Before Egypt, Page 2

the lounge.Nicko was aft, watching the tube primers. Doree was with Mike in thecontrol cabin.

  "Getting used to Nicko?" Mike asked.

  Doree smiled. "I owe him an apology. He is--" She looked up suddenly."He is _he_, isn't he?"

  Mike laughed. "Nicko is male. Beyond that point he's hard toclassify."

  "That odd face! Those green scales! The four arms were a littledifficult to get used to but now I think he's--well, kind of cute."

  "Good for you."

  "Where did you ever find him?"

  "On Mars. I'll tell you about it sometime. Right now I've got tofinish setting our primary course."

  "I imagine you'd like the exact location of the planet as soon aspossible."

  "No great hurry. Any time in the next twelve hours will do. Just amatter of pin-pointing the arc of the basic course. Your father didn'tappear to feel too well when we blasted. How is he now?"

  "He's been under a terrific strain. Perhaps we could let him restawhile."

  * * * * *

  Mike turned on her sharply. "Listen--I'm going to ask you a straightquestion and I'd like a straight answer. Does that planet reallyexist?"

  Her eyes widened, her head came up dangerously; and Mike noted thismade her extremely attractive. "Now wait a minute. Don't get sore.I'm not implying your father doesn't _believe_ it's there. And afterall, I've taken your money, so its a deal but--"

  She almost smiled. "You just think that perhaps he's an impracticalold dreamer with delusions."

  "I didn't say that."

  There was a pause while Doree evidently decided not to get angry. "Iassure you, Mr. Mallison, I believe with all my heart that father'splanet is exactly where he will direct you. Of course nothing iscertain in this universe, but--"

  Mike grinned and held out his hand. "I believe you. Accept my apology.And please call me Mike. We're going to see a lot of each other for awhile."

  She took his hand and smiled back. Their eyes held and Mike liked whathe saw--pert elfin features; shining chestnut hair; even white teeth.

  "We'll let your father rest a while," Mike said. "I'll get the figuresfrom him later."

  * * * * *

  But he was fated never to get the location of the planet from the oldscientist. In fact, he was never again to see Professor Brandon in theconfines of the _Space Queen_.

  He finished setting primary course and then Nicko returned to report."Everything grooved. Temp up. Color down. Tubes solid. Primersclosed."

  Nicko spoke in four languages. Doree, who understood two of them,gasped.

  Nicko grinned. "Thought I was a mental void, eh, kitty? Why I can spitdialects you never heard of."

  "Cut it out, Nicko. Treat our clients with a little more respect orI'll pry a few scales off your back."

  "Okay, but those legs--that torso."

  Mike whirled and Nicko bounced out of the cabin. "You've got to knowhim. He's completely loyal and he'd die ten times for any one of us.But he never learned tact."

  "I don't know why you had to cut him off so abruptly." Doree wasindignant.

  It was Mike's turn to blink. "He was getting pretty personal--"

  "I guess I know a compliment when I hear one, Mr. Mallison."

  "Mike."

  She grinned. "Okay--Mike. I'd like to see the ship when you've gottime."

  "I've got time now. Let's go."

  They started at the prow and worked backwards. Her trip to Outer Porthad been her first space flight, a fact that amazed Mike in this agewhen even the middle-class Terrans vacationed on Mars.

  "We had so little time," Doree said. "And so little money."

  He explained the working of the _Space Queen_, enjoying the chore, andthey worked their way slowly backward. Amidship, Doree said, "I thinkI'll look in on father."

  She went below and almost immediately, Nicko appeared at the after endof the companionway. "We've got company, Mike."

  "What do you mean, company?"

  "Ship winging to."

  Mike scowled. "Out here? The radio hasn't spoken. Maybe they're introuble and can't sound out."

  He ran aft, Nicko stumping along behind. He looked out the stern port.A ship all right. A slim cruiser of the D class, the light of farawaysuns reflecting against its hull, giving it the ghostly appearance ofall craft in space.

  "Ever see that ship before?" Mike asked.

  "Not me. I'll bet my right top arm it never moored at Outer Port. Ifit had we'd know the boat."

  "Lots of ships never moored at Outer Port. Go forward and see if youcan speak to them. Maybe they can sound in."

  Nicko left and Mike watched the ship arc closer. Mike admired theskill of the pilot, then realized the ship was on complete automatic,taking its impulses from radar bounced against the hull of the _SpaceQueen_. No human pilot could hold a ship that steady.

  She appeared intent on locking to the _Space Queen_'s after hatch.Mike wished her all the luck in the universe and hoped he had what shewas looking for. In case of illness his stock of medicines was onlystandard and would not cover any extraordinary cases.

  * * * * *

  Then he stiffened. There was movement next to the antenna prow on theship's nose. A small hatch was opening. Mike cursed himself forstupidity. Yet at the same time, he could think of nothing that shouldhave made him suspicious. These were peaceful areas. It would havebeen ridiculous for bandits to work this area. Raiding here made asmuch sense as operating in the heart of the Gobi Desert back on Terra.

  Even as he whirled to try and reach the control cabin in time, a steelarm shot out from the pit uncovered by the raised hatch. Mike didn'tsee the fine-wired grid at the end of the arm but he knew it was thereand he knew its purpose.

  * * * * *

  As he ran, he sensed the magnetic wires groping toward the hull of the_Space Queen_. If they made contact--

  Contact was made while he ran up the companionway. Theelectroparalysis bolt hit him while he was still twenty feet from thecontrol cabin. It caught him on his right toe with his left footextended. It froze him in that position, held him in the grotesquerunning pose while fire poured through his veins. It held not onlyMike and every other living thing aboard, but froze the ship itselfinto immobility; everything stopped except the raging movement offlaming gases in the jet tubes and these too died out as their sourceof supply was speedily choked.

  Mike blacked out.

  When his consciousness returned, Mike figured he had been out forabout an hour. He based this on past experience with electroparalysisrays.

  Using every ounce of will-power, he forced his elevated foot towardthe companionway floor. The magnetic field permeating the dead shipwas still potent, forming, in a sense, a maze of invisible wires,holding him in his frozen position.

  He knew that in the companionway he had taken the full brunt of thecharge. Possibly the others were again able to move about. But no onecame to his aid.

  His foot touched the floor. He pulled at his back foot like a manstriving to loose himself from thick mud. He got it forward. A step,then another. From the control cabin came the sound of dolorous cursesemitted in many languages. Nicko was again functioning.

  Mike got his hands on the safety bars of the ladder leading down tothe lounge. He pulled himself toward it and as he was descending, themagnetism of the electroparalytic bolt loosed its hold and he fellheadlong. Picking himself up, he hurried into the lounge.

  Doree was alone. She was still frozen to the chair in which she sat.Her legs were drawn up gracefully under her slim body. Only her eyeswere alive--questioning, beseeching.

  Mike picked her up and laid her on the floor. He knelt and beganmassaging the rigid muscles, drawing her legs out slowly, watching hereyes for indications of pain.

  "You'll be all right in a few minutes," he said. "We have to take itslow and easy or you'll get the bends."

  While he worked he was asking himself questions. Wh
o? In God'sname--why? What reason had anyone for attacking the ship? There wasnothing of value aboard. He had no enemies--to his knowledge--in thispart of the universe.

  * * * * *

  Doree was trying to speak. Her throat worked. Her eyes were frantic.Mike got her legs straightened out without sending her into screamingpain. Now she was rising into a sitting position on her own power.

  "Took--took--Fa--him--" she whispered hoarsely.

  "Your father--where is he?"

  "McKee--Talbott--took him!"

  "Who in the hell are McKee and Talbott?"

  Gradually, her throat unlocked. "They