Chapter 5
Part 5 of Before Egypt by Robert Bloch. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Read by Ben Tucker. Part 5. The Baserites had gambled and lost.
As the ship arced again skyward, a dozen similar fighters closed in from two directions. They emitted the deadly crystalline fire. For a few moments the Baserite ship seemed unharmed, then its hull began to glow. A faint pink, a cherry red, a bright crimson. Then a brilliant explosion lighted a sky made hazy by the descending sun.
And there was nothing. Even as the Tominite ship plummeted downward, Mike marveled at the effectiveness of the crystalline ray. Nothing remotely resembling it existed in the universe he knew. Then his attention was concentrated solely upon perils of the moment the Tominite commander was not able to stop the rapid descent.
He could only listen it slightly, and Mike held Dory tight in his arms when the crash came. He noted, fleetingly, that neither McKee nor Talbot had been injured by the thrust of the Baserite ship. The door to the after cabin was open, and he saw them crouching inside, terror written across their faces. Standing above them, proud and erect in the face of death, stood the Princess, Qatal-Hali, and Mike felt a touch of admiration.
Then the craft hit the ground. Mike realized he was not unconscious. He realized also that the ship had braked slightly against the rocketing drop at just the last moment. It had blunted the force of the impact but little, however, and chaos reigned upon the shattered deck. Mike found that both Nicko and Dory were unconscious,
but that the halurkan tribesman was shaking his head groggily. Mike looked swiftly about. The dust cleared slightly nearby, and he saw that the prow of the deck had buckled as it hit, leaving a dark opening beneath. There was room for a man in there.
Mike glanced around. In the confusion, no one was paying any attention to the prisoners. Help was coming from the city, but the rescuers were still quite a distance away. Mike motioned to the halurkan, gesturing frantically. The other quickly understood.
Mike picked Dory up and put her inside the dark opening. He followed her and moved her further inside from the small opening. Then he looked out to find the halurkan had had difficulty with Nicko, but had found a way of grasping him so as not to get cut by the sharp scales. He pushed the little Martian's body into Mike and followed quickly.
Mike turned immediately to Dory and began examining her for injury. There was a small gash on her forehead and a bruise on her shoulder. She moaned and opened her eyes. Mike put a finger over her lips. Be very quiet.
Where are we? What happened? The ship crashed, he whispered, but we may be safe for a while. Dory smiled weakly. I thought it was the end.
How do you feel? All right, I guess. Nothing seems to be broken. Lie and rest. Mike turned and found Nicko was sitting up,
his eyes open but still the trifle vacant. You okay? Guess so. They couldn't kill me with a club, but I get knocked out coming downstairs. Something must have hit you on the head just right.
Something sure did. Tell me, what's the situation? I don't know. I'm playing it from hand to mouth. We're hidden under the ruins of the ship.
They'll be after us. If they weren't killed. Mike found a small opening and peered out. Help had come from the city now and he saw a line of stretcher bearers moving away from the wreck.
His spirits rose as he identified three of the casualties. Maki, Talbot, Katalhali. Were any or all of them dead? He had no way of knowing, but at least they appeared to be past caring about the four prisoners.
At least for a time. This did not ensure safety, however. The entrance to the improvised cave darkened and a face appeared. Mike held his breath, expecting challenge and exposure. But none came.
Then Mike realized that dusk had fallen and the eyes of the searcher could not penetrate their hiding place with any degree of surety. There were sharp words in the alien tongue. Obviously, the searcher was calling for any trapped or injured person.
Desperately, Mike hoped he would let it go at that. But such was not the case. The man got down on his knees and pushed inside. He found himself taken instantly into the iron grasp of three desperate tenants. The halorican got him by the legs.
Nicko hit him in the middle and Mike got strong hands on his throat, drove powerful fingers into it, shutting off the man's breath forever. The man struggled helplessly for a few moments then he lay still as Mike snapped his neck suddenly backward and broke it. The darkness served another purpose.
It kept Dory from the horror of seeing a man killed not two feet from her eyes. But she realized what was happening and buried her face in her hands. I'm sorry, Mike whispered. But this is a matter of survival. Try and look at it in that light.
There was nothing to do now but wait. Mike's hopes were slim and desperate ones. That the slain man would not be missed for a while and that the wreckage of the ship would not be cleared away until the following day. The time dragged.
Activity around the wreck dwindled and died out. Total darkness had not yet come and Mike prayed for a few more minutes of safety. But he was not to get it. A commotion over toward the city brought him to a break in the wreckage through which he could scan the area.
A huge derrick-like affair, encrusted with the usual gold and gems, was lumbering toward the wrecked platform. A gang of workmen followed on foot. Incandescent balls were carried by another group, brightly illuminating the scene. We've got to run for it, Mike said.
Out, everybody, run straight to the left. There's an airfield over there. McKeon Talbot's ship is on the far edge. I saw it just before we fell. The four wormed their way out from under the wreckage.
That ship should be primed to go, Nicko said with excitement. That's what I'm hoping. No, Dory cried and pulled away from Mike. No, I won't go away from here and leave my father. We've got to try to help him.
Mike did not hesitate. He swung a short solid right. It cracked against Dory's jaw and she went limp. Sorry, he said grimly. But this is no time to argue.
We're going to hit that ship and blast out? Nicko asked. What else? She'll hate me for it, but we've got to use common sense. There's nothing we can do for Professor Brand in this trip.
Maybe we can come back later. It will be hard on the kitty. Okay, Mike retorted harshly. My responsibility is getting Dory out of here alive. I'm not arguing, Nicko said.
Let's move. The Halorcan had remained silent the whole time. He had done what was expected of him promptly and efficiently, and proven himself a good comrade. But there was no time now to explain the plan to him.
If he had remained where he was, they would probably have gone off and left him. But when they started across the open country, he ran with them. Mike momentarily expected the light from the glowing bulbs to pick them out. But luck was with them, and they gained the edge of the airfield without being detected. They disappeared in among the craft.
There was quite an assortment of these. And from the design and variations in size, Mike got the impression they were pleasure craft and not a part of the fighting force. Encrusted jewels were used in perfusion and decorations along with both silver and gold. On this planet, these precious materials seem to have little value,
as no guards were posted over the field. There were lights in a few of them. These Mike carefully skirted until the party came at last to the sleep-black hall of the ship McKee and Talbot had arrived in. No sight ever gladdened his heart more than that of the great, competent-looking monster.
The ramp was down, and all was darkness inside. Shall I go ahead and check? Nicko asked. It wouldn't help. If anyone's in there, they'd probably nab you. Maybe I don't nab as easily as you think, Nicko growled.
Anyhow, there isn't time. I think that crew spotted us when we entered the field. We've got to get in and away. Once inside, we can lock the hatches and hold them off until we blast. You think so? Mike asked.
With that funny fire array they've got? Well, maybe they just won't see us then. Let's hope not. Nicko went up the ramp first. Mike followed with Dory in his arms.
The Hallorican warrior brought up the rear. Into the dark maw of the ship they went, where Nicko found a utility flashlight on its hook near the door to the companionway. He sent a beam on a head. Holy Mother Mars! He croaked.
The light flashed back off thousands of brilliant jewels almost blinding them. The companionway was strewn inches deep in multicolored gems. That's about what I figured, Mike said. Those two have been loading loot ever since they set down here. I'll bet every cabin's packed to the guards.
This was true. As they moved through the ship, it was like walking in the treasure house of a Neptunian robber baron. There's well over a billion in here, Nicko marveled. Whatever you say about our friends, they aren't small timers.
It'll be a touchy job getting this ship off the ground, Mike said. Nicko grinned hideously. Want to stop and throw a few tons overboard? There's no time, or believe me, I would. Let's get to the control cabin.
It was the one cabin in which no wealth was stored. In the place of jewels and bar gold, there was something else. It seemed McKee and Talbot had not been as negligent of their hoard as it had first appeared. The half-dozen native guards in the control room allowed the four to enter, standing close against the near wall.
Then they fell upon them. Taken by surprise and attacked by a greater number, the fugitives had no chance. The Halorcan warrior, last in the room, fought bravely. But when the lights were turned on, the prisoners had been swiftly cuffed and subdued. Dory had been jerked cruelly from Mike's arms.
He saw a tall native warrior just disappearing through the door, carrying her in his arms. Mike's shoulders slumped as he tasted the bitter dregs of defeat. End of part five.
