by Roland Starr
Vonner went to a window and peered out, and saw the Zukon craft hovering over the landing site. Faces were showing at portholes in the craft, black, triangular faces that stared around suspiciously.
“Keep still,” Den Thol warned. “They must think we are dead. We’re fortunate this is a seven-man craft and not one of the larger ships they have in use. This one doesn’t carry a heavy enough power source to destroy this building. You stay here, Captain. I’m going into the airlock to get a shot at them the moment they settle. They may come in closer if I hold my fire. They’ll want to ensure that we are finished before going for Bardo.”
Vonner nodded, and kept well back from the window. He saw the craft settling lower and lower, and his pulses raced as he thought of their chances now. If they could capture this craft then there was an outside chance of success.
Den Thol moved away, and Vonner ducked as another beam of light darted from the nose of the Zukon craft. The building rocked and a tingling sensation hit Vonner hard. He clenched his hands and kept low, powerless to do anything to help the Pravan.
When he peered from the window again he saw the Zukon craft coming in to settle, and there were several faces clustered at an observation port in the nose. He stared at the triangular faces and knew despair because he hadn’t been able to arrange a truce. But deep inside he knew that he had arrived much too late to do anything about the situation. Zukon was a doomed planet, as were all the other planets in the galaxies throughout the Universe. When it’s time came a star burned out or exploded, and so the process went on and on.
The Zukons were easing nearer to the blockhouse, and Vonner could see little space between the craft and the ground. He guessed Den Thol was ready now, but awaiting the right moment, and time seemed to halt as the Zukons checked and rechecked to the best of their ability.
Then the craft touched down, and instantly a purple beam of light leaped out from the side of the building. Vonner saw the craft begin to glow until its whole shape was alight. Then the glow faded, and as it disappeared Den Thol came back into the room.
“It is done, Captain, and we have to act quickly in case Captain Tryxx is coming down to the planet. You’d better wait here until I’ve gained an entrance to the Zukon ship. I’ll have to damage its airlock, but that won’t stop us leaving the planet and gaining orbit. I shall be able to withstand the pressures and the ill effects of the atmosphere out there better than you. Wait until I have boarded the craft before following, and try not to inhale during the time you are out in the open.
Vonner nodded. “I’ll watch you from the airlock,” he said. “I’ll run across as soon as you get into the craft.”
The Pravan nodded, and a thin smile touched his face. Then he turned and departed, and Vonner waited until the outer door of the airlock was opened before manipulating the controls to seal it once more. By the time he was in the airlock, Den Thol had reached the Zukon craft, and Vonner saw the purple beam of the Ultrobeam strike the airlock of the ship.
Den Thol had increased the power of the Ultrobeam, and Vonner, peering through the porthole in the side of the airlock, saw the airlock of the craft burst open. The Pravan disappeared inside and Vonner took a deep breath, jerked open the airlock door and sprinted for the Zukon craft.
His lungs were almost at bursting point before he reached the side of the craft, but he fought off the temptation to breathe. Specks floated before his eyes as he reached the craft and began to clamber aboard. He entered the shattered airlock and opened the inner door, sprawling inside and gasping for air as he twisted to slam the door at his back.
Den Thol was busy disarming the unconscious Zukons and pulling them clear of the controls. Vonner caught his breath and went to help, but the Pravan smiled.
“There is no need to tie them, Captain,” he said. “They will not recover their senses until I use the reverser on them.”
“Can you pilot this craft, Den Thol?” Vonner moved to a window and peered out. “Bardo is lying up there on the ridge. We’ve got to pick him up.”
“There are some Zukon space suits aboard, Captain. They will be ill-fitting, but they will protect us.” The Pravan moved to the pilot’s seat and Vonner followed.
Den Thol proved that he could handle the craft, and he moved it over the cratered ground, lifting it a dozen feet to clear projections. He switched on the panels and screens, and almost at once the face of Captain Tryxx appeared on the communication screen. The Pravan hurriedly switched off, and he glanced at Vonner.
“Did he see you, do you think?” Vonner demanded.
“I don’t think so. The communicator was set to receive. If you can work out when Orion will be in this part of the planet again I’ll know when to lift off to meet it. We cannot spend too long in orbit after leaving the ground or Tryxx will guess that we have taken over here.”
As if the Zukon had heard his name, the communication screen lit up and Tryxx appeared once more. Vonner could not understand what was being said, but Den Thol looked at him and smiled tightly.
“He’s calling us for a progress report. I can’t cut him off when he is transmitting, but if we don’t transmit then he can’t pick us up in here.”
“He won’t be in orbit,” Vonner mused. “It’s going to be close, Den Thol.”
The Pravan nodded, and concentrated upon handling the machine. They finished up hovering over the ridge where Bardo was lying, and Vonner peered down and saw Bardo’s limp figure.
“I didn’t kill him,” Den Thol said. “He’ll come around as soon as I use the reverser on him. But you’ll have to get him in unaided. There will be some lockers aft. You’ll find Zukon space suits in one of them. Be as quick as you can, Captain, and when you have got Bardo aboard we’ll reseal the airlock so we can blast off into orbit.”
Vonner went aft and found the suits. They were much too large and the helmet didn’t seem to touch his head anywhere, but he donned one and tested the air supply. The air smelled bad but was suitable for him, and he went to the airlock and let himself out, dropping the four feet to the ground. Bardo lay only feet away, completely unconscious, and Vonner found it difficult to get the man aboard. But he struggled heroically, spurred on by the knowledge that time was still against them. Captain Tryxx would be concerned about this craft now, having received no reply to his calls, and if he showed up too soon then another setback would occur.
After an exhausting struggle, Vonner got Bardo aboard and through the airlock, and he found barely enough strength to close the airlock. He was breathing raggedly, and removed the big helmet to reduce the pressure on his lungs. Then he sank down, gasping, staring at Den Thol as the Pravan looked around at him.
“Check for the remote control, Captain,” Den Thol called. “We’ve got to get away from here as soon as possible. Tryxx is suspicious, and may be coming down to check.”
Vonner nodded and moved to where Bardo lay, but as he bent over the unconscious man the ship seemed to jump sideways and stand on one end. Losing his balance, Vonner went sprawling on top of the unconscious Zukons lying in the passageway, and before he could grab anything to stop his movement the craft crashed down to the ground with a force that jarred every bone in his body. At the same instant all the lights went out and the power failed, and silence settled in around them. Several shudders passed through the frame of the craft, just as if it were dying, Vonner thought dazedly, and the knowledge that they were in a great deal of trouble helped him regain his wits quickly. When he tried to get to his feet he discovered that the ship was lying on its side!
CHAPTER XIII
Vonner was dazed, but his mind was working remotely, and he stared around, seeing Bardo and the paralysed Zukons lying in a jumble around him. Den Thol had strapped himself into the pilot’s seat, and was hanging limply over the controls. Vonner saw that the craft was lying on its left side, and the interior was gloomy with the lights off. He stood upright to try and peer through a porthole, but all he could see outside was the ominously dark sky.
Shock seeped into Vonner’s mind, and he wondered what had happened. Had the volcano finally exploded completely, or had Tryxx’s craft come down to attack?
There wasn’t time to stand wondering, Vonner knew. He leaned over Den Thol and checked the Pravan. A trickle of blood showed on the man’s right temple, but he was alive, and Vonner knew relief as he straightened and tried to look forward through the transparent nose.
Den Thol groaned and began to stir, and Vonner unbuckled the Pravan and lowered him to rest comfortably. He went around the long cabin, dragging the Zukons into an orderly row, and when he reached Bardo he searched the pocket of the man’s space suit, finding the remote control that Den Thol was so concerned about.
It was a flat oblong box with a dial on the front and a semi-circle of figures. A small green light was flashing on the top, and Vonner frowned as he stared at it. He took the remote control back to where Den Thol was lying.
The ship was rocking uneasily, and Vonner could see red flashes in the sky when he peered outside. He bent over the Pravan and tried to revive him. Den Thol was groaning intermittently, but slowly coming to his senses. Vonner sat back, tired and drained of vitality. The heavy atmosphere of the planet was beginning to have effect upon him. He stared at the remote control in his hand and wondered about the green light. He hoped it didn’t indicate what he thought was happening.
A strong wind had sprung up since they’d entered the craft, and Vonner could see three-foot waves beating against the dark shore. Spray was spilling over the transparent nose, and even as he watched the wind seemed to get stronger and the waves rose higher. The light inside the craft was ruddy, flickering and unsteady, and some of the motions of the craft were not caused by the action of the sea.
Den Thol opened his eyes and lifted a hand to his head. For a moment his eyes showed no intelligence, but when he looked into Vonner’s face his memory returned, and he started up quickly.
“The remote control!” he gasped.
Vonner held it out, and saw horror dawn on the Pravan’s face as he stared at it.
“This has been activated!” He snatched it out of Vonner’s hand and stared at the dial. A long sigh escaped him and he slumped back, staring into Vonner’s face. For a moment silence held them, and in the background Vonner could hear the muffled sounds of the volcano exploding with more intensity.
“Can you switch it off?” Vonner demanded, and his voice seemed to echo eerily.
“No! The device will explode in twenty minutes. The time lag is to give us time to leave Zukon orbit and get to a fairly safe distance.” Den Thol started unsteadily to his feet, and Vonner reached out a hand to steady him. “We are on one side!” There was shocked surprise on the Pravan’s face as he stared into Vonner’s face.
“And in the sea!” Vonner spoke in clipped tones. “I don’t know if the volcano was responsible, or if Tryxx came down and blasted us.”
Den Thol quickly recovered from his dazedness, and Vonner watched while the Pravan went around the cabin. In a few moments Den Thol load summed up the situation, and he returned to where Vonner was standing.
“We cannot operate the airlock,” he said. “It is completely underwater, and the door is jammed against the seabed. There is so little time left.” He pushed by Vonner and sat down on the side of the pilot’s seat, reaching out an unsteady hand to operate the communicator. He was still holding the remote control in his left hand, and Vonner watched the green light on it flickering monotonously as impulses surged through it.
Den Thol began to call Orion, but there was a lot of static on the air and Vonner knew the Zukons were still jamming the wavelengths. He looked through the nose of the craft and saw that they were settling into deeper water, or the waves were higher. The rocking motion was more intense, and there were grating sounds as the craft began to settle into mud. The water was becoming cloudy with silt, and Vonner turned abruptly and went to the lockers at the rear of the cabin, dragging out the spacesuits. He began to pull one on, except for the helmet, and when he was attired he went back to where Den Thol was still trying to raise Orion.
“You’d better get into a suit, Den Thol,” he said. “Let me take over!”
The Pravan nodded and slid away, and Vonner took his place. But he spun the wavelength dial and began to call for Captain Tryxx. He stared intently at the video screen, and for long moments it seemed to mock him with its inanimate surface. Then it began to glow, and he felt a surge of hope as a triangular face began to shimmer and take form, until it was substantial enough for him to recognise Captain Tryxx. The Zukon spoke to him in his own language, but changed into English when he saw Vonner on his own screen.
“I thought you were dead, Captain,” Tryxx said. “What are you doing aboard a Zukon craft? Where are its crew?”
“We’ve taken them prisoner, Captain,” Vonner replied. He saw Tryxx glance away, and knew the Zukon was checking another screen, probably getting the bearings of the stricken craft. He saw the flicker of a smile on Tryxx’s face, and then the Zukon’s eyes met his squarely.
“You’ve dropped yourself into a lot of trouble, Captain,” Tryxx said. “You cannot see it, but there is a lava flow very close to your craft. It has come through the ridge via a gully. At the moment it is pouring into the sea, which is boiling in places. There is a temperature gauge just in front of you and to the left. If you check it you will see that it is showing a danger signal. What has happened to the remote control?”
“We have it aboard, Captain.” Vonner was clutching at straws now. “If you want it you’ll have to come and get it.”
“I am already on my way down,” came the sibilant reply. “You are trapped in that craft, Captain. It will do you no good to try and resist. There is little enough you can do about this situation.”
“You’re quite right, Captain,” Vonner replied. “I am admitting defeat. We cannot raise Orion, and that’s why I’ve called you. We are ready to surrender to you.”
“Stand by to be taken!” There was triumph showing on Tryxx’s long, pointed face. The screen flickered and faded, and Vonner switched off.
“You can’t mean that!” Den Thol said hoarsely, and Vonner turned to look at him. “It doesn’t make any difference, you know. If Tryxx gets his hands on this remote control there’s nothing he can do to stop the inevitable. In sixteen minutes this planet is going to explode.”
“I’m aware of that,” Vonner said.
“You’re not planning to bring Tryxx down here to make sure he’s killed with us, are you?” Den Thol shook his head. “Your nature would not permit you to do that.”
“No.” Vonner shook his head. “We cannot contact Orion from the surface of the planet, and Tryxx has the only ship available to take us into orbit. He doesn’t know the remote control is in operation so he intends getting it.
When he lands you can get his ship with the Ultrobeam!”
“Of course!” Den Thol shook his head. “My senses are still whirling. “I cannot think straight! It was the blow on the head. I’ll leave the craft now and wait for Tryxx to land. I’ll have to burn a hole in the hull, so you’ll have to wear a helmet, Captain. And make sure Bardo’s suit is working correctly.”
“Good luck,” Vonner said. “Wait until Tryxx opens his airlock before you turn your Ultrobeam on him, Den Thol. That way you won’t have to burn through his hull. We’ll need to get away at the fastest possible speed.”
“I fear there won’t be sufficient time,” the Pravan said, and went aft.
Vonner put on a space helmet and checked Bardo’s circuits, finding them working correctly. Then he moved back to the pilot’s seat and prepared to talk to Tryxx should
the Zukon contact him again. He glanced back at Den Thol and saw the Pravan preparing to cut a hole in the hull of the ship. The purple ray of the Ultrobeam found no difficulty, and Den Thol cut himself a liberal opening. He came to Vonner’s side, handing him the remote control.
“Keep that with you, Captain,” he said. “Don’t let Tryxx see that it is activated if he should contact you again. The only reason Tryxx is coming back down here is to activate that control.”
“Good luck,” Vonner said, and held out a hand. Den Thol grasped it, and for a moment they looked at one another.
“Captain, it has been a privilege to meet you. No matter what happens to us here and now, I hope your people and mine will come together and become friends. If we die here on Zukon then let us hope that our sacrifice will not be in vain.”
“Amen!” Vonner said fervently, and watched the Pravan climb out of the craft and disappear.
Water was beginning to seep into the craft through the hole Den Thol had cut, and Vonner tightened his lips when a couple of big waves sent a torrent of muddy water through the opening. He knew he could not stand around doing nothing, and began the difficult task of getting the paralysed Zukons out to the shore. He soon discovered that the craft was settling farther out from the firm ground, and he dropped the first Zukon crew member on the dark sand and straightened to look around at the fearsome landscape.
Captain Tryxx had told the truth about the lava flow. It had found a gully through the ridge and was pouring down into the sea. Steam was rising thickly, and the scene about him resembled a nightmare. The top half of the volcano seemed to have disappeared in the series of explosions that had taken place, and flames were gushing freely into the heavy sky. Ash was coming down like a black blizzard. The wind tore at Vonner so that he could hardly stand erect, and he had to steel himself to wade out to the stricken craft and enter for the rest of the Zukon crew.
He brought Bardo out last and dropped his crew member on the tremoring ground. A series of concussions struck the shore and the Zukon craft rolled a little, tilting farther into the sea, and the waves were climbing higher along its smooth length as if in anticipation of victory. The entire visible area around Vonner was almost afire with the frightening red glow, and when he looked around there was no sign of Den Thol.