Captain Future 02 - Calling Captain Future (Spring 1940) Read Online Free PDF Page A

facilities the Brain would need for his researches. Electro-telescopes, spectro-telescopes, bolometers, and compact spectro-heliographs crowded the corner devoted to astronomical science. Marvelous photographic equipment occupied a place next to the file, which contained spectra of all System bodies and of thousands of stars, and atmosphere-samples of all worlds.
    Yet this was only a corner of the flying-laboratory of the scientific wizard. The botanical section held hundreds of specimen plants and vegetable drugs from many planets. In the mineralogical cabinet were samples of minerals from Mercury to Pluto, The chemical section held containers of every element known to science, as well as wonderfully complete chemical apparatus. And the bio-medical corner comprised every necessary instrument for exhaustive biological research, as well as a folding operating table upon which Captain Future had more than once shown his superlative skill in surgery.
    The laboratory was completed by an exhaustive reference library — a library without books. It was a square metal cabinet that held every scientific book and monograph of value that had ever been published, reduced to microfilm which could be read through a special apparatus.
    “I’ll check all data on the dark star,” the Brain was repeating to Curt. “But you be careful, lad!”
    “I’ll look out that he doesn’t do anything rash, Simon,” promised Otho importantly.
    “And who’ll look out for you, you crazy excitement-hunter?” demanded the Brain witheringly of the android. “Trouble draws you like a magnet.”
    Curt laughed at the crestfallen android.
    “Come on, Otho — the observatory is on the other side of Syrtis, two miles away. We’ll have to hurry.”
    They emerged into the nipping chill of the Martian night, tramped through the sands toward the lighted towers of Syrtis, Curt in a long, swinging stride, Otho moving as lithely and soundlessly as a shadow.
    Curt looked up with a tingling of his blood at Phobos and Deimos, the two brilliant moons hurtling low across the brooding desert. It had been months since he had been on Mars, and the magic of this old world of whispering deserts touched him strongly.
    Ahead bulked the city. It was a typical Martian city of slender stone towers whose upper stories were larger than the lower, giving them a top-heavy look. Dizzy galleries and stairs joined the towers. Only on a low-gravity world was such architecture possible.
    Captain Future could see that the brightly lit center of the city was crowded. From it came a babel of excited voice.
    “Shall we see what’s going on?” Otho asked eagerly. The devil-may-care android was always drawn by excitement.
    “No,we’ve enough on our hands now,” Curt told him severely. “We mustn’t lose any time getting to the observatory.”
     
    HE AND Otho skirted the crowded central streets, keeping their concealing cloaks and hoods wrapped around them.
    Earthmen colonists, planters, prospectors and space-sailors were in the crowds. They were outnumbered by the throngs of native Martians, big-chested, stilt-limbed men with leathery red faces and bald heads.
    Captain Future heard an Earthman colonial official speaking with hoarse earnestness to the seething crowd.
    “Don’t let Doctor Zarro’s alarmist broadcasts drive you to rash action!” he shouted. “The Government and scientists have assured us there is no danger from the dark star —”
    “The scientists!” jeered a fierce Martian voice. “They denied at first there was any dark star at all! And now most of them have fled out of the System for safety.”
    “Yes!” yelled a chorus of supporting voices. “They can’t help us in this peril. Doctor Zarro is the only one who can save us. Give Doctor Zarro the power he asks!”
    “The crazy fools!” muttered Otho. “Begging for a dictator, just because they’re scared by a pack of lies.”
    Curt’s tan face was grave. “Unless Doctor Zarro and his broadcasts