The Fourth Golden Age of Science Fiction MEGAPACK: Clifford D. Simak by Clifford D. Simak

Author:Clifford D. Simak [Simak, Clifford D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: pulp fiction, science fiction, short stories, sci-fi, classic
ISBN: 9781479403004
Publisher: Wildside Press LLC
Published: 2014-06-04T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

A giant cylindrical hull of finest beryl steel, the ship loomed in the screen. A mighty ship, braced into absolute rigidity by monster cross beams of shining steel. Glowing under the blazing lamps that lighted the scene, it towered into the shadows of the factory, dwarfing the scurrying workmen who swarmed over it.

“She’s a beauty,” said Russ, puffing at his pipe.

Greg nodded agreement. “They’re working on her day and night to get her finished. We may need it some day and need it in a hurry. If Chambers really gets that machine of his to rolling, space will be the only place big enough to hide in.”

He chuckled, a grim chuckle, deep in his throat.

“But we won’t have to hide long. Just until we get organized and then will come the time when we’ll call for the showdown. Chambers will have to spread his cards.”

Russ snapped the television switch and the screen went blank. The laboratory suddenly was a place of queer lights and shadows, bulging with grotesque machines, with sprawling apparatus, a place that hinted darkly of vast power and mighty forces.

The scientist sat up in his chair. “We’ve come a long way, Greg. A long, long way. We have the greatest power man has ever known; we have an almost incomprehensible space drive; we have three-dimensional television.”

“And,” said Greg dryly, “we took Chambers to the cleaners on the market.”

They sat in silence. Greg smelled the smoke from Russ’s pipe, mixed with the taint of lubricant and the faint lingering scent of ionized air.

“We mustn’t underrate Chambers, however,” he declared. “The man made one mistake. He underrated us. We can’t repeat his mistake. He is dangerous all the time. He will stop at nothing. Not even murder.”

“He’s going easy now,” said Russ. “He’s hoping Craven can find something that will either equal our stuff or beat it. But Craven isn’t having any luck. He’s still driving himself on the radiation theory, but he doesn’t seem to make much headway.”

“If he got it, just what would it mean?”

“Plenty. With that he could turn all radiations in space to work. The cosmics, heat, light, everything. Space is full of radiation.”

“If it hadn’t been for Wilson,” Greg said, his voice a snarl, “we wouldn’t have to be worrying about Chambers. Chambers wouldn’t know until we were ready to let him know.”

“Wilson!” ejaculated Russ, suddenly leaning forward. “I had forgotten about Wilson. What do you say we try to find him?”

* * * *

Harry Wilson sat at his table in the Martian Club and watched the exotic Martian dance, performed by near-nude girls. Smoke trailed up lazily from his drooping cigarette as he watched through squinted eyes. There was something about the dance that got under Wilson’s skin.

The music rose, then fell to whispering undertones and suddenly, unexpectedly, crashed and stopped. The girls were running from the floor. A wave of smooth, polite applause rippled around the tables.

Wilson sighed and reached for his wine glass. He crushed the cigarette into a tray and sipped his wine.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.