Before Pucky could answer, something happened: the hatchway began to open.
It was about two meters long and a meter wide, an oval metal covering. Behind the flap a brightly-lit room arrayed with tools and instruments was visible. The inner hatchway remained closed.
Homunk had pulled Pucky back a few paces and had raised his right arm. In his hand there was suddenly a small but most deadly raygun. A precaution that at first proved superfluous.
"It could be coincidence," Pucky whispered, still ready to teleport himself and his companion to safety. "Or do you think they’ve noticed us?"
"For certain!" Homunk had stopped and was staring at the open hatchway. "But what’s this? The inner hatch remains closed. So, nobody can come out to us without letting the air of the ship escape. They want us to go inside."
That sounded logical. Opening the outer hatchway was beyond doubt an invitation that anybody would certainly understand. Not to take advantage of it would have meant abandoning a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Pucky saw this right away. But he was unwilling to fall into a well-prepared trap.
If a trap, then it had better be a profitable one.
"Inform Koster," he whispered to Homunk. "I’ll give Iltu the necessary instructions. Hurry! Two minutes, no more."
He turned off his communications set in order not to be distracted by Homunk’s conversation with the commander, and took up thought communication with Iltu instead. Luckily, no transmitter was needed for that. Their telepathic connection could not be severed.
"Listen, Iltu, you know what’s happened. We’re going into the alien ship and you must maintain contact. If we’re in any immediate danger, we’ll teleport ourselves back to the EX-238. But in case we encounter no trouble we’ll try to establish some sort of communication with the alien crew. Koster is to follow us and not let the Silver Arrow out of sight. Do you understand?"
"Be careful, Pucky, Please!"
A smile flitted over Pucky’s face.
"Don’t worry. We’ll look after ourselves but we can’t let the chance to learn more about the aliens pass us by. They’re inviting us to board their ship. No other explanation for their opening the outer hatch while leaving the inner hatchway locked. They know we’ve been following them. They want to speak to us—if they can speak. I’m afraid they’re not telepaths. I’m even afraid they don’t emit any thought-impulses whatever.
"Robots?"
"It seems that way. As always: no living being on board, only robots. Who their master is we’ll learn later—maybe."
"And if we lose you?"
"That’s quite possible. In that case, build a telepathic block with Ooch and try to track me down. In fact, Iltu, the thought’s not so bad. Maybe it will be the only way of finally finding the alien planet. They may carry us off but you will be right behind."
"And if we lose contact with you, Pucky?"
The mousebeaver twitched his shoulders involuntarily. "Then it’s going to be a very long vacation, my sweet."
He tuned in again on the communications set. He listened as Homunk gave final instructions to the commander and then again switched to minimal distance.
"Koster is informed," said Homunk. "He will keep on behind us."
Pucky nodded. "Let’s go—what are we waiting for?"
The airlock proved rather spacious but nothing in it indicated that any human or other organic beings were on board. No spacesuits, no air purifiers, no weapons—nothing. Only the hardware for the outer hatchway, the ventilation ducts and…
"Ventilation ducts!" said Pucky as they stood in the enclosure and waited for the outer hatchway to close. "Robots don’t usually need any atmosphere. Are our friends an exception?"
"The hatchway!" Homunk exclaimed. "It’s closing. It would be the usual procedure if human beings were manning the ship. Suppose all your conjectures are—right?"
When the hatchway was closed, they waited for the hiss of air flowing in.
They did not wait in vain.
"I do believe," murmured Pucky in an excited voice, "this time we’re in luck and will meet the masters of the robots—even if robots are manning the ship. They’re letting air into the airlock. I don’t think robots need air. When I entered a Silver Arrow for the first time. I had changed into a quantum of light due to the ultradimensional changeover of the molkex…"
There was not enough time for Pucky to describe his previous encounter for at that moment the inner hatch opened. Behind it one could see a bright hallway. It was as well lit as the pressure lock. The floor was metal, not covered by any carpets.
Homunk had once more hidden his weapon in his belt. With his quick reactions it would have taken only a fraction of a second for him to get it ready for action. It made no difference whether the weapon was in his belt or in his hand.
Pucky informed Iltu of all that was happening by merely thinking about what he saw and experienced. Now and then he received confirmation that his connection with her was still good. The EX-238 was following them at the same distance and at the same speed. Ten times the speed of light and the huge red sun was still 10 hours flying time distant.
"Apparently we’re to leave the lock," Homunk guessed and started ahead. He kept close to Pucky, though, for if any danger should suddenly arise he did not want to be without the possibility of returning by teleportation. Without this possibility, the whole undertaking would have been sheer insanity.
Undecided, they stopped in the hallway. It led off to both right and left for about an equal distance. To the left was the bow, apparently the ship’s central control
"Let’s go," Pucky proposed and dragged Homunk along with him. "When the aliens invite us so kindly, we shouldn’t hesitate to pay them a visit. Do you see the doors? Cabins? Do robots need cabins? It seems to me they’re behaving in a very human way—and, if I’m not mistaken, they’ll look that way too."
Homunk had stopped in the hallway and was starting some analyses. To this day, Pucky did not know how Homunk managed it, for he had no instruments to work with.
"The atmosphere is suitable for human beings," he said. "So, for you, too. Plenty of oxygen and other air constituents. I think we’re going to see something surprising."
"I think so too," said the mousebeaver. "We must be dealing with a special kind of robots who love surprises. Before, the time I first…"
Again he could not continue the tale of his adventures for Homunk, as just now they heard footsteps. They sounded from the left and were coming closer. Then a figure appeared in the hallway.
It was a shimmering metallic robot without any clothing. Its walk was a bit heavy but one noticed it only if looking for it. And one looked for it because even from the very first it was plain that it was a robot that had to be dealt with. Its entire build suggested human engineers. It had two legs, two arms, hands with five fingers, and a small trunk with a humanoid head. Its two eyes glittered under its bald metallic skull. Under it was set a well-shaped nose. The mouth was angular. Both ears were round, copied from the human.
A humanoid robot—as they had expected.
So, no surprise.
Pucky had taken Homunk’s hand. He concentrated on the sudden leap that would bring them to safety, if necessary.
The robot came toward them and stopped close in front.
Pucky would not have been surprised to have heard human sounds from that angular mouth but he waited in vain. The robot only looked at them and it appeared that it analysed even their most secret thoughts, so sharp and penetrating did its cold gaze become.
Then it turned around and went ahead.
Pucky took off his helmet and hung it on his belt. Homunk disconnected the communications set. Then they followed the robot.
"I don’t think we’re in any immediate danger," said the android. "How will we explain our presence, in case they ask? We shouldn’t, after all, let them know that you’re a teleporter."
"They’ll know it anyhow—or at least guess. There’s no other reasonable explanat
ion."
The robot had stopped. The hallway had come to an end and a doorway about a man’s height closed it off. Suddenly the robot turned around and bowed before Homunk. It did not pay any attention to Pucky. Then it stepped aside.
The door opened.
Behind it was a room crammed full of control instruments, screens, navigation equipment and all kinds of panels. In front of it all were comfortable chairs on runners to enable them to be anchored to the spot at any time. Some robots glided back and forth in the room without paying any attention to the newcomers.
On one of the screens, the EX-238 was clearly recognizable.
Behind them, the door closed with a dull sound.
Pucky still had hold of Homunk’s hand. It was going much too smoothly and easily. For decades the Silver Arrows had avoided every contact with the spaceships of the Empire and now suddenly the opposite was happening.
Why?
A robot rose from a chair and came towards them. He, too, gazed at them with a searching look before he made the slightest of bows and indicated two empty chairs. It was such a human gesture that Pucky’s every speculation was changed from one second to the next. These robots were surrounded by a deep mystery that had to be pierced. They had had some connection with men, that was evident. Even their appearance pointed to it. But also their entire behaviour, their gestures and their manners.
But who were these men? There was not a single instance of anyone’s ever meeting them.
The lost cruiser…?
And if that—the crew certainly wouldn’t have had enough time to train the robots in Terranian manners. Besides which, it was evident that the robots had existed for centuries—if not longer.
Homunk and Pucky sat down. The robot, too, took his seat in silence. He looked at the screen. There was nothing for Homunk and Pucky to do except wait and see what would happen. They used the time to observe the EX-238, which was in all its details as clear as if it had been just a few hundred meters away, seemingly motionless among the suns in space.
And then—suddenly—the EX-238 disappeared.
Nothing but the blazing stars filled the screen.
But the suns were no longer motionless; they seemed to wander. Then they streaked across the screen with vicious speed and disappeared at the edges.
Pucky and Homunk felt nothing of the unbelievable acceleration with which the robot ship must now be forging through space. From the movement of the stars it was also evident that the course was being constantly altered. All of this happened so fast and took them by such surprise that Pucky could not even think of teleporting them back to safety. If necessary, he would have done it without Homunk but now it was much too late. Even his telepathic contact with Iltu was broken.
"What is…?" Homunk began but Pucky interrupted him: "Don’t worry. They can’t harm us. If I wanted to, I could have them all whirling through the hallway like helpless puppets. We’ll find the EX-238 again when there’s more quiet and we can concentrate. Keep cool and hold yourself in readiness."
"Nothing can happen to me but you’re in danger."
"No more than you. You don’t know that besides being a teleporter I’m also a telekinetic. At the right moment it will come as a great surprise to them, you can bet on that. It’ll be enough for me if they just take us to their planet of origin. If their lords and masters are not on board, hopefully they’ll be there. I’d like to meet them."
"Be careful! If they can understand us…"
"I’d be glad to let them have all my secrets if only they could understand," replied Pucky and signalled quickly with his hand.
"Quiet now. I think their tin boss wants to say something to us."
"‘Say something’ is good," murmured Homunk. "It doesn’t look like their mouths are made for speaking."
The robot, who had sat with them in front of the screen, had stood up. With an almost courteous gesture, he bade the two prisoners—or were they guests?—to follow him.
Pucky waited until Homunk had gone ahead. The three robots remaining in control centre paid no attention to them. They sat in front of their control boards or busied themselves with various tasks. In the back of the control centre was a huge structure with uncountable scales, dials, measuring instruments, levers and switches. Its massive pedestal was built into the floor.
As Pucky passed by the huge construction, a vague memory stabbed at him. Somewhere he’d seen such a thing before—but where? That time on the Silver Arrow? He was no longer sure but he made up his mind to search for further memory points. Maybe he could then picture what was actually going on here and who was behind the mysterious spacecrafts and their robot crews.
The commander—at least Pucky and Homunk took him for such—took them back into the wide hallway and from there to a different room. In the middle stood a table with chairs all around. On the walls were video screens and technical installation’s whose purpose could not immediately be divined.
"I’m curious about what he’s going to tell us," said Homunk and sat down without waiting for an invitation. The robot seemed to have expected nothing else and took his place without paying any attention to Pucky. There was nothing for the mousebeaver to do but follow his example, unless he wanted to remain standing.
"I notice they treat you with much more respect than me," he grumbled. "I wouldn’t have thought these shabby robots were prejudiced."
"You’re prejudiced yourself," Homunk pointed out to him. "May I remind you that I, too, am a robot?"
"Well, but first of all, you’re only half a robot; and then, my value judgment concerns only these sad figures here. Besides which, you are mistaken when you ascribe any race at all to robots."
Homunk’s expression did not change as he replied: "I’m afraid, Pucky, you’ll soon have the surprise of your life."
Before Pucky could answer, his attention was deflected by a sudden movement. One of the screens flared up into constantly changing abstract patterns. The changes gradually slowed until the image was finally set. Then lines formed, creating new contrasts and impressions.
A sphere stood out. An exploration craft of the Terranian fleet. It raced through space with fantastic speed and was still accelerating. But its course was not right. Maintaining it would mean racing straight into the centre of a gigantic flaming sun.
"That’s the ship that disappeared!" cried Homunk who, with his positron-directed eyes, could read the tiny lettering on the round hull. "The missing ship! What is this?"
The answer was not long in coming.
The Terranian exploration craft gave up its vain attempt at manoeuvring around as a Silver Arrow suddenly closed in from the side. At its bow, clearly recognizable, were magnetic clamps pushed far out from the hull and trying to catch the hurtling ship. But the exploration craft seemed to misunderstand the intentions of the Silver Arrow. It constantly altered its flight path without being able to escape the gravitational fields of the gigantic sun. The changes in course, however, were enough to thwart the robot ship’s attempts at rescue.
It was clearly evident that the commander of the Earth ship wanted to avoid contact with the aliens in order not to have to give away the galactic position of the Earth. Rather would he sacrifice himself and his crew than to be rescued by the aliens.
Pucky, who had breathlessly followed the show that was now being projected before his eyes, could well put together what had happened. The Earth ship had met a Silver Arrow and had immediately undertaken pursuit—that matched perfectly with the communication received at the time. Communications failed either because of technical difficulties or because of interference from the aliens. Apparently there had also been a battle during which the spacesphere was so damaged that it lost its ability to manoeuvre properly. That explained why it was hurtling directly into the sun. The Silver Arrow tried to rescue the ship, but the Terranians kept them from it. They had to assume—and seemingly rightly so—that such a rescue was motivated by anything but magnanimity. Terra’s position must remain a secr
et at all costs—and there were too many indications and data on such an exploratory cruiser.
The gigantic sun grew ever larger. The spacesphere became tiny in comparison to the glowing star. It was now falling directly into its centre. Changes in course seemed no longer possible in the reach of the unbelievable pull of gravity. The Silver Arrow had fallen back and swung into a different path. In a flat parabola it tried to escape the heavy pull of gravity. The commander, whoever he might be, had given up the rescue attempt only at the last moment, for he managed only with the greatest of efforts to escape the sun’s field of gravity. With increasing speed, the Silver Arrow vanished into the vastness of the universe.
The last seconds of the drama were approaching. Pucky watched the screen as if glued to it, without reflecting on whether this was a trick film or a genuine portrayal.
The hull of pure arkonite began to glow as the solar flares shot into space and enveloped the ship. Now it was naturally much too late for the crew to try to break away with a life boat—if indeed there ever had been any hope of that. It was much more likely that no one in the ship was any longer alive.
And then the exploration cruiser exploded and burst into a thousand pieces that disappeared like comets into the sun’s fiery furnace. Seconds later there was no trace left. The screen went blank.
Homunk and Pucky stared at the robot dumbly. They couldn’t say a word. Certainly they had an explanation of what had happened to the missing ship at last but they felt anything but satisfied. On the other hand, there had been definite signs that the Silver Arrow had wanted to rescue the lost Terranian ship.
The robot looked at them calmly and patiently. He seemed to be waiting for a reaction. What he had wanted to tell them was clear enough now. But it was not at all clear how they should reply.
Homunk did not move as he said: "He wants to tell us that they have no evil intentions. They tried to rescue our ship. There must have been a second Silver Arrow nearby to shoot the film, though. Maybe the whole thing was staged just to gain our confidence."
In the Centre of the Galaxy Page 3