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The Revolt of the Star Men
By RAYMOND GALLUN
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Wonder StoriesQuarterly Winter 1932. Extensive research did not uncover any evidencethat the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
A bulk dropped down on the nose of the craft. A pair ofhands gripped the barrels of the machine gun and tore them from themountings.]
* * * * *
THE REVOLT OF THE STAR MEN
_By the Author of "The Space Dwellers"_
RAYMOND GALLUN]
The creatures that people this exciting story of Mr. Gallun, may seem at first blush to be impossible monstrosities. Yet, on consideration, we must realize that they are not so far-fetched.
Even in our picayune little corner of the universe, we find in the insect kingdom a form of life that has survived through every possible earth catastrophe in the last 40,000,000 years. With their skeletons on the outside of their bodies instead of on the inside, insects are able to protect their bodies from heat, cold, and from accidents that would kill us. If the insect's shell were harder and thicker and made of heat-resisting material, it might conceivably be able to live in space without other protection.
The point is that Mr. Gallun makes his Space Men so convincing that we can do nothing but believe in them. And he has woven about them such a thrilling story of adventure on two worlds that one will have to read and reread it, to get from it the fullest enjoyment.
* * * * *
It was in the reading room of the Neilson-Aldebar space liner, _Ekova_,that two young people came unexpectedly upon a third person who satalone, absently skimming through a copy of the _Interplanetarian_. Whenthe girl caught sight of him she uttered a little acclamation ofsurprise. "Hekki-you!" she cried.
The one addressed looked up. A smile of greeting came over his swarthy,aristocratic features. "Hello, Jan. It is I--none other," he said."Aren't you glad to see me?" Here he shot a quick glance at the girl'scompanion.
"Why certainly I am, Hekki," she replied a trifle nervously. "But howcan it be? A week ago you left for the deepest, most mysterious part ofthe Taraal desert on Mars, to collect objects of ancient art, and nowyou are here. Where have you kept yourself during the voyage?"
The other smiled again--this time a cryptic, secretive smile."Business," he said mysteriously. "It called me to Earth at the lastmoment, and since we left the docks at Taboor, it has kept me occupiedin my stateroom. This is but the third time I have ventured out of it.Alka brought me my meals." Hekki arched his finely penciled eyebrowsslightly as he looked up at the lady's companion. "And you too have hadbusiness, Janice," he added. "A new boy friend?" There was a hint ofsomething unpleasant in his tone, but the girl ignored it.
She nodded her golden head. "We met on the night of the departure fromMars, and since then, we've had a happy week together. Austin," shesaid, turning to the youth, "I want you to know Hekalu Selba of Taboor.Hekki, this is Austin Shelby, who hails from Chicago. You ought to getalong well together, because you are both so interested in mechanics,"she added. The men shook hands. For the past few moments Shelby had beentrying to analyze from the scanty data at hand the character of Hekki.He saw the tapering, effeminate hands--one twiddled nervously a longMartian cigarette--the dark straight hair and fine features; the mouth,that could curl so insolently; the faultless, white silk clothing.
Shelby decided that he did not like Hekki. The reason at first seemedobvious, but presently the young Earthman realized that his feelingtowards this child of the Red Planet was stronger than mere dislike.What was the explanation? Was it because Hekki was a friend of JaniceDarell? Since he had met her aboard the _Ekova_ on this glorious returnto Earth, after having spent a whole Martian year at an engineeringschool at Taboor, Shelby had learned to know love. Was he jealous ofthis noble of another world? A little, perhaps. But this did not accountfor the vague, sinister aura he sensed about Hekalu Selba.
Something in Shelby's brain was trying to surge its way to the surfaceof his consciousness; he struggled with it, and it came out clear. Onlythirty-six hours before, during the period designated for sleep, he hadwandered into a seldom frequented passageway, high up in the hull of the_Ekova_. Here there were portholes through which he could see thecurving metal expanse of the ship's huge form, gleaming dimly under thestars of space. It had looked like the back of a great silver whale.
For a minute or two he had stared absently through the little circularwindow, and then, hearing footsteps down the corridor, he had turned tosee two figures some hundred feet distant moving away from him. They hadobviously entered from a side passage and had probably not seen him. Onehad been this very Hekalu Selba; Austin was sure of it. Beside him hadmoved a shadow. The Earthman had not seen it clearly, for theilluminating globes burning here during the sleep period were dim andfar between.
He had but a vague fleeting impression of a huge knotty form, bent andgrotesque. Its arms were so long that its big hands almost dragged onthe floor. Its head was very large and bulbous. The pair had seemed tocarry something heavy between them, but Austin had not seen what it was.In a moment the Martian had opened a door in the side of the passageand the two had vanished into it.
When Austin had returned to his stateroom, he was not quite sure he hadreally seen the monstrous horror. Surely nothing like it was known toexist within the orbit of Jupiter! Shelby had thought of reporting theincident to the commander of the vessel, but he had dismissed the ideaas too pointless. Now, however, the memory of that vague black form washaunting him. He knew that it was the key, in part at least, to hisfeeling toward Hekalu Selba.
The Martian had cast his magazine aside. He was patting the softcushions of the divan on which he was lounging. "Sit here, my friends,"he said in his smooth, precise English. "We shall talk, and then perhapswe shall have a little refreshment." The two complied.
"It will be only for a moment," said the girl. "The ship lands in anhour, and I haven't gathered my things together yet."
Shelby was intensely interested in this queer individual, about whosepersonality there lingered a strangely indefinable web of mystery--ofevil, almost.
"So you too have a passion for mechanics," he said. "Somewhere I am sureI have heard of you before. Kelang Aggar, an instructor of mine atTaboor, spoke occasionally of a young Martian student--"
"Kelang Aggar is my friend," Hekki broke in. "He assisted me withseveral experiments. But they were nothing--a new alloy, very hard, andhaving a high point of fusion. The heads of the Space Ship ConstructionCompany said it was ideal for rocket nozzles, but they paid me a merepittance for the invention. This, and a few even lesser ones are my soleaccomplishments in the line of mechanics." Hekalu Selba laughed lightly.
"Let us talk of other things, my friends," he continued. "Let us allowour minds to ramble. See those two beautiful potted palms overthere--children of the deserts of Earth, and beside them the slendergraceful stem of the purple Kelan, dug from the marshes along the Selgurwaterway of my own planet. I have seen them both in their nativehabitat, waving their fronds as though in cadence with some great silentsymphony of the universe. See that tapestry over yonder, with the beastwoven into it?"
* * * * *
Here Janice Darell pointed up toward the flattened glass dome thatroofed the room. "There is old Mother Earth looking down at us, and thesun is peeping around her rim," she said. "See how th
e light of Solsifts through the terrestrial atmosphere. There is a streak of red, ofgold, of opal, and beyond are the stars and the blackness of space."
"The contrast of the forces of darkness with those of light," Shelby putin softly.
Hekki was smiling absently. "There are many contrasts," he mused. "Thecontrast of life and death, of power and weakness, of nightmare andreality."
Words popped into Austin Shelby's head, and, carelessly, he uttered themwithout thinking: "You often walk with your nightmares, don't you,Hekalu?"
A hard light came into the Martian's eyes as he stared straight at theEarthman. "Perhaps," he said, "and you, Mr. Shelby, often walk in yoursleep!" But apparently the incident was immediately forgotten.
Austin wondered how much the girl knew about the luxurious Hekalu. Aquick glance of intelligence passed between them.
"I'll have to pack now," Janice said. "Won't you boys walk along with mea little ways?" She took Austin's arm as they arose. Hekki fell inbeside them. At the entrance to the corridor which led to the girl'sstateroom they paused.
"My business will occupy me tonight and tomorrow," said Hekalu, "so Ishall bid you goodbye until, let us say, the following evening, Jan, butif you like I shall have Alka take you home."
"Mr. Shelby has asked permission to perform that little service, youindustrious old business man," she replied mischievously. And again thatdark shadow flickered momentarily on the Martian's features.
"But you will let me see you the day after tomorrow?" he asked. "I havefound a little paradise out at Oak Park patterned after the fairypalaces of my own planet, and besides, I have a new jewel to show you."
"Fie on your jewels, Hekki," she smiled, adopting the stiff trite speechthe Martians often fell into. "But anyway, perhaps I shall favor youwith my incomparable company. The time you mention is still a ways away._Sidi yadi_,[1] my friend. Remember I shall be expecting a view-phonecall from you soon." Then turning to Shelby: "I'll meet you in thelounge right after the boat lands. Don't fail me!"
[Footnote 1: Martian farewell.]
"You needn't worry about that, Jan," he assured her.
In a moment she was hurrying up the corridor in the pink glow of thelights. As Austin gazed after her, he could not help but think howwonderful was this fluffy little wisp of blonde beauty. Was she for him?Over her he felt there lurked a dark shadow, but this only strengthenedthe spell she had cast over him, for it gave to him the pleasure whichvirile males experience when they know that their loved one requiresprotection.
Hekki cleared his throat to attract the attention of his companion. WhenShelby turned toward him he was fumbling in one of the voluminous sleevepockets of his blouse. Presently he drew forth a very thin rectangle ofa substance resembling ivory, and handed it to the Earthman. Shelbyglanced at it. It was one of the name cards commonly used by Martianmen. It bore the legend in the interplanetary symbols:
Hekalu Selba, Akar 414 Teldasa Taboor, P. 4.
Beneath in small letters appeared Hekki's Chicago address.
"I shall want to see you again soon, my friend," said the Martiancordially. "There are many things at my establishment which I would liketo show you--much that we can talk about."
Austin Shelby accepted the card and handed Hekki his own. Here was anopportunity to get some first hand information on the mysterious man ofMars and his more mysterious, perhaps sinister doings. The idea that hemight be placing himself in a dangerous position, Shelby gave scarcely amoment's thought, for he had in him the spirit of the adventurer.
"Thank you, Akar Hekalu. I shall get in touch with you. And in themeanwhile you can reach me at my address through the view-phone atalmost any time for I shall be working on a new mechanism there. _Sidiyadi._"
"_Sidi yadi_, my friend."
The two men parted.
* * * * *
Fifteen minutes later a rustling whisper was audible throughout the_Ekova_, above the steady purr of the forward-pointing deceleratingrockets. It became a deep-toned soughing which rapidly increased involume to a loud roar, and then to a screeching hiss. The ship swayedand rocked a little. It was tearing its way into the terrestrialatmosphere.
In the conning tower forward, the pilot and his assistant were workingcalmly and cooly over the bewildering array of controlling mechanisms.Getting those thousands of tons of metal safely lowered into a spaceship's cradle on the landing stage, was a difficult task, but theexperience and efficiency of the two men was quite competent to copewith it.
Far below was a vast sea of winking lights--Chicago, its colossalskyscrapers looming up severe and white and beautiful in the glow.
The pilot's nimble fingers turned a small horizontal wheel at his side.The liner dipped and dropped slowly earthward toward an area of whitelight. A mass of cloud poured over the huge hull for an instant and thenpassed by. The outer shell of the great silvery whale which had beenchilled to a degree from absolute zero, by the cold of space had beenwarmed but slightly by the rapid passage through the atmosphere and nowgleamed with jewel-like hoar frost.
Down, down it floated until it was only three hundred feet above thelanding stage. A red signal light gleamed suddenly on a panel within thecontrol room, and the wizard of that eerie chamber shifted a tiny lever.The space ship halted and hung motionless supported by its repulsionplates. On the ground in the glare of floodlights white-clad men hurriedabout. Four mighty arms of metal groped upward from a mass of heavyframework. They clutched the craft with a grating noise, and then, withthe slow deliberation of a sleepy giant, they drew it gently down intoits cradle.
Within the _Ekova_ all was abustle. Its doors, built solidly like thebreeches of big cannons, swung open, permitting the cool night air toenter the ship, which for seven days had been a world sufficient untoitself. Gangplanks were let down, and the passengers, jesting gaily withone another began their leisurely descent to the ground. Customsofficials worked feverishly. A webby derrick arm pointing out from anopening in the side of the liner, was unloading mail and costly materialand equipment sent to Earth from the Red Planet.
The routine processes of debarkation over, Shelby and Janice Darellentered the covered causeway which led to the great terminal building ofthe Space Travel Company.
The two had caught but a fleeting glimpse of Hekki. He was talkingearnestly to a white-clad official, and had not seen them; nor had theytried to attract his attention. Conspicuous among the Martian's numerouspossessions was a large basket of metal wickerwork, such as werecommonly used to convey dogs and similiar pets from place to place. Thesight of that basket had aroused again in Shelby's mind that peculiarsense of the presence of something sinister. Was the monster he had seenin Hekalu Selba's company hidden within that case of woven wire?
Within the causeway was a moving walk which carried Shelby and hiscompanion to the depot. Here the intermittent whirring of pneumatictube-cars operating in a vast network throughout the city was audible.The young Earthian pair, and the two attendants bearing their lightluggage entered an elevator, which carried them swiftly to the landingplatform for atmospheric craft on the roof of the building.
Shelby presented his identification tag and gave the number of his planeto the official in charge. The man led the way to a hangar at the sideof the platform. Shelby had sent an order by radio to the SutherlandAircraft Company a few hours before, and, complying with his request, abright new flier had been delivered and housed here, awaiting hisarrival.
The official closed a switch on the wall of the building, and the hangardoor rolled open. While the two Earthians were entering the craft theattendants quickly placed the luggage into the load compartment.
Shelby fumbled with the destination mechanism and pressed the startinglever. The propellers, whirled at high speed by the soundless atomicmotor, thrummed softly. In a moment, the plane, unguided by human hands,hoisted itself almost vertically into the night and was off. Unerringlyit would carry its occupants to their destination.