the navigator. His eyes widened as -another huge red shape loomed up in the starboard bow screen. Borion's -hands flicked over a dial spinning a needle around. Then he hung -desperately back on the repellor. There was a momentary shock. The -Carrier seemed to bounce off something. Borion staggered and Dynamon -hurled forward and crashed into the forward bulkhead of the control -room.</p> - -<p>Then Borion shouted, "We're through!"</p> - -<p>Dynamon picked himself up off the floor with a rueful smile. "I thought -we were <i>all</i> through for a minute," he observed.</p> - -<p>"Well! That was a bad minute there!" said Borion excitedly. "I thought -that one fellow was going to get us, but I kicked him off by throwing -the beam on him and giving him the repellor. But you can see for -yourself, they are far behind now, and they'll never in the world be -able to catch up."</p> - -<p>Dynamon peered into the port and starboard quarter screens and saw a -group of rapidly diminishing red specks. He looked up with a sigh of -relief.</p> - -<p>"Good work, Borion," he said, and the navigator grinned.</p> - -<p>"I don't think we will have to worry any more about the Martian ships -from now on, if we're careful," Borion said. "I'm going to run for -the shadow of the moon and from there I'll plot a course straight for -Jupiter, avoiding Mars entirely."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The door to the control room opened, and a smiling, spectacled face -peered in. It was Thamon, the scientist.</p> - -<p>"That was quite a bump," Thamon observed. "Were we trying to knock down -an asteroid?"</p> - -<p>Dynamon gave a short laugh. "No, that was merely some of our friends -from Mars trying to head us off. But they're far behind now and we -don't anticipate any trouble for a good many days."</p> - -<p>"Ah, round one to the Earth people," Thamon observed. "In that case, -Dynamon, have you decided how you are going to conduct affairs within -the Carrier in the immediate future?"</p> - -<p>"Not quite," Dynamon replied. "Suppose we discuss that, in my quarters?"</p> - -<p>Thamon nodded. "I'm at your disposal, Centurion."</p> - -<p>Dynamon led the way down the little stair and into the compartment that -served as his office. Once there, he threw off his long military cloak -and sat down at a little table, his great bronzed shoulders gleaming in -the soft artificial light.</p> - -<p>"I suppose the first question," said Thamon, sitting down opposite the -centurion, "is whether to institute suspended animation on board?"</p> - -<p>"I think we'd better, don't you?" said Dynamon.</p> - -<p>"It would save a lot of food and oxygen," the scientist replied. "You -see, even at our tremendous rate of speed now, it will take two hundred -and twenty-six days to reach the outer layer of Saturn's atmosphere. -Until we actually land the ship, there is no conceivable emergency that -couldn't be handled by a skeleton crew."</p> - -<p>"Quite right," said Dynamon. "I'll have Mortoch take charge of the -arrangements, if you will stand by to supervise the technical side."</p> - -<p>"It's as good as done," said Thamon. "We have the newest type of -refrigeration system in the main saloon. I can drop the temperature one -hundred and fifty degrees in one-fifth of a second. By the way, I was a -little worried by that outburst of Mortoch's when we were talking about -Keltry."</p> - -<p>"Oh, well," said Dynamon, "Mortoch is only human. He was a Senior -Decurion and I was passed over him for this job. He couldn't help but -be a little jealous. But he will be all right, he's a soldier, after -all."</p> - -<p>"I hope so," said Thamon, doubtfully.</p> - -<p>"Why certainly," Dynamon affirmed. "As a matter of fact, I wish he had -been given the command in the first place. Between you and me, I'm -not too keen about this expedition to a comparatively unknown planet. -Thamon, why on earth weren't human beings content to stay at home? Why -did they have to go to such endless pains to construct these Cosmos -Carriers? Before these things were invented, the inhabitants of Earth -and the inhabitants of Mars didn't know that each other existed, and -they were perfectly happy about it. But when they both began spinning -around through space between the planets, all of a sudden the Solar -System was not big enough to hold both Peoples."</p> - -<p>"It's some fatal restlessness in the make-up of human beings," Thamon -replied. "Do you realize how far back Man has been trying to reach out -to other planets?"</p> - -<p>"Well, the first successful trip in a Cosmos Carrier was made -seventy-eight years ago," said Dynamon.</p> - -<p>Thamon chuckled.</p> - -<p>"As far as we <i>know</i>, that was the first successful trip," the -scientist corrected. "As a matter of fact, the first Cosmos Carrier was -anticipated hundreds of years ago. Just the other day in the library, -I found a very interesting account of an archaeological discovery made -up in North Central 3A—the island that the ancients called Britain. A -complete set of drawings and building plans was found in an admirable -state of preservation. The date on the plans was 1956, and as you will -remember from your school history, all of North Central by that time -had been terribly ravaged by the wars. The inventor, whose name was -Leonard Bolton, called his contrivance a 'space ship.' Wonderful, those -old names, aren't they? But the most remarkable thing of all, is, that -the designs for that 'space ship' were very practical. If the man ever -had a chance to build one, which he probably didn't, it might very well -have been a successful vehicle."</p> - -<p>"That's very interesting," said Dynamon. "Were there any clues as to -what happened to Leonard Bolton?"</p> - -<p>"None at all," the scientist replied. "All we know about him is that -he designed the 'space ship' and then was presumably blotted out by -the savage weapons used in the warfare of those days. But, as I say, -the remarkable thing is that when we got around to building a Cosmos -Carrier eighty years ago, we were able to use several of Leonard -Bolton's ideas. Which all goes to show, I suppose, there's nothing new -under the sun."</p> - -<p>"I'm not so sure about that," said Dynamon with a smile. "I've an idea -that we're going to bump into several things new to us on the planet -Saturn."</p> - -<p>"As to that," Thamon nodded, "I shouldn't be surprised if you are -right. Now I suppose I'd better go and make arrangements for the -refrigeration job. Will Mortoch be responsible for providing each -individual with a hypodermic and return-to-life tablets?"</p> - -<p>"That will be taken care of," said Dynamon. "I'll see you later."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Dynamon stood beside Borion in the control room, staring fascinatedly -at the periscope screens. The images that were reflected in the six -panels made up a composite scene that was awe-inspiring and fearsome. -The great Cosmos Carrier was finally arriving at the end of its seven -months' journey. In front of the Earthcraft, a vast, barren expanse, -uniformly dark gray in color spread for thousands of miles. To one side -of the Carrier a wide belt of mist and shimmering particles stretched -upward from the planet out toward space. Dynamon realized that this was -a small section of the great ring encircling Saturn, that could be seen -in the powerful telescopes from Earth. Glancing at the stern vision -screens, Dynamon saw the sun twinkling. So far away it was now, that it -was hardly bigger than a large star and gave off not much more light. -Even though they were coming to Saturn in the middle of a Saturnian -day, there was no more than a gloomy half-light to illumine their way.</p> - -<p>"Saturn revolves on its axis with such speed," observed Borion, "that -I should imagine there will be tremendous prevailing winds on the -surface. I think I can see a range of steep mountains down there; it -might not be a bad idea if we landed in the lee of them."</p> - -<p>"Yes," agreed Dynamon, "I think that would be a good idea. As a matter -of fact, we may have to dig below the surface entirely to prevent being -blown away. How is the gravitation pull?"</p> - -<p>"It's a curious thing," Borion replied. "It should be tremendous but -the centrifugal force is so strong that it counterbalances to a certain -extent. The ship is handling very easily."</p> - -<p>"How soon do you think we'll make the surface?" said Dynamon.</p> - -<p>"I should estimate somewhere around six hours from now," the navigator -answered. "I could make it sooner but I'm feeling my way."</p> - -<p>"That suits me," said Dynamon. "That will give us just time to turn off -the refrigeration and bring our people back to life. Lucky devils to be -able to sleep through this trip—have you ever been so bored in your -life?"</p> - -<p>"Never," agreed Borion. "But I am not bored now."</p> - -<p>Dynamon walked across the control room and threw a large switch in the -wall panel.</p> - -<p>"Decurion Mortoch and Scientist Thamon," he said into the loud-speaker -system. "Proceed at once to remove the suspension-of-life condition -in the main saloon. As soon as everyone is revived, stand by to take -landing stations."</p> - -<p>As the centurion closed the switch and turned away, Borion called him -over again to the periscope screens.</p> - -<p>"That <i>is</i> a range of mountains," said the navigator. "I can see it -more clearly now. I think I'll slow up our descent a little bit so -that by the time we're ready to land it will be midday again. As you -probably know, Saturn makes a complete revolution in only a little more -than ten hours."</p> - -<p>"That sounds sensible," said Dynamon. "We'll need all the light we can -get to make a safe landing."</p> - -<p>Borion nodded and reached toward the repellor lever. He pushed it -gently forward and then looked at his altimeter. He seemed to be -dissatisfied with the altimeter reading and pushed forward the -repellor lever a little more. Then he looked again at the altimeter, -and an expression of bewilderment came over his face. With a muttered -exclamation he jammed the repellor lever as far ahead as it would go, -at the same time watching the altimeter. Dynamon sensed that something -was wrong as he watched the color drain out of the navigator's face.</p> - -<p>"The Saints preserve us!" the navigator cried hoarsly. "Something has -gone terribly wrong—the repellor isn't working! We're dropping at a -frightful rate of speed—!"</p> - -<p>Borion leapt to the loud-speaker system and issued rapid orders to the -navigating engineers.</p> - -<p>"What's going to happen to us?" Dynamon demanded.</p> - -<p>"I don't know," Borion said, his face ashen. "I think it is just a -simple mechanical failure in the controls from the repellor lever down -to the magnets. I don't know how soon my workers can discover the -trouble and repair it. In the mean time—"</p> - -<p>"In the mean time," Dynamon broke in gloomily, "we may all be spattered -all over that gray landscape."</p> - -<p>"Either that," Borion gritted, "or we burn to a crisp from the -atmospheric friction. I can feel it getting warmer in here already."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Dynamon fought down the sickening sensation of panic that was starting -to creep over him.</p> - -<p>"How long do you think we have got?" he said with an effort.</p> - -<p>"At the most," said Borion staring, white lipped, at the altimeter, "at -the most, I should say a half an hour."</p> - -<p>The door to the control room burst open and Thamon rushed in closely -followed by Keltry.</p> - -<p>"I heard you talking to your engineers, Borion," the scientist said -rapidly. "Are we in trouble?"</p> - -<p>"We are," said Borion, "and it may be the last trouble any of us ever -have. Our repellor has gone out for some reason. And we're heading for -the surface of Saturn like a meteorite."</p> - -<p>"Can't anything be done?" said Thamon.</p> - -<p>"My engineers are doing all they can to find the source of the -trouble," Borion replied. "But until they do, I can't slow the ship up."</p> - -<p>Keltry's great brown eyes were enormous as she moved over beside -Dynamon and took his right hand in hers.</p> - -<p>"As long as I'm with you, Dynamon," she said in a low voice, "I'm not -afraid to die. But I hate to see your expedition fail. Perhaps the fate -of the Earth depends on us here in this Carrier."</p> - -<p>"I know," said Dynamon, squeezing her hand. His eyes followed Borion as -the navigator went to the loud-speaker system again. But apparently the -news from below was not encouraging, and Borion's shoulders sagged as -he turned to face the other three people in the control room.</p> - -<p>"They haven't found the source of the trouble yet," he said dully, -"and there's not a thing to be done until they do. I'm sorry that, as -navigator of this Carrier, I am plunging you all to your death. But -it's a case of a simple mechanical failure which I couldn't foresee."</p> - -<p>Keltry stepped forward impulsively and laid her hand on the navigator's -wrist.</p> - -<p>"Nobody could blame you, Borion," she said gently. "It isn't your fault -if the attractor or the repellor lever, whichever it is, gets broken. -You are already—"</p> - -<p>"Wait a minute!" Borion shouted, eyes darting out of his head. "The -attractor! In my excitement I forgot!"</p> - -<p>The navigator leapt to the control levers, spun the dial and put his -hand on the attractor lever.</p> - -<p>"If—I'm only—on time!" he muttered agonizedly. "It's just -possible—the counter-attraction of Jupiter—Lord it's hot!"</p> - -<p>The control room was silent as death as the navigator eased the -attractor lever carefully forward. Dynamon whipped a glance at the -periscope screens. The ground was rushing up at a terrific rate, and -out behind the Carrier, a dense cloud of black smoke was forming. The -veins were standing out in Borion's forehead as he inched the attractor -lever forward. The girl and the two men watched him with bated breath -as he slowly raised his eyes to the altimeter. A wild incredulous -expression appearing on the navigator's face.</p> - -<p>"<i>It's—it's working!</i>" Borion muttered hoarsly, "<i>the attractor beam -from Jupiter is slowing us up!</i>"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Dynamon's heart leapt and he sprang back to the periscope screens. -The column of smoke behind them was still there but it seemed to be -thinning out. But the surface of Saturn seemed to be rushing upward -just as fast as ever. Dynamon twisted his head around to look at -Borion. A feverish smile was lighting up the navigator's face as he -pressed forward on the attractor lever.</p> - -<p>"We may just make it!" he breathed, and Dynamon said a little prayer.</p> - -<p>In the screen a range of dark gray mountains stood out in bold relief -and seemed to reach claw-like peaks toward the speeding Carrier. But -the smoke had ceased to whip past, and only a small black cloud far -behind served to remind Dynamon of the fearful friction that the -surface of the ship had been subjected to. At the same time Dynamon -felt an invisible force dragging him toward the front bulkhead of the -control room, and he knew that the Carrier was slowing up its forward -speed. Through the bow periscopes the jagged range of mountains seemed -so close that Dynamon almost felt he could reach out and touch them. -Miraculously, they rose up to one side of the ship. A moment later a -voice sounded in the loud-speaker system.</p> - -<p>"The magnet room calling the navigator. A break in the control shaft -has been discovered and repaired. Throw the repellor lever into neutral -and then advance it."</p> - -<p>Borion gave a little sob, flicked back the repellor and then pushed -it forward again. The floor of the control room heaved for a minute -and then settled on an even keel, Dynamon stared unbelievingly at the -starboard midship's periscope screens and saw that the great Carrier -was resting immobile not more than twenty feet above the gray soil of -Saturn.</p> - -<p>"Saved!" cried Borion hysterically, "and it was Keltry who did it! In -my excitement I would have let all of us plunge to our death, if Keltry -hadn't reminded me that there was such a thing as an attractor lever! -Dynamon, Thamon, we should get down on our knees and thank our stars -that Keltry was in here!"</p> - -<p>The door of the control room opened and Mortoch stepped in.</p> - -<p>"Do you have to toss us around like that?" the lean decurion said. "I -had a near-panic on my hands with some of those people just coming out -of their suspended animation. Oh!—" Mortoch smiled ironically—"I -begin to see why we had such a rough passage. If beautiful stowaways -are given the run of the control room, I should imagine it would be -hard for the navigator to keep his mind on his work."</p> - -<p>Borion started forward with a snarl but Dynamon's voice cracked like a -whip.</p> - -<p>"Attention! Both of you! Try and remember that you are modern, -civilized men, not twentieth century brutes."</p> - -<p>Borion's hands fell to his sides, and he began to laugh.</p> - -<p>"You're absolutely right, Dynamon," he said, "I don't know why I should -let myself be annoyed by this crude soldier. After all, the cream of -the joke is that Mortoch would never have been able to come in here and -make sarcastic remarks about Keltry, if Keltry hadn't been here for the -past half hour."</p> - -<p>"What do you mean by that?" said Mortoch suspiciously.</p> - -<p>"I mean," said Borion, "that if Keltry had not been in here, you and -everybody else aboard this Carrier would now be dead."</p> - -<p>"Now!" said Dynamon. "I think we have had enough of personalities. -Suppose we get a little work done. Mortoch, prepare the First Decuria -for reconnaissance duty. Each man should be equipped with cloak, oxygen -mask, counter-gravity helmets, and a supply of voltage bombs, and each -man's radio should be set at eighty-one thousand meters. Have them -ready at the main door in fifteen minutes. I will lead them on a short -tour of exploration and Thamon will accompany me. In the mean time, -Mortoch, you will remain in charge of the Carrier until I get back."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Dynamon's heart was pounding with excitement as he and Thamon walked -through the main saloon toward the group of cloaked figures standing -by the big round door. As far as he knew he was going to be the first -human being ever to step foot on the planet Saturn. He mentally -checked over his own equipment and made sure that it was all in place, -including the hard rubber box slung over his shoulder on a strap. That -box contained his supply of voltage bombs—little glass spheroids, -smaller than golf balls, which, when hurled at an enemy, burst -releasing a tremendous electric charge. There was little likelihood -that these bombs would be needed, because the periscope screens had -shown no sign of life anywhere in the gray, arid valley in which the -Cosmos Carrier was lying. However, Dynamon was taking no chances. -He glanced briefly at Thamon beside him. The scientist was unarmed, -carrying the light metal staff which was the badge of his profession.</p> - -<p>Dynamon stepped forward and ran his eyes quickly over the masked, -muffled figures of the First Decuria. Then he signed to an engineer who -quickly unfastened the great door. Dynamon then stepped through and his -party followed him crowding into the air lock between the inner and -outer doors. Thamon stepped forward, maneuvered a lever, the outer door -swung open and Saturn lay waiting for the touch of Dynamon's foot.</p> - -<p>It was not an especially inviting prospect. A blast of unbelievably -cold air swirled through the open door, carrying with it particles of -fine, gray sand. In the dim, murky twilight, tall gray mountains loomed -ominously across the valley floor. Dynamon shivered and turned up the -heat in his electric cloak. Then with one hand on the knob of his -counter-gravity helmet he stepped gingerly out on to the ground.</p> - -<p>Instantly he sank to his knees in gray sand that was as light and -powdery as fresh snow. With a quick twist of the knob on his helmet he -kicked his feet free and stood lightly on the surface again.</p> - -<p>"Attention, First Decuria!" he said into the transmitter of his radio -phone. "Adjust counter-gravitation to approximately plus ten pounds."</p> - -<p>Stepping backward, he turned and watched the masked figures of his -command leave the Carrier one by one. Thamon came out first, followed -by the Decurion, and after him the soldiers. Mechanically, Dynamon -counted them. As the tenth soldier stepped out on the gray soil, -Dynamon started to turn away when to his astonishment an eleventh -cloaked figure came out of the door of the Carrier.</p> - -<p>"Decurion!" Dynamon said sharply into his transmitter, "since when have -you had eleven men in your command?"</p> - -<p>"Never," came back the prompt answer in Dynamon's ears. As the decurion -faced about to count his men, one of them moved over beside Dynamon.</p> - -<p>"Forgive me, Dynamon," came a soft feminine voice, "but I had to come -with you. It's Keltry. Please don't send me back, I promise not to be -any trouble."</p> - -<p>Dynamon hesitated, then reluctantly agreed to allow her to come along.</p> - -<p>"Stay close to Thamon," he warned, and started off down the valley, the -rest of the party following him.</p> - -<p>Lightened as they were to keep from sinking deep into the treacherous -powdery sand, the humans made fast progress, accelerated by the strong -breeze that blew at their backs down the valley. At that, Dynamon -realized that the lofty mountains on either side provided protection -against immeasurably stronger winds higher up. From the saw-toothed -peaks on the left, dark streamers of sand stood out for yards, -indicating constant winds of gale proportions up there.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The valley itself, as far as Dynamon could see in the dim half-light, -was barren of any kind of life. There was no sign of a creeping, -crawling, or flying creature; nor was there any vegetation, trees or -grass. Dynamon led his column nearly a mile down the unchanging gray of -the valley and then called a halt.</p> - -<p>"Thamon," he said, beckoning the scientist to him, "can you see any -possibility of human habitation in this valley?"</p> - -<p>"Off-hand, I don't, not on the surface," the scientist replied. "I -would have to test the atmosphere for oxygen, but I doubt if there is a -large enough proportion. My guess is that there is nothing but nitrogen -in this air. That won't support human life, or any other kind of life -except possibly certain kinds of plants."</p> - -<p>"What about tridium?" said Dynamon. "How do you go about looking for -it?"</p> - -<p>"Electrophysiological tests of all kinds," said Thamon. "I must say -this valley doesn't look very encouraging. It looks like burned out -volcanic ash. Say! What's that up the valley?"</p> - -<p>Dynamon gazed back in the direction of the Cosmos Carrier, and felt an -uneasy prickling along his spine. The desert valley floor behind them -seemed suddenly to have sprouted some tall bushes. There were possibly -a dozen of them standing at intervals of twenty yards. They were too -far away—perhaps one eighth of a mile—for Dynamon to see them very -well, but they appeared to consist of a score of leafless branches -radiating outward in all directions from a small core. It was as if a -basket ball was bristling with ten-foot javelins.</p> - -<p>"Where did they come from?" Dynamon gasped. "I didn't see them when we -walked over that ground a few minutes ago."</p> - -<p>"Nor I," agreed Thamon. "I can't imagine where they came from."</p> - -<p>Just then one of the bushes apparently moved a few feet as if blown by -the wind.</p> - -<p>"Good Lord!" exclaimed Thamon. "Did you see that? One of those things -rolled forward!"</p> - -<p>Then another of the fantastic bushes started to roll, and another, and -another. In a moment all twelve of the extraordinary apparitions were -rolling rapidly down the wind toward the humans. Dynamon felt the hair -on the back of his neck stiffen, and he sprang into action, commanding -his soldiers to converge around him.</p> - -<p>"Thamon, what <i>are</i> those things!" Dynamon cried.</p> - -<p>"I don't know," the scientist replied. "I don't think they can be -animals. But they might be rootless nitrogen-feeding plants of some -kind. Look! Those branches are covered with long thorns!"</p> - -<p>The fantastic creatures were rolling swiftly down on the little group -of humans, and Dynamon could see the sharp thorns around the end of -each branch. He reached into the box at his hip.</p> - -<p>"Decuria, ready with voltage bombs," he commanded, and looking around -saw that each man held one of the little glass bombs in his hand. The -bushes were only fifty feet away now, rolling lightly over the gray -sand on their spindly branches.</p> - -<p>"Ready?" warned Dynamon, "throw!"</p> - -<p>A shower of glistening glass balls flew through the air into the midst -of the menacing apparitions. There was a series of blinding flashes and -loud reports. Some jagged white lines appeared among the black branches -of the monsters, but they kept right on rolling downwind. Dynamon felt -a surge of dismay. Those voltage bombs had been, for years, Man's best -weapon.</p> - -<p>"They're plants all right!" came Thamon's voice. "You can't kill them -with electricity any more than you can kill a tree!"</p> - -<p>Dynamon looked at the men huddled about him and thought quickly.</p> - -<p>"All we can do, men, is to try and dodge them," he announced. "Spread -out and as soon as one of those things passes you run upwind! Keltry! -Thamon! Stay close to me."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The line of rolling bushes was almost upon them as the soldiers -deployed in all directions. Seizing Keltry by the hand, Dynamon -leapt to one side dragging her out of the path of one of the spiney -monsters. Thamon gasped a warning, and Dynamon, turning his head, felt -a thrill of horror as he saw another of the creatures almost on top -of them. Acting instinctively, Dynamon snatched the metal staff from -Thamon's hands and flailed frantically at the black, thorny branches. -To his amazement, they shivered and snapped under the metal rod like -matchwood. Hardly daring to believe his eyes, Dynamon struck again and -again at the horrible creature, until in a few minutes it was nothing -but a pile of scattered, broken faggots on the gray sand.</p> - -<p>But cries for help and screams of anguish sounded in Dynamon's ear -phones, and he saw that five of the soldiers were on the ground impaled -on the cruel thorns of others of the monsters. He ran toward them and -beat them to pieces with the rod but too late to save the lives of the -men. They lay pierced in a dozen places by long, black thorns. The -rest of the Decuria had managed to dodge the whirling branches of the -other bushes and now stood safely up wind of them. Dynamon summoned the -survivors around him.</p> - -<p>"What do you think, Thamon?" he asked. "In your opinion are there -likely to be more of these horrible things around?"</p> - -<p>"There may easily be," the scientist replied promptly. "But since the -only defense against them is this one metal rod, I recommend that -we leave our unfortunate comrades here and head immediately for the -mountains over there. Those poor fellows are beyond our help and we -should be able to find better protection from these blood-thirsty -thorn-bushes among the foot hills. When we get there we can work upwind -until we're opposite the Carrier again."</p> - -<p>"That sounds like good advice," said Dynamon. "And we'll act on it. -It's getting so dark now that we couldn't see to protect ourselves if -any more of those creatures came rolling down the wind. Everyone join -hands and follow me."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>After a nerve-racking march of about twenty-five minutes through the -gathering darkness, the party of nine humans felt the ground rising -beneath their feet. Dynamon halted and hurled a voltage bomb forward -and upward. As the bomb exploded, the momentary flash revealed to the -party that they were at the foot of a steep, rock-strewn declivity. -Dynamon led the party upward, feeling his way over the great boulders. -After a few minutes of climbing, he called another halt and again threw -a voltage bomb.</p> - -<p>"We'll stay here for a few hours," the centurion announced, "until it -gets light enough to see our way. We will be safe in the lee of these -big rocks, so make yourselves comfortable."</p> - -<p>Nine dim figures spread out on the sloping ground. Then one of them -drifted apart from the rest, up hill.</p> - -<p>"Who is that?" Dynamon demanded.</p> - -<p>"Keltry," came the answer. "I am just going up hill a little distance. -When you exploded that last bomb I thought I saw something that looked -like the edge of a volcanic crater."</p> - -<p>"You can't see anything in this darkness," said Dynamon. "Wait till it -gets light again before you do any exploring."</p> - -<p>"Oh, I won't go far," said Keltry. "Really, I won't."</p> - -<p>"Well, be sure that you don't," Dynamon smiled into his transmitter. -Then he said, "Thamon, where are you?"</p> - -<p>"Right here," and a figure moved over beside the centurion.</p> - -<p>Dynamon's question was casual.</p> - -<p>"Did you see anything that looked like a volcanic crater?"</p> - -<p>"Come to think of it," the scientist replied, "I think I did. It's just -up here a few yards."</p> - -<p>"Shall we go along and have a look at it too, then?" said Dynamon, -getting up on his feet. Just then, he stood rooted with horror as a -piercing scream rang in his ear phone.</p> - -<p>"Dynamon! Dynamon, I'm falling!"</p> - -<p>"Keltry!" the centurion exclaimed. "What's the matter? Has something -happened to your helmet?"</p> - -<p>"Yes!" Keltry's voice was fainter. "I've lost it! It was unfastened, -and when I stumbled, it rolled off!" Fainter and fainter grew the -voice. "I'm falling down a black hole a mile a minute!" With a muttered -sob, Dynamon scrambled up the slope. A moment later, his foot stepped -out on empty space. He started to fall into nothingness.</p> - -<p>"Keltry!" he cried into his transmitter. "Where are you? Answer me!"</p> - -<p>Straining his ears Dynamon heard a tiny voice far away saying, "I'm -still falling."</p> - -<p>"I'm coming after you, Keltry!" the centurion yelled, and reaching -up to the knob on his helmet, twisted frantically. By doing that, he -multiplied the gravitational pull of the planet and was now falling -much more swiftly than Keltry. How deep this black pit was, Dynamon had -no idea, but he prayed it would be deep enough so that he could catch -up with Keltry before she hit the bottom. It was a desperate chance but -Dynamon was willing to take it.</p> - -<p>"Keltry!" he shouted into the transmitter. "Can you hear me? I'm coming -for you."</p> - -<p>"Yes, I hear you, Dynamon," came the answer, and Dynamon's heart leapt -as it seemed to him that the voice sounded a little stronger.</p> - -<p>"Keep your courage up, Keltry," he said, trying to sound calm. "I'm -falling faster than you are. There doesn't seem to be any bottom to -this pit so I'm bound to catch up with you."</p> - -<p>"Oh, Dynamon! You shouldn't have jumped after me. There's—there's -only—one chance in a million that we don't crash."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Keltry was bravely trying to hide the despair and terror in her -voice, but most important of all to Dynamon was the fact that she -sounded—still nearer! He resolutely put out of his mind the frightful -probability that at any second, first Keltry and then he, would be -dashed to pieces at the bottom of the pit. It seemed to him that he had -been falling for miles, and he thought that there was beginning to be -more air resistance now. He bent his head and peered downward, trying -to pierce the inky blackness with his eyes, but he could see nothing. -It was a fantastic sensation or, better still, a lack of all sensation. -He seemed to be resting immobile in a black nothingness, with only the -rushing air tearing at his cloak to indicate that he was falling.</p> - -<p>"Keep talking, Keltry," he cried.</p> - -<p>"Oh, you sound so much nearer!" There was a note of incredulous hope -in Keltry's voice.</p> - -<p>"I told you I'd catch up with you!" Dynamon exulted.</p> - -<p>Suddenly, his heart gave a great bound. He was still peering downward -and it seemed to him that far away he could see a tiny pin point of -light.</p> - -<p>"Keltry!" he cried, "am I seeing things? Or is there something that -looks like a star; way down there?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, I think I see it!" Keltry answered breathlessly. "Dynamon, what -could that mean?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know," said Dynamon, "but it seems to be growing larger, and -I'm getting much nearer to you."</p> - -<p>Under his fascinated eyes, the star grew bigger and brighter by the -second. In a few moments Dynamon, hardly daring to believe his eyes, -thought he could make out the outlines of a flying figure between him -and the light.</p> - -<p>"Keltry!" he shouted. "I've almost caught up with you! Hold your hands -up over your head."</p> - -<p>"Oh Dynamon! I think I can see you."</p> - -<p>The point of light which Dynamon thought was a star, was growing into -a larger, brighter disk. Keltry's body was sharply outlined against -it now, and she seemed to be scarcely ten feet away. Dynamon bent -himself into a jack-knife dive and kicked his feet up behind him. -The air pressure was tremendous now, and Dynamon began to realize -that it was no star, or sun, or planet down below but the bottom -of the pit. Rays of light spread upward, illuminating the smooth, -shiny sides of the shaft. A few more agonizing seconds went past and -Dynamon's hands grazed the tips of Keltry's upraised fingers. Dynamon -dared not estimate how far above the bottom of the pit they were, but -concentrated on gaining the few inches he needed to get a grip on one -of Keltry's wrists.</p> - -<p>"We've—almost—made it!" he panted. "Here—grab my right arm and hang -on for dear life!"</p> - -<p>An involuntary shout of relief came from Dynamon's lips as he felt -Keltry's strong fingers close over his arm.</p> - -<p>"Hang on!" he shouted, and his left hand flew up to his helmet and -carefully turned the counter-gravitation knob. At the same time, he -twisted his back around and fought his feet downward. A moment later, -he gripped Keltry's torso under the arms with his knees. Frantically, -he tried to estimate how far above the bottom of the pit they were. -They might be five thousand feet—or five hundred feet. Slowly he -turned the dial on his helmet, resisting the almost insuperable impulse -to twist the knob too fast. If he tried to stop their fall too quickly -it would tear their bodies apart.</p> - -<p>Slowly, ever slowly, the air-rush diminished. By now, they were well -down into the area illuminated from the bottom of the pit. And they -could see that they were falling through a round shaft perhaps one -hundred feet in diameter. Dynamon judged that they were less than one -hundred feet off the bottom.</p> - -<p>"Look out, Keltry," he said. "I've got to put on the brakes hard."</p> - -<p>He gritted his teeth, and flicked the knob on his helmet. He stifled a -groan as invisible ropes attached to his feet and hands seemed to be -trying to pull him apart. But gradually the terrific pressure released. -He moved the knob a shade, and released the grip of his knees on Keltry.</p> - -<p>"There!" he grunted as they both landed lightly on solid ground. "There -wasn't two seconds to spare."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Keltry drew a shuddering sigh and put a hand on Dynamon's arm for -support.</p> - -<p>"Oh, Dynamon!" she whispered, "if I weren't such a well brought-up girl -I would break down and cry from sheer relief."</p> - -<p>"I don't blame you," said Dynamon in a voice that shook a little. "That -was quite an experience, but we came out of it all right. Now, where do -you suppose we are? How do you suppose this pit was ever formed?"</p> - -<p>The two Earth-people stared around them curiously. They were bathed in -a bright light, and yet there was no apparent source of illumination. -It began to dawn on them that the rocks which formed the side walls -at the base of the shaft, were themselves luminous, glowing with a -curious greenish light. Dynamon tilted his head back and stared up into -the darkening shaft. Suddenly, he uttered an exclamation and, seizing -Keltry by the wrist dragged her to one side. A few seconds later, a -round object dropped out of the shaft and bounced on the ground. It was -Keltry's counter-gravity helmet.</p> - -<p>Dynamon reached down and picked it up. "It's a good thing that these -things are well built," he remarked with a smile, "or this would be -smashed to bits. The knob is still set for plus ten pounds, and that -was quite a fall. I wonder whether it still works."</p> - -<p>He twisted the knob experimentally and the helmet started to sail -upward.</p> - -<p>"Say!" Dynamon cried. "It works, all right! Here, put it on Keltry."</p> - -<p>Keltry accepted the helmet with a laugh, put it on her head and was -buckling it under her chin when her blood suddenly congealed in her -veins. A loud shout rang echoingly through the shaft. Dynamon whirled -around and beheld a curious figure standing in front of a rock not -sixty feet away. It stood upright on two legs, and cradled a sort of -club in its arms. Its head was covered with long, yellow hair that fell -down on to its shoulders, and the lower half of its face was covered -with coarse, yellow hair. Blue eyes glinted from under shaggy brows in -a menacing glare at the two Earth-people.</p> - -<p>"It looks quite human, doesn't it?" whispered Keltry.</p> - -<p>Dynamon nodded and slid his ear phone off his right ear as he saw the -stranger's hairy mouth opening and closing. Keltry followed his example -in time to hear the stranger's rumbling voice.</p> - -<p>"Whoo-yoo?"</p> - -<p>Dynamon touched Keltry's hand. "That sounded like 'who are you' didn't -it?" he said wonderingly.</p> - -<p>"It certainly did," Keltry answered. "I think that's some kind of -human."</p> - -<p>"If it's a human," Dynamon said, "then there must be some sort of -breathable atmosphere down here. You notice he's not wearing any oxygen -mask."</p> - -<p>"Whoo-yoo?" the stranger repeated, "an whey cum fum?"</p> - -<p>"He's speaking a kind of English!" said Keltry excitedly. "He said, -'who are you' and 'where do you come from'!"</p> - -<p>"By Jupiter!" cried Dynamon. "I think you're right. If he can breathe -without a mask, so can we. I'll have a little talk with him."</p> - -<p>A moment later the centurion stood bare-headed, helmet and oxygen mask -in hand.</p> - -<p>"We're humans from Earth," he told the stranger, pronouncing each word -carefully. "Who are you?"</p> - -<p>The stranger's eyes and mouth flew open in astonishment and the rod -sagged in his hands.</p> - -<p>"Humes! Fum Earth!" he cried hoarsely, then turned his head, and gave -an ear-splitting yell.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>A moment later, a dozen or more short, hairy-faced creatures closely -resembling the first stranger came tumbling through a passageway -behind him and stood rooted with astonishment at the sight of Dynamon -and Keltry. Their bodies were completely covered, the torsoes, with -loose, gray tunics, and the legs with ugly, baggy tubes. They advanced -cautiously on the two people from Earth.</p> - -<p>"Take off your helmet and mask," Dynamon directed Keltry, "the air is -perfectly good. We'll try and find out the mystery of how these humans -ever got here."</p> - -<p>He turned and addressed the first stranger, again enunciating slowly -and carefully. Immediately the whole crowd burst into excited -jabbering. Here and there Dynamon thought he recognized a word. -Finally, one man taller than the rest stepped forward.</p> - -<p>"Yoo cum thus," he declared.</p> - -<p>"Certainly," Dynamon nodded with a smile, and reached out a hand to -Keltry. The crowd, with wondering eyes, opened up a line and the two -young people from Earth followed their self-appointed guide through it. -A short narrow passageway led off at a sharp angle through the rocky -wall of the pit, and presently Dynamon and Keltry found themselves on -what appeared to be a hill top. Both of them gave little gasps as a -vast and magnificent panorama spread out before their astonished eyes. -It was as if they had stepped into a new world.</p> - -<p>A gently undulating plain stretched away in three directions as far -as their eyes could see. It was predominantly gray in color, but here -and there, were scattered long, narrow strips of green. These green -strips all had shimmering, silvery borders, and Dynamon couldn't -help recalling to mind some arid spots back on the Earth that were -criss-crossed with irrigation ditches. There were no trees on this -vast plain, but strewn around in a haphazard way, were a quantity of -great boulders. And these rocks, like the rocks at the base of the pit, -glowed luminously. However, the landscape was clearly illuminated by -some other source than those scattered rocks. Dynamon lifted his eyes -upward and saw that above them, and stretching as far as the eye could -reach, there was a softly luminous ceiling. There was no way of telling -how high up this ceiling was. It might be twenty feet or twenty miles. -The effect was like that of certain days on the Earth, when wide-spread -clouds blanket the sky and diffuse the sun's rays.</p> - -<p>The plain was by no means deserted. Here and there along the green -strips four-legged creatures moved slowly, creatures that, on Earth -Dynamon would have said were cows. Nearer at hand, a flock of small -white creatures milled around aimlessly, and Dynamon could have sworn -he heard the cackle of hens. Dynamon glanced over his shoulder and saw -that the little hairy-faced men were filing out of the passageway to -the pit. The guide tugged at his sleeve.</p> - -<p>"This oo-ay," he said and pointed to his right.</p> - -<p>Still holding Keltry's hand, Dynamon turned and followed the man, and -the others fell in behind them. Their way eventually led toward a tall -set of cliffs at the base of which a score or so of cave-like openings -could be seen.</p> - -<p>"These <i>are</i> humans, aren't they, Dynamon?" Keltry whispered.</p> - -<p>"They certainly look like it," Dynamon answered, "although obviously -they're very primitive."</p> - -<p>"Then how and when did they come to Saturn?" Keltry persisted.</p> - -<p>"I haven't the faintest idea," Dynamon shrugged. "Perhaps we'll find -out."</p> - -<p>Other strange humans came running up the hill and joined the crowd -behind them. Apparently they were not all men, for some of them had no -hair on their faces and wore long robes over their bodies. The guide -led them straight to one of the openings in the cliff, then halted and -faced the two adventurers impressively.</p> - -<p>"The koo-een!" he announced in a loud tone.</p> - -<p>Dynamon and Keltry looked wonderingly at each other and then back to -the guide. At that moment a woman appeared at the mouth of the cave. -She was small and delicately formed and strikingly beautiful. She had -the bluest of eyes and golden hair that fell away on either side of a -marble brow. A long-sleeved white garment gathered at the waist covered -her from neck to toe, but its shapeless folds could scarcely conceal -the delicious curves of her little body.</p> - -<p>"Humes!" the guide shouted proudly, "fum Earth!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The woman's blue eyes widened as she stared solemnly at Dynamon and -Keltry.</p> - -<p>"Are you from Earth?" she said in slow musical tones. "So strange! So -wonderful! How did you come?"</p> - -<p>Dynamon grinned. "We came in a Cosmos Carrier," he said easily. "And to -us, it seems even more strange and more wonderful that we find humans -already on Saturn."</p> - -<p>A shy answering smile came over the woman's beautiful face.</p> - -<p>"We have been here hundreds of years," she replied in the same slow -accents. "But come inside the Palace and we will talk."</p> - -<p>She turned with an inviting look and the two adventurers from Earth -followed her through a passageway lined with the, by now, familiar -luminous rocks. They came out in a fairly large, high-ceilinged room, -in the center of which was a sort of table made out of a long, trimmed -slab of rock. At one end of this table was a high-back chair made of -woven reeds. The woman walked over to the chair and sitting down in it, -indicated stools on either side of her.</p> - -<p>"Sit down," she said, "and tell me more about yourselves."</p> - -<p>"Thank you," Dynamon answered, and turning to his companion said, "It's -warm in here, I think we might take off these cloaks."</p> - -<p>Keltry nodded, and putting her hand to the throat fastening, zipped it -downward. Dynamon did likewise and the two stepped out of their cloaks. -There was a sudden scream from the beautiful little woman, and her -hands flew up in front of her eyes.</p> - -<p>"What are you doing?" she squealed. "Why you're—you're practically -naked! You're positively immodest!"</p> - -<p>Keltry threw a startled glance at Dynamon's long, brown legs.</p> - -<p>"Why, not at all," she said quietly. "We are dressed like everyone else -on Earth at the present time. Modesty with us, nowadays, is something -much more important than lengths of cloth."</p> - -<p>The little woman kept her hands before her eyes and shook her head -vigorously. "It's immodest," she insisted, "and you must put on your -clothes at once. Don't you realize that I'm the queen?"</p> - -<p>Reluctantly, Keltry and Dynamon stepped back into their heavy cloaks -and zipped them up the front.</p> - -<p>"Well! that's better," said the little queen primly. "My goodness," she -said with a slight glance, "is everybody on Earth as big and brown as -you two?"</p> - -<p>"We're about average, I should say," Keltry answered with a smile. "And -seriously, we didn't mean to offend you in the matter of clothes."</p> - -<p>"Well we, on Saturn," said the little queen, "don't believe in indecent -exposure. Now, you say you came in some kind of a carrier?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Dynamon. "It's up on the surface. We were exploring in the -darkness and fell down the long shaft."</p> - -<p>"Why weren't you killed?" said the queen, blue eyes wide. Dynamon -explained the counter-gravity helmets. It took considerable -explanation, because the queen was inclined to disbelieve the whole -story. She finally accepted it, however, and then launched into a long -series of questions about the Cosmos Carrier and about the state of -the Earth. Eventually Dynamon found an opening and started asking -questions on his part.</p> - -<p>"We're anxious to know about you and your people on Saturn," he -suggested. "Have you a name or are you addressed only as Queen?"</p> - -<p>"I am Queen Diana," the little woman stated. "The last of my line. I am -a Bolton, and the Boltons have been rulers of Saturn ever since we came -here."</p> - -<p>"Bolton!" Dynamon shouted. "Are you a descendant of Leonard Bolton?"</p> - -<p>"Yes!" replied the queen, with a delighted smile. "Do they still -remember Leonard Bolton on Earth?"</p> - -<p>"We know that he designed a contrivance called a 'space ship', but -that's all. Did he actually build such a ship, and is that how you come -to be here so many thousands of miles from Earth?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Queen Diana, proudly. "It's all down in some books which I -will show you. Leonard Bolton built a space ship which was big enough -to hold ten families and their belongings. There was a terrible war -going on and he thought the only place to find safety was another -planet. So the 'space ship' left the Earth by means of a thing called a -'rocket,' whatever that is. And they wandered around for years in space -till they finally came into Saturn's orbit, and the tremendous gravity -pulled the ship right through the light outer crust into this Nether -World. I don't know how many years ago that was, but we have been here -ever since."</p> - -<p>"Well that is an amazing story," said Dynamon. "And I would like to -see those books you mentioned. How incredibly fortunate that the -'space ship' broke through into this Nether World, where there is an -atmosphere that will support life. And it is pretty miraculous too, -that the 'space ship' didn't break up from the force of hitting the -outer crust."</p> - -<p>"Well, the books say that it was broken up somewhat," the queen -answered, "but nobody was hurt. And after they unloaded the ship, they -took it apart so that they could use the metal in it for other things."</p> - -<p>She was eyeing him admiringly.</p> - -<p>"And the colony has survived over a thousand years," Dynamon mused. He -could not help thinking how, in comparison with the people on Earth, -the survivors of Bolton's expedition were a rather poor lot. They had -made no progress at all in the thousand years, mentally or culturally; -from all evidences they had, on the contrary, retrogressed at least to -a degree. Then across his mind flitted a picture of the hardships these -brave souls had to endure in establishing themselves on the new planet. -At no time could they have even hoped to return to Earth.</p> - -<p>With their limited equipment they had set out to make the most of their -new world. The great caves offered natural shelter so it was small -wonder that they made their homes in them.</p> - -<p>Dynamon, although a soldier to his finger tips, had none of the -haughtiness and cruelty which are so often found in the warriors of -today. Quickly his pity for the colonists turned into admiration, and -he turned gently to face Queen Diana again.</p> - -<p>"Tell me," he asked, "Are we the first strangers you have seen? You -haven't, by any chance, been visited by Martians, have you?"</p> - -<p>"Martians," said the queen. "What are they?"</p> - -<p>"At present, they are just about the worst enemies of human beings," -Dynamon replied tersely.</p> - -<p>"No," said the queen, "our only enemies here are the <i>land-krakens</i>. We -have been fighting them for hundreds of years and we have never been -able to exterminate them, because they're so hard to kill."</p> - -<p>"Land-krakens," said Dynamon. "What sort of creature are they?"</p> - -<p>"They are great, crawling monsters," the queen told him. "They have a -dozen long, flexible arms that curl around their victims and strangle -them. They lie in wait for our cows and kill them easily, and now and -then, they catch a human being. They're terribly hard to kill even with -bullets—they seem to be made of gristle and jelly."</p> - -<p>Just as the queen spoke, there was a chorus of shouts outside the cave, -followed by three or four sharp reports, in rapid succession. The queen -stood up quickly, as one of her subjects rushed into the cave.</p> - -<p>"Land-kraken!" he shouted. "Ter'ble biggun!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Without a word, the queen picked up her long skirts and ran to the -entrance of the cave, Dynamon and Keltry following close behind. An -extraordinary sight met their eyes.</p> - -<p>At the fool of the little hill, fifty or sixty shouting men were ringed -around a horrible mass of thrashing, gray tentacles. Several of the men -were pointing their black rods at the beast.</p> - -<p>"Oh, it <i>is</i> a big one," the queen cried. "Our guns will be useless -against that thick hide—the bullets will just skim off."</p> - -<p>There were several more reports and smoke curled from the ends of the -rods. Several long, grey tentacles rose up above the mass, and the -crowd surged backward in all directions. Suddenly one of the slimy -arms streaked downward and outward, and a moment later a struggling, -screaming human was lifted high in the air. A thrill of horror went -through Dynamon, and Keltry clutched his arm.</p> - -<p>"Their ancient fire-arms are useless," she said in a tense whisper. -"Perhaps a voltage bomb—"</p> - -<p>But Dynamon was already running down the slope, fumbling at the black -box at his hip. The concerted groan of despair from the crowd suddenly -changed to a shout as the unfortunate human somehow tore loose from the -encircling tentacle and dropped to the ground. Just as the land-kraken -was reaching for the doomed man with another long arm, Dynamon hurled -a voltage bomb over the heads of the crowd. The little glass ball -landed squarely in the middle of the writhing gray mass. There was a -blinding flash and a loud report. A convulsive shudder rippled over the -gray monster and its twelve tentacles suddenly went limp. The crowd -looked at it in stunned silence for a second, and then raised a yell of -triumph. A noisy mob of little bearded men escorted Dynamon back up the -hill to where the beautiful little queen stood, waiting, her blue eyes -shining.</p> - -<p>"How marvelous! How heroic!" she breathed, as Dynamon came up to her. -"You killed the kraken with one blow. How did you do it?"</p> - -<p>"Well, you see, Queen Diana," Dynamon replied, patting the black box, -"these little voltage bombs have long ago entirely replaced fire-arms -on Earth. Their range is shorter but they are far more deadly."</p> - -<p>"Oh! So wonderful!" the queen gasped. "I am so glad you came. You shall -marry me and I'll make you King of Saturn."</p> - -<p>"I am most honored and flattered by your proposal, Queen Diana," -Dynamon smiled, "but I am afraid that isn't possible. Keltry and I must -go back up the shaft and rejoin our expedition."</p> - -<p>"Oh, but you can't!" said the queen suddenly. "Send the girl away if -you want"—she waved a careless hand at Keltry-"but you must stay here -with me forever."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Dynamon saw Keltry's startled eyes on him and he felt an acute -embarrassment. It was an impossible situation. He could not repress -a little glow within him from the frank approval of the beautiful, -imperious little queen. But at the same time, he knew that he must -soon devise some means of making a graceful exit from her presence. -His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden cry from the edge of the -surrounding crowd. He turned his head and looked along the base of the -cliff. A column of cloaked figures, helmeted and masked, were streaming -out of the passageway to the pit.</p> - -<p>"It's a search party coming after us!" cried Keltry.</p> - -<p>They were twenty or so of the soldiers from Earth, and they covered the -distance toward Dynamon and Keltry in a short time and forced their way -through the crowd of bearded Saturnians. The one in the lead unfastened -his oxygen mask and revealed the spectacled face of Thamon.</p> - -<p>"Thank goodness, you're alive!" said the scientist fervently. "We never -expected to find you. What a fantastic place this is!"</p> - -<p>"You are in the kingdom of the Boltons," said Dynamon, "and this is -Queen Diana."</p> - -<p>The man behind Thamon unmasked, revealing the lean, dark features of -Mortoch.</p> - -<p>"Congratulations, Dynamon," said the Chief Decurion, dryly, as he in -turn was presented to the wide-eyed little queen. "You certainly picked -a sort of paradise to fall into. A paradise, I might add, presided over -by an angel."</p> - -<p>A coy smile crept over the queen's face, then died away at Mortoch's -next words.</p> - -<p>"I bring you grave news, Dynamon," the Chief Decurion said. "There are -two Martian Carriers in the vicinity. We haven't seen them yet, but we -intercepted a long-wave conversation between them. What do you intend -to do about it?"</p> - -<p>"Why, I think we should go right back to the surface," Dynamon replied. -"Could you tell from their conversation whether they knew that we were -on Saturn?"</p> - -<p>"Apparently they knew we were somewhere around," said Mortoch, "but -hadn't located us yet."</p> - -<p>"Well, we'd better hurry right on up then," said Dynamon, "so that we -can get back to our Carrier before they find it."</p> - -<p>"Oh, but you can't go!" said the little queen in a shrill voice, "I -forbid it."</p> - -<p>"I wish we could stay, Queen Diana," Dynamon answered, "but there's -dangerous work to be done up on the surface."</p> - -<p>"But why go to the surface at all?" the queen demanded. "Why not stay -down here and keep away from the danger?"</p> - -<p>"No, Queen Diana," Dynamon said, keenly conscious of Mortoch's lurking -smile. "Duty calls and we must go. Perhaps when we have finished our -work we will pay you another visit. All right, men, here we go."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The centurion, Keltry by his side, led the way back to the entrance -to the pit, while the Saturnians, grouped around their little queen, -gaped after them. As the little force stood in the bottom of the pit -adjusting their helmets and oxygen masks preparatory to ascending to -the surface, Mortoch leaned over to Dynamon.</p> - -<p>"That wasn't such a bad idea of the beautiful Diana's," he murmured. -"Personally, I wouldn't mind spending a few safe years down there with -her. It would be better than facing those deadly Photo-Atomic Rays of -the Martians."</p> - -<p>"If it's safety you're interested in, Mortoch," said Dynamon, dryly, -"we'll try and get you, as soon as possible, to the safety of the -Carrier. Anyway, perhaps the Martians are just exploring and didn't -come equipped with the Ray."</p> - -<p>But as the centurion turned the knob in his helmet and shot up through -the great shaft, he felt in his heart no great hope that such, indeed, -would be the case. If the Martian Carrier were in the vicinity of -Saturn it was altogether likely that they had come prepared to destroy -the Earth Carrier, and would be equipped with their best weapon. -Dynamon hoped against hope that he and the little force would reach -the surface in time to get to their own Carrier, whose thick walls -the Martians' Ray could not penetrate. After that, it would be a case -of maneuvering the Carrier in such a way as to try to disable the -Martians' ships.</p> - -<p>The humans, their gravity repellors turned up full strength, whizzed -up the black shaft at a tremendous rate of speed. Even so, it seemed -hours before a small gray disc above him warned Dynamon that they were -nearing the top. He spoke some words of command into his radio phone -and cut down his upward speed. In a few moments he stepped over the rim -of the shaft into the gray light of the Saturnian midday. He glanced -down into the valley in the direction of the Carrier and felt a shock -of dismay go through him.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The gray Earth Carrier was in the same place, but a half a mile on -either side of it were two flaming red Martian Carriers. And out on -the gray sand far from any of the ships a furious battle was going on. -Some twenty tall, human figures were ringed around by a swarm of tiny, -globular Martians. A continuous series of white flashes showed that the -humans were desperately hurling their voltage bombs, but the encircling -Martians were keeping well out of range and a dozen still forms on the -ground showed that the invisible Photo-Atomic Ray was doing its deadly -work.</p> - -<p>All too clearly, Dynamon saw what had happened. In the absence of a -commanding officer, himself or Mortoch, Borion had unwarily sent a -force of soldiers out scouting. The Martians had swooped down, landed -swiftly, and cut off the force from the Carrier. The humans were -desperately trying to cut through to safety, but their situation looked -hopeless.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus.jpg" width="409" height="500" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>Quickly, Dynamon turned and faced the men behind him and held up his -hands in a gesture signifying that no one should use his radio phone. -He had determined to try and help his beleaguered soldiers down in -the valley, and the only way that could successfully be done was to -surprise-attack swiftly on the rear of the Martians. He motioned Keltry -and Thamon back into the pit and then, sweeping his arm forward in a -wide arc, he plunged down the hillside. But before he had covered half -the distance to the combat in the valley, Dynamon realized that his -attack was coming too late. The Photo-Atomic Ray was cutting down the -little force of humans like an invisible scythe. There were only nine -of them left now and one by one these were falling. A thousand thoughts -raced through Dynamon's head. Should he go ahead with the attack, -courting on getting within bombing distance of the Martians unnoticed, -before they could swing their Photo-Atomic Ray around? Or, should he -change direction, skirting the enemy, and make a run for the Carrier? -Suddenly, his blood froze in his veins as a voice sounded in his ear -phones.</p> - -<p>"This is suicide, Dynamon!" It was Mortoch's voice.</p> - -<p>"It's suicide now!" said Dynamon through clenched teeth. "You fool! You -have given us away!"</p> - -<p>There was an instant reaction from the swarming Martians in the valley. -A large group of them broke away from the combat and rolled over the -gray sand toward Dynamon's detachment. The centurion halted his men -abruptly. It was sure annihilation to try and stand in the face of the -oncoming men of Mars.</p> - -<p>"Back to the pit!" Dynamon commanded. "It's our only chance. Once we -get down there we'll decide what to do later."</p> - -<p>The little force just barely made it to the mouth of the shaft. The -Martians were coming up rapidly behind them, and Dynamon could see the -big, black cones which produced the invisible Ray.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The descent down the shaft was rapid, Dynamon being the last to land on -the shiny floor. Immediately, he marched his men through the passageway -into the Nether World and detailed two men to remain and guard the -entrance to the pit.</p> - -<p>"I don't believe the Martians will follow us down," he said. "If they -do, we can easily defend the passageway."</p> - -<p>Then he turned and singled out the Chief Decurion.</p> - -<p>"Mortoch," he announced, "you are under arrest. You disobeyed my orders -in regard to using the radio phone, and by doing so you betrayed our -presence to the enemy. I will dispose of your case later."</p> - -<p>Mortoch stepped forward, a sardonic gleam in his dark eyes.</p> - -<p>"And suppose I refuse to be arrested?" he said. "If I had not disobeyed -the order, you would have led us into certain death." Mortoch swept the -crowd of soldiers with a burning look. "Men, I proclaim that Dynamon is -incompetent to command you. Henceforth, you will take your orders from -me—and <i>you</i>, Dynamon, are the one who is under arrest."</p> - -<p>"Mortoch!" Dynamon cried. "You are out of your mind!"</p> - -<p>"Not at all," Mortoch returned. "I am merely assuming the command which -should have been mine to begin with. Put your hands up in the air, -Dynamon, and backward march till I tell you to stop. And let nobody -else make a move"—Mortoch's rasping voice rose to a shout—"I have in -each hand a voltage bomb which I shall not hesitate to throw if anybody -attempts to cross my will."</p> - -<p>"This is madness!" Dynamon cried hoarsely. "You can't hope to get away -with this!" He strode forward angrily.</p> - -<p>"Back!" roared Mortoch, and raised his right hand threateningly.</p> - -<p>Dynamon staggered back in bewilderment from the soldiers who stood -in silence, too shocked to make a move. Helpless against the voltage -bombs in Mortoch's hands, the centurion stepped slowly backward, arms -upraised. It was an impossible situation, and for the moment, Dynamon -felt powerless to do anything about it. He reproached himself bitterly -for not being more wary of Mortoch. Up till now he had been conscious -of the Chief Ducurion's enmity, but he had never thought that the man -would erupt into open mutiny.</p> - -<p>Dynamon threw a swift glance over his shoulder and saw that he was -only two paces away from one of those curious, luminous rocks. It -was approximately cylindrical in shape, six feet wide and perhaps -twenty feet tall. Dynamon took another step backward and turned his -head to face Mortoch. His back was almost touching the rock now, and -a desperate plan formed in his head. That was to make a sudden leap -around the rock. Once behind it and protected by its mass, he would -have time to pull out one of his own voltage bombs and await Mortoch's -next move.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>But Dynamon had not truly measured the state of Mortoch's mind. -There was a sudden scream from Keltry as Mortoch, with a lightning -movement, drew back his right arm and flung the voltage bomb straight -at Dynamon's chest. The little glass ball sped unerringly across the -intervening twenty feet. There was no time to dodge. Dynamon pressed -his back against the rock and closed his eyes. It was the end.</p> - -<p>Dynamon felt the little bomb bump his chest. But—wonder of wonders! -There was no blinding flash—no explosion. There was just a silvery -tinkle as the glass ball shattered at his feet. Dynamon opened his eyes -and found that he was still alive. An incredulous shout went up from -the horrified crowd and Thamon started running toward him.</p> - -<p>"Tridium!" shouted the scientist. "You have discovered tridium!"</p> - -<p>As in a dream, Dynamon saw the soldiers overpowering Mortoch and heard -himself say, "What do you mean? Where is the tridium?" He stared about -in wonder.</p> - -<p>"The rock!" cried Thamon excitedly. "You touched the rock and were -instantly insulated against the electric charge. Great heavens! What a -discovery! Every one of these luminous rocks must be made of tridium."</p> - -<p>Dynamon turned around and placed a hand on the glowing rock. Instantly, -he felt himself enveloped in an extraordinary transparent aura.</p> - -<p>"You see!" cried Thamon, and struck at the rock with his metal rod. -Evidently, it was almost as soft as chalk, for several pieces as big as -a man's fist chipped off and fell to the ground. Thamon stooped down -and picked one of the pieces up and immediately he, too, stood in a -curious, gleaming aura.</p> - -<p>"It's tridium, all right!" exclaimed the scientist. "There can be -no doubt about it. We knew it was on Saturn and we knew what its -properties were, but we didn't know what it looked like. Do you realize -what this means, Dynamon? It means that we may finally have found the -defense against the Photo-Atomic Ray!"</p> - -<p>Dynamon felt a little dizzy. Not only had he been snatched from what -appeared to be certain death but he had inadvertently made a discovery -that might save the people of the world from conquest at the hands of -the Martians.</p> - -<p>"Thamon, are you quite sure?" he said. "Are you quite sure that this -will work against the Ray?"</p> - -<p>"No," replied Thamon promptly. "I won't be <i>quite</i> sure until we've -tested it out. From a theoretical standpoint, this glowing cloud, this -aura that surrounds us as we touch a piece of tridium should insulate -us against the Ray. But to be absolutely certain, somebody will have to -expose himself to the Ray. Someone among us must go up to the surface -holding a piece of tridium in his hand and face the Martians. If he -is killed, then I'm wrong. But if he is not killed, then the Martians -are at our mercy. We can walk up to them untouched and crush their -egg-shell skulls with our bare fists."</p> - -<p>"I see," said Dynamon gravely. "Then, one of us must be a heroic -experimental guinea pig?"</p> - -<p>"Exactly," said Thamon.</p> - -<p>Dynamon looked over the silent group of soldiers, at Mortoch, shoulders -hunched in the grip of two stalwarts. Then he bowed his head in thought -for a moment.</p> - -<p>"Men," he said, finally, "this is not a case of calling for volunteers. -I think any one of us is brave enough to offer his life for the good of -the rest of the human beings, but I think we should decide who is to do -this dirty work by drawing lots."</p> - -<p>"No!"</p> - -<p>It was Mortoch. In his eyes was a wild, hunted look, and his voice was -hoarse, but there was deep sincerity in his tones.</p> - -<p>"Dynamon," said the Chief Decurion, "I went off my head with jealousy -a minute ago. The madness is gone now, and I would give anything if I -could undo what I did. You must give me the chance to redeem myself. If -I am killed, so much the better for me. And if I am not, so much the -better for all the human beings in the world."</p> - -<p>Dynamon looked long and searchingly at the Decurion. Finally he said, -"Mortoch, I cannot deny your appeal. Take this piece of tridium and go -up the shaft. We will be close behind you to observe the experiment."</p> - -<p>Just then, there was a shout from the two soldiers who were guarding -the passageway to the pit.</p> - -<p>"Martians!" they cried. "They are coming down on us! The shaft is full -of them!"</p> - -<p>Dynamon walked straight toward Mortoch and placed the piece of tridium -in his hand.</p> - -<p>"Your ordeal is at hand," he said simply, as, in a flash, the bright -aura transferred itself to the person of Mortoch.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The two soldiers guarding the entrance to the pit were backing away to -either side and throwing voltage bombs into the passageway as Mortoch -ran toward them.</p> - -<p>"Stop!" he shouted, never slackening his pace. "This is my job! Get out -of range!"</p> - -<p>He halted six feet away from the mouth of the passage and raised -his arms up in a gesture of defiance. An admiring gasp went up from -the crowd of watching humans at the tall, lean figure bathed in its -luminous glow. Then a deathly silence shut down abruptly as four little -figures erupted through the passageway. Martians!</p> - -<p>They were scarcely two feet tall, with spindly little bodies and legs, -but their heads were more than twice the size of human heads and looked -doubly grotesque in their combination helmet-masks. One of them was -holding a big, black cone—the Photo-Atomic generator. Quickly the -little creature leveled it at Mortoch and pulled a lever on the side. -An ominous high-pitched hum filled the air and everyone knew that the -death Ray was being poured in all its deadly violence on Mortoch.</p> - -<p>Thamon was the first to raise his voice in a shout as Mortoch, -unharmed, strode forward and felled the Martian with one blow of -his fist. The air rang with human cheers as Mortoch seized two more -scurrying Martians by the legs and dashed their brains out on the -ground.</p> - -<p>"It works!" Thamon yelled, hysterically. "It's tridium! We're saved!"</p> - -<p>The scientist was hacking crazily at the rock with his metal staff and -jubilant soldiers swarmed around him, picking up pieces of tridium. In -a few moments the whole force, every man surrounded by the luminous -aura, was bolting through the passageway into the bottom of the pit.</p> - -<p>For a short time the Martians tried to put up a battle. But with their -chief weapon nullified, they were slaughtered by the dozen, and the -survivors began flitting up the shaft. In the midst of the turmoil, -Dynamon kept his wits about him. He knew that in order to realize the -full value of the tridium discovery, the Martians on the surface must -be kept from learning about it. He raised his voice in a mighty shout -over the clamor.</p> - -<p>"Masks on! Up the shaft at full speed! We must not allow a single -Martian to reach the surface!"</p> - -<p>Swiftly the Earth-soldiers fastened their masks and took off straight -upward. Each one of them clung to their precious lumps of tridium, and -in a short time the dark shaft presented an extraordinary spectacle. -Each of the twenty-odd humans was bathed in his own ghostly envelope of -light, and the fleeing Martians, looking downward, must have felt as if -they were being pursued by a squadron of giant fireflies.</p> - -<p>The survivors of the massacre below had a head start of their pursuers, -but being so much lighter in weight, their gravity-repellors could not -push them up through the atmosphere as fast as the humans could go. -Gradually they were overtaken and destroyed by Dynamon's force—the -last Martian being caught just at the upper mouth of the pit.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Dynamon quickly gathered his men about him while he took stock of the -situation in the valley. The three Carriers were in the same position -as they were before, but there were no Earth-soldiers left standing. A -little circle of fallen bodies offered mute testimony to the hopeless -battle put up by the force of three decuria which had made that -ill-fated sortie from the Carrier. Now, the Martians from both of the -red ships—excluding, of course, the group that had been cut to pieces -in the pit—were gathered in a body near the Earth Carrier. Dynamon -guessed that they were waiting to see what the Earth people were going -to do next. They would soon find out, the centurion thought grimly. -Even though there were probably close to two hundred of the evil little -creatures down there, they would be no match for the brawny humans -insulated against the Photo-Atomic Ray.</p> - -<p>Swiftly, Dynamon formulated a plan of action. His first consideration -was to try and seize both Martian Carriers. If possible, they must -be prevented from leaving the ground and carrying back to Mars the -warning that, at last, the humans had found a defense against the Ray. -With that in mind, the centurion divided his little force in two. -One decuria with its decurion he put under Mortoch, and the other, -he commanded himself. Each group was to strike boldly at one of the -Martian ships, Mortoch, the nearer one; himself, the farther one.</p> - -<p>Dynamon issued his commands by signs, hoping to remain unnoticed by -the enemy if he refrained from using the radio-phone. But as he led -his group off along the hillside, a sudden activity among the Martians -in the valley told him that he had been sighted. They came streaming -across the valley floor toward the heights on a shallow crescent, each -wing spreading to perform an enveloping movement.</p> - -<p>What an unpleasant surprise the nasty little devils are going to get, -thought Dynamon, and he switched on his radio-phone. "Follow me, now, -on the dead run!"</p> - -<p>He dug his toes into the yielding gray sand and ran along the hillside, -bending low into the wind. It was heavy going, but the humans were able -to make faster progress than their enemies because of their greater -weight. Dynamon saw that he and his group were outrunning the Martians -and would probably reach their objective sooner. Two thoughts arose -in his mind to worry him. One was, that the Martians inside the red -ships might lock their doors and take off before he and Mortoch, -respectively, could reach them. The other was the fear that Borion, -inside the Earth-Carrier, not knowing of the new defense against the -Ray, would sally out in a desperate attempt to save—as he might -think—the two isolated detachments of humans.</p> - -<p>However, Dynamon reflected, those were eventualities over which he had -no control. All he could do under the circumstances was pray for good -luck.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>A glance down into the valley told him that he and his little force -were abreast of the Earth-Carrier by now, with a half a mile still to -go to reach the Martian ship. The Martians, running parallel, were -falling behind a little. Rapping out a command into his transmitter, -Dynamon changed his direction slightly, and swung downhill on a direct -line with the red ship. At the same time, he and his men readjusted -their gravity-control so that their speed was almost doubled. Away to -their left, the Martian horde was dropping behind. Dynamon gave an -involuntary shout of triumph. He and his party was going to win the -race.</p> - -<p>As the little knot of speeding humans approached within a hundred -yards of the Martian Carrier, another cheer broke from Dynamon's lips. -The door at the side of the Carrier swung open and a score of little -creatures carrying the once-dreaded black cones tumbled out. The -Martians inside the ship, far from running away, were coming out to -fight—mistakingly confident that the twelve humans were at their mercy!</p> - -<p>Quickly, Dynamon issued orders that two of his men should immediately -penetrate the inside of the Carrier and seize the control-room, while -the rest stayed outside and engaged the Martian warriors. Then, panting -for breath, but none the less confident, the decuria closed in on the -Martians.</p> - -<p>They were within twenty-five yards of the dwarf-like little creatures -before the Martians discovered that something was amiss with the -Photo-Atomic Ray. The ugly little men hesitated in momentary dismay, -and then started to make a dash for the inside of the Carrier. But by -that time, it was too late.</p> - -<p>The twelve humans, clothed in their life-preserving auras, swept down -on the Martians like avenging angels. All the pent-up hatred against -this diabolically cruel enemy now found release. At last, the Martian -superiority in weapons was broken. Dynamon and his men waded implacably -into the terrified little ogres and slew them without mercy. The whole -business was over in less than two minutes.</p> - -<p>Without the loss of a man, Dynamon had annihilated the defenders of -the Carrier, and two of his soldiers were inside in possession of the -control-room. There remained now the job of handling the hundred or -so Martians who were moving over the gray sand toward his victorious -decuria.</p> - -<p>But this force of the enemy had realized that something was radically -wrong. They were no longer running, but, in fact, were slowing up to -a halt about fifty yards away. Dynamon swung an arm and began to walk -toward them. The black cones came up, pointing, all along the long line -of Martians. Dynamon's men fanned out on either side of him, walking -forward slowly, inexorably.</p> - -<p>The line of Martians wavered uncertainly, and then began to fall back -in terrified confusion, as the humans remained unharmed by the Ray. -Dynamon's voice crackled in nine sets of ear-phones, and the decuria -lunged forward. In a moment, they were in the midst of a panic-stricken -mass of scurrying Martians. Again, the soldiers from Earth slew -pitilessly, until in a short while, fifty-odd of the harried little -creatures lay dead. The rest were scattered in headlong flight over the -valley.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The business was accomplished none too soon. The thing which Dynamon -had feared might happen earlier, happened now. A force of humans, -unprotected by tridium, emerged from the big gray Carrier and hastened -toward Dynamon. A few minutes earlier and these men would have been -mowed down by the Ray. The centurion sighed with relief and ordered -the newcomers back to the Cosmos Carrier.</p> - -<p>The danger was over.</p> - -<p>Twenty minutes later, Dynamon had joined forces again with Mortoch's -detachment and was marching back to the mouth of the pit, where Keltry -and Thamon were waiting. The past hour had seen a complete and sweeping -triumph for the humans. Mortoch's attack on the other Martian ship had -been as successful as Dynamon's. Now, both of the Martian Carriers were -captured, and their crews and warriors cut to pieces. And, all this -had been accomplished with the loss of but one man. One of Mortoch's -soldiers had fallen and dropped his lump of tridium. The man had -instantly died under the Photo-Atomic Ray.</p> - -<p>There remained only one more piece of business to conclude successfully -the expedition to Saturn, and Dynamon set about it promptly. Once again -he led the way down the pit to the Nether World.</p> - -<p>There was great excitement at the bottom of the shaft. The Saturnians -were disposing of the bodies of the Martians who had fallen in the -first onslaught when Mortoch had proven the efficacy of tridium. And, -as Dynamon landed among them, closely followed by Thamon, Keltry and -the soldiers, the Saturnians crowded around in a condition bordering -on hysteria. They had never before seen Martians, or even dreamed of -their existence, so it was not to be wondered at that the primitive -humans of the Nether World were excited when the sudden, fierce combat -broke out almost in their midst. With the greatest difficulty, Dynamon -quieted them down enough so that they heard and complied with his -request to be taken to their Queen.</p> - -<p>"Queen Diana," he said directly, "in your kingdom, you have any -quantity—thousands of tons—of this luminous rock which we have -identified as tridium. This substance is the one thing which can save -the people of the Earth from the death-ray of the Martians. Will you -give me your permission to carry away some of these rocks back to -Earth, so that our armies can defend themselves against our enemies?"</p> - -<p>The little Queen gave Dynamon a long languorous look.</p> - -<p>"If you stay here and be my King," she answered, at length, "I will -permit your people to carry away as many of the rocks as they want."</p> - -<p>Dynamon's heart sank. He had hoped that Queen Diana had got over that -idea. What was he going to do?</p> - -<p>"Well, Queen Diana," he said, slowly, trying frantically to think of -some way out, "I can't tell you how flattered I am at your proposal, -but I don't see how I can accept it."</p> - -<p>"Why not?" the queen demanded, imperiously.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Dynamon shook his head helplessly. He was trying to think of some -tactful way of telling this spoiled little woman that his heart already -belonged to Keltry.</p> - -<p>"Well, perhaps you have noticed," he began, "that someone else on this -expedition has a—a claim—er—"</p> - -<p>"Who do you mean?" the Queen interrupted, "The tall, dark man? The one -called Mortoch?"</p> - -<p>"Mortoch?" said Dynamon wonderingly.</p> - -<p>"Yes, isn't that what you're trying to tell me? Mortoch! That's very -interesting," said the Queen dreamily, "Come to think of it, I <i>had</i> -noticed that he looked at me very intensely."</p> - -<p>A great light dawned on Dynamon. The Queen was jumping to a quite -different set of conclusions. He had tried to tell her that he was in -love with Keltry, and she thought he was telling her that Mortoch was -in love with her, the Queen!</p> - -<p>"I think that is very generous of you, Dynamon," said the Queen with a -brilliant smile. "You are standing aside in favor of Mortoch because in -your eyes, his bravery in facing the Martians gives him a greater claim -on my hand."</p> - -<p>Dynamon nodded wisely.</p> - -<p>"He is a very handsome man," the Queen went on, looking off into space, -"perhaps you're right."</p> - -<p>"He is just outside," said Dynamon rising. "Let me bring him in to you."</p> - -<p>Before the little Queen could say anything more, Dynamon walked briskly -out to the mouth of the cave and hailed Mortoch.</p> - -<p>"I remember hearing you say," he said, as the Chief Decurion came up to -him, "that you wouldn't mind staying here with Queen Diana. Well, it -seems that you are to have your wish. The Queen is determined to marry -one of us, and right at this moment, she is inclining toward you as a -husband. I think it's a fine idea."</p> - -<p>Mortoch turned startled eyes on the centurion. Then he began to grin.</p> - -<p>"Is that a command?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"It is," Dynamon replied.</p> - -<p>"I could do lots worse," said Mortoch, "although I'm liable to get -homesick now and then."</p> - -<p>"Don't forget," said Dynamon, "you'll be King of Saturn, or at least, -of this part of Saturn. Go on inside, now, she's waiting for you."</p> - -<p>Not long afterwards, Queen Diana, her eyes shining, appeared at the -entrance to her cave. Her hand rested lightly on Mortoch's arm, and -she announced to her people that at last she was taking a husband and -giving the Nether World of Saturn, a King. As cheer after cheer went -up from the bearded Saturnians, Dynamon bent over the Queen's hand and -kissed it. He, then, received gracious permission to take away as much -tridium as he needed.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Keltry stood between Dynamon and Thamon and the three of them stared -into the bow periscope screens in the control-room of the Carrier. -Borion came over and joined them.</p> - -<p>"Well, there she is," said the navigator, fondly. "There was a time -back there on Saturn when I kind of doubted that any of us would ever -see her again."</p> - -<p>The chief image in the screens was a glowing sphere about the size of -a man's head. It was Earth. Already, the watchers in the control-room -could make out the outlines of the continents.</p> - -<p>"But at that, I guess we got off lightly," continued Borion, "We lost -thirty-nine men—including Mortoch—but just think what we're bringing -back! We've got enough tridium in these three Carriers to divide up -among ten thousand men. I was afraid we might have trouble with so much -of the stuff—afraid it might affect the magnets."</p> - -<p>"No, it's a curiously inert substance," said Thamon, "I suppose that's -why it can absorb the terrific shock of the Photo-Atomic Ray so easily. -What's the news from Headquarters, Dynamon?"</p> - -<p>"It's pretty sketchy," said the centurion, "Argallum was afraid to say -too much for fear the Martians might be able to decode the message. -But it looks as if we are going to be just about in the nick of time. -The Martian invasion began ten months ago, just about the time we were -leaving Saturn. Even though they came without warning in thousands of -ships, our people managed to beat them off for quite a while. Some -cities were destroyed, but Copia wasn't touched—too well guarded. -But then, even though our people maintained, and still do maintain, -superiority in the air, those Martian devils found some remote desert -spot unguarded and landed thousands of their men. They were all -equipped with the Ray, of course, and our land forces simply couldn't -stand up against them. They've been driving steadily ever since, and -right now, they're within seventy miles of Copia."</p> - -<p>"Whew!" gasped Borion.</p> - -<p>"I should say we <i>are</i> in the nick of time," said Keltry.</p> - -<p>"Heavens!" exclaimed Thamon, "I shudder to think what would happen to -the World right now, Keltry, if you hadn't fallen down that pit!"</p> - -<p>"That's right," laughed Dynamon.</p> - -<p>Just then, a communications man walked into the control-room and handed -Dynamon a message.</p> - -<p>He read it avidly.</p> - -<p>"That's good news," the centurion remarked, looking up from the piece -of paper, "Argallum is sending a heavy convoy to meet us. How soon will -we be landing, Borion?"</p> - -<p>"Well, we should hit the top of the stratosphere in less than an hour," -the navigator replied. "From there on down—at reduced speed—will -probably take another two hours."</p> - -<p>"In that case," said Dynamon, "I think we'd better shut down on all -conversation. Even Argallum doesn't know what we're bringing back—I'm -taking no chances on having our secret get out to the enemy. He only -knows that we are returning with two captured Martian Carriers. So, -make your dispositions, Borion, because in five minutes I'm going to -order everyone on all three ships to landing stations."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The next three hours were tense ones for the returning expedition. -Even though a convoy had been promised, Dynamon was apprehensive about -possible attacks by the Martians, who, he was sure, must know something -of what was going on. But as it worked out, a perfect cloud of gray -Cosmos Carriers came out to meet the voyagers from Saturn, and Dynamon -was able to set his ships down at Vanadium Field without mishap.</p> - -<p>A heavy guard was thrown around the precious cargoes, and the young -centurion was whisked away to Government City.</p> - -<p>"What did you find?" The Commander-in-Chief's face was haggard.</p> - -<p>"We found tridium," said Dynamon, "tons of it. We had an opportunity to -test it, and it proved to be a complete defense against the Ray."</p> - -<p>"How difficult is it to get at?"</p> - -<p>"Not difficult at all," said Dynamon, "we brought back enough to equip -nearly ten thousand men."</p> - -<p>"Heaven be praised!" said Argallum fervently, "We might pull out of -this situation yet. Those devils have been sweeping everything before -them. We cut off their communications with our air power but that -didn't stop them. They've been living off the land, and they're so -powerful that they've been able to overrun territory at will."</p> - -<p>Dynamon glanced at his watch. "It is almost noon," he said, "It will -take just one counter-attack to break through their line and roll it -up in both directions. If you throw attack-units forward as fast as -they can be equipped with tridium, you will have the Martians in a rout -before sundown."</p> - -<p>And it was so.</p> - -<p>Dynamon stood beside Argallum two hours later, on a little knoll sixty -miles out of Copia. A wide plain stretched before their eyes and across -its width, a beaten, discouraged army of humans gave ground slowly -before hordes of tiny, malevolent creatures from another planet. As -the two men watched, a fresh column of Earth-soldiers issued forth -from a woods in the center of the plain. There was a curious greenish -shimmer surrounding this new column—a will-o'-the-wisp, mirage-like -quality—and it advanced without hesitation straight into the serried -ranks of the terrible Martians.</p> - -<p>"Great Heavens!" cried Argallum, "They're walking right up to them! And -not a man is down! Look! The Martians are reeling back! Our voltage -bombs are killing them like flies!"</p> - -<p>Dynamon turned away from the scene of carnage with a curious smile. He -knew that Argallum in his gratitude would probably want to throw every -conceivable honor and promotion at him. For bringing three Carrier -loads of tridium back from Saturn, he, Dynamon, would very likely -become a World-wide hero. And yet, he reflected, it was a feat which -could never have been accomplished if it hadn't been for a series of -unrelated incidents. If Keltry hadn't stowed away, she couldn't have -fallen down the pit, thus leading to the discovery of Queen Diana's -Nether World. If Mortoch had not rebelled and tried to kill him with a -voltage bomb—. If he hadn't happened to touch the rock with his back—.</p> - -<p>Dynamon turned and looked out on to the battle field where the -victorious Earth-soldiers in their tridium-auras were vengefully -slaughtering the hideous Martians. And he thought of the incident which -had to precede all the other incidents so that he could bring back the -tridium. That was the incident which had occurred hundreds of years -before, when a man named Leonard Bolton had built a "space ship" and -had traveled to Saturn in it, breaking through the burnt-out crust -into the Nether World, boring the long hole with his clumsy medieval -Carrier. That was the hole that Keltry had fallen into.</p> - -<p>Dynamon shook his head. Leonard Bolton had built his "space ship" in -the year 1956, the last year but one of the long series of frightful -wars, in which the divided peoples of the World tried to destroy one -another—and very nearly succeeded.</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Cave-Dwellers of Saturn, by John Wiggin - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAVE-DWELLERS OF SATURN *** - -***** This file should be named 61759-h.htm or 61759-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/1/7/5/61759/ - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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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/license - - -Title: Cave-Dwellers of Saturn - -Author: John Wiggin - -Release Date: April 5, 2020 [EBook #61759] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAVE-DWELLERS OF SATURN *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - Cave-Dwellers of Saturn - - By JOHN WIGGIN - - Across Earth's radiant civilization lay the - death-shot shadows of the hideous globe-headed - dwarfs from Mars. One lone Earth-ship dared - the treachery blockade, risking the planetoid - peril to find Earth's life element on - mysterious Saturn of the ten terrible rings. - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Planet Stories Winter 1939. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -It was a crisp, clear morning in the city of Copia. A cold winter's -sun glinted on the myriad roof tops of the vast spreading metropolis. -To the north, snow-covered hills gleamed whitely, but the streets -of Copia were dry and clean. There were not many people stirring at -such an early hour. The dozen broad avenues which converged like the -spokes of a great wheel on Government City in the center of Copia were -quite deserted. There was little apparent activity around and about the -majestic Government buildings, but the four mammoth gates were open, -indicating that Government City was open for business. - -At the north gate the sentry, sitting behind his black panel with its -clusters of little lights, switches, and push-buttons, glanced upward. -There was a faint humming and a man was circling downward about a -hundred feet above him. The rays of the early sun flashed off a helmet -and the sentry knew that this man was a soldier. The newcomer dropped -rapidly, the stubbed wings on his back a gray blur. Then the humming -ceased as the soldier switched off his oscillator and landed lightly on -the ground before the sentry. - -The sentry's swift glance took in the immensely tall, broad-shouldered -figure, covered to the ankles in the green cloak. He took in also the -pink, smiling face and merry blue eyes, and the lock of bright red hair -which showed as the soldier pushed his helmet backward off his forehead. - -"Your business?" asked the sentry. - -"I have orders to report to the Commander-in-Chief," said the soldier, -with a pleasant smile. - -"Let's see," said the sentry, glancing at the insignia on the helmet, -"you're a decurion of the Eightieth Division. And the name?" - -"Dynamon," said the soldier. - -"Oh, yes," said the sentry, with a recollective smile, "I remember you -as an athlete. Didn't I see you in the Regional Games two years ago?" - -"Yes," said the soldier, with pleased surprise. "I was on the team from -North Central 4B." - -"I thought so," the sentry chuckled. "As I remember you walked away -with practically everything but the stadium. Hold on a minute now and -I'll clear the channels for you." - -The sentry bent over the panels, punched some buttons, threw a switch, -and recited a few words in a monotone. He listened for a moment, then -threw the switch back and looked up. - -"It seems you're expected," he said, "third building to the right and -they'll take care of you there." - -Ten minutes later Dynamon stood in the doorway of a large, beautiful -room and saluted. The salute was answered by a grizzled, dark-skinned -man sitting behind an enormous desk. This man was Argallum, -Commander-in-Chief of the Armies of the World. He rose and beckoned to -the young soldier. - -"This way, Dynamon," said he, opening a small door. "What we have to -talk about requires platinum walls." - -Dynamon's face was a mask as he followed the Commander-in-Chief into -the little room, but his heart was pounding and his mind working fast. -The platinum room! That meant that he was about to learn a secret of -the most vital importance to the world. He remembered now, that there -was a delegation of Martians in Copia. They had arrived about a week -before, ostensibly to carry on negotiations in an effort to avert -the ugly crisis that was developing between Earth and Mars. But the -conviction was growing among the citizens of Copia that the chief -object of the Martian delegation was to spy. It was a well-known fact -that the grotesque little men from the red planet had a superhuman -sense of hearing that seemed to enable them to tune in on spoken -conversations miles away, much as human beings tuned radio sets. They -could hear through walls of brick, stone or steel; the one substance -they could not hear through was platinum. Hence the little room off -the Commander-in-Chief's office which was entirely sheathed in this -precious metal. - - * * * * * - -Argallum sat down heavily behind a little desk and gestured Dynamon to -be seated opposite him. - -"On the basis of your fine record," said Argallum, "I have selected -you, Dynamon, to lead a dangerous expedition. You may refuse the -assignment after you hear about it, and no blame will attach to you -if you do. It is dangerous, and your chances of returning from it are -unknown. But here it is, anyway. - -"The situation with Mars is growing worse each month. They are making -demands on us which, if we accepted them, would destroy the sovereign -independence of the World-State. We would become a mere political -satellite of Mars. But if we don't accept their demands, we are liable -to a sudden attack from them which we could not withstand. They have -got us in a military way and they know it. We might be able to stand -them off for a while with our fine air force, but if they ever got a -foothold with their land forces, then it's good-bye. They have a new -weapon called the Photo-Atomic Ray against which we have absolutely no -defense. It's a secret lethal ray which far outranges our voltage-bombs -and which penetrates any armor or insulation we've got." - -"Now, of course, our Council of Scientists has been working on the -problem of a defense against the Ray. But the only thing they've come -up with is a vague idea. They believe that there is a substance which -they call 'tridium,' which would absorb or neutralize the Photo-Atomic -Ray. They don't know what tridium looks like, but by spectro-analysis -they know that it exists on the planet Saturn. So I am sending you with -an expedition to Saturn to find, if you can, the substance known as -'tridium,' and bring some of it back if possible." - -"Saturn!" gasped the decurion. - -"I said it would be dangerous," Argallum said, bleakly. "No human being -has ever set foot on the planet, and very little is known about it. -But that's where you'll find tridium, if we're to believe Saturn's -spectrum. You will have the latest, fastest Cosmos Carrier. You will -have a completely equipped expedition. You will have for assistants -the best young men we can find. As head of the expedition, you will be -promoted to the rank of centurion. Do you accept the assignment?" - -"Yes, sir," said Dynamon, unhesitatingly, "I accept the assignment." - - * * * * * - -Dynamon walked thoughtfully out of Government city by the North Gate. -The sentry noticed that his helmet was now adorned with the badge -of centurion, and came to a smart salute. Dynamon went past him -without seeing him, and the sentry glared after the new centurion -disapprovingly. Lost in thought, Dynamon kept on walking until he -came to with a start, and found himself in the middle of the shopping -district. - -The sun was getting uncomfortably warm and Dynamon switched off the -electric current that heated his long cloak and looked around him. A -sign in a shop window said, "Only fourteen more shopping days before -the Twenty-fifth of December." Dynamon sighed. He wouldn't be around on -this Twenty-fifth and it was going to be a very gay one. It was to be -the nine hundredth anniversary of the Great Armistice--from which had -come the unification of all the peoples of the Earth. Dynamon sighed -again. - -The long peace was threatened. - -The Earth, in this year of grace 3057, was a wonderful place to live -in, and Copia was the political and cultural center of the Earth. -For nine hundred years now, the peoples of the Earth had lived at -peace with one another as members of a single integrated community. -The World-State had grown into something which that war-torn handful -of people back in 1957 could scarcely have imagined. No longer did -region war against region, or group against group, or class against -class. Humanity had finally united to fight the common enemies--death, -disease, old age, starvation. - -And on this nine hundredth anniversary of the Great Armistice, the -people of the World would have a great deal to celebrate. Disease was -now unknown, as was starvation. Arduous physical labor was abolished, -for now, the heaviest and the slightest tasks were performed by -machines. Pain had been reduced, both physical and mental. Helpless -senility was a thing of the past. Death alone remained. But even death -had been postponed. Human beings now lived to be almost three hundred -years old. - -All in all, Dynamon mused, as he strolled along the broad avenue, the -human race had evolved a pretty satisfactory civilization. More was -the pity, then, that human restlessness and vaulting ambition should -have led to the construction of the great Cosmos Carriers. If Man had -been content to stay on his own little planet, then communication would -never have been established with the jealous little men of Mars, and -this beautiful civilization would not now be threatened by a visitation -of the terrible Martians and their frightful Photo-Atomic Ray. -Dynamon's deep chest swelled a little with pride at the thought that he -had been selected by the Commander-in-Chief to take an important part -in the coming conflict. - - * * * * * - -He turned the corner and found himself standing before an imposing -building. Across the top of the facade in block letters was the legend, -"State Theater of Comedy." A few minutes later he stood in front of a -doorway at the side of the great theater building. The door opened and -a tall, lovely girl appeared. - -"Dynamon!" she exclaimed, "I didn't expect to see you for another -ten days." She stepped out of the doorway, and reached her arms up -impulsively, kissing Dynamon. - -The tall young soldier gripped her shoulders hard for a minute, and -then stepped back and looked down into her soft brown eyes. - -"Yes, I know, Keltry," he said soberly. "I had to report on short -notice." - -"Oh!" said the girl called Keltry, "are you here on duty?" - -"Very secret duty," said Dynamon with a meaning look. He twiddled an -imaginary radio-dial in his ear and looked around mysteriously. - -The smile died on Keltry's smooth brown face, to be replaced by an -expression of concern. - -"You mean--them?" she whispered. - -Dynamon nodded. "Yes, I am being transferred to a new post," he said -slowly, "and I thought, if you had no objections, I would ask to have -you transferred along with me." - -"Do you need to ask a question like that?" said Keltry. "You know -perfectly well I'd have a lot of objections if you didn't ask for my -transfer." - -"There may be some danger," he said, giving her an eloquent look. - -"All the more reason why I should be with you," Keltry said quietly. - - * * * * * - -Four days later, a conference was breaking up in the platinum room -behind the Commander-in-Chief's office. Argallum stood up behind his -desk and carefully folded a number of big charts. He laid one on top of -another, making a neat stack on the desk, then he looked keenly at the -four young men standing before him. - -"Once more, gentlemen," Argallum said, "for the sake of emphasis, -I repeat--Dynamon has complete authority over the expedition. You, -Mortoch"--looking at a lean, hawk-nosed man in a soldier's helmet--"are -in command of the soldiers. And you, Thamon"--turning to a studious, -stoop-shouldered man--"are in charge of civilian activities. And -Borion"--glancing at a stocky, broad-shouldered figure--"you are -responsible for the Carrier. But in the last analysis, you are all -under Dynamon's orders. This is a desperate venture you're going on and -there can be no division of authority." - -There was a moment of silence. Argallum seemed satisfied with the set, -determined expressions on the four men in the room with him. "Are there -any further questions?" he said. - -Dynamon shifted his feet uneasily. "Is the decision--on Keltry, final?" -he said huskily. - -"I'm afraid it is, Dynamon," said Argallum, gently. "I had the director -of the theater over here for half an hour trying to talk him around, -but it was no good. He said he would under no circumstances spare -Keltry. He said she was the most promising young actress in Copia, -and that he would forbid her to go on any dangerous trip. Inasmuch as -Keltry is still an apprentice, the Director has full authority over -her. I can do nothing." - -Dynamon drew himself up to his full height and squared his shoulders. -"Yes, sir," he said briefly. - -"Very well then," said Argallum, "I won't see you again. You will take -off from Vanadium Field promptly at four o'clock tomorrow morning. -Every one of the one hundred and twenty-nine people on the expedition -has his secret orders to be there at three. Dynamon, you have a -hand-picked personnel and every possible resource that our scientists -could think of to help you. May you succeed in your mission." - -"Thank you, sir," they chorused. - -Argallum shook hands separately with each of the four men, after which -they filed out of the platinum room. - -Outside the War Building, Mortoch, the decurion, and Borion, the -Navigator, took their leave of Dynamon and strolled away toward the -West Gate. But Thamon, the scientist, fell in stride with Dynamon. - -"For your sake, I'm sorry," said the stoop-shouldered scientist shyly, -"I mean--about Keltry." - -"Thanks, Thamon," said the centurion. "It was a nasty blow. I don't -know how I'm going to get along without her. I guess I'll just have to." - -"Well--I just wanted you to know," said Thamon, "that I sympathized." - - * * * * * - -In the middle of Vanadium Field a great gray shape, like a vast -slumbering whale, could be indistinctly seen in the soft half-light -of the false dawn. No lights showed on the field and no sound was -heard. But scores of people clustered around the sides of the Cosmos -Carrier, dwarfed to ant-like proportions by its great size. Inside the -Carrier, standing near the thick double doors in the Carrier's belly, -was Dynamon, near him his three chief lieutenants, Mortoch, Thamon, and -Borion. The members of the little expeditionary force filed past the -youthful Commander, each one halting before him for a brief inspection. -One hundred brawny soldiers, divided into squads of ten, stepped -through the double doors, each squad led by its decurion. Dynamon ran a -practiced eye over the equipment of each man and then for good measure -turned him over to the scrutiny of the Chief Decurion, Mortoch. Then -came twenty-five civilians, including ten engineers, four dieticians, -five administrators, and six scientists. But for a cruel prank of -fate, Dynamon reflected, his own dear Keltry would be a member of the -expedition. - -But there was no time for regretting that which could not be. Dynamon -turned and walked toward Borion. - -"Are you satisfied?" he asked the navigator. Borion nodded, and -Mortoch and Thamon likewise nodded in answer to Dynamon's unspoken -question. - -"All right," said the young centurion. "Stations!" - -A moment later the great outer door of the Cosmos Carrier swung -silently shut, after which the thick inner door was secured and the -great ship hermetically sealed. Dynamon followed the navigator into the -control room. - -"This is a gorgeous ship!" said Borion. "It's absolutely the last word. -There's a cluster of magnets underneath our feet that are brutes and -yet they can be so finely controlled, I'll guarantee you won't feel -a bump at any time. Dynamon, these magnets are so strong that this -ship will go at least ten times faster than anything that has yet been -built. Once we get up out of the stratosphere, beyond the danger of -friction, we can go almost twenty miles a second. You ready for the -take-off? If you want to use the loud speaker system just throw that -switch." - -Dynamon nodded; a moment later his voice was heard in every compartment -of the Cosmos Carrier. - -"Men, we are taking off. Hold your stations for five minutes, after -which you may take your ease until further commands." - -"Come and watch the altimeter," Borion said after Dynamon closed the -loud speaker switch. "You won't believe we're off the ground, these -controls are so smooth." The centurion watched the needle creep gently -upward a few feet at a time. But he could feel no trace of motion. - -"I'm going to take her up vertically to two thousand feet," said -Borion. "Then we'll be clear of all obstacles and can pick up our -course horizontally--" - -"Yes, good," Dynamon broke in quickly, "but don't tell me your course -until we are out of the stratosphere." - -"Aye, aye, sir," said Borion with a wink, "little pitchers have big -ears, don't they?" - -"How soon will we get out of the stratosphere?" Dynamon asked. - -"Well, I'm lifting her very slowly," answered the navigator, "I don't -want to take any chances on friction. I would say in about three hours -from now we will be ready to go." - -"I will be with you then," said Dynamon, and walked out the door. - - * * * * * - -The young centurion had in mind to make a thorough inspection of the -entire ship, but he had scarcely been ten minutes away from the control -room when the loud-speaker system boomed forth. - -"Centurion Dynamon is requested to come to the control room." Dynamon -hurried up a metal staircase and then through a companionway. As he -threw open the door to the control room, Borion turned quickly and -laid a finger on his lips. Then the navigator gestured Dynamon toward -a series of glass panels. There were six of these panels, each about a -foot square, and ranged in two vertical rows of three each. One word, -"periscopes," was stenciled at the top, and beside each mirror were -other labels, "port bow," "port beam," "port quarter." The other three -panels were labeled in the same way, designating their location on -the starboard side. Borion flicked the switch beside the "starboard -quarter" panel and it become dimly illuminated. Dynamon threw a swift -glance at the altimeter, and saw that it said two thousand feet. Then -he bent over and peered into the periscope panel. A wide panorama of -twinkling lights spread out before him, the street lights of Copia. -But the pale blue of approaching dawn was creeping fast over the city, -shedding just enough light to reveal a dark shape a mile behind the -Cosmos Carrier, and perhaps a thousand feet below. As Dynamon stared -into the periscope screen, he thought he could detect a faint glow of -red in the following shape. He turned questioningly to Borion. The -navigator was writing rapidly on a piece of paper. A second later he -handed the paper to Dynamon. It said: - -"I queried Headquarters and was told that the conference with the -Martian delegation is still officially going on. But that Carrier -following us is bright red, the color of the Martian Carriers." - - * * * * * - -Dynamon held the piece of paper in his hand for a minute and gazed -doubtfully into the periscope screen. Then he took the pencil from -Borion and, bending over, wrote the following: - -"I don't like the looks of this. Can we out-run them once we get out of -the atmosphere?" - -Borion nodded slowly. - -"As far as I know, we can," he said, "unless--" he reached for the -paper in Dynamon's hand and wrote "--unless they have developed a new -wrinkle in their Carriers that we don't know anything about." - -"Well," said Dynamon, "we won't waste time worrying about things over -which we have no control. Proceed as usual." - -There followed some anxious hours, which Dynamon spent with his eyes -glued to the periscope mirror. In a short time the early golden -rays of the sun appeared, and the Martian Carrier followed behind -inexorably, glowed an ugly menacing crimson. Once Dynamon instructed -his communications officer to speak to the Martian ship. - -"Lovely morning, Mars. Where are you bound for?" was the casual message. - -There came back a terse answer, "Test flight, and you?" - -"We're testing, too," Dynamon's communications officer said. "We'll -show you some tricks up beyond the stratosphere." - -All so elaborately casual, Dynamon thought grimly. It was fairly -evident that the Martian ship intended to follow the Earth Carrier to -find out where it was going. Those inhuman devils! Why did the Earth's -people ever have to come in contact with them? - -Dynamon's thoughts went back to his childhood, to that terrible -time when the men of Mars had abruptly declared war and descended -suddenly onto the Earth in thousands of Cosmos Carriers. Only the -timely invention of that remarkable substance, Geistfactor, had saved -Earth then. It was a creamy liquid, which spread over any surface, -rendered the object invisible. The principle underlying Geistfactor was -simplicity itself, being merely an application of ultra high-frequency -color waves. But it saved the day for Earth. The World Armies, cloaked -in their new-found invisibility, struck in a dozen places at the -ravaging hordes from Mars. The invaders, in spite of their prodigious -intellectual powers, could not defend themselves against an unseen -enemy, and had been forced to withdraw the remnants of their army and -sue for peace. - -But the unremitting jealousy and hatred of the little men with the -giant heads for Earth's creatures was leading to new trouble. It -enraged the Martians to think that human beings, whom they despised as -inferior creatures, should have first thought of spanning the yawning -distances between the planets of the solar system. It was doubly -humiliating to the Martians that when they, too, followed suit and -went in for interplanetary travel, they could do no better than to -copy faithfully the human invention of the Cosmos Carrier. It was only -too evident that Mars was gathering its strength for another lightning -thrust at the Earth. This time, with the Photo-Atomic Ray, there was -no doubt that they intended to destroy or subjugate Earth's peoples -for good. And to that end the Martians had been inventing new bones of -contention and had been contriving new crises. A peace-minded World -Government had been trying to stave off the inevitable conflict with -conference after conference. But to those on the inside it was only too -evident that the Martians could invent pretexts for war faster than -Earth could evade them. - - * * * * * - -Dynamon, watching the blood-red Carrier in the periscope mirror, felt a -surging bitterness at the Martians. If they could only be reasonable, -he reflected, if only they could be _human_, then he, Dynamon, would -not now be floating away on a dangerous mission far from the Earth and -the woman he loved. He tried to imagine what Keltry was doing at that -moment. In his mind's eye he could see her on the stage of the Theater -of Comedy, enthralling audiences with her youthful charm as she played -a part in the latest witty comedy, or sang a gay ballad in a new revue. - -He broke out of his reverie and tossed a glance at the altimeter. The -needle was moving much faster now, climbing steadily toward seventy -thousand feet. - -"It's about time to go now, isn't it?" he asked Borion. - -The navigator nodded. "Just about," he said, and put his hand on a -lever marked "gravity repellor." - -As the navigator pushed the lever smoothly forward, Dynamon turned back -to the periscope mirror and saw the red ship behind suddenly dwindle in -size. The new Cosmos Carrier was beginning to show its speed. - -Apparently, the Martians were momentarily caught off guard. The red -Carrier diminished to a tiny speck against the dark background of -the Earth. But then it began to grow in size again as the Martians -unleashed the power in their great magnets. - -"Borion, how about friction?" Dynamon asked. - -"We don't have to worry about that yet," was the answer, "we're not -going fast enough. And the temperature outside is about sixty-five -below." - -Dynamon nodded and glanced again at the altimeter. The needle was -steadily climbing, a mile every ten seconds. Once again he looked into -the screen of the periscope. The Earth was now far enough away so that -the young centurion could begin to make out the broad arc which was -a part of the curving circumference of the globe. Silently he said a -final good-bye to Keltry and turned to speak to Borion. At that moment -the door of the control room burst open and an engineer stepped in and -saluted the navigator. - -"Stowaway, sir," the engineer said. "Just found her in the munitions -compartment." - -Dynamon stared out through the open door at the woman who stood out -there between two soldiers. - -It was Keltry. - - * * * * * - -It was a harried and heartsick centurion who, a few minutes later, -called a conference in his own quarters. Borion and Thamon sat -regarding him gravely, while Mortoch, the second in command, lounged -against the wall, a faint, derisive smile on his lean face. - -"We are faced with a situation," Dynamon said heavily. "I would like to -hear some opinions." - -"Flagrant case of indiscipline," Mortoch said promptly; "that is, if -we can regard this impersonally." - -"Personalities," said Dynamon sharply, "will have no influence on my -final decision." - -"In that case," said Mortoch harshly, "it seems to me, you are bound -to put back to Earth and hand the woman over to the right people for -corrective action." - -"Good heavens!" cried Borion, "I hope we don't have to do that. We -already have a problem on our hands in the shape of that Martian -Carrier." - -"What do you say, Thamon?" the centurion asked after a significant -pause. - -"Well," said the scientist quietly, "you can't altogether regard the -situation without considering personalities. Keltry stowed away for a -very personal reason, and one which it is hard to condemn entirely. I -think we are over-emphasizing the official breach of discipline. I, -personally, can't see that it makes so much difference. After all, -we on this expedition are on our own and are likely to remain so for -some time to come. I am in favor of going along about our business and -forgetting how Keltry came aboard." - -"Spoken like a civilian," said Mortoch sourly, "and I hold to my -opinion. Just because Dynamon was promoted over my head, I see no -reason for trying to curry favor with him." - -There was an awkward silence during which Dynamon's face grew very pink -and his blue eyes grew cold. - -"I'm going to forget what you just said, Mortoch," he said. "You are a -valued member of this expedition, and you are much too good a soldier -to overlook the danger that lies in that kind of talk. Without my -participation, you are out-voted two to one. We will not turn back." - -He stood up with a gesture of dismissal and the three lieutenants filed -out of the door. He paced the floor of his quarters for a few minutes, -then walked to the door and gave orders for the prisoner to be sent in. - -"Ah, Keltry darling," he said after the guard had left the two of them -alone, "you have put me in an impossible position." - -"I don't see why it should be that bad," Keltry answered. "It was an -inhuman thing to do to separate us and I just wasn't going to permit -it." - -"Yes, but don't you see?" said Dynamon, "I will be accused of playing -favorites because I don't turn around and take you back to Earth." - -"I'm not asking favors," Keltry retorted calmly, "I just want to be a -member of this expedition." - -Whatever Dynamon was going to answer to that, it was interrupted by the -loud-speaker booming: - -"Centurion Dynamon is requested at the control room." - -Dynamon leapt to his feet, crushed Keltry to him in a swift brief -embrace and then opened the door. - -"Escort the prisoner to the scientist's quarters," he ordered, "and -release her." - - * * * * * - -Dynamon walked into the control room and saw that Borion's face was -gray. The navigator was standing in front of the periscope screens -looking from one to another. The centurion walked over and stood beside -him. - -"The Martians are showing their hand finally," said Borion. "They have -decided that we're headed for another planet, and I don't think that -they want to let us carry out our intention. See, here and here?" -Dynamon peered into the port and starboard bow panels. He could see -dozens of little red specks rapidly growing larger. - -"They will try and surround us," Borion said, "and blanket our magnets -with their own." - -"That's not so good, is it?" Dynamon murmured. "What is our altitude -from Earth?" - -"Forty miles," was the reply, "and I think they still may be able to -overhear our conversation." - -"Let them," said Dynamon quietly, "We have no secrets from them and -they may as well know that we're going to out-run them. Full speed, -Borion!" - -The Navigator advanced the "repellor" lever as far as it would go. -There was a slight jerk under foot. Then he adjusted a needle on a -large dial and moved the "attractor" lever to its full distance. There -was another jerk as the great Carrier lunged forward through space. -Borion smiled. - -"I put the attractor beam on the moon," he said, "and we'll be hitting -it up close to nineteen miles a second in a few minutes. We should walk -away from those drops of blood, over there." - -"Are we pointing away from them enough?" Dynamon asked. "What's to -prevent them from changing their course and cutting over to intercept -us? See, that's what they appear to be doing now." - -The navigator peered critically at the forward periscope screens. "It -may be a close shave at that," he admitted. "But please trust me, -Dynamon, I'll make it past them." - - * * * * * - -The tiny red specks in the periscope screens were growing shockingly -fast, indicating the frightful speed at which the Earth-Carrier was -traveling. Bigger and bigger they grew under Dynamon's fascinated gaze. -The centurion darted a glance at Borion. In this fantastic encounter, -every second counted. Could the navigator elude the pursuing red -Carriers? Borion haunched tensely over the control levers, his eyes -glued to the screens. The Martian ships were as big as cigars now and -tripling their size with every heartbeat. Dynamon clenched his fist -involuntarily and fought down an impulse to shout a warning. That would -be worse than useless now--the fate of the expedition was entirely in -the hands of Borion. - -Dynamon held his breath as a flash of red flicked across the port bow -periscope screen. The Carrier heaved under his feet for a second then -quickly settled to an even keel again. The sweat stood out in little -drops on Borion's forehead. - -"Too close for comfort," muttered the navigator. His eyes widened as -another huge red shape loomed up in the starboard bow screen. Borion's -hands flicked over a dial spinning a needle around. Then he hung -desperately back on the repellor. There was a momentary shock. The -Carrier seemed to bounce off something. Borion staggered and Dynamon -hurled forward and crashed into the forward bulkhead of the control -room. - -Then Borion shouted, "We're through!" - -Dynamon picked himself up off the floor with a rueful smile. "I thought -we were _all_ through for a minute," he observed. - -"Well! That was a bad minute there!" said Borion excitedly. "I thought -that one fellow was going to get us, but I kicked him off by throwing -the beam on him and giving him the repellor. But you can see for -yourself, they are far behind now, and they'll never in the world be -able to catch up." - -Dynamon peered into the port and starboard quarter screens and saw a -group of rapidly diminishing red specks. He looked up with a sigh of -relief. - -"Good work, Borion," he said, and the navigator grinned. - -"I don't think we will have to worry any more about the Martian ships -from now on, if we're careful," Borion said. "I'm going to run for -the shadow of the moon and from there I'll plot a course straight for -Jupiter, avoiding Mars entirely." - - * * * * * - -The door to the control room opened, and a smiling, spectacled face -peered in. It was Thamon, the scientist. - -"That was quite a bump," Thamon observed. "Were we trying to knock down -an asteroid?" - -Dynamon gave a short laugh. "No, that was merely some of our friends -from Mars trying to head us off. But they're far behind now and we -don't anticipate any trouble for a good many days." - -"Ah, round one to the Earth people," Thamon observed. "In that case, -Dynamon, have you decided how you are going to conduct affairs within -the Carrier in the immediate future?" - -"Not quite," Dynamon replied. "Suppose we discuss that, in my quarters?" - -Thamon nodded. "I'm at your disposal, Centurion." - -Dynamon led the way down the little stair and into the compartment that -served as his office. Once there, he threw off his long military cloak -and sat down at a little table, his great bronzed shoulders gleaming in -the soft artificial light. - -"I suppose the first question," said Thamon, sitting down opposite the -centurion, "is whether to institute suspended animation on board?" - -"I think we'd better, don't you?" said Dynamon. - -"It would save a lot of food and oxygen," the scientist replied. "You -see, even at our tremendous rate of speed now, it will take two hundred -and twenty-six days to reach the outer layer of Saturn's atmosphere. -Until we actually land the ship, there is no conceivable emergency that -couldn't be handled by a skeleton crew." - -"Quite right," said Dynamon. "I'll have Mortoch take charge of the -arrangements, if you will stand by to supervise the technical side." - -"It's as good as done," said Thamon. "We have the newest type of -refrigeration system in the main saloon. I can drop the temperature one -hundred and fifty degrees in one-fifth of a second. By the way, I was a -little worried by that outburst of Mortoch's when we were talking about -Keltry." - -"Oh, well," said Dynamon, "Mortoch is only human. He was a Senior -Decurion and I was passed over him for this job. He couldn't help but -be a little jealous. But he will be all right, he's a soldier, after -all." - -"I hope so," said Thamon, doubtfully. - -"Why certainly," Dynamon affirmed. "As a matter of fact, I wish he had -been given the command in the first place. Between you and me, I'm -not too keen about this expedition to a comparatively unknown planet. -Thamon, why on earth weren't human beings content to stay at home? Why -did they have to go to such endless pains to construct these Cosmos -Carriers? Before these things were invented, the inhabitants of Earth -and the inhabitants of Mars didn't know that each other existed, and -they were perfectly happy about it. But when they both began spinning -around through space between the planets, all of a sudden the Solar -System was not big enough to hold both Peoples." - -"It's some fatal restlessness in the make-up of human beings," Thamon -replied. "Do you realize how far back Man has been trying to reach out -to other planets?" - -"Well, the first successful trip in a Cosmos Carrier was made -seventy-eight years ago," said Dynamon. - -Thamon chuckled. - -"As far as we _know_, that was the first successful trip," the -scientist corrected. "As a matter of fact, the first Cosmos Carrier was -anticipated hundreds of years ago. Just the other day in the library, -I found a very interesting account of an archaeological discovery made -up in North Central 3A--the island that the ancients called Britain. A -complete set of drawings and building plans was found in an admirable -state of preservation. The date on the plans was 1956, and as you will -remember from your school history, all of North Central by that time -had been terribly ravaged by the wars. The inventor, whose name was -Leonard Bolton, called his contrivance a 'space ship.' Wonderful, those -old names, aren't they? But the most remarkable thing of all, is, that -the designs for that 'space ship' were very practical. If the man ever -had a chance to build one, which he probably didn't, it might very well -have been a successful vehicle." - -"That's very interesting," said Dynamon. "Were there any clues as to -what happened to Leonard Bolton?" - -"None at all," the scientist replied. "All we know about him is that -he designed the 'space ship' and then was presumably blotted out by -the savage weapons used in the warfare of those days. But, as I say, -the remarkable thing is that when we got around to building a Cosmos -Carrier eighty years ago, we were able to use several of Leonard -Bolton's ideas. Which all goes to show, I suppose, there's nothing new -under the sun." - -"I'm not so sure about that," said Dynamon with a smile. "I've an idea -that we're going to bump into several things new to us on the planet -Saturn." - -"As to that," Thamon nodded, "I shouldn't be surprised if you are -right. Now I suppose I'd better go and make arrangements for the -refrigeration job. Will Mortoch be responsible for providing each -individual with a hypodermic and return-to-life tablets?" - -"That will be taken care of," said Dynamon. "I'll see you later." - - * * * * * - -Dynamon stood beside Borion in the control room, staring fascinatedly -at the periscope screens. The images that were reflected in the six -panels made up a composite scene that was awe-inspiring and fearsome. -The great Cosmos Carrier was finally arriving at the end of its seven -months' journey. In front of the Earthcraft, a vast, barren expanse, -uniformly dark gray in color spread for thousands of miles. To one side -of the Carrier a wide belt of mist and shimmering particles stretched -upward from the planet out toward space. Dynamon realized that this was -a small section of the great ring encircling Saturn, that could be seen -in the powerful telescopes from Earth. Glancing at the stern vision -screens, Dynamon saw the sun twinkling. So far away it was now, that it -was hardly bigger than a large star and gave off not much more light. -Even though they were coming to Saturn in the middle of a Saturnian -day, there was no more than a gloomy half-light to illumine their way. - -"Saturn revolves on its axis with such speed," observed Borion, "that -I should imagine there will be tremendous prevailing winds on the -surface. I think I can see a range of steep mountains down there; it -might not be a bad idea if we landed in the lee of them." - -"Yes," agreed Dynamon, "I think that would be a good idea. As a matter -of fact, we may have to dig below the surface entirely to prevent being -blown away. How is the gravitation pull?" - -"It's a curious thing," Borion replied. "It should be tremendous but -the centrifugal force is so strong that it counterbalances to a certain -extent. The ship is handling very easily." - -"How soon do you think we'll make the surface?" said Dynamon. - -"I should estimate somewhere around six hours from now," the navigator -answered. "I could make it sooner but I'm feeling my way." - -"That suits me," said Dynamon. "That will give us just time to turn off -the refrigeration and bring our people back to life. Lucky devils to be -able to sleep through this trip--have you ever been so bored in your -life?" - -"Never," agreed Borion. "But I am not bored now." - -Dynamon walked across the control room and threw a large switch in the -wall panel. - -"Decurion Mortoch and Scientist Thamon," he said into the loud-speaker -system. "Proceed at once to remove the suspension-of-life condition -in the main saloon. As soon as everyone is revived, stand by to take -landing stations." - -As the centurion closed the switch and turned away, Borion called him -over again to the periscope screens. - -"That _is_ a range of mountains," said the navigator. "I can see it -more clearly now. I think I'll slow up our descent a little bit so -that by the time we're ready to land it will be midday again. As you -probably know, Saturn makes a complete revolution in only a little more -than ten hours." - -"That sounds sensible," said Dynamon. "We'll need all the light we can -get to make a safe landing." - -Borion nodded and reached toward the repellor lever. He pushed it -gently forward and then looked at his altimeter. He seemed to be -dissatisfied with the altimeter reading and pushed forward the -repellor lever a little more. Then he looked again at the altimeter, -and an expression of bewilderment came over his face. With a muttered -exclamation he jammed the repellor lever as far ahead as it would go, -at the same time watching the altimeter. Dynamon sensed that something -was wrong as he watched the color drain out of the navigator's face. - -"The Saints preserve us!" the navigator cried hoarsly. "Something has -gone terribly wrong--the repellor isn't working! We're dropping at a -frightful rate of speed--!" - -Borion leapt to the loud-speaker system and issued rapid orders to the -navigating engineers. - -"What's going to happen to us?" Dynamon demanded. - -"I don't know," Borion said, his face ashen. "I think it is just a -simple mechanical failure in the controls from the repellor lever down -to the magnets. I don't know how soon my workers can discover the -trouble and repair it. In the mean time--" - -"In the mean time," Dynamon broke in gloomily, "we may all be spattered -all over that gray landscape." - -"Either that," Borion gritted, "or we burn to a crisp from the -atmospheric friction. I can feel it getting warmer in here already." - - * * * * * - -Dynamon fought down the sickening sensation of panic that was starting -to creep over him. - -"How long do you think we have got?" he said with an effort. - -"At the most," said Borion staring, white lipped, at the altimeter, "at -the most, I should say a half an hour." - -The door to the control room burst open and Thamon rushed in closely -followed by Keltry. - -"I heard you talking to your engineers, Borion," the scientist said -rapidly. "Are we in trouble?" - -"We are," said Borion, "and it may be the last trouble any of us ever -have. Our repellor has gone out for some reason. And we're heading for -the surface of Saturn like a meteorite." - -"Can't anything be done?" said Thamon. - -"My engineers are doing all they can to find the source of the -trouble," Borion replied. "But until they do, I can't slow the ship up." - -Keltry's great brown eyes were enormous as she moved over beside -Dynamon and took his right hand in hers. - -"As long as I'm with you, Dynamon," she said in a low voice, "I'm not -afraid to die. But I hate to see your expedition fail. Perhaps the fate -of the Earth depends on us here in this Carrier." - -"I know," said Dynamon, squeezing her hand. His eyes followed Borion as -the navigator went to the loud-speaker system again. But apparently the -news from below was not encouraging, and Borion's shoulders sagged as -he turned to face the other three people in the control room. - -"They haven't found the source of the trouble yet," he said dully, -"and there's not a thing to be done until they do. I'm sorry that, as -navigator of this Carrier, I am plunging you all to your death. But -it's a case of a simple mechanical failure which I couldn't foresee." - -Keltry stepped forward impulsively and laid her hand on the navigator's -wrist. - -"Nobody could blame you, Borion," she said gently. "It isn't your fault -if the attractor or the repellor lever, whichever it is, gets broken. -You are already--" - -"Wait a minute!" Borion shouted, eyes darting out of his head. "The -attractor! In my excitement I forgot!" - -The navigator leapt to the control levers, spun the dial and put his -hand on the attractor lever. - -"If--I'm only--on time!" he muttered agonizedly. "It's just -possible--the counter-attraction of Jupiter--Lord it's hot!" - -The control room was silent as death as the navigator eased the -attractor lever carefully forward. Dynamon whipped a glance at the -periscope screens. The ground was rushing up at a terrific rate, and -out behind the Carrier, a dense cloud of black smoke was forming. The -veins were standing out in Borion's forehead as he inched the attractor -lever forward. The girl and the two men watched him with bated breath -as he slowly raised his eyes to the altimeter. A wild incredulous -expression appearing on the navigator's face. - -"_It's--it's working!_" Borion muttered hoarsly, "_the attractor beam -from Jupiter is slowing us up!_" - - * * * * * - -Dynamon's heart leapt and he sprang back to the periscope screens. -The column of smoke behind them was still there but it seemed to be -thinning out. But the surface of Saturn seemed to be rushing upward -just as fast as ever. Dynamon twisted his head around to look at -Borion. A feverish smile was lighting up the navigator's face as he -pressed forward on the attractor lever. - -"We may just make it!" he breathed, and Dynamon said a little prayer. - -In the screen a range of dark gray mountains stood out in bold relief -and seemed to reach claw-like peaks toward the speeding Carrier. But -the smoke had ceased to whip past, and only a small black cloud far -behind served to remind Dynamon of the fearful friction that the -surface of the ship had been subjected to. At the same time Dynamon -felt an invisible force dragging him toward the front bulkhead of the -control room, and he knew that the Carrier was slowing up its forward -speed. Through the bow periscopes the jagged range of mountains seemed -so close that Dynamon almost felt he could reach out and touch them. -Miraculously, they rose up to one side of the ship. A moment later a -voice sounded in the loud-speaker system. - -"The magnet room calling the navigator. A break in the control shaft -has been discovered and repaired. Throw the repellor lever into neutral -and then advance it." - -Borion gave a little sob, flicked back the repellor and then pushed -it forward again. The floor of the control room heaved for a minute -and then settled on an even keel, Dynamon stared unbelievingly at the -starboard midship's periscope screens and saw that the great Carrier -was resting immobile not more than twenty feet above the gray soil of -Saturn. - -"Saved!" cried Borion hysterically, "and it was Keltry who did it! In -my excitement I would have let all of us plunge to our death, if Keltry -hadn't reminded me that there was such a thing as an attractor lever! -Dynamon, Thamon, we should get down on our knees and thank our stars -that Keltry was in here!" - -The door of the control room opened and Mortoch stepped in. - -"Do you have to toss us around like that?" the lean decurion said. "I -had a near-panic on my hands with some of those people just coming out -of their suspended animation. Oh!--" Mortoch smiled ironically--"I -begin to see why we had such a rough passage. If beautiful stowaways -are given the run of the control room, I should imagine it would be -hard for the navigator to keep his mind on his work." - -Borion started forward with a snarl but Dynamon's voice cracked like a -whip. - -"Attention! Both of you! Try and remember that you are modern, -civilized men, not twentieth century brutes." - -Borion's hands fell to his sides, and he began to laugh. - -"You're absolutely right, Dynamon," he said, "I don't know why I should -let myself be annoyed by this crude soldier. After all, the cream of -the joke is that Mortoch would never have been able to come in here and -make sarcastic remarks about Keltry, if Keltry hadn't been here for the -past half hour." - -"What do you mean by that?" said Mortoch suspiciously. - -"I mean," said Borion, "that if Keltry had not been in here, you and -everybody else aboard this Carrier would now be dead." - -"Now!" said Dynamon. "I think we have had enough of personalities. -Suppose we get a little work done. Mortoch, prepare the First Decuria -for reconnaissance duty. Each man should be equipped with cloak, oxygen -mask, counter-gravity helmets, and a supply of voltage bombs, and each -man's radio should be set at eighty-one thousand meters. Have them -ready at the main door in fifteen minutes. I will lead them on a short -tour of exploration and Thamon will accompany me. In the mean time, -Mortoch, you will remain in charge of the Carrier until I get back." - - * * * * * - -Dynamon's heart was pounding with excitement as he and Thamon walked -through the main saloon toward the group of cloaked figures standing -by the big round door. As far as he knew he was going to be the first -human being ever to step foot on the planet Saturn. He mentally -checked over his own equipment and made sure that it was all in place, -including the hard rubber box slung over his shoulder on a strap. That -box contained his supply of voltage bombs--little glass spheroids, -smaller than golf balls, which, when hurled at an enemy, burst -releasing a tremendous electric charge. There was little likelihood -that these bombs would be needed, because the periscope screens had -shown no sign of life anywhere in the gray, arid valley in which the -Cosmos Carrier was lying. However, Dynamon was taking no chances. -He glanced briefly at Thamon beside him. The scientist was unarmed, -carrying the light metal staff which was the badge of his profession. - -Dynamon stepped forward and ran his eyes quickly over the masked, -muffled figures of the First Decuria. Then he signed to an engineer who -quickly unfastened the great door. Dynamon then stepped through and his -party followed him crowding into the air lock between the inner and -outer doors. Thamon stepped forward, maneuvered a lever, the outer door -swung open and Saturn lay waiting for the touch of Dynamon's foot. - -It was not an especially inviting prospect. A blast of unbelievably -cold air swirled through the open door, carrying with it particles of -fine, gray sand. In the dim, murky twilight, tall gray mountains loomed -ominously across the valley floor. Dynamon shivered and turned up the -heat in his electric cloak. Then with one hand on the knob of his -counter-gravity helmet he stepped gingerly out on to the ground. - -Instantly he sank to his knees in gray sand that was as light and -powdery as fresh snow. With a quick twist of the knob on his helmet he -kicked his feet free and stood lightly on the surface again. - -"Attention, First Decuria!" he said into the transmitter of his radio -phone. "Adjust counter-gravitation to approximately plus ten pounds." - -Stepping backward, he turned and watched the masked figures of his -command leave the Carrier one by one. Thamon came out first, followed -by the Decurion, and after him the soldiers. Mechanically, Dynamon -counted them. As the tenth soldier stepped out on the gray soil, -Dynamon started to turn away when to his astonishment an eleventh -cloaked figure came out of the door of the Carrier. - -"Decurion!" Dynamon said sharply into his transmitter, "since when have -you had eleven men in your command?" - -"Never," came back the prompt answer in Dynamon's ears. As the decurion -faced about to count his men, one of them moved over beside Dynamon. - -"Forgive me, Dynamon," came a soft feminine voice, "but I had to come -with you. It's Keltry. Please don't send me back, I promise not to be -any trouble." - -Dynamon hesitated, then reluctantly agreed to allow her to come along. - -"Stay close to Thamon," he warned, and started off down the valley, the -rest of the party following him. - -Lightened as they were to keep from sinking deep into the treacherous -powdery sand, the humans made fast progress, accelerated by the strong -breeze that blew at their backs down the valley. At that, Dynamon -realized that the lofty mountains on either side provided protection -against immeasurably stronger winds higher up. From the saw-toothed -peaks on the left, dark streamers of sand stood out for yards, -indicating constant winds of gale proportions up there. - - * * * * * - -The valley itself, as far as Dynamon could see in the dim half-light, -was barren of any kind of life. There was no sign of a creeping, -crawling, or flying creature; nor was there any vegetation, trees or -grass. Dynamon led his column nearly a mile down the unchanging gray of -the valley and then called a halt. - -"Thamon," he said, beckoning the scientist to him, "can you see any -possibility of human habitation in this valley?" - -"Off-hand, I don't, not on the surface," the scientist replied. "I -would have to test the atmosphere for oxygen, but I doubt if there is a -large enough proportion. My guess is that there is nothing but nitrogen -in this air. That won't support human life, or any other kind of life -except possibly certain kinds of plants." - -"What about tridium?" said Dynamon. "How do you go about looking for -it?" - -"Electrophysiological tests of all kinds," said Thamon. "I must say -this valley doesn't look very encouraging. It looks like burned out -volcanic ash. Say! What's that up the valley?" - -Dynamon gazed back in the direction of the Cosmos Carrier, and felt an -uneasy prickling along his spine. The desert valley floor behind them -seemed suddenly to have sprouted some tall bushes. There were possibly -a dozen of them standing at intervals of twenty yards. They were too -far away--perhaps one eighth of a mile--for Dynamon to see them very -well, but they appeared to consist of a score of leafless branches -radiating outward in all directions from a small core. It was as if a -basket ball was bristling with ten-foot javelins. - -"Where did they come from?" Dynamon gasped. "I didn't see them when we -walked over that ground a few minutes ago." - -"Nor I," agreed Thamon. "I can't imagine where they came from." - -Just then one of the bushes apparently moved a few feet as if blown by -the wind. - -"Good Lord!" exclaimed Thamon. "Did you see that? One of those things -rolled forward!" - -Then another of the fantastic bushes started to roll, and another, and -another. In a moment all twelve of the extraordinary apparitions were -rolling rapidly down the wind toward the humans. Dynamon felt the hair -on the back of his neck stiffen, and he sprang into action, commanding -his soldiers to converge around him. - -"Thamon, what _are_ those things!" Dynamon cried. - -"I don't know," the scientist replied. "I don't think they can be -animals. But they might be rootless nitrogen-feeding plants of some -kind. Look! Those branches are covered with long thorns!" - -The fantastic creatures were rolling swiftly down on the little group -of humans, and Dynamon could see the sharp thorns around the end of -each branch. He reached into the box at his hip. - -"Decuria, ready with voltage bombs," he commanded, and looking around -saw that each man held one of the little glass bombs in his hand. The -bushes were only fifty feet away now, rolling lightly over the gray -sand on their spindly branches. - -"Ready?" warned Dynamon, "throw!" - -A shower of glistening glass balls flew through the air into the midst -of the menacing apparitions. There was a series of blinding flashes and -loud reports. Some jagged white lines appeared among the black branches -of the monsters, but they kept right on rolling downwind. Dynamon felt -a surge of dismay. Those voltage bombs had been, for years, Man's best -weapon. - -"They're plants all right!" came Thamon's voice. "You can't kill them -with electricity any more than you can kill a tree!" - -Dynamon looked at the men huddled about him and thought quickly. - -"All we can do, men, is to try and dodge them," he announced. "Spread -out and as soon as one of those things passes you run upwind! Keltry! -Thamon! Stay close to me." - - * * * * * - -The line of rolling bushes was almost upon them as the soldiers -deployed in all directions. Seizing Keltry by the hand, Dynamon -leapt to one side dragging her out of the path of one of the spiney -monsters. Thamon gasped a warning, and Dynamon, turning his head, felt -a thrill of horror as he saw another of the creatures almost on top -of them. Acting instinctively, Dynamon snatched the metal staff from -Thamon's hands and flailed frantically at the black, thorny branches. -To his amazement, they shivered and snapped under the metal rod like -matchwood. Hardly daring to believe his eyes, Dynamon struck again and -again at the horrible creature, until in a few minutes it was nothing -but a pile of scattered, broken faggots on the gray sand. - -But cries for help and screams of anguish sounded in Dynamon's ear -phones, and he saw that five of the soldiers were on the ground impaled -on the cruel thorns of others of the monsters. He ran toward them and -beat them to pieces with the rod but too late to save the lives of the -men. They lay pierced in a dozen places by long, black thorns. The -rest of the Decuria had managed to dodge the whirling branches of the -other bushes and now stood safely up wind of them. Dynamon summoned the -survivors around him. - -"What do you think, Thamon?" he asked. "In your opinion are there -likely to be more of these horrible things around?" - -"There may easily be," the scientist replied promptly. "But since the -only defense against them is this one metal rod, I recommend that -we leave our unfortunate comrades here and head immediately for the -mountains over there. Those poor fellows are beyond our help and we -should be able to find better protection from these blood-thirsty -thorn-bushes among the foot hills. When we get there we can work upwind -until we're opposite the Carrier again." - -"That sounds like good advice," said Dynamon. "And we'll act on it. -It's getting so dark now that we couldn't see to protect ourselves if -any more of those creatures came rolling down the wind. Everyone join -hands and follow me." - - * * * * * - -After a nerve-racking march of about twenty-five minutes through the -gathering darkness, the party of nine humans felt the ground rising -beneath their feet. Dynamon halted and hurled a voltage bomb forward -and upward. As the bomb exploded, the momentary flash revealed to the -party that they were at the foot of a steep, rock-strewn declivity. -Dynamon led the party upward, feeling his way over the great boulders. -After a few minutes of climbing, he called another halt and again threw -a voltage bomb. - -"We'll stay here for a few hours," the centurion announced, "until it -gets light enough to see our way. We will be safe in the lee of these -big rocks, so make yourselves comfortable." - -Nine dim figures spread out on the sloping ground. Then one of them -drifted apart from the rest, up hill. - -"Who is that?" Dynamon demanded. - -"Keltry," came the answer. "I am just going up hill a little distance. -When you exploded that last bomb I thought I saw something that looked -like the edge of a volcanic crater." - -"You can't see anything in this darkness," said Dynamon. "Wait till it -gets light again before you do any exploring." - -"Oh, I won't go far," said Keltry. "Really, I won't." - -"Well, be sure that you don't," Dynamon smiled into his transmitter. -Then he said, "Thamon, where are you?" - -"Right here," and a figure moved over beside the centurion. - -Dynamon's question was casual. - -"Did you see anything that looked like a volcanic crater?" - -"Come to think of it," the scientist replied, "I think I did. It's just -up here a few yards." - -"Shall we go along and have a look at it too, then?" said Dynamon, -getting up on his feet. Just then, he stood rooted with horror as a -piercing scream rang in his ear phone. - -"Dynamon! Dynamon, I'm falling!" - -"Keltry!" the centurion exclaimed. "What's the matter? Has something -happened to your helmet?" - -"Yes!" Keltry's voice was fainter. "I've lost it! It was unfastened, -and when I stumbled, it rolled off!" Fainter and fainter grew the -voice. "I'm falling down a black hole a mile a minute!" With a muttered -sob, Dynamon scrambled up the slope. A moment later, his foot stepped -out on empty space. He started to fall into nothingness. - -"Keltry!" he cried into his transmitter. "Where are you? Answer me!" - -Straining his ears Dynamon heard a tiny voice far away saying, "I'm -still falling." - -"I'm coming after you, Keltry!" the centurion yelled, and reaching -up to the knob on his helmet, twisted frantically. By doing that, he -multiplied the gravitational pull of the planet and was now falling -much more swiftly than Keltry. How deep this black pit was, Dynamon had -no idea, but he prayed it would be deep enough so that he could catch -up with Keltry before she hit the bottom. It was a desperate chance but -Dynamon was willing to take it. - -"Keltry!" he shouted into the transmitter. "Can you hear me? I'm coming -for you." - -"Yes, I hear you, Dynamon," came the answer, and Dynamon's heart leapt -as it seemed to him that the voice sounded a little stronger. - -"Keep your courage up, Keltry," he said, trying to sound calm. "I'm -falling faster than you are. There doesn't seem to be any bottom to -this pit so I'm bound to catch up with you." - -"Oh, Dynamon! You shouldn't have jumped after me. There's--there's -only--one chance in a million that we don't crash." - - * * * * * - -Keltry was bravely trying to hide the despair and terror in her -voice, but most important of all to Dynamon was the fact that she -sounded--still nearer! He resolutely put out of his mind the frightful -probability that at any second, first Keltry and then he, would be -dashed to pieces at the bottom of the pit. It seemed to him that he had -been falling for miles, and he thought that there was beginning to be -more air resistance now. He bent his head and peered downward, trying -to pierce the inky blackness with his eyes, but he could see nothing. -It was a fantastic sensation or, better still, a lack of all sensation. -He seemed to be resting immobile in a black nothingness, with only the -rushing air tearing at his cloak to indicate that he was falling. - -"Keep talking, Keltry," he cried. - -"Oh, you sound so much nearer!" There was a note of incredulous hope -in Keltry's voice. - -"I told you I'd catch up with you!" Dynamon exulted. - -Suddenly, his heart gave a great bound. He was still peering downward -and it seemed to him that far away he could see a tiny pin point of -light. - -"Keltry!" he cried, "am I seeing things? Or is there something that -looks like a star; way down there?" - -"Oh, I think I see it!" Keltry answered breathlessly. "Dynamon, what -could that mean?" - -"I don't know," said Dynamon, "but it seems to be growing larger, and -I'm getting much nearer to you." - -Under his fascinated eyes, the star grew bigger and brighter by the -second. In a few moments Dynamon, hardly daring to believe his eyes, -thought he could make out the outlines of a flying figure between him -and the light. - -"Keltry!" he shouted. "I've almost caught up with you! Hold your hands -up over your head." - -"Oh Dynamon! I think I can see you." - -The point of light which Dynamon thought was a star, was growing into -a larger, brighter disk. Keltry's body was sharply outlined against -it now, and she seemed to be scarcely ten feet away. Dynamon bent -himself into a jack-knife dive and kicked his feet up behind him. -The air pressure was tremendous now, and Dynamon began to realize -that it was no star, or sun, or planet down below but the bottom -of the pit. Rays of light spread upward, illuminating the smooth, -shiny sides of the shaft. A few more agonizing seconds went past and -Dynamon's hands grazed the tips of Keltry's upraised fingers. Dynamon -dared not estimate how far above the bottom of the pit they were, but -concentrated on gaining the few inches he needed to get a grip on one -of Keltry's wrists. - -"We've--almost--made it!" he panted. "Here--grab my right arm and hang -on for dear life!" - -An involuntary shout of relief came from Dynamon's lips as he felt -Keltry's strong fingers close over his arm. - -"Hang on!" he shouted, and his left hand flew up to his helmet and -carefully turned the counter-gravitation knob. At the same time, he -twisted his back around and fought his feet downward. A moment later, -he gripped Keltry's torso under the arms with his knees. Frantically, -he tried to estimate how far above the bottom of the pit they were. -They might be five thousand feet--or five hundred feet. Slowly he -turned the dial on his helmet, resisting the almost insuperable impulse -to twist the knob too fast. If he tried to stop their fall too quickly -it would tear their bodies apart. - -Slowly, ever slowly, the air-rush diminished. By now, they were well -down into the area illuminated from the bottom of the pit. And they -could see that they were falling through a round shaft perhaps one -hundred feet in diameter. Dynamon judged that they were less than one -hundred feet off the bottom. - -"Look out, Keltry," he said. "I've got to put on the brakes hard." - -He gritted his teeth, and flicked the knob on his helmet. He stifled a -groan as invisible ropes attached to his feet and hands seemed to be -trying to pull him apart. But gradually the terrific pressure released. -He moved the knob a shade, and released the grip of his knees on Keltry. - -"There!" he grunted as they both landed lightly on solid ground. "There -wasn't two seconds to spare." - - * * * * * - -Keltry drew a shuddering sigh and put a hand on Dynamon's arm for -support. - -"Oh, Dynamon!" she whispered, "if I weren't such a well brought-up girl -I would break down and cry from sheer relief." - -"I don't blame you," said Dynamon in a voice that shook a little. "That -was quite an experience, but we came out of it all right. Now, where do -you suppose we are? How do you suppose this pit was ever formed?" - -The two Earth-people stared around them curiously. They were bathed in -a bright light, and yet there was no apparent source of illumination. -It began to dawn on them that the rocks which formed the side walls -at the base of the shaft, were themselves luminous, glowing with a -curious greenish light. Dynamon tilted his head back and stared up into -the darkening shaft. Suddenly, he uttered an exclamation and, seizing -Keltry by the wrist dragged her to one side. A few seconds later, a -round object dropped out of the shaft and bounced on the ground. It was -Keltry's counter-gravity helmet. - -Dynamon reached down and picked it up. "It's a good thing that these -things are well built," he remarked with a smile, "or this would be -smashed to bits. The knob is still set for plus ten pounds, and that -was quite a fall. I wonder whether it still works." - -He twisted the knob experimentally and the helmet started to sail -upward. - -"Say!" Dynamon cried. "It works, all right! Here, put it on Keltry." - -Keltry accepted the helmet with a laugh, put it on her head and was -buckling it under her chin when her blood suddenly congealed in her -veins. A loud shout rang echoingly through the shaft. Dynamon whirled -around and beheld a curious figure standing in front of a rock not -sixty feet away. It stood upright on two legs, and cradled a sort of -club in its arms. Its head was covered with long, yellow hair that fell -down on to its shoulders, and the lower half of its face was covered -with coarse, yellow hair. Blue eyes glinted from under shaggy brows in -a menacing glare at the two Earth-people. - -"It looks quite human, doesn't it?" whispered Keltry. - -Dynamon nodded and slid his ear phone off his right ear as he saw the -stranger's hairy mouth opening and closing. Keltry followed his example -in time to hear the stranger's rumbling voice. - -"Whoo-yoo?" - -Dynamon touched Keltry's hand. "That sounded like 'who are you' didn't -it?" he said wonderingly. - -"It certainly did," Keltry answered. "I think that's some kind of -human." - -"If it's a human," Dynamon said, "then there must be some sort of -breathable atmosphere down here. You notice he's not wearing any oxygen -mask." - -"Whoo-yoo?" the stranger repeated, "an whey cum fum?" - -"He's speaking a kind of English!" said Keltry excitedly. "He said, -'who are you' and 'where do you come from'!" - -"By Jupiter!" cried Dynamon. "I think you're right. If he can breathe -without a mask, so can we. I'll have a little talk with him." - -A moment later the centurion stood bare-headed, helmet and oxygen mask -in hand. - -"We're humans from Earth," he told the stranger, pronouncing each word -carefully. "Who are you?" - -The stranger's eyes and mouth flew open in astonishment and the rod -sagged in his hands. - -"Humes! Fum Earth!" he cried hoarsely, then turned his head, and gave -an ear-splitting yell. - - * * * * * - -A moment later, a dozen or more short, hairy-faced creatures closely -resembling the first stranger came tumbling through a passageway -behind him and stood rooted with astonishment at the sight of Dynamon -and Keltry. Their bodies were completely covered, the torsoes, with -loose, gray tunics, and the legs with ugly, baggy tubes. They advanced -cautiously on the two people from Earth. - -"Take off your helmet and mask," Dynamon directed Keltry, "the air is -perfectly good. We'll try and find out the mystery of how these humans -ever got here." - -He turned and addressed the first stranger, again enunciating slowly -and carefully. Immediately the whole crowd burst into excited -jabbering. Here and there Dynamon thought he recognized a word. -Finally, one man taller than the rest stepped forward. - -"Yoo cum thus," he declared. - -"Certainly," Dynamon nodded with a smile, and reached out a hand to -Keltry. The crowd, with wondering eyes, opened up a line and the two -young people from Earth followed their self-appointed guide through it. -A short narrow passageway led off at a sharp angle through the rocky -wall of the pit, and presently Dynamon and Keltry found themselves on -what appeared to be a hill top. Both of them gave little gasps as a -vast and magnificent panorama spread out before their astonished eyes. -It was as if they had stepped into a new world. - -A gently undulating plain stretched away in three directions as far -as their eyes could see. It was predominantly gray in color, but here -and there, were scattered long, narrow strips of green. These green -strips all had shimmering, silvery borders, and Dynamon couldn't -help recalling to mind some arid spots back on the Earth that were -criss-crossed with irrigation ditches. There were no trees on this -vast plain, but strewn around in a haphazard way, were a quantity of -great boulders. And these rocks, like the rocks at the base of the pit, -glowed luminously. However, the landscape was clearly illuminated by -some other source than those scattered rocks. Dynamon lifted his eyes -upward and saw that above them, and stretching as far as the eye could -reach, there was a softly luminous ceiling. There was no way of telling -how high up this ceiling was. It might be twenty feet or twenty miles. -The effect was like that of certain days on the Earth, when wide-spread -clouds blanket the sky and diffuse the sun's rays. - -The plain was by no means deserted. Here and there along the green -strips four-legged creatures moved slowly, creatures that, on Earth -Dynamon would have said were cows. Nearer at hand, a flock of small -white creatures milled around aimlessly, and Dynamon could have sworn -he heard the cackle of hens. Dynamon glanced over his shoulder and saw -that the little hairy-faced men were filing out of the passageway to -the pit. The guide tugged at his sleeve. - -"This oo-ay," he said and pointed to his right. - -Still holding Keltry's hand, Dynamon turned and followed the man, and -the others fell in behind them. Their way eventually led toward a tall -set of cliffs at the base of which a score or so of cave-like openings -could be seen. - -"These _are_ humans, aren't they, Dynamon?" Keltry whispered. - -"They certainly look like it," Dynamon answered, "although obviously -they're very primitive." - -"Then how and when did they come to Saturn?" Keltry persisted. - -"I haven't the faintest idea," Dynamon shrugged. "Perhaps we'll find -out." - -Other strange humans came running up the hill and joined the crowd -behind them. Apparently they were not all men, for some of them had no -hair on their faces and wore long robes over their bodies. The guide -led them straight to one of the openings in the cliff, then halted and -faced the two adventurers impressively. - -"The koo-een!" he announced in a loud tone. - -Dynamon and Keltry looked wonderingly at each other and then back to -the guide. At that moment a woman appeared at the mouth of the cave. -She was small and delicately formed and strikingly beautiful. She had -the bluest of eyes and golden hair that fell away on either side of a -marble brow. A long-sleeved white garment gathered at the waist covered -her from neck to toe, but its shapeless folds could scarcely conceal -the delicious curves of her little body. - -"Humes!" the guide shouted proudly, "fum Earth!" - - * * * * * - -The woman's blue eyes widened as she stared solemnly at Dynamon and -Keltry. - -"Are you from Earth?" she said in slow musical tones. "So strange! So -wonderful! How did you come?" - -Dynamon grinned. "We came in a Cosmos Carrier," he said easily. "And to -us, it seems even more strange and more wonderful that we find humans -already on Saturn." - -A shy answering smile came over the woman's beautiful face. - -"We have been here hundreds of years," she replied in the same slow -accents. "But come inside the Palace and we will talk." - -She turned with an inviting look and the two adventurers from Earth -followed her through a passageway lined with the, by now, familiar -luminous rocks. They came out in a fairly large, high-ceilinged room, -in the center of which was a sort of table made out of a long, trimmed -slab of rock. At one end of this table was a high-back chair made of -woven reeds. The woman walked over to the chair and sitting down in it, -indicated stools on either side of her. - -"Sit down," she said, "and tell me more about yourselves." - -"Thank you," Dynamon answered, and turning to his companion said, "It's -warm in here, I think we might take off these cloaks." - -Keltry nodded, and putting her hand to the throat fastening, zipped it -downward. Dynamon did likewise and the two stepped out of their cloaks. -There was a sudden scream from the beautiful little woman, and her -hands flew up in front of her eyes. - -"What are you doing?" she squealed. "Why you're--you're practically -naked! You're positively immodest!" - -Keltry threw a startled glance at Dynamon's long, brown legs. - -"Why, not at all," she said quietly. "We are dressed like everyone else -on Earth at the present time. Modesty with us, nowadays, is something -much more important than lengths of cloth." - -The little woman kept her hands before her eyes and shook her head -vigorously. "It's immodest," she insisted, "and you must put on your -clothes at once. Don't you realize that I'm the queen?" - -Reluctantly, Keltry and Dynamon stepped back into their heavy cloaks -and zipped them up the front. - -"Well! that's better," said the little queen primly. "My goodness," she -said with a slight glance, "is everybody on Earth as big and brown as -you two?" - -"We're about average, I should say," Keltry answered with a smile. "And -seriously, we didn't mean to offend you in the matter of clothes." - -"Well we, on Saturn," said the little queen, "don't believe in indecent -exposure. Now, you say you came in some kind of a carrier?" - -"Yes," said Dynamon. "It's up on the surface. We were exploring in the -darkness and fell down the long shaft." - -"Why weren't you killed?" said the queen, blue eyes wide. Dynamon -explained the counter-gravity helmets. It took considerable -explanation, because the queen was inclined to disbelieve the whole -story. She finally accepted it, however, and then launched into a long -series of questions about the Cosmos Carrier and about the state of -the Earth. Eventually Dynamon found an opening and started asking -questions on his part. - -"We're anxious to know about you and your people on Saturn," he -suggested. "Have you a name or are you addressed only as Queen?" - -"I am Queen Diana," the little woman stated. "The last of my line. I am -a Bolton, and the Boltons have been rulers of Saturn ever since we came -here." - -"Bolton!" Dynamon shouted. "Are you a descendant of Leonard Bolton?" - -"Yes!" replied the queen, with a delighted smile. "Do they still -remember Leonard Bolton on Earth?" - -"We know that he designed a contrivance called a 'space ship', but -that's all. Did he actually build such a ship, and is that how you come -to be here so many thousands of miles from Earth?" - -"Yes," said Queen Diana, proudly. "It's all down in some books which I -will show you. Leonard Bolton built a space ship which was big enough -to hold ten families and their belongings. There was a terrible war -going on and he thought the only place to find safety was another -planet. So the 'space ship' left the Earth by means of a thing called a -'rocket,' whatever that is. And they wandered around for years in space -till they finally came into Saturn's orbit, and the tremendous gravity -pulled the ship right through the light outer crust into this Nether -World. I don't know how many years ago that was, but we have been here -ever since." - -"Well that is an amazing story," said Dynamon. "And I would like to -see those books you mentioned. How incredibly fortunate that the -'space ship' broke through into this Nether World, where there is an -atmosphere that will support life. And it is pretty miraculous too, -that the 'space ship' didn't break up from the force of hitting the -outer crust." - -"Well, the books say that it was broken up somewhat," the queen -answered, "but nobody was hurt. And after they unloaded the ship, they -took it apart so that they could use the metal in it for other things." - -She was eyeing him admiringly. - -"And the colony has survived over a thousand years," Dynamon mused. He -could not help thinking how, in comparison with the people on Earth, -the survivors of Bolton's expedition were a rather poor lot. They had -made no progress at all in the thousand years, mentally or culturally; -from all evidences they had, on the contrary, retrogressed at least to -a degree. Then across his mind flitted a picture of the hardships these -brave souls had to endure in establishing themselves on the new planet. -At no time could they have even hoped to return to Earth. - -With their limited equipment they had set out to make the most of their -new world. The great caves offered natural shelter so it was small -wonder that they made their homes in them. - -Dynamon, although a soldier to his finger tips, had none of the -haughtiness and cruelty which are so often found in the warriors of -today. Quickly his pity for the colonists turned into admiration, and -he turned gently to face Queen Diana again. - -"Tell me," he asked, "Are we the first strangers you have seen? You -haven't, by any chance, been visited by Martians, have you?" - -"Martians," said the queen. "What are they?" - -"At present, they are just about the worst enemies of human beings," -Dynamon replied tersely. - -"No," said the queen, "our only enemies here are the _land-krakens_. We -have been fighting them for hundreds of years and we have never been -able to exterminate them, because they're so hard to kill." - -"Land-krakens," said Dynamon. "What sort of creature are they?" - -"They are great, crawling monsters," the queen told him. "They have a -dozen long, flexible arms that curl around their victims and strangle -them. They lie in wait for our cows and kill them easily, and now and -then, they catch a human being. They're terribly hard to kill even with -bullets--they seem to be made of gristle and jelly." - -Just as the queen spoke, there was a chorus of shouts outside the cave, -followed by three or four sharp reports, in rapid succession. The queen -stood up quickly, as one of her subjects rushed into the cave. - -"Land-kraken!" he shouted. "Ter'ble biggun!" - - * * * * * - -Without a word, the queen picked up her long skirts and ran to the -entrance of the cave, Dynamon and Keltry following close behind. An -extraordinary sight met their eyes. - -At the fool of the little hill, fifty or sixty shouting men were ringed -around a horrible mass of thrashing, gray tentacles. Several of the men -were pointing their black rods at the beast. - -"Oh, it _is_ a big one," the queen cried. "Our guns will be useless -against that thick hide--the bullets will just skim off." - -There were several more reports and smoke curled from the ends of the -rods. Several long, grey tentacles rose up above the mass, and the -crowd surged backward in all directions. Suddenly one of the slimy -arms streaked downward and outward, and a moment later a struggling, -screaming human was lifted high in the air. A thrill of horror went -through Dynamon, and Keltry clutched his arm. - -"Their ancient fire-arms are useless," she said in a tense whisper. -"Perhaps a voltage bomb--" - -But Dynamon was already running down the slope, fumbling at the black -box at his hip. The concerted groan of despair from the crowd suddenly -changed to a shout as the unfortunate human somehow tore loose from the -encircling tentacle and dropped to the ground. Just as the land-kraken -was reaching for the doomed man with another long arm, Dynamon hurled -a voltage bomb over the heads of the crowd. The little glass ball -landed squarely in the middle of the writhing gray mass. There was a -blinding flash and a loud report. A convulsive shudder rippled over the -gray monster and its twelve tentacles suddenly went limp. The crowd -looked at it in stunned silence for a second, and then raised a yell of -triumph. A noisy mob of little bearded men escorted Dynamon back up the -hill to where the beautiful little queen stood, waiting, her blue eyes -shining. - -"How marvelous! How heroic!" she breathed, as Dynamon came up to her. -"You killed the kraken with one blow. How did you do it?" - -"Well, you see, Queen Diana," Dynamon replied, patting the black box, -"these little voltage bombs have long ago entirely replaced fire-arms -on Earth. Their range is shorter but they are far more deadly." - -"Oh! So wonderful!" the queen gasped. "I am so glad you came. You shall -marry me and I'll make you King of Saturn." - -"I am most honored and flattered by your proposal, Queen Diana," -Dynamon smiled, "but I am afraid that isn't possible. Keltry and I must -go back up the shaft and rejoin our expedition." - -"Oh, but you can't!" said the queen suddenly. "Send the girl away if -you want"--she waved a careless hand at Keltry-"but you must stay here -with me forever." - - * * * * * - -Dynamon saw Keltry's startled eyes on him and he felt an acute -embarrassment. It was an impossible situation. He could not repress -a little glow within him from the frank approval of the beautiful, -imperious little queen. But at the same time, he knew that he must -soon devise some means of making a graceful exit from her presence. -His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden cry from the edge of the -surrounding crowd. He turned his head and looked along the base of the -cliff. A column of cloaked figures, helmeted and masked, were streaming -out of the passageway to the pit. - -"It's a search party coming after us!" cried Keltry. - -They were twenty or so of the soldiers from Earth, and they covered the -distance toward Dynamon and Keltry in a short time and forced their way -through the crowd of bearded Saturnians. The one in the lead unfastened -his oxygen mask and revealed the spectacled face of Thamon. - -"Thank goodness, you're alive!" said the scientist fervently. "We never -expected to find you. What a fantastic place this is!" - -"You are in the kingdom of the Boltons," said Dynamon, "and this is -Queen Diana." - -The man behind Thamon unmasked, revealing the lean, dark features of -Mortoch. - -"Congratulations, Dynamon," said the Chief Decurion, dryly, as he in -turn was presented to the wide-eyed little queen. "You certainly picked -a sort of paradise to fall into. A paradise, I might add, presided over -by an angel." - -A coy smile crept over the queen's face, then died away at Mortoch's -next words. - -"I bring you grave news, Dynamon," the Chief Decurion said. "There are -two Martian Carriers in the vicinity. We haven't seen them yet, but we -intercepted a long-wave conversation between them. What do you intend -to do about it?" - -"Why, I think we should go right back to the surface," Dynamon replied. -"Could you tell from their conversation whether they knew that we were -on Saturn?" - -"Apparently they knew we were somewhere around," said Mortoch, "but -hadn't located us yet." - -"Well, we'd better hurry right on up then," said Dynamon, "so that we -can get back to our Carrier before they find it." - -"Oh, but you can't go!" said the little queen in a shrill voice, "I -forbid it." - -"I wish we could stay, Queen Diana," Dynamon answered, "but there's -dangerous work to be done up on the surface." - -"But why go to the surface at all?" the queen demanded. "Why not stay -down here and keep away from the danger?" - -"No, Queen Diana," Dynamon said, keenly conscious of Mortoch's lurking -smile. "Duty calls and we must go. Perhaps when we have finished our -work we will pay you another visit. All right, men, here we go." - - * * * * * - -The centurion, Keltry by his side, led the way back to the entrance -to the pit, while the Saturnians, grouped around their little queen, -gaped after them. As the little force stood in the bottom of the pit -adjusting their helmets and oxygen masks preparatory to ascending to -the surface, Mortoch leaned over to Dynamon. - -"That wasn't such a bad idea of the beautiful Diana's," he murmured. -"Personally, I wouldn't mind spending a few safe years down there with -her. It would be better than facing those deadly Photo-Atomic Rays of -the Martians." - -"If it's safety you're interested in, Mortoch," said Dynamon, dryly, -"we'll try and get you, as soon as possible, to the safety of the -Carrier. Anyway, perhaps the Martians are just exploring and didn't -come equipped with the Ray." - -But as the centurion turned the knob in his helmet and shot up through -the great shaft, he felt in his heart no great hope that such, indeed, -would be the case. If the Martian Carrier were in the vicinity of -Saturn it was altogether likely that they had come prepared to destroy -the Earth Carrier, and would be equipped with their best weapon. -Dynamon hoped against hope that he and the little force would reach -the surface in time to get to their own Carrier, whose thick walls -the Martians' Ray could not penetrate. After that, it would be a case -of maneuvering the Carrier in such a way as to try to disable the -Martians' ships. - -The humans, their gravity repellors turned up full strength, whizzed -up the black shaft at a tremendous rate of speed. Even so, it seemed -hours before a small gray disc above him warned Dynamon that they were -nearing the top. He spoke some words of command into his radio phone -and cut down his upward speed. In a few moments he stepped over the rim -of the shaft into the gray light of the Saturnian midday. He glanced -down into the valley in the direction of the Carrier and felt a shock -of dismay go through him. - - * * * * * - -The gray Earth Carrier was in the same place, but a half a mile on -either side of it were two flaming red Martian Carriers. And out on -the gray sand far from any of the ships a furious battle was going on. -Some twenty tall, human figures were ringed around by a swarm of tiny, -globular Martians. A continuous series of white flashes showed that the -humans were desperately hurling their voltage bombs, but the encircling -Martians were keeping well out of range and a dozen still forms on the -ground showed that the invisible Photo-Atomic Ray was doing its deadly -work. - -All too clearly, Dynamon saw what had happened. In the absence of a -commanding officer, himself or Mortoch, Borion had unwarily sent a -force of soldiers out scouting. The Martians had swooped down, landed -swiftly, and cut off the force from the Carrier. The humans were -desperately trying to cut through to safety, but their situation looked -hopeless. - -Quickly, Dynamon turned and faced the men behind him and held up his -hands in a gesture signifying that no one should use his radio phone. -He had determined to try and help his beleaguered soldiers down in -the valley, and the only way that could successfully be done was to -surprise-attack swiftly on the rear of the Martians. He motioned Keltry -and Thamon back into the pit and then, sweeping his arm forward in a -wide arc, he plunged down the hillside. But before he had covered half -the distance to the combat in the valley, Dynamon realized that his -attack was coming too late. The Photo-Atomic Ray was cutting down the -little force of humans like an invisible scythe. There were only nine -of them left now and one by one these were falling. A thousand thoughts -raced through Dynamon's head. Should he go ahead with the attack, -courting on getting within bombing distance of the Martians unnoticed, -before they could swing their Photo-Atomic Ray around? Or, should he -change direction, skirting the enemy, and make a run for the Carrier? -Suddenly, his blood froze in his veins as a voice sounded in his ear -phones. - -"This is suicide, Dynamon!" It was Mortoch's voice. - -"It's suicide now!" said Dynamon through clenched teeth. "You fool! You -have given us away!" - -There was an instant reaction from the swarming Martians in the valley. -A large group of them broke away from the combat and rolled over the -gray sand toward Dynamon's detachment. The centurion halted his men -abruptly. It was sure annihilation to try and stand in the face of the -oncoming men of Mars. - -"Back to the pit!" Dynamon commanded. "It's our only chance. Once we -get down there we'll decide what to do later." - -The little force just barely made it to the mouth of the shaft. The -Martians were coming up rapidly behind them, and Dynamon could see the -big, black cones which produced the invisible Ray. - - * * * * * - -The descent down the shaft was rapid, Dynamon being the last to land on -the shiny floor. Immediately, he marched his men through the passageway -into the Nether World and detailed two men to remain and guard the -entrance to the pit. - -"I don't believe the Martians will follow us down," he said. "If they -do, we can easily defend the passageway." - -Then he turned and singled out the Chief Decurion. - -"Mortoch," he announced, "you are under arrest. You disobeyed my orders -in regard to using the radio phone, and by doing so you betrayed our -presence to the enemy. I will dispose of your case later." - -Mortoch stepped forward, a sardonic gleam in his dark eyes. - -"And suppose I refuse to be arrested?" he said. "If I had not disobeyed -the order, you would have led us into certain death." Mortoch swept the -crowd of soldiers with a burning look. "Men, I proclaim that Dynamon is -incompetent to command you. Henceforth, you will take your orders from -me--and _you_, Dynamon, are the one who is under arrest." - -"Mortoch!" Dynamon cried. "You are out of your mind!" - -"Not at all," Mortoch returned. "I am merely assuming the command which -should have been mine to begin with. Put your hands up in the air, -Dynamon, and backward march till I tell you to stop. And let nobody -else make a move"--Mortoch's rasping voice rose to a shout--"I have in -each hand a voltage bomb which I shall not hesitate to throw if anybody -attempts to cross my will." - -"This is madness!" Dynamon cried hoarsely. "You can't hope to get away -with this!" He strode forward angrily. - -"Back!" roared Mortoch, and raised his right hand threateningly. - -Dynamon staggered back in bewilderment from the soldiers who stood -in silence, too shocked to make a move. Helpless against the voltage -bombs in Mortoch's hands, the centurion stepped slowly backward, arms -upraised. It was an impossible situation, and for the moment, Dynamon -felt powerless to do anything about it. He reproached himself bitterly -for not being more wary of Mortoch. Up till now he had been conscious -of the Chief Ducurion's enmity, but he had never thought that the man -would erupt into open mutiny. - -Dynamon threw a swift glance over his shoulder and saw that he was -only two paces away from one of those curious, luminous rocks. It -was approximately cylindrical in shape, six feet wide and perhaps -twenty feet tall. Dynamon took another step backward and turned his -head to face Mortoch. His back was almost touching the rock now, and -a desperate plan formed in his head. That was to make a sudden leap -around the rock. Once behind it and protected by its mass, he would -have time to pull out one of his own voltage bombs and await Mortoch's -next move. - - * * * * * - -But Dynamon had not truly measured the state of Mortoch's mind. -There was a sudden scream from Keltry as Mortoch, with a lightning -movement, drew back his right arm and flung the voltage bomb straight -at Dynamon's chest. The little glass ball sped unerringly across the -intervening twenty feet. There was no time to dodge. Dynamon pressed -his back against the rock and closed his eyes. It was the end. - -Dynamon felt the little bomb bump his chest. But--wonder of wonders! -There was no blinding flash--no explosion. There was just a silvery -tinkle as the glass ball shattered at his feet. Dynamon opened his eyes -and found that he was still alive. An incredulous shout went up from -the horrified crowd and Thamon started running toward him. - -"Tridium!" shouted the scientist. "You have discovered tridium!" - -As in a dream, Dynamon saw the soldiers overpowering Mortoch and heard -himself say, "What do you mean? Where is the tridium?" He stared about -in wonder. - -"The rock!" cried Thamon excitedly. "You touched the rock and were -instantly insulated against the electric charge. Great heavens! What a -discovery! Every one of these luminous rocks must be made of tridium." - -Dynamon turned around and placed a hand on the glowing rock. Instantly, -he felt himself enveloped in an extraordinary transparent aura. - -"You see!" cried Thamon, and struck at the rock with his metal rod. -Evidently, it was almost as soft as chalk, for several pieces as big as -a man's fist chipped off and fell to the ground. Thamon stooped down -and picked one of the pieces up and immediately he, too, stood in a -curious, gleaming aura. - -"It's tridium, all right!" exclaimed the scientist. "There can be -no doubt about it. We knew it was on Saturn and we knew what its -properties were, but we didn't know what it looked like. Do you realize -what this means, Dynamon? It means that we may finally have found the -defense against the Photo-Atomic Ray!" - -Dynamon felt a little dizzy. Not only had he been snatched from what -appeared to be certain death but he had inadvertently made a discovery -that might save the people of the world from conquest at the hands of -the Martians. - -"Thamon, are you quite sure?" he said. "Are you quite sure that this -will work against the Ray?" - -"No," replied Thamon promptly. "I won't be _quite_ sure until we've -tested it out. From a theoretical standpoint, this glowing cloud, this -aura that surrounds us as we touch a piece of tridium should insulate -us against the Ray. But to be absolutely certain, somebody will have to -expose himself to the Ray. Someone among us must go up to the surface -holding a piece of tridium in his hand and face the Martians. If he -is killed, then I'm wrong. But if he is not killed, then the Martians -are at our mercy. We can walk up to them untouched and crush their -egg-shell skulls with our bare fists." - -"I see," said Dynamon gravely. "Then, one of us must be a heroic -experimental guinea pig?" - -"Exactly," said Thamon. - -Dynamon looked over the silent group of soldiers, at Mortoch, shoulders -hunched in the grip of two stalwarts. Then he bowed his head in thought -for a moment. - -"Men," he said, finally, "this is not a case of calling for volunteers. -I think any one of us is brave enough to offer his life for the good of -the rest of the human beings, but I think we should decide who is to do -this dirty work by drawing lots." - -"No!" - -It was Mortoch. In his eyes was a wild, hunted look, and his voice was -hoarse, but there was deep sincerity in his tones. - -"Dynamon," said the Chief Decurion, "I went off my head with jealousy -a minute ago. The madness is gone now, and I would give anything if I -could undo what I did. You must give me the chance to redeem myself. If -I am killed, so much the better for me. And if I am not, so much the -better for all the human beings in the world." - -Dynamon looked long and searchingly at the Decurion. Finally he said, -"Mortoch, I cannot deny your appeal. Take this piece of tridium and go -up the shaft. We will be close behind you to observe the experiment." - -Just then, there was a shout from the two soldiers who were guarding -the passageway to the pit. - -"Martians!" they cried. "They are coming down on us! The shaft is full -of them!" - -Dynamon walked straight toward Mortoch and placed the piece of tridium -in his hand. - -"Your ordeal is at hand," he said simply, as, in a flash, the bright -aura transferred itself to the person of Mortoch. - - * * * * * - -The two soldiers guarding the entrance to the pit were backing away to -either side and throwing voltage bombs into the passageway as Mortoch -ran toward them. - -"Stop!" he shouted, never slackening his pace. "This is my job! Get out -of range!" - -He halted six feet away from the mouth of the passage and raised -his arms up in a gesture of defiance. An admiring gasp went up from -the crowd of watching humans at the tall, lean figure bathed in its -luminous glow. Then a deathly silence shut down abruptly as four little -figures erupted through the passageway. Martians! - -They were scarcely two feet tall, with spindly little bodies and legs, -but their heads were more than twice the size of human heads and looked -doubly grotesque in their combination helmet-masks. One of them was -holding a big, black cone--the Photo-Atomic generator. Quickly the -little creature leveled it at Mortoch and pulled a lever on the side. -An ominous high-pitched hum filled the air and everyone knew that the -death Ray was being poured in all its deadly violence on Mortoch. - -Thamon was the first to raise his voice in a shout as Mortoch, -unharmed, strode forward and felled the Martian with one blow of -his fist. The air rang with human cheers as Mortoch seized two more -scurrying Martians by the legs and dashed their brains out on the -ground. - -"It works!" Thamon yelled, hysterically. "It's tridium! We're saved!" - -The scientist was hacking crazily at the rock with his metal staff and -jubilant soldiers swarmed around him, picking up pieces of tridium. In -a few moments the whole force, every man surrounded by the luminous -aura, was bolting through the passageway into the bottom of the pit. - -For a short time the Martians tried to put up a battle. But with their -chief weapon nullified, they were slaughtered by the dozen, and the -survivors began flitting up the shaft. In the midst of the turmoil, -Dynamon kept his wits about him. He knew that in order to realize the -full value of the tridium discovery, the Martians on the surface must -be kept from learning about it. He raised his voice in a mighty shout -over the clamor. - -"Masks on! Up the shaft at full speed! We must not allow a single -Martian to reach the surface!" - -Swiftly the Earth-soldiers fastened their masks and took off straight -upward. Each one of them clung to their precious lumps of tridium, and -in a short time the dark shaft presented an extraordinary spectacle. -Each of the twenty-odd humans was bathed in his own ghostly envelope of -light, and the fleeing Martians, looking downward, must have felt as if -they were being pursued by a squadron of giant fireflies. - -The survivors of the massacre below had a head start of their pursuers, -but being so much lighter in weight, their gravity-repellors could not -push them up through the atmosphere as fast as the humans could go. -Gradually they were overtaken and destroyed by Dynamon's force--the -last Martian being caught just at the upper mouth of the pit. - - * * * * * - -Dynamon quickly gathered his men about him while he took stock of the -situation in the valley. The three Carriers were in the same position -as they were before, but there were no Earth-soldiers left standing. A -little circle of fallen bodies offered mute testimony to the hopeless -battle put up by the force of three decuria which had made that -ill-fated sortie from the Carrier. Now, the Martians from both of the -red ships--excluding, of course, the group that had been cut to pieces -in the pit--were gathered in a body near the Earth Carrier. Dynamon -guessed that they were waiting to see what the Earth people were going -to do next. They would soon find out, the centurion thought grimly. -Even though there were probably close to two hundred of the evil little -creatures down there, they would be no match for the brawny humans -insulated against the Photo-Atomic Ray. - -Swiftly, Dynamon formulated a plan of action. His first consideration -was to try and seize both Martian Carriers. If possible, they must -be prevented from leaving the ground and carrying back to Mars the -warning that, at last, the humans had found a defense against the Ray. -With that in mind, the centurion divided his little force in two. -One decuria with its decurion he put under Mortoch, and the other, -he commanded himself. Each group was to strike boldly at one of the -Martian ships, Mortoch, the nearer one; himself, the farther one. - -Dynamon issued his commands by signs, hoping to remain unnoticed by -the enemy if he refrained from using the radio-phone. But as he led -his group off along the hillside, a sudden activity among the Martians -in the valley told him that he had been sighted. They came streaming -across the valley floor toward the heights on a shallow crescent, each -wing spreading to perform an enveloping movement. - -What an unpleasant surprise the nasty little devils are going to get, -thought Dynamon, and he switched on his radio-phone. "Follow me, now, -on the dead run!" - -He dug his toes into the yielding gray sand and ran along the hillside, -bending low into the wind. It was heavy going, but the humans were able -to make faster progress than their enemies because of their greater -weight. Dynamon saw that he and his group were outrunning the Martians -and would probably reach their objective sooner. Two thoughts arose -in his mind to worry him. One was, that the Martians inside the red -ships might lock their doors and take off before he and Mortoch, -respectively, could reach them. The other was the fear that Borion, -inside the Earth-Carrier, not knowing of the new defense against the -Ray, would sally out in a desperate attempt to save--as he might -think--the two isolated detachments of humans. - -However, Dynamon reflected, those were eventualities over which he had -no control. All he could do under the circumstances was pray for good -luck. - - * * * * * - -A glance down into the valley told him that he and his little force -were abreast of the Earth-Carrier by now, with a half a mile still to -go to reach the Martian ship. The Martians, running parallel, were -falling behind a little. Rapping out a command into his transmitter, -Dynamon changed his direction slightly, and swung downhill on a direct -line with the red ship. At the same time, he and his men readjusted -their gravity-control so that their speed was almost doubled. Away to -their left, the Martian horde was dropping behind. Dynamon gave an -involuntary shout of triumph. He and his party was going to win the -race. - -As the little knot of speeding humans approached within a hundred -yards of the Martian Carrier, another cheer broke from Dynamon's lips. -The door at the side of the Carrier swung open and a score of little -creatures carrying the once-dreaded black cones tumbled out. The -Martians inside the ship, far from running away, were coming out to -fight--mistakingly confident that the twelve humans were at their mercy! - -Quickly, Dynamon issued orders that two of his men should immediately -penetrate the inside of the Carrier and seize the control-room, while -the rest stayed outside and engaged the Martian warriors. Then, panting -for breath, but none the less confident, the decuria closed in on the -Martians. - -They were within twenty-five yards of the dwarf-like little creatures -before the Martians discovered that something was amiss with the -Photo-Atomic Ray. The ugly little men hesitated in momentary dismay, -and then started to make a dash for the inside of the Carrier. But by -that time, it was too late. - -The twelve humans, clothed in their life-preserving auras, swept down -on the Martians like avenging angels. All the pent-up hatred against -this diabolically cruel enemy now found release. At last, the Martian -superiority in weapons was broken. Dynamon and his men waded implacably -into the terrified little ogres and slew them without mercy. The whole -business was over in less than two minutes. - -Without the loss of a man, Dynamon had annihilated the defenders of -the Carrier, and two of his soldiers were inside in possession of the -control-room. There remained now the job of handling the hundred or -so Martians who were moving over the gray sand toward his victorious -decuria. - -But this force of the enemy had realized that something was radically -wrong. They were no longer running, but, in fact, were slowing up to -a halt about fifty yards away. Dynamon swung an arm and began to walk -toward them. The black cones came up, pointing, all along the long line -of Martians. Dynamon's men fanned out on either side of him, walking -forward slowly, inexorably. - -The line of Martians wavered uncertainly, and then began to fall back -in terrified confusion, as the humans remained unharmed by the Ray. -Dynamon's voice crackled in nine sets of ear-phones, and the decuria -lunged forward. In a moment, they were in the midst of a panic-stricken -mass of scurrying Martians. Again, the soldiers from Earth slew -pitilessly, until in a short while, fifty-odd of the harried little -creatures lay dead. The rest were scattered in headlong flight over the -valley. - - * * * * * - -The business was accomplished none too soon. The thing which Dynamon -had feared might happen earlier, happened now. A force of humans, -unprotected by tridium, emerged from the big gray Carrier and hastened -toward Dynamon. A few minutes earlier and these men would have been -mowed down by the Ray. The centurion sighed with relief and ordered -the newcomers back to the Cosmos Carrier. - -The danger was over. - -Twenty minutes later, Dynamon had joined forces again with Mortoch's -detachment and was marching back to the mouth of the pit, where Keltry -and Thamon were waiting. The past hour had seen a complete and sweeping -triumph for the humans. Mortoch's attack on the other Martian ship had -been as successful as Dynamon's. Now, both of the Martian Carriers were -captured, and their crews and warriors cut to pieces. And, all this -had been accomplished with the loss of but one man. One of Mortoch's -soldiers had fallen and dropped his lump of tridium. The man had -instantly died under the Photo-Atomic Ray. - -There remained only one more piece of business to conclude successfully -the expedition to Saturn, and Dynamon set about it promptly. Once again -he led the way down the pit to the Nether World. - -There was great excitement at the bottom of the shaft. The Saturnians -were disposing of the bodies of the Martians who had fallen in the -first onslaught when Mortoch had proven the efficacy of tridium. And, -as Dynamon landed among them, closely followed by Thamon, Keltry and -the soldiers, the Saturnians crowded around in a condition bordering -on hysteria. They had never before seen Martians, or even dreamed of -their existence, so it was not to be wondered at that the primitive -humans of the Nether World were excited when the sudden, fierce combat -broke out almost in their midst. With the greatest difficulty, Dynamon -quieted them down enough so that they heard and complied with his -request to be taken to their Queen. - -"Queen Diana," he said directly, "in your kingdom, you have any -quantity--thousands of tons--of this luminous rock which we have -identified as tridium. This substance is the one thing which can save -the people of the Earth from the death-ray of the Martians. Will you -give me your permission to carry away some of these rocks back to -Earth, so that our armies can defend themselves against our enemies?" - -The little Queen gave Dynamon a long languorous look. - -"If you stay here and be my King," she answered, at length, "I will -permit your people to carry away as many of the rocks as they want." - -Dynamon's heart sank. He had hoped that Queen Diana had got over that -idea. What was he going to do? - -"Well, Queen Diana," he said, slowly, trying frantically to think of -some way out, "I can't tell you how flattered I am at your proposal, -but I don't see how I can accept it." - -"Why not?" the queen demanded, imperiously. - - * * * * * - -Dynamon shook his head helplessly. He was trying to think of some -tactful way of telling this spoiled little woman that his heart already -belonged to Keltry. - -"Well, perhaps you have noticed," he began, "that someone else on this -expedition has a--a claim--er--" - -"Who do you mean?" the Queen interrupted, "The tall, dark man? The one -called Mortoch?" - -"Mortoch?" said Dynamon wonderingly. - -"Yes, isn't that what you're trying to tell me? Mortoch! That's very -interesting," said the Queen dreamily, "Come to think of it, I _had_ -noticed that he looked at me very intensely." - -A great light dawned on Dynamon. The Queen was jumping to a quite -different set of conclusions. He had tried to tell her that he was in -love with Keltry, and she thought he was telling her that Mortoch was -in love with her, the Queen! - -"I think that is very generous of you, Dynamon," said the Queen with a -brilliant smile. "You are standing aside in favor of Mortoch because in -your eyes, his bravery in facing the Martians gives him a greater claim -on my hand." - -Dynamon nodded wisely. - -"He is a very handsome man," the Queen went on, looking off into space, -"perhaps you're right." - -"He is just outside," said Dynamon rising. "Let me bring him in to you." - -Before the little Queen could say anything more, Dynamon walked briskly -out to the mouth of the cave and hailed Mortoch. - -"I remember hearing you say," he said, as the Chief Decurion came up to -him, "that you wouldn't mind staying here with Queen Diana. Well, it -seems that you are to have your wish. The Queen is determined to marry -one of us, and right at this moment, she is inclining toward you as a -husband. I think it's a fine idea." - -Mortoch turned startled eyes on the centurion. Then he began to grin. - -"Is that a command?" he asked. - -"It is," Dynamon replied. - -"I could do lots worse," said Mortoch, "although I'm liable to get -homesick now and then." - -"Don't forget," said Dynamon, "you'll be King of Saturn, or at least, -of this part of Saturn. Go on inside, now, she's waiting for you." - -Not long afterwards, Queen Diana, her eyes shining, appeared at the -entrance to her cave. Her hand rested lightly on Mortoch's arm, and -she announced to her people that at last she was taking a husband and -giving the Nether World of Saturn, a King. As cheer after cheer went -up from the bearded Saturnians, Dynamon bent over the Queen's hand and -kissed it. He, then, received gracious permission to take away as much -tridium as he needed. - - * * * * * - -Keltry stood between Dynamon and Thamon and the three of them stared -into the bow periscope screens in the control-room of the Carrier. -Borion came over and joined them. - -"Well, there she is," said the navigator, fondly. "There was a time -back there on Saturn when I kind of doubted that any of us would ever -see her again." - -The chief image in the screens was a glowing sphere about the size of -a man's head. It was Earth. Already, the watchers in the control-room -could make out the outlines of the continents. - -"But at that, I guess we got off lightly," continued Borion, "We lost -thirty-nine men--including Mortoch--but just think what we're bringing -back! We've got enough tridium in these three Carriers to divide up -among ten thousand men. I was afraid we might have trouble with so much -of the stuff--afraid it might affect the magnets." - -"No, it's a curiously inert substance," said Thamon, "I suppose that's -why it can absorb the terrific shock of the Photo-Atomic Ray so easily. -What's the news from Headquarters, Dynamon?" - -"It's pretty sketchy," said the centurion, "Argallum was afraid to say -too much for fear the Martians might be able to decode the message. -But it looks as if we are going to be just about in the nick of time. -The Martian invasion began ten months ago, just about the time we were -leaving Saturn. Even though they came without warning in thousands of -ships, our people managed to beat them off for quite a while. Some -cities were destroyed, but Copia wasn't touched--too well guarded. -But then, even though our people maintained, and still do maintain, -superiority in the air, those Martian devils found some remote desert -spot unguarded and landed thousands of their men. They were all -equipped with the Ray, of course, and our land forces simply couldn't -stand up against them. They've been driving steadily ever since, and -right now, they're within seventy miles of Copia." - -"Whew!" gasped Borion. - -"I should say we _are_ in the nick of time," said Keltry. - -"Heavens!" exclaimed Thamon, "I shudder to think what would happen to -the World right now, Keltry, if you hadn't fallen down that pit!" - -"That's right," laughed Dynamon. - -Just then, a communications man walked into the control-room and handed -Dynamon a message. - -He read it avidly. - -"That's good news," the centurion remarked, looking up from the piece -of paper, "Argallum is sending a heavy convoy to meet us. How soon will -we be landing, Borion?" - -"Well, we should hit the top of the stratosphere in less than an hour," -the navigator replied. "From there on down--at reduced speed--will -probably take another two hours." - -"In that case," said Dynamon, "I think we'd better shut down on all -conversation. Even Argallum doesn't know what we're bringing back--I'm -taking no chances on having our secret get out to the enemy. He only -knows that we are returning with two captured Martian Carriers. So, -make your dispositions, Borion, because in five minutes I'm going to -order everyone on all three ships to landing stations." - - * * * * * - -The next three hours were tense ones for the returning expedition. -Even though a convoy had been promised, Dynamon was apprehensive about -possible attacks by the Martians, who, he was sure, must know something -of what was going on. But as it worked out, a perfect cloud of gray -Cosmos Carriers came out to meet the voyagers from Saturn, and Dynamon -was able to set his ships down at Vanadium Field without mishap. - -A heavy guard was thrown around the precious cargoes, and the young -centurion was whisked away to Government City. - -"What did you find?" The Commander-in-Chief's face was haggard. - -"We found tridium," said Dynamon, "tons of it. We had an opportunity to -test it, and it proved to be a complete defense against the Ray." - -"How difficult is it to get at?" - -"Not difficult at all," said Dynamon, "we brought back enough to equip -nearly ten thousand men." - -"Heaven be praised!" said Argallum fervently, "We might pull out of -this situation yet. Those devils have been sweeping everything before -them. We cut off their communications with our air power but that -didn't stop them. They've been living off the land, and they're so -powerful that they've been able to overrun territory at will." - -Dynamon glanced at his watch. "It is almost noon," he said, "It will -take just one counter-attack to break through their line and roll it -up in both directions. If you throw attack-units forward as fast as -they can be equipped with tridium, you will have the Martians in a rout -before sundown." - -And it was so. - -Dynamon stood beside Argallum two hours later, on a little knoll sixty -miles out of Copia. A wide plain stretched before their eyes and across -its width, a beaten, discouraged army of humans gave ground slowly -before hordes of tiny, malevolent creatures from another planet. As -the two men watched, a fresh column of Earth-soldiers issued forth -from a woods in the center of the plain. There was a curious greenish -shimmer surrounding this new column--a will-o'-the-wisp, mirage-like -quality--and it advanced without hesitation straight into the serried -ranks of the terrible Martians. - -"Great Heavens!" cried Argallum, "They're walking right up to them! And -not a man is down! Look! The Martians are reeling back! Our voltage -bombs are killing them like flies!" - -Dynamon turned away from the scene of carnage with a curious smile. He -knew that Argallum in his gratitude would probably want to throw every -conceivable honor and promotion at him. For bringing three Carrier -loads of tridium back from Saturn, he, Dynamon, would very likely -become a World-wide hero. And yet, he reflected, it was a feat which -could never have been accomplished if it hadn't been for a series of -unrelated incidents. If Keltry hadn't stowed away, she couldn't have -fallen down the pit, thus leading to the discovery of Queen Diana's -Nether World. If Mortoch had not rebelled and tried to kill him with a -voltage bomb--. If he hadn't happened to touch the rock with his back--. - -Dynamon turned and looked out on to the battle field where the -victorious Earth-soldiers in their tridium-auras were vengefully -slaughtering the hideous Martians. And he thought of the incident which -had to precede all the other incidents so that he could bring back the -tridium. That was the incident which had occurred hundreds of years -before, when a man named Leonard Bolton had built a "space ship" and -had traveled to Saturn in it, breaking through the burnt-out crust -into the Nether World, boring the long hole with his clumsy medieval -Carrier. That was the hole that Keltry had fallen into. - -Dynamon shook his head. Leonard Bolton had built his "space ship" in -the year 1956, the last year but one of the long series of frightful -wars, in which the divided peoples of the World tried to destroy one -another--and very nearly succeeded. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Cave-Dwellers of Saturn, by John Wiggin - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAVE-DWELLERS OF SATURN *** - -***** This file should be named 61759.txt or 61759.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/1/7/5/61759/ - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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