More Adventures on Other Planets (Jerry eBooks) by Donald A. Wollheim

Author:Donald A. Wollheim [Wollheim, Donald A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jerry eBooks
Published: 2015-05-20T04:00:00+00:00

III

SPARKS FOUND him, and called the others. Frome got there first. His examination of the body was swift, but thorough. “This happened almost as soon as we left the ship. There is no wound on his body, no sign to show the cause of death. But his face is stamped with the same agony that was on the faces of the first three.”

Methodically he began to search the galley. From an open bin he pulled another jewel.

Frome’s face seemed to freeze. He was still wearing the heavy gloves that are standard equipment in the open of Mars. Handling the jewel gingerly, he raised it up to the level of his eyes, squinted at it. Shaking his head, he said, “I can’t tell whether it is the same one we brought into the ship last night.”

“Do you think, while we were at dinner, Adams slipped into the other room and stole it?” Sutter asked.

“That is not true,” said Mcllrath flatly.

“How do you know it isn’t? It could be true.”

“I knew Adams,” the old Scot said. “He was no thief.”

“But how did it get out of the ship, or where was it hidden? Are you suggesting it moved of its own accord?” Sutter persisted.

“Enough,” Frome interrupted decisively. “Something killed him. I am not prepared to say this jewel was responsible for his death. I’m not prepared to say it wasn’t. But I am saying this: We’re going to our main base immediately, where complete laboratory facilities are available, and we’re going to find out what these damned things really are. Angus, prepare your engines for an immediate take-off. Sparks,” he barked, “warm up your transmitter and make contact with our main base immediately. Report that we are coming in. Get moving.”

Sparks was already racing toward the bow of the ship. As he slid into the seat before the transmitter, he saw, out of the corner of his eyes, the body of the dead Martian where Sutter and Orsatti had dropped it when they entered the ship. The dagger was still sticking from his throat.

The sight sent a touch of eerie chill up his spine. If he had needed anything to remind him that some incredible form of death lurked very near, the sight of the dagger protruding from the Martian provided it.

He snapped the switches, reached automatically for the microphone. When no transformer hum came he snapped the switches again. He was still working with them when Frome entered the room.

“I regret to report,” he said, “that our transmitter is dead. The power seems to have failed.”

Frome stopped in midstride. He would have halted like that if somebody had suddenly pulled a gun on him. “What’s that?”

As Sparks repeated the words, Sutter and Orsatti entered the room.

“But the power for our radio transmitter is drawn from our main engines,” Frome whispered. Then he spun on his heel, brushed past Orsatti and Sutter, and was gone.

“What’s going on?” Orsatti asked bewilderedly.

“I have a hunch I know,” Sparks answered. He pounded after the captain. When he reached the engine room he needed only a glance to see that his worst fear had come true.

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