Captain Future 16 - Magic Moon (Winter 1944) Read Online Free PDF Page B

exploits, ain’t I? Please let me direct the dialogue myself.”
    Jim Willard, his young assistant, intervened diplomatically. “The ‘day’ is about over, Jeff,” he remarked, glancing at his watch.
    “All right, that’ll be all for this time,” Jeff Lewis said wearily to the troupe. “Hanged if I can get used to these ship ‘days’ and ‘nights’.”
    Lo Quior and his technicians started stowing away the cameras. The actors streamed off to their cabins to remove their make-up before dinner.
    “Chan Carson’ and ‘Rizo Thon’ shared a cabin on the mid-deck — Curt Newton had contrived that. When they reached it, instead of taking make-up off, they began to put make-up back on, Otho resuming his disguise as a Mercurian, and Newton deftly making the slight change in his appearance which converted him into ‘Chan Carson.’
    “Did you hear what Lewis said about my acting?” Otho said vainly. “He thinks I’m good. I’ll bet I could be a telepicture star.”
    “You’re turning into a stage-struck ham,” Curt Newton accused him witheringly. “Get your mind back on our job. Were you able to get into Jon Valdane’s suite?”
     
    UTHO slowly shook his head.
    “Chief, it’s impossible,” vowed the android. “You know he and his friend Kin Kurri, and Su Thuar and the rest of his tough ‘bodyguards’ have the whole aft part of this deck. Well, you just can’t get back there unobserved. Some of Valdane’s strong-arm men are lounging in the corridor there all the time.”
    “We’ve got to get in, somehow, and search Valdane’s papers,” Captain Future declared. “We’ve learned nothing at all yet, and here we are almost to Jupiter.”
    Curt Newton had begun to feel a little desperate. During all these days since the departure from Earth, he had not succeeded in penetrating the secret of Jon Valdane’s mysterious conspiracy against Magic Moon.
    Valdane was no fool. He had talked a lot but had never even mentioned Styx. Nor had Captain Future or Otho been able to spy upon him, since his quarters were always guarded.
    “We’ll slip down to the prop-room tonight and see Simon and Grag,” Curt decided. “I have an idea that may work.”
    After dinner that night, the troupe of actors and technicians retired early. For Jeff Lewis warned them that they would land on Jupiter early the next day.
    “We’re landing at Jungletown, close to the Fire Sea,” the producer informed the cast. “I want to make our scenes as quickly as possible and get out of that dangerous place.”
    When everyone had retired and the rushing liner was quiet except for the steady throb of the ventilators, Curt Newton and Otho stole out of their cabin and made their way down to the prop-room in the hold.
    In that shadowy clutter of costumes, space-suits, strange weapons and grotesque objects, they found Simon Wright and Grag. The Brain was resting on a shelf, and Grag’s mighty figure stood immobile in a corner.
    “It’s Otho and I,” Captain Future whispered quickly.
    Grag immediately flexed his mighty metal limbs and came stalking forward.
    “How much longer have I got to stand down here like a frozen statue?” he demanded indignantly. “I’m getting bored with this.”
    “You’ll be getting out of here tomorrow, Grag,” Newton assured him. “For you’ll be needed for the scenes they make by the Fire Sea.”
    “I have not minded this inactivity,” rasped the Brain. “It has given me a chance to work out the mental solution of several complex astrophysical formula which I have long pondered.”
    “That’s fine, but I’ve got a job for you tomorrow, Simon,” said Captain Future. “When everyone is out of the ship, I want you to search Valdane’s quarters. There must be some clue in his effects as to his plan against Styx. Do you think you can get into his suite?”
    “I shall do my best,” replied the Brain in his austere way.
    “Do, Simon — we must find out soon what Valdane and his crowd are