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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9f57f44 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,13 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text +*.htm text +*.html text +*.png binary +*.jpg binary +*.svg text +*.pdf binary +*.bmp binary +*.zip binary +*.midi binary +*.mp3 binary diff --git a/79386-0.txt b/79386-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..eff48a2 --- /dev/null +++ b/79386-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,661 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 79386 *** + + + + + The Death's Head Meteor + + By NEIL R. JONES + + [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from + Air Wonder Stories, January 1930.] + + +[Illustration: Neil R. Jones] + + _Slowly the human race is emerging from its earthbound traditions + and is casting its eyes towards the heavens. It was not so many + years ago that weather changes were little understood, and there + was much misinformation connected with them during the past + twenty-five years. We have just begun investigating the atmospheric + ocean, and we are slowly arriving at a point where long range + forecasting becomes possible._ + + _As soon as our activities are extended beyond our earth it will + become necessary to send space flyers to chart the open spaces for + scientific research. It is already known that the space between the + earth and the sun contains a good deal of foreign matter, such as + meteors, and even immense meteoric dust clouds. These, in cutting + off the radiation of the sun, exert a tremendous influence upon our + weather conditions. Furthermore, such meteors may contain strange + and valuable elements. It is the exploration for such things that + our author has used as a basis for his aviation story of outer + space. And, incidentally, it is a story which will keep you on the + jump right through._ + + * * * * * + +High up, on the top floor of a hundred-story building sat a man at +a desk. Before him was an array of dials, a system of switches and +intricate electrical appliances. Several hundred glass bulbs of various +sizes flashed on and off intermittently in the wall over his desk. +Fitting over the top of his head and around his ears was a shining, +silver cap with a wire leading from the top to the apparatus before +him. He was one of the world's interplanetary radio operators of the +twenty-sixth century, sending and receiving daily messages between Mars +and the Earth. + +One of the largest glass bulbs suddenly shot into brilliance, and with +a fierce crackling, an electric spark closed the gap between two metal +cylinders, which paralleled one another about a foot apart. At the same +time, the operator leaned forward, and with practiced hand, quickly +manipulated several of the dials to various points, after which he +threw one of the switches into place. A low droning sound filled the +room, and a large cylinder upon which was rolled a continuous sheet +of thin aluminum began to slowly revolve. As the brilliant blue-white +flare in the glass bulb died away, the droning noise turned to a high +keyed whine which broke off abruptly. The cylinder stopped while the +multitude of tiny glass bulbs again glowed separately at intervals, as +they had been doing just before the message had come in. + +The operator shoved a lever at his side, and a small roller cut across +the large cylinder, releasing a sheet of the thin aluminum which fell +on to the desk before him. Cut through its thin metal texture was the +message from Mars in the three universal languages of the Earth. The +radio operator now turned his attention to a smooth plate which rested +in the shape of a semi-circle about two feet long and half as wide. +On the flat side of the thick composition plate, a black screen arose +several feet in a vertical plane at a right angle to the plate, so +that the screen faced the operator. Placing the aluminum sheet upon +the plate, the operator threw another switch, simultaneously pressing +a button marked "Meteorological Bureau." The screen suddenly glowed, +throwing a series of orange-hued rays on a slant down upon the plate +bearing the narrow sheet of aluminum which grew indistinct, finally +fading, until it disappeared from sight. The radio man threw back the +switch once more and the screen grew black again. The plate was now as +empty and bare as before he had laid the message upon its surface. + +In the Meteorological Bureau, two thousand miles away, the officials +read the message from the aluminum sheet which had been transmitted +by radio. One of them, an elderly man, walked over to the end of the +room, the wall of which was bordered into a squared shape by panels. +The color of the wall inside the dark panelling was a dull gray. He +advanced to a round, metal, inlaid section of the floor. As soon as +his feet came in contact with the metal, a picture suddenly flashed +upon the surface of the wall, and the sounds of exclamations and loud +laughter broke in upon his ears. The elderly scientist was looking into +a comfortable room fitted up with lounges and easy chairs. Four young +men were the sole occupants, being engaged in a game at one of the +tables in the room. + +The game ceased as the four came to sudden attention, facing their +superior who now spoke. + +"Jan Trenton." + +"Here, sir." + +"Get your ship ready for instant duty. I have a message from the +Martian observatory at Fomar which states that several large meteors +are approaching from the region of Jupiter and the asteroid group. It +states that they will pass close to Mars to-night at 23:43, Earth time, +two hundred thousand miles above its South Pole. From past experience, +you know what is required of you. Bring back samples for the Bureau to +analyze as well as any precious stones or metals you may discover." + +The scientist turned towards his companions once more, and as his +feet left the metal section of the floor, the picture immediately +disappeared and the television screen was once more replaced by the +somber, gray color. + +At the space ship base, in the same huge city which held the +Meteorological Bureau, Jan Trenton prepared for his trip. Getting into +a private elevator, he propelled himself at a dizzy speed up through +the interior of the tall building to the roof. The last five stories +were open-air landing bases for the aircraft and space flyers. The +first level was for the air flyers which plied among the ports of the +Earth; the second was reserved for space ship freight carriers going to +and from Mars; the third housed the freight ships which worked between +Venus and the Earth; while the fourth was left to passenger service +between the Earth and the two planets. The top landing level was used +for miscellaneous purposes, the Meteorological Bureau controlling a +section of it for their use. + + +Off Into Space + +As Jan gained the roof, he found everything hustle and bustle, with +space flyers and terrestrial aircraft coming and going. He went to the +hangar of the Meteorological Bureau and entered. A long line of small +space flyers stood side by side. Like the larger space ships, they used +the same means of power, that supplied by atomic energy. A terrific +speed could be obtained in outer space, and the fantastic speed of the +Earth and the other cosmic wanderers of space might well be likened +to the space flyers as the speed of a turtle is compared to that of a +jackrabbit. + +The young astronaut approached his tiny space flyer. It was shaped like +an egg, except that it was more elongated, and the two ends tapered +down to blunt points instead of being rounded. It was mounted upon four +revolving metal spheres set into its keel instead of wheels as landing +gear. It was especially adapted for the use of exploring meteors, +for all sides were studded with grapples and jointed drills as well +as claw-like iron rods. These latter, which were also jointed, were +capable of acting in the capacity of fingers in grasping material and +placing it into the receptacles which lined the sides of the little +space car. All of the exterior apparatus was manipulated by mechanical +control from within. + +Jan inspected his oxygen tanks and fuel supply, and tested out the +mechanism of the craft which he found to be working perfectly. He +called an attendant, and together they wheeled the craft out upon the +roof level which was bathed in the warm sunshine of a June morning. The +young astronaut entered the space flyer, closed the door, and was alone +in the air-tight compartment just large enough to accommodate him. On +the instrument board before him were dials, levers, gauges, buttons and +queer apparatus which controlled and operated the various features of +the craft. He turned on his oxygen supply and his air rejuvenator so +that the air could be used more than once, after which he shoved his +starting lever forward. The craft raced suddenly off the roof and into +the cloudless sky above the vast city of the twenty-sixth century. + +Up and up he arose, until those upon the roof lost sight of his flyer +as it disappeared, a minute speck against the deep blue of the sky. +Below him, the city could be seen as an indistinct, white blur upon a +background of green. Farther and farther he rose until he was in the +rarefied atmosphere of the upper air currents. It grew intensely cold, +and the young astronaut found it necessary to turn on the heating +system. He now increased his speed from an even 300 miles an hour +gradually to 1,000 miles an hour until he should find himself beyond +the friction of the Earth's atmosphere. At this speed, it was but a +short time before the tiny space flyer found itself in the vacuum of +outer space. The little craft had six windows of a thick glass-like +substance which was colored a deep transparent brown to nullify the +blinding glare of the sun. The windows pointed in six different +directions, and it was from these that Jan noticed the daylight ebbing, +to be replaced by the utter blackness of night, except where the +blazing ball of the sun shone through the brown glass windows. Through +one window, he could see the curved contour of the Earth which he was +so rapidly leaving, while from each of the other five windows the +dazzling brilliance of the clustered stars shone with an iridescent +gleam never seen upon Earth. + +Jan did not notice the beauties and wonders of outer space, for he had +seen them many times before, and so he watched his instrument board, +increasing his speed until he hurtled through space in the direction +of Mars at the rate of two thousand miles per second, eating up the +distance at more than seven million miles per hour. While he was in +the vicinity of the Earth, a steady stream of small meteorites beat a +tattoo upon the space ship, but as he left the Earth farther behind, +the meteorites with which he came in contact were few. Many of them +were large, and traveling at the rate of ten to twenty miles per second +could have damaged his flyer. But an instrument recorded the approach +of the large ones, and when one came within a distance of ten thousand +miles, a small bell inside the craft started ringing, while a small +arrow in a glass case pointed out its direction. + +The young astronaut sped on through the ether void for the equivalent +of an Earth day. Through space it was eternal night, with a sun shining +from out of the blackness. Immeasurable distances off in all directions +were millions of suns and worlds. On ahead of him Mars was growing from +a dull red point of fire to a rose-colored sphere, appearing as large +as the moon does from the Earth. The rotating sphere grew larger, in +proportion to the speed of his approach, its two twinkling satellites +becoming visible, one just below, and the other to one side, of the +planet. Behind him, he saw the Earth as a large, green star of the +first magnitude, and on looking sharper, he saw an accompanying point +of light beside it. + +Jan would have liked very much to have landed on Mars so that he could +have stretched his limbs, but he dared not, for the chronometer at his +side told him that if he were to intercept the meteor train the other +side of Mars, he would need all of his time. He rapidly neared the red +planet which now appeared as a huge ball, filling all three of the +nearest windows. Jan made a circuit around the planet, passing by the +darkened half which lay sleeping under the repose of a Martian night, +and continued on towards Jupiter. He sighted the South Pole on Mars, +and kept his ship some two hundred thousand miles above it on a direct +line towards the great planet Jupiter. He watched a dial which recorded +the approach of giant meteors within a distance of a hundred thousand +miles, for soon he expected the group of cosmic wanderers to come +sweeping along on their aimless journey. If he missed them, it would +be necessary to land on Mars and get new bearings at the observatory +before he continued the chase, but he disliked doing this for it would +take more time and be a reflection upon his efficiency. And Jan was +working for a promotion to the passenger limited between Venus and Mars. + + +The Meteor Train + +The bell tinkled! He looked at the dial and saw that the needle pointed +straight ahead of him upon the course he was pursuing. The company +of meteors were rushing toward him head on. He turned his flyer on a +slant, and slackened his speed continuously for hours until finally it +was down to twenty miles per second. He was rushing off at an acute +angle so that he would avoid a possible collision. He watched the +needle and saw that the train of meteors would soon be opposite him. +He was careful to place himself on the sunward side of their approach, +for had he been on the opposite side, they would have passed within a +few feet of his flyer and he would have been unaware of it, except that +his dials would have announced their proximity. He now watched the dial +which recorded the smaller number of miles, and saw that the meteors +were a thousand miles distant. Turning his flyer back in the direction +from which he had come, he ran parallel to the course the celestial +bodies would pursue, slackening his speed down to ten miles per second. +The distance, as his dial informed him, was rapidly being decreased +by the oncoming meteor train. It was now within five hundred miles of +him, uncomfortably close, considering the fact that he was not entirely +certain of its speed. The astronaut was traveling ten miles per +second in the same direction as the meteors' course, and the cluster +comprising the meteor train was bearing down upon him, so he figured +that it must be traveling at approximately fifteen miles per second. He +tested it by speeding up his space flyer to the same rate; it gained on +him slightly. The young astronaut decided to allow it to pass him, and +then come up from behind; so continuing at fifteen miles per second, he +awaited its passing, five miles from its course. + +He saw it only as a sudden indistinct flicker, for it passed at a speed +greater by three thousand miles per hour than his own. Increasing his +speed, he began to creep up behind the meteor cluster, preparing for +his hazardous work of running alongside one of the meteors at the same +exact speed, and hooking on with his grapples. It required nerve, +precision and dexterity, and many an astronaut had met his death trying +to ride a meteor in the seas of space. + +He soon came within sight of the cosmic wanderers and whisked by them. +It was hard work attuning his speed exactly to that of the meteor +group, and as he slackened his speed, the meteors flashed past him once +more, reflecting the sunlight which struck them. It was the delicate +control of the little space craft which finally enabled the astronaut +to ride even with the meteor train only a hundred yards away. From this +distance he surveyed it. The head was composed of three huge meteors +better than two hundred feet thick with rough, jagged sides, resembling +miniature mountains careening through space. In the wake of the first +three, came smaller ones with fragments intermingled with dust. + +[Illustration: _The head was composed of three huge meteors better than +two hundred feet thick, with rough sides resembling miniature mountains +careening through space. In the wake of the first three came smaller +ones._] + +The young astronaut singled out the nearest of the large meteors and +sent his space ship in on a narrow slant which would gradually converge +with the course of the meteor, bringing the two together. One hand was +ready on the switch operating the grapples, while his other hand rested +on the steering controls. All immediate danger would be over when he +grappled on to the celestial body, but it was perilous work, requiring +experience, skill and steady nerves in order to close successfully upon +the giant meteor. + +The sun beat its blinding light upon the rugged, uneven side of the +huge meteor, throwing into sharp relief every detail. The sunlit +portions lay scattered over its face, relieved by numerous shadows due +to the fact that the irregular surface did not allow the sunlight to +strike all of the meteor's side which faced the sun. These shadows, +because the great rock lacked a surrounding atmosphere, lay etched in +bold relief, so that the sunlit side of the meteor presented a series +of shadows and illuminated crags to the young astronaut. + +Probably the remains of an old comet, thought Jan, gazing thoughtfully +at the meteor he was nearing slowly but surely. It was odd how queer it +was shaped, bulging at the top, and narrowing at the bottom. Somehow, +it was an unpleasant reminder of something he had seen but could not +place at the moment. He was within a hundred feet of the great piece of +rock, and gradually the distance narrowed as they raced along through +space together at the rate of sixteen miles a second. + +Suddenly, an uncomfortable discovery forced itself upon the mind of +the young astronaut. As he neared the meteor, he recognized what it +resembled, and why it had stirred his memory so strangely. From a short +distance away, it bore the perfect likeness of a death's head! There +was the white, bulging forehead, the sloping jaws, and two huge, round +shadows, with a third midway below it, for the sunken eyeholes and the +nose. Most horrible of all was the mouth, bearing the fixed grin of +death! The death's head glared at him malevolently, as if issuing an +ominous warning! + +Jan Trenton was not superstitious. Superstition had died out completely +from the Earth hundreds of years ago. But the abruptness of the +discovery, and its gruesome appearance startled the young astronaut +and, for the first time in his career as a lone space flyer, he felt +himself weighed down with an overwhelming sense of loneliness. Out in +this vast depth of endless space he was millions of miles from friends +and all manifestations of life with this grinning effigy, one of the +freakish coincidences of the Universe, as a solitary companion. From +whence had this meteor come? Probably from the region of the asteroids +adjacent to Jupiter, possibly from outside the solar system, from some +other system of worlds, having traveled to this destiny perhaps for the +last billion years or more. + +He had half a mind to swerve off from his prospective landing on the +huge meteor, and couple on to one of the other two, but he laughed +at himself and his unreasonable timidity. He dispelled by ridiculing +himself the morbid imaginings, which had been stimulated through sight +of the death's head. He prepared to go through with his original plans, +despite the fact that the task was strangely distasteful. + +The young astronaut was now very close, so close that the meteor +towered above the little space ship. Jan stood ready at the grapple +controls, waiting for the supreme moment of contact. It came with a +terrific jar which threw him out of his seat against the side of the +flyer, bruising him severely, just as he shoved over the grappling +controls. He must have made a slight mistake in his calculations of +angles, thought Jan, for he had not been prepared for the shock of the +contact which greeted him. The grapples had taken hold, anyway, and he +was safe for the present, at least. He feared, however, that part of +his outside apparatus had been damaged in the contact, but if there was +enough of it left with which to work on the meteor, he did not care, +for he could have it repaired when he got back to Earth, or he might +even stop at one of the Martian stations, for that matter. + + +Caught! + +He tested the grapple controls, the rock drills and the iron fingers, +finding that over half the number on the flyer next the meteor were +either broken or jammed out of shape. With the remaining exterior +apparatus, he took samples of the meteor's substance, drilling out +small chunks and depositing them into the receptacles along the side. +The next procedure was to ascertain whether or not the meteor contained +valuable metals, unknown substances or precious stones. + +Before him, at the top of his instrument board were three dials ranged +in a row. The central dial was a huge affair, while its two companions, +one on each side, were a great deal smaller. Each of the two small +dials was equipped with a small manipulator which moved the needle +around the face. The dial on the left represented the means by which +the young astronaut discovered whether or not a meteor held diamonds, +sapphires or other valuable stones. At various intervals around the +face of the dial, the names of all precious stones known to science +were marked off. By slowly moving the arrow around the dial, and +pointing to the name of each individual jewel, it was possible to find +out the presence of one or more of the stones. Above the dial was a +small light which flashed on whenever the arrow pointed at a type of +stone which was present in the meteor's mass. + +The small dial on the extreme right operated on the same principle +except that it was for finding various metals. Around the rim of the +large dial in the middle, was listed all of the elements composing the +Universe. Opposite the name of each element was a small indicator which +swung away from it, pointing towards the center of the dial; outside, +rested a series of small buttons, each button communicating with one +of the elements listed within the dial. A button depressed would cause +the tiny indicator to swing out of neutral and point to the element, +providing that element was present in the meteor's composition. In this +manner, a great many combinations not listed on the two smaller dials +could be formed to ascertain their possible existence within the meteor. + +Jan tested the meteor for the various stones. It was entirely devoid +of gems. Had he discovered a supply within the wanderer of space, the +astronaut would have drilled them out, providing they were near the +surface, for the little space flyer was equipped with the facility for +pointing out the definite location of the stones as well as recording +their proximity. In case of their being too deep for the surface +drills, he would chart the course of the meteor, and if the deposit of +jewels or metals proved valuable enough, a wrecking crew would be sent +out a few days later to overtake the meteor and extract its treasures. + +He now turned his attention to the right hand dial, his hand upon the +manipulator which sent the arrow around the face in short, periodic +jerks. As he expected, the light above the dial flashed on when the +arrow pointed to "iron." He found that the bulky mass also contained +nickel, and a small amount of platinum whose scarcity did not warrant +the trouble of its extraction. The central dial proved the fact that +the meteor's main constituents consisted of iron and aside from the +nickel and platinum deposits was entirely devoid of all other minerals. + +Having finished with the death's head meteor, Jan decided to cast loose +and explore the other two celestial wanderers which comprised the +meteor train. The astronaut loosened the grapples, and threw in his +controls which would send him away from the meteor. To his surprise, +the space flyer refused to move. He turned on more power, and still +his flyer did not budge, though he knew that his atomic energy machine +was functioning perfectly, for his instrument board told him that. +Evidently the force of his contact with the meteor had been so great +that the little space car had become wedged in the side of the meteor, +or else the twisted parts of the broken grapples and the other exterior +apparatus which had been damaged in the collision, had become jammed +into the meteor when the two came together. It was certain that he was +stuck fast, and that he must search for some means which would effect +his release from the predicament in which he found himself. He wished +now that he had heeded the grave premonitions the sight of the gruesome +meteor had awakened in his mind, and avoided contact with it. But +then, it was likely to happen to any space flyer engaged in the same +hazardous pursuit as his. + +He worked vainly at the controls of the damaged grapples and the +jointed, exterior appliances, but the attempt was useless for they +remained as immovable as if cast in a mold of steel. He was a prisoner, +a prey to the death's head meteor which carried him farther away with +it every moment, traveling at sixteen miles a second. They would soon +pass by Mars, continue upon a route midway between the Earth and +that planet, and eventually on out of the solar system towards the +distant stars. What would be his fate? Would he starve, or his oxygen +supply give out? Jan did not for a moment contemplate such thoughts. +The Meteorological Bureau, seeing that he did not return within a +reasonable time, would radio Mars, and the observatories of both +worlds would train their giant telescopes upon the meteor train and +discover his plight. No doubt, they were watching him now, the largest +telescopes revealing his space ship as a small bright speck upon one +of the three larger spots. It would be only a question of time, then, +before help would be sent him, and his release obtained. + +His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a crashing jolt which once +more threw him out of his seat at the instrument board just as it had +done when his car had landed upon the meteor. What had happened? The +meteor must have struck something, and it could be nothing more than +one of its two companions, for there was nothing else in this vast void +for it to strike. It might have been another flock of meteors, and had +it been so, his instrument board would have announced their approach +long before this. + +Jan's logical reasoning, and his cool headedness in the face of the +alarming situation, led him to the following solution. When his space +car had landed upon the meteor, the force of the contact had been great +enough to push the celestial wanderer off its course slightly, and all +of the time it had slowly but surely converged its plane of direction +with that of its nearer companion, so that they had come together at an +acute angle, producing the shock he had just felt. + +If this was so, thought the young astronaut, then the course of the +meteor upon which his space ship was imprisoned must have veered again, +following the second contact, slightly changing its course once more. +He examined his instrument board and peered out of the brown glass +window into the black, cosmic void. The sight which greeted his eyes +appalled him with its terrifying significance fraught with sinister +menace! Below him was the planet Mars, and the meteor on its changed +course was rushing at it full speed! The red planet appeared as a half +circle of light, new contours appearing upon its face from out of the +darkened half. + +The face of the young astronaut was drawn into tense lines, as he +turned about towards his instrument board to find that the distance +between himself and the planet Mars was a little better than a hundred +thousand miles. He rapidly figured that unless he could release the +space flyer from the giant meteor, he had but two hours in which to +live! The death's head meteor, which was originally charted to pass +by the planet Mars was now, through two slight collisions with the +space flyer and the other meteor, plunging head on towards Mars! Jan +visualized his end. The wanderer of space with its prisoner, traveling +sixteen miles a second, would hurl itself into the Martian atmosphere +which, though thinner than that of the Earth, would offer a great +enough friction to create out of the meteor a blazing ball of fire, +screaming through the air like a juggernaut to bury itself beneath the +surface of Mars with a terrible detonation! + + +A Desperate Hope + +While the meteor was miles above Mars in the upper reaches of the +rarefied atmosphere, the young astronaut would die of the intense heat +from the friction of the air. Under the terrific heat, the space flyer +would explode and burn up to a cinder within the space of a fleet +second, to leave the death's head meteor mass continuing on its wild +flight to destruction! + +Jan Trenton quickly snapped himself out of the channel of gloomy, +terrorizing thoughts which assailed his mind, holding it paralyzed for +a brief moment. He had nearly two hours by Earth time before the meteor +reached Mars, and he would die like a man, fighting for his life to the +very last minute. He gazed out of the window on the side towards the +meteor to note his position, and find out in what manner he was caught. +A chill crept over him at the irony of fate! The little space car was +jammed up against that dark rift of shadow which was likened to the +mouth of the death's head! From a short distance, it would appear as +if the grinning skull held the space flyer in its teeth, carrying it +rapidly to oblivion! + +If he could only have torn the imprisoned grapples free. But this was +impossible in view of the fact that they were on the outside where +he could not gain access to them. He released his atomic energy in +all directions, trying to work his way loose, but the flyer was as +immovable as a part of the meteor itself. He placed a terrific power +behind him, capable of sending him racing through space at top speed +had he been free. It was well that the staunch little craft had no +weak spot or it would have torn itself to pieces. But the space car +was strongly made and the effect of its great, atomic energy release +was not to free the space ship or divert the course of the meteor, but +to cause a surprising result. The meteor began to rotate on its axis, +slowly turning in the direction opposite to that of the power release. + +The planet Mars flashed past the window at short intervals, its +semi-circle of light glowing a dull red. As Jan peered from the window +during several complete rotations of the big meteor, he saw that +the rest of the meteor train had vanished, no doubt pursuing their +original, aimless course past Mars. + +The young astronaut had one last plan, and he lost no time in +proceeding to put it into operation. He would attempt to drill his way +out with the exterior drills on the little craft towards the side which +was held by the meteor. It was a question whether or not the drills +could free him before the meteor crashed into Mars. He reached quickly +for the controls which operated the drills to find that there were only +three drills on that side of the flyer towards the meteor which had not +been damaged. The others had either been broken off or else lay twisted +amid the wreckage of the exterior apparatus which imbedded itself in +the meteor. Jan set them going, directing their sharp ends into the +rock around the point at which the little space craft clung to the +meteor. Tiny showers of dust rattled against the sides of the flyer as +the drills bit into the huge meteor rotating slowly, as it ate up the +distance to the great world upon which it was destined to crash. + +The young astronaut watched the three drills work, operating them from +inside the flyer, while at frequent intervals he would steal glances +at his chronometer, and then at the Martian planet which was gradually +filling his field of vision. A feeling of sickly despair tugged at this +heart, and hope grew dim as he saw that he had less than three quarters +of an hour left. He had drilled a series of holes in the meteor all the +way around the imprisoned grapples, at a distance of several inches +apart. With the steel fingers on the jointed rods outside his car, he +had torn away what rock had been loosened, and still the flyer clung +to the face of the whirling meteor rushing towards Mars at a frightful +speed, diminishing the distance at nearly a thousand miles a minute. + +Still he worked doggedly at his controls, and a cold sweat broke +out upon him as he watched the minute hand crawl slowly around the +chronometer. Glancing at his three drills, he saw that one of them +needed changing, and proceeded to place it in a new position. His +spirits were at low ebb, but as long as life existed in his body, the +young astronaut would continue the attempt to free his imprisoned +flyer, and extricate himself. Jan felt that in his perilous calling he +had cheated death too long, and that this time the grim reaper held +the winning cards. The hands on the chronometer had now stolen to a +position which indicated that less than fifteen minutes were left him. +The vibration of the drills could still be felt within the space flyer, +and a steady swish of meteoric debris against the side of the craft +made itself heard. + +Jan gazed dully out of the window away from the meteor whose rotation +gave him a round-trip view of the entire sky. He was now so close to +Mars that he could clearly discern some of the mountain ranges and +flat, red deserts as the planet swung past his eyes. He gazed longingly +at the brilliant green star, his home, which turned upon its orbit +far off in space. He had left it for the last time. The scintillating +stars gleamed brilliantly in the blackness and from the incandescent +mass of the sun leaped great columns of flame. Once more the meteor had +completed its day of little more than a minute, and the certainty of +doom grew more ominous. + +As the last minute crept around on the chronometer, Jan Trenton +prepared for his end. Setting the three drills working at their maximum +speed, he turned on the entire power of the craft as it sailed down +into the Martian atmosphere with the meteor on its terrific flight. +A glare of light flitted quickly through the windows, and a weird +whistling arose to a wailing scream. Just before he lost consciousness, +the young astronaut was aware of a great wave of heat which swept over +him like a blast from a furnace. + +The meteor struck upon the darkened side of Mars at an hour closely +preceding dawn. Martians who saw it, afterward described it as a great +ball of fire which rushed out of the sky like a comet, setting the +heavens aglow with its glare. While still high in the air, it exploded +with a loud concussion which was heard for hundreds of miles, the +masses of scattered fragments catapulting themselves into the quivering +ground, throwing up a cascade of dirt and rocks, flattening trees, and +leaving great craters. It appeared to burst into two large central +nucleii with smaller pieces surrounding them. Those near its landing +place reported a tremendous wave of suffocating heat which swept the +vicinity when the meteor landed. + + +Deliverance + +As Jan came to himself, his first sensation was a dizzy feeling in his +head, and the oppressive warmth within the space flyer. He gathered +his scattered wits together. Hadn't the crash come yet? It couldn't be +possible that the meteor had missed the great planet for which it had +been headed so squarely. He looked about him in a confused manner, not +quite brought to his entire senses. His brain was still hazy, and he +felt greatly exhausted as his wandering eyes fell upon the dial board. +It was registering top speed! + +With great effort, he painfully drew himself towards the brown glass +window and looked out--into the intense darkness of space in which were +set myriads of scintillating stars. He looked on the other side for +the death's head meteor, but it was gone. All that remained of it was +a chunk about three feet thick and as long, around which the wreckage +of the twisted grapples lay entwined. Above the meteoric fragment, the +three drills still churned, one of them broken in half. Jan looked +behind him, and out of the window he could discern a small red blot, +Mars, far to the rear, and growing smaller. + +For a moment he could not understand the miracle which had occurred. +Then gradually it dawned upon him that he had been grasped from the +jaws of death just in time. The presence of the meteor's chunk and the +oppressive heat within the space car gave testimony of his deliverance +before entering the atmosphere of Mars. + +The space car containing the unconscious young astronaut had whirled +off through the outer layer of Martian atmosphere and into the coldness +of space once more. This accounted for the suffocating heat inside the +flyer where the intense friction from the thin, rarefied air had heated +the space ship. He must have penetrated it at a terrible speed on his +outward flight. He had been unconscious for a bare five minutes, and +already he was nearly fifty thousand miles from Mars. He started the +air rejuvenator to clear the hot, stuffy interior of the craft, after +which he turned the flyer and headed back for Mars. + +In the radio receiving station on the Earth, the big glass bulb set in +the wall above the operator's head suddenly flashed, and an electric +spark snapped and crackled as it closed the gap between two metal +cylinders. The operator mechanically adjusted the dials and switches, +and the cylinder containing the aluminum sheet began turning, filling +the room with its droning noise. As the bulb grew dark once more, and +the roller came to a stop, the aluminum sheet cleaved from off the +roller and fell to the desk before the operator. + +Before placing it upon the transmitter plate and pressing the button +marked "Meteorological Bureau," the silver-capped operator reviewed the +message curiously. It was the report of one of the astronauts employed +by the government Bureau of Meteorology, Jan Trenton by name. It seemed +that he was stopping over at Mars while his ship underwent certain +repairs, and that he would report for further duty the next day. + +Such is the life of an astronaut. + + THE END. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 79386 *** diff --git a/79386-h/79386-h.htm b/79386-h/79386-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5463901 --- /dev/null +++ b/79386-h/79386-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,776 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + The Death's Head Meteor | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3 { + 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.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} +@media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } +hr.full {width: 95%; margin-left: 2.5%; margin-right: 2.5%;} +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + +x-ebookmaker-drop {display: none;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap { font-variant:small-caps; } + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +.caption p +{ + text-align: center; + text-indent: 0; + margin: 0.25em 0; + font-weight: bold; +} + +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; +} + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.ph1 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; } +.ph1 { font-size: x-large; margin: .83em auto; } + +.ph2 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; } +.ph2 { font-size: medium; margin: .83em auto; } + + </style> +</head> + +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 79386 ***</div> + + +<div class="titlepage"> + +<h1>The Death's Head Meteor</h1> + +<p class="ph1">By NEIL R. JONES</p> + +<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br> +Air Wonder Stories, January 1930.]</p> + +</div> + +<hr class="chap"> + +<div class="figcenter"> + <img src="images/neil.jpg" alt=""> + <div class="caption"> + <p>Neil R. Jones</p> + </div> +</div> + +<hr class="chap"> + +<div class="blockquot"> + +<p><i>Slowly the human race is emerging from its earthbound traditions +and is casting its eyes towards the heavens. It was not so many +years ago that weather changes were little understood, and there was +much misinformation connected with them during the past twenty-five +years. We have just begun investigating the atmospheric ocean, and we +are slowly arriving at a point where long range forecasting becomes +possible.</i></p> + +<p><i>As soon as our activities are extended beyond our earth it will become +necessary to send space flyers to chart the open spaces for scientific +research. It is already known that the space between the earth and the +sun contains a good deal of foreign matter, such as meteors, and even +immense meteoric dust clouds. These, in cutting off the radiation of +the sun, exert a tremendous influence upon our weather conditions. +Furthermore, such meteors may contain strange and valuable elements. It +is the exploration for such things that our author has used as a basis +for his aviation story of outer space. And, incidentally, it is a story +which will keep you on the jump right through.</i></p> +</div> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>High up, on the top floor of a hundred-story building sat a man at +a desk. Before him was an array of dials, a system of switches and +intricate electrical appliances. Several hundred glass bulbs of various +sizes flashed on and off intermittently in the wall over his desk. +Fitting over the top of his head and around his ears was a shining, +silver cap with a wire leading from the top to the apparatus before +him. He was one of the world's interplanetary radio operators of the +twenty-sixth century, sending and receiving daily messages between Mars +and the Earth.</p> + +<p>One of the largest glass bulbs suddenly shot into brilliance, and with +a fierce crackling, an electric spark closed the gap between two metal +cylinders, which paralleled one another about a foot apart. At the same +time, the operator leaned forward, and with practiced hand, quickly +manipulated several of the dials to various points, after which he +threw one of the switches into place. A low droning sound filled the +room, and a large cylinder upon which was rolled a continuous sheet +of thin aluminum began to slowly revolve. As the brilliant blue-white +flare in the glass bulb died away, the droning noise turned to a high +keyed whine which broke off abruptly. The cylinder stopped while the +multitude of tiny glass bulbs again glowed separately at intervals, as +they had been doing just before the message had come in.</p> + +<p>The operator shoved a lever at his side, and a small roller cut across +the large cylinder, releasing a sheet of the thin aluminum which fell +on to the desk before him. Cut through its thin metal texture was the +message from Mars in the three universal languages of the Earth. The +radio operator now turned his attention to a smooth plate which rested +in the shape of a semi-circle about two feet long and half as wide. +On the flat side of the thick composition plate, a black screen arose +several feet in a vertical plane at a right angle to the plate, so +that the screen faced the operator. Placing the aluminum sheet upon +the plate, the operator threw another switch, simultaneously pressing +a button marked "Meteorological Bureau." The screen suddenly glowed, +throwing a series of orange-hued rays on a slant down upon the plate +bearing the narrow sheet of aluminum which grew indistinct, finally +fading, until it disappeared from sight. The radio man threw back the +switch once more and the screen grew black again. The plate was now as +empty and bare as before he had laid the message upon its surface.</p> + +<p>In the Meteorological Bureau, two thousand miles away, the officials +read the message from the aluminum sheet which had been transmitted +by radio. One of them, an elderly man, walked over to the end of the +room, the wall of which was bordered into a squared shape by panels. +The color of the wall inside the dark panelling was a dull gray. He +advanced to a round, metal, inlaid section of the floor. As soon as +his feet came in contact with the metal, a picture suddenly flashed +upon the surface of the wall, and the sounds of exclamations and loud +laughter broke in upon his ears. The elderly scientist was looking into +a comfortable room fitted up with lounges and easy chairs. Four young +men were the sole occupants, being engaged in a game at one of the +tables in the room.</p> + +<p>The game ceased as the four came to sudden attention, facing their +superior who now spoke.</p> + +<p>"Jan Trenton."</p> + +<p>"Here, sir."</p> + +<p>"Get your ship ready for instant duty. I have a message from the +Martian observatory at Fomar which states that several large meteors +are approaching from the region of Jupiter and the asteroid group. It +states that they will pass close to Mars to-night at 23:43, Earth time, +two hundred thousand miles above its South Pole. From past experience, +you know what is required of you. Bring back samples for the Bureau to +analyze as well as any precious stones or metals you may discover."</p> + +<p>The scientist turned towards his companions once more, and as his +feet left the metal section of the floor, the picture immediately +disappeared and the television screen was once more replaced by the +somber, gray color.</p> + +<p>At the space ship base, in the same huge city which held the +Meteorological Bureau, Jan Trenton prepared for his trip. Getting into +a private elevator, he propelled himself at a dizzy speed up through +the interior of the tall building to the roof. The last five stories +were open-air landing bases for the aircraft and space flyers. The +first level was for the air flyers which plied among the ports of the +Earth; the second was reserved for space ship freight carriers going to +and from Mars; the third housed the freight ships which worked between +Venus and the Earth; while the fourth was left to passenger service +between the Earth and the two planets. The top landing level was used +for miscellaneous purposes, the Meteorological Bureau controlling a +section of it for their use.</p> + + +<p>Off Into Space</p> + +<p>As Jan gained the roof, he found everything hustle and bustle, with +space flyers and terrestrial aircraft coming and going. He went to the +hangar of the Meteorological Bureau and entered. A long line of small +space flyers stood side by side. Like the larger space ships, they used +the same means of power, that supplied by atomic energy. A terrific +speed could be obtained in outer space, and the fantastic speed of the +Earth and the other cosmic wanderers of space might well be likened +to the space flyers as the speed of a turtle is compared to that of a +jackrabbit.</p> + +<p>The young astronaut approached his tiny space flyer. It was shaped like +an egg, except that it was more elongated, and the two ends tapered +down to blunt points instead of being rounded. It was mounted upon four +revolving metal spheres set into its keel instead of wheels as landing +gear. It was especially adapted for the use of exploring meteors, +for all sides were studded with grapples and jointed drills as well +as claw-like iron rods. These latter, which were also jointed, were +capable of acting in the capacity of fingers in grasping material and +placing it into the receptacles which lined the sides of the little +space car. All of the exterior apparatus was manipulated by mechanical +control from within.</p> + +<p>Jan inspected his oxygen tanks and fuel supply, and tested out the +mechanism of the craft which he found to be working perfectly. He +called an attendant, and together they wheeled the craft out upon the +roof level which was bathed in the warm sunshine of a June morning. The +young astronaut entered the space flyer, closed the door, and was alone +in the air-tight compartment just large enough to accommodate him. On +the instrument board before him were dials, levers, gauges, buttons and +queer apparatus which controlled and operated the various features of +the craft. He turned on his oxygen supply and his air rejuvenator so +that the air could be used more than once, after which he shoved his +starting lever forward. The craft raced suddenly off the roof and into +the cloudless sky above the vast city of the twenty-sixth century.</p> + +<p>Up and up he arose, until those upon the roof lost sight of his flyer +as it disappeared, a minute speck against the deep blue of the sky. +Below him, the city could be seen as an indistinct, white blur upon a +background of green. Farther and farther he rose until he was in the +rarefied atmosphere of the upper air currents. It grew intensely cold, +and the young astronaut found it necessary to turn on the heating +system. He now increased his speed from an even 300 miles an hour +gradually to 1,000 miles an hour until he should find himself beyond +the friction of the Earth's atmosphere. At this speed, it was but a +short time before the tiny space flyer found itself in the vacuum of +outer space. The little craft had six windows of a thick glass-like +substance which was colored a deep transparent brown to nullify the +blinding glare of the sun. The windows pointed in six different +directions, and it was from these that Jan noticed the daylight ebbing, +to be replaced by the utter blackness of night, except where the +blazing ball of the sun shone through the brown glass windows. Through +one window, he could see the curved contour of the Earth which he was +so rapidly leaving, while from each of the other five windows the +dazzling brilliance of the clustered stars shone with an iridescent +gleam never seen upon Earth.</p> + +<p>Jan did not notice the beauties and wonders of outer space, for he had +seen them many times before, and so he watched his instrument board, +increasing his speed until he hurtled through space in the direction +of Mars at the rate of two thousand miles per second, eating up the +distance at more than seven million miles per hour. While he was in +the vicinity of the Earth, a steady stream of small meteorites beat a +tattoo upon the space ship, but as he left the Earth farther behind, +the meteorites with which he came in contact were few. Many of them +were large, and traveling at the rate of ten to twenty miles per second +could have damaged his flyer. But an instrument recorded the approach +of the large ones, and when one came within a distance of ten thousand +miles, a small bell inside the craft started ringing, while a small +arrow in a glass case pointed out its direction.</p> + +<p>The young astronaut sped on through the ether void for the equivalent +of an Earth day. Through space it was eternal night, with a sun shining +from out of the blackness. Immeasurable distances off in all directions +were millions of suns and worlds. On ahead of him Mars was growing from +a dull red point of fire to a rose-colored sphere, appearing as large +as the moon does from the Earth. The rotating sphere grew larger, in +proportion to the speed of his approach, its two twinkling satellites +becoming visible, one just below, and the other to one side, of the +planet. Behind him, he saw the Earth as a large, green star of the +first magnitude, and on looking sharper, he saw an accompanying point +of light beside it.</p> + +<p>Jan would have liked very much to have landed on Mars so that he could +have stretched his limbs, but he dared not, for the chronometer at his +side told him that if he were to intercept the meteor train the other +side of Mars, he would need all of his time. He rapidly neared the red +planet which now appeared as a huge ball, filling all three of the +nearest windows. Jan made a circuit around the planet, passing by the +darkened half which lay sleeping under the repose of a Martian night, +and continued on towards Jupiter. He sighted the South Pole on Mars, +and kept his ship some two hundred thousand miles above it on a direct +line towards the great planet Jupiter. He watched a dial which recorded +the approach of giant meteors within a distance of a hundred thousand +miles, for soon he expected the group of cosmic wanderers to come +sweeping along on their aimless journey. If he missed them, it would +be necessary to land on Mars and get new bearings at the observatory +before he continued the chase, but he disliked doing this for it would +take more time and be a reflection upon his efficiency. And Jan was +working for a promotion to the passenger limited between Venus and Mars.</p> + + +<p>The Meteor Train</p> + +<p>The bell tinkled! He looked at the dial and saw that the needle pointed +straight ahead of him upon the course he was pursuing. The company +of meteors were rushing toward him head on. He turned his flyer on a +slant, and slackened his speed continuously for hours until finally it +was down to twenty miles per second. He was rushing off at an acute +angle so that he would avoid a possible collision. He watched the +needle and saw that the train of meteors would soon be opposite him. +He was careful to place himself on the sunward side of their approach, +for had he been on the opposite side, they would have passed within a +few feet of his flyer and he would have been unaware of it, except that +his dials would have announced their proximity. He now watched the dial +which recorded the smaller number of miles, and saw that the meteors +were a thousand miles distant. Turning his flyer back in the direction +from which he had come, he ran parallel to the course the celestial +bodies would pursue, slackening his speed down to ten miles per second. +The distance, as his dial informed him, was rapidly being decreased +by the oncoming meteor train. It was now within five hundred miles of +him, uncomfortably close, considering the fact that he was not entirely +certain of its speed. The astronaut was traveling ten miles per +second in the same direction as the meteors' course, and the cluster +comprising the meteor train was bearing down upon him, so he figured +that it must be traveling at approximately fifteen miles per second. He +tested it by speeding up his space flyer to the same rate; it gained on +him slightly. The young astronaut decided to allow it to pass him, and +then come up from behind; so continuing at fifteen miles per second, he +awaited its passing, five miles from its course.</p> + +<p>He saw it only as a sudden indistinct flicker, for it passed at a speed +greater by three thousand miles per hour than his own. Increasing his +speed, he began to creep up behind the meteor cluster, preparing for +his hazardous work of running alongside one of the meteors at the same +exact speed, and hooking on with his grapples. It required nerve, +precision and dexterity, and many an astronaut had met his death trying +to ride a meteor in the seas of space.</p> + +<p>He soon came within sight of the cosmic wanderers and whisked by them. +It was hard work attuning his speed exactly to that of the meteor +group, and as he slackened his speed, the meteors flashed past him once +more, reflecting the sunlight which struck them. It was the delicate +control of the little space craft which finally enabled the astronaut +to ride even with the meteor train only a hundred yards away. From this +distance he surveyed it. The head was composed of three huge meteors +better than two hundred feet thick with rough, jagged sides, resembling +miniature mountains careening through space. In the wake of the first +three, came smaller ones with fragments intermingled with dust.</p> + +<hr class="chap"> + +<div class="figcenter"> + <img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""> + <div class="caption"> + <p><i>The head was composed of three huge meteors better than +two hundred feet thick, with rough sides resembling miniature mountains +careening through space. In the wake of the first three came smaller +ones.</i></p> + </div> +</div> + +<hr class="chap"> + + +<p>The young astronaut singled out the nearest of the large meteors and +sent his space ship in on a narrow slant which would gradually converge +with the course of the meteor, bringing the two together. One hand was +ready on the switch operating the grapples, while his other hand rested +on the steering controls. All immediate danger would be over when he +grappled on to the celestial body, but it was perilous work, requiring +experience, skill and steady nerves in order to close successfully upon +the giant meteor.</p> + +<p>The sun beat its blinding light upon the rugged, uneven side of the +huge meteor, throwing into sharp relief every detail. The sunlit +portions lay scattered over its face, relieved by numerous shadows due +to the fact that the irregular surface did not allow the sunlight to +strike all of the meteor's side which faced the sun. These shadows, +because the great rock lacked a surrounding atmosphere, lay etched in +bold relief, so that the sunlit side of the meteor presented a series +of shadows and illuminated crags to the young astronaut.</p> + +<p>Probably the remains of an old comet, thought Jan, gazing thoughtfully +at the meteor he was nearing slowly but surely. It was odd how queer it +was shaped, bulging at the top, and narrowing at the bottom. Somehow, +it was an unpleasant reminder of something he had seen but could not +place at the moment. He was within a hundred feet of the great piece of +rock, and gradually the distance narrowed as they raced along through +space together at the rate of sixteen miles a second.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, an uncomfortable discovery forced itself upon the mind of +the young astronaut. As he neared the meteor, he recognized what it +resembled, and why it had stirred his memory so strangely. From a short +distance away, it bore the perfect likeness of a death's head! There +was the white, bulging forehead, the sloping jaws, and two huge, round +shadows, with a third midway below it, for the sunken eyeholes and the +nose. Most horrible of all was the mouth, bearing the fixed grin of +death! The death's head glared at him malevolently, as if issuing an +ominous warning!</p> + +<p>Jan Trenton was not superstitious. Superstition had died out completely +from the Earth hundreds of years ago. But the abruptness of the +discovery, and its gruesome appearance startled the young astronaut +and, for the first time in his career as a lone space flyer, he felt +himself weighed down with an overwhelming sense of loneliness. Out in +this vast depth of endless space he was millions of miles from friends +and all manifestations of life with this grinning effigy, one of the +freakish coincidences of the Universe, as a solitary companion. From +whence had this meteor come? Probably from the region of the asteroids +adjacent to Jupiter, possibly from outside the solar system, from some +other system of worlds, having traveled to this destiny perhaps for the +last billion years or more.</p> + +<p>He had half a mind to swerve off from his prospective landing on the +huge meteor, and couple on to one of the other two, but he laughed +at himself and his unreasonable timidity. He dispelled by ridiculing +himself the morbid imaginings, which had been stimulated through sight +of the death's head. He prepared to go through with his original plans, +despite the fact that the task was strangely distasteful.</p> + +<p>The young astronaut was now very close, so close that the meteor +towered above the little space ship. Jan stood ready at the grapple +controls, waiting for the supreme moment of contact. It came with a +terrific jar which threw him out of his seat against the side of the +flyer, bruising him severely, just as he shoved over the grappling +controls. He must have made a slight mistake in his calculations of +angles, thought Jan, for he had not been prepared for the shock of the +contact which greeted him. The grapples had taken hold, anyway, and he +was safe for the present, at least. He feared, however, that part of +his outside apparatus had been damaged in the contact, but if there was +enough of it left with which to work on the meteor, he did not care, +for he could have it repaired when he got back to Earth, or he might +even stop at one of the Martian stations, for that matter.</p> + + +<p>Caught!</p> + +<p>He tested the grapple controls, the rock drills and the iron fingers, +finding that over half the number on the flyer next the meteor were +either broken or jammed out of shape. With the remaining exterior +apparatus, he took samples of the meteor's substance, drilling out +small chunks and depositing them into the receptacles along the side. +The next procedure was to ascertain whether or not the meteor contained +valuable metals, unknown substances or precious stones.</p> + +<p>Before him, at the top of his instrument board were three dials ranged +in a row. The central dial was a huge affair, while its two companions, +one on each side, were a great deal smaller. Each of the two small +dials was equipped with a small manipulator which moved the needle +around the face. The dial on the left represented the means by which +the young astronaut discovered whether or not a meteor held diamonds, +sapphires or other valuable stones. At various intervals around the +face of the dial, the names of all precious stones known to science +were marked off. By slowly moving the arrow around the dial, and +pointing to the name of each individual jewel, it was possible to find +out the presence of one or more of the stones. Above the dial was a +small light which flashed on whenever the arrow pointed at a type of +stone which was present in the meteor's mass.</p> + +<p>The small dial on the extreme right operated on the same principle +except that it was for finding various metals. Around the rim of the +large dial in the middle, was listed all of the elements composing the +Universe. Opposite the name of each element was a small indicator which +swung away from it, pointing towards the center of the dial; outside, +rested a series of small buttons, each button communicating with one +of the elements listed within the dial. A button depressed would cause +the tiny indicator to swing out of neutral and point to the element, +providing that element was present in the meteor's composition. In this +manner, a great many combinations not listed on the two smaller dials +could be formed to ascertain their possible existence within the meteor.</p> + +<p>Jan tested the meteor for the various stones. It was entirely devoid +of gems. Had he discovered a supply within the wanderer of space, the +astronaut would have drilled them out, providing they were near the +surface, for the little space flyer was equipped with the facility for +pointing out the definite location of the stones as well as recording +their proximity. In case of their being too deep for the surface +drills, he would chart the course of the meteor, and if the deposit of +jewels or metals proved valuable enough, a wrecking crew would be sent +out a few days later to overtake the meteor and extract its treasures.</p> + +<p>He now turned his attention to the right hand dial, his hand upon the +manipulator which sent the arrow around the face in short, periodic +jerks. As he expected, the light above the dial flashed on when the +arrow pointed to "iron." He found that the bulky mass also contained +nickel, and a small amount of platinum whose scarcity did not warrant +the trouble of its extraction. The central dial proved the fact that +the meteor's main constituents consisted of iron and aside from the +nickel and platinum deposits was entirely devoid of all other minerals.</p> + +<p>Having finished with the death's head meteor, Jan decided to cast loose +and explore the other two celestial wanderers which comprised the +meteor train. The astronaut loosened the grapples, and threw in his +controls which would send him away from the meteor. To his surprise, +the space flyer refused to move. He turned on more power, and still +his flyer did not budge, though he knew that his atomic energy machine +was functioning perfectly, for his instrument board told him that. +Evidently the force of his contact with the meteor had been so great +that the little space car had become wedged in the side of the meteor, +or else the twisted parts of the broken grapples and the other exterior +apparatus which had been damaged in the collision, had become jammed +into the meteor when the two came together. It was certain that he was +stuck fast, and that he must search for some means which would effect +his release from the predicament in which he found himself. He wished +now that he had heeded the grave premonitions the sight of the gruesome +meteor had awakened in his mind, and avoided contact with it. But +then, it was likely to happen to any space flyer engaged in the same +hazardous pursuit as his.</p> + +<p>He worked vainly at the controls of the damaged grapples and the +jointed, exterior appliances, but the attempt was useless for they +remained as immovable as if cast in a mold of steel. He was a prisoner, +a prey to the death's head meteor which carried him farther away with +it every moment, traveling at sixteen miles a second. They would soon +pass by Mars, continue upon a route midway between the Earth and +that planet, and eventually on out of the solar system towards the +distant stars. What would be his fate? Would he starve, or his oxygen +supply give out? Jan did not for a moment contemplate such thoughts. +The Meteorological Bureau, seeing that he did not return within a +reasonable time, would radio Mars, and the observatories of both +worlds would train their giant telescopes upon the meteor train and +discover his plight. No doubt, they were watching him now, the largest +telescopes revealing his space ship as a small bright speck upon one +of the three larger spots. It would be only a question of time, then, +before help would be sent him, and his release obtained.</p> + +<p>His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a crashing jolt which once +more threw him out of his seat at the instrument board just as it had +done when his car had landed upon the meteor. What had happened? The +meteor must have struck something, and it could be nothing more than +one of its two companions, for there was nothing else in this vast void +for it to strike. It might have been another flock of meteors, and had +it been so, his instrument board would have announced their approach +long before this.</p> + +<p>Jan's logical reasoning, and his cool headedness in the face of the +alarming situation, led him to the following solution. When his space +car had landed upon the meteor, the force of the contact had been great +enough to push the celestial wanderer off its course slightly, and all +of the time it had slowly but surely converged its plane of direction +with that of its nearer companion, so that they had come together at an +acute angle, producing the shock he had just felt.</p> + +<p>If this was so, thought the young astronaut, then the course of the +meteor upon which his space ship was imprisoned must have veered again, +following the second contact, slightly changing its course once more. +He examined his instrument board and peered out of the brown glass +window into the black, cosmic void. The sight which greeted his eyes +appalled him with its terrifying significance fraught with sinister +menace! Below him was the planet Mars, and the meteor on its changed +course was rushing at it full speed! The red planet appeared as a half +circle of light, new contours appearing upon its face from out of the +darkened half.</p> + +<p>The face of the young astronaut was drawn into tense lines, as he +turned about towards his instrument board to find that the distance +between himself and the planet Mars was a little better than a hundred +thousand miles. He rapidly figured that unless he could release the +space flyer from the giant meteor, he had but two hours in which to +live! The death's head meteor, which was originally charted to pass +by the planet Mars was now, through two slight collisions with the +space flyer and the other meteor, plunging head on towards Mars! Jan +visualized his end. The wanderer of space with its prisoner, traveling +sixteen miles a second, would hurl itself into the Martian atmosphere +which, though thinner than that of the Earth, would offer a great +enough friction to create out of the meteor a blazing ball of fire, +screaming through the air like a juggernaut to bury itself beneath the +surface of Mars with a terrible detonation!</p> + + +<p>A Desperate Hope</p> + +<p>While the meteor was miles above Mars in the upper reaches of the +rarefied atmosphere, the young astronaut would die of the intense heat +from the friction of the air. Under the terrific heat, the space flyer +would explode and burn up to a cinder within the space of a fleet +second, to leave the death's head meteor mass continuing on its wild +flight to destruction!</p> + +<p>Jan Trenton quickly snapped himself out of the channel of gloomy, +terrorizing thoughts which assailed his mind, holding it paralyzed for +a brief moment. He had nearly two hours by Earth time before the meteor +reached Mars, and he would die like a man, fighting for his life to the +very last minute. He gazed out of the window on the side towards the +meteor to note his position, and find out in what manner he was caught. +A chill crept over him at the irony of fate! The little space car was +jammed up against that dark rift of shadow which was likened to the +mouth of the death's head! From a short distance, it would appear as +if the grinning skull held the space flyer in its teeth, carrying it +rapidly to oblivion!</p> + +<p>If he could only have torn the imprisoned grapples free. But this was +impossible in view of the fact that they were on the outside where +he could not gain access to them. He released his atomic energy in +all directions, trying to work his way loose, but the flyer was as +immovable as a part of the meteor itself. He placed a terrific power +behind him, capable of sending him racing through space at top speed +had he been free. It was well that the staunch little craft had no +weak spot or it would have torn itself to pieces. But the space car +was strongly made and the effect of its great, atomic energy release +was not to free the space ship or divert the course of the meteor, but +to cause a surprising result. The meteor began to rotate on its axis, +slowly turning in the direction opposite to that of the power release.</p> + +<p>The planet Mars flashed past the window at short intervals, its +semi-circle of light glowing a dull red. As Jan peered from the window +during several complete rotations of the big meteor, he saw that +the rest of the meteor train had vanished, no doubt pursuing their +original, aimless course past Mars.</p> + +<p>The young astronaut had one last plan, and he lost no time in +proceeding to put it into operation. He would attempt to drill his way +out with the exterior drills on the little craft towards the side which +was held by the meteor. It was a question whether or not the drills +could free him before the meteor crashed into Mars. He reached quickly +for the controls which operated the drills to find that there were only +three drills on that side of the flyer towards the meteor which had not +been damaged. The others had either been broken off or else lay twisted +amid the wreckage of the exterior apparatus which imbedded itself in +the meteor. Jan set them going, directing their sharp ends into the +rock around the point at which the little space craft clung to the +meteor. Tiny showers of dust rattled against the sides of the flyer as +the drills bit into the huge meteor rotating slowly, as it ate up the +distance to the great world upon which it was destined to crash.</p> + +<p>The young astronaut watched the three drills work, operating them from +inside the flyer, while at frequent intervals he would steal glances +at his chronometer, and then at the Martian planet which was gradually +filling his field of vision. A feeling of sickly despair tugged at this +heart, and hope grew dim as he saw that he had less than three quarters +of an hour left. He had drilled a series of holes in the meteor all the +way around the imprisoned grapples, at a distance of several inches +apart. With the steel fingers on the jointed rods outside his car, he +had torn away what rock had been loosened, and still the flyer clung +to the face of the whirling meteor rushing towards Mars at a frightful +speed, diminishing the distance at nearly a thousand miles a minute.</p> + +<p>Still he worked doggedly at his controls, and a cold sweat broke +out upon him as he watched the minute hand crawl slowly around the +chronometer. Glancing at his three drills, he saw that one of them +needed changing, and proceeded to place it in a new position. His +spirits were at low ebb, but as long as life existed in his body, the +young astronaut would continue the attempt to free his imprisoned +flyer, and extricate himself. Jan felt that in his perilous calling he +had cheated death too long, and that this time the grim reaper held +the winning cards. The hands on the chronometer had now stolen to a +position which indicated that less than fifteen minutes were left him. +The vibration of the drills could still be felt within the space flyer, +and a steady swish of meteoric debris against the side of the craft +made itself heard.</p> + +<p>Jan gazed dully out of the window away from the meteor whose rotation +gave him a round-trip view of the entire sky. He was now so close to +Mars that he could clearly discern some of the mountain ranges and +flat, red deserts as the planet swung past his eyes. He gazed longingly +at the brilliant green star, his home, which turned upon its orbit +far off in space. He had left it for the last time. The scintillating +stars gleamed brilliantly in the blackness and from the incandescent +mass of the sun leaped great columns of flame. Once more the meteor had +completed its day of little more than a minute, and the certainty of +doom grew more ominous.</p> + +<p>As the last minute crept around on the chronometer, Jan Trenton +prepared for his end. Setting the three drills working at their maximum +speed, he turned on the entire power of the craft as it sailed down +into the Martian atmosphere with the meteor on its terrific flight. +A glare of light flitted quickly through the windows, and a weird +whistling arose to a wailing scream. Just before he lost consciousness, +the young astronaut was aware of a great wave of heat which swept over +him like a blast from a furnace.</p> + +<p>The meteor struck upon the darkened side of Mars at an hour closely +preceding dawn. Martians who saw it, afterward described it as a great +ball of fire which rushed out of the sky like a comet, setting the +heavens aglow with its glare. While still high in the air, it exploded +with a loud concussion which was heard for hundreds of miles, the +masses of scattered fragments catapulting themselves into the quivering +ground, throwing up a cascade of dirt and rocks, flattening trees, and +leaving great craters. It appeared to burst into two large central +nucleii with smaller pieces surrounding them. Those near its landing +place reported a tremendous wave of suffocating heat which swept the +vicinity when the meteor landed.</p> + + +<p>Deliverance</p> + +<p>As Jan came to himself, his first sensation was a dizzy feeling in his +head, and the oppressive warmth within the space flyer. He gathered +his scattered wits together. Hadn't the crash come yet? It couldn't be +possible that the meteor had missed the great planet for which it had +been headed so squarely. He looked about him in a confused manner, not +quite brought to his entire senses. His brain was still hazy, and he +felt greatly exhausted as his wandering eyes fell upon the dial board. +It was registering top speed!</p> + +<p>With great effort, he painfully drew himself towards the brown glass +window and looked out—into the intense darkness of space in which were +set myriads of scintillating stars. He looked on the other side for +the death's head meteor, but it was gone. All that remained of it was +a chunk about three feet thick and as long, around which the wreckage +of the twisted grapples lay entwined. Above the meteoric fragment, the +three drills still churned, one of them broken in half. Jan looked +behind him, and out of the window he could discern a small red blot, +Mars, far to the rear, and growing smaller.</p> + +<p>For a moment he could not understand the miracle which had occurred. +Then gradually it dawned upon him that he had been grasped from the +jaws of death just in time. The presence of the meteor's chunk and the +oppressive heat within the space car gave testimony of his deliverance +before entering the atmosphere of Mars.</p> + +<p>The space car containing the unconscious young astronaut had whirled +off through the outer layer of Martian atmosphere and into the coldness +of space once more. This accounted for the suffocating heat inside the +flyer where the intense friction from the thin, rarefied air had heated +the space ship. He must have penetrated it at a terrible speed on his +outward flight. He had been unconscious for a bare five minutes, and +already he was nearly fifty thousand miles from Mars. He started the +air rejuvenator to clear the hot, stuffy interior of the craft, after +which he turned the flyer and headed back for Mars.</p> + +<p>In the radio receiving station on the Earth, the big glass bulb set in +the wall above the operator's head suddenly flashed, and an electric +spark snapped and crackled as it closed the gap between two metal +cylinders. The operator mechanically adjusted the dials and switches, +and the cylinder containing the aluminum sheet began turning, filling +the room with its droning noise. As the bulb grew dark once more, and +the roller came to a stop, the aluminum sheet cleaved from off the +roller and fell to the desk before the operator.</p> + +<p>Before placing it upon the transmitter plate and pressing the button +marked "Meteorological Bureau," the silver-capped operator reviewed the +message curiously. It was the report of one of the astronauts employed +by the government Bureau of Meteorology, Jan Trenton by name. It seemed +that he was stopping over at Mars while his ship underwent certain +repairs, and that he would report for further duty the next day.</p> + +<p>Such is the life of an astronaut.</p> + +<p class="ph2"><span class="smcap">The End.</span></p> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 79386 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/79386-h/images/cover.jpg b/79386-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cb9084e --- /dev/null +++ b/79386-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/79386-h/images/illus.jpg b/79386-h/images/illus.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ae0a96d --- /dev/null +++ b/79386-h/images/illus.jpg diff --git a/79386-h/images/neil.jpg b/79386-h/images/neil.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..242a763 --- /dev/null +++ b/79386-h/images/neil.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c72794 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This book, 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. 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