The Edge Of Beyond, page 15
`It's gone,' he managed to say, as he nearly collapsed from relief. 'Tiger did it!'
He became aware that the vibration had ceased. Turning, he saw that everyone was still standing, white-faced, as he had last seen them. He looked back at the door. Why didn't Tiger come back in? Had he been hurt? Was he still there in the chamber? He started towards it.
`What are you going to do?' cried Vargo, more agitated than Rex had ever seen him.
`I'm going to open the door to see—'
`Are you mad?'
`Mad?'
`The outer door may still be open!'
`So what?'
`Use your head, boy,' croaked the Professor. 'If you open the inner door while the outer one is open we shall be killed instantly.'
`I'm sorry,' stammered Rex. 'I don't know what I'm doing.'
`Spacesuits, everybody,' ordered Vargo crisply.
The minutes required for this were the longest Rex had ever known, but he realized there was no alternative. For both doors to be open together in space, allowing not only the air but the pressure to escape, would mean instant death for them all. He was the first to be ready, but he had to wait for the last man. Then it was Vargo who went to the door and opened it.
Tiger was a crumpled heap on the metal floor, the machine-gun lying half-in and half-out of the ship, for the outer door was still open. Evidently he had collapsed before he could close it.
Vargo dragged him inside. Then the gun. Borron joined him to help him to close the outer door. For an instant Rex saw the two men silhouetted against the vault of empty space and the picture was photographed on his brain for ever. They came in, closing the inner door behind them. Vargo made a sign to Gator. The emergency air cylinders hissed as they were turned on to replace the lost pressure. Toby dropped on his knees beside Tiger, his hands running over him as if seeking injury. Rising, he fetched his accident bag, which he had always kept handy.
Rex could only watch. He thought Tiger was dead, so ghastly was the colourless face. Seeing Vargo removing his gear, thus indicating that normal conditions inside the ship had been restored, he did the same. Toby was working on Tiger.
It was some minutes before Tiger showed signs of life, Presently he raised himself on an elbow, and looking round asked shakily : 'Did I get it? What happened?'
`If you didn't knock him down you gave him something to think about,' answered Toby. 'He's gone, anyway. That's all that matters. Jolly good effort.'
`I thought he might find some good honest bullets a bit tough to digest,' said Tiger, sitting up.
`Take it easy,' warned Toby. 'What caused you to pass out — do you know?'
`It must have been those confounded rays. As soon as I opened the outer door I had a queer feeling as if something was hitting me all over, giving me pins and needles. My eyes began to pack up on me so I let him have it. I remember seeing my shots plastering his red hide — and that's all.'
`You knocked holes in him,' declared Rex. 'I saw his window go to bits.'
`I saw that,' put in Vargo. 'Unless the men inside were wearing emergency equipment I don't see how they could have survived.'
Tiger stood up, somewhat unsteadily. 'It's a pity we can't let Multavo know about this. He'd be interested. He thinks radiations are everything, but some of our old-fashioned weapons still have their points.'
The Professor chipped in. 'I take back all I said about your gun, Group-Captain. It has done us a great service. Without it we should no longer be here. Congratulations.'
`Thank you, Professor,' acknowledged Tiger, dropping into his usual seat. 'What happens now?'
`We're pressing on for Mino, I hope,' said Toby.
`We are,' confirmed Vargo. 'I warned you at the outset that this was a dangerous quarter of the Universe'
`You did,' said the Professor. 'But everyone will agree, I think, that our visit has been worthwhile. Would anyone like a caramel?'
16 And so to home
The wonders of Terromagna, and the duel with the red ship of Ardilla, were the last events of note in the voyage to the Edge of Beyond.
'In due course Gator brought the ship to its home port on Mino, much to the relief of everyone, particularly the relatives of those on board, who, not without reason, were beginning to feel anxious. Morino was on the landing ground to welcome them.
They did not stay long on Mino, having nothing more to do than report on what they had seen and thank the Council for letting them have the ship. Apart from anything else the Professor wanted to get home to develop his photographs in case peculiar atmospherics or excessive humidity inside the ship should have affected the films. He had, of course, been busy with his camera, taking shots of anything of interest.
Watching him, Rex sometimes found himself wondering what the result would be should the Professor's big collection of carefully-captioned photographs fall into the wrong hands; or, for that matter, should he ever publish them. No one would accept them as genuine, of course; they were all in agreement with the Professor on that. But if proof of authenticity was provided, as it could be by taking a party of sceptics to Mars, for instance, the world would get the biggest shock ever. The thought of the reactions on Earth made Rex smile. The Professor was probably wise in keeping secret what they knew. The world had plenty of troubles on its plate without having all its fixed ideas turned upside down.
They went on to Mars, but stayed there only long enough to stretch their legs and see how the work of restoration was going. Rolto was there. He seemed surprised to see them, and Rex, who had a word with him, knew why.
`So you didn't go to Ardilla after all,' said Rolto, with something unpleasantly like a sneer.
`How do you know we didn't?' inquired Rex, coldly. Rolto did not answer.
`I'll tell you,' went on Rex. 'You know that had we gone there we wouldn't be here now.'
`How close did you get.'
`Close enough to realize it's a good place to keep away from,' returned Rex, casually. 'You should take a trip there yourself one day. That should keep you out of mischief for some time.' Leaving Rolto with a puzzled frown on his face Rex walked away.
Gator took them home. Vargo went with them to see that all was well. He seemed to become more taciturn than ever as they approached the impending parting. They landed after dark, as before, to minimize the chances of being seen. After they had touched down Vargo asked the Professor what arrangement he would like to make about resuming contact at a later date. Should it remain the same as on previous occasions?
The Professor was undecided, saying that he now had so much work to do that it was not easy to predict when it would be finished. After some discussion it was agreed that Vargo should make a sortie to within vision of Glensalich every third month, on the night of the full moon. Signals would tell him if they wanted him to land. In the meantime there was nothing to prevent him from landing and having a chat should he feel so inclined, or in the event of having news of interest to impart.
That was all.
With that they said goodbye, the Professor's party standing on the lonely knoll watching the ship that had carried them so far until it faded from sight in the midnight sky.
Then, in silence, for this was always a moving moment, they walked slowly through the old familiar heather, down the hill to the house.
Captain W.E Johns, The Edge Of Beyond
