Fifth Planet by Fred Hoyle & Geoffrey Hoyle

Author:Fred Hoyle & Geoffrey Hoyle [Hoyle, Fred & Hoyle, Geoffrey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
ISBN: 9780060804879
Goodreads: 1242121
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 1963-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Twenty minutes later Pitoyan found him. He was holding convulsively to the grass, his fingers dug into its roots, and he was sobbing helplessly.

Fiske brought their machine to a clattering halt.

‘We’ve been at this place before. I wish you’d watched those gyros.’ He looked at Reinbach accusingly. ‘You and your bloody fish.’

Reinbach was indignant. ‘I have been watching the bastards. Are you thinking I’m bugs ?’

‘I’m not suggesting anything, only watch ’em this time.’

‘Why don’t you let me do the driving. Then you could set the course.’

This seemed like a good idea, so Reinbach moved over to the driver’s seat. Within an hour they were back at the same spot.

‘Who’s not been watching the mockers now?’ asked Reinbach.

‘But it can’t be,’ protested Tom Fiske. ‘I haven’t taken my eyes off ’em.’

‘Well, for God’s sake, look where we are! ’

They decided to stop for a spot of lunch and to cool off a bit. When they started again Reinbach was still in the driver’s seat. This time things seemed to go better, it seemed as if new country was opening before them all the time. It was the same sort of country, the everlasting rise and fall of the green slopes, but they had a feeling that in spite of

Exploration

the downs they were gaining height steadily. In fact the altimeter showed they were. It was clearly a high point they were approaching. When they reached what they thought to be the top there were about two horns to go before Helios would dip below the horizon. Reinbach cut the engine and they got out to stretch their legs. Within fifty yards was the can they had thrown away at lunch-time.

‘We’re in it. Don’t you see, Tom, we’re in it, we’re in a groove, we’ll never get out, we’re just going to go on round and round for ever. Remember what I told you - about maybe there being something close that you and me didn’t know about?’

Reinbach’s chatter was wild and it annoyed Tom.

‘Shut up, or I’ll fix you.’

Fiske didn’t like it but he still had a full grip on himself. ‘We’ll kip down here until after the shiner’s down,’ he said, indicating Helios, ‘Then we’ll go by the stars. There can’t be anything wrong with them. It’s the gyros that are wrong.’

They walked away from the machine, just to get away from the smell of gasoline. They sprawled down in the grass and set themselves to wait. For a time Reinbach kept glancing back nervously to the machine as if he expected it to vanish. But it was always there, solid and reassuring, and after a while he calmed down and felt better. Of course it must be the bloody gyros.

They waited until Helios was down and the stars came out, the old familiar stars. It was as if the strange world about them had suddenly dissolved and they were back home among their own people. They set off in good spirits. It couldn’t be more than three hours’ drive

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