_The elusive technical knowledge of eons,
past and future, was held captive by the mighty
Kralons--learned giant insects that seined the
stream of Time for the great Truth that would
mold them into unrivalled masters of the universe._
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Planet Stories Fall 1954.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
The little gray man peered timidly over gold-rimmed spectacles at
the great black hole which yawned hungrily almost at his feet. He
edged back cautiously from the massive steel lattice which guarded
its circumference, then plucked timidly at the sleeve of the
blue-uniformed guard who stood impressively erect before the barrier's
huge gate.
"I--I beg your pardon. Could you tell me when the next one leaves?" he
asked in a voice as colorless as his thin, nondescript features.
The guard catalogued the speaker with a glance, and a superior smile
lifted the corners of his lips.
"Not figuring on making the Big Drop, are you, Uncle?" he asked in
obvious amusement.
"Well, I--"
Then the gilt epaulets on the guard's padded shoulders jerked as he
came suddenly to a respectful attention.
"Next Diamvator leaves promptly at 2:30 P.M., sir. Arrives at the
Antipodes at 6:30 P.M. Central Standard Time, sir."
The obsequious reply brought a veil of mild surprise to the little
man's pale gray eyes.
Then it was replaced with a twinkle of understanding as he saw the
Terminal Agent approaching.
J. B. Andrews, the big bluff Supervisory Agent of Earth-Tube,
Incorporated, cast a cursory glance at the little gray man, then turned
to the guard.
"The 'Vator will leave at 2:35 P.M. today, Jamieson. Five minutes later
than schedule. You will act accordingly."
As the Agent turned to leave, the little gray man cleared his throat
and said timidly, "I--I'd like to ask about your round trip rate to--to
the other side."
The Terminal Agent looked appraisingly at the little man for a moment,
then said courteously, "Glad to answer any questions. If you will step
over to my office I'll give you one of our brochures which describes in
detail the advantages of the Diamvator over surface travel."
When the door had dosed behind them in the Agent's office, the little
man's appearance changed subtly. His drooping shoulders were suddenly
squarer, and his pale eyes seemed to darken to the color of the granite
blocks of the floor.
"Randall is my name, Mr. Andrews. Willard Randall," he said, and his
thin, colorless voice seemed to have gained the depth and assurance of
a man who is confident of his ability to meet any situation.
Andrews' jaw sagged, and a startled ejaculation burst from his lips.
"You--Randall? I--" The Agent paused, then recovered his usual
composure and apologized. "I'm sorry, Mr. Randall. I guess I had
expected a--well, a larger man," he completed lamely.
"I understand," Randall said, smiling at Andrews' evident
embarrassment. "I don't look exactly like the popular conception of an
International Investigation Agent, you mean. But, you see, the less we
look like IIA's, the more likely we are to catch someone off-guard."
"That's probably true," Andrews agreed doubtfully, "but--"
"But can I deliver the goods?" Randall completed with a smile. "That's
what's worrying you, isn't it?"
Without waiting for an answer from the embarrassed Andrews, Randall
continued, "Now, about your trouble. If you'll please outline the whole
affair. Absolutely everything you know about it, whether it seems
relevant or not."
The Agent for Earth-Tube, Inc. hesitated a moment, then began.
* * * * *
"As you probably know, it was in 1996 that the International Federation
of Nations was formed, supplanting the United Nations. At that time all
countries were consolidated under a single unified government.
"Because the consolidation definitely obviated the possibility of war,
and because the economic situation necessitated a governmental boost,
the leaders conceived the idea of utilizing the excess man-power in
sinking a huge shaft to investigate the hypothesis that the Earth's
core is a vast treasure house of metal.
"The results of the gargantuan undertaking were, from one standpoint,
considerably less than miraculous. After penetrating almost four
thousand miles to the very center of the Earth, it was found that the
major part of the core was metal, alright, but only nickel-iron, which
could be mined much more cheaply nearer the Earth's surface.
"There seemed to be no higher a proportion of the rarer metals in the
core than on the surface.
"Although somewhat disgruntled at the results of their investigation,
the governmental heads knew that they must keep busy the thousands of
men thrown out of employment by the dissolution of armies and navies.
So, having nothing better in mind, this fantastic WPA was commissioned
to put the shaft on through to the other side of the Earth."
Randall nodded impatiently. "I am familiar with the historical data,"
he said. "Now if you will give me a resumé of the circumstances which
have an immediate bearing on the trouble--"
Andrews colored at the little man's tone, and said gruffly, "I was only
reviewing the data from the beginning, because there have been several
developments in the past which may well have a bearing on our present
difficulty."
The Investigation Agent nodded. "Make the historical review as brief as
possible, then."
"After the shaft was completed," Andrews continued, more than a little
piqued, "the question arose as to what should be done with the hundred
billion dollar hole in the ground, now that it was finally completed.
"Some engineers advised salvaging the incredibly heat-resistant
fifty-foot thick cellular caisson of Tungalloy, which alone had made
possible the penetration through thousands of miles of molten material
under tremendous pressure.
"Others maintained that the cost of removing it would be far in excess
of the caisson's value.
"While the battle was raging, J. T. Weller, president of Metals, Inc.
came to the fore with an offer for a concession on the Earth-Tube.
"He proposed to construct a tubular car or cage which would traverse
the almost eight thousand miles in only four hours--more than twenty
four hours less than the time required for a trip to the Antipodes by
stratosphere plane.
"His argument for the success of the undertaking lay, not so much in
the time saved on the trip, but in the novelty of the method of travel,
and its value for giving people a taste of what weightless travel in
space ships would be like. His imagination capitalized on the fact that
Man is always on the alert for some new and strange way of cheating his
perambulatory equipment of its needed exercise.
"Before advancing his proposition, he'd had his engineers draw up
complete plans and specifications of the proposed cage and the
necessary auxiliary equipment.
"The cage itself was to be a zeppelin-shaped projectile--But come, the
Diamvator itself is due in five minutes."
Andrews arose and led the way to the terminal gate, and for the next
few minutes Randall unobtrusively strolled around the circumference
of the Earth-Tube, examining its massive steel barrier. He completed
his circuit and was peering timidly through the steel lattice, when
a long-drawn "whoooosh" and a metallic click sounded from the black
depths.
He turned inquiringly to Andrews, who hastened to explain. "Closing of
the air-locks," he said. "You see, the air is only partially exhausted
from the Earth-Tube, so that the Diamvator will be held from the
Tube sidewall during its free fall. Thus it does not attain the full
acceleration of a freely falling body in a vacuum by a great deal.
Consequently it does not approach its full pendular ascent from the
Earth's center against gravitation.
"It lacks 'falling' to the surface of the Earth by over ten thousand
feet, so some means had to be provided for propelling the Vator on up
to the surface. To accomplish this, automatic air-locks were installed
in the tube almost three hundred miles from either end, with other
locks every few miles from there to the surface.
"When the Vator has passed a lower lock, both that one and the lock
above it close, and air is admitted under high pressure below the Vator
and exhausted above it, thus pushing the car up to the surface, where
it is grasped and held by interlocking steel arms--"
Andrews was interrupted by a second "whoooosh" as the upper lock
opened, followed immediately by the appearance of the bullet-shaped
nose of the Diamvator.
* * * * *
Slowly the tube car ascended until its nose towered far above the
heads of the milling crowd which by this time surrounded the terminal.
Suddenly a harsh click told that the steel arms had gripped the Vator.
Friction rollers whined as they rotated the car until its massive door
coincided with the barrier gate.
As Andrews and Randall watched, the guard unlocked the gate and slid
it into its slot, then unbarred the Vator door and pushed it open.
"All out for American Terminus, Ladrigo, Brazil," he called in a
routine monotone.
Not a sound came from the interior of the Diamvator. The guard
hesitated a moment, then stepped through the door into the tube car.
Within ten seconds he reappeared, fright etched on drawn features.
"Mr. Andrews!" he rasped from stiff lips. "It--it's happened again!"
Andrews' heavy features sagged. "No!" he said huskily. "No, it
couldn't!"
Then with a bound he was through the Vator door with Randall at his
heels. Inside, it took a moment for Randall's eyes to accommodate to
the dimmer light. Then he saw that the interior of the Diamvator was
remarkably like a comfortable drawing room in a luxurious home.
Several beautifully inlaid walnut tables occupied the central portion
of a mirror-like floor. Gleaming chrome and leather chairs were spaced
around them. Luxurious davenports and huge easy chairs ringed the
circumference of the room, and the whole inviting scene was softly but
pleasantly illumined by high-frequency tubes set flush in the domed
ceiling.
Randall's glance made the complete circuit of the room before the
astounding fact crashed through to his mind that there was not a single
person in the room!
Randall stood stock still for a moment, cataloguing the details of the
room, and trying to assimilate the facts of this strange enigma.
Then he turned to Andrews and asked, "How many passengers left the
Antipodes in the Vator?"
"Ten," Andrews said huskily. "That's three times in the last month this
has happened. I--I don't know what--"
"How about cargo?" Randall interrupted, his pale eyes glowing with a
newly awakened fire. "Any valuable shipment?"
Andrews shook his head vehemently. "That's what makes it even more
inexplicable! Each time this thing has happened there has been nothing
but baggage scheduled. The mail and most of our insured expressage
goes out on the 6:30 A.M. trip. I--"
"Any idea how anything could possibly disappear from the Diamvator
during its trip? Don't you have radio contact with the car?"
Again the Earth-Tube supervisor shook his head. "How anything or
anyone could leave the Vator during the trip, even with the aid of its
passengers, is more than a mystery. It's impossible! As for contact, we
have no communication with the Vator from the time it leaves one side
until it reaches the other. You see, the Earth's metal core entirely
absorbs and blankets Hertzian waves, making radio communication
impossible from car to surface."