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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..43278af --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #64874 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/64874) diff --git a/old/64874-0.txt b/old/64874-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 453e106..0000000 --- a/old/64874-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1119 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Space Blackout, by Sam Carson - -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 -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Space Blackout - -Author: Sam Carson - -Release Date: March 20, 2021 [eBook #64874] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SPACE BLACKOUT *** - - - - - SPACE BLACKOUT - - by SAM CARSON - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Comet May 41. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -I've seen a world die, and with it men who chose to remain and face the -end because of love. - -Love of their homes and the soil beneath them and the life they had -achieved. It's a story I believe Earthmen could ponder, and benefit -from. For we are the youngest of terrestrial civilizations within the -space orbit the Martians have shown us. - -I'm Jerry Kos, master navigator, twenty-seven and entitled to three -stripes on my jacket to prove I've completed that many six months -voyages with the Cosmic Survey. I'm a specialist, holder of the solo -record from Moon to Earth made in 2437, and enjoy spending all my leave -in the government preserves, camping in the raw, hiking, fishing, -anything I can do by hand, so to speak. Otherwise I'm one of some -fifty thousand young officers of the Commonwealth whose job is cut out -for him. And I like it. - -It was Jim Drake, skipper of the Pelios, Cosmic Survey ship, who -persuaded me to take my leave on Mars, as a guest of Shadrak. Shadrak -is one of our advisers, guardian of the Great Waterway, and a big -shot among the hundred thousand odd Martians who rule their planet by -robot control. The Martians watched us develop thousands of years, and -let us go because they're peaceful, and like our energy, till Gregor, -the Tartar dictator came along and messed up the world. Then Shadrak, -and a half dozen others roused themselves, crossed the void to Earth -and liquidated a wad of would be exponents of force. That put the -United States on top with its ideals of democracy, and the Martians -reorganized our form of living, gave us advanced tools, knowledge and -created a technocracy. The Martians sit back, live well and give us -ideas. We do the same for them and everybody's happy. They know how to -contact all forms of life in the solar system, from Mercury to Neptune, -and now, as you know, Earth is a beehive of industry. - -Jim Drake's a thoughtful chap, quiet but a whip. Since he was a kid -Shadrak has liked him. After a few days of fishing, boating, and -general recreation, Shadrak called us in to his domed estate. - -First he showed us his planetarium, and a dark nebula in beyond Orion, -he calls the Noir, speaking with the throat disk because Martians can't -manage our tongue otherwise. That dark, he had just explained, was a -thousand light years beyond the nearer Orion cluster. - -"Behind it," he added, "is a solar system, a sun with six planets. -The third planet is Spor, of the same albedo as Earth, and identical -atmosphere. I know, for my grandfather visited it, and he chose it as a -suitable refuge for ten thousand of your Earthmen." - -I had to break in on that. Jim nudged me, but Shadrak smiled. "Small -wonder you're surprised," he commented. "On Earth you have a legend, -of the lost Atlantis. There was a general submerging of continents. -Millions perished. And we were so moved on Mars that we sent our space -ships. It was one of our few real invasions. Till we visited Gregor, we -hadn't returned. But that time we removed ten thousand, products of an -advanced civilization. - -"We moved those ten thousand to Spor." Jim whistled. "Even that long -ago you traveled ahead of light. I mean, with greater speed." - -Shadrak nodded. "You two are Earthmen we trust. We keep many secrets -because it is best. But in this case--" he paused, "I want you, Jerry -Kos and Jim Drake, to journey to Spor." - -"But it would take years," I put in. "Maybe longer." - -"Twenty two days and six hours, with the new ship just delivered," -Shadrak corrected. "It has a capacity of one thousand. If you return -with a full load, we shall send more ships to Spor." - -Jim looked bewildered. "Maybe it's too much," he said, "but such a -speed is incredible." - -"There is no limit to speed," Shadrak told us. "The problem is of -acceleration, and deceleration. You have that problem in handling the -Pelios, which rides energy beams at the speed of light. Frequencies, -whether of sound or light, as instances, are constant. Therefore we -employ this fact in accelerating. We superimpose frequencies against -frequencies, repelling power, one from the other. The result is a -constant, increasing ratio. In effect, Jim--and you, Jerry--will grasp -it much easier in this manner. If you had a machine throwing a jet -of water, and it touched an opposing jet of water, your propulsion -would build up till the limits of the energy from the opposing jets -were reached. Suppose those jets continued to reach out. As light -frequencies, till you built up your maximum. In a vacuum your speed -would continue at that maximum velocity till you chose to decelerate. -Now deceleration is effected by the same principle. We do it by -hitching to our sun and reaching the maximum in building up speed. In -like manner, another sun can be used to decelerate, by reversing the -process. - -"But enough of that," Shadrak resumed. "Your ship will be robot -controlled. Our own master navigator will get telescreened charts of -your course. Your job will begin when you land, I fear. The planet of -Spor enters the Noir within eighteen months, and a sudden reaction in -that hundred thousand light year wide mass could reduce the engulfing -to eighteen weeks." - -"What does this Noir mean, swallowing up Spor?" I fired that shot. And -it was Jim who answered. - -"Noir's the light absorbing element nobody has lived to analyze. We -know it absorbs all organic life as it does light, electricity, even -sound. It's the black scourge of space." - -"And we're going to play around it, eh? To bring back the descendants -of the lost Atlantis. And where do they go, providing we take 'em off?" - -Shadrak waved a hand vaguely over the horizon. "Here, till we find a -planet suitable. You see, we're responsible. We moved them to Spor. Now -it's our duty to remove them again." - -Jim spoke. "We're ready, whenever you are sir." - - * * * * * - -Now a lot happened before we curved around the sinister prong of the -Noir, the Milky Way lost behind, even Orion and his companions. We had -ceased marveling at the repellor motors, operated within compact cases -by the efficient robot machines. And I must put in a word for the way -they lifted our big ship from Mars. You don't use rockets any more. -They catapult you, shooting you ten thousand miles outward with rocket -tubes sunk into the ground. You use inverted, concave affairs to catch -the power. And too, we had our first acquaintance with the auxiliary -repellors used inside the ship to offset inertia. This gave us the same -gravity as Earth. And Shadrak called at regular periods on the relief -screen, the new device that gives solidity to an image. He told us a -lot about the transplanted sons and daughters of ancient Atlantis, and -we had the mentameters to make immediate contact with their language -and knowledge. Shadrak had thought of everything. - -The solar system which Shadrak called Maj, crawled around the crescent -of Noir, and we sighted the third planet, giving a ruddy glow. That -gave us a kick, but I felt a shiver as I watched that ebon horn -blotting out the sky, reaching hungrily toward Maj. Jim said the -movement of Noir had been constant at 110 kilometers a second, but -that the speed was building up. He called for a robot check on the tip -of Noir and Spor. After careful study, Jim flashed the telescreen for -Shadrak. "Noir tip at 60 plus 382," he reported. - -Shadrak looked grave. "That gives you no more than four months," he -said. "If the movement accelerates, it will be quite earlier. After you -land, arrange for periodical checks." - -It was time now to begin deceleration. We fixed on the sun of Maj. At -first we couldn't feel a change. It was ten hours before the planets -slowed down, and we curved to meet the pull of Maj. Two days elapsed by -our chronometers before we entered the gravity pull of Spor and began -our spiral descent, much as we would had it been the smaller Pelios. -Our electroscopes found a city, towers and walls gilded by a rising -sun. I worked out the course for Jim and we picked a plain nearby. We -settled on a regular nest of repellor beams, to find an army gathered -without, an army of men and women and children, not at all frightened -and apparently not hostile. - -"Look," Jim cried. "They look like the museum pictures of 2000. The -same kind of cars, and streets." - -It was true. We checked on the atmosphere readings, found the -temperature 76 fahrenheit, a mild spring day. We opened the locks and -stepped out on the soil of Spor, Jim lugging the portable mentameter. -I heard a buzzing sound. An airplane, of ancient vintage, judging by -the museum films, circled overhead. Men in field gray, wearing leather -leggings and caps, rode up on noisy, two wheeled machines. - -"The Twentieth Century comes to life," Jim muttered. "It's like a -dream." - -A man with slightly gray hair stepped from one of the cars, approached -us, flanked by the guards. He spoke, but the words were unintelligible. -Jim smiled, pointed skyward and to the ship. The greeter nodded as -if he understood. Then Jim put down the mentameter pack, adjusted -earphones and the clamp about his temples. He gestured for the other to -do likewise. - - * * * * * - -Someone protested, and there was an argument, while we waited. Then the -gray haired man spoke with curtness, and the guards fell back. Smiling, -the Spor dweller put on the mentameter receiver. Jim began speaking -slowly. "I am Jim Drake, of Earth, from which your ancestors were -removed from Atlantis by Martians. We were sent here by other Martians." - -The Spor governor, for that was what we learned he was, shouted to the -throng. He spoke excitedly and people began to cheer, to gather more -closely. Then he spoke to Jim. By then I had on the spare receiver. - -"You are fulfilling a legend," the governor said. "From our early days -the writings of our forefathers foretold the day when Earthmen would -come from beyond the dark spaces. I, Tarquin of Spor and governor of -the city of Osmand, welcome you. And if you will pardon my curiosity, -what manner of machine is this, to interpret our thoughts?" - -"Brother," I cut in, "it's as mysterious to me as it must be to you. -The Martians perfected it and hold the secret." - -"You think and talk like one of us," the governor chuckled. "Our -astronomers sighted you yesterday and they predicted a landing at -Osmand. So we are not exactly surprised." - -We wound up with posting a guard about the ship and riding into the -city with Tarquin. A radio in the car reported our progress, the -announcer manifestly excited. We found thousands on streets and -sidewalks and crowding office windows. Above all, we had the feeling -we were among Earthmen, and yet it wasn't our technocratic manner of -life either. There was nothing orderly. And I felt that I liked this -way of living. I was in the same state of mind a week later, when Jim -and I had already learned enough about the language of Spor to talk, -and we'd been cramming on their history from the time the Martians left -off so many centuries before. At Shadrak's suggestion, we'd kept quiet -on our real mission. We found ourselves popular in Osmand as the days -grew on, and we were guests of Governor Tarquin, on a swell estate -bordering a small river. And then, as thousands lined the river for -a water carnival, Tarquin told us all was not well on Spor. We were -on a terrace and it reminded me somehow of Shadrak's place, without -the dome, or eternal robots. "Take this city," he exclaimed. "We are -a democracy, at peace with the world. But across the sea, in Plevia, -there is a colony gathering strength, headed by Garok, a troublemaker -we exiled ten years ago from Osmand." - -"Why not take your planes, fly over and clean him out before he's -strong enough to fight you?" I asked. - -Tarquin gazed at me, and he looked bewildered. "Osmand makes no war. -We have our civil officers, but our army is small. We of Osmand, and -of the other city states on this continent have lived in accord two -thousand years without fighting. Garok will not invade us. But he does -harbor criminals, and thereby makes trouble." - - * * * * * - -And that was that. War was simply out of mind. And why not. If ever -there was a placid countryside, which we toured in the next two weeks, -it was the continent upon which Osmand was built. There were farms, -small factories, everywhere homes with large grounds, and men, women -and children employed. Everybody greeted you with a smile, it seemed, -and there was much singing. It got Jim like it did me, and I remember -what a jerk Shadrak pulled us up with, when checking with him from -the ship after a tour of the continent to the other cities--Nostran, -Tula and Polis. Shadrak told us the invading horn of Noir had indeed -accelerated its spread toward the system of Maj and would engulf it -within no less than eight weeks. - -Tarquin accepted our report from Shadrak, for in the legend that -Earthmen would come, was a prophecy of destruction to Spor. "Yes," he -said slowly, pacing his terrace, his family engaged in sports below, -"we have been watching the dark cloud you call Noir. Our astronomers -are uncertain of the result." - -"We're not," Jim said. "Noir will blast every vestige of life from -Spor. The Martians know. They offer refuge on their planet, till you -find another Spor. We can remove the first thousand. The Martians will -send other ships, if you agree." - -"If we agree." Tarquin stood beside the terrace parapet, with the -skyline of Osmand gilded in a low sun. A shaft of light struck -a passenger plane bound for a landing field. Cries of children, -picnicking across the river in a park, drifted to us. Tarquin twisted -a bit of paper into a wad, tossed it to the lawn. Then he turned to -Jim. "I'll radio the other governors," he said. "We must place this -information before them all, and let the people vote." - -"Elections," Jim cried. "That will take weeks. We've got to act now. -Shadrak says the dark nebula has tripled its speed toward Maj in the -last seven days." - -"Yes," Tarquin agreed simply. "That has been noted too, from our -observatory. Last night two stars were blotted out. I'm sorry, my -friends, if we delay. But that is the way to act. Now, if you'll pardon -me, I'll invite the governors for a conference." - -To our surprise Tarquin summoned Garok with the others. He was unlike -the others, a spare, square jawed man no older than Jim Drake, eyes -tending to the shifty side and with the gift of an orator. He could -hardly wait till Tarquin delivered his talk of our mission. I could see -the other governors refused to be stirred as Tarquin. One, Dalin, a -fat, amiable chap, laughed. "Nonsense," he exclaimed. "I'll grant you -these young men may have come from Earth as they come, but they could -be putting over a giant hoax," he added shrewdly. - -"But the astronomers sighted them five thousand miles away," Tarquin -interrupted impatiently. "These men have instruments beyond our -knowledge." - -"Probably stolen," Garok spoke for the first time. His manner was -swaggering, contemptuous. "For all we know they're adventurers from -another planet. And if not, why must we meet to be told fairy tales. -What of a dark cloud? Going to destroy Spor! Bah. A story to frighten -children with. Is this what you brought us here to discuss?" This to -Tarquin. - -The governor of Osmand flushed. I saw Jim's fists clench, but he -remained silent. "We're not here to give opinions, when we don't know -what we're talking about," he snapped. "All our astronomers agree the -dark nebula is sweeping in like a tidal wave. These men journeyed -into our solar system to warn us. I believe them. The question is, do -the people of Spor want to believe, and act. That is the question. I -propose a referendum, the subject explained over our radio nets, to be -held one week from today." - -"That date may be too late," Jim warned. "I suggest--" - -"Bah," Garok cut in. "You want a panic, so that you can loot us." - -That was when Jim sprang to his feet and struck Garok. The leader of -Plevia went down. But he was up and charging like a mad bull a moment -later. - -Tarquin cried out and guards rushed in, separating the men. And now the -governor of Osmand frowned at Jim. "You struck first," he said gravely. -"You struck a guest of mine." - -"I'm sorry," Jim told him. "But it was in desperation, because I -realize the danger to you. Governor, we must act more quickly. We must." - -Tarquin nodded. "So be it. As senior governor of the continental -cities, I set aside the third day from now, and each governor shall -join our radio net, so that the people may hear, and vote as they -choose." - -"You fools," Garok snarled. His right eye was discolored and he glared -at Jim. "I demand this man, to be punished for striking Garok." - -"He is in my custody," Tarquin replied calmly. "For striking a guest of -mine, he must be punished." - -Garok swept the room. I noticed the fat governor, Dalin, cringed. "I -choose to do my own punishing," he snapped and walked from the room. -Dalin glanced about at the silent group. "Your guest will cause us -untold trouble," he said. "I saw it in Garok's eyes. He is seeking a -cause to do damage to us, and you've permitted that cause tonight." - -"If I did, I take the responsibility, Dalin. Do you other gentlemen -agree to put the question before your people and permit the -referendum?" - - * * * * * - -In the end they agreed, although it was plain they were more concerned -over Garok than the threat of Noir's black flood. And I had a hunch -Garok had placed doubt in their minds about us. We persuaded Tarquin to -attend our conference with Shadrak. And to our surprise, Shadrak, from -the relief screen, spoke to Tarquin in the latter's tongue. Tarquin -left our ship a man who looked years older. "I must act, at once," -he told us with a sigh. "Why didn't I have our meeting aboard your -ship where they too could have heard, and seen the Martian? It was my -mistake." - -"You're starting at once?" Jim asked. - -Tarquin nodded. "But I'm afraid--afraid there are few who would leave -Osmand, or any of the other continental states. - -"Look about you," he continued. "Here is contentment, peace, a form of -collective security for all. Outside of Garok there is no discontent. -We love Osmand, as the others do their cities." - -"Shadrak called this a Utopia," Jim observed thoughtfully. "I -understand. But we must get the message over, Governor. And quickly." - -I remember how we stood by while Tarquin started at daylight, over -the radio net, explaining it all, and the news agencies were waking -up. Crowds gathered on streets. People stared at us, some without -enthusiasm, and we weren't surprised when Tarquin assigned us guards. -We were getting blamed for the scare, it appeared. By night we were -directed to return to Tarquin's home. Garok, it seemed, was taking -to the radio, making charges, promising to capture and punish us for -trying to create a panic on Spor. Overnight crowds formed outside the -grounds of the governor's home. A large detachment had to guard our -ship, and we made arrangements to return to it. And during these three -days the grim, dark threat of Noir came on, invincible, inevitable, -overspreading one third of the firmament, blotting out star after -star. Shadrak offered no advice, strangely enough. But he kept us -apprised of reports from Martian astronomers. And then, as citizens -of the city states poured out to vote on the question Tarquin had put -before them, Garok struck. - -He came with wave after wave of planes, and he dropped bomb after bomb -of outlawed explosives, not for destruction, but to send the city into -a panic. Too late Jim and I realized we had been a blessing to Garok. -In upsetting the placid lives of the city states, we had furnished -motive and opportunity to strike. It wasn't an invasion such as they -used to have on Earth. But it was onesided, Tarquin's police force -pitifully inadequate. And so as the planes landed, disgorging squads -of men, armed with peculiar flame throwers, Osmand was taken and the -referendum forgotten. - - * * * * * - -In our refuge, with no arms save our ray guns, Jim and I looked -helplessly on. So far we had been unmolested. I thought of the -little single seater planes used as Earth patrols, and the blasting -charge in the nose, reserved for emergencies. Jim was pacing the -control room like a caged tiger. Shadrak was away from his post and -we had transcribed our report of Garok's coming, for his screen. Now -he signaled us, somewhat excitedly. Evidently he hadn't seen the -transcription, for he spoke rapidly. "You have ten hours left," he -cried, "before the Noir invades Maj. Ten more hours and you cannot -leave Spor. Act at once." Jim reported in crisp accents of events. -Shadrak swore in fluent Martian. Then he told us to open an emergency -locker. At once robot trucks wheeled out a dandy two seater patrol car, -with 20 millimeter ray guns for armament. "Destroy Garok's force where -necessary," Shadrak ordered. "That completed, proceed at once with -loading. Remove Tarquin's family first. He must be saved at all cost." - -We broke out the rear exit as a two motored plane dived at our space -ship. Jim nosed our patrol car upward. I was at the ray gun controls. -We blew the plane out of the sky. Then we went upstairs. Garok had a -fleet of planes he surely must have taken over from transport lines. -There were different markings on them. Anyway, we knocked down planes, -plenty of them. But scores had landed, with soldiers scattering, to -take over objectives. We went down, blasted groups right and left. On -the landing field we could see police rallying. I worked the ray guns -on ground and sky alike during the next twenty minutes, and Garok's -invaders surviving turned tail, abandoning their comrades already -landed. - -[Illustration: _We went down blasting ... right and left...._] - -Tarquin was in command as his guards rounded up sullen, but defeated -groups of Garok's men. Sirens were wailing, and we counted a dozen big -fires raging. "Thanks," he acknowledged, nodding at our patrol car. -"Garok is attacking the other cities. They've all asked for help." - -"We'll take his planes," Jim promised. "But you've got to hurry, -Governor. Shadrak says it's a matter of hours." - -Tarquin seemed not to hear Jim. He stared toward the great fires. -"Destruction," he muttered. "The hell of war turned loose after all -these centuries." - -Mobs had poured onto the field. Guards battled with them. The foremost -tried to reach the captured invaders, yelling curses at them. Others -continued toward us. I saw Tarquin stiffen. He ordered a ring of guards -about us. "But why?" Jim demanded. - -"They blame you," Tarquin said bitterly. "For stirring up trouble. In -fact, they're demanding your lives as forfeit." - -"But can't they understand?" Jim cried. "Hasn't it been made plain -enough? You talked with them, explained our coming--" - - * * * * * - -Tarquin waved a hand toward the angry men and women. Some had -stones, bricks and these they were hurling our way. "You can see -for yourselves," he told us. "Dalin went on the air and blamed you, -opposing our referendum. Said it was idiotic, that departure from Spor -was unthinkable. He argued that his scientists promised the dark gas -would not enter our atmosphere and would be dissipated, permitting -sunlight to enter. My own people of Osmand were in doubt, even before -Garok came. Now--well, they think only of this destruction, and the -factors they blame, including you two." - -"We're going to tackle Garok's other fleets," Jim said briefly. -"Meanwhile, we're expecting you to report our act, and to plead with -the people of Osmand to come with us, as many as we can take. We'll be -back, in a few hours." - -We collided with Garok's air fleet above Dalin's city, while it was at -the height of its raid. It took us exactly eighteen minutes to clean -the air, leaving destroyed planes blazing on all sides. Then we went -on. But we were to get a stiff shock. Garok's sky fleet had vanished -elsewhere. - -"Okay," Jim decided, after we had cruised the coast line, "we'd better -get back to Osmand. If Garok's fled, our mission is completed." - -We withheld reporting through to Shadrak. The sky was unusually black -tonight. Overhead, there were no stars. We raised the flames in Osmand -some fifty miles out. Jim let out an angry yell. "Garok's attacking -again," he cried. "Those are new fires." - -Rockets wide open we raced down toward Osmand. There were new fires. -Jim circled toward the plain where our ship was located. We saw a cone -of flame leap out of the thick night. Garok was bombing the space ship. - -We tore at the invaders like mad swordfish. We knocked them apart, then -went in for a landing. One bomb had landed within twenty feet of the -ship. We got out of the patrol car, sprinted for the big ship. Jim used -a torch, assured himself the craft was undamaged. And when we went -inside, Garok himself was the bird who climbed into our patrol car. - -Pistol bullets cut by our ears as both of us tried to rectify that -damage. Garok didn't know beans about a rocket car. But a dumb, -conceited punk like him could wreck it, so we ignored the soldiers -who'd climbed out of Garok's plane after that noiseless glide of his -and raced for the patrol car. - -Garok yelled something at us and accidentally touched off the ray guns. -His own plane literally went into gas, and his men went down, or turned -into more gas. Then the patrol car streaked skyward, bowling us over. -Twin tongues of angry flame marked his course, higher--higher, blast -wide open. "The fool," Jim cried. "He'll burn the car up, if he gains -any more altitude. The thin atmosphere will fix him--" - -"Maybe he didn't start it on purpose, and can't do anything about it," -I suggested. Jim's face was visible in the glow of the fires. "Maybe -you're right," he agreed. And as if in confirmation, there was a dull -red blob high above. The blob widened, sent out a shower of sparks and -vanished. "And that," Jim commented, "is the last of Garok." - -Evidently Garok's wild scheme to take patrol car and then perhaps our -space ship, was with his last survivors, for we heard no more planes. -A police car arrived. Tarquin had sent them. "The governor advises you -to leave Osmand at once," was the officer's message. "Anger is growing -against you two." - -"Okay by me," I said. "We clean up a mess for you and get the rap. You -don't believe us, so what? We'd better save our own skins." - -"I'm going to make one last appeal to Tarquin," Jim announced. "It's -our duty. You stay here with the ship." - -"Listen you," I sounded off, "if you go back into Osmand, I go with -you. But how?" - -"In the police car." To the surprised officer Jim said: "If Governor -Tarquin guarantees no hope to remove anyone, we'll leave. But first, I -bear him a final message. Will you take us?" - -"I'll take you," the officer said. "But it is foolish. We've got to -take the chance, here on Spor. It's our world, the one we love. Because -you destroyed Garok's men, we'll give you safe conduct." - - * * * * * - -They bore us through darkened side streets. By radio we heard the -damage, and of thousands massed in downtown parks, listening to -speakers who demanded our punishment along with the captured invaders. -Tarquin was in his office and had just completed orders to give our -ship full protection. His eyes were sunken. Jim went to the point at -once. "Governor Tarquin, the Martian Shadrak asked us to remove you and -your family, by all means. We must clear Spor by day-break. Or before -noon. Couldn't you persuade others--people of Osmand you want to save, -to go to the ship. If it's a mistake and Noir doesn't wipe everything -out, we can return. You know that. It's not taking a chance. Please, -we're offering life--to all Spor--through you and a thousand others of -Osmand." - -Tarquin led us to a wide window. There was light below, and we saw a -triangular space packed with thousands. Loud speakers were blasting and -we could see a tiny figure on a platform. - -"I tell you the forces of evil envy our world of Spor and seek to -destroy us," the speaker shouted. "What influenced Garok to erupt from -Plevia and attempt to enslave us? I'll answer that question. The men -who came out of the sky with the wild story the end of our universe -is at hand. Bah. Nature sends a dark cloud of gas nearer, and we're -expected to fly into a panic. Our own governor lost his sanity for -that unlikely yarn. - -"I tell you, citizens of Osmand, we have made a civilization of such -prosperity and contentment that word has reached other planets of this -solar system. They sent messengers in disguise, to throw us into panic. -In the future let us arm, and repel any such future invasion as Garok -gave us. Let us punish by death any who come among us and seek to -undermine us by fantastic stories. Men and women of Osmand, we shall -never be frightened out of Osmand, and most certainly not to desert -Spor...." - -"You see," Tarquin spoke presently, with sadness in his voice. "My -family is down there. They consider me mad, to entertain any belief in -what you say." - -"But it is true," Jim cried. "It is true. They must be convinced. Spor -is doomed, in hours. I tell you I am speaking the truth. And surely you -will go with us. You believe us, don't you?" - -"I believe you, Jim Drake. I know Shadrak, and his fellow Martians feel -their responsibility. They saved us once, when they believed Earth was -doomed entirely. It wasn't. And the Martians could be wrong again," he -added hopefully. - -An hour later we were taken by police back to our guarded ship. So -many were on duty that the crowds had drifted back to Osmand. Fires -were out now, and only the street lights were visible. Osmand, to all -outward appearances, was peacefully going to bed. Shadrak, summoned at -our call, came to the telescreen. "I was afraid," he said after Jim -reported. "You have done your best. You have my permission to depart -Spor immediately. The Noir is within twelve hours of Maj." - -"Let's go," I cried. Maybe Tarquin and the others had some hope, but I -was ready to go. Jim's next words sent cold chills down my spine. "May -we stay, till sunrise sir. We should have at least four hours after the -sun of Maj is blotted out, before Spor is reached. Maybe, after they -see the sun eclipsed, some will come to us." - -"There is a chance," Shadrak conceded. "But do not delay. If none come, -be prepared to take the course already transcribed on the robot screen." - -It was midnight. I noted the absence of all stars ahead of Jim. "It's -spreading," I told him. All at once I felt chilled. It was like a -thick, cloudy night on Earth, only more eerie. Like being in a cave. -The darkness seemed to bear down on the lights of Osmand and make them -dimmer. Neither of us slept. We couldn't. We worked on our course -plot, inspected the entire hull and paced every deck till the hour for -daylight. - - * * * * * - -Only, there was no daylight. The chronometers aboard the ship checked -Martian time, which we still kept. And yet Osmand's lights glowed, -and the rest of Spor was in the darkness of a grotto. Then the city's -lights went out. - -We went outside, staring, conscious of abrupt coldness. Suddenly there -were sirens screaming, then bells. All at once the lights flashed back -on again. "The sun--the sun of Maj," Jim exclaimed, "it's blotted out. -Forever, maybe." - -Panic gripped me. "Let's scram," I told him. Jim shook his head. He -ran into the ship, switched on all lights. The landing lights put the -entire plain in a warm glow. Jim said the people could see us. So we -waited. - -Lights of a fast moving car sped along the highway from Osmand. It -came on, to a quick stop. We saw Tarquin, and a group of men his age. -"They're coming," I told Jim. "They've changed their minds." - -"Tell the others to hurry," Jim shouted, as he ran forward to meet -them. "We haven't more than an hour. The Noir is racing toward Spor -from the sun." - -Tarquin looked like a man already at the door of the beyond. He walked -to us, slowly, head lifted. Then he stopped, and we saw he wore the -robes of his office. So did the others. Slowly Tarquin spoke. "We are -not going with you, Jim Drake." - -"Not going! But man, you know the end. It's death, in less than two -hours. We're risking our own lives and we thought--" - -"None of my family wishes to leave Osmand," the governor said quietly. -"Therefore, I have no desire to survive, without them." - -"But all of you can live, if you come with us." - -"You forget our neighbors, and our kinsmen." Tarquin pointed out -gravely. "I think you do not understand. - -"Life, anywhere else has no attraction for the citizens of Spor. I know -that now, plainly. The referendum would not have registered a thousand -votes of those choosing to abandon the planet, had I sufficient time -to explain, and Garok had not run amuck." Tarquin sighed. "There still -is hope, that this black fog will be dissipated, as our scientists -contend. If not--then it is farewell, men of our parent Earth." - -"What about going to Earth," Jim cried, suddenly inspired. "That would -be different. We'll take you there." - -Tarquin turned and walked to the long, official car. The others -followed, silent, like men sentenced and yet hopeful of reprieve. As he -stood beside the door, Tarquin lifted a hand. But he spoke no more. The -motor roared. Twin lights flashed on the turf.... - -We stood there for minutes. I heard a dry sob. Maybe it was from Jim -Drake's throat. Or again, maybe it was from my own. I don't know. We -stood there, till the car's rear light merged with the glow of Osmand's -illumination. - -Jim said, "we've got to start." As he spoke I saw a pup, a dirty, black -and white pooch, tail working, trotting up. I scooped it up. Something -from Spor was going to survive. Then I went to the ship. - -Shadrak's voice was imperative as he called us. "Leaving," Jim shouted -into the transmitter. - -"Waste no time, not even seconds," Shadrak cried. "Hurry." - -The pup whimpered, snuggling against my shins as we lifted the empty -ship. - -Because the robots had the course, I ran to the visual screen and -looked down on Osmand. There were lights everywhere. A searchlight -leaped after us. - -Somebody tapped my shoulder. Jim Drake had joined me. "Living now," he -muttered. "See the pinpoints of light out there--the other cities. In a -few minutes--" - -The words choked off. You see, we had no sun of Maj to fix our beams -upon. We had a distance to go before we could let up on the reserve -engines Shadrak had installed. We had to flee from Noir's engulfing -crescent, and find another star to build up our incredible speed. Till -then, we could only approximate the speed of light. "Look. Building -after building is lighting up. They're going to their shops and their -factories and offices. Just as if the sun were shining." - - * * * * * - -We were gazing intently now. There was a clicking sound that told of -Shadrak on the relief screen. He was taking our relay and the scene -was visible to the Martian as well. Only he didn't speak. I think, -in those last moments, we almost held our breaths, Jim and I a few -thousand miles away already--or maybe a few hundred thousand--time had -no bearing. It seemed an awfully long time. Then a dark finger rubbed -out Osmand. - -One moment and we could see the moving lines of traffic, the glowing -windows even. Then there just wasn't anything at all on the screen. Jim -scanned for the other cities. But there was just darkness, impenetrable -darkness. We did see a searchlight break through, a moving finger, -raking through for a split second. Then it, too, vanished. - -From the relief Shadrak spoke. His voice was strangely gentle. "Look -no more, Jim Drake and Jerry Kos. Turn back to your charts. Spor is -gone. You did your best. We know that. It was not your fault. Look -forward. Within thirty minutes you will find the first star to give you -speed." - -It wasn't real, that flight from Maj, with Noir flowing beyond the -sixth planet, its crescent outrider seeking new stars to black out, and -leave dry, lifeless masses in a black universe. On schedule we picked -up our star, and at sight of it we felt the first return of sanity. We -sped back by Orion's family, and into a familiar bit of space, with -Shadrak coming to the screen at intervals, and at other times sending -us transcribed news events from Earth. And thus we crossed the sky, -thrilled by the sight of Neptune, Saturn and his rings, and at last -the disks of Mars and Earth, beneath our own sun, so free of the black -menace. We made a routine landing, settling a short distance from -Shadrak's place. He was there to welcome us, with other Martians. And -Jim walked up to him slowly, holding the tiny, wriggling pup we had -brought along. "The last survivor of Spor," he said. Martians dislike -dogs, although they admire any member of the cat family. But Shadrak -reached out, studied the tiny specimen from Spor. The pup licked his -hand and Shadrak smiled. "Take him back to Earth," he said. "They will -appreciate the animal, better than we." Shadrak tapped each of us in -the Martian way of showing deep affection. "Never reproach yourselves, -because you took a ship to Spor large enough to return a thousand -persons, and returned with this poor animal. - -"I think," he added with a sigh, "we forget too often we are -instruments of a divine power none of us, Earthmen or Martians, or any -other world, can ever understand. It was granted us the privilege of -rescuing men and women of Atlantis and removing them to Spor. It was -denied us, the chance to save them a second time." - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SPACE BLACKOUT *** - -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. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Space Blackout</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Sam Carson</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: March 20, 2021 [eBook #64874]</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net</div> - -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SPACE BLACKOUT ***</div> - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>SPACE BLACKOUT</h1> - -<h2>by SAM CARSON</h2> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Comet May 41.<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>I've seen a world die, and with it men who chose to remain and face the -end because of love.</p> - -<p>Love of their homes and the soil beneath them and the life they had -achieved. It's a story I believe Earthmen could ponder, and benefit -from. For we are the youngest of terrestrial civilizations within the -space orbit the Martians have shown us.</p> - -<p>I'm Jerry Kos, master navigator, twenty-seven and entitled to three -stripes on my jacket to prove I've completed that many six months -voyages with the Cosmic Survey. I'm a specialist, holder of the solo -record from Moon to Earth made in 2437, and enjoy spending all my leave -in the government preserves, camping in the raw, hiking, fishing, -anything I can do by hand, so to speak. Otherwise I'm one of some -fifty thousand young officers of the Commonwealth whose job is cut out -for him. And I like it.</p> - -<p>It was Jim Drake, skipper of the Pelios, Cosmic Survey ship, who -persuaded me to take my leave on Mars, as a guest of Shadrak. Shadrak -is one of our advisers, guardian of the Great Waterway, and a big -shot among the hundred thousand odd Martians who rule their planet by -robot control. The Martians watched us develop thousands of years, and -let us go because they're peaceful, and like our energy, till Gregor, -the Tartar dictator came along and messed up the world. Then Shadrak, -and a half dozen others roused themselves, crossed the void to Earth -and liquidated a wad of would be exponents of force. That put the -United States on top with its ideals of democracy, and the Martians -reorganized our form of living, gave us advanced tools, knowledge and -created a technocracy. The Martians sit back, live well and give us -ideas. We do the same for them and everybody's happy. They know how to -contact all forms of life in the solar system, from Mercury to Neptune, -and now, as you know, Earth is a beehive of industry.</p> - -<p>Jim Drake's a thoughtful chap, quiet but a whip. Since he was a kid -Shadrak has liked him. After a few days of fishing, boating, and -general recreation, Shadrak called us in to his domed estate.</p> - -<p>First he showed us his planetarium, and a dark nebula in beyond Orion, -he calls the Noir, speaking with the throat disk because Martians can't -manage our tongue otherwise. That dark, he had just explained, was a -thousand light years beyond the nearer Orion cluster.</p> - -<p>"Behind it," he added, "is a solar system, a sun with six planets. -The third planet is Spor, of the same albedo as Earth, and identical -atmosphere. I know, for my grandfather visited it, and he chose it as a -suitable refuge for ten thousand of your Earthmen."</p> - -<p>I had to break in on that. Jim nudged me, but Shadrak smiled. "Small -wonder you're surprised," he commented. "On Earth you have a legend, -of the lost Atlantis. There was a general submerging of continents. -Millions perished. And we were so moved on Mars that we sent our space -ships. It was one of our few real invasions. Till we visited Gregor, we -hadn't returned. But that time we removed ten thousand, products of an -advanced civilization.</p> - -<p>"We moved those ten thousand to Spor." Jim whistled. "Even that long -ago you traveled ahead of light. I mean, with greater speed."</p> - -<p>Shadrak nodded. "You two are Earthmen we trust. We keep many secrets -because it is best. But in this case—" he paused, "I want you, Jerry -Kos and Jim Drake, to journey to Spor."</p> - -<p>"But it would take years," I put in. "Maybe longer."</p> - -<p>"Twenty two days and six hours, with the new ship just delivered," -Shadrak corrected. "It has a capacity of one thousand. If you return -with a full load, we shall send more ships to Spor."</p> - -<p>Jim looked bewildered. "Maybe it's too much," he said, "but such a -speed is incredible."</p> - -<p>"There is no limit to speed," Shadrak told us. "The problem is of -acceleration, and deceleration. You have that problem in handling the -Pelios, which rides energy beams at the speed of light. Frequencies, -whether of sound or light, as instances, are constant. Therefore we -employ this fact in accelerating. We superimpose frequencies against -frequencies, repelling power, one from the other. The result is a -constant, increasing ratio. In effect, Jim—and you, Jerry—will grasp -it much easier in this manner. If you had a machine throwing a jet -of water, and it touched an opposing jet of water, your propulsion -would build up till the limits of the energy from the opposing jets -were reached. Suppose those jets continued to reach out. As light -frequencies, till you built up your maximum. In a vacuum your speed -would continue at that maximum velocity till you chose to decelerate. -Now deceleration is effected by the same principle. We do it by -hitching to our sun and reaching the maximum in building up speed. In -like manner, another sun can be used to decelerate, by reversing the -process.</p> - -<p>"But enough of that," Shadrak resumed. "Your ship will be robot -controlled. Our own master navigator will get telescreened charts of -your course. Your job will begin when you land, I fear. The planet of -Spor enters the Noir within eighteen months, and a sudden reaction in -that hundred thousand light year wide mass could reduce the engulfing -to eighteen weeks."</p> - -<p>"What does this Noir mean, swallowing up Spor?" I fired that shot. And -it was Jim who answered.</p> - -<p>"Noir's the light absorbing element nobody has lived to analyze. We -know it absorbs all organic life as it does light, electricity, even -sound. It's the black scourge of space."</p> - -<p>"And we're going to play around it, eh? To bring back the descendants -of the lost Atlantis. And where do they go, providing we take 'em off?"</p> - -<p>Shadrak waved a hand vaguely over the horizon. "Here, till we find a -planet suitable. You see, we're responsible. We moved them to Spor. Now -it's our duty to remove them again."</p> - -<p>Jim spoke. "We're ready, whenever you are sir."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Now a lot happened before we curved around the sinister prong of the -Noir, the Milky Way lost behind, even Orion and his companions. We had -ceased marveling at the repellor motors, operated within compact cases -by the efficient robot machines. And I must put in a word for the way -they lifted our big ship from Mars. You don't use rockets any more. -They catapult you, shooting you ten thousand miles outward with rocket -tubes sunk into the ground. You use inverted, concave affairs to catch -the power. And too, we had our first acquaintance with the auxiliary -repellors used inside the ship to offset inertia. This gave us the same -gravity as Earth. And Shadrak called at regular periods on the relief -screen, the new device that gives solidity to an image. He told us a -lot about the transplanted sons and daughters of ancient Atlantis, and -we had the mentameters to make immediate contact with their language -and knowledge. Shadrak had thought of everything.</p> - -<p>The solar system which Shadrak called Maj, crawled around the crescent -of Noir, and we sighted the third planet, giving a ruddy glow. That -gave us a kick, but I felt a shiver as I watched that ebon horn -blotting out the sky, reaching hungrily toward Maj. Jim said the -movement of Noir had been constant at 110 kilometers a second, but -that the speed was building up. He called for a robot check on the tip -of Noir and Spor. After careful study, Jim flashed the telescreen for -Shadrak. "Noir tip at 60 plus 382," he reported.</p> - -<p>Shadrak looked grave. "That gives you no more than four months," he -said. "If the movement accelerates, it will be quite earlier. After you -land, arrange for periodical checks."</p> - -<p>It was time now to begin deceleration. We fixed on the sun of Maj. At -first we couldn't feel a change. It was ten hours before the planets -slowed down, and we curved to meet the pull of Maj. Two days elapsed by -our chronometers before we entered the gravity pull of Spor and began -our spiral descent, much as we would had it been the smaller Pelios. -Our electroscopes found a city, towers and walls gilded by a rising -sun. I worked out the course for Jim and we picked a plain nearby. We -settled on a regular nest of repellor beams, to find an army gathered -without, an army of men and women and children, not at all frightened -and apparently not hostile.</p> - -<p>"Look," Jim cried. "They look like the museum pictures of 2000. The -same kind of cars, and streets."</p> - -<p>It was true. We checked on the atmosphere readings, found the -temperature 76 fahrenheit, a mild spring day. We opened the locks and -stepped out on the soil of Spor, Jim lugging the portable mentameter. -I heard a buzzing sound. An airplane, of ancient vintage, judging by -the museum films, circled overhead. Men in field gray, wearing leather -leggings and caps, rode up on noisy, two wheeled machines.</p> - -<p>"The Twentieth Century comes to life," Jim muttered. "It's like a -dream."</p> - -<p>A man with slightly gray hair stepped from one of the cars, approached -us, flanked by the guards. He spoke, but the words were unintelligible. -Jim smiled, pointed skyward and to the ship. The greeter nodded as -if he understood. Then Jim put down the mentameter pack, adjusted -earphones and the clamp about his temples. He gestured for the other to -do likewise.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Someone protested, and there was an argument, while we waited. Then the -gray haired man spoke with curtness, and the guards fell back. Smiling, -the Spor dweller put on the mentameter receiver. Jim began speaking -slowly. "I am Jim Drake, of Earth, from which your ancestors were -removed from Atlantis by Martians. We were sent here by other Martians."</p> - -<p>The Spor governor, for that was what we learned he was, shouted to the -throng. He spoke excitedly and people began to cheer, to gather more -closely. Then he spoke to Jim. By then I had on the spare receiver.</p> - -<p>"You are fulfilling a legend," the governor said. "From our early days -the writings of our forefathers foretold the day when Earthmen would -come from beyond the dark spaces. I, Tarquin of Spor and governor of -the city of Osmand, welcome you. And if you will pardon my curiosity, -what manner of machine is this, to interpret our thoughts?"</p> - -<p>"Brother," I cut in, "it's as mysterious to me as it must be to you. -The Martians perfected it and hold the secret."</p> - -<p>"You think and talk like one of us," the governor chuckled. "Our -astronomers sighted you yesterday and they predicted a landing at -Osmand. So we are not exactly surprised."</p> - -<p>We wound up with posting a guard about the ship and riding into the -city with Tarquin. A radio in the car reported our progress, the -announcer manifestly excited. We found thousands on streets and -sidewalks and crowding office windows. Above all, we had the feeling -we were among Earthmen, and yet it wasn't our technocratic manner of -life either. There was nothing orderly. And I felt that I liked this -way of living. I was in the same state of mind a week later, when Jim -and I had already learned enough about the language of Spor to talk, -and we'd been cramming on their history from the time the Martians left -off so many centuries before. At Shadrak's suggestion, we'd kept quiet -on our real mission. We found ourselves popular in Osmand as the days -grew on, and we were guests of Governor Tarquin, on a swell estate -bordering a small river. And then, as thousands lined the river for -a water carnival, Tarquin told us all was not well on Spor. We were -on a terrace and it reminded me somehow of Shadrak's place, without -the dome, or eternal robots. "Take this city," he exclaimed. "We are -a democracy, at peace with the world. But across the sea, in Plevia, -there is a colony gathering strength, headed by Garok, a troublemaker -we exiled ten years ago from Osmand."</p> - -<p>"Why not take your planes, fly over and clean him out before he's -strong enough to fight you?" I asked.</p> - -<p>Tarquin gazed at me, and he looked bewildered. "Osmand makes no war. -We have our civil officers, but our army is small. We of Osmand, and -of the other city states on this continent have lived in accord two -thousand years without fighting. Garok will not invade us. But he does -harbor criminals, and thereby makes trouble."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>And that was that. War was simply out of mind. And why not. If ever -there was a placid countryside, which we toured in the next two weeks, -it was the continent upon which Osmand was built. There were farms, -small factories, everywhere homes with large grounds, and men, women -and children employed. Everybody greeted you with a smile, it seemed, -and there was much singing. It got Jim like it did me, and I remember -what a jerk Shadrak pulled us up with, when checking with him from -the ship after a tour of the continent to the other cities—Nostran, -Tula and Polis. Shadrak told us the invading horn of Noir had indeed -accelerated its spread toward the system of Maj and would engulf it -within no less than eight weeks.</p> - -<p>Tarquin accepted our report from Shadrak, for in the legend that -Earthmen would come, was a prophecy of destruction to Spor. "Yes," he -said slowly, pacing his terrace, his family engaged in sports below, -"we have been watching the dark cloud you call Noir. Our astronomers -are uncertain of the result."</p> - -<p>"We're not," Jim said. "Noir will blast every vestige of life from -Spor. The Martians know. They offer refuge on their planet, till you -find another Spor. We can remove the first thousand. The Martians will -send other ships, if you agree."</p> - -<p>"If we agree." Tarquin stood beside the terrace parapet, with the -skyline of Osmand gilded in a low sun. A shaft of light struck -a passenger plane bound for a landing field. Cries of children, -picnicking across the river in a park, drifted to us. Tarquin twisted -a bit of paper into a wad, tossed it to the lawn. Then he turned to -Jim. "I'll radio the other governors," he said. "We must place this -information before them all, and let the people vote."</p> - -<p>"Elections," Jim cried. "That will take weeks. We've got to act now. -Shadrak says the dark nebula has tripled its speed toward Maj in the -last seven days."</p> - -<p>"Yes," Tarquin agreed simply. "That has been noted too, from our -observatory. Last night two stars were blotted out. I'm sorry, my -friends, if we delay. But that is the way to act. Now, if you'll pardon -me, I'll invite the governors for a conference."</p> - -<p>To our surprise Tarquin summoned Garok with the others. He was unlike -the others, a spare, square jawed man no older than Jim Drake, eyes -tending to the shifty side and with the gift of an orator. He could -hardly wait till Tarquin delivered his talk of our mission. I could see -the other governors refused to be stirred as Tarquin. One, Dalin, a -fat, amiable chap, laughed. "Nonsense," he exclaimed. "I'll grant you -these young men may have come from Earth as they come, but they could -be putting over a giant hoax," he added shrewdly.</p> - -<p>"But the astronomers sighted them five thousand miles away," Tarquin -interrupted impatiently. "These men have instruments beyond our -knowledge."</p> - -<p>"Probably stolen," Garok spoke for the first time. His manner was -swaggering, contemptuous. "For all we know they're adventurers from -another planet. And if not, why must we meet to be told fairy tales. -What of a dark cloud? Going to destroy Spor! Bah. A story to frighten -children with. Is this what you brought us here to discuss?" This to -Tarquin.</p> - -<p>The governor of Osmand flushed. I saw Jim's fists clench, but he -remained silent. "We're not here to give opinions, when we don't know -what we're talking about," he snapped. "All our astronomers agree the -dark nebula is sweeping in like a tidal wave. These men journeyed -into our solar system to warn us. I believe them. The question is, do -the people of Spor want to believe, and act. That is the question. I -propose a referendum, the subject explained over our radio nets, to be -held one week from today."</p> - -<p>"That date may be too late," Jim warned. "I suggest—"</p> - -<p>"Bah," Garok cut in. "You want a panic, so that you can loot us."</p> - -<p>That was when Jim sprang to his feet and struck Garok. The leader of -Plevia went down. But he was up and charging like a mad bull a moment -later.</p> - -<p>Tarquin cried out and guards rushed in, separating the men. And now the -governor of Osmand frowned at Jim. "You struck first," he said gravely. -"You struck a guest of mine."</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry," Jim told him. "But it was in desperation, because I -realize the danger to you. Governor, we must act more quickly. We must."</p> - -<p>Tarquin nodded. "So be it. As senior governor of the continental -cities, I set aside the third day from now, and each governor shall -join our radio net, so that the people may hear, and vote as they -choose."</p> - -<p>"You fools," Garok snarled. His right eye was discolored and he glared -at Jim. "I demand this man, to be punished for striking Garok."</p> - -<p>"He is in my custody," Tarquin replied calmly. "For striking a guest of -mine, he must be punished."</p> - -<p>Garok swept the room. I noticed the fat governor, Dalin, cringed. "I -choose to do my own punishing," he snapped and walked from the room. -Dalin glanced about at the silent group. "Your guest will cause us -untold trouble," he said. "I saw it in Garok's eyes. He is seeking a -cause to do damage to us, and you've permitted that cause tonight."</p> - -<p>"If I did, I take the responsibility, Dalin. Do you other gentlemen -agree to put the question before your people and permit the -referendum?"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>In the end they agreed, although it was plain they were more concerned -over Garok than the threat of Noir's black flood. And I had a hunch -Garok had placed doubt in their minds about us. We persuaded Tarquin to -attend our conference with Shadrak. And to our surprise, Shadrak, from -the relief screen, spoke to Tarquin in the latter's tongue. Tarquin -left our ship a man who looked years older. "I must act, at once," -he told us with a sigh. "Why didn't I have our meeting aboard your -ship where they too could have heard, and seen the Martian? It was my -mistake."</p> - -<p>"You're starting at once?" Jim asked.</p> - -<p>Tarquin nodded. "But I'm afraid—afraid there are few who would leave -Osmand, or any of the other continental states.</p> - -<p>"Look about you," he continued. "Here is contentment, peace, a form of -collective security for all. Outside of Garok there is no discontent. -We love Osmand, as the others do their cities."</p> - -<p>"Shadrak called this a Utopia," Jim observed thoughtfully. "I -understand. But we must get the message over, Governor. And quickly."</p> - -<p>I remember how we stood by while Tarquin started at daylight, over -the radio net, explaining it all, and the news agencies were waking -up. Crowds gathered on streets. People stared at us, some without -enthusiasm, and we weren't surprised when Tarquin assigned us guards. -We were getting blamed for the scare, it appeared. By night we were -directed to return to Tarquin's home. Garok, it seemed, was taking -to the radio, making charges, promising to capture and punish us for -trying to create a panic on Spor. Overnight crowds formed outside the -grounds of the governor's home. A large detachment had to guard our -ship, and we made arrangements to return to it. And during these three -days the grim, dark threat of Noir came on, invincible, inevitable, -overspreading one third of the firmament, blotting out star after -star. Shadrak offered no advice, strangely enough. But he kept us -apprised of reports from Martian astronomers. And then, as citizens -of the city states poured out to vote on the question Tarquin had put -before them, Garok struck.</p> - -<p>He came with wave after wave of planes, and he dropped bomb after bomb -of outlawed explosives, not for destruction, but to send the city into -a panic. Too late Jim and I realized we had been a blessing to Garok. -In upsetting the placid lives of the city states, we had furnished -motive and opportunity to strike. It wasn't an invasion such as they -used to have on Earth. But it was onesided, Tarquin's police force -pitifully inadequate. And so as the planes landed, disgorging squads -of men, armed with peculiar flame throwers, Osmand was taken and the -referendum forgotten.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>In our refuge, with no arms save our ray guns, Jim and I looked -helplessly on. So far we had been unmolested. I thought of the -little single seater planes used as Earth patrols, and the blasting -charge in the nose, reserved for emergencies. Jim was pacing the -control room like a caged tiger. Shadrak was away from his post and -we had transcribed our report of Garok's coming, for his screen. Now -he signaled us, somewhat excitedly. Evidently he hadn't seen the -transcription, for he spoke rapidly. "You have ten hours left," he -cried, "before the Noir invades Maj. Ten more hours and you cannot -leave Spor. Act at once." Jim reported in crisp accents of events. -Shadrak swore in fluent Martian. Then he told us to open an emergency -locker. At once robot trucks wheeled out a dandy two seater patrol car, -with 20 millimeter ray guns for armament. "Destroy Garok's force where -necessary," Shadrak ordered. "That completed, proceed at once with -loading. Remove Tarquin's family first. He must be saved at all cost."</p> - -<p>We broke out the rear exit as a two motored plane dived at our space -ship. Jim nosed our patrol car upward. I was at the ray gun controls. -We blew the plane out of the sky. Then we went upstairs. Garok had a -fleet of planes he surely must have taken over from transport lines. -There were different markings on them. Anyway, we knocked down planes, -plenty of them. But scores had landed, with soldiers scattering, to -take over objectives. We went down, blasted groups right and left. On -the landing field we could see police rallying. I worked the ray guns -on ground and sky alike during the next twenty minutes, and Garok's -invaders surviving turned tail, abandoning their comrades already -landed.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""/> - <div class="caption"> - <p><i>We went down blasting ... right and left....</i></p> - </div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>Tarquin was in command as his guards rounded up sullen, but defeated -groups of Garok's men. Sirens were wailing, and we counted a dozen big -fires raging. "Thanks," he acknowledged, nodding at our patrol car. -"Garok is attacking the other cities. They've all asked for help."</p> - -<p>"We'll take his planes," Jim promised. "But you've got to hurry, -Governor. Shadrak says it's a matter of hours."</p> - -<p>Tarquin seemed not to hear Jim. He stared toward the great fires. -"Destruction," he muttered. "The hell of war turned loose after all -these centuries."</p> - -<p>Mobs had poured onto the field. Guards battled with them. The foremost -tried to reach the captured invaders, yelling curses at them. Others -continued toward us. I saw Tarquin stiffen. He ordered a ring of guards -about us. "But why?" Jim demanded.</p> - -<p>"They blame you," Tarquin said bitterly. "For stirring up trouble. In -fact, they're demanding your lives as forfeit."</p> - -<p>"But can't they understand?" Jim cried. "Hasn't it been made plain -enough? You talked with them, explained our coming—"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Tarquin waved a hand toward the angry men and women. Some had -stones, bricks and these they were hurling our way. "You can see -for yourselves," he told us. "Dalin went on the air and blamed you, -opposing our referendum. Said it was idiotic, that departure from Spor -was unthinkable. He argued that his scientists promised the dark gas -would not enter our atmosphere and would be dissipated, permitting -sunlight to enter. My own people of Osmand were in doubt, even before -Garok came. Now—well, they think only of this destruction, and the -factors they blame, including you two."</p> - -<p>"We're going to tackle Garok's other fleets," Jim said briefly. -"Meanwhile, we're expecting you to report our act, and to plead with -the people of Osmand to come with us, as many as we can take. We'll be -back, in a few hours."</p> - -<p>We collided with Garok's air fleet above Dalin's city, while it was at -the height of its raid. It took us exactly eighteen minutes to clean -the air, leaving destroyed planes blazing on all sides. Then we went -on. But we were to get a stiff shock. Garok's sky fleet had vanished -elsewhere.</p> - -<p>"Okay," Jim decided, after we had cruised the coast line, "we'd better -get back to Osmand. If Garok's fled, our mission is completed."</p> - -<p>We withheld reporting through to Shadrak. The sky was unusually black -tonight. Overhead, there were no stars. We raised the flames in Osmand -some fifty miles out. Jim let out an angry yell. "Garok's attacking -again," he cried. "Those are new fires."</p> - -<p>Rockets wide open we raced down toward Osmand. There were new fires. -Jim circled toward the plain where our ship was located. We saw a cone -of flame leap out of the thick night. Garok was bombing the space ship.</p> - -<p>We tore at the invaders like mad swordfish. We knocked them apart, then -went in for a landing. One bomb had landed within twenty feet of the -ship. We got out of the patrol car, sprinted for the big ship. Jim used -a torch, assured himself the craft was undamaged. And when we went -inside, Garok himself was the bird who climbed into our patrol car.</p> - -<p>Pistol bullets cut by our ears as both of us tried to rectify that -damage. Garok didn't know beans about a rocket car. But a dumb, -conceited punk like him could wreck it, so we ignored the soldiers -who'd climbed out of Garok's plane after that noiseless glide of his -and raced for the patrol car.</p> - -<p>Garok yelled something at us and accidentally touched off the ray guns. -His own plane literally went into gas, and his men went down, or turned -into more gas. Then the patrol car streaked skyward, bowling us over. -Twin tongues of angry flame marked his course, higher—higher, blast -wide open. "The fool," Jim cried. "He'll burn the car up, if he gains -any more altitude. The thin atmosphere will fix him—"</p> - -<p>"Maybe he didn't start it on purpose, and can't do anything about it," -I suggested. Jim's face was visible in the glow of the fires. "Maybe -you're right," he agreed. And as if in confirmation, there was a dull -red blob high above. The blob widened, sent out a shower of sparks and -vanished. "And that," Jim commented, "is the last of Garok."</p> - -<p>Evidently Garok's wild scheme to take patrol car and then perhaps our -space ship, was with his last survivors, for we heard no more planes. -A police car arrived. Tarquin had sent them. "The governor advises you -to leave Osmand at once," was the officer's message. "Anger is growing -against you two."</p> - -<p>"Okay by me," I said. "We clean up a mess for you and get the rap. You -don't believe us, so what? We'd better save our own skins."</p> - -<p>"I'm going to make one last appeal to Tarquin," Jim announced. "It's -our duty. You stay here with the ship."</p> - -<p>"Listen you," I sounded off, "if you go back into Osmand, I go with -you. But how?"</p> - -<p>"In the police car." To the surprised officer Jim said: "If Governor -Tarquin guarantees no hope to remove anyone, we'll leave. But first, I -bear him a final message. Will you take us?"</p> - -<p>"I'll take you," the officer said. "But it is foolish. We've got to -take the chance, here on Spor. It's our world, the one we love. Because -you destroyed Garok's men, we'll give you safe conduct."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>They bore us through darkened side streets. By radio we heard the -damage, and of thousands massed in downtown parks, listening to -speakers who demanded our punishment along with the captured invaders. -Tarquin was in his office and had just completed orders to give our -ship full protection. His eyes were sunken. Jim went to the point at -once. "Governor Tarquin, the Martian Shadrak asked us to remove you and -your family, by all means. We must clear Spor by day-break. Or before -noon. Couldn't you persuade others—people of Osmand you want to save, -to go to the ship. If it's a mistake and Noir doesn't wipe everything -out, we can return. You know that. It's not taking a chance. Please, -we're offering life—to all Spor—through you and a thousand others of -Osmand."</p> - -<p>Tarquin led us to a wide window. There was light below, and we saw a -triangular space packed with thousands. Loud speakers were blasting and -we could see a tiny figure on a platform.</p> - -<p>"I tell you the forces of evil envy our world of Spor and seek to -destroy us," the speaker shouted. "What influenced Garok to erupt from -Plevia and attempt to enslave us? I'll answer that question. The men -who came out of the sky with the wild story the end of our universe -is at hand. Bah. Nature sends a dark cloud of gas nearer, and we're -expected to fly into a panic. Our own governor lost his sanity for -that unlikely yarn.</p> - -<p>"I tell you, citizens of Osmand, we have made a civilization of such -prosperity and contentment that word has reached other planets of this -solar system. They sent messengers in disguise, to throw us into panic. -In the future let us arm, and repel any such future invasion as Garok -gave us. Let us punish by death any who come among us and seek to -undermine us by fantastic stories. Men and women of Osmand, we shall -never be frightened out of Osmand, and most certainly not to desert -Spor...."</p> - -<p>"You see," Tarquin spoke presently, with sadness in his voice. "My -family is down there. They consider me mad, to entertain any belief in -what you say."</p> - -<p>"But it is true," Jim cried. "It is true. They must be convinced. Spor -is doomed, in hours. I tell you I am speaking the truth. And surely you -will go with us. You believe us, don't you?"</p> - -<p>"I believe you, Jim Drake. I know Shadrak, and his fellow Martians feel -their responsibility. They saved us once, when they believed Earth was -doomed entirely. It wasn't. And the Martians could be wrong again," he -added hopefully.</p> - -<p>An hour later we were taken by police back to our guarded ship. So -many were on duty that the crowds had drifted back to Osmand. Fires -were out now, and only the street lights were visible. Osmand, to all -outward appearances, was peacefully going to bed. Shadrak, summoned at -our call, came to the telescreen. "I was afraid," he said after Jim -reported. "You have done your best. You have my permission to depart -Spor immediately. The Noir is within twelve hours of Maj."</p> - -<p>"Let's go," I cried. Maybe Tarquin and the others had some hope, but I -was ready to go. Jim's next words sent cold chills down my spine. "May -we stay, till sunrise sir. We should have at least four hours after the -sun of Maj is blotted out, before Spor is reached. Maybe, after they -see the sun eclipsed, some will come to us."</p> - -<p>"There is a chance," Shadrak conceded. "But do not delay. If none come, -be prepared to take the course already transcribed on the robot screen."</p> - -<p>It was midnight. I noted the absence of all stars ahead of Jim. "It's -spreading," I told him. All at once I felt chilled. It was like a -thick, cloudy night on Earth, only more eerie. Like being in a cave. -The darkness seemed to bear down on the lights of Osmand and make them -dimmer. Neither of us slept. We couldn't. We worked on our course -plot, inspected the entire hull and paced every deck till the hour for -daylight.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Only, there was no daylight. The chronometers aboard the ship checked -Martian time, which we still kept. And yet Osmand's lights glowed, -and the rest of Spor was in the darkness of a grotto. Then the city's -lights went out.</p> - -<p>We went outside, staring, conscious of abrupt coldness. Suddenly there -were sirens screaming, then bells. All at once the lights flashed back -on again. "The sun—the sun of Maj," Jim exclaimed, "it's blotted out. -Forever, maybe."</p> - -<p>Panic gripped me. "Let's scram," I told him. Jim shook his head. He -ran into the ship, switched on all lights. The landing lights put the -entire plain in a warm glow. Jim said the people could see us. So we -waited.</p> - -<p>Lights of a fast moving car sped along the highway from Osmand. It -came on, to a quick stop. We saw Tarquin, and a group of men his age. -"They're coming," I told Jim. "They've changed their minds."</p> - -<p>"Tell the others to hurry," Jim shouted, as he ran forward to meet -them. "We haven't more than an hour. The Noir is racing toward Spor -from the sun."</p> - -<p>Tarquin looked like a man already at the door of the beyond. He walked -to us, slowly, head lifted. Then he stopped, and we saw he wore the -robes of his office. So did the others. Slowly Tarquin spoke. "We are -not going with you, Jim Drake."</p> - -<p>"Not going! But man, you know the end. It's death, in less than two -hours. We're risking our own lives and we thought—"</p> - -<p>"None of my family wishes to leave Osmand," the governor said quietly. -"Therefore, I have no desire to survive, without them."</p> - -<p>"But all of you can live, if you come with us."</p> - -<p>"You forget our neighbors, and our kinsmen." Tarquin pointed out -gravely. "I think you do not understand.</p> - -<p>"Life, anywhere else has no attraction for the citizens of Spor. I know -that now, plainly. The referendum would not have registered a thousand -votes of those choosing to abandon the planet, had I sufficient time -to explain, and Garok had not run amuck." Tarquin sighed. "There still -is hope, that this black fog will be dissipated, as our scientists -contend. If not—then it is farewell, men of our parent Earth."</p> - -<p>"What about going to Earth," Jim cried, suddenly inspired. "That would -be different. We'll take you there."</p> - -<p>Tarquin turned and walked to the long, official car. The others -followed, silent, like men sentenced and yet hopeful of reprieve. As he -stood beside the door, Tarquin lifted a hand. But he spoke no more. The -motor roared. Twin lights flashed on the turf....</p> - -<p>We stood there for minutes. I heard a dry sob. Maybe it was from Jim -Drake's throat. Or again, maybe it was from my own. I don't know. We -stood there, till the car's rear light merged with the glow of Osmand's -illumination.</p> - -<p>Jim said, "we've got to start." As he spoke I saw a pup, a dirty, black -and white pooch, tail working, trotting up. I scooped it up. Something -from Spor was going to survive. Then I went to the ship.</p> - -<p>Shadrak's voice was imperative as he called us. "Leaving," Jim shouted -into the transmitter.</p> - -<p>"Waste no time, not even seconds," Shadrak cried. "Hurry."</p> - -<p>The pup whimpered, snuggling against my shins as we lifted the empty -ship.</p> - -<p>Because the robots had the course, I ran to the visual screen and -looked down on Osmand. There were lights everywhere. A searchlight -leaped after us.</p> - -<p>Somebody tapped my shoulder. Jim Drake had joined me. "Living now," he -muttered. "See the pinpoints of light out there—the other cities. In a -few minutes—"</p> - -<p>The words choked off. You see, we had no sun of Maj to fix our beams -upon. We had a distance to go before we could let up on the reserve -engines Shadrak had installed. We had to flee from Noir's engulfing -crescent, and find another star to build up our incredible speed. Till -then, we could only approximate the speed of light. "Look. Building -after building is lighting up. They're going to their shops and their -factories and offices. Just as if the sun were shining."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>We were gazing intently now. There was a clicking sound that told of -Shadrak on the relief screen. He was taking our relay and the scene -was visible to the Martian as well. Only he didn't speak. I think, -in those last moments, we almost held our breaths, Jim and I a few -thousand miles away already—or maybe a few hundred thousand—time had -no bearing. It seemed an awfully long time. Then a dark finger rubbed -out Osmand.</p> - -<p>One moment and we could see the moving lines of traffic, the glowing -windows even. Then there just wasn't anything at all on the screen. Jim -scanned for the other cities. But there was just darkness, impenetrable -darkness. We did see a searchlight break through, a moving finger, -raking through for a split second. Then it, too, vanished.</p> - -<p>From the relief Shadrak spoke. His voice was strangely gentle. "Look -no more, Jim Drake and Jerry Kos. Turn back to your charts. Spor is -gone. You did your best. We know that. It was not your fault. Look -forward. Within thirty minutes you will find the first star to give you -speed."</p> - -<p>It wasn't real, that flight from Maj, with Noir flowing beyond the -sixth planet, its crescent outrider seeking new stars to black out, and -leave dry, lifeless masses in a black universe. On schedule we picked -up our star, and at sight of it we felt the first return of sanity. We -sped back by Orion's family, and into a familiar bit of space, with -Shadrak coming to the screen at intervals, and at other times sending -us transcribed news events from Earth. And thus we crossed the sky, -thrilled by the sight of Neptune, Saturn and his rings, and at last -the disks of Mars and Earth, beneath our own sun, so free of the black -menace. We made a routine landing, settling a short distance from -Shadrak's place. He was there to welcome us, with other Martians. And -Jim walked up to him slowly, holding the tiny, wriggling pup we had -brought along. "The last survivor of Spor," he said. Martians dislike -dogs, although they admire any member of the cat family. But Shadrak -reached out, studied the tiny specimen from Spor. The pup licked his -hand and Shadrak smiled. "Take him back to Earth," he said. "They will -appreciate the animal, better than we." Shadrak tapped each of us in -the Martian way of showing deep affection. "Never reproach yourselves, -because you took a ship to Spor large enough to return a thousand -persons, and returned with this poor animal.</p> - -<p>"I think," he added with a sigh, "we forget too often we are -instruments of a divine power none of us, Earthmen or Martians, or any -other world, can ever understand. It was granted us the privilege of -rescuing men and women of Atlantis and removing them to Spor. 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