The Death-Traps of FX-31 Read online

white fibers which covered thebottom of the disk, and hinged it in place. As I looked, there sprangfrom this tunnel a _thing_ which I shall call a spider, yet which wastoo monstrous to be called by such an innocuous name.

  It was rust red in color, with eight bristling legs, each tipped withthree curved and tufted claws. On each side of its face was an armoredmandible, tipped with shining fangs, and beside them, slender,six-jointed palps stretched hungrily.

  The man who had seen the disk fly up opened fire without orders, andif he had not done so, some of us would not have returned to the ship.As it was, the atomic pistol whispered a steady stream of death whichspattered the hairy body into an oozing pulp while it was still inmid-air. We leaped away, adding our fire to that of the alert guardwho had first seen the apparition, and the spider, a twitching bundleof bespattered legs, fell on the spot where, an instant before, we hadbeen.

  Almost at the same instant two other great circular trap-doors swungup, just beyond the first, and their hairy, malignant occupants leapedtoward us.

  * * * * *

  Our pistols were ready, now, however, and the portable ray equipmentwas humming. The ray dissolved the first into a sifting of reddishdust, and our pistols slashed the other into ribbons.

  "Back to the ship!" I shouted. "Look, Mr. Correy--there are hundredsof them!"

  Before us score upon score of the great disks were lifting, and fromthe tunnel each revealed, monstrous rust-red bodies were pouring.

  Our retreat covered by the two ray operators, we made our way swiftlyto the ship. The great spiders, apparently alarmed by the magicaldisappearance of those of their comrades upon which the disintegratorray rested, hesitated for a moment, their tremendous legs tensed, andtheir mandibles quivering with venomous anger, and then scuttled backinto their holes, swinging their covers into place as they did so.

  "We didn't do so badly, at that," grinned Correy rather breathlessly,as we gained the welcome shelter of the _Ertak_. "There are a scoreand more of those potlids still standing open--which means that manyspiders didn't go back to tell about what happened to them."

  "True--but had they waited until they could have surrounded us, the_Ertak_ would have been short-handed on the return trip. She wouldhave been just two officers and six men short."

  I have never seen a real expression of fear on Correy's face, but Icame as close to it then as I ever did.

  "They're tough customers," he said. "I never did like spiders, and Ilike them less, now. Those things stood half again as high as a man ontheir long legs, and could jump half the length of the ship."

  "Hardly that," I said. "But I'll say this: if they're the gentryInverness and the other two are investigating, they're welcome totheir jobs!"

  * * * * *

  There wasn't any difficulty in keeping the men close to the ship afterthat, although waiting was a tedious and nerve-racking procedure.

  We watched the spider-infested territory closely, however, and foundthat they fed at night upon the deer-like creatures Correy hadmentioned. These unwary beasts, seeking water, were pounced upon theinstant they came close to one of the hidden dens, and dragged swiftlyout of sight. These observations were made by television, and Correyin particular would sit up half the night watching the creatures atwork.

  It was the second day of the fourth week that the sentry on dutycalled out that the boat was returning. We hastened down to the riverto welcome them back, and I for one felt very much relieved.

  But as the boat approached, I felt my fears returning, for there wasonly one man visible: Tipene.

  The Zenian, bedraggled and weary, had lost or discarded the protectivesuit he had worn, and his lean, dark face was haggard.

  "We leave immediately, Commander Hanson," he said as he disembarked."Please give the necessary orders."

  "But the others, sir? Where are Inverness and Brady?"

  "Dead," said Tipene. "The Aranians got them. I barely escaped myself."

  "And who are the Aranians?" I asked.

  "The creatures which control this world. The spider creatures.Aranians, they call themselves. Do we leave at once, as I ordered?"

  I thought quickly. I didn't like Tipene, and never had, and I fanciedeven less the high-handed attitude he was taking.

  "I would suggest, sir, that you first give us an account of what hashappened," I said shortly. "If there is anything we can do for theother two, perhaps--"

  "I said they were dead," snapped Tipene. "You can't do anything fordead men, can you?"

  "No. But we must have a report to enter on our log, you understand,and--I'll be very busy on the return trip. I'd like to have your storybefore we start." Somehow, I was suspicious of Tipene.

  "Very well. Although I warn you I shall report your delay to yoursuperiors." I shrugged, and led the way to the dining saloon which,small as it was, held chairs enough to seat us all.

  * * * * *

  "My story is very brief," he said, when my three officers, Tipene, andmyself were seated. "We proceeded up the river to a spot which wedeemed suited as a point of entry into the country, and far enoughfrom the ship so that its presence would not be alarming to theinhabitants.

  "We permitted ourselves to be captured by the Aranians, knowing thatour protective suits would prevent them from doing us serious bodilyinjury.

  "You have seen the creatures--word of your adventure with themprecipitated our misfortune, I might say here--and you know of theirtunnels. We were taken down one of these tunnels, and into a stilllarger one. This in turn gave onto a veritable subterranean avenue,and, in time, led to a sort of underground metropolis."

  "What?" growled Correy. "An underground city of those things?"

  "I should like to ask that you do not interrupt," said Tipene coldly."This metropolis was really no more than a series of cubicles, openingoff the innumerable crisscrossing tunnels, and many layers inthickness. Passage from one level to another was by means of slantingtunnels.

  "Some of these cubicles were very large, and utilized as storagerooms. Others were used for community activities, schools,entertainments, and so forth. We learned these things later, andexplored them by means of our _ethon_ lamps--the entire system oftunnels being, of course, in utter darkness.

  "The first few days they were exceedingly hostile, and tried to tearus to pieces. When they could not do this, word was sent to some oftheir more learned members, and we were investigated. By the use ofextra menores we had brought with us, we established a contact withtheir minds; first by the usual process of impressing pictures of ourthoughts upon their minds, and later by more direct process."

  * * * * *

  "I will say nothing of the great scientific value of our discoveries,for you would neither understand nor appreciate them--although theywill set the scientific universe agog," continued Tipene, his eyesgleaming suddenly with a triumphant light. "As we perfectedcommunication, we convinced them that we were friendly, and we gainedtheir complete confidence.

  "They are a very ancient race. Very slowly have they come to theirpresent stage of mental development, but they now possess reasoningfaculties, a language--and a form of community government. There ismuch more, which, as I have said, would be of no significance to you.

  "And then word came that beings like ourselves had attacked and killedmany of the Aranians. The news had traveled slowly, for their systemof communication is crude, but it reached the community center inwhich we were staying.

  "Instantly, all was hostility. They felt they had been betrayed, andthat we might betray them. Brady and Inverness, always rash andthoughtless, had discarded their protective suits, feeling sure theywere perfectly safe, and they were torn to pieces.

  "I, having a more scientific and cautious mind, doubting everything asa true scientific mind must, still wore my armor. By the liberal useof my pistol, I managed to fight my way to the surface, and to theboat. And now, Commander Hanson, will you
start back, as I haveordered?"

  I don't know what I would have said if I had not caught a peculiarglance from Correy, a glance accompanied by a significant, momentaryclosing of one eye (a gesture of Earth which means many things, andwhich is impossible to explain) and a slight nod.

  "Very well, Mr. Tipene," I said shortly. "We'll start at once.Gentlemen, will you join me in the navigating room?"

  * * * * *

  Correy was the last to arrive in the navigating room, and when he camein his eyes were dancing.

  "I've just transferred Tipene to another stateroom, sir," he said. "Aspecially equipped stateroom."

  "You what?"

  "If you'll give orders, sir, for an immediate