Space Hostages, page 12
‘No, Sandra, do your own strap this time. I’ll attend to Beauty.’ Tony moved over to Beauty who looked at him uncertainly. But Tony gently went through the business of strapping her into her seat and said, ‘OK?’ when he had finished. She nodded, reassured. ‘All right, let’s see you get out,’ said Tony. Beauty hesitated. ‘You remember,’ said Tony, ‘all you have to do is give it a bang! Go on, you can do it!’
‘Go bang!’ said Beauty, hitting the buckle with her little fist. She laughed delightedly into Tony’s face as the straps fell away and smiled after him as he ruffled her hair and moved on to help Ashley.
Friends again, thought Brylo; then felt mean for having had the thought.
‘All right, do it as often as you like, you might as well get used to it,’ said Tony, returning to his chair. ‘But listen to me while you practise. First, about eating. No one is to eat or drink after tea. Billy, you lock up the kitchen. You can’t land on a full stomach. Right?’ They nodded.
‘Second, stay in your own cabins whenever possible until the siren goes. I want everyone to be in their usual places so that I – or Di, or Billy – know where to find you. When you hear the siren, come to this cabin and go to the chairs you sit in now.’
He stood up. ‘Third,’ he said impressively. ‘I don’t want anyone in Control. Nobody. Nobody at all! Nobody, that is but me, and Brylo and Di …’
‘Di?’ said Brylo, shocked.
‘Yes, Di,’ said Tony, pretending to be surprised at Brylo’s tone. ‘She’s our go-between. We’ve got to have someone connecting us in Control with the others outside, haven’t we? Well, haven’t we?’
Brylo muttered, ‘I Suppose so.’ Too late he remembered that there was a loudspeaker link from Control to all the cabins. Why did Tony want Di in Control?
But by now, the meeting was over and the children were dispersing.
‘It’s fantastic!’ whispered Brylo. ‘It’s the most fantastic thing I’ve ever seen!’
‘It’s the most fantastic thing anyone’s ever seen,’ said Tony Hoarsely. ‘I mean, for flip’s sake … just look at it!’
It was the moon. It filled the TV screen, then spilled over its edges as Tony lengthened the focus of the lens. He turned the knob to its utmost, but the picture lost sharpness. ‘I suppose it’s a freak picture, we’re lucky to get it this far out …’
‘Bring it back again,’ said Brylo, still whispering, and gazed at the reformed picture with awe and wonder.
‘Can’t see the Man on the Moon!’ said Di pertly, jarring him out of his mood. Brylo wondered whether it was worthwhile suggesting that they could do without Di, and decided not to. Too late again …
Harry Baines’ voice came through. The reception was still apalling. ‘Within an hour, Brylo, you’ll be resetting the computers for the Approach phase and add in manual corrections,’ he said. It seemed unreal to Brylo. Everything seemed unreal to him since he had seen the moon.
‘Start Approach procedure!’ said Harry Baines. His voice was almost metallic now, as hard and precise as a machine. He began to dictate a series of co-ordinates. Brylo fed them into the instruments in front of them.
‘Down to 38,000. Three Eight. Over,’ said Harry.
‘Three eight. Three eight. Over.’ The thunder that had shaken the ship for so many hours softened a little: the pools of light from the lamps steadied.
‘You’re showing a drift from No. 3 computer. Over.’
‘OK, am correcting drift, will read the first threes as I correct. Two four one, seven three one, nine four five. Hold for five seconds …’
Brylo glanced at Tony and was astonished by the fixity, the complete concentration, of his face. Tony’s lips moved as he repeated the figures Brylo had just read: Brylo could see that he was reading them correctly from the crossed pointers. Suddenly Tony felt or saw that Brylo was watching him. Immediately, he switched on a loose grin and wagged his head. ‘Too brainy for me, Brylo boy,’ he said, clownishly. Brylo knew very well that he was lying.
‘All right, Brylo,’ said Harry’s voice. ‘Your set of first threes will do for five minutes. No drift now, you are on corrected computer course. Keep those readings for five minutes. Over and out.’
‘How close are we now, Brylo boy?’ Tony asked.
‘Another hour and we’ll be thinking about the actual landing. Don’t you want to go round the ship and warn the kids?’
Tony beckoned Di. ‘Go and find out what the kids are doing and tell them to stop it,’ he said jovially. ‘Make sure they’re all where they ought to be. Then get back here fast.’
Di returned three minutes later. ‘They’re all right,’ she said. ‘That stupid little perisher Ashley is sitting on his bed pretending to talk to Mummy, as per usual. He gives me the willies …’
Harry’s voice came over the loudspeaker. ‘Brylo, how about the touchdown drill? Anything you want to go over again? Over.’
‘No, there’s nothing …’ began Brylo. But Tony took the microphone from his hands.
‘Captain Tony speaking, Harry. Look, why don’t you give us a brief run through on the touchdown procedure? It can’t do Brylo and harm to hear it again and – well, you know, in case anything happens …’
Brylo took the microphone and said, ‘There’s really no need, Harry. Over.’
Yet Tony had his way. For seven minutes, Brylo half-listened while Harry went though the drills he knew so well. Tony listened avidly to every word. Again Brylo found himself asking, why?
And now the TV screen showed the face of the moon so clear and so near that Brylo thought he could pick out the Moon Station itself.
‘Those dots – that could be it!’ he said, pointing to minute specks near the centre of the screen.
‘Could be,’ said Tony lazily, not bothering to look.
‘But don’t you see – we’re looking at the very place we’ll land! From now on, the screen shows only the exact area we’re interested in. The nearer we get, the more detail we will see!’
‘Stone me,’ said Tony. Then he leaned over to Di and asked her to go and get them a hot drink.
He’s not interested at all, thought Brylo. Why?
Ten minutes later, the screen showed so distinct a picture that you could pick out small, individual irregularities on the moon’s surface.
‘I suppose we’re seeing an area about the size of a smallish town!’ said Brylo, craning forward to peer at every detail.
‘Looks a pretty dull old town,’ commented Tony.
‘Well, that’s the whole point, don’t you see? They want to land us on the most featureless place they can find. No hills, no valleys – everything flat.’
‘Yeah, dead flat,’ said Tony and actually yawned. ‘Any more of this poison, Di?’ he said, holding out his cup. ‘I’m parched.’
A little while later, Brylo said, ‘It’s about time we alerted the kids – we ought to get them into your room and see they’re ready for the landing …’
‘No hurry, Brylo,’ said Tony.
‘But for heaven’s sake, Tony!’
‘Doesn’t old Brylo get excited?’ Tony asked Di.
‘Yes, doing his nut just because we’re going to the moon!’ said Di, picking at one of her fingernails. ‘Never fancied the place myself …’
The loudspeakers crackled and Harry Baines came in, ‘Brylo, you’re getting to the last stage. This is just about it. As soon as the computers say so, switch in rocket drive and then follow the drill. Follow the drill, Brylo! that’s the thing that matters most. Don’t get panicky. Don’t do anything violently. Remember the enormous forces under your control. But above all, remember to follow the drill! Over.’
Brylo turned to Tony. ‘Get them into their seats, Tony,’ he said flatly. ‘You’ve only got five minutes before I cut the rockets in. Please get started.’
Both he and Di rose to their feet and stood over him, Tony smiling and Di with an odd, set expression on her face.
‘Sure thing, Brylo boy!’ said Tony. ‘I think we’ll start with – you!’
Just before Di held him and Tony hit him, Brylo thought to himself, ‘Now all my questions are answered. Now I know why!’
Then the blow fell and he was unconscious.
Chapter 33
When he came to, Tony was hard at work. He heard Brylo groan and then speak, but did not bother to turn round. ‘See to him Di!’ he said, casually.
Brylo found that he could hardly move. Tony and Di had lashed him to his chair not only with the safety harness but also with bits of webbing. This did not surprise him in the least.
‘So we’re not going to the moon, Tony?’
‘No, Brylo boy. Di doesn’t fancy it.’
‘That’s right,’ said Di, mopping the bruise on Brylo’s head with a cold cloth. His head and neck were very painful.!‘You’re heading for Earth?’ said Brylo.
‘Of course, Brylo boy. Good old Earth. You and your flippin’ moon! Who wants to land on the moon, for flip’s sake?’
‘I think you’re barmy,’ said Brylo, in a despair so complete that he did not bother to raise his voice.
‘I’m surprised you didn’t cotton on, Brylo boy,’ said Tony, studying the instruments in front of him. ‘But you’re only brainy in certain ways, aren’t you? You don’t really know anything about anything, do you? And when you learn, you learn too late, don’t you? Brainy Brylo – don’t make me laugh!’ He gave a false laugh, but still continued to survey the instruments.
‘What about Harry …’
‘Oh, he’s gone over and out until I’m ready for him,’ said Tony. ‘Switched off at the mains, so to speak. He didn’t half carry on, didn’t he, Di?’
‘Alarming,’ said Di, rinsing out the cloth in cold water.
‘We told him you’d had a nervous breakdown,’ she added, casually.
‘How much longer until we get close to Earth – close enough to use the rocket?’ said Brylo miserably.
‘Seventy three minutes.’
‘Seventy-three minutes!’ Brylo jerked in his chair and his mind raced. ‘But that’s not possible!’
‘You’ve had a nice long byebyes,’ said Di, holding a small bottle in front of Brylo. ‘Hours and hours. I found these in the medical room …’
‘And if you don’t shut up,’ interrupted Tony, ‘we’ll give you a few more!’
There was silence for a minute. A light flashed on the console. ‘That’ll be Harry,’ said Tony. ‘He never seems to learn, does he? Still can’t remember who’s captain of the ship …’ He flicked a switch and the light went out. ‘No interruptions, please!’ he said to the light. ‘Captain’s orders!’
‘That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it Tony? What a fool I was not to have known! Captain Tony. Captain Tony! You and Di – all you want is the big film-star reception! You can’t get it on the moon, so we’ve got to got to Earth! There’ll be the press cameras and the TV cameras and the film cameras – and then the door opens, and out comes Captain Tony, the boy wonder!’
‘And what’s wrong with that, you chocolate coloured git?’ screamed Tony, swinging his char round. ‘Look, I’ve had enough of you, you … bright boys, you brainy kids! … Yes teacher, no teacher! … You make me sick! Because you don’t know from nothing! Who done all the things that really matter on this trip? Me? Who just sat and did his lessons like a good little boy and expects to get all the credit? You! Well, you flippin’ won’t get it, because I earned it, I want it, I’ll get it! I’ll show them! I’ll show them all …’
He spun the chair round violently to hide his distorted face. Di, keeping her face completely neutral, said, ‘Well there you are, Brylo boy. Captain Tony wants to be It, and I want him to be It and you’re strapped up in a chair. Looks as if he’s going to get his way, doesn’t it?’
There was silence until Tony said, ‘Well, it’s time I called old Harry. Almost rocket time, Brylo boy, and even old Harry has his uses.’
He operated the controls of the TV. On the screen, Brylo saw Earth – a great curve that filled the screen, patched with light areas that could be clouds.
‘But we’re close! We’re too close!’ said Brylo, suddenly sick with fear.
‘We can’t be …’ muttered Tony, frantically jerking his head at one dial then another.
‘Get Harry!’
Tony’s fingers lashed at switches. The loudspeaker hummed – then stayed humming. Tony started at it, his mouth open. ‘We’re not getting a signal!’ he muttered.
‘It’s that little perisher Ashley!’ screamed Di. They ran out of the room and Brylo could hear them in the distance pounding on the Communications door. Then Beauty came in.
Chapter 34
‘It’s being dull,’ said Beauty. ‘I can’t find anybody! Why are you all tied up? Oh, I know. Tony said you were bad …’
‘Get me out!’ said Brylo.
Beauty stared at him uncertainly.
‘Beauty, you’ve got to get me out of this chair! Help me undo these straps! You must, Beauty!’
‘Tony said you were silly!’ said Beauty. ‘He made a joke, it was about a – a transistor, and everyone laughed.’ Brylo heard the Communications door open, and a shrill wail from Ashley.
‘I laughed,’ said Beauty, as if in proof of what she was saying.
‘Please, Beauty, please!’ Brylo hissed. ‘Undo these straps! These straps round my arms!’
Beauty did not move. What argument would make her act?
‘They’re hurting me!’ said Brylo.
‘Oh dear,’ said Beauty. ‘Which ones?’
‘Please, Beauty! These ones! Undo these ones! The ones round my arms!’
Brylo watched the smooth, pretty, useless little hands pull and tug. At last a strap gave, then another loosened. ‘It’s hard,’ said Beauty. And at that moment, the loudspeaker boomed out Harry’s voice and Tony and Di ran back into the room.
‘What the …’ shouted Tony, striding over to Beauty, his hand raised.
‘Don’t hit me!’ said Beauty, with a tiny dignity that stopped Tony. ‘You hit me before!’ she said, then lost her courage and ran from the room.
Tony glared at the loudspeakers, at Brylo, at Di. ‘Get after her! Find out what the kids are doing! For flip’s sake …’
He ran to his chair and listened to Harry: ‘… dangerously close, you have only minutes! Come in, Tony! Come in, Tony! Over!’
‘It’s me,’ said Tony, his voice shrill. ‘It’s Tony speaking! Give me instructions! Over!’
‘Thank God! We thought you’d … Never mind, here are your instructions. Set these co-ordinates on the displays marked F, G and H. Are you ready? Over.’
‘Ready! Over.’
The numbers poured from the loudspeaker, cold, clear and incessant. Tony worked fast to begin with, then began to lag. ‘Steady on, steady on!’ he shouted. But he had not switched the microphone on and no one heard him but Brylo.
Brylo watched, tugged at his bonds and tried to understand what Tony was doing or failing to do. Tony’s missing some of them! he thought, he’s not setting them, he’s not relating them to the computer readings, he doesn’t know the drill … In an agony of impatience, he tore the flesh of his wrists on the straps. They did not yield.
Suddenly he noticed that Control was filling with the children.
‘You’re too late! Too late! Bring in the rocket drive, Tony, bring in the rockets! I’ll give you the settings, are you ready, over!’
The children clustered in the centre of the room, gaping at the TV screen. Now, it was filled with an image of dark and light, cloud and land, that very slowly tilted and swung.
‘Are you ready? Are you ready? Acknowledge and over!’ shouted Harry’s voice.
‘I’m ready! Over!’ said Tony. Again he forgot to operate the microphone switch, then remembered too late.
‘… on your left to 320, three two oh, then synchronize with the computer reading on the same console! Got that? Acknowledge and over!’
Tony was almost sobbing. ‘He’s going too flippin’ fast, the stupid great git – too fast …’
The children were staring at him. Sandra drew Beauty close to her.
The picture on the screen showed the same steady swing of what could be cloud and could be land – a meaningless picture that nevertheless showed them the shadow of death. For now the picture seemed closer …
‘Tony, for God’s sake, let me take over!’ Sandra moved to Brylo’s side as he spoke, and stood ready to set him free, her face turned to Tony. Tony rose to his feet, his eyes glittering.
‘Don’t you touch him!’ he screamed. ‘Don’t any of you touch him! I’ll do the one that goes near him! I’ll smash his head in! I’m the Captain! Can’t you understand, I’m the Captain!’
His voice cracked into a screech. Not one of the children moved.
‘Leave him alone,’ said Di, huskily. ‘Hell do what he says. He’ll kill you.’
The scene was frozen in time. The lights inside Control made the alloy tube that Tony held glint in his hand. The loudspeaker hummed almost soothingly. Only the picture on the screen moved with a slow, uninterrupted, gentle swing. And each swing seemed to bring them nearer.
It was Beauty who broke the spell. She firmly removed Sandra’s hand from her shoulder, and walked, very upright, to Brylo’s side and began tugging at the straps. Tony made an inarticulate sound: she turned to face him and said, ‘They hurt him,’ and went on with her work.
Spadger silently joined her. Then Billy Bason, then the Tiddler, then the others. The straps were off. Only the harness remained. ‘You have to bang it,’ said Beauty, and tapped it with her plump, honey-coloured fist. The harness fell away.
There was a clatter as Tony let fall the alloy tube: then complete silence as he slumped into another chair and Brylo took over.
‘Give me the co-ordinates, Harry, Over.’
‘Brylo? Thank heaven! Right, set these: three one eight and lock in your laterals. Interrupt me when you want to …’
