Page 136 - Astounding Pulp V2

136 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION 137
,,. GRAY LENS MAN
invade my mind. what of yours?'" Second, that it would strike-not low der to think o-f the results."
'•It is a thing proven by the outcome." but high! -claimed. · "Perfect! Just like the origi- "QX. If you'll send for Worsel, we'll
The Boskonian's statement was a calm XXIII. nals !" try it a fling or two. It'd be a shame to
summation of fact. "The messenger ''i\ 1 Iine, too. They do feel good." build a whole ship around an Opera-
.
sen~ against you succeeded; the one sent Ku, N LSO.' played . worked, rested, ate. " I t's a pity that you got y~ur 1;ew tions tank and then not be able to use
1
agamst us failed. The Patrol intends a~<! slept. He uoxed, strenuously and ones so quick. You'd appreciate em it· I'll see what I can do. By the way,
and is preparing: certainly to wipe out v1c1ously. with masters of the crafl. I--Ie much more after a few years without I 'haven't seen my head nurse--Miss
o_ur remaining forces within the Tellur- practiced with his DeLamelers until he 'em. But to get .down to bu-siness. The i\IacDougall, you kno,v-any place
nan Galaxy; probably to attack your had regained his old-time speed and fleets have been taking off for a couple lately. Have you? I ought to te11 her
stronghold; eventually to invade our dead-center accuracy. He swam for of weeks-we're to join up as the !me 'thanks' or ·something-maybe send her
own galaxy. It is well-for that rea- hours at a time. he ran in cross-country passes. I£ you haven't anything better a flower."
son. i~1 part. was the Lensman :Morgan races. He lolled. practically naked. in to do, I'd like to have you aboard the "Nurse? MacDougall ? Oh, yes, th e
sent back as he was sent." hol sunshine. And finally, when his Z9M9Z." redhead. L et me see-did hear some-
" Let them come!'' snarled the Ka Io- muscles were writhing and rippling as "I don't know o-f any place I'd rather thing about her the other day. Nlar-
n ian. "'Ne can and we will hold this o[ yore beneath "the bronzed satin of his be, sir-thanks." ried? No, that wasn't it. . . . She took
pl~net forever against anything they can skin. Lacy answe1·ed his insistent de- "QX. Thanks should ~ be the other a hospital ship somewhere. Alsal<an-
b~mg through space!" mands by coming to see him. way. You can make yourself mighty Vandemar-somewhere; didn't, pay any
''I would not be too sure of that.'" The Gray Lensman met the flier useful between now and zero time." He attention. She doesn't need thanks--or
cautioned the superior. " In fact. iF- eagerly. but his face -fell when he saw eyed the young man speculatively. . flowers either-she's o-etting paid for
Haynes had a special job for hnn, .
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f~ am beginning to regard as a proba- that the surgeon general was alone. Kinnison knew. As a Gray L ensman, her wo;k. Much more .,important, ~lon't
Jdny-the Patrol does make a con- "No. MacDougall didn't come- she you think, to get ·Operatim 1 s sJraight-
isn't arot_tnd any more,'' he explained he could not be o-iven any military rank
, ~e~ted drive against any sig1~ific_ant num- or vost, and be c~uld not conceive of the ened out?"
)ei of our planetary orga111zat1ons. you guilefully. admiral of Grand F leet wanting him aUndoubtedly, sir," Kinnison repli:d
should abandon your base there and re- '·Hult?'' came the startled query. stifiiy, and as he went"out Lacy came in.
return to Kalonia. after disbanding and " I-iow come?" around as an aid-de-camp.
~ "Spill it, chief," he •invited. "Not The two old conspirators greeted e~ch
so J?:e, erving for future use as many as .. Out 111 space- out Borova way orders, of course-I understand that other with knowing .grins. Was I~m-
0
P ss1hle o[ the planetary units." somewhere. \Vhat do you care? After perfectly. Requests or . . . ah-hum nison taking it. big! He was fallmg,
the way you acted you\·e got the crust
'· Future use? In that case there will . . . sugges6ons." like ten thousand bricks down a well.
be no future." of a rhinoceros to think that-'' "I will crown you with something yet,
"You're crazy,. T.acy! \t\' hy, we "Do him good to undermine his po-
"There w ill be." Eichmil replied, Y?u whelp!" H aynes snorted, and Kin- sition a bit. Too cocky altogether. But
she- It's all fixed up."
coldly vicious. '·\Ve are strcngthenino- "Funny kind o[ fixing. Moping nison grinned. These two were very how they suffer !"
tl d f .,
a
ie c cnses ot J rnevon to withstand around Base. crying her red head off. close, in spite of their disparity in years; " Check!"
any conceivable assault. If they do not and very i11uch of a piece. " As you get
Finally. though, she decided that she
attack us here of their own free will, we older you will realize that it is good KINNISON rode toward the flagship
had some Scotch pride left, and I let
shall compel them to do so. Then, after tactics to·'stick pretty ·close to Gen Regs. in a mood which even be could not have
her go aboard again. If she isn't all
destroying their every mobile force, we done with you. she ought to be." This, Yes, I have got a job for you, and it's described. :He had expected to see her,
i;hall a · 1 Lacy figured, \\"Ould be good for what a nasty one. Nobody else has been able as a matter of course-he wanted to see
ga111 ta <e oYer their galaxv. Arms
for that purpose are even no~' in the ailed the big saphead. "Come. on, and to handle it, not even two companies ·her-confound it, he had to_ see her!
building. rs the matter entirely clear ? .. of Rigellians. Grand Fleet Operations." vVhy did she have to do a /11t now, of
T'II see whethe1:, you're fit to go back
"lt is clear. \\ 'e shall warn all our Lo work or not. "Gra11d Fleet Operations!" Kinnison all the tin1es on the cale~dar . She knew
groups that such 01·ders may issue : and H e was fit. ''QX. lad, flit!'' Lacy was aghast. "Holy . . . Klono's . . . that the fleet was shoving off, and that
,,·c· shall prepare to abandon this base if di,;cha1·ged him informally wiLh a slap brazen ... bowels ! W hat makes yon he'd have to go along- and nobody lrne;-v
think I've got jets enough to swiJ1g that
such a step should become desirable." upon the back. "Get dressed and I'll lf;iad, chief ?" where she was. W hen he got back he d
So it was planned: neither Eichmil take you back to Haynes-he's heen " I haven 't any .idea whether you can r, <l her ii he had to chase her all over
111
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1111 r Jalte even suspecting two startling snapping at me like a turtle ever since or not. I know however tbat if you the Galaxy. He'd put an en to t 11s.
truths: you·ve been out here." can't, 11obody ca;, ; and i1; spite of all Duty was duty, of course- but Chris
was CHRIS-aJ1d half a loaf was bet-
.,
. First. that when ll,e Patrol was ready At Prime. Base, Kinnison was wel- the work we've done on the t hina we'll ter than no bread !
'.t would strikc hard an<l without wam- comed enthusiastically by the - admiral. have to operate as a mob, as we did be- He jerked back to reality as he en-
111g, and •·Feel those fmgers. K ini!'' he ex- fore, and not as a fleet. If so, I shud-
, ...