Gold in the Sky Page 3

  3. Too Many Warnings

  For a moment, neither of the boys could say anything at all.

  From the time they had learned to talk, they had heard stories and talesthat the miners and prospectors told about the Big Strike, the pot ofgold at the end of the rainbow, the wonderful, elusive goal of every manwho had ever taken a ship into the Asteroid Belt.

  For almost a hundred and fifty years ... since the earliest days ofspace exploration ... there had been miners prospecting in theAsteroids. Out there, beyond the orbit of Mars and inside the orbit ofJupiter, were a hundred thousand ... maybe a hundred million, for allanybody knew ... chunks of rock, metal and debris, spinning in silentorbit around the sun. Some few of the Asteroids were big enough to becalled planets ... Ceres, five hundred miles in diameter; Juno, Vesta,Pallas, half a dozen more. A few hundred others, ranging in size fromten to a hundred miles in diameter, had been charted and followed intheir orbits by the observatories, first from Earth's airless Moon, thenfrom Mars. There were tens of thousands more that had never beencharted. Together they made up the Asteroid Belt, spread out in spacelike a broad road around the sun, echoing the age-old call of thebonanza.

  For there was wealth in the Asteroids ... wealth beyond a man's wildestdreams ... if only he could find it.

  Earth, with its depleted iron ranges, its exhausted tin and coppermines, and its burgeoning population, was hungry for metal. Earth neededsteel, tin, nickel, and zinc; more than anything, Earth neededruthenium, the rare-earth catalyst that made the huge solar energyconverters possible.

  Mars was rich in the ores of these metals ... but the ores were burieddeep in the ground. The cost of mining them, and of lifting the heavyore from Mars' gravitational field and carrying it to Earth wasprohibitive. Only the finest carbon steel, and the radioactive metals,smelted and purified on Mars and transported to Earth, could be madeprofitable.

  But from the Asteroid Belt, it was a different story. There was nogravity to fight on the tiny asteroids. On these chunks of debris, themetals lay close to the surface, easy to mine. Ships orbiting in theBelt could fill their holds with their precious metal cargoes andtransfer them in space to the interplanetary orbit-ships spinning backtoward Earth. It was hard work, and dangerous work; most of the ore waslow-grade, and brought little return. But always there was the lure ofthe Big Strike, the lode of almost-pure metal that could bring a fortuneback to the man who found it.

  * * * * *

  A few such strikes had been made. Forty years before a single claim hadbrought its owner seventeen million dollars in two years. A dozen othermen had stumbled onto fortunes in the Belt ... but such metal-richfragments were grains of sand in a mighty river. For every man who foundone, a thousand others spent years looking and then perished in thefruitless search.

  And now Johnny Coombs was telling them that their father had been one ofthat incredible few.

  "You really think Dad hit a bonanza lode out there?"

  "That's what I said."

  "Did you see it with your own eyes?"

  "No."

  "You weren't even out there with him!"

  "No."

  "Then why are you so sure he found something?"

  "Because he told me so," Johnny Coombs said quietly.

  The boys looked at each other. "He actually _said_ he'd found a richlode?" Tom asked eagerly.

  "Not exactly," Johnny said. "Matter of fact, he never actually told me_what_ he'd found. He needed somebody to sign aboard the _Scavenger_with him in order to get a clearance to blast off, but he never did planto take me out there with him. 'I can't take you now, Johnny,' he toldme. 'I've found something out there, but I've got to work it alone for awhile.' I asked him what he'd found, and he just gave me that funnylittle grin of his and said, 'Never mind what it is, it's big enough forboth of us. You just keep your mouth shut, and you'll find out soonenough.' And then he wouldn't say another word until we were homing inon the shuttle ship to drop me off."

  Johnny finished his coffee and pushed the cup aside. "I knew he wasn'tjoking. He was excited, and I think he was scared, too. Just before Ileft him, he said, 'There's one other thing, Johnny. Things might notwork out quite the way I figure them, and if they don't ... make surethe twins know what I've told you.' I told him I would, and headed back.That was the last I heard from him until the Patrol ship found himfloating in space with a torn-open suit and a ruined scooter floating afew miles away."

  "Do you think that Jupiter Equilateral knew Dad had found something?"Tom asked.

  "Who knows? I'm sure that _he_ never told them, but it's awful hard tokeep a secret like that, and they sound awful eager to buy that rig,"Johnny Coombs said.

  "Yes, and it doesn't make sense. I mean, if they were responsible forDad's accident, why didn't they just check in for him on schedule andthen quietly bring in their rig to jump the claim?"

  "Maybe they couldn't find it," Johnny said. "If they'd killed your dad,they wouldn't have dared hang around very long right then. Even ifthey'd kept the signal going, a Patrol ship might have come into theregion any time. And if a U.N. Patrol ship ever caught them working adead man's claim without reporting the dead man, the suit would reallystart to leak." Johnny shook his head. "Remember, your Dad had a dozenclaims out there. They might have had to scout the whole works to findthe right one. Much easier to do it out in the open, with yoursignatures on a claim transfer. But one thing is sure ... if they _knew_what Roger found out there, and where it was, Tawney would never beoffering you triple price for the rig."

  "Then whatever Dad found is still out there," Tom said.

  "I'd bet my last dime on it."

  "There might even be something to show that the accident wasn't anaccident," Tom went on. "Something even the Major would have to admitwas evidence."

  Johnny Coombs pursed his lips, looking up at Tom. "Might be," heconceded.

  "Well, what are we waiting for? We turned Tawney's offer down ... hemight be sending a crew out to jump the claim right now."

  "If he hasn't already," Johnny said.

  "Then we've got to get out there."

  Johnny turned to Greg. "You could pilot us out and handle thenavigation, and as for Tom...."

  "As for Tom, he could get sick all over the place and keep us busy justtaking care of him," Greg said sourly. "You and me, yes. Not Tom. Youdon't know that boy in a spaceship."

  Tom started to his feet, glaring at his brother. "That's got nothing todo with it...."

  "It's true, isn't it? You'd be a big help out there."

  Johnny looked at Tom. "You always get sick in free fall?"

  "Look, let's be reasonable," Greg said. "You'd just be in the way. Thereare plenty of things you could do right here, and Johnny and I couldhandle the rig alone...."

  Tom faced his brother angrily. "If you think I'm going to stay here andkeep myself company, you're crazy," he said. "This is one show you'renot going to run, so just quit trying. If you go out there, I go."

  Greg shrugged. "Okay, Twin. It's your stomach, not mine."

  "Then let me worry about it."

  "I hope," Johnny said, "that that's the worst we have to worry about.Let's get started planning."

  * * * * *

  Time was the factor uppermost in their minds. They knew that even underthe best of conditions, it could take weeks to outfit and prepare for arun out to the Belt. A ship had to be leased and fueled; there weresupplies to lay in. There was the problem of clearance to take care of,claims to be verified and spotted, orbit coordinates to be computed andchecked ... a thousand details to be dealt with, anyone of which mightdelay embarkation from an hour to a day or more.

  It was not surprising that Tom and Greg were dubious when Johnny toldthem they could be ready to clear ground in less than twenty-four hours.Even knowing that Merrill Tawney might already have a mining crew atwork on Roger Hunter's claims, they could not believe that the red tapeof preparation and clearance could be cut away so swif
tly.

  They underestimated Johnny Coombs.

  Six hours after he left them, he was back with a signed lease givingthem the use of a scout-ship and fuel to take them out to the Belt andback again; the ship was in the Sun Lake City racks waiting for themwhenever they were ready.

  "What kind of a ship?" Greg wanted to know.

  "A Class III Flying Dutchman with overhauled atomics and hydrazineside-jets," Johnny said, waving the transfer order. "Think you can flyit?"

  Greg whistled. "Can I? I trained in a Dutchman ... just about thefastest scouter there is. What condition?"

  "Lousy ... but it's fueled, with six weeks' supplies in the hold, and itdoesn't cost us a cent. Courtesy of a friend. You'll have to check itover, but it'll do."

  They inspected the ship, a weatherbeaten scouter that looked like arelic of the '90's. Inside there were signs of many refittings andoverhauls, but the atomics were well shielded, and it carried asurprising chemical fuel auxiliary for the cabin size. Greg disappearedinto the engine room, and Tom and Johnny left him testing valves andcircuits while they headed down to the U.N. Registry office in thecontrol tower.

  On the way Johnny outlined the remaining outfitting steps. Tom would beresponsible for getting the clearance permit through Registry; Johnnywould check out all supplies, and then contact the observatory for theorbit coordinates of Roger Hunter's claims.

  "I thought the orbits were mapped on the claim papers," Tom said. "Imean, every time an asteroid is claimed, the orbit has to becharted...."

  "That's right, but the orbit goes all the way around the sun. We knowwhere the _Scavenger_ was when the Patrol ship found her ... but she'sbeen travelling in orbit ever since. The observatory computer willpinpoint her for us and chart a collision course so we can cut out andmeet her instead of trailing her for a week. Do you have the crew-papersGreg and I signed?"

  "Right here."

  They were stepping off the ramp below the ship when a man loomed up outof the shadows. It was a miner Tom had never seen before. Johnny noddedas he approached. "Any news, Jack?"

  "Quiet as a church," the man said.

  "We'll be held up another eight hours at least," Johnny said. "Don't goto sleep on us, Jack."

  "Don't worry about us sleepin'," the man said grimly. "There's beennobody around but yourselves, so far ... except the clearanceinspector."

  Johnny looked up sharply. "You check his papers?"

  "_And_ his prints. He was all right."

  Johnny took Tom's arm, and they headed through the gate toward thecontrol tower. "I guess I'm just naturally suspicious," he grinned, "butI'd sure hate to have a broken cut-off switch, or a fuel valve go out ofwhack at just the wrong moment."

  "You think Tawney would dare to try something here?" Tom said.

  "Never hurts to check. We've got our hands full for a few hours gettingset, so I just asked my friends to keep an eye on things. Always did saythat a man who's going to gamble is smart to cover his bets."

  At the control tower they parted, and Tom walked into the clearanceoffice. Johnny's watch-man had startled him, and for the first time hefelt a chill of apprehension. If they were right ... if this trip to theBelt were not a wild goose chase from the very start ... then RogerHunter's accident had been no accident at all.

  Quite suddenly, Tom felt very thankful that Johnny Coombs hadfriends....

  * * * * *

  "I don't like it," the Major said, facing Tom and Greg across the deskin the U.N. Registry office below the control tower. "You've gotten anidea in your heads, and you just won't listen to reason."

  Somewhere above them, Tom could hear the low-pitched rumble of ascout-ship blasting from its launching rack. "All we want to do is goout and work Dad's claim," he said for the second time.

  "I know perfectly well what you want to do, that's why I told the peoplehere to alert me if you tried to clear a ship. You don't know whatyou're doing ... and I'm not going to sign those clearance papers."

  "Why not?" Greg said.

  "Because you're going out there asking for trouble, that's why not."

  "But you told us before that there wasn't any trouble. Dad had anaccident, that was all. So how could we get in trouble?"

  The Major's face was an angry red. He started to say something, thenstopped, and scowled at them instead. They met his stare. Finally hethrew up his hands. "All right, so I can't legally stop you," he said."But at least I can beg you to use your heads. You're wasting time andmoney on a foolish idea. You're walking into dangers and risks that youcan't handle, and I hate to see it happen.

  "Mining in the Belt is a job for experienced men, not rank novices."

  "Johnny Coombs is no novice."

  "No, but he's lost his wits, taking you two out there."

  "Well, are there any other dangers you have in mind?"

  Once more the Major searched for words, and failed to find them. "No,"he sighed, "and you wouldn't listen if I did."

  "It seems everybody is warning us about how dangerous this trip islikely to be," Greg said quietly. "Last night it was Merrill Tawney. Heoffered to buy us out, he was so eager for a deal that he offered us afantastic price. Then Johnny tells us that Dad mined some rich ore whenhe was out there on his last trip, but never got a chance to bring it inbecause of his ... accident. Up until now I haven't been so sure Dad_didn't_ just have an accident, but now I'm beginning to wonder. Toomany people have been warning us...."

  "You're determined to go out there, then?"

  "That's about right."

  The Major picked up the clearance papers, glanced at them quickly,and signed them. "All right, you're cleared. I hate to do it, but Isuppose I'd go with you if the law would let me. And I'll tell you onething ... if you can find a single particle of evidence that will linkJupiter Equilateral or anybody else to your father's death, I'll use allthe power I have to break them." He handed the papers back to Tom. "Butbe careful, because if Jupiter Equilateral is involved in it, they'regoing to play dirty."

  At the door he turned. "Good trip, and good luck."

  Tom folded the papers and stuck them thoughtfully into his pocket.

  They met Johnny Coombs in the Registry offices upstairs; Tom patted hispocket happily. "We're cleared in forty-five minutes," he said.

  Johnny grinned. "Then we're all set." They headed up the ramp, reachedground level, and started out toward the launching racks.

  At the far end of the field a powerful Class I Ranger, one of theJupiter Equilateral scout fleet, was settling down into its slot in aperfect landing maneuver. The triangle-and-J-insignia gleamed brightlyon her dark hull. She was a rich, luxurious-looking ship. Many miners onMars could remember when Jupiter Equilateral had been nothing more thana tiny mining company working claims in the remote "equilateral" clusterof asteroids far out in Jupiter's orbit. Gradually the company had grownand flourished, accumulating wealth and power as it grew, leaving behindit a thousand half-confirmed stories of cheating, piracy, murder andtheft. Other small mining outfits had fallen by the wayside until nowover two-thirds of all asteroid mining claims were held by JupiterEquilateral, and the small independent miners were forced more and moreto take what was left.

  They reached the gate to the Dutchman's launching slot and entered.

  Inside the ship Tom and Johnny strapped down while Greg made his finalcheck-down on the engines, gyros and wiring. The cabin was a tiny vault,with none of the spacious "living room" of the orbit-ships. Tom leanedback in the accelleration cot, and listened to the count-down signalsthat came at one minute intervals now. In the earphones he could hearthe sporadic chatter between Greg and the control tower. No hint thatthis was anything but a routine blastoff....

  But there was trouble ahead, Tom was certain of that. Everybody on Marswas aware that Roger Hunter's sons were heading out to the Belt to pickup where he had left off. Greg had secured a leave of absence fromProject Star-Jump ... unhappily granted, even though his part in theirprogram had already been disrupted.
Even they had heard the rumors thatwere adrift....

  And if there was trouble now, they were on their own. The Asteroid Beltwas a wilderness, untracked and unexplored, and except for an almostinsignificant fraction, completely unknown. If there was trouble outthere, there would be no one to help.

  Somewhere below the engines roared, and Tom felt the weight on hischest, sudden and breath-taking.

  They were on their way.