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Updated: May 8, 2025
No one could say. No one answered. Outside, on the camp ledge, another helmeted figure now became visible. It was not far from the main building when Grantline first noticed it. It was running fast, bounding toward the spider staircase. It began mounting. And now still another figure became visible the giant Martian again. He appeared from around the corner of the main Grantline building.
With the mining work over, an irritability grew upon Grantline's men. And perhaps since the human mind is so wonderful, elusive a thing, there lay upon these men an indefinable sense of disaster. Johnny Grantline felt it. He thought about it now as he sat in the room corner watching Wilks being forced into the plaget game, and he found the premonition strong within him.
Grantline's party? Snap gripped me. "Grantline! We're safe, Gregg! Safe!" He took his bulb light from his helmet; we stood in a group while he waved it. A semaphore signal. "Grantline?" And the answer came, "Yes. You, Dean?" Their personal code. No doubt of this it was Grantline, who had seen the Planetara fall and had come to help us. I stood then with my hand holding Anita.
It would be a desperate thing to attempt, but our whole procedure was desperate! Anita could lure the duty man from the signal room, I might send a single flash or two that would reach the Earth. Just a distress signal, signed "Grantline." If I could do that and not get caught! Anita was engaging Potan in talking of his plans.
"You've heard of the Federated Radiactum Motor?" We had, of course. It was a recent Earth discovery and invention. An engine of a new type, using radiactum as its fuel. Snap demanded, "What in the stars has this got to do with Johnny Grantline?" "Much," said Halsey quietly, "or perhaps nothing. But George Prince some years ago mixed in rather unethical transactions. We had him in custody once.
Good God, Franck!" They had seen the silent, deadly combat up there on the cliff. Grantline stood stricken with amazement. "That's Wilks!" "And Haljan," the duty man gasped. "He went out something wrong with Wilks' actions " The interior of the camp was in a turmoil. The men, awakened from sleep, ran out into the corridors shouting questions. "An attack?" "Is it an attack?" "The brigands?"
They locked together, swaying at the brink. For an instant it seemed that they would go over; then they surged back, momentarily out of sight. Grantline found his wits. "Stop them! I'll go out and stop them! What fools!" He was hastily donning one of the Erentz suits. "Cut off that siren!" Within a minute Grantline was ready. The duty man called from the window, "Still at it, the fools.
A long range projector from the ship would kill Miko and his men as they came forward to join it! And then we would falsely direct the brigands, lead them away from Grantline and the treasure. "Gregg, we must try it." Heaven help me, I yielded to her persuasion! We turned at right angles and ran toward where the distant frowning walls of Archimedes loomed against the starlit sky.
It all faded into a remote glow as we sailed smoothly up into the starlight and away, heading for the Grantline camp. "Wake up. Gregg! They're coming!" I forced myself to consciousness. "Coming " I leaped from my bunk, followed Snap with a rush into the corridor. We had returned safely to the Grantline camp.
The news had spread that we knew the location of the treasure. The brigands were jubilant. In a few hours the ship's armament would be ready, and it would advance. I saw many glances cast out the dome side windows toward the distant plains of the Mare Imbrium. The brigands believed that the Grantline camp lay in that direction. Anita whispered, "Which is their giant electronic projector, Gregg?"
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