CHAPTER 13
Roger flipped off the teleceiver. He stared at the darkened screen andbegan estimating the chances of success for a plan he had in mind.Deciding that, regardless of what happened, he had to take over theship, he got up and turned toward the hatch and the gun locker. Hestopped cold. Loring stood framed in the doorway, a paralo-ray gun ineach hand.
"Just stand right where you are, spaceboy!" snapped Loring. "You wantten minutes, huh? Ten minutes for what? I thought there was somethingfunny going on when we missed the _Polaris_ with that bomb!"
"You knew all along I didn't have anything to do with that crash back onthe station, didn't you?" shouted Roger. His eyes blazed angrily.
"Yeah. So what?" growled Loring. "Hey, Mason," he yelled over hisshoulder, "get up here in a hurry! We gotta work fast!"
"What are you going to do?" asked Roger.
"You're still valuable to us, Manning," said Loring with a crooked grin."You're going to ensure our getting what we came after!"
Mason stepped through the door. "Yeah, Loring?"
Loring quickly told him of Roger's attempt to work with Connel.
"Take our spaceboy down below and lock him in a storage compartment." Hehanded over one of the paralo-ray guns, and Mason shoved the muzzle intoRoger's stomach.
"Get moving, Manning!" he snarled. "I'd like nothing better than to letyou have it right now!"
Roger smiled, knowing Mason still harbored a grudge for the beating hehad taken earlier on the trip.
"When you have him locked up, get back on the control deck," saidLoring. "We're going to do some old-fashioned bargaining with'Blast-off' Connel!"
"Bargaining?" exclaimed Roger.
"Yeah! One slightly used Space Cadet for what we came after--the coppersatellite!"
"Connel won't bargain," said Roger. "Not for me, not for anything. Youdon't know him!"
"I know this, Manning!" said Loring. "I'm going to get on the teleceiverand tell Connel that if he doesn't blast away from here _right now_,you're a dead Space Cadet!" He jerked his head toward the door. "Allright, take him below and tell Shinny to stand by on the power deck. Incase Connel won't bargain, we'll have to make a run for it!"
"Right," said Mason as he shoved the paralo-ray gun deeper into Roger'sstomach. "Move, Manning!"
Roger climbed down the ladder and through the long passageway of the_Space Devil_. He passed Shinny on the way down.
"What's going on here?" demanded Shinny, seeing Mason with theparalo-ray gun.
"We missed with the bomb," said Mason, "and Connel raised ship. He'sready to blast us if we don't surrender right away. Loring's trying tomake a deal with him."
"What kind of a deal?" asked Shinny.
"Hot-shot Manning for the satellite!"
"He hasn't told you everything, Mr. Shinny," said Roger in his casualdrawl. "They are the ones who caused the crash of the _Annie Jones_ andthe deaths of Jardine and Bangs. They framed me!"
"Then," mused Shinny, "you're cleared?"
"Yeah," growled Mason, "he's cleared! Cleared for a long swim in spaceif Connel doesn't do what Loring tells him! Get in there!" Mason shovedRoger into the cramped storage compartment. He locked the door andturned to Shinny.
"Loring wants you to stand by the power deck in case Connel won't playball. We might have to make a run for it."
"Yeah, yeah," said Shinny, "I'll stand by the power deck."
Mason turned and walked away. Shinny followed him, a curious gleam inhis eyes.
Up on the control deck, Loring was twisting the dials in front of theteleceiver screen.
"_Space Devil_ to _Polaris_--_Space Devil_ to _Polaris_--come in,_Polaris_." He twisted another dial and watched the darkened screenanxiously. After a moment the screen blurred, and Tom's face graduallycame into sharp focus.
"Loring!" gasped Tom. "Where's Roger?"
"Never mind him, you punk!" snarled Loring. "Tell that fatheaded ConnelI wanta talk to him! Make it fast!"
Tom's face disappeared to be replaced by the raging features of MajorConnel. "You murdering space rat!" he roared. "I've given you twominutes to surrender and, by the craters of Luna, you've only got thirtyseconds left!"
"It'll only take ten seconds to tell you that if you don't get outtahere Cadet Manning gets blasted!"
"What?" roared Connel.
"That's right," snarled Loring. "You're the one that's got thirtyseconds to get out of here, or Manning takes a swim in space!"
"Why, you--" Connel's face was twisted with rage. "You can't threatenme!"
"I ain't threatening you," said Loring, "_I'm telling you!_ If you don'tget started, you'll never see Manning again. Or if you do, you won'trecognize him! Now make up your mind, Connel!"
The Solar Guard officer hesitated. "Give me two minutes," he said, "andI'll call you back. Two minutes."
"Two minutes," repeated Loring, "and if I don't hear from you by then,or if you try any funny stuff, Manning gets it!"
Aboard the _Polaris_, the screen darkened, and Connel, his fistsclenched, turned to Tom.
"We're helpless, Tom," he said softly. "Now that we have proof ofRoger's innocence, I have to do everything in my power to save him."
Tom didn't say anything. Suddenly Connel smashed one huge fist intoanother. "But by the blessed rings of Saturn, when I _do_ get my handson that Loring, I'll--I'll--" He broke off suddenly and turned back tothe teleceiver. "I'm going to do what he wants, Tom. Roger's life isworth a dozen like Loring, and we'll have to take a chance that Loringwill keep his word. After all," continued the big officer softly, "ourmission is complete. We've tested the transmitter and found it to bemore than we expected. No real reason why we should stay around here anylonger."
"Yes, sir," stammered Tom. "Sir, I--I--"
Connel waved him silent with his hand. "You don't need to say anything,Tom. It's just one of those things. Still I can't help wondering whatthey came out here for." He turned to the dials on the teleceiver andbegan twisting them. "I'll call him, and you stand by to blast out ofhere."
Nicholas Shinny sat on the power deck and listened to Loring issueorders over the intercom.
"I don't know if Connel will go for it, or not," said Loring, "but justin case he doesn't, we gotta get outta here fast! You got that, Shinny?"
"Yeah," answered Shinny, "I got it!"
"Mason," yelled Loring, "you take over on the radar bridge!"
"All ready up here," said Mason.
"Well, be sure we've got a clear trajectory out. Better take us into thesun Alpha Centauri. That way, maybe they'll miss us on their radar. Thesun will show all sorts of blips on their screen."
"O.K.," said Mason. "You think he'll go for it?"
"I don't know," answered Loring, "but if he doesn't, it's going to bespace dust for Manning."
Shinny got up and walked around the deserted power deck. His legs feltweak. The plan he had made was a desperate one. Over and over, hechecked the operation in his mind. It would have to be quick, sure, andsudden. That was the only thing that would ensure success. "Yes, sir,"he thought, "if we can surprise 'em, we can get away with it." He dugout a piece of chewing tobacco, took a bite, eyed the remaining piece,and then shoved the whole thing in his mouth. His cheek bulged.
He went to the intercom and flipped it on. "Hey, Loring," he yelled."I've got to check the timer on number-three rocket. She's not actingjust right. It'll take me about a minute."
"O.K.," came Loring's reply, "but make it snappy."
The timers were to the left of the control board, but Shinny turned tothe right and the ladder leading to the lower deck. He eased the hatchopen, glanced around, and then climbed down quickly. He stopped at alocker, opened the doors quietly, and took out two paralo-ray guns andtwo rifles. Then, closing the doors, he made his way to the oppositeside of the ship.
"Hey, Manning!" he whispered through the closed storeroom hatch. "Can yahear me?"
"Who is it?" asked Roger.
"Me--Shinny," hissed the wizened spaceman. H
e opened the hatch and Rogerquickly stepped out.
"What's the idea?" gasped Roger when Shinny shoved a rifle and pistolinto his hands.
"I ain't got time to explain now," said Shinny. "We've got to hurry ifwe're going to take over this tub."
Roger's eyes glowed. "You mean--"
"Never mind what I mean," said Shinny. "Just listen. Loring's on thecontrol deck and Mason's on the radar bridge. Loring's just talked toConnel. He's trying to make him blast outta here. If Connel doesn't,Loring's going to dump you in space!"
"Yeah, I know. That murdering space crawler!" snarled Roger. He grippedthe rifle tightly. "I'll blast him--"
"Now wait a minute," hissed Shinny. "You go up and get Loring, see? Makeit look like you got out by yourself. If you can handle him, O.K. I'llstay in back, and if anything goes wrong, I'll back you up!"
"Fine," said Roger. He patted the spaceman on the back and smiled."Don't worry, Mr. Shinny, nothing will go wrong!"
"Watch your step. That Loring is a smart cookie!"
Roger turned into the passageway and made his way silently to thecontrol-deck hatch. He peered around the edge of the hatch and sawLoring sitting in front of the teleceiver screen, his back toward Roger.The cadet quickly stepped into the control room, leveled the rifle, andsaid quietly, "All right, Loring, keep your hands in view!"
Loring spun around and stared openmouthed at Roger. "Mann--" he gasped.
"Yeah, me!" said Roger. "Call Mason and tell him to come down here onthe double. But one wrong move, Loring, and I'll give you a quick freezewith this ray gun!"
Moving slowly, Loring turned to the intercom and flipped the switch."Hey, Mason," he yelled. "Come down here a minute, will ya?"
"What do you want?" growled Mason. "I've got to figure out this course."
Roger stepped close to Loring, raising the gun.
Loring licked his lips and turned back to the intercom. "Don't gimme anyback talk! I said get down here!"
Suddenly the teleceiver came to life. "_Polaris_ to _Space Devil_! Comein, Loring! This is Major Connel on the _Polaris_ calling Loring on the_Space Devil_!"
The suddenness of the voice startled Roger, and for a split second hetook his eyes off Loring. In that instant Loring leaped for the boy,grabbing at the rifle. The quickness of his lunge caught Roger off guardand he was thrown back against the bulkhead, but he held onto the rifleas Loring tried to twist it out of his grasp.
"What th--" cried Mason from the ladder leading to the radar bridge.When he saw Roger and Loring struggling, he grabbed for the paralo-raygun at his side. Just at that moment Shinny stepped through the hatchand fired his rifle. Mason was frozen into a rigid statue, unable tomove.
"All right, Loring," yelled Shinny, "step back or I'll blast you like Idid Mason!"
Roger wrenched the rifle out of Loring's grasp and stepped back. "Goodwork, Mr. Shinny!" he said to the little spaceman. "You sure figured itright!"
"Attention! Attention! This is Connel on the _Polaris_. Come in,Loring ..."
Shinny looked over at Roger and winked. "Better answer him, while I getthis joker locked up." He motioned to Loring who stood backed up againstthe bulkhead, his hands high over his head.
"You dirty double-crossing space rat!" he snarled at Shinny.
"Now, now, none of that," said Shinny, leveling the rifle. "If you gettoo noisy, I'll freeze you like I did Mason to keep your trap shut!"
Loring cast a sidelong glance at Mason, who stood as if carved out ofmarble. The effects of the ray blast were devastating, having paralyzedhis entire nervous system. While the victim was still able to breatheand his heartbeat remained normal, he was unable to move so much as aneyelid. The gun was developed after all lethal weapons had been outlawedby the Solar Alliance. Though any victim could be released from itsparalyzing effect by a neutralizing charge from the same gun, whileunder its power the victim was reduced to a state of mild hysteria. Hewas able to hear, see, and think, but not to act. When released, it wasnot unusual to see a man crumple to the floor from exhaustion.
_Mason was frozen into a rigid statue, unable to move_]
Loring marched meekly in front of Shinny to the storage room that hadheld Roger. The cadet spaceman remained on the control deck. He twistedthe dials of the teleceiver and spoke into the mike.
"_Space Devil_ to Major Connel. Come in! This is Manning on the _SpaceDevil_ calling Major Connel ..."
"Manning!" shouted Connel. "I thought you were a prisoner!"
"Ah, it was nothing, skipper," said Roger blandly. "I just took over theship--with a little help, of course!"
"A little help?" asked Connel. "From whom?"
Roger then gave the officer a complete review of what had happened tohim since leaving the space station, finishing with Shinny's aid in hisescape.
"Why would he want to help you?" asked Connel.
"I don't know, sir," replied Roger.
"Well, never mind," said Connel. "I suppose you two can handle that shipall right between you. Land on Tara as soon as you can. I'll get thedetails then!"
"Aye, aye, sir," replied Roger. Then, just before breaking contact, heyelled into the mike, "Hey, Astro--Tom! See ya in a few minutes!"
As the teleceiver screen darkened, Shinny reappeared. He had releasedMason from the effects of the ray charge, and both Mason and Loring weresafe in the storage room. He walked over and slapped Roger on the back.
"Well, it looks like we did it, sonny boy!" he said.
Roger turned to look at the wizened spaceman who still was chewing onthe plug of tobacco. "What made you do this for me, Mr. Shinny?" askedRoger quietly.
"Tell ya a little secret," said Shinny, with a merry twinkle in his eye."I was in the Solar Guard for twenty years. Enlisted man. Got into anaccident and hurt my leg, but it wasn't in the line of duty, so I wastossed out without a pension. Ever since then I been kinda bitter, youmight say. And, strangely enough, it was Major Connel that kicked meout."
"But you--you--" gasped Roger.
"Let's just say," said Shinny with a smile, "that once you're a SolarGuardsman, you're always a Guardsman. Now, how about getting this wagondown to Tara?"
"Yeah, yeah, sure," said Roger absently, his eyes trailing after thesmall limping figure. Once a Solar Guardsman, always a Guardsman, hethought. Smiling, he turned to the control board. He felt the same way.He was a Guardsman, and it was good to be back home!