The Other Side of Nowhere
- Автор: Лейнстер Мюррей
- Год: 1964
- Язык: английский
- Год: Berkley Medallion
- Жанр: Научная фантастика
Электронная книга - «The Other Side of Nowhere». Краткое содержание книги:
For centuries space travelers had dreaded a place they called the Other Side of Nowhere — a place in the universe where up was down, where right was wrong, and where all direction was lost...
To save the RIM STAR Braden had to bring the ship to the place of nightmare, the Other Side of Nowhere...
"I don't think," said Braden ungraciously, "that you'd better count on picture-making for the present. This isn't a passenger ship. Passenger activities aren't encouraged. Without the skipper's express permission you may not leave these quarters."
"But we need to!" the director said indignantly. "The traffic agent assured us we'd have the run of the ship. Within reason, of course, but... we've scheduled this production! We've a deadline to meet! We've got to do some shooting aboard ship!"
Braden shrugged his shoulders and went out. The steward followed him. Braden swore when the door to the passenger cabins closed behind them.
"See that they stay put," he said angrily to the steward. "We can't have them roaming around everywhere!"
"Indeed not, sir," said the steward anxiously. "I'm very much concerned, sir. I'm terribly afraid the captain was indiscreet in choosing the crew, sir. I don't like them!"
Braden looked at him. Hard.
"It's their manner, sir," insisted the steward. "You expect newly signed-on men to be truculent, sir, when they first come aboard. They try to browbeat each other as if they wanted to establish who's to be boss of the forecastle right away. But these men are quiet, sir! Right at the beginning! They act as if they know each other and don't have to settle anything like that. I don't like it, sir! In fact..."
He hesitated, and Braden said coldly,
"Go on!"
"It... wouldn't surprise me, sir," said the steward in a lowered tone, as if he didn't want to be overheard, "I wouldn't be surprised if there were... were... I hate to say it, sir, but there might be - knives aboard."
"It would surprise me," said Braden coldly, "If there weren't. Arms in space are quite illegal, but I've never known a ship yet whose officers didn't have arms to use in case of need, or a forecastle in which there wasn't some sort of weapon. It's the possibility of weapons - law or no law - that keeps forecastles from becoming cages of animals when nerves get tense."
He turned away. There was a click and the door to the passengers' quarters opened. This was just after Braden had informed the passengers that they must never come beyond it. He turned angrily. Fortescue had come out. His face brightened when he saw Braden.
"Mr. Braden!" he said anxiously. "May I speak to you a moment? I hoped I'd catch you before you'd gotten too far away!"
"I just told you," said Braden formidably, "that the passengers are to stay in their quarters without exception!"
"But it's important!" insisted Fortescue anxiously. His face had lost its expression of being ready to be photographed. He looked genuinely uneasy.
"All right," said Braden. He nodded dismissal to the steward. After the steward had left, he said, "What is it?"
"I want to argue a bit, Mr. Braden," Fortescue said uncomfortably. "You seemed to think we won't be able to use the Rim Star for a set in the picture we're slated to make. If I may explain..."
"The skipper will decide," said Braden inipatiently.
"But we took passage on the Rim Star," said Fortescue urgently, "just so we could take the scenes the script calls for! When we land on Handel's Planet we'll take the ground shots, and then we're scheduled to be lifted by space-boat to one of the ships, that guide the drones there! We have to take these scenes on the Rim Star, Mr. Braden! You've no idea how important it is!"
"I know," said Braden, "how important it is that you in your quarters!"
"It's Miss Carmody's career!" protested the actor. "She was famous, once. Then she lost out. Finished! Now she's got a chance to hit the top all over again. There's never been a tape about the Other Side of Nowhere! What if it is only a tall tale? Everybody's heard of it, but nobody's shot it! The script's magnificent! It's her chance... And mine too, of course, because I play opposite her. I'm explaining this so you can make the captain see how important it is! I want you to know what it means!"
"There are things," said Braden grimly, "that are a lot more important to me than that just now!"
He turned away.
"I should have known!" Fortescue said bitterly. "Dammit, I should have known!"
Braden went on his way. As a matter of routine he should report the condition of the ship to the skipper but he was angrily aware that the skipper didn't care whether he reported or not. But the removal of a blaster from his ship-bag was something the skipper should know about. It was important. As a merchant-space officer it would be dereliction of duty if he didn't inform the skipper of it.
The control-room door was shut. He tapped on it, saying,
"Braden, sir!"
"Come in!"
He entered. The skipper was seated at the tape coder, tapping the dots and symbols which would be instructions for the ship's astrogation apparatus. At the moment the ship was driving herself on the preliminary course that would take her beyond the abstract plane surface on which the sun's satellites should have their orbits. Scanners now watched for meteoric masses. They would warn in plenty of time for avoidance, if it became necessary. Once in really clear space, the skipper would aim the ship with infinite precision and turn over the controls to the astrogation unit. It would handle the ship from then on. Everything in the ship was a machine which did what it was expected to do, barring accidents. Only the tape coder was a tool which men used to make the ship - as a machine - carry out their instructions.
"I've a report on the state of the ship, sir," said Braden formally.
The skipper flipped the log-switch. The tape began to move.
"All hull and interior equipment is functioning normally," said Braden. "The crewmen are at their posts and on the alert. The ship, as such, is operating perfectly."
He paused, and the skipper ffipped the switch to OFF.
"By your look," he rumbled, "there's something else and it's tricky. I'll have you tell me off the log before we decide whether it goes on record. What is it?"
"Somebody," said Braden grimly, "went into my cabin and took my blaster out of my ship- bag."
The skipper blinked, and then chuckled. He shook all over with amusement.
"The steward," said Braden grimly, "overheard every word you and I said last night. Taking me down to the exit port, he asked me questions - oh, with great deference! - that showed he'd been eavesdropping. I accused him of it and he admitted it." He paused. "I told you that I had a blaster aboard. I told you. Nobody else. But twenty minutes later I went to get it and it was gone. I lay it to the steward."
The skipper shook, rumbling with laughter. Braden was raging.
"Mr. Braden," said the skipper genially, "luckily your mishap isn't in the log. It would be serious to have on your record your admission that you broke the law by bringing a blaster aboard! It would be taken very seriously if we made port! So I shall ignore it officially. You can, of course, try to get your blaster back. That is your affair. But there is one thing! You will not bother the steward! He has shipped with me on two voyages before this one! I value him! Your dealings with the crew are your business. I will not interfere. But you will leave the steward alone!"
He chuckled, rocking back and forth in the coder chair, which was so inadequate for a man of his bulk.