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He had not thought that our plan to stop at the Moon could affect this outward voyage. He had thought that any danger would occur on the way back, and then the Planetara would have been adequately guarded and manned with police-soldiers. But now we were practically defenseless. I had a moment with Venza, but she had nothing new to communicate. And for half an hour I chatted with George Prince.
She and I are destined for the same theater in Ferrok-Shahn." So Venza was to sit beside me. It was good news. Ten days of a religious argument three times a day would be intolerable. But the cheerful Venza would help. "She never eats the midday meal," said Snap. "She's on the deck, having orange juice. I guess it's the old gag about diet, eh?" My attention wandered about the salon.
The passengers were gazing in horror at the bodies hurtling over them. "Ready, Haljan?" Moa prompted me. "Tell him yes!" I called, "Yes!" Had Venza failed in her unknown purpose? It seemed so. On the radio room bridge Snap and his guard stood like silent statues in the blue lit gloom. The disembarkation was over. "Close the ports!" Miko commanded. The incline came folding up with a clatter.
"And Gregg, I tried my charms on Shac and Dud. Nice men, but dumb. Whatever's going on, they're not in it. They wanted to know what kind of a ship this was. Why? Because Shac has a cute little eavesdropping microphone of his own. He had it working last night. He overheard George Prince and that giant Miko arguing about the Moon!" I gasped, "Venza! Softer "
It sailed lengthwise of the dome top, and crashed silently on the central runway near the stern tip. Anita and I ran to it. The two helmeted figures seized us, shoved us prone on the metal platform. It was barely four feet wide; a low railing, handles with which to cling, and a tiny hooded cubby in front. "Gregg!" "You, Snap!" It was Snap and Venza. She seized Anita, held her crouching in place.
The end of the Planetara! The three grotesque figures of Anita, Venza and Snap had started off. Hunchback figures with the tanks mounted on their shoulders. I bounded and caught them. I touched Snap. We made audiphone contact. "Which way do you think?" I demanded. "I think this way, down the ramp. Away from Archimedes, toward the mountains. It shouldn't be too far." "You run with Venza.
I saw one of them presently coming up the incline, and recognized her. A girl traveling alone. We had brought her from Grebhar, last voyage but one. I remembered her. An alluring sort of girl, as most of them are. Her name was Venza. She spoke English well. A singer and dancer who had been imported to Greater New York to fill some theatrical engagement.
We'd better take him back: get his helmet off." "It's over. We can get back to the camp now. Venza dear, we've won it's over." "He hears us!" "Gregg!" "He hears us. He'll be all right!" I opened my eyes, I lay on the rocks. Over my helmet, other helmets were peering, and faint, familiar voices mingled with the roaring in my ears. " back to the camp and get his helmet off." "Are his motors smooth?
Again the little girl ran forward. "Come ... speak to my Moms; she is crying." It was across the cabin from Miko. Coniston had appeared from the deck; it created a slight diversion. He joined Miko. "Wait," I said to Moa. "She is afraid of you. This is humanity." I pushed Moa back. I followed the child. I had seen that Venza was sitting with the child's weeping mother.
"We're all right, Venza. It's over. We must get out of the ship. The air is escaping." We gathered in the oval doorway. We fought the confusion of panic. "The exit port is this way." Or was it? I answered Snap, "Yes, I think so." The ship suddenly seemed a stranger to me. So cold. So vibrationless. Broken lights. These slanting wrecked corridors.
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