Space 1999 - Mind-Breaks of Space

by Michael Butterworth

  Pasc lifted his eyebrows and shrugged apologetically. ‘It’s the same all over the Universe... in the eyes of the son, the father is the infinite source of knowledge. And in this case, as in all others, their confidence is somewhat misplaced.’

  Etrec frowned. ‘But you knew all about...’

  ‘As commander of the expedition, I was merely co-ordinator. I had my specialists for this type of thing.’ Pasc started to turn away.

  ‘How about opening it?’ asked Tony quickly. ‘Surely you can at least show us how to work that.’

  There was an uncomfortable silence as Pasc hesitated. He seemed to be searching for something to say, but he couldn’t quite think of it. He stepped across to the black box and placed his hand against two sides. Pressing it carefully, the end of the box snapped open and gently eased down to reveal the interior.

  Everyone gathered around for a closer look as Pasc reached inside. The small, complex nugget of crystals and wires he took out made him start so much he nearly dropped it.

  ‘I know what that is!’ Etrec said brightly. ‘It’s a monitor transmitter.’

  Pasc cut him off. ‘Used in planetfalL To locate the unit and the team using it.’

  Tony peered at the small mechanism. ‘Yes. We have those... but they don’t look anything like that.’ There was a note of suspicion in his voice. ‘Odd they left it in there unless they planned to come back sometime. What’s its range?’

  ‘I’m sure they weren’t planning to come back,’ Pasc brusquely tried to deflect Tony’s wariness. ‘It was just a standard component in the unit. The range, uh... well, it’s whatever is required.’

  Pasc felt relieved when there was a bleep on Tony’s commlock. He clicked on the miniature viewer and saw Helena. ‘Verdeschi,’ he acknowledged.

  ‘Are Pasc and Etrec with you, Tony?’ she asked.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Please have them come over to Medical. Right away, please. It’s important.’

  Tony felt reluctant to let them go. He had a deepening feeling that Pasc wasn’t telling them all he knew and that a few careful questions might help him find out why. Besides, there was still some other components inside the box and at least Etrec could help name them, if nothing else.

  Pasc suddenly seemed anxious to go, however, and pulled Etrec away by the shoulder. ‘If the good Doctor says it is important, we’d better go.’

  As soon as they were outside the Lab and not in sight of anyone, Pasc took a stronger grip on Etrec and pulled him quickly along beside him.

  ‘Pasc!’ Etrec protested. ‘It is not that way.’

  ‘We are not going to the doctor. We have got to get away.’ He pulled him on even faster. ‘That monitor transmitter is set to the Archanon frequency. On Archanon they now know we are free.’

  ‘They will come for us?’ Etrec asked in fright.

  ‘But we will not be here!’ Pasc answered fiercely. ‘We will take one of their Eagles and escape. Somewhere out there we will find a place and make it our own.’

  While they waited for the two Archanons to arrive at the Medical Centre, Helena and Dr Vincent ran through their brain wave pattern recordings again. Helena tapped her finger at certain points on the screen as the two patterns rolled past, side by side.

  ‘There it is again!’ she exlaimed. ‘You see how the pattern of Pasc’s brain peaks unusually here, and here, but there’s no corresponding movement in Etrec’s.’

  ‘You think it could be connected with the virus?’ asked Dr Vincent. ‘Active in Pasc, dormant in the boy?’

  ‘Their blood samples should help give us the answer.’ Helena reached over and pressed Tony’s commlock code on the communication panel.

  ‘Verdeschi,’ he said, coming into view on the screen.

  ‘Tony, are Pasc and Etrec still with you?’

  The surprise was plain on Tony’s face. ‘No. They left for Medical when you asked them to. Aren’t they there yet?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘I’ll get someone on it,’ Tony promised, and signed off.

  There was barely time for Tony to get a message out to several security officers to start a search for the Archanons, before he had a call from the Command Centre. Yasko told him that Eagle One was trying to get a message through.

  Up in the Command Centre itself he came rushing in just as Koenig’s voice boomed out of the speakers, punctuated with harsh static. ‘Eagle One to Moon Base.’

  Yasko had the volume turned right up and was fighting hard to get a clearer frequency. Up on the big screen streaks of light flashed and scattered.

  ‘Eagle One to Moon Base!’ This time it was Maya’s voice and Tony could just make out a hazy image of her on the screen.

  ‘That’s the best I can do,’ explained Yasko.

  Tony leaned to the microphone. ‘Eagle One. Are you receiving?’

  ‘Not very well, Tony.’

  ‘Do you want us to attempt to reach you?’

  Koenig’s voice came through. ‘No... storm is hitting peak. We can ride it out... too dangerous for another ship to try to get through. We’re all right... we’re...’

  The communication was broken and an overwhelming roar of static filled the room. Yasko sighed and switched off. Tony shrugged helplessly, but then an internal monitor bleeped for his attention.

  ‘Yes, Alan?’ he asked, as the Aussie’s face clicked into view.

  ‘I’m at Tech Lab Three with Johnson. We’ve had another go at this box and we think we’ve found some kind of recording device inside. If you’re hooked into Eagle One we’d like to see if Maya can give us an opinion.’

  ‘We’ve lost contact. Will try to put you through if we regain.’

  Alan walked back to the table where the odd little box stood in a pool of directed light. Andy was moving around to look at it from the other side so that he wouldn’t have to touch it. Since they had accidentally got the top panel to pop open he didn’t want to risk doing something that would make it close again.

  The piece of the box that had opened was framing a matchbox-sized opaque oval and underneath it was a series of shiny metal rods slotted into vertical holes. Alan reached down and carefully pulled one of them out for a closer look.

  Andy scratched his head. ‘What makes you think it’s some kind of recording device? It could be anything from an electronic pencil to a paperweight.’

  ‘It’s just... well... that small panel there... it could be a screen. Kind of a hunch I guess.’

  Johnson took the rod from Alan’s hand and looked at it himself. At one end it was concave and at the other convex. Apart from that it had nothing particular about it at all. He tried to slip it back in the hole it came from but it didn’t go all the way down.

  Alan smirked and pulled it out again. ‘You just lack the right finesse, Bluey.’ He had noticed that all the other rods were showing the hollowed end up and Andy had put that end down. He dropped it in the right way and pressed it securely down.

  Suddenly the little screen glared with light and a miniature video picture of Pasc began to project. His recorded voice crackled through a concealed speaker.

  ‘Four zero two, eight, two seven,’ Pasc’s voice said mysteriously. ‘Entering small solar system in Sector GL, three three, K. Third planet showing indications of primitive life forms.’

  ‘Hey!’ exclaimed Andy. ‘You’ve done it, Alan! It’s a data bank!’

  They were distracted by footsteps approaching the lab door. Turning around they saw Carson, one of the security guards smiling at them, with Pasc and Etrec following close behind.

  ‘Is Mr Verdeschi still here?’ Carson asked. ‘I located our friends. They got lost on the way over to Medical and I found them wandering around all the way over near the Eagle hangars...’

  Carson’s smiling explanation was cut off as Johnson came rushing across the room. ‘Mr Pasc!’ he yelled. ‘I’m glad you’re here. You’ve got to see this!’

  ‘Dr Russell wants them,’ protested Carson.

  Alan m
otioned that it was all right. ‘We’ll get them to Medical, Carson. You can push off.’

  Carson nodded. ‘Thanks, that’s fine with me. I’ve been tailing around everywhere and my feet are killing me.’ He gave a wave and walked off.

  Very cautiously Pasc walked into the Lab and towards the table with the box on it. ‘What have I got to see?’ he asked Andy.

  ‘This...’ Andy moved to the box and reached down to press the rod again. ‘Let’s have a replay.’

  The blow came as a complete surprise, crashing into the back of his head and slamming his face into the table. There was an explosion of lights and then a rushing wave of cold, cold blackness as he collapsed to the floor. He was certainly not conscious as his skull cracked sickeningly down.

  Alan didn’t know why Pasc had done it, but he reacted quickly, moving to restrain him. Pasc was ready though and grabbed him by the throat in a powerful double-handed clutch. They wrestled backward, kicking over a chair and thudding painfully against the wall.

  Alan felt his awareness going, his eyes bulging in their sockets and a roaring in his ears. Somewhere Etrec’s voice yelled sharply, telling Pasc to stop. He reached desperately for Pasc’s head and his anxious fingers caught in the bandage and ripped it away. Revealed beneath was the bright and horrific red symbol of the flame on Pasc’s forehead.

  In a strength made great by fright, Alan broke the Archanon’s grip and stumbled to the communication panel. He punched down the emergency button, but as he turned again, Pasc moved in and punched heavily into his chest. With the breath knocked out of him and his brain still in an orange fog from his near strangulation, Alan could hardly raise his arms to protect himself.

  Etrec clung desperately to his father, trying to stop him from swinging again, but he wasn’t strong enough. Pasc raised one arm high up and brought it sharply down so that his fist crashed right on top of Alan’s head. The Australian’s body dropped as though pole-axed.

  ‘You’ve killed him!’ screamed Etrec.

  The alarm siren began to wail, activated by the Command Centre in response to the emergency signal from the Lab. Pasc looked around in panic, feeling the very walls pulse with danger to him. On his forehead the terrible emblem was as bright as fire.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  By the time Tony and several Security Guards got to Technical Laboratory Number Three, there was no one there to greet them except the prone forms of Alan and Andy. The alert siren was screeching away throughout the base, and it was this as much as anything that was bringing Alan back to consciousness. Besides the very annoying and unrelenting sound, Alan soon found his attention stirred by the shaking of a strong grip.

  ‘What’s happened?’ Tony asked.

  Alan tried to clear his throat to speak but for some reason it was very painful, even his breath hurt going down. There was also a ridge of agony across the top of his head... then he remembered. Looking around quickly he saw that the Archanons had gone, but that Andy was still sprawled next to the table. A security man had just stood up from his side, his hand red from the pool of blood that was spreading on the floor.

  ‘Andy..?’ Alan forced the question out.

  The Security Man shook his head. ‘He’s dead, Mr Carter.’

  ‘It was Pasc,’ Alan told Tony, the difficulty of speech now added to by sorrowing emotion. ‘He attacked us both.’

  Tony clicked on his commlock. ‘Verdeschi to Medical Centre!’

  Helena received the message and acknowledged it.

  ‘Casualty at Tech Lab Three. Get over here fast, Doctor.’ Then, as soon as Helena said she was on her way, Tony called back to the Security Section Office. ‘Terdeschi to Security. Full Alert. Locate the alien man Pasc. He is to be considered extremely dangerous. Use extreme caution... but get him!’

  Tony sent the Security Men in the Lab out to help with the search and then assisted Alan to get to his feet. As soon as his head stopped spinning he showed Tony what he and Andy had discovered about the black box and described how Pasc had attacked them. Then, grimly, he described the symbol on Pasc’s forehead that had been hidden underneath the bandage.

  Tony couldn’t offer any suggestions about the symbol’s significance but felt an instinctive dread concerning it. He was anxious to go off and join the search and suggested Alan wait in the Lab until Helena arrived and could check him over.

  ‘Not bleeding likely,’ he said. ‘He’s got the lad with him. I’m coming with you.’

  They decided to go along the corridor that led towards the travel tube that Helena would have used to get over from the Medical Area. If she had come right away, she really should have arrived by now. Why she hadn’t was puzzling until they stepped around a corner and were stunned by a scene that seemed to answer most of the immediate mysteries.

  Helena, eyes wide with fright, was being held forcibly from behind by Pasc who had a hand-gun aimed at her head. One Security Guard was standing helplessly by and another was collapsed on the floor; evidently the man who Pasc had taken the weapon from. Etrec stood just behind him, his face creased by distress.

  ‘Pasc!’ Tony shouted in alarm.

  Etrec looked across and saw that Alan had arrived with Tony. His face brightened and he ran over before Pasc could stop him.

  ‘Cobber!’ the boy called out. ‘I thought he had killed you.’

  Pasc shouted angrily. ‘Etrec! Come back! Come here, by me!’

  Etrec looked back and once again was filled by the pull of divided loyalties. He took a faltering step towards his father.

  Suddenly Tony reached out and grabbed the boy’s shoulder in a firm clasp. At the same time he drew his gun and raised it to Etrec’s head. ‘Let the woman go,’ he said to Pasc, ‘or I will kill the boy.’

  There was an electric silence in the room, Alan was appalled by Tony’s words and silently reached over to Etrec’s arm to re-encourage him. Pasc saw the gesture and laughed... a harsh and cruel sound.

  ‘You cannot do it,’ he mocked. ‘The killing is not in you. But I can... and I will, unless you let him go.’

  Tony tried to stare him down but the glare of madness in Pasc’s eyes was too strong. He could see the Archanon’s fingers straining on the grip of the gun and could also clearly see that it was set on the killing laser beam, not the stun ray. He gave up and let Etrec go.

  Pasc laughed viciously again. ‘Now listen. We are taking one of the Eagles. Get your men away from the flight area and have an Eagle standing by for us.’

  Tony reluctantly issued the order through his commlock. When it was acknowledged, he nodded to Pasc.

  ‘Etrec,’ instructed Pasc, keeping his firm hold on Helena, ‘you lead the way.’

  Etrec started to walk, head hanging low. Then he stopped and looked back at Alan Carter. ‘No, Pasc,’ he said quietly, still looking at Alan, ‘I am not going.’

  ‘You cannot stay here,’ Pasc snapped. ‘They are your friends now, but soon they will have to kill you... for their own safety.’

  ‘Then it will have to be. I am staying.’

  ‘Then I will kill you myself!’ Pasc roared, and aimed the gun at the boy. The symbol on his head began to throb with scarlet and his mouth twisted into a grimace of hatred.

  Etrec waited calmly for the shot but Pasc’s arm faltered and fell. Very cautiously Tony began to raise his own weapon, hoping for a chance to stun the Archanon, but froze as the man put the gun back to Helena’s head. He began to move backwards down the corridor, pulling Helena with him. The open doors of the travel tube waited, dumbly obedient and ready to speed them away.

  Inside the Eagle, Pasc made Helena take the co-pilot’s seat. Some of the mechanisms for operating the craft were primitively obvious to him... but others he would have to make her explain. If she couldn’t, they would take a little longer to understand but he would manage in the end. As long as he kept her hostage, then time was on his side.

  Turning to Helena he caught her looking at him warily, but also with a hint of knowing something about him
that he didn’t suspect. He didn’t like the feeling. He tried to offend her with his callousness.

  ‘I should have killed him,’ he said.

  Helena asked, ‘Why didn’t you?’ She seemed to know in advance he would evade a direct answer.

  ‘He chose to stay. I chose survival.’ Pasc looked back at the controls... the great puzzle board of dials, buttons, switches and screens.

  ‘There may not be survival for either of you, Pasc,’ Helena said evenly, significantly.

  Pasc understood that she was hinting at what she thought she knew about him. ‘What makes you speak thus?’ he asked.

  ‘I saw into your brain, Pasc. We took pictures when you were under sedation... your brain and Etrec’s brain... There is a strange virus in your systems. In Etrec it seems to be dormant; for the moment.’ She paused and took a deep breath. ‘Not with you, Pasc. Yours is alive. It may be deadly. It’s why I wanted samples of both your blood... to try to know what it is.’

  A faint glow began to emanate from Pasc’s forehead and his eyes burned with murder. He felt himself outraged by her presumption... her feeble attempt to help those who were beyond redemption. His hand tightened on the gun, but he also knew that he still had use for her as a hostage.

  ‘Enough talking!’ he said. ‘Show me how to work the communication device.’

  Inside the Command Centre a state of severe emergency was in effect. Tony had gathered the Security Section’s officers and was briefing them on tactics.

  ‘... I want all men in protective suits. There’ll be a team of sharpshooters with stunners and anaesthetic gas guns...’ Tony broke off as he saw Alan come striding through the door from the corridor. Alan had just taken Etrec down to the Recreation Room to keep him out of the way of danger... and to avoid distressing him with whatever they might have to do to rescue Helena.

  ‘Alan,’ Tony called over to him, ‘we’ve got to get aboard that ship without alerting Pasc.’ Reaching down to the master control panel he summoned from the computer a diagram of an Eagle’s layout. He pointed to a section of the illustration. ‘Through the cargo hatch?’ he asked.

  ‘No,’ advised Alan. ‘It’s too noisy. He’d be warned before we could get in and have the advantage.’