Complete Fiction by Hal Annas

Author:Hal Annas [Annas, Hal]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-05-30T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

AT the moment we must remain here,” Nyuk said. “When our position is exactly right relative to our destination we will move on.” He glanced upward and it seemed to Aleta that he saw something she had missed.

His explanation about going on was not clear. She grasped that it had something to do with the motion of the planet. What interested her was his sudden ashen pallor. She was also disturbed by strange vibrations in the earth.

Following his gaze, she looked up. Scarcely larger than ants to her eyes, Novakkans worked on the surface. Not precisely the surface; they were down many feet.

Without warning she experienced the same kind of tremor she had experienced on the lifeship when the Novakkans were sealing a chamber about the airlock.

The situation was much the same. Somehow the Novakkans knew their quarry was below ground. They were drilling and burning their way down.

Nyuk’s features grew more ashen. And Aleta was certain that hers were the same color. She made no effort to rise. Her nerves had been tense so long that exhaustion had overcome her. She relaxed, stared about her and studied the laboratory.

Hanging as in space, but actually from the ceiling in an adjoining room, visible as in the background of a picture, were miniature planetary systems, great colored cosmographs, and endless mathematical symbols. Books stood on shelves that seemed to have no end, and she recognized spools and audio equipment which would enable students to learn while sleeping. A treasure-trove of knowledge, just beyond the wall, visible to her eyes.

Sometime later Nyuk swore lightly and breathed an exclamation. Again she followed his gaze.

The Novakkans had made progress. Their work still made the earth vibrate. But some of them were no longer upright, and it suddenly dawned that they were suffering from lack of oxygen.

Again Nyuk breathed relief as others fell. His strategy had worked, was working, and he walked about in triumph, again talking, his features regaining color.

But not for long. Novakkans still standing worked on doggedly driving their shaft deeper into the ground. When one keeled over another took his place. Their determination on a mission of vengeance was unrivaled, so far as men knew.

And then other Novakkans arrived with helmets and spacesuits.

Soon the fallen were again standing, in full spaceman’s regalia, and the tempo of the work increased.

Nyuk’s apprehension returned. He studied dials, moved controls, tried to hurry up the process that would enable them to go on. But it appeared to be geared to planetary motion.

And in those last minutes, when the Novakkans were but a few yards away, hacking through the laboratory wall. Nyuk came out of his jacket, unsheathed a long slender blade, half the weight of those of the Novakkans, and a raygun.

His action came as a surprise to Aleta. She had thought that he wouldn’t fight. Now he was a man prepared to die in the heat of conflict. And in his features, above that jutting red beard, was a look that declared he would take some of his enemies with him.

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