CHAPTER 20. HARRY'S LAST FLING.
As the Revenge got under way, Kandras scanned the likely area for signs of the Black Swan. He found nothing.
“He seems to have disappeared, Michael.”
“That is impossible,” fumed Michael. “My guess is that he has either changed course or accelerated again.”
“How fast can an old vessel like that travel?” asked Kandras.
“Nobody really knows,” said Michael. “Your speed on the rocket-propelled ships is always a compromise with the available fuel. The problem is that you need as much fuel to stop you as you do to accelerate, so you never give the vessel its head... but you might if you were on a one-way trip. Now there is a thought. Any reply on the radio, Neville?”
“No, Sir... but this radio is a less than ideal set up for long range communication.”
Michael knew that he had to make a decision about their next course of action. “Do we have the coordinates of their last known position?”
“Yes, it is in the computer,” replied Kandras.
“Good ...we will go to that position and search along his projected course. The distance is too short to go above light speed, but can you proceed as quickly as possible, please, Kandras.”
“Yes, Michael, we will be there in about thirty minutes. “Thank you. I will go and check on Arnie.”
Arnie had been so exhausted when he arrived on board that he had virtually passed out. They had helped him to a bunk, fed him a high protein meal and he was now recuperating. Michael looked in on his old friend and was relieved to see that the process of sleep was erasing the lines of stress from his face. There was no need to wake him now and Michael gently stacked pillows round him to prevent accidents caused by sudden course changes. It made a change for him to fuss over his Coxswain; he was surprised to discover that it gave him a good feeling.
Thirty minutes later, Kandras announced that they were passing Morgan’s last known position and were proceeding along the last known projected course, but there was still no sign of the Black Swan.
Kandras increased velocity and, suddenly, there it was on the scope at extreme range. They were overhauling it at an alarming rate and Kandras eased down the speed to a more acceptable level.
Soon the Black Swan was in view and it was headed straight for Mars, travelling faster than Michael would have thought possible. Neville tried continuously to raise Morgan on the radio, but there was no response. His set was probably switched off.
Soon the Revenge was on station just below and to the rear of the Black Swan and remained, apparently, undetected.
"How many life-forms can you detect on board, Kandras?” asked Michael.
Kandras peered down into the scope. "There are two. One in an outer pod and another moving towards the rear of the main body.”
"At least they are not both together," said Michael in a relieved voice.
As they watched the scanner, one of the life-forms was shuttling backwards and forwards between the bridge and the hold, it was almost certainly Harry. Mars began to loom a lot larger as they hurtled on and the first seeds of doubt were sewn in Michael's mind.
"I bet he has used all his fuel to gain as much velocity as possible. The Black Swan is going to burn up in the Martian atmosphere how long has she left?”
Kandras did a quick calculation. “About thirty-five of your minutes.”
“Morgan must have a plan, but it will do him no good. I am going across. If you can keep me informed where he is I will go to an airlock at the opposite end.”
“Please hurry, Michael. ..there isn’t much time left.”
“Do you need any help, Captain?" asked Neville.
“No thanks. ..Morgan is mine. I want to deal with him personally,” replied Michael cruelly. "Stay with the radio, Neville, I will keep you informed.”
Five minutes later he left the airlock and Mars was looking much bigger, taking on a definite shape and its distinctive colouring becoming more and more obvious. Neville reported that Morgan was still on the bridge, so he went to the rear airlock and soon gained entry.
He switched on his 'protection device’ and headed for the bridge. Again Michael had underestimated Morgan. Harry had known the instant the Revenge had joined him. His remote controlled cameras had picked it up. He had loaded the gems and other valuables into the Moon Shuttle and was ready to blast off at a moment's notice. Morgan had already made a last forlorn plea to Charlotte to go with him or stay aboard and die. She had chosen to stay aboard.
As Michael headed for the bridge he heard the cargo-bay doors open and the little moon shuttle shot off like a thoroughbred with a throaty roar. A feeling of dejection assailed Michael's mind. He knew that Morgan would have to go to Mars, but it would be easy to hide once there. There were many disreputable people in the Martian Colonies and one more would not really matter.
Then a thought crossed his mind, which cheered him up a little and he smiled to himself; Morgan was not as clever as he thought. With a feeling of elation he took off his helmet and went in search of Charlotte.
He found the cabin and opened the door. Charlotte was still there lying spread-eagled and face down on the bunk, with thick straps making sure she stayed there.
“The answer is still no, Morgan,” she hissed at him.
“Do I take it you are not receiving visitors today?” asked Michael sarcastically. Her head spun round and the beautiful, tear-stained face looked as though she had seen a ghost... and she was still not sure.
“Michael ...is it really you. ..? I thought you were dead.”
Her last vestiges of reserve disappeared and she dissolved into helpless fits of sobs. Michael gently undid the straps and released her. She embraced him and covered him with kisses, repeating his name over and over. As they clung together, Michael could feel a lump building up in his throat and knew that he, too, would lose control if he did not act quickly.
He prised them apart. “Charlotte we are still in grave danger, we must try and get this vessel under control... go and find yourself a spacesuit.”
Drying her eyes, she pulled herself together and hurried off. Michael went to the bridge and selected three retro-rockets and attempted to fire them. Nothing happened. He checked the fuel gauges and was not surprised to see that the tanks were completely empty. Harry had totally committed himself and sacrificed the Black Swan in his escape attempt. By now, Mars was looming larger than ever. He abandoned the bridge and went off to find Charlotte who was sifting through a pile of slashed and torn spacesuits.
“He has ruined them all, Michael... there is not a serviceable one left.”
“Never mind... You can use mine to get across to my friend's ship. Arnie is there... he will look after you." He checked his watch, there was ten minutes to go before impact. He tore off his spacesuit and quickly put Charlotte into it. He gave her a last kiss and told her to go quickly to the black spaceship. He bundled her into the airlock and returned to the bridge .
"Neville, can you hear me?" he said through the radio. "Loud and clear, Captain.”
"I'm just calling to say goodbye... Miss Linaker is coming across now... pick her up and make her feel welcome... there is no fuel left and no serviceable spacesuits... so it looks like I have run out of time... say goodbye to Kandras for me... and tell Charlotte that I love her and have no regrets…over and out.”
He switched off the set before Neville could answer. He did not mind giving his life so that Charlotte could live, but he did resent the fact that Morgan had out-thought him all the way through.
Six minutes to go. He ran back to the spacesuits to see if there was anything he could possibly salvage in the time remaining, but Morgan had destroyed them all. “Nothing to do but sit and wait,” he said out loud. "At least it will be a quick death."
Five minutes to go. Michael looked up, puzzled, as the airlock recycled. "Hurry up, Captain. ..we can still do it.” shouted Arnie, throwing in a spacesuit.
“You big dope,” scolded Michael. "There is no point in us both dying.” He tore feverishly at the suit and it was soon on, after a fashion. Three minutes to go, Mars filled the view ahead.
Michael and Arnie were both in the airlock; they deliberately opened the outer door before the inner door was completely shut. The air pressure blew them out unceremoniously and completely out of control, but it was a quick exit. It took only a few seconds to control their spinning and Michael was amazed that Kandras was flying the Revenge as close as was physically possible.
Two minutes to go. The airlock was in sight but it could only take one man at a time. Without any hesitation Arnie physically pushed Michael into it. Fortunately the rotating action of the airlock was very quick and even as Neville hauled Michael out, the first vestiges of atmosphere were occasionally plucking at Arnie’s suit.
One minute to go. Arnie was pulled out of the airlock by Neville who immediately banged a warning button to inform Kandras that they were inside.
“Lie down and grab hold of a stanchion,” shouted Neville.
As a man they hit the deck. Then the Revenge started an upward turn, gently at first but it increased alarmingly as Kandras avoided the destructive atmosphere of Mars.
Through the airlock viewing panels they could see the awful destruction as the Black Swan burnt herself up in the atmosphere and vaporised in a cloud of flames and gas. As the 'G' forces died away the three men hauled themselves painfully to their feet.
"That was an awful risk you took, Arnie," said Michael gratefully.
"All part of being a Coxswain, Sir. I couldn't let you go a second time without a try," grinned a very relieved Arnie.
At this point Charlotte came rushing back and threw her arms round Michael who returned her kiss boldly and passionately.
The two other men suddenly remembered something else they had to do on the bridge and left the two lovers to their emotions. Five minutes later Michael and Charlotte walked onto the bridge hand in hand. Michael looked very happy and Charlotte was flushed but smiling.
"Everything alright, Miss?" asked Arnie.
"No it isn’t….. he shouted at me for all the trouble and worry that I’ve caused him... isn't he a beast?" she said lovingly, as she clung to his arm.
"Can't say that I blame him, Miss," said Arnie who thoroughly approved of this new relationship in his Captain's life.
"You men are all beasts, " she replied as she let go of Michael and slipped her arms round Arnie's neck.
“Thanks for rescuing him... I don't think I could have stood losing him twice."
“Me neither, Miss,” said Arnie who was blushing like a beetroot.
Michael thanked Kandras for the magnificent way he had piloted the Revenge and for the enormous risk he had taken.
Kandras was overjoyed that things had turned out alright and gently accelerated the Revenge away from the planet, finally bringing her to rest in a very distant Martian orbit, well away from prying eyes and detectors.
Kandras quickly made them a meal and a drink, which was gratefully received by everybody. It had been a hectic twenty-four hours and the companions retired for a well earned rest.
Charlotte and Kandras were up and about before the others. Charlotte explained to Kandras that she desperately needed a wash, a shower and a change of clothes. He smiled and showed her the bathroom, he then laid out a superbly designed, emerald green and gold tunic with a pair of matching wedge-shaped, thonged shoes which, again, stretched to fit any foot perfectly.
Kandras had not seen any kind of female for about two hundred years and even though Charlotte was not of his species, he knew that they all displayed the same kind of traits and naturally tried to look their best. On a whim he remembered that there were some programmes in the 'matter synthesizer' for various ornaments and he quietly went and produced some for her and laid them on the bed with the tunic.
Charlotte really enjoyed the shower but was most upset to see the bruising and chafing on her wrists and ankles. She explained what had happened and Kandras, who was fascinated by her delicate skin colour, took her to the sick- bay and gave her a shot of the metabolism accelerator and asked her to lie down under the lamp above the operating table.
To her amazement the ugly wheals, cuts and bruises started to disappear before her eyes. Five minutes later they were gone. She was so excited she gave Kandras a big hug and went back to finish her dressing. At that moment he realised just how much he had missed having a female around.
Kandras was soon at work in the galley and produced a delicious scrambled egg breakfast. By this time the other men were up and about. The four males sat down to breakfast and were chatting happily but as Charlotte made her entrance the chattering ceased and the men stood up to greet her. They were all spellbound by the vision of loveliness which walked into the galley.
The emerald green and gold tunic was like a mini-dress and along with the matching, thonged, wedged sandals, it showed her legs off to perfection. Charlotte had shampooed and brushed her long, black hair to a perfect sheen and it was adorned with a golden tiara with large gemstones in it; they were more like a green diamond rather than a true emerald. There was also a matching necklace and thick gold bracelets with similar stones in them.
She was not wearing a vestige of make-up and, in truth, did not need it. Michael was open-mouthed and speechless. Pulling himself together he rushed round the table to help her sit down.
“Good morning, Charlotte... you look too beautiful for words,” he said hesitantly.
“Well it’s nice to see that you are behaving a little more like a gentleman today and not shouting at me,” she teased and kissed him gently on the cheek.
As they came to the end of breakfast, the conversation naturally returned to the events of the previous day.
“It’s a pity Morgan escaped,” said Neville. “It would have been rewarding to go home with a fait accomplis, if you know .what I mean.”
“Morgan has not escaped us, yet,” said Michael mysteriously. Kandras’ antennae went up and Michael had the full attention of everybody. “Excuse me a moment.”
He left the galley and went to his spacesuit and pulled an item from one of its pockets. He returned to the galley and continued. “I still have this!” he said, holding up a small electronic device.
“Is that the anti-theft tracking device?" asked Neville incredulously.
“It is!” said Michael triumphantly. "It has a range of approximately one thousand miles. I reckon that if we locate my moon shuttle, Harry will be in the nearest bar. Can you take us down to the surface, Kandras? Does this vessel have landing facilities ?”
"It has been a long time since this vessel touched solid ground, but it is not a problem, my camouflage and anti-detection devices should guarantee a clandestine arrival,” replied Kandras, who by now desperately wanted Morgan to receive the justice he deserved.
"Good!” said Michael. "We have three spacesuits…. So Charlotte can stay here with Kandras... it would probably cause a riot if he went with us."
Kandras just smiled but Charlotte opened her mouth to protest; but she shut it again as she realised the truth of the situation.
“Neville, please can you rig up this tracking device somewhere so that we can use it from the ship... Arnie, you come with me and we will refill the tanks and check the suits.”
“What about weapons, Captain?” asked Arnie.
“No point in having them with us really. It would attract attention and they would be confiscated at the door of any club. On the other hand we could leave an armed man outside... it would give us a better chance of a getting away. Have you still got Gary’s pistol, Neville?"
“Yes, Sir.”
“Unload the shells and just use it as a 'stun' gun. You will be able to conceal it until it is required. Remember we have no jurisdiction here, all we can do is take him by force and kidnap him.”
“How long before you wish to leave?” asked Kandras .
“About an hour, if that is possible,” replied Michael.
“Good! I will check out my atmospheric procedures and landing gear, seeing that they have not been used for two hundred years.”
Michael gave a big grin. “Sounds like a good idea to me."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The Southern Polar ice cap was in darkness as the Revenge slipped undetected into the rarefied, carbon dioxide rich atmosphere of Mars. Kandras had all the 'stealth' devices working so that the ship would not show up on any radar type instruments.
Most of the larger populated areas of Mars lay on the Equator, in an effort to harness the feeble heat of the Sun.
Their plan was to search these areas first. The first settlement offered no signal; neither did the second, third or fourth. As they approached the fifth, a township called New-Selby, on account of its mining industry, a faint bleep issued forth from the tracking device. By a process of trial and error, Kandras manoeuvred the Revenge until it was directly above the signal source some eighty thousand feet up. A remote control camera picked up a large recreation centre with its own launching pad; a quick count showed twenty-two different rockets in attendance.
The light was fading rapidly as the Revenge gently dropped down to the desert-like surface. Kandras put her down like a feather in a crescent-shaped depression about four hundred metres from the launching pad. The mysterious propulsion unit was silent and left no clouds of dust to give away their position.
Charlotte had laundered Michael's thermal coveralls which he had received on board the Black Swan and he was now wearing them under his spacesuit. Charlotte had also done another job on the spacesuits. She had covered them all with simulated patches and tape, which served a two-fold purpose. Firstly it made the suits look more like those of poverty-stricken prospectors and secondly it covered all the Company Insignia so that nobody would be able to trace them.
The party of three men left the Revenge and crawled to the top of the depression which concealed the ship and ascertained some marks which they would need to follow to find their way back when they left the club. Then they circled away to the right until they came to a surface-vehicle park. Having entered the parking area unobserved, they stood up and walked nonchalantly towards the launching pad.
Their search did not take long. Michael soon spotted the sleek outlines of his favourite toy. He was not pleased to see the black charring on the nose and the melted blobs where the lights had once been. It was apparent that the little shuttle had made a very fast re-entry; it had probably been unable to slow down sufficiently from the break-neck speed which the Black Swan had induced .
“Can I help you guys?" asked an American voice inside their headphones.
They turned to see the launch-pad guard.
"Possibly,” said Michael. “I believe this little bird is for sale. Do you know where the owner is?”
"From the way that guy was flashing his money around, I suspect that he will be going in for something a lot bigger. You'll find him in the bar... he seems to be in a generous mood tonight... he might even give it to you. He has apparently struck it rich," replied the American, a little enviously.
“Wouldn’t you know it.” said Michael. "Some guys get all the luck. ..thanks Mister."
The three companions made their way towards the bar which a neon-light sign proudly proclaimed as the Oasis Club.
“I can't see too many palm trees,” observed Arnie, innocently. “It must be the dry season," quipped Neville.
Michael cut across their jocular mood. “Neville... take cover over there behind that column. Disable anybody who follows us out of that airlock. Arnie... let’s go... we must find him quickly.”
“I’m right with you, Captain.”
In their disguised, tattered spacesuits they passed through the quick-action airlock.
These worked like two discs fastened together. As one was open the other was automatically shut. Each disc had three exit holes cut into it and were instrumental in vastly quickening up airlock activation. They had been originally designed as a fire escape door from Public Buildings on the Moon Bases and even now the Authorities insisted on this design in Clubs and other Public Buildings before a ‘fire certificate’ could be awarded.
“Good evening, Gentlemen,” said a rather large doorman who was in charge of the entrance. “The cover charge is ten dollars each.”
Michael felt foolish he had never given a thought about money. He automatically put his hand to his breast pocket and was relieved to feel a bulge. The money was still there from his visit to Earth.
“Do you accept English money?” asked Michael.
"Yes, Sir, you can change it over there, where the cashier is.”
Michael went across and changed some of his money into dollars. They paid the cover charge and went into the bar. Helmets were always carried in these places; life-support systems were not infallible and sometimes there were power cuts which put them out of action.
There was no immediate sign of Harry and the bar looked inviting. "Fancy a drink while we're waiting?" asked Michael.
"Thank you, Cap... I'd better call you Michael... I'll have a pint of that draught beer, please."
Michael ordered the drinks from a very Earthly looking barmaid who gave them both a long, smouldering, searching look and as she moistened her lips, she left no doubt that further advances would be most welcome. Since none came, she sullenly served up the drinks. The smile soon returned to her face when Michael gave her a large tip and asked her where the man who had struck it rich was celebrating .
"He's in the small bar over there and is making himself very popular... just my luck to be serving on this bar tonight," she moaned.
Michael offered his consolations and moved away from the bar. "There is no point in delaying things, Arnie. We will finish our drinks and recce the room.”
As they walked past, they saw Morgan surrounded by about twenty drunken hangers-on and they were having a good time. Even at a glance it was possible to see that Morgan was sober. He was going through the process of winning friends... he was going to need them.
"Fancy a scrap, Arnie?”
“I’m just in the mood.. ..let’s take him.”
They strode purposefully towards the smaller room, went inside and closed the sliding door. Harry looked up and just for a moment there was a flicker of fear in his eyes.
"Good evening, Harry... we have come to take you home... are you going to come quietly or will it have to be the hard way?”
"These men are maniacs,” screamed Harry. “They want to kill me... there’s ten thousand dollars for every man, if you can save me from them.”
There were some whoops of delight and the crowd turned on Michael and Arnie. Arnie hit the first man on the chin and he shot backwards into the crowd, bowling some others over. Michael felled one with a right cross and with a savage karate kick he sent another sprawling backwards across the floor. Keeping their backs to the closed door the Captain and his Coxswain battled on. The bar brawlers were no match for the fit, trained professionals.
Arnie picked up another assailant and threw him at the bar, clearing the glasses off, just like a scene from an old cowboy movie. By now Harry was searching for a weapon and unfortunately he found one. There was a fire-axe behind the bar; he leaped over, smashed the glass and helped himself. Arnie was now going onto the offensive instead of just defending himself, he had two men cornered. He hit one with a right cross and spun round and delivered a vicious back kick right on the nose of the other man; there was blood everywhere. Morgan screamed with hatred and rushed at Arnie brandishing the axe.
Arnie was concentrating on two other men and could not see him coming. Michael saw the danger and hurled himself at Morgan, ducked under the axe and they both landed in a heap on the floor. Morgan was shouting obscenities and struggling like a man possessed. Michael grabbed the axe handle and forced it down onto his windpipe and pressed. Morgan shut up rapidly, his cries strangled in his throat. Meanwhile Arnie was disposing of the revellers, dropping the last one with a vicious chop to the side of the head.
"Thanks, Captain, I never saw him coming.”
“Think nothing of it, that makes us even again. Do you have those manacles handy?"
They slipped them on Harry who was now going blue in the face. The room looked like a battlefield with unconscious bodies littering the floor. There came the sound of some frightened sobbing from behind the bars. Arnie reached over and dragged an extremely frightened barmaid to her feet.
“Sorry about the ruckus, Ma'am, but this man is a criminal. My colleague and I work for the British Secret Service, so do not worry,” lied Arnie convincingly.
Michael threw the rest of his money onto the bar, a considerable amount. “That should pay for the damage and buy these lads a drink when they come round... give them our apologies. ..we will be leaving now.”
The girl nodded dumbly. They picked Harry up and dragged him forcibly to the door. As he opened his mouth to scream, Arnie callously jabbed his thumb into his jaw, just under his left ear and put him out.
Arnie supported Morgan as Michael collected their three helmets then they removed the manacles and opened the door. They had Harry supported between them and headed for the door. The doorman came over to see what the problem was.
"Too much celebrating, he's passed out," laughed Arnie.
“We're taking him to his ship. We will stay with him while he sleeps it off."
"Well it looks like he will have one big hangover in the morning... serves him right," said the doorman unsympathetically.
They passed through into the lobby, fitted their helmets and went through the first phase of the airlock. As they cleared the second phase of the airlock there was a commotion in the lobby and two security men rushed up to the doorman who gave a startled expression and pointed to the exit. They had obviously discovered the carnage in the small bar.
Michael watched as one of the security men spoke into his radio. "We'd better hurry up, Arnie. ..We've been rumbled.”
“Arnie picked up Harry, threw him over his shoulder and started back towards the Revenge as quickly as the low gravity would allow him.
“Look out, Arnie. ..here comes Security. "Three men came round the building with electronic rifles; two knelt down and took aim, there was no attempt at a challenge. A dark shadow moved round from the columns of the club and then there were two brilliant white flashes; the two security men fell stunned as Neville callously cut them down. The other guard hit the deck and kept his head down, but it was too late, Neville shot him between the shoulder blades and put him out.
Neville caught them up and they scrambled across the launching pad in a direct line for the Revenge. Alarm bells were ringing and lights were flashing back at the Oasis Club, but it was too late. They reached the ship and Kandras was there to help them up. Just as Kandras was closing the large cargo doors, there was a vivid flash and Kandras fell. It was the launch pad guard; he had followed them, undetected and managed to get a shot away. He was a very angry man and had watched his own colleagues cut down by Neville. The bolt which had hit Kandras had ricocheted off the door surround but the weapon had been set on 'kill.’
Michael was horrified but kept his head. He dragged the inert Alien out of the cargo bay, sealed it all and removed Kandras' helmet; the others removed theirs as well. "Work on him while I get this bird into the air."
Back on the bridge, Michael switched the controls to his own position and wound up the motors. He had never taken off from the surface before but somehow he knew the procedures. Very gently