Chapter 12: The Vagabond

High up, a dark blob against the feeble starlight, something was dropping; dropping with the speed of a plummet, straight for the massed Mercutian fliers. From outer space it seemed to come, a plunging ripping meteor.

A search beam must have swung hurriedly aloft, for it flamed into startling being; a spheroid, compact, purposeful, dropping with breathtaking velocity.

Something seemed to explode in Hilary’s brain. A great cry wrenched out of his torn throat.

“The Vagabond.”

Unbelievable, impossible. Yet he could not be mistaken. The Vagabond was coming home again!

By this time the Mercutians had seen it too. It meant suicide, that rushing projectile from outer space, but it would take along with it in the crash of its flight a goodly number of the Mercutian fliers. The Mercutians were no cowards, but death stared them openly in the face.

Instantly, all was in confusion. Forgotten the rebellious Earthmen below, forgotten everything but escape from the down-rushing thunderbolt.

Hilary, staring upward, could visualize the fliers working desperately at their controls. The clustered ships vibrated like a school of frightened fish poised for instant flight. Then they were in motion; scattering, wabbling in the terror of their retreat.

The Vagabond hurtled down among them like a hawk among pigeons. Its surface glowed with the speed of its flight. To Hilary’s fascinated gaze it seemed as if there would be a terrific smash. But the Vagabond came to a screaming, braking halt directly in the center of the milling, scattering Mercutians.

Almost simultaneously the air resounded with staccato bursts. Ratatat-tat-a-tat.

“Good little Wat,” Grim danced insanely. “He’s cutting loose the submachine gun.”

Hilary woke from his amazement with a start.

“Shoot, and shoot to kill,” he shouted above the turmoil. “Don’t let a single one get away.”

Automatics spat their leaden hail, dynol pellets flamed redly, and over all resounded the rapid drum fire of the machine gun, pouring steel-jacketed death into the confused ranks of the Mercutians.

The monster invaders had lost their heads. Even then, they could have destroyed the Earthmen with their deadly spreading rays. But the strange apparition from above had demoralized them. No one thought of fighting: flight, safety, were the only thoughts in their minds.

Flier after flier went tailspinning to horrible death while his comrades fled in all directions.

It was soon over. The greater number of the Mercutians were twisted smoldering wrecks. The few who escaped were rapidly diminishing dots in the cold starlight.

Its work finished, the rescuing space flier settled softly to the ground, in the midst of the embattled cheering Earthmen, temporarily gone insane.

The air-lock port yawned, and a slim figure darted out, straight into Hilary’s outstretched arms.

“Joan!”

Behind her danced a small red-haired individual, his homely features grinning with delight. Under his arm swung heavily a submachine gun. He disappeared almost immediately into the vast bearlike grip of his gigantic friend. His shrill voice went on unceasingly, but strangely muffled, as Grim hugged him. Finally he extricated himself, ruffled, breathless, but still talking.

“What did I tell you, you big ox?” he shrilled. “We’ll chase them off the Earth, sweep ‘em out into space.”

“Why, you little gamecock,” the giant observed affectionately, “I’m beginning to believe you can do it.”

“We thought you had gone for good,” said Hilary, holding Joan tightly to him as if he feared to lose her again. “What happened to you on the Robbins Building?”

“Can’t get rid of us that easily, can he, Joan?” The little man smirked knowingly at the girl. “It was all very simple,” he went on. “No sooner had you two left us than we heard the thud of a flier landing on the other end of the roof. The pilot looked out at us startled. We recognized each other simultaneously. It was our old friend--Urga.”

Hilary clenched his fist. He had a good many scores to settle with the Cor.

Wat saw his action. “I did my best,” he stated apologetically. “I ran for the machine gun. But by that time Urga had shot aloft again. Didn’t seem as though he wanted to wait. I heard his whistle shrilling in the air. Fliers came thick as flies.”

He spread his hands in a quaint gesture. “What could I do, Hilary?” his voice was appealing. “Any minute I expected to have a ray on us. I couldn’t wait for you two, the Vagabond would have been a little pile of ashes. Besides, there was Joan. She kicked and struggled: she wanted to stay for you, but I shoved her in the ship, locked the port, and went scooting up like a rocket. You should have seen the Mercutians scatter.”

For the first time in his life words seemed to fail him. “You--are--not--angry?” he fumbled, looking for all the world like a bedraggled dog who knows he has been in mischief.

“Angry?” Hilary fairly whooped. “What for? For saving the ship, Joan, all of us? Why, you little bit of pure gameness, you did the only sensible thing.”

Wat grinned from ear to ear.

“But why,” Grim interrupted, “didn’t you have sense enough to come back here, instead of scaring everybody to death?”