Adventure stories; Science fiction; Short stories; Space ships -- Fiction
Ron had been indecisive. Now he felt his brain become suddenly cool and
concise. He knew what he must do. It had been pure luck that _he_ had
taken the starboard side instead of Tarnuff. It was an omen.
But it would be risky. Ron suddenly sobered, moved along until he could
grasp Oruk by the collar. He tugged. The body was wedged tight, just
fitting the space between the tubes. Ron thrust the pistol into his
belt and used both hands. At last the body came free.
He saw that he'd have to leave the pistol in his belt now. If Tarnuff
should suddenly appear somewhere over the curve of the hull, it would
be the end. But he'd have to risk it.
Hugging the body tightly to him, he moved a little higher, up to the
long line of circular ports. He moved slowly back toward the center of
the ship, peering into each glassite port as he passed. But he couldn't
find what he was looking for; all was dark within.
At last he came to one that wasn't so dark. He saw a faint
scintillation of color. Silicytes! There were at least a score of them
in this cabin into which he peered. He had almost forgotten about them,
but now he was glad of their faint flashing light, for he saw what he
sought: one of the lockers containing space-suits.
He knew the Silicytes could live in airless space, so he didn't
hesitate. A few blows with his metallic shoe, and the port shattered.
It was almost his undoing. The rush of air from the room came so
suddenly it almost swept him away into space. Just in time he grasped
the edge of the circular opening with one hand, clung tenaciously to
his gruesome burden with the other. Then the air was gone, and he
shoved Oruk's body into the room ahead of him.
Instantly the Silicytes crowded around, their chain-like tentacles
clashing, reaching out toward him. Ron could feel their crystal
coldness even through his space-suit. He shoved them recklessly out of
the way, knowing they were harmless. At last he procured a space-suit,
and then came a job not to his liking--fitting Oruk's huge body into
it. At last, however, it was accomplished. He shoved the bulging,
helmeted figure outside again, and climbed out beside it.
Ron's lips tightened grimly now. If his luck held, he'd make Tarnuff
waste his bullet....
But where was Tarnuff? For a second Ron thought of clicking on his
phone again and calling out, to see what would happen. But no--that
would give his own position away. If he didn't know where Tarnuff was,
neither did the Martian know where he was.
Ron took a guess and moved toward the stern again.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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