CHAPTER TEN - GET THE SCOPRION!
From the corner of his eye Rip saw Dowst's heavy space boots and knew theprivate was right with him. As they drove down, one of the Connies steppeda little distance away from the others, probably to get a better look atSantos. The Connie sensed something and turned, just as Rip and Dowstflashed downward on his two mates.
Rip's boots caught one Connie where his bubble joined his suit, and theimpact drove the man downward to the unyielding surface of the asteroidwith a soundless smash. Rip threw up his arms to cushion his helmet as hestruck the ground beyond his enemy. He threw the air bottles away. Hefought to keep his feet under him and almost succeeded, but his knees hitthe ground and pistol and knife bit into them painfully.
Two figures came into his view, locked tightly together, arms flailing. Itwas Dowst and the second Connie. He got to his feet and was moving to thePlaneteer's aid when Santos's voice shrilled in his helmet. "Sir! Lookleft!"
Rip whirled. The Connie who had stepped aside was advancing, pistol inhand. His light caught Rip full in the face.
The young officer thought quickly. The Connie hadn't fired. Why? Suddenlyhe had it. The man hadn't fired for fear of hitting his friend, who wasbattling with Dowst. Rip was in front of them. Quickly he dropped to oneknee, reaching for his own pistol. The Connie wouldn't dare fire now. Thehigh velocity slug would go right through him, to explode in one of thestruggling figures behind--and the wrong one might get it.
The Connie saw Rip's action and tossed his pistol aside. He, too, knew hecouldn't fire. He reached into a knee pouch and drew out his space knife.He leaped for the Planeteer.
Rip pulled frantically at his pistol. It was stuck fast, probably caughtin the fabric by his knee landing. The space knife wouldn't be caught. Itwas smooth, with no projections to catch. He shifted knees and jerked itout.
The Connie's flying body hit him, and a powerful arm circled his waist.Rip thrust upward with his knees, one hand reaching for the Connie's suitvalve. But the Connie had one arm free, too. He drove his glove up underRip's heart. Rip let go of the valve and used his elbow to lever away justas the Connie pressed his knife's release valve. The blade slammedoutward, drove into the inside of Rip's right arm just above the elbow.
Pain lanced through him, and he felt the blood rush to the wound as airpoured through the gap in his suit. He gritted his teeth and smashed atthe Connie with his own knife. It rammed home and he squeezed the release.The blade connected solidly. He was suddenly free.
He pressed the wounded arm to his side, stopping the outpouring of air.The cut hurt like all the devils of space. With his other hand heincreased the air in his suit, then looked swiftly around. The Connie wason his knees, both gloves pressed tightly to his side.
Dowst was just finishing a knot in the safety line that bound a secondenemy's hands. The Connie Rip had rocketed down on was still lying wherehe had fallen. And Corporal Santos, the enemy's pneumatic chattergun atthe ready, was standing guard.
Rip turned up the volume in his communicator. He tried to sound calm, butthe shakiness of triumph and excitement was in his voice. "All Planeteers.We have the Connie snapper-boats. Koa, bring your men here."
He felt someone working on his arm and turned to see Corporal Pederson,his face one vast grin in the glare from Dowst's belt light. "Koa didn'tneed me," he said.
Rip grinned back. "Nunez," he called. "How are things at the cave?"
"Sir, this is Nunez. Two Connies were prowling around, but they didn't seethe entrance. Then, a minute ago, they turned and hurried away."
Rip considered. "Koa. How many Connies have you?"
"Four, sir."
With the five he and Dowst had taken, that meant four still at large, andfrom Nunez's report, some Connie yelling had been going on. The fourcertainly knew by this time there were Federal men on the asteroid. Unlesssomething were done quickly the four Connies would be shooting at themfrom the darkness. He ordered, "All Planeteers. Kill your belt lights."
The lights on the Connies they had just taken still glowed. Dowst wasputting a patch on the Connie Rip had stabbed. He waited until the privatehad finished, then said, "Turn out the Connie lights, too."
If he could get in touch with the Connies, he could tell them they werefinished. But using the snapper-boat radios was out, because the enemycruiser would hear. The cruiser couldn't hear the helmet communicators,though, because they carried only a short distance. The cruiser was closeenough so that a helmet communicator turned on full volume might barely beheard, although it was unlikely.
He couldn't stick his head in a Connie helmet, but he could talk to aConnie by direct communication and have him give instructions.
There was complete darkness with all belt lights out, but he groped hisway to the Connie Dowst had been patching, felt for his helmet, and puthis own against it. He yelled, "Do you hear me?"
"Yes." Then, "Why did you patch me?"
It was a perfect opening. "Because we don't want to kill you. Listen. Wehave all but four of you. Understand?"
"Yes. What will you do with us?"
"Treat you as prisoners. If you behave. Get on your communicator and tellthose four men to surrender. Tell them to come to the boats, with lightson. Tell them we'll give them five minutes. If they don't come, we'll huntthem with rockets."
"They will come," the Connie said. "They don't want to die. I will do it."
Rip kept his helmet against the Connie's, but the man spoke in anotherlanguage, which Rip identified as the main Consops tongue. When he hadfinished, Rip told his Planeteers to have weapons ready and to keep lightsoff. Time enough for light when the Connies were all disarmed.
It didn't take five minutes. The Connie teams came quickly and willingly,and they seemed almost glad to give up their pistols and knives. This wasnot unusual. Rip had seen many Planeteer reports that spoke of the samething. Many Connies, it seemed, were glad to get away from the ironConsops rule even if it meant becoming Federation prisoners.
Inside one of the snapper-boats, a light glowed. Rip put his helmetagainst that of the man who had given the surrender order and demanded,"What's that light?"
"The cruiser wants us."
Rip considered demanding that the Connie answer, then thought better ofit. He would do it himself. After all, they had hostages. The cruiserwouldn't take any further action. He climbed into the snapper-boat andhunted for the plug-in terminal. It fitted his own belt jack. He pluggedin and said, "Go ahead."
There was an instant of silence, then an accented voice demanded, "Why areyou speaking English?"
Rip replied formally, "This is Lieutenant Foster, Federation Special OrderSquadrons, in charge on the asteroid. Your landing party is in our hands,as prisoners, two wounded, none dead. If you agree to withdraw, we willsend the wounded men back to you in one boat. The rest will remain here ashostages for your good behavior."
"Stand by," the voice said. There was silence for several moments, then anew voice said, "This is the cruiser commander. We make a counter-offer.If you release our men and surrender to them, we will spare the lives ofyou and your men."
Rip listened incredulously. The commanding officer didn't understand. He,Rip, held the whip hand, because the lives of the Connie prisoners were inhis hands. He repeated what he had said before.
"And I repeat," the commander retorted. "Surrender or die. Choose now."
"I refuse," Rip stated flatly. "Try anything and your men will suffer, notus."
"You are mistaken," the harsh voice said. "We will sweep the asteroidclean with our exhaust, but this time we will be more thorough. When wehave finished, we will hammer you with guided missiles. Then we will sendsnapper-boats with rockets to hunt down any who remain. We intend to havethat thorium. You had better surrender."
Rip couldn't believe it. The cruiser commander had no hesitation insacrificing his own men! But it was not a bluff. He knew instinctivelythat the Connie commander meant it. Instantly he unplugged the radioconnection from his belt and spoke
urgently. "Koa, get everyone undercover in the cave. Hurry! Collect all the Connies and take them with you."
Then he plugged in again. "Commander, I must have time to think thisover."
"You have one minute."
He watched his chronometer, planning the next move. When the minute ended,he asked, "Commander, how do we know you will spare our lives if wesurrender?" Through the transparent shell of the snapper-boat he sawlights moving toward the horizon and knew Koa was following orders.
"You don't know," the cruiser answered. "You must take our word for it.But if you surrender, we have no reason to wish you harm."
Rip remained silent. The seconds ticked past until the commander snapped,"Quickly! You have no more time."
"Sir," Rip said plaintively, "two of my men do not wish to surrender."
"Shoot them, fool! Are you in command or not?"
Rip grinned. He made his voice whine. "But sir, it is against the law ofthe Federation to shoot men without a trial."
The commander lapsed into his own language, caught himself, then barked,"You are no longer under Federation law. You are under the Consolidationof People's Governments. Do you surrender or not? Answer at once, or wetake action anyway. Quick!"
Rip knew he could stall no longer. He said coolly, "If you had brains inyour head instead of high vacuum, you'd know that Planeteers neversurrender. Blast away, you filthy space pirate!"
He jerked the plug loose, hesitated for a second over whether or not totake the snapper-boat, and decided against it. He wasn't familiar withConnie controls and there wasn't time to experiment. He headed for thecave as fast as he could glide.
The Connie cruiser lost no time. Its stern tubes flamed, then its steeringtubes. It was going to drive directly at the asteroid without making along run! Rip estimated quickly and realized that the Connie would get tothe asteroid at the same time that he reached the cave--if he made it.
He speeded up as fast as he dared. With little gravity on the asteroid, hecouldn't fall, but a false step could lift him into space and make himlose time while he got out an air bottle to propel him down again. Thethought gave him an idea. Without slowing he took two bottles from hisbelt, turned them so the openings were to his rear, and squeezed therelease valves.
The Connie was gaining speed, blasting straight toward him. Rip spedforward, and crossed to the sun side, intent on the cave entrance, but nolonger sure he would make it. The Connie's nose tube shot a cylinder offlame forward, reaching for the asteroid. He saw the fire lick downwardand sweep toward him with appalling speed as he put everything he had in afrantic dive for the cave entrance. The flaming rocket exhaust seemed tosnatch at him as a dozen hands pulled him to safety, then beat the sparksfrom his suit.
He was safe. He leaned against Koa, his heart thumping wildly. For amoment or two he couldn't speak, then he managed, "Thanks."
Koa spoke for the Planeteers. "We're the ones to say thanks, sir. If youhadn't thought of stalling the cruiser, and if you hadn't stayed behind togive us time, we'd have some casualties, and so would the Connies wecaptured."
"There wasn't anything else I could do," Rip replied. "Come on, Koa. Let'ssee what the cruiser is doing."
They stepped outside. The metal was already cold again. Things didn't stayhot in the vacuum of space.
They didn't see the Connie until the fire of its exhaust suddenly blastedabove the horizon, then they ducked for cover. The cruiser had taken aswing at the other side of the asteroid. They peered out again and saw itmaking a turn to come back.
"He won't get us," Rip said confidently. "Our tough time will come when hesends a fleet of snapper-boats."
"We'll get a few," Koa replied grimly. "Wait! What's he doing?"
The cruiser had started for the asteroid. Suddenly jets flamed from everyquarter of the ship. He was using all steering jets at once! Rip watched,bewildered, as the great ship spun slowly, advanced, then settled to astop just at the horizon.
"He can't be launching boats already," he said worriedly. "What's he upto?"
They ran forward a short distance until they could see below the cave'shorizon level. The cruiser released exhausts from both sides of the ship,the outer ones the slightest bit stronger. Rip exclaimed, "Great Cosmos,he's cuddling right up to the asteroid! Why?"
"Hiding," Koa said. "By Gemini! Come on, sir!"
Rip saw his meaning instantly and they raced to the side of the asteroid,away from the ship. As they crossed into the dark half, Rip looked back.He couldn't see the cruiser from here. But he looked out into space,across the horizon, and knew that Koa's guess had been right. Thedistinctive glow of a nuclear drive cruiser was clear among the stars.
The _Scorpius_ had returned!
"The Connie saw it," Rip said worriedly, "but didn't blast away. Thatmeans he's intending to ambush the _Scorpius_. Koa, if he does, that meanswar."
The big Hawaiian shook his head. "Sir, the Connie has guided missiles withatomic warheads just like our ship does. If he can launch one from ambushand hit our ship, that's the end of it. The _Scorpius_ will be nothing butspace junk. Commander O'Brine will never have time to get off a message,because he'll be dead before he knows there is danger."
The logic of it sent chill fear down Rip's spine. The Connie could get the_Scorpius_ with one nuclear blast and then clean up the asteroid atleisure. The Federation would suspect, but it would be unable to proveanything, because there would be no witnesses. If the Connie took time totow the remains of the _Scorpius_ deep into the asteroid belt, it likelywould never be found, no matter how the Federation searched.
They had to warn the ship. But how? Their helmet communicators wouldn'treach it until it was right at the asteroid, and that would be too late.They had no other radio. If only the radios in the snapper-boats were on aFederation frequency ... hey! They could take one of the boats andintercept the cruiser!
He was hurrying toward them before Koa understood what he was saying. Hetried to make his legs go faster, but they were unsteady. He knew he waslosing blood. He had lost plenty. He gritted his teeth and kept going.
The snapper-boats seemed miles away to Rip, but he plugged ahead until hisbelt light picked them up. He took a long look, then turned away,heartsick. The Connie's exhaust had charred them into wreckage.
"Now what?" he asked.
"I don't know, sir," Koa answered somberly.
They went back to the cave, not hurrying because Rip no longer had thestrength to hurry. Weakness and a deep desire to sleep almost overcamehim, and he knew that he was finished anyway. His wound must be too deepto clot, which meant it would bleed until he bled to death. Whether hewarned the _Scorpius_ or not, his end was the same.
Back in the cave, he leaned against the wall and asked tiredly, "How isDominico?"
"I am fine, sir. My wound stopped bleeding."
"How is the Connie I got?"
"Unconscious, sir," Santos replied. "He must be bleeding badly, but wecan't tell. The one you landed on is all right now, but he may have abroken rib or two."
Because his voice was weak, Rip had to turn up the volume on hiscommunicator to tell the Planeteers about the _Scorpius_. They were silentwhen he finished, then Dowst spoke up.
"Looks like they have us, sir. But we'll take plenty of them with usbefore we're finished."
"That's the spirit," Rip approved. He told them, "I won't last muchlonger. When I get too weak, Koa will take over. Meanwhile, I want to getoutside. Bring the rocket launcher outside, too. Who's the gunner? Santos?Stand by, then. We'll need you in case the Connie decides to send a fewsnappers before it goes after the _Scorpius_."
The cruiser's glow was plain above the horizon, now. It was so close theycould make out its form against the background of stars. O'Brine wasdecelerating and Rip was certain he was watching his screens for a sign ofthe enemy. He would see nothing, because the enemy was in the shadow ofthe asteroid. He would think the coast was clear, and come to a stop nearby while he asked why Rip had called for help. Failing to get a rep
ly,since the landing boat was wrecked, he would send a landing party, and theConnie would attack while he was launching boats, off guard.
Rip watched the prediction come true. The nuclear cruiser slowedgradually, its great bulk nearing the asteroid. O'Brine was operating asexpected.
Rip was having trouble keeping his vision from blurring. He leaned againstthe rocket launcher and his glove caressed one of the sharp noses in therack.
He heard his own voice before the idea had even taken full form. "Santos!Do you hear me? Santos! Get the _Scorpius_! Fire before it comes to astop. And don't miss!"
Santos started to protest, but Koa bellowed, "Do it. The lieutenant'sright. It's the only chance we've got to warn the ship. Get that scorpion,Santos. Dead amidships!"
The Filipino corporal swung into action. His space gloves flew as hecranked the launcher around, turned on the illuminated sight and bent lowover it. Rip stood behind the corporal. He saw the cruiser's shape standout in the glow of the sight, saw the sighting rings move as Santoscorrected for its speed.
The corporal fired. Fire flared back past his shoulder. The rocket flashedaway, its trail dwindling as it sped toward the great bulk above. Itreached brennschluss and there was darkness. Rip held his breath for longseconds, then he gave a weak cry of victory.
A blossom of orange fire marked a perfect hit.