Astounding Stories of Super-Science January 1931 by Various (ereader that reads to you TXT) đ
- Author: Various
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âH-how do you do?â said Tommy, lamely. âIâmâawfully glad to meet you.â
But before he was well he learned to talk more sensibly.
âAnd the ships, at that touch, fell helplessly down from the heights.
The Pirate PlanetPART THREE OF A FOUR-PART NOVEL
By Charles W. Diffin
Two fighting Yankeesâwar-torn Earthâs sole representatives on Venusâset out to spike the greatest gun of all time.
WHAT HAS GONE BEFOREThe attack comes without warning; its reason is unknown. But Venus is approaching the earth, and flashes from the planet are followed by terrific explosions that wreak havoc throughout the world. Lieutenant McGuire and Captain Blake of the U. S. Army Air Service see a great ship fly in from space. Blake attacks it with the 91st Squadron in support, and Blake alone survives. McGuire and Professor Sykes, an astronomer of Mount Lawson, are captured.
The bombardment ceases as Venus passes on, and the people of Earth sink into hopeless despondency. Less than a year and a half and the planet will return, and thenâthe end! The armament of Earth is futile against an enemy who has conquered space. Blake hopes that science might provide a means; might show our fighters how to go out into space and throttle the attack at its source. But the hope is blasted, until a radio from McGuire supplies a lead.
McGuire is on Venus. He and Sykes land on that distant planet, captives of a barbarous people. They are taken before Torg, the emperor, and his council, and they learn that these red, man-shaped beasts intend to conquer the earth. Spawning in millions, they are crowded, and Earth is to be their colony.
Imprisoned on a distant island, the two captives are drugged and hypnotized before a machine which throws their thoughts upon a screen. Involuntary traitors, they disclose the secrets of Earth and its helplessness; then attempt to escape and end their lives rather than be forced to further betrayal of their own people.
McGuire finds a radio station and sends a message back to Earth. He implores Blake to find a man named Winslow, for Winslow has invented a space ship and claims to have reached the moon.
No time for further sendingâMcGuire does not even know if his message has been receivedâbut they reach the ocean where death offers them release. A force of their captors attacking on land, they throw themselves from a cliff, then swim out to drown beyond reach in the ocean. An enemy ship sweeps above them: its gas cloud threatens not the death they desire but unconsciousness and capture. âGod help us,â says Sykes; âwe canât even die!â
They sink, only to be buoyed up by a huge metal shape. A metal projector raises from the ocean, bears upon the enemy ship and sends it, a mass of flame and molten metal, into the sea. And friendly voices are in McGuireâs ears as careful hands lift the two men and carry them within the craft that has saved them.
CHAPTER XIIILieutenant McGuire had tried to die. He and Professor Sykes had welcomed death with open arms, and death had been thwarted by their enemies who wanted them aliveâwanted to draw their knowledge from them as a vampire bat might seek to feast. And, when even death was denied them, help had come.
The enemy ship had gone crashing to destruction where its melting metal made hissing clouds of steam as it buried itself in the ocean. And this craft that had saved themâLieutenant McGuire had never been on a submarine, but he knew it could be only that that held him now and carried him somewhere at tremendous speed.
This was miracle enough! But to see, with eyes which could not be deceiving him, a vision of men, human, white of faceâmen like himselfâbending and working over Sykesâ unconscious bodyâthat could not be immediately grasped.
Their faces, unlike the bleached-blood horrors he had seen, were aglow with the flush of health. They were tall, slenderly built, graceful in their quick motions as they worked to revive the unconscious man. One stopped, as he passed, to lay a cool hand on McGuireâs forehead, and the eyes that looked down seemed filled with the blessed quality of kindness.
They were humanâhis own kind!âand McGuire was unable to take in at first the full wonder of it.
Did the tall man speak? His lips did not move, yet McGuire heard the words as in some inner ear.
âWe were awaiting you, friend Mack Guire.â The voice was musical, thrilling, and yet the listening man could not have sworn that he heard a voice at all. It was as if a thought were placed within his mind by the one beside him.
The one who had paused hurried on to aid the others, and McGuire let his gaze wander.
The porthole beside him showed dimly a pale green light; they were submerged, and the hissing rush of water told him that they were travelling fast. There was a door in the farther wall; beyond was a room of gleaming lights that reflected from myriads of shining levers and dials. A control room. A figure moved as McGuire watched, to press on a lever where a red light was steadily increasing in brightness. He consulted strange instruments before him, touched a metal button here and there, then opened a switch, and the rippling hiss of waters outside their craft softened to a gentler note.
The tall one was beside him again.
âYour friend will live,â he told him in that wordless tongue, âand we are almost arrived. The invisible arms of our anchorage have us now and will draw us safely to rest.â
The kindly tone was music in McGuireâs ears, and he smiled in reply. âFriends!â he thought. âWe are among friends.â
âYou are most welcome,â the other assured him, âand, yes, you are truly among friends.â But the lieutenant glanced upward in wonder, for he knew that he had uttered no spoken word.
Their ship turned and changed its course beneath them, then came finally to rest with a slight rocking motion as if cushioned on powerful springs. Sykes was being assisted to his feet as the tall man reached for McGuireâs hand and helped him to rise.
The two men of Earth stood for a long minute while they stared unbelievingly into each otherâs eyes. Their wonder and amazement found no words for expression but must have been apparent to the one beside them.
âYou will understand,â he told them. âDo not question this reality even to yourselves. You are safe!⊠Come.â And he led the way through an opening doorway to a wet deck outside. Beyond this was a wharf of carved stone, and the men followed where steps were inset to allow them to ascend.
Again McGuire could not know if he heard a tumult of sound or sensed it in some deeper way. The air about them was aglow with soft light, and it echoed in his ears with music unmistakably realâbeautiful music!âexhilarating! But the clamor of welcoming voices, like the words from their tall companion, came soundlessly to him.
There were people, throngs of them, waiting. Tall like the others, garbed, like those horrible beings of a past that seemed distant and remote, in loose garments of radiant colors. And everywhere were welcoming smiles and warm and friendly glances.
McGuire let his dazed eyes roam around to find the sculptured walls of a huge room like a tremendous cave. The soft glow of light was everywhere, and it brought out the beauty of flowing lines and delicate colors in statuary and bas-relief that adorned the walls. Behind him the water made a dark pool, and from it projected the upper works of their strange craft.
His eyes were hungry for these new sights, but he turned with Sykes to follow their guide through the colorful crowd that parted to let them through. They passed under a carved archway and found themselves in another and greater room.
But was it a room? McGuire marveled at its tremendous size. His eyes took in the smooth green of a grassy lawn, the flowers and plants, and then they followed where the hand of Sykes was pointing. The astronomer gripped McGuireâs arm in a numbing clutch; his other hand was raised above.
âThe stars,â he said. âThe clouds are gone; it is night!â
And where he pointed was a vault of black velvet. Deep hues of blue seemed blended with it, and far in its depths were the old familiar star-groups of the skies. âAh!â the scientist breathed, âthe beautiful, friendly stars!â
Their guide waited; then, âCome,â he urged gently, and led them toward a lake whose unruffled glassy surface mirrored the stars above. Beside it a man was waiting to receive them.
McGuire had to force his eyes away from the unreal beauty of opal walls like the fairy structures they had seen. There was color everywhere that blended and fused to make glorious harmony that was pure joy to the eyes.
The man who waited was young. He stood erect, his face like that of a Grecian statue, and his robe was blazing with the flash of jewels. Beside him was a girl, tall and slender, and sweetly serious of face. Like the man, her garments were lovely with jeweled iridescence, and now McGuire saw that the throng within the vast space was similarly apparelled.
The tall man raised his hand.
âWelcome!â he said, and McGuire realized with a start that the words were spoken aloud. âYou are most welcome, my friends, among the people of that world you call Venus.â
Professor Sykes was still weak from his ordeal; he wavered perceptibly where he stood, and the man before them them turned to give an order. There were chairs that came like magic; bright robes covered them; and the men were seated while the man and girl also took seats beside them as those who prepare for an intimate talk with friends.
Lieutenant McGuire found his voice at last. âWho are you?â he asked in wondering tones. âWhat does it mean? We were lostâand you saved us. But youâyou are not like the others.â And he repeated, âWhat does it mean?â
âNo,â said the other with a slight smile, âwe truly are not like those others. They are not men such as you and I. They are something less than human: animalsâvermin!âfrom whom God, in His wisdom, has seen fit to withhold the virtues that raise men higher than the beasts.â
His face hardened as he spoke and for a moment the eyes were stern, but he smiled again as he continued.
âAnd we,â he said, âyou ask who we are. We are the people of Venus. I am Djorn, ruler, in name, of all. âIn nameâ I say, for we rule here by common reason; I am only selected to serve. And this is my sister, Althora. The name, with us, means âradiant light.ââ He turned to exchange smiles with the girl at his side. âWe think her well named,â he said.
âThe others,ââhe waved toward the throng that clustered aboutââyou will learn to know in time.â
Professor Sykes felt the need of introductions.
âThis is Lieutenantââ he began, but the other interrupted with an upraised hand.
âMack Guire,â he supplied; âand you are Professor SykesâŠ. Oh, we know you!â he laughed; âwe have been watching you since your arrival; we have been waiting to help you.â
The professor was open-mouthed.
âYour thoughts,â explained the other, âare as a printed page. We have been with you by mental contact at all times. We could hear, but, at that distance, andâpardon me!âwith your limited receptivity, we could not communicate.
âDo not resent our intrusion,â he added; âwe listened only for our own good, and we shall show you how to insulate your thoughts. We do not pry.â
Lieutenant McGuire waved all that aside. âYou saved us from them,â he said; âthatâs the answer. Butâwhat does it mean? Those others are in control; they are attacking our Earth, the world where we lived. Why do you permitâ?â
Again the otherâs face was set in sterner lines.
âYes,â he said, and his voice was full of unspoken regret, âthey do rule this world; they have attacked your Earth; they intend much more, and I fear they must be successful. Listen. Your wonderment is natural, and I shall explain.
âWe are the people of Venus. Some centuries ago we ruled this world. Now you find us a handful only, living like moles in this underworld.â
âUnderworld?â protested Professor Sykes. He pointed above to the familiar constellations. âWhere are the clouds?â he asked.
The girl, Althora, leaned forward now. âIt will please my brother,â she said in a soft voice, âthat you thought it real. He has had pleasure in creating thatâa replica of the skies we used to know before the coming of the clouds.â
Professor Sykes was bewildered. âThat skyâthe starsâthey are not real?â he asked incredulously. âBut the grassâthe flowersââ
Her laugh rippled like music. âOh, they are real,â she told him, and her brother gave added explanation.
âThe lights,â he said: âwe supply the actinic rays that the clouds cut off above. We have sunlight here, made by our own hands; that is why we are as we are and not like the red ones with their bleached skins. We had our lights everywhere through the world when we lived above, but those red beasts are ignorant; they do not know how to operate them; they do
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