Rex and Morino spent much time discussing their future life together; the Professor was often to be found in meetings with the Grand Council. Tiger and Toby, curious as to the route they would follow, finally went to the space captains' office and asked Vargo and Borron how preparations were going.
Vargo laid a large sheet of paper on a chart table. 'This is our itinerary,' he explained. 'Our ultimate objective, of course, is the planet where the spacecraft originated. That system lies in a fairly empty region of space. However, between that world and our own, there are several planets which I propose we visit. They should give us an insight into how we should proceed.'
'You mean, if we find these slaver types alive and kicking, we shouldn't go looking any further?' asked Toby quietly.
Vargo nodded. 'Exactly that. We have plotted a curved route through the places of potential interest, taking advantage of belts of interstellar gas, and also giant stars, to disguise our approach, and also cover our retreat if necessary. If the coast is clear, we can decide to carry on the journey. With this number of destinations to investigate, we should be able to find out one way or the other.'
Tiger pointed at some of the objects on the chart. 'Is this known territory, Vargo, or shall we be landing on planets that haven't been visited before?'
Borron answered the question. 'This whole area has been charted, but none of it is explored. Why do you ask?'
Tiger smiled. 'You do realise what the Professor will do, when he is told that all these worlds are unknown?'
Borron smiled back. 'He will want to look at every single planet. That will probably be impossible, but he will try his hardest.'
Tiger agreed. 'We must just make sure that his infernal curiosity doesn't endanger the rest of us,' he stated. 'Particularly on this trip, when after all we have a definite objective in view.'
‘Why don't you get Rex to keep an eye on him?' suggested Toby shrewdly. 'After all, Rex has even more reason than before to get back safely, and Professor Brane tends to listen to Rex's concerns.'
The others looked at him gratefully. 'An excellent idea,' agreed Borron. 'In fact, I shall get Morino to suggest it.'
The next morning, the Tavona was fully prepared and provisioned. Shortly after breakfast, everyone was in his normal seat. The doors closed, and Rex saw the ground dropping away below him. 'Where are we stopping first?' he inquired.
Vargo answered. 'It is a planet called Kiol, somewhat larger than Mars. We know very little about it, apart of course from its size, and its orbital period, which guarantees it a reasonable amount of warmth from its sun. We also know the length of its day. Which is,' he added, seeing that the Professor was about to speak, 'almost exactly the same as Mars', or of course that of your own planet Earth.'
'Do we know whether the planet has life on its surface?' queried the Professor.
Vargo shrugged. 'Most suitable planets do, but there are of course exceptions. I picked this particular world because it seemed a possible place for men to live, and therefore a possible target of the people we are seeking. Later in the journey, we should also see some uninhabited worlds. You will remember that you suggested we may find slavers there as well, but in this case fugitives from the disease they appear to have caught'.
Silence returned to the craft. Rex knew that it would take some considerable time to reach the planet in question. As usual he and the others spent some time discussing matters of mutual interest, and also much time in a sort of comatose state, letting the minutes and hours slide by almost imperceptibly.
The Tavona was well equipped for long space journeys. As already mentioned, the seats which everyone used would transform at the pull of a lever into comfortable beds. A rota system ensured that there were always crew members available to guide the ship; everyone else could of course eat and sleep whenever they wished.
There was one welcome change from the previous trips they had made. A new oven had been fitted in the Tavona, which used radio waves rather than conventional gas or electricity to warm and cook food. This of course meant that everyone could enjoy hot meals while in space. Naturally the foodstuffs were limited to those which could be carried easily, and of course they did not include any animal ingredients, but nevertheless everyone welcomed this addition to the spaceship's equipment.
Rex and the others spent a not inconsiderable amount of time discussing this trip, and the reasons for it. It was agreed that the ultimate goal of the journey was to see what had happened to the raiders’ home planet. As this objective could be potentially risky, it would obviously be useful to gain as much information from neighbouring planets before attempting a landing on that world.
It took a considerable time to reach Kiol, their first point of call. However, at last Borron announced that they would soon be within sight of the uncharted planet. ‘However,’ he added, ‘you may find life there uncomfortable.’
Everyone looked at him. ‘Why?’ Rex was the first to ask.
Borron explained. ‘The planet has an axial tilt, just like Earth, or Mars. There seems to be only one continent of land, and it is at present midwinter there.’
‘We have plenty of protective clothing,’ observed Vargo, ‘that is, if we judge it worth landing on the planet.’
‘Let’s wait and see exactly what’s on Kiol,’ suggested Tiger. ‘We can make a decision then.’
As they approached the unknown world, Rex was interested to see how Earthlike it appeared. From a distance they could have been flying high over the desolate wastes of Northern Canada, or perhaps more familiar, the Highlands of Scotland, covered in deep snow, with patches of open ground interspersed with lakes and dark forests of conifers. ‘Can we see if there are any people here?’ he inquired.
‘There is nothing to tell us for certain at the moment,’ replied Gator. ‘However, we are still a long way above the surface. I’ll fly lower.’
Silence fell as the Tavona dropped towards the ground. In a short time it became clear that man had indeed established a presence here.
‘Smoke,’ said Gator laconically. ‘That suggests coal fires. Perhaps the civilisation here is more primitive than your own.’
‘Not necessarily,’ disputed the Professor. ‘Remind me to tell you of the poisonous smogs we have experienced in our own country, Gator.’
Rex had an idea. ‘If there are people here, perhaps we should avoid being seen, at least until we know more about them. If these other travellers have been here, then we might not be welcome.’
The Professor nodded. ‘That could be the case. Alternatively, the population may flee in terror, and that is something we would wish to avoid. Gator, could you please stay at this altitude for the present?’
‘Of course.’ Gator looked at his instruments. ‘There seems to be a deserted settlement in the distance. Shall I move the ship in that direction?’
‘Please.’ The Professor used his telescope for a time, then announced, ‘This whole village seems to be devoid of people. Perhaps we could land.’
Vargo considered. ‘That should be safe. However, we must keep a watch out for visitors.’
The Tavona slowly lost height, and Rex could see a small group of buildings huddling in a valley below them.
Everyone studied the proposed landing site. ‘It looks clear enough,’ admitted Tiger. ‘Anyway, I’ll take my rifle.’
Rex, Vargo, Tiger and the Professor donned their winter gear. Jets hissing, the Tavona touched down lightly, and the doors opened. Rex gasped involuntarily at the blast of cold air that came in. Toby smiled. ‘We’ll close the doors while you’re out,’ he remarked, ‘if it’s all the same to you.’
Tiger was already striding towards the nearest cottage, a robust enough affair, apparently made of some form of wattle and daub, much as similar buildings used to be on Earth. Rex looked around. On every side around the village, the ground sloped upwards. Squat, bushy trees clustered thickly in places. The profound silence told him that they were alone in this place, and the intense cold made him hope that the stay here would not be a long one. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine living in such austere conditions; finally, he decided that for all Earth’s faults, it was far more pleasant than this planet could ever be.
Tiger’s voice came from the building he was examining. ‘Professor,’ he called sharply. ‘Look at this.’
Professor Brane bustled over. ‘What have you found? Ah.’ His face became thoughtful. ‘I see.’
Rex walked over. His companions were studying the inside of the dwelling, where it was obvious that something violent had happened. The rude furniture was overturned and broken, and food and fragments of pottery littered the floor.
‘It would appear,’ said the Professor, ‘that the people here were attacked in some way.’
‘That could have been people from one of those spaceships,’ suggested Rex.
The Professor nodded. ‘Quite possibly. Ah – I have an idea. Let me look at what I believe is a joint of meat.’ He picked up something from the floor, and, pulling a small magnifying glass from his pocket, studied the object closely for a while. ‘This meat spoiled,’ he stated, ‘that is, it went bad. That implies that it was left uneaten, perhaps after the disturbance here, and that this disturbance took place before the cold weather came.’
‘Otherwise the frost would have preserved the meat,’ Vargo agreed. ‘It could indeed have been the people we seek.’
‘It could also have been raiders from another village,’ countered Tiger. ‘In societies such as this, such raiding would surely be common.’
They searched the other houses in the settlement, but found nothing of interest.
‘What do you think we should do now, Professor?’ Tiger asked, as he stamped his feet to keep warm.
The Professor considered. ‘Perhaps we should see if we can find a larger settlement, a town for example. I would not anticipate us landing there; we could observe from above.’
Vargo nodded. ‘We can stay a considerable height above the town, so as not to alarm the inhabitants.’ He indicated a smoke trail drifting towards them. ‘We could try over there.’
Once they were aboard, the ship moved in the direction from which the smoke was coming, travelling only slowly, so as not to appear threatening in any way. Soon they were able to observe a fascinating sight.
‘It’s like something out of the Middle Ages,’ said Toby, looking down. ‘A medieval town, just as they must have existed on Earth.’
Rex could only agree. This was obviously a large town, where thousands of people had settled. From his viewpoint he could see many buildings clustering together as if for warmth. The colours of those buildings were striking; blacks, blues and yellows predominated, making an unexpectedly garish sight in the bleak winter landscape. Some distance away the ground rose, and there he could see what was indubitably a castle, with turrets and battlements. This too was brightly coloured in yellow and black. The smoke they had seen was rising from hundreds of roofs, evidence of many fires lit to keep away the winter cold.
‘Be careful you don’t scare the people here,’ warned Tiger. ‘We don’t want to cause a flap.’
‘That’s strange,’ observed Toby. ‘Nobody seems to be frightened at all. They’re just watching us. Look, all of them.’
Rex looked down. Toby was right; there were many people looking up at the Tavona; in fact he would have said that most of the population had stopped whatever it had been doing to watch them. ‘They must be used to spaceships,’ he remarked. ‘After all, think of all the planets we’ve been, where that is the case.’
Tiger shook his head, frowning. ‘For some reason, that doesn’t sound right. Gator, don’t go any lower, until we can work out exactly what’s happening.’
The Professor chuckled. ‘Surely there is no danger here. Even we on earth must be several centuries in advance of these people.’
‘I shall remain at this height,’ rejoined Gator. ‘Caution is always advisable.’
‘They do seem to have some building skills,’ said Rex, peering down. ‘Look at those big towers.’ He pointed to a group of enormous structures, dark wooden frameworks which looked vaguely familiar.
‘That’s some sight,’ confirmed Toby. ‘I can’t help wondering why they are making such large frameworks of wood, when they obviously have the skills to work in stone or brick.’
‘It’s odd,’ agreed Rex, still looking down. The shape of the wooden frames nagged at his memory. As he tried to remember where he had seen anything similar, he was surprised to see one of the towers tilt from the vertical, and then apparently fall to the ground.
‘Goodness me,’ observed the Professor. ‘I wonder if the cold weather has made that structure collapse. Look, there goes another one, though more slowly this time.’
‘There doesn’t seem to be any panic,’ observed Vargo, obviously baffled by what he was seeing. ‘If anything, there are more people round the towers than before.’
Rex stared at the wooden constructions. He could see what seemed to be an enormous rock being manhandled onto one of them. Suddenly he realised what was happening. ‘Gator!’ he cried. ‘Get away! Those things are catapults!’
From the speed at which Gator reacted, it was clear that he too had guessed the sinister secret of the towers below. The Tavona rocketed upwards with such force that they were all pinned to their seats. Rex could still see through his window, and he watched in horror as the catapult flicked up at an unbelievable speed. Although the ship was climbing at an enormous rate, the giant boulder moved so fast that it was obviously gaining on them. Rex closed his eyes as impact became inevitable.
There was a colossal bang, and the spacecraft rang like a bell. Rex found himself sprawling on the floor, as did his friends. He twisted his head, and saw Gator struggling with the controls. To his relief, after a few seconds the Tavona steadied, and the ship ceased its frantic climb, and remained hovering way above the hostile city.
There was silence for a few moments, then the Professor smiled wanly at Rex. ‘I feel you may just have saved our lives, my boy,’ he said quietly. ‘I never suspected what those fellows below were planning.’
‘You certainly saved our bacon,’ Tiger congratulated him. Always assuming, of course, that the ship has suffered no permanent damage.’
Rex drew in a shaky breath. He had acted without thinking, and was now suffering the reaction to that. ‘It was just luck on my part,’ he confessed. ‘Is the ship affected in any way, Gator?’
Gator frowned. ‘There may be some minor damage to the outer skin.’
‘Would that be serious?’ Tiger asked in the silence that followed.
Gator shook his head. ‘Probably not. It is very unlikely that the hull has been breached. However, we shall need to examine the ship to make sure, and if necessary, apply a meteor patch on the affected area, before we can leave this planet.’
‘We shall have to land to do this, of course,’ put in Vargo.
‘Of course,’ echoed Toby.
‘That’s awkward.’ Tiger again looked at the town below. ‘We can’t land anywhere near here, that’s for certain.’
‘We could go back to the deserted village,’ suggested Rex.
‘That’s not too far away from here,’ agreed Tiger. ‘However, now these devils have seen us, they might try and find us there.’
‘I wouldn’t land anywhere near the city,’ put in Toby. ‘You can bet that those types down there will be looking out to see if they managed to force us down. I’d be very surprised if they take prisoners.’
‘It is very strange,’ mused Vargo, looking again at the city, now far below them. ‘They attacked without warning.’
‘There’s an obvious explanation.’ Tiger was also staring down. ‘These people have had visitors from space before, and not friendly ones like ourselves. The most logical explanation is that the slave traders called here, and kidnapped some people. The population here came up with a defence to stop the same thing happening again.’ He smiled ruefully. ‘You have to hand it to these blokes. It’s a very effective weapon, and we were lucky to avoid being downed.’
‘You are probably right,’ affirmed the Professor. ‘Now, if we are to land, let us find somewhere well away from these rather hostile inhabitants.’ He looked at Tiger, ‘Do you have any suggestions as to the direction we should take, Group-Captain?’
Tiger shrugged, ‘I don’t suppose it really makes much difference. Then again, if we make our way southwards, it will be slightly warmer.’
It was agreed that this was a sound strategy, and they were soon flying towards what Rex hoped would be a more congenial place to land. However, the wintry conditions persisted, and indeed, the visibility worsened, as the Tavona flew into what was soon seen to be a heavy blizzard. Soon all the windows were covered completely with snow.
‘It’s no use,’ was Gator’s comment. ‘We shall have to land. It isn’t safe to fly in this visibility.’ To prove the veracity of his statement, the Tavona shuddered at the force of the wind striking it.
‘What about the people outside?’ queried Toby.
‘If there is anybody outside,’ rejoined Tiger drily, ‘they will be more interested in getting under cover than in attacking us.’
Looking through the window at the swirling whiteness, Rex was fully prepared to believe this. He could feel the ship slowly sinking. He knew that Gator was a skilled spaceship pilot, but from his own aviation experience he appreciated the difficulty in landing in such conditions.
With a slight jar, the Tavona touched the ground. Rex breathed a sigh of relief.
‘Now we shall wait,’ said Vargo, ‘until the weather eases.’
There was an ominous creak from below their feet.
‘What’s that?’ asked Tiger sharply.
The creak came again, and the floor tilted.
‘We have landed on a frozen lake, or river,’ stated Vargo calmly, ‘and the ice is cracking.’
