I nodded, and he wandered away. Anita whispered: "Did he mean that signal room up in the tower? Oh Gregg, maybe it"s only the control room."
"Suppose we go up and see? Miko"s signals might start any minute."
And the electronic projector seemed about ready. It was time for me to act. But a reluctant instinct was upon me. Our Erentz suits were close behind us in Potan"s cubby. I hated to leave them. If anything happened, and we had to make a sudden dash, there would be no time to garb ourselves in the suits. To adjust the helmets would be bad enough.
I whispered swiftly, "We must get into our suits--find some pretext."
I drew her back through the cubby doorway where we would be more secluded.
"Anita, listen. I"ve been a fool not to plan our escape more carefully. We"re in too great a danger here!"
Suddenly it seemed to me that we were in desperate plight! Was it premonition?
"Anita, listen: if anything happens and we have to make a dash--"
"Up through that dome lock, Gregg? It"s a manual control; you can see the levers."
"Yes. It"s a manual. But once up there how would we get down?"
She was far calmer than I. "There may be an outside ladder, Gregg."
"I don"t think so. I haven"t seen it."
"Then we can get out the way they brought us in. The hull port--it"s a manual, too."
"Yes, I think I can find our way down through the hull corridors."
"There are guards outside on the rocks."
We had seen them through the dome windows. But there were not many, only two or three. I was armed and a surprise rush would do the trick.
We donned our Erentz suits.
"What will we do with the helmets?" demanded Anita. "Leave them here?"
"No, take them with us. I"m not going to get separated from them!"
"We"ll look strange going up to that signal room equipped like this."
"I can"t help it, Anita. We"ll explain it, somehow."
She stood before me, a queer-looking little figure in the now deflated, bagging suit with her slim neck and head protruding above it.
"Carry your helmet, Anita. Ill take mine."
We could adjust the helmets and start the motors all within a few seconds.
"I"m ready, Gregg."
"Come on, then. Let me go first."
I had the bullet projector in an outer pouch of the suit where I could instantly reach it. This was more rational; we had a fighting chance now. The fear which had swept me began to recede.
"We"ll climb the tower to the signal room," I whispered. "Do it boldly."
We stepped from the cubby. Potan was not in sight; perhaps he was on the further deck beyond the central cabin structure.
On the deck, we were immediately accosted. This was different--our appearance in the Erentz suits!
"Where are you going?" This fellow spoke in Martian.
I answered in English, "Up there."
He stood before us, towering over me. I saw a group of nearby workers stop to regard us. In a moment we would be causing a commotion, and it was the last thing I desired.
I said in Martian, "Commander Potan told me, what I wish I can do.
From the dome we look around to see where is the Grantline camp from here. I am pilot of this ship to go there."
The man who had called himself Brotow pa.s.sed near us. I appealed to him.
"We put on our suits. After our experience, we feel safer that way. If I"m to pilot the ship...."
He hesitated, his glance sweeping the deck as though to ask Potan.
Someone said in Martian:
"The Commander is down in the stern storeroom."
It decided Brotow. He waved away the Martian who had stopped me.
"Let them pa.s.s."
Anita and I gave him our most friendly smiles.
"Thanks."
He bowed to Anita with a sweeping gesture. "I will show you over the control room presently."
His gaze went to the peak of the bow.
The little hooded cubby there was the control room, then. Satisfaction swept me. Then above us in the tower, must surely be the signal room.
Would Brotow follow us up? I hoped not. I wanted to be alone with the duty man up there, giving me a chance to get at the projector controls if Miko"s signal should come.
I drew Anita past Brotow, who had stood aside. "Thanks," I repeated.
"We won"t be long."
We mounted the little ladder.