Astounding Stories of Super-Science April 1930

  Brigands of the Moon

  (The Book of Gregg Haljan)

  PART TWO OF A FOUR-PART NOVEL

  _By Ray Cummings_

  _I turned back to look at the Planetara._]

  Out of awful space tumbled the Space-ship _Planetara_ towards the Moon, her officers _dead_, with bandits at her helm--and the controls out of order!

  My name, Gregg Haljan. My age, twenty-five years. My occupation, at thetime my narrative begins, in 2075, was third officer of theInterplanetary Space-ship _Planetara_.

  Thus I introduce myself to you. For this is a continuation of the bookof Gregg Haljan, and of necessity I am the chief actor therein. I shallrecapitulate very briefly what has happened so far:

  Unscrupulous Martian brigands were scheming for Johnny Grantline'ssecret radium-ore treasure, dug out of the Moon and waiting there to bepicked up by the _Planetara_ on her return trip from Mars.

  The _Planetara_ left, bound for Mars, some ten days away. Suspiciousinterplanetary passengers were aboard: Miko and Moa, a brother and asister of Mars; Sir Arthur Coniston, a mysterious Englishman; Ob Hahn, aVenus mystic. And small, effeminate George Prince and his sister, Anita.Love, I think, was born instantly between Anita and me. I found all toosoon that Miko, the sinister giant from Mars, also desired her.

  As we neared the Moon we received Grantline's secret message: "Stop forore on your return voyage. Success beyond wildest hopes!" But I soondiscovered that an eavesdropper in an invisible cloak had overheard it!

  Soon afterwards Miko accidentally murdered a person identified as AnitaPrince.

  Then, in the confusion that resulted, Miko struck his great blow. Thecrew of the _Planetara_, secretly in his pay, rose up and killed thecaptain and all the officers but Snap Dean, the radio-helio operator,and myself.

  I was besieged in the chart-room. George Prince leaped in upon me--andput his arms around me. I looked at him closer--only to discover it wasAnita, disguised as her brother! It was her brother, George, who hadbeen killed! George had been in the brigands' confidence--thus Anita wasable to spy for us.

  Quickly we plotted. I would surrender to her, Anita Prince, whom thebrigands thought was George Prince. Together we might possibly be able,with Snap's help, to turn the tide, and reclaim the _Planetara_.

  I was taken to my stateroom and locked there until Miko the brigandleader should come to dispose of me. But I cared not what hadhappened--Anita was alive!