The Death-Traps of FX-31 Read online

start, I'll tell you allabout it," chuckled Correy. "Tipene says he's worn out, and is goingto retire as soon as we start. And when he does--we'll learnsomething."

  I nodded to Kincaide, and he gave the general attention signal. In afew seconds the outer sentry was recalled, and the exit port had beensealed. Slowly, the _Ertak_ lifted.

  "Maybe I'm wrong, sir," said Correy then, "but I'm convinced thatTipene is lying. Something's wrong; he was in altogether too much of ahurry to get away.

  "So, before I transferred him to the other stateroom, I concealed amenore under the mattress of his bunk, immediately under where hishead will lie. It's adjusted to full strength, and I believe it willpick up enough energy to emanate what he's thinking about. We'll be inthe next stateroom and see what we can pick up. How does that sound,sir?"

  "Like something you'd cook up, Mr. Correy!" I said promptly. "And Ibelieve, as you do, that if it works at all, we'll find out somethinginteresting."

  We equipped ourselves with menores, adjusted to maximum power, andsilently filed into the stateroom adjacent to Tipene's.

  He was moving about slowly, apparently undressing, for we heard firstone boot and then another drop to the floor. And we could sense vagueemanations, too faint to be intelligible, and unmistakably coming fromhim.

  "Probably sitting on the edge of his bunk," whispered Correy. "When helies down, it'll work like a charm!"

  It did--almost too well. Suddenly we caught a strong emanation, in theUniversal language.

  * * * * *

  "Surly individual, that Hanson--didn't like my giving orders--hurt hisdignity. But I had my own way, and that's all that's important. Seemedto be suspicious--they all were. Maybe I was a bit urgent--but I wasafraid--those damned Aranians might have changed their spidery minds.

  "They can't be very intelligent--to think I'd come back with tributeto pay for the spiders that fool Hanson and his men killed. Why, theship's rays could wipe them all out, drill a hole in the ground--theydidn't realize that. Thought that by holding Brady and that conceitedInverness for hostages, they'd be safe--and I'd be idiotic enough tonot see this chance to get all the glory of the expedition formyself--instead of sharing it with those two. You're a quick thinker,Tipene--the true, ruthless, scientific mind...."

  I motioned for my officers to follow me, and we made our way, silentand grim-faced, to the navigating room.

  "Nice, friendly lad, isn't he?" snarled Correy. "I thought there wassomething up. What are your plans, sir?"

  "We'll go to the rescue of Inverness and Brady, of course. Mr. Correy,place Tipene under arrest, and bring him here at once. Mr. Kincaide,take over the ship; give orders to set her down where we were. Andyou, Mr. Hendricks, will take personal command of the forward raytubes."

  My officers sprang to obey orders, and I paced restlessly up and downthe room, thinking. Just as the _Ertak_ settled softly to earth,Correy returned with his prisoner. Two men stood on guard with drawnatomic pistols at the door.

  "What's the meaning of this indignity, sir?" flared Tipene. He haddressed hurriedly, and was by no means an imposing spectacle. He drewhimself up to his full height, and tried to look domineering, butthere was fear in his eyes. "I shall report you--"

  "You'll do no reporting, Tipene," I broke in coldly. "I'll do thereporting. You see, we know all about your little plan to desert yourcomrades, held by the Aranians as hostages, and to grasp all the gloryof your findings for yourself. But--the plan doesn't work. We're goingback."

  * * * * *

  Tipene's face drained a dirty yellow--a Zenian can never be actuallypale.

  "You ... how...." he floundered.

  "A menore, under your pillow," I explained crisply. "But that doesn'tmatter, now. You will guide us to the spot where you found the Araniancity, and establish communication with the Aranians. When that's done,I'll give you further orders."

  "And if I won't?" breathed Tipene, his teeth clenched in a shakingrage.

  "But you will. Otherwise, we'll permit you to continue yourexplorations on this interesting little sphere--minus your protectivesuit."

  Tipene stared at me with horror-stricken eyes. I think he saw that Imeant exactly what I said--and I was not bluffing.

  "I--I'll do it," he said.

  "Then watch the river carefully," I ordered. "Kincaide, lift her justenough so we can get a good view of the river. Tipene will tell youwhere to set her down."

  Navigating visually, Kincaide followed the winding course of theriver, covering in a few minutes a distance it had taken thescientists a day to navigate.

  "There--there is the place," said Tipene suddenly. "Just this side ofthe patch of vegetation."

  "Very good. And remember what happens if you play any tricks," Inodded grimly. "Descend to within a few yards of the ground, Mr.Kincaide; we'll drop Tipene through the trap."

  Correy hurried the prisoner away, and I ordered the trap in the bottomof the _Ertak's_ hull to be opened.

  "Now," I informed Tipene, "we'll let you down and you will establishcommunication with the Aranians. Tell them you have brought back, nottribute, but an enemy powerful enough to blast their entire city outof existence. It will be a simple matter for you to picture what anatomic grenade or one of the ship's rays will do. We'll arrange alittle demonstration, if they're not convinced. And tell them that ifthey don't want to be wiped out, to bring Inverness and Brady to us,unharmed, as fast as their eight long legs will manage."

  "They won't do it," whined Tipene. "They were very angry over thekilling of those others. I'm just risking my life without thepossibility of gain."

  "You obey my orders, or you go down and stay there," I said abruptly."Which?"

  "I'll do as you say," he said, and the cage dropped with him swiftly.

  * * * * *

  As soon as he was on the ground he reached up and adjusted his menore,peering around anxiously. For several minutes nothing happened, andthen, the length of the ship away, one of the great trap-doors flewopen. Out of it came one of the spiders, not rust-red like those wehad seen, but faded to a dirty yellow. Close behind him were two ofthe rust-red Aranians, which fell in one on each side of the yellowchap.

  The first Aranian, I presumed--and rightly--was one of the old learnedmembers of the race. As he scuttled closer to the cowering Tipene, Isaw that, amidst the bristles which covered his head and thorax, was amenore.

  The three great spiders approached the ship warily, watching itconstantly with huge, glittering eyes. A safe distance away theypaused, and the old one fixed his attention on Tipene.

  Evidently, what Tipene emanated caused the old fellow to become veryangry; I could see his legs quivering, and his withered old mandiblesfairly clattered.

  "He says he won't do it!" Tipene called up to me, excitedly. "Says wecan't reach them underground, and that they'll kill their hostages ifwe try to harm them."

  "Ask him if there are any tunnels between the ship and the river," Icommanded. "We'll demonstrate what we can do if he harms Inverness andBrady."

  The two were in silent communion for a moment, and Tipene looked upand shook his head.

  "No," he shouted. "No tunnels there. The water would seep into them."

  "Then tell him to watch!"

  I stepped back and pressed an attention signal.

  "Mr. Hendricks?"

  "Yes, sir!"

  "Open up with the starboard tube, full power, concentrated beam, atany spot halfway between here and the river. At once."

  "At once, sir!"

  * * * * *

  The ray generators hummed instantly, their note deepening a momentlater. The ray bit into the dry, sandy soil, boring steadily into theearth, making an opening over twice the height of a man in diameter.

  The fine, reddish-brown dust of disintegration hung swirling above themouth of the tunnel at first, and then, as the ray cut deeper into theearth, settled quickly and disappeared.
r />   "Cease operation, Mr. Hendricks!" I commanded. "Keep the generatorson, and stand by for further orders."

  As soon as Hendricks' quick acknowledgment came back, I called down toTipene.

  "Tell your friend to inspect the little hole we drilled," I said."Tell him to crawl down into it, if he wishes to see how deep it is.And then inform him that we have several ray tubes like this one, andthat if he does not immediately produce his hostages, unharmed, we'llrise above his city and blast out a crater big enough to bury