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"I saw the constructions from the photos, sir. This had been missed by the mapping party. It's easy enough to see why when you see the pictures." "This the only one?" "Yes, sir." "How can you be sure of that, Captain Meford? It's a large planet." "I had one of the machines scan the remaining maps for geometrical patterns, sir." "Isn't that done routinely?" Mr. Tucker asked rather sharply.
Captain Meford glanced upward. Other eyes followed to end just below the edge of the view screen. Above stood the sheer face of the cliff. Clouds roiled below the summit, obscuring it from view. "There is a long sloping plateau up there, and a series of natural caves back in the next cliff face," Captain Meford said. This did not seem adequate.
A level lip of rock, as precisely flat as though honed, from which the arches seemed to grow. "Is this all?" Mr. Tucker asked. "Yes, sir," Captain Meford said. Mr. Ryan came to the viewing section. "It looks," he said, "as though the cliff were split down to here and then hewn away to leave the structures there and the apron." "We found no tools, sir. There were no tools here, nor with them."
I wish it were over with." "So do I," Mr. Tucker said. Captain Meford activated the ramp and eased the scout out. It was immediately buffeted by the winds. "Sorry," he said. "It'll take a minute. Hold tight." The scout moved in three dimensions, erratically. "Wow! Let's set it at about twenty-six inches. Sorry. This will slow us down, but it will ease the bumps on down draft. There. That's better.
"Would tell the general?" Mr. Tucker prompted. "Well, did he?" "I believe he did, sir," Captain Meford said. He let out a long breath. "May we see the aliens?" Mr. Ryan asked. "I wouldn't advise it, sir," Captain Meford said. "High flights are still very risky because of the wind velocities." After the evening meal, General Shorter called Captain Arnold aside.
Tucker said: "I believe one of your men killed himself last night wasn't it? A technician? I was told he felt you could reverse the air-changing equipment in time to save the aliens. I understand that was very much on his mind for the last week or so." "I'm not too familiar with the man, sir. He was on Captain Arnold's shift, I believe." "Captain Meford," Mr.
I guess they posted themselves there, at intervals, between the edge and the new caves, to define the limits of safety. They died there. Six of them. The rest, several hundred, reached the caves. They are dead, too." "I see," Mr. Wallace said. "When you first discovered them ?" Mr. Ryan asked after a moment. Captain Meford hesitated. Mr.
Tucker and two of the three other members of the Committee donned surface suits and, together with Captain Meford, the cartographer assigned to Miracastle, they boarded the surface scout. They arranged themselves in the uncomfortable bucket seats and strapped in. "Little early for an easy ride," Mr. Tucker commented. "I've been out before," Captain Meford said laconically. It was his usual manner.
Ryan insisted, "when did you say you first discovered the aliens?" Captain Meford hesitated. The others waited. "They were then scaling the cliff, sir." "And General Shorter, was he told of this immediately?" Mr. Ryan asked. "I don't know when the general was told." "You discovered them?" "Yes, sir. I ... you see, at the time the winds completely prohibited air traffic.
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