Taking out his sensors, Tox checked the area for movement but found none.
'So that's it,' he said. 'The Slothy were right. Whoever it is, the Slothy Eater IS invisible.’
'I don't get this,' said Ulrika Fayn as Brown and Tox returned to the B-mover with the news. 'It's impossible, isn't it?'
Brown sat back in his chair. 'It depends what you mean by impossible,' he said. 'If you mean are we dealing with an invisible entity, then yes. To achieve invisibility you have to be of such a mass to allow photons to pass through you as if you were air.'
'Meaning what?' asked Ulrika.
Brown sighed. 'Everything we see is due to photon, or light particle, bombardment. And things become visible by using your mass to bounce off photons.'
Ulrika said: 'Yes, I remember now from college. So to be invisible, you'd have to be as light as air, so the photons go through you as if you WERE air.'
'That's right,' said Tox. 'And if you're as light as air, then you're just not capable of ripping apart a Slothy.'
'So what is it we're dealing with?' asked Ulrika.
'Hercules' Brown came out with the only possible answer. 'Our friend,' he said, 'is wearing some kind of photon shield.'
Ulrika Fayn sat back, thinking over the problem. She eventually said: ‘The Slothy Eater has a shield of invisibility but we should still be able to sense him in a low-tech, human way.'
Brown looked puzzled. 'I'm not with you,' he said.
Ulrika smiled - leant forward. ‘I have a plan.’
Both Tox and Brown were a little concerned the following night as they waited some two hundred yards from Ulrika Fayn. But she had nonetheless been insistent that they stayed away until called.
Well hidden in the undergrowth, she was satisfied that no Slothy Eater would detect her. And anyway, whoever it was, he would be more interested in the Slothy who had volunteered to be bait, just a little distance from her. As to whether he had been fully aware that he was a volunteer, she had no idea, and didn't really care. She would do her duty, but like many in the sector, she just couldn't get used to treating what she still considered an 'animal' as equal.
Brown was about to jump up as the commotion began to his front, but Tox immediately grabbed him by the arm. 'She knows what she's doing,' he said. 'She'll be alright.'
Brown crouched down once more. 'I just wish she'd told us what she was going to do,' he said.
The action lasted only a couple of seconds before Ulrika Fayn's voice materialised through Brown's communicator. 'Okay,' she said, 'it's over.'
By the time Brown and Tox ran to her side, the Slothy had run off, unharmed. And at her feet was a slowly materialising Envin, as dead as they come with two sonic gun blasts evident on his body.
Slowly turning his head to look at Ulrika, Brown then said: 'How in OverMind did you do it?'
But as Ulrika Fayn took off her blindfold, the answer to that was obvious.
LOVE’S ETERNAL DREAM
For a month now it had not been the same. Hercules Brown and Ulrika Fayn felt it intensely as they patrolled the Graveyard Sector in B-mover 14. And it wasn't the same because Tox just wasn't himself.
'We have to do something about it,' said Ulrika.
Brown sighed - looked towards Tox at the controls. His blue tint just wasn't as glowing, his proud body seemed sagged.
'I don't think there's anything we CAN do,' he said.
Which in a way was true. Tox had been married for several years, but had only actually spent a short time with his wife. He had said it was enough. Pridians were noble, warrior-like beings, and not into the day to day routine of marriage. His wife had been beautiful, sensual, and the occasional visit would have kept their relationship and passion alive for decades - until an attack by the Gred last month.
'If only we could make him cry. Come to terms with her death,' said Ulrika. But Hercules Brown knew how difficult it was for Pridians to cry. The ultimate form of weakness, it was something shameful to admit to.
'I'm receiving anomalous readings,' said Tox in a depressed voice.
Brown went to join him - looked at the monitors.
It was only a small moon around a gaseous planet. The moon had an atmosphere, but didn't seem capable of supporting life for long. Everywhere seemed barren, apart from the one area of energy, emitting a constant artificial pulse into space.
'We'd better investigate,' said Brown as Tox manipulated the controls on course for the satellite.
It was cold and miserable as Tox and Ulrika left the ship and walked the small distance to the silvery dome on the surface. About fifty metres in diameter, it was the source of the energy. Eventually finding themselves alongside, they walked round until they found a door. Cautiously, Tox pressed the release button and looked inside. Turning to Ulrika, he said: 'You wait here. It's pointless both of us going in.'
Ulrika reluctantly agreed and remained outside as Tox entered the dome and the door closed.
An hour passed while Ulrika waited. 'What's going on?' asked Brown through the communicator.
'I don't know. But I don't like it. I think I'd better go in,' said Ulrika.
Brown answered no. Not until he was there. Minutes later, the two of them entered the dome, in search of Tox.
It was a beautiful sight that greeted them
'I don't understand it,' said Ulrika. 'The landscape in here is identical to Tox's home planet.'
As she finished speaking a most beautiful Pridian woman walked up to them, smiled and held her hand to be shaken. Moments later they were joined by Tox. 'You never met my wife, did you?' he said.
Brown and Ulrika turned in shock. 'What the hell's going on?' said Ulrika.
'I don't know,' said Brown, 'but we're getting out of here.'
Twenty minutes later they were sat in B-mover 14, having left Tox in the dome. Brown said: 'Well one thing's for certain. Tox's wife IS dead. So he's either delusional or there's something very strange about that dome.'
Ulrika agreed, but was at a loss to explain it.
Turning scanners onto the dome, Brown soon had an idea. He said: 'I think it's some kind of trap.'
He had Ulrika's attention. 'In what way?' she said.
'I don't know how, but the energy it emits must be a kind of bait. Once hooked, the dome somehow reads the mind and creates a holographic image from strong emotions.'
'You mean the dome is feeding on Tox’s dreams?'
'It's the only explanation,' said Brown. 'And if I'm right, we'll never get him out of there, except by force.'
Ten minutes later, armed with sonic guns set on stun, they entered the dome once more. Tox was in an embrace with his wife, for once the depressed warrior smiling like they had never seen him smile before.
'Friends,' said Tox, 'you've returned. I’m afraid I must resign from the Space Rangers. It's time I was with my wife forever.'
It was hard to blast him with the sonic guns. He was a true friend, and it is always hard to take away a friend's happiness. But take it away they knew they must.'
He was heavy as they carried him out of the dome and back to the ship. When he finally came round, B-mover 14 was on its way back to Space Station Tiryns, hazard markings having been placed around the moon.
Tox looked around him, momentarily confused. Then, as he looked at the deep expressions of friendship from Brown and Ulrika, he cried.
HEAVEN SENT
Policing the Graveyard Sector was all very well but Tox liked nothing better than the occasional bit of exploration. And whenever B-mover 14 was sent to the edge of the sector they always gunned the sonic drive into deep space to see what they could find - although Tox could have done without encountering the plasma storm that rocked their ship and caused him to break his arm.
'Well I've done the best I can,' said Ulrika Fayn as she finished with the medi-lance. 'Not perfect, but it will do until we get back to Space Station Tiryns.'
Tox flexed his arm, ignoring the pain, and agreed.
'If we get
back,' said Hercules Brown at the controls. 'That storm has caused damage. We need to find a planet and attempt repairs.'
A suitable planet was soon found. But being pre-star travel, the landing was clandestine, not wanting to infect the evolving people there.
Hercules Brown immediately began repairs, aided by Tox, whilst Ulrika decided to do a bit of exploring. Carefully she approached the settlement just a couple of miles from where they had landed. And from a suitable hiding place she had to confess this looked like just about the best form of society she had ever seen. Serene and peaceful, the people went about their work diligently but with grace. For two hours she observed, and she had to admit that maybe a perfect utopia could exist.
Finally she went back to B-mover 14 to report on her findings.
She found Tox working away at the ship as if he had no injury at all.
'I haven't,' he said as Ulrika questioned him.
Brown said: 'That's right. I don't know what it is yet, but there's something in the atmosphere with recuperative properties. I've even scanned myself, and most of the scars I've gained over the years have disappeared.'
Perfect in more ways than one, thought Ulrika Fayn, checking the absence of her own injuries. But then, cautiously she said: 'It's all very well, but don't you think we should get off this planet quick. We don't know what else it could be doing to us.'
Brown and Tox had to agree. So, repairs completed, they were soon up and away. However, they had hardly engaged sonic drive when a missile came close to their ship before plunging straight down to the planet.
'Maybe not as perfect as we think,' said Brown. 'It looks like our utopians may be engaged in a war.'
Ulrika said: 'I don't see how. There's no technology for them to fight with. And anyway, I couldn't see any battle damage.’
Intrigued, Hercules Brown plotted the course of the missile back to its point of launch, identifying another planet in the same star system, some 100 million miles away. Engaging sonic drive, they were there in no time.
Ulrika looked up from the monitor after scanning the planet. 'I don't understand it,' she said, 'it's inhabited by the same race as the other planet, but unlike them, these people are highly technological and have a whole network of rocket launch sites. Why on Earth are they making war on their own type?'
An enigma indeed, thought Brown. And one that needed to be investigated.
The landing was again clandestine and Brown and Tox edged closely to one of the missile sites whilst Ulrika stayed with the ship.
'I don't get it,' said Tox, puzzled. The site certainly didn't look as if it was a military site - more like a place of veneration, with a temple seeming to surround the launch area.
Suddenly the sound of sombre music reached their ears.
Turning, they saw a slow procession making its way to the site, a metallic casket in the centre.
'It's a funeral,' said Brown, surprised.
Tox had to agree. And over the next half hour they observed the funeral, the installation of the body in the rocket, and its firing into space.
Minutes later, B-mover 14 was back in space, shadowing the rocket's progress. Brown said: 'It's moving too slow. It will take years to reach the planet.'
'No problem,' said Ulrika, rising again from her monitor. 'There are thousands of them. One is soon to enter the planet's atmosphere.'
Engaging sonic drive, they were soon back in orbit around the planet, and as the missile descended to the surface, they landed close by.
For nearly an hour they waited, until suddenly the casket was ejected. Another procession was seen approaching it, and as it opened, a man climbed out and was welcomed.
The crew of B-mover 14 was serene as they headed back to the Graveyard Sector. 'It was wonderful,' said Ulrika.
Brown had to agree. 'But how did they know?'
'Maybe, millenia ago, they had been more advanced,' offered Tox. 'Maybe they knew of the planet, and its healing properties.'
'And only remembered today as myth,' added Ulrika.
That had to be it, thought Brown. 'Well I'll tell you what,' he said. 'Next time someone tells me there's no afterlife I'll tell them where to go.'
HE’S NOT HIMSELF
Ulrika Fayn didn't like the forest. Maybe she read too many nursery rhymes as a child, with witches and goblins hiding in the shadows to get her. But she was a professional and put the thought to the back of her mind.
She lay in the undergrowth, her sonic gun in hand, her eyes scanning in front of her. Suddenly, to her left, came a shout. Tox's bald, blue head appeared and then his own sonic gun, letting off a blast. And almost immediately their prey broke cover.
He was disheveled, unshaven, mania in his eyes as he ran straight towards Ulrika. She stood up when she realised he was no longer armed. 'Stop,' she called, but he ignored her, simply veering away to her right.
Hercules Brown stood up then, almost on top of him, tackled him and thrust him to the ground. Tox and Ulrika joined him and secured the man, even though he thrashed about wildly, trying to escape.
Half an hour later he was in the small encampment, Dr Fresco taking a look at him.
'Well I don't understand it,' said the doctor.
Neither did Hercules Brown. It had been a strange mission, B-mover 14 called in three days ago as the colony first reported strange occurrences. A pacifist colony, violence had been unheard of for years. But then, three days ago, one of the colonists got up in the morning, took a club and battered his wife to death. Trying to escape, he was eventually caught, but then proceeded to batter his head against a wall until he killed himself.
The following morning, one of his captors got out of bed, took up a club, walked out of his domicile and battered to death the first person he saw. Chased by the others, he jumped off the edge of a cliff to his death. By the following morning, one of those who had chased him woke up, got out of bed, took up a club and battered his two children to death. Escaping into the forest, Space Station Tiryns was contacted and Space Commander Nulyn sent Brown and his crew to investigate.
‘So they were all peaceful citizens until they got up in the morning?' asked Brown, thoughtfully rubbing his chin.
Fresco answered in the affirmative, his medical sensors finding nothing untoward in the now unconscious murderer.
Ulrika said: 'So it looks like they were got at. Something happened that made them act not like themselves.'
'Sure looks like it,' said Brown, 'but what?'
Dr Fresco turned to Brown. 'I don't know whether it has a bearing, but the night before the first murder a meteorite struck close to the settlement.'
Brown couldn't see the connection, but felt he had to check it out. Interviewing a couple of colonists soon set him in the right direction and half an hour later the three Space Rangers stood surrounding a cylindrical object on the ground about three foot long and pulsating.
'Well that is no meteorite,' said Dr Fresco
Hercules Brown took out his sonic gun, the situation seeming to become clearer.
'We're obviously dealing with an alien lifeform,' said Ulrika, 'and a tiny one at that.'
Placing a guard on the object, the Rangers began to walk back to the settlement. Brown said: 'So here's a hypothesis. An unknown advanced lifeform lands or crashes on the planet. As most of the object is mechanism, we can assume the lifeform is tiny and would be unable to deal with the gravity on the planet, or get around. The obvious answer would therefore be to invade the body of a local.'
'So we're dealing with a form of parasite,' said Ulrika.
'That's what I think,' said Brown.
Tox suddenly stiffened. 'So somehow the parasite causes trauma in the person, or makes them kill on purpose.'
'That’s right,' continued Brown. 'And have you noticed? Whenever one of the murderers died, the next murderer was close to him when he did so.'
'So the parasite is passing from one to the other,' Ulrika concluded.
'Then we're stuck,' said Dr Fresco
>
'Why's that?' said Brown.
Dr Fresco said: 'Because if it doesn't come out of its own accord, the only way we can stop the infection is to kill him. But whoever kills him will automatically be taken over himself.'
The moral dilemma of killing an innocent man was the first problem to be overcome. But after heated discussion in the settlement's council, the lesser of the two evils was grudgingly agreed.
'I'll do it,' said Tox, the decision made.
'That's all very well,' said Brown, 'but how?'
'Easy,' replied Tox. 'You lock him and me in a secure room so that when I'm infected I can't get out. Being Pridian, I have stronger will than Earthers. So I'll fight it from within.
It wasn't a satisfactory answer, but Brown was stumped for another possibility. Hence, Tox was locked in the room with the unconscious man. The killing was silent, but as the parasite infected Tox, Ulrika and Brown heard the anguish, the anger, the mighty fight of wills that went on in Tox's body.
Eventually, all was silent, and nervously Ulrika and Brown entered the room.
Tox was laid unconscious, the terror he had gone through still showing on his face. And as they walked up to him, the horrific, insect-like lifeform squirmed its way out of his ear. Ulrika took great pleasure in raising her boot and immediately crushing it to death.
NEWTON 2
GHOST IN THE SYSTEM
Newton 2 landed his shuttle just outside the colony.
Exiting the craft, he stood on the edge of the cliff, his long blonde hair blowing in the light breeze. Below him, the small space port seemed deserted, and the few buildings of the colony redundant. The exodus from the place had been almost complete. And it was this sudden migration away from the colony that had first drawn Space Commander Nulyn's attention to it.
'Good morning, Newton 2,' the space commander had said the previous day. 'We've had strange reports from Colony 214 on Angeria.'
Angeria was the closest planet to Space Station Tiryns, and thus, the hub of the Graveyard Sector. Newton 2 had been in the Sector before, but had spent many years on Earth. Now, he was back, and employed as a Decider.
'And what do these reports say?' he asked, intrigued. Nulyn had filled him in - told of the reports of ghosts, of the fear the colonists experienced, and the eventual exodus. No one, it seemed, wanted to go to Colony 214 again.