I leaped from my bunk, followed Snap with a rush into the corridor.
We had returned safely to the Grantline camp. Anita and I foundourselves exhausted from lack of sleep, our arduous climb ofArchimedes and that tense time on the brigand ship. On the flightback, Snap had explained how the landing of the ship on Archimedes wasobserved through the Grantline telescope. They had read with amazementmy signals to the brigands. Snap had rushed to completion the first ofour flying platforms. Then he had seen Miko's signals from the craterbase, seen the lights and the fight to capture Anita and me, and hadcome to rescue us.
Back at the camp we were given food, and Grantline forced me to try tosleep.
"They'll be on us in a few hours, Gregg. Miko wall have joined them bynow. He'll lead them to us. You must rest, for we need everyone at hisbest."
And surprisingly, in the midst of the camp's turmoil of last minuteactivities, I slept soundly until Snap called me, telling me the shipwas coming.
The corridor echoed with the tramp of Grantline's busy crew. But therewas no confusion; a grim calmness had settled on everyone.
Anita and Venza rushed up to join us. "It's in sight!"
There was no need of going to the instrument room. From the windowsfronting the brink of the cliff the brigand ship was plainly visible.It came sailing from Archimedes, a dark shape blurring the stars. Allits lights were extinguished save a single white search beam in thebow peak, slanting diagonally down.
The beam presently caught our group of buildings; its glare shone inthe windows as it clung for a moment. I could envisage the triumphantcuriosity of Potan and his men up there, gazing along the beam.
We had dimmed the lights to conserve our power, and to enable theErentz motors to run at full capacity. Our buildings would have towithstand the brigands' rays which soon would be upon us.
Outside on our dim, Earthlit cliff, the tiny lights showed where ourfew guards were lurking. As I stood at the window watching theincoming ship, Grantline's voice sounded:
"Call in those men! Ring the call-lights, Franck!"
The siren buzzed over the camp's interior; the warning call-lights onthe roof brought in the outer guards. They came running to theadmission ports, which had been repaired after Miko disabled them.
The guards came in. We dimmed our lights further. The treasure shedswere black against the cliff behind us. No need for guards there--wereasoned the brigands would not attempt to move it until our buildingswere captured. But, if they should try it, we were prepared to defendit.
In the dim light we crouched. A silence was upon us save for theclanging in the workshop down the corridor. Most of us wore our Erentzsuits, with helmets ready, though I am sure there was not a man of usbut who prayed he might not have to go out. At many of thewindows--our weakest points to withstand the rays--insulated fabricsheets were hung like curtains.
The brigand ship slowly advanced. It was soon over the opposite rim ofour little crater. Its searchbeam swung about the rim and down thevalley.
My thoughts ran like a turgid stream as I stood tensely watching.
Four hours ago I had sent that flash signal to Earth. If it wasreceived, a patrol ship could come to our rescue and arrive here inanother eight hours--or perhaps even less.
Ah, that "if!" _If_ the signal was received! _If_ the patrol ship wereimmediately available. _If_ it started at once....
Eight hours at the very least. I tried to assure myself that we couldhold out that long.
The brigand ship crossed the opposite crater rim. It dropped lower. Itseemed poised over the crater valley, almost at our own level and lessthan two miles from us. Its searchbeam vanished. For a moment ithung, a sleek, cylindrical silver shape, gleaming in the Earthlight.
Snap looked at me and murmured, "It's descending."
It slowly settled, cautiously picked its landing place amid the cragsand pits of the tumbled, scarred valley floor. It came to rest, avague, menacing silver shape lurking in the lower shadows, close atthe foot of the inner opposite crater wall.
A few moments of tense waiting passed. Soon tiny lights were movingdown there, some out on the rocks near the ship, others up under itsdeck dome.
A stab of searchlight shot across the valley, swung along our ledgeand clung with its glaring ten foot circle to the front of our mainbuilding. Then a ray flashed.