Kenneth Gantz - Not in Solitude

Noel didn’t hesitate. “No. Absolutely not.” He rang off.

Dane quickly dialed the control operator. “I’ve got to speak to Colonel Cragg. Urgent.”

The man was doubtful. After a moment he came back on and wanted to know what was the nature of the urgency.

“I’ll tell the colonel,” Dane insisted.

The operator was sorry, but the colonel could not be interrupted unless they knew what the message concerned.

“Tell them to tell him John Dane is certain he has discovered the Martians and wants to send a message before we leave. For confirmation. We’ve got to make as sure as we can before we leave.”

“What’s that? What did you say?” the operator demanded.

“I’ve got it,” another voice said. “This is McDonald. You mean what you said or you gagging to get through to the colonel?”

Dane referred him to an apt place to go.

“From here?” McDonald laughed, not too brightly. “Hold on.”

In a minute he was back. “The colonel just chewed me out for even giving him your message. He says no transmitting. Absolutely none. Now I’ve got to speak to Yudin.”

“Okay, it’ll have to wait.” Dane handed the phone to Yudin, who listened a minute and hung up.

“The idea is that you’re not to send any messages to Martians or anybody else,” Yudin told him. “I’m not supposed to let you even get close to the switch.” He frowned. “Say, whatever goes on with you, I don’t know. You’ve been a good guy to me and damn nice. I hope you don’t try anything. That is, if you’ve got anything in mind. I just had orders to shoot you if you do. I don’t want to have to do that. Not to you.”

Dane whistled. “That guy’s really got Tong Asia on the brain!”

“Look!” Yudin exclaimed. He pointed dramatically at the photo plane table.

The message stood forth bold and clear, the symbols as steady as vibrating light could make them.

“ One arrives at spacecraft ,” Dane read aloud. While they watched, it faded and the familiar symbols came on for One is good . These faded immediately. The next that came read, Death to men . Abruptly it disappeared, to be followed by the first symbols, One arrives at spacecraft .

Yudin rushed to the port. “Damned if I see anything!”

“Don’t be too sure,” Dane said. Though he was sure himself that he knew, he went to the glassite panels. Outside was nothing to be seen but the lichens and beyond them the red sand.

Yudin was checking his revolver.

“I don’t think that will do you any good,” Dane told him.

Yudin looked him in the eye. “It’ll take more than words, whoever sent it,” he said with a dignity not at all absurd. Dane thought with surprise that the man had become confident and sure of himself. “If it’s Tong Asia, it’s a bluff,” Yudin went on. “If it’s Martians, they’re up against the first team. Whatever they are, they’re going to get a going over they’ll not forget in a hurry.”

He gestured at the far ports. “You, my friend, will stand over there, back to me. You will keep your hands on the guard rail. You can look out—”

“What in hell’s eating on you?” Dane demanded.

“Do what I’m telling you,” Yudin said. “I’m sorry but I can’t take any chances. Get over there with your back to me and don’t let go of the rail. If you’re clean, it won’t do any harm. You can watch the take-off just the same.” A burr came into his voice. “I mean it. As far as I’m concerned, you’re a good guy, but you’re under suspicion. If you turn around, I’ll have to fire. If you’re clean, just stand there and you won’t get hurt. It won’t do any harm, and I’ll apologize later.”

Dane continued to stare.

“I mean it, Dane,” Yudin said. He flourished the pistol purposely. “Turn around now and you can complain all you want to later. Take it to Colonel Cragg, and I’ll apologize all you want. Right now, turn around! Like I just told you.”

Dane saw the little beads of sweat under his temples. He said, “Okay.” He went to the east port and took hold of the handrail below it, as if the game were cops and robbers. Behind him, he heard Yudin call down the message.

The phone clicked into its hook. “They say take-off is under way,” Yudin said.

“I’ll be sorry about this,” he went on, “but I’d be a lot sorrier if I didn’t do it. Right or wrong, I haven’t got much choice. You agree with that?”

Dane said, “I suppose so. From your point of view.”

“You see,” Yudin said, “I’ve always admired you in a way. You’ve got a lot on the ball and you’ve made a name for yourself in your business. I always liked to read your stuff. It’s not half baked like most of the newspaper stuff when it comes to any kind of technology. You always write like you really know something, instead of picking up a few facts and some of the words in a couple of quick interviews.”

Dane laughed. “You’re the first admirer I’ve ever met at gun point. As a matter of fact I haven’t had too many.”

The alarm buzzers sounded three shorts, followed by two longs, then repeated. A dull roaring made itself known below.

Dane eased his grip on the handrail. He shifted his palms slightly, feeling their stickiness. Earth, he thought. Home. In a few minutes the red landscape with its hostile lichens would fall out from beneath them, and soon they would pass out into the void, with the great mystery only guessed at. He knew the fear of death was deep inside him, as it was in everyone, but… well, there was no use thinking about that.

Yudin said, “One more minute!”

Dane braced himself for the application of lift thrust while the seconds ticked away. There would come only a gentle trembling of the Far Venture and a barely perceptible floating of the deck on which he stood. Still he couldn’t keep from bracing himself.

It was happening before he noticed it. The rocket tubes were whispering like piny wind. Now metal quivered underfoot, and the whisper changed to a sullen humming as the power stepped up. Dane recalled the full-throated change of key to a whistling, whining blast when the Far Venture had repelled the weight of Earth and risen into the night sky of Arizona. Ears tuned for the rising pitch, he stared out at the lichens, waiting for them to sink away below when the Far Venture shook itself free.

“Here we go!” Yudin shouted above the mounting rocket song.

It was immediately obvious that they were not going. A hush sliced through the spacecraft. All power had been cut off.

There was a full minute of the unnatural silence before the speakers came on. A voice boomed harshly. “Colonel Cragg to crew. The take-off has failed. We have not been able to mount enough thrust. Work is being resumed on the drive, and another attempt will be made after further adjustments. All crew members and all civilian party will be kept equally informed. Periodic announcements will be made. You will all know any developments as soon as they occur.”

Yudin cursed mildly. “And that, my friend, is our death warrant. He doesn’t know anything more to do. That’s what he really means. Since there isn’t any hope, he’ll tell us everything but that one thing. That he hasn’t any real hope we’ll ever leave this goddamn planet.”

“Look,” Dane reminded him. “Let’s you and I forget about this game we’re playing and put up that popgun. I’ve got something to tell him that may make a big difference.”

He turned around slowly. Yudin managed a sheepish grin. He shoved the pistol back in his holster. Then his face hardened. “Now that I think of it, you just might at that. By any chance Vining wouldn’t be involved in it, would he? Maybe you know something about why the drive won’t move us?”