Spacehounds of IPC

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stead of the makeshifts of mole-skin, canvas, and leather they had been wearing so long. Thorns and underbrush had pierced and torn their on

e as she studied the anything but invisible seams, darns, and staring patches everywhere so ev

," he reassured her. "Besides, who cares about a few patche

ook like much, and I'm just reveling in the feel of them next to me after

h, though, as they'll be just about in the sun and they'll be coming like a scared dog. Might as w

ll we tak

apped out. I'd like to salvage a lot of this junk, but I'm afraid we won

better than anything I ever had on

sing cheers! Say, but that

ement. "You know, Steve. I've hardly dared really to b

could see, far in the distance, the tiny s

the girl, her voice breaki

fall is on the job. They're ready for anything, or they wouldn't be here-but just

white-hot, sparkling defense, and the battle was on. Held spell-bound as the castaways were

sharp point of rock. "If that keeps up very long, we're going to see some real fireworks, and I don't know whether there will be enough left of our

alking about?"

itself from the incandescent screen of the Jovian vessel upon their slender ultra-r

elow the Hope was literally blasted out of existence. Radio tower, directors and fittings; trees, shrubs, sharp points of rock-all were struck again and again; fused, destroyed, utterly obliterated by the inconceivable energy being dissipated by those impregnable screens of force. Even almost flat upon the ground as the spectators were, each individual hair upon their heads strove fiercely to stand erect, so heavily charged was

that. It has done its stuff-we can use the communicators. And now, sw

pace-cruiser, they were snatched apart and drawn up toward the double airlocks of the main entrance. Pressure gradually brought up to normal, they

exclaimed, rapturously. "And Bill, too-wonderful!" as she fervently embraced a young man wearin

ctor!" He held her off at arms' length and studied her with admiration. "Gee, it's fine to see you again, Sis. You're looking gr

surrounding Stevens, while Nadia

simply, holding out his hand, whic

l!" Nadia called before S

n turned to obey the summons. "She's a good kid, and we think a lot of her. We'd about given her up

know just what a good kid she really is. She's the reason we're here-we were down pretty

a word of it, Dad and Bill. Wilt!" Nadia

, all talking at once. "I will not embarrass you further by trying to say something that no wor

eyes bore unflinchingly the piercing gaze of the older man, who was reassured and pleased by what he read therein. "One thing I want to say right now, though, that may ma

rcturus, I have no doubt of your ability to take care of her for life. We have been examining the work you have done here, son, and the more I saw of it the more am

ed atmosphere. "As soon as you and Quince can lea

and the two rescuers, who had tactfully avoided the family

and over Stevens' arm and shoulder. "Looks as if

pear any the worse for your experiences. So thi

nks, both of you, for digging us out. I've heard

ved, was taken aback, but Bran

we'll take the reward-especially since Alcantro and Fedanzo couldn't feel even such a high-voltage salute as that one was, and I can't picture you kissing a Venerian even if you could get to him. Wh

n Nadia, but broke off as an ai

n, Doctor Westfall, and Doctor Stevens join the council in Lounge

st-see you later," and Brandon, taking each of the other two b

were the two Venerians Dol Kenor and Pyraz Amonar. The eyes of the three newcomers, however, did not linger upon the group at the table, but were irresistibly drawn to one corner of the room, where six creatures lay in the heaviest

aptive hexans. Goggling green eyes glaring venomously, they were lying quiet, but tense; mighty mus

k of the hand was the sole of the foot-when walking upon that foot the long and dexterous thumb and fingers were curled up, out of the way and protected from injury, in the palm of the hand. From the monstrous shoulders there rose a rather long and very flexible, yet massive and columnar neck, supporting a head neither human nor bestial-a head utterly unknown to Terrestrial history or experience. The massive cranium bespoke a highly developed and intelligent brain, as did the three large and expressive, peculiar, triangular eyes. The three sensitive ears were very long, erect, and sharply pointed. Each was set immediately above an eye, one upon each side of the head and one in front. Each ear was independently and instantly movable in

being. Most of them are upon the satellite Europa. However, I understand that we are not yet sufficiently well armed to withstand such an attack in force as will certainly deve

nsiderably more than full Martian acceleration. Before making any suggestions, I should like to hear from Captain Czuv, who is more familiar than we are with the common enemy. Are they apt to fo

reverses of late and cannot spare any vessels, they will probably not pursue us far. Yes, they can detect us, even without the driving rays, since this vessel uses much low-tension, low-frequency electricity in its automatic machinery, lights, and so on

ver snapped our ordinary handcuffs like so much thread and literally tore four men to

Czuv, you have made no headway

here. I knew from the first that all such attempts would be fruitless, but I have tried-and failed. I suggest what I suggested at first-put them to death,

law does not countenance such summary action. However, the guards are fully warned of the peril, and will ray every prisoner a

ere, stunned and broken. Brandon, likewise reacting instantaneously, had bent over and seized a leg of the table, bracing his knee against the corner. With a mighty lunge of his powerful body he wrenched out the support and with a continuation of the same motion, he brought the jagged oak head of his terrible club down full upon the crown of the second hexan, who had already torn one guard apart and was leaping toward Czuv, his hereditary foe. In midflight he was dashed to the floor, his head a shapeless, pulpy mass, and Bran

journed to another room, for the bus

uch a race without the evidence of our own senses." Newton reopened the meeti

t we should have all possible facts at hand before we try to decide upon a course of action. We should l

ast speaker sat down, Newton again turned to Brandon, who silently jerked his head at Westfall, knowing hi

range and efficiency. We must also examine the hexan space-ship which is towing, to do which it will be desirable to drift at constant velocity for a time. In it we may find instruments or devices as yet unknown to us. It also occurs to me that since this is an Interplanetary Police problem of the first magnitude, we should at on

y at a distance until the rocket-ship is launched, then to escort it back to the Earth. Third, to aid the Callistonians as much as possible while awaiting the completion of the rocket-vessel. Fourth, and perhaps the most feasible and quickest, it may be possible for the Callistonian rocket-ships to bring out fellow-Tellurians, a few at a time, to us here out in space, since they are apparently able to come and go at will. However, I

omments or suggestions?" None having been offered, Director Newton

s and studied every feature of the strange vessel, while mechanics dismantled and transferred to the Sirius every device and instrument of interest. One or two novel and useful applications of rays and forces were found, their visirays and communicators in particular being of a high degree of efficiency; but u

ousand kilofranks. Since we can dissipate ten times that amount of energy, we could withstand, for a short time, the simultaneous attacks of ten of their vessels. Eleven or more of them, however, would be able to crush our defensive screens-and Captain Czuv has seen as many as a hundred of their space-ships in one formation. Furthermore, since they have several times our maximum acceleration, they could concentrate quickly upon any desired point. We could not escape them by flight if they really set out to overtake us, which they certainly will do if we again venture into their territory. Therefore it is clear that we cannot subject ourselves to any attack in force and it follows that we cannot do much of anything until the police fleet of some five hundred vessels can be re-armed and can join us near Callisto.

chers gasped involuntarily and drew themselves together, as with that unthinkable speed they flashed down toward the surface of Callisto. So realistic was the impression that they themselves were hurtling through the void, that they could scarcely reason themselves into believing their positive knowledge that the impending collision was not an actual

essels of the hexans. The present situation is much more serious than I would have believed possible. The last vessel going to visit Wruszk, our city upon Europa, was caught and destroyed by the hexans, and for many weeks no ship or message has come from there to Callisto. I

re detected in landing?" asked Brando

s in the operation of one of our own vessels. Having been unmolested

Also, you might tell them that you've got complete plans and specifications for all the weapons that the hexans have, and a couple besides, and

ropan humanity, fully aware of the hexan investment, was exerting every possible precaution against discovery by the enemy. This information was duly flashed to the Council of Callisto, and the projection was then h

receiving and transmitting voice and vision. Once convinced of the reality of the phenomenon, however, the speaker beside Brandon's communicator screen fairly rattled under the fervor of his greetin

wly, since it was so much larger than any vessel theretofore constructed by the Callistonians. Newton,

ve been wiped out, which will be several months at best," the surgeon said, slo

personnel?" King

mean-we have had none of that. It is only that t

demanded Brandon,

ts can stand it here without any serious effects, but this thin atmosphere and weak gravity are certain to result in abnormal dev

are not ordinary Martians. They have been in constant training ever since we left Tellus,

most urgently needed. Since the vessel will leave here light and is large enough to carry about thirty passengers on a short trip with some crowding, the Council will probably approve of having it carry some o

give me a chance to get back there where

n't standing the gaff any too well. You won't be in the red very deeply on the deal, either-while two or three of the passeng

King. "Why, he wasn't-w

cee was aboard the Arcturus, and when they found out how long w

, who, standing between Stevens and her

pretty largely of benedicts now, King! We've been here a year, you know, and time will tell! Young Commander Sanderson's a fine baby-he'll be a credit to the IPC some day, if we can get him aboard the Siri

in. "I don't imagine that there will be any objections, so you might as well get your s

plate, the projection flashed toward distant Callisto and the

you," Nadia spoke to her father, and the d

on her a quizzical glance, under which a fiery

ggest such a thing until we're safely back on Earth, so I will." Her deep brown eyes held his steadily. "All those girls got married-why, some of t

the panel," and he bore unflinchingly the piercing gaze of the o

Catholic priest, and a Jewish rabbi. Also, we have on board two full-fledged I-P captains, either of whom is authorized to tie matrimo

ere-and are. It is too bad that she cannot be here with you, but it may be a

h scientists can't be allowed to risk themselves! And also, you're forgetting that whole flock of women and babies that are coming out here just as fast as they can get themselves ready. So get going, daddy old dear, and let's do things! Steve's a Quaker and we're Presbyterians, so none of the chaplains will d

o say anything to raise false hopes while she was here, but I've got an idea. Let's meet in Brandon's room instead o

ly into a screen of ground glass upon which played flickering, flashing lights, w

tretching this projector about six hundred percent, but we've got to make this

oading now so badly that some of my plates are getting hot-if I hold this voltage

ifting, nebulous images of a relay station upon distant Earth; but the utmos

tubes. We'll try relaying through Mars-we can hold them there, I think. It will muss up reception s

n, and while the three men were waiting for Mrs. Newton to be called to her own television set, the door behind them opened. Nadia and her escorts entered the room-but Stevens' eyes saw only the entrancing vision of loveliness that was his brid

n a dress before-do

h love, met and held as, unheeding the presence of their friends, they went int

hat he may do," came together from the speaker. Nadia tore herself from Stevens' embra

he distant Terrestrials and the scientists at her side, while broken exclamati

are doing their best, but every plate in my secondary bank's red hot, and you could fry an egg on any on

paniment. For from Brandon at the primary controls, through the power-room of the Sirius and the relay-station upon Mars, to the immense Interplanetary transmitter upon Earth, the greatest radio and television engineers of

ked up the bride in his great arms as though she were a baby, kissed her vigorously, and set her down in front of the transmit

knew they'd blow! There goes my whole secondary bank

ey went for a good cause," interrupted Brandon

ans inspecting the smoking remains of what had been the secondary bank of their powerful ultra-transmitter. Spa

ng the I-P stations any more-they're altogether too hard to handle at this range. Czuv said something

at gigantic world. Down and down the projection plunged, through mile after mile of reeking, steaming fog, impenetrable to earthly eyes. Fi

artians. "Luckily, we've got a couple of infra-red transformers aboard, so we won't have to build one. You fello

ed into the room in his bulging space-suit. "We've got something

er expected to behold quite such a violent bit of jungle," and under his guidance the projection flashed over hundreds of miles of territory. To the eyes of the Terrestrials the screen revealed o

developed long before to render possible the use of Terrestrial eyes in the opaque atmosphere of Venus, stepped up the fog-piercing long waves into the frequencies of light capable o

! We've got to watch this, Mac, all of it, and watch it close-it's apt to have a big bearing on what we'll