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Updated: June 1, 2025
And Snap and I had worked out an idea which we thought might be of service. We needed some of the Planetara's smaller gravity plate sections. Those in Grantline's wrecked little Comet had stood so long that their radiations had gone dead. But the Planetara's were still working. Our hope that Miko might have perished was dashed. He too had returned to the Planetara!
I decided that we had fooled him. Then I remarked the steely glitter of his eyes as he turned to me. "You were an officer of the Planetara?" The insignia of my rank was visible on my white jacket collar which showed beneath the Erentz suit now that my helmet was off. "Yes. I was supposed to be. But a year ago I embarked upon this adventure with Miko." He was leading us to his cabin.
You have all these men on the Planetara. And in Ferrok-Shahn, others " I paused. Would she tell me? Could I make her talk of that other brigand ship which Miko had said was waiting on Mars? I wondered if he had been able to signal it. The distance from here to Mars was great; yet upon other voyages Snap's signals had gotten through. My heart sank at the thought.
The Planetara carried only a half-dozen of the heat-ray projectors, no long range weapons, a few side arms, and some old-fashioned, practically antiquated weapons of explosives, plus hand projectors with the new Benson curve light. The weapons were all in Carter's chart room, save the few we officers always carried. Carter was afraid, but of what, he was not sure.
We saw it soon as a cylindrical, cigarlike shape, rather smaller than the Planetara, but similar of design. It bore lights now. The ports of its hull were tiny rows of illumination, and the glow of light under its rounding upper dome was faintly visible. A bandit ship, no doubt of that. Its identification keel plate was empty of official pass code lights.
There was nothing I could think of to do which would avail us anything more than a probable swift death under Miko's anger. "Well done, Gregg!" said Moa. I cut off the last of the propellers. With scarcely a perceptible jar, the Planetara grounded, rose like a feather, and settled to rest in the glade. The deep purple night with stars overhead was around us.
I learned now the reason why the Planetara, upon each of her last voyages, had managed to pass fairly close to the Moon. It had been arranged with Grantline that if he wanted help or had any important message, he was to flash it locally to our passing ship. And this Snap knew, and had never mentioned it, even to me. Halsey was saying, "Well, apparently we can't blame you: but the secret is out."
Did he believe me? He listened quietly. He seemed not shocked at the death of his comrades. Nor yet pleased: merely imperturbable. I added with a sly, sidelong glance, "There were too many of us on the Planetara. The purser had joined us and many of the crew. And there was Miko's sister, the Setta Moa too many. The treasure divides better among less." An amused smile played on his thin gray lips.
For just this instant, this particular small section of this corridor had been cut off. The slight bulk of the Planetara, floating in space, had no appreciable gravity pull on Snap's body, and the impulse of his step as he came to the unmagnetized area of the corridor had thrown him to the ceiling. The area was normal now. Snap and I tested it gingerly. He gripped me.
We escaped from the crowd at last and made our way back to the Planetara, where the passengers were already assembling for the outward Martian voyage. I stood on the turret balcony of the Planetara with Captain Carter and Dr. Frank, the ship surgeon, watching the arriving passengers. It was close to the zero hour; the level of the stage was a turmoil of confusion.
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