The Hidden Planet by Anthology

Author:Anthology [Anthology]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-03-05T05:00:00+00:00

Old Man Barclay came down in place of the mess boy, a serious, worried O.M., but with a smile on his lips—until he saw Ignatz and Jerry’s normal face. Then something hard shot into his eyes. He whistled.

“I had a hunch,” he said softly. But his voice was even, his face relaxed. “You always were a fool, Jerry, even if you happen to be the best man that ever rode a star-hopper. This, and our cursed luck, should have told me. What is it—Anne?”

Jerry nodded, patted Ignatz back into place as the zloaht moved to avoid the O.M.’s look. “Anne,” he agreed. He thrust back into the machinery as the navigator sent down fresh data, backed out, and faced the other quietly. “Well?”

“Of course.” The old face never moved a muscle. “What I can’t understand is how your luck can reach out ten million miles and hit another ship, though. Never mind, I’ll tell you later—maybe.”

Jerry dropped limply back into his chair, and the other moved over with a drink. Noting the trembling hands that lifted the glass, the Old Man’s face softened. “Too much work for one man, son. I used to be pretty much up on the layout here. Maybe I can spell you.”

“Maybe. It’s routine stuff now, Mr. Barclay. All you need are the feed controls and gyro-eveners banked together there.” The Master pointed them out, one by one, while the

O.M. nodded. “I’ll have to take over in four, five hours though. Sure you can do it till then?”

“That much, yes.” The O.M. tossed a blanket over the younger man and then moved over by the projecting feed bars. “Ever strike you as funny I came on this trip?”

“Didn’t have time to think,” said the Master.

Barclay squatted down on a beam, his eyes on the controls. “I don’t do things without a purpose, Lord. Venus needs radium—needs it bad. They offer double price for three million dollars’ worth. Earth price, when delivered at Hellas. But they want it quick, so it has to be sent in one load. You can’t get insurance on that for a one-shipment cargo; too much risk. And no private company will ship it without insurance.”

“So?”

“So I bought the radium on the market, had it stowed secretly with the chocolate—mutiny never happened, but it might—and came along to watch it. That represents my entire personal fortune. If it reaches Venus, I double my money; otherwise, I won’t be there to worry about it.”

He stopped, then went on in the same even voice. “That’s why I could cheerfully kill you for putting a jinx on this voyage. But I won’t. I have reasons for reaching Venus in a hurry. Put this ship down in one piece on the surface of Venus, and one-third of the profit is yours—one million dollars, cold cash, in any bank you want it.”

Ignatz honked softly—for him—and Jerry blinked. He swung off at a tangent. “You spoke of my luck hitting another ship across ten million miles; and now you’ve got reasons for reaching Hellas quickly.

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