diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 4 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63694-h.zip | bin | 445022 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63694-h/63694-h.htm | 2212 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63694-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 261258 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63694-h/images/illus.jpg | bin | 146343 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63694.txt | 2106 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63694.zip | bin | 37067 -> 0 bytes |
9 files changed, 17 insertions, 4318 deletions
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..e072a63 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #63694 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63694) diff --git a/old/63694-h.zip b/old/63694-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index c8e331c..0000000 --- a/old/63694-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63694-h/63694-h.htm b/old/63694-h/63694-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 84f75d9..0000000 --- a/old/63694-h/63694-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2212 +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 Passage to Planet X, by Henry Hasse. - </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;} - -/* 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; -} - -.ph1 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; } -.ph1 { font-size: medium; margin: .83em auto; } - - - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Passage to Planet X, by Henry Hasse - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Passage to Planet X - -Author: Henry Hasse - -Release Date: November 9, 2020 [EBook #63694] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PASSAGE TO PLANET X *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>Passage To Planet X</h1> - -<h2>By HENRY HASSE</h2> - -<p>They trailed a legend through the void,<br /> -seeking a world of freedom, adventure and<br /> -wealth. They reached their goal, a planet<br /> -beyond all planets, a weird land of the<br /> -Lost—where silent death prepared to strike.</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Planet Stories Winter 1945.<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>Mark Travers hoisted himself up from the floor. He leaned against the -supply locker, rubbed his aching jaw where the big man's fist had just -landed, and grinned ruefully.</p> - -<p>The big spaceman didn't grin. He faced Mark straddle-legged and -snapped, "Who are you?"</p> - -<p>"Mark Travers." His smooth gray eyes surveyed the man's bulk. He -thought he could handle him, but filed it for future reference when he -saw the neutro-gun in the other's fist.</p> - -<p>"Travers, eh. A blasted stowaway! You come aboard at Marsport?"</p> - -<p>"Obviously."</p> - -<p>"How?"</p> - -<p>"It was easy," Mark shrugged. "Your ship was small, dark, and carried -no insignia. I watched your men loading supplies secretly. Furthermore, -you hadn't filed your destination with Central Bureau. Just the kind of -set-up I wanted."</p> - -<p>"You know a lot," the big spaceman's eyes went hard. "Are you a -sneaking I-S-P? Never mind. I'll see for myself!" He came a step -forward, and his gun got playful with the third button on Mark's -plasticoid shirt. Expertly the man's fingers went over him.</p> - -<p>"Careful, there, I'm ticklish!"</p> - -<p>"So's the release on this trigger, so just stand still."</p> - -<p>Mark stood still. The search revealed no papers or identification of -any kind.</p> - -<p>"I'm not I-S-P," Mark told him sincerely. "If I were, do you think -you'd ever have lifted gravs from Marsport?"</p> - -<p>"Okay, fella. I'm Mal Driscoll. Sorry I had to clip you so hard, but -you never should have pointed that contraption at me when I stepped in -here. So help me, I thought it was some new kind of weapon." His eyes -narrowed. "What is it?"</p> - -<p>For a mere second Mark hesitated. He glanced down at the small, -stub-lensed box which he had clung to.</p> - -<p>"Why, it's—only a camera. New type, invention of my own."</p> - -<p>Driscoll nodded. "Come on, stowaway. We'll go up and see Janus. No skin -off my teeth, if he wants to keep you aboard."</p> - -<p>They stepped out of the room and along a corridor, bracing themselves -against the forward thrust of the rocket engines.</p> - -<p>"Who's Janus?"</p> - -<p>"Our Commander."</p> - -<p>"And what if he doesn't want me aboard?" Unobserved, Mark pressed a -hidden stud in the black box. Tiny but powerful coils hummed to life, -quickly ascended the scale to the inaudible. Camera? Mark smiled to -himself and hoped none of the men here knew anything about cameras!</p> - -<p>"You know the space-code on that," Driscoll answered his question. "If -it is so desired, stowaways are tossed into space."</p> - -<p>Mark racked his brain. "I don't remember that in the Interplanetary -Code!"</p> - -<p>Driscoll turned, grinned at him. "Who's talking about Interplanetary -Code? We make our own!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Janus was in a forward cabin poring over charts on a glass-topped -table. Three other men were lounging there. Janus was six-feet-four, -with bulk to match. He had flaming red hair and an outlandish full -beard that made a vivid splash against the drab gray of his insulated -tunic.</p> - -<p>He scowled fiercely as the two men entered. Driscoll pushed Mark -forward.</p> - -<p>"Found this stowaway in the supply room. Says his name is Mark Travers. -I don't think he's I-S-P, though."</p> - -<p>Janus' deep-set gray eyes seemed to bore through Mark, then they -flashed to the black box.</p> - -<p>"What's that?"</p> - -<p>"New-design projection camera. It—"</p> - -<p>"Put it here," Janus indicated the corner of his desk. Mark did so with -some reluctance. This man was no fool!</p> - -<p>The other three men had come down off their bunks and stood there -watching. One of them, Mark noticed, was a Martian.</p> - -<p>"Now. Why are you here?"</p> - -<p>"You seemed to be the sort of men I wanted to join up with."</p> - -<p>"I said why?"</p> - -<p>Mark wondered if this man would believe him. He didn't think so. -Nevertheless, he'd already made up his story so he drew a long breath -and told it:</p> - -<p>"I was with Tri-Planet News Service working out of Chicago. I happened -to uncover a huge spacer contract graft. I got the names of the higher -ups, photostatic copies of incriminating documents—everything. But the -men involved happened to be <i>too</i> high up; my story was squashed before -it ever reached the wires. I would have been, too, permanently, but I -escaped to Mars—"</p> - -<p>Janus was laughing at him behind that red beard. Mark was sure of it. -He shrugged and didn't attempt to go on with the fabrication. It had -been a good try, anyway.</p> - -<p>Janus said dryly: "Now tell me the real story. Or shall I tell you? -You received one of the typical BINWI offers. You're running away to -cool off, or maybe to keep your invention out of their hands. Is it -this—ah—camera?" Janus glanced at the compact box lying there.</p> - -<p>"That's right," Mark admitted, marvelling at this man. "They made me -several offers but I wouldn't come through. The last one was 'typical', -all right—backed up by some of their hired thugs."</p> - -<p>"Why didn't you tell me this in the first place?"</p> - -<p>"I wasn't sure how you felt about the BINWI." Mark was still wary.</p> - -<p>"The same as you do, although I've never had any contact with them -personally. My special peeve is the Tri-Planet Council, and the BINWI -is a subsidiary. Bureau for the Investigation of New and Worthy -Inventions. A laugh, ain't it?"</p> - -<p>Mark didn't think so. "That bureau," he said, "is an octopus preying -on the inventive genius of three planets! Their spies are everywhere, -moving unseen, biding their time. You know the new anti-grav deflectors -the Patrollers are using? A man named Anton Kramer worked that out. He -had it near perfection when he suddenly disappeared. A month later the -deflectors came on the market." Mark's voice was bitter. "There've been -dozens of other cases. The BINWI usually gets what it wants, even if it -means murder."</p> - -<p>Janus nodded. "There's a man aboard who'll agree with you on that! -Professor Brownell. Perhaps you shall meet him—later." He turned his -gaze to the four crew members. "All right, men, how about Mark Travers? -Do we accept him as one of us? A vote is in order."</p> - -<p>"How do we know he's not a BINWI spy himself?" asked a small man with -piercing black eyes. "He seems to know a lot about 'em!"</p> - -<p>"I'm convinced he's not, Ferris. We covered Brownell's trail too well -for that. Let's have the vote."</p> - -<p>The "ayes" were unanimous and suddenly these men were friendly, -smiling, as they stepped forward to shake Mark's hand. They were good -handshakes, firm and calloused. Only Ferris' was reluctant.</p> - -<p>"There's one thing more," Janus said quietly. "We'll need your picture -for our—shall we say—rogue's gallery? I insist on that. Perhaps I -can take it now—with your camera." He reached to the black box on his -desk, lifted it carelessly up.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Mark found himself staring full into the stub-nosed lenses. Sudden -sweat broke on his brow. His gaze lifted and met Janus' gray eyes, -straight and steady upon him.</p> - -<p>"Wait!"</p> - -<p>"What? Not camera shy, are you?" Janus' fingers seemed to fumble, but -his gaze never left Mark's face.</p> - -<p>"The lens isn't set! It—it's special, you know." Mark stepped forward. -His limbs seemed wooden. He took the box from Janus' hands, and -pretending to adjust the lens, his thumb found the hidden stud and -released it. The hum of the inner coils descended the scale again, -became audible for a split second but only to Mark's ears; then they -were dead.</p> - -<p>He let out a slow breath, handed the box back. "Okay now. Shoot."</p> - -<p>Janus waved it away. "Oh, well, it can wait. We'll get it later." He -came around the desk, thrust out his hand. "Welcome aboard, Travers! -You're one of us."</p> - -<p>Mark suddenly knew that Janus knew his secret ... but somehow he wasn't -worried. He wondered if any of the others had noticed the by-play; -moreover, he wondered what being "one of them" meant....</p> - -<p>He was soon to know. At that moment a voice sliced through the radio.</p> - -<p>"Callisto calling! Earth-Station Six on Callisto! We have had you in -our beam for the past twenty minutes. You are out of bounds and you -display no insignia. As this is a violation of the Space-Code, you will -go into a drift immediately and await the Patrollers who will escort -you to Callisto for investigation! Refusal to obey constitutes outlawry -against the Federation, and the Patrol will act accordingly!"</p> - -<p>The men weren't startled. If anything they were amused. The one named -Dethman simply straightened away from the radio and his hard, square -face broke into a grin.</p> - -<p>"Think of it, men, we're being outlawed! Now ain't that one for the -books?"</p> - -<p>The face of Ral Kaarj, the Martian, was blank and leathery. His -heavy-lidded eyes blinked once or twice, but only his incongruously -high-pitched voice revealed his emotions.</p> - -<p>"Tri-Planet Federation!" he shrilled. "Out of bounds! By the red tails -of all the Oogs on Venus, ain't anyone supposed to venture beyond the -asteroids?"</p> - -<p>"Not without sanction of those gray-beards in the Council," Janus said, -"and the Earth Corporations who are the real power. You know how they -try to squelch men like us, free-footers who won't play ball with 'em." -He flicked open the communicator to Brownell in the control room. "How -about it, Prof? Get that message?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," Mark heard a voice reply. "All right, we'll go into a drift. Let -the Patrollers come, we'll give 'em a show!"</p> - -<p>"Right! Need any help?"</p> - -<p>"No, but keep the communicator open. And take a look in the V-panel if -you want." Brownell actually seemed pleased!</p> - -<p>Janus clicked on the visipanel, turned the magnifying dials. Callisto -was seen in the swimming blackness of space with the huge bulk of -Jupiter as a backdrop. Under Janus' sure fingers the scene expanded, -came nearer.</p> - -<p>Minutes passed; then they saw six Patrollers speeding out to meet them. -Brownell had cut rockets and they were in a drift now, waiting.</p> - -<p>Waiting for what, Mark wondered. These Patrollers were speedy ships -and deadly, equipped with atomo-bombs, dis-rays and magnetic beams! He -shifted nervously.</p> - -<p>The Patrollers came very near. Then they broke formation, arraying -themselves three on each side of the outlaw ship. Magnetic beams, pale -green and swirling, reached out to touch the hull. They fastened there -tenaciously. In this manner they began the route back to Callisto.</p> - -<p>Even Janus seemed a little worried now. He turned to the communicator.</p> - -<p>"How about it, Professor? Those beams are powerful? Think you can slip -out?"</p> - -<p>"Wait and see; I promised a show, didn't I? Tell you what, though, -better break out the acceleration harness!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>These were suits within suits, double layers of tough plasticoid. Mark -stepped into his, opened the pressure valve that forced air between the -two thicknesses. The outer one ballooned, giving a grotesque, roly-poly -appearance. He bounced hard against the wall to test it.</p> - -<p>"Better open them full," Janus advised.</p> - -<p>They were ready. They stood against the far wall and watched the screen -across the room. Callisto was looming. They'd soon be within its -gravity.</p> - -<p>Ferris, standing beside Mark, said in a low voice: "What kind of a -news-man are you, Travers? Y'oughta be getting pictures of this. Make -swell release stuff when you get back to Earth." His tone was mocking.</p> - -<p>Mark felt a growing dislike of this man. He suppressed a retort, said -curtly instead: "Too late now." He had placed his "camera" safely in -an inside pocket.</p> - -<p>The Patrollers' magnetic beams still towed them along at terrific -speed, setting up a slight vibration in the walls.</p> - -<p>Suddenly there was a new kind of vibration. Mark didn't know what it -was. Certainly not rocket tubes.</p> - -<p>"Get set!" Janus warned.</p> - -<p>Someone muttered: "If he slips out of six magnetic beams—" but that -was all. A fierce surge came beneath their feet, and Callisto seemed to -leap at them. Within seconds a ghastly nausea gripped their insides. -The ballooning suits were pressed so flat against the wall it became -impossible to breathe! Their hearts pumped sluggishly, and a gray veil -began to form before their eyes....</p> - -<p>These were men so accustomed to hardships that space-acceleration meant -nothing, but now they were experiencing something new in acceleration. -They felt as if their entrails were being compressed into atoms!</p> - -<p>Mark could barely see the screen now. The way Callisto was rushing at -them he felt sure the planet was going to blank them out. He tried -to shut his eyes, but even his eyelids wouldn't move! Then Callisto -slipped off the screen, and Mark knew they must have made a sharp -parabola. Two of the Patrollers were glimpsed far behind, reaching out -futilely with dis-rays.</p> - -<p>Even as he struggled for breath, Mark wanted to laugh; but the desire -left him suddenly as the tremendous bulk of Jupiter loomed. If they -escaped that gravity—</p> - -<p>And they did. They came close, but their parabola tightened, then they -were pulling away. Speed remained constant as Jupiter faded. Mark could -breathe again but he ached through every inch of his body. He could -only think wearily.</p> - -<p>This, he thought—this meant they must have accelerated to the sixth, -seventh or even eighth magnitude!</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph1">II</p> - -<p>Phillias Brownell was a tough little character. He still breathed with -difficulty as Janus unstrapped him from the pneumatic seat, and his -face was ashen; but he hoisted himself up to his full stature of five -feet five and his gray hair bristled. He went to work over the control -console, jabbing hard at gleaming buttons and adjusting the complex -set-up. By now Jupiter was fast fading in the darkness behind them.</p> - -<p>"All right," he announced finally, "we're on robot control. We can rest -easy for a while." He sneered in the direction of Jupiter. "We showed -'em some speed, eh? So they want my Frequency Tuner, do they? Let them -come and get it! The dolts, the moronic interfering meddlers!"</p> - -<p>Janus plainly showed his relief, as he winked at Mark, who said, "That -was some chance you took. Suppose it hadn't worked?"</p> - -<p>"But it did work! That was the final test, and it was necessary. I had -to know how it would react against the beams."</p> - -<p>Mark ventured a question. "Frequency Tuner? Is that what gave you the -acceleration? I knew it wasn't rocket power!"</p> - -<p>Brownell turned piercing black eyes upon him. "Eh? Janus, who is this?"</p> - -<p>Janus vouched for Mark, explained his presence aboard. He added: "The -Bureau's after an invention of his, too. A camera."</p> - -<p>The Professor was startled. "Did you say a camera? Since when do they—"</p> - -<p>"Ah, but Mark's is a very special camera." Janus smiled maddeningly, -but in the next instant was clapping a friendly hand on Mark's -shoulder. "Don't worry, Travers, your secret's safe with us. We don't -ask questions. You've a right to know our destination, though; come on, -I'll show you."</p> - -<p>They repaired to the chart room, where Janus indicated a moving red -line on a glass-encased chart of the solar system. Other lines were -being traced, too, at various angles to their trajectory.</p> - -<p>"The red line is our present trajectory. The others are the orbits of -the planets. See, there's Jupiter behind us; notice how close we came."</p> - -<p>Mark nodded. Already in his mind's eye he was extending their present -parabola. Distances between these outer planets were vast beyond -imagining! Saturn was just in sight, but at their present speed they -would probably cross its orbit far in advance of the planet. Then came -Uranus, and next Neptune. The space between Neptune and Pluto was -vaster than all.</p> - -<p>Mark felt just a little staggered. There was no known record of men -having come this far! Not beyond Jupiter, in fact.</p> - -<p>He turned to Janus. "How far do we go?"</p> - -<p>"All the way."</p> - -<p>"Pluto?"</p> - -<p>"Beyond."</p> - -<p>Mark thought that over. "There's no planet in our system beyond Pluto!"</p> - -<p>"But there is. Planet X. An eccentricity in the orbit of Pluto -indicates there must be a planet beyond. For years astronomers have -known this, but no telescope has been able to pick it out."</p> - -<p>Mark grinned weakly. "So that's where we're headed. I guess you know -it'd be awfully easy to overshoot a mark like that!"</p> - -<p>"Not with the Frequency Tuner. I understand very little of it, but the -Professor assures me it's a directional finder as well as a power unit."</p> - -<p>"Sure, sure. And assuming we locate Planet X and manage to land—what -do you expect to find there?"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Janus' eyes were flecked with dancing lights. "What do we hope to find? -George Ketrik! And if you know the man at all, you know that means -adventure and riches."</p> - -<p>Ketrik! Mark's mind went back. He began piecing together things he had -heard, fragments and rumors. The man Ketrik and his amazing exploits -had become almost a legend!</p> - -<p>"But I have heard," Mark voiced slowly, "that Ketrik died! Plunged into -the sun while trying to negotiate a landing on Vulcan."</p> - -<p>"You don't really believe that? Sure, every few years you hear those -stories, but Ketrik always shows up again." Janus sighed. "You know, -I've almost come to believe that he's not human. Where other men -go—men like us—they find that Ketrik has been there first. I've -personally made two fortunes, and lost them, in following his trail!"</p> - -<p>Mark was skeptical. "But even he wouldn't dare try for Planet X! He -hasn't the speed that we have. It would take him—"</p> - -<p>"Ketrik would dare anything! Why, six months ago I heard that he was -planning this venture; that's why we're here. We five men pooled our -savings to finance Brownell's Frequency Tuner and build this spacer, -in secret, of course. Sure—it would take Ketrik maybe three months to -reach Planet X in some dilapidated little rocket-powered craft. We'll -make it in three days—but I'll wager he's already there!"</p> - -<p>"With the whole populace kow-towing at his feet, most likely." It was -Driscoll who spoke as he entered the room, followed by the other men. -"Sure, I'll back the luck of Ketrik every time!"</p> - -<p>Dethman shook his head. "Planet X is probably uninhabitable. But I'll -bet my last pair of socks Ketrik's located a cave of diamonds, or -maybe a platinum vein. Toss him in a Venusian sink-hole, he'd come up -wreathed in swamp pearls!"</p> - -<p>"He's that sort," Janus agreed. "It was platinum on Mars, cinnabar on -Mercury, plumes on Venus. By the way, I got in on the plumes—made a -fortune. And the other time I saw Ketrik—"</p> - -<p>"I recall the time he showed up at the Venusian Prison Swamp," Driscoll -put in. "One day he wasn't there, the next day he was—just like that. -Inside a week he had organized a group of us for a getaway attempt. -Hundreds of others had tried it and failed. Well, he led us safely -across two hundred miles of swamp, supposed to be impassable. Know what -was on the other side? A spaceship, all waiting and ready. He just -wanted to prove it could be done, I guess."</p> - -<p>"I only saw him once," Kaarj shrilled eagerly. "That was on Deimos. He -had discovered the secret shrine of the Deimian ancients. He came out -of that shrine decked from head to foot with blazing jewels—but the -Deimians were waiting for him. They're a blood-thirsty tribe, and they -were plenty angry...."</p> - -<p>"I never heard this story before," Janus said. "What happened?"</p> - -<p>"I stayed a safe distance away in my spaceship, watching and this is -what happened. Ketrik made them a speech! I swear it! He climbed up on -a block of stone in full range of their weapons—and do you know what -his speech consisted of? The entire first chapter of the 'Advanced -Principles of Space Navigation'. He quoted it most violently. Those -Deimians didn't understand a word of it, but I swear to you, when -Ketrik had finished they weren't angry any more! They cheered him! He -walked calmly over to his space-cruiser and blasted away, jewels and -all!"</p> - -<p>"I came across him once on Mercury," Dethman contributed. "The -barbarians from the dark side were warring on the race inhabiting the -twilight strip. Well, if it hadn't been for Ketrik, the whole colony -would've been wiped out. They almost made a superman out of him, wanted -him to marry a thousand wives to make sure he'd leave plenty of his -descendants there. And by Jupiter, he almost did! When I left he was -still there, married to ten wives—or was it twelve?"</p> - -<p>Mark was enjoying all this. He looked to Ferris, who seemed to be the -only one without a story to tell. Ferris lit a venomous Venusian cigar, -and sneered:</p> - -<p>"I don't hold with all this hero-worship, and I don't believe more'n a -tenth of it. Don't think we'll find Ketrik out here either. I've sunk a -year's takin's from my placer on Mars into this venture—"</p> - -<p>"And afraid you won't get it back, is that it?" Driscoll snapped. "Why, -that placer you're yapping about was Ketrik's in the first place, and -you know it! Sure, you'd rather hide out some place and manufacture -more Frequency Tuners."</p> - -<p>"We'll do that, too, once we make a strike," Janus said thoughtfully. -"We'll equip a whole fleet with 'em, and really exploit the outer -planets. That should give that addle-brained Earth Council something to -really think about!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>On the third day they crossed the orbit of Pluto. Mark was in the -control room with Janus and the Professor. The latter pointed to a thin -thread of liquid helium in the directional-finder, surging slightly off -center.</p> - -<p>"Pluto's the nearest body now. It must be heavy, to drag us that way." -He gave a touch to the Tuner's impellator, and the helium line came -back to center as their acceleration increased.</p> - -<p>The Sun had long since been a pin-point of light. The darkness ahead -was no different from the darkness behind, but the men felt infinitely -more alone. Behind were the known planets. Ahead was X—the unknown. It -might be days more, or merely hours. No one slept now.</p> - -<p>It was only hours later when the Finder began acting erratically again. -Brownell, who seemed indefatigable, took over the controls from Janus. -But he didn't try to adjust direction now.</p> - -<p>"It's Planet X," he said. "Has to be! We'll let the Finder take us -right there!" He switched on the visipanel and adjusted the lens to -fullest power.</p> - -<p>"It must be a dark planet," Mark pointed out. "Certainly the Sun's -light doesn't reach it. How do you hope to see it in the panel?"</p> - -<p>"Ordinarily I'd say you were right," Brownell nodded. "But look! There -it is!"</p> - -<p>Barely discernible on the screen, they saw a vague pin-point of light. -Brownell glanced at the proximity indicator and gasped.</p> - -<p>"Over three million miles—it can't be! Not the way it's pulling us -now. Unless," he added thoughtfully, "it has a gravity grab equal -to that of Jupiter at half the distance! Good Lord!" He tested -instruments, gave experimental side thrusts with the Tuner, but they -came back irresistably into the pull of the planet ahead.</p> - -<p>Hour after hour they came nearer. The planet resolved into a dark disc -with a peculiar surrounding halo.</p> - -<p>"I don't like it," Janus reflected the thoughts of them all. "That -light—where does it come from? Not the Sun! The Sun doesn't even touch -Pluto!"</p> - -<p>"Maybe it has a Sun of its own," ventured Kaarj. "On the other side."</p> - -<p>"If it does, the sun moves right along with it in it's orbit!"</p> - -<p>"You can tell from here that the planet has no axial rotation," -Brownell announced. He looked a little worried. "This gravity drag is -getting worse. We're accelerating. Better get into your harness." He -set the example, and the men followed. "I think I can control it with -the Tuner in reverse, but it pays to be safe. You never can tell, out -here; these are strange conditions."</p> - -<p>The planet was looming fast. The Professor's hand on the deceleration -lever revealed the strain he was under. Below them now they glimpsed -vast dark plains, and as they came nearer, huge stretches of forest. -Mountains loomed. Far ahead was faint light, a few miles of "twilight -strip" much as that on the planet Mercury.</p> - -<p>The Professor was heading for this strip but Mark didn't think they'd -make it. They were losing altitude with sickening speed. Mark had -a final vision of the little Professor tugging desperately on the -deceleration lever, of huge greenish-gray plants coming up beneath them.</p> - -<p>Then a rending crash, a confusion of flying legs and arms. Just before -Mark blanked out he knew their ship was still ploughing forward.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph1">III</p> - -<p>He came back to consciousness with a feeling of intolerable weight -pressing him down. It was his own weight, he discovered as he tried -lifting his head to look around. It was a terrific strain and he let -his head fall back.</p> - -<p>None of the men were seriously injured. The bulging harness had saved -them. They called out to each other, but couldn't move except to roll -their heads from side to side.</p> - -<p>"Professor, did you say a gravity equal to that of Jupiter?" Dethman -called out.</p> - -<p>"That, or more. And yet this planet has a diameter of scarcely a few -hundred miles! Strange!"</p> - -<p>"Strange, he says," came from Driscoll. "What do we do now, just lay -here for the rest of our lives?"</p> - -<p>"Let's see you do anything else," Kaarj said drolly.</p> - -<p>"Not me," Janus spoke. "You think I'll let this pee-wee world get me -down? If I can only get to that Tuner control."</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid this is one kind of gravity it won't counteract," Brownell -admitted ruefully. "This world must be condensed as tightly as a white -dwarf star! A cubic inch of matter weighing hundreds of pounds!"</p> - -<p>Mark twisted his head around, saw Janus' huge frame struggling to move. -He was a powerfully-built man, he'd be the one to do it if anyone did. -Slowly, minutes at a time, he managed to drag one leg under him and -then the other. He brought his hands into position. Sweat broke on -his brow as he rolled himself over on all fours. Then with a terrific -effort he hoisted himself erect!</p> - -<p>He stood there, a straddle-legged, red-bearded giant. But only for -a second. His legs buckled. He managed to hurl himself toward the -starboard port, as he slid downward.</p> - -<p>"At least I can see out now," he gasped. "We just did reach the -twilight strip. There's a whole forest of great big green things, -thirty feet high. Sort of like cactus, flat and spiny."</p> - -<p>"They must have helped break our fall!"</p> - -<p>"You said it! I can see a strip for over a mile, where we mowed 'em -down. Hey! Look! For the love of—" Janus' voice dwindled off in -amazement.</p> - -<p>"Damn it, man, how can we look? What is it? What's out there?"</p> - -<p>"People! Dozens of 'em! They're coming out of the forest. Oh—oh, -they've spotted us. But they're not coming over. They just stand there -jabbering and pointing."</p> - -<p>"People on this world," Brownell muttered his amazement. "What are they -like, Janus? Describe them!"</p> - -<p>"They look kind of savage to me. Squat and furry, but they stand erect. -Their legs are thick and heavy like an elephant's."</p> - -<p>"Yes, that would be natural on this world. The terrific gravity."</p> - -<p>"Gravity doesn't seem to bother them," Janus went on. "Let's see, now. -Yes, in all other ways they seem to be low-evolutionary humans, -except ... good Lord!"</p> - -<p>"Except what? Damn it, Janus, go on!"</p> - -<p>"They have knobs!"</p> - -<p>"What?"</p> - -<p>"Knobs! Growing right out of their foreheads. And they're lit up—the -knobs, I mean. Sort of a soft white light."</p> - -<p>"Another logical development of nature," said the Professor. "They live -on the dark side, so their bodies manufacture the necessary light. Are -they armed?"</p> - -<p>"They are. Just crude spears and clubs, though, so I guess we're safe -enough in here. Oh, oh, here they come. I think they see me!"</p> - -<p>Twisting his head around, Mark could barely see a corner of the window -where Janus lay. In the twilight gray beyond he glimpsed the horde of -barbarians rushing at the ship. It seemed fantastic that they could -move in such gravity, fantastic that any creature could walk.</p> - -<p>One of them hurled a spear with deadly accuracy. It struck the window -and glanced away. Others crowded around, pounding at the glass with -clubs, clamoring to get at Janus who lay just beyond.</p> - -<p>"Professor," Janus said wryly, "this isn't very pleasant. Are you sure -that glass will hold?"</p> - -<p>"Don't worry. It will take more than their pounding to crack four -inches of crystyte."</p> - -<p>"Hope you're right." A moment later Janus exclaimed, "Hey, some -of these babies have electric rifles! Good Lord, I see—one, two, -three—at least half a dozen of 'em! Wait a minute, though—they're -only using them as clubs. The metal parts are corroded. Why, those are -the old-type electric rifles popular on Earth two hundred years ago!"</p> - -<p>"You must be having delusions," came from Ferris.</p> - -<p>"No, I'm not. I've seen that type of rifle in the museums. Now how do -you suppose they got 'way out here?"</p> - -<p>For a few minutes there was silence, broken only by a faint ringing -sound as the clubs beat against the thick crystyte. Then Janus -announced:</p> - -<p>"Here come more of 'em out of the forest. They're bringing up the -reserves. Hey, this might be serious! They have a new kind of weapon." -He peered for a moment into the grayness. "It's a huge thing, seems to -be a sort of combination catapult and cross-bow. I don't like the looks -of it."</p> - -<p>A minute later the first shot came. It struck the spaceship very close -to the window. There was a muffled explosion, and a flashing blue flame.</p> - -<p>"By all that's holy—explosives! Powerful stuff, too. These babies -aren't as barbarian as they look!"</p> - -<p>"We've got to get away from here some way." Brownell was really worried -now. "Janus, do you think you could make it to the controls? Perhaps by -dragging yourself—"</p> - -<p>"I'm sure gonna try it! Wait a minute, though—they're not going to -bother us any more. They're scared!"</p> - -<p>"Scared of what?"</p> - -<p>"Damned if I know. They're staring off to the right, jabbering and -pointing. Hah! There they go, they're running away!"</p> - -<p>Driscoll said, "What did you do, Janus, make a face at 'em? That red -beard of yours is enough to scare anybody!"</p> - -<p>"Something's coming." Janus was straining his neck now, his face -flat against the glass. "I think I can make it out ... yes ... holy -blazing comets! What kind of a world is this? Get away from there, you! -Hey—cut that out!"</p> - -<p>Janus' voice had risen to an excited pitch. "Get set, men—I think -we're leaving here!" The ship gave a sudden lurch and Janus rolled -backward. His head hit the floor hard—enough to stun him a little.</p> - -<p>And now their ship was moving! Not upward. It seemed to be dragging -forward over rough terrain. In this tremendous gravity, every slightest -jolt bruised them horribly. They could only lie there and take it. -After five minutes of this their muscles seemed pounded to a pulp, -despite the inflated suits still encasing them.</p> - -<p>Then as suddenly as it had begun, the movement stopped. There was -ominous quiet.</p> - -<p>Mark, on the brink of unconsciousness, thought he was dreaming when -he saw Professor Brownell leap to his feet! Now the other men were -stirring. They rose dazedly. Gravity was normal!</p> - -<p>They crowded excitedly around the windows. Outside was bright daylight, -no longer the twilight haze. The barbarian horde wasn't to be seen, nor -was—that <i>other</i>. Whatever it was Janus had glimpsed.</p> - -<p>Janus groaned a little and sat up, rubbing his head. They questioned -him eagerly.</p> - -<p>"Maybe I didn't see it," he muttered. "You wouldn't believe me anyway. -Gravity's normal, so let's get out of here."</p> - -<p>And when they pressed their questions, he only shook his head -stubbornly.</p> - -<p>Heedless of their aching muscles, they zipped out of the bulging suits. -Mark's hand went instantly to an inside pocket near his heart, where -he'd placed his secret flat box with the lenses. He was relieved to -find that it, at least, was undamaged.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Janus was breaking out the weapons. He handed each of them an atomic -rifle and neutro pistol. Brownell had taken a sample of the atmosphere -and announced it was fit for them. They debarked onto a plain where -lush yellow grass sprang waist high.</p> - -<p>"Strange," Brownell was muttering. He stared back the way they had -come. Only a few yards behind them was the twilight zone! It was -sharply defined, gray and misty, reaching sheerly up. Yet they stood -in bluish daylight which extended ahead of them to the sharp, downward -curve of the horizon.</p> - -<p>Brownell walked slowly back to the twilight zone, gingerly testing the -gravity. He entered the zone—and fell flat to the ground! Janus leaped -to him, dragged him back.</p> - -<p>"Did you ever see such a thing?" Brownell exclaimed as he rose. "Not -only is there a sharp division of light and dark, but half the planet -is terrifically heavy while the other half is normal. It defies all -laws as we have known them."</p> - -<p>Janus was peering intently into that grayness—toward the edge of the -forest a hundred yards away. Suddenly he gripped the Professor's arm. -His voice came a little hysterically.</p> - -<p>"I wasn't dreaming, then. I see it! There it is—the thing that grabbed -our ship! Don't move, you men, because I swear—it's watching us!"</p> - -<p>Gradually they made it out, as they stared in the direction of Janus' -gaze. It was a huge bulking shape that towered above the tallest trees. -A roughly round, metallic body that rested on four jointed metal legs. -Metal arms, too, dangled at its side.</p> - -<p>"A robot!" came in a whisper from Dethman's lips. "A metal robot, but -good Lord—look at the size of it!"</p> - -<p>They were looking. Fifty feet above the ground they could make out its -head, semi-spherical—and there were two eyes glowing with a greenish -light, eyes that must have been large as dinner plates! It stood quite -motionless in the gloom near the forest, watching them.</p> - -<p>"That's the thing that towed us here?" Brownell whispered.</p> - -<p>"Yes! I just got a bare glimpse of it."</p> - -<p>"Must be friendly, then. But I wouldn't want to shake hands with it! -The thing does seem to be watching us, doesn't it?"</p> - -<p>"I'll fix it!" Ferris suddenly brought his rifle up, took aim at the -glowing eyes.</p> - -<p>Janus whirled, knocked the rifle aside. "You fool! That's an -intelligent entity, I tell you! Want to get us killed?"</p> - -<p>As though it had seen and comprehended the action, the robot's eyes -blinked once or twice. It was eerie. Then it raised one of its arms and -seemed to gesture—not at them, but beyond them. With that, it turned -and stalked away, crashing through the forest.</p> - -<p>"I get it," Mark said thoughtfully. "It was warning us to stay on our -side of the fence!"</p> - -<p>"And that's just what we will do. It's the only place where we can -stand up, much less move about."</p> - -<p>They walked back to the prow of the ship. "Where does this daylight -come from?" Brownell was still puzzled. "There's no sun. Seems to me -this gravity has something to do with it, too. Say! Do you suppose this -light—"</p> - -<p>He never finished, for at that moment they heard a shout ahead of -them, and saw a group of men approaching. They were tall and straight, -clean shaven, and dressed in trousers and tunics of rough texture -but undoubtedly of Earth pattern—the pattern which had been popular -hundreds of years ago! They carried weapons too, the old-type electric -rifles which were so devastating at close range but not very effective -at longer distances.</p> - -<p>They came warily at first, but smiled when they saw the newcomers were -not going to cause trouble.</p> - -<p>"Greetings!" their leader said in perfect English. "You're from Earth? -We thought we saw your ship crash, and came over to investigate."</p> - -<p>Janus stepped forward and introduced himself, shook hands.</p> - -<p>"My name is Donli," the other said. He pronounced it that way, crisply, -running the syllables together. Mark suddenly wondered if this could be -a contraction of "Donnolly".</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Donli and his men were speechless for a moment, staring in turn at the -spaceship, the new-type weapons, and Ral Kaarj.</p> - -<p>"You have never seen a Martian before?" Kaarj grinned at them in a -friendly manner.</p> - -<p>"Pardon our staring," Donli replied. "We have never seen a Martian, nor -such a spaceship as this, nor any other world. We have waited long for -this! Long!"</p> - -<p>"You've seen no other world. But you are Earthmen."</p> - -<p>"We have been here always."</p> - -<p>"I begin to understand," Brownell said. "There are others of you here? -Where do you stay?"</p> - -<p>"Our city is only fifty miles from here. We shall be happy if you -accompany us there. We have good roads, and surface cars. Our leader, -Mari, will explain everything to you." Donli paused, glancing nervously -into the twilight strip. "You should be of great help to us against the -Perlacs, with your new weapons."</p> - -<p>"Perlacs? Are those the furry creatures with the lights on their heads?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. We call them that because Perlac is the name they give to the -world. They have warred on us for generations. We number a mere five -hundred, and they are thousands." Donli looked worried. "And now that -the robots are active again, we are in even more danger."</p> - -<p>"We saw one of those metal giants," Janus exclaimed, "just a few -minutes ago!"</p> - -<p>"Yes, we saw it too. We came up just as it was stalking away. It's the -first we've ever seen, but we have heard much about them; the stories -have been handed down. There is supposed to be a great temple on the -dark side, where the robots are housed."</p> - -<p>"More of them?" Mark exclaimed. "I hope they stay over there, then!"</p> - -<p>Donli shook his head. "This I know: if the robots are roaming again, as -they did many years ago, none of us will be safe."</p> - -<p>"Then let us go to your city," Brownell put in. "We should be able to -lift gravs now, if the Tuner hasn't been damaged."</p> - -<p>It hadn't been. In a few minutes they were winging low across the -plains to the horizon.</p> - -<p>The city bore the unusual name of "Frell", and lay semi-circularly at -the foot of a sharply rising hill. People were seen, men and women -alike, working in the surrounding fields.</p> - -<p>Donli led them through the main street. The buildings were of a dark -substance that might have been earth compressed to concrete hardness. -They entered the most imposing of these buildings, and thence to a huge -room which was almost the size of a theater on Earth.</p> - -<p>"Make yourselves at ease," Donli said, "while I summon Mari. She will -probably be at the laboratories now."</p> - -<p>"Mari," Driscoll said, when Donli had gone. "So their leader is a -woman! And they have laboratories!"</p> - -<p>They gazed about them. The curious daylight came through windows -of glass or similar material. There were chairs and tables of -finely-wrought metal. Along one wall were bookcases filled with charts -and uniquely-bound volumes. There were other volumes too, which seemed -vaguely familiar.</p> - -<p>Brownell walked over there.</p> - -<p>"Look at this! A whole case full of books from Earth—scientific, -technical books, all of them!" He read a few of the titles on the faded -bindings. "These were all popular hundreds of years ago. And these -others," he waved, "are probably the entire recorded history of these -people. I'd give anything to look into them." He didn't touch the -volumes, but remained thoughtful.</p> - -<p>Mark too was thoughtful. "Frell," he mused. "A strange name for this -city. Seems as though it ought to mean something, but I can't quite -place it."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Donli returned soon, accompanied by Mari. She was tall, lithesome, her -features classical and still beautiful despite smudges of sweat and -grime from the laboratory. Her golden hair was braided into a halo -which gave a queenly appearance, and her eyes were bluer than the -strange daylight of this world. Skirt and tight-fitting bodice were of -rough texture but dyed a rich golden color.</p> - -<p>Involuntarily the men gasped, but Mari did not mind that or their -stares. She seated herself and bade them be seated opposite her. Then -she leaned forward, searching their faces. Not until then did they -notice that her eyes were cold, suspicious.</p> - -<p>"You have come from Earth, of course. And Donli tells me this strange -one is Martian. Who is leader among you?"</p> - -<p>"Why, I suppose I am," Janus said. "Either me or Professor Brownell, -here."</p> - -<p>"Professor?" Her mind seemed to grope for the meaning. "Ah! That word -means a man of scientific learning, does it not?"</p> - -<p>"In this case, yes," he answered.</p> - -<p>Brownell spoke softly. "Madam, we come in peace. We want to be friends -and we want to help you, if we may. You need have no suspicion of us."</p> - -<p>"No suspicion? You come from the dark side! From the Perlacs!" She spat -the last word venomously.</p> - -<p>Donli, standing there, seemed troubled. He said:</p> - -<p>"We only found them near the twilight zone. They were most friendly in -manner and speech! They seem—"</p> - -<p>Man waved a hand, and he was silent. She said:</p> - -<p>"Men of Earth, you wonder why I am suspicious? Know, then, that we -observed your ship five days ago, crossing our land with tremendous -speed and heading for the dark side! Why have you waited until now -to come here? It could be that you have allied yourselves with the -Perlacs! Have they sent you here?"</p> - -<p>There was a moment of stupefied silence. They could scarcely believe -that she was serious, but her cold manner assured them of it. Then the -answer must have dawned on all of them at once.</p> - -<p>"Ketrik!" Janus boomed, hoisting his big frame from the chair. "By all -that's holy, he did reach here! She must have seen Ketrik's ship!" Then -he sobered. "But—if it was streaking for the dark side, it was surely -out of control. Ketrik must be dead by now. To think I'd live to see -the day when that man blanked out."</p> - -<p>Mari had drawn a strange looking pistol from a belt at her waist. She -gestured with it now and said:</p> - -<p>"Be seated, please. We will talk yet a while. This Ketrik—he is -another one from Earth?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, he came before us. Came alone. We only landed here today, a few -hours ago! Believe me, we want no part of those Perlacs. We had a -little trouble with them."</p> - -<p>She seemed relieved, and satisfied at last. "Forgive my suspicion of -you. But where the safety of my people is concerned, I cannot be too -careful. We have had trouble with the Perlacs, always. The greatest -trouble is yet to come and it is brewing fast." She appeared to be -marshalling her thoughts, then she went on:</p> - -<p>"We are the seventh generation of a party of Earth people who arrived -here hundreds of years ago. My direct ancestor, Wilm Frell, was leader -of that expedition. Our city is named in his honor!"</p> - -<p>"I've got it!" Mark exclaimed. "She means William Farrell! The Farrell -expedition was one of the earliest and most ambitious interstellar -attempts. Men had already reached the moon and were trying for Mars. -Farrell set out with a hundred men and women aboard—"</p> - -<p>"A hundred and forty," Mari corrected. "We have his log here. They -missed Mars, their compasses were wrecked in the asteroids and they -continued outward for months, finally crashing here. We still do not -know what planet this is!"</p> - -<p>"You're beyond Pluto!" Brownell told her. "But how could they have -survived a crash on this heavy world?"</p> - -<p>"It is one of the miracles. The records tell of it. They landed near -the light! The light at that time encompassed a very small area, only -a few miles. Gravity there was normal, but beyond, it was very heavy. -They investigated the center of light and found the Stone."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Brownell was excited. "I suspected something like this! The Stone? What -is it?"</p> - -<p>"We still do not know, except that it supplies us with light and normal -gravity and a temperate zone very favorable to our crops. It defies our -science, and it certainly must have come from somewhere far beyond our -solar system! Our ancestors found it deeply buried and dug it out. The -moment they did—"</p> - -<p>"Yes?"</p> - -<p>"The light from it spread slowly, very slowly. In about ten years' time -it had encompassed this entire hemisphere, stopped only by the sharp -curvature of the planet."</p> - -<p>"And as the light spread outward, the heavy gravity vanished?"</p> - -<p>"That is true. We have the Stone now atop our hill, which is the -highest spot. Our ancestors, however, had to fight for it time and -again. The Perlacs at that time were really savages. They had known of -the buried light but were afraid to approach it. Later they tried to -get the Stone, but were always driven back into the darkness. They -have warred on us ever since—for generations!</p> - -<p>"In the last few years they have become very strong. They are using -explosives now. I believe that ages ago, long before the first Earthmen -came, a civilization existed and died here. The present Perlacs must -have discovered remnants of an ancient science, and are slowly reviving -it!"</p> - -<p>There was a moment of silence. Janus took advantage of it to hand his -atomic rifle to the girl, and his neutro-pistol as well.</p> - -<p>"Have you ever seen weapons like these?"</p> - -<p>She examined them excitedly, especially the neutro-pistol. "Donli, look -at this!" she pointed at the firing coils. "It seems to be the same -principle we're working on!"</p> - -<p>"Do you mean to say you're trying to invent a neutro gun?" Janus was -amazed.</p> - -<p>"Yes," Donli answered. "We've been working on it for the past several -years, but it's been slow and hard. Sometimes disastrous." He stepped -to a bookcase, brought out one of the ancient volumes. It was Spurlin's -<i>Evolution and Control of the Free Electron</i>.</p> - -<p>"We've worked from the principles set forth here," Donli explained, -"and with some slight measure of success. But we feel that we're -treading on dangerous ground. Only a few months ago one of our -laboratories was blown up and four men killed."</p> - -<p>Brownell nodded. "Even when Spurlin wrote that book there was no real -control of the electron. It came later. Anyway, we can help you now! -We have the real models here to work from. Would you like to see these -guns in operation?"</p> - -<p>It was a needless question. They repaired outside, where Janus -demonstrated the atomic rifle first, aiming at a harmless clump of -bushes some fifty yards away. The atomic pellet struck and exploded, -leaving a miniature crater.</p> - -<p>"That," Brownell said, "is an example of uncontrolled atomic explosion. -Rather crude, but it serves its purpose. Now let us observe a -refinement of it. <i>Controlled, electronic action.</i>"</p> - -<p>Janus aimed the pistol. A bluish, pencil-thin ray leaped forth. Where -it touched, substance vanished into a froth of flame. The ground -itself became incandescent glass. The ray remained constant so long as -his finger touched the firing stud.</p> - -<p>Mari was excited. "Then you will help us perfect ours? The Perlacs are -becoming stronger than we have ever known them, and whenever they start -scouting the twilight zone, it means trouble. Donli tells me the robots -are active again, too!"</p> - -<p>"We can and will help you," Brownell assured her. "I doubt if those -overgrown robots will stand up long under an electronic ray!"</p> - -<p>The Professor was eager to see the Stone, and Mari graciously -accompanied him to the crest of the hill where it was housed. The -others, meanwhile, went with Donli on a tour of the shops and -laboratories.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph1">IV</p> - -<p>Brownell told them later, in great excitement: "I swear to you, it -defies all physical laws as we know them! It's merely a shiny chunk of -rock, a few yards in diameter—but do you know, I believe it actually -feeds upon gravity! I have always believed that gravity, magnetism, -and other such universal forces are all a part of the electrical -spectrum. Some peculiarity in the atomic structure of this Stone draws -the straight-line force of gravity to it, and that force is then -oscillated, transmitted into light! The process is unending!"</p> - -<p>"That's all very well," Mark told him, "but I believe the greatest -miracle is right here in the laboratories. These people have had to -utilize the barest elements of this world, but they've done wonders. -They have plastiglass, and farm implements, and electrical power—even -crude atomic furnaces."</p> - -<p>"They'd have their neutro-pistols right now," Janus agreed, "but they -hit the same stumbling block that baffled our scientists for so long."</p> - -<p>For days they worked ceaselessly on the neutro-pistols. Mark and the -Professor together laid out the blueprints, devising a radical and more -potent design for the firing coils. The latter was surprised at Mark's -knowledge of electronic principles.</p> - -<p>"I may surprise you even further, one of these days," Mark promised.</p> - -<p>And now the urgency of their work was really impressed upon them. -Scouts returning each day from the twilight zone reported that the -Perlacs were gathering. Thousands of them swarmed the forests on the -dark side, apparently massing for an all-out attack. There had been a -few preliminary skirmishes but nothing serious as yet.</p> - -<p>Donli undertook the task of setting up barricades at the twilight -border. These were huge shields of light but durable metal, arranged in -strategic positions, easily movable. And the work at the city went on -apace.</p> - -<p>Janus and the others directed work at the forges and metal shops. -Everyone, men and women alike, who could be spared from the border -defenses, were given assignments. Mari was a surprise to the new men. -Already she knew the ancient science textbooks by heart, and she -thirsted for more knowledge. She was everywhere, directing, helping, -learning. She grasped the principle almost at once when Brownell -explained:</p> - -<p>"Briefly, the atom itself must not be shattered. That has been -your mistake. Successive sheathes of electrons must be stripped -without disruption of the ultimate atomic structure. That means -swift transmutations, not disintegration. Most important of all, the -electrons must be propelled along a controlled, directional beam."</p> - -<p>Only Ferris was dissatisfied at the hard work. In their quarters, at -the end of the first week, he complained:</p> - -<p>"What's all this getting us? I thought we came out here to make a -fortune! That's the story you gave me, Janus, when you rooked me into -this deal."</p> - -<p>Janus looked at him distastefully. "Haven't you ever wanted to do a -decent act in your life? Lord knows I've done some scandalous things, -but these people need our help now and they deserve it!"</p> - -<p>"That's not getting back the fortune I sunk into this venture," Ferris -grumbled.</p> - -<p>"We'll think of that later."</p> - -<p>The work was slower than they wished, for it became apparent the Perlac -attack was going to materialize any day, any hour. As leader of the -defense, the all-out call was left to Donli, who, with his select -group, remained at the border constantly now.</p> - -<p>And on the tenth day, even before the new pistols had been assembled or -tested—the call came. One of the scouts raced into the city with the -signal.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Everyone, men and women alike, left their work instantly. Dozens of -the electrically-motored surface cars were waiting, and soon they were -racing along the road. Within the hour they had reached the twilight -zone to reinforce Donli's group.</p> - -<p>Each person was equipped with an electric rifle which, at the longer -distances, stunned but was not fatal. And there were quantities of -atomic grenades. The new Earthmen retained their atomic rifles and -neutro-pistols, as they better understood the operation of these -weapons and could use them to more advantage.</p> - -<p>The attack had not yet come but Donli was expecting it at any minute. -Each group took up its assigned position behind a barrier. Mark found -himself beside Janus and was glad, for he liked that blustering, -red-bearded giant.</p> - -<p>"It's going to be hell," Janus promised, peering into the twilight -gloom. "We have to wait for them. The Perlacs can come over into our -lighter gravity, but their gravity'd be fatal to us!"</p> - -<p>Mark nodded. "It means we'll be fighting a strictly defensive battle."</p> - -<p>The twilight beyond faded into the darkness of the huge forest, and not -a Perlac was to be seen. Not so much as a moving shadow. But they were -there, Mark knew, thousands of them; and when they came it would be -silently.</p> - -<p>And silently they came. Mark's first intimation was the explosion of -grenades far down the line, and then he saw them—hordes of Perlacs, -heavy of limb, but coming with amazing speed. Most of them were using -cross-bows, and Mark realized that some of the shafts were equipped -with metal-tipped explosives. Then he was too busy for further -observation, as he brought his atomic rifle to bear.</p> - -<p>The old style electrics were at work too, all along the line; and -the grenades blasted huge gaps in the advancing tide. But still they -came, moving now across the lighter zone. Thousands hadn't been an -overstatement! The dark tide came rushing over their stunned and dead.</p> - -<p>And now those explosive tipped shafts were having effect. Several of -them struck a barricade next to Mark, and tore the metal from the -foundations. Now Janus, beside him, was bringing the neutro-pistol into -play.</p> - -<p>Savagely Mark swung his beam in a never-ceasing arc, exulting at the -swath it cut before him. Further down, Driscoll, Kaarj and the others -were doing the same. Together with the grenades it seemed to stem the -tide, but only for a moment.</p> - -<p>"Keep it going! Keep it going!" Janus was yelling. "These beams are -good for hours!"</p> - -<p>The very silence of the attack made it the more terrible. No yells, no -screams of fury came from the heavy-furred Perlacs as they littered the -terrain by the score.</p> - -<p>Then, as suddenly as they had come, they retreated. The seven sweeping -beams had done the work well, but in an unexpected manner. Flames were -leaping in the lush grass between the defenders and the forest!</p> - -<p>"Respite!" Janus yelled. "Ten minutes, maybe. They'll be back when that -grass is burned down!"</p> - -<p>But there was no resting now. A score of men were dead and twice that -many wounded, who had to be carried back from the battle line. Three of -the barricades were wrecked, and they strove to get these into place -again.</p> - -<p>Mark noticed Mari, sweat-grimed and weary, her golden hair streaming -down. But she was magnificent still, a tower of strength as she hurried -along the line giving aid and encouragement to her people.</p> - -<p>"I wonder where the robots are?" Mark suddenly remembered as he -worked beside Janus. "If the Perlacs have learned to reactivate those -monsters, as Donli thinks—"</p> - -<p>"Encouraging, ain't you? As if we're not having a hard enough time as -it is!"</p> - -<p>And then Mark remembered something else. Remembered so suddenly that he -began laughing, a little wildly, and Janus slipped him a light one on -the jaw.</p> - -<p>"Come out of it, lad! None of that, now—we're not licked yet!"</p> - -<p>But Mark had reached to his inner pocket, and brought out his secret -flat box. "Remember this, Janus? Good Lord, but I ought to be blasted -for forgetting it! You always knew it wasn't a camera—well, now you're -going to see it in action!"</p> - -<p>"Good, lad! I hope you've got something there. Here they come again!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>This time the Perlacs had massed their forces, and they came in two -wide flanking movements aimed at the ends of the barricades.</p> - -<p>"Let them get close," Janus passed the word to the men, as they hurried -down to the left. "Then give them your grenades—all you've got!"</p> - -<p>Grim-faced they waited. Mark once more touched the release stud on his -box, exulted as the coils hummed into power.</p> - -<p>"Now!" Janus yelled at last, and swept his beam into play. -Simultaneously the grenades rained outward. The terrain erupted in -geysers of blackened grass and fleshy fragments. But determinedly the -Perlacs came, and their cross-bow shafts filled the air.</p> - -<p>Despair began to touch the Earthmen now. It was obvious the fanatical -Perlacs were going to make this a war to extinction, and there could be -but one final result. The Perlacs outnumbered them a hundred to one. If -only they could have gotten the new electronic weapons ready in time! -Even their grenades were running low now.</p> - -<p>Grim-lipped, Mark waited for the next onrush. He passed his neutro to -a neighbor and concentrated on his box. Its power had been proven in -minor tests, but this would be the maximum!</p> - -<p>The wave came. More of them now than before. Mark stepped for a moment -into the open, heedless of the shafts. The box, held waist high, looked -for all the world like a camera....</p> - -<p>But the result was devastatingly different!</p> - -<p>The men felt a violent holocaust of air around them, rushing away from -all sides. For seconds they couldn't breathe or move! The temperature -dropped so suddenly that they were literally frozen where they stood! -Then warmer air came pressing in again but still they didn't move, -because now they were staring—staring at the miracle.</p> - -<p>In a hundred-yard area before their barricade the mass of Perlacs -were motionless, many of them arrested in grotesque postures! Others -had literally burst outward. But all were dead, and now they began to -topple over, like frozen statutes!</p> - -<p>Another wave was coming behind, just beyond the area. Now they wheeled -and fled for the forest. Quickly Mark adjusted the sights and gave them -another burst. The same thing happened. The rush of air, the sudden -drop in temperature—and the horde was a mass of frozen corpses. But -this time, the box became hot in Mark's hands, burning them severely, -and he quickly dropped it.</p> - -<p>At the other end of the line the defenders weren't doing so well. -The Perlacs had gained that end of the barricade, and the battle was -furious and to the death.</p> - -<p>"Come on!" Mark raced for that end, followed by the others. But now -Mark couldn't use his weapon, for it would mean blasting Earthmen and -Perlacs alike!</p> - -<p>And then, fantastically, the battle seemed to hang poised.</p> - -<p>There came a grinding, shuddering sound. A series of these sounds. -The ground seemed to vibrate, and then along the twilight strip came -a towering, stalking, fifty-foot shape. One of the robots! It came -swiftly, purposefully, huge eyes glaring down—straight for the battle -line!</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph1">V</p> - -<p>"This does it," Janus groaned. "That thing looks mad!" But no other -robots came, and he raised his beam-pistol in readiness as the great -monster came bearing down.</p> - -<p>"Hold it," Mark caught his wrist. "Hold your fire, men!"</p> - -<p>For the Perlacs were fleeing! Forgotten now was the fury of battle as -they raced <i>en masse</i> back to the darkness of their forest!</p> - -<p>And abruptly the robot swerved in its course, went after them with -purposeful strides. It bent down a little and swept huge, claw-like -hands close to the ground. A few of the Perlacs were caught, dashed to -the ground, never to rise. Almost gleefully the metal monster trampled -down the edges of the forest. The Earth people could only watch -wearily, numbly. It was over. Unbelievably, the battle was over.</p> - -<p>Tiring at last of its mad sport, the robot turned and came striding -back. Heedless of Mark's warning, Mari stepped forth and faced it -defiantly, rifle held in readiness. Tall and straight, her golden hair -tumbling down, she was a defender of her people to the last.</p> - -<p>And the robot paused! Only for a second, during which it seemed to be -surveying her. Then it came on, but stopped some twenty yards away.</p> - -<p>Then it spoke! The voice was rasping, metallic, but the words were -unmistakable:</p> - -<p>"Hi-ya, bud. What's cookin'?"</p> - -<p>Janus' voice was a ridiculous gurgle in his throat. He took a step -backward and his eyes bulged. For the thing had seemed to be addressing -<i>him</i>!</p> - -<p>At last he got the words out: "Ketrik! By all the red-tailed Zigs -on Venus, it's Ketrik! Only he could use an archaic expression like -that—what's cookin', indeed!"</p> - -<p>There came a rumble of metallic laughter.</p> - -<p>"Hi-ya, Janus! Haven't seen you in years. And Kaarj! Last time I saw -you was on Deimos, when I robbed the temple of ancients. How are you, -kid?" The robot went down, extended a long metal finger as big around -as a man's arm. Kaarj retreated hastily!</p> - -<p>"Well, ain't any of you glad to see me?" the voice came mockingly. "And -after I saved your battle, too!"</p> - -<p>"Sure, we're glad to see you," Janus replied shakily. "But good Lord, -man, come down out of that thing so we can get a look at you!"</p> - -<p>"Hell, no. I'm havin' fun! Anyway, I'm not up here. Not the real -Ketrik. My body's lying in an alcove back there at the temple of -robots."</p> - -<p>Mari had come to stand beside Janus. Her face was flushed from the -recent battle, but some of her defiance had fled. The robot bent closer -still, seemed to be peering. Then came a long whistle, metallic but -shrill, and one of the huge eyes winked!</p> - -<p>The girl seemed to recognize that primitive sound and her face turned a -deeper red. But she stepped a pace forward.</p> - -<p>"Mister—ah—Ketrik, you have saved my people and have earned our -undying thanks! But what about the Perlacs—do you think they'll be -coming back again?"</p> - -<p>The robot chuckled. "Not for a long time! Certainly not when they know -I'm around. Those babies have given me a wide berth so far." He added: -"I've been intending to pay a visit to your side of the world, but I -could tell those dark-skinned brutes were up to something. I decided to -hang around and await developments."</p> - -<p>"But Ketrik"—Janus hesitated—"what's this about your body?"</p> - -<p>"Don't worry, it's safe. This is only the mental part of me. Sure, -there's a huge temple about ten miles back, with dozens more of these -robots standing around idle." A sudden thought occurred. "Want to take -a look? I could carry you across the heavy gravity."</p> - -<p>"No thanks!" Janus declined. "My scientific interest doesn't go that -far. Maybe the Professor, here—"</p> - -<p>"Sure!" Brownell came forward, eager.</p> - -<p>"I'll go too," Mark said. "I'd like to see how those robots work."</p> - -<p>Ketrik extended a huge hand. Brownell and Mark clung tightly as it -swung them up. With the two men perched on its shoulders, the robot -went striding back through the forest.</p> - -<p>The temple, massive and pillared, rested in a wide clearing.</p> - -<p>They saw the robots, dozens of them lining the walls. The quartz discs -of their eyes were now dull and lifeless. And near each robot, fifty -feet high in the wall, were alcoves.</p> - -<p>"Gravity here is normal!" Mark noticed suddenly.</p> - -<p>"Yes," Ketrik replied. "That's probably what saved my life. I crashed -right through the roof!"</p> - -<p>They saw Ketrik's spacer on the floor below them, its nose and forward -tubes crumpled beyond recognition.</p> - -<p>"I'll show you my body." He strode to one of the alcoves, and the men -stepped from his shoulders onto a stone ledge. Before them was a thick -glass coffin. Resting in it was the material Ketrik!</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>It was a large body, as large as Janus, but clean shaven. The blue eyes -were open and staring, and even in this suspended state there seemed to -be a quality of recklessness, even amusement, about them.</p> - -<p>"How do you get the mental self into the robot?" Brownell asked.</p> - -<p>"Damned if I know how it works," there was almost a shrug in Ketrik's -robot voice. "I just experimented with the thing."</p> - -<p>He just experimented! Mark marvelled at this man.</p> - -<p>"Don't touch it," Ketrik warned, "but you'll notice there are two -cathodes attached to the temples of my earth body. See how the wires -lead out, and up to that panelled board on the wall? There are all -kinds of coils and things behind that board. Those other cathodes, that -you see dangling, were attached to the brain plate of the robot. I -suppose the molecules of your mental self flow through the wires. When -the transference is complete, you merely detach the cathodes and start -walking about, a full-fledged robot! I tell you it's wonderful!"</p> - -<p>"Ketrik," Brownell said, as they went back through the forest, "we -should be returning to Earth as soon as we complete the new weapon for -Man's people. Don't you want to return with us?"</p> - -<p>"No, I think I'll stay. I want to be sure those Perlacs don't cause any -more trouble for a while."</p> - -<p>"There wouldn't be any other reason?" Mark grinned.</p> - -<p>"There would and is." The smile was in Ketrik's voice, if not on his -metal lips. "I like that golden-haired Amazon—what's her name—Mari?"</p> - -<p>"But why return at all?" Mari wanted to know, when the Professor -announced the plans. "You have said you wanted a base for the -manufacture of your Frequency Tuners. What better place than here?"</p> - -<p>"Thank you, my dear. I had thought of that, but after all this is your -world, and we are intruders."</p> - -<p>Mari was hurt. "After all that you've done for us? And you can do so -much more!"</p> - -<p>"Then rest assured we'll be back, possibly within a month. True, there -is much to be done here but we need new supplies, tools, equipment of -every sort."</p> - -<p>Janus said: "And with your permission, we'll want to bring back some -new men. Not rogues and adventurers like me, but scientific men who can -come here and work out their ideas without fear of that stupid Earth -Bureau. Men like Mark, here, and the Professor."</p> - -<p>Brownell nodded agreement. "I see a new regime. The Tri-Planet Council -will have to cooperate with expanding endeavors, or take a back seat. -Already I know two men on Earth, and four on Mars, who'll be delighted -to come here to carry on their work. And Mark, that reminds me. That -new weapon of yours. I think we can ask about it now?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, it's nothing much, but I wasn't going to let the Bureau have it on -their terms! It's merely an advanced frigidation idea. Works along an -extended magnetic beam, absorbing all heat in a given area, almost to -absolute zero."</p> - -<p>"And he says it's nothing much!" came from Janus.</p> - -<p>"It still needs some working out. The coils didn't stand up, the last -time I applied it out there."</p> - -<p>In two more days they were turning out the neutro weapons in quantity. -During that time nothing more was seen of the Perlacs, as the -robot-Ketrik maintained a vigilance. Brownell made a last check-up of -the spaceship, and more important still, he strengthened the Frequency -Tuner to counteract the gravity.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>On the last night, Mark tossed restlessly in his bed. He could not -sleep, and he didn't know why. Was it something they had forgotten? -He didn't think so. Nevertheless he had a preternatural awareness of -something wrong....</p> - -<p>He arose, dressed quickly. There was never "night" on this side of the -little world, but the rooms were automatically dimmed. Silently he -tip-toed through the rooms. Brownell was there, sleeping peacefully. -And Janus, and all the others.</p> - -<p>No! Ferris was gone.</p> - -<p>Mark's heart leaped. He had never liked that man, never quite trusted -him. Now it came back. Ferris' eternal harping about the fortune he had -put into this expedition.</p> - -<p>If that little rat was planning—Mark hurried outside. The city was -deathly quiet, immersed in sleep. The eternal light struck his eyes -and brought him fully alert. He hurried along the street toward the -outskirts, toward the base of the hill where the spaceship waited.</p> - -<p>As he neared the hill, he spied Ferris. The man was coming down the -slope. Ferris saw him, and waved a hand in greeting.</p> - -<p>"Hi! Is it you, Travers? What's the matter, can't you sleep either?"</p> - -<p>Mark's steps slowed, and he breathed in relief. He'd been wrong. After -all, the man had a right to be up.</p> - -<p>They met near the spaceship, and Ferris waved a hand toward the crest -of the hill. "I was just looking at the Stone. It's the damnedest -thing!"</p> - -<p>"Yes. Brownell tells me—"</p> - -<p>Ferris' hand moved like lightning. Mark found himself staring into the -stub end of a neutro-gun. Ferris was no longer smiling and casual.</p> - -<p>"In!" he snarled. "Get in there—quick!" He gestured toward the ship, -and Mark noticed the door was open. He moved toward it slowly, then -paused, started to turn.</p> - -<p>"I'll blast you, Travers!"</p> - -<p>Mark shrugged, entered. Ferris came quickly behind him.</p> - -<p>"That's better. I don't want to rouse any of the others. Sounds carry -far on this world." He paused and grinned, with all but his eyes. -"Sure, Travers, I was looking at the Stone. I'd like to get it back to -Earth, but it's too much for me. Guess I'll just have to be satisfied -with the Frequency Tuner. The Bureau of Inventions will pay me a -handsome price for it, no questions asked."</p> - -<p>"You sneaking, double-crossing rat," Mark said slowly. "You'll never -get away with this!"</p> - -<p>"<i>This</i> says I will," Ferris sneered, gesturing with the neutro. "And -since you came snooping out here, I'll just take that new weapon of -yours."</p> - -<p>"It doesn't work any more."</p> - -<p>"I'll take it anyway. Hand it over. Careful!"</p> - -<p>Mark shrugged, tossed the box-like weapon to him. But his mind was -racing. Ferris had the upper hand, all right, and he <i>would</i> get away -with this if Mark didn't do something quick. Mark glanced around. They -were in the control room, and he knew the Frequency Tuner was ready. He -said:</p> - -<p>"What about Brownell—Janus—the others?"</p> - -<p>"What about 'em? They wanted to come out here, so let 'em stay. -Yeah—for the next hundred years!"</p> - -<p>"What about me?"</p> - -<p>"You know, I think I'll just take you along—for a short distance, -anyway."</p> - -<p>Mark's voice was taunting. "Because you're not quite sure how to handle -this Frequency control. You'll need me."</p> - -<p>"And that's where you're wrong. I've studied it plenty. It's easy!"</p> - -<p>Mark dropped suddenly to his knees, and with the same movement his body -lashed forward—low and hard. He heard the neutro sing, and felt the -swirling heat of it over his shoulder. But Ferris was quick. He danced -lithely back. His right hand with the gun in it came swinging up.</p> - -<p>The heavy gun caught Mark squarely under the chin.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>He came struggling back to consciousness, aware that he was still lying -prone. He allowed his brain to clear before opening his eyes, but -already he could tell they were in space.</p> - -<p>He thought of his friends on Perlac—stranded! It would be a miracle -if they ever succeeded in building another spaceship there, with their -limited equipment.</p> - -<p>"Hi, Travers. We're on our way. So I can't handle the Tuner, eh?"</p> - -<p>Mark groaned, rolled his head a little, feigning grogginess. But he was -alert now, and he cursed himself for a fool for underestimating Ferris. -He heard the man's voice go on:</p> - -<p>"And to show how much I need you, I'll just toss you out somewhere -between Perlac and Pluto. Or maybe between Pluto and Neptune. Which -would you prefer?"</p> - -<p>Mark's heart leaped. They couldn't have come far, then! He was lying -near the control-console and he knew they were on robot control. Ferris -must have set the course already. He was confident now, watching Mark, -for he knew it took minutes to adjust that complex set-up.</p> - -<p>Mark stirred, grasped a metal stanchion to help hoist himself erect. -His plan was made. To the right of the console was an auxiliary unit, -feeding emergency power to the Tuner. He wondered if Ferris knew of -it. He glimpsed Ferris coming toward him. Mark surged erect, his right -hand darted out. It came down in a full sweep against the auxiliary -impellator.</p> - -<p>The spacer leaped ahead, sickeningly, as acceleration multiplied in a -split second. Mark glimpsed Ferris flying backward. He hadn't time to -see more. Both hands gripped the stanchion now as intolerable pressure -built up. His arms seemed to be wrenching from their sockets. Slowly, -agonizingly, he managed to encircle the stanchion with his left arm. -His right hand seemed to weigh a ton as it reached out. It touched the -impellator stud ... reversed it.</p> - -<p>Mark sagged limply forward as acceleration lowered. He hadn't the -strength left to turn his head, see what had happened to Ferris.</p> - -<p>When he did, minutes later, he saw a limp figure against the far wall. -The limbs were twisted beyond recognition. The head was crushed. It -wasn't a pretty sight.</p> - -<p>Mark changed direction, headed in a sweeping parabola back toward -Perlac. He avoided Brownell's previous mistake and swung wide of the -planet, approaching it from the light side. He landed safely near the -city. The others had already missed the ship, and they received him -joyously.</p> - -<p>They left the next day, after a final check-up. Mari had prepared long -lists of items for them to bring back to her people.</p> - -<p>The robot-Ketrik was there too, to bid them bon voyage. Brownell said:</p> - -<p>"Ketrik, you can reclaim that body of yours. Sure you won't change your -mind and go back with us?"</p> - -<p>Again Ketrik resorted to archaic expression:</p> - -<p>"Are you kidding?" and he glanced at Mari with his huge robot eyes.</p> - -<p>They lifted gravs, and not until they were crossing the orbit of Pluto -did Brownell remember something. He chuckled, said to Mark:</p> - -<p>"Suppose Ketrik does transfer again to his body, as he probably will. -How's he going to transport it across that heavy gravity?"</p> - -<p>For a moment Mark was startled. Then he grinned and replied, "Well, -don't worry your mind over that. I'll bet you a thousand to one he'll -do it! Positively. That man will find a way!"</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Passage to Planet X, by Henry Hasse - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PASSAGE TO PLANET X *** - -***** This file should be named 63694-h.htm or 63694-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/6/9/63694/ - -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 print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive -specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this -eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook -for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, -performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given -away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the -trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country outside the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and - most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no - restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it - under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this - eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the - United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you - are located before using this ebook. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org - - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its -volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous -locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt -Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. 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: 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/63694-h/images/cover.jpg b/old/63694-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 963c9a2..0000000 --- a/old/63694-h/images/cover.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63694-h/images/illus.jpg b/old/63694-h/images/illus.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 4a97c8f..0000000 --- a/old/63694-h/images/illus.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63694.txt b/old/63694.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 62cc1bb..0000000 --- a/old/63694.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2106 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Passage to Planet X, by Henry Hasse - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Passage to Planet X - -Author: Henry Hasse - -Release Date: November 9, 2020 [EBook #63694] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PASSAGE TO PLANET X *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - Passage To Planet X - - By HENRY HASSE - - They trailed a legend through the void, - seeking a world of freedom, adventure and - wealth. They reached their goal, a planet - beyond all planets, a weird land of the - Lost--where silent death prepared to strike. - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Planet Stories Winter 1945. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -Mark Travers hoisted himself up from the floor. He leaned against the -supply locker, rubbed his aching jaw where the big man's fist had just -landed, and grinned ruefully. - -The big spaceman didn't grin. He faced Mark straddle-legged and -snapped, "Who are you?" - -"Mark Travers." His smooth gray eyes surveyed the man's bulk. He -thought he could handle him, but filed it for future reference when he -saw the neutro-gun in the other's fist. - -"Travers, eh. A blasted stowaway! You come aboard at Marsport?" - -"Obviously." - -"How?" - -"It was easy," Mark shrugged. "Your ship was small, dark, and carried -no insignia. I watched your men loading supplies secretly. Furthermore, -you hadn't filed your destination with Central Bureau. Just the kind of -set-up I wanted." - -"You know a lot," the big spaceman's eyes went hard. "Are you a -sneaking I-S-P? Never mind. I'll see for myself!" He came a step -forward, and his gun got playful with the third button on Mark's -plasticoid shirt. Expertly the man's fingers went over him. - -"Careful, there, I'm ticklish!" - -"So's the release on this trigger, so just stand still." - -Mark stood still. The search revealed no papers or identification of -any kind. - -"I'm not I-S-P," Mark told him sincerely. "If I were, do you think -you'd ever have lifted gravs from Marsport?" - -"Okay, fella. I'm Mal Driscoll. Sorry I had to clip you so hard, but -you never should have pointed that contraption at me when I stepped in -here. So help me, I thought it was some new kind of weapon." His eyes -narrowed. "What is it?" - -For a mere second Mark hesitated. He glanced down at the small, -stub-lensed box which he had clung to. - -"Why, it's--only a camera. New type, invention of my own." - -Driscoll nodded. "Come on, stowaway. We'll go up and see Janus. No skin -off my teeth, if he wants to keep you aboard." - -They stepped out of the room and along a corridor, bracing themselves -against the forward thrust of the rocket engines. - -"Who's Janus?" - -"Our Commander." - -"And what if he doesn't want me aboard?" Unobserved, Mark pressed a -hidden stud in the black box. Tiny but powerful coils hummed to life, -quickly ascended the scale to the inaudible. Camera? Mark smiled to -himself and hoped none of the men here knew anything about cameras! - -"You know the space-code on that," Driscoll answered his question. "If -it is so desired, stowaways are tossed into space." - -Mark racked his brain. "I don't remember that in the Interplanetary -Code!" - -Driscoll turned, grinned at him. "Who's talking about Interplanetary -Code? We make our own!" - - * * * * * - -Janus was in a forward cabin poring over charts on a glass-topped -table. Three other men were lounging there. Janus was six-feet-four, -with bulk to match. He had flaming red hair and an outlandish full -beard that made a vivid splash against the drab gray of his insulated -tunic. - -He scowled fiercely as the two men entered. Driscoll pushed Mark -forward. - -"Found this stowaway in the supply room. Says his name is Mark Travers. -I don't think he's I-S-P, though." - -Janus' deep-set gray eyes seemed to bore through Mark, then they -flashed to the black box. - -"What's that?" - -"New-design projection camera. It--" - -"Put it here," Janus indicated the corner of his desk. Mark did so with -some reluctance. This man was no fool! - -The other three men had come down off their bunks and stood there -watching. One of them, Mark noticed, was a Martian. - -"Now. Why are you here?" - -"You seemed to be the sort of men I wanted to join up with." - -"I said why?" - -Mark wondered if this man would believe him. He didn't think so. -Nevertheless, he'd already made up his story so he drew a long breath -and told it: - -"I was with Tri-Planet News Service working out of Chicago. I happened -to uncover a huge spacer contract graft. I got the names of the higher -ups, photostatic copies of incriminating documents--everything. But the -men involved happened to be _too_ high up; my story was squashed before -it ever reached the wires. I would have been, too, permanently, but I -escaped to Mars--" - -Janus was laughing at him behind that red beard. Mark was sure of it. -He shrugged and didn't attempt to go on with the fabrication. It had -been a good try, anyway. - -Janus said dryly: "Now tell me the real story. Or shall I tell you? -You received one of the typical BINWI offers. You're running away to -cool off, or maybe to keep your invention out of their hands. Is it -this--ah--camera?" Janus glanced at the compact box lying there. - -"That's right," Mark admitted, marvelling at this man. "They made me -several offers but I wouldn't come through. The last one was 'typical', -all right--backed up by some of their hired thugs." - -"Why didn't you tell me this in the first place?" - -"I wasn't sure how you felt about the BINWI." Mark was still wary. - -"The same as you do, although I've never had any contact with them -personally. My special peeve is the Tri-Planet Council, and the BINWI -is a subsidiary. Bureau for the Investigation of New and Worthy -Inventions. A laugh, ain't it?" - -Mark didn't think so. "That bureau," he said, "is an octopus preying -on the inventive genius of three planets! Their spies are everywhere, -moving unseen, biding their time. You know the new anti-grav deflectors -the Patrollers are using? A man named Anton Kramer worked that out. He -had it near perfection when he suddenly disappeared. A month later the -deflectors came on the market." Mark's voice was bitter. "There've been -dozens of other cases. The BINWI usually gets what it wants, even if it -means murder." - -Janus nodded. "There's a man aboard who'll agree with you on that! -Professor Brownell. Perhaps you shall meet him--later." He turned his -gaze to the four crew members. "All right, men, how about Mark Travers? -Do we accept him as one of us? A vote is in order." - -"How do we know he's not a BINWI spy himself?" asked a small man with -piercing black eyes. "He seems to know a lot about 'em!" - -"I'm convinced he's not, Ferris. We covered Brownell's trail too well -for that. Let's have the vote." - -The "ayes" were unanimous and suddenly these men were friendly, -smiling, as they stepped forward to shake Mark's hand. They were good -handshakes, firm and calloused. Only Ferris' was reluctant. - -"There's one thing more," Janus said quietly. "We'll need your picture -for our--shall we say--rogue's gallery? I insist on that. Perhaps I -can take it now--with your camera." He reached to the black box on his -desk, lifted it carelessly up. - - * * * * * - -Mark found himself staring full into the stub-nosed lenses. Sudden -sweat broke on his brow. His gaze lifted and met Janus' gray eyes, -straight and steady upon him. - -"Wait!" - -"What? Not camera shy, are you?" Janus' fingers seemed to fumble, but -his gaze never left Mark's face. - -"The lens isn't set! It--it's special, you know." Mark stepped forward. -His limbs seemed wooden. He took the box from Janus' hands, and -pretending to adjust the lens, his thumb found the hidden stud and -released it. The hum of the inner coils descended the scale again, -became audible for a split second but only to Mark's ears; then they -were dead. - -He let out a slow breath, handed the box back. "Okay now. Shoot." - -Janus waved it away. "Oh, well, it can wait. We'll get it later." He -came around the desk, thrust out his hand. "Welcome aboard, Travers! -You're one of us." - -Mark suddenly knew that Janus knew his secret ... but somehow he wasn't -worried. He wondered if any of the others had noticed the by-play; -moreover, he wondered what being "one of them" meant.... - -He was soon to know. At that moment a voice sliced through the radio. - -"Callisto calling! Earth-Station Six on Callisto! We have had you in -our beam for the past twenty minutes. You are out of bounds and you -display no insignia. As this is a violation of the Space-Code, you will -go into a drift immediately and await the Patrollers who will escort -you to Callisto for investigation! Refusal to obey constitutes outlawry -against the Federation, and the Patrol will act accordingly!" - -The men weren't startled. If anything they were amused. The one named -Dethman simply straightened away from the radio and his hard, square -face broke into a grin. - -"Think of it, men, we're being outlawed! Now ain't that one for the -books?" - -The face of Ral Kaarj, the Martian, was blank and leathery. His -heavy-lidded eyes blinked once or twice, but only his incongruously -high-pitched voice revealed his emotions. - -"Tri-Planet Federation!" he shrilled. "Out of bounds! By the red tails -of all the Oogs on Venus, ain't anyone supposed to venture beyond the -asteroids?" - -"Not without sanction of those gray-beards in the Council," Janus said, -"and the Earth Corporations who are the real power. You know how they -try to squelch men like us, free-footers who won't play ball with 'em." -He flicked open the communicator to Brownell in the control room. "How -about it, Prof? Get that message?" - -"Yes," Mark heard a voice reply. "All right, we'll go into a drift. Let -the Patrollers come, we'll give 'em a show!" - -"Right! Need any help?" - -"No, but keep the communicator open. And take a look in the V-panel if -you want." Brownell actually seemed pleased! - -Janus clicked on the visipanel, turned the magnifying dials. Callisto -was seen in the swimming blackness of space with the huge bulk of -Jupiter as a backdrop. Under Janus' sure fingers the scene expanded, -came nearer. - -Minutes passed; then they saw six Patrollers speeding out to meet them. -Brownell had cut rockets and they were in a drift now, waiting. - -Waiting for what, Mark wondered. These Patrollers were speedy ships -and deadly, equipped with atomo-bombs, dis-rays and magnetic beams! He -shifted nervously. - -The Patrollers came very near. Then they broke formation, arraying -themselves three on each side of the outlaw ship. Magnetic beams, pale -green and swirling, reached out to touch the hull. They fastened there -tenaciously. In this manner they began the route back to Callisto. - -Even Janus seemed a little worried now. He turned to the communicator. - -"How about it, Professor? Those beams are powerful? Think you can slip -out?" - -"Wait and see; I promised a show, didn't I? Tell you what, though, -better break out the acceleration harness!" - - * * * * * - -These were suits within suits, double layers of tough plasticoid. Mark -stepped into his, opened the pressure valve that forced air between the -two thicknesses. The outer one ballooned, giving a grotesque, roly-poly -appearance. He bounced hard against the wall to test it. - -"Better open them full," Janus advised. - -They were ready. They stood against the far wall and watched the screen -across the room. Callisto was looming. They'd soon be within its -gravity. - -Ferris, standing beside Mark, said in a low voice: "What kind of a -news-man are you, Travers? Y'oughta be getting pictures of this. Make -swell release stuff when you get back to Earth." His tone was mocking. - -Mark felt a growing dislike of this man. He suppressed a retort, said -curtly instead: "Too late now." He had placed his "camera" safely in -an inside pocket. - -The Patrollers' magnetic beams still towed them along at terrific -speed, setting up a slight vibration in the walls. - -Suddenly there was a new kind of vibration. Mark didn't know what it -was. Certainly not rocket tubes. - -"Get set!" Janus warned. - -Someone muttered: "If he slips out of six magnetic beams--" but that -was all. A fierce surge came beneath their feet, and Callisto seemed to -leap at them. Within seconds a ghastly nausea gripped their insides. -The ballooning suits were pressed so flat against the wall it became -impossible to breathe! Their hearts pumped sluggishly, and a gray veil -began to form before their eyes.... - -These were men so accustomed to hardships that space-acceleration meant -nothing, but now they were experiencing something new in acceleration. -They felt as if their entrails were being compressed into atoms! - -Mark could barely see the screen now. The way Callisto was rushing at -them he felt sure the planet was going to blank them out. He tried -to shut his eyes, but even his eyelids wouldn't move! Then Callisto -slipped off the screen, and Mark knew they must have made a sharp -parabola. Two of the Patrollers were glimpsed far behind, reaching out -futilely with dis-rays. - -Even as he struggled for breath, Mark wanted to laugh; but the desire -left him suddenly as the tremendous bulk of Jupiter loomed. If they -escaped that gravity-- - -And they did. They came close, but their parabola tightened, then they -were pulling away. Speed remained constant as Jupiter faded. Mark could -breathe again but he ached through every inch of his body. He could -only think wearily. - -This, he thought--this meant they must have accelerated to the sixth, -seventh or even eighth magnitude! - - - II - -Phillias Brownell was a tough little character. He still breathed with -difficulty as Janus unstrapped him from the pneumatic seat, and his -face was ashen; but he hoisted himself up to his full stature of five -feet five and his gray hair bristled. He went to work over the control -console, jabbing hard at gleaming buttons and adjusting the complex -set-up. By now Jupiter was fast fading in the darkness behind them. - -"All right," he announced finally, "we're on robot control. We can rest -easy for a while." He sneered in the direction of Jupiter. "We showed -'em some speed, eh? So they want my Frequency Tuner, do they? Let them -come and get it! The dolts, the moronic interfering meddlers!" - -Janus plainly showed his relief, as he winked at Mark, who said, "That -was some chance you took. Suppose it hadn't worked?" - -"But it did work! That was the final test, and it was necessary. I had -to know how it would react against the beams." - -Mark ventured a question. "Frequency Tuner? Is that what gave you the -acceleration? I knew it wasn't rocket power!" - -Brownell turned piercing black eyes upon him. "Eh? Janus, who is this?" - -Janus vouched for Mark, explained his presence aboard. He added: "The -Bureau's after an invention of his, too. A camera." - -The Professor was startled. "Did you say a camera? Since when do they--" - -"Ah, but Mark's is a very special camera." Janus smiled maddeningly, -but in the next instant was clapping a friendly hand on Mark's -shoulder. "Don't worry, Travers, your secret's safe with us. We don't -ask questions. You've a right to know our destination, though; come on, -I'll show you." - -They repaired to the chart room, where Janus indicated a moving red -line on a glass-encased chart of the solar system. Other lines were -being traced, too, at various angles to their trajectory. - -"The red line is our present trajectory. The others are the orbits of -the planets. See, there's Jupiter behind us; notice how close we came." - -Mark nodded. Already in his mind's eye he was extending their present -parabola. Distances between these outer planets were vast beyond -imagining! Saturn was just in sight, but at their present speed they -would probably cross its orbit far in advance of the planet. Then came -Uranus, and next Neptune. The space between Neptune and Pluto was -vaster than all. - -Mark felt just a little staggered. There was no known record of men -having come this far! Not beyond Jupiter, in fact. - -He turned to Janus. "How far do we go?" - -"All the way." - -"Pluto?" - -"Beyond." - -Mark thought that over. "There's no planet in our system beyond Pluto!" - -"But there is. Planet X. An eccentricity in the orbit of Pluto -indicates there must be a planet beyond. For years astronomers have -known this, but no telescope has been able to pick it out." - -Mark grinned weakly. "So that's where we're headed. I guess you know -it'd be awfully easy to overshoot a mark like that!" - -"Not with the Frequency Tuner. I understand very little of it, but the -Professor assures me it's a directional finder as well as a power unit." - -"Sure, sure. And assuming we locate Planet X and manage to land--what -do you expect to find there?" - - * * * * * - -Janus' eyes were flecked with dancing lights. "What do we hope to find? -George Ketrik! And if you know the man at all, you know that means -adventure and riches." - -Ketrik! Mark's mind went back. He began piecing together things he had -heard, fragments and rumors. The man Ketrik and his amazing exploits -had become almost a legend! - -"But I have heard," Mark voiced slowly, "that Ketrik died! Plunged into -the sun while trying to negotiate a landing on Vulcan." - -"You don't really believe that? Sure, every few years you hear those -stories, but Ketrik always shows up again." Janus sighed. "You know, -I've almost come to believe that he's not human. Where other men -go--men like us--they find that Ketrik has been there first. I've -personally made two fortunes, and lost them, in following his trail!" - -Mark was skeptical. "But even he wouldn't dare try for Planet X! He -hasn't the speed that we have. It would take him--" - -"Ketrik would dare anything! Why, six months ago I heard that he was -planning this venture; that's why we're here. We five men pooled our -savings to finance Brownell's Frequency Tuner and build this spacer, -in secret, of course. Sure--it would take Ketrik maybe three months to -reach Planet X in some dilapidated little rocket-powered craft. We'll -make it in three days--but I'll wager he's already there!" - -"With the whole populace kow-towing at his feet, most likely." It was -Driscoll who spoke as he entered the room, followed by the other men. -"Sure, I'll back the luck of Ketrik every time!" - -Dethman shook his head. "Planet X is probably uninhabitable. But I'll -bet my last pair of socks Ketrik's located a cave of diamonds, or -maybe a platinum vein. Toss him in a Venusian sink-hole, he'd come up -wreathed in swamp pearls!" - -"He's that sort," Janus agreed. "It was platinum on Mars, cinnabar on -Mercury, plumes on Venus. By the way, I got in on the plumes--made a -fortune. And the other time I saw Ketrik--" - -"I recall the time he showed up at the Venusian Prison Swamp," Driscoll -put in. "One day he wasn't there, the next day he was--just like that. -Inside a week he had organized a group of us for a getaway attempt. -Hundreds of others had tried it and failed. Well, he led us safely -across two hundred miles of swamp, supposed to be impassable. Know what -was on the other side? A spaceship, all waiting and ready. He just -wanted to prove it could be done, I guess." - -"I only saw him once," Kaarj shrilled eagerly. "That was on Deimos. He -had discovered the secret shrine of the Deimian ancients. He came out -of that shrine decked from head to foot with blazing jewels--but the -Deimians were waiting for him. They're a blood-thirsty tribe, and they -were plenty angry...." - -"I never heard this story before," Janus said. "What happened?" - -"I stayed a safe distance away in my spaceship, watching and this is -what happened. Ketrik made them a speech! I swear it! He climbed up on -a block of stone in full range of their weapons--and do you know what -his speech consisted of? The entire first chapter of the 'Advanced -Principles of Space Navigation'. He quoted it most violently. Those -Deimians didn't understand a word of it, but I swear to you, when -Ketrik had finished they weren't angry any more! They cheered him! He -walked calmly over to his space-cruiser and blasted away, jewels and -all!" - -"I came across him once on Mercury," Dethman contributed. "The -barbarians from the dark side were warring on the race inhabiting the -twilight strip. Well, if it hadn't been for Ketrik, the whole colony -would've been wiped out. They almost made a superman out of him, wanted -him to marry a thousand wives to make sure he'd leave plenty of his -descendants there. And by Jupiter, he almost did! When I left he was -still there, married to ten wives--or was it twelve?" - -Mark was enjoying all this. He looked to Ferris, who seemed to be the -only one without a story to tell. Ferris lit a venomous Venusian cigar, -and sneered: - -"I don't hold with all this hero-worship, and I don't believe more'n a -tenth of it. Don't think we'll find Ketrik out here either. I've sunk a -year's takin's from my placer on Mars into this venture--" - -"And afraid you won't get it back, is that it?" Driscoll snapped. "Why, -that placer you're yapping about was Ketrik's in the first place, and -you know it! Sure, you'd rather hide out some place and manufacture -more Frequency Tuners." - -"We'll do that, too, once we make a strike," Janus said thoughtfully. -"We'll equip a whole fleet with 'em, and really exploit the outer -planets. That should give that addle-brained Earth Council something to -really think about!" - - * * * * * - -On the third day they crossed the orbit of Pluto. Mark was in the -control room with Janus and the Professor. The latter pointed to a thin -thread of liquid helium in the directional-finder, surging slightly off -center. - -"Pluto's the nearest body now. It must be heavy, to drag us that way." -He gave a touch to the Tuner's impellator, and the helium line came -back to center as their acceleration increased. - -The Sun had long since been a pin-point of light. The darkness ahead -was no different from the darkness behind, but the men felt infinitely -more alone. Behind were the known planets. Ahead was X--the unknown. It -might be days more, or merely hours. No one slept now. - -It was only hours later when the Finder began acting erratically again. -Brownell, who seemed indefatigable, took over the controls from Janus. -But he didn't try to adjust direction now. - -"It's Planet X," he said. "Has to be! We'll let the Finder take us -right there!" He switched on the visipanel and adjusted the lens to -fullest power. - -"It must be a dark planet," Mark pointed out. "Certainly the Sun's -light doesn't reach it. How do you hope to see it in the panel?" - -"Ordinarily I'd say you were right," Brownell nodded. "But look! There -it is!" - -Barely discernible on the screen, they saw a vague pin-point of light. -Brownell glanced at the proximity indicator and gasped. - -"Over three million miles--it can't be! Not the way it's pulling us -now. Unless," he added thoughtfully, "it has a gravity grab equal -to that of Jupiter at half the distance! Good Lord!" He tested -instruments, gave experimental side thrusts with the Tuner, but they -came back irresistably into the pull of the planet ahead. - -Hour after hour they came nearer. The planet resolved into a dark disc -with a peculiar surrounding halo. - -"I don't like it," Janus reflected the thoughts of them all. "That -light--where does it come from? Not the Sun! The Sun doesn't even touch -Pluto!" - -"Maybe it has a Sun of its own," ventured Kaarj. "On the other side." - -"If it does, the sun moves right along with it in it's orbit!" - -"You can tell from here that the planet has no axial rotation," -Brownell announced. He looked a little worried. "This gravity drag is -getting worse. We're accelerating. Better get into your harness." He -set the example, and the men followed. "I think I can control it with -the Tuner in reverse, but it pays to be safe. You never can tell, out -here; these are strange conditions." - -The planet was looming fast. The Professor's hand on the deceleration -lever revealed the strain he was under. Below them now they glimpsed -vast dark plains, and as they came nearer, huge stretches of forest. -Mountains loomed. Far ahead was faint light, a few miles of "twilight -strip" much as that on the planet Mercury. - -The Professor was heading for this strip but Mark didn't think they'd -make it. They were losing altitude with sickening speed. Mark had -a final vision of the little Professor tugging desperately on the -deceleration lever, of huge greenish-gray plants coming up beneath them. - -Then a rending crash, a confusion of flying legs and arms. Just before -Mark blanked out he knew their ship was still ploughing forward. - - - III - -He came back to consciousness with a feeling of intolerable weight -pressing him down. It was his own weight, he discovered as he tried -lifting his head to look around. It was a terrific strain and he let -his head fall back. - -None of the men were seriously injured. The bulging harness had saved -them. They called out to each other, but couldn't move except to roll -their heads from side to side. - -"Professor, did you say a gravity equal to that of Jupiter?" Dethman -called out. - -"That, or more. And yet this planet has a diameter of scarcely a few -hundred miles! Strange!" - -"Strange, he says," came from Driscoll. "What do we do now, just lay -here for the rest of our lives?" - -"Let's see you do anything else," Kaarj said drolly. - -"Not me," Janus spoke. "You think I'll let this pee-wee world get me -down? If I can only get to that Tuner control." - -"I'm afraid this is one kind of gravity it won't counteract," Brownell -admitted ruefully. "This world must be condensed as tightly as a white -dwarf star! A cubic inch of matter weighing hundreds of pounds!" - -Mark twisted his head around, saw Janus' huge frame struggling to move. -He was a powerfully-built man, he'd be the one to do it if anyone did. -Slowly, minutes at a time, he managed to drag one leg under him and -then the other. He brought his hands into position. Sweat broke on -his brow as he rolled himself over on all fours. Then with a terrific -effort he hoisted himself erect! - -He stood there, a straddle-legged, red-bearded giant. But only for -a second. His legs buckled. He managed to hurl himself toward the -starboard port, as he slid downward. - -"At least I can see out now," he gasped. "We just did reach the -twilight strip. There's a whole forest of great big green things, -thirty feet high. Sort of like cactus, flat and spiny." - -"They must have helped break our fall!" - -"You said it! I can see a strip for over a mile, where we mowed 'em -down. Hey! Look! For the love of--" Janus' voice dwindled off in -amazement. - -"Damn it, man, how can we look? What is it? What's out there?" - -"People! Dozens of 'em! They're coming out of the forest. Oh--oh, -they've spotted us. But they're not coming over. They just stand there -jabbering and pointing." - -"People on this world," Brownell muttered his amazement. "What are they -like, Janus? Describe them!" - -"They look kind of savage to me. Squat and furry, but they stand erect. -Their legs are thick and heavy like an elephant's." - -"Yes, that would be natural on this world. The terrific gravity." - -"Gravity doesn't seem to bother them," Janus went on. "Let's see, now. -Yes, in all other ways they seem to be low-evolutionary humans, -except ... good Lord!" - -"Except what? Damn it, Janus, go on!" - -"They have knobs!" - -"What?" - -"Knobs! Growing right out of their foreheads. And they're lit up--the -knobs, I mean. Sort of a soft white light." - -"Another logical development of nature," said the Professor. "They live -on the dark side, so their bodies manufacture the necessary light. Are -they armed?" - -"They are. Just crude spears and clubs, though, so I guess we're safe -enough in here. Oh, oh, here they come. I think they see me!" - -Twisting his head around, Mark could barely see a corner of the window -where Janus lay. In the twilight gray beyond he glimpsed the horde of -barbarians rushing at the ship. It seemed fantastic that they could -move in such gravity, fantastic that any creature could walk. - -One of them hurled a spear with deadly accuracy. It struck the window -and glanced away. Others crowded around, pounding at the glass with -clubs, clamoring to get at Janus who lay just beyond. - -"Professor," Janus said wryly, "this isn't very pleasant. Are you sure -that glass will hold?" - -"Don't worry. It will take more than their pounding to crack four -inches of crystyte." - -"Hope you're right." A moment later Janus exclaimed, "Hey, some -of these babies have electric rifles! Good Lord, I see--one, two, -three--at least half a dozen of 'em! Wait a minute, though--they're -only using them as clubs. The metal parts are corroded. Why, those are -the old-type electric rifles popular on Earth two hundred years ago!" - -"You must be having delusions," came from Ferris. - -"No, I'm not. I've seen that type of rifle in the museums. Now how do -you suppose they got 'way out here?" - -For a few minutes there was silence, broken only by a faint ringing -sound as the clubs beat against the thick crystyte. Then Janus -announced: - -"Here come more of 'em out of the forest. They're bringing up the -reserves. Hey, this might be serious! They have a new kind of weapon." -He peered for a moment into the grayness. "It's a huge thing, seems to -be a sort of combination catapult and cross-bow. I don't like the looks -of it." - -A minute later the first shot came. It struck the spaceship very close -to the window. There was a muffled explosion, and a flashing blue flame. - -"By all that's holy--explosives! Powerful stuff, too. These babies -aren't as barbarian as they look!" - -"We've got to get away from here some way." Brownell was really worried -now. "Janus, do you think you could make it to the controls? Perhaps by -dragging yourself--" - -"I'm sure gonna try it! Wait a minute, though--they're not going to -bother us any more. They're scared!" - -"Scared of what?" - -"Damned if I know. They're staring off to the right, jabbering and -pointing. Hah! There they go, they're running away!" - -Driscoll said, "What did you do, Janus, make a face at 'em? That red -beard of yours is enough to scare anybody!" - -"Something's coming." Janus was straining his neck now, his face -flat against the glass. "I think I can make it out ... yes ... holy -blazing comets! What kind of a world is this? Get away from there, you! -Hey--cut that out!" - -Janus' voice had risen to an excited pitch. "Get set, men--I think -we're leaving here!" The ship gave a sudden lurch and Janus rolled -backward. His head hit the floor hard--enough to stun him a little. - -And now their ship was moving! Not upward. It seemed to be dragging -forward over rough terrain. In this tremendous gravity, every slightest -jolt bruised them horribly. They could only lie there and take it. -After five minutes of this their muscles seemed pounded to a pulp, -despite the inflated suits still encasing them. - -Then as suddenly as it had begun, the movement stopped. There was -ominous quiet. - -Mark, on the brink of unconsciousness, thought he was dreaming when -he saw Professor Brownell leap to his feet! Now the other men were -stirring. They rose dazedly. Gravity was normal! - -They crowded excitedly around the windows. Outside was bright daylight, -no longer the twilight haze. The barbarian horde wasn't to be seen, nor -was--that _other_. Whatever it was Janus had glimpsed. - -Janus groaned a little and sat up, rubbing his head. They questioned -him eagerly. - -"Maybe I didn't see it," he muttered. "You wouldn't believe me anyway. -Gravity's normal, so let's get out of here." - -And when they pressed their questions, he only shook his head -stubbornly. - -Heedless of their aching muscles, they zipped out of the bulging suits. -Mark's hand went instantly to an inside pocket near his heart, where -he'd placed his secret flat box with the lenses. He was relieved to -find that it, at least, was undamaged. - - * * * * * - -Janus was breaking out the weapons. He handed each of them an atomic -rifle and neutro pistol. Brownell had taken a sample of the atmosphere -and announced it was fit for them. They debarked onto a plain where -lush yellow grass sprang waist high. - -"Strange," Brownell was muttering. He stared back the way they had -come. Only a few yards behind them was the twilight zone! It was -sharply defined, gray and misty, reaching sheerly up. Yet they stood -in bluish daylight which extended ahead of them to the sharp, downward -curve of the horizon. - -Brownell walked slowly back to the twilight zone, gingerly testing the -gravity. He entered the zone--and fell flat to the ground! Janus leaped -to him, dragged him back. - -"Did you ever see such a thing?" Brownell exclaimed as he rose. "Not -only is there a sharp division of light and dark, but half the planet -is terrifically heavy while the other half is normal. It defies all -laws as we have known them." - -Janus was peering intently into that grayness--toward the edge of the -forest a hundred yards away. Suddenly he gripped the Professor's arm. -His voice came a little hysterically. - -"I wasn't dreaming, then. I see it! There it is--the thing that grabbed -our ship! Don't move, you men, because I swear--it's watching us!" - -Gradually they made it out, as they stared in the direction of Janus' -gaze. It was a huge bulking shape that towered above the tallest trees. -A roughly round, metallic body that rested on four jointed metal legs. -Metal arms, too, dangled at its side. - -"A robot!" came in a whisper from Dethman's lips. "A metal robot, but -good Lord--look at the size of it!" - -They were looking. Fifty feet above the ground they could make out its -head, semi-spherical--and there were two eyes glowing with a greenish -light, eyes that must have been large as dinner plates! It stood quite -motionless in the gloom near the forest, watching them. - -"That's the thing that towed us here?" Brownell whispered. - -"Yes! I just got a bare glimpse of it." - -"Must be friendly, then. But I wouldn't want to shake hands with it! -The thing does seem to be watching us, doesn't it?" - -"I'll fix it!" Ferris suddenly brought his rifle up, took aim at the -glowing eyes. - -Janus whirled, knocked the rifle aside. "You fool! That's an -intelligent entity, I tell you! Want to get us killed?" - -As though it had seen and comprehended the action, the robot's eyes -blinked once or twice. It was eerie. Then it raised one of its arms and -seemed to gesture--not at them, but beyond them. With that, it turned -and stalked away, crashing through the forest. - -"I get it," Mark said thoughtfully. "It was warning us to stay on our -side of the fence!" - -"And that's just what we will do. It's the only place where we can -stand up, much less move about." - -They walked back to the prow of the ship. "Where does this daylight -come from?" Brownell was still puzzled. "There's no sun. Seems to me -this gravity has something to do with it, too. Say! Do you suppose this -light--" - -He never finished, for at that moment they heard a shout ahead of -them, and saw a group of men approaching. They were tall and straight, -clean shaven, and dressed in trousers and tunics of rough texture -but undoubtedly of Earth pattern--the pattern which had been popular -hundreds of years ago! They carried weapons too, the old-type electric -rifles which were so devastating at close range but not very effective -at longer distances. - -They came warily at first, but smiled when they saw the newcomers were -not going to cause trouble. - -"Greetings!" their leader said in perfect English. "You're from Earth? -We thought we saw your ship crash, and came over to investigate." - -Janus stepped forward and introduced himself, shook hands. - -"My name is Donli," the other said. He pronounced it that way, crisply, -running the syllables together. Mark suddenly wondered if this could be -a contraction of "Donnolly". - - * * * * * - -Donli and his men were speechless for a moment, staring in turn at the -spaceship, the new-type weapons, and Ral Kaarj. - -"You have never seen a Martian before?" Kaarj grinned at them in a -friendly manner. - -"Pardon our staring," Donli replied. "We have never seen a Martian, nor -such a spaceship as this, nor any other world. We have waited long for -this! Long!" - -"You've seen no other world. But you are Earthmen." - -"We have been here always." - -"I begin to understand," Brownell said. "There are others of you here? -Where do you stay?" - -"Our city is only fifty miles from here. We shall be happy if you -accompany us there. We have good roads, and surface cars. Our leader, -Mari, will explain everything to you." Donli paused, glancing nervously -into the twilight strip. "You should be of great help to us against the -Perlacs, with your new weapons." - -"Perlacs? Are those the furry creatures with the lights on their heads?" - -"Yes. We call them that because Perlac is the name they give to the -world. They have warred on us for generations. We number a mere five -hundred, and they are thousands." Donli looked worried. "And now that -the robots are active again, we are in even more danger." - -"We saw one of those metal giants," Janus exclaimed, "just a few -minutes ago!" - -"Yes, we saw it too. We came up just as it was stalking away. It's the -first we've ever seen, but we have heard much about them; the stories -have been handed down. There is supposed to be a great temple on the -dark side, where the robots are housed." - -"More of them?" Mark exclaimed. "I hope they stay over there, then!" - -Donli shook his head. "This I know: if the robots are roaming again, as -they did many years ago, none of us will be safe." - -"Then let us go to your city," Brownell put in. "We should be able to -lift gravs now, if the Tuner hasn't been damaged." - -It hadn't been. In a few minutes they were winging low across the -plains to the horizon. - -The city bore the unusual name of "Frell", and lay semi-circularly at -the foot of a sharply rising hill. People were seen, men and women -alike, working in the surrounding fields. - -Donli led them through the main street. The buildings were of a dark -substance that might have been earth compressed to concrete hardness. -They entered the most imposing of these buildings, and thence to a huge -room which was almost the size of a theater on Earth. - -"Make yourselves at ease," Donli said, "while I summon Mari. She will -probably be at the laboratories now." - -"Mari," Driscoll said, when Donli had gone. "So their leader is a -woman! And they have laboratories!" - -They gazed about them. The curious daylight came through windows -of glass or similar material. There were chairs and tables of -finely-wrought metal. Along one wall were bookcases filled with charts -and uniquely-bound volumes. There were other volumes too, which seemed -vaguely familiar. - -Brownell walked over there. - -"Look at this! A whole case full of books from Earth--scientific, -technical books, all of them!" He read a few of the titles on the faded -bindings. "These were all popular hundreds of years ago. And these -others," he waved, "are probably the entire recorded history of these -people. I'd give anything to look into them." He didn't touch the -volumes, but remained thoughtful. - -Mark too was thoughtful. "Frell," he mused. "A strange name for this -city. Seems as though it ought to mean something, but I can't quite -place it." - - * * * * * - -Donli returned soon, accompanied by Mari. She was tall, lithesome, her -features classical and still beautiful despite smudges of sweat and -grime from the laboratory. Her golden hair was braided into a halo -which gave a queenly appearance, and her eyes were bluer than the -strange daylight of this world. Skirt and tight-fitting bodice were of -rough texture but dyed a rich golden color. - -Involuntarily the men gasped, but Mari did not mind that or their -stares. She seated herself and bade them be seated opposite her. Then -she leaned forward, searching their faces. Not until then did they -notice that her eyes were cold, suspicious. - -"You have come from Earth, of course. And Donli tells me this strange -one is Martian. Who is leader among you?" - -"Why, I suppose I am," Janus said. "Either me or Professor Brownell, -here." - -"Professor?" Her mind seemed to grope for the meaning. "Ah! That word -means a man of scientific learning, does it not?" - -"In this case, yes," he answered. - -Brownell spoke softly. "Madam, we come in peace. We want to be friends -and we want to help you, if we may. You need have no suspicion of us." - -"No suspicion? You come from the dark side! From the Perlacs!" She spat -the last word venomously. - -Donli, standing there, seemed troubled. He said: - -"We only found them near the twilight zone. They were most friendly in -manner and speech! They seem--" - -Man waved a hand, and he was silent. She said: - -"Men of Earth, you wonder why I am suspicious? Know, then, that we -observed your ship five days ago, crossing our land with tremendous -speed and heading for the dark side! Why have you waited until now -to come here? It could be that you have allied yourselves with the -Perlacs! Have they sent you here?" - -There was a moment of stupefied silence. They could scarcely believe -that she was serious, but her cold manner assured them of it. Then the -answer must have dawned on all of them at once. - -"Ketrik!" Janus boomed, hoisting his big frame from the chair. "By all -that's holy, he did reach here! She must have seen Ketrik's ship!" Then -he sobered. "But--if it was streaking for the dark side, it was surely -out of control. Ketrik must be dead by now. To think I'd live to see -the day when that man blanked out." - -Mari had drawn a strange looking pistol from a belt at her waist. She -gestured with it now and said: - -"Be seated, please. We will talk yet a while. This Ketrik--he is -another one from Earth?" - -"Yes, he came before us. Came alone. We only landed here today, a few -hours ago! Believe me, we want no part of those Perlacs. We had a -little trouble with them." - -She seemed relieved, and satisfied at last. "Forgive my suspicion of -you. But where the safety of my people is concerned, I cannot be too -careful. We have had trouble with the Perlacs, always. The greatest -trouble is yet to come and it is brewing fast." She appeared to be -marshalling her thoughts, then she went on: - -"We are the seventh generation of a party of Earth people who arrived -here hundreds of years ago. My direct ancestor, Wilm Frell, was leader -of that expedition. Our city is named in his honor!" - -"I've got it!" Mark exclaimed. "She means William Farrell! The Farrell -expedition was one of the earliest and most ambitious interstellar -attempts. Men had already reached the moon and were trying for Mars. -Farrell set out with a hundred men and women aboard--" - -"A hundred and forty," Mari corrected. "We have his log here. They -missed Mars, their compasses were wrecked in the asteroids and they -continued outward for months, finally crashing here. We still do not -know what planet this is!" - -"You're beyond Pluto!" Brownell told her. "But how could they have -survived a crash on this heavy world?" - -"It is one of the miracles. The records tell of it. They landed near -the light! The light at that time encompassed a very small area, only -a few miles. Gravity there was normal, but beyond, it was very heavy. -They investigated the center of light and found the Stone." - - * * * * * - -Brownell was excited. "I suspected something like this! The Stone? What -is it?" - -"We still do not know, except that it supplies us with light and normal -gravity and a temperate zone very favorable to our crops. It defies our -science, and it certainly must have come from somewhere far beyond our -solar system! Our ancestors found it deeply buried and dug it out. The -moment they did--" - -"Yes?" - -"The light from it spread slowly, very slowly. In about ten years' time -it had encompassed this entire hemisphere, stopped only by the sharp -curvature of the planet." - -"And as the light spread outward, the heavy gravity vanished?" - -"That is true. We have the Stone now atop our hill, which is the -highest spot. Our ancestors, however, had to fight for it time and -again. The Perlacs at that time were really savages. They had known of -the buried light but were afraid to approach it. Later they tried to -get the Stone, but were always driven back into the darkness. They -have warred on us ever since--for generations! - -"In the last few years they have become very strong. They are using -explosives now. I believe that ages ago, long before the first Earthmen -came, a civilization existed and died here. The present Perlacs must -have discovered remnants of an ancient science, and are slowly reviving -it!" - -There was a moment of silence. Janus took advantage of it to hand his -atomic rifle to the girl, and his neutro-pistol as well. - -"Have you ever seen weapons like these?" - -She examined them excitedly, especially the neutro-pistol. "Donli, look -at this!" she pointed at the firing coils. "It seems to be the same -principle we're working on!" - -"Do you mean to say you're trying to invent a neutro gun?" Janus was -amazed. - -"Yes," Donli answered. "We've been working on it for the past several -years, but it's been slow and hard. Sometimes disastrous." He stepped -to a bookcase, brought out one of the ancient volumes. It was Spurlin's -_Evolution and Control of the Free Electron_. - -"We've worked from the principles set forth here," Donli explained, -"and with some slight measure of success. But we feel that we're -treading on dangerous ground. Only a few months ago one of our -laboratories was blown up and four men killed." - -Brownell nodded. "Even when Spurlin wrote that book there was no real -control of the electron. It came later. Anyway, we can help you now! -We have the real models here to work from. Would you like to see these -guns in operation?" - -It was a needless question. They repaired outside, where Janus -demonstrated the atomic rifle first, aiming at a harmless clump of -bushes some fifty yards away. The atomic pellet struck and exploded, -leaving a miniature crater. - -"That," Brownell said, "is an example of uncontrolled atomic explosion. -Rather crude, but it serves its purpose. Now let us observe a -refinement of it. _Controlled, electronic action._" - -Janus aimed the pistol. A bluish, pencil-thin ray leaped forth. Where -it touched, substance vanished into a froth of flame. The ground -itself became incandescent glass. The ray remained constant so long as -his finger touched the firing stud. - -Mari was excited. "Then you will help us perfect ours? The Perlacs are -becoming stronger than we have ever known them, and whenever they start -scouting the twilight zone, it means trouble. Donli tells me the robots -are active again, too!" - -"We can and will help you," Brownell assured her. "I doubt if those -overgrown robots will stand up long under an electronic ray!" - -The Professor was eager to see the Stone, and Mari graciously -accompanied him to the crest of the hill where it was housed. The -others, meanwhile, went with Donli on a tour of the shops and -laboratories. - - - IV - -Brownell told them later, in great excitement: "I swear to you, it -defies all physical laws as we know them! It's merely a shiny chunk of -rock, a few yards in diameter--but do you know, I believe it actually -feeds upon gravity! I have always believed that gravity, magnetism, -and other such universal forces are all a part of the electrical -spectrum. Some peculiarity in the atomic structure of this Stone draws -the straight-line force of gravity to it, and that force is then -oscillated, transmitted into light! The process is unending!" - -"That's all very well," Mark told him, "but I believe the greatest -miracle is right here in the laboratories. These people have had to -utilize the barest elements of this world, but they've done wonders. -They have plastiglass, and farm implements, and electrical power--even -crude atomic furnaces." - -"They'd have their neutro-pistols right now," Janus agreed, "but they -hit the same stumbling block that baffled our scientists for so long." - -For days they worked ceaselessly on the neutro-pistols. Mark and the -Professor together laid out the blueprints, devising a radical and more -potent design for the firing coils. The latter was surprised at Mark's -knowledge of electronic principles. - -"I may surprise you even further, one of these days," Mark promised. - -And now the urgency of their work was really impressed upon them. -Scouts returning each day from the twilight zone reported that the -Perlacs were gathering. Thousands of them swarmed the forests on the -dark side, apparently massing for an all-out attack. There had been a -few preliminary skirmishes but nothing serious as yet. - -Donli undertook the task of setting up barricades at the twilight -border. These were huge shields of light but durable metal, arranged in -strategic positions, easily movable. And the work at the city went on -apace. - -Janus and the others directed work at the forges and metal shops. -Everyone, men and women alike, who could be spared from the border -defenses, were given assignments. Mari was a surprise to the new men. -Already she knew the ancient science textbooks by heart, and she -thirsted for more knowledge. She was everywhere, directing, helping, -learning. She grasped the principle almost at once when Brownell -explained: - -"Briefly, the atom itself must not be shattered. That has been -your mistake. Successive sheathes of electrons must be stripped -without disruption of the ultimate atomic structure. That means -swift transmutations, not disintegration. Most important of all, the -electrons must be propelled along a controlled, directional beam." - -Only Ferris was dissatisfied at the hard work. In their quarters, at -the end of the first week, he complained: - -"What's all this getting us? I thought we came out here to make a -fortune! That's the story you gave me, Janus, when you rooked me into -this deal." - -Janus looked at him distastefully. "Haven't you ever wanted to do a -decent act in your life? Lord knows I've done some scandalous things, -but these people need our help now and they deserve it!" - -"That's not getting back the fortune I sunk into this venture," Ferris -grumbled. - -"We'll think of that later." - -The work was slower than they wished, for it became apparent the Perlac -attack was going to materialize any day, any hour. As leader of the -defense, the all-out call was left to Donli, who, with his select -group, remained at the border constantly now. - -And on the tenth day, even before the new pistols had been assembled or -tested--the call came. One of the scouts raced into the city with the -signal. - - * * * * * - -Everyone, men and women alike, left their work instantly. Dozens of -the electrically-motored surface cars were waiting, and soon they were -racing along the road. Within the hour they had reached the twilight -zone to reinforce Donli's group. - -Each person was equipped with an electric rifle which, at the longer -distances, stunned but was not fatal. And there were quantities of -atomic grenades. The new Earthmen retained their atomic rifles and -neutro-pistols, as they better understood the operation of these -weapons and could use them to more advantage. - -The attack had not yet come but Donli was expecting it at any minute. -Each group took up its assigned position behind a barrier. Mark found -himself beside Janus and was glad, for he liked that blustering, -red-bearded giant. - -"It's going to be hell," Janus promised, peering into the twilight -gloom. "We have to wait for them. The Perlacs can come over into our -lighter gravity, but their gravity'd be fatal to us!" - -Mark nodded. "It means we'll be fighting a strictly defensive battle." - -The twilight beyond faded into the darkness of the huge forest, and not -a Perlac was to be seen. Not so much as a moving shadow. But they were -there, Mark knew, thousands of them; and when they came it would be -silently. - -And silently they came. Mark's first intimation was the explosion of -grenades far down the line, and then he saw them--hordes of Perlacs, -heavy of limb, but coming with amazing speed. Most of them were using -cross-bows, and Mark realized that some of the shafts were equipped -with metal-tipped explosives. Then he was too busy for further -observation, as he brought his atomic rifle to bear. - -The old style electrics were at work too, all along the line; and -the grenades blasted huge gaps in the advancing tide. But still they -came, moving now across the lighter zone. Thousands hadn't been an -overstatement! The dark tide came rushing over their stunned and dead. - -And now those explosive tipped shafts were having effect. Several of -them struck a barricade next to Mark, and tore the metal from the -foundations. Now Janus, beside him, was bringing the neutro-pistol into -play. - -Savagely Mark swung his beam in a never-ceasing arc, exulting at the -swath it cut before him. Further down, Driscoll, Kaarj and the others -were doing the same. Together with the grenades it seemed to stem the -tide, but only for a moment. - -"Keep it going! Keep it going!" Janus was yelling. "These beams are -good for hours!" - -The very silence of the attack made it the more terrible. No yells, no -screams of fury came from the heavy-furred Perlacs as they littered the -terrain by the score. - -Then, as suddenly as they had come, they retreated. The seven sweeping -beams had done the work well, but in an unexpected manner. Flames were -leaping in the lush grass between the defenders and the forest! - -"Respite!" Janus yelled. "Ten minutes, maybe. They'll be back when that -grass is burned down!" - -But there was no resting now. A score of men were dead and twice that -many wounded, who had to be carried back from the battle line. Three of -the barricades were wrecked, and they strove to get these into place -again. - -Mark noticed Mari, sweat-grimed and weary, her golden hair streaming -down. But she was magnificent still, a tower of strength as she hurried -along the line giving aid and encouragement to her people. - -"I wonder where the robots are?" Mark suddenly remembered as he -worked beside Janus. "If the Perlacs have learned to reactivate those -monsters, as Donli thinks--" - -"Encouraging, ain't you? As if we're not having a hard enough time as -it is!" - -And then Mark remembered something else. Remembered so suddenly that he -began laughing, a little wildly, and Janus slipped him a light one on -the jaw. - -"Come out of it, lad! None of that, now--we're not licked yet!" - -But Mark had reached to his inner pocket, and brought out his secret -flat box. "Remember this, Janus? Good Lord, but I ought to be blasted -for forgetting it! You always knew it wasn't a camera--well, now you're -going to see it in action!" - -"Good, lad! I hope you've got something there. Here they come again!" - - * * * * * - -This time the Perlacs had massed their forces, and they came in two -wide flanking movements aimed at the ends of the barricades. - -"Let them get close," Janus passed the word to the men, as they hurried -down to the left. "Then give them your grenades--all you've got!" - -Grim-faced they waited. Mark once more touched the release stud on his -box, exulted as the coils hummed into power. - -"Now!" Janus yelled at last, and swept his beam into play. -Simultaneously the grenades rained outward. The terrain erupted in -geysers of blackened grass and fleshy fragments. But determinedly the -Perlacs came, and their cross-bow shafts filled the air. - -Despair began to touch the Earthmen now. It was obvious the fanatical -Perlacs were going to make this a war to extinction, and there could be -but one final result. The Perlacs outnumbered them a hundred to one. If -only they could have gotten the new electronic weapons ready in time! -Even their grenades were running low now. - -Grim-lipped, Mark waited for the next onrush. He passed his neutro to -a neighbor and concentrated on his box. Its power had been proven in -minor tests, but this would be the maximum! - -The wave came. More of them now than before. Mark stepped for a moment -into the open, heedless of the shafts. The box, held waist high, looked -for all the world like a camera.... - -But the result was devastatingly different! - -The men felt a violent holocaust of air around them, rushing away from -all sides. For seconds they couldn't breathe or move! The temperature -dropped so suddenly that they were literally frozen where they stood! -Then warmer air came pressing in again but still they didn't move, -because now they were staring--staring at the miracle. - -In a hundred-yard area before their barricade the mass of Perlacs -were motionless, many of them arrested in grotesque postures! Others -had literally burst outward. But all were dead, and now they began to -topple over, like frozen statutes! - -Another wave was coming behind, just beyond the area. Now they wheeled -and fled for the forest. Quickly Mark adjusted the sights and gave them -another burst. The same thing happened. The rush of air, the sudden -drop in temperature--and the horde was a mass of frozen corpses. But -this time, the box became hot in Mark's hands, burning them severely, -and he quickly dropped it. - -At the other end of the line the defenders weren't doing so well. -The Perlacs had gained that end of the barricade, and the battle was -furious and to the death. - -"Come on!" Mark raced for that end, followed by the others. But now -Mark couldn't use his weapon, for it would mean blasting Earthmen and -Perlacs alike! - -And then, fantastically, the battle seemed to hang poised. - -There came a grinding, shuddering sound. A series of these sounds. -The ground seemed to vibrate, and then along the twilight strip came -a towering, stalking, fifty-foot shape. One of the robots! It came -swiftly, purposefully, huge eyes glaring down--straight for the battle -line! - - - V - -"This does it," Janus groaned. "That thing looks mad!" But no other -robots came, and he raised his beam-pistol in readiness as the great -monster came bearing down. - -"Hold it," Mark caught his wrist. "Hold your fire, men!" - -For the Perlacs were fleeing! Forgotten now was the fury of battle as -they raced _en masse_ back to the darkness of their forest! - -And abruptly the robot swerved in its course, went after them with -purposeful strides. It bent down a little and swept huge, claw-like -hands close to the ground. A few of the Perlacs were caught, dashed to -the ground, never to rise. Almost gleefully the metal monster trampled -down the edges of the forest. The Earth people could only watch -wearily, numbly. It was over. Unbelievably, the battle was over. - -Tiring at last of its mad sport, the robot turned and came striding -back. Heedless of Mark's warning, Mari stepped forth and faced it -defiantly, rifle held in readiness. Tall and straight, her golden hair -tumbling down, she was a defender of her people to the last. - -And the robot paused! Only for a second, during which it seemed to be -surveying her. Then it came on, but stopped some twenty yards away. - -Then it spoke! The voice was rasping, metallic, but the words were -unmistakable: - -"Hi-ya, bud. What's cookin'?" - -Janus' voice was a ridiculous gurgle in his throat. He took a step -backward and his eyes bulged. For the thing had seemed to be addressing -_him_! - -At last he got the words out: "Ketrik! By all the red-tailed Zigs -on Venus, it's Ketrik! Only he could use an archaic expression like -that--what's cookin', indeed!" - -There came a rumble of metallic laughter. - -"Hi-ya, Janus! Haven't seen you in years. And Kaarj! Last time I saw -you was on Deimos, when I robbed the temple of ancients. How are you, -kid?" The robot went down, extended a long metal finger as big around -as a man's arm. Kaarj retreated hastily! - -"Well, ain't any of you glad to see me?" the voice came mockingly. "And -after I saved your battle, too!" - -"Sure, we're glad to see you," Janus replied shakily. "But good Lord, -man, come down out of that thing so we can get a look at you!" - -"Hell, no. I'm havin' fun! Anyway, I'm not up here. Not the real -Ketrik. My body's lying in an alcove back there at the temple of -robots." - -Mari had come to stand beside Janus. Her face was flushed from the -recent battle, but some of her defiance had fled. The robot bent closer -still, seemed to be peering. Then came a long whistle, metallic but -shrill, and one of the huge eyes winked! - -The girl seemed to recognize that primitive sound and her face turned a -deeper red. But she stepped a pace forward. - -"Mister--ah--Ketrik, you have saved my people and have earned our -undying thanks! But what about the Perlacs--do you think they'll be -coming back again?" - -The robot chuckled. "Not for a long time! Certainly not when they know -I'm around. Those babies have given me a wide berth so far." He added: -"I've been intending to pay a visit to your side of the world, but I -could tell those dark-skinned brutes were up to something. I decided to -hang around and await developments." - -"But Ketrik"--Janus hesitated--"what's this about your body?" - -"Don't worry, it's safe. This is only the mental part of me. Sure, -there's a huge temple about ten miles back, with dozens more of these -robots standing around idle." A sudden thought occurred. "Want to take -a look? I could carry you across the heavy gravity." - -"No thanks!" Janus declined. "My scientific interest doesn't go that -far. Maybe the Professor, here--" - -"Sure!" Brownell came forward, eager. - -"I'll go too," Mark said. "I'd like to see how those robots work." - -Ketrik extended a huge hand. Brownell and Mark clung tightly as it -swung them up. With the two men perched on its shoulders, the robot -went striding back through the forest. - -The temple, massive and pillared, rested in a wide clearing. - -They saw the robots, dozens of them lining the walls. The quartz discs -of their eyes were now dull and lifeless. And near each robot, fifty -feet high in the wall, were alcoves. - -"Gravity here is normal!" Mark noticed suddenly. - -"Yes," Ketrik replied. "That's probably what saved my life. I crashed -right through the roof!" - -They saw Ketrik's spacer on the floor below them, its nose and forward -tubes crumpled beyond recognition. - -"I'll show you my body." He strode to one of the alcoves, and the men -stepped from his shoulders onto a stone ledge. Before them was a thick -glass coffin. Resting in it was the material Ketrik! - - * * * * * - -It was a large body, as large as Janus, but clean shaven. The blue eyes -were open and staring, and even in this suspended state there seemed to -be a quality of recklessness, even amusement, about them. - -"How do you get the mental self into the robot?" Brownell asked. - -"Damned if I know how it works," there was almost a shrug in Ketrik's -robot voice. "I just experimented with the thing." - -He just experimented! Mark marvelled at this man. - -"Don't touch it," Ketrik warned, "but you'll notice there are two -cathodes attached to the temples of my earth body. See how the wires -lead out, and up to that panelled board on the wall? There are all -kinds of coils and things behind that board. Those other cathodes, that -you see dangling, were attached to the brain plate of the robot. I -suppose the molecules of your mental self flow through the wires. When -the transference is complete, you merely detach the cathodes and start -walking about, a full-fledged robot! I tell you it's wonderful!" - -"Ketrik," Brownell said, as they went back through the forest, "we -should be returning to Earth as soon as we complete the new weapon for -Man's people. Don't you want to return with us?" - -"No, I think I'll stay. I want to be sure those Perlacs don't cause any -more trouble for a while." - -"There wouldn't be any other reason?" Mark grinned. - -"There would and is." The smile was in Ketrik's voice, if not on his -metal lips. "I like that golden-haired Amazon--what's her name--Mari?" - -"But why return at all?" Mari wanted to know, when the Professor -announced the plans. "You have said you wanted a base for the -manufacture of your Frequency Tuners. What better place than here?" - -"Thank you, my dear. I had thought of that, but after all this is your -world, and we are intruders." - -Mari was hurt. "After all that you've done for us? And you can do so -much more!" - -"Then rest assured we'll be back, possibly within a month. True, there -is much to be done here but we need new supplies, tools, equipment of -every sort." - -Janus said: "And with your permission, we'll want to bring back some -new men. Not rogues and adventurers like me, but scientific men who can -come here and work out their ideas without fear of that stupid Earth -Bureau. Men like Mark, here, and the Professor." - -Brownell nodded agreement. "I see a new regime. The Tri-Planet Council -will have to cooperate with expanding endeavors, or take a back seat. -Already I know two men on Earth, and four on Mars, who'll be delighted -to come here to carry on their work. And Mark, that reminds me. That -new weapon of yours. I think we can ask about it now?" - -"Oh, it's nothing much, but I wasn't going to let the Bureau have it on -their terms! It's merely an advanced frigidation idea. Works along an -extended magnetic beam, absorbing all heat in a given area, almost to -absolute zero." - -"And he says it's nothing much!" came from Janus. - -"It still needs some working out. The coils didn't stand up, the last -time I applied it out there." - -In two more days they were turning out the neutro weapons in quantity. -During that time nothing more was seen of the Perlacs, as the -robot-Ketrik maintained a vigilance. Brownell made a last check-up of -the spaceship, and more important still, he strengthened the Frequency -Tuner to counteract the gravity. - - * * * * * - -On the last night, Mark tossed restlessly in his bed. He could not -sleep, and he didn't know why. Was it something they had forgotten? -He didn't think so. Nevertheless he had a preternatural awareness of -something wrong.... - -He arose, dressed quickly. There was never "night" on this side of the -little world, but the rooms were automatically dimmed. Silently he -tip-toed through the rooms. Brownell was there, sleeping peacefully. -And Janus, and all the others. - -No! Ferris was gone. - -Mark's heart leaped. He had never liked that man, never quite trusted -him. Now it came back. Ferris' eternal harping about the fortune he had -put into this expedition. - -If that little rat was planning--Mark hurried outside. The city was -deathly quiet, immersed in sleep. The eternal light struck his eyes -and brought him fully alert. He hurried along the street toward the -outskirts, toward the base of the hill where the spaceship waited. - -As he neared the hill, he spied Ferris. The man was coming down the -slope. Ferris saw him, and waved a hand in greeting. - -"Hi! Is it you, Travers? What's the matter, can't you sleep either?" - -Mark's steps slowed, and he breathed in relief. He'd been wrong. After -all, the man had a right to be up. - -They met near the spaceship, and Ferris waved a hand toward the crest -of the hill. "I was just looking at the Stone. It's the damnedest -thing!" - -"Yes. Brownell tells me--" - -Ferris' hand moved like lightning. Mark found himself staring into the -stub end of a neutro-gun. Ferris was no longer smiling and casual. - -"In!" he snarled. "Get in there--quick!" He gestured toward the ship, -and Mark noticed the door was open. He moved toward it slowly, then -paused, started to turn. - -"I'll blast you, Travers!" - -Mark shrugged, entered. Ferris came quickly behind him. - -"That's better. I don't want to rouse any of the others. Sounds carry -far on this world." He paused and grinned, with all but his eyes. -"Sure, Travers, I was looking at the Stone. I'd like to get it back to -Earth, but it's too much for me. Guess I'll just have to be satisfied -with the Frequency Tuner. The Bureau of Inventions will pay me a -handsome price for it, no questions asked." - -"You sneaking, double-crossing rat," Mark said slowly. "You'll never -get away with this!" - -"_This_ says I will," Ferris sneered, gesturing with the neutro. "And -since you came snooping out here, I'll just take that new weapon of -yours." - -"It doesn't work any more." - -"I'll take it anyway. Hand it over. Careful!" - -Mark shrugged, tossed the box-like weapon to him. But his mind was -racing. Ferris had the upper hand, all right, and he _would_ get away -with this if Mark didn't do something quick. Mark glanced around. They -were in the control room, and he knew the Frequency Tuner was ready. He -said: - -"What about Brownell--Janus--the others?" - -"What about 'em? They wanted to come out here, so let 'em stay. -Yeah--for the next hundred years!" - -"What about me?" - -"You know, I think I'll just take you along--for a short distance, -anyway." - -Mark's voice was taunting. "Because you're not quite sure how to handle -this Frequency control. You'll need me." - -"And that's where you're wrong. I've studied it plenty. It's easy!" - -Mark dropped suddenly to his knees, and with the same movement his body -lashed forward--low and hard. He heard the neutro sing, and felt the -swirling heat of it over his shoulder. But Ferris was quick. He danced -lithely back. His right hand with the gun in it came swinging up. - -The heavy gun caught Mark squarely under the chin. - - * * * * * - -He came struggling back to consciousness, aware that he was still lying -prone. He allowed his brain to clear before opening his eyes, but -already he could tell they were in space. - -He thought of his friends on Perlac--stranded! It would be a miracle -if they ever succeeded in building another spaceship there, with their -limited equipment. - -"Hi, Travers. We're on our way. So I can't handle the Tuner, eh?" - -Mark groaned, rolled his head a little, feigning grogginess. But he was -alert now, and he cursed himself for a fool for underestimating Ferris. -He heard the man's voice go on: - -"And to show how much I need you, I'll just toss you out somewhere -between Perlac and Pluto. Or maybe between Pluto and Neptune. Which -would you prefer?" - -Mark's heart leaped. They couldn't have come far, then! He was lying -near the control-console and he knew they were on robot control. Ferris -must have set the course already. He was confident now, watching Mark, -for he knew it took minutes to adjust that complex set-up. - -Mark stirred, grasped a metal stanchion to help hoist himself erect. -His plan was made. To the right of the console was an auxiliary unit, -feeding emergency power to the Tuner. He wondered if Ferris knew of -it. He glimpsed Ferris coming toward him. Mark surged erect, his right -hand darted out. It came down in a full sweep against the auxiliary -impellator. - -The spacer leaped ahead, sickeningly, as acceleration multiplied in a -split second. Mark glimpsed Ferris flying backward. He hadn't time to -see more. Both hands gripped the stanchion now as intolerable pressure -built up. His arms seemed to be wrenching from their sockets. Slowly, -agonizingly, he managed to encircle the stanchion with his left arm. -His right hand seemed to weigh a ton as it reached out. It touched the -impellator stud ... reversed it. - -Mark sagged limply forward as acceleration lowered. He hadn't the -strength left to turn his head, see what had happened to Ferris. - -When he did, minutes later, he saw a limp figure against the far wall. -The limbs were twisted beyond recognition. The head was crushed. It -wasn't a pretty sight. - -Mark changed direction, headed in a sweeping parabola back toward -Perlac. He avoided Brownell's previous mistake and swung wide of the -planet, approaching it from the light side. He landed safely near the -city. The others had already missed the ship, and they received him -joyously. - -They left the next day, after a final check-up. Mari had prepared long -lists of items for them to bring back to her people. - -The robot-Ketrik was there too, to bid them bon voyage. Brownell said: - -"Ketrik, you can reclaim that body of yours. Sure you won't change your -mind and go back with us?" - -Again Ketrik resorted to archaic expression: - -"Are you kidding?" and he glanced at Mari with his huge robot eyes. - -They lifted gravs, and not until they were crossing the orbit of Pluto -did Brownell remember something. He chuckled, said to Mark: - -"Suppose Ketrik does transfer again to his body, as he probably will. -How's he going to transport it across that heavy gravity?" - -For a moment Mark was startled. Then he grinned and replied, "Well, -don't worry your mind over that. I'll bet you a thousand to one he'll -do it! Positively. That man will find a way!" - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Passage to Planet X, by Henry Hasse - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PASSAGE TO PLANET X *** - -***** This file should be named 63694.txt or 63694.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/6/9/63694/ - -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 print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive -specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this -eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook -for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, -performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given -away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the -trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country outside the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and - most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no - restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it - under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this - eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the - United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you - are located before using this ebook. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org - - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its -volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous -locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt -Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. 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: 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. - diff --git a/old/63694.zip b/old/63694.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index b57fbb8..0000000 --- a/old/63694.zip +++ /dev/null |
