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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/29272-h.zip b/29272-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..40cd095 --- /dev/null +++ b/29272-h.zip diff --git a/29272-h/29272-h.htm b/29272-h/29272-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cea5c73 --- /dev/null +++ b/29272-h/29272-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1171 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of No Hiding Place, by Richard R. Smith + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2 {text-align: right; font-weight: normal; line-height: 2em;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: justify;} + .bk1 {margin: 1em auto 3em; border-top: solid 2px; border-bottom: solid 2px;} + .bk2 {float: left; width: 15em; margin: 1em 2em 1em 0;} + .pr1 {line-height: 1.5em; margin-top: 4em;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 1em auto; visibility: hidden;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; margin-right: .05em; padding-top: .05em; font-size: 300%; line-height: .8em; width: auto;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of No Hiding Place, by Richard R. Smith + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: No Hiding Place + +Author: Richard R. Smith + +Release Date: June 29, 2009 [EBook #29272] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NO HIDING PLACE *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="bk1"><p><i><small>Turnabout may not always be fair play in the gulfs between the stars. But so +destructive and malicious are the Agronians of this story that we can readily +forgive Richard Smith for filling their ship with an unexpected reversal of a +victory technique almost too ghastly to contemplate. We have no sympathy for +them—and neither has Mr. Smith. Still, we're rather glad he decided to make +human heroism the cornerstone of a most exciting tale of conflict in space.</small></i></p></div> + +<div class="bk2"><h1><b>no<br /> +hiding<br /> +place</b></h1> + +<h2><small><i>by ... Richard R. Smith</i></small></h2> + +<p class="pr1"><big><b>The Earth was enveloped in atomic fire and the ship was +a prize of war. But disaster may make victory mandatory.</b></big></p></div> + +<p class="cap"><span class="smcap">The ship leaped</span> toward the +stars, its engines roaring with a +desperate burst of energy and its +bulkheads audibly protesting the +tremendous pressures.</p> + +<p>In the control room, Emmett +Corbin listened to the screech of +tormented metal and shuddered. +The heat was suffocating, and acrid +fumes assailed his nostrils and +burned his eyes until he almost +cried out in pain.</p> + +<p>Despite the agony, his gaze did +not waver from the video set across +the room. In the screen, Earth was +a rapidly diminishing orb, charred +and mottled with glowing atomic +fires.</p> + +<p><i>Everything</i>, a far corner of his +mind whispered. <i>Everything on +Earth is dead!</i></p> + +<p>He was a carpenter and luckily, +he had been working inside the +barricades of an Army spaceport +when the news came that the +enemy had broken through the defense +ring beyond Pluto. He had +continued nailing the cedar siding +on the building, knowing that if +he stopped his work and waited, +he would start screaming.</p> + +<p>An MP running by the building +several minutes later had shouted +at him, urging him to board one +of the ships on the landing field. +In those last hours, they had loaded +the few remaining spaceships +as quickly as possible, ignoring the +importance of the passengers. He +reflected that many millionaires +and influential politicians were now +dead simply because they hadn't +been close enough to the spaceports +when the unexpected news +came. Watching the pilots as they +sat tense before the controls, he +felt overcome with helplessness.</p> + +<p>The passenger on his right was +a girl—red-haired and undeniably +attractive. He remembered her +name. It was Gloria White, and +she was the daughter of Colonel +White who had led the expedition +to Venus. Her father had died +months before but his friends had +used their influence to establish +her as a secretary on the spaceport +where it was assumed she would +be comparatively safe.</p> + +<p>He had seen her frequently but +almost always at a distance. She +had been friendly enough, but she +had never exchanged more than a +few casual words with him. He +had often paused in his work to +admire her. But now, aboard one +of the last ships to leave Earth, he +evaluated her only as another passenger.</p> + +<p>The man on his left was dressed +expensively. His general appearance +radiated prestige although his +fleshy face was filled with disbelief +as if he were witnessing a fantastic +nightmare.</p> + +<p><i>Rinnnng! Rinnnng!</i> Corbin's +thoughts were interrupted by a +clamoring alarm bell declaring +by its volume and insistence that +the danger was still acute. <i>That +bell will ring until the ship is destroyed</i>, +he thought wildly. <i>It +could very well mean that the ship +will be destroyed!</i></p> + +<p>The pilots leaped away from the +controls as if they had abruptly +become white hot. "<i>Rocket</i>," one +of them screamed. "Enemy rocket +on our tail!"</p> + +<p>Corbin turned suddenly and ran +across the room in sudden, blind +panic. "We can't shake it! Nobody +can shake one!" Mumbling incoherently, +he grabbed a spacesuit +and began to don it.</p> + +<p>The room was suddenly a seething +mass of confusion. The pilots +distributed spacesuits and helped +passengers into them while the +cabin continued to sway and lurch. +Fear-crazed passengers ran aimlessly +in circles. Some fainted and +others were shocked into immobility.</p> + +<p>Emmett had barely finished securing +his helmet when the ship +shook violently and he was knocked +to the floor. The lights fluttered, +then went out.</p> + +<p>When the trembling at last subsided, +he struggled to his feet and +looked about the room. His eyes +gradually adjusted to the faint +light from the luminous paint on +the walls and he was able to make +out two shadowy figures moving +hesitantly about the wreckage.</p> + +<p>He remained motionless as one +of the two men approached him, +reached out and adjusted the dials +on his spacesuit controls. The earphones +in his helmet blared with +a familiar voice, "Are you all +right?"</p> + +<p>"Y-Yeah. Just a little shaken."</p> + +<p>The man walked toward the +third passenger and presently Emmett +heard a quick, sobbing breath +through the earphones.</p> + +<p>"Are you hurt?" the man +asked.</p> + +<p>"No." Even under the abnormal +conditions Gloria White's calm +voice came through clearly.</p> + +<p>They wandered aimlessly about +the room, each engrossed in his +private mental turmoil. Finally the +pilot broke the silence, "Since we're +probably the last ones alive on the +ship, we should know each other. +My name is George Hartman."</p> + +<p>"Emmett Corbin."</p> + +<p>"Gloria ... Gloria White."</p> + +<p>The pilot said with grim +urgency: "We've got to do something. +There's no sense in just +standing here—waiting for the +enemy to come."</p> + +<p>"Come?" Emmett inquired. +"You mean that the Agronians will +actually board our ship?"</p> + +<p>"They always examine disabled +ships. They are determined to learn +as much as they can about us."</p> + +<p>"Well, let's get some weapons +and be ready. I'm no hero, understand. +But I agree with you that +there's no sense in just waiting."</p> + +<p>The pilot said: "There are no +hand weapons on the ship. Our +only possible course of action +would be to <i>hide</i>." His emphasis +conveyed to the others how much +he disliked the thought.</p> + +<p>"But where?" Gloria asked. "If +they make a thorough search—"</p> + +<p>"We can't hide <i>in</i> the ship," +George said, with absolute conviction. +"Our reports indicate that +they examine every square foot inside +a bombed vessel. We'll have +to conceal ourselves outside."</p> + +<p>"<i>Outside?</i>"</p> + +<p>"We can use the magnetic shoes +on our spacesuits to walk on the +ship's hull. If luck favors us they +may never even think of searching +the forward section of the hull."</p> + +<p>Emmett shrugged his shoulders, +not realizing that in the faint light +no one could see the gesture. +Gloria said, "It's better than making +no attempt at all to save ourselves."</p> + +<p>George led the way from the +control room, and across a passenger +compartment that was filled +with the crumpled, lifeless forms +of almost a hundred men and +women.</p> + +<p>"There were no spacesuits in +this room," he explained simply.</p> + +<p>They operated the air lock by +utilizing the emergency manual +controls, and were soon standing +on the hull of the ship. For several +seconds they remained motionless +and silent, grimly surveying their +awesome surroundings. The billions +of stars above were terrifyingly +vivid against the dark emptiness +of space. The ship's hull was +fantastically twisted and pitted, and +the enemy ship—it hovered a few +miles distant—had been transformed +into a brilliantly burning +star by the reflected sunlight.</p> + +<p>"We've got to find cover," +George said quickly. "If they're +watching the ship with telescopes +we'll stand out like fireflies in a +dark room!"</p> + +<p>Cautiously sliding their feet +across the hull, Gloria and Emmett +followed the pilot. Presently he +pointed to a spot where a large +section of the hull had been twisted +back upon itself, forming a +deep pocket. "This should be good +enough," he said.</p> + +<p>They followed his example as +he knelt and crawled through the +small opening. To Emmett it was +like crawling into a sardine can. +The space was barely large enough +to accommodate the three of them, +and through the spacesuit's tough +fabric, he could feel faint, shifting +pressures that indicated he was +leaning against someone's back and +sitting on someone's legs. They +shuffled about in the total darkness +until they reached a fairly comfortable +position and then crouched +in silence until light flashed all +about them.</p> + +<p>"Look!" Gloria whispered. Emmett +stared through a narrow gash +in the metal near his head and saw +a group of Agronians approaching +the ship. The starlight, glittering +on their strange spacesuits, transformed +them into weird apparitions.</p> + +<p>Emmett closed his eyes and +breathed a silent prayer. When he +opened them again he could see +only the unwinking stars and the +enemy ship, which was still hovering +nearby like a huge glaring eye.</p> + +<p>"They're inside the ship analyzing +our navigational instruments," +George said as if he could somehow +see through the solid metal. +"They're a very thorough race. +They probably know far more +about us than we know about +them."</p> + +<p>"What are we going to do?" +Gloria asked. "We can't just sit +here until breathing becomes a torment—"</p> + +<p>"What <i>can</i> we do? There's no +place to go!" Emmett's heart had +begun a furious pounding. His +plight reminded him of how, in a +recurrent nightmare, he had often +found himself standing frozen before +an oncoming truck, his legs +immobile as he waited for death. +He had always awakened with his +heart beating furiously and his body +bathed in a cold sweat, his mind +filled with a sickening fear.</p> + +<p>And now it was as if the nightmare +had become a reality. He was +waiting for death not in the form +of a truck, but in the regular <i>swish</i> +of air that tickled his ears as his +oxygen supply was purified and replenished. +Eventually the sound +would change its timbre as the +purifying agents became less efficient. +The faint sound was not as +impressive as the sight of a truck. +But he knew that in a short time +it would be just as deadly. And, as +in the nightmare, he was powerless ...</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>A long silence followed—broken +only by the <i>swish</i> of Emmett's oxygen-rejuvenating +machinery. He listened +intently and the <i>swish</i> grew +in volume until it became a roar +in his ears—a sound more thunderous +than that of a thousand +trucks.</p> + +<p>"There is a place where we'd be +completely safe," Gloria exclaimed, +her voice suddenly loud in his +ears. "I don't know how we could +get there. But if a way could be +found—"</p> + +<p>"Venus?" George inquired. +"The colony your father started?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. There are only a few colonists +there—not more than twenty-five. +The war with the Agronians +started just after the settlement was +established and the government +never had a chance to send out +more colonists. Father showed me +the approximate location—"</p> + +<p>"The Agronians have probably +destroyed the base by now," Emmett +said. But his senses were tingling +with new hope.</p> + +<p>Gloria shook her head. "I don't +think so. The enemy has studied +the remains of our warships but +there's a good chance that the information +never fell into their +hands."</p> + +<p>"How do we get there? We +haven't got a ship, and <i>we can't +walk</i>!"</p> + +<p>"We haven't got a ship," George +agreed. "But we can try to get +one."</p> + +<p>Emmett felt suddenly cold when +he realized what the pilot had in +mind. "The enemy ship?" he asked.</p> + +<p>George nodded. "During the +skirmish at Arcturus, we managed +to capture one of their ships and +I was a member of a group that +studied it. I'm sure I can fly one +of their vessels, for the controls +are far simpler than ours. Most of +the Agronians have left their ship +to study ours, and that leaves only +a skeleton crew on board. We can +use our spacesuit jets to cross the +distance. As you can see, it isn't +too far."</p> + +<p>"And precisely what happens +when we reach their ship?"</p> + +<p>"Who knows? Maybe we'll get +killed. But getting killed in a +struggle for survival is better than +just waiting to die."</p> + +<p>Gloria shuddered. "It looks so +cold out there. We'll get separated—hopelessly +lost. I don't even +know how to operate the spacesuit's +rockets!"</p> + +<p>"I don't either," Emmett admitted.</p> + +<p>"It's simple." George carefully +explained the operation of the +rockets in detail and ended by instructing +them, "We'll get separated +on the way. But when we +reach the ship, we'll try to meet +at the air lock. It resembles the air +lock of an Earth ship."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Floating through space toward +the enemy ship, Emmett felt overcome +with an absurd sensation of +freedom. Completely surrounded +by billions of motionless, pin-point +stars and securely hidden by the +vast blackness of space, the aliens +and the problem of survival seemed +dream-like and unreal.</p> + +<p>A sharp pain stabbed at his left +arm and he heard a brief hissing +sound. Oxygen was escaping from +his spacesuit. The sound abruptly +stopped when the suit automatically +sealed the puncture. And yet +the throbbing pain remained and +he felt the wetness of blood +against his flesh, seeping slowly +down his leg.</p> + +<p><i>A meteor!</i> People usually visualized +meteors as tons of metal +hurtling through space. But there +were small ones as well, and perhaps +this one had been no larger +than a grain of sand. He dismissed +it from his mind, and after what +seemed an eternity, his feet touched +the hull of the enemy ship. Quickly +he activated the magnetic boots.</p> + +<p>A distant figure gestured as +George's voice came loudly over +the intercom system, "This way. +Here's the air lock!"</p> + +<p><i>You should whisper</i>, he thought. +<i>It would be more fitting.</i></p> + +<p>He shuffled in the indicated direction. +His legs were rubbery beneath +him and there was a growing +tingling sensation in his left arm. +It was just barely possible that he +was bleeding to death. And encased +as he was in the spacesuit, it +would be impossible for him to +treat the wound.</p> + +<p><i>If</i> they reached the colony on +Venus he would receive medical +attention, of course. But they must +first overpower the ship's crew, and +it would take approximately two +hours to reach the colony. Could he +hold out that long?</p> + +<p>He didn't know.</p> + +<p>George knelt and carefully examined +the rectangular outline in +the metal beneath their feet. "It's +only a sort of button," he said. "It +could be a device that opens the +lock by means of a code sequence—or +it could be a signal to notify +those inside to open the lock."</p> + +<p>"What should we do?" Gloria +asked nervously.</p> + +<p>Instead of replying, George +pushed the button firmly. The section +of hull beneath them instantly +dropped several feet. Emmett +looked up in time to see an outer +air-lock panel swiftly blot out the +stars.</p> + +<p>Brief seconds later, the compartment +was filled with a brilliant +light and tiny nozzles in the ceiling +sprayed a bluish gas about them.</p> + +<p>Gloria leapt quickly to one side. +"What's that?" she asked, in alarm.</p> + +<p>"It's the Agronian atmosphere," +George said. "Although their locks +are mechanically different, the +principle behind them is the same +as ours."</p> + +<p>"It's a strange-looking atmosphere," +Emmett remarked. The +pain in his arm and the numbness +that was gradually spreading +throughout his body had relaxed +his mind. He felt so physically detached +from his surroundings that +he could look at the fog-like gas +that swirled about them with interest +rather than concern.</p> + +<p>"It's poisonous," George said. +"We managed to analyze some. +One breath is enough to kill a human—"</p> + +<p>An inner door abruptly glided +to one side and George leaped into +the room beyond. Emmett followed +as quickly as possible, although he +felt sleepy and his every action +seemed a study in slow motion.</p> + +<p>Except for the level expanse of +the floor, the room before them +was entirely alien. The thick atmosphere +swirled eerily. The control +board was recognizable as +such, but being adapted for tentacles +instead of human hands, it +appeared to be a meaningless maze +of equipment. Strange, angular devices +lined the walls and hung from +the low ceiling on thin wires. As +Emmett scanned the odd artifacts, +he could understand only one—a +group of web-like hammocks that +were obviously used by the aliens +to sleep in.</p> + +<p>Two Agronians stood before the +large control board at the far side +of the room. It was the first time +Emmett had seen the enemy other +than in pictures and the sight of +the thousands of snakelike, wriggling +antennae nauseated him.</p> + +<p>George hesitated briefly and +then ran toward the Agronians. +Again Emmett followed the pilot's +lead. One of the creatures aimed a +weapon before George had crossed +half the distance and Gloria's shrill +scream of warning brought him up +short. But before the weapon could +be discharged, the other Agronian +viciously flung a tentacle and sent +it spinning from his companion's +clasp.</p> + +<p>George leaped at the nearest +Agronian but the creature easily +eluded him. He made another attempt +and failed again.</p> + +<p>The man and the alien cautiously +surveyed each other.</p> + +<p>"They're too fast for us," George +admitted. His voice was filled with +the bitterness of defeat and his +shoulders sagged visibly.</p> + +<p>"<i>Do something!</i>" Gloria screamed. +"Do something before the +others come back!"</p> + +<p>Emmett glanced apprehensively +at the air lock. She was right. At +the moment they outnumbered the +enemy, but when the others returned +the Agronians could overpower +them by sheer weight of +number. And they could return +without warning, at any instant.</p> + +<p>"Why did one prevent the other +from killing us?" George asked.</p> + +<p>"He may have been afraid the +other would miss and damage the +ship," Emmett said. "Or possibly—"</p> + +<p>"No. They're trained from birth +to be soldiers. They're expert +marksmen and their weapons are +foolproof. They can adjust the +blast from a weapon to travel any +distance."</p> + +<p>"Why should one enemy prevent +another from killing us?" Emmett +repeated wonderingly. He remembered +another question that had +nagged at his mind: <i>Why had the +Agronians totally destroyed Earth?</i> +Why hadn't they eliminated Earthmen +and preserved the planet for +exploitation—as a colony, a military +base, any one of a thousand +uses?</p> + +<p>There was only one possible answer. +A race might destroy a planet +if it was useless. Earthmen had +discovered useless planets, planets +with poisonous atmospheres. Was +Earth's atmosphere poisonous to +the Agronians?</p> + +<p>One Agronian had prevented another +from killing them with a +viciousness and an urgency that +indicated it had been a life-and-death +necessity.</p> + +<p>Why? What would happen if +they were to die?</p> + +<p>Something clicked in his mind +and a startling certainty occurred +to him. <i>Oxygen was poisonous to +the Agronians!</i></p> + +<p>That was why his life had been +spared. And the pilot's—and +Gloria's. Their spacesuits would +have been punctured and their +oxygen supply would have spread +with deadly rapidity throughout the +room.</p> + +<p>Without hesitation he removed +his helmet and adjusted the controls +of his oxygenating machine +until it was discharging oxygen at +maximum capacity.</p> + +<p>With a shrill outcry the two +aliens darted toward him. But a +thin, ghostly vapor of oxygen +spread rapidly through the fog-like +atmosphere, and halted them +in their tracks.</p> + +<p>"You deserve to die," Emmett +whispered.</p> + +<p>The enemy collapsed at his feet +and writhed helplessly on the floor. +Their bodies quivered spasmodically +and were still.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Gloria's hysterical, joyous laughter +rang in his ears like triumphant +bells, and through the Agronian +atmosphere that burned his face +and smarted his eyes he dimly saw +George's image as he rushed to +the control board. He held his +breath but realized that his death +was certain. He could never hold +his breath long enough to replace +the helmet and wait for the purifying +agents to cleanse the poison +that now filled his spacesuit.</p> + +<p>When he could hold his breath +no longer, he inhaled quickly and +deeply.</p> + +<p>It was like inhaling a warm, comforting +darkness....</p> + +<div class="trn"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b> +This etext was produced from <i>Fantastic Universe</i> November 1956. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note.</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of No Hiding Place, by Richard R. 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Smith + +Release Date: June 29, 2009 [EBook #29272] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NO HIDING PLACE *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + _Turnabout may not always be fair play in the gulfs between the + stars. But so destructive and malicious are the Agronians of this + story that we can readily forgive Richard Smith for filling their + ship with an unexpected reversal of a victory technique almost too + ghastly to contemplate. We have no sympathy for them--and neither + has Mr. Smith. Still, we're rather glad he decided to make human + heroism the cornerstone of a most exciting tale of conflict in + space._ + + + no + hiding + place + + _by ... Richard R. Smith_ + + + The Earth was enveloped in atomic fire and the ship was + a prize of war. But disaster may make victory mandatory. + + +The ship leaped toward the stars, its engines roaring with a desperate +burst of energy and its bulkheads audibly protesting the tremendous +pressures. + +In the control room, Emmett Corbin listened to the screech of tormented +metal and shuddered. The heat was suffocating, and acrid fumes assailed +his nostrils and burned his eyes until he almost cried out in pain. + +Despite the agony, his gaze did not waver from the video set across the +room. In the screen, Earth was a rapidly diminishing orb, charred and +mottled with glowing atomic fires. + +_Everything_, a far corner of his mind whispered. _Everything on Earth +is dead!_ + +He was a carpenter and luckily, he had been working inside the +barricades of an Army spaceport when the news came that the enemy had +broken through the defense ring beyond Pluto. He had continued nailing +the cedar siding on the building, knowing that if he stopped his work +and waited, he would start screaming. + +An MP running by the building several minutes later had shouted at him, +urging him to board one of the ships on the landing field. In those last +hours, they had loaded the few remaining spaceships as quickly as +possible, ignoring the importance of the passengers. He reflected that +many millionaires and influential politicians were now dead simply +because they hadn't been close enough to the spaceports when the +unexpected news came. Watching the pilots as they sat tense before the +controls, he felt overcome with helplessness. + +The passenger on his right was a girl--red-haired and undeniably +attractive. He remembered her name. It was Gloria White, and she was the +daughter of Colonel White who had led the expedition to Venus. Her +father had died months before but his friends had used their influence +to establish her as a secretary on the spaceport where it was assumed +she would be comparatively safe. + +He had seen her frequently but almost always at a distance. She had been +friendly enough, but she had never exchanged more than a few casual +words with him. He had often paused in his work to admire her. But now, +aboard one of the last ships to leave Earth, he evaluated her only as +another passenger. + +The man on his left was dressed expensively. His general appearance +radiated prestige although his fleshy face was filled with disbelief as +if he were witnessing a fantastic nightmare. + +_Rinnnng! Rinnnng!_ Corbin's thoughts were interrupted by a clamoring +alarm bell declaring by its volume and insistence that the danger was +still acute. _That bell will ring until the ship is destroyed_, he +thought wildly. _It could very well mean that the ship will be +destroyed!_ + +The pilots leaped away from the controls as if they had abruptly become +white hot. "_Rocket_," one of them screamed. "Enemy rocket on our tail!" + +Corbin turned suddenly and ran across the room in sudden, blind panic. +"We can't shake it! Nobody can shake one!" Mumbling incoherently, he +grabbed a spacesuit and began to don it. + +The room was suddenly a seething mass of confusion. The pilots +distributed spacesuits and helped passengers into them while the cabin +continued to sway and lurch. Fear-crazed passengers ran aimlessly in +circles. Some fainted and others were shocked into immobility. + +Emmett had barely finished securing his helmet when the ship shook +violently and he was knocked to the floor. The lights fluttered, then +went out. + +When the trembling at last subsided, he struggled to his feet and looked +about the room. His eyes gradually adjusted to the faint light from the +luminous paint on the walls and he was able to make out two shadowy +figures moving hesitantly about the wreckage. + +He remained motionless as one of the two men approached him, reached out +and adjusted the dials on his spacesuit controls. The earphones in his +helmet blared with a familiar voice, "Are you all right?" + +"Y-Yeah. Just a little shaken." + +The man walked toward the third passenger and presently Emmett heard a +quick, sobbing breath through the earphones. + +"Are you hurt?" the man asked. + +"No." Even under the abnormal conditions Gloria White's calm voice came +through clearly. + +They wandered aimlessly about the room, each engrossed in his private +mental turmoil. Finally the pilot broke the silence, "Since we're +probably the last ones alive on the ship, we should know each other. My +name is George Hartman." + +"Emmett Corbin." + +"Gloria ... Gloria White." + +The pilot said with grim urgency: "We've got to do something. There's no +sense in just standing here--waiting for the enemy to come." + +"Come?" Emmett inquired. "You mean that the Agronians will actually +board our ship?" + +"They always examine disabled ships. They are determined to learn as +much as they can about us." + +"Well, let's get some weapons and be ready. I'm no hero, understand. But +I agree with you that there's no sense in just waiting." + +The pilot said: "There are no hand weapons on the ship. Our only +possible course of action would be to _hide_." His emphasis conveyed to +the others how much he disliked the thought. + +"But where?" Gloria asked. "If they make a thorough search--" + +"We can't hide _in_ the ship," George said, with absolute conviction. +"Our reports indicate that they examine every square foot inside a +bombed vessel. We'll have to conceal ourselves outside." + +"_Outside?_" + +"We can use the magnetic shoes on our spacesuits to walk on the ship's +hull. If luck favors us they may never even think of searching the +forward section of the hull." + +Emmett shrugged his shoulders, not realizing that in the faint light no +one could see the gesture. Gloria said, "It's better than making no +attempt at all to save ourselves." + +George led the way from the control room, and across a passenger +compartment that was filled with the crumpled, lifeless forms of almost +a hundred men and women. + +"There were no spacesuits in this room," he explained simply. + +They operated the air lock by utilizing the emergency manual controls, +and were soon standing on the hull of the ship. For several seconds they +remained motionless and silent, grimly surveying their awesome +surroundings. The billions of stars above were terrifyingly vivid +against the dark emptiness of space. The ship's hull was fantastically +twisted and pitted, and the enemy ship--it hovered a few miles +distant--had been transformed into a brilliantly burning star by the +reflected sunlight. + +"We've got to find cover," George said quickly. "If they're watching the +ship with telescopes we'll stand out like fireflies in a dark room!" + +Cautiously sliding their feet across the hull, Gloria and Emmett +followed the pilot. Presently he pointed to a spot where a large section +of the hull had been twisted back upon itself, forming a deep pocket. +"This should be good enough," he said. + +They followed his example as he knelt and crawled through the small +opening. To Emmett it was like crawling into a sardine can. The space +was barely large enough to accommodate the three of them, and through +the spacesuit's tough fabric, he could feel faint, shifting pressures +that indicated he was leaning against someone's back and sitting on +someone's legs. They shuffled about in the total darkness until they +reached a fairly comfortable position and then crouched in silence until +light flashed all about them. + +"Look!" Gloria whispered. Emmett stared through a narrow gash in the +metal near his head and saw a group of Agronians approaching the ship. +The starlight, glittering on their strange spacesuits, transformed them +into weird apparitions. + +Emmett closed his eyes and breathed a silent prayer. When he opened them +again he could see only the unwinking stars and the enemy ship, which +was still hovering nearby like a huge glaring eye. + +"They're inside the ship analyzing our navigational instruments," George +said as if he could somehow see through the solid metal. "They're a very +thorough race. They probably know far more about us than we know about +them." + +"What are we going to do?" Gloria asked. "We can't just sit here until +breathing becomes a torment--" + +"What _can_ we do? There's no place to go!" Emmett's heart had begun a +furious pounding. His plight reminded him of how, in a recurrent +nightmare, he had often found himself standing frozen before an oncoming +truck, his legs immobile as he waited for death. He had always awakened +with his heart beating furiously and his body bathed in a cold sweat, +his mind filled with a sickening fear. + +And now it was as if the nightmare had become a reality. He was waiting +for death not in the form of a truck, but in the regular _swish_ of air +that tickled his ears as his oxygen supply was purified and replenished. +Eventually the sound would change its timbre as the purifying agents +became less efficient. The faint sound was not as impressive as the +sight of a truck. But he knew that in a short time it would be just as +deadly. And, as in the nightmare, he was powerless ... + + * * * * * + +A long silence followed--broken only by the _swish_ of Emmett's +oxygen-rejuvenating machinery. He listened intently and the _swish_ grew +in volume until it became a roar in his ears--a sound more thunderous +than that of a thousand trucks. + +"There is a place where we'd be completely safe," Gloria exclaimed, her +voice suddenly loud in his ears. "I don't know how we could get there. +But if a way could be found--" + +"Venus?" George inquired. "The colony your father started?" + +"Yes. There are only a few colonists there--not more than twenty-five. +The war with the Agronians started just after the settlement was +established and the government never had a chance to send out more +colonists. Father showed me the approximate location--" + +"The Agronians have probably destroyed the base by now," Emmett said. +But his senses were tingling with new hope. + +Gloria shook her head. "I don't think so. The enemy has studied the +remains of our warships but there's a good chance that the information +never fell into their hands." + +"How do we get there? We haven't got a ship, and _we can't walk_!" + +"We haven't got a ship," George agreed. "But we can try to get one." + +Emmett felt suddenly cold when he realized what the pilot had in mind. +"The enemy ship?" he asked. + +George nodded. "During the skirmish at Arcturus, we managed to capture +one of their ships and I was a member of a group that studied it. I'm +sure I can fly one of their vessels, for the controls are far simpler +than ours. Most of the Agronians have left their ship to study ours, and +that leaves only a skeleton crew on board. We can use our spacesuit jets +to cross the distance. As you can see, it isn't too far." + +"And precisely what happens when we reach their ship?" + +"Who knows? Maybe we'll get killed. But getting killed in a struggle for +survival is better than just waiting to die." + +Gloria shuddered. "It looks so cold out there. We'll get +separated--hopelessly lost. I don't even know how to operate the +spacesuit's rockets!" + +"I don't either," Emmett admitted. + +"It's simple." George carefully explained the operation of the rockets +in detail and ended by instructing them, "We'll get separated on the +way. But when we reach the ship, we'll try to meet at the air lock. It +resembles the air lock of an Earth ship." + + * * * * * + +Floating through space toward the enemy ship, Emmett felt overcome with +an absurd sensation of freedom. Completely surrounded by billions of +motionless, pin-point stars and securely hidden by the vast blackness of +space, the aliens and the problem of survival seemed dream-like and +unreal. + +A sharp pain stabbed at his left arm and he heard a brief hissing sound. +Oxygen was escaping from his spacesuit. The sound abruptly stopped when +the suit automatically sealed the puncture. And yet the throbbing pain +remained and he felt the wetness of blood against his flesh, seeping +slowly down his leg. + +_A meteor!_ People usually visualized meteors as tons of metal hurtling +through space. But there were small ones as well, and perhaps this one +had been no larger than a grain of sand. He dismissed it from his mind, +and after what seemed an eternity, his feet touched the hull of the +enemy ship. Quickly he activated the magnetic boots. + +A distant figure gestured as George's voice came loudly over the +intercom system, "This way. Here's the air lock!" + +_You should whisper_, he thought. _It would be more fitting._ + +He shuffled in the indicated direction. His legs were rubbery beneath +him and there was a growing tingling sensation in his left arm. It was +just barely possible that he was bleeding to death. And encased as he +was in the spacesuit, it would be impossible for him to treat the wound. + +_If_ they reached the colony on Venus he would receive medical +attention, of course. But they must first overpower the ship's crew, and +it would take approximately two hours to reach the colony. Could he hold +out that long? + +He didn't know. + +George knelt and carefully examined the rectangular outline in the metal +beneath their feet. "It's only a sort of button," he said. "It could be +a device that opens the lock by means of a code sequence--or it could be +a signal to notify those inside to open the lock." + +"What should we do?" Gloria asked nervously. + +Instead of replying, George pushed the button firmly. The section of +hull beneath them instantly dropped several feet. Emmett looked up in +time to see an outer air-lock panel swiftly blot out the stars. + +Brief seconds later, the compartment was filled with a brilliant light +and tiny nozzles in the ceiling sprayed a bluish gas about them. + +Gloria leapt quickly to one side. "What's that?" she asked, in alarm. + +"It's the Agronian atmosphere," George said. "Although their locks are +mechanically different, the principle behind them is the same as ours." + +"It's a strange-looking atmosphere," Emmett remarked. The pain in his +arm and the numbness that was gradually spreading throughout his body +had relaxed his mind. He felt so physically detached from his +surroundings that he could look at the fog-like gas that swirled about +them with interest rather than concern. + +"It's poisonous," George said. "We managed to analyze some. One breath +is enough to kill a human--" + +An inner door abruptly glided to one side and George leaped into the +room beyond. Emmett followed as quickly as possible, although he felt +sleepy and his every action seemed a study in slow motion. + +Except for the level expanse of the floor, the room before them was +entirely alien. The thick atmosphere swirled eerily. The control board +was recognizable as such, but being adapted for tentacles instead of +human hands, it appeared to be a meaningless maze of equipment. Strange, +angular devices lined the walls and hung from the low ceiling on thin +wires. As Emmett scanned the odd artifacts, he could understand only +one--a group of web-like hammocks that were obviously used by the aliens +to sleep in. + +Two Agronians stood before the large control board at the far side of +the room. It was the first time Emmett had seen the enemy other than in +pictures and the sight of the thousands of snakelike, wriggling antennae +nauseated him. + +George hesitated briefly and then ran toward the Agronians. Again Emmett +followed the pilot's lead. One of the creatures aimed a weapon before +George had crossed half the distance and Gloria's shrill scream of +warning brought him up short. But before the weapon could be discharged, +the other Agronian viciously flung a tentacle and sent it spinning from +his companion's clasp. + +George leaped at the nearest Agronian but the creature easily eluded +him. He made another attempt and failed again. + +The man and the alien cautiously surveyed each other. + +"They're too fast for us," George admitted. His voice was filled with +the bitterness of defeat and his shoulders sagged visibly. + +"_Do something!_" Gloria screamed. "Do something before the others come +back!" + +Emmett glanced apprehensively at the air lock. She was right. At the +moment they outnumbered the enemy, but when the others returned the +Agronians could overpower them by sheer weight of number. And they could +return without warning, at any instant. + +"Why did one prevent the other from killing us?" George asked. + +"He may have been afraid the other would miss and damage the ship," +Emmett said. "Or possibly--" + +"No. They're trained from birth to be soldiers. They're expert marksmen +and their weapons are foolproof. They can adjust the blast from a weapon +to travel any distance." + +"Why should one enemy prevent another from killing us?" Emmett repeated +wonderingly. He remembered another question that had nagged at his mind: +_Why had the Agronians totally destroyed Earth?_ Why hadn't they +eliminated Earthmen and preserved the planet for exploitation--as a +colony, a military base, any one of a thousand uses? + +There was only one possible answer. A race might destroy a planet if it +was useless. Earthmen had discovered useless planets, planets with +poisonous atmospheres. Was Earth's atmosphere poisonous to the +Agronians? + +One Agronian had prevented another from killing them with a viciousness +and an urgency that indicated it had been a life-and-death necessity. + +Why? What would happen if they were to die? + +Something clicked in his mind and a startling certainty occurred to him. +_Oxygen was poisonous to the Agronians!_ + +That was why his life had been spared. And the pilot's--and Gloria's. +Their spacesuits would have been punctured and their oxygen supply would +have spread with deadly rapidity throughout the room. + +Without hesitation he removed his helmet and adjusted the controls of +his oxygenating machine until it was discharging oxygen at maximum +capacity. + +With a shrill outcry the two aliens darted toward him. But a thin, +ghostly vapor of oxygen spread rapidly through the fog-like atmosphere, +and halted them in their tracks. + +"You deserve to die," Emmett whispered. + +The enemy collapsed at his feet and writhed helplessly on the floor. +Their bodies quivered spasmodically and were still. + + * * * * * + +Gloria's hysterical, joyous laughter rang in his ears like triumphant +bells, and through the Agronian atmosphere that burned his face and +smarted his eyes he dimly saw George's image as he rushed to the control +board. He held his breath but realized that his death was certain. He +could never hold his breath long enough to replace the helmet and wait +for the purifying agents to cleanse the poison that now filled his +spacesuit. + +When he could hold his breath no longer, he inhaled quickly and deeply. + +It was like inhaling a warm, comforting darkness.... + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Fantastic Universe_ November 1956. + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. + copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and + typographical errors have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of No Hiding Place, by Richard R. 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