The Mysterious Planet: читать книгу онлайн полностью и бесплатно

Simon inspected him carefully, and nodded, beaming. “You look good enough to dine with the President, sir!” he answered.

Bob’s father picked up Ms cap and headed for the door, winking quickly as he passed his son. Bob tried to figure it out, and gave up, but it was obviously the right way to handle things. Jakes was whistling as he followed

the other two out to the nearest restaurant. He sat quietly most of the evening, saying nothing about his day and asking nothing about theirs.

They were all in bed when Commander Griffith returned, and still asleep when he left in the morning. Bob found a note that said only the usual, “See you later,” and knew that, his curiosity would have to wait. Probably no business had been discussed anyhow. The three spent the day watching Wing Nine ships having the new acceleration seats installed; spares had been sent along with the Outfleet for them. It seemed to restore Simon to his old self. He watched the preparations of the whole Fleet with unhappy eyes, grumbling to himself.

“Sucker,” he finally said. “Just a natural sucker, that’s me. No reason I shouldn’t be on one, except being a fool! Well, I can still take the Icarius up. Bet I’ll learn more than the whole Fleet.”

“Bet you’ll be shot down before you get there,” Bob told him. “Why don’t you forget it?”

Jakes grumbled a bit more, and then moved off alone toward his little ship, now almost lost on the crowded field. When Juan and Bob started back to the apartment, he was not around, and was still missing by the time Bob’s father returned. But they forgot Jakes as they saw the Commander’s face.

He gave them the news at once. “It’s not all good, but Wallingford had the attack delayed.

Wing Nine takes off tomorrow morning for Planet X, on a scouting mission. We’ll land if we can do so. If that looks impossible, we’ll try to contact X. We’ll try to come back, if that’s cut off. All of that peaceably! But we’re also under orders to attack at the first sign of trouble; experts are souping up our proton guns to about five times the strength right now. You might call us the defusing squad—either we pull out the fuse and keep Planet X harmless—or else we get blown to bits, while the Fleet tries to figure out what they’re up against!”

“But…” Bob started to protest.

His father cut him off. “I think it’s worth the chance, Bob. Wing Nine volunteered for the trip to Planet X.”

“Then you’d better change your mind, sir,” Jakes said from the doorway. They all swung toward him, but he slouched in and refused to meet their eyes. “You know what Planet X is doing now? It’s playing spaceship—it’s on an unnatural orbit, turning itself right off the course plotted for it. And it’s heading in for the orbit of Earth!”

“There’s no such news,” Bob challenged him.

“Not officially,” he admitted. “I spent the whole afternoon buttering up to old Smedley at the observatory here, playing chess to soften him up. He’s a chess fiend—and I’m pretty good at it. Here are his figures and the plotted orbit. They’ll be official as soon as he checks them once more—probably two days from now!”

Even Bob’s father nodded slowly. Dr. Smedley was something of a character and a hermit, which was why he’d come here. But he was probably the best man on orbits in the Federation.

CHAPTER 7

Against Planet X

BOB WAS STILL RUBBING the sleep out of his eyes the next morning as he came onto the field and approached the Lance of Deimos. Others had been up for hours, going over the rough figures and the projected orbit which Jakes had copied hastily while the old astronomer had been studying his next chess move.

It had been hard to imagine why Jakes had decided to pump the old man, just as it was hard to imagine his being good enough at either chess or at “buttering up” to get the information.

But the information on the sheet of paper had an authentic note. Apparently Smedley had been spending all his time studying Planet X. He had the advantage of being two thousand million miles nearer than any other trained observer. He had found a steady change in the orbit, had plotted it, and then checked it with later observation.

According to that, Planet X was heading inward to strike the orbit of Earth, and gaining speed every day. Whatever race was on, it must be driving the whole planet, just as men drove their spaceships, though at considerably less acceleration!

Jakes had claimed he had a headache after the chess session, and had gone to bed. But Bob, Juan and Commander Griffith sat up trying to find a flaw in the figures, without success.

They’d spent more time trying to see how it affected their plans and the value of the flight by Wing Nine, with no decision.

The little line moving up the ramp of the Lance of Deimos grew shorter. The checker took Bob’s card and stamped it with only a casual inspection, and Bob breathed easier. He hadn’t been told not to come; nor had he received orders to accompany the scouting trip.

Apparently his father had forgotten that Bob was supposed to be part of the Wing.

He killed time by putting his few belongings into his little bunk room until it was only a few minutes before take-off. Then he went up quietly to the control room and dropped into the soft acceleration seat that had replaced the older version. His father glanced up, and turned.

“How’d you get here?” he asked sharply.

“Showed my card and was checked in like the rest of your crew. You informed me Wing Nine was taking off this morning, sir, and I’m reporting for duty!”

For a second, something that might have been pain and fear flickered across Griffith’s face.

Then a taut smile replaced it, and there was pride in his slow nod. “Quite right, cadet. There can be no favoritism here. Glad you’re aboard.”

Anderson nodded cheerfully, and even Hoeck managed the ghost of a smile. They looked tense, but with excitement and expectation rather than fear. Bob hadn’t thought about being afraid, until then; surprisingly, he was not. He had the curious feeling that nothing too bad could happen to him in the Lance of Deimos. He knew it was nonsense, but it was pleasant nonsense. In another ship he’d probably have been scared stiff.