to be fairly level, with great pools of graywater standing here and there, and a litter, as of gigantic, wiltedvegetation, spread over everything.
And then, as I looked, it seemed to me that the _Kabit_ shifted positionslightly. At the same time, the spiral bands seemed to move, and uponthe ground around the ship, there was movement also.
I looked up from the disk, feeling Correy's eyes upon me. We stared ateach other, neither wishing to speak--hardly daring to speak. There aresome things too monstrous to put into words.
"You--you saw it, sir?" asked Correy at last, his voice scarcely morethan a whisper.
"I don't know. I think I saw something like a--a snake. Is that what youmean?"
"Yes. Something like a snake. A snake that has wrapped itself around the_Kabit_, holding it helpless ... a serpent...." He gestured helplessly,a sort of horror in his eyes. I think he had convinced himself he hadonly imagined the serpent, until I had seen the same thing.
"Have you stopped to think, Mr. Correy," I asked slowly, "how long thecreature would have to be to wrap itself like that around a liner thesize of the _Kabit_? It--it can't be!"
"I know it, sir," nodded Correy. "I know it. And still, I saw it, andyou saw it."
"Yes," I muttered. "I saw it. I--I saw it _move_!"
* * * * *
We maintained a speed that kept the surface-temperature gaugedangerously close to maximum permissible reading, and despite the forcedventilation of the ship, we were dripping with perspiration.
Atmospheric speeds are maddeningly low after the reckless, hurtlingspeed of space travel, but our vaunted scientists haven't yet found away of eliminating friction, and we had to make the best of it.
With maddening slowness the image in the television disk grew larger andclearer, relentlessly confirming our original conclusion.
The _Kabit_ was wrapped in the coils of a mighty serpent; a monster thatmust have been the height of a man in diameter, and whose length I couldnot even guess.
Four coils were looped tightly about the _Kabit_, and we could now seethe terrible tail of the thing, and its head.
I have always been glad that the details of that ghastly head becamevisible gradually: viewed suddenly, in full relief, it was a sight thatmight well have threatened the reason of any man.
The serpent's mouth was lined with a triple row of long, fang-liketeeth, tilted gullet-ward at a sharp angle, and the breathing holes wereelevated to form warty excrudescences near the end of the snoutish upperjaw. Long colorless tentacles fringed the horrible mouth: barbels thatwrithed incessantly, as though they sought food for the rapacious jawsthey guarded. From a point slightly above and to the rear of the tiny,ruby eyes, two slim and graceful antennae, iridescent and incongruouslybeautiful, rose twice the height of a man. Like the antennae of abutterfly, they were surmounted by tiny knobs, and were in constantmotion.
The whole head was armored with great plates or scales, dark green incolor; and apparently of tremendous thickness. A short distance behindthe head were two tremendous reddish-brown fins, with strong supportingspines that seemed to terminate in retractile claws. In the water, thesefins would undoubtedly be of tremendous value in swimming and infighting, but on land they seemed rather useless. Aside from arudimentary dorsal fin, a series of black, stubby spines, connected by abarely visible webbing, the thing had no other external evidences of itsmarine origin.
"You've been restless for action, Mr. Correy," I commented grimly. "Ibelieve this chap will give us all you could desire."
Correy, still staring down into the disk, fascinated by the terribledetails there, shook his head.
"It shouldn't be such a stiff battle, sir," he said. "The ray will makequick work of him once we're within distance."
"Yes--and of the _Kabit_ and all on board," I reminded him. "If he hasthe strength his size would indicate, he would crush the liner in hisdeath agonies, or, failing that, would heave it about so violently thatthose within would be maimed or killed outright. This is a case forcunning, and not might."
"I think, sir, both cunning and might will be needed," said Correysoberly, looking up from the disk. "Cunning alone will not dispose ofthat lad. Have you any plans?"
"Rough plans only; we'll have to develop them as we go along. We don'tknow what we'll be up against. We'll land a safe distance away, and asmall expeditionary force will attack as it sees fit; probably, dividingitself into two or three units. The _Ertak_ will be manned by a skeletoncrew and ready to take any necessary action to protect itself or, ifpossible, to aid any of the expeditionary parties."
"What weapons, sir?" asked Correy, his eyes gleaming. "I'll give theorders now!"
"It's too soon for that; it'll be an hour at least before we land. But Ibelieve every man, including officers, should be armed with pistols, atleast six atomic bombs, and there should be a field disintegrator-rayunit for each party. And each member must be equipped with a menore;communication will be by menore only. You might call Mr. Kincaide andMr. Hendricks, and we'll hold a little council of war."
"Right, sir!" said Correy, and picked up the microphone. Kincaide andHendricks were in the room almost within the minute.
We laid our plans as best we could, but they weren't very definite. Onlya few things were certain.
Somehow, we must induce the monster to release his grasp on the _Kabit_.We could take no action against the serpent until the big liner and herpassengers were safe. It was a desperate mission; an enterprise not ofthe _Ertak_, but of individuals.
"One thing is certain, sir," commented Correy, taking over by visualnavigation, and reducing speed still more, "you must remain in charge ofthe ship. You will be needed--"
"I understand your motives, Mr. Correy," I interrupted, "but I do notagree with you. As Commander of the _Ertak_, I shall command theactivities of her men. You will have charge of one landing force, andMr. Hendricks of another. You, Mr. Kincaide, I shall ask to remain incharge of the ship."
"Very well, sir," nodded Kincaide, swallowing his disappointment. Ishould have liked to have Kincaide with me, for he was level-headed andcool in an emergency--but it was because of these very things that Iwanted him in charge of the _Ertak_.
"We're close enough now, sir, to select a landing place," put in Correy."There's a likely spot, a safe distance away and apparently level,almost on the shore. Shall I set her down there?"
"Use your own judgment, Mr. Correy. You may order the landing force toarm and report at the exit port. As soon as you have made contact, youand Mr. Hendricks will report to me there.
"Mr. Kincaide, you will remain on duty here. I am leaving the conduct ofthe ship entirely to your judgment, asking you to remember only that therescue of the _Kabit_ and her nearly two thousand souls is the object ofthis expedition, and the safety of our own personnel cannot be givenprimary consideration."
"I understand, sir," nodded Kincaide gravely. He held out his hand inthat familiar gesture of Earth, which may mean so much more than menever dare put into words, and we shook hands silently.
There were to be three landing parties of five men and one officereach--eighteen men against a creature that held a mighty passenger linerin its coils!
"I wish, sir, that I were going in your place," said Kincaide softly.
"I know that. But--waiting here will be the hardest job of all. I'mleaving that for you." I turned and hurried out of the room, to make myentries in the log--perhaps my last entries--and secure my equipment.
* * * * *
There are times, in setting down these old tales of the Special PatrolService as it was before they tacked a "Retired" after my name andtitle, that I wish I had been a bit more studious during my youth. Ifind myself in need of words, and possessed only of memories.
I wish I could think of words that would describe the sight thatconfronted us when we emerged from the _Ertak_ and set foot upon thesoil of that newly-born continent of Hydrot, but I find I cannot. I havetried many times, and I find my desc
riptions fall far short of thepicture I still carry in my mind.
The ground was a vast littered floor of wilted marine growths, somealready rotting away, while others, more hardy, or with roots reachinginto as yet undried ooze, retained a sort of freshness. Crab-likecreatures scuttled in all directions, apparently feasting upon theplentiful carrion. The stench was terrible, almost overpowering atfirst, but after a few minutes we became accustomed to it, and, in theintensity of the work we had undertaken, it was forgotten.
Progress was not possible on the ground. Sheltered from the sun by thethick growths it supported, it was still treacherously soft. But thegiant marine vegetation that had retained something of its vigorprovided a highway, difficult and dangerous