Science fiction -- Periodicals; Science fiction, American -- Periodicals
Then for six hours he listened to the sounds of sleeping men who were
sprawled about him on the floor; for six hours he saw the one man who
sat on guard beside a light that made any thought of attack absurd.
And he cursed himself for a fool, as he lay wakeful and vainly
planning--a poor, futile fool who was unable to cope with this man who
had bested him.
Nineteen seventy-three!--and here were Harkness and Diane and himself,
captured by a man who was mentally and morally a misfit in a modern
world. A throw-back--that was Schwartzmann: Harkness had said it. He
belonged back in nineteen fourteen.
Harkness was beyond the watching guard; from where he lay came sounds
of restless movement. Chet knew that he was not alone in this mood of
hopeless dejection. There was no opportunity for talk; only with the
coming of day did the two find a chance to exchange a few quick words.
The guard roused the others at the first light of sunlight beyond the
ports. Harkness sauntered slowly to where Chet was staring from a
lookout. He, too, leaned to see the world outside, and he spoke
cautiously in a half-whisper:
"Not a chance, Chet. No use trying to bluff this big crook any more.
He's here, and he's safe; and he knows it as well as we do. We'll let
him ditch us--you and Diane and me. Then, when we're on our own, we'll
watch our chance. He will go crazy with what he finds--may get
careless--then we'll seize the ship--" His words ended abruptly. As
Schwartzmann came behind them, he was casually calling Chet's
attention to a fumerole from which a jet of vapor had appeared.
Yellowish, it was; and the wind was blowing it.
Chet turned away; he hardly saw Schwartzmann or heard Harkness' words.
He was thinking of what Walt had said. Yes, it was all they could do;
there was no chance of a fight with them now. But later!
Diane Delacouer came into the control-room at the instant; her dark
eyes were still lovely with sleep, but they brightened to flash an
encouraging smile toward the two men. There were five of
Schwartzmann's men in the ship besides the pilot and the scientist,
Kreiss. They all crowded in after Diane.
They must have had their orders in advance; Schwartzmann merely
nodded, and they sprang upon Harkness and Chet. The two were caught
off their guard; their arms were twisted behind them before resistance
could be thought of. Diane gave a cry, started forward, and was
brushed back by a sweep of Schwartzmann's arm. The man himself stood
staring at them, unmoving, wordless. Only the flesh about his eyes
gathered into creases to squeeze the eyes to malignant slits. There
was no mistaking the menace in that look.
* * * * *
"I think we do not need you any more," he said at last. "I think, Herr
Harkness, this is the end of our little argument--and, Herr Harkness,
you lose. Now, I will tell you how it iss that you pay.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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