Alice: The Girl From Earth - Булычев Кир - Страница 47

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“But he didn’t know that we had intercepted the transmission.” The fat man boasted, clasping and unclasping hands, “and we knew everything.”

“Yes.” The Second Captain said. “They had intercepted the Third Captain’s transmission, because the planet on which they were hiding out on was the same world to which I and my friend were now hurrying. My friend was seriously ill. The long flight, longer than any taken by any inhabitant of our Galaxy, had sapped his strength, and he was afraid he would be unable to reach Earth or his home planet Fyxx. And he was carrying very important information. The inhabitants of the Andromeda Galaxy had given him the formula for galaxion, the ultimate fuel source, the means of tapping into the energy of space itself. A ship with galaxion powered engines will fly a hundred times faster than anything now in space. Planets will become as close as neighboring cities on Earth or Mars. The Andromedans had rebuilt his engines to use the fuel source, and the Third Captain was flying toward this planet without suspecting that it was a pirate lair, and he landed here. His sickness had progressed so far he could no longer pilot his ship. The pirates marked where his ship landed and followed after, but they made no attempt to take him. They decided to wait for my arrival and learn just what the important news the Third Captain was bringing. While he was unconscious they got aboard his ship and placed listening devices, while the ship itself they moved to the false field above here.

“You must admit we did an excellent job of preparing for your arrival.” Veselchak U said.

“When I landed my ship beside the Third Captain’s I found my friend in very serious condition. The Captain told me of his voyage and about the formula for galaxion. I realized that the most important thing now was to get Third to Earth, where he could be cured. But I also knew he would not survive the trip through space, and I decided to remain here with him until he grew a little stronger. I hurried back to my own ship for medicines, but while I was searching through the medical supplies the pirates tipped the lock above us and both our ships dropped into this cavern.

“It all went according to plan!” The fat man said.

“Naturally,” the Second Captain continued, “they feared attacking me above ground. When I came to I saw the Blue Gull was in a cave. They flicked on the light, and the creature now standing next to you came into it. I recognized him and realized the pirates had out-tricked me. They promised to free me in exchange for the galaxion formula. They boasted how the fuel source would make their ships fly so fast no one else would be able to catch them, they would have nothing to fear from the Space Patrol, and every cargo ship in the Galaxy would be theirs for the taking. I realized that there was no way I could possibly give them the formula and could never allow myself to fall into their hands alive. I smashed the lock and refused them entry to the Blue Gull.”

“What happened to the Third Captain?” Poloskov asked.

“They tried to cut into our ships to take us captive. They succeeded with the Third Captain’s ship, and he fell into tier hands. Most likely they murdered him.”

“Not true!” The fat man said. “Not true at all. He died all on his own, from his sickness. You yourself know how seriously ill he was. When we cut through into the ship he was already dead.”

“But they were unable to cut into the Blue Gull.” The Captain said. “My ship’s hull is composed of a diamond based composite material. On board I had a blabberyap bird, a gift from the Firs Captain. The two of us had an agreement; if anything were to happen I should let the Blabberyap bird go with instructions to fly to Venus and seek out the First Captain. The First Captain knows how to get the bird to tell him where I am and what happened to me.”

“But we couldn’t.” I said. “We got the Blabberyap to say a few things, but, unfortunately, not very much.”

“But how did you acquire him?” The Second Captain asked.

“He was wounded,” I said. “from when the pirates were chasing him.”

“Yes, as a matter of fact.” The fat man agreed.

“But the blabberyap bird was able to get away. He made it to the planet Eyeron and the robots their fixed his wing…”

“And for that we contaminated all the machine oil on the planet; the robots are all paralyzed, frozen unable to move.” The fat man said laughing so hard all his jello chins shook.

“We fixed the robots.” I said. “They’re doing quite well now.”

“What?”

“I said we were on that planet, and we cured the robots.”

“Damnation!” The fat man shouted.

“But the Blabberyap was unable to reach the Sol system with a metal wing, unfortunately,” I said, “It only just made it to its native planet.”

“W searched for it there.” The fat man admitted. “My friend and I.” He indicated Doctor Verkhovtseff.

“Traitor!” Zeleny said gloomily. “Wait ‘til I get my hands on you!”

“Silence!” Veselchak U threatened him with a finger. “My friend and I killed all the Blabberyap birds on the planet Blooke. We bought them, traded for them, stole them. At first we tried to destroy all the free oxygen on the planet…”

“With the worms? I asked.

“Of course with the worms. Alas, we were unsuccessful. And completely by accident the Blabberyap bird fell into these idiots’ hands.” The fat man said. “And they managed to get here. We did warn them. They have no one but themselves to blame for the consequences. But now you will have to suffer…”

“Don’t worry.” The Second Captain said “They won’t be able to do anything to you. They’re far too cowardly. All the pirates in the Galaxy were unable to defeat the Three Captains, and they’re not going to win over us one by one either.”

“No, we have!” The fat man shouted. “The Third Captain is dead already, and you’ve been sitting here our prisoner for four years, and as soon as we get the galaxion formula we’ll go after your First Captain as well.”

“You’ve really been confined to your ship for four years?” Poloskov asked.

“Yes.” The Second Captain answered. “I admit to being rather pig headed. I could have destroyed the formula, naturally, but that would have deprived the inhabitants of the galaxy of it and it is very important they get it; all planets will be a hundred times closer to each other in travel time. I knew that sooner or later help would arrive.”

“And this is what you got.” The fat man said. “Have you talked yourself out, Captain. Now you are going to have to part with the formula.”.

“I have another agreement with the First Captain,” the Second Captain said. “If he did not hear from me for more than four years he was to notify the Space Patrol and send them off in search of me. Now, if these people found me so soon, then the First Captain will have little trouble, something you well know.”

“Perhaps, and you’re done talking.” Doctor Verkhoovtseff said hollowly. “Begin; he’s just wasting time.”

Then one of the pirates came over to me and grabbed me roughly by my bound hands. I lost my balance and fell. He dragged me to the side. I tried to resist, but a second pirate joined the first and they had be by both arms and legs

The fat man pulled a long knife from his belt.

“You know, Captain,” he said, turning to the ship, “I do know how to joke; that’s what my name means in my own language. But many, many of my jokes produce tears.” He raised his knife.

Poloskov and Zeleny tried to get free and come to my aid, but Doctor Verkhovtseff, who had been watching us all very carefully, shot the two off with anesthetic gas from a dispenser that hung from his neck on a cord. My friends collapsed on the floor.

“Well?” Veselchak U said.

I could feel the cold, sharp knife edge touching my throat.

“Take off the lock.” The Second Captain said.

“Well, that’s settled..”

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