Chapter 3: Skylark Two Sets Out

“Say, Mart, I just got conscious! It never occurred to me until just now, as Dunark left, that I’m as good an instrument-maker as Dunark is--the same one, in fact--and I’ve got a hunch. You know that needle on DuQuesne hasn’t been working for quite a while? Well, I don’t believe it’s out of commission at all. I think he’s gone somewhere, so far away that it can’t read on him. I’m going to house it in, re-jewel it, and find out where he is.”

“An excellent idea. He has even you worrying, and as for myself--”

“Worrying! That bird is simply pulling my cork! I’m so scared he’ll get Dottie, that I’m running around in circles and biting myself in the small of the back. He’s got a hen on, you can bet your shirt on that--what gravels me is he’s aiming at the girls, not at us or the job.”

“I should say that someone had aimed at you fairly accurately, judging by the number of bullets stopped lately by that arenak armor of yours. I wish that I could take some of the strain, but they are centering all their attacks upon you.”

“Yes--I can’t stick my nose outside our yard without somebody throwing lead at it. It’s funny, too. You’re more important to the power-plant than I am.”

“You should know why. They are not afraid of me. While my spirit is willing enough, it was your skill and rapidity with a pistol that frustrated four attempts at abduction in as many days. It is positively uncanny, the way you explode into action. With all my practice, I didn’t even have my pistol out yesterday until it was all over. And besides Prescott’s guards, we had four policemen with us--detailed to ‘guard’ us--because of the number of gunmen you had to kill before that!”

“It ain’t practice so much, Mart--it’s a gift. I’ve always been fast, and I react automatically. You think first, that’s why you’re slow. Those cops were funny. They didn’t know what it was all about until it was all over--all but calling the wagon. That was the worst yet. One of their slugs struck directly in front of my left eye--it was kinda funny, at that, seeing it splash--and I thought I was inside a boiler in a riveting shop when those machine-guns cut loose. It was hectic, all right, while it lasted. But one thing I’ll tell the attentive world--we’re not doing all the worrying. Very few, if any, of the gangsters they send after us are getting back. Wonder what they think when they shoot at us and we don’t drop?

“But I’m afraid I’m beginning to crack, Mart,” Seaton went on, his voice becoming grimly earnest. “I don’t like anything about this whole mess. I don’t like all four of us wearing armor all the time. I don’t like living constantly under guard. I don’t like all this killing. And this constant menace of losing Dorothy, if I let her out of my sight for five seconds, is driving me mad. To tell you the real truth, I’m devilishly afraid that they’ll figure out something that’ll work. I could grab off two women, or kill two men, if they had armor and guns enough to stock a war. I believe that DuQuesne could, too--and the rest of that bunch aren’t imbeciles, either, by any means. I won’t feel safe until all four of us are in the Skylark and a long ways from here. I’m sure glad we’re pulling out; and I don’t intend to come back until I get a good line on DuQuesne. He’s the bird I’m going to get, and get right--and when I get him I’ll tell the cock-eyed world he’ll stay got. There won’t be any two atoms of his entire carcass left in the same township. I meant that promise when I gave it to him!”

“He realizes that fully. He knows that it is now definitely either his life or our own, and he is really dangerous. When he took Steel over and opened war upon us, he did it with his eyes wide open. With his ideas, he must have a monopoly of ‘X’ or nothing; and he knows the only possible way of getting it. However, you and I both know that he would not let either one of us live, even though we surrendered.”

“You chirped it! But that guy’s going to find he’s started something, unless I get paralysis of the intentions. Well, how about turning up a few R. P. M.? We don’t want to keep Dunark waiting too long.”

“There is very little to do beyond installing the new instruments; and that is nearly done. We can finish pumping out the compass en route. You have already installed every weapon of offense and defense known to either Earthly or Osnomian warfare, including those ray-generators and screens you moaned so about not having during the battle over Kondal. I believe that we have on board every article for which either of us has been able to imagine even the slightest use.”

“Yes, we’ve got her so full of plunder that there’s hardly room left for quarters. You ain’t figuring on taking anybody but Shiro along, are you?”

“No. I suppose there is no real necessity for taking even him, but he wants very much to go, and may prove himself useful.”

“I’ll say he’ll be useful. None of us really enjoys polishing brass or washing dishes--and besides, he’s one star cook and an A-1 housekeeper.”

The installation of the new instruments was soon completed, and while Dorothy and Margaret made last-minute preparations for departure, the men called a meeting of the managing directors and department heads of the “Seaton-Crane Co., Engineers.” The chiefs gave brief reports in turn. Units Number One and Number Two of the immense new central super-power plant were in continuous operation. Number Three was almost ready to cut in. Number Four was being rushed to completion. Number Five was well under way. The research laboratory was keeping well up on its problems. Troubles were less than had been anticipated. Financially, it was a gold mine. With no expense for boilers or fuel, and thus with a relatively small investment in plant and a very small operating cost, they were selling power at one-sixth of prevailing rates, and still profits were almost paying for all new construction. With the completion of Number Five, rates would be reduced still further.

“In short, Dad, everything’s slick,” remarked Seaton to Mr. Vaneman, after the others had gone.

“Yes; your plan of getting the best men possible, paying them well, and giving them complete authority and sole responsibility, has worked to perfection. I have never seen an undertaking of such size go forward so smoothly and with such fine co-operation.”

“That’s the way we wanted it. We hand-picked the directors, and put it up to you, strictly. You did the same to the managers. Everybody knows that his end is up to him, and him alone--so he digs in.”

“However, Dick, while everything at the works is so fine, when is this other thing going to break?”

“We’ve won all the way so far, but I’m afraid something’s about due. That’s the big reason I want to get Dot away for a while. You know what they’re up to?”

“Too well,” the older man answered. “Dottie or Mrs. Crane, or both. Her mother--she is telling her goodbye now--and I agree that the danger here is greater than out there.”

“Danger out there? With the old can fixed the way she is now, Dot’s a lot safer there than you are in bed. Your house might fall down, you know.”

“You’re probably right, son--I know you, and I know Martin Crane. Together, and in the Skylark, I believe you invincible.”

“All set, Dick?” asked Dorothy, appearing in the doorway.

“All set. You’ve got the dope for Prescott and everybody Dad. We may be back in six months, or we may see something to investigate, and be gone a year or so. Don’t begin to lose any sleep until after we’ve been out--oh, say three years. We’ll make it a point to be back by then.”

Farewells were said; the party embarked, and Skylark Two shot upward. Seaton flipped a phone set over his head and spoke.

“Dunark! ... Coming out, heading directly for ‘X’ ... No, better stay quite a ways off to one side when we get going good ... Yes, I’m accelerating twenty six point oh oh oh ... Yes. I’ll call you now and then, until the radio waves get lost, to check the course with you. After that, keep on the last course, reverse at the calculated distance, and by the time we’re pretty well slowed down, we’ll feel around for each other with the compasses and go in together ... Right ... Uh-huh ... Fine! So long!”

In order that the two vessels should keep reasonably close together, it had been agreed that each should be held at an acceleration of exactly twenty-six feet per second, positive and negative. This figure represented a compromise between the gravitational forces of the two worlds upon which the different parties lived. While considerably less than the acceleration of gravitation at the surface of the Earth, the Terrestrials could readily accustom themselves to it; and it was not enough greater than that of Osnome to hamper seriously the activities of the green people.

Well clear of the Earth’s influence, Seaton assured himself that everything was functioning properly, then stretched to his full height, wreathed his arms over his head, and heaved a deep sigh of relief.

“Folks,” he declared, “This is the first time I’ve felt right since we got out of this old bottle. Why, I feel so good a cat could walk up to me and scratch me right in the eye, and I wouldn’t even scratch back. Yowp! I’m a wild Siberian catamount, and this is my night to howl. Whee-ee-yerow!”