Space 1999 #5 - Lunar Attack (17 page)

‘Let’s have it, Victor.’

‘A great deal of the data is physical detail of the Moon, weight dimensions, density.’

‘Trajectory?’

‘It’s taken details of every gravitational pull and every course change since we left Earth’s orbit.’

‘That’s it! It wants to know if we can change course now!’

‘Could be!’

Helena Russell joined the symposium from the communications post, ‘John? If we’re going to save Kelly, I believe the only chance is to restart Computer.’

Response from Alan Carter was immediate, ‘That leaves Alpha wide open!’

But Koenig was seeing it another way, ‘Whatever it is . . . maybe, just maybe, it’s trying to help us. All right, Helena. I’m on my way.’

First results were not encouraging. Hyper activity was driving Kelly towards self-destruction again. On the monitor, brain patterns peaked in a frenzy. Watching from the observation screen, Bergman and Koenig saw Helena trying to establish communication. Standing in his line of vision, she said, ‘Kelly? Kelly? Can you see me? Do you hear what I say?’

There was nil response. The eyes remained wild and staring. She turned in despair to Koenig, ‘He’s almost catatonic.’

Impatiently, Koenig flipped a call key on the communications post, ‘Kano, I want to ask Kelly some questions through Computer.’

Seen as a backdrop behind Kano, the Computer spread was in frenetic activity, ‘Commander, every circuit is on analysis. There is no way I can programme a question.’

‘A Command order?’

‘I have tried, Commander. Computer’s standard response is that the safety of Alpha depends on the work it is doing.’

Koenig turned to Bergman, ‘The safety of Alpha! I wish we could be sure of that.’

‘We can’t. Not until we know what’s going on in Kelly’s head.’

Koenig clicked his fingers. ‘True and there
is
a way—
symbiosis
—’ He tapped on the glass, ‘Helena, I’m coming in. There
is
a way.’

Stretched out beside Kelly, Koenig clipped a duplicate set of sensors to his head. Speaking to Helena, Bergman said worriedly, ‘I hope you know what you’re letting him do.’

‘It’s an accepted technique in advanced psychoanalysis. The mind of the patient is linked electronically with the mind of the analyst.’

‘But Kelly’s mind is linked in some way with the Alien Intelligence. We can’t be absolutely sure John’s mind won’t be pulled in, too.’

The same thought had occurred to Helena Russell, but she knew it was useless to argue with Koenig. She said, ‘John, we’ll monitor your physical condition. If there’s any change, I’m switching you out.’

Anxious to begin, Koenig said, ‘We’re in no situation to be too cautious. Get on with it.’

She checked the gear, ‘All set, Bob.’

‘I’m ready.’

‘Circuit check.’ She shoved down a stud on the control console and a green telltale began to flash. At the last minute, she said, ‘I wish you weren’t doing this, John.’

‘I wish we weren’t facing destruction by something we don’t understand. If you’re all set, let’s go.’

Making an unscientific detour, she picked up his nearest hand and squeezed it. Then she pulled the switch to bring him on circuit. The computer bank behind him jumped into life and the electronic clatter was twofold.

They saw his eyes widen and go out of focus. What they did not see was the mental imagery he was sharing with Kelly . . .

Koenig was in a fantastic world, where planetary forms glowed on a private planetarium, where cell structures grew like flowers in time lapse, colour pulsed in a multitude of changing life forms. It was a weirdly beautiful, frightening, but wholly absorbing sequence that had no end and no beginning and where time had no meaning. He was muttering and Helena bent close to hear him, her blonde hair touching his face.

‘It’s a living organism . . . like a brain . . . pulsing with light and life . . . It’s the pivot of a whole galaxy . . . hundreds of galaxies . . . planets, stars, life forms beyond belief . . . this Brain . . . is the centre of all . . .’

Mathias, eyes on the monitor was already pulling the plug and the trance like stare went from Koenig’s eyes. He saw Helena’s anxious face and heard her saying, ‘John, are you all right?’

‘Yes. Yes, I’m okay.’ He swung his feet off the bed and she detached the sensor plates. As he stood up and she steadied him, he called across to Bergman, ‘I think it worked, Victor.’

‘Fine, but do we get to be any closer to knowing what’s going to happen?’

‘Our Moon is hurtling towards this great Brain. Eagle One was a flying fragment. The Brain surrounded it with antibodies and rejected it. But we’re a million times bigger than an Eagle. We could kill it. Victor, it
knows
that. Of course,, it understands that. It’s trying to stop us!’

A buzz from the communications post Interrupted him. Kano appeared, ‘Commander!’

‘Go ahead, Kano.’

‘Computer reports that analysis is complete. Conclusion will follow in a few minutes.’

‘Put it through to Main Mission and meet me there, Kano.’

‘Check, Commander.’

As Koenig reached the hatch, Bergman called him, ‘Hold it, John.’ All hands in the care unit were round Kelly’s bed. The computer behind him was silent. He was trying to sit up. His voice was hoarse, but recognisably normal as he said, ‘I’m thirsty. Could I have something to drink?’

They took a coffee break in Main Mission in a growing atmosphere of tension as they grouped around Kano’s desk waiting for the ‘Delphic Oracle’ to deliver. Mathias had Kelly along propped in a wheel chair. When a long signal buzz came from the Computer, he moved close, scanning Kelly’s face for reaction.

It was a long detailed print out and Kano waited Impatiently to tear it off. When he had it, he was no wiser. With a shrug he passed it to Bergman and Koenig.

The text was in hieroglyphs. Every eye was on Bergman. It was clear that he was completely baffled. Finding strength nobody suspected he had, Kelly was out of his chair, snatching for the paper. When he had it, he read through in silence, but his face showed it was good news.

When he looked up he said, ‘It’s possible.’

Koenig said, ‘What’s possible?’

Kelly was quietly positive, ‘We can divert the Moon away from the Brain.’

Koenig looked questioningly at Helena. She nodded. In her opinion Kelly was stone sober and in his right mind. Reading from the script, Kelly went on, ‘The plan is to increase the Moon’s rate of spin by providing a series of forces tangential to its axis. This will give the Moon an eccentric rotation which will cause it to curve away from the centre of the Brain.’ He paused and read ahead then resumed with more urgency, ‘We haven’t much time. Computer has plotted precisely the points at which a series of nuclear charges should be placed along the equatorial line.’

Koenig’s expression mirrored his thought. His doubt about the wisdom of sending off a fire ship was vindicated. He said, ‘The Eagle! Paul, bring it back. Kelly, I have to tell you that at this moment, every nuclear charge Alpha has is stuffed inside that Eagle and aimed for the centre of the Brain.’

Kelly’s face was set as a stone mask. All eyes turned to the Eagle’s Command monitors, where the craft itself was seen still heading for the encounter. On the interior Command Module screen, there was a sudden burst of activity. The destruct mechanism had tripped its deadline. Smoke and débris flowered from the console.

Paul Morrow said heavily, ‘It’s out of our hands, Commander. The destruct gear has blown all the onboard systems. We have no way to recover control.’

Koenig checked his time disc. ‘Sixteen forty-five. Get the fastest Eagle to Pad one.’

He was at the hatch as Morrow’s urgent voice called ‘Eagle Seven to Pad one. Eagle Seven to Pad one.’

Confused by the sudden action, Helena looked anxiously at Bergman. He had small personal comfort to give.

‘He’s going to try to head her off.’

Carter said, ‘If he does that, the Moon and the Brain will destroy each other. Why doesn’t he let it go on? Then we at least will have a fighting chance.’

There was some support for the point of view. But Kelly put them right, voice vibrant, ‘Alpha’s Eagle will destroy Alpha. The Brain will save itself.’

Confirmation came from Sandra Benes. She called suddenly, ‘The Eagle has changed direction!’ She threw the picture on the big screen. There was no area of doubt.

Paul Morrow said, ‘It’s heading straight back at Alpha!’

The strain was too much for Kelly. He had reached his chair and fallen on it. Mathias and Melita, one on either side, straightened him out. He was unconscious.

The loaded Eagle was boring in for a strike on its home base. With the charges on board it would shatter the Moon into molecular débris.

Koenig’s voice on the Command net broke the stunned silence, ‘Gearing Alpha now, Paul. Check course and closing speed.’

‘Commander, she’s turned around. She’s headed direct for Alpha.’

They saw him digest the news and the hawk face set with determination, ‘Then I don’t have as far to go. Victor?’

‘Here, John.’

‘Our only hope is to increase pressure inside the Base.’

‘I’m on to that, John.’

Kelly was still out cold and Helena Russell had a diagnostic probe fixed to his wrist. Taking more direct action, Alan Carter turned the limp head and harangued it. ‘Kel, for godsake, snap out of it. Isn’t there anything
you
can do?’

Helena said, ‘It’s no good, Alan. Kelly can’t help us now. The influence of the Brain has left him. We’ll take him back to intensive care. Get him along there, Bob.’

Followed by Melita, Bob Mathias and a medical orderly wheeled Kelly out. Helena’s eyes were hooked on the picture of Koenig’s hurrying Eagle. She said, ‘We’re in John’s hands.’

Bergman stirred himself, recognising that time was running out. Brusquely for him, he said, ‘John’ll take care of the Eagle. We must take care of the Base!’

To Carter, he said, ‘Alan. I want you to take over from Paul. Paul and Sandra, I need your help.’

He gathered them round him at Koenig’s Command desk. In the background, they saw Koenig’s Eagle pass the fire ship, turn and come round to pace it.

Bergman was handing out duties, ‘Sandra, I want you to link all pressure sensors and monitor them here. Paul, what we have to do is to minimise the crushing effect of the antibodies by gradually building up opposing pressures inside Alpha’s superstructure. And on that, Helena will have to monitor from a medical point of view and decide how much we can stand. In the meantime we’ll evacuate all non-essential personnel to underground bunkers.’

They were all sensible, clear instructions, but Helena’s mind was in the Command Module of Koenig’s Eagle.

She said, ‘He’s docking now.’

It was true and Sandra’s awed comment was no help, ‘He doesn’t have time!’

Kano told them what little he had, ‘Detonation in three minutes.’

The Eagles were locked together and Koenig was trying to alter course for the joint craft. No dice. They heard him say, ‘I can’t shift it. The Brain has it held on a beamed course.’

They saw him thump release studs and hurl himself for the hatch. He was out of sight. Kano said, ‘One minute.’

In the Passenger Module of the bomb ship, Koenig was going down the line methodically tearing out each fuse line. As he reached the end charge, there was a splutter of fire as a fuse lit and he smothered it with his gauntlet. Then he was clawing a way back to his own ship with the cinder heap of the Moon looming up as though in a zoom lens.

In Main Mission, Carter hit the Red Alert and klaxons blared throughout Moonbase Alpha. Every communications post flashed an urgent red signal. He called ‘Stand by strike!’

On the big screen, the watchers saw the two Eagles blast apart. Koenig’s ship swooped low over the complex and there was a vibrant crump as the loaded Eagle went on a tunnelling bid for launch pad four.

The fact that it could still be spoken was proof enough that Koenig had made the charges safe. Alan Carter formally entered it on the log, ‘Eagle crashed on pad four. Great work, Commander. That could’ve been nasty.’

Behind Koenig’s Eagle as he touched down, the space sky was suddenly crisscrossed with bright streamers of multicoloured light, flashing between brilliant white asterisks. A travel tube whipped out to the hatch and he was out at a run. As the tube made the return trip, globules of white foam were floating over the stark moonscape.

Main Mission was at full stretch with every desk manned and Kano’s computer busy as a flea. Koenig raced in and got a spontaneous cheer from all hands.

He settled them back to work, ‘Situation report, Victor?’

‘Skeleton crews only remain above ground. All pressure sensors are linked and ready for test . . .’

‘Readings, Kano?’

‘Sections A, B and C pressure readings normal.’

Bergman cut in, ‘Section D coming through now.’

Sandra’s clear voice with a harmonic of tension said, ‘D ready for testing. Testing.’

There was a pause and Paul Morrow reported, ‘D checked and functional.’

Koenig whipped over to Kano, ‘Readings?’

‘Normal, Commander.’

There was nothing more to be done. Koenig said, ‘Whatever happens, Victor, we have to man Main Mission.’

A wave of white foam was flooding over the Moon’s mountains and craters and rolling in a tide towards Moonbase Alpha.

Helena Russell put in a warning, ‘If we raise pressure too fast, John, people won’t be able to take it.’

‘Raise it two points now. Distribute pressure suits.’

From a direct vision port, Bergman said, ‘It’s coming in pretty fast now, John.’

Banks of foam slurped forward over perimeter installations and rolled forward for the outlying domes. Kano looked up from the Computer console. ‘External pressure readings up two points on Section B.’

Koenig said evenly, ‘Raise internal pressure four points.’

He watched the adjustment being made and then moved to Morrow’s console for an all-sections broadcast. ‘Attention. All sections Alpha. All surface sections close down. Total evacuation. Emergency services only in one minute. Bulkheads will be sealed in two minutes.’