Space War by Neil R. Jones

Author:Neil R. Jones
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Science Fiction, American
Publisher: Ace
Published: 1967-08-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter III

When Professor Jameson came to his senses, he was no longer in the wrecked spaceship. His metal head was fastened to a shining, new cubed body without tentacles or legs. Looking about him, he surmised that he was in the assembling room of an outfitting department on Mumed. He immediately placed a guard on his thoughts.

How had he come there? Did the Mumes know him for a Zorome? This was not the metal body he had known. The last thing he recalled was the jarring crash aboard the ship of the Mumes, following the report that Zoromes were coming.

A metal Mume approached him, carrying six metal tentacles, his body girdled with various tools and implements. Behind him came another, carrying four metal tags. The professorfs brain was alive with questions, yet resolutely he repressed his curiosity.

gHow do you feel?h queried the Mume.

gI seem to be all right,h the professor replied.

gYou must have received quite a heavy rap, but you are lucky. Most of you on that ship either died in the crash on Tanid or else were killed by one of your captives who survived the crash.h

gWe were attacked by a ship of Zor,h was the professorfs honest statement. gIt was then that I became bereft of my senses, for I recollect nothing which happened after that. What of this captive you mentioned?h

The Mume told him how help had arrived just in time to save him from the ray gun of an organic Zorome. This puzzled the professor; it failed to make sense. But the Mumes really believed him to be one of them. Very well, he would let them remain thinking so.

But the Zorome who had tried to kill him? Had he, too, believed the professor to be a Mume? He dared not ask too many questions.

gAm I the only survivor?h the professor ventured.

gNo. Three of you survivedRIGHT SQUARE BRACKET4N7, 2H6 and yourself. Their mechanical injuries were similar to yours.h

gWhere are they?h the professor asked, masking his sudden apprehension.

g2H6 has been placed with one of the ships which came to investigate the wreck. All he needed was two tentacles and a leg. He recovered his senses quickly.

4N7 is in the subterranean city of 6D4, where you are soon to be taken.h

Professor Jameson did some rapid thinking. 2H6 was aboard a spaceship. He had little to fear from him. He might never come back to identify the professor as a machine man of Zor. But 4N7 existed as a menace to his safety. 4N7 would brand him as an imposter, stating that he had never been aboard the ship of Mumed at all. And the professor knew that he was to be taken where 4N7 was now located, the secret city of 6D4.

And the rumor of the subterranean city was an actual fact. The professor was not surprised at the matter-of-fact disclosure. It was evidently a development since Zoromes had last visited the enemy world.

gWho are you?h

This question took Professor Jameson by surprise, but he answered quite readily, g9Y1.h

With

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