Astounding Stories, August, 1931 Page 6
The Port of Missing Planes
_By Captain S. P. Meek_
_"That portion of the wall has gone back in timeexactly three seconds," he announced._]
[Sidenote: In the underground caverns of the Selom, Dr. Bird onceagain locks wills with the subversive genius, Saranoff.]
So that's the "Port of Missing Planes," mused Dick Purdy as he lookeddown over the side of his cockpit. "It looks wild and desolate allright, but at that I can't fancy a bus cracking up here and not beingfound pronto. Gosh, Wilder cracked in the wildest part of Arizona andhe was found in a week."
The mail plane droned monotonously on through perfect flying weather.Purdy continued to study the ground. Recently transferred from awestern run, he was getting his first glimpse of that section of illrepute. Below him stretched a desolate, almost uninhabited stretch ofcountry. By looking back he could see Bellefonte a few miles behindhim, but Philipsburg, the next spot marked on his map, was not yetvisible. Twelve hundred feet below him ran a silver line of waterwhich his map told him was Little Moshannon Run. As he watched hesuddenly realized that the ground was not slipping by under him asrapidly as it should. He glanced at his air-speed meter.
"What the dickens?" he cried in surprise. For an hour his speed hadremained almost constant at one hundred miles an hour. Withoutapparent cause it had dropped to forty, less than flying speed. Herealized that he was falling. A glance at his altimeter confirmed theimpression. The needle had dropped four hundred feet and was slowlymoving toward sea-level.
* * * * *
With an exclamation of alarm, Purdy advanced his throttle until thethree motors of his plane roared at full capacity. For a moment hisair-speed picked up, but the gain was only momentary. As he watched,the meter dropped to zero, although the propellers still whirled attop speed. His altimeter showed that he was gradually losingelevation.
He stood up and looked over the side of his plane. The ground belowhim was stationary as far as forward progress was concerned, but itwas slowly rising to meet him. He fumbled at the release ring of hisparachute but another glance at the ground made him hesitate. It wasnot more than three hundred feet below him.
"I must be dreaming!" he cried. The ground was no longer stationary.For some unexplained reason he was going backward. The motors werestill roaring at top speed. Purdy dropped back into his seat in thecockpit. With his ailerons set for maximum lift he coaxed everypossible revolution from his laboring motors. For several minutes hestrained at the controls before he cast a quick glance over the side.His backward speed had accelerated and the ground was less than fiftyfeet below him. It was too close for a parachute jump.
"As slow as I'm falling, I won't crack much, anyway," he consoledhimself. He reached for his switch and the roar of the motors diedaway in silence. The plane gave a sickening lurch backwards and downfor an instant. Purdy again leaned over the side. He was no longergoing either forward or back but was sinking slowly down. He looked atthe ground directly under him. A cry of horror came from his lips. Hesat back mopping his brow. Another glance over the side brought anexpression of terror to his white face and he reached for the heavyautomatic pistol which hung by the side of the control seat.
* * * * *
"He cleared Bellefonte at nine in the morning, Dr. Bird" saidInspector Dolan of the Post Office Department, "and headed towardPhilipsburg. He never arrived. By ten we were alarmed and by eleven wehad planes out searching for him. They reported nothing. He must havecome to grief within a rather restricted area, so we sent searchparties out at once. That was two weeks ago yesterday. No trace ofeither him or his plane has been found."
"The flying conditions were good?"
"Perfect. Also, Purdy is above suspicion. He has been flying the mailon the western runs for three years. This is his first accident. Hewas carrying nothing of unusual value."
"Are there any local conditions unfavorable to flying?"
"None at all. It is much uninhabited country, but there is no reasonwhy it shouldn't be safe country to fly over."
"There are some damnably unfavorable local conditions, Doctor,although I can't tell you what they are," broke in Operative Carnes ofthe United States Secret Service. "Dick Purdy was rather more than anacquaintance of mine. After he was lost I looked into the record ofthat section a little. It is known among aviators as 'The Port ofMissing Planes.'"
"How did it get a name like that?"
"From the number of unexplained and unexplainable accidents thathappen right there. Dugan of the air mail, was lost there last May.They found the mailbags where he had dropped them before he crashed,but they never found a trace of him or his plane."
"They didn't?"
"Not a trace. The same thing happened when Mayfield cracked in August.He made a jump and broke his neck in landing. He was found all right,but his ship wasn't. Trierson of the army, dropped there and _his_plane was never found. Neither was he. He was seen to go down in aforced landing. He was flying last in a formation. As soon as he wentdown the other ships turned back and circled over the ground where heshould have fallen. They saw nothing. Search parties found no trace ofeither him or his ship. Those are the best known cases, but I haveheard rumors of several private ships which have gone down in thatdistrict and have never been seen or heard of since."
* * * * *
Dr. Bird sat forward with a glitter in his piercing black eyes. Carnesgave a grunt of satisfaction. He knew the meaning of that glitter. TheDoctor's interest had been fully aroused.
"Inspector Dolan," said Dr. Bird sharply, "why didn't you tell methose things?"
"Well, Doctor, we don't like to talk about mail wrecks any more thanwe have to. Of course, the loss of so many planes in one area ismerely a coincidence. Probably the wrecked planes were stolen assouvenirs. Such things happen, you know."
"Fiddlesticks!" said Dr. Bird sharply. He raised one long slender handwith beautifully modeled tapering fingers and threw back his unrulymop of black hair. His square, almost rugged jaw, protruded and theglitter in his eyes grew in intensity. "No souvenir hunting vandalscould cart away whole planes without leaving a trace. In that case,what became of the bodies? No, Inspector, this has gone beyond therange of coincidence. There is some mystery here and it needs lookinginto. Fortunately, my work at the Bureau of Standards is in such shapethat I can safely leave it. I intend to devote my entire time toclearing this matter up. The ramifications may run deeper than eitheryou or I suspect. Please have all of your records dealing with planedisappearances or wrecks in that locality sent to my office at once."
The Post Office inspector stiffened.
"Of course, Dr. Bird," he said formally, "we are very glad to hear anysuggestion that you may care to offer. When it comes, however, to amatter of surrendering control of a Post Office matter to theDepartment of Commerce or to the Treasury Department, I doubt thepropriety. Our records are confidential ones and are not open toeveryone who is curious. I will inform the proper authorities of yourdesire to help, but I doubt seriously if they will avail themselves ofyour offer."
* * * * *
Dr. Bird's black eyes shot fire. "Idiot!" he said. "If you're aspecimen of the Post Office Department, I'll have the entire casetaken out of your hands. Do you mean to cooperate with me or not?"
"I fail to see what interest the Bureau of Standards can have in theaffair."
"The Bureau isn't mixed up in it; Dr. Bird is. If necessary, I will godirect to the President. Oh, thunder! What's the use of talking toyou? Who's your chief?"
"Chief Inspector Watkins is in charge of all investigations."
"Carnes, get him on the telephone. Tell him we are taking charge ofthe investigation. If he balks, have Bolton go over his head. Then getthe chief of the Air Corps on the wire and arrange for an army planeto-morrow. There is something more than a mail robbery back of this orI'm badly fooled."
"Do you suspect--"
"I suspect nothing and no one, Carnes--yet! I'll get a few instrumentstogether to take with us to-morrow. We'll fly over that section untilsomething happens if it takes us until this time next year."
* * * * *
A three-seated scout plane rose from Langley Field at eight the nextmorning. Captain Garland was at the controls. In the rear cockpit satDr. Bird and Carnes. Inside his flying helmet, the doctor wore a pairof headphones which were connected to a box on the floor before him.Carnes carried no apparatus but his hand rested carelessly on the gripof a machine-gun.
The plane cleared Bellefonte at nine-thirty and bore east towardPhilipsburg. Captain Garland kept his eyes on his instrument board andon a map. Less than six hundred feet above the ground, he wasfollowing the air-mail route as exactly as possible. Overhead a mailplane winged its way east, three thousand feet above them.
Fifteen minutes brought them to Philipsburg. Captain Garland shot hisplane upward a few hundred feet.
"Turn back, Captain," said Dr. Bird into the speaking tube. "Retraceyour course a quarter of a mile farther north. At Bellefonte, turnback and go over the same ground another quarter of a mile north. Keepflying back and forth, working your way north, until I tell you tostop."
The plane swung around and headed back toward Bellefonte.
"Of course, we can't tell exactly what route he followed," said thedoctor to Carnes, "but he was new on this run and it is safe to assumethat he didn't stray far. We'll quarter the whole area before westop."
Carnes watched the ground below them carefully. There was nothingabout it to distinguish it from any other wooded mountainous countryand his interest waned. He glanced aloft. The mail plane haddisappeared in the distance and the sky was clear of aircraft. Heturned again to the ground. It looked closer than it had before. Heturned and looked at the duplicate altimeter. The plane had lostnearly a hundred feet elevation.
* * * * *
"There's something wrong about this plane, Doctor," came CaptainGarland's voice through the speaking tube. "It doesn't behave like itshould."
"I guess we've found what we were looking for, Carnes," said Dr. Birdgrimly. "What seems to be the matter, Captain?"
"Blessed if I know," was the answer. "It feels like a drag of somesort, like an automobile going through heavy sand. We're slowing down,though I am giving her all the gun I've got!"
"Cut your motor!" said the doctor shortly. He bent over the duplicateinstrument board as the roar of the motor died away. Carnes rose andlooked over the side.
"Look, Doctor!" he cried in a strained voice. Directly below themyawned a hole sixty feet in diameter and extending down into thebowels of the earth. The plane hovered over the hole for a moment andthen slowly descended into it.
"What is it?" cried the detective.
"It's the secret of the Port of Missing Planes," replied Dr. Bird."Throw off your parachute. Keep your gun and light handy but don'tfire unless I do first. The same holds good for you, Captain."
The plane sunk until it was fifty feet below the level of the ground.Carnes looked up. Gradually the circle of sky became blurred and hazyas though the air were heavy with dust. The rasp of Dr. Bird'sflashlight key aroused him and he hastily wound his own. The hazeabove them grew thicker. Suddenly the light died and then camedarkness, a darkness so thick and absolute that it bore down on themlike a weight. Dr. Bird's light stabbed a path through it.
* * * * *
They were in a tunnel or tube reaching into the ground. The sides weresmooth and polished, as though water worn. The plane sank deeper anddeeper into the earth. Suddenly Dr. Bird's light went out.
"What's the matter, Doctor?" asked Carnes, "did your light fail?"
"No," came a strained voice. "I turned it out."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Light yours."
Carnes reached into his pocket. Dr. Bird could hear his breath come inpanting sobs as though he were exerting his whole strength.
"I can't do it, Doctor," he gasped. "I want to, but some power greaterthan my will prevents me."
"Are you affected, Captain?" asked the Doctor.
"I--can't--move," came in muffled accents from the front cockpit.
"Some power beyond my knowledge has us in its grasp," said the doctor."All we can do is sit tight and see what happens. We are no longerfalling at any rate."
From the forward cockpit came a rustling sound. There was a slight jarin the ship, and it gave as though a weight had been applied to oneside.
"What are you doing, Garland?" asked the doctor sharply.
There was no reply. Again came the rustling sound. The ship gave asudden lurch as though a weight had left the side. Carnes suddenlyspoke.
"Good-by, Doctor," he said. "I'm going over the side."
"I have been fighting it but I'm going myself in a minute," repliedthe doctor grimly. "Something is pulling me over. It's the same powerthat keeps me from turning on my light."
"It's perfectly safe to go over," said Carnes suddenly. "The plane isresting on a solid base."
"I have the same feeling. Catch hold of my belt and let's go."
* * * * *
They climbed over the side of the plane and dropped to the ground.Their descent made absolutely no sound. Dr. Bird stopped and felt thefloor.
"Crepe rubber, or something of the sort," he murmured. "At any rate,it's noise and vibration proof."
"Now what?" asked Carnes.
"This way," replied the doctor confidently. "I'm beginning to get thehang of understanding this. The way is perfectly level and open beforeus. Keep your hand on my shoulder and step right out."
"How do you know where we're going?"
"I don't, but something tells me that the road is level and open. Itis the same thing that brought us over the side. I can't explain itbut it is some sort of a telepathic control exerted by anintelligence. Whether the sending mind is reinforced by instruments Idon't know, but I rather fancy not."
"Where is Garland?"
"He went off in another direction. I could feel the power that guidedhim although it was not directed at us. Something tells me that he issafe for the present."
For half a mile they made their way through the darkness before theystopped. This time Carnes could plainly understand the command whichcame to both of them.
"There is a table before us," said Dr. Bird. "Lay your flashlight andpistol on it."
Carnes struggled against the order but the power guiding him wasstronger than his will. He strove to turn on his light. When he couldnot, he tried to cock his pistol. With a sigh, he laid his gun andlight on the table before him. Without words, the two men walkedforward a few feet and sat confidently down on a bench that somethingtold them was there.
* * * * *
For a moment they sat quietly. A cry, choked in the middle, came fromthe detective's throat. Cold clammy hands touched his face. He stroveagain to cry out, but his voice was paralyzed. The hands wentmethodically over his body, evidently searching for weapons. Musteringup his will, Carnes made a grab for one of them. His captor apparentlyhad no objection to the detective's action for Carnes seized the handwithout effort. But he almost dropped it. The hand was as large as aham. He reached for the other hand but could not locate it. A movementon the part of his captor brought it to him and he made the startlingdiscovery that the palms were directed outward. The hand had only fourfingers, which were armed with long curved claws instead of nails.Carnes ran his hand up the palm to search for a thumb but found none.He found, however, that, while the hands were naked, the wrists werecovered with short thick fur.
"Doctor!" he cried, "there's--"
Again came the overpowering will and his speech died away in silence.He sat dumb and motionless while his captor moved over to Dr. Bird. Asecond animal came forward and felt the detective over. He was notallowed to move this time, nor was he while a third a
nd fourth animalwent carefully over him. The four drew back some distance.
"Doctor," whispered Carnes as the influence grew fainter.
"Shh!" was the answer, and as the doctor's demand for silence wasreinforced by another wave of the paralyzing power, Carnes had nochoice. As he sat there silent, the power which held him again seemedto grow less. He found that he could move his arms slightly. He edgedforward to get his gun and light. Before he reached them, a beam oflight split the darkness. Dr. Bird stood, electric torch in hand,staring before him.
At a distance of a few feet stood a group of half a dozen animalsabout the height of a man as they stood erect on their short hindlegs. They were covered with heavy brown fur. Their lower limbs werethin and light, but their shoulders and forelegs were heavy andpowerful. Their forepaws, which had the palms facing outward, werearmed with the long wicked claws he had felt. No visible earsprotruded from the round skulls. Their heads appeared to rest betweentheir shoulders, so short were their necks. Their muzzles were longand obtusely pointed. Through grinning jaws could be seen powerfulwhite teeth.
"Talpidae!" cried Dr. Bird. "Carnes, they are a race of giantintellectual moles!"
* * * * *
Despite the fact that they had no visible eyes, the creatures werestrongly affected by the light. They dropped on all fours and turnedtheir backs to the scientist and the detective. Two of them scurriedaway down a long tunnel which opened from the room in which theystood. Dr. Bird turned his light up and swept the room. It wasroughly circular, a hundred feet in diameter, with a roof ten feethigh. Dozens of tunnels led off in every direction.
"Your light, Carnes, quick!" cried the doctor in a strained voice.Carnes reached toward the table for his light. Before he could reachit he was frozen into immobility. From the corner of his eye he couldwatch the doctor. Dr. Bird was struggling to bring the light back onthe moles which stood before them. Great beads of sweat stood out onhis forehead. Inch by inch he moved the light closer to his goal, butCarnes could see that his thumb was stealing up toward the switchbutton. His breath came in sobs. Suddenly the light went out.
For some time the two men sat motionless on the bench unable to speakor move. One of the moles stepped before them and gave a mentalcommand. The two rose to their feet. For a mile or more they followedtheir guide, then, at a silent command, they turned to the right for afew steps and stopped. In another moment, the numbing influence haddeparted.
"Are you all right, Carnes?"
"Yes, right as can be. Doctor, what were those things? Where are we?What's it all about?"
"We'll find out in time, I guess," replied the doctor with a chuckle."Carnes, isn't this the darnedest thing we've ever been through?Captured half a mile underground by a race of giant talpidae beforewhose mental orders we are as helpless as children. Did you understandany of their talk?"
"Talk? I didn't hear any."
"Well, mental conversation then. They made no sound."
"No. All I understood was the orders I obeyed."
* * * * *
"I got a great deal of it," the doctor said. "We are evidently in ornear a sort of central community of these fellows. They spoke;thought is a better word; they thought of doing away with us butdecided to wait until they consulted someone with more authority. Yousee, we are not airplane pilots. Captain Garland was taken at once tothe place where they have other aviators imprisoned."
"What do they want of pilots underground?"
"I couldn't quite get that. There was another thought that I am notsure that I interpreted correctly. If I did, there is some man of theupper world down here in a position of considerable authority amongthem. He has some use for pilots, but what use, I don't know. We areto be held until he is consulted."
"Who could it be?"
"I can only think of one man. Carnes, and I hope I'm wrong. I don'thave to name him."
"You mean--?"
"Ivan Saranoff. We haven't heard of him or had any activity from himfor the last eight months. We know that he had a subterranean borerwith which he has penetrated deep into the earth. Isn't it possiblethat he has, at some time in his explorations, come into contact withthese fellows and made friends with them?"
"It's possible, Doctor, but I hoped we had killed him when wedestroyed his borer."
"So did I, but he seems to bear a charmed life. Several times we havethought him dead, only to have him show up with some new form ofdevil's work. It is too much to hope that we have succeeded in doingaway with him. Did you notice one thing? Those fellows were helplesswhile I held the light on them. The one which was holding us captivegot so interested in the discussion about our fate that he momentarilyforgot us. That was when I got my light. Until I turned the light awayfrom them, we were free men."
* * * * *
"That's right," answered the secret service man.
"Remember that. The next time we get a light on a bunch of them, holdthem in the beam until we can make terms."
"If we ever get hold of a light again."
"I have a light they didn't get, probably because I didn't think of itwhile they were around. It is one of those fountain pen batteryaffairs and they probably took it for a pen. I won't turn it on now,partly to save it and partly not to let them know we have it. Let'ssee what our prison is like."
They felt their way around the room. It proved to be eight paces byten in size. Like the tunnels it was floored with crepe rubber or somesimilar substance which gave out no sound of footsteps, yet was firmunderfoot. The room was furnished with two beds, a table and twochairs. There was no sign of a door.
"That's that," exclaimed the doctor when they had finished theirexploration. "I'm hungry. I wonder when we eat. Hello, here comes oneof the fellows now."
Carnes made no reply. As the doctor's speech ended, a wave of mentalpower enveloped the room. One of the moles entered, moved over to thetable for an instant and then left the room. An earthly odor ofvegetables pervaded the room.
"My question is answered," said the doctor. "We eat now."
He moved to the table. On it had been placed dishes containing threedifferent types of roots. Two of them proved to be palatable, but thethird was woody and bitter. The prisoners made a hearty meal from thetwo they relished. For an hour they sat waiting.
"Here they come again!" exclaimed the doctor. "We are going before theperson I spoke of. Can't you get their thoughts?"
"No, I can't, Doctor. I can understand when I get a command, but asidefrom those times everything is a blank to me."
"My mental wave receiver, if that's what it is, must be attuned to adifferent frequency than yours, for I can hear them talking to oneanother. I guess I should say that I can feel them thinking to oneanother. At any rate, they want us to follow. Come along, the roadwill be open and level."
* * * * *
The doctor stepped out confidently with Carnes at his heels. For halfa mile they went forward. Presently they halted.
"We are in a big chamber here, Carnes," whispered the doctor, "andthere is someone before us. We'll have some light in a minute."
His prophecy was soon fulfilled. A vague glimmer of light began tofill the cavern in which they stood. As it grew stronger they couldsee a raised dais before them on which were seated three figures. Twoof them were the giant moles. Each of the moles wore a helmet whichcovered his head completely, with no sign of lenses or other means ofvision. It was the central figure, however, which held the attentionof the prisoners.
Seated on a chair and regarding, them with an expression of sardonicamusement was a man. Above a high forehead rose a thin scrub of whitehair. Keen brown eyes peered at them from under almost hairless brows.The nose was high bridged and aquiline and went well with hisprominent cheekbones. His mouth was a mere gash below his nose, framedby thin bloodless lips. The lips were curled in a sneer, revealingyellow teeth. The whole expression of the face was one of revoltingcr
uelty.
"So," said the figure slowly, "fate has been kind to me. My friends,Dr. Bird and Operative Carnes have chosen to pay me a long visit. Iam greatly flattered."
The thin metallic voice with its noticeable accent struck a familiarchord.
"Saranoff!" gasped Carnes.
"Yes, Mr. Carnes, Saranoff. Professor Ivan Saranoff, of the faculty ofSt. Petersburg once. Now merely Saranoff, the scourge of thebourgeois."
* * * * *
"I hoped we had killed you," murmured Carnes.
"It was no fault of Dr. Bird's that he failed," replied the Russianwith an excess of malevolence in his voice. "His method was a correctone. Merely the fortuitous fact that we had just pierced one of thetunnels of the Selom, and I was away from my borer exploring it, savedme. You did me a good turn, Doctor, without meaning to. You destroyedan instrument on which I had relied. In doing so, you unwittinglydelivered into my hands a power greater than any I had dreamed of--theSelom."
"What can a mental cripple like you do with blind allies like them?"asked Dr. Bird with a contemptuous laugh. The Russian half rose fromhis seat in rage. For a moment his hand toyed with a switch beforehim. The sardonic sneer came back into his face and he dropped backinto his seat.
"You nearly provoked me to destroy you, Doctor," he said, "but coldcalculation saved you. Since you will never return to the upper world,save when and as I decree, I have no objection to telling you. TheSelom are not blind. Their eyes are under the skin as is the case withmany of the talpidae, but for all that they can see very well. Theireyes function on a shorter wave than ours, a wave so short that itreadily penetrates through miles of earth and rock. This cavern is nowflooded with it. Visible light, the light by which we see, is limitedto their eyes, hence the helmets which you see. They can see throughthose helmets as well as you or I can see through air."
"What do you intend to do with us?"
"Ah, Doctor, there you hit me in a tender spot. I have a soretemptation to close this switch on which my hand rests. Were I to doso, both you and Mr. Carnes would vanish forevermore. I have, however,conceived a very real affection for you two. Your brains, Doctor,working in my behalf instead of against me would render me well-nighomnipotent. Mr. Carnes has a certain low cunning which I can also useto advantage. Both of you will join me."
* * * * *
"You might as well close your switch and save your breath, Saranoff,for we will do nothing of the sort," replied the doctor sharply.
"Ah, but you will. So will Mr. Carnes. I had no hopes that you wouldjoin me willingly. In fact, I am pleased that you do not. I couldnever trust you. All the same, you will join my forces as have theothers whom I have brought into the hands of the Selom. I have ways ofaccomplishing my desires. It pleases my fancy, Doctor, to use yourbrains in aiding me in my scientific developments. You will enjoyworking with the scientists of the Selom. Among them you will findbrains which excel any to be found on the surface of the earth, sincewe two are below. Already I have learned much from them. You, Mr.Carnes shall be taught to pilot an airplane. When my cohorts go forthfrom the realms of the Selom to establish the rule of Russia, you willbe piloting one of the planes. Your first task will be to learn tofly."
"I refuse to do anything of the sort!" said Carnes.
"I will not be ready to have your flying lessons started untilto-morrow," replied the Russian, "and you will have until then toreconsider your rash decision. It will be much easier for you if youobey my orders. If you still refuse to-morrow, you will pay a visit tothe laboratory of the Selom. When you return your lessons will bestarted. You will now be taken to your cell. I have use for Dr. Birdthis afternoon."
"I won't leave Dr. Bird and that's flat!" exclaimed Carnes. Dr. Birdinterrupted him.
"Go ahead, Carnesy, old dear," he said lightly. "You might just aswell toddle along under your own power as to be dragged along. Youhave a day for reflection, in any event. I daresay I'll see you againbefore they do anything to you."
Carnes glanced keenly at the doctor's face. What he saw evidentlyreassured him for he turned without a word and walked away. The lightgrew gradually dimmer until darkness again reigned in the cavern.
"Come, Doctor," said Saranoff's voice. "We have work to do."
* * * * *
Carnes sat alone in his cell for hours. The darkness and lonelinesswore on him until he felt that his nerves would crack. Not a soundcame to him. He threw himself on one of the beds and plugged his earswith his finger tips in an attempt to keep the silence out. Then acheerful voice sounded in the cell and a friendly hand fell on hisshoulder.
"Well, Carnesy, old dear," said Dr. Bird, "have you been lonesome?"
"Dr. Bird!" gasped Carnes in tones of relief. "Are you all right?"
"Right as can be. I learned a lot this afternoon. For one thing,you're going to start flying lessons to-morrow and you're going to doyour best to become an expert pilot in a short time. It is the onlything to do."
"And fly a plane for Saranoff?"
"I hope not. The only way to avoid that very thing is to keep yourmentality unimpaired so that I can call on you for help when I needit. If the Selom operate on you, you will be useless to me."
"Operate? What do you mean?"
"I'll tell you. The Selom are a very old and highly civilized people.For ages they have possessed scientific knowledge for which theupper-world scientists are now blindly groping. Among other things,they have a perfect knowledge of the workings of the brain. If theyoperate they will remove from your brain every speck of memory youhave of past events, leaving only those things that will be useful toSaranoff. You will be his complete slave. In that condition you willbe taught to fly a plane. When the time comes, you will fly one withno remembrance of anything which happened prior to the operation andwith no will but his. It will be easier to teach you flying in yournatural state if you are willing. You will be willing."
"If you wish it, Doctor."
* * * * *
"I do wish it, most decidedly," Dr. Bird went on. "Obey every orderthey give you. You will find that the Selom are an enlightened andcivilized race. They are very kindly and would willingly harm no one."
"Then why have they taken up with Saranoff?"
"He is the first man with whom they have come into contact. He hastold them a horrible tale of conditions on the surface, and they haveswallowed it, hook, line and sinker. They believe that he is going toestablish a new order of happiness and plenty for all with the aid ofhis gang of cutthroats from Russia. If they had the slightest inklingof the true state of affairs, they would turn on him in an instant."
"Why don't you tell them?"
"Remember that I am a stranger here and he has poisoned their mindsagainst me. Although the mind of an ordinary men is an open book tothem, they cannot read Saranoff's secret thoughts against his will.They can't read mine either, for that matter. I am working in thelaboratory and I will pick up a great deal. When the time comes, wewill strike for our liberty and for the safety of the world."
"Did you learn Saranoff's plans?"
"Yes. He is gathering planes and pilots in the underground caverns ofthe Selom. When he gets enough, he will bring men from Russia to manthe planes. What could the United States, or the world for thatmatter, do against a fleet of hundreds, possibly thousands, of thebest planes equipped with deadly weapons unknown to their science?That menace confronts us and we must remove it. To give you some ideaof the power of the Selom, this afternoon Saranoff and I with oneassistant opened a cavern in the solid rock three miles long and amile wide and over six hundred feet in height."
"Three men! How on earth did you do it?"
"Two men and one mole. We did it with a ray, the secret of which onlythe Selom and Saranoff know."
* * * * *
"You have told me a disintegrating ray is an impossibility," objectedCarnes.
"It is. This was not a disintegrating ray. Carnes, either I am crazyor the Selom have solved the secret of time, the fourth dimension. Ihaven't been able to grasp the whole thing yet. What I think we didwas to remove that rock a distance, perhaps only a millionth of asecond, forward or back into time. At any rate it ceased to exist, yetthey can bring it back unchanged at will. That was the way theycaptured our plane. They sent out a magnetic ray of such power that itstopped our plane in midair and brought it to the ground. Theyremoved the rock from beneath us and lowered us into the hole. Byreversing the process they restored things to their originalcondition. All of these tunnels and rooms were made in that way."
"I still don't understand how they did it."
"I don't either, but I hope to in time. Now let's go to bed. It'slate. To-morrow you will start your lessons with Captain Garland as aninstructor. He won't know you for he was operated on this afternoon.Do your best to become a pilot. When I get ready, I want you with mein full possession of all your faculties."
The next morning the two prisoners separated and went to their duties.In the cavern which Dr. Bird had described, Captain Garland waswaiting beside the plane he had flown. He did not know Carnes, but hestill knew how to fly. Declining to enter into any conversation, hestarted expounding the theory of flying to the detective. Carnesremembered Dr. Bird's words and applied himself wholeheartedly. Forfour hours they worked together. At the end of that time the lightfaded in the cavern and Carnes was led by an unseen guide back to hiscell. He threw himself on a bed and awaited Dr. Bird's return.
"I have learned a few more things about the Selom," said the doctorwhen he entered the cell several hours later. "We are in their largestcommunity. They have cities or warrens scattered all over the world.Each city has its own ruler, but the whole race are ruled by anoverlord or king who habitually lives here. He is away visiting acommunity under northern Africa just now, but he will be back in a fewdays. The Selom are sincere in their desire to help the upper world.They feel great pity for mankind in view of the conditions Saranoffhas described to them. When the king returns. I plan to make a directappeal to him. In the meantime, go on with your flying lessons. Howdid you make out to-day?"
* * * * *
The second day was a repetition of the first, as were the third andfourth. A week passed before Dr. Bird entered the cell in evidentexcitement.
"Has Hanac brought our evening food yet?" he asked anxiously.
"No, Doctor."
"Good. Take this light. As soon as he enters throw the light full onhim and hold him until I work on him. We've got to make our escape."
"Why?"
"The king is due back to-morrow. Saranoff is frightened at the goodimpression I have made on the Selom. He is supreme in the monarch'sabsence, so he plans to operate on both of us before he returns. He isafraid to allow me to see the king with an unimpaired intellect andmemory. Shh! Here comes Hanac." The door to their cell openednoiselessly. When the mole who brought their food was well inside,Carnes turned on the tiny flashlight. The mole dropped on all foursand tried to turn its back. Dr. Bird sprang forward. For an instanthis slim muscular fingers worked on the mole's neck and shoulders.Silently the animal sank in a heap.
"Come on, Carnes," cried the doctor. "Turn off the light."
"Did you kill him, Doctor?" asked Carnes as he raced down a pitch darkcorridor at the scientist's heels.
"No, I merely paralyzed him temporarily. He'll be all right in a dayor so. Turn here."
* * * * *
For ten minutes they ran down corridor after corridor. Carnes soonlost all track of direction, but Dr. Bird never hesitated. Presentlyhe slowed down to a walk.
"It's a good thing I have a good memory," he said. "I planned thatcourse out from a map, and I had to memorize every turn and distanceof it. We are now behind your flying hall and away from any of theregular dwellings of the Selom. Straight west about four miles is oneof the time-ray machines with a guard over it. Aside from them, thereisn't a mole between here and Detroit."
"What are we going to do, Doctor?"
"Keep out of their way and avoid recapture if we can. If we merelywanted to escape we would try to get possession of that time-raymachine and open a road to the surface. However, I am not content withthat. I want to stay underground until Astok, their king, returns.When he comes, we will surrender to him."
"Suppose they operate without giving us a chance to present our sideof the affair."
"If they do, Saranoff wins; but they won't. The more I have seen ofthe Selom, the more impressed I am by their sense of justice. They'llgive us a hearing, all right, and a fair one."
For two hours the doctor led the way. At the end of that time hestopped.
"We've gone as far as we need to," he said. "They'll undoubtedly sendout searching parties, but if we can avoid thinking they won't be ableto find us. The tunnels are a perfect labyrinth. If you care to sleep,go to it. We'll be safer sleeping than awake, for we won't be sendingout thoughts so fast."
* * * * *
Dr. Bird threw himself down on the rubber floor of the tunnel and wassoon asleep. Carnes tried to follow his example, but sleep would notcome to him. Frantically he tried to think of nothing. By an effort hewould sit for a few minutes with his mind a conscious blank, butthoughts would throng in in spite of him. Time and again he broughthimself up with a jerk and forced his mind to become a blank. Thehours passed slowly. Carnes grew cramped from long immobility androse. A sudden thought intruded itself into his mind. "I might as wellthrow that light away," he murmured to himself. "It will be no goodnow. The Selom won't hurt us if they do catch us."
He reached in his pocket for the light. He was about to hurl it fromhim when a moment of sanity came to him. He stared about. The impulseto hurl the light away came stronger. He strove in vain to turn it on.
"Doctor!" he cried suddenly. "Wake up! They're after us!"
With a bound, Dr. Bird was on his feet.
"The light!" he cried. "Where is it?"
"In--my--hand," murmured Carnes with stiffening lips.
Dr. Bird seized the light. A beam stabbed the darkness. Less thanfifty feet from them stood two moles. As the light flashed on Carnesregained control of himself.
"Take the light, Carnes," snapped the doctor. "I've got to put thesefellows to sleep."
Slowly he advanced toward the motionless Selom. He had almost reachedthem when the light flickered out. He turned and raced at full speedtoward the detective. Carnes was standing rigid and motionless. Dr.Bird took the light from his hand. Despite the almost overpoweringdrag on his mind, he managed to turn it on. He swung the beam aroundin a circle. Besides the two Selom he had seen before, the lightrevealed a pair standing behind him. As the light struck them, thenumbing influence vanished for an instant from the doctor's mind. Hemoved a step forward and then halted. The moles behind him werehurling waves of mental power at him. Again the light cleared him foran instant, but he got a brief glance of other moles hurrying fromevery direction.
"The jig's up, I guess," he muttered. He strove to free himself by theuse of his light, but the tiny battery had done its duty, andgradually the light grew dimmer. The influence grew too strong forhim. With a sigh he shut off the feeble ray and hurled the light fromhim. The moles closed in.
"All right," said the doctor audibly. "We'll go peaceably."
* * * * *
As he spoke the paralyzing power was withdrawn. With Carnes at hisside he retraced the route he had taken from the cell. Before theyreached it they turned off. Dr. Bird realized that they were treadingthe familiar path to the laboratory.
Outside the laboratory the Selom halted. A wave of mental powerenveloped the prisoners and they remained silent and motionless whiletheir escort withdrew. From the laboratory came three of the Selomscientists. As the laboratory door opened they could see that it wasbathed in a flood of light, and that the moles wore h
elmets coveringtheir heads. They moved inside. Clad in a white gown stood Saranoff.
"So, my friends, you would run away and leave me, would you?" gloatedthe Russian. "And just when I had planned a very beneficial operationfor you! I will remove permanently from your brains all the delusionswhich now encumber them, and for your own puny wills I will substitutemy own."
The power which had held the prisoners silent disappeared.
"You have caught us, Saranoff," said Dr. Bird. "I know the power youwield and that you are making no idle boast. I appeal, however, tothese others, my friends. The operation you are planning to performis not a routine one. It is one that should have the sanction of theking before it is done. I appeal from you to him."
"He is far away," laughed Saranoff. "When he returns, your plea willbe presented to him, but it will be too late to do you any good. Youare right, Doctor--I do not plan a mere routine operation. Not onlywill I remove your memory, but I'm going to use the time-ray on youand banish forever into the unknown a portion of your brains. Withoutknowing which adjustment I make of the infinite number possible, noone, not even the king, can ever recall it."
* * * * *
Dr. Bird turned to the Selom scientists and hurled his thoughts atthem.
"This man intends to commit a horrible crime," he thought, "and onewhich he has no authority to perform. To you I appeal for justice. Bidhim wait until Astok returns, and let him be the judge as to whetherit shall be done. Jumor, you know me well. You know that my brain isthe equal of one of the Selom. Even you cannot read my thoughtsagainst my will. Are you willing to see that brain destroyed? Astokwill be here soon and nothing will be lost by a short delay."
"He thinks truly," was the answering thought of Jumor. "It would bebetter to wait."
"We will not wait," crashed Saranoff's thought into theirconsciousness. "He killed Hanac when he escaped, and his punishmentshall be as I have decreed. Did not the king give me full power whilehe was away?"
"It is true that he ordered us to obey this man in all things dealingwith upper-world men," thought Jumor. "If it is true that he killedHanac his punishment is doubtless just."
"I did not kill Hanac," returned the doctor. "He is paralyzed and willbe all right in a few hours, if he isn't already. I demand that youwait until Astok returns. When an appeal is made to him, no other mayjudge. So says the Selom law."
"That is true," replied Jumor. "We will wait until the king returns."
"We will _not_ wait," came Saranoff's thought. "The king delegated tome his powers during his absence, as far as all the world, save theSelom, were concerned. Were it one of the Selom appealing to the king,I would be powerless before the appeal. These are not bound by Selomlaw and are not entitled to its benefits. We will operate at once."
"Then you will operate alone," retorted Jumor. "I will not assistyou."
"I need none of your help," thought Saranoff. "Asmo and Camol, willyou help me? If you refuse I will report to Astok that you havedisobeyed and defied his chosen delegate."
"We had better assist him, Jumor," thought Asmo. "Astok did delegatehis authority. I am not of the nobility and I dare not refuse tohelp."
"Suit yourself, Asmo," replied Jumor. "I refuse to assist, and willappeal to Astok against him."
* * * * *
The third mole hesitated.
"You are higher in rank than we are, Jumor," he thought at length,"and like Asmo, I dare not resist him. I heard the king give thisupper-earth man his authority while he was away. I will assist."
"And I will leave the room," retorted Jumor.
He moved to a door and threw it open. At the threshold he paused andsent back a final thought.
"I will appeal to Astok, our ruler. I will send now a message to himto hurry home that he may judge between us."
The door closed behind him. Saranoff chuckled audibly.
"Good-by, Carnes," said Dr. Bird sadly. "This devil can do all he sayshe can, and more. I'm sorry I brought you and Garland into this mess."
"Oh, well, it can't be helped, Doctor," replied the detective with anattempt at cheerfulness. "What is he going to do to us?"
"He'll have to use instruments for what he plans," said the doctor."Ordinarily a routine mental operation is performed without the use ofextraneous power. The mind of the operator is electrically connectedto the mind of the victim. By means of thought waves the operatorbanishes from the mind of the subject such portions of his memory andmentality as he chooses. He may then substitute other things in placeof what he has removed. Any of the Selom could operate on you, but Idoubt whether Jumor himself could do it successfully on me without aidfrom power. Here come the instruments."
* * * * *
Asmo and Camol took from a cabinet on the side of the wall what lookedlike a cloth helmet. Attached to it were a dozen wires which theyconnected to a box on a table. The box was made of crystal and insideit could be seen a number of vacuum tubes and coils of variousdesigns. Other leads ran to a similar helmet which Asmo placed onSaranoff's head. A heavy cable ran to a switch on the wall.
As Camol closed the switch the tubes in the box began to glow withweird lights. Violet, green and orange streamers of light came fromthem to dance in wild patterns on the laboratory walls. For fiveminutes Saranoff made adjustments to dials on the front of the crystalbox. The colored lights died away and a gentle golden glow came fromthe apparatus. He threw off the helmet.
Camol left the laboratory and returned with a large coil on the topof which was mounted a parabolic reflector. A device like a clock onthe front of the coil was constantly marking the passage of time. Thedial had two indicators which were together. Saranoff chuckled.
"You may not have seen this device work, Doctor," he said. "In orderto let you know what you are facing, I will demonstrate."
He turned the reflector so that it bore on the wall. He adjusted themoving dial so that the two indicators were no longer together. As heclosed a switch, the wall before the reflector vanished. Saranoffturned off the power.
"That portion of the wall has gone back in time exactly threeseconds," he announced. "As far as the present is concerned, it hasceased to exist. It is following us through time three seconds behindus, but in all eternity it will never catch up unless I aid it. Sincethe exact time is known, it can be restored. If I were to alter thisadjustment ever so little, it could never be recalled. Watch me."
* * * * *
He again closed the switch, this time in a reverse direction. The wallinstantly filled up as it had been before. He moved the time dial sothat the two indicators coincided.
"After I have sent a portion of your physical brain into the past orthe future as the fancy strikes me, I will change the adjustment ofthat dial. Since there are an infinite number of adjustments to whichI might have set it, the chances that any one could ever duplicate mysetting and restore it are the complement of infinity, or zero," hesaid. "I am now ready to remove your memory. If the impossible shouldhappen and your physical brain be restored it would be useless. Asmo,adjust the helmet. I will operate on my friend, the Doctor, first."
Carnes strove to rush to Dr. Bird's assistance, but he was helplessbefore the force of Camol's will. Asmo adjusted the helmet to Dr.Bird's head and buckled it firmly in place. With an evil grin,Saranoff donned the other helmet.
"Good-by, Dr. Bird," he said mockingly. "You will continue to see me,but you won't know me, except as your master."
* * * * *
His hand reached for the switch. It had almost closed on it whenSaranoff stopped convulsively. He sat motionless while the laboratorydoor opened and Jumor entered the room. He was followed by anothermole. The newcomer was fully six inches taller than the others. Hishead was hidden by a helmet, but around his arms he wore strings ofsparkling jewels.
"Ivan Saranoff, what means this?" his powerful thoughts dominated theroom.
"An operation which uses power is not routine," replied the king. "Iam told that this upper-earth man has a brain equal to those of mymost advanced scientist. I am also told that you planned to do morethan rectify his mental errors."
"You have been falsely informed. I was merely about to adjust hismemory."
"Then what means this?" The king pointed to the time-ray machine.
"That was brought here in order that it could be used when youreturned," thought the Russian eagerly. "This upper-earth man killedHanac when he brought him food."
The door opened and Hanac entered.
"Oh, Astok," objected Hanac's thoughts, "when these upper-earth menhad me at their mercy, with a light, they spared me. They paralyzed mefor a time so that they might escape but they did it in such a mannerthat no harm came to me."
"So Jumor told me," replied the king. "Release them."
* * * * *
In an instant Carnes was on his feet removing the helmet from Dr.Bird's head. The doctor struggled to his feet.
"Dr. Bird," thought the king, "can you communicate with me easily?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, but may I ask that you alter the vibration periodof my comrade, Mr. Carnes? He cannot understand you with his presentlow period."
The king stepped to the box with which Saranoff had been working. Inresponse to his commands the helmet which had been on Dr. Bird's headwas placed on the detective. The king made a few adjustments to thedials and signalled for the helmet to be removed.
"Can you understand me, Mr. Carnes?" he asked mentally.
The question leaped with startling clearness into the detective'shead. Carefully he framed his answer.
"I can understand you," said the king. "I will now sit in judgment onthe appeal made to me. Dr. Bird tell me your story."
With eloquent thoughts, Dr. Bird poured forth the history of the upperworld. He told of the great war and the collapse of the Russianmonarchy. He traced history to the fall of the moderate party and therise of the Bolsheviki. He described the horrible conditions existingin Russia. At the end he reviewed the long battle he and Carnes hadfought against Saranoff. When he had finished, the king questionedCarnes.
The detective repeated the story in different words and the kingturned to Saranoff. From the Russian's mind came a tissue of distortedfacts and downright lies. He denied or twisted around everything thatthe detective and the scientist had said. When he had done with histale, Astok sat in secret thought for a few minutes.
"The tales you tell me are so far apart that I can give credence tonone of them," he announced at length. "There is but one solution.Although they are never used, for the Selom have forgotten the meaningof a falsehood, we have instruments which will drag the truth from thebrain of a liar. They are powerful and their use may easily be fatal.If a man gives forth the contents of his brain willingly, the processis not painful. If he tries to conceal anything, it is torture. Willyou willingly submit your brains to the searching of this instrument?"
"Gladly," came Dr. Bird's thought and Carnes reechoed it.
"And you, Ivan Saranoff?" demanded the king.
"I will not submit," thought the Russian sullenly.
"You will be examined whether you submit willingly or not," repliedAstok. "I am going to learn the truth though I kill you all to getit."
* * * * *
At the king's order, Jumor hastened from the laboratory. He returnedin a few minutes with an apparatus similar to the one which Saranoffhad planned to use on Dr. Bird, but larger, and with more dials on thecrystal box. At a command from the king, Dr. Bird donned the helmet.
The king manipulated switches and dials. Around Dr. Bird's head gloweda halo of crimson light. Twice an expression of momentary pain passedover his countenance. After half an hour, Astok cut on the power andnodded to Carnes.
"Don't try to hold anything back, Carnesy," said Dr. Bird sharply."You couldn't if you tried, and the process is very painful, I canassure you."
With the helmet on his head the detective sat for ten minutes whilethe Selom king went through his brain. A dozen times he shrieked inagony but his moments of suffering were short. The king removed thehelmet.
"Your minds agree well," he thought. "Now I will examine the mind ofmy friend."
The helmet was strapped on Saranoff. Instantly an expression of theutmost anguish crossed his face. Shriek after shriek of agony camefrom his writhing lips. Relentlessly the king applied more power. Thecries of the Russian grew heartrending. Suddenly he grew rigid andslumped forward in his chair. Astok impassively manipulated hisinstrument. After half an hour, he opened the switch and removed thehelmet. Under the ministrations of Jumor the Russian revived. The kingsat in secret thought for an hour.
"I have examined the brains of all of you," he announced at length,"and I find hopeless contradictions. Each of you believes thoroughlyin his own social order. Both tell me of hopeless misery on the partof a large portion of his people. Both tell of horrible wars andsuffering beyond my comprehension. The thoughts of all of you teemwith modes of bringing death to your fellow beings. Your entirescience his been perverted to the ends of destruction. Nothing of thesort can be realized by the Selom where truth, justice and mercyprevail. Each of you holds that his form of government is better thanthe other, and will cause less suffering and misery than the others'.None of you hold out hope of happiness for your fellow beings. I donot know which system is less obnoxious. My decision is made. TheSelom will not interfere in the affairs of the upper-earth. You mayfight out your battles without aid and without interference.
"I will operate on both Ivan Saranoff and Dr. Bird. I will remove fromtheir minds all knowledge of our science and instruments and leavethem in the same condition that they were when they entered my realms.Each of you will then be returned to upper-earth, Ivan Saranoff toRussia, Dr. Bird and Mr. Carnes to the United States. The pilots, whomI hold prisoners, will have their mentalities restored and be returnedto their homes. The planes we have captured, I will send off into timeso that they can never be used for the misery of upper-earth menagain. Jumor, you will carry out these orders."
* * * * *
"I wish I could remember how that time machine was built andoperated," said Dr. Bird reflectively, as he sat in his privatelaboratory in the Bureau of Standards some time later, "but Jumor didhis work well. I can't even remember what the thing looked like."
"Well, Doctor, our trip below wasn't a loss. We removed a very realmenace to the established order of things and we have got rid ofSaranoff temporarily. It will take him some time to return here fromRussia."
"Three weeks or less," said Dr. Bird pessimistically. "However, wehave gained one other thing. Did you notice this?"
He pulled what looked like a watch from his pocket. Carnes regarded itwith a puzzled expression.
"No, Doctor, what is it?"
"It is a very small camera which takes pictures one-half inch byseven-eighths. I had several opportunities to use it. I wasn't surethat it would work on such short waves, but it did. When Saranofftries to return to this country, he will find that every immigrationinspector and every member of the border patrol has an excellentlikeness of him. That may hinder his entrance into the country for alittle while."
A CLASSIFICATION OF THE UNIVERSE
A classification of everything in the universe, from the smallestthing yet measured, the electron, less than a millionth of a millionthof an inch in extent, to the biggest, a star system of a thousandmillion trillion miles, was described recently by Prof. Harlow Shapleyof Harvard in a lecture at the commerce center of the College of theCity of New York.
Looking forward to a time when man will be able to measure evensmaller things than the electron and larger than the grea
test starsystem, Prof. Shapley explained that he had left the classification"open at both ends."
Man, Prof. Shapley said, occupies a very small place in all thissystem, although, beside an electron or an atom, he is not sonegligible, at that.
"The survey," it was explained, "aims toward giving perspective. Itgives a sane and modest view of man's place in the scheme.
"The significance of the classification lies in the skeleton which isafforded all science to bring some measure of order out of the world'spresent chaotic knowledge of the systems of various kinds.
"All systems find a place in this synthesis--atoms, comets andgalaxies; man, radiation and the space-time complex. When looked at inthis objective way, human beings, and all associated terrestrialorganisms, appear only parenthetically in one of the subdivisions ofthe class of colloidal aggregates."
Prof. Shapley discussed the concept of the cosmoplasma.
"This," it was explained, "is at once the most mysterious andfundamental part of the universe, and only recently has come underdirect experimental study. In brief, it is the substratum of materialsthroughout the universe, between planets, stars and the galaxies.
"It has no obvious systematic organization. Hence it includes suchdiverse constituents as the high speed shooting stars, interstellarcalcium gas and radiation itself.
"Though no one has even seen an electron, the smallest thing includedin the classification, they have been proved to exist in several ways.They give forth flashes of light that can be photographed. They havecaused the bending of X-rays as they pass through a substance."