Asteroids -- Fiction; Science fiction; Short stories
The first was a scout ship of American Spaceways! Nat recognized the
name: _Ceres_, remembered a telecast account of its disappearance in
space. There was a neat little reward for information as to its
whereabouts. Nat's lips curled in derision: it wouldn't equal the
expense of his journey out here. There was a deep groove in the smooth
material of the floor where the ship had been dragged through the
doorway into the room. What machines could have done this work without
leaving their own traces? He went to the other ships: all were small,
mostly single or two-passenger craft. The last entry in the logs of
many was to the effect that they were about to land on the Asteroid
Moira to rescue a girl held captive there.
None had crashed; all ships were in perfect order. But all were
deserted. Two doors were gone from the interior of one of the vessels.
They might have been removed for any of a hundred reasons--but why
here?
Nat's glance swept the room, came to rest on the figure of a heavy duty
robot of familiar design. Semi-human in form, it looked like some
misshapen, bent, headless giant. He inspected it: _Meyers Robot, Inc._
Earth designed for mining operations on Mars.
"Well, Digger, I can see now how these ships were brought in here; that
robot could move any one of these with ease. But that doesn't explain
where the humans have gone. It might be space pirates using this
asteroid for a base, or it might be some alien form of life. We're
still free. Shall we beat it or stay and try to check this out?"
He did not know how much of this got over to the spacehound, but the
impressions he received in answer were those of approving their
remaining where they were.
"I suppose the best system is to explore the rest of the caves in
order; let's go."
Followed by Digger, he walked quietly toward the next cave on the left,
slipped through the doorway, and, standing with his back against the
wall, swung the light of his torch in a wide, swift arc about the room.
Halfway around, he stopped abruptly; a slim, petite figure appeared
clearly in the searchlight's glare. The girl he had seen on the
televisor stood in the middle of the room, facing a telecaster, her
back toward him. She did not seem aware of him as he moved forward.
What could be wrong; surely that light would arouse her.
The figure did not turn as he approached. So near was he now that he
could seize her easily, still she made no move. Nat stepped to one
side, flashed his torch in her face. Her beautifully-lashed eyes stared
straight ahead unblinkingly; the expression on her lovely composed face
did not change. A robot! He laughed bitterly. But then, he was not the
only one....
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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