Invaders from the Infinite - John W. Campbell (the top 100 crime novels of all time .txt) 📗

“Not any more,” laughed Morey grimly. “That’s another surprise for the enemy. They had a little jog, and they certainly are wide awake now. They are headed for big things, and they are going to do a lot.”

“But how do you know these things? You have ships that can go from planet to planet, I know, but the records of the enemy said you could not leave the system of your sun. They alone knew that secret.”

“Another surprise for them,” said Morey. “We can⁠—and we can move faster than your ship, if not faster than they. The people of the dead star have moved to a very live star⁠—Sirius, the brightest in our heavens. And they are as much alive now as their new sun. They can move faster than light, also. We had a little misunderstanding a while back, when their star passed close to ours. They came off second best, and we haven’t spoken to them since. But I think we can make valuable allies there.”

For all Morey’s jocular manner, he realized the terrible import of this announcement. A race which had been able to cross the vast gulf of intergalactic space in the days when Terrestrians were still developing the airplane⁠—and already they had mapped Jupiter, and planned their colonies! What developments had come? They had molecular rays, cosmic rays, the energy of matter, then⁠—what else had they now? Lux and Relux, the two artificial metals, made of solidified light, far stronger than anything of molecular structure in nature, absolutely infusible, totally inert chemically, one a perfect conductor of light and of all radiation in space, the other a perfect reflector of all radiations⁠—save molecular rays. Made into the condition of reflection by the action of special frequencies in its formation from light, molecular frequencies were, unfortunately, able to convert it into perfectly transparent lux metal, when the protective value was gone.

They had that. All Earth had, perhaps.

“There was one other race of some importance, the others were semi-civilized. They rated us in a position between these races and the high races⁠—yours, those of the dead star, and those of world 3769⁠–⁠37:478:326:894⁠–⁠6. Our science had been investigated two hundred or so years ago.

“This other race was at a great distance from us, greater than yours, and apparently not feared as greatly as yours. They cannot cross to other worlds, save in small ships driven solely by fire, which the Thessians have called a ‘hopelessly inefficient and laughably awkward thing to ride in.’ ”

“Rockets,” grinned Morey. “Our first ship was part rocket.”

Zezdon Fentes smiled. “But that is all. We have brought you warning, and our plea. Can you help us?”

“We cannot answer that. The Interplanetary Council must act. But I am afraid that it will be all we can do to protect our own world if this enemy attacks soon, and I fear they will. Since they have a base in this universe, it is impossible to believe that all ships did not report back to the home world at stated intervals. That one is missing will soon be discovered, and it will be sought. War will start at once. Three months it took you to reach us⁠—they should come soon.

“Those men who left will be on their way back from the home world from which they came. What do you call your planet, friend?”

“Ortol is our home,” replied Zezdon Inthel.

“At any rate, I can only assure you that your world will be given weapons that will permit your people to defend themselves and I will get you to your home within twenty-four hours. Your ship⁠—is it in the system?”

“It waits on the second satellite of the fourth planet,” replied Zezdon Afthen.

“Signal them, and tell them to land where a beacon of intense light, alternating red and blue, reaches up from⁠—this point on the map.” Arcot pointed out the spot in Vermont where their private lake and laboratory were.

He turned to the others, and in rapid-fire English, explained his plans. “We need the help of these people as much as they need ours. I think Zezdon Fentes will stay here and help you. The others will go with us to their world. There we shall have plenty of work to do, but on the way we are going to stop at Mars and pick up that valuable ship of theirs and make a careful examination for possible new weapons, their system of speed-drive, and their regular space-drive. I’m willing to make a bet right now, that I can guess both. Their regular drive is a molecular drive with lead disintegration apparatus for the energy, cosmic ray absorbers for the heating, and a drive much like ours. Their speed drive is a time distortion apparatus, I’ll wager. Time distinction offers an easy solution of speed. All speed is relative⁠—relative to other bodies, but also to time-speed. But we’ll see.

“I’m going to hustle some workmen to installing the biggest spare power board I can get into the storerooms of the Ancient Mariner, and pack in a ray-screen. It will be useful. Let’s move.”

“Our ship,” said Zezdon Afthen, “will land in three of your hours.”

The Ortolians were standing on a low, green-clad hill. Below them stretched the green flank of the little rise, and beyond lay ridge after ridge of the broad, smooth carpet of the beautiful Vermont hills.

“Man of Earth,” said Zezdon Afthen, turning at last to Wade, who stood behind him. “It took us three months of constant flight at a speed unthinkable, through space dotted with the titanic gems of the Outer Dark, stars gleaming in red, and blue and orange, some titanic lighthouses of our course, others dim pinpoints of glowing color. It was a scene of unspeakable grandeur, but it was so awesomely mighty in its scope, one was afraid, and his soul shriveled within him as he looked at those inconceivable masses floating forever alone in the silence of the