[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.”“That’s right,” I said, “I remember.When I was a kid a fellow in California wrote a book about it.”“Yes,” said the Doctor, “a lot of eye-wash--or so I thought at the time.And then I saw one for myself.Actually on the ground in the Simpson desert west of Bundooma.Naturally I was curious and approached close enough to photograph it.Then the door opened and a man I came out.He spoke good English and invited me in to look to around.Five minutes later the sphere took off with me inside.And now I’m here, I make the best of it.And, if you take my advice, you’ll do as I’ve done and do as you’re told.There’s no escape.Neither you nor your Fleet will ever get back to Earth.Now, is there anything else?”“I think that’s enough to be going on with, thanks,” said Lemmy miserably.Once down in the lower cabin we were ordered to leave the ship by the door which was standing open and, stepping out, we found ourselves on the uppermost terrace of the giant pyramid.Lemmy and I walked over to the wall to get a better view of what lay below.But, almost at once, the Flying Doctor came over to us.“Now, gentlemen,” he said, “if you wouldn’t mind stepping this way I’ll take you down to the Intake Section where you will be categorised for the work most suited to you.”“Work?” said Lemmy, clearly both surprised and appalled at the prospect.“Of course.You don’t think this is a free hotel, do you? Once you’re here you have to work for your keep.”“But what at?” I asked.“That is something I don’t decide.But you are more fortunate than most.You are all skilled in your own particular professions and should be very useful to us.In fact, your long stay here could be extremely pleasant.”“Who are you kidding?” asked Lemmy.“Look down there at the city,” said the Doctor.“What do you think goes on down there in all those buildings?”“How should we know?”“Well, I’ll tell you.Each pyramid is a little city within itself; has its own citizens, a couple of hundred in each; with their own domestic and medical staffs, and directors of culture, leisure and sport.Our aim is to see that every worker is happy, well fed and highly efficient.”“Sounds marvellous,” said the Cockney; “just like a colony of ants.”“But what are they working for?” I asked.“To go back to Earth--eventually.”“Eh?” interjected Lemmy incredulously.“For nearly a hundred years.” went on the Doctor, “they have worked to that end.And, when they return, they will carry the true Martians with them--in the largest space fleet the universe has ever seen.”“You mean they’re building ships down there--to invade the Earth?” asked Lemmy, his eyes widening.The Flying Doctor didn’t answer the question directly.But he said: “Mars is a dying planet.If its inhabitants are to live they must move elsewhere.And the nearest and best place for them is the Earth.”“But what about the people who already live on the Earth?” asked the Cockney in alarm.“And when will this ‘invasion’ take place?” I asked.“The next close opposition, 1986, should see the beginning.”“Good grief!” It was all I could say.“So you see how important it is that none of your expedition gets back.”“It’s all too horribly clear,” agreed Lemmy.“If people on Earth knew what was in store for them,” went on the Doctor calmly, “they might make preparations to resist and.” The Flying Doctor broke off and followed our gaze as Lemmy and I turned our eyes skywards.While we had been talking the distinctive sound of a flying machine had been gradually filling the air.It approached very rapidly, and we had hardly heard the noise and looked up when Freighter Number One passed directly overhead, went shattering by and quickly disappeared.“Blimey,” said Lemmy excitedly, “it’s Frank’s ship!”The Flying Doctor took hold of his arm.“I’ve got to get you down to the Intake Section at once,” he said firmly.“What’s the hurry, mate?” asked Lemmy, pushing the Doctor away.“Are you afraid Frank might see us?”“Come on,” said the Doctor, “do as you’re told.Head down those steps to the next terrace.”“We’re not Whitakered yet, you know,” said Lemmy, aggressively.“Lay a finger on me and I’ll give you a righthander.”The Doctor ignored the threat and moved forward to take the Cockney by the shoulder.Then Lemmy’s fist flew out and hit him full in the face.He gave a cry, fell backwards against the low wall of the terrace and disappeared over it.Lemmy and I ran to the wall and looked below.“Oh blimey, Doc,” said the Cockney, “he went over, straight down on to the next terrace.”“It was a lucky blow,” I told him.“Lucky?” repeated Lemmy anxiously.“But I might have killed him.Look--he just lies there and doesn’t move.”“Come on,” I urged, pulling him.“We’ve got to get away before anybody else comes up here.”At this point Mitch came out of the sphere and walked towards us.“Hey,” he said as he approached, “What’s going on out here? Where’s the Doctor?”“He’s--er--gone down to the next terrace,” said Lemmy.“Says we’re to wait in the sphere until he gets back.”“And what was that that flew over just now? It was pretty low, wasn’t it?”“Not as low as we would have liked,” said the Cockney.“It sounds like it’s coming back again,” went on the Australian.I looked up to see the freighter approaching rapidly.It was considerably lower than before and skimmed over our heads no more than a couple of hundred feet above the top of the pyramid on which we were standing.Mitch, too, looked up at the craft and, as he did so, I heard him say above the roar of the motor, “Number One ---Freighter Number One.”“Mitch,” I asked urgently, “do you recognise that ship? Does it mean anything to you?”“I don’t know,” Mitch replied, “I never saw a plane of such a size and yet it seems familiar.Has its picture been in the papers or something?”“It certainly has,” I said, “but not on this planet.”“On this planet?” asked Mitch vaguely.“Mitch,” I said, “go back to the sphere.”Mitch meekly turned on his heel and went.“I’m all mixed up,” I heard him say.“What place is this? It’s not Adelaide, is it?”“Now come on, Lemmy,” I went on, turning to the radio operator, “this is our chance to escape.”We had hardly started walking towards the sphere when the familiar voice of Frank Rogers was heard in my ear.“Hullo, Jet,” it said.“Number One calling.”Lemmy and I stopped dead in our tracks [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]