Brigands of the Moon

r flights were irregular. The spring of 2070, with both planets close to the Earth, we were making two complete round trips. We had just arrived in Greater New York, one May

tive Headquarters. Dan "Snap" Dean was one of my closest friends. He was electron-radio operator of the Planet

Colonel Halsey's office s

ning any treasure vau

ou, also,"

me like a traffic switch-man and m

when we left the Planetara for Halsey's office. It was not a long trip. We went

w we found it to be a gloomy, vaultlike place i

jan and Da

tood aside.

ered. The door dropped behind us. It was a small

lorid Captain Carter-our commander on the Planetara-was h

ptain Carter spoke with an omin

. If I had been guilty of anything that I could think of, it

In spite of our secrecy, the news has gotte

over us as we sat before Halsey's desk. "If you lads have told

ut he turned solemn at onc

e I!" I

ad organized an exploring expedition to the Moon. Uninhabited, with its bleak, forbidding, airless, waterless surface, the Moon-even thou

ed some interplanetary complications. The aggressive Martians would be only too glad to explore the Moon. But the United States of the Wor

ld be seized at once and held by some reputable Earth Company. And when John Grantline applied, with his f

had acquiesced to our ultimatum, yet brigands have been known to be financed

antline Expedition was on the Moon now. No word had come from it. One could not flash helios even in code without

broad! Captain Carter eyed us closely; his flashing eyes

ith her cursed, seductive lure! A chance

vens, I know that I had been. Not a whisper, even t

abruptly, "We're in

like. An eavesdropping ray w

. I was not aware that he knew of Grantline's venture. I learned now the reason why the Planetara, upon each of her last voyages, had managed to pass fairly close to the Moon. It had be

apparently we can't blame

ther. What could anyone do

to you. Outside, anywhere outside these walls, an eavesdropping ray may be upon us. Yo

speak but decided against

I can trust you two more than an

an by that?" I

ed me. "Just

eem these days. One cannot always tell a friend from an enemy. The Planetara is a publi

ight," sa

lowly. "And some may not be what they seem." He raised his thin dark hand. "We have informat

guard. Once on the Planetara it is difficult for us to talk ope

for the voyage. I am suggesting, Haljan, that you keep your eye especially o

ficers on duty, and the Captain aboard, my ro

orge Prince

l of the Earth Federated Catalyst Corporation. But he

lyst Corporation, of course. A semigovernment trust, which controlled virtually the en

nt," Carter put in. "You've heard

h discovery and invention. An engine of

he stars has this got to

mixed in rather unethical transactions. We had him in custody once. He is known a

el

aid, "is that Grantline expects

gas

ey had found it on the Moon, shortly after its merit was discovered

Martians of bad reputation. A large Martian company has recently developed a radiactum engine to compete with our Earth motor. There is very little radiactum available on Mars, and our governm

ompany. It's backed by the government of the Mart

Brigands had a supply of radiactum I don't imagine where it came from would make m

seems to know that Grantline is on the Moon. Put it all

t voyage this year. You'll hear from Grantline this time, we're convinced. He'll probably give you the signal as you pass the Moon on your way out. C

m queer that George Prince and a few of his Martian fri

, Snap and I regarded each o

at time we arrested him four y

aid to his waiting attendant "Fl

ids before us. He stood smiling sourly bef

I was born in Greater New Y

four inches. Slim and slight. Long, wavy black hair, falling about his ears. A pale, clean-cut, really handsome face, almost beardless. I regarded it closely. A face that would have been beautiful without its masculine touch of heavy black brows and firmly set jaw. His vo

ck to Snap and me as his attendant dr

e's a clever fellow, one to be afraid of. I would not blare it from the newscaster

sed us. We left Halsey's office with Carter's final words ringi

as barely more than a mile through this subterranean corridor to

ectrical ears, but every possible eavesdropping device might be upon us. The corridor was two hundred feet or more below the grou

and oppressed. As though prying eyes were upon me. We walked for a time in si

gripped me.

" I whi

as here. Snap pulled me into it. I co

" I demanded

llowed. Did you

. Vague footfalls. A rustling. And a microscopic wh

ocket. "Wait! I've got a p

ar the sharp intake of his breath. Then he seized me

l permit for the carrying of the pencil heat ray allowed me always to have it with me. I drew it now. But there was nothing to shoot at. I

, but plainly visible, and as far as I could see it was empty. But there was something there. S

"You've got a

hem to give us t

t. The street in all this neighborhood burst into a brilliant actinic glare. The thing menaci

ty safeguard, was taken wholly by surprise. A human figure, seven feet tall at the least, and therefore, I judged,

in my hand and I pressed its switch. The tiny heat ray stabbed through the air, but I missed. The figure stumbled but did not fall. I saw a bare

her!" But the figure passed beyon

with official explanations. Then a message from Halsey released us. The

back to the Planetara, where the passengers were