CHAPTER X
The Great Pyramid
Parnell Winston faced the group of Egyptian scientists in the crowdedradio-telescope control room. Rick and Scotty waited impatiently for thescientist to begin. They knew something important was coming up, fromremarks dropped by Winston earlier, but they didn't know what.
"Gentlemen," Winston began, "I and my young associates came at Dr.Kerama's request because of the assumption that internal or localdifficulties had caused the strange peaks in your Sanborn tracings ofthe first tryouts of the new system. The assumption was a natural andlogical one. However, we have demonstrated that it isn't true. Thesystem is working so perfectly that I must congratulate you. It isseldom that anything so complex functions as well in the early stages."
Winston paused thoughtfully. "Of course Dr. Kerama realized that itwould be highly unusual to have internal circuit trouble cause suchsignals. But what we have left, after eliminating the possibilities ofboth internal and local interference, is something even more unusual. Infact, it is fantastic."
Rick moved forward a little. He didn't want to miss any of this, becausehe knew Winston, and he had never before seen the scientist so excited.
"What we have is a source of neutral hydrogen out in space, over fivethousand light years away from earth. This source is moving at suchincredible velocity that it is very close to the speed of light."
There was a stunned silence in the room. Rick considered theimplications of Winston's statement. The scientist had spent hours withKerama and Farid going over the Sanborn tracings, checking the locationof the source as shown by the big telescope's position. The change inthe source's position, from the time of first discovery to yesterday'schecking of the system, had given enough data to calculate its velocitywith reasonable accuracy.
The big unknown was the precise distance of the source. Readings from asingle position could not give distance with high accuracy, so thescientists weren't sure of their figures--yet.
Winston asked, "Dr. Kerama, do you want to explain what we havedecided?"
The Egyptian scientist nodded. "Thank you, Dr. Winston. And thank you onbehalf of all of us for determining that our mystery does not come fromthe receiver system itself, or from nearby."
Kerama faced the group. "Last night I sent cables, giving detailedinformation on times, locations, and our computations to theradio-telescope stations at Manchester, England, and Green Bank andGoldstone in the United States. I also, at Dr. Winston's suggestion,sent similar information to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
"If the other radio telescopes are able to participate, it will serve toconfirm or disprove our own information. If confirmed, we will then havea precise fix on the source that has caused us so much concern. We willalso have the benefit of continuous consultation with our American andEnglish colleagues. At the same time, the two-hundred-inch telescope atPalomar will attempt to see this strange object and to photograph it."
Rick knew of the huge American radio telescope at Green Bank, WestVirginia, and the smaller one at Goldstone Lake, in California. Both hadtracked space probes to incredible distances. The Manchester telescope,more generally known as Jodrell Bank, had also tracked probes. With ateam like that working along with Sahara Wells, results ought to becoming fast.
Dr. Kerama continued. "We have been so concerned with what we thoughtwas a problem that we have not accumulated all possible data on thishydrogen source. We will start at once to do this. The first step, ofcourse, is to determine how long it is within view of our antenna, sothat we may set up a schedule. The next is to obtain as much material aswe can on the 21-centimeter wave length. After that we will shift toother wave lengths to see if the source is emitting. Dr. Farid will makeassignments."
Farid stood up. "A radio-teletype circuit will be installed at once.Work is already in progress in the city, and we should have installationcrews here within an hour or two. That will enable us to keep in touchwith the other stations. For now, I would like Dr. Mandarawi and Dr.Azrar to establish the time when the source will be within our horizon,and set up the necessary data for the operator in charge of each shift.The rest of us will check out the circuit and establish calibration tobe ready for recording this afternoon."
The scientist gestured to Rick and Scotty. "We know that the source willnot come up over our horizon until about one o'clock. When it does, wewould appreciate your help in making audio recordings. Until then,you're on your own."
"What'll we do?" Scotty asked.
Rick looked at his watch. It was shortly after nine. "Why not go over tosee the pyramids? Then we can have lunch at the Mena House and come backin time to go to work."
"Good idea. Better tell Winston, though, in case something comes up."
Rick did so, and the boys went outside to where Hassan waited patiently.They told him their plans and got into the little car for the shortdrive to Giza.
"I got some of that, but not all," Scotty said. "Give me a briefrundown."
"Okay. I'm no expert, but I think I got the drift. To start with, themost common thing in space is hydrogen gas. It gives off energy that canbe detected on the 21-centimeter wave length. This is important to theradio astronomers, because they can use their telescopes to figure outhow hydrogen is distributed throughout the universe."
"I'm with you," Scotty said. "Now our boys have proved that the funnysignals in the hydrogen impulse they've been getting originate in space,and hydrogen shouldn't act like that."
"That's it. Also, a hydrogen source in space ought to stay fixed. Butthis one is shooting off at high velocity. That would be strange enough,but it's also giving off signals that don't seem natural."
"So the scientists yell for help from their colleagues in America andEngland, and perhaps someone can figure out what's causing this strangebehavior?"
"On the button, ol' buddy."
Scotty grinned. "It will probably turn out to be an Egyptian space catmewing for milk from the Milky Way."
Rick patted the kitten in his pocket. He had replaced the one turnedover to the intruder the night before. Now, as he told Scotty, only twoorphan kittens needed homes. But placing the kittens didn't answer thequestions that puzzled him. Why was the Egyptian cat important? And whowere the people that wanted it?
There were things about the mystery that didn't add up. For instance,Fuad Moustafa had written a polite letter claiming the cat, but strictlyimpolite and violent efforts had been made to get it. And where were thebrothers Moustafa?
Hassan drew to a stop before the great pyramid of Khufu. "We here. Wantto go in?"
"In a while," Rick answered. "We'll take a look around outside, first."
The boys got out of the car and gazed upward at the incredible pile ofmasonry. The blocks were huge, weathered by centuries of wind and sand.Once the whole pyramid had been covered with a smooth facing of stone,but much of it had been destroyed by thieves trying to find the entranceto the Pharaoh's tomb.
Rick saw that the top of the lowermost course of blocks was covered withchips of the weathered stone. He picked up a couple and put them in hispocket. His rock collection at home could use a genuine piece ofpyramid, and his sister Barby would like one for a paperweight.
"This could be climbed," Scotty said, gazing upward.
"Oh, yes," Hassan affirmed. "Some guides go up to top all the time. Canshow you best way. You want to go?"
"Not now," Scotty said. "Let's look around first. But I'm going to climbthis before we leave."
"And I'll be with you," Rick said.
They reached the corner of the pyramid and Rick sighted along the edge.
The thing that impressed him most was the size of the individual blocks.Photographs were usually taken at sufficient distance to show the entirepyramid. At that distance they looked pretty smooth. Close up, it was atremendous jigsaw puzzle of blocks that weighed tons.
Rick had expected a considerable number of tourists and guides, butapparently it was too early. Down by the Sphinx he saw a few Arabs, butno foreign
ers were in sight. He was glad they could see at least a partof Giza before the crowd arrived. "Take us inside, Hassan," herequested.
"Can do. You follow."
Hassan led the way to the center of the side. High above their heads, hepointed to a hole. "Up there."
The three climbed through tumbled blocks to the opening and paused tolook around. This was not the opening the Pharaoh had intended. It hadbeen made by thieves, centuries ago. By boring downward at an angle,they had intercepted the inner passageways that led to the buried kingand his treasure.
Electric lights were strung along the corridor at intervals, but thepassage was far from bright. Hassan led the way, with Rick following andScotty bringing up the rear.
Scotty's voice reverberated in the stone passageway. "I've been thinkingthat you ought to be just about overcome with happiness. Two mysterieson your hands, one detective type and one scientific type, and nowyou're walking into the middle of a few million tons of rock. How fullcan life get?"
Rick grinned. "And you're not happy at all. Just came along for theride, I suppose?"
"Oh, I'm happy. But I'm a simple soul. One mystery at a time and plentyof chow is all I need."
They left the tunnel cut by the thieves and found themselves in a broadconcourse with high ceiling and walls that still held the remnants ofancient decorations. Rick's vivid imagination could picture the scene asit must once have been, with torches lighting the route as the mightyKhufu was carried by richly clad slaves along this route to the innercrypt.
Hassan pointed to where a side passage led upward. "Room there. Queenburied, but nothing now. All gone. Thieves take."
This was the story of Egypt. Few tombs had been found intact. That waswhy finding Tut-Ankh-Amon had been of such importance. Most of theburial places of the Pharaohs had been found and looted many centuriesago. One such tomb would make a band of thieves and their descendantsrich. But while the thieves had grown fat, history had suffered. Eachrifled tomb meant quantities of historical materials lost forever.
Scotty held up a hand. "Someone coming."
"More tourist, maybe," Hassan offered.
Rick looked around. In the echoing chamber it was hard to tell thedirection from which the footsteps were coming, and whether it was oneperson or many. Hassan was probably right, he thought. It was lateenough in the day for tourists to be arriving.
And on the heels of the thought, Arabs erupted from the entrance throughwhich they had come!
There was less than a second of doubt. The men were after them! Rick sawScotty crouch as an Arab charged, saw the Arab go headlong through theair as Scotty caught him in a judo throw. Then Rick and Hassan werefighting for their lives!
An Arab rushed at Rick, arms widespread, and the boy stepped between thearms and threw a short punch that caught the attacker squarely on thenose. Blood spurted and he let out an anguished yell, then Rick put afoot in his stomach and heaved. The man flew backward, arms flailing,and landed on top of one who was grappling with Hassan. The guide tookadvantage of the break to grasp his second assailant around the middleand dump him. The guide kicked expertly and the Arab lay still.
Scotty was backing away from two of them when Rick charged to therescue. He hit one from behind, his shoulder taking the man at theknees. The Arab slammed forward. Scotty jumped in and grabbed his secondattacker by the burnoose, then fell backward with him and flipped. TheArab flew through the air like an ungainly bird and slammed into thefarther wall.
Rick choked back a yell of despair as three more Arabs charged throughthe passageway. They were hopelessly outnumbered now. He saw Hassan withan Arab's throat between his hands, and he saw another attacker comingup on the guide from behind, a knife in his hand.
There wasn't time to reach Hassan. Rick had only one weapon. He pluckedthe concrete kitten from his pocket and threw, his whole body giving theflying statue speed and direction. It caught the knife wielder where hisheaddress met his ear. He dropped as though hit with an ax. The kittenfell to the stone floor and shattered.
Three Arabs hit Scotty at the same time. Rick dove headlong into thefray and got his hands around a stubble-covered face. He put a knee inthe man's back and wrenched, but the Arab turned like a cat and reachedfor his throat.
A voice yelled in Arabic. Miraculously, the Arabs fell back. As Rick andScotty got to their feet they saw the burnoosed figures raise handshigh.
At the passage entrance was a man in Western dress, an Egyptian with abristling mustache and a tremendous nose. He was obviously a person ofauthority, and the authority was made plain by the Luger automaticpistol he held in his hand.
The Arabs crowded together, hands high. Then, at another sharply spokenArabic phrase, they all lay face down on the floor, arms stretched outbefore them.
At that moment the newcomer's eyes caught sight of the broken kitten onthe stone floor. He stiffened, and he took a step toward it. Then hereconsidered.
"Mr. Brant, or Mr. Scott," he commanded. "One of you only. Bring me thepieces of the cat!"