»»« Tales ot Scientifiction S’

------CONTENTS ------

The Control Room...... 2

Philosopher's Asteroid...... 3 by Raymond Z. Gallun

Invaders of the Forbidden M o o n ...... 11 by Raymond Z. Gallun

Beyond the Worlds We Know (Part I I ) ...... 39 by Lin Carter

Captain Future: Yesterday's Man of Tomorrow . . 53 by Will Murray Glad you're back from the de-contam- from the Time-Warp, Gallun's "Inva­ ination lab! We're more careful ders of the Forbidden Moon," re­ here since that nasty episode with trieved from its hiding place in the Venusian viral plague some the Summer 1941 Planet Stories by space-happy dope brought back from reprint editor Dan Gobbett. a mission some years ago— you remem­ Captain Astro is very sad to ber, the one that gave everybody tell you spacehounds that Part II a nauseated feeling whenever they of "Beyond the Worlds We Know" is touched a science fiction magazine! the very last Star Pirate adventure Wouldn't want that to happen again! written by Lin Carter before his Nossir! Well, now you're ready untimely death. So Star Pirate's to relax with the latest issue saga will remain unfinished, even . . let's see, what're we up to though we are printing the "next now? Six? Yeah, that's it, number time" blurb Lin wrote at the end six of Astro-Adventures. of the story. We will have some The star of our nova-studded interesting Star Pirate and Hautley show this time is Raymond "Galactic" Quicksilver marginalia from Lin's Gallun, whose work you've seen in old spacetrunk to share with you the exciting pages of Astounding next time, though. Stories, Super Science Stories, Any veteran of the spacelanes Marvel Science Fiction, and of will be able to recognize that Star course Astro-Adventures among many Pirate is a sort of literary rein­ others. This time Captain Astro's carnation of both Captain Future unveiling "Philosopher's Asteroid," and Northwest Smith. So it is only a 1952 tale which has not seen star­ fitting to share with you Will Mur­ light until now, though it was a ray's article "Captain Future: Yes­ forerunner to Gallun's novelette terday's Man of Tomorrow." A slight­ "Ten to the Stars," as well as the ly different version of this article basis for his novel The Planet appeared five years ago in Comics Strappers. It is hard to get enough Buyers Guide. Gallun, so we'll satisfy your whet­ ted appetite with this issue's Tale Captain Astro PHILOSOPHER’S ASTERIOD

by Raymond Z. Gallun

The Harmon Fission Jet Motor took ments, a house, kids— the benefits space travel away from the scient­ of ancient domesticity— against ists and gave it to almost anybody an appalling bigness, and chose. who had the guts, a thousand dollars He was a fool, smart, or just anoth­ for this cheap, safe power-unit, er tame puppy for a woman. and another thousand to build a Norensen grinned at him gently, small ship with government-subsid­ wished him luck, but sneered with ized materials. his eyes, as did the others. But To Gerhard (Gerry) Norensen, Rollins' passing had done something a loose-jointed blond Iowan, this to him. seemed a wonderful glamor-tinted "I'll take to space slow," he opportunity, as to thousands of told Dorfer, Smythe, and Frisby, other young men. Wider horizons who meant to go to the rich mines and new sources of supply were with­ of the Asteroids. "Like some guys in reach. There was dusty old Mars, going into cold water. Maybe it's steaming Venus, and the wonders safer. I'll go just to the Moon, of the Asteroids— those fragments first— the nearest of other worlds." of a once populous world that had His reasoning wasn't all that been blown apart eons ago in war. it promised. By just going to the Norensen was one of eight Univ­ Moon he picked as his companion ersity seniors who worked all winter Parkins, the Momma's Boy and studi­ during their spare time, in an old ous screwball, and Mosser who had garage building, to complete their a special affinity for bad luck. homemade ships. Guys who felt that they had to go Rollins, an ex-combat flier, slow, too. The trouble was that test-flew his craft first. Maybe the ill-fortune of such buddies his automatic piloting device went could rub off on yourself. wrong. What happened shouldn't Norensen would not have worked have happened, and nobody ever found on the Moon for more than two out the real cause. But Rollins' months, except that Mosser— it would craft buried him and its wreckage be Mosser— was caught in a blast fifty feet deep in a potato patch while helping to bore a new tunnel, when it came down. Goodbye Rollins, and lost both of his legs. He had hero and leader of the group, strong no one to be sent home to. How man to look up to, prop of their could you desert him then? courage. He was fixed up right there in But Reiner, the motorcycle enthu­ the sealed underground lunar hos­ siast, was the only one to back pital. Fine platinum wires tapped out. He came to the workshop with the motor-nerves in his stumps; a dark, fiery little miss who cov­ and his new legs, thawed with steel ered his guilty embarrassment with cables that were powered by magnets her fury, saying: drawing current from small atomic "Dick is through with nonsense. batteries, responded to his will We're gonna be married." as readily as if they were alive. So Dick Reiner hid behind a But all this took another two skirt; or he balanced tender mo­ months.

3 4 / Astro-Adventures

Parkins meanwhile developed the miles up on Earth, dry, and only habit of muttering to himself about tinged with oxygen. The crossing sucht hings as active lunar volcan­ valleys— once ribbons of cultivated oes a billion and a half years ago. land, misnamed "canals"— brooded Good Glory, what did a dreamy, book­ enigmatically under a shrunken but ish, sheltered kid like him want brilliant sun. Their flat floors, living the harsh, artificial exis­ cluttered with rust-stained mono­ tence of the underground Mooncamps, liths and clumps of paper-dry shag- anyhow? How had his mother ever trees and pulpy blue-green sprawl- let him leave the Earth for the ers, extended away to the brown airless lunar scene in the first hills of the desert. place? Norensen had met her once— Here was the hardy plant-life small like her son, and harder than of Mars, storing scant moisture you’d think. within itself, hoarding even the As he tired of the novelty of oxygen it freed from carbon-dioxide brittle stars and jagged mountains, by photosynthesis, the common pro­ Norensen wished a million times cess of green vegetation everywhere that he’d gone on to the equally — keeping it to sustain slow tissue- harsh Asteroids with Dorfer, Symthe, oxidation to ward off nocturnal and Frisby. For the promise, there, cold. was richer; there was the charm, Out of the cluster of airtight even, of the artifacts of a smashed Nisson huts that was Cross Valleys, civilization, drifting in the void. the paths radiated, trampled by He felt outpaced, left behind, a spaceboots. Here, people— young stick in the mud. The Asteroids men, mostly— were following some were pieces of a broken planet, restless and wordless poem in their and one knew the structure of all hearts, seeking wealth in some odd worlds: way, perhaps, or a mood of strange The lighter rocks on the surface, uninhabited spaciousness. Who knew? much meteoric steel underneath; But the overall purpose, of course, then, sunk to the center, the really was to build Mars into something heavy stuff— lead, gold, uranium, useful to humans. in quantities once only dreamed It would have been almost impos­ of. Out there it was exposed for sible to avoid a job. In a pressur­ easy mining— as intriguing as the ized restaurant where beer was five wreckage of an unhuman culture. bucks a glass, luck turned poisonous Norensen tried to sneak out on for Norensen and his companions, Mosser and Parkins. But when he though they didn't know it then. cleared the Moon the blue jets of A man who said he had been a profes­ their ships were tailing him. sor of English literature, and look­ They didn't get anywhere near ed the part, talked to them. the Asteroid Belt. Mosser was still That night, while the cold bit jinxed. A brace broke in his ship deep and the stars blazed in the and punctured the hull. By luck black sky, they rode two hundred he was wearing a spacesuit. His miles in the sealed cabin of a trac­ buddies towed his craft nineteen tor vehicle. Coffrin, their new million miles to Cross Valleys, employer, had even helped them find Ma r s . storage space for their ships, in They should have got off that Cross Valleys. planet as fast as possible. But By dawn they were in a camp of Parkins said, "Let's stick around low barracks at the foot of a bluff awhile." that had once been crested by a They were all charmed by Mars, Martian metropolis that had per­ though mostly it was still a death- ished ages ago, perhaps in less hole. The atmosphere was like nine than a minute. Buildings had been Philosopher’s Asteroid / 5 melted down to glassy slag. It of an injured saint. "But young was the record of a war that had man— why do you want to leave us?" left Mars empty of inhabitants. he demanded. "Don't we treat you At Coffrin's office the three well? Of course if you are sure men turned in their regulation space . . . Yet we do not operate a trans­ armor for more comfortable light­ portation service. It might be weight coveralls and oxygen helmets. difficult to walk the two hundred Lacking air-rejuvenator units, the miles back to Cross Valleys. You'd latter were fitted with lighter better stay." oxygen tanks. Icy prickles tingled Norensen's Norensen and companions went spine. The camp had a score of to work digging under the slag with armed guards— lugs who must be in pick and shovel. But as often they on the deal to keep them loyal. cleared dust from some delicate Norensen's mighty impulse was to procelain plaque or golden ornament smash Coffrin's face; but he knew with a brush as fine as a portrait that violence was far worse than painter's. They rummaged through useless. He held his voice level. cells and passages that only Mar­ "Thanks— no," he said. "And tians, unhuman in form and habit, we want our space armor back." could have used. The work was less His request was complied with. than archeology, for this was a But later, in the barracks, Burt commercial proposition. Martian Lane laughed sourly. art treasures had their appeal mag­ "Uhunh— see?" he said. "Some nified by ages of time, millions little thing, usually in the air- of miles of distance, and a view­ rejuvenator unit, is always smashed point unconnected with man. The in these tin overalls when they other end of the business was the are returned. Maybe you did it swank art salons in great Earthly yourself— according to Coffrin. cities. A small sprawling figure Better take this junk back to the in blue enamel over gold became storeroom with as few comments as a fortune in itself. possible. Blowing your top will The food, brought from Earth just make you a marked man." as dehydrates, wasn't too bad. Quar­ The form of the trap was easy ters were as clean as the scanty to see. The lightweight coverall water which could be flown from costumes were no good for the kill­ the south polar cap permitted. Pay ing cold of Martian nights. And was theoretically good. an oxygen tank served for only a But Norensen swiftly realized couple of hours. that the shortage of labor on Mars, So here was where Gerry Norensen combined with a chance to win untold really began to be fed up with all wealth while relics retained the ventures off the Earth, and all value of their first tremendous sense of romance connected with novelty, could push a man like Coff- space. The Martian wastes didn't rin to crime. intrigue him now. They frowned The sullenness of his hundred-odd and hemmed him in. He was another co-workers was enough to show Noren­ greenhorn fool. During the next sen that all was not well, even two Earth-months of forced labor, without the talk. he knew of three men who really "A man can always quit," big went loopy— starting off in the Burt Lane, who had been here for wilderness, aiming for Cross Val­ almost a protracted Martian year, leys, freedom and survival, and told him, his narrowed eyes bitter. maybe revenge. Yeah— they might With poor Mosser and Parkins get ten miles. Maybe even more. at his heels, Norensen tried it. Superficially, Coffrin was e- Coffrin's face took on the look nough like an old-time villain for 6 / Astro-Adventures comedy. Maybe he had been a profes­ But ideas like yours have been sor of literature on some quiet tried. Ever hear of any success? campus. But Mars and avarice had There's just too much endurance changed him. Sometimes Norensen involved." thought he saw scare and conscience So Norensen's wild hopes were in his face. But he had gone too dampened. But anything else was far to back out. Yet for this, even more wild. Get a weapon? Steal Norensen hated him more— as one a tractor? Fat chance! hates a dangerous weakling of a It was trying to do the latter tiresomely common type. that caused two men to be shot down Mosser's abject apologies didn't several days later. It also started make him feel any better: a general uproar in camp and in "You'd be out among the Aster­ the workings on the bluff. Some­ oids, getting rich with the other thing in Norensen said now or never; guys, if it wasn't for me, Gerry. and before he quite knew it he was You wouldn't be on Mars at all. putting his scheme into execution— It's my fault. But what good is scrambling down the bluff and run­ saying I'm sorry?" ning toward the open valley which "Shut up," Norensen growled. led back to the distant settlement. "What we did, we did together." He was leaving with just what Mars was too rough and strange he could walk away with— his cover­ for Parkins. So his mind retreated all and his plastic helmet, to which into fantasy. Often Norensen heard he'd attached a fresh oxygen tank him talking to himself about the at the apparatus which extracted far past of this planet: the precious gas from the iron oxide "Salty blue oceans, once. Surf in the red dust of Mars, over an hissing . . . And there were eras hour ago. like those of terrestrial geology. Besides, it was late afternoon— For instance, the Carboniferous— the near the awful cold of night, and Coal Period. Great, lush jungles hence a poor time to start out. it Oh, well— what did it matter? Yeah— fine, vigorous companions Far out among the sprawler and he had to take care of, Norensen shag-tree thickets, the several thought. runaways joined up. It had been To live and breathe during a sort of planned. Muffled by helmets two-hundred-mile march across the and the thinness of the air, Noren­ Martian wilds remained the main sen heard the others' voices. problem— a source of oxygen being "Parkins and I saw you take off, its crux. Sure— that was a trite Gerry— so so did we," Mosser said plot by the standards of the old shakily. imaginative stories. But smothering "It's a crazy scheme, but I've on an alien world was the same dan­ been around here too long," Burt ger to spacemen that drowning was Lane laughed. to sailors, and real for the same He'd brought Ed Croft, as big reasons. and hardy as himself. Norensen's groping for a workable Norensen was glad that these idea had a little of the trapped two were along, for Parkins and beast in it. So he soon had a Mosser were poor companions for thought. Mosser and Parkins, being a deal such as this. green, were both enthusiastic. But "You all know how the idea Lane was much less so. works," Norensen growled. Then "I wonder how many gues have he tore pieces from the great pulpy thought of getting oxygen from the leaves of the sprawlers, and thrust Martian plants?" he chuckled. "Hell them up under the shoulder-piece — I'm not saying that it won't work. of his helmet, until all space there Philosopher's Asteroid / 7 not occupied by his head or needed do the same. for vision was filled. He clamped Several times he awoke from the collar-gasket tight, shut off dreams of suffocation. And when the valve from the oxygen tank, it was morning— by the luminous and began to chew at the leaf-frag- dial of his watch— he had a terrific ments. The little bubble-like cap­ headache. But as the march was sules within their structure broke, resumed, he felt better. freeing the compressed oxygen in­ The first day was deceptively side . easy. Maybe they covered twenty- There were beads of moisture five miles. The second day the stored in those capsules, too, to grind was much rougher. The third be lapped up. In the acid-sweet day was no worse. "Second wind," oiliness of the leaf-pulp, there that was, perhaps. After that the was perhaps a little nourishment, agony of thirst, aching bodies and to be sucked from tough fibre. fogging minds, and the decline of Norensen found himself breathing energies, were steady and rapid. normally. Undue elation came over They lived like burros eating him. So far, so good. The others cactus. Chew up a piece of leaf, were aping his stunt with equal make the oxygen capsules pop, spit success. For fifteen minutes they out the remains, reach for another were all right; then they had to piece. What a crazy way to keep take deep breaths like divers, undo alive! One good thing— the sprawl- their helmets, clear them of used ers weren't poison; but even without pulp, and refill them with fresh their fine thorns, lips and gums leaf-fragments. would have been raw and bleeding. They kept going like this until In more arid parts of the valley just before sundown, when a haze there were no sprawler clumps for of microscopic ice-crystals murked long intervals. Then you had to the valley, and a chill stabbed carry great bundles of leaves lashed through their thin garments. For to your back with fibre. Once, the eighty-below-zero cold ahead, even that was not enough; and the there was only one possible anti­ remaining oxygen in the tanks had dote— dig furiously, bury themselves to be used up. in the drifted and insulating dust. Parkins, poor kid, muttered more Like a burrowing hound, Norensen and more about the past of Mars. scooped a big hole with his gloved First, Norensen was sure he'd go hands, filled it with a huge mass all to pieces at any moment. Then, of torn-up sprawler leaves, heaped that he did not, seemed like a dust over this, and then, head senseless prolongation of his suf­ first, wormed his way down to the fering. Then Norensen began to buried vegetation. Kicking the resent him, and to tell himself dust with his boots, he sealed the that he would last longer than Par­ point of entry. He was ready now kins ever could. Splinters of un­ to break more oxygen capsules with reasoning hate began to rise in his fingers and teeth, keep breath­ his mind. It was the beginning ing, keep reasonably warm, and maybe of the wearing out of his nervous catch a little sleep. An atmosphere system. rich in oxygen from the plant frag­ Once, far out across the valley, ments was actually sealed around they saw one of Coffrin's tractors his body by the dust, so that for heading back toward camp with sup­ almost an hour at a time he could plies. To avoid making a marked open the breath vent of his helmet trail, these vehicles never trav­ and breathe without so much inter­ eled over the same ground twice. rupting work as before. The others, Big Burt Lane still could grin. having copied his methods, could "If the tractor was within hailing 8 / Astro-Adventures distance, I'd almost give up and must be why I haven't cracked— yet. go back," he tried to laugh. But Don't you see— Gerry? ..." it was a dried-out cackle. Parkins sounded awed. Norensen That same day, he and the other felt vaguely sheepish. Now he saw rugged character began to show signs the kid's muttering not as a sign of slipping. Norensen heard Lane, of madness but the froth of an imag­ and Ed Croft his buddy, grumbling. inative mind— sheltering itself "We might have known the green­ against desolation with bright pic­ horn idea was no good!" Croft growl­ tures— providing hidden strength. ed. "Damn stupid kids! Breathing Now Parkins was tougher than he from Martian weeds! Hell! Norensen was. Or they were equals in differ­ is as bad as old Mumbles ..." ent ways— friends helping each Norensen's flash of rage died other. in his burden of weariness and mis­ Norensen found himself stumbling ery. Croft and Lane were cracking. along the trail— doing what he had Even they couldn't take it. Croft's to do, trying to penetrate the wild­ ridicule was an indication of lack erness which was Coffrin's defense of endurance. against just punishment. Hate help­ Near sundown, by some old ruins, ed brace Norensen's savage efforts. they found a mummified body, clad And there was another motive— to in one of Coffrin's coverall and somehow get home to Earth; to cor­ helmet combinations. A red-headed rect an error of callow romanticism young man, who, by a letter from that had sent him into space. his father in his chest pouch, was Even Parkins was utterly fed named Ronald Siska, and came from up. "The whole cockeyed dream of an Illinois town. Coffrin had mur­ space conquest falls around your dered him as surely as if he had ears," he was saying. "For those used a gun. who know. We thought Reiner was Lane pointed to the dried frag­ yellow— backing out, getting mar­ ments of sprawler leaves inside ried. But he was the only one with the mummy's helmet. "Your selfsame sense enough to hang onto the gent­ technique, Norensen," he rasped ler things. Earth is where we be­ bitterly. long ..." The next morning, as he came They kept on through that day, up out of the ground, Norensen saw and part of the next. When Norensen Lane and Croft a quarter-mile away, and Parkins were all but finished, trying to run. One had torn off Tom Mosser, who had been the acci­ his helmet, and now he stumbled dent-prone one, said: and fell. A little whirlwind of "We can lash you two to my back. red dust passed between Norensen I'll carry you ..." and the fugitives. How this could be, or what the Suddenly this was all a crazy secret of Mosser's strength was, dream of his fogged mind. He heard Norensen's mind was now almost too thin, cracked laughter, not knowing dim to remember. But here was one at once that it was his own. last chance to win— if repetition- Arms gripped his knees, and he established habits continued to was brought down. Mosser was sit­ function when consciousness blurred, ting on him, and a parched travesty keeping helmets full of fresh spraw­ of Parkins' voice spoke: ler leaves. "Lane and Croft were too matter- Late the following day, the men of-fact. They weren't aware of of Cross Valleys, used to odd Martian history. So they had no sights, were treated to another— two brighter thoughts to shelter their mechanical, atom-powered legs bear­ minds from dreary harshness. I ing three exhausted human wrecks, hardly believe it myself, but that caked with the dust of Mars, and Philosopher's Asteroid / 9 just dimly aware that they were of the building. alive. Mosser's Moon-accident had Did he feel a disgusting swagger become a vital link in the chain coming into his walk— response to of survival. Perhaps a jinx was hero-worship from greenhorns, not ended. yet well enough acquainted with A hundred hours later, the three life off the Earth to know how bar­ were out of the hospital. Clad ren and stupid it was? His disil­ once more in their grimed coveralls, lusionment had a bitter superiority but with full oxygen tanks hooked in it. Aside, he told himself that to their helmets, they went to a except for a few nurses and other large, low building of welded sheet- characters, this crazy boomtown, metal, marked GENERAL WELFARE. full of the noise of building, was The name, Coffrin, came from almost without women, even. Norensen's lips with a savage sat­ The accumulated paychecks from isfaction. And the names of the Coffrin turned out to be good. Of dead. He even had a letter to show, course he had to put up a respect­ taken from the mummy of Ronald Sis- able front where it mattered. But ka. the teller showed surprise at seeing But did he detect wariness in anyone cash such checks. the eyes of the official to whom Parkins got a lot of letters he spoke? Something which suggested from his mother. Norensen and Mos­ that, on a frontier, where law was ser collected a few postcards, most­ still sketchy, a public servant ly from the guys who had gone to had to be careful not to tread on the Asteroids. The cards had been the toes of the powerful? forwarded from the Moon. Norensen "Your accusations will be inves­ read: tigated, sir," he said stiffly. "Hi, Mooncalf! Ceres City, on It was defeat after victory. the biggest asteroid, is some place. "Thanks," Norensen snapped. I'm getting to be a regular miner, "We'll have to fix Coffrin our­ and doing okay; but sometimes I selves," he told his companions feel awful homesick. Ceres City a moment later. "Our last job be­ is a lot of airdomes, and you weigh fore we go home." almost nothing. This postcard shows But a little old guy butted in. the spaceport. The shiny surface "I know you fellas," he said. "Help­ is native meteoric nickel-iron, ed get you to the hospital. You just scraped smooth. Hope to see were mumbling about Coffrin, then. you , Frisby." Lots of people have more right to Now Parkins interrupted his pals' his hide than you. No— not mob reading to say in a disturbed tone: stuff. Legal. By getting the goods "You know what, guys? Mom tells on him you helped bring civiliza­ me that Reiner has gone shaky. Sick. tion ..." Funny, hunh? But he wanted to come Now another man started talking: into space pretty bad. And having "My company wants to print up people think he was yellow was no your method of survival under raw good, either. If he only knew. Martian conditions in pamphlet form The darn, sensitive fool ..." — for the safety of those exposed "Yeah," Norensen growled. His to danger, here. You’ve made an jaw hardened. It was as if, in important contribution. We'll pay, what he had just heard, space was of course ..." really beginning to argue with his Norensen grinned crookedly. "Put own common sense and experience. it in writing, and see us again," They went to buy spacesuits, he said. Then he beckoned his necessary for safety on the trip friends down a corridor, toward home. In the shop, Parkins found the banking and post office section a secondhand one, right for him, 10 / Astro-Adventures

but too small for most men. He it answered. Okay— for us things got into it there in the shop. Then have been rough enough to make the he looked flabbergasted. The helmet dream of men in space look silly— view-window was still open. for a while. But inevitably, since "Come here, you twot»" he said* we got back to Cross Valleys, pride "Make like dogs. Sniff." and circumstance have worked the Norensen*s awed nose registered other way . . . Do you know what an impression lost in memories of the perfume smell in this armor soft lights and music, on Earth. really means? Don't you see, Gerry? He felt nostalgia more than ever. That everything on Earth that's Perfume. But inside a spacesuit? worth while is coming into space, Angry defiance awoke in him. It too! Women have always had the was as if a caprice of chance was courage to follow the first men. trying to trick him into romantic Even among the airless Asteroids folly— again. That must not happen! there'll be airdome cities, parks, "Uhunh," he laughed cynically. gardens, kids, and family life. "Some tough babe, on Mars to rock So why be a defeatist, and retreat? a lot of love-starved boobs, got On Earth you'd be as restless as broke herself instead, and had to poor Reiner. We've got the planets hock her armor to buy a liner ticket and the future grimed Into us, pal back to Podunk. An old pattern it for the dumb and adventurous." Norensen grimaced, and then "But she had the guts to come chuckled. He yielded not so much to Mars," Parkins mused. to Parkins' words as to himself. The shop-owner now put in his A few days later, the three of unsolicited two-cents-worth. them were guiding their homemade "I got this suit in trade for spaceships outward. They'd all a new one," he said. "The lady been through the mill; they had was headed for Vesta— the nearest toughened and progressed. They of the larger asteroids right now." were confident and cool. His eyes twinkled slyly, as, Ahead, against the black star- no doubt, he promoted sales. curtain, a brilliant speck gleamed. Parkins scowled, as if in pro­ It was Vesta, not the largest, but found and worried indecision. "After by far the brightest of the Aster­ so much trouble I should go home, oids. A century ago, the scintil- see my mother," he mused. lant pinkish light it reflected He looked as Mosser. Mosser's had puzzled astronomers. eyes lighted strangely. In a joshing mood, Norensen talk­ Norensen was ready to explode. ed with his friends by radio. "You two nearly died out here!" "I wonder what Vesta could be he hissed. "1 should think you'd made of, to shine like that?" he be ready for some sane, human liv­ asked facetiously. ing, on Earth, and let space go "As if you haven't talked with to hell! Now you want to go chas­ enough men who have been there, ing one whiff of perfume all over to know," Mosser said gleefully. the solar system! Cripes! When "Quit kidding." there are millions of girls back Norensen ignored him. "I remem­ there! Of all the nitwits that ber the structure of planets," he ever were! ..." stated solemnly. "Most of the heav­ Parkins' jaw hardened. "That ier elements settled to their cen­ isn't what I meant at all," he said. ters. Their cores are rich metals— "Probably we'll never see that babe. beyond our wildest concepts, and Most likely I'll visit Mom in a usually out of reach. But the orig- year, if I'm still alive. But she knows what's in my blood, and wants Continued on p . 56 INVADERS OF THE FORBIDDEN MOON by Raymond Z. Gallun

"Calling the pilot of space ship nity of Io, innermost of Jupiter's X911!" Evan Harwich shouted into satellites, rarely devloped moments the radio transmitter of his little as tense as this. Most other pilots Interplanetary Patrol Boat. "Good had brains enough to give the For­ God! Turn your crate back, you bidden Moon a wide berth. And for crazy fool! Don't you know you're excellent if mysterious reasons! headed right into the danger zone Yet the craft ahead, a sleek of Jupiter's Forbidden Moon? You'll new job with the identification get yourself burned to a crisp in number X911 painted on its conning another few seconds if you don't tower, kept steadily on. Its slim turn back ..." hull, which betrayed an experimental Evan Harwich's growling voice look, was pointed straight at the was almost shrill at the end. His threatening greyish disc of Io, police duties patrolling the vici­ the one world in the solar system 12 / Astro-Adventures which no exploring ship of the void And now, something quite differ­ had ever reached— intact! ent from what he had expected was Almost everybody among the inhab­ taking place. Suddenly the appar­ ited spheres knew about the dangers ently doomed ship was enveloped of the desolate Forbidden Moon. in a bluish halo which seemed to Ever since the colonial empire of emanate from a great helix or spiral Earth had been extended to the re­ of metal that wrapped its hull! gion of Jupiter and his numerous Immediately afterward, as the satellites, Io had been a grim men­ X911 entered definitely into the ace; sure destruction to any rocket zone of destruction around Io, great that approached within five thousand white sparks lanced dazzlingly miles of its dreary, almost airless through the blue halo. It was as surface. though the latter was fighting back Nobody seemed to know just why those gigantic, unknown forces that this was true; but some scientists had seemed to make the Forbidden claimed that somehow there was an Moon forever inviolable. It was invisible layer or shell all around as though the halo was keeping the Io; an immense blanket of strange X911, and whoever was flying it, energy or force that fused and blas­ safe! ted the metal hulls of all ether Evan Harwich's slitted eyes wid­ craft that ran into its insidious ened a little in astonishment and w e b . hope. "Dammit!" he grumbled hap­ Tensely and helplessly Evan Har­ pily. "That idiot's got some kind wich watched, as the ship ahead of new invention that's protecting continued on its way toward what him! Maybe the Forbidden Moon is seemed sure catastrophe. No danger going to be reached and explored in front of the recklessly piloted after all!" craft could be seen, of course. A second more that weird conflict Five thousand miles of clear, cold of hidden forces continued. Watch­ vacuum was all that was visible ing it was like watching a race, between it and Io. But since this on which you have staked everything region held concealed in it all you own. Visibly, that daredevil the potential violence of a hair- space ship seemed to slow, as if triggered trap, ready to unleash resisted by a tangible medium. For a flaming death that involved un­ an agonizing instant of suspense, known physical laws and principles, Harwich saw those wicked sparks maybe it wasn't just plain vacuum brighten in the X911's bluish aura. after all! Then the latter dimmed, flickered, With dogged persistence Harwich went o u t ! kept yelling futile warnings into As if angry demons were waiting his radio. His shouts and curses to pounce, destruction struck— were unheeded, and no answer was quicker than a lightning bolt. given. He knew what was going to If there had been any humor in happen in another second. There the situation before, it was gone would be a burst of dazzling white now utterly! The patrol man's lips fire all around the rocket of this dropped apart in sheer awe. The foolhardy pilot he had tried to muscles of his massive, freckle- save from suicide. Metal would smeared forearms tightened futilely drip and sparkle in the absolute as he longed to help the X911's zero of space. In just another doomed pilot. In the pit of his instant . . . stomach there was a sickish feeling. Harwich swung his patrol boat Where that rocket that had dared aside, not caring to end his own the inscrutable enigma of the For­ life. But he kept watching the bidden Moon had been, there was X911 from the side-ports of his a sudden, terrific blaze of light. cabin. The intolerable incandescence of Invaders of the Forbidden Moon / 13 it seemed to reach out to infinity Evan Harwich was ready to accept itself, illuminating even the black­ this much as fact. But beyond this, ness between the distant stars of there was still a vast, unguessable space. But it was all as silent question mark. as the bouncing of a bubble on vel­ Was this shell of energy a natur­ vet. No explosion, however huge, al phenomenon; or was it something can transmit sound in the emptiness planned, made, intended for a pur­ of the void. pose? If the latter guess was The magnificent, horrible blast right, who could have created such broke into a million gobs and sparks a gigantic screen of force? What of molten metal — from what had once kind of beings? What kind of sci­ been a space ship's hull. Super­ ence? heated gas from ignited rocket fuel Io was an almost dead world, shot out. Scattered far and wide, Harwich knew. Very cold. Very the white-hot fragments of the wreck little water and air. Astronomers continued on their way, following had taken photographs of its ter­ the original direction of the once rain through powerful telescopes, bold X911 toward lo. Their speed from the other moons of Jupiter. increased gradually, as the gravity Very little could be seen on those of the Forbidden Moon pulled them. photographs but deserts and grey The larger chunks, falling at me­ hills, and curious formations which teoric speed, would bury themselves might be the magnificent ruins left deep in the cold Ionian deserts. by an extinct race. The secret of lo had claimed Evan Harwich was far from a weak­ another victim, one who might have ling; but cold chills were playing been victorious. But lo's mystery over his big body as he groped to was still unviolated. Evan Har­ understand the unknown. wich had seen other ships, disabled His vision was clearing somewhat, and unmaneuverable for some reason after having been so dazzled by beforehand, go to their ends like the incandescent blast that had this; but he was still not used accompanied the destruction of the to the spectacle, and to the unholy X911 a moment ago. wonder it provoked in him. In the feeble sunlight, so far Dazzled and almost blinded, he out here in the void, Harwich saw guided his patrol boat shakily away a second rocket, leaving the scene from the Forbidden Moon. There of the disaster along with himself. was cold sweat in his thick, black Evidently someone else had witnessed hair, under his leather helmet; that weird demonstration of lo's and cold sweat too on his narrow, destructive might, too! bristly cheeks. His movements of Squinting through a pair of bino­ the controls were a trifle vague culars, Harwich read the obviously and fumbling with emotion, making ancient craft's number. Then he his patrol boat waver a little in snapped on his radio again. its course. "Calling space ship RQ257!" he For perhaps the millionth time grated into the transmitter. "In­ Harwich wondered: "What makes lo terplanetary Patrol just behind so dangerous? Dammit all, those you. Pilot, please identify your­ scientists who claim that there self! Do you know who was aboard is a deadly shell of unseen energy the experimental rocket X911, that completely enveloping the Forbidden was just destroyed?" Moon must be right! There isn't A few seconds later he heard anything else that could explain a dazed, grief-anguished voice the continual destruction of all speaking in response: "Yes . . . rocket craft that come within that I ought to know. I came out to five-thousand mile limit!" watch our test of the Energy Barrage 14 / Astro-Adventures

Penetrator, which we thought would Presently a hand was laid on be successful. I am Paul Arnold. his arm. He turned to face a The man who was just killed was slight-built youngster, who could John Arnold, my father." not have been more than eighteen. John Arnold! Yes, Harwich had But his peculiar gold-flecked eyes often seen photographs of this dar­ were as distant and scared and ing, hawk-faced old student of the bright as if they had seen Hell Forbidden Moon, in the scientific itself. journals. He had been the greatest "You're Harwich," said the boy. of them all! But there wasn't much "I'm Arnold. They pointed you out to do for him now but shrug iron­ to me as the patrol pilot who re­ ically, and report the nature of ported my father's death. I wanted his death by radio to the Interplan­ to talk to you. I don't know just etary Patrol Base on Ganymede, larg­ why, except that you were there est of Jupiter's satellites. too, when Dad was killed. You saw "I'm sorry, Paul Arnold," the what happened. And people have patrol man told his informant in told me that you were a square shoo­ sincere sympathy. ter, Harwich." "Thank you," the quavering voice Somewhat startled, but glad to of Paul Arnold returned. "And now, know the youth, and more than will­ if you don't mind, I've got to get ing to talk with him on the subject back to Ganymede City. Dad's gone, mentioned, Evan Harwich tried to but I've got to carry on his work." smile encouragingly. It wasn't Harwich didn't meet Paul Arnold, too easy, considering his weathered, the son of the dead scientist, face space-darkened features and threat­ to face for more than a month, ening size; but he did his best. Earthtime. But on patrol duty out "Pleased to meet you, Arnold," there in the lonely reaches of the he said rather clumsily, offering void, with the stars and the roar a big hamlike hand. "I wanted to of his rocket motors for company, talk to you too. How about a drink he saw a good deal of the leering, and a quiet corner, where the crowd greyish sphere of Io. It seemed here won't be stepping all over to taunt him with its masked se­ us?" crets, hanging so near to the tre­ They retired to a table in a mendously greater bulk of Jupiter. screened nook. "Now," said young But the Forbidden Moon told him Arnold, "you've seen as much of nothing new at all. Through his the Forbidden Moon as anybody alive, binoculars he saw the deserts and Harwich. You must know that the hills and those supposed ruins. energy aura around her is real and Near the equator was something that not a fable. You must know, too, looked like a vast, pointed tower. that it couldn't be a natural phen­ But Harwich had seen this before, omenon, since nothing in nature often. Something moved near the acts like it does. There's only tower now and then, as on other one alternative possibility as to occasions. But maybe this distant what could cause it! Even though movement was only the shifting of lo seems so deserted, somehow there clouds of dust, blown by a thin, are machines there, functioning frigid wind, in a tenuous atmos­ to maintain that shell of force! phere . Right?" Then, back in Ganymede City, Harwich nodded. Little glints came that meeting with Paul Arnold. of intense interest seemed to show It happened at the Spacemen's Ha­ in his eyes. "I've believed that ven. Evan Harwich, on furlough for a long time," he admitted. "But now, was sipping Martian kasarki those machines must be plenty won­ at the bar. derful to build up a barrage of Invaders of the Forbidden Moon / 15 invisible energy, thousands of miles that even as he spokem death on in extent! Our scientists couldn't a tomb-world might well be lurking even begin to dream of doing any­ in the background. thing like it! Even the principles The question sounded like im­ employed must be a million years pulse, but it wasn't. Harwich had ahead of our time!" lived too long in the shadow of "Right again!" the boy responded. the Forbidden Moon's taunting enig­ For a second he cast a guarded, ma, not to want to take a personal suspicious glance around the room, part in any effort to penetrate where Earthmen and leathery Martians its grim secrets. Besides, he had were talking and laughing and drink­ a month's furlough from patrol duty ing. now. The thought of possible ad­ "The evidence can't be disputed," ventures to come made his nerves Paul Arnold whispered at last. "It tingle. might be that the people who invent­ Paul Arnold's eyes widened. "I ed those machines have been extinct almost hoped you would want to join for ages. But the mechanisms they me, Harwich," he stammered happily, created are still operating. There's seeming only to need the moral sup­ superscience there on lo, Harwich! port of an experienced spaceman How much could we benefit civiliza­ to bring him out of the black mood tion, if we could somehow find out he was in. "Shall we go to my lab­ what the principles of those mach­ oratory?" ines are? How much damage might The Arnold lab and dwelling prov­ be done if those principles happened ed to be one of the oldest that to fall into the wrong hands, among Evan Harwich had ever seen. It men? War and conquest— a whole was just outside the great steel- solar system thrown into chaos— ribbed airdrome that confined a might result!" warm, breathable atmosphere over Evan Harwich wanted to laugh Ganymede City, the small mining scornfully, wanted to call the kid metropolis of a dying world. a dreamer of wild dreams; but the The Arnold lab was a group of realization that young Arnold prob­ subterranean rooms, beneath the ably told the truth made his hide desert. They were reached by a tingle and pucker instead. private tunnel from the City, and "Maybe you're right, fella," were hermetically sealed against he growled. leakage of air to the cold semi­ "Of course I am!" Arnold almost vacuum of the Ganymedean atmosphere snapped. "My father believed it above. for years, and his work must go Cellar rooms, vaults, not exactly on, even though the Forbidden Moon modern but restored from some an­ scares me plenty. You saw your­ cient ruin; for Ganymede had had self, Harwich, that his Energy Bar­ its extinct clans of quasihuman rage Penetrator was almost success­ people too, ages ago. A weird place ful. I've been trying to build this was, a place of poverty, per­ another, with enough power to get haps, since all the Arnold resources through." must have gone into experimentation; Harwich's lips curved, a name­ but a homey sort of place, too, less, wild thrill stirring in his with its scatterings of books and blood. But after all, even before quaint art objects and pictures. he'd left a great consolidated farm "This is the Energy Barrage Pene­ in southern Illinois nine years trator, Harwich," Paul Arnold was ago, to become a spaceman, he'd saying in husky tones, as the two been an adventurer at heart. men bent over a great copper helix "Do you suppose you'll need any or spiral, attached to a maze of help?" he asked simply, realizing wires, tubes, and power-packs. "I 16 / Astro-Adventures

rebuilt it here on this test-block greeted loudly. "You look surprised from Dad's plans; with certain re­ to see me here! Well, I'm just arrangements, of course. But we as up in the air as you are, to need a new Gyon condenser, if we find you around. How come? You want to raise the Penetrator's see I've been financing Paul Ar­ strength enough to make our venture nold's researches since old John successful." was killed. Has Paulie talked you Evan Harwich nodded beneath the into some part in the great miracle single illuminator bulb that glowed hunt on Io, too?" here, its rays glinting from the "Hello yourself, Bayley," the battered, patched hull of the space patrol man returned in not too ship, RQ257, that stood in the cen­ friendly a tone. "Yes, I've joined ter of the great room, under the up." airtight exit doors provided for Harwich was a little more than it in the ceiling. surprised to see the fat printer "So I see," Harwich commented here. He didn't like the setup with subdued eagerness. "Well, at all. Not that he had anything that's not so bad. I can buy a definite against George Bayley. new Gyon condenser from one of the The latter had always seemed good- supply shops in town. I’m no sci­ natured and honest, except for some entist, fella, but they give us elusive trace of insincerity in a pretty complete scientific train­ his manner, his voice, and his lit­ ing in the patrol service. Enough tle squinted eyes. so that I can see that the Penetra- Was this the kind of man for tor is going to do the trick, this Paul Arnold to choose as a patron, time, with your improvements. And particularly when he was in pursuit 1 don't think it will take very of the incredibly advanced science long to get things ready for a real which must exist on Io? A science trip to the Forbidden Moon." that might benefit the human race The patrol man had hardly fin­ immeasurably, or might result in ished speaking, when a door, some­ wholesale destruction and confusion, where, groaned on its hinges. In if it was wrongly and selfishly the dusty silence there were foot­ used? steps, coming nearer through the Evan Harwich couldn't have an­ series of rooms. swered yes or no to this question. "Well, have we got company?" There was a painful pause in a voice boomed heavily after a mo­ the conversation. Harwich found ment. himself looking at the girl, who Evan Harwich turned about slowly. had entered with the big printer, Standing in the arched entrance and to whose arms the latter clung of the laboratory chamber, beneath with a kind of bearish possessive­ the ancient, grinning gargoyle of ness. She was small and dainty. carven granite that formed the key­ Her blonde hair, combed back tight­ stone of the arch, were two people. ly, fitted her head like a cap. They must have just come in from She was wearing a plain but tasteful town. black dress with a white collar. One was a man, as tall as Harwich "Oh, I'm sorry!" Paul Arnold himself, but much broader. He look­ exclaimed after a moment. "Clara, ed jovial, overfed, and just faintly this is Evan Harwich of the patrol. sly. Harwich knew him a little. Evan, this is my sister. I didn't He kept a small printer’s establish­ tell you that I had a sister, did ment in Ganymede City, repaired I?" delicate instruments, and made loans The girl nodded slightly, and on the side. smiled a warm, friendly little "Hello, Harwich!" the big man smile. But why did the big patrol Invaders of the Forbidden Moon / 17 pilot find her more attractive than chuckled, as the printer set the any other girl he had ever seen? package containing the precious Perhaps mostly it was those wistful Gyon condenser on a work table. eyes of hers, not gold-flecked like The patrol pilot was almost sure her brother's, but clouded amber. he heard faint sighs of relief from They were mild and troubled and the two Arnolds, as Bayley backed knowing. Maybe Clara Arnold's life, down. Had they come to mistrust as the daughter of a martyred sci­ him too, since he had been financing entist, had made them like that. them? Did they feel more at ease Harwich knew that he might conquer because he, Evan Harwich, whom Bay­ not only the Forbidden Moon, but ley could never bulldoze, was their the stars themselves, and still partner now too? remember those eyes. The spaceman wondered, and he "Now we all know each other," couldn't help wondering something Bayley boomed. "We're one big happy else. On Clara Arnold's left hand, family— or are we?" He looked at there was a diamond gleaming. An Harwich significantly, a definite engagement ring. Bayley's? The scowl now crinkling his heavy brows. way the latter had clung to the "Harwich," he added, "we appreciate girl's arm, it couldn't very well your company a lot. Only we are be anybody else's. Could Clara, engaged in some pretty serious busi­ quiet and beautiful, ever love the ness here, and it doesn't allow boisterous, paunchy printer? us to take in outsiders." The Arnolds were a strange fam­ For reasons of his own, Bayley ily, anyway. The son was ready was trying to get rid of the big to sacrifice his life in an effort patrol pilot. But Harwich was in­ to reach the Forbidden Moon, where clined to be very stubborn, natur­ his father's ashes lay entombed. ally, and faint, pleading looks The daughter? Might she not be from both Clara and Paul Arnold of the same fanatical breed? Might made him doubly so, just at present. she not be willing to marry Bayley, Harwich had the aspect of a very so that he would supply funds for dangerous adversary in a physical their experiments? encounter; his weathered features For a moment, Evan Harwich felt were far from beautiful, and at a sharp, hurt ache, deep in his certain times he had a way of grin­ heart. But he fought it down. All ning that made him look like a good- this was none of his business. And natured devil with a hot pitchfork from a heavy-glazed window slit hid behind his back. He turned in the ceiling of the laboratory on that grin, now. room, a shaft of soft light from "What's in that package sticking ugly lo, the Forbidden Moon, was out of your coat-pocket, George?" stabbing down, appealing to his he asked the fat printer breezily. own adventurous nature. "It's about the right size and shape Paul had slipped on a pair of to be the new Gyon condenser we lab coveralls. He tossed another need. I was going to buy one my­ pair to the patrol pilot. "Come self; but seeing that you've already on! Let's get started, Evan," he done so, we might as well go to urged pleasantly. "We've got a work installing it in the Penetrator big job in front of us, and remember apparatus." you said we'd get through with it "Well, all right, Harwich," Bay­ before long!" ley growled with some slight show True to Harwich's predictions, of timidity. "As long as you're the rearrangement of the Energy Paul's friend, I suppose you can Barrage Penetrator for far greater stick around." power than the original had pos­ "Thanks a lot, George," Harwich sessed did not take really a lot 18 / Astro-Adventures of time. that might have given a new meaning Within forty hours after the to life. His heart was suddenly patrol pilot’s arrival at the lab, pounding very hard, before he remem­ the task of installing the Arnold bered that diamond on her left hand. apparatus in the old space ship, She was promised to George Bayley. RQ257, was complete. The tests The girl and the pritner retreat­ of the Penetrator had been made, ed from the laboratory chamber, and judged as successful as anyone waving a farewell. The space ship could have hoped for. was sealed. The great exit doors The space ship stood ready there in the ceiling of the lab opened in the laboratory room, a slender, wide, and the air rushed out. copper helix wrapped around its In another moment the RQ257 was hull. shooting skyward. In the night, "All set, eh?" George Bayley among the welter of stars, huge boomed jovially. "Got your emer­ Jupiter and his many satellites gency supply-packs loaded aboard, shone down on the Ganymedean des­ too, eh? But you won't need them, erts. The nose of the ship swung boys," he added seriously. "You've unerringly toward Io. got everything in your favor. And in five hours you'll be back here The RQ257, wrapped in its pro­ with Clara and me, at the lab with tecting halo of blue fire from the a dandy story to tell." Penetrator, struck the Forbidden Bayley seemed honest and sincere, Moon's tremendous, invisible envel­ now. Evan Harwich almost felt shee­ ope of energy, squarely. There pish about the matter. Maybe he'd was a snarling sound in the ship's misjudged the big, bearish printer. interior. White sparks lanced Anyway, he watched his every move, through cold space beyond the win­ during the assembly and installation dows of the cabin, as two opposed of the Penetrator. forces fought each other. But the Paul Arnold was whistling a lit­ RQ257 bored on steadily. tle tune of confidence and exulta­ "We're going to make it, Paul!" tion. Harwich's pulses beat hap­ Harwich shouted through the reek­ pily, his thoughts on the enigma ing, dinning cabin. of the Forbidden Moon, that now "Of course we are!" young Arnold must yield to the new Energy Bar­ yelled back at him. "How could rage Penetrator. Superscience there we fail!" on Io! Unutterable wonders! Who The two men were on the brink could guess beforehand what the of success. Forbidden Moon's vast screen of Then there was an abrupt, stri­ force was meant to bar from intru­ dent, angry snap from the vitals sion? But maybe they would soon of the Penetrator apparatus. Every­ know! thing seemed to happen at once. Only Clara Arnold showed worry. The protecting blue aura outside There was a slight shadow in her the ship waxed and waned perilously. amber eyes, when she took Harwich's And whenever it waned, there was hand. a grinding, crumpling sound, as "I suppose this is only a pre­ of steel plating being crushed like liminary test flight to Io and so much paper in a giant's grip. back," she said. "Not much dan­ Heat, and the cindery pungence of gerous exploration. But please scorched metal, filled the cabin. be careful," she pleaded. "Please Paul Arnold and Evan Harwich be careful, Evan." were frozen rigid with stunning, The spaceman muttered a word agonized paralysis, as strange ener­ of thanks. Evan. His first name. gy snapped into their bodies. In To have Clara Arnold use it like the jolting, erratic motion of the Invaders of the Forbidden Moon / 19 wounded space ship, the two men miles beneath. were hurled from their feet like "But dammit, Evan" young Arnold a pair of stiff wooden dolls. growled. "The Gyon condenser Rolling and tumbling, his vision shouldn't have quit on us at all! half blinded, Harwich saw the metal Those things are tested for heavy walls of the cabin buckle and redden loads of power!" with heat, as the craft floundered The patrol pilot was well aware in that region of mysterious force of that. Clinging to the base of and energy that heretofore had des­ the Penetrator, he was close enough troyed every ship that had attempted to see detail. The lights in the to reach Io. cabin had gone out, but the ugly There was another growl from effulgence of Io was streaming the protecting apparatus. In a through the windows. flash of electricity, the side of Projecting from the shattered the bakelite case that housed the bakelite box of the Gyon condenser, Gyon condenser exploded outward. were two slender, bent wires that At once the staggering Penetrator should have been joined together. quit completely. Its last shred It had been one wire once, but it of protecting force was gone. had snapped in the middle. But that momentary hell had end­ The ends were faintly scorched ed, too, with almost dazing sudden­ and blued; but there was something ness. The grinding, snapping sounds else, too. They were bevelled off had ceased. And there was only curiously, as if they had been the heat and the stench of burnt notched. metal, and the weightless sensation "Cut with a file!" Harwich fairly of free fall. That and the mocking snarled. "The wire was cut with stars. a file. Then the insulation was Paul Arnold, panting, his face rewrapped carefully so that all darkened and beaded with perspira­ the evidence was hidden!" tion, clutched a bakelite handrail The cause of the accident was in one corner. plain. The wire had been able to "We got through Io's energy bar­ carry the load of power easily e- rage!" he shouted wildly. "We did nough during the tests; but under that much, at least; and for a mo­ the additional load of fighting ment, when our Penetrator went the Ionian hell-zone, it had burned wrong, I didn't think our luck would through and snapped! be even that good." "Bayley!" Paul Arnold whispered Evan Harwich leered back at the in the ominous stillness that now youth, from near the now useless pervaded the plummeting derelict apparatus that John Arnold had in­ of the RQ257. "He brought the con­ vented. "Yes, we got through," denser, you remember! Evan, I he grunted hoarsely. "The energy know you were careful to watch eve­ shell must be only a couple of thou­ rything he did during the assembly sand miles thick, with free space and tests in the lab itself. He underneath, between it and Io it­ must have had the Gyon condenser self. The Gyon condenser kept work­ at his apartment before he brought ing raggedly just long enough to it to us. He must have doctored get us out of the danger zone, with­ it there! He was planning even out being completely blown apart!" then to get rid of me! And when Harwich didn't have to test the he found you around, he decided controls of the ship to know that that he wouldn't weep if he got they were useless, now. The rockets rid of you too!" were silent too. The RQ257 was "But why?" Harwich growled in falling free toward the Forbidden momentary confusion. "Why should Moon, still a couple of thousand Bayley want to get rid of you?" 20 / Astro-Adventures

It was almost a silly question, Down and down, with only regu­ as Harwich realized at once; but lation spacemen's emergency equip­ now Paul was answering it. ment to rely on to avert being "It's simple," said the youth. crushed on those greyish hills and "Bayley financed me after Dad was deserts, rushing nearer and nearer. killed— yes. He watched my experi­ Even a thousand miles did not take ments and tests and studied my ap­ many moments at that terrific speed. paratus. He has a pretty keen mind. The Forbidden Moon was like a With me out of the way, no one but sullen, silent nether world, with himself will know just how the Pene­ an atmosphere so rare that an un­ trator works! He can fix up another protected human being would gasp ship and come to lo himself without and die in it in a few minutes! any competition! Anything he learns Even a man in a space suit could or discovers on the Forbidden Moon not hope to survive that desolation will be his alone! Or so he thinks, for long. Io seemed like a Pit anyway." now to Evan Harwich, an Abyss of It was too clear now! Evan Har­ Hell from which there was no escape! wich knew that he and the boy were A place where no Earth being was tumbling helplessly into the maw meant to venture! of hell now. In a useless, derelict This moment was too grim to think ship they were falling toward the of thrills. Helplessness removed Forbidden Moon! They were already that intriguing glamor utterly. within the gates of unholy mystery! And there was only savage determina­ Death seemed very close. Yet the tion left. That and smoldering cold anger that hissed in the patrol hate of the man who had caused mis­ pilot's brain made him determined fortune ! to live, somehow, for revenge! Presently, through the thin metal "We'll be smashed if we stay of his oxygen helmet, Harwich heard in the ship, Paul," he said fierce­ a soft, hissing, whistling sound. ly. "So we've got to jump for it Gradually it grew stronger. The with our safety equipment." patrol pilot knew what it was, of Quickly and more smoothly than course. He had entered the intense­ did the youth, for he was well ly thin upper atmosphere of Io, trained, Harwich got into his space and the hissing was made by his armor. Next he donned two massive own space-armored body passing packs, one on his chest and one through those tenuous gases at on his back. fearful velocity. The exit door of the cabin was The sound served as a signal jammed, but with his pistol the for action. Again, though the situ­ patrol pilot fired an explosive ation was new to him, Harwich's bullet into its hinges. training made his responses accu­ A second afterward, Arnold and rate. With a gauntletted hand, Harwich crept through the rent, he groped for the metal ring on while escaping air puffed out around the pack that bulged from his chest. them. They leaped into the empti­ It was ancient history when he jerk­ ness almost together. With the ed that ring, but sometimes, in heat-warped wreck of the gallant emergency landings like this, on old RQ257 falling beside them, they worlds that had a blanket of air, continued their plummeting descent. however slight, it was still use­ There were still almost a thousand ful. In another second the patrol miles to go, for the distance be­ pilot was dangling beneath a gigan­ tween lo itself, and the gigantic tic mushroom of metal fabric. He energy envelope that surrounded felt the firm tug of the shrouds. it, was perhaps three thousand Deceleration. m i l e s . He wondered vaguely why the Invaders of the Forbidden Moon / 21 fragile parachute did not tear apart with weird carvings on it, resem­ in the terrific speed of his fall. bling closely those left by the But it was the utter thinness of extinct peoples of Ganymede, that the air, of course, here in the other, now colonized moon of Jupi­ upper layer. Its resistance was ter. A curious pulpy shrub, ugly so very slight. So there was time and weird, grew beside the monolith. for velocity to be checked gradu­ A scanty breath of breeze stirred ally, as the air grew denser, and up a little ripple of dust. its retarding effect greater with That and the stillness. The lowered altitude. stillness of a tomb. Harwich could Paul Arnold had opened his chute, hear the muted rustle of the pulses too. Its vast top, a hundred feet in his head. Everything here seemed in diameter, gleamed dully in the to emphasize the plain facts. The faint sunshine. Forbidden Moon was a trap to them In a great plume of dust far now. A pit from which they could below, the derelict space ship expect no rescue. An abyss that crashed. Fire flew as the force was worse than the worst dungeon— of the impact generated heat. But worse than being literally buried the wreckage was out of sight, and alive! there was only a pit smoldering It was like the end of things. on a bleak, dusty hillside. The Was this the kind of slow, creeping, RQ257 was buried deep. maddening death that George Bayley, Harwich and Paul Arnold landed the treacherous printer, had planned several miles away from the grave for them? of the ruined ship; for they had Again fury steadied Evan Har­ drifted with the thin, dry, frigid wich's determination. Grimly he w i n d . struggled to steady his nerves. Their booted feet spanged pain­ "Listen, Paul," he said quietly fully against the sand and broken into his phones. "We mustn't ever rock, and they crumpled to their let ourselves think we're licked! knees; for even in the feeble grav­ That's sure poison! The stuff we've ity of Io the impact had been heavy. got in our emergency packs will Harwich snapped on his helmet enable us to keep living for a while radiophone. Young Arnold's voice anyhow. We know Bayley'11 come was already audible in it, faint to Io sometime, with a ship fitted and thready and sarcastic. out with a new Penetrator. We know "Well, here we are, Evan," he he'll be looking for the secret was saying. "The first Earthmen of the force aura of the Forbidden to set foot alive on the Enchanted Moon, and whatever else there is World! I guess I got part of what to find. Maybe we can get ahead I wnated anyway, didn't I? But of him yet, if we keep on the move. with what equipment we've got to Which way do you suppose would be keep alive with, we might just as best to go?" well be buried with the RQ257! Funny Harwich asked this question be­ I'm not scared. I guess I don't cause Paul Arnold, in his more acad­ realize . . ." emic study of Io, should know more His bitterly humorous tone faded about its terrain than he. away in vague awe. "You know the Tower?" Paul Arnold Still lying prone the two men questioned. "The queer pinnacle, looked around them, at the hellish, or ruin, or building, near the equa­ utterly desolate scene. The hills tor, on what is known as the Western brooded there under the blue-black Hemisphere? You must have seen sky and tenuous, heatless sunshine. it often when you were on patrol." A rock loomed up from a heap of Harwich nodded. He remembered sand. It was a weathered monolith very well. Only a hundred hours ago, 22 / Astro-Adventures still on duty as a patrol pilot, their concentrated rations. Mean­ he'd seen that pointed mystery from while a little pump and separator the void, vague dusty movement a- unit, driven by a tiny atomic motor, round its base. was busy compressing the thin Ionian "It was my Dad's guess that what­ air, separating out the excess of ever miracles are to be discovered carbon-dioxide and nitrogen it con­ on Io, they will probably be located tained, and forcing the oxygen into around the Tower," Paul Arnold an­ the depleted air flasks. swered. "But I was careful to no­ Once in the darkness Paul and tice our position when we landed. Evan were awakened by a strange We're far north of the Tower now— a sound, eerie in that dead quiet, good fifteen hundred miles. A nice, and very faint because the scant long walk— especially when the nor­ Ionian atmosphere could not conduct mal air of the Forbidden Moon is it well. But when they crept to too thin to be breathable." the flexoglass window of the tent, "Stop that pessimist stuff, and they saw nothing unusual. let's get started!" Harwich snapped. "I guess we're getting jumpy," "We'll have to live very primitive­ Paul whispered nervously, his breath ly, of course, but who knows what steaming in the cold, frosty air will turn up?" that filled the shelter. They discarded their parachutes "It looks that way," Evan Harwich and started out, plodding southward, returned reassuringly. carrying their heavy packs. As But after the boy was asleep if to save their energy, they did again, he crept back to the frosted not speak much. window to watch. He knew that there The hills rolled past, under had to be something mighty on Io. their plodding feet. More fragment­ The shell of force that surrounded ary ruins appeared, and were left the evil moon couldn't exist all behind. Their boots sank into soft alone. There had to be more. Some­ dust, as they marched on and on. thing that lay back of it, went At first their muscles were fresh, with it. Something that could easi­ but tiredness came at last. And ly be very dangerous. the miles which lay ahead were all Jupiter, so near to Io, was a but undiminished. gigantic threatening mass in the The tiny sun sank into the west heavens. But its light was decep­ and the cold increased. Night was tive. There were so many dense coming. shadows. "We'd better camp," young Arnold Did he see some of the stars suggested wearily. near the horizon wink out suddenly, So they opened their packs, and and then appear again, as though took out the carefully folded sec­ something big and nameless and sin­ tions of airtight fabric that com­ ister had momentarily blocked their posed their tent. It was part of light and then passed on? He could the usual equipment kept for emer­ not be sure, and nothing further gency purposes by those in danger happened. To save his companion of being stranded on dead or almost unnecessary concern, when nothing dead worlds. The tent could be could be done about the threatening hermetically sealed. Harwich and danger anyway, he decided to keep Arnold set it up carefully and crept the incident to himself. inside. Air was freed from their Long before the dawn they were oxygen flask, and the queer shelter once more on the march. How many ballooned out like a bubble. hours was the Ionian day? Some­ They could remove their space thing over forty. It didn't matter suits now, and breathe, here in much. the tent. They ate sparingly from When the daylight finally came, Invaders of the Forbidden Moon / 23 they had slept again, this time can make almost dead worlds arti­ in their space suits, without both­ ficially habitable again with air­ ering to set up the tent. Rising dromes, and with imported atmos­ to his feet, Paul Arnold pointed phere and water." suddenly. This was another mystery. But "Look! An ancient road!" he it touched Evan Harwich's thoughts shouted. only faintly. Nor did he care very It was true. The highway ran much when later Paul pointed out there between the hills. A stone to him rich deposits of ore— out­ ribbon, covered here and there with croppings along the road. He'd drifted sand, which showed that seen them himself, and the tunnel there was no traffic of any sort mouths, too, of ancient mine work­ now. The ruins along it looked ings. There were many fortunes a little less battered than those to be won here, in costly metals, which the two men had previously just as on the other Jovian satel­ seen, and there were vast lumps lites. But how could this be im­ of corroded metal, too. Machinery portant, now, with death dogging in a former age. their tracks, and so many other "The road goes our way," Harwich things more important, to be con­ commented. "We'll follow it." cerned with? Hours later, Paul Arnold offered Evan Harwich reserved his deter­ an opinion. "Part of the mystery mination for what he knew was com­ of Io is clearing up, Evan," he ing. The slow wearing down of stam­ said. "The ruins around here. ina. Water he and Paul had a little They're almost identical in archi­ of. And more could be reclaimed tecture to the ruins of Ganymede from the thin, dry atmosphere. It and the other Jovian satellites. collected in the bottoms of oxygen The evidence looks plain. There bottles, when they were pumped full, must have been a single great civ­ condensed by compression. A few ilization once, extending over all precious drops. You could drink the moons of Jupiter." it out after each bottle was emptied Harwich, thinking of, and hating of air. Just about enough water George Bayley for his diabolical to sustain life. treachery, was only half listening. In the matter of food, you had "Yes?" he questioned. to ration yourself so stringently "Yes," the boy answered. "And that you caught yourself looking look at those dry ditches, and the with longing eyes at the few, weird, big, rusty pumps! The valley here bulbous shrubs and the scattered must have been rich, irrigated farm­ lichens, which were the only vege­ land, once!" tation on this dying world. Only They were going across a huge you knew that these arid growths bridge, now, made of porcelain would never be good to eat. blocks. It was a magnificent Those long Ionian days passed. structure, magnificently designed One after another. Five, ten, fif­ according to intricate principles teen. Harwich knew he was losing of engineering. strength slowly. The inevitable "What I can't understand is why was catching up with him. But those all this country became deserted," hard years in the Interplanetary Paul offered. "You'd think that Patrol Service, and the rigid phys­ people who could build things like ical discipline, had made him as this would never die out! They tough as steel wire. could conquer any difficulty that With the boy, Paul Arnold, it might come up, it would almost seem. was not the same. He was very Even if their world got old and young, and not too robust. And worn out. After all, even Earthmen he was slipping fast. 24 / Astro-Adventures

"What's the matter with me, The thought of demure Clara Ar­ Evan?" he would grumble. "All this nold in the arms of that bulky, desert isn't real, is it? We're squint-eyed printer, who had shown not on the Forbidden Moon, are we? his true colors at last, and proved I'm dreaming." his diabolical cleverness, fairly "You're just tired out, that's strangled Harwich. Maybe he had all, fella," Harwich would answer no right to harbor such an attitude. in a tone that he would try to make After all he hardly knew Clara. reassuring. He would put an arm He only knew her haunting beauty around the kid's shoulders, to sup­ and friendly amber eyes, with quiet port his faltering steps. wisdom and a little of the martyr Big brother stuff. . . . Paul in them— like her father, perhaps. had plenty of pluck, all right, But Harwich couldn't help thinking. but there wasn't much else left It was only by exercising superhuman in him. He was wearing out, mile self-control that he kept himself by mile, staggering under his heavy from turning into a raving maniac. pack. Supporting Paul Arnold's feeble, Every resource was reaching its struggling steps, Harwich watched limit, now. Food supplies had dwin­ the sky like a starved, wounded dled away to nothing, at last. The wolf. Sometimes, in sheer, wild little atomic motor that worked determination, he longed to claw the air compressor and separator at that cold, forbidding firmament, unit was breaking down. It could and climb out of that hell-pit of hardly pump enough oxygen into the a world into which he had fallen. air flasks any more. He yearned with a savagery beyond But there was nothing to do but words to claw his way up there into keep on the march, anyway, in spite space, to wherever George Bayley of handicaps. Evan Harwich felt might be, and feel the fat throat as though he was going slowly mad. of the man who had tampered with Brooding thoughts came into his the Gyon condenser aboard the RQ257, mind constantly. squeezed between his hooked fingers. Clara Arnold. Where was she But the frigid sky and the bleak, now? What had happened back there dying hills, and the weary miles, on Ganymede? What had George Bayley mocked all his hate-born desires. done? When would he come to Io, His numbed, aching feet could only with the ship he would surely fit plod on and on in this grave-like out with a new Penetrator? desert. Ruins, rusted machinery, What was Clara thinking? What silence, and cold that crept even if she knew her brother was alive through the heavy insulation of on the Forbidden Moon, but slowly his space armor. dying? What if Bayley told her Still, he could remember another that maybe Paul was still alive, thing. In the far distance to the adding that he himself was the only south was something wonderful and person that might be able to effect strange. Something that made the a rescue? What if he had finally deadly and insidious energy barrier used this means, this possibility, of the Forbidden Moon possible. to make Clara marry him? She didn't Where the Tower loomed on the astro­ love Bayley, the fat printer! She nomical photographs of Io. couldn't! And he wouldn't even That night came at last when have to promise to attempt a rescue a streak of silver fire traced its — only suggest that he might try. way across the sky. It couldn't Clara must be half crazy herself, be anything but the flames ejected thinking of her brother. After from the rockets of an approaching all she'd lost her father to the space ship. Forbidden Moon too. Paul Arnold saw it too, turning Invaders of the Forbidden Moon / 25 his haggard face upward. "There crystalline faceplate of his helmet. he is, Evan," he croaked into his It showed that he still breathed. helmet phones. "Bayley's coming Tottering a little himself, Har­ at last." wich picked the boy up, pack and "I see," Harwich returned softly; all. He struggled to put one foot his teeth gritted and his lips curl­ ahead of the other, marching again ing furiously, behind the transpar­ toward the south, where the space ent front of his space headgear. ship was rapidly receding. Had They dropped down beside the his strength been at normal level, wall of a ruin, to watch. The ship his load, bulky though it was, would was coming straight in, toward Io. have been light in this weak grav­ At its tremendous altitude, nothing ity. But Harwich was near the end but its rocket blasts could be seen of his rope, too. And so he moved at first. But then there was a on through that beautiful shadow- sudden flare of bluish light. It haunted, frigid night, where no had struck lo's force barrier, and man was meant to live. that blue glow was the evidence Many times he had to stop and of a Penetrator functioning. The rest. After a short while, the craft seemed to slow a little, as atomic motor of the air compressor its pale, protecting shell of coun­ separator unit refused to work any ter-energy fought back that invis­ more. Harwich tried turning the ible, guardian screen of the devil mechanism by hand. But this was moon. slow, exhausting work. "He got through the force He watched the luminous dial shield," Harwich growled after a of the cold-proof wrist-watch, moment. "We knew he would, of strapped on the outside of one of course, with his Penetrator his heavy space gauntlets. His operating right. Damn him!" mind was getting dimmer. Cold was There was no more blue fire vis­ biting home, savagely. Harwich ible now; but the little silver­ wanted to see just how much longer tailed path of rocket flame showed he could keep going. It was eight that the ship was coming in safe hours now, since Bayley's ship had and sound, its propelling jets work­ appeared. Slowly more time crept ing steadily. by. His boots trudged in the desert Among the stars it turned south­ dust, mechanically. The hands of ward toward that deepest enigma his watch moved on. One hour more. of Io. Toward the unknown scient­ Another. ific wisdom, which lay hidden some­ Why didn't he desert the dead where near the Ionian equator. weight of Paul Arnold? But you "He'll get there in a few min­ never deserted somebody who was utes' time," Paul whispered. "And like a kid brother, did you? I guess we won't get there at all. The patrol pilot's breath was I'm sorry, Evan, that I got you coming fast and short, now. The mixed up with the Forbidden Moon. last of his air was being used up. Me— I'm just about finished— now." It was useless to try to replenish Paul Arnold's voice trailed away. the oxygen flasks with hand power, Harwich turned the boy's glass-cov­ even though he was suffocating. ered face up. In the light of mon­ Harwich tripped in the dust, ster Jupiter, he could see that and fell sprawling. Jupiter, shin­ it was blank and relaxed. The eyes ing down upon him, somehow looked were closed. In the quiet rays like a fat face, tremendously bloat­ of the giant of planets, the youth ed in size— the face of George Bay­ looked as though death had already ley. Harwich cursed, and tried touched him. But there was a little to crawl toward the south. frosty blur on the inside of the Did he hear a sound through his 26 / Astro-Adventures oxygen helmet— a sound loud enough cage, and water tinkled somewhere. for the tenuous Ionian atmosphere There was a kind of soothing to transmit? Or was it only the quiet over the place, except for roaring of the unsteady pulses in that distant clanging. There was his ears? He tried to look ahead, a smoothness to everything; a mood but his vision was very dim, now, of mechanical refinement and per­ and the light of Jupiter and his fection. It was almost hypnotic, moons was so confusing. The shadows somehow. It dazed and quieted the of the rocks and the ruined build­ senses. ings were so very black. Paul Arnold, clad in the slacks But suddenly Harwich squinted. and shirt he'd worn under his space Something was moving toward him, armor, was lying on the floor be­ skimming low over the ground, but side Harwich. He was still uncon­ not touching it. Something that scious, but he was breathing evenly. glinted wickedly, and showed long, His color was much better than be­ shadowy arms. It was no hallucina­ fore. The rays from the roof above tion. Evan Harwich was sure of were slowly healing his weakened that! Fear came out of that numb body. fog into which his brain was set­ Evan Harwich shook the boy gent­ tling. It gave him a last, feeble ly. "Wake up, Paul!" he urged. spurt of strength. He knew that "This must be it! The center of here he must be facing a tiny part Power! The place we wanted to find! of lo's colossal riddle. Some kind of machine brought us!" He tried to crawl away from name­ Paul Arnold rubbed his eyes and less danger, dragging Paul Arnold sat up. Together, Harwich and the with him. He got behind a mass boy looked around through the crys­ of million-year-old masonry, tufted tal walls of the cage in which they with prickly plants. were confined. But the thing that pursued him "There— there's the Tower!" young easily overcame his weak, instinct­ Arnold stammered at last, pointing. ive effort to find concealment. It glittered in the faint morning Cold metal claws closed on him. sunshine. It was undoubtedly the He felt himself lifted upward, into same huge pinnacle that astronomers the night. His mind toppled away had photographed from the other into black nothingness. moons of Jupiter. Only it was close, now, its details sharp and Somehow, it wasn't the end of clear and real. Around its slender, life. Harwich began to regain his tapered spire, thousands of feet senses, slowly. First he heard aloft, the faintest of frosty aure­ a distant, muffled clanging. For oles clung; a ghostly light, like a long time before he paid any real the sundogs of Earthly winter days. attention to the fact, he was aware "The Tower must be the source that strange warm rays were pouring of the Ionian force envelope, Evan!" down upon his body. They seemed Paul Arnold offered after a moment. to heal and soothe his aching mus­ "That light up there at its top cles . almost proves it." He opened his eyes at last. Star­ Both men were talking vaguely, tled, he sat up. Around him was thinking vaguely, looking around the warm glitter of glass and metal. vaguely. In part this must have His space suit was gone. He was been because of sheer wonder. Places in a crystalline cage, filled with like the Spacemen's Haven on Gany­ warm, humid air. Odd gadgets, like mede seemed as far away as a dream ray lamps used in therapy, were now. fitted to the ceiling. Strange, An incomprehensible sense of tropical vegetation grew in the depression was creeping over Evan Invaders of the Forbidden Moon / 27

Harwich, as he studied his surround­ to retreat, either. What was the ings further. There were many other use? If what they saw was danger, cages in view, arranged in blocks, they could do nothing to avert it. with paved alleyways between. Vege­ Hypnotized with wonder, they only tation was thick in the evidently stared, feeling as helpless as the air-conditioned habitations. Little larvae in an ant-hill, tended and pools of water glistened in them cared for by the workers. daintily, strange paradox on dying A section of the cage-bottom Io. had raised, like a trapdoor. A And there were creatures, too. bulk was creeping through the open­ Scores of them in each cage. ing. It was a machine, so marvel­ Strange, fragile, sluglike animals ous, so refined in its functioning, crept about aimlessly. They looked that it seemed far more than alive. just faintly human, with their It was flat, like a small tractor; pinkish skins and manlike heads. but there were no treads for it But there was no slight shadow of to move on. It seemed, rather, intelligence in those great, sad, to glide on a cushioning, grayish stupid eyes. mist. The thing purred softly, Harwich wasn’t squeamish, but like a great cat, and tiny lights he looked at these futile animals twinkled in crystalline parts of with a certain pitying revulsion. it— batteries to deliver fearful "What kind of a nursery place have atomic or cosmic power, perhaps. we got ourselves into, Paul?" he The mechanism had many flexible grumbled quizzically. tentacular arms of metal that glint­ Arnold shrugged. "They’re some­ ed with a lavendar luster. thing like men, these things, aren't But even the substance of those they?" he offered in puzzlement. arms, the metal itself, looked in­ "Maybe that's another unknown quan­ definite and eye-hurting at the tity to figure out. But this place edges, as though it was partly is plenty wonderful, though. Look!" fourth-dimensional, or something. The youth was pointing upward. Both men grasped the truth. Here Against the cold Ionian sky a flat­ was that million-year advancement tened object was circling at low of science that they'd talked about altitude. A flying machine without with such thrilled fascination, wings, it seemed to be. From it in the stuffy bar of the Spacemen's dangled strange webby metal arms, Haven, back in Ganymede City. But as it moved in a circular path, Ganymede City, with all its human above the surrounding desert hills. crudeness and inefficiency, seemed It seemed to keep watch over those like a lost, happy legend, now, thousands of crystal cages in the to Arnold and Harwich. Far, far valley. It must be a guardian of away, and dim. For here was dread some sort. wonder to eclipse it. Futurian "I'm not at all sure I like it fact! Physical principles of such here," Harwich growled. "We were a miraculous order that mankind fixed up, revived, made new men had scarcely dreamed of their outer again, so to speak; but still I fringes yet, were functioning here. don't like it here." The flat machine advanced. But "Somehow I've got the same idea," it was only instinct working, when Paul Arnold agreed with a quizzical the two men crouched away from it smile. a little. It was useless to fight; A little clinking noise behind it was useless to run. the two men made them turn about. "Get away, you!" Paul Arnold After that, awe kept them spell­ grumbled dully to the mechanism. bound. They didn't speak. What "Beat it! Scram." was there to say? They didn't try And Harwich was reacting in a 28 / Astro-Adventures similar manner. "What the hell!" stared around them. The room was he stammered. "What are you trying gigantic, soaring up in a huge, to do with us?" metal-ribbed dome. Scores of crys­ It was almost funny— the inef­ tal-walled passages led into this fectual, confused protest of those colossal chamber of secrets. The two men. They were like children whole immense Tower building was too lost in their new environment transparent, except that some dark­ to know what was dangerous and what ening pigment had been added to was not. the material that composed it, till Misty, lavender tentacles reached it was like bluish glass. Through out and grasped them carefully. it the desolate surrounding hills They were lifted from the floor of Io could be seen, and the cages, of the cage like babes. Once Har­ filled with those aimless, pathetic, wich’s great freckled arms taut­ sluglike creatures. ened, as though he was going to But the attention of the two battle the monstrous miracle that men was drawn inevitably to the held him. But futility checked center of the room. Rearing up the urge. Where was there anything there, under the rotunda of the to win by struggling, now? And dome, was a massive, lavender-sheen­ how could a mere man win anyway, ed pyramid. It gave a steady, against soft-moving mechanical pow­ throbbing sound, as of countless er, that should belong to the far tiny wheels and shafts whirling future? Oddly the tentacles were inside it, working cams and rods, warm and tingling, not cold like and who knew what else? you'd think metal should be. "Dammit!" Evan Harwich kept mut­ And so Arnold and Harwich sub­ tering under his breath in dim con­ mitted to a paternal, mechanical fusion. "Dammit." dominance, regretfully, because He was used to machinery, yes. there was nothing else to do. It He was used to the roar of rockets, hurt their sense of freedom, but and to the delicate instruments where was there any alternative? used in space flight. But this Still floating a little off the was machinery of a far higher order. tile pavement of the cage, the mach­ That busy, vibrating pyramid, squat­ ine carried the two men easily to ting there like some huge idol, the opening in the floor, and glided somehow seemed to possess a definite down into a crystal-roofed tunnel. personality of its own! There it began to accelerate swift­ Suddenly Paul Arnold clutched ly, flying with bullet-like speed, the patrol pilot's arm. "I wonder a foot or so above the glass bottom if I believe what I see!" he whis­ of the passage. pered tensely. "Look!" The tunnel's roof was transparent Harwich's gaze followed the lines as air. Through it, Harwich and of the boy's pointing finger to Arnold could see that they were something quite near— so near, and nearing the Tower rapidly. After seemingly so insignificant in this only a moment of whizzing, breath­ vast, somber, throbbing interior, taking flight, they had arrived that he had not noticed before. within that great, enigmatic edi­ Just at the base of the pyramid fice, for the passage entered its there was an artistic little struc­ ba s e . ture, consisting of four slender There, in an eerie half-twilight, pillars and a roof. It looked like the flat little machine released a small, ornamental kiosk or arbor, the two humans whom it had brought so artfully were the scientific here, to the Tower. details of it — the coils In its Mute with an even greater wonder top, and the delicate filaments than before, Harwich and Arnold that pronged from them— concealed Invaders of the Forbidden Moon / 29 in the decorative metal scrollwork. is true. Telepathic control of Within the pillared structure, machines, it must be. This place somehow, there stood a man— an is so damned wonderful that it would Earthman. His heavy body was clad turn Aladdin of the Wonderful Lamp now in a rocketeer's leather cover­ green with envy! And it would drive all. At his waist dangled a heat the Genie of the Lamp down into pistol, and on his fat face there his shoes in shame!" was a strange, wild sort of smirk. Harwich's doubts, if they had "Howdy, boys!" he greeted. "Yes, been doubts, and not just confu­ it's me— George Bayley, the guy sions, began to dim a trifle. After who used to keep a print shop in all, one of the big objectives of Ganymede City! I've been here long­ the science of Earthmen was to make er than you have, and I've been life easier; to transfer as much able to find out more. Pretty nice, of the burden of work as possible huh? The people of Io had science to machines. Why couldn't the same perfected before they became ex­ objective have been conceived here tinct. Everything was done by mach­ on the Forbidden Moon? Not only ines, even investing. Not a bit conceived, but accomplished? Io of work to do any more. And if was an old world; life had begun they wanted anything special, they here sooner than on Earth, and sci­ just came into this little coop, ence, too! So there had been more and wished." time for advancement. Bayley paused, still smirking. "All right, Bayley," Harwich His loud voice had seemed distant growled grudgingly. "Tell us what in that great room, and vibrant you've discovered." with awe. Harwich and Arnold stared "Yes, for Pete's sake, tell us!" at him for a moment, neither knowing Paul Arnold joined in. quite what to say, or what to be­ It was odd, the way they were lieve . asking the fat printer for informa­ And what was that which had just tion, now, when they should be hat­ spilled from his lips, as though ing him for the wrongs he had done he had been a little afraid of the them. But, perhaps, the human mind statement himself? About perfected can hold only so much at one time. science, and wishing? For the moment there was room only "You're crazy!" Evan Harwich for dazed awe and questioning in stormed fiercely. "You're a liar!" their thoughts, and hatred was tem­ But his furious tone was tremu­ porarily pushed into the background. lous with doubt, even as he spoke. The equal of Aladdin's miracles He knew at once that he'd just grab­ did not seem so far from possibil­ bed onto these words, and uttered ity, here! them, maybe because, somehow, he "Okay!" George Bayley rumbled. hated Bayley, and wanted to contra­ "Glad to spill the beans; what I dict his seemingly impossible know of them. I arrived here in claims. But in this temple of my space ship about fourteen hours un-Earthly marvels, one's whole ago, when it was still dark. The standard of judgment was upset. Tower building here looked by far Possible and impossible became the most important, so I came meaningless terms here, and at the straight to it. There were machines foot of this great, whirring flying about, but they paid no pyramid, which seemed a symbol of attention to me at all, so I wasn't omnipotence. worried much about what they might "Crazy?" Bayley questioned. "No, do to me. Harwich, you can't say that, when "Leaving my ship on the other you're all tangled up and fuddled side of the Tower, I got into this yourself! What I said about wishing room through a tunnel. I was wear­ 30 / Astro-Adventures ing a space armor, of course. I tentacles. There it is." passed through a kind of airlock. The printer was pointing toward This chamber was just like you see a dully gleaming heap of yellow it now, except that lights were ingots near the farther wall of burning, because it was night." the chamber. "And then?" Paul Arnold ques­ "But this, I soon found out, tioned eagerly. was just kid stuff!" Bayley contin­ "Exploring, I climbed into this ued. "I suppose if I'd thought little metal coop, here at the foot of radium here in this wishing coop, of the pyramid," Bayley went on. I would have got a couple of tons "By then I was pretty flabbergasted of that, too! But I wished for with all I'd seen. I began to think a space ship— something special, I needed a drink of something beyond anything an Earthman ever strong. Yep, it must have been saw before! Well, the pyramid buzz­ telepathy! Because presto— one of ed a little longer and stranger those flat flying machines with this time, as though it was sort the tentacles whizzed up to me from of thinking and planning, and as a tunnel exit. It was carrying a though the wheels inside it were kind of crystal carafe. maybe inventing, too. Then, some­ "Boy, I didn't know what to where far off, there was a lot of think! I didn't know whether I pounding for about an hour. I guess ought to taste the stuff in that you know the answer, boys. There carafe, at first. But finally I she is— the sweetest little super- did. It was damned good. Not al­ futuristic space flier you ever coholic, but something a whole lot saw!" better." Harwich and Arnold stared at Harwich and Arnold looked at the torpedo-like ship that rested each other, as Bayley paused, as in a cradle-like support nearby. if to get his breath. They looked It was completely without rocket- up at the pyramid, throbbing above tubes, or other visible means of them, like some great, cryptic, propulsion. But its rakish lines servant personality. The feeling and wicked lavender glitter made that Bayley was telling the truth it look as though it might well was growing on them. reach the distant stars themselves. "Naturally you tried other Evan Harwich bit his lip tensely. things, after the carafe was brought Suddenly a thought struck him. "Did to you, Bayley," Paul Arnold prompt­ you see any Ionians since you've ed. "You wanted to see how much been here, Bayley?" he asked. "Any further this expression of desires living, intelligent beings who might by telepathy might be carried. You question your right to be prowling wanted to see how much more you around?" could use the ancient Ionian sci­ Bayley laughed. "Not one!" he ence ." returned. "They're extinct, I'm Bayley, still standing in that sure of it! And that's lucky for little metal-pillared structure, m e ." nodded slowly. "You catch on quick, The patrol pilot was beginning Arnold," he said. "First I wished to put the pieces of the Forbidden for gold, since it was the first Moon's riddle together at last. thing I thought of. The sounds And Paul Arnold must have been doing inside the pyramid changed a little, the same. The evidence, as far as though an order was going out as it went, was clear. somehow, maybe by radio. Five min­ Perfected science! The fat prin­ utes later a whole bunch of those ter had told them that all you had flying machines came into the Tower to do was think your wishes in that here, carrying bars of gold in their queer little pillared structure. Invaders of the Forbidden Moon / 31

And the machines translated your patrol pilot's tone. wishes into fact. Unless Bayley "Why sure— sure!" Bayley growled had lied, and there was small reason back at him. "And why not? Just to suppose that he had, the rest about anything I can think of is was maybe not so difficult to under­ possible! And, let me tell you stand . something else, you poor dope! You First, the great envelope of and Arnold wouldn't be alive now, force around Io. That was to keep if I hadn't wished it! I thought possibly dangerous intruders away, you might ahve gotten through the of course. Thus, the ancient Io- Ionian force shield somehow, when nians had lived in carefree idleness the RQ257 cracked up. I thought and luxury, tended by their per­ you might be somewhere out there fected machines. The thing in the on the desert still living. So pyramid must be the master servant I just wished that the machines mechanism, reachable in that pil­ go and get you, and revive you if lared kiosk, by telepathy. It must you needed it. I thought maybe be the coordinator, in contact with it might be fun." the other mechanisms by radio, or It was enough. Cold anger reborn something. Adding and calculating in Evan Harwich's breast was sud­ machines, way back in the Twentieth denly rekindled into blazing fury Century, had thought and reasoned, by the memory of the RQ257, and after a fashion. More recently, a wire filed almost through in a on Earth, apparati of a similar Gyon condenser. Evan Harwich's nature had done far more, working muscles tightened. Wordlessly he out intricate mathematical problems, was about to leap at George Bayley. far more swiftly and accurately But a warm metal tentacle whipped than any human being could. suddenly about his waist. The flat And the apparatus within the mechanism that had brought him and pyramid must be much the same thing, Arnold to the Tower had seized him. but developed to the nth degree! Again, he was helpless. A vast planning, calculating device "You see?" Bayley drawled. "I that could reason and invent with really am boss, here, just as you a swiftness and perfection far be­ said. I just wished that you be yond any living mind. But it was restrained, and you are! But I've still just mechanical; a servant been doing too much talking and apparatus that thought by the turn­ explaining. How about a little ing of the wheels and the movement showing for a change, huh?" of levers inside it with no more "Damn you, Bayley!" Harwich consciousness than an adding machine growled, but the fat printer ignored of the Twentieth Century! the curse. This was the way Harwich figured He only grimaced crookedly. it all out. And he saw something "Let's make a couple more wishes," else, too. he taunted. "A couple of really "Uh-uh, Bayley," he remarked good ones! How about a whole fleet suddenly. "Soon after that new of space ships, for instance? The space flier was brought her at your biggest, most powerful fleet in command, you decided that you were the solar system! All automatic complete boss around here, didn't craft, capable of flying and you? There were no ancient Ionians maneuvering unmanned! Then, let's in your way. All you had to do see, the other wish? It's not so was wish, inside that telepathy difficult either. Both you and kiosk, and it was just like Aladdin Arnold are my deadly enemies, wishing with his lamp, eh?" Harwich. I think it would be fun For the first time, cold, com­ to make my enemies squirm a little. prehending anger had come into the I'd like to see you crack up, 32 / Astro-Adventures

Harwich! You've always been so "Sure, kid," George Bayley laugh­ tough! So how about some kind of ed, trying to conceal the half­ a discomfort service? Something scared wonder in his own voice. really special? In short, a torture "Maybe it'll take weeks for them instrument! Come on, pretty mach­ to build the fleet I asked for! ines! Do your stuff!" But they'll do it! You'll see, Paul Arnold's face turned pale, if I happen to let you live that but he bit his lip courageously. long!" Evan Harwich studied the strange, The unholy wizardry of the For­ wild light in the fat printer's bidden Moon was proven beyond all squinted eyes, and waited for what­ doubt. And in this weird Tower ever would happen. room, air-conditioned against the There was a crescendoing whir cold thinness of the atmosphere within that huge pyramidal coordina­ beyond its wall, the pyramid still tor. The man who had usurped the throbbed a shrill portent of more rule of the ancient Ionians over to come. their mechanical servitors had given A second robot mechanism soared his telepathic orders. Already into the chamber from a tunnel there were signs of obedience. mouth. It bore a curious tripod­ Thinking and planning was going like instrument. The flying auto­ on in that pyramid; thinking and maton spiralled down like a bubble, planning more intricate than that and came to rest beside Harwich of the greatest human wizard that and the youth. Pinioned by the had ever lived, more soulless and tendrils of the other automaton, swift than that of an adding they were helpless to do anything machine. but watch and submit. They were Presently, from far away, came pushed flat on their backs, and a thin, shrill sound. Looking back held firmly. The tripod instrument through the darkened glass walls was set up between them. of the Tower room, Harwich and Ar­ "The discomfort device, this nold, both of them clutched, now, must be!" Bayley gloated, shifting by the tentacles of the flat robot, his weight from one foot to the saw a horde of black specks collect­ other. "In just a few seconds ing against the sky in the pale there's going to be some fun, I'll sunlight outside. A flock of those bet! Now, Harwich and Arnold, I'm flat, tentacled flying things. wishing you bad luck. Just a little They seemed to emerge from an foretaste of what I might wish opening in the ground; from a vault later! Okay, pretty machines! Give where perhaps they'd been stored my beloved enemies the works, just for ages. In a gigantic swarm they for a second." hovered over the glass cages and Two rods of metal, projecting their pathetic animal inhabitants. down from the tripod, were set in Then, drifting like gulls away from position by one of the automatons. this weird city of the Forbidden One rod touched Harwich's skull, Moon, they moved off toward the the other Paul Arnold's. A switch surrounding hills. was moved. There, like swarming bees, they There was no sound; but all of settled in their tremendous numbers, the patrol pilot's body seemed sud­ on the open, arid valley. Flame denly and maddeningly afire. To tools in their tendrils were brought the very center of his mind, agony into play. Dust, reddened with stabbed, viciously. No searing heat, began to rise. pain of any injury he had ever re­ "They're leveling the ground!" ceived could have equaled this. Paul Arnold whispered hoarsely. He writhed, longing to scream his "They must be preparing a shipyard!" lungs out, as that moment of sheer Invaders of the Forbidden Moon / 33 hell seemed to last an age. "All right, Nero," Harwich growl­ "God!" Paul gasped when it was ed contemptuously to Bayley. "I'll oyer. grant that you're in the driver's Both men were sweating and limp, seat, ready to stop nowhere. Build­ and yet no visible harm had been ing a space fleet and all. But done to their bodies. Artificial where is Clara Arnold?" sensation, the torture must have The patrol pilot asked the ques­ been. Nerve impulses transmitted tion with fear and doubt in his directly to the brain. A devilish, heart. perverted achievement of super­ "Clara Arnold?" said Bayley al­ science! Such agony might con­ most casually. "Too damned clever ceivably go on, in Satanic refine­ for a girl! Said she thought I ment, for months, without bringing might have had something to do with death. the crackup of the RQ257. Said "You see, boys, I’m boss here she was worried about Paul and you, as long as I stay in this little too, Harwich, being maybe stranded telepathy coop, where the old lo- still alive here on Io. But she nians used to give their orders!" said that she'd finally decided George Bayley hissed triumphantly. my promises weren't good for any­ "All the wonders of the Forbidden thing, anyway. That I'd have to Moon are mine to use, just as I rescue you two men first before see fit! There were just a bunch she'd believe in me. Until then, of machines here, waiting for some­ our engagement was off." body to control them. A pistol Harwich felt a brief wave of doesn't ask who pulls its trigger! elation, as he heard these words. And I got here first!" Clara had seemed so quiet and timid; "I was afraid of something like but she'd evidently proved herself this when we were still on Gany­ plenty courageous and plenty smart. mede, before any of us knew," Paul "But where is she?" Harwich Arnold muttered raggedly. growled angrily. "Now, I mean!" And Evan Harwich understood very "Don't get excited," Bayley well what the youth meant. George sneered. "She came to the Forbidden Bayley was feeling that touch of Moon with me, hoping to see you power here. A sense of omnipotence and the kid again. I left her locked was flattering his shallow ego, in my rocket. But she can't mean raising him in his own estimation much to me any more now! Not when to the level of some ruthless god. they begin to hear about me all He, who had been a petty business over the solar system! Just a man, a printer, a repairer of in­ passing fancy! I suppose I might struments, a loan shark! Just a just as well have the machines bring crumby, fat little human being, her here now, to see just how ridiculous, small and conceited. completely helpless you two dopes Pathetic, too, stubborn, and lacking a r e !" in judgment. There were many like Harwich and Paul Arnold were him on Earth, and among the scat­ still pinioned to the floor by the tered spheres of Earth's interplan­ automatons; but in the patrol pi­ etary empire. lot's slitted eyes glowed the sub­ Maybe, after all, the wisdom dued light of murder, futilely smol­ of the Forbidden Moon was too big dering. The fat printer was abso­ for the human race. Maybe they lutely master now of Clara, the would have to grow themselves first, boy, and himself. In his stupid, advance in evolution, before they cruel, shallow vanity, cosmic power would know how to handle and how the deeper secrets of which he could to win real benefits from such wis­ never have understood had driven dom. Bayley to madness; to megalomania. 34 / Astro-Adventures

That clanging and that red glow painful! And I've got just about from near the distant hills showed everything else! In a month's time the extent of his ambitions beyond I could give you the planet Earth, question. The slave machines were to wear in a ring around your fin­ not building that colossal fleet ger, if I happened to want to." of space warships for nothing! Armed "What's he talking about, Evan?" with weapons beyond human know­ the girl pleaded again, the shadow ledge, such a fleet would sweep of fear in her face deepening. "It in aggressive fury to even the re­ sounds sort of awful! Please tell motest world within the field of me. Why are those flat monsters the sun’s gravity! holding you and Paul to the floor?" But Harwich's feelings changed "I told you to take it easy, briefly to relief, when Clara Ar­ Clara," Harwich returned with a nold was brought into the Tower trace of sternness. "This maniac, room by another of those metal Bayley, has got the upper hand now, slaves. The automaton removed from but I said everything would be all her a flexible, transparent cover­ right, didn't I?" ing, of evidently airtight material, The patrol pilot was trying again a protection against the rarity to reassure the girl, with a show of the Ionian atmosphere, probably, of truculent bravado this time. for in being taken from the airlock He hoped that truculence would make of Bayley's rocket to the air-con­ his words sound true, as though ditioned Tower here, she would oth­ he had a trump card up his sleeve, erwise have been exposed to suffo­ or something. cation. "All right in the end, Harwich?" The machine set the girl down the fat printer chuckled wickedly. gently. She looked scared, her "Well, the end's pretty close. In blonde hair was awry, as though, another minute you'll be too tor­ maybe, she'd struggled with the tured to do anything but scream. robot; but otherwise she was still Right now I'm thinking and wishing. all right. Look, the automatons are getting She looked about in wondering that agony tripod ready again!" terror; for what she saw was still It was true. Metal tentacles a complete mystery to her, just were whipping about, adjusting the as it had been to her brother and torture rods to touch Harwich's Evan Harwich a little while ago. and Paul Arnold's skulls again. No one had told her anything yet. Everything will be all right! "Paul— Evan!" she stammered. That statement was a mocking memory "What is all this here? This pyra­ to the patrol pilot now. An empty, mid, and Bayley? What happened? rash challenge to the man whose Tell me, somebody!" petty ego yearned to control even "Take it easy, Clara," Harwich the solar system. responded, trying to sound reas­ Harwich had never felt so com­ suring. "Everything will be all pletely helpless in his life be­ right!" he ended a little uncon­ fore, not even when he had been vincingly, trying to shield the suffocating out there on the deserts girl from grim truth. of the Forbidden Moon. If he could "Everything's all right already, only somehow knock Bayley out of Clara," Bayley assured her mock­ that little, pillared structure ingly. "I've got these two men that served as a receiver for tele­ of yours just where they can do pathic orders to the machines; if the least harm! How would you like only he could replace him there to see 'em squirm a little? I've for a second, then everything might got a special device for that pur­ be very, very different! But Har­ pose, something very refined and wich was held helpless to the pave­ Invaders of the Forbidden Moon / 35 ment of the Tower room. His massive tering beside him? muscles were useless against machine "Evan, those animals in the ca­ m ight! ges! We thought they looked like Direct argument— an attempt to men, didn't we? Here's something make Bayley see the narrowness and else: Maybe they are men, in a way! lack of originality in his colossal Men who went backward in evolution; ambitions— he knew was equally fu­ lost their intelligence." tile. Bayley was stubborn and shal­ No one but Harwich would have low and greedy. Besides, he would heard the boy, for he spoke in a never admit that he was wrong, even very low tone. But at once the if he felt the truth of it! patrol pilot understood; grasped So Harwich felt utterly check­ a part of the Ionian riddle that mated on every side. The clanging he had missed before. Machines. out there, the building of the space No thinking or work to do. Indo­ fleet, mocked him. The rustle of lence. And then? wheels in that huge pyramid coordi­ At once Harwich saw a way, a nator mocked him. All the Aladdin- slim possibility to avert cosmic like miracles of the Forbidden Moon catastrophe. He couldn't appeal mocked him, pointing out his impo­ to Bayley's reason, but maybe he tence to do anything, now. could appeal to his fears. He had He even wondered savagely why to try it, anyway. that great coordinator mechanism, Suddenly the patrol pilot's lips with all its terrific powers, didn't curled in derision and contempt. revolt against the dominance of "Bayley," he said, "you're an utter the puny human being that mastered damned fool! You think you'll ex­ it. But, of course, it would have tend your power all over the solar no desire to revolt. It had no system. Well, maybe you will do desires of any kind, no capacity that; but in the end you'll be des­ for happiness or misery, no con­ troyed! You give the orders— sure! sciousness even. It was no more But do you understand the thing alive, no more sentient, than an in that pyramid? It was made to adding machine. Only infinitely serve, as all machines are. The more complex. It invented things ancient Ionians had it pretty nice and it directed lesser mechanisms for themselves, yes. But did you only by the rolling of the wheels ever wonder what happened to them? and the surge of energy inside it. Where are they now? Do you know, And it responded to telepathic con­ trol of whomever was there to give Harwich's final question was it, just as a space ship might re­ a dry whisper, like the voice of spond to whomever was at its throt­ some ghost of ages past. tle . "Where are those ancient Ionians Still, there had to be some way now, Bayley?" out of this mess! Harwich knew No man could have escaped awe it wasn't just Clara and Paul and there in that tremendous Tower room, himself that were in danger. It where all the mysteries of the eons was everything he knew and res­ seemed to be congregated, many of pected. Freedom. Liberty. Unless them hidden and unknown and perhaps he and his companions were able dangerous. George Bayley's eyes to do something, a Dark Age would were suddenly very big. Quite evid­ come, surely. An age of machines, ently there were many things that ruled by a madman. he had not thought about. His gaze The rod of the torture instrument lingered momentarily on the great was touching his skull. In just throbbing pyramid, inscrutable there another moment the agony would be­ in this huge dusky chamber. gin. But what was Paul Arnold mut­ "Stop trying to bluff me, you 36 / Astro-Adventures crazy idiot!" the fat printer storm­ care of them. Worse than animals ed at last. "The Ionians are ex­ in a zoo." tinct, of course!" Bayley's eyes were fairly pop­ Harwich managed to grin wolfish- ping, as he stared through the semi­ ly. "If you believe that, Bayley, transparent walls of the Tower room. do you want to follow them into Doubtless he could see those crea­ extinction?" he questioned. "Yes, tures in their air-conditioned habi­ they mastered science. They con­ tations. Just helpless, squirming, quered even the problem of the thin­ incubator freaks! ning atmosphere and the loss of "I wondered what they were— why moisture and heat on their dying they were here," Bayley stammered. world. But after they turned their Harwich almost believed at first science over to the machines, some­ that he had won a point with the thing happened to them. Their num­ obese loan shark— scared him out bers began to grow less, yes. They of most of his wild amibitions. lost control of their empire, which But then, gradually, he saw Bayley's must have included all the moons expression grow a trifle less tense. of— Jupiter. But they didn't com­ It was just as Harwich had feared. pletely die out, Bayley! Something The printer was beginning to realize happened to those Ionians that was that it must have taken countless far worse! Do you know what it generations for them to degenerate was, Bay ley? Do you want the same to their present sorry state. The thing to happen to you?" same condition could not affect "I don't know what you're talking him personally. When Bayley saw about!" the printer stammered fur­ this truth, he would be the same iously, fear of the unknown spread­ megalomaniac as before. ing over his plump face. There was only that one slim "No, those ancient people of chance left for Harwich. Bayley's the Forbidden Moon didn't become attention was strongly diverted completely extinct," Harwich con­ now. But in a few seconds more, tinued. "I believe you can see he would be himself again. quite a few of them from the Tower Was the grip of the metal ten­ room here. The walls are semi­ tacles that held Harwich a little transparent, and those cages outside looser than before, now, because aren't far away. They're full of Bayley, the master of machines, Ionians. Sluglike, brainless mon­ had his mind so intensely on other strosities without even intelligence things, and away from the thought enough or will enough to wish any of giving telepathic commands? m o r e !" In a sudden, savage lunge, Har­ Harwich paused to let the facts wich jerked free from the automaton sink into George Bayley's mind. that held him to the floor. His "That's them!" the patrol pilot clothing was torn and his flesh continued. "It's an old theory scraped, but what did this matter? that any race has to keep strug­ Everything depended on instant ac­ gling, thinking, working; otherwise tion. The patrol pilot leaped past it goes backwards. By using their Paul Arnold, and his sister, Clara, brains and muscles, Earthmen de­ who had only watched and listened veloped from apish ancestors, you while he had talked with such grim know. But here the Ionians had truth to Bayley. everything done for them. So evo­ Already the flat, glittering lution was reversed. They lost robot was after Harwich, but he their intelligence. And now, what continued his surprise rush toward are they? Stupid beasts, tended the roofed, pillared kiosk that by machines that follow the orig­ was the receiver for telepathic inal orders of long ago to take orders. Invaders of the Forbidden Moon / 37

His attack ended in a flying place of enigmas. The automaton tackle. Bayley was drawing his that had recently held Harwich cap­ heat pistol, but before he could tive seemed to move like a maddened fire it, Harwich’s weight struck animal, created out of pure light­ him. There, together, in the kiosk, ning. Its tentacles whipped around they wrestled and fought. At last Bayley long before he could fire there was a chance for the patrol again. Harder than steel cable, pilot to bring his massive muscles the tendrils tightened, like the into play. He swung his heavy coils of a python. fists, and all the fury of weeks There was a choked cry of terror of hardship and misfortune were and anguish, and then a sickening, back of his blows. Bayley tottered crunching, squashing sound, as flesh away from under the kiosk, and for and bone and blood oozed between a second Harwich stood there free. those constricting metal loops. He was in the position of control It was almost the last thing at last; but Bayley had his pistol that Evan Harwich saw. He was mor­ out and aimed, now. Clara was tally wounded, a slender hole bored screaming as the fat man pressed through his side. the trigger. Harwich's last delirium was a It was too late for Harwich to dream. A silly dream, maybe. Clara marshal his thoughts properly. He and he together. A little house. was only able to will that the auto­ Fancifully he pictured its details. maton behind him should cease at­ Maybe a mining concession somewhere tacking him. He could not call here among the moons of Jupiter, to his aid any of the great science too. An orderly life. Not all of lo, in time. this hectic battling with unknown With the speed of light, a slen­ dangers any more. He was a little der pencil of intense heat waves tired of adventure, a little tired from Bayley's pistol struck his of being space patrol pilot, too. side and burned straight through He could resign. his body. No bullet could have Somewhere, Evan Harwich's fanci­ drilled a neater hole. Harwich's ful thinking came to an end. legs collapsed under him, and he lay writhing there within the kiosk. He awoke suddenly. Paul Arnold A split second later the heat was shaking him. pistol in Bayley's hand spat again. "On your feet, you big lug!" Turning weakly, Harwich saw Clara the boy was yelling happily. crumple and go down. In another "There's not a thing wrong with instant, Paul became the third vic­ you, now!" Clara and I have been tim. awake for half an hour." "You're done, Harwich!" the fat Harwich staggered erect, grumb­ printer was yelling triumphantly. ling confusedly, his stiff, black "You're finished, all of you!" hair awry. He'd been lying on a But by now the patrol man's divan. The room around him was seething flood of hate had regis­ almost familiarly furnished, except tered. He was within the telepathy for slightly fantastic details of kiosk; and if he had ever willed decoration. The windows were wide, instant destruction for anyone, and beyond them there was a sort he willed it now, for Bayley. Under of yard, with freshly planted trees. other circumstances he might not Over the whole set-up there was have felt so vengeful, but his eb­ a fine crystal airdrome. bing pulses blazed with fury. "What the heck! Where in the There was a click within that name of sense are we?" Harwich burst vast, slumberous pyramid, that loom­ out in startled pleasure. ed like a grim god in this shadowy He looked first at Paul Arnold, 38 / Astro-Adventures and then at Clara, whose amber eyes ly," Paul Arnold remarked. "But were twinkling with secretive mis­ so far it's been a lot different chief. It was as though the two from what Dad or you or I could had some sort of joke up their have anticipated. This place looks sleeves. like a nice family set-up, Evan. Harwich glanced again out of Did your wish include anybody be­ the window. Beyond the airdrome, sides yourself?" glinting and new, was what looked Harwich flushed, and looked shee­ like improved mining equipment. pish. Clara, there, was definitely Cropping out of the ground was the blushing, but she was smiling, too. grayish, shiny stuff of a rich ore The ex-patrol pilot managed a lode. And there was a space ship, nervous grin. "I guess you got too; bright and slender and strange, me there, Paul," he said. "Now, but it looked plenty serviceable! if it's all right with you, Clara, "Where are we, anyway?" Harwich I don't know whether I have to say demanded again, still completely it or not, since it's a dead give­ in the dark. "Does either of you away. But will you marry me?" two know?" He got it out, feeling that it "Still on Io, evidently!" Paul had been an awful job. But Clara Arnold breezed with a taunting grin. smiled happily. "Same kind of hills and general "Try and stop me, Evan," she character of country! When Bayley laughed. "There has to be someone shot me, I passed out. I didn't around to keep you from getting know anything more until I woke conceited. Just because you won up here a little while ago!" out for us here on Io, doesn't mean "But this layout, Paul!" Harwich that you won't need bossing your­ growled. "This house and this min­ self, once in a while!" ing stuff! How come? You've got Paul Arnold winked, and left some kind of an answer in mind, discreetly for other parts of the I'm sure, by the way you look! I house. give up. Spill the bag!" Arm in arm Clara and Evan looked "Okay, Evan," said the boy. "I through a window that faced west. really do think I've got that part Something was flying there, high figured out! After Bayley shot up in the sky. It glinted in the you with the heat-pistol, you were late afternoon sunlight. A lonely lying in that telepathy kiosk in spek against the cold firmament, the Tower room. Consciously or it seemed to hurry, bent on a last unconsciously, you must have done mission. some wishing there, before your A few minutes later, from the brain blacked out." east, there came a terrific con­ Harwich gasped. So that was cussion. The whole dark purple it! He'd wanted to be alive, though sky, above those sullen hills, was he had been mortally wounded. And illuminated with a bluish-white so he was! His shirt was open. glare for a second. Flying frag­ There was a neat round scar on his ments soared far into space. chest, left by the heat-ray burn, Clara clung tightly to Evan. and evidence of careful supersur­ "What was that?" she questioned gery! The automatons of the For­ fearfully. bidden Moon had saved his life. Harwich grinned, but still there Probably Clara's and Paul's lives, was a haunting shadow of sadness too. All while they were uncon­ in his face. "I'm sure I know," scious! The house, the garden, he said. "That was the end of the the mine! science of the Forbidden Moon. The "Our miracle hunt on the Forbid­ den Moon hasn't turned out so bad­ Continued on p . 56 BEYOND THE WORLDS WE KNOW (PART II) by Lin Carter

Star Pirate discovers the astounding secret of the mystery planet!

Our Story Thus Far— last minute, the repairs are com­ pleted and the impetus of the super­ Dr. Zoar, a distinguished Martian drive enables the Jolly Roger to scientist, has mathematical proof break free of the gravity-vortex. of the existence of a long-suspected Later, the little ship crosses but unknown Tenth Planet beyond the orbit of Pluto and heads into the edge of the solar system. unknown, uncharted space— where He persuades that team of space- no man of the Inner Worlds has ever adventurers, Star Pirate and his trespassed before. What mysteries Venusian sidekick Phath, into a will they be faced with, what inex­ journey of exploration and discov­ plicable perils, on the surface ery. Installing his new super- of the "brave new world" Zoar has drive aboard Star’s scoutcraft, named Persephone? the Jolly Roger, Zoar predicts they will achieve speeds narrowly close to that of light itself. 8. Over the Edge The renovated speedster is launched from Star's secret hide­ "Why, you mud-eating swamp-liz- out, the asteroid Haven, drops below ard, if you dare touch one string the ecliptic, and accelerates on of that devil's instrument, or utter its new propulsion system— only a single caterwauling yowl of so- to run into an uncharted meteor- called song, I'll throttle you with storm which hulls the Roger and my bare hands!" cripples the rocket drive. As Star This savage challenge was uttered and Phath toil to repair the damage, by a squat green dwarf, a malignant the powerless ship drifts deeper scowl disfiguring his froglike face, and deeper into the sinister "Vor­ under a tall, bald, wrinkled brow. tex," a whirlpool of gravitational He wore a dusty red smock and leath­ forces at whose heart lies an eerie ern sandals, for all that he was graveyard of lost ships. At the one of the System's most distin­

39 40 / Astro-Adventures

guished scientific celebrities, better than you can carry a tune, Zoar of Mars. I've nothing to worry about." "Izzat so, you dust-chewing old "By Yakdar's beryllium belly- horned toad?" snarled a soft, sibi­ button, but I've a mind to do just lant voice from the other side of that!" Phath exploded, uncoiling the cramped little cabin, where from his chair and coming to his a lithe figure with dead-white skin feet. and slitted pink albino eyes loung­ "Children . . . children," sighed ed, cradling his nine-stringed Ven- a third voice, wearily. The inter­ usian guitar protectively in his ruption came from Star Pirate him­ arms. This was Phath, a Venusian self, as the lean, lanky, broad- space-adventurer who was pilot and shouldered young Earthling with first mate of the trim little speed­ the curly red hair and mischievous ster, the Jolly Roger. green eyes was known to the citizens "Yes, that's so," growled the of the Nine Worlds. He had been diminutive Martian scientist with stretched out on his bunk, taking a fierce glare from his ink-black a bit of a nap after one of Phath's eyes. "I'll break that cursed sumptuous luncheons, before the noise-maker over your empty skull argument from the control cabin if you dare interrupt my concentra­ had roused him from his rest. tion with your tuneless gargling!" The Martian and the Venusian Phath swore by six or seven space began trying to explain how each gods, and his pink eyes narrowed of them was in the right, and inno­ dangerously while one hand hovered cent of provocation, while the other over his leather holster, fingertips was a double-dyed villain, constant­ just tentatively brushing the worn ly interrupting each other and each butt of his proton needle. He splut­ trying to talk the loudest. Star tered wordlessly, but the fact of pretended tolerantly to be paying the matter was that while the Venus­ attention, but actually his mind ian adventurer was a good man to was elsewhere, ruefully remembering have at your back in a tavern brawl, the interesting dream from which or by your side in a street-f ight, he had been so noisily, not to say and while he was a dead shot with rudely, awakened by their quarrel. his needier and an ace rocket pilot, It was not the first time this the one talent in which he was ser­ had happened, and it would surely iously lacking was the gift of song. not be the last, he told himself. His attempts at melodic self-expres­ For days now, since the Jolly Roger sion did, to a certain extent, re­ had flown over the edge of known semble the cry of a cat whose tail space and crossed the orbit of Plu­ has been caught in the proverbial to, the trim little speedster had wringer. penetrated deeper and deeper into He knew it, although he would unknown, uncharted space, where rather die than admit it, and he no other man had ever flown. hated the fact; since there was The little craft, never designed nothing he could possibly do about for three, was cramped and crowded, it, he was touchy on the subject and the forced proximity, the lack and easily flew off the handle when of privacy, the prolonged confine­ someone made a remark about his ment in such close quarters, caused singing voice. the space-travelers to tend to rub "Go on," sneered Dr. Zoar, laying each other the wrong way. This down the calculator upon which he was to be expected, since they were had been working out a set of ab­ only human, but in the present case struse equations in celestial mech­ the matter was somewhat aggravated anics. "Put a beam through me— I by the fact that for years now, dare you! If you can't shoot any the Venusian adventurer and the Beyond the Worlds We Know / 41 diminutive Martian savant had culti­ did in fact actually exist, Dr. vated a long-lived feud that had Zoar was not about to let the honor been smouldering for years. That of being the first to stand upon it occasionally exploded into vocal her surface go to another. argument was to be regretted, but If it had not been for his newly even Star Pirate was not always perfected rocket propulsion system, able to keep peace between his iras­ the super-drive, the trip to Per­ cible old Martian mentor and his sephone could not have been made touchy Venusian sidekick. in a ship as small as Star Pirate's "Calm down, boys," he advised Jolly Roger. On conventional rocket at last. "Save the temper tantrums drive, the journey beyond known for tomorrow; you know, we expect space would have taken many months, to be within visual range of Per­ perhaps years, and the trim little sephone by then . . . and who knows speedster could not possibly have what we'll encounter when we land? carried sufficient stores of food, Savage beasts and hostile natives, air and water for her three passen­ perhaps: so save your energy until gers over such a long haul. then, we may have need of it, if Fortunately, however, the drive push comes to shove and we find was a success, and the craft hurtled we've got a fight on our hands." through the blackness of infinite These sensible words of advice space faster than any ship had ever proved to have a calming effect hurtled before— on the two belligerents; they had — And ahead lay the unexplored momentarily forgotten that in mere mysteries of an unknown world! hours they expected to take their first look at the "brave new world" they had come so very far to be 9. The Black Planet the first to discover and to ex­ plore . Early in the morning of the very And, as Star Pirate said, who next day, Phath lolled lazily in knew what might lie ahead on them the huge pilot's chair before the when they landed on the surface curve of the control board, with of the mystery world? its maze of flashing red and green lights and glittering dials and Hour after hour, the trim little meters. The Venusian was strumming speedster probed on, ever deeper an old space chanty on his nine- into the limitless depths of the stringed native instrument, having void. Ahead, still invisible to seized the opportunity when both the unaided eye, the unknown tenth of his shipmates were busy else­ planet of the Solar System swung where in the ship. in her huge orbit, circling the tiny spark-like flare that was the Oh, I'm just a wand'ring spaceman distant Sun— only the brightest Who wants a little love— of the stars, from this colossal If I can't find it down on Earth, distance. I'll look for it above— Zoar expected to find little that was new or even particularly he warbled tunelessly, his nimble interesting on the surface of Per­ fingers rousing a shivering echo sephone— just another frozen sphere of melody from the taut silver of liquid hydrogen oceans and con­ strings of the Venusian guitar. tinents of frozen methane, like The old space chanty he was singing Pluto, was his estimate. Still was his favorite, and it had more and all, having been the first to verses than any spaceman could re­ prove with unshakable equations member. Phath threw his head back that the long-suspected Persephone and sang on— 42 / Astro-Adventures

But I'd rather have an Earth gal, and would have been invisible to Cuddly, sweet and warm— the unaided eye, had not its rounded With yellow hair and big blue eyes, bulk occulted so many stars. Obvi­ And loads of girlish charm— ously, the mysterious tenth planet of the System had the lowest albedo, when suddenly he broke off his song or factor of reflected light, of with a startled squawk as an alarm any other world. clang sounded directly above him, "No wonder the astronomers could and, as the saying goes, loud enough never find it visually," muttered to wake the dead. Dr. Zoar thoughtfully, half to him­ "Yakdar's beryllium belly-but- self. Fingering his jaw, he studied ton!" swore the Venusian, leaping the circle of darkness with a meas­ to his feet and tossing the musical uring, calculating gaze. instrument on the bunk across the "Phath, put us in parking orbit room. He snapped on the intercom around the planet," ordered Star and said into it, excitedly: Pirate crisply, taking a seat before "Chief! Zoar! The alarm just the 'scope, while the little Martian went off— the proximity alarm. That scientist seated himself at his means we've arrived— !" own station, before the banks of He broke off as the green dwarf­ detectors that received, measured like Martian savant came waddling and recorded all electromagnetic into the control cabin, leather energy and radioactivity in the sandals slapping the steeloid deck- immediate vicinity of the space­ plates. craft. "I heard it for myself, you sim­ There were also banks of sensors pleton," snapped the scientist, which could probe the surface of pulling up a stool before the huge a planet, moon or asteroid with 'scope and adjusting its dials with long-range, delicately attuned vi­ knowing hands. The glass blurred brations, reporting back to the hazily, then sharpened into focus, telemetry of Zoar's control board. showing the black backdrop of space With a curt nod, the diminutive bestrewn with a thousand flashing green dwarf thumbed his sensors points of light that were the ever- to full power and began examining distant stars. The magnificent the dials and meters to learn every­ spectacle always reminded the Venus­ thing that he could about the mys­ ian adventurer of blue-white dia­ tery world about which they would monds poured out on black velvet. soon be circling. Star Pirate joined them at the "Right, chief!" grinned the Ven­ 'scope. He had been back in the usian, and took the big chair behind engine room, checking out the cyclo­ the central control panel. His trons that fed atomic fire into voice was vibrant with excitement— the big cluster of rocket tubes almost breathless, in fact. A lit­ that drove the little craft through tle action at last! Poor Phath space, making doubly certain that had already had about all he could all was well before they dared the stomach of being cooped up in the unknown dangers of a strange new little two-by-four cabin with the world. Now he bent over the lumi­ likes of that hot-tempered horn-toad nous 'scope, keen gaze probing cur­ of a Martian! He hoped the chief iously, as he wiped grease from would order them down— who knew his fingers with a bit of engine what excitement might lie ahead? room waste. Anything, any danger or peril, was Against the blazing backdrop better than boredom, to Phath's of ten thousand stars, a black plan­ straight-forward way of thinking. et loomed! "The surface is hidden behind It was completely featureless, a thick layer of opaque clouds, Beyond the Worlds We Know / 43 lad," muttered Dr. Zoar, studying "You're probably right," mused the dials-readings of his sensor Zoar, too caught up in the tantaliz­ beams. "Whatever may lie beneath ing mystery of the black planet the cloud-layer, my instruments to bother responding with his usual can't say; the vapor is too opa­ sharp tongue, or to provoke yet que ." another round in their endless argu­ "I thought the black sphere look­ ment . ed too smooth and featureless to "Keep checking," advised Star be the real surface," said Star Pirate. Pirate, turning up the magnification But the black planet proved to on the 'scope to full volume. have no satellites, either natural "Only way to find out what's or artificial, and no sign of a under the clouds is to go down and high technology could be discovered see, chief," suggested the Venusian by their sensitive instruments. hopefully. Star Pirate grinned, The planet was either a lifeless but said nothing. He knew exactly frozen hell, or, if not, then the how his white-skinned sidekick had home of a pre-space people. chafed raw from the exasperating There was really only one thing tedium of their long journey, and to do— how the possibility of some danger "All right, take her down, and a little action was tempting Phath," said Star. to Phath. Indeed, he felt the same "Yakdar's beryllium belly-button, temptation himself . . . but now yer talkin', chief!" yipped Zoar gave him a glance from cold the excitable Venusian. black eyes. "Might as well have a look, lad," he murmured. "What harm can it 10. Frozen World do?" "Finish taking your readings," White fire gushed from the rocket said the redheaded adventurer. "Any tubes of the Jolly Roger, deftly radio signals from the planet? Any nudging the trim little craft out artificial radiation, to suggest of her parking orbit about the equa­ the natives— if there are any na­ tor of Persephone. She sank towards tives, that is— might have achieved the thick blanket of impenetrable atom power? Any sign of spacecraft, black clouds which surrounded the space buoys, or artificial satel­ dark world; ere long, she plunged lites?" into them. Zoar bent his cold unwinking Darkness closed about the cabin gaze on the dials and meters which of the little craft. The 'scope studded the tilted board before was useless now, for nothing could him. Finally he had to admit there be seen except for scudding ebon was not the slightest sign of any mist. Not visually, that is— but of these indications of a high, still Dr. Zoar clung to his sensors, technological civilization. probing with delicate vibrations "If there are any natives, they the unknown surface far beneath would be simple savages," he mused. their keel, and still hidden by "Or at least planet-bound, pre- the seething swirls of black vapor. atomic cultures ..." "Coming out of the cloud-layer "You said you figured probably now, chief!" said Phath cheerfully. Persephone was nothin' more than And no sooner had those words left a chunk of frigid hydrogen ocean his lips, than an eerie yellow light with a few continents of methane broke about them. The Earthling, ice floating around on top . . . the Martian and the Venusian blinked no life could live in that frozen incredulously, and found their craft gunk," remarked the Venusian. floating down from a strange sky 44 / Astro-Adventures

of sourceless yellow glare. through the luminous skies of Per­ "Where does all the cursed light sephone, and from time to time she come from?" demanded Phath in baf­ shuddered from stem to stern as fled tones. Zoar studied his meters her flight was interrupted by the closely. tremendous winds that seized her "Electromagnetic forces causing at random, shook her as a terrier excitation in the bottom layer of shakes a rat by the throat, then the clouds," announced the Martian flung her away. savant. "That layer seems to be Clutching a stanchion for sup­ one of the heavy metallic vapors, port, during one of these furious like argon or— " gusts, Star grated: "Why all this "— Neon?" hazarded Star Pirate. wind, Doc? I would have thought The Martian savant permitted it would be relatively peaceful himself a slight, approving smile. here beneath the cloud-layers . . ." "Precisely," he rasped in his Dr. Zoar peered at one of his hoarse, bullfrog voice. meters that recorded temperature. "Well, it gives plenty of light, "We have a severe temperature inver­ sure enough," grunted Phath, sound­ sion," he rasped in his deep bull­ ing rather disgusted. "Too bad frog voice. "I suspect Persephone there’s nothing to see with all has a molten core, and that erratic that light— " blasts of super-heated gas or lava And so it was: the surface was escape to the surface from time nothing but one enormous, endless to time through volcanic vents or snowfield, broken only here and geysers. The reaction between the there by the raw, sharp outcroppings heat of the core material and the of black mineral deposits, and swept permafrost of the surface evidently by howling gales. There did not causes these gale-force winds— " even seem to be mountains on this He broke off, for suddenly Star weird, shrouded world of yellow Pirate stiffened in his chair before glare, endless ice, and remorseless the big 'scope, and uttered a stif­ wind. led gasp. There, directly ahead Phath announced the temperature of the Jolly Roger, across the seem­ readings from the other side of ingly endless snowfields that lay their hull. It was nowhere near dead and frozen beneath that glaring as cold as it would be on Pluto's golden sky, melted into view some­ surface— perhaps the electrical thing like a vast, bowl-shaped de­ excitation of the neon layer had pression. A valley, it seemed, some sort of a mild warming effect and from rim to rim it must have on the planet's surface temperature measured hundreds of square miles, — but it was cold enough. perhaps even thousands. And it "Take an orbit around the equa­ was green and fertile. tor, Phath," Star Pirate said, "and "By all the gods of space— Doc! turn on the cameras. We'll make Phath! Look at this!" he yelled, a photomap, since we're here. Give rousing the two from their study us something, at least, to take of the controls. They clustered back home." about the big circular 'scope, star­ "Righto!" chirped the Venusian. ing with disbelief. And the Jolly Roger began to trace In all these supra-Arctic wastes, a circle around the frozen world, how could such a thing be? They skimming along above the endless saw farms and fields and forests, snowfields, hurtling along under glades and gardens and groves, run­ the uncanny glare of that luminous ning rivers and lakes like looking- golden sky. glasses, mirroring the bright yellow skies . . . The trim little speedster soared "Sure looks like you hit it right Beyond the Worlds We Know / 45 on the nose, Doc, with your volcanic have people on it!" muttered Dr. core and geysers of live steam," Zoar dazedly. muttered the Pirate. "How d'you know they're people?" Something like a dim dome of Phath demanded. "They could be pale radiance encompassed the Vale any kind of monstrosity, you know— " from lip to lip, barely discernible "Well, we'll soon know," grunted against the unchanging glare of Star Pirate. "Let's take her down. the ever-luminous skies. Approach­ You're spoiling for some excitement, ing the curious dome of force, Star anyway." probed it with the ship's sensors, "Sure; but do you really think found nothing dangerous, and entered this is smart, chief?" asked the its perimeter. A faint, tingling Venusian. Star shrugged and grinned shock ran through him and his com­ his mischievous grin, green eyes panions, but was over in an instant. sparkling with excitement. Whatever the force dome was, it "It's been a dull voyage so far," was no barrier to solid objects, he chuckled. "Let's see what we surely: probably it served to retain can do to liven it up! Besides, heat and moisture and atmosphere. from the looks of the town I'd say Zoar studied the meters. He the people are on the level of our wet his thin lips with a pointed own medieval times. Take a look tongue. "There's air outside, lad! down there and see for yourselves! Eminently breathable, too; warm No sign of mechanized vehicles or and moist, if these instruments aircraft, and from the looks of haven't gone haywire ..." those paven roads they were built Star told Phath to cut their for horse-drawn carts, or whatever speed. Beneath the floating craft . . actually, they seem to domes­ passed vistas of green enchantment. ticate big lizard-like beasts for White roads meandered between fields that purpose— see the paddock?" and farms; tiny villages and hamlets "I'd say you are quite correct, appeared; miniature figures could lad," growled Zoar. "My sensors be seen toiling in the fields below. still show no sign of activity on Beyond all this loomed the ramparts electrical or radio wavelengths, and walls of a distant city, towards and none of the neutrino-leakage which the Jolly Roger veered her we would expect to find from atom flight. All of dark gray stone power." was this city, and ringed by a mass­ "Right! Doubt if they've got ive wall breached by four gates the internal combustion engine yet, at the cardinal points of the com­ much less electricity or atomics. pass . Which means we can fly and fight— if From a central plaza, where rose it should come to that— rings around magnificent edifices that could them." be palaces or temples, broad, tree- "I suppose you're right, lad lined avenues radiated like the . . ." muttered the frogfaced little spokes from the hub of a wheel. savant, fingering his jaw thought­ Down towards the dark city swoop­ fully. ed the little speedster. Tall tow­ "Sure I am," Star grinned. He ers whipped by, red-roofed, with nodded to the scene in the big walled gardens and broad boulevards, 'scope. "Phath, let's take her down arcades, bazaars, mansions. How to a landing in that big central many thousand inhabitants the dark plaza. See it? There's a stand of city housed was beyond guessing, funny-looking trees in the very but it was a metropolis of impres­ middle, ringed with a wide circle sive dimensions. of crushed gravel. Bring us down "Wbo could have dreamed this there." dead ice-ball of a planet could "You got it, chief!" 46 / Astro-Adventures

"Right: now, Doc, it's up to locked the controls against any you and me to man the guns. Just possibility of tampering. in case we're way off the mark in They stepped forth not on grass, supposing the Persephonians' level as they had unconsciously supposed of technology is still back in the they would, but on soft, cushiony, bow-and-arrow period. Oh, leave emerald-hued moss, pearled with your sensors on and set them to sweet dew. 'record.' Every bit of data we The air was warm and moist and can get may come in handy." fragrant with the heady aroma of The two took stations at the many strange flowers and blossoming big proton needle guns whose blis­ trees unfamiliar to the Earthling, ters protruded from the smooth hull the Martian and the Venusian. The of the trim little speedster. The frigid, howling gales that swept proton needles could reduce half the golden skies of the world beyond the city to rubble in minutes, so the immense valley, sheltered behind they felt they had little to fear its dim dome of force, seemingly from natives armed— most likely— could not penetrate into this alien with nothing less serious than pikes Eden. Looking about at the lush and javelins. shrubbery, the velvet moss, the To either side of the central strange flowers, Star shook his plaza rose two imposing edifices, head; it was difficult to believe built of the same lustrous, dark that, not half a mile away, the stone as were most of the buildings surface was locked under an adaman­ which composed the mysterious city. tine sheath of eternal ice and swept Whether the two, which faced each by frozen hurricanes of terrific other across the greensward of the force, hostile to all life. little park amidst the plaza, were "People coming, chief!" snapped palaces or temples it was impossible Phath warningly. Star Pirate looked to guess. Probably one of each, up to see a strange sight. From was Star Pirate's guess, and his the uppermost tiers of the big pal­ guess turned out to be accurate. ace-like structures which faced The Jolly Roger floated down each other across the plaza, there on her null-gravity field. Then came hurtling towards them immense, her keel crunched and squealed as red-furred, prick-eared creatures, it sank into the bed of gravel that with the ribbed, membranous wings ringed about the grove. of bats. But enormous bats— their The rocket-tubes coughed and wingspread must have measured thirty died. feet and more. They had landed on the surface And mounted upon their backs, of the unknown world! seated between the beating vans, were human riders! Star thrilled to a distinct shock as he had his 11. The Flying Men first glimpse of the mysterious denizens of this weird new world. Chemical analysis proved that They rode their batlike steeds, the air outside the ship was com­ seated in capacious wicker-work posed of a mixture of oxygen, nitro­ saddles, guiding their aerial mounts gen and hydrogen very similar to with long reins. The men— for only Earth's own atmosphere, and there­ one of them seemed to be a woman— fore breathable without the need were completely humanoid, save for of protective masks and bottled their dead-white skins and lustrous oxygen. So Star opened the control eyes, slightly larger and rounder cabin airlock and stepped out, fol­ than Star was accustomed to back lowed by Dr. Zoar and Phath, as in the many worlds of the System. soon as the Venusian pilot had They were as black as obsidian, Beyond the Worlds We Know / 47 those staring eyes, and the hair Above all else, he seemed fasci­ upon their heads, which they wore nated with the Jolly Roger. From long and which whipped behind them the way he stared at its sleek, in their flight like elfin banners, glistening lines with awe and bewil­ was of the rare shade called plati- derment, it was blatantly obvious num-blond. that he had never seen— perhaps They were slight of build, a had never even dreamed— of such trifle shorter than Phath, but tall­ an astounding vehicle as the space­ er, of course, than the green-skinn­ craft. ed dwarf at his side. They were And the gaze he turned on Star all dressed alike in silken tunics Pirate reflected this. It would of some dark, glittering metallic seem that Phath's joke about "sky- weave, short-sleeved and ending gods from the silver bird" had at the knee. Soft buskins of some­ struck a lot closer to the center thing like supple doeskin clad their of the truth of the matter than feet, and bound about the brows had at first seemed likely. of each of the newcomers on a sil- This personage and his retinue ver-link chain was a large disc had all flown hither from the impos­ of glimmering amber crystal which ing structure directly ahead of swirled and sparkled with uncanny them, which they soon discovered inner fires. to be the palace of the prince. "I don't see any weapons, chief— The second party, consisting of guess they've come to have a polite the young woman and what at first palaver with the sky-gods from the appeared to be a boy— but whom they silver bird," grinned the Venusian discovered was a girl with her at his side. Phath's sense of humor bright hair shorn mannishly short, generally tended to get broader a novice in the temple service, the more danger they were in, so bidden this day to attend upon the Star tried to ignore his sidekick. person of the high priestess— had But, in fact, he saw nothing resem­ flown in the same instant from the bling javelins or bows or swords— upper works of the huge building not even knives. Each, including at their backs, which proved to the young woman, however, did clasp be the temple. a slim metallic baton of dully glea­ That palace and temple confronted ming metal, perhaps ceremonial in each other across the plaza was function, like a mace of office. symbolic of the confrontation and The gigantic batlike flying the struggle for power between the steeds settled to the emerald sward two centers of administration. But some several yards away, their thun­ this they did not suspect until dering membranous wings raising a bit later. a dust-storm of leaves, twigs and Star Pirate stepped forward and bits of gravel. The first of the saluted the princely personage with riders to dismount was a languid, a lifted palm. His other hand, slender young man who seemed a per­ however, although unobtrusively, sonage of high rank or importance, hovered mighty close to the butt from the way the members of his of his proton needle in its worn entourage deferred to him. He hesi­ holster at his hip. tantly came nearer, staring with "I don't expect that you folks growing amazement at the three will be able to understand my lingo, strangers. His wide eyes flew from but maybe you can read my meaning Star's bronzed features, red curly in the tone of my voice," he said. hair and bright green eyes, to the "We come as friends to visit you diminutive green-skinned dwarf in on a peaceful scientific mission, the dusty red smock at his side, and we greet you in the name of and the lithe, hairless, pink-eyed peace." Venusian. The reply he received astounded 48 / Astro-Adventures him— but it came, not in words, slightest thought, and you will but in the form of a cool thought- realize what I mean!" tendril insinuated into the depths "Um," said Phath, with a shud­ of his brain. der, looking gloomy. He hated it There is no need to accompany so, whenever Dr. Zoar proved to your thoughts, lord, with vocal be right about something. Which, utterance. And we, in turn, greet come to think of it, was depressing- you in the name of peace! 1^ am ly frequent! Narba, prince and ruler of this Just then Prince Narba hastily country, the Great Vale of Tuluun. stepped aside as the young woman I_ bid you and your stranger-friends from the temple and her little nov­ welcome to this city of Alazar, ice strode forward. The woman ad­ and will be happy to offer the three vanced through Narba's entourage, of you lords the hospitality of which melted from her path like my palace yonder— snow before a spring rain. She "Controlled telepathy, by the stepped forward, brushing past the Twin Moons!" croaked Dr. Zoar just Prince unceremoniously, not even loud enough for Star Pirate to hear. deigning to cast a glance in his "Thank the space-gods I left the direction, and planted herself sensors switched on as you said, squarely in front of Star Pirate, lad. At last we will have measured hands planted on her hips, sweeping the wavelengths of telepathic commu­ him from heel to crown with a sharp, nication and of thought itself!" searching gaze. Phath jostled the green dwarf into silence with a rude elbow. "Watch what you're blabbing, 12. Gods of Tuluun frog-face," hissed the Venusian in sibilant tones. "Utton-bay yer She was young and handsome, in ip-lay. Le's not give the show a bold, domineering sort of way, away in front of all these tele­ and she moved witha swaggering paths— " arrogance that left no doubt in Dr. Zoar simmered towards a boil, your mind that she held a remarkably then subsided. He cleared his high opinion of herself, and was throat with a grating cough and not at all accustomed to being fixed the white-skinned space-adven- thwarted. turer with a cold hard eye that Her brilliant black eyes were could probably pry open an oyster afire with keen interest, and in at twenty paces. their gleam shone something not "A civilization where telepathic unlike the fire of fanaticism. The communication is the norm, my swamp- redheaded space-adventurer had seen lizard of a friend, would of neces­ it before in other eyes, in his sity have to be a civilization in time, and knew that it usually meant which one politely ignores— or some­ trouble in anyone's language. how manages to filter out and remain Having raked Star Pirate with oblivious of— any thought-waves her eyes, and examined the Martian which are not specifically directed and the Venusian with the merest at you by another person. Otherwise flick of her gaze, she turned sear- polite society would collapse into chingly to Prince Narba, who virtu­ raw red savagery in a moment. Think ally cringed before her. It was what would happen at a Manhattan not hard to see that power was di­ cocktail party, or in a singles vided between church and state in bar, or during a high-level business here in the Great Vale of Tuluun, conference, or when a politician and that, for the moment at least, is giving a speech, if everyone church seemed to be uppermost. felt free to read everyone else's You speak of 'hospitality' in Beyond the Worlds We Know / 49

the palace, Narba, as If you were strangers do not in any wise resem­ wining and dining emissaries from ble the likenesses of the star gods some other city of the Vale! But as recorded in our folios or bas- these are not men, but gods! In reliefs or statuary . . . surely, sooth, they are none other than until we know for certain who and the very star gods, whose descent what they are, the palace would into the Great Vale has been for be most suitable— so very long announced as forth­ Although the Prince, who seemed coming by our prophets! And, as on the whole rather ineffectual, such, it were only fitting that tended to defer to the haughty young I, Zarga, as high priestess of the priestess, it could be seen that star gods, welcome them, not you— he had not entirely surrendered and that they be most fittingly the power of the monarchy to the housed in the temple, not your hovel authority of the temple. of a palace! Come, divinities! They began the discussion, the Follow me— Prince humble and tactful, the And without so much as a backward priestess punctuating her mental glance to ascertain that the "gods" argument with sharp, emphatic ges­ were obedient to her command, the tures. At Star Pirate's side, Dr. young woman turned on her heel and Zoar chortled happily to himself: was about to go swaggering back "And to think that every mental to where grooms held the immense transmission is being scanned and winged steeds of herself and the dissected by my sensors, and regis­ girl novice, when she found the tering on the dials and meters! child directly in her way and thrust How delicious!" her aside with a sharp ejaculation "You mean your sensors are pick­ of impatience. ing up these thought-waves?" demand­ The girl fell, uttering a little ed Star, surprised. Zoar shrugged cry of pain— the first vocal sound and gave a leer which was his way which Star Pirate and his comrades of smiling. had as yet heard from the lips of "Certainly! You know that the Persephonians. Until then they thought is electrical . . . that had not been fully certain that the brain is simply an electro­ the pale-skinned, bright-haired chemical battery . . . hitherto, denizens of Tuluun in fact pos­ attempts to measure the wave-length sessed the power of uttering sounds. of human thought have been faulty Star stepped forward quickly and inconclusive, since the waves and bent to assist the shaken child are exceptionally short and the to her feet. Tears glimmered in energy behind such broadcasts her huge dark eyes as she stared relatively feeble . . . but my at him, lips trembling with incredu­ sensors are detecting the whole lous disbelief. thing." Lord— ! The matter is settled, lords, "Are you hurt, girl?" demanded said Prince Narba resignedly, turn­ Star roughly. Zarga had frozen ing from the priestess to address in her tracks and was looking back Star Pirate. We are agreed, Lady over her shoulder with a face filled Zarga and I, that you and your com­ with a torrent of conflicting emo­ rades would most fittingly be housed tions, whereamong rage, amazement, in the temple of the star gods and fury were preeminent. across the plaza— N-no, lord— please— my mistress— Something warned the redheaded Prince Narba seized this moment­ adventurer that perhaps it were ary distraction to speak up, however best if the three "star gods" stayed hesitantly. as far as possible from their pries­ But, my lady priestess, these tess, since their ignorance of their 50 / Astro-Adventures own theology was as complete and exactly anxious to ride the flapping total as it could possibly be. And creature through the skies, gods what was the point of being treated aren't supposed to be afraid of like a god, unless occasionally such things, so he pretended not you decided to act like one? to mind. It was a relief to the "We disagree, Prince Narba, and redhead to see that Dr. Zoar and desire to accept the hospitality Phath were taking their cue from of the palace," he said imperiously. his manner. "There will be time enough to visit While the three newcomers mounted the temple, where the Priestess their saddles, however gingerly— in Zarga will no doubt be happy to the case of Dr. Zoar— and distrust­ present the assembled clergy to fully— in the case of the Venusian, us. For now, let us be gone to Phath, who had no confidence at your palace." all in modes of transportation that Narba's eyes lit with delight did not involve machinery— Star and his pale face broke into a smile could not help glancing over his of pleasure— exactly matched, Star shoulder to see the furious high Pirate noticed, by the venomous priestess stalking away to her glare which lit the dark eyes of mount, followed by the little the priestess, and the expression novice. of outraged disapproval which marred While the priestess did not deign and twisted her handsome but cold to cast a glance behind, the child features. It was more than obvious did, and the shy gaze she turned that the Lady Zarga was not used upon the tall, redheaded stranger to being opposed in anything; never­ was brimming with adoration . . . theless, under his keen, watchful Once in the saddle, the grooms eye, she wilted and sketched a hum­ fastened them in place by belting ble bow. But he could guess how thin leather straps about their much it rankled her soul to submit thighs for safety. Then the order even to the wishes of a god, when for flight was given by Prince it ran contrary to her own wishes. Narba, and the riders dug their "Is it wise to leave the ship heels into the furry ribs of their unguarded, lad?" asked Zoar worried­ gigantic steeds. ly. Star Pirate shrugged. Vast wings snapped open like "Unless they know the combination enormous Chinese paper fans, and of the lock, how could any of them beat the air, throbbing like pounded open the airlock? Stop worrying, drums. Dust and leaves and twigs Doc, and c'mon. We're armed and and gravel arose about them in a they're not— and they think we're blinding cloud. Slowly, but then their gods! How can we get in faster and faster, they ascended trouble?" into the air on the giant bats. "I don't know, I'm sure," mut­ They circled the park once, then tered the diminutive Martian savant. soared off towards the palace, land­ "But I have a suspicion that we'll ing on gigantic perches fitted into manage to, somehow ..." the upper works, which served as nesting-places— Star found it hard not to think of them as "hangars"— 13. Kidnapped! for the winged creatures. He was pondering the problem The Prince gestured, and room of the priestess, Zarga, whom he was made for the three adventurers had seriously offended by his whim behind the riders of the red-furred to frustrate her plan to have him bats. The saddles were capacious as her guest, choosing Prince Narba. enough to hold an extra passenger, Narba seemed intimidated by the Star perceived, and while he wasn't priestess, with her imperious and Beyond the Worlds We Know / 51 domineering ways— wine from a silver cup and to bite "As who wouldn't be?" muttered into a ripe, delicious fruit. Munch­ the Pirate humorously to himself. ing, he paused to select a sweetmeat Your pardon, lord? inquired the from the gold bowl at his elbow. noble whose saddle he shared. "I could sure get used to this sort "Nothing— talking to myself of living, all right! If this is but couldn't you read my how star gods live, chief, let's thoughts?" Star added, rather cur­ never let 'em know we aren't the ious. The aristocrat smiled and genuine article!" explained that as the "lord" was "A good thing for you our tele­ not at the moment wearing his "tal­ pathic hosts are too considerate isman"— and here he touched with to read your mind, or you'd blow one forefinger the disc of amber the game on your own," scoffed Star crystal all the Tuluunites wore Pirate with a grin. Then, sobering, fastened to their brows— his mental he turned to Zoar who was sampling transmissions were singularly dif­ some sliced cold fowl. ficult to perceive. "What about this mind-reading The redheaded adventurer instant­ stuff anyway, Doc? How come we ly guessed that these curious crys­ seem to be able to do it, too?" tals in some unknown manner focused he inquired. or concentrated the thought-mes- The Martian dwarf shrugged, chew­ sages, as a lens focuses a random ing the tender spiced meat. "I beam of scattered light. gather the ability to project and It was an interesting datum, receive thoughts is common among and one which Star filed away for the members of the human species, later reference. but that in order to exercise the faculty properly you need some sort They might not as yet be proven of assistance." gods to Prince Narba, but certainly "Those crystals they wear, you they were considered guests of rare mean?" asked Star. prominence, as was shortly demon­ "Good thinking, boy!" grinned strated . Zar, selecting one of the ripe "Did you ever see such a place, fruits. chief?" chortled Phath incredulous­ Star continued, "They seem to ly. "Those wall-panels over there focus the thought-waves, as a lens are carven ivory, and cut all of focuses light-waves. The fellow one piece. Makes you wonder how guiding the bat-thing I was riding big the beast was they took the remarked, in response to my ques­ horns from! And these blackwood tion, that he could receive my tabourets are inlaid with turquoises thoughts fuzzily, and that I really big enough to choke a hen, and plaq­ needed 'talismans.' It took me ues of mother-of-pearl." a minute or two to realize what Dr. Zoar was dreamily inspecting he was referring to— " the goblets and plates of food and "Hsst!" cried Phath, tensing drink set out for their refreshment suddenly. The faintest sound had on a low table. "Gold," he mur­ come to his keen ears— the soft mured. Then he picked up a gem- scuff of sandals and the creaking studded goblet: "And platinum. Stud­ of hinges. ded with fire opals, no less. The His comrades rose to their feet 'hospitality' of the palace, in­ uncertainly, Star's hand going to deed !" the butt of his proton needle. "Yeah," drawled Phath lazily, "Look, lad!" hissed Zoar, point­ sprawled on a silken couch amidst ing. a nest of velvet cushions. He paused A panel opened in the wall di­ to take a gulp of luscious white rectly before them, revealing a 52 / Astro-Adventures black rectangle in which stood sev­ f or ms than aught else. They cer­ eral robed and hooded figures. One tainly are not flesh and blood. of these in the forefront tossed You are only men— men of a breed back the cowl which obscured its strange and unfamiliar to us, true— features. It was the imperious but men, for all that. Which does young woman whose invitation Star not mean that the temple cannot had spurned— the high priestess, use you . . . Zarga! "Just to set the record Seize them, she commanded. The straight," said Star grimly, "we robed figures flung themselves with­ never claimed to be gods in the out warning upon the three visitors. first place! That was entirely Star tugged his weapon free, but your own idea, remember?" an intruder touched his arm with The priestess flushed, eyes a metal baton, and a stunning wave flashing with resentment, and sank of force numbed him from shoulder strong white teeth into her lush to wrist. Paralyzed, his grip loos­ lower lip in vexation. But she ened and the needier fell from lax made no reply, turning on her heel fingers to thud against the softly and stalking through the opening carpeted floor. in the wall, leading the way. Her The numbing wave of force had three captives were hustled along come from the odd metallic batons after her. Star had first noticed when the Just before the darkness of the welcoming party had greeted them unlit secret passage swallowed him in the park. Then he had thought up, Star Pirate had one glimpse them merely ceremonial in nature; of a face he recognized. It was now he grimly understood that they that of the little novice, the girl were weapons of some queer sort. called Sequin, as Prince Narba had "The batons conduct thought-force told him— the child priestess Zarga from the crystals!" cried Zoar. had callously struck to the ground But by this time all three had been in her furious impatience, and whom rendered helpless by the paralysis he had helped to her feet. of the metal rods, which benumbed Her hood had fallen back, baring whichever part of the body they her flower-like face and huge, trou­ touched. bled eyes that brimmed with unshed Working with swift, silent effi­ tears. Her soft lips trembled and ciency, the templer warriors bound she seemed almost on the point of Star and his companions, leaving speaking, of begging his pardon— their legs free but trussing their But then his captors thrust him paralyzed arms behind their backs. head-first into the dark tunnel Apparently, the numbing mind-force and the panel closed and locked would soon wear off. behind him. And he was forced on Hurry! Take them through the into the blackness— a helpless, underground passage, commanded friendless captive on a planet of Zarga. hostile strangers. "A fine way to treat your gods, lady," complained the Venusian rue­ fully. She shot him a fierce glance You will not want to miss from sparkling black eyes. the third part of this thril­ 1 Gods1 ? You are not gods— you ling adventure in the space­ have nostrils; your breast rises way s, as Star Pirate battles and falls when you breathe. What the mind masters of an alien need have star gods to take breath? world! Read BEYOND THE WORLDS Is there air about the stars, fool? WE KNOW, Part III, In the The gods— if gods in sooth there very next action-packed issue are!— are more like sapient energy- of ASTRO-ADVENTURES! CAPTAIN FUTURE

YESTERDAY’S MAN OF TOMORROW

by Will Murray

Edmond Hamilton was possibly the ture's device which intercepted most famous name in pulp science light rays that had traveled off fiction during the thirties. He into space, thus enabling him to was a pioneer, a master of a then- see events in the past. Superman new form, called "Space Opera." needed no such device to accomplish In an absolute sense, he was to this handy feat, however. One of pulp SF what George Lucas is to film Future's sidekicks, as outlined SF today: a giant. As such, he by Weisinger, was a robot construct­ was the logical choice to write ed in Future's likeness, designed Standard Publications' new SF hero, to substitute for him in emergen­ Captain Future, who was created cies. This is the source for Super­ by Editorial Director Leo Margulies man's robots. and editor Mort Weisinger in re­ This unnamed robot, along with sponse to the First World Science the other supporting characters, Fiction Convention held in New York which included a tiny, rubylike in the summer of 1939. Margulies, alien named Otho, which Future wore the story goes, attended the conven­ set in a ring (!), and Simon Wright, tion out of curiosity, and was a walking encyclopedia with a photo­ struck by this early manifestation graphic memory, but no initiative of organized fandom. "1 didn't of his own, were an unwieldy group. think you fans could be so damn When Margulies and Weisinger hired sincere," he blurted. Huddling Hamilton to take on the series, with Weisinger, they created a char­ the latter objected loudly to this acter they called "Mr. Future, Wiz­ supporting cast, and over a series ard of Science," who would best of meetings Hamilton and the others be described as a futuristic version refined the entire concept. The of Doc Savage. Weisinger, still robot became Grag, a hulking mechan­ years away from editing Superman, ical man who combined strength and wrote a long prospectus for the good-natured loyalty; Otho was turn­ character, which he outlined as ed into a white-skinned, emerald­ a genetic superman who battled evil eyed android who possessed the wit in the twenty-first century along and intelligence Grag did not; and with a trio of alien sidekicks. Simon Wright was recast as an elder­ An extremely gimmick-minded editor, ly scientist who, at death, had he must have thought Doc Savage his brain encased in a transparent the greatest series in history, box fitted with artificial eyes because everywhere he went he and force beams for mobility. Ham­ brought Doc Savage ideas with him. ilton dubbed the trio the Futuremen, (He was a personal friend of Doc's and somewhere along the line Mr. main writer, Lester Dent.) Future was rechristened Captain But Weisinger had ideas of his Future. own, too. A couple of them appeared The end product of all this work in the Mr. Future prospectus and was a novel, Capta in Future and were never used. They later showed the Space Emperor, which appeared up in Superman when Weisinger took in the Fall 1939 issue of Captain over that comic. One was Mr. Fu­ Future. The quarterly was subtitled

53 54 / Astro-Adventures

"Wizard of Science," which became his wife. In revenge, Grag and "Man of Tomorrow" not long after Otho killed Corvo barehanded, and Superman acquired that particular a dying Elaine Newton entrusted nickname. Hamilton's first Captain the upbringing of her infant son Future novel attracted its share to the inhuman trio. of attention. Lester Dent read True to her wishes, Simon Wright, it, probably at Weisinger's urging, Grag and Otho raised Curt Newton and decided Hamilton had done such in the solitude of the moon, teach­ a good job imitating the Doc Savage ing him, acting as surrogate parents style that Dent asked Hamilton to and ultimately transforming him ghost Doc Savage. Hamilton declin­ into a physical and intellectual ed. He was too busy. Humorist superman along a program obviously S. J. Perelman also picked up that borrowed from Doc Savage— but which premier issue and it inspired him really goes back to the 1880s and to pen an article for the New Yorker Nick Carter. When he reached matur­ titled "Captain Future, Block That ity, Curt Newton, scientist and Kick!" It consisted of a rather adventurer, dedicated himself to arch plot synopsis of the novel preserving the future of the solar to make Hamilton and his hero look system against the forces of evil silly. Still, Perelman did admit and took the name of Captain Future. that "Beside Captain Future, Wizard He was not a Doc Savage clone, how­ of Science, Flash Gordon and the ever. He was a brash, boyishly Emperor Ming pale to a couple of cocky redhead who may have owed nursery tots chewing on Holland much to C. L. Moore's grim space- rusk." But perhaps even that much farer, Northwest Smith. was not meant to be complimentary. As Captain Future, Newton patrol- Captain Future and the Space ed the solar system in his tear­ Emperor may not have been the great­ shaped ship, the Comet, which could est SF novel of all time, but it perfectly imitate the look of a was good, escapist pulp, recounting comet in flight when necessary. Captain Future's battle with the He always wore a gray or green zip­ evil Space Emperor, who is fomenting per suit (although the Earle Bergey unrest on Jupiter where Earthmen covers invariably showed him attired co-exist peacefully with the native in red or blue spacesuits) and car­ Jovians. The Space Emperor is the ried a worn proton-pistol cowboy- first of the many super-criminals style. The rest of the system, Captain Future chased around the including the Planet Police, had solar system. Others included the to content themselves with crummy Wrecker, The Life-Lord, Dr. Zarro blasters known as atom-guns. Fu­ and Future's eternal adversary, ture's unique sidearm had a discre­ U1 Quorn, aka the Magician of Mars. tionary stun capability, much like More on him later. a Star Trek phaser. Eschewing any As explained in that first novel, special costume, he was known by Captain Future was really Curt New­ his special signet ring, whose jew­ ton, the orphan son of scientist els revolved in their setting to Roger Newton who fled to a secret represent the nine worlds. A good laboratory on the moon in order friend of Earth's President, James to escape an enemy named Victor Carthew, as well as various members Corvo and to conduct experiments of the Planet Police, including in artificial life. These experi­ special agent Joan Randall, his ments led to the creation of Grag main squeeze, Captain Future oper­ and Otho, and the technology which ated without official interference. preserved Simon Wright as the Living His headquarters was a sort of For­ Brain. But after Newton's son Cur­ tress of Solitude on the moon. tis was born, Victor Corvo caught Initially, Captain Future con­ up with him and killed Roger and cerned himself with just our solar Captain Future / 55 system— an editorial requirement Captain Future was a wonderful as ironclad as those which demanded magazine, but Hamilton's stories three big capture-and-escape scenes were considered too juvenile by per novel and a futuristic sports many in the SF field, which was game in every issue. With the ninth just beginning to mature at that novel, Quest Beyond the Stars (Win­ time. A number of story elements ter 1941), the Futuremen finally were pretty childish. For one, venture beyond Pluto to the Birth­ Grag and Otho were always bickering. place of Matter, which may contain This was another Doc Savage gimmick. the only method of regenerating Doc's aides, Monk and Ham, acted Mercury's dying atmosphere. The the same way. In that series, both Birthplace of Matter is somewhere characters acquired silly pets. beyond Sagittarius, they discover, So did Grag and Otho. In one story, and it contains an artificial world Grag adopted a metal-eating moon-pup built eons ago by a strange race and dubbed him Fek. Not to be out­ known as the Watchers, who have done, Otho later found himself a since vanished. Naturally, Captain meteor-mimic, Oog. Oog is described Future's mission is a success. as a white, doughy creature with As the series progressed, the four legs and two big eyes. It's scope of Newton's adventures broad­ called a meteor-mimic because it ened. He discovered a hidden world could change its shape and imper­ in a comet (The Comet Kings, Summer sonate any creature or object near 1942) , and in The Lost World of its size. The idea for these pets Time (Fall 1941) he traveled back may have been Weisinger's, but when in time to the lost world of Ka- Hamilton later went to work for tain, where he discovered that all Weisinger writing the Legion of human life in the universe origin­ Super-Heroes, he dug back into the ated with a race from the Deneb pages of Captain Future and dusted system. In The Star of Dread (Sum­ off Oog for that series, rechrist­ mer 1943) he finally went to Deneb. ening him Proty. Weisinger and Author Hamilton, nicknamed "the Hamilton worked together well wher­ World-Saver" because his heroes ever they went. Even when Hamilton often rescued entire planets from reworked the original Mr. Future awesome destructive agencies, creat­ idea, he kept as many of Weisinger's ed a consistent milieu for his char­ ideas as possible. The original acters to romp in. Often, old char­ Otho was obviously the inspiration acters, places and backgrounds were for Captain Future's signet ring, revisited. and as for the robot which was to One of these recurring characters have been Curt Newton's double, was U1 Quorn, the renegade scientist that idea was carried over in the whose red skin, ageless looks and android Otho, who often made himself black hair and eyes reflected his up as his "chief." mixed Martian, Venusian and Terran During World War II, just when blood. He first appeared, along Captain Future was hitting its with his sultry Martian girlfriend stride, it ran into problems. Ed­ N'Rala, in Captain Future and the mond Hamilton resigned from the Seven Space Stones (Winter 1940), series because he expected to be returned in The Magician of Mars drafted. Leo Margulies hired two (Summer 1941), and finally met his writers to replace him, Weird Tales end in The Solar Invasion (Startling regular Manly Wade Wellman and Jo­ Stories, Fall 1946). The enmity seph Samachson, who wrote under between Captain Future and the Magi­ the pen name of William Morrison. cian of Mars was not limited to To cover this change, a house name good-versus-evil. U1 Quorn was was summarily attached to the series the son of Victor Corvo. Theirs while Hamilton was still writing was a blood feud. it, and the "new" author became 56 / Astro-Adventures

Brett Sterling. Then Hamilton dis­ the pages of Captain Future. The covered he wasn't going to be draft­ paper shortage killed the magazines. ed, after all. He continued the Several leftover novels were dumped series as Brett Sterling, but that into a companion magazine, Start­ wasn't the end of his troubles. ling Stories; then Captain Future Once, customs agents seized the was retired in 1946. But not for manuscript to his story, The Magic long. For years later, starting Moon, because they were concerned with "The Return of Captain Future" over maps and diagrams which were in the January 1950 Startling Sto­ part of two background features ries , Curt Newton returned. This he also wrote for the magazine, time it was in a series of sharp, "The Worlds of Tomorrow" and "The poignant novelettes heavy on char­ Futuremen." They were seized as acter and short on action. Hamil­ he crossed the Mexican border and ton's reputation in the SF field relayed to Washington where Hamil­ had taken a beating because of the ton's map of the imaginary planet Space Opera aspects of Captain Fu­ Vulcan was closely examined by war- ture. He had already redeemed him­ weary censors. Captain Future had self by 1950 with many good, mature to skip an issue; later, Hamilton stories, and now he was out to clear got his story back. Another time, the good Captain's name. he was shocked when he read Joseph This he did with a vengeance. Samachson's Captain Future novel, Through seven novelettes, each fo­ Days of Creation (Spring 1944). cusing on a different character, It contained the same plot— Captain Hamilton explored the Captain Future Future loses his memory— as a story cast. Simon Wright briefly regained he had just turned in, Outlaw World. human form in "The Harpers of Titan" Not wanting to appear to be imitat­ (September 1950), and Curt Newton's ing "Brett Sterling," Hamilton has­ character was tested in a beautiful tily rewrote Outlaw World. His final story, "Birthplace of Crea­ editor, who approved all outlines tion" (May 1951), when he returned in advance, must have been asleep. to the Birthplace of Matter to stop It wasn't Mort Weisinger; he joined a scientist from tampering with National Comics (now DC Comics) the power to create worlds and found in 1941, from which he was drafted that even he was not immune from into the Army himself. Outlaw World never appeared in Continued from p. 38:

Continued from p. 10: the end of those poor Ionians, and the end of the pyramid! The end inal Asteroid Planet was blown to of the whole thing. Suicide, you pieces. Of course, an oversupply might call it. You see, back there of anything can bust market-value. in the telepathy kiosk, I wished But romantic appeal still remains, that too, and the machines were doesn't it?" made only to obey. I hope that Norensen paused. Experience when Earthmen, in the future, learn had dimmed the charm of his younger as much science as existed here viewpoint for a while. But it had on Io, they'll know how to use it, refused to die. too. We're much too young a race "Vesta is a chunk some two hun­ yet, I guess." dred miles through," he went on. Clara Arnold's awe softened after "Quite large. It came from deep a moment. "Come on, Evan," she down in the original planet. And said. "Let's forget all about that it glows with a shining, pinkish for now. I want to show you the brilliance. Almost like gold . . ." kitchen, here. It's ducky! ..." ..... W ’ ; ‘'b || Captain Future / 57

the corruption of power. Captain were awful reprints from the German • afpf'' Future had grown up. dime novel series, Perry Rhodan■ Having closed off one phase of Better packaged reprints appeared his SF career, Edmond Hamilton moved in Sweden and Japan, where the char­ on, ultimately going into comics acter remains popular. The Japanese where he scripted Batman, Superman, produced an animated TV series of and a series probably best suited Captain Future's adventures. It to his skills, the Legion of Super- is now available here on videocas­ Heroes. All the while, he continued sette. Maybe it will lead to a doing SF stories and novels, until resurgence in interest in one of his death in 1977. our earliest— and best— space opera As for Captain Future, he did heroes. Captain Future deserves die. Not exactly. In the earlya comeback. After all, i t ’s only seventies, Popular Library reissued two years until 1990, the year In rteen of the novels with a few which, according to Edmond Hamil­ Jeff Jones and Frank Frazetta ton's original story, Curtis Newton covers— although most of the covers was (or will be) born. ------— —

C opyright O 1988 Cryptic Publications Robert M. Price, Editor 107 East James Street Mount Olive, North Carolina 28365 Cover art by Bruce VV. Timm Cover title logo by Robert H. Knox Illustrations on pages 39 and 57 by Robert H. Knox Illustration on page 11 by Bruce W. Timm Illustration on page 2 by Jason C. Eckhardt