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diff --git a/31976-h/31976-h.htm b/31976-h/31976-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4c317b8 --- /dev/null +++ b/31976-h/31976-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1847 @@ +<!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 Derelict, by Alan E. Nourse + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2 {font-weight: normal;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 2em auto; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .center,.hd2,h1,h2 {text-align: center;} + .figc {margin: 1em auto; width: 500px;} + .figl {float: left; clear: left; margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; padding: 0; width: 373px;} + img {border: none;} + a:link,a:visited {text-decoration: none;} + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; margin-right: .05em; padding-top: .05em; font-size: 300%; line-height: .8em; width: auto;} + .dcap {text-transform: uppercase;} + .figt {float: left; clear: left; margin: 15px; padding: 0; width: 134px;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; min-height: 230px;} + .trn p {margin: 15px;} + .hd1 {margin: 4em auto;} + .hd2 {margin-top: 2em;} + .sp1 {font-size: 200%;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Derelict, by Alan Edward Nourse + +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: Derelict + +Author: Alan Edward Nourse + +Illustrator: Ed Emshwiller + +Release Date: April 13, 2010 [EBook #31976] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DERELICT *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="figl"><img src="images/001.png" width="373" height="550" alt="" title="" /></div> + +<p><big><i>What was the mystery of this great ship from the +dark, deep reaches of space? For, within its death-filled +chambers—was the avenue of life!</i></big></p> + +<div class="hd1"><h1><span class="sp1">DERELICT</span></h1> + +<h2>By Alan E. Nourse</h2> + +<p class="center">Illustrated by Ed Emsh</p></div> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">John Sabo</span>, second in command, +sat bolt upright in his +bunk, blinking wide-eyed at the +darkness. The alarm was screaming +through the Satellite Station, +its harsh, nerve-jarring clang echoing +and re-echoing down the metal +corridors, penetrating every nook +and crevice and cubicle of the +lonely outpost, screaming incredibly +through the dark sleeping period. +Sabo shook the sleep from his +eyes, and then a panic of fear burst +into his mind. The alarm! Tumbling +out of his bunk in the darkness, +he crashed into the far bulkhead, +staggering giddily in the impossible +gravity as he pawed about +for his magnaboots, his heart +pounding fiercely in his ears. The +<i>alarm</i>! Impossible, after so long, +after these long months of bitter +waiting— In the corridor he collided +with Brownie, looking like a +frightened gnome, and he growled +profanity as he raced down the +corridor for the Central Control.</p> + +<p>Frightened eyes turned to him as +he blinked at the bright lights of +the room. The voices rose in a confused, +anxious babble, and he +shook his head and swore, and +ploughed through them toward the +screen. "Kill that damned alarm!" +he roared, blinking as he counted +faces. "Somebody get the Skipper +out of his sack, pronto, and stop +that clatter! What's the trouble?"</p> + +<p>The radioman waved feebly at +the view screen, shimmering on the +great side panel. "We just picked it +up—"</p> + +<p>It was a ship, moving in from +beyond Saturn's rings, a huge, +gray-black blob in the silvery +screen, moving in toward the Station +with ponderous, clumsy grace, +growing larger by the second as it +sped toward them. Sabo felt the +fear spill over in his mind, driving +out all thought, and he sank into +the control chair like a well-trained +automaton. His gray eyes were +wide, trained for long military +years to miss nothing; his fingers +moved over the panel with deft +skill. "Get the men to stations," he +growled, "and will somebody kindly +get the Skipper down here, if he +can manage to take a minute."</p> + +<p>"I'm right here." The little graying +man was at his elbow, staring +at the screen with angry red eyes. +"Who told you to shut off the +alarm?"</p> + +<p>"Nobody told me. Everyone was +here, and it was getting on my +nerves."</p> + +<p>"What a shame." Captain +Loomis' voice was icy. "I give orders +on this Station," he said +smoothly, "and you'll remember +it." He scowled at the great gray +ship, looming closer and closer. +"What's its course?"</p> + +<p>"Going to miss us by several +thousand kilos at least. Look at +that thing! It's <i>traveling</i>."</p> + +<p>"Contact it! This is what we've +been waiting for." The captain's +voice was hoarse.</p> + +<p>Sabo spun a dial, and cursed. +"No luck. Can't get through. It's +passing us—"</p> + +<p>"Then <i>grapple</i> it, stupid! You +want me to wipe your nose, too?"</p> + +<p>Sabo's face darkened angrily. +With slow precision he set the +servo fixes on the huge gray hulk +looming up in the viewer, and then +snapped the switches sharply. Two +small servos shoved their blunt +noses from the landing port of the +Station, and slipped silently into +space alongside. Then, like a pair +of trained dogs, they sped on their +beams straight out from the Station +toward the approaching ship. The +intruder was dark, moving at tremendous +velocity past the Station, +as though unaware of its existence. +The servos moved out, and suddenly +diverged and reversed, twisting +in long arcs to come alongside +the strange ship, finally moving in +at the same velocity on either side. +There was a sharp flash of contact +power; then, like a mammoth slow-motion +monster, the ship jerked in +midspace and turned a graceful +end-for-end arc as the servo-grapplers +gripped it like leeches and +whined, glowing ruddy with the +jolting power flowing through +them. Sabo watched, hardly +breathing, until the great ship spun +and slowed and stopped. Then it +reversed direction, and the servos +led it triumphantly back toward +the landing port of the Station.</p> + +<p>Sabo glanced at the radioman, +a frown creasing his forehead. +"Still nothing?"</p> + +<p>"Not a peep."</p> + +<p>He stared out at the great ship, +feeling a chill of wonder and fear +crawl up his spine. "So this is the +mysterious puzzle of Saturn," he +muttered. "This is what we've been +waiting for."</p> + +<p>There was a curious eager light +in Captain Loomis' eyes as he +looked up. "Oh, no. Not this."</p> + +<p>"What?"</p> + +<p>"Not this. The ships we've seen +before were tiny, flat." His little +eyes turned toward the ship, and +back to Sabo's heavy face. "This is +something else, something quite +different." A smile curved his lips, +and he rubbed his hands together. +"We go out for trout and come +back with a whale. This ship's from +space, deep space. Not from Saturn. +This one's from the stars."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The strange</span> ship hung at +the side of the Satellite Station, +silent as a tomb, still gently rotating +as the Station slowly spun in its orbit +around Saturn.</p> + +<p>In the captain's cabin the men +shifted restlessly, uneasily facing +the eager eyes of their captain. The +old man paced the floor of the +cabin, his white hair mussed, his +face red with excitement. Even his +carefully calm face couldn't conceal +the eagerness burning in his +eyes as he faced the crew. "Still no +contact?" he asked Sparks.</p> + +<p>The radioman shook his head +anxiously. "Not a sign. I've tried +every signal I know at every wave +frequency that could possibly reach +them. I've even tried a dozen frequencies +that couldn't possibly +reach them, and I haven't stirred +them up a bit. They just aren't answering."</p> + +<p>Captain Loomis swung on the +group of men. "All right, now, I +want you to get this straight. This +is our catch. We don't know what's +aboard it, and we don't know +where it came from, but it's our +prize. That means not a word goes +back home about it until we've +learned all there is to learn. We're +going to get the honors on this one, +not some eager Admiral back +home—"</p> + +<p>The men stirred uneasily, worried +eyes seeking Sabo's face in +alarm. "What about the law?" +growled Sabo. "The law says everything +must be reported within +two hours."</p> + +<p>"Then we'll break the law," the +captain snapped. "I'm captain of +this Station, and those are your orders. +You don't need to worry +about the law—I'll see that you're +protected, but this is too big to +fumble. This ship is from the stars. +That means it must have an Interstellar +drive. You know what that +means. The Government will fall +all over itself to reward us—"</p> + +<p>Sabo scowled, and the worry +deepened in the men's faces. It was +hard to imagine the Government +falling all over itself for anybody. +They knew too well how the Government +worked. They had heard +of the swift trials, the harsh imprisonments +that awaited even the +petty infringers. The Military Government +had no time to waste on +those who stepped out of line, they +had no mercy to spare. And the +men knew that their captain was +not in favor in top Government +circles. Crack patrol commanders +were not shunted into remote, lifeless +Satellite Stations if their stand +in the Government was high. And +deep in their minds, somehow, the +men knew they couldn't trust this +little, sharp-eyed, white-haired +man. The credit for such a discovery +as this might go to him, yes—but +there would be little left for +them.</p> + +<p>"The law—" Sabo repeated +stubbornly.</p> + +<p>"Damn the law! We're stationed +out here in this limbo to watch Saturn +and report any activity we see +coming from there. There's nothing +in our orders about anything +else. There have been ships from +there, they think, but not this ship. +The Government has spent billions +trying to find an Interstellar, and +never gotten to first base." The +captain paused, his eyes narrowing. +"We'll go aboard this ship," he said +softly. "We'll find out what's +aboard it, and where it's from, and +we'll take its drive. There's been +no resistance yet, but it could be +dangerous. We can't assume anything. +The boarding party will report +everything they find to me. +One of them will have to be a drive +man. That's you, Brownie."</p> + +<p>The little man with the sharp +black eyes looked up eagerly. "I +don't know if I could tell anything—"</p> + +<p>"You can tell more than anyone +else here. Nobody else knows space +drive. I'll count on you. If you +bring back a good report, perhaps +we can cancel out certain—unfortunate +items in your record. But +one other should board with +you—" His eyes turned toward +John Sabo.</p> + +<p>"Not me. This is your goat." +The mate's eyes were sullen. "This +is gross breach, and you know it. +They'll have you in irons when we +get back. I don't want anything to +do with it."</p> + +<p>"You're under orders, Sabo. You +keep forgetting."</p> + +<p>"They're illegal orders, sir!"</p> + +<p>"I'll take responsibility for that."</p> + +<p>Sabo looked the old man straight +in the eye. "You mean you'd sell us +down a rat hole to save your skin. +That's what you mean."</p> + +<p>Captain Loomis' eyes widened +incredulously. Then his face darkened, +and he stepped very close to +the big man. "You'll watch your +tongue, I think," he gritted. "Be +careful what you say to me, Sabo. +Be very careful. Because if you +don't, <i>you'll</i> be in irons, and we'll +see just how long you last when you +get back home. Now you've got +your orders. You'll board the ship +with Brownie."</p> + +<p>The big man's fists were +clenched until the knuckles were +white. "You don't know what's +over there!" he burst out. "We +could be slaughtered."</p> + +<p>The captain's smile was unpleasant. +"That would be such a pity," +he murmured. "I'd really hate to +see it happen—"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The ship</span> hung dark and silent, +like a shadowy ghost. No +flicker of light could be seen +aboard it; no sound nor faintest +sign of life came from the tall, dark +hull plates. It hung there, huge and +imponderable, and swung around +with the Station in its silent orbit.</p> + +<p>The men huddled about Sabo +and Brownie, helping them into +their pressure suits, checking their +equipment. They had watched the +little scanning beetles crawl over +the surface of the great ship, examining, +probing every nook and +crevice, reporting crystals, and +metals, and irons, while the boarding +party prepared. And still the +radioman waited alertly for a flicker +of life from the solemn giant.</p> + +<p>Frightened as they were of their +part in the illegal secrecy, the arrival +of the ship had brought a +change in the crew, lighting fires of +excitement in their eyes. They +moved faster, their voices were +lighter, more cheerful. Long +months on the Station had worn on +their nerves—out of contact with +their homes, on a mission that was +secretly jeered as utter Governmental +folly. Ships <i>had</i> been seen, +years before, disappearing into the +sullen bright atmospheric crust of +Saturn, but there had been no sign +of anything since. And out there, +on the lonely guard Station, nerves +had run ragged, always waiting, always +watching, wearing away even +the iron discipline of their military +background. They grew bitterly +weary of the same faces, the same +routine, the constant repetition of +inactivity. And through the months +they had watched with increasing +anxiety the conflict growing between +the captain and his bitter, +sullen-eyed second-in-command, +John Sabo.</p> + +<p>And then the ship had come, incredibly, +from the depths of space, +and the tensions of loneliness were +forgotten in the flurry of activity. +The locks whined and opened as +the two men moved out of the Station +on the little propulsion sleds, +linked to the Station with light silk +guy ropes. Sabo settled himself on +the sled, cursing himself for falling +so foolishly into the captain's +scheme, cursing his tongue for +wandering. And deep within him +he felt a new sensation, a vague +uneasiness and insecurity that he +had not felt in all his years of military +life. The strange ship was a +variant, an imponderable factor +thrown suddenly into his small +world of hatred and bitterness, +forcing him into unknown territory, +throwing his mind into a welter +of doubts and fears. He glanced +uneasily across at Brownie, vaguely +wishing that someone else were +with him. Brownie was a troublemaker, +Brownie talked too much, +Brownie philosophized in a world +that ridiculed philosophy. He'd +known men like Brownie before, +and he knew that they couldn't be +trusted.</p> + +<p>The gray hull gleamed at them +as they moved toward it, a monstrous +wall of polished metal. +There were no dents, no surface +scars from its passage through +space. They found the entrance +lock without difficulty, near the top +of the ship's great hull, and +Brownie probed the rim of the lock +with a dozen instruments, his dark +eyes burning eagerly. And then, +with a squeal that grated in Sabo's +ears, the oval port of the ship quivered, +and slowly opened.</p> + +<p>Silently, the sleds moved into the +opening. They were in a small +vault, quite dark, and the sleds settled +slowly onto a metal deck. Sabo +eased himself from the seat, tuning +up his audios to their highest sensitivity, +moving over to Brownie. +Momentarily they touched helmets, +and Brownie's excited voice came +to him, muted, but breathless. "No +trouble getting it open. It worked +on the same principle as ours."</p> + +<p>"Better get to work on the inner +lock."</p> + +<p>Brownie shot him a sharp glance. +"But what about—inside? I mean, +we can't just walk in on them—"</p> + +<p>"Why not? We've tried to contact +them."</p> + +<p>Reluctantly, the little engineer +began probing the inner lock with +trembling fingers. Minutes later +they were easing themselves +through, moving slowly down the +dark corridor, waiting with pounding +hearts for a sound, a sign. The +corridor joined another, and then +still another, until they reached a +great oval door. And then they +were inside, in the heart of the +ship, and their eyes widened as +they stared at the thing in the center +of the great vaulted chamber.</p> + +<p>"My God!" Brownie's voice was +a hoarse whisper in the stillness. +"Look at them, Johnny!"</p> + +<p>Sabo moved slowly across the +room toward the frail, crushed +form lying against the great, +gleaming panel. Thin, almost boneless +arms were pasted against the +hard metal; an oval, humanoid +skull was crushed like an eggshell +into the knobs and levers of the +control panel. Sudden horror shot +through the big man as he looked +around. At the far side of the room +was another of the things, and still +another, mashed, like lifeless jelly, +into the floors and panels. Gently +he peeled a bit of jelly away from +the metal, then turned with a mixture +of wonder and disgust. "All +dead," he muttered.</p> + +<p>Brownie looked up at him, his +hands trembling. "No wonder +there was no sign." He looked +about helplessly. "It's a derelict, +Johnny. A wanderer. How could it +have happened? How long ago?"</p> + +<p>Sabo shook his head, bewildered. +"Then it was just chance that it +came to us, that we saw it—"</p> + +<p>"No pilot, no charts. It might +have wandered for centuries." +Brownie stared about the room, a +frightened look on his face. And +then he was leaning over the control +panel, probing at the array of +levers, his fingers working eagerly +at the wiring. Sabo nodded approvingly. +"We'll have to go over it +with a comb," he said. "I'll see +what I can find in the rest of the +ship. You go ahead on the controls +and drive." Without waiting for +an answer he moved swiftly from +the round chamber, out into the +corridor again, his stomach almost +sick.</p> + +<p>It took them many hours. They +moved silently, as if even a slight +sound might disturb the sleeping +alien forms, smashed against the +dark metal panels. In another +room were the charts, great, beautiful +charts, totally unfamiliar, +studded with star formations he +had never seen, noted with curious, +meaningless symbols. As Sabo +worked he heard Brownie moving +down into the depths of the ship, +toward the giant engine rooms. +And then, some silent alarm clicked +into place in Sabo's mind, tightening +his stomach, screaming to be +heard. Heart pounding, he dashed +down the corridor like a cat, seeing +again in his mind the bright, eager +eyes of the engineer. Suddenly the +meaning of that eagerness dawned +on him. He scampered down a ladder, +along a corridor, and down +another ladder, down to the engine +room, almost colliding with +Brownie as he crossed from one of +the engines to a battery of generators +on the far side of the room.</p> + +<p>"Brownie!"</p> + +<p>"What's the trouble?"</p> + +<p>Sabo trembled, then turned +away. "Nothing," he muttered. +"Just a thought." But he watched +as the little man snaked into the +labyrinth of dynamos and coils and +wires, peering eagerly, probing, +searching, making notes in the little +pad in his hand.</p> + +<div class="figc"><img src="images/002.png" width="500" height="383" alt="" title="" /></div> + +<p>Finally, hours later, they moved +again toward the lock where they +had left their sleds. Not a word +passed between them. The uneasiness +was strong in Sabo's mind +now, growing deeper, mingling +with fear and a premonition of impending +evil. A dead ship, a derelict, +come to them by merest +chance from some unthinkably remote +star. He cursed, without +knowing why, and suddenly he felt +he hated Brownie as much as he +hated the captain waiting for them +in the Station.</p> + +<p>But as he stepped into the Station's +lock, a new thought crossed +his mind, almost dazzling him with +its unexpectedness. He looked at +the engineer's thin face, and his +hands were trembling as he opened +the pressure suit.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">He deliberately</span> took +longer than was necessary to +give his report to the captain, dwelling +on unimportant details, watching +with malicious amusement the +captain's growing annoyance. Captain +Loomis' eyes kept sliding to +Brownie, as though trying to read +the information he wanted from +the engineer's face. Sabo rolled up +the charts slowly, stowing them in +a pile on the desk. "That's the picture, +sir. Perhaps a qualified astronomer +could make something of +it; I haven't the knowledge or the +instruments. The ship came from +outside the system, beyond doubt. +Probably from a planet with lighter +gravity than our own, judging +from the frailty of the creatures. +Oxygen breathers, from the looks +of their gas storage. If you ask me, +I'd say—"</p> + +<p>"All right, all right," the captain +breathed impatiently. "You can +write it up and hand it to me. It +isn't really important where they +came from, or whether they breathe +oxygen or fluorine." He turned his +eyes to the engineer, and lit a cigar +with trembling fingers. "The important +thing is <i>how</i> they got here. +The drive, Brownie. You went over +the engines carefully? What did +you find?"</p> + +<p>Brownie twitched uneasily, and +looked at the floor. "Oh, yes, I examined +them carefully. Wasn't too +hard. I examined every piece of +drive machinery on the ship, from +stem to stern."</p> + +<p>Sabo nodded, slowly, watching +the little man with a carefully blank +face. "That's right. You gave it a +good going over."</p> + +<p>Brownie licked his lips. "It's a +derelict, like Johnny told you. +They were dead. All of them. +Probably had been dead for a long +time. I couldn't tell, of course. +Probably nobody could tell. But +they must have been dead for centuries—"</p> + +<p>The captain's eyes blinked as the +implication sank in. "Wait a minute," +he said. "What do you mean, +<i>centuries</i>?"</p> + +<p>Brownie stared at his shoes. +"The atomic piles were almost +dead," he muttered in an apologetic +whine. "The ship wasn't going +any place, captain. It was just +wandering. Maybe it's wandered +for thousands of years." He took a +deep breath, and his eyes met the +captain's for a brief agonized moment. +"They don't have Interstellar, +sir. Just plain, simple, slow +atomics. Nothing different. They've +been traveling for centuries, and it +would have taken them just as long +to get back."</p> + +<p>The captain's voice was thin, +choked. "Are you trying to tell me +that their drive is no different from +our own? That a ship has actually +wandered into Interstellar space +<i>without a space drive</i>?"</p> + +<p>Brownie spread his hands helplessly. +"Something must have gone +wrong. They must have started off +for another planet in their own +system, and something went wrong. +They broke into space, and they +all died. And the ship just went on +moving. They never intended an +Interstellar hop. They couldn't +have. They didn't have the drive +for it."</p> + +<p>The captain sat back numbly, +his face pasty gray. The light had +faded in his eyes now; he sat as +though he'd been struck. "You—you +couldn't be wrong? You +couldn't have missed anything?"</p> + +<p>Brownie's eyes shifted unhappily, +and his voice was very faint. "No, +sir."</p> + +<p>The captain stared at them for a +long moment, like a stricken child. +Slowly he picked up one of the +charts, his mouth working. Then, +with a bitter roar, he threw it in +Sabo's face. "Get out of here! Take +this garbage and get out! And get +the men to their stations. We're +here to watch Saturn, and by god, +we'll watch Saturn!" He turned +away, a hand over his eyes, and +they heard his choking breath as +they left the cabin.</p> + +<p>Slowly, Brownie walked out into +the corridor, started down toward +his cabin, with Sabo silent at his +heels. He looked up once at the +mate's heavy face, a look of pleading +in his dark brown eyes, and +then opened the door to his quarters. +Like a cat, Sabo was in the +room before him, dragging him in, +slamming the door. He caught the +little man by the neck with one +savage hand, and shoved him unceremoniously +against the door, his +voice a vicious whisper. "<i>All right, +talk! Let's have it now!</i>"</p> + +<p>Brownie choked, his eyes bulging, +his face turning gray in the +dim light of the cabin. "Johnny! +Let me down! What's the matter? +You're choking me, Johnny—"</p> + +<p>The mate's eyes were red, with +heavy lines of disgust and bitterness +running from his eyes and the +corners of his mouth. "You stinking +little liar! <i>Talk</i>, damn it! +You're not messing with the captain +now, you're messing with <i>me</i>, +and I'll have the truth if I have to +cave in your skull—"</p> + +<p>"I told you the truth! I don't +know what you mean—"</p> + +<p>Sabo's palm smashed into his +face, jerking his head about like an +apple on a string. "That's the +wrong answer," he grated. "I warn +you, don't lie! The captain is an +ambitious ass, he couldn't think his +way through a multiplication table. +He's a little child. But I'm not +quite so dull." He threw the little +man down in a heap, his eyes blazing. +"You silly fool, your story is +so full of holes you could drive a +tank through it. They just up and +died, did they? I'm supposed to believe +that? Smashed up against the +panels the way they were? Only +one thing could crush them like +that. Any fool could see it. Acceleration. +And I don't mean atomic +acceleration. Something else." He +glared down at the man quivering +on the floor. "They had Interstellar +drive, didn't they, Brownie?"</p> + +<p>Brownie nodded his head, weakly, +almost sobbing, trying to pull +himself erect. "Don't tell the captain," +he sobbed. "Oh, Johnny, for +god's sake, listen to me, don't let +him know I lied. I was going to tell +you anyway, Johnny, really I was. +I've got a plan, a good plan, can't +you see it?" The gleam of excitement +came back into the sharp little +eyes. "They had it, all right. +Their trip probably took just a few +months. They had a drive I've +never seen before, non-atomic. I +couldn't tell the principle, with the +look I had, but I think I could +work it." He sat up, his whole body +trembling. "Don't give me away, +Johnny, listen a minute—"</p> + +<p>Sabo sat back against the bunk, +staring at the little man. "You're +out of your mind," he said softly. +"You don't know what you're doing. +What are you going to do +when His Nibs goes over for a look +himself? He's stupid, but not that +stupid."</p> + +<p>Brownie's voice choked, his +words tumbling over each other in +his eagerness. "He won't get a +chance to see it, Johnny. He's got +to take our word until he sees it, +and we can stall him—"</p> + +<p>Sabo blinked. "A day or so—maybe. +But what then? Oh, how +could you be so stupid? He's on the +skids, he's out of favor and fighting +for his life. That drive is the break +that could put him on top. Can't +you see he's selfish? He has to be, +in this world, to get anything. Anything +or anyone who blocks him, +he'll destroy, if he can. Can't you +see that? When he spots this, your +life won't be worth spitting at."</p> + +<p>Brownie was trembling as he sat +down opposite the big man. His +voice was harsh in the little cubicle, +heavy with pain and hopelessness. +"That's right," he said. "My life +isn't worth a nickle. Neither is +yours. Neither is anybody's, here or +back home. Nobody's life is worth +a nickle. Something's happened to +us in the past hundred years, Johnny—something +horrible. I've seen +it creeping and growing up around +us all my life. People don't matter +any more, it's the Government, +what the Government thinks that +matters. It's a web, a cancer that +grows in its own pattern, until it +goes so far it can't be stopped. Men +like Loomis could see the pattern, +and adapt to it, throw away all the +worthwhile things, the love and +beauty and peace that we once had +in our lives. Those men can get +somewhere, they can turn this life +into a climbing game, waiting their +chance to get a little farther toward +the top, a little closer to some +semblance of security—"</p> + +<p>"Everybody adapts to it," Sabo +snapped. "They have to. You don't +see me moving for anyone else, do +you? I'm for <i>me</i>, and believe me I +know it. I don't give a hang for +you, or Loomis, or anyone else +alive—just me. I want to stay alive, +that's all. You're a dreamer, +Brownie. But until you pull something +like this, you can learn to +stop dreaming if you want to—"</p> + +<p>"No, no, you're wrong—oh, +you're horribly wrong, Johnny. +Some of us <i>can't</i> adapt, we haven't +got what it takes, or else we have +something else in us that won't let +us go along. And right there we're +beat before we start. There's no +place for us now, and there never +will be." He looked up at the +mate's impassive face. "We're in a +life where we don't belong, impounded +into a senseless, never-ending +series of fights and skirmishes +and long, lonely waits, feeding +this insane urge of the Government +to expand, out to the planets, +to the stars, farther and farther, +bigger and bigger. We've got to go, +seeking newer and greater worlds +to conquer, with nothing to conquer +them with, and nothing to +conquer them for. There's life +somewhere else in our solar system, +so it must be sought out and conquered, +no matter what or where it +is. We live in a world of iron and +fear, and there was no place for +me, and others like me, <i>until this +ship came</i>—"</p> + +<p>Sabo looked at him strangely. +"So I was right. I read it on your +face when we were searching the +ship. I knew what you were thinking...." +His face darkened angrily. +"You couldn't get away with it, +Brownie. Where could you go, +what could you expect to find? +You're talking death, Brownie. +Nothing else—"</p> + +<p>"No, no. Listen, Johnny." +Brownie leaned closer, his eyes +bright and intent on the man's +heavy face. "The captain has to +take our word for it, until he sees +the ship. Even then he couldn't tell +for sure—I'm the only drive engineer +on the Station. We have the +charts, we could work with them, +try to find out where the ship came +from; I already have an idea of +how the drive is operated. Another +look and I could make it work. +Think of it, Johnny! What difference +does it make where we went, +or what we found? You're a misfit, +too, you know that—this coarseness +and bitterness is a shell, if you +could only see it, a sham. You +don't really believe in this world +we're in—who cares where, if only +we could go, get away? Oh, it's a +chance, the wildest, freak chance, +but we could take it—"</p> + +<p>"If only to get away from <i>him</i>," +said Sabo in a muted voice. "Lord, +how I hate him. I've seen smallness +and ambition before—pettiness +and treachery, plenty of it. +But that man is our whole world +knotted up in one little ball. I don't +think I'd get home without killing +him, just to stop that voice from +talking, just to see fear cross his +face one time. But if we took the +ship, it would break him for good." +A new light appeared in the big +man's eyes. "He'd be through, +Brownie. Washed up."</p> + +<p>"And we'd be <i>free</i>—"</p> + +<p>Sabo's eyes were sharp. "What +about the acceleration? It killed +those that came in the ship."</p> + +<p>"But they were so frail, so weak. +Light brittle bones and soft jelly. +Our bodies are stronger, we could +stand it."</p> + +<p>Sabo sat for a long time, staring +at Brownie. His mind was suddenly +confused by the scope of the idea, +racing in myriad twirling fantasies, +parading before his eyes the long, +bitter, frustrating years, the hopelessness +of his own life, the dull +aching feeling he felt deep in his +stomach and bones each time he +set back down on Earth, to join the +teeming throngs of hungry people. +He thought of the rows of drab +apartments, the thin faces, the hollow, +hunted eyes of the people he +had seen. He knew that that was +why he was a soldier—because soldiers +ate well, they had time to +sleep, they were never allowed long +hours to think, and wonder, and +grow dull and empty. But he knew +his life had been barren. The life of +a mindless automaton, moving +from place to place, never thinking, +never daring to think or speak, +hoping only to work without pain +each day, and sleep without nightmares.</p> + +<p>And then, he thought of the +nights in his childhood, when he +had lain awake, sweating with fear, +as the airships screamed across the +dark sky above, bound he never +knew where; and then, hearing in +the far distance the booming explosion, +he had played that horrible +little game with himself, seeing +how high he could count before he +heard the weary, plodding footsteps +of the people on the road, moving +on to another place. He had +known, even as a little boy, that the +only safe place was in those bombers, +that the place for survival was +in the striking armies, and his life +had followed the hard-learned pattern, +twisting him into the cynical +mold of the mercenary soldier, +dulling the quick and clever mind, +drilling into him the ways and responses +of order and obey, stripping +him of his heritage of love +and humanity. Others less thoughtful +had been happier; they had +succeeded in forgetting the life +they had known before, they had +been able to learn easily and well +the lessons of the repudiation of +the rights of men which had crept +like a blight through the world. But +Sabo, too, was a misfit, wrenched +into a mold he could not fit. He +had sensed it vaguely, never really +knowing when or how he had built +the shell of toughness and cynicism, +but also sensing vaguely that it was +built, and that in it he could hide, +somehow, and laugh at himself, +and his leaders, and the whole +world through which he plodded. +He had laughed, but there had +been long nights, in the narrow +darkness of spaceship bunks, when +his mind pounded at the shell, +screaming out in nightmare, and he +had wondered if he had really lost +his mind.</p> + +<p>His gray eyes narrowed as he +looked at Brownie, and he felt his +heart pounding in his chest, +pounding with a fury that he could +no longer deny. "It would have to +be fast," he said softly. "Like lightning, +tonight, tomorrow—very +soon."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, I know that. But we +<i>can</i> do it—"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Sabo, with a hard, +bitter glint in his eyes. "Maybe we +can."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The preparation</span> was +tense. For the first time in his +life, Sabo knew the meaning of real +fear, felt the clinging aura of sudden +death in every glance, every +word of the men around him. It +seemed incredible that the captain +didn't notice the brief exchanges +with the little engineer, or his own +sudden appearances and disappearances +about the Station. But +the captain sat in his cabin with +angry eyes, snapping answers without +even looking up. Still, Sabo +knew that the seeds of suspicion lay +planted in his mind, ready to burst +forth with awful violence at any +slight provocation. As he worked, +the escape assumed greater and +greater proportions in Sabo's +mind; he knew with increasing urgency +and daring that nothing +must stop him. The ship was there, +the only bridge away from a life he +could no longer endure, and his +determination blinded him to caution.</p> + +<p>Primarily, he pondered over the +charts, while Brownie, growing +hourly more nervous, poured his +heart into a study of his notes and +sketches. A second look at the engines +was essential; the excuse he +concocted for returning to the ship +was recklessly slender, and Sabo +spent a grueling five minutes dissuading +the captain from accompanying +him. But the captain's eyes +were dull, and he walked his cabin, +sunk in a gloomy, remorseful +trance.</p> + +<p>The hours passed, and the men +saw, in despair, that more precious, +dangerous hours would be necessary +before the flight could be attempted. +And then, abruptly, Sabo +got the call to the captain's cabin. +He found the old man at his desk, +regarding him with cold eyes, and +his heart sank. The captain motioned +him to a seat, and then sat +back, lighting a cigar with painful +slowness. "I want you to tell me," +he said in a lifeless voice, "exactly +what Brownie thinks he's doing."</p> + +<p>Sabo went cold. Carefully he +kept his eyes on the captain's face. +"I guess he's nervous," he said. +"He doesn't belong on a Satellite +Station. He belongs at home. The +place gets on his nerves."</p> + +<p>"I didn't like his report."</p> + +<p>"I know," said Sabo.</p> + +<p>The captain's eyes narrowed. "It +was hard to believe. Ships don't +just happen out of space. They +don't wander out interstellar by +accident, either." An unpleasant +smile curled his lips. "I'm not telling +you anything new. I wouldn't +want to accuse Brownie of lying, of +course—or you either. But we'll +know soon. A patrol craft will be +here from the Triton supply base +in an hour. I signaled as soon as I +had your reports." The smile +broadened maliciously. "The patrol +craft will have experts aboard. +Space drive experts. They'll review +your report."</p> + +<p>"An hour—"</p> + +<p>The captain smiled. "That's +what I said. In that hour, you +could tell me the truth. I'm not a +drive man, I'm an administrator, +and organizer and director. You're +the technicians. The truth now +could save you much unhappiness—in +the future."</p> + +<p>Sabo stood up heavily. "You've +got your information," he said with +a bitter laugh. "The patrol craft +will confirm it."</p> + +<p>The captain's face went a shade +grayer. "All right," he said. "Go +ahead, laugh. I told you, anyway."</p> + +<p>Sabo didn't realize how his +hands were trembling until he +reached the end of the corridor. In +despair he saw the plan crumbling +beneath his feet, and with the despair +came the cold undercurrent +of fear. The patrol would discover +them, disclose the hoax. There was +no choice left—ready or not, they'd +<i>have</i> to leave.</p> + +<p>Quickly he turned in to the central +control room where Brownie +was working. He sat down, repeating +the captain's news in a soft +voice.</p> + +<p>"An <i>hour</i>! But how can we—"</p> + +<p>"We've <i>got</i> to. We can't quit +now, we're dead if we do."</p> + +<p>Brownie's eyes were wide with +fear. "But can't we stall them, +somehow? Maybe if we turned on +the captain—"</p> + +<p>"The crew would back him. +They wouldn't dare go along with +us. We've got to run, nothing else." +He took a deep breath. "Can you +control the drive?"</p> + +<p>Brownie stared at his hands. "I—I +think so. I can only try."</p> + +<p>"You've got to. It's now or never. +Get down to the lock, and I'll +get the charts. Get the sleds ready."</p> + +<p>He scooped the charts from his +bunk, folded them carefully and +bound them swiftly with cord. +Then he ran silently down the corridor +to the landing port lock. +Brownie was already there, in the +darkness, closing the last clamps on +his pressure suit. Sabo handed him +the charts, and began the laborious +task of climbing into his own suit, +panting in the darkness.</p> + +<p>And then the alarm was clanging +in his ear, and the lock was +flooded with brilliant light. Sabo +stopped short, a cry on his lips, +staring at the entrance to the control +room.</p> + +<p>The captain was grinning, a +nasty, evil grin, his eyes hard and +humorless as he stood there flanked +by three crewmen. His hand +gripped an ugly power gun tightly. +He just stood there, grinning, and +his voice was like fire in Sabo's +ears. "Too bad," he said softly. +"You almost made it, too. Trouble +is, two can't keep a secret. Shame, +Johnny, a smart fellow like you. I +might have expected as much from +Brownie, but I thought you had +more sense—"</p> + +<p>Something snapped in Sabo's +mind, then. With a roar, he lunged +at the captain's feet, screaming his +bitterness and rage and frustration, +catching the old man's calves with +his powerful shoulders. The captain +toppled, and Sabo was fighting for +the power gun, straining with all +his might to twist the gun from the +thin hand, and he heard his voice +shouting, "Run! <i>Go, Brownie, +make it go!</i>"</p> + +<p>The lock was open, and he saw +Brownie's sled nose out into the +blackness. The captain choked, his +face purple. "Get him! Don't let +him get away!"</p> + +<p>The lock clanged, and the +screens showed the tiny fragile sled +jet out from the side of the Station, +the small huddled figure clinging +to it, heading straight for the open +port of the gray ship. "Stop him! +The guns, you fools, the guns!"</p> + +<p>The alarm still clanged, and the +control room was a flurry of activity. +Three men snapped down +behind the tracer-guns, firing without +aiming, in a frenzied attempt +to catch the fleeing sled. The sled +began zig-zagging, twisting wildly +as the shells popped on either side +of it. The captain twisted away +from Sabo's grip with a roar, and +threw one of the crewmen to the +deck, wrenching the gun controls +from his hands. "Get the big ones +on the ship! Blast it! If it gets away +you'll all pay."</p> + +<p>Suddenly the sled popped into +the ship's port, and the hatch slowly +closed behind it. Raving, the +captain turned the gun on the +sleek, polished hull plates, pressed +the firing levels on the war-head +servos. Three of them shot out from +the Satellite, like deadly bugs, careening +through the intervening +space, until one of them struck the +side of the gray ship, and exploded +in purple fury against the impervious +hull. And the others nosed +into the flame, and passed on +through, striking nothing.</p> + +<p>Like the blinking of a light, the +alien ship had throbbed, and +jerked, and was gone.</p> + +<p>With a roar the captain brought +his fist down on the hard plastic +and metal of the control panel, +kicked at the sheet of knobs and +levers with a heavy foot, his face +purple with rage. His whole body +shook as he turned on Sabo, his +eyes wild. "You let him get away! +It was your fault, yours! But <i>you</i> +won't get away! I've got you, and +you'll pay, do you hear that?" He +pulled himself up until his face was +bare inches from Sabo's, his teeth +bared in a frenzy of hatred. "Now +we'll see who'll laugh, my friend. +You'll laugh in the death chamber, +if you can still laugh by then!" He +turned to the men around him. +"Take him," he snarled. "Lock him +in his quarters, and guard him well. +And while you're doing it, take a +good look at him. See how he +laughs now."</p> + +<p>They marched him down to his +cabin, stunned, still wondering +what had happened. Something +had gone in his mind in that second, +something that told him that +the choice had to be made, instantly. +Because he knew, with dull +wonder, that in that instant when +the lights went on he could have +stopped Brownie, could have saved +himself. He could have taken for +himself a piece of the glory and +promotion due to the discoverers of +an Interstellar drive. But he had +also known, somehow, in that short +instant, that the only hope in the +world lay in that one nervous, +frightened man, and the ship +which could take him away.</p> + +<p>And the ship was gone. That +meant the captain was through. +He'd had his chance, the ship's +coming had given him his chance, +and he had muffed it. Now he, too, +would pay. The Government +would not be pleased that such a +ship had leaked through his fingers. +Captain Loomis was through.</p> + +<p>And him? Somehow, it didn't +seem to matter any more. He had +made a stab at it, he had tried. He +just hadn't had the luck. But he +knew there was more to that. +Something in his mind was singing, +some deep feeling of happiness +and hope had crept into his mind, +and he couldn't worry about himself +any more. There was nothing +more for him; they had him cold. +But deep in his mind he felt a curious +satisfaction, transcending any +fear and bitterness. Deep in his +heart, he knew that <i>one</i> man had +escaped.</p> + +<p>And then he sat back and +laughed.</p> + +<p class="hd2">THE END</p> + +<div class="trn"><div class="figt"><a href="images/003-2.jpg"><img src="images/003-1.jpg" width="134" height="200" alt="" title="" /></a></div> + +<p><big><b>Transcriber's Note:</b></big></p> + +<p>This etext was produced from <i>If: Worlds of Science Fiction</i> May 1953. +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.</p></div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Derelict, by Alan Edward Nourse + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DERELICT *** + +***** This file should be named 31976-h.htm or 31976-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/9/7/31976/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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