"The first step in devising such a weapon is to reconnoiter the advance base of the Cold Ones, ascertain the most practicable method of attack. That fits in with the necessity of rescuing Grag."
"But we don't know where the Cold Ones' base is in this cluster," said Gerdek helplessly. "All we know is that their raids come always from the western part of the cluster."
"That makes it tougher," Curt admitted. "Still, we may be able to overtake them before the trail is lost in this jungle of suns."
The Brain, who had been hovering over the broken bodies of the slain Cold Ones called to Captain Future.
"Lad, look at these creatures. I never saw anything just like them."
Curt Newton joined him and examined the shattered bodies with intense interest. He realized at once that these inhuman creatures who could live in an airless void were of a startling new order of creation.
The broken white bodies and limbs were composed almost wholly of rigid bone. The only parts not of osseous tissue were elastic, cartilaginous ligaments inside the hollow limbs, and the eyes and brain. The eyes were lenses of transparent cartilage. And the brain exposed by the shattering of one skull-like head was an organ of hard gristle.
"We can look these over later," Captain Future said hastily. "Here comes Otho with the Comet."
THE small ship of the Futuremen was streaking across the dome toward them. It landed quickly, and the door swung open.
"You and Shiri come along," Curt told Gerdek. "I’ll need you to guide us in this cluster of suns, as far as you can."
Gerdek was worried.
"Vostol will be challenging your identity during our absence," he said. "The people and many of the Council are convinced that you are Kaffr, but he is not convinced. Our absence may tell against you."
"We'll worry about Vostol when we get back," Curt answered confidently. "So far, my impersonation of Kaffr is succeeding all right."
The Comet shot up from the glittering roof of Bebemos, angling steeply skyward across the icy wastes that surrounded the hothouse city. Curt and Gerdek divested themselves of the space-suits and went forward to the control room, where Otho sat at the space-stick, with Shiri near him.
Otho's little mascot Oog was rubbing himself rejoicingly against his master's ankle. But the other pet, Eek the moon-pup, ran anxiously from one to the other in vain search of its own master.
"The little mutt misses Grag," Otho commented. He looked inquiringly around at Captain Future. "What course shall I follow, Chief?"
They were already out in space. Curt peered keenly into the drift of clustered dead and dying suns that spanned the black firmament.
"A little north of west, toward that pair of very faint stars," he directed. "I was watching Grag's captors when they disappeared, and they went in that direction. Use all speed, and we may overtake them."
Otho had switched into the high-speed vibration drive. The generators of the Comet were shaking the ship with their quivering drone. The little craft was now being hurled forward at a speed far in excess of that of light, by the powerful propulsion waves it jetted back.
Curt tensely scanned the vault ahead. They were flying almost due west into the great pack of clustered suns. Had they been young, living stars, it would have been a blaze of glory. But as it was the scene was depressingly somber with its vista of smoldering, old red stars and frigid worlds, and cold black embers of wholly dead suns.
Captain Future swept the void with the powerful telescopes of the control-room equipment but saw nothing of the Cold One raiders. It became apparent that they were too late now to overtake the enemy force.
"What'll we do, Chief?" Otho asked anxiously. "We can't very well search this whole wilderness of suns and worlds."
Curt turned to Gerdek and his sister.
"Tell me, what's the most desolate and least-visited section of this cluster?"
Gerdek pointed a little to the right, where there was a region at the edge of the cluster composed completely of dead stars.
"That dead region there," he answered. "We Tarasts abandoned it years ago, for its worlds are too cold now even for our domed cities."
"Then head for that sector, Otho," ordered Captain Future. "It seems the most logical region for an advanced base of the Cold Ones. If their base is there, we may be able to pick up the trail."
As the Comet flew on a changed course toward the dark sector in question, little Eek pressed forward against the control-room window with pitiable eagerness. The moon-pup seemed to sense they were hunting Grag.
Otho swore to himself as he looked at the somber, lifeless vista of dead suns ahead.
"Only a bunch of cursed nightmares like those Cold Ones could live in such a place. What are the creatures, anyway? They don't breathe, they have no flesh, yet they somehow look human."
"The human resemblance was very strong in those dead ones I examined," commented the Brain in his rasping voice. "It seemed to me that the creatures might be a strange variant or mutant of ordinary humanity."
"Your guess is right," Gerdek told him. "The Cold Ones came originally from our own human stock in this universe."
Captain Future was astonished.
"The devil you say! You mean that natural evolution produced such a quasi-human race?"
"No, it was not natural evolution that produced them," Gerdek answered gloomily. "It was artificial evolution."
CURT suddenly remembered something.
"Now that I think of it, old Igir said something at the Council about the Cold Ones being loosed upon this universe long ago, by the disastrous experiments of a Tarast scientist. Is that what you're talking about?"
Gerdek nodded.
"That was their origin," he said. "It happened thousands of years ago. At that time the Tarast empire still held sway over almost all this universe. But already many of our suns were dying, and we were faced with the shadow of doom that has since become so dreadful. In those days Tarast science was still great. And our greatest scientists sought a means of combatting the growing menace of cold and night.
"One of those scientists was a man named Zuur, native of the world Thool that lies far across the universe from here. The sun of Thool was one of the first to die, and its people were transferred to other planets. But Zuur remained in his laboratories on frozen Thool, seeking a solution to the great problem facing our people.
"Zuur had a daring plan in mind. He foresaw that almost all our suns would soon be dead, and our planets cold and airless. He wanted to adapt the Tarast race to live under such conditions. His idea was to cause an artificial evolution of our human people into a new race which would be able to live on cold, airless planets.
"He was an expert in the technique of causing artificial mutations. He used that technique on certain Tarasts who had volunteered for the experiment, and produced thus a radical new mutation of the human stock. The mutants were humans completely fleshless and bloodless, their osseous bodies requiring only a few mineral elements for food.
"They could exist in airless space because they were not oxygen breathers. Cold meant nothing to them, for their bodies had no blood or liquids to freeze."
"So that was the origin of the Cold Ones," murmured Captain Future with deep interest.
"Holy sun-imps, you ought to have murdered that guy Zuur for turning loose such a bunch on you!" Otho exclaimed.
"Zuur met death at the hands of his own creations," Gerdek said somberly. "He did not realize what a malign species he had created until they turned and destroyed him. Their minds, like their bodies, were not really human, and they were dominated only by a cold lust for conquest."
"They multiplied swiftly on that world Thool, appropriating the scientific knowledge of us Tarasts," he concluded heavily. "Then they spread out to other worlds, conquering star after star until now they rule almost all this universe from their capital on distant Thool."
"If they're as numerous in this universe as you say, it's going to be hard to find a way of crushing them," Curt said
thoughtfully.
"You must find such a way," Shiri told him anxiously. "The Tarast people feel that they are saved, now that Kaffr has returned."
CURT NEWTON felt the burden of impersonation heavier than ever. He began to comprehend the tremendous responsibilities he had taken upon himself in announcing that he was the ancient hero.
"We've reached that dark region, Chief," reported Otho at this moment. "Which way now?"
Captain Future stared a little baffledly into the wilderness of wholly black star-cinders that occupied this edge of the cluster.
"There's no sign of the Cold One raiders who took Grag," he said. "We'll have to quarter back and forth through this sector and search for their base."
Gerdek was skeptical.
"It would take years to examine every frozen planet in this sector. And unless we search each planet, how will we ever find them?"
"If the Cold Ones have a base here, as we think, their ships will come and go from time to time," Curt pointed out. "Once we spot one of their craft, we can trail it."
He realized the slenderness of the chance, as well as any of his companions. But no other plan of action seemed to offer even a remote hope of success.
OTHO sent the Comet veering to the left, to begin the toilsome task of quartering through the somber dead region. The change of course appeared to upset Eek. The little moon-pup had until now been pressing eagerly forward against the window. Now he began to run back and forth and to evidence strong signs of distress.
"Wait a minute, Otho!” Curt called suddenly as he observed the moon-pup's distressed excitement. "Turn back to the right. I believe that Eek is trying to show us the right trail."
"You don't mean to say that little creature has any idea which way the raiders went?" said Gerdek incredulously.
"Eek has some queer powers," Curt told him. "He belongs to a species that are non-breathing also, and that have developed extra-sensory faculties to compensate for their lack of speech. Eek is always able to find Grag, somehow. Maybe he can again, even at these distances."
Otho had turned back to their former course.
"Well, what does the little mutt say about this direction?"
Curt saw that Eek had ceased his alarmed antics with the change in course, and again was straining eagerly against the window.
"This seems to be the right direction, if that moon-pup is to be believed," Curt reported. "Keep on this course for the time being."
"So now I'm piloting under Eek's orders," growled Otho disgustedly. "That's a nice state of affairs!"
The Comet flew deeper into the dark region. They passed majestic, black spheres that once had been flaming suns, and ice-sheathed smaller globes that long ago had been green with life.
After an hour's flight, Curt again ordered Otho to change course as Eek began to strain toward the right window. The moon-pup's queer homing-pigeon faculties seemed operating more positively now.
They approached a gloomy dead sun near the outer edge of the cluster. It had three small, icy planets, and Eek figuratively exploded with excitement when they began to draw near to the outermost world.
"That third planet is where Grag is, if the moon-pup is right," Curt declared. "Cut in gradually around it, Otho. If the Cold One base is there, we don't want them to sight us."
"If their base isn't there I'll boot that mutt clear out of this universe for leading us on a wild-goose chase," Otho muttered.
They swung in a spiral around the icy ball of the third planet. The surface of the world was shrouded in perpetual darkness relieved only by thin rays of distant stars. It was Gerdek and Shiri, whose eyes were accustomed to the dimness of this universe, who first drew attention to a dead Tarast city down on the distant horizon.
"And I can glimpse ships parked in its central square!” Gerdek exclaimed. "It must be the Cold Ones' base!"
Captain Future could hardly see the city itself, but he had absolute faith in the keener vision of the two Tarasts.
"Drop down at once, Otho!" he ordered. "We'll have to land some distance from the place and approach it on foot."
The Comet hastily descended and landed in deep snow a few miles from the abandoned city. They had not been sighted it appeared.
Curt rapidly sketched his plan of action.
"Gerdek and I will reconnoiter the place, in our space-suits. We'll take Eek along. He ought to be able to lead us to Grag if they've still got him there. Otho, you stay here with Shiri in the Comet so you can get away if necessary."
CURT and Gerdek donned the space-suits, and then he picked up the frantically-excited Eek and strode out of the ship.
He and the Tarast found themselves floundering in deep snow that had lain upon this planet for centuries. It was frozen atmosphere as well as water, for this was now an airless world. The darkness was a little relieved by the white glitter of the deep snow.
They trudged forward in the direction of the distant city.
The snow was in many places over their heads, forcing the two space-suited men to dig their own tunnel through it. But they were not going fast enough for Eek, who squirmed frenziedly to escape Curt's grasp.
Curt's iron strength was feeling the strain, and Gerdek was staggering on his feet, when they finally reached the edge of the deserted city. With only their heads projecting from the snow, they peered across the place.
"This is the ancient Tarast city of Arara," came Gerdek's panting whisper. "I recognize it now — it's been abandoned for ages."
"It looks it, all right," muttered Curt.
Chapter 9: Discovery
UNUTTERABLY dead and solemn was the snow-wrapped city, brooding beneath the dark sky. It was like an epitome of the somber history of this universe, of death and cold and night engulfing everything in their conquering stride.
Yet there was life here, at this moment, Curt could discern dozens of dark space-sleds parked in the distant central square. And he could vaguely glimpse the uncanny white figures of Cold Ones moving there.
"Your comrade would probably be in one of those buildings, if the Cold Ones are actually holding him prisoner," murmured Gerdek. "But which building? We can't search them all without being discovered."
"That's where Eek comes in handy," replied Captain Future. "He can lead us right to the building Grag is in. We'll have a chance to get him away without being seen by those bony horrors."
Eek was indeed now quivering with excitement, and tugging toward the distant square. The moon-pup sensed the nearness of its master.
Curt and Gerdek went cautiously forward through the deep snow, making their way through the deserted streets and approaching the square from the north. Using little Eek as a living compass, they found themselves guided toward a big marble building on the north side.
The Cold Ones who were using this dead city as an advance base appeared to confine themselves to the square and the buildings which bordered it. Curt and the young Tarast were thus able to reach without detection the rear of the big building in which, they were now certain, Grag was imprisoned.
"Be ready for a fight," muttered Captain Future, drawing his proton pistol as he entered the rear door of the ancient structure.
He and Gerdek found themselves in a dark corridor. They could hear nothing, due to the absence of atmosphere. At any moment, they knew, they might step directly into a group of the uncanny Cold Ones.
Curt continued to use Eek as a living compass as they crept along dim passageways. He and Gerdek ducked back behind a turn of the corridor as they glimpsed lights and moving shapes up at the front.
Eek wriggled in an excess of crazy excitement, and squirmed out of Curt's grasp. The moon-pup scuttled into a nearby chamber.
Captain Future and the Tarast hastily followed. They entered a bare, dusky room in which Grag's mighty metal form lay bound by heavy chains. Eek was gamboling around his master in frenzied joy.
"Chief, am I glad to see you!” exclaimed Grag fervently, his electro-mechanical voice reaching their space-suit pho
nes. "I didn't think there was any chance you'd be able to find me."
"You big bucket-head, you got yourself into this mess. I ought to have let you get out of it on your own," Curt growled. "I would have too, if we hadn't wanted to reconnoiter the Cold Ones at the same time."
He was working hastily at Grag's chains as he spoke, using little flashes of his proton pistol to slice through them. Gerdek was keeping a tense watch at the door to the corridor.
"Aw, I'd have been out of here long ago if I hadn't been double-crossed," Grag said defensively as he rose to his feet.
He told Curt briefly of Lacq, the young Tarast who had betrayed him to the Cold Ones.
"How was I to know he was working with those devils?"
Gerdek turned, his face incredulous inside his helmet.
"I can't believe that any Tarast would join the Cold Ones!" he exclaimed. "We've never had a traitor like that in all our history."
"Well, you have one now," declared Grag. "That fellow Lacq is hand in glove with the Cold Ones."
Captain Future's face lit to a sudden inspiration.
"Listen. Could we get hold of this man Lacq and get him out of here?"
"Yes, let's seize the traitor and take him back to Bebemos for judgment," Gerdek agreed passionately.
"I'm not thinking merely of punishing the man for his treachery," Curt said impatiently. "You know we came here with the idea of learning as much as possible about the Cold Ones, so that we could try to devise new methods of attack on them. Well, if this man Lacq has been allied with the Cold Ones, he must know a lot about them. We could get him to divulge that knowledge, I'm sure."
"I think Lacq is somewhere in this building yet," Grag said. "He's looked in here a couple of times."
"We'll try to find him," Captain Future decided. "It's a devilish risk, but it's worth it if we can get hold of that traitor and learn all he knows."
Captain Future 12 - Planets in Peril (Fall 1942) Page 7