if possible, what the present spatial vibration is?”
“Not so easy in this utter dark, but I’m willing.”
The Amazon moved, feeling her way around carefully. Abna did not attempt to help her: she was better left with unhampered movement. Out of the void the voices of Vionu and Mexone spoke occasionally, mainly to inquire as to what was being done.
“I’m finding out the vibration of the space outside the ship,” the Amazon replied, amidst a clinking of instruments. “I obviously can’t see these interior readings, so I’ll have to grope my way outside and take a reading on portable equipment. It works on the raised slide method and has raised figure readings, so I’ll be able to ‘feel’ the answer. That’s better; I was having a bit of struggle getting into my spacesuit.… Back soon,” she finished, and there was the sound of her shambling out of the control room to the emergency lock in the main corridor.
It seemed to the others, left in the dreadful darkness, that hours passed before the Amazon at length returned.
“I’ve taken a spatial reading, and judging by all normal standards it’s completely haywire. That bears out your theory, Abna, that something is causing a warp. But it also suggests something else: a warp can be straightened. We know the exact figure for normal space, the figure necessary for it to carry light, heat, and so forth. We have only two chances—one, to fly on in the hope that we’ll eventually draw away from this strange region: the other is to try and build the necessary equipment to straighten out the trouble, at least within the immediate vicinity of the Ultra.”
“The last suggestion is obviously impossible,” Viona remarked. “We can’t do a thing with this utter darkness.”
“We might feel our way to constructing some small, local neutralizer,” the Amazon mused. “If we could do that, we could see our way to making a bigger one. No doubt about being able to construct the thing: we’ve all the necessary knowledge and machine tools.”
“I think Viona is right,” came the voice of Abna. “It’s too complicated, Vi. Give it a while, and see what happens.”
“Look!” Mexone cried suddenly. “The lights! I believe they’re appearing again!”
Instantly Abna and the Amazon turned, looking upwards. They both felt a tremendous sense of relief, of gratitude even, at a dim vision of numberless dull red points glowing in the void. Without doubt they were the ceiling lights, and those of the switchboard.
Motionless, the four watched, and sure enough the colors began to reappear, in reverse order, merging from the red into orange, and then from orange into pale yellow, green, and finally the normal whiteness. At the same time gentle waves of warmth from the restored heaters began to make themselves felt.
“Well, thank heaven for that!” the Amazon exclaimed; she looked abruptly through the window. There was still nothing to be seen. Either there were no stars in the area, or else the spatial warp was still affecting them.
“Time we got some action on this,” Abna said, picking up the Amazon’s discarded space suit and putting it in the locker. “We shall have to go back through this dark area, evidently, so we’ll be prepared for it. We’d better get busy with that neutralizer you suggested, Vi.”
He turned to the control board and switched on the power, gradually increasing to maximum strength on the forward jets.
“What’s the idea?” the Amazon asked.
“Slowing us down to a standstill—which will take a considerable time. We want to see what really lies in the dark area we’ve passed. There may be something intriguing, particularly if the dark area has been created artificially.”
“While you two geniuses work out the details I’ll fix a meal,” Viona said. “Come on, Mexone—give me a hand.”
They hurried from the control room, and after a moment Abna came and joined the Amazon where she sat at the console bench.
“This neutralization business is the least of our troubles, Vi,” he said, glancing toward the power plant. “My main worry is fuel. If we don’t get copper soon, we’re done for. I haven’t advertised the fact too much to Viona and Mexone, but I can’t conceal it from you. I’m using up power with every moment we slow down, too.”
“I’m aware of it, Abna. That’s why I want to get the space warp sorted out. I refuse to believe that a space can exist where there are no planets or suns whatever. It isn’t natural law. So, if we can only get light, we might be able to spot something worth tackling—for copper, I mean.”
“I hadn’t thought of that angle,” Abna commented. “But surely, if there are planets anywhere around, us their gravitation would be obvious on our instruments?”
“Depends on their nearness. We may be too far away for them to affect us, but that wouldn’t prevent us seeing them.”
The logic was obvious, so Abna made no further comment. Instead he pooled his scientific knowledge with the Amazon’s in the creation of a machine calculated to restore exterior space to its normal condition. And it was a work that involved the most incredible intricacy, the use of computers, and hours of pondering over this or that detail. A meal came and went almost unnoticed, so absorbed were both of them in their cogitations.
Eight hours later they felt they had a reasonable instrument, which, theoretically at least, promised to do all they hoped.
“Definitely it should work,” the Amazon said, seating herself with a touch of weariness.
“Definitely,” Abna agreed, musing. “The one thing I foresee, however, is that the effect may he progressive, and that from the original 100-mile area there may spread an immense tide of neutralization throughout the whole area, much the same as throwing a stone into a small pond produces ripples right to the edge.”
“It’s possible,” the Amazon admitted. “If so, all the better. We will be able to see farther, and as long as our neutralizer remains in action the effect will be maintained. At the very least we’ll tie able to see 100 miles ahead of us.”
“Which is not much use for observing planets,” Viona remarked. “We’ll only know there is one when we’re 100 miles from it. And at our present velocity we’d never be able to pull up in time.”
Abna glanced at her. “That presents no problem. By the time we’ve got this machine finished, our velocity will have slowed to nearly zero. After that as long as power holds out, we can retrace our way at a crawl, and the only real speed we’ll gain is when we’re in the actual gravitational pull of a planet. Since the accumulation of speed will be very gradual—at least at first—we’ll have time to slow down before we actually sight the planet. But I’m gambling that the neutralization effect, once started, will expand way beyond the initial 100-mile radius. Right! Then that’s settled. The next thing to do is get the neutralizer constructed, and in that we can all lend a hand.”
Twelve hours…twenty-four…thirty-six. And in that time the Ultra had continued to lose speed. The neutralization machine was finished and required only linking to the power plant.
“I think we’re ready,” the Amazon said, giving the machine a final once-over. “Fortunately, it will operate through the insulation of the Ultra, so there’ll be no need to take it outside. All right, Abna, link it up.”
Abna nodded, made the necessary connections, and then stood back in satisfaction. Presently the Amazon crossed to the control board and took a grip of the special switch provided for the purpose.
“Here goes,” she said. “And let’s hope we get light on a dark subject!”
She closed the switch and a pilot light on the spatial machine lighted immediately, proving at least that power was flowing through as arranged. The quartet moved to the windows and gazed on to the all-too-familiar darkness. Seconds passed into minutes and there was no apparent change.
“Yet it’s working,” the Amazon said, frowning.