The Khazaki swore lividly. His sword seemed almost to leap halfway out
of the scabbard. Carse swung the blaster warningly, and he clashed
the weapon back. Useless, useless, when white flame could destroy him
before he got moving.
"How did you get here?" he snarled.
The tall, bronze-haired man smiled again. "I wasn't in the fight," he
said. "Volakech wanted to save my knowledge and told me to stay out
of the battle. I wasn't really needed. But it occurred to me that your
assault was obviously a futile gesture unless you hoped in some way
to capture the boat. So I hid in here to guard it--just in case. And
now--we'll take her up. We may just as well do so. Once I have the Star
Ship--" He gestured at Alonzo. "Start the engines. And no tricks. I
understand them as well as you do."
Gonzales strapped himself in place and stood swaying with weakness
while he manipulated the controls. "I can't--reach that wheel--" he
gasped.
"Turn it, Janazik," said Carse. "About a quarter turn--that's enough."
The impassive faces of meters wavered and blurred before Alonzo's
swimming eyes. He had been pretty badly hurt. But the engines were
warming up.
"Strap yourself in, Janazik," said Carse.
The Khazaki obeyed, sickly. He didn't really need the anti-acceleration
webbing--Carse himself was content to hang on to a stanchion with one
hand--but it would hamper his movements, he would have no way of making
a sudden leap. Between them, he and Alonzo could handle the engines
readily enough, Carse giving them their orders. Then once they were
at the Star Ship he could blast them down, go out to capture Anse
and Ellen--and the old books said one man could handle the ship if
necessary--
How to warn the two in the pilot room? How to get help? The warrior's
brain began to turn over, cool and steady now, swift as chilled
lightning.
The boat spouted flame, stood on its tail and climbed for the sky.
Acceleration dragged at Carse, but it wasn't too great for a strong man
to resist. Carse tightened his grip on the stanchion. His blaster was
steady on them.
Ellen's signal lights blinked and blinked on the control panels. More
on the No. 3 jet, ease to port, full ahead, cut No. 2.... Alonzo
handled most of it, occasionally gasping a command to Janazik. The
bellow of the rockets filled the engine room.
And in the bows, Dougald Anson saw the world reel and fall behind, saw
the rainy sky open up in a sudden magnificence of sun, saw it slowly
darken and the stars come awesomely out. Gods, gods, was this space?
Open space? No wonder the old people had longed to get away!
* * * * *
_How to get help, how to warn Anse_--Janazik's mind spun like an
unloaded engine, spewing forth plan after unusable plan. Quickly, now,
by Shantuzik's hells!
No way out--and the minutes were fleeing, the rocket was reaching for
the sky, he knew they were nearing the Star Ship and still he lay in
his harness like a sheep and obeyed Carse's gun-point orders!
The disgrace of it! He snarled his anger, and at Alonzo's gasped
command swung the wheel with unnecessary savagery. The ship lurched as
a rocket tube overfired. Carse nearly lost his hold, and for an instant
Janazik's hands were at the acceleration webbing, ready to fling it off
and leap at him.
The man recovered, and his blaster came to the ready again. He had to
shout to be heard above the thundering jets: "Don't try that--either of
you! I can shoot you down and handle it myself if I must!"
He laughed then, a tall and splendid figure standing strained against
the brutal, clawing acceleration. Ellen's brother--aye! And one could
see why she wanted him spared. Janazik's lip curled back from his teeth
in a snarl of hate.
* * * * *
The rocket must be very near escape velocity now. Presently Ellen would
signal for the jets to be turned off and they would rush weightless
through space while she took her readings and plotted the orbit that
would get them to the Star Ship. And if then Carse emerged with his
blaster--
Anse had only a sword.
_But--Anse is Anse_, thought Janazik. _If there is any faintest glimmer
of a chance Anse will find it. And if not, we're really no worse off
than now. I'll have to warn Anse and leave the rest up to him._
The Khazaki nodded bleakly to himself. It would probably mean his own
death before Carse's blaster flame--and damn it, damn it, he liked
living. Even if the old Khazak he knew were doomed, there had been many
new worlds of the Galactic frontier. He and Anse had often dreamed of
roving over them--