Part 4 (1/2)

Gene spoke up again. ”Let me summarize the position we're in--maybe then we can make a better decision.”

”Go ahead,” said Ann. The others nodded and fell silent, waiting.

Gene cleared his throat. ”The way it looks to me, we've had a lucky accident in getting control of the s.h.i.+p. So far, we've not contacted the pa.s.sengers. They know nothing of the change that's taken place. As it is, I see no point in contacting them. It might force us to face another mutiny, that of the pa.s.sengers, who would regard us as what we are, mutineers, and when they found we weren't going to our destination, they'd certainly not all take it lying down. Point number one, then, is to ignore the pa.s.sengers, keep the knowledge of a mutiny from them.

”Now, our real purpose in this mutiny is to expose this whole vicious secret slavery, tell Earth of the danger of the uns.h.i.+elded piles in s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+ps, destroy the Company's monopoly, and bring about new research which I'm sure would eventually overcome the difficulty. Just how are we going to do that? The answer is simple--we must get back to Earth, and we must get back in a way the Company will not be able to intercept us. As I understand it, this won't be easy. The Company is in complete control of s.p.a.ce travel, and they have the s.h.i.+ps to knock us out of s.p.a.ce before we can get near Earth. Somehow we've got to win through. Can we do it by a direct return to Earth? I doubt it. However, say we do it. Then where do we go? The government might look upon us as mutineers and thus give the Company a chance to quash the whole affair.

”So we've got to go directly to the people, who, once they _see_ us, and realize what s.p.a.ce travel with these piles means, will demand an explanation with such public feeling even the government can't avoid a showdown. It's the secrecy we must break. Thus, we must land on Earth with the biggest possible splurge of publicity. We've got to do it so no Company s.h.i.+p can prevent it.

”Then there's this to consider. Most of you would find it a difficult thing to take up a life on Earth. I know that many of you want to take off for some remote world, and try to live out your lives by yourselves.

I say that would be a cowardly thing to do. So, before we decide anything else, I say let's decide here and now that the _only_ thing we will do is go back to Earth.”

One of the most grotesquely deformed of the crew spoke up. ”No woman would ever look at me,” he said defiantly. ”Children would stare at me and scream in terror. I've suffered enough. Why should I suffer more?”

The woman in the fine fur got to her feet and walked over to him. She sat down beside him and took his hand in hers. ”I will look at you,” she said. ”When we get back to Earth, I will marry you and live with you--if you are brave enough to take me there.”

For an instant the crewman stared at her out of his horribly bulging popeyes, then he swallowed hard and clutched her hand fiercely.

”The Devil himself will not keep me from it!” he said hoa.r.s.ely.

Gene, staring at the man, felt a warm hand slip into his, and he turned to find Ann.

”I think that answers for all of us,” she said.

The room rang with the shouts of approval.

Once more Gene began talking. ”All right, then, I've a plan. First, we'll try to find out how to maneuver this craft. I believe we can persuade one of the Mates to show us the controls without much trouble.”

”Yah!” interrupted Schwenky. ”They show!”

”We'll set a course for Earth by the sun. We'll come in with the sun at our back, which means we'll have to make a wide circle off the traveled s.p.a.celanes, through unknown s.p.a.ce, and come in from the direction of the inner planets, which are uninhabited and unvisited. Also, with the sun behind us, we won't be observed from Earth. Then, with all our speed, we'll come in, land at high noon in Chicago, right in front of the offices of the _Sentinel_, the newspaper for which I work.”

There was a chorus of exclamations. Ann looked at him in amazement.

”You, a newspaperman!” she gasped.

”Yes. I was sent out by my boss to find out what was behind the secrecy of the s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+ps. I got shanghaied as a crew member. Now, with your help, maybe I can complete my a.s.signment. Once we get to my boss, the show will be over. He'll blast the story wide open.”

”Wonderful!” shouted Maher. ”Come, Schwenky! We will get Perkins and make him show us how to run the s.h.i.+p!”

Schwenky chortled in glee. ”Yah! We get. By golly, I know that Gene O'Neill is good man! Maybe I get my picture in newspaper?”

Maher stared at him. ”G.o.d forbid!” he said. ”Unless it's in the comic section!”

”Yah!” agreed Schwenky. ”In comic section!”

Two weeks later, as the s.h.i.+p crossed Earth's...o...b..t and headed in behind the planet in the plane of the sun, the meteorite hit. It tore a great hole in the pa.s.senger side of the s.h.i.+p, and knocked out the port jets.

The s.h.i.+p veered crazily under the influence of its lopsided blast, and the crew was hurled against the wall and pinned there as the continuing involuntary maneuver built up acceleration.