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Updated: June 28, 2025
I had been planning that we might see the glow of Miko's encampment and decide on some course of action. "But, Gregg, the safety of the treasure of all the Grantline men...." "To the infernal with that! It's you, your safety " "My safety, then! If you put me in the camp and the brigands attack it and I am killed what then?
The thing had come so quickly it had taken Captain Carter, like us all, wholly unawares. We had anticipated spying eavesdroppers, but not this open brigandage. No more than a minute or two had passed since Miko's siren in his stateroom had given the signal for attack. Carter had been in the chart room. Blackstone was in the turret.
To remain defensive would end inevitably in our defeat. We all knew it now. The waiting game was Miko's not ours. The success of our attack upon the distant isolated projectors, heartened us. Yet it was a desperate offensive upon which we decided! We prepared our little expedition at the larger of the exit ports. Miko's zed-ray was watching all our interior movements.
Had the Earthlight touched him? Or was that a local signal call which he sent out? Why should Wilks be signaling? What was he doing with a hand helio? Our watchmen, I knew, had no reason to carry one. And to whom could Wilks be signaling? To whom, across this Lunar desolation? The answer stabbed at me: to Miko's band! I waited less than a moment. No further light. Wilks was still up there!
Through the breast-high oval I could see down across the deck-space and out through the side dome windows. And my heart suddenly leaped into my throat. It seemed that down there in the Earthlit shadows, where the spreading base of the giant crater joined the plains, a light was bobbing. I gazed, stricken. Miko's lights? Was he advancing, preparing to signal?
Venza whispered swiftly, "When we are landing, Gregg, I want you to make a commotion anything just as the women go ashore." "Why? Of course you will have food, Mrs. Francis." "Never mind details! An instant just confusion. Go, Gregg don't speak now!" I raised the child. "You take care of Mother." I kissed her. From across the cabin, Miko's sardonic voice made me turn.
My apparatus went suddenly dead as Miko flung on his insulation. I lost my wits in the confusion: I should have instantly taken off my vibrations. There was interference: it showed in the dark space of the ventilator grid over Miko's doorway, a snapping in the air, there a swirl of sparks. I heard with my unaided ears Miko's roar over his insulation: "By God, they're listening!"
We could see several of Miko's men erstwhile members of our crew and steward corps scurrying from the turret along the upper bridge toward the dark and silent radio room. Snap was up there. But was he? The radio room glowed suddenly with dim light, but there was no evidence of a fight there. The fighting seemed mostly below the deck, down in the hull corridors.
I wanted to be alone with the duty man up there, giving me a chance to get at the projector controls if Miko's signal should come. I drew Anita past Brotow, who had stood aside. "Thanks," I repeated. "We won't be long." We mounted the little ladder. "Hurry, Anita!" I feared that Potan might come up from the hull at any moment and stop us.
His voice sounded: "Gregg Haljan, do you yield?" Carter leaped up from where he and I were crouching. Against all reason of safety he leaned from the low window, waving his hamlike fist. "Yield? No! I am in command here, you pirate! Brigand murderer!" I dragged him back sharply. "For God's sake " He was spluttering; and over it Miko's sardonic laugh sounded. "Shall we argue about it?" I stood up.
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