Space 1999 #3 - The Space Guardians (12 page)

‘Commander!’ yelled Carter. ‘Eagle Three to Commander Koenig—do you see it?’

Koenig had glimpsed something.

A great black tower. The remains of buildings, half-fallen and blackened. He blinked and looked again: a skeletal shape hung above a hillside.

‘It’s Eagle Six!’ someone yelled incredulously.

Carter’s voice boomed throughout Mission Control.

‘I see the ship, Commander—Eagle Six!’

Koenig couldn’t believe it, but nevertheless it had been there. Carter had reported it. The crew around him had seen it. Bergman was slapping his back, Morrow was pounding the console like a maniac, and David Kano was yelling to him that two men they believed dead must be alive down on the surface of the planet.

‘I get it in exactly, the crash-site location!’ Carter was yelling. ‘I don’t know what weird trick Ed Barker and Bud Irving pulled to do it, but they got the Eagle down!’

Morrow roared for confirmation.

‘Repeat this, Carter! You have direct visual sighting of Eagle Six?’

‘Confirmed, Controller—I see it hanging nose-down just a few metres above the ground. It didn’t crash—they’re alive!’

Bergman was frankly babbling:

‘It’s wonderful, John! I knew it—this is our planet. It’s the end of all that space-wandering. It’s going to be our home. A miracle like that is a sign to us—’

He stopped, and seemed to recollect his position as the cool intellectual whose reputation was based on emotionless cerebration:

‘That is, Commander Koenig, I think we should accept computer’s advice.’

Koenig frowned. There was too much elation throughout the whole of Moonbase Alpha. Yet Carter’s enthusiasm was irrepressible.

‘You just have to see this place, Commander! It seems so different when you get down close. Anything can happen here—’

‘Carter, I want a check on your report,’ he said loudly. ‘First, are you in communication with Pilots Barker and Irving?’

‘No, Commander.’ His tone had sobered.

Koenig turned to Kano:

‘Anything from Eagle Six?’

‘Not a word, Commander.’

‘Nothing direct to us, and nothing to Eagle Three,’ said Koenig. He spoke to Carter again: ‘Is Eagle Six still hovering above the planetary surface?’

‘It is, Commander.’

‘And have you a sighting of either pilot?’

‘I guess not, Commander,’ said Carter. ‘No, sir.’

‘And is the Eagle under power?’

‘John,’ said David Kano, ‘it has to be under power to hold that configuration.’

‘It
has
to be powered,’ agreed Morrow.

‘Answer, Pilot Carter!’ rapped Koenig. ‘Check with on-board calculators and sensor—what are the power-levels of Eagle Six!’

There was a pause of a full minute.

When Carter spoke, he was icily calm, the trained and alert Eagle pilot once more, not a man who has just found that his friends have not been uselessly killed on a strange planet.

‘Eagle Six gives no power readings, Commander. I have no contact with its crew.’ He waited and then said: ‘Orders, Commander?’

Koenig again felt the strong sense of alarm that had filled him when Barker and Irving had begun their crazy death-dive. There was a brooding eerie quality about the planet, an almost hypnotic deadliness. He shivered. It was as though tiny claws were driving deep into his mind. And he knew that it all centred on the rearing black tower.

He looked about the circle of men and women in Main Mission Control. He was surprised to see that they did not share his pessimism. If anything, the atmosphere had changed to one of complacency. Yet they were aware of his uncertainty.

He turned to the big screen.

‘Here are your orders, Carter. Remain on observation near Eagle Six. On no account land on the surface. Understood?’

The landscape of the planet faded. In its place came the sharply delineated forward deck of the survey Eagle. Carter was taking off his helmet.

‘Now, Commander, why be so uptight? One little look isn’t going to harm anyone—’

‘They’ve landed!’ Koenig exclaimed. ‘Controller Morrow, get that ship up!’

Morrow was smiling in an inane way. Koenig saw the same fatuous smile on Carter’s face.

‘Now, John,’ cautioned Morrow, placing a meaty hand on Koenig’s shoulders. ‘Take it easy! I knew they were going down—’

‘Carter, get that ship into orbit!’ roared Koenig. He pushed Morrow aside, and for all his size and strength the big Controller found himself moving fast away from the console. Koenig began to press buttons to get the Eagle into the blue sky of the strange planet.

Morrow was laughing. So was Kano. And Bergman.

Others joined in. There was a zany, indulgent good humour in their laughter. A fat technician doubled up over his console, holding his stomach against the pain of his jerking laughter.

‘Oh, John,’ boomed Morrow, ‘don’t bother—I’ve taken the monitors off. I had to give them a chance to see for themselves. Now wasn’t that fair?’

He was still chuckling as he returned to the console. He didn’t seem to resent the rough treatment he had received.

Koenig shook his head. Suddenly, he was in the midst of a crew of madmen. Anger rose up, but Professor Bergman spoke before he could try to bring the Alphans back to their senses.

‘John, Piri will be your home too.’

The words had an instantly calming effect, not only on Koenig himself, but on the laughing men and women in Main Mission Control. The fat technician sat down, still weak, but attentive. Koenig listened to Bergman with disbelief.

‘I think it would be an excellent plan for us all to go down to Piri, John. It is a most delightful place. I don’t wonder that the Eagle crews were anxious to be the first settlers. Neither they nor any of us can see any reason to remain on this tiresome satellite longer than we must.’

Bergman’s ascetic features glowed. He had an air of fanatical enthusiasm that sent alarm bells ringing in Koenig’s mind. The words were altogether alien to a man of Bergman’s calibre. He sounded like a glib child who has learned his lesson well.

‘Isn’t it marvellous, John?’

Helena Russell’s beautiful blue eyes stared up at him. He was astonished to see the longing in them.

‘You too, Helena? But how has it happened? I gave orders to Morrow and Carter, and they’ve both disobeyed.’ He looked about him. The Security men had the same look of infatuated delight. Clearly they would not arrest anyone.

Helena Russell took his hand.

‘This is such a wretched place for real people like you and me, John. Can’t you see that Piri is waiting for us? Look at it!’

Koenig looked.

The scanners were ranging closer now. They showed a beautiful landscape. No dust, no ash, no blackened rocks. In the distance, the tower was a great black sentinel. Peace and beauty, thought Koenig.

‘Well, Commander?’ asked Kano.

‘Yes,’ Koenig said, to his own amazement. ‘Yes, of course!’

Koenig appreciated the wonder of it all. Men and women smiled and nodded approval. Bergman waved to the screen as if making a marvellously philanthropic gesture. He seemed to be giving the planet to Koenig. Of course Victor was right about Piri, thought Koenig. What a fool he had been not to see it right away!

‘The best of climates and vegetation,’ Kano assured him. ‘Computer says so!’

‘Computer?’ said Koenig slowly.

Bergman smiled reassuringly:

‘Now, John, you’ve had more strain than any of us—but on Piri, that will all be over!’

‘We’ll be happy,’ whispered Helena.

‘It’s made for us,’ agreed Bergman.

Koenig felt slightly embarrassed. Helena was trying to nuzzle against him, whilst Morrow was beaming approval. If only the stray, needling doubts would go!

He repeated Bergman’s phrase:

‘It’s made for us?
Made
for us?’

And the alarm-bells shrilled.

‘Victor,’ said Koenig slowly, ‘how do you know the planet is called Piri?’

Bergman patted him on the back, as if remonstrating with an amiable drunk.

‘But what else
should
a planet like Piri be called? Piri
is
Piri—the planet of peace.’

He smiled benevolently.

And Koenig knew it was true.

‘Yes, Victor,’ he said. ‘Yes, of course.’

‘Then that’s settled, John,’ said Bergman briskly.

Kano looked about him.

‘This is one place I don’t want to see again!’

‘We can leave the rocks and the dust,’ said Helena, like a housewife contemplating a spring-cleaning. ‘John, I can’t wait to get to Piri!’

Morrow slapped Kano on the back.

‘And I said the computer was wrong—David, I guess an apology is overdue!’

Kano grinned back in the inane way Koenig was beginning to detest.

‘Forget it, Paul! When we get down to Piri, we’ll pension off the computer. No more Eagles, no more astro-navigation, no more servicing these systems—and am I looking forward to it!’

Koenig shared momentarily in the pleasurable comtemplation of a future on Piri. And still a tiny edge of doubt clawed at his mind. There had been no word from Baker and Irving. Neither of the two men had been sighted by the crew of the second survey Eagle. They hadn’t explained the weird way in which their Eagle hung poised over the surface of the planet. And could there be an explanation for it?

Yet there were most glowing reports from all sources now. The onboard calculators and sensors confirmed computer’s interpretations of readings:
Piri
was a wonderfully suitable planet for the tired Alphans. Promise, and mystery.

Koenig said:

‘It’s remarkable, Victor. But can we rely on the computer read-outs? They were at variance with the time-schedules of the Eagle we sent out first—’

Morrow laughed aloud:

‘John, I guess that Zenno experience left you sour—can’t you believe we’ve hit the jackpot?’

‘The evidence is right in front of you,’ Kano put in. ‘Visuals from Moonbase scanners, confirmed visuals from Eagle three, read-outs from all computers, and direct reports from the Eagle survey crew!’

‘We’re getting requests from all Sections for passage down to Piri,’ Bergman said. ‘Who can blame them?’

‘We are?’ asked Koenig, bewildered now.

Helena Russell joined in: ‘On medical grounds I think that we should authorize an extended excursion to Piri. We need to breathe air and be free of machines! Don’t you feel that, John?’

Koenig did. Every fibre of his being responded to the dream of a stress-free existence on the idyllic planet. And still he hesitated:

‘There has been life on Piri before we arrived. The tower artifacts prove it—’

‘But not malevolent life, John!’ burst out Bergman. ‘I can see that only a benign and humane intelligence created the tower of Piri.’

‘We have no choice, John,’ said Morrow.
‘You
have no choice!’

Koenig looked about him. Quietly, scores of Alphans had entered Main Mission Control. All had the flushed, hectic excitement that Morrow showed. Koenig sensed the massed willpower.

‘John, it is what we wish,’ said Helena Russell, in the tone he knew from an earlier time, when he lay between life and death after the crash of the exploratory Eagle at the huge crater. ‘We need Piri. And so do you.’

Koenig felt himself in agreement. They were right. Yet his words surprised even him. It seemed that another, more pessimistic, Koenig spoke:

‘It is no light decision to leave the safety of Moonbase Alpha,’ he said quietly but with a ring of authority which brought the Alphans to a renewed awareness of his stature amongst them. ‘What we hear from the computer is what we wish to hear if our most treasured hopes were realized. But I’m not satisfied! So far, we have received no communication from the two men we thought lost. I find that curious, if not sinister.’

‘But that’s unimportant—’ Morrow interrupted.

‘Enough!’ Koenig snapped. ‘I am still Commander. And when I authorize the evacuation of Moonbase Alpha, it will proceed. And not before!’

Helena Russell spoke for the Alphans:

‘And when will that be, Commander?’

‘When I send you my personal report on the planet of Piri!’ Koenig turned to Morrow. In a voice like a whiplash, he said:

‘Kano will accompany me. Everyone else stays. There will be no further launches until I give the word. Is that understood?’

Morrow looked mutinous. There were growls from several men, and a shrill, rising inflection of complaint from a group of female technicians. Koenig straightened. His eyes held Morrow’s. Seconds passed. A full minute.

‘Understood, Commander,’ said Morrow at last.

There was no further disagreement.

‘See that the crew returns to stations, Paul,’ said Koenig. Quietly, he added: ‘When the Alphans leave Moonbase Alpha, it must be of their own free choice, not because computer tells them to go.’

Morrow nodded. ‘Yes, Sir.’

Koenig stepped out on to the cold, dead world, grey and bleak. In the distance were the ruins, and the eerie black tower. After all, the green world was a traitor. The reality was as harsh as the Moon’s surface.

‘Wait,’ he told Kano.

‘But the air’s fine, John. Take precautions by all means, but let’s not get uptight over it.’

Koenig checked the meter he held in his hand.

‘It’s breathable,’ he said reluctantly. ‘But it all feels
wrong’

Kano pointed to the distant looming tower.

‘Maybe we should look around. Let’s move the Eagle in closer.’

‘No,’ said Koenig. ‘Two Eagles went near the tower and the crews are missing. You stay with the Eagle while I investigate.’

Kano signed. ‘Piri answers all our needs—the computer’s got it right, John. But if you want to confirm the reports . . .’

‘Stay with the ship.’

‘Yes, Commander!’

It was unlike the Technical chief to smile in that cool and slightly mocking way, and yet Koenig had to admit that Kano had every justification. The planet was no pleasuredome, but it could sustain life, given hard work and time.

So why was he so cautious?

Koenig stepped forward and walked quickly towards the towering rock and its crumbling ruins. A curious kind of joy drifted through his entire body, almost a tingling of delighted anticipation. And then his boots crunched on fibrous root.