Part 6 (2/2)

The Jivros do the supervisory work, the s.h.i.+nros do the hard work, and the Schrees take it easy and enjoy life. Why do you have machines?”

”Machines are not alive. That is different.”

”Neither are the s.h.i.+nros alive, they only seem so. They do not know what they have lost--it is much as if they had died.

”But come, I must show you where we can get a s.h.i.+p to take us away from this and into your world. I have a life to live, I want to _live_ it!

You--have a message to deliver to your people, or they will become the s.h.i.+nros of the whole race of Schrees. I do not like to think what can happen to your world!”

I followed her again on our furtive way among the shadows. She was swift and sure, and made good time. She knew where she was going. It was a broad open s.p.a.ce deep within the city. On three sides were wide closed doors like hangar doors. The fourth was a ma.s.sive structure of rose granite, beetling above us, a monstrous shape in the dimness, throwing a shadow half across the paved s.p.a.ce. We raced across the shadow toward the nearest doorway, flattened against it, listening for life inside.

Carna worked on the catch of the door, after a second slid the door aside slowly, carefully. Inside I could see a s.h.i.+mmering smoothness, round, higher than my head, a top-shaped object. I guessed that this was the s.h.i.+p she meant to steal from the Schrees. Suddenly the door she was sliding open sc.r.a.ped, and emitted a shrill, high-pitched sound. I did not know if it was an alarm activated by the opening door or just rust on the rails and wheels of the door mechanism. Carna cried:

”Hurry, get into the s.h.i.+p, we must take off at once. They will come; they must have heard that sound!”

I ducked into the darkness, circled the bulging shape, looking for an opening. Smooth, there seemed no way I could find.

”Here it is, help me open it,” Carna panted behind me.

I leaped to her side. She was twisting at an inset handle around which faint lines indicated the door edge. I pulled her aside, took hold of the handle, twisted hard. It bent, then gave, and the door swung easily open in my hands. We tumbled in. Carna raced through the first chamber, and even as I got the door closed, the floor lifted under my feet easily, drifted out of the wide doorway, shot upward so quickly I was thrown to the floor. I lay there, the increasing acceleration pressing me hard against the cool metal. After a time I struggled up, made my way to the woman's side.

Ahead was the moonlit range of mountains. Carna was setting a course straight along the ridge of them, heading southward.

”How far will this thing fly?” I asked.

”It will fly around your world many times, if I want it to.”

”What kind of fuel does it use?” I asked incredulously.

”I don't know what that is. It uses a substance we call Ziss. It is a good fuel.”

”It must be!”

I looked back along the ridge of the mountain's top toward the valley we had left. We were in a bubble on the top of the flat, circular s.h.i.+p; one could see in any direction. Back there a series of glowing round shapes shot upward, came after us in a long curve that would bring them ahead of us on our course. Carna changed her course to parallel the pursuit, and they changed again, to intercept her new direction. Again she changed, circling farther west.

But it was no use! Rapidly they overhauled us.

”Can't you get more speed out of it?” I shouted at her, for they were very close.

”We have been unlucky, my friend. This s.h.i.+p is not in good shape. There is something wrong with it. I cannot make it go as it should, or there is something I do not know....”

Swiftly they came up with us, over us, and beams of light shot from them down upon us. The s.h.i.+p was held now, rigid. One could feel the acceleration cease. Like a bird on a string we followed as they swung back toward the valley. Minutes later we were being lowered into the open s.p.a.ce we had just left. I clicked the safety off my rifle, loosened the gun in my holster. I covered the door, s.h.i.+elding myself behind the round shape of a machine. But Carna put a hand on my weapon, shook her head.

”If you kill some of them, they will make of you a s.h.i.+nro. If you submit meekly, it may be I can talk to someone and save you. I have ways. I understand them. They will be glad to get me, and I will tell them _you_ know many things they need to know. I can save your life. Later we can try again, in another s.h.i.+p. Next time we will not be so unlucky.”

It sounded like sense, and I looked into her deep eyes searchingly. She meant well. Perhaps she could do what she said. I did not know these aliens; she was almost one of them.

As the door opened in the side, I lay the rifle down, stood with crossed arms as the thin, hopping horrors came near.

These things had _never_ been men. They had faces that were empty of features, just flat, s.h.i.+ny, gray eyes, two holes where they breathed, no mouth that I could see. There was a long neck around which the collar of their white robe was gathered in folds. Their hands were h.o.r.n.y, like an insect's claws. They were not human, they were only four-limbed, and walked--or hopped--in an erect position. There the resemblance ceased.

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