“Before certain events of which I shall inform you caused the fleet to divide, these arks of space travelled in a broad phalanx, each ship one light year distant from the other, which is equivalent to trillions of kilometers. The entire fleet of arks covered a space of one hundred light years, and even by using second order means of communication it sometimes took years thoroughly to relay messages to all ships. This will give you a small idea of the size of this great attempt on the part of human beings to preserve their species.
“So far, we have been under way for slightly more than two hundred years. We are already many generations descended from those who first started out, and we have traveled about six or seven hundred light years in search of a new home."
“But why haven't we found another world?” asked Nad. “And why have the Navigators deprived us of memory, and why are we executed for asking questions that few can resist asking? How did you, alone, escape the M-Ray, and what is this plan you have spoken of concerning liberation and a new way of life?"
Yiddir smiled, patiently. “One question at a time,” he said. “First, it was learned within the first fifty years of this great voyage that our sun and the worlds we lived on were very unique, or rather we were especially adapted to live only under the exact conditions set up for us by Nature in our solar system. Many other suns and planetary systems were examined only to be found unsuitable to our needs. Infrequently did we find those other worlds to be inhabited, and only once were we threatened by alien space ships, but the only weapon we found it necessary to use against them was our far superior velocity. They could not follow us into the great darkness that lies beyond the speed of light.
“Another fifty year period passed, and yet another, and still we had not found what we were looking for. So the situation was when I was a young man, and even later, when I became Chief Navigator on board this ship."
“You!” cried Nad. “You were the Chief Navigator?” His mind reeled under this new shock of surprise.
“Yes,” said Yiddir. “My real name is Korlon E-3-N, but therein lies a tale which is the third and final phase of this brief history I am giving you. You see, the present Navigators are outlaws. They mutinied against me."
“But don't the other ships know that by now?” protested Nad. “How long ago did this happen?"
“Thirty years or more."
“Thirty years! And you've remained hidden ever since?"
“Yes. But let me go on with my story. At times,” Yiddir continued, “there were discoveries or circumstances confronting us which led to considerable argument, either among the Navigators or between Navigators and Passengers. About forty years ago, this ship encountered a region of space that appeared to give very promising signs that our goal had been reached. Analysis of the composition of energy patterns, the quality of nuclear radiations and spectro-helioscopic studies showed us that we were in a group of suns that did not seem to be inimical to life. Only one solar system, a rather large one, was found, which contained several large planets, all heavily populated. The problems that arose were the following. First, the civilizations on the planets we discovered were in a state of advancement almost equivalent to our own, and preliminary communications with them indicated that they would not welcome the influx of an alien race. Therefore, to force a landing would have precipitated a war against far superior numbers of people who possessed weapons that were worthy of our respect. Secondly, the sun at the center of this solar system was not any too young and had long since passed into that stage of evolution which scientists refer to as the disintegrant stage. Of course, our kind of life could have flourished yet for thousands of years there, but at the cost of fighting the increasing deleterious effects of hard radiation.
“In spite of this, our whole fleet divided strongly into two factions, one of which was in favor of invasion whatever the cost. The other faction was in favor of continuing our journey in the hope of discovering a more favorable set of circumstances. As I worked my way up to the highest office on board this ship, I adhered to this latter faction, and I trained my son also to hold this perspective of our situation.
“The opposing faction had almost become resigned to their fate when, ten years beyond the controversial solar system, I made a grave mistake. That was thirty years ago."
Yiddir paused, and his pale blue eyes sought Nad's. He saw there an expression of wonderment and awe, as well as the signs of an utterly insatiable thirst for knowledge.
“I was like many of the higher officers in charge of the expedition, a research scientist, and my specialty was in the second order phenomena. Out of my research evolved a new weapon-the M-Ray. Under any normal circumstances, this would have been a boon to humanity, from a therapeutic point of view.. That is, people suffering from mental strain or great sorrow at the loss of a loved one and so forth could be made to forget either temporarily or permanently what was troubling them. But the M-Ray could also be used as a very formidable weapon. It could cause thousands or even millions of people to lose their memories and become as helpless as infants. Moreover, all alien energy shields we had encountered thus far were only of first order nature and therefore would not have been able to stop the M-Ray. In other words, here was a certain weapon against the inhabitable worlds we had contacted some years before.
“My mistake was to keep my weapon a secret, for the time being, for if I had taken it to the authorities on board our flagship they would now be in a position to cope with the terrible danger that threatens them and all the remaining ships that have not yet been taken over by the mutineers."
Nad interrupted. “Do you mean to say that Sargon's brand of Navigators have a foothold an other ships of the fleet?"
Yiddir nodded in bitter assent. “This has been going on for years,” he answered.
“But..."
“Let me continue. My further mistake was to take several other officers into my confidence, even against the advice of my son, who by now was a much more brilliant scientist than I, and who had contributed much to the development of the M-Ray.
“It so happened that one of my confidants was actually an opportunist and a sympathizer with the old opposition, but I did not know this at the time. It was this man who betrayed me and succeeded in producing M-Ray weapons superior to my own-and in effective quantity. The achievement went to his head and he gathered around him. the most subversive forces among our number that he could find. He planned eventually to overthrow the government of the whole fleet and prepare for himself and his kind a small empire designed to his own tastes. Furthermore, his plan was to return to the inhabited planets in question and to subject all those races of people to M-Ray in preparation for occupation by his own forces. Even if it came to a matter of subjugating only a part of the fleet and turning back secretly, leaving the other portion to its own destinies, he was determined to carry the plan out.
“Again, my son sought to advise me. He argued that he and I must escape before it was too late. This ship, as you should know, is equipped with life boats which are capable of carrying a hundred or so Passengers. It was my son's Plan to steal one of these and travel to the flagship, ten light years distant. Using second order type drive, this journey would have taken several years, but he was certain we could and should make it. Furthermore, he advised me that he was on the trail of just the discovery that would save the fleet government. He was close to developing a second order shield against the M-Ray, and he was confident he could complete it on board a friendly vessel such as the flagship.
“Having learned our lesson in caution by bitter experience, we decided each to take a lifeboat, so that if one of us were apprehended the other might still have a chance of making it.
“Just before we left, however, the Navigators, under their new leader, began their mutiny, and my son and I had to take refuge among the Passengers, whom we enlightened thoroughly concerning the whole situation. It was they who helped us effect our escape, although we were pursued. And we left behind us a ship caught in th
e throes of a grim war between Navigators and Passengers.
“I succeeded in distracting our pursuers sufficiently, I believe, to help my son escape, but in the process of escaping, myself, my ship was damaged, and after the pursuers abandoned the chase and gave me up for lost, I drifted about almost helplessly. It took me about three months to repair the damage and about a year to find the ship again.
“I was content to return here, because I knew that the Passengers and many of my old friends among the Navigators had by now been subjected to the M-Ray. Despite all rationalization, I felt responsible, not only as inventor of the M-Ray, but as the captain of my ship-a ship that had mutinied and was the seat of an unlawful government that planned to overthrow the fleet and eventually wage war on innocent worlds, subjugating millions of people to dictatorial rule.
“As one registered as dead, I enjoyed a particular advantage. Also, I had not lost my memory, and I knew the ship better than any Navigator on board. For years I have lived in secrecy, but a relatively short time ago something new developed that made it necessary for me to disguise myself as a Passenger. It was an easy matter for me to forge identifications and even place corroborative records in the files of the Navigators. Thus I created Yiddir E5172-P, an inconsequential Passenger who was free to move about among you and select his allies. For my present venture I need about one hundred men and women, and you I have long since chosen as my principal aide."
“Me? Why pick on me?"
Yiddir smiled. “Look back on your actions that led to your escape today. Need you ask me more questions. I was not quite prepared to effect your escape according to my own well laid plans, and yet when your emergency arose you were capable of taking care of yourself."
Nad disregarded the compliment. “But did your son ever reach the flagship?” he asked.
Yiddir shrugged, resignedly. “How can I tell? I can intercept communications from the other arks, but I dare not try to transmit, for fear of discovery. All I have learned is that a new Fleet Governor is in charge of the flagship, which is apparently unaware of what has been going on here. However, he seems to be a very capable man. His name is Nor E-I-M. I should certainly like to contact him sometime, for I am sure he would make a worthy ally. But that would take years, and there is no time for that just now."
“But what about the mutineers’ plan to turn back to the solar system they wanted to invade? When will they do that?"
Yiddir waved his hand. “My story is not yet at an end,” he said, patiently. “Listen to me carefully..."
“I have not been able to verify all the facts as yet,” he continued, “but in rough analysis, the circumstances at present are as follows. The rebel Navigators have taken over a large portion of the fleet, just how much I cannot say, except that I know the flagship is still free and unaware of what has happened. Or else it may be that the rebels fear the flagship of Nor E-I-M, that perhaps some sort of resistance has been demonstrated. Anyway, the fact remains that this rebel portion of the fleet has already broken off from the main fleet, come to a stop, and turned back toward the solar system they plan to invade. It will take years to retrace those many light years of distance, but they are determined to do it. Meanwhile, the portion of the fleet that is still under Fleet Government is drawing further away from us all the time in the original direction taken by the expedition. Now, between our group of rebel arks and the Fleet Government arks lies the goal I am after. Listen..."
“At the time that we slowed up to turn back, of course light from the stars was again perceptible and some important observations were made. I know that at that time the astrophysicists on board this particular ship discovered, in our own region of space, an inhabitable world. Oh it was a small one and not overly promising, because it was very young, geographically speaking. It was as yet uninhabited by the most primitive form of man, but was capable of supporting our kind. So mediocre was the find, however, that the rebel government in charge here decided not even to advise the rest of their representatives on board the other conquered ships. And of course the Fleet Government ships remained unadvised and were allowed to proceed on their way.
“However, it was the result of my own analysis of that region of space that stirred me into action. My own instruments revealed to me that there are other systems nearby which should have been investigated. I know this ship did some searching, but the job was not thorough, and they gave it up in order to keep pace with the other rebel ships now, enroute to the inhabited solar systems they intended to invade.
“Now, therefore, my immediate plan of action is this. In the lifeboat lockers are, as I have mentioned before, many ships, each of which is capable of transporting a hundred Passengers with reasonable comfort. As they are capable of converting cosmic energy into matter and synthesizing just like the ark does, they can support human life as indefinitely as their mother ship. It is my plan to use one of those ships and effect the escape of about a hundred Passengers, preferably young men and women, and make our way back to that small, primitive world which the Navigators discovered, and establish a base there for further exploration to discover the other solar system or systems which my instruments have indicated must exist in that region. If we fail, at least we will have one small, primitive world at our disposal on which to start a new life. And then if the rebel fleet should meet with surprise opposition and get wiped out, or if the other arks fail in their search, at least our small group will serve to rescue our species from extinction."
Suddenly, Yiddir fell silent, and Nad knew that he had finished. Yet there were still more questions to be asked.
“All this is a fine plan,” he said, “and you can never appreciate what it means to me to know at last what this life of ours is all about. What I don't like about your idea, however, is leaving the field wide open for the rebel Navigators such as Sargon and his kind."
“There is one faint possibility” said Yiddir, “that this great new master of the flagship, Nor E-I-M, might be in a position to cope with the rebels, but there is the risk that if I were to beam a communication to him, once we have made good our escape, it might be intercepted and result in precipitating on the Fleet Government a battle for which they are not prepared. I feel that it would be better not to take that risk, to let each segment of the fleet go its own way, so that there will be two chances of survival instead of one. Nor E-I-M has. been hailed as a scientific genius, and I know that his section of the fleet is in good hands."
“It is too bad that your son, with his secret of M-Ray defense, could not have joined forces with Nor,” said Nad. “It is obvious he did not, because if he had done so, by now the Fleet Government would have taken action against the rebels."
Yiddir sighed. “That, too, is my conviction,” he said. “I have lost my son."
Nad reached out and squeezed Yiddir's frail hand. “May I serve as a poor substitute?” he asked.
Yiddir's old face brightened. He grasped Nad's hand with both of his. “Substitute, no,” he said. “You are my son, from this day forward."
“Thanks,” Nad replied. “But there's just one thing you're not going to like."
“What is that?"
“I am not a complete altruist like you. I harbor a bitter hatred that must be satisfied. Before I leave here, I intend to throttle one Sargon M13-NT."
Yiddir shook his head in disapproval. “You must forget that,” he admonished. “Sargon is in high favor among the rebels. To expose yourself to him again would be to endanger the whole plan. You must learn to subordinate personal desires to the importance of your mission. Don't you think that I, too, was long tempted by vengeful desire? This is my ship!" Yiddir's eyes flashed anger. “But I held onto myself, and I pride myself that I acted in the best interests of the majority. I expect you to do the same."
The muscles lumped along Nad's jaws, and he clenched his fists, but he controlled himself. “All right,” he grumbled. “Let's get to work on this plan of yours."
Yiddir beamed with pride and satisfact
ion. “That's the spirit, son! Self-control is your most strategic weapon now."
* * *
CHAPTER V
When Nad and Yiddir acted, they worked swiftly. Contact was made with certain other Passengers on Yiddir's long prepared list, chiefly by means of individually activated sonophones. In the privacy of his own room, a likely recruit was addressed as follows:
"The day of liberation has arrived. You have been chosen to join us. We are returning to a natural world and a natural way of life. We have both the knowledge and the means. What was taken from your minds, your rightful heritage, will be restored by a complete revelation of the truth of your origin and your purpose. There is no time for questions. We must act swiftly. Go and contact ten of your friends, five of them young men and five of them young women. Caution them all to strictest secrecy or this whole plan will fail and your last chance will have been sacrificed. These ten people will contact only you. You have three hours to accomplish this. So act at once! When you are ready, or at the end of three hours maximum, bring your people to your own reception room and there you will be guided into liberation."
In the course of an hour, Nad and Yiddir thus contacted eight key men and women. It was almost time for them to start leading the first contacts and their recruits through various maintenance hatches between the walls when Nad finally tried to contact Lylwani.
Yldra was with Ron, in Ron's reception room. This time, Nad dared to activate the visiplate as well as the sonophone.
“Nad!” cried Yldra, leaping to her feet. “Where are you? We thought you were either captured or dead!"
Martian Honeymoon and Beyond the Darkness Page 10