Part 4 (1/2)

Pierce got up and went over to the communications console. ”Can you open up a channel to them? Warn them, anyway?”

There was silence for a moment. Finally the computer said, ”No, I don't think so. I've opened a channel to them, but if their computer talks anything remotely like anything we've seen I'm not aware of it.” .

Pierce sighed. ”What a crazy universe!” he muttered. ”The invading aliens speak English and our friends and allies can't be reached or understood.”

”I could put the whole thing on Screen 4 for you,” the machine noted helpfully. ”At least you can see it get blown to bits.”

He nodded wearily. ”Okay,” he responded with a tired wave of his hand.

Screen 4 flickered to life and he turned to watch it.

Whoever was flying the s.h.i.+p was definitely some sort of madman. It looped and whirled, sped up and slowed down like nothing he'd ever seen before. He wondered what sort of creatures could stand the excessive speed and gyrations the s.h.i.+p was executing-but, he had to admit, it was a daring approach, if doomed.

Regardless of what the aliens had shown so far, though, their captain was a good fighter.

Although the first three tries missed, a web of tractor beams shot out to block the smaller s.h.i.+p's retreat and large, computer-controlled guns came to bear, using the beams as guides.

The little s.h.i.+p, which still hadn't fired a shot, started to slow, then jerked this way and that, like a small fish caught in a huge and impenetrable net. Finally stopped, it tried writhing every which way to escape the invisible but disabling tractor beams which gripped it and started pulling it in.

”He might survive,” Pierce noted hopefully, ”if he doesn't fire a shot. If he lets go, they'll have him cold.”

”Anyone who is that crazy might do anything,” the computer replied.

The smaller s.h.i.+p didn't fire, though, and slowly, firmly, it was drawn and bound to the alien s.h.i.+p as securely as Pierce's own.

”I'd like to meet whoever or whatever is on thatthing,” he told the computer. ”That's the gutsiest flying I ever saw, even if it was a lost cause.”

After a few minutes had pa.s.sed he heard his airlock hiss once again and turned to see one of the aliens entering alone. He couldn't tell whether this one was his counter-part or another because they all looked pretty much alike to him, but it really didn't matter.

”You'll come with me,” the creature ordered. ”Oh, no!” he moaned. ”Not that air again!”

The soldier reached into a small bag and pulled out a refresher mask. ”I found this in one of your aft storage compartments,” it told him. ”I still don't know where you keep your s.p.a.cesuits, but this'll hold you, I think.”

Pierce nodded, grabbed the mask and put it on, inhaling deeply to make certain it still worked.

He'd almost totally forgotten about the thing-it was, in almost all circ.u.mstances except one like this, totally useless, and he'd never had any idea why it was aboard.

Again he entered the alien s.h.i.+p, following his reptilian captor past the processing desk this time, down long corridors lit with some sort of indirect yellow light. It reminded him of some labyrinthine cavern for burrowing beasts more than the interior of a huge s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p.

Finally they turned a corner and approached an airlock much like the one leading to his s.h.i.+p.

At last he understood why he'd been summoned.

The three other soldiers were positioned just outside the airlock, guns drawn. One turned and glared at him with its huge yellow eyes.

”Glad to have you, Pierce,” the creature snapped, and he recognized it as the other Pierce.

”We have a problem here.”

”So I gather,” he came back. ”I take it they're better armed than I was.”

The alien nodded. ”I'm not sure how many there are, but we blew the lock and entered the inner chamber and suddenly shots flew all around us. Not good old laser pistols or disintegrators or clean, civilized weapons like that, either. Projectiles, Pierce! They ricochet all over the place.

We were lucky to get back out alive.”

The human stifled a chuckle. ”So what do you want me to do if your whole armed forces can't get into the place?” he asked, trying to look unconcerned and innocent.

”They're your kind,” the general replied. ”You get in there. You tell 'em they've got five minutes to throw out their terrible weapons and surrender to us or we'll cut their s.h.i.+p loose and atomize it. Understood? Five minutes.”

Pierce stared at the airlock entryway and gulped. ”But-they might shoot me,” he protested.

”Better you than me,” his counterpart said sincerely. Pierce shook his head from side to side.

”Uh-uh. I refuse. I absolutely and flat-out refuse.”

”You can't refuse,” the general shot back. ”By G.o.d, if you don't do it I'm going to rip that respirator off you and let you find your own way back to the s.h.i.+p!”

Pierce gulped and sighed. ”All right-I'll try. I hope,” he added, and crossed his fingers.

Looking around, he asked, ”You got anything like a stick? Something to hang a white strip of cloth on or something?”

The alien looked around, then drew his sword. ”Here. Use this,” he said, handing it to Pierce.

”And don't get any funny ideas about using it on us. Remember where you are.”

Pierce felt in his pocket and took out a very dirty and quite used white handkerchief. He felt a little embarra.s.sed by it, but decided it would have to do.

”First time I ever found a use for that stupid sword,” the alien noted approvingly. ”Okay-get going!”

Pierce sighed and stepped hesitantly forward toward the airlock. Reaching the edge, he saw that both it and the lock door for the other s.h.i.+p were ajar. He would be trapped in there, anyway.

Holding the hankie-draped sword ahead of him, he mustered what courage he could and stepped into the airlock.

”h.e.l.lo! You in there!” he called nervously, trying to sound as friendly as possible. ”I'm not armed! Can I come in and just talk to you fora minute? No cost, no obligation! Honest!”

He waited anxiously, but heard no reply.

Cautiously, still holding the white flag ahead of him, he pushed against the inner airlock.

”You in there! Yoo hoo! Here I come, ready or not!” Cautiously, he stepped into the other s.h.i.+p.

He looked around the corridor and could see no sign of life. Relaxing a bit, knowing from his own profession that if he wasn't dead by now he at least had a chance, he called out, ”h.e.l.lo! I'm Millard Pierce, Arbiter 2! I just want to talk!”

He looked around for any sign of life, but all he could see were an awful lot of ugly scratches and gouges in the vicinity of the airlock itself. He recalled uneasily that whoever or whatever this was used projectile weaponry.

Well, whoever it was seemed a little shy now, he decided, then suddenly remembered the alien's ticking clock. He had maybe three minutes at best-and he was now on the s.h.i.+p they were going to blow to pieces.