Plague Ship

by Andre Norton

  Chapter XI

  DESPERATE MEASURES

  Measured in distance and time that rough walk in the ponderous suitsacross the broken terrain of the asteroid was a short one, measured bythe beating of his own heart, Dane thought it much too long. There was nosign of life by the air lock of the bubble--no move on the part of themen stationed there to come to their assistance.

  "D'you suppose we're invisible?" Ali's disembodied voice clicked in thehelmet earphones.

  "Maybe we'll wish we were," Dane could not forego that return.

  Rip was almost to the air lock door now. His massively suited arm wasoutstretched toward the control bar when the com-unit in all threehelmets caught the same demand:

  "Identify!" The crisp order had enough snap to warn them that an answerwas the best policy.

  "Shannon--A-A of the Polestar," Rip gave the required information. "Weclaim E rights--"

  But would they get them? Dane wondered. There was a click loud in hisears. The metal door was yielding to Rip's hand. At least those on theinside had taken off the lock. Dane quickened pace to join his leader.

  Together the three from the Queen crowded through the lock door, saw thatswing shut and seal behind them, as they stood waiting for the momentthey could discard the suits and enter the dome. The odds against themcould not be too high, this was a small Stat. It would not house morethan four agents at the most. And they were familiar enough with thebasic architecture of such stations to know just what move to make. Aliwas to go to the com room where he could take over if they did meet withtrouble. Dane and Rip would have to handle any dissenters in the mainsection. But they still hoped that luck might ride their fins and theycould put over a story which would keep them out of active conflict withthe Eysies.

  The gauge on the wall registered safety and they unfastened theprotective clasps of the suits. Standing the cumbersome things againstthe wall as the inner door to the lock rolled back, they walked intoEysie territory.

  As Free Traders they had the advantage of being uniformly tunicked--withno Company badge to betray their ship or status. So that could well _be_the "Polestar" standing needle slim behind them--and not the notorious"Solar Queen." But each, as he passed through the inner lock, gave ahitch to his belt which brought the butt of his sleep rod closer to hand.Innocuous as that weapon was, in close quarters its effects, if onlytemporary, was to some purpose. And since they were prepared for trouble,they might have a slight edge over the Eysies in attack.

  A Company man, his tunic shabby and open in a negligent fashion at histhick throat, stood waiting for them. His unhelmeted head was grizzled,his coarse, tanned face with heavy jowls bristly enough to suggest he hadnot bothered to use smooth-cream for some days. An under officer of somespacer, retired to finish out the few years before pension in thisnominal duty--fast letting down the standards of personal regime he hadhad to maintain on ship board. But he wasn't all fat and soft living,the glance with which he measured them was shrewdly appraising.

  "What's your trouble?" he demanded without greeting. "You didn't I-dentcoming in."

  "Coms are out," Rip replied as shortly. "We need E-Hydro--"

  "First time I ever heard it that the coms were wired in with the grass,"the Eysies's hands were on his hips--in close proximity to somethingwhich made Dane's eyes narrow. The fellow was wearing a flare-blaster!That might be regulation equipment for an E-Stat agent on a lonelyasteroid--but he didn't quite believe it. And probably the other wasquick on the draw too.

  "The coms are something else," Rip answered readily. "Our tech is workingon them. But the hydro's bad all though. We'll have to dump and restock.Give you a voucher on Terra for the stuff."

  The Eysie agent continued to block the doorway into the station. "This isprivate--I-S property. You should hit the Patrol post--they cater to youF-Ts."

  "We hit the nearest E-Stat when we discovered that we were contaminated,"Rip spoke with an assumption of patience. "That's the law, and you knowit. You have to supply us and take a voucher--"

  "How do I know that your voucher is worth the film it's recorded on?"asked the agent reasonably.

  "All right," Rip shrugged. "If we have to do it the hard way, we'll cargodump to cover your bill."

  "Not on this field." The other shook his head. "I'll flash in yourvoucher first."

  He had them, Dane thought bitterly. Their luck had run out. Because whathe was going to do was a move they dared not protest. It was one anycanny agent would make in the present situation. And if they were whatthey said they were, they must readily agree to let him flash theirvoucher of payment to I-S headquarters, to be checked and okayed beforethey took the hydro stock.

  But Rip merely registered a mild resignation. "You the Com-tech? Where'syour unit? I'll indit at once if you want it that way."

  Whether their readiness to co-operate allayed some of the agent'ssuspicion or not, he relaxed some, giving them one more stare all aroundbefore he turned on his heel. "This way."

  They followed him down the narrow hall, Rip on his heels, the othersbehind.

  "Lonely post," Rip commented. "I'd think you boys'd get space-whirly outhere."

  The other snorted. "We're not star lovers. And the pay's worth a threemonth stretch. They take us down for Terra leave before we start talkingto the Whisperers."

  "How many of you here at a time?" Rip edged the question in casually.

  But the other might have been expecting it by the way he avoided giving adirect answer. "Enough to run the place--and not enough to help you cleanout your wagon," he was short about it. "Any dumping you do is strictlyon your own. You've enough hands on a spacer that size to manage--"

  Rip laughed. "Far be it from me to ask an Eysie to do any real work," washis counter. "We know all about you Company men--"

  But the agent did not take fire at that jib. Instead he pushed back apanel and they were looking into com-unit room where another man in thetunic of the I-S lounged on what was by law twenty-four hour duty,divided into three watches.

  "These F-Ts want to flash a voucher request through," their guideinformed the tech. The other, interested, gave them a searchingonce-over before he pushed a small scriber toward Rip.

  "It's all yours--clear ether," he reported.

  Ali stood with his back to the wall and Dane still lingered in theportal. Both of them fixed their attention on Rip's left hand. If he gavethe agreed upon signal! Their fingers were linked loosely in their beltsonly an inch or so from their sleep rods.

  With his right hand Rip scooped up the scribbler while the Com-tech halfturned to make adjustments to the controls, picking up a speaker to callthe I-S headquarters.

  Rip's left index finger snapped across his thumb to form a circle. Ali'srod did not even leave his belt, it tilted up and the invisible deadeningstream from it centered upon the seated tech. At the same instant Daneshot at the agent who had guided them there. The latter had time for asurprised grunt and his hand was at his blaster as he sagged to his kneesand then relaxed on the floor. The Tech slumped across the call board asif sleep had overtaken him at his post.

  Rip crossed the room and snapped off the switch which opened the wire forbroadcasting. While Ali, with Dane's help, quietly and effectivelyimmobilized the Eysies with their own belts.

  "There should be at least three men here," Rip waited by the door. "Wehave to get them all under control before we start work."

  However, the interior of the bubble, extending as it did on levelsbeneath the outer crust of the asteroid, was not an easy place to search.An enemy, warned of the invasion, could easily keep ahead of the partyfrom the Queen, spying on them at his leisure or preparing traps forthem. In the end, afraid of wasting time, they contented themselves withlocking the doors of the corridor leading to the lower levels, makingready to raid the storeroom they had discovered during their search.

  Emergency hydro supplies consisted mainly of algae which could be storedin tanks and hastily put to use--as the plants now in the Queen took muchlonger to grow e
ven under forcing methods. Dane volunteered to remaininside the E-Stat and assemble the necessary containers at the air lockwhile the other two, having had more experience, went back to the spacerto strip the hydro and prepare to switch contents.

  But, when Rip and Ali left, the younger Cargo-apprentice began to findthe bubble a haunted place. He took the sealed containers out of theirstorage racks, stood them on a small hand truck, and pushed them to thefoot of the stairs, up which he then climbed carrying two of thecylinders at a time.

  The swish of the air current through the narrow corridors made a constantmurmur of sound, but he found himself listening for something else, for afootfall other than his own, for the betraying rasp of clothing against awall--for even a whisper of voice. And time and time again he pausedsuddenly to listen--sure that the faintest hint of such a sound hadreached his ears. He had a dozen containers lined up when the welcomesignal reached him by the com-unit of his field helmet. To transfer thecylinders to the lock, get out, and then open the outer door, did nottake long. But as he waited he still listened for a sound which did notcome--the notice, that someone besides himself was free to move about theStat.

  Not knowing just how many of the supply tins were needed, he worked ontransferring all there were in the storage racks to the upper corridorand the lock. But he still had half a dozen left to pass through when Ripsent a message that he was coming in.

  Out of his pressure suit, the Astrogator-apprentice stepped lightly intothe corridor, looked at the array of containers and shook his head.

  "We don't need all those. No, leave them--" he added as Dane, with asigh, started to pick up two for a return trip. "There's something moreimportant just now--" He turned into the side hall which led to the comroom.

  Both the I-S men had awakened. The Com-tech appeared to accept his bondsphilosophically. He was quiet and flat on his back, staring pensively atthe ceiling. But the other agent had made a worm's progress half acrossthe room and Rip had to halt in haste to prevent stepping on him.

  Shannon stooped and, hooking his fingers in the other's tunic, heaved himback while the helpless man favored them with some of the ripestspeech--and NOT Trade Lingo--Dane had ever heard. Rip waited until theman began to run down and then he broke in with his pleasant soft drawl.

  "Oh, sure, we're all that. But time runs on, Eysie, and I'd like a coupleof answers which may mean something to you. First--when do you expectyour relief?"

  That set the agent off again. And his remarks--edited--were that nosomething, something F-T was going to get any something, somethinginformation out of him!

  But it was his companion in misfortune--the Com-tech--who guessed thereason behind Rip's question.

  "Cut jets!" he advised the other. "They're just being soft-hearted. Itake it," he spoke over the other agent's sputtering to Rip, "that you'reworried about leaving us fin down--That's it, isn't it?"

  Rip nodded. "In spite of what you think about us," he replied, "We're notPatrol Posted outlaws--"

  "No, you're just from a plague ship," the Com-tech remarked calmly. Andhis words struck his comrade dumb. "Solar Queen?"

  "You got the warn-off then?"

  "Who didn't? You really have plague on board?" The thought did not appearto alarm the Com-tech unduly. But his fellow suddenly heaved his boundbody some distance away from the Free Traders and his face displayedmixed emotions--most of them fearful.

  "We have something--probably supplied," Rip straightened. "Might passalong to your bosses that we know that. Now suppose you tell me aboutyour relief. When is it due?"

  "Not until after we take off on the long orbit if you leave us like this.On the other hand," the other added coolly, "I don't see how you can dootherwise. We've still got those--" with his chin he pointed to thecom-unit.

  "After a few alterations," Rip amended. The bulk of the com was in atightly sealed case which they would need a flamer to open. But he couldand did wreak havoc with the exposed portions. The tech watching thisdestruction spouted at least two expressions his companion had not used.But when Rip finished he was his unruffled self again.

  "Now," Rip drew his sleep rod. "A little rest and when you wake it willall be a bad dream." He carefully beamed each man into slumber and helpedDane strip off their bonds. But before he left the room he placed on therecorder the voucher for the supplies they had taken. The Queen was notstealing--under the law she still had some shadow of rights.

  Suited they crossed the rough rock to the ship. And there about the fins,already frozen into brittle spikes was a tangle of plants--the richresult of years of collecting.

  "Did you find anything?" Dane asked as they rounded that mess on theirway to the ladder.

  Rip's voice came back through the helmet com. "Nothing we know how tointerpret. I wish Frank or Craig had had a chance to check. We tooktri-dees of everything before we dumped. Maybe they can learn somethingfrom these when--"

  His voice trailed off leaving that "when" to ring in both their minds. Itwas such an important "when." When _would_ either the steward or theMedic recover enough to view those tri-dee shots? Or was that "when"really an ominous "if?"

  Back in the Queen, sealed once more for blast-off, they took theirstations. Dane speculated as to the course Rip had set--were they justgoing to wander about the system hoping to escape notice until they hadsomehow solved their problem? Or did Shannon have some definite port inmind? He did not have time to ask before they lifted. But once they werespace borne again he voiced his question.

  Rip's face was serious. "Frankly--" he began and then hesitated for along moment before he added, "I don't know. If we can only get theCaptain or Craig on their feet again--"

  "One thing," Ali materialized to join them, "Sinbad's back in the hydro.And this morning you couldn't get him inside the door. It's not a verygood piece of evidence--"

  No, it wasn't but they clung to it as backing for their actions of thepast few hours. The cat that had shown such a marked distaste for thecompany of the stricken, and then for the hydro, was now content to visitthe latter as if some evil he has sensed there had been cleansed with thedumping of the garden. They had not yet solved their mystery but anotherclue had come into their hands.

  But now the care of the sick occupied hours and Rip insisted that a watchbe maintained by the com--listening in for news which might concern theQueen. They had done a good job at silencing the E-Stat, for they hadbeen almost six hours in space before the news of their raid was beamedto the nearest Patrol post.

  Ali laughed. "Told you we'd be pirates," he said when he listened to thataccount of their descent upon the I-S station. "Though I didn't see allthat blaster work they're now raving about. You'd think we fought a majorbattle there!"

  Weeks growled. "The Eysies are trying to make it look good. Make us intooutlaws--"

  But Rip did not share in the general amusement at the wild extravagationof the report from the ether. "I notice they didn't say anything aboutthe voucher we left."

  Ali's cynical smile curled. "Did you expect them to? The Eysies thinkthey have us by the tail fins now--why should they give us any benefit ofthe doubt? We junked all our boosters behind us on this take-off, anddon't forget that, my friends."

  Weeks looked confused. "But I thought you said we could do this legal,"he appealed to Rip. "If we're Patrol Posted as outlaws--"

  "They can't do any more to us than they can for running in a plagueship," Ali pointed out. "Either will get us blasted if we happen into thewrong vector now. So--what do we do?"

  "We find out what the plague really is," Dane said and meant every wordof it.

  "How?" Ali inquired. "Through some of Craig's magic?"

  Dane was forced to answer with the truth. "I don't know yet--but it's ouronly chance."

  Rip rubbed his eyes wearily. "Don't think I'm disagreeing--but justwhere do we start? We've already combed Frank's quarters and Kosti's--wecleaned out the hydro--"

  "Those tri-dee shots of the hydro--have you checked them yet?" Danecountered.

/>   Without a word Ali arose and left the cabin. He came back with amicrofilm roll. Fitting it into the large projector he focused it on thewall and snapped the button.

  They were looking at the hydro--down the length of space so accuratelyrecorded that it seemed they might walk straight into it. The greenery ofthe plants was so vivid and alive Dane felt that he could reach out andpluck a leaf. Inch by inch he examined those ranks, looking for somethingwhich was not in order, had no right to be there.

  The long shot of the hydro as it had been merged into a series ofsectional groupings. In silence they studied it intently, using all theirfield lore in an attempt to spot what each one was certain must be theresomewhere. But they were all handicapped by their lack of intimateknowledge of the garden.

  "Wait!" Weeks' voice scaled up. "Left hand corner--there!" His pointinghand broke and shadowed the portion he was calling to their attention.Ali jumped to the projector and made a quick adjustment.

  Plants four and five times life size glowed green on the wall. What Weekshad caught they all saw now--ragged leaves, stripped stems.

  "Chewed!" Dane supplied the answer.

  It was only one species of plant which had been so mangled. Othervarieties in the same bank showed no signs of disturbance. But all ofthat one type had at least one stripped branch and two were virtualskeletons.

  "A pest!" said Rip.

  "But Sinbad," Dane began a protest before the memory of the cat'speculiar actions of the past weeks stopped him. Sinbad had slipped up,the hunter who had kept the Queen free of the outr? alien life which cameaboard from time to time with cargo, had not attacked that which hadravaged the hydro plants. Or if he had done so, he had not, after hisusual custom, presented the bodies of the slain to any crew member.

  "It looks as if we have something at last," Ali observed and someoneechoed that with a sigh of heartdeep relief.