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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..84e9d81 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #62212 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/62212) diff --git a/old/62212-h.zip b/old/62212-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index cba91e7..0000000 --- a/old/62212-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/62212-h/62212-h.htm b/old/62212-h/62212-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 7984057..0000000 --- a/old/62212-h/62212-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1332 +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 Prison Planet, by Bob Tucker. - </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; -} - -.caption p -{ - text-align: center; - text-indent: 0; - margin: 0.25em 0; -} - -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 Prison Planet, by Bob Tucker - -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: Prison Planet - -Author: Bob Tucker - -Release Date: May 23, 2020 [EBook #62212] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PRISON PLANET *** - - - - -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="347" height="500" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>PRISON PLANET</h1> - -<h2>By BOB TUCKER</h2> - -<p>To remain on Mars meant death from agonizing<br /> -space-sickness, but Earth-surgery lay<br /> -days of flight away. And there was only<br /> -a surface rocket in which to escape—with<br /> -a traitorous Ganymedean for its pilot.</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Planet Stories Fall 1942.<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>"Listen, Rat!" Roberds said, "what <i>I</i> say goes around here. It doesn't -happen to be any of your business. I'm still in possession of my wits, -and I know Peterson can't handle that ship. Furthermore Gladney will -be in it too, right along side of that sick girl in there! And Rat, -get this: <i>I'm</i> going to pilot that ship. Understand? Consulate or -no Consulate, job or no job, I'm wheeling that crate to Earth because -this is an emergency. And the emergency happens to be bigger than my -position, to me at any rate." His tone dropped to a deadly softness. -"Now will you kindly remove your stinking carcass from this office?"</p> - -<p>Unheeding, Rat swung his eyes around in the gloom and discovered the -woman, a nurse in uniform. He blinked at her and she returned the look, -wavering. She bit her lip and determination flowed back. She met the -stare of his boring, off-colored eyes. Rat grinned suddenly. Nurse Gray -almost smiled back, stopped before the others could see it.</p> - -<p>"Won't go!" The Centaurian resumed his fight. "You not go, lose job, -black-listed. Never get another. Look at me. I know." He retreated -a precious step to escape a rolled up fist. "Little ship carry four -nice. Rip out lockers and bunks. Swing hammocks. Put fuel in water -tanks. Live on concentrates. Earth hospital fix bellyache afterwards, -allright. I pilot ship. Yes?"</p> - -<p>"No!" Roberds screamed.</p> - -<p>Almost in answer, a moan issued from a small side room. The men in the -office froze as Nurse Gray ran across the room. She disappeared through -the narrow door.</p> - -<p>"Peterson," the field manager ordered, "come over here and help me -throw this rat out...." He went for Rat. Peterson swung up out of his -chair with balled fist. The outlander backed rapidly.</p> - -<p>"No need, no need, no need!" he said quickly. "I go." Still backing, he -blindly kicked at the door and stepped into the night.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>When the door slammed shut Roberds locked it. Peterson slumped in the -chair.</p> - -<p>"Do you mean that, Chief? About taking the ship yourself?"</p> - -<p>"True enough." Roberds cast an anxious glance at the partly closed -door, lowered his voice. "It'll cost me my job, but that girl in there -has to be taken to a hospital quickly! And it's her luck to be landed -on a planet that doesn't boast even one! So it's Earth ... or she -dies. I'd feel a lot better too if we could get Gladney to a hospital, -I'm not too confident of that patching job." He pulled a pipe from a -jacket pocket. "So, might as well kill two birds with one stone ... and -that wasn't meant to be funny!"</p> - -<p>Peterson said nothing, sat watching the door.</p> - -<p>"Rat has the right idea," Roberds continued, "but I had already thought -of it. About the bunks and lockers. Greaseball has been out there all -night tearing them out. We just <i>might</i> be able to hop by dawn ... and -hell of a long, grinding hop it will be!"</p> - -<p>The nurse came out of the door.</p> - -<p>"How is she?" Roberds asked.</p> - -<p>"Sleeping," Gray whispered. "But sinking...."</p> - -<p>"We can take off at dawn, I think." He filled the pipe and didn't look -at her. "You'll have to spend most of the trip in a hammock."</p> - -<p>"I can take it." Suddenly she smiled, wanly. "I was with the Fleet. How -long will it take?"</p> - -<p>"Eight days, in <i>that</i> ship."</p> - -<p>Roberds lit his pipe, and carefully hid his emotions. He knew Peterson -was harboring the same thoughts. Eight days in space, in a small ship -meant for two, and built for planetary surface flights. Eight days in -that untrustworthy crate, hurtling to save the lives of that girl and -Gladney.</p> - -<p>"Who was that ... man? The one you put out?" Gray asked.</p> - -<p>"We call him Rat," Roberds said.</p> - -<p>She didn't ask why. She said: "Why couldn't he pilot the ship, I mean? -What is his record?"</p> - -<p>Peterson opened his mouth.</p> - -<p>"Shut up, Peterson!" the Chief snapped. "We don't talk about his record -around here, Miss Gray. It's not a pretty thing to tell."</p> - -<p>"Stow it, Chief," said Peterson. "Miss Gray is no pantywaist." He -turned to the nurse. "Ever hear of the Sansan massacre?"</p> - -<p>Patti Gray paled. "Yes," she whispered. "Was Rat in that?"</p> - -<p>Roberds shook his head. "He didn't take part in it. But Rat was -attached to a very important office at the time, the outpost watch. -And when Mad Barry Sansan and his gang of thugs swooped down on the -Ganymedean colony, there was no warning. Our friend Rat was AWOL.</p> - -<p>"As to who he is ... well, just one of those freaks from up around -Centauria somewhere. He's been hanging around all the fields and dumps -on Mars a long time, finally landed up here."</p> - -<p>"But," protested Miss Gray, "I don't understand? I always thought that -leaving one's post under such circumstances meant execution."</p> - -<p>The Chief Consul nodded. "It does, usually. But this was a freak case. -It would take hours to explain. However, I'll just sum it up in one -word: politics. Politics, with which Rat had no connection saved him."</p> - -<p>The girl shook her head, more in sympathy than condemnation.</p> - -<p>"Are you expecting the others in soon?" she asked. "It wouldn't be -right to leave Peterson."</p> - -<p>"They will be in, in a day or two. Peterson will beat it over to Base -station for repairs, and to notify Earth we're coming. He'll be all -right."</p> - -<p>Abruptly she stood up. "Goodnight gentlemen. Call me if I'm needed."</p> - -<p>Roberds nodded acknowledgement. The door to the side room closed behind -her. Peterson hauled his chair over to the desk. He sniffed the air.</p> - -<p>"Damned rat!" he whispered harshly. "They ought to make a law forcing -him to wear dark glasses!"</p> - -<p>Roberds smiled wearily. "His eyes do get a man, don't they?"</p> - -<p>"I'd like to burn 'em out!" Peterson snarled.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Rat helped Greaseball fill the water tanks to capacity with fuel, -checked the concentrated rations and grunted.</p> - -<p>Greaseball looked over the interior and chuckled. "The boss said strip -her, and strip her I did. All right, Rat, outside." He followed the -Centaurian out, and pulled the ladder away from the lip of the lock. -The two walked across the strip of sandy soil to the office building. -On tiptoes, Greaseball poked his head through the door panel. "All set."</p> - -<p>Roberds nodded at him. "Stick with it!" and jerked a thumb at Rat -outside. Grease nodded understanding.</p> - -<p>"Okay, Rat, you can go to bed now." He dropped the ladder against the -wall and sat on it. "Good night." He watched Rat walk slowly away.</p> - -<p>Swinging down the path towards his own rambling shack, Rat caught a -sibilant whisper. Pausing, undecided, he heard it again.</p> - -<p>"Here ... can you see me?" A white clad arm waved in the gloom. Rat -regarded the arm in the window. Another impatient gesture, and he -stepped to the sill.</p> - -<p>"Yes?"—in the softest of whispers. The voices of the men in droning -conversation drifted in. "What you want?"</p> - -<p>Nothing but silence for a few hanging seconds, and then: "Can you pilot -that ship?" Her voice was shaky.</p> - -<p>He didn't answer, stared at her confused. He felt her fear as clearly -as he detected it in her words.</p> - -<p>"Well, <i>can</i> you?" she demanded.</p> - -<p>"Damn yes!" he stated simply. "It now necessary?"</p> - -<p>"Very! She is becoming worse. I'm afraid to wait until daylight. -And ... well, we want <i>you</i> to pilot it! She refuses to risk -Mr. Roberds' job. She favors you."</p> - -<p>Rat stepped back, astonished. "She?"</p> - -<p>Nurse Gray moved from the window and Rat saw the second form in the -room, a slight, quiet figure on a small cot. "My patient," Nurse Gray -explained. "She overheard our conversation awhile ago. Quick, please, -can you?"</p> - -<p>Rat looked at her and then at the girl on the cot. He vanished from the -window. Almost immediately, he was back again.</p> - -<p>"When?" he whispered.</p> - -<p>"As soon as possible. Yes. Do you know...?" but he had gone again. -Nurse Gray found herself addressing blackness. On the point of turning, -she saw him back again.</p> - -<p>"Blankets," he instructed. "Wrap in blankets. Cold—hot too. Wrap -good!" And he was gone again. Gray blinked away the illusion he -disappeared upwards.</p> - -<p>She ran over to the girl. "Judith, if you want to back down, now is the -time. He'll be back in a moment."</p> - -<p>"No!" Judith moaned. "No!" Gray smiled in the darkness and began -wrapping the blankets around her. A light tapping at the window -announced the return of Rat. The nurse pushed open the window wide, saw -him out there with arms upstretched.</p> - -<p>"Grit your teeth and hold on! Here we go." She picked up the blanketed -girl in both arms and walked to the window. Rat took the girl easily as -she was swung out, the blackness hid them both. But he appeared again -instantly.</p> - -<p>"Better lock window," he cautioned. "Stall, if Boss call. Back -soon...." and he was gone.</p> - -<p>To Nurse Gray the fifteen minute wait seemed like hours, impatient -agonizing hours of tight-lipped anxiety.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Feet first, she swung through the window, clutching a small bag in her -hands. She never touched ground. Rat whispered "Hold tight!" in her -ear and the wind was abruptly yanked from her! The ground fell away -in a dizzy rush, unseen but felt, in the night! Her feet scraped on -some projection, and she felt herself being lifted still higher. Wind -returned to her throat, and she breathed again.</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry," she managed to get out, gaspingly. "I wasn't expecting -that. I had forgotten you—"</p> - -<p>"—had wings," he finished and chuckled. "So likewise Greaseball." The -pale office lights dropped away as they sped over the field. On the far -horizon, a tinge of dawn crept along the uneven terrain.</p> - -<p>"Oh, the bag!" she gasped. "I've dropped it."</p> - -<p>He chuckled again. "Have got. You scare, I catch."</p> - -<p>She didn't see the ship because of the wind in her eyes, but without -warning she plummeted down and her feet jarred on the lip of the lock. -"Inside. No noise, no light. Easy." But in spite of his warning she -tripped in the darkness. He helped her from the floor and guided her to -the hammocks.</p> - -<p>"Judith?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"Here. Beside you, trussed up so tight I can hardly breathe."</p> - -<p>"No talk!" Rat insisted. "Much hush-hush needed. Other girl shipshape. -You make likewise." Forcibly he shoved her into a hammock. "Wrap up -tight. Straps tight. When we go, we go fast. Bang!" And he left her.</p> - -<p>"Hey! Where are you going now?"</p> - -<p>"To get Gladney. He sick too. Hush hush!" His voice floated back.</p> - -<p>"Where has he gone?" Judith called.</p> - -<p>"Back for another man. Remember the two miners who found us when we -crashed? The burly one fell off a rock-bank as they were bringing us -in. Stove in his ribs pretty badly. The other has a broken arm ... -happened once while you were out. They wouldn't let me say anything for -fear of worrying you."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The girl did not answer then and a hushed expectancy fell over the -ship. Somewhere aft a small motor was running. Wind whistled past the -open lock.</p> - -<p>"I've caused plenty of trouble haven't I?" she asked aloud, finally. -"This was certainly a fool stunt, and I'm guilty of a lot of fool -stunts! I just didn't realize until now the <i>why</i> of that law."</p> - -<p>"Don't talk so much," the nurse admonished. "A lot of people have found -out the <i>why</i> of that law the hard way, just as you are doing, and -lived to remember it. Until hospitals are built on this forlorn world, -humans like you who haven't been properly conditioned will have to stay -right at home."</p> - -<p>"How about these men that live and work here?"</p> - -<p>"They never get here until they've been through the mill first. -Adenoids, appendix', all the extra parts they can get along without."</p> - -<p>"Well," Judith said. "I've certainly learned my lesson!"</p> - -<p>Gray didn't answer, but from out of the darkness surrounding her came a -sound remarkably resembling a snort.</p> - -<p>"Gray?" Judith asked fearfully.</p> - -<p>"Yes?"</p> - -<p>"Hasn't the pilot been gone an awfully long time?"</p> - -<p>Rat himself provided the answer by alighting at the lip with a jar that -shook the ship. He was breathing heavily and lugging something in his -arms. The burden groaned.</p> - -<p>"Gladney!" Nurse Gray exclaimed.</p> - -<p>"I got." Rat confirmed. "Yes, Gladney. Damn heavy, Gladney."</p> - -<p>"But how?" she demanded. "What of Roberds and Peterson?"</p> - -<p>"Trick," he sniggered. "I burn down my shack. Boss run out. I run in. -Very simple." He packed Gladney into the remaining hammock and snapped -buckles.</p> - -<p>"And Peterson?" she prompted.</p> - -<p>"Oh yes. Peterson. So sorry about Peterson. Had to fan him."</p> - -<p>"<i>Fan</i> him? I don't understand."</p> - -<p>"Fan. With chair. Everything all right. I apologized." Rat finished up -and was walking back to the lock. They heard a slight rustling of wings -as he padded away.</p> - -<p>He was back instantly, duplicating his feat of a short time ago. -Cursing shouts were slung on the night air, and the deadly spang of -bullets bounced on the hull! Some entered the lock. The Centaurian -snapped it shut. Chunks of lead continued to pound the ship. Rat leaped -for the pilot's chair, heavily, a wing drooping.</p> - -<p>"You've been hurt!" Gray cried. A small panel light outlined his -features. She tried to struggle up.</p> - -<p>"Lie still! We go. Boss get wise." With lightning fingers he flicked -several switches on the panel, turned to her. "Hold belly. Zoom!"</p> - -<p>Gray folded her hands across her stomach and closed her eyes.</p> - -<p>Rat unlocked the master level and shoved!</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"Whew!" Nurse Gray came back to throbbing awareness, the all too -familiar feeling of a misplaced stomach attempting to force its -crowded way into her boots plaguing her. Rockets roared in the rear. -She loosened a few straps and twisted over. Judith was still out, her -face tensed in pain. Gray bit her lip and twisted the other way. The -Centaurian was grinning at her.</p> - -<p>"Do you always leave in a hurry?" she demanded, and instantly wished -she hadn't said it. He gave no outward sign.</p> - -<p>"Long-time sleep," he announced. "Four, five hours maybe." The chest -strap was lying loose at his side.</p> - -<p>"That long!" she was incredulous. "I'm never out more than three -hours!" Unloosening more straps, she sat up, glanced at the control -panel.</p> - -<p>"Not taking time," he stated simply and pointed to a dial. Gray shook -her head and looked at the others.</p> - -<p>"That isn't doing either of them any good!"</p> - -<p>Rat nodded unhappily. "What's her matter—?" pointing.</p> - -<p>"Appendix. Something about this atmosphere sends it haywire. The thing -itself isn't diseased, but it starts manufacturing poison. Patient dies -in a week unless it is taken out."</p> - -<p>"Don't know it," he said briefly.</p> - -<p>"Do you mean to say you don't have an appendix?" she demanded.</p> - -<p>Rat folded his arms and considered this. "Don't know. Maybe yes, maybe -no. Where's it hurt?"</p> - -<p>Gray pointed out the location. The Centaurian considered this further -and drifted into long contemplation. Watching him, Gray remembered his -eyes that night ... only <i>last</i> night ... in the office. Peterson had -refused to meet them. After awhile Rat came out of it.</p> - -<p>"No," he waved. "No appendix. Never nowhere appendix."</p> - -<p>"Then Mother Nature has finally woke up!" she exclaimed. "But why do -Centaurians rate it exclusively?"</p> - -<p>Rat ignored this and asked one of her. "What you and her doing up -there?" He pointed back and up, to where Mars obliterated the stars.</p> - -<p>"You might call it a pleasure jaunt. She's only seventeen. We came over -in a cruiser belonging to her father; it was rather large and easy to -handle. But the cruise ended when she lost control of the ship because -of an attack of space-appendicitis. The rest you know."</p> - -<p>"So you?"</p> - -<p>"So I'm a combination nurse, governess, guard and what have you. Or -will be until we get back. After this, I'll probably be looking for -work." She shivered.</p> - -<p>"Cold?" he inquired concernedly.</p> - -<p>"On the contrary, I'm too warm." She started to remove the blanket. Rat -threw up a hand to stop her.</p> - -<p>"Leave on! Hot out here."</p> - -<p>"But I'm too hot now. I want to take it off!"</p> - -<p>"No. Leave on. Wool blanket. Keep in body heat, yes. Keep out cold, -yes. Keep in, keep out, likewise. See?"</p> - -<p>Gray stared at him. "I never thought of it that way before. Why of -course! If it protects from one temperature, it will protect from -another. Isn't it silly of me not to know that?" Heat pressing on her -face accented the fact.</p> - -<p>"What is your name?" she asked. "Your real one I mean."</p> - -<p>He grinned. "Big. You couldn't say it. Sound like Christmas and -bottlenose together real fast. Just say Rat. Everybody does." His eyes -swept the panel and flashed back to her. "Your name Gray. Have a front -name?"</p> - -<p>"Patti."</p> - -<p>"Pretty, Patti."</p> - -<p>"No, just Patti. Say, what's the matter with the cooling system?"</p> - -<p>"Damn punk," he said. "This crate for surface work. No space. Cooling -system groan, damn punk. Won't keep cool here."</p> - -<p>"And ..." she followed up, "it will get warmer as we go out?"</p> - -<p>Rat turned back to his board in a brown study and carefully ignored -her. Gray grasped an inkling of what the coming week could bring.</p> - -<p>"But how about water?" she demanded next. "Is there enough?"</p> - -<p>He faced about. "For her—" nodding to Judith, "and him—" to Gladney, -"yes. Sparingly. Four hours every time, maybe." Back to Gray. "You, -me ... twice a day. Too bad." His eyes drifted aft to the tank of -water. She followed. "One tank water. All the rest fuel. Too bad, too -bad. We get thirsty I think."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>They did get thirsty, soon. A damnable hot thirst accented by -the knowledge that water was precious, a thirst increased by a -dried-up-in-the-mouth sensation. Their first drink was strangely -bitter; tragically disappointing. Patti Gray suddenly swung upright in -the hammock and kicked her legs. She massaged her throat with a nervous -hand, wiped damp hair from about her face.</p> - -<p>"I have to have a drink."</p> - -<p>Rat stared at her without answer.</p> - -<p>"I said, I have to have a drink!"</p> - -<p>"Heard you."</p> - -<p>"Well...?"</p> - -<p>"Well, nothing. Stall. Keep water longer."</p> - -<p>She swung a vicious boot and missed by inches. Rat grinned, and made -his way aft, hand over hand. He treaded cautiously along the deck. "Do -like this," he called over his shoulder. "Gravity punk too. Back and -under, gravity." He waited until she joined him at the water tap.</p> - -<p>They stood there glaring idiotically at each other.</p> - -<p>She burst out laughing. "They even threw the drinking cups out!" Rat -inched the handle grudgingly and she applied lips to the faucet.</p> - -<p>"Faugh!" Gray sprang back, forgot herself and lost her balance, sat -down on the deck and spat out the water. "It's hot! It tastes like hell -and it's hot! It must be fuel!"</p> - -<p>Rat applied his lips to the tap and sampled. Coming up with a mouthful -he swished it around on his tongue like mouthwash. Abruptly he -contrived a facial contortion between a grin and a grimace, and let -some of the water trickle from the edges of his mouth. He swallowed and -it cost him something.</p> - -<p>"No. I mean yes, I think. Water, no doubt. Yes. Fuel out, water in. -Swish-swush. Dammit, Greaseball forget to wash tank!"</p> - -<p>"But what makes it so hot?" She worked her mouth to dry-rinse the taste -of the fuel.</p> - -<p>"Ship get hot. Water on sun side. H-m-m-m-m-m-m."</p> - -<p>"H-m-m-m-m-m-m-m what?"</p> - -<p>"Flip-flop." He could talk with his hands as well. "Hot side over like -pancake." Rat hobbled over to the board and sat down. An experimental -flick on a lever produced nothing. Another flick, this time followed by -a quivering jar. He contemplated the panel board while fastening his -belt.</p> - -<p>"H-m-m-m-m-m-m," the lower lip protruded.</p> - -<p>Gray protested. "Oh, stop humming and do something! That wa—" the -word was queerly torn from her throat, and a scream magically filled -the vacancy. Nurse Gray sat up and rubbed a painful spot that had -suddenly appeared on her arm. She found her nose bleeding and another -new, swelling bruise on the side of her head. Around her the place was -empty. Bare.</p> - -<p>No, not quite. A wispy something was hanging just out of sight in -the corner of the eye; the water tap was now moulded <i>upward</i>, beads -glistening on its handle. The wispy thing caught her attention again -and she looked up.</p> - -<p>Two people, tightly wrapped and bound in hammocks, were staring down at -her, amazed, swinging on their stomachs. Craning further, she saw Rat. -He was hanging upside down in the chair, grinning at her in reverse.</p> - -<p>"Flip-flop," he laconically explained.</p> - -<p>"For cripes sakes, Jehosaphat!" Gladney groaned. "Turn me over on my -back! Do something!" Gray stood on tiptoes and just could pivot the -hammocks on their rope-axis.</p> - -<p>"And now, please, just <i>how</i> do I get into mine?" she bit at Rat.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Existence dragged. Paradoxically, time dropped away like a cloak as -the sense of individual hours and minutes vanished, and into its place -crept a slow-torturing substitute. As the ship revolved, monotonously, -first the ceiling and then the floor took on dullish, maddening -aspects, eyes ached continuously from staring at them time and again -without surcease. The steady, drumming rockets crashed into the mind -and the walls shrieked malevolently on the eyeballs. Dull, throbbing -sameness of the poorly filtered air, a growing taint in the nostrils. -Damp warm skin, reeking blankets. The taste of fuel in the mouth for -refreshment. Slowly mounting mental duress. And above all the drumming -of the rockets.</p> - -<p>Once, a sudden, frightening change of pitch in the rockets and a wild, -sickening lurch. Meteor rain. Maddening, plunging swings to the far -right and left, made without warning. A torn lip as a sudden lurch -tears the faucet from her mouth. A shattered tooth.</p> - -<p>"Sorry!" Rat whispered.</p> - -<p>"Shut up and drive!" she cried.</p> - -<p>"Patti ..." Judith called out, in pain.</p> - -<p>Peace of mind followed peace of body into a forgotten limbo of lost -things, a slyly climbing madness directed at one another. Waspish -words uttered in pain, fatigue and temper. Fractiousness. A hot, -confined, stale hell. Sleep became a hollow mockery, as bad water -and concentrated tablets brought on stomach pains to plague them. -Consciousness punctured only by spasms of lethargy, shared to some -extent by the invalids. Above all, crawling lassitude and incalescent -tempers.</p> - -<p>Rat watched the white, drawn face swing in the hammock beside him. And -his hands never faltered on the controls.</p> - -<p>Never a slackening of the terrific pace; abnormal speed, gruelling -drive ... drive ... drive. Fear. Tantalizing fear made worse because -Rat couldn't understand. Smothered moaning that ate at his nerves. -Grim-faced, sleep-wracked, belted to the chair, driving!</p> - -<p>"How many days? How many days!" Gray begged of him thousands of times -until the very repetition grated on her eardrums. "How many days?" -His only answer was an inhuman snarl, and the cruel blazing of those -inhuman eyes.</p> - -<p>She fell face first to the floor. "I can't keep it up!" she cried. The -sound of her voice rolled along the hot steel deck. "I cant! I cant!"</p> - -<p>A double handful of tepid water was thrown in her face. "Get up!" Rat -stood over her, face twisted, his body hunched. "Get up!" She stared at -him, dazed. He kicked her. "Get up!" The tepid water ran off her face -and far away she heard Judith calling.... She forced herself up. Rat -was back in the chair.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Gladney unexpectedly exploded. He had been awake for a long time, -watching Rat at the board. Wrenching loose a chest strap he attempted -to sit up.</p> - -<p>"Rat! Damn you Rat, listen to me! <i>When're you going to start braking</i>, -Rat?"</p> - -<p>"I hear you." He turned on Gladney with dulled eyes. "Lie down. You -sick."</p> - -<p>"I'll be damned if I'm going to lie here and let you drive us to Orion! -We must be near the half-way line! When are you going to start braking?"</p> - -<p>"Not brake," Rat answered sullenly. "No, not brake."</p> - -<p>"<i>Not brake?</i>" Gladney screamed and sat bolt upright. Nurse Gray jumped -for him. "Are you crazy, you skinny rat?" Gray secured a hold on his -shoulders and forced him down. "You gotta brake! Don't you understand -that? You have to, you vacuum-skull!" Gray was pleading with him to -shut-up like a good fellow. He appealed to her. "He's gotta brake! Make -him!"</p> - -<p>"He has a good point there, Rat," she spoke up. "What about this -half-way line?"</p> - -<p>He turned to her with a weary ghost of the old smile on his face. "We -passed line. Three days ago, maybe." A shrug of shoulders.</p> - -<p>"Passed!" Gray and Gladney exclaimed in unison.</p> - -<p>"You catch on quick," Rat nodded. "This six day, don't you know?"</p> - -<p>Gladney sank back, exhausted. The nurse crept over to the pilot. -"Getting your figures mixed, aren't you?"</p> - -<p>Rat shook his head and said nothing.</p> - -<p>"But Roberds said eight days, and he—"</p> - -<p>"—he on Mars. I here. Boss nuts, too sad. He drive, it be eight days. -Now only six." He cast a glance at Judith and found her eyes closed. -"Six days, no brake. No."</p> - -<p>"I see your point, and appreciate it," Gray cut in. "But now what? This -deceleration business ... there is a whole lot I don't know, but some -things I do!"</p> - -<p>Rat refused the expected answer. "Land tonight, I think. Never been to -Earth before. Somebody meet us, I think."</p> - -<p>"You can bet your leather boots somebody will meet us!" Gladney cried. -Gray turned to him. "The Chief'll have the whole planet waiting for -<i>you</i>!" He laughed with real satisfaction. "Oh yes, Rat, they'll be -somebody waiting for us all right." And then he added: "If we land."</p> - -<p>"Oh, we land." Rat confided, glad to share a secret.</p> - -<p>"Yeah," Gladney grated. "But in how many little pieces?"</p> - -<p>"I've never been to Earth before. Nice, I think." Patti Gray caught -something new in the tone and stared at him. Gladney must have noticed -it, too.</p> - -<p>The Centaurian moved sideways and pointed. Gray placed her eyes in the -vacated position.</p> - -<p>"Earth!" she shouted.</p> - -<p>"Quite. Nice. Do me a favor?"</p> - -<p>"Just name it!"</p> - -<p>"Not drink long time. Some water?"</p> - -<p>Gray nodded and went to the faucet. The drumming seemed remote, the -tension vanished. She was an uncommonly long time in returning, at last -she appeared beside him, outstretched hands dry.</p> - -<p>"There isn't any left, Rat."</p> - -<p>Rat batted his tired eyes expressively. "Tasted punk," he grinned at -her.</p> - -<p>She sat down on the floor suddenly and buried her face.</p> - -<p>"Rat," she said presently, "I want to ask you something, rather -personal? Your ... name. 'Rat'? Roberds told me something about your -record. But ... please tell me, Rat. You didn't know the attack was -coming, did you?"</p> - -<p>He grinned again and waggled his head at her. "No. Who tell Rat?" -Suddenly he was deadly serious as he spoke to her. "Rat a.w.o.l., go -out to help sick man alone in desert. Rat leave post. Not time send -call through. Come back with man, find horrible thing happen."</p> - -<p>"But why didn't you explain?"</p> - -<p>He grinned again. "Who believe? Sick man die soon after."</p> - -<p>Gladney sat up. He had heard the conversation between the two. "You're -right, Rat. No one would have believed you then, and no one will now. -You've been safe enough on Mars, but the police will nab you as soon as -you get out of the ship."</p> - -<p>"They can't!" cried Patti Gray. "They can't hurt him after what he's -done now."</p> - -<p>The Centaurian grinned in a cynical way.</p> - -<p>"Police not get me, Gladney. Gladney's memory damn punk, I think. Earth -pretty nice place, maybe. But not for Rat."</p> - -<p>Gladney stared at him for minutes. Then: "Say, I get it ... you're—"</p> - -<p>"Shut up!" Rat cut him off sharply. "You talk too much." He cast a -glance at Nurse Gray and then threw a meaning look at Gladney.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Gladney subsided. Patti Gray noted with dawning wonder that his face -had lost the loathing and anger he had previously held toward the -outlaw pilot.</p> - -<p>"Look. Sea!" Rat said a few moments later. Gray was in her hammock. She -twisted over as he moved bony shoulders aside to let her see through -the vision port. A startlingly brief glimpse of glistening waters shot -past, reflecting a dancing moonpath. A continent whirled into place on -the plate. The skies were clear of other craft.</p> - -<p>"Travelling fast!" she warned. "I hope you know what you're doing." -Another body of water shot past them beneath. "That must be the -Pacific. Where are you going to set down?"</p> - -<p>"The ocean." Rat didn't turn his attention away from the plate. -"Gladney you got bad memory too much. That's why we passed half-way -line full speed! Sea water good brake, stop us hundred miles!"</p> - -<p>Gladney flopped back. "May I be kicked to death! Of course! I've heard -of it being done by stunt pilots. But Rat, are you sure you can do it? -I mean, can you land us without killing us all?"</p> - -<p>"Oh yes," but Rat was grimly serious. "I can all right, but...."</p> - -<p>"... but what?"</p> - -<p>"Ever see little boy skipping stones across water?" His hand shot out -and described a series of violent ricocheting motions. "Like that? -We land that way, I think. <i>Splat-splat!</i> First splat knock us -all ... all ... what you say?"</p> - -<p>"Knock us out?" Gladney supplied.</p> - -<p>Rat shrugged. Gray caught his eyes.</p> - -<p>"Goodnight, Rat," she smiled at him. "When I wake up, I want to see you -again. You won't be in jail for awhile, not until the hospital releases -you, and perhaps by that time...."</p> - -<p>"All no bother, please. I liked you Patti Gray. But your memory pretty -punk too. Forget your Fleet training, I think. Yes! But Patti ..." he -stopped, helpless.</p> - -<p>"Yes?"</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry about something. I kicked you."</p> - -<p>"Rat, please forget it. I won't forgive you for there is nothing to -forgive you for!" She smiled at him, winked once and closed her eyes. -"Goodnight everyone."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus.jpg" width="400" height="500" alt=""/> - <div class="caption"> - <p><i>The ocean rushed up with incredible speed.</i></p> - </div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>They felt the nose dip as Rat dropped toward the moonlit sea. The -ocean rushed up. The ship struck with titanic force, blasting through -the white-caps, metal crumpling from the monstrous dive. And then all -consciousness blacked out for those on board.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Patti Gray awoke, pressed the button under her pillow for a nurse, -smiled about the clean hospital room.</p> - -<p>Gladney was waiting to see her. He wheeled himself in and stopped the -chair beside her bed.</p> - -<p>"Hello. Feel human again?"</p> - -<p>"Do I?" She laughed. "Gladney, I'm going to stay right here the rest of -my life!"</p> - -<p>"Yeah ... that's what I said yesterday. But today I'm itching to get -back up yonder." He dug a thumb at the sky.</p> - -<p>"Is Judith all right?"</p> - -<p>"Sure. She wants to see you. Frankly, Miss Gray," he lowered his voice, -"I expected that first 'splat' of Rat's would kill her."</p> - -<p>Gray shivered. "I have a hazy memory of that landing. How did we do it?"</p> - -<p>"Easy. A coast-guard cutter saw us and picked us up about ten miles -out."</p> - -<p>"Gladney," she said quickly, "you've got to help me clear Rat. We've -got to ... why Gladney, you don't mean they got him...?"</p> - -<p>"<i>They</i> didn't get him. <i>Earth</i> did. Don't you remember what he said -about Earth being a nice place for us? Centaurians can't endure Earth's -gravity and atmosphere; the Centaurian Embassy is very specially built, -and all Centaurians come to Earth in what are virtually fish bowls.</p> - -<p>"Rat was beginning to die even as we dove for the water."</p> - -<p>Patti Gray stared at him a moment in frozen horror, then buried her -face in the pillow.</p> - -<p>"Some day, he will be remembered, Miss Gray," Gladney whispered. "Some -day, after all the bitterness over Ganymede is forgotten, they'll -remember <i>why</i> Rat left his post, and they'll remember how he drove."</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Prison Planet, by Bob Tucker - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PRISON PLANET *** - -***** This file should be named 62212-h.htm or 62212-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/2/2/1/62212/ - -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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Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - http://www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - - -</pre> - -</body> -</html> diff --git a/old/62212-h/images/cover.jpg b/old/62212-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 5e1be60..0000000 --- a/old/62212-h/images/cover.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/62212-h/images/illus.jpg b/old/62212-h/images/illus.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 197c51f..0000000 --- a/old/62212-h/images/illus.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/62212.txt b/old/62212.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 1a74cec..0000000 --- a/old/62212.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1216 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Prison Planet, by Bob Tucker - -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: Prison Planet - -Author: Bob Tucker - -Release Date: May 23, 2020 [EBook #62212] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PRISON PLANET *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - PRISON PLANET - - By BOB TUCKER - - To remain on Mars meant death from agonizing - space-sickness, but Earth-surgery lay - days of flight away. And there was only - a surface rocket in which to escape--with - a traitorous Ganymedean for its pilot. - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Planet Stories Fall 1942. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -"Listen, Rat!" Roberds said, "what _I_ say goes around here. It doesn't -happen to be any of your business. I'm still in possession of my wits, -and I know Peterson can't handle that ship. Furthermore Gladney will -be in it too, right along side of that sick girl in there! And Rat, -get this: _I'm_ going to pilot that ship. Understand? Consulate or -no Consulate, job or no job, I'm wheeling that crate to Earth because -this is an emergency. And the emergency happens to be bigger than my -position, to me at any rate." His tone dropped to a deadly softness. -"Now will you kindly remove your stinking carcass from this office?" - -Unheeding, Rat swung his eyes around in the gloom and discovered the -woman, a nurse in uniform. He blinked at her and she returned the look, -wavering. She bit her lip and determination flowed back. She met the -stare of his boring, off-colored eyes. Rat grinned suddenly. Nurse Gray -almost smiled back, stopped before the others could see it. - -"Won't go!" The Centaurian resumed his fight. "You not go, lose job, -black-listed. Never get another. Look at me. I know." He retreated -a precious step to escape a rolled up fist. "Little ship carry four -nice. Rip out lockers and bunks. Swing hammocks. Put fuel in water -tanks. Live on concentrates. Earth hospital fix bellyache afterwards, -allright. I pilot ship. Yes?" - -"No!" Roberds screamed. - -Almost in answer, a moan issued from a small side room. The men in the -office froze as Nurse Gray ran across the room. She disappeared through -the narrow door. - -"Peterson," the field manager ordered, "come over here and help me -throw this rat out...." He went for Rat. Peterson swung up out of his -chair with balled fist. The outlander backed rapidly. - -"No need, no need, no need!" he said quickly. "I go." Still backing, he -blindly kicked at the door and stepped into the night. - - * * * * * - -When the door slammed shut Roberds locked it. Peterson slumped in the -chair. - -"Do you mean that, Chief? About taking the ship yourself?" - -"True enough." Roberds cast an anxious glance at the partly closed -door, lowered his voice. "It'll cost me my job, but that girl in there -has to be taken to a hospital quickly! And it's her luck to be landed -on a planet that doesn't boast even one! So it's Earth ... or she -dies. I'd feel a lot better too if we could get Gladney to a hospital, -I'm not too confident of that patching job." He pulled a pipe from a -jacket pocket. "So, might as well kill two birds with one stone ... and -that wasn't meant to be funny!" - -Peterson said nothing, sat watching the door. - -"Rat has the right idea," Roberds continued, "but I had already thought -of it. About the bunks and lockers. Greaseball has been out there all -night tearing them out. We just _might_ be able to hop by dawn ... and -hell of a long, grinding hop it will be!" - -The nurse came out of the door. - -"How is she?" Roberds asked. - -"Sleeping," Gray whispered. "But sinking...." - -"We can take off at dawn, I think." He filled the pipe and didn't look -at her. "You'll have to spend most of the trip in a hammock." - -"I can take it." Suddenly she smiled, wanly. "I was with the Fleet. How -long will it take?" - -"Eight days, in _that_ ship." - -Roberds lit his pipe, and carefully hid his emotions. He knew Peterson -was harboring the same thoughts. Eight days in space, in a small ship -meant for two, and built for planetary surface flights. Eight days in -that untrustworthy crate, hurtling to save the lives of that girl and -Gladney. - -"Who was that ... man? The one you put out?" Gray asked. - -"We call him Rat," Roberds said. - -She didn't ask why. She said: "Why couldn't he pilot the ship, I mean? -What is his record?" - -Peterson opened his mouth. - -"Shut up, Peterson!" the Chief snapped. "We don't talk about his record -around here, Miss Gray. It's not a pretty thing to tell." - -"Stow it, Chief," said Peterson. "Miss Gray is no pantywaist." He -turned to the nurse. "Ever hear of the Sansan massacre?" - -Patti Gray paled. "Yes," she whispered. "Was Rat in that?" - -Roberds shook his head. "He didn't take part in it. But Rat was -attached to a very important office at the time, the outpost watch. -And when Mad Barry Sansan and his gang of thugs swooped down on the -Ganymedean colony, there was no warning. Our friend Rat was AWOL. - -"As to who he is ... well, just one of those freaks from up around -Centauria somewhere. He's been hanging around all the fields and dumps -on Mars a long time, finally landed up here." - -"But," protested Miss Gray, "I don't understand? I always thought that -leaving one's post under such circumstances meant execution." - -The Chief Consul nodded. "It does, usually. But this was a freak case. -It would take hours to explain. However, I'll just sum it up in one -word: politics. Politics, with which Rat had no connection saved him." - -The girl shook her head, more in sympathy than condemnation. - -"Are you expecting the others in soon?" she asked. "It wouldn't be -right to leave Peterson." - -"They will be in, in a day or two. Peterson will beat it over to Base -station for repairs, and to notify Earth we're coming. He'll be all -right." - -Abruptly she stood up. "Goodnight gentlemen. Call me if I'm needed." - -Roberds nodded acknowledgement. The door to the side room closed behind -her. Peterson hauled his chair over to the desk. He sniffed the air. - -"Damned rat!" he whispered harshly. "They ought to make a law forcing -him to wear dark glasses!" - -Roberds smiled wearily. "His eyes do get a man, don't they?" - -"I'd like to burn 'em out!" Peterson snarled. - - * * * * * - -Rat helped Greaseball fill the water tanks to capacity with fuel, -checked the concentrated rations and grunted. - -Greaseball looked over the interior and chuckled. "The boss said strip -her, and strip her I did. All right, Rat, outside." He followed the -Centaurian out, and pulled the ladder away from the lip of the lock. -The two walked across the strip of sandy soil to the office building. -On tiptoes, Greaseball poked his head through the door panel. "All set." - -Roberds nodded at him. "Stick with it!" and jerked a thumb at Rat -outside. Grease nodded understanding. - -"Okay, Rat, you can go to bed now." He dropped the ladder against the -wall and sat on it. "Good night." He watched Rat walk slowly away. - -Swinging down the path towards his own rambling shack, Rat caught a -sibilant whisper. Pausing, undecided, he heard it again. - -"Here ... can you see me?" A white clad arm waved in the gloom. Rat -regarded the arm in the window. Another impatient gesture, and he -stepped to the sill. - -"Yes?"--in the softest of whispers. The voices of the men in droning -conversation drifted in. "What you want?" - -Nothing but silence for a few hanging seconds, and then: "Can you pilot -that ship?" Her voice was shaky. - -He didn't answer, stared at her confused. He felt her fear as clearly -as he detected it in her words. - -"Well, _can_ you?" she demanded. - -"Damn yes!" he stated simply. "It now necessary?" - -"Very! She is becoming worse. I'm afraid to wait until daylight. -And ... well, we want _you_ to pilot it! She refuses to risk -Mr. Roberds' job. She favors you." - -Rat stepped back, astonished. "She?" - -Nurse Gray moved from the window and Rat saw the second form in the -room, a slight, quiet figure on a small cot. "My patient," Nurse Gray -explained. "She overheard our conversation awhile ago. Quick, please, -can you?" - -Rat looked at her and then at the girl on the cot. He vanished from the -window. Almost immediately, he was back again. - -"When?" he whispered. - -"As soon as possible. Yes. Do you know...?" but he had gone again. -Nurse Gray found herself addressing blackness. On the point of turning, -she saw him back again. - -"Blankets," he instructed. "Wrap in blankets. Cold--hot too. Wrap -good!" And he was gone again. Gray blinked away the illusion he -disappeared upwards. - -She ran over to the girl. "Judith, if you want to back down, now is the -time. He'll be back in a moment." - -"No!" Judith moaned. "No!" Gray smiled in the darkness and began -wrapping the blankets around her. A light tapping at the window -announced the return of Rat. The nurse pushed open the window wide, saw -him out there with arms upstretched. - -"Grit your teeth and hold on! Here we go." She picked up the blanketed -girl in both arms and walked to the window. Rat took the girl easily as -she was swung out, the blackness hid them both. But he appeared again -instantly. - -"Better lock window," he cautioned. "Stall, if Boss call. Back -soon...." and he was gone. - -To Nurse Gray the fifteen minute wait seemed like hours, impatient -agonizing hours of tight-lipped anxiety. - - * * * * * - -Feet first, she swung through the window, clutching a small bag in her -hands. She never touched ground. Rat whispered "Hold tight!" in her -ear and the wind was abruptly yanked from her! The ground fell away -in a dizzy rush, unseen but felt, in the night! Her feet scraped on -some projection, and she felt herself being lifted still higher. Wind -returned to her throat, and she breathed again. - -"I'm sorry," she managed to get out, gaspingly. "I wasn't expecting -that. I had forgotten you--" - -"--had wings," he finished and chuckled. "So likewise Greaseball." The -pale office lights dropped away as they sped over the field. On the far -horizon, a tinge of dawn crept along the uneven terrain. - -"Oh, the bag!" she gasped. "I've dropped it." - -He chuckled again. "Have got. You scare, I catch." - -She didn't see the ship because of the wind in her eyes, but without -warning she plummeted down and her feet jarred on the lip of the lock. -"Inside. No noise, no light. Easy." But in spite of his warning she -tripped in the darkness. He helped her from the floor and guided her to -the hammocks. - -"Judith?" she asked. - -"Here. Beside you, trussed up so tight I can hardly breathe." - -"No talk!" Rat insisted. "Much hush-hush needed. Other girl shipshape. -You make likewise." Forcibly he shoved her into a hammock. "Wrap up -tight. Straps tight. When we go, we go fast. Bang!" And he left her. - -"Hey! Where are you going now?" - -"To get Gladney. He sick too. Hush hush!" His voice floated back. - -"Where has he gone?" Judith called. - -"Back for another man. Remember the two miners who found us when we -crashed? The burly one fell off a rock-bank as they were bringing us -in. Stove in his ribs pretty badly. The other has a broken arm ... -happened once while you were out. They wouldn't let me say anything for -fear of worrying you." - - * * * * * - -The girl did not answer then and a hushed expectancy fell over the -ship. Somewhere aft a small motor was running. Wind whistled past the -open lock. - -"I've caused plenty of trouble haven't I?" she asked aloud, finally. -"This was certainly a fool stunt, and I'm guilty of a lot of fool -stunts! I just didn't realize until now the _why_ of that law." - -"Don't talk so much," the nurse admonished. "A lot of people have found -out the _why_ of that law the hard way, just as you are doing, and -lived to remember it. Until hospitals are built on this forlorn world, -humans like you who haven't been properly conditioned will have to stay -right at home." - -"How about these men that live and work here?" - -"They never get here until they've been through the mill first. -Adenoids, appendix', all the extra parts they can get along without." - -"Well," Judith said. "I've certainly learned my lesson!" - -Gray didn't answer, but from out of the darkness surrounding her came a -sound remarkably resembling a snort. - -"Gray?" Judith asked fearfully. - -"Yes?" - -"Hasn't the pilot been gone an awfully long time?" - -Rat himself provided the answer by alighting at the lip with a jar that -shook the ship. He was breathing heavily and lugging something in his -arms. The burden groaned. - -"Gladney!" Nurse Gray exclaimed. - -"I got." Rat confirmed. "Yes, Gladney. Damn heavy, Gladney." - -"But how?" she demanded. "What of Roberds and Peterson?" - -"Trick," he sniggered. "I burn down my shack. Boss run out. I run in. -Very simple." He packed Gladney into the remaining hammock and snapped -buckles. - -"And Peterson?" she prompted. - -"Oh yes. Peterson. So sorry about Peterson. Had to fan him." - -"_Fan_ him? I don't understand." - -"Fan. With chair. Everything all right. I apologized." Rat finished up -and was walking back to the lock. They heard a slight rustling of wings -as he padded away. - -He was back instantly, duplicating his feat of a short time ago. -Cursing shouts were slung on the night air, and the deadly spang of -bullets bounced on the hull! Some entered the lock. The Centaurian -snapped it shut. Chunks of lead continued to pound the ship. Rat leaped -for the pilot's chair, heavily, a wing drooping. - -"You've been hurt!" Gray cried. A small panel light outlined his -features. She tried to struggle up. - -"Lie still! We go. Boss get wise." With lightning fingers he flicked -several switches on the panel, turned to her. "Hold belly. Zoom!" - -Gray folded her hands across her stomach and closed her eyes. - -Rat unlocked the master level and shoved! - - * * * * * - -"Whew!" Nurse Gray came back to throbbing awareness, the all too -familiar feeling of a misplaced stomach attempting to force its -crowded way into her boots plaguing her. Rockets roared in the rear. -She loosened a few straps and twisted over. Judith was still out, her -face tensed in pain. Gray bit her lip and twisted the other way. The -Centaurian was grinning at her. - -"Do you always leave in a hurry?" she demanded, and instantly wished -she hadn't said it. He gave no outward sign. - -"Long-time sleep," he announced. "Four, five hours maybe." The chest -strap was lying loose at his side. - -"That long!" she was incredulous. "I'm never out more than three -hours!" Unloosening more straps, she sat up, glanced at the control -panel. - -"Not taking time," he stated simply and pointed to a dial. Gray shook -her head and looked at the others. - -"That isn't doing either of them any good!" - -Rat nodded unhappily. "What's her matter--?" pointing. - -"Appendix. Something about this atmosphere sends it haywire. The thing -itself isn't diseased, but it starts manufacturing poison. Patient dies -in a week unless it is taken out." - -"Don't know it," he said briefly. - -"Do you mean to say you don't have an appendix?" she demanded. - -Rat folded his arms and considered this. "Don't know. Maybe yes, maybe -no. Where's it hurt?" - -Gray pointed out the location. The Centaurian considered this further -and drifted into long contemplation. Watching him, Gray remembered his -eyes that night ... only _last_ night ... in the office. Peterson had -refused to meet them. After awhile Rat came out of it. - -"No," he waved. "No appendix. Never nowhere appendix." - -"Then Mother Nature has finally woke up!" she exclaimed. "But why do -Centaurians rate it exclusively?" - -Rat ignored this and asked one of her. "What you and her doing up -there?" He pointed back and up, to where Mars obliterated the stars. - -"You might call it a pleasure jaunt. She's only seventeen. We came over -in a cruiser belonging to her father; it was rather large and easy to -handle. But the cruise ended when she lost control of the ship because -of an attack of space-appendicitis. The rest you know." - -"So you?" - -"So I'm a combination nurse, governess, guard and what have you. Or -will be until we get back. After this, I'll probably be looking for -work." She shivered. - -"Cold?" he inquired concernedly. - -"On the contrary, I'm too warm." She started to remove the blanket. Rat -threw up a hand to stop her. - -"Leave on! Hot out here." - -"But I'm too hot now. I want to take it off!" - -"No. Leave on. Wool blanket. Keep in body heat, yes. Keep out cold, -yes. Keep in, keep out, likewise. See?" - -Gray stared at him. "I never thought of it that way before. Why of -course! If it protects from one temperature, it will protect from -another. Isn't it silly of me not to know that?" Heat pressing on her -face accented the fact. - -"What is your name?" she asked. "Your real one I mean." - -He grinned. "Big. You couldn't say it. Sound like Christmas and -bottlenose together real fast. Just say Rat. Everybody does." His eyes -swept the panel and flashed back to her. "Your name Gray. Have a front -name?" - -"Patti." - -"Pretty, Patti." - -"No, just Patti. Say, what's the matter with the cooling system?" - -"Damn punk," he said. "This crate for surface work. No space. Cooling -system groan, damn punk. Won't keep cool here." - -"And ..." she followed up, "it will get warmer as we go out?" - -Rat turned back to his board in a brown study and carefully ignored -her. Gray grasped an inkling of what the coming week could bring. - -"But how about water?" she demanded next. "Is there enough?" - -He faced about. "For her--" nodding to Judith, "and him--" to Gladney, -"yes. Sparingly. Four hours every time, maybe." Back to Gray. "You, -me ... twice a day. Too bad." His eyes drifted aft to the tank of -water. She followed. "One tank water. All the rest fuel. Too bad, too -bad. We get thirsty I think." - - * * * * * - -They did get thirsty, soon. A damnable hot thirst accented by -the knowledge that water was precious, a thirst increased by a -dried-up-in-the-mouth sensation. Their first drink was strangely -bitter; tragically disappointing. Patti Gray suddenly swung upright in -the hammock and kicked her legs. She massaged her throat with a nervous -hand, wiped damp hair from about her face. - -"I have to have a drink." - -Rat stared at her without answer. - -"I said, I have to have a drink!" - -"Heard you." - -"Well...?" - -"Well, nothing. Stall. Keep water longer." - -She swung a vicious boot and missed by inches. Rat grinned, and made -his way aft, hand over hand. He treaded cautiously along the deck. "Do -like this," he called over his shoulder. "Gravity punk too. Back and -under, gravity." He waited until she joined him at the water tap. - -They stood there glaring idiotically at each other. - -She burst out laughing. "They even threw the drinking cups out!" Rat -inched the handle grudgingly and she applied lips to the faucet. - -"Faugh!" Gray sprang back, forgot herself and lost her balance, sat -down on the deck and spat out the water. "It's hot! It tastes like hell -and it's hot! It must be fuel!" - -Rat applied his lips to the tap and sampled. Coming up with a mouthful -he swished it around on his tongue like mouthwash. Abruptly he -contrived a facial contortion between a grin and a grimace, and let -some of the water trickle from the edges of his mouth. He swallowed and -it cost him something. - -"No. I mean yes, I think. Water, no doubt. Yes. Fuel out, water in. -Swish-swush. Dammit, Greaseball forget to wash tank!" - -"But what makes it so hot?" She worked her mouth to dry-rinse the taste -of the fuel. - -"Ship get hot. Water on sun side. H-m-m-m-m-m-m." - -"H-m-m-m-m-m-m-m what?" - -"Flip-flop." He could talk with his hands as well. "Hot side over like -pancake." Rat hobbled over to the board and sat down. An experimental -flick on a lever produced nothing. Another flick, this time followed by -a quivering jar. He contemplated the panel board while fastening his -belt. - -"H-m-m-m-m-m-m," the lower lip protruded. - -Gray protested. "Oh, stop humming and do something! That wa--" the -word was queerly torn from her throat, and a scream magically filled -the vacancy. Nurse Gray sat up and rubbed a painful spot that had -suddenly appeared on her arm. She found her nose bleeding and another -new, swelling bruise on the side of her head. Around her the place was -empty. Bare. - -No, not quite. A wispy something was hanging just out of sight in -the corner of the eye; the water tap was now moulded _upward_, beads -glistening on its handle. The wispy thing caught her attention again -and she looked up. - -Two people, tightly wrapped and bound in hammocks, were staring down at -her, amazed, swinging on their stomachs. Craning further, she saw Rat. -He was hanging upside down in the chair, grinning at her in reverse. - -"Flip-flop," he laconically explained. - -"For cripes sakes, Jehosaphat!" Gladney groaned. "Turn me over on my -back! Do something!" Gray stood on tiptoes and just could pivot the -hammocks on their rope-axis. - -"And now, please, just _how_ do I get into mine?" she bit at Rat. - - * * * * * - -Existence dragged. Paradoxically, time dropped away like a cloak as -the sense of individual hours and minutes vanished, and into its place -crept a slow-torturing substitute. As the ship revolved, monotonously, -first the ceiling and then the floor took on dullish, maddening -aspects, eyes ached continuously from staring at them time and again -without surcease. The steady, drumming rockets crashed into the mind -and the walls shrieked malevolently on the eyeballs. Dull, throbbing -sameness of the poorly filtered air, a growing taint in the nostrils. -Damp warm skin, reeking blankets. The taste of fuel in the mouth for -refreshment. Slowly mounting mental duress. And above all the drumming -of the rockets. - -Once, a sudden, frightening change of pitch in the rockets and a wild, -sickening lurch. Meteor rain. Maddening, plunging swings to the far -right and left, made without warning. A torn lip as a sudden lurch -tears the faucet from her mouth. A shattered tooth. - -"Sorry!" Rat whispered. - -"Shut up and drive!" she cried. - -"Patti ..." Judith called out, in pain. - -Peace of mind followed peace of body into a forgotten limbo of lost -things, a slyly climbing madness directed at one another. Waspish -words uttered in pain, fatigue and temper. Fractiousness. A hot, -confined, stale hell. Sleep became a hollow mockery, as bad water -and concentrated tablets brought on stomach pains to plague them. -Consciousness punctured only by spasms of lethargy, shared to some -extent by the invalids. Above all, crawling lassitude and incalescent -tempers. - -Rat watched the white, drawn face swing in the hammock beside him. And -his hands never faltered on the controls. - -Never a slackening of the terrific pace; abnormal speed, gruelling -drive ... drive ... drive. Fear. Tantalizing fear made worse because -Rat couldn't understand. Smothered moaning that ate at his nerves. -Grim-faced, sleep-wracked, belted to the chair, driving! - -"How many days? How many days!" Gray begged of him thousands of times -until the very repetition grated on her eardrums. "How many days?" -His only answer was an inhuman snarl, and the cruel blazing of those -inhuman eyes. - -She fell face first to the floor. "I can't keep it up!" she cried. The -sound of her voice rolled along the hot steel deck. "I cant! I cant!" - -A double handful of tepid water was thrown in her face. "Get up!" Rat -stood over her, face twisted, his body hunched. "Get up!" She stared at -him, dazed. He kicked her. "Get up!" The tepid water ran off her face -and far away she heard Judith calling.... She forced herself up. Rat -was back in the chair. - - * * * * * - -Gladney unexpectedly exploded. He had been awake for a long time, -watching Rat at the board. Wrenching loose a chest strap he attempted -to sit up. - -"Rat! Damn you Rat, listen to me! _When're you going to start braking_, -Rat?" - -"I hear you." He turned on Gladney with dulled eyes. "Lie down. You -sick." - -"I'll be damned if I'm going to lie here and let you drive us to Orion! -We must be near the half-way line! When are you going to start braking?" - -"Not brake," Rat answered sullenly. "No, not brake." - -"_Not brake?_" Gladney screamed and sat bolt upright. Nurse Gray jumped -for him. "Are you crazy, you skinny rat?" Gray secured a hold on his -shoulders and forced him down. "You gotta brake! Don't you understand -that? You have to, you vacuum-skull!" Gray was pleading with him to -shut-up like a good fellow. He appealed to her. "He's gotta brake! Make -him!" - -"He has a good point there, Rat," she spoke up. "What about this -half-way line?" - -He turned to her with a weary ghost of the old smile on his face. "We -passed line. Three days ago, maybe." A shrug of shoulders. - -"Passed!" Gray and Gladney exclaimed in unison. - -"You catch on quick," Rat nodded. "This six day, don't you know?" - -Gladney sank back, exhausted. The nurse crept over to the pilot. -"Getting your figures mixed, aren't you?" - -Rat shook his head and said nothing. - -"But Roberds said eight days, and he--" - -"--he on Mars. I here. Boss nuts, too sad. He drive, it be eight days. -Now only six." He cast a glance at Judith and found her eyes closed. -"Six days, no brake. No." - -"I see your point, and appreciate it," Gray cut in. "But now what? This -deceleration business ... there is a whole lot I don't know, but some -things I do!" - -Rat refused the expected answer. "Land tonight, I think. Never been to -Earth before. Somebody meet us, I think." - -"You can bet your leather boots somebody will meet us!" Gladney cried. -Gray turned to him. "The Chief'll have the whole planet waiting for -_you_!" He laughed with real satisfaction. "Oh yes, Rat, they'll be -somebody waiting for us all right." And then he added: "If we land." - -"Oh, we land." Rat confided, glad to share a secret. - -"Yeah," Gladney grated. "But in how many little pieces?" - -"I've never been to Earth before. Nice, I think." Patti Gray caught -something new in the tone and stared at him. Gladney must have noticed -it, too. - -The Centaurian moved sideways and pointed. Gray placed her eyes in the -vacated position. - -"Earth!" she shouted. - -"Quite. Nice. Do me a favor?" - -"Just name it!" - -"Not drink long time. Some water?" - -Gray nodded and went to the faucet. The drumming seemed remote, the -tension vanished. She was an uncommonly long time in returning, at last -she appeared beside him, outstretched hands dry. - -"There isn't any left, Rat." - -Rat batted his tired eyes expressively. "Tasted punk," he grinned at -her. - -She sat down on the floor suddenly and buried her face. - -"Rat," she said presently, "I want to ask you something, rather -personal? Your ... name. 'Rat'? Roberds told me something about your -record. But ... please tell me, Rat. You didn't know the attack was -coming, did you?" - -He grinned again and waggled his head at her. "No. Who tell Rat?" -Suddenly he was deadly serious as he spoke to her. "Rat a.w.o.l., go -out to help sick man alone in desert. Rat leave post. Not time send -call through. Come back with man, find horrible thing happen." - -"But why didn't you explain?" - -He grinned again. "Who believe? Sick man die soon after." - -Gladney sat up. He had heard the conversation between the two. "You're -right, Rat. No one would have believed you then, and no one will now. -You've been safe enough on Mars, but the police will nab you as soon as -you get out of the ship." - -"They can't!" cried Patti Gray. "They can't hurt him after what he's -done now." - -The Centaurian grinned in a cynical way. - -"Police not get me, Gladney. Gladney's memory damn punk, I think. Earth -pretty nice place, maybe. But not for Rat." - -Gladney stared at him for minutes. Then: "Say, I get it ... you're--" - -"Shut up!" Rat cut him off sharply. "You talk too much." He cast a -glance at Nurse Gray and then threw a meaning look at Gladney. - - * * * * * - -Gladney subsided. Patti Gray noted with dawning wonder that his face -had lost the loathing and anger he had previously held toward the -outlaw pilot. - -"Look. Sea!" Rat said a few moments later. Gray was in her hammock. She -twisted over as he moved bony shoulders aside to let her see through -the vision port. A startlingly brief glimpse of glistening waters shot -past, reflecting a dancing moonpath. A continent whirled into place on -the plate. The skies were clear of other craft. - -"Travelling fast!" she warned. "I hope you know what you're doing." -Another body of water shot past them beneath. "That must be the -Pacific. Where are you going to set down?" - -"The ocean." Rat didn't turn his attention away from the plate. -"Gladney you got bad memory too much. That's why we passed half-way -line full speed! Sea water good brake, stop us hundred miles!" - -Gladney flopped back. "May I be kicked to death! Of course! I've heard -of it being done by stunt pilots. But Rat, are you sure you can do it? -I mean, can you land us without killing us all?" - -"Oh yes," but Rat was grimly serious. "I can all right, but...." - -"... but what?" - -"Ever see little boy skipping stones across water?" His hand shot out -and described a series of violent ricocheting motions. "Like that? -We land that way, I think. _Splat-splat!_ First splat knock us -all ... all ... what you say?" - -"Knock us out?" Gladney supplied. - -Rat shrugged. Gray caught his eyes. - -"Goodnight, Rat," she smiled at him. "When I wake up, I want to see you -again. You won't be in jail for awhile, not until the hospital releases -you, and perhaps by that time...." - -"All no bother, please. I liked you Patti Gray. But your memory pretty -punk too. Forget your Fleet training, I think. Yes! But Patti ..." he -stopped, helpless. - -"Yes?" - -"I'm sorry about something. I kicked you." - -"Rat, please forget it. I won't forgive you for there is nothing to -forgive you for!" She smiled at him, winked once and closed her eyes. -"Goodnight everyone." - -[Illustration: _The ocean rushed up with incredible speed._] - -They felt the nose dip as Rat dropped toward the moonlit sea. The -ocean rushed up. The ship struck with titanic force, blasting through -the white-caps, metal crumpling from the monstrous dive. And then all -consciousness blacked out for those on board. - - * * * * * - -Patti Gray awoke, pressed the button under her pillow for a nurse, -smiled about the clean hospital room. - -Gladney was waiting to see her. He wheeled himself in and stopped the -chair beside her bed. - -"Hello. Feel human again?" - -"Do I?" She laughed. "Gladney, I'm going to stay right here the rest of -my life!" - -"Yeah ... that's what I said yesterday. But today I'm itching to get -back up yonder." He dug a thumb at the sky. - -"Is Judith all right?" - -"Sure. She wants to see you. Frankly, Miss Gray," he lowered his voice, -"I expected that first 'splat' of Rat's would kill her." - -Gray shivered. "I have a hazy memory of that landing. How did we do it?" - -"Easy. A coast-guard cutter saw us and picked us up about ten miles -out." - -"Gladney," she said quickly, "you've got to help me clear Rat. We've -got to ... why Gladney, you don't mean they got him...?" - -"_They_ didn't get him. _Earth_ did. Don't you remember what he said -about Earth being a nice place for us? Centaurians can't endure Earth's -gravity and atmosphere; the Centaurian Embassy is very specially built, -and all Centaurians come to Earth in what are virtually fish bowls. - -"Rat was beginning to die even as we dove for the water." - -Patti Gray stared at him a moment in frozen horror, then buried her -face in the pillow. - -"Some day, he will be remembered, Miss Gray," Gladney whispered. "Some -day, after all the bitterness over Ganymede is forgotten, they'll -remember _why_ Rat left his post, and they'll remember how he drove." - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Prison Planet, by Bob Tucker - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PRISON PLANET *** - -***** This file should be named 62212.txt or 62212.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/2/2/1/62212/ - -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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