Heavy Planet

“I know.”

“The mines were a long step, and the dirigibles were a triumph, but we’re a long, long way from being able to make do without the human energy-boxes; and I sometimes wonder if the commander realizes just how far beyond us those things really are. “But this talk isn’t solving problems. I have to talk to the humans again. I hope that not mentioning Kabremm at all won’t make them suspicious; at least it would be consistent with the mistaken- identity line, if we have to use it. Carry on, and give me a wave on the bridge when the main lock is clear.” The sailor gestured understanding-and-compliance, and Dondragmer at last got to the bridge. There was plenty to say to the human beings without mentioning Kabremm, and the captain began saying it as soon as he had doffed his air suit. “At least one of the helmsmen was under the hull for a while, and probably they both were, but I couldn’t find any trace of either one just now except work they had done trying to get out; at least, I can’t see any other reason for the work; it certainly wasn’t an assigned job. They wrecked, or nearly wrecked, two of the trucks in the process. Much of the space under there is still frozen up, and I’m afraid they’re probably in the ice. We’ll search more carefully, with lights, when the crew comes back and I can spare the men. The water, or whatever it was, that was boiled away by our heater made an ice layer on the hull which has sealed the main lock; we must get that back into service as quickly as possible. There is much equipment which can’t now be moved out if we have to abandon the Kwembly, and much which can’t be moved back inside if we don’t, because it won’t go through any other lock. “Also, the use of that heater caused the melting of about a body length of the radiator wire, and I don’t see how we are going to restore the refrigerator to service if we do get the Kwembly free. This may not be of immediate importance, but if we do get back into service we’d have to think twice about going very far into Low Alpha without refrigeration. One of the few things you people seem really sure of is that the low-pressure area is caused by high temperature, presumably from internal heat, and I know you set a very high priority on finding out about it. There is virtually no metal in the ship, and one of the few things I understand about that refrigerator is that its outside radiator must be an electrical conductor. Right?? The captain waited for his reply with some interest. He hoped that the technical problem would divert human interest from the whole question of Kabremm and the Esket; but he knew that this would not have worked if he himself were on the other end of the conversation. Of course, Benj Hoffman was young; but he was probably not the only person there. Benj answered; he didn’t seem much interested in technology. “If you think they’re in the ice, shouldn’t people get down there right away and look? They might still be alive in those suits, mightn’t they? You said a while ago that no one had ever found out, but that at least they wouldn’t suffocate. It seems to me that the longer you put off finding them, the less chance they have of living. Isn’t that the most important problem right now?” Easy’s voice broke in before Dondragmer could frame an answer; she seemed to be talking to her son as well as to the captain. “It’s not quite the most important. The Kwembly is synonymous with the lives of its entire crew, Benj. The captain is not being callous about his men. I know how you feel about your friend and it’s perfectly proper; but a person with responsibility has to think as well as feel.”

“I thought you were on my side.”

“I feel with you very strongly; but that doesn’t keep me from knowing the captain is right.”

“I suppose Barlennan would react the same way. Have you asked him what Dondragmer should do?”

“I haven’t asked him, but he knows the situation; if you don’t think so, there’s the microphone; give your side of it to him. Personally I don’t think he’d dream of overriding Dondragmer or any other cruiser captain in such a matter, when he himself isn’t on the scene.” There was a pause while Benj hunted for words to refute this claim; he was still young enough to think that there was something fundamentally inhuman about thinking more than one step ahead at a time. After ten seconds or so of silence, Dondragmer assumed that the station transmission was over and a reply was in order. “Mrs. Hoffman, I believe I recognized her voice, is quite right, Benj. I have not forgotten Beetchermarlf, any more than you have forgotten Takoorch, although it is obvious even to me that you are thinking less of him. It is simply that I have more lives to consider than theirs. I’m afraid I’ll have to leave any more discussion of it to her, right now. Would you please get some of your engineers thinking about the problem of my refrigerator? And you probably see Borndender climbing the hull with his sample; the report about the stream should come up in a few minutes. If Mr. McDevitt is still there, please have him stand by; if he has left for any reason, will you please have him come back?? The watchers had seen a climbing Mesklinite as the captain had said, though not even Easy had recognized Bomdender. Before Benj could say anything, McDevitt answered, “I’m still here, Captain. We’ll wait, and as soon as the analysis is here I’ll take it to the computer. If Borndender has any temperature and pressure readings to send along with his chemical information, they will be useful.” Benj was still unhappy, but even he could see that this was not the time for further interruption. Besides, his father had just entered the communication room, accompanied by Aucoin and Mersereau. Benj tactfully slid out of the seat in front of the bridge screen to make room for the planner, though he was too angry and upset to hope that his badly chosen words of the last few minutes would go unmentioned. He was not even relieved when Easy, in bringing the newcomers up to date, left the question of the missing helmsmen unmentioned. Her account was interrupted by Dondragmer’s voice. “Bomdender says that he has checked the density and boiling temperature of the liquid in the stream: it is about three eighths ammonia and five eighths water. He also says that the outside temperature is 71, the pressure 26.6 standard atmospheres, our standard, of course, and the wind a little north of west, 21 degrees to be more precise, at 120 cables per hour. A very light breeze. Will that suffice for your computer?”

“It will all help. I’m on my way,” replied McDevitt as he slid from his seat and headed toward the door. As he reached the exit he looked back thoughtfully, paused, and called, “Benj, I hate to pull you from the screens right now, but I think you’d better come with me for a while. You can check me on the input, then you can bring the preliminary run back to report to Dondragmer while I do the recheck.” Easy kept her approval to herself as Benj silently followed his superior. The approval was divided between McDevitt, for turning the youngster’s attention in a safer direction, and her son for showing more self-control than she had really expected. Aucoin paid no attention to the exchange; he was still trying to clarify his picture of the current state of affairs. “I take it that none of the missing personnel have turned up,” he said. “All right, I’ve been thinking it over. I assume that Barlennan has been brought up to date, as we agreed a few hours ago. Is there anything else which has happened, which he has been told about but I haven’t?” Easy looked up quickly, trying to catch evidence of resentment on the administrator’s face, but he seemed unaware that his words could possibly be interpreted as criticism. She thought quickly before answering. “Yes. Roughly three hours ago, Cavanaugh reported action on one of the Esket screens. He saw a couple of objects sliding or rolling across the floor of the laboratory from one side of the screen to the other. I started watching, but nothing has happened there since. “Then an hour or so later, the search party Don had out for the missing helicopters met a Mesklinite which we of course assumed at first to be one of the pilots; when he got close to the transmitter I recognized Kabremm, the first officer of the Esket.”

“Six thousand miles from where the Esket’s crew is supposed to have died?”

“Yes.”

“You told this to Barlennan?”

“Yes.”

“What was his comment?”

“Nothing specific. He acknowledged the whole report, but didn’t offer any theories.”

“He didn’t even ask you how sure you were of the identification? Or on what you based it?”

“No.”

“Well, if you don’t mind I’d like to. Just how did you know this Kabremm, and how certain are you that you were right?”

“I knew him, before the loss of the Esket, well enough to make it difficult to say what I went by; he’s simply distinctive, in color pattern, stance and walk, just as you and Ib and Boyd are.”

“The light was good enough for color pattern? It’s night down there.”

“There were lights near the set, though most of them were in front of it, in the field of view, and Kabremm was mostly backlighted.”

“Do you know the two missing men well enough to be certain it was neither of them; do you know that neither one looks much like Kabremm?” Easy flushed. “It certainly wasn’t Kervenser, Don’s officer. I’m afraid I don’t know Reffel well enough be sure; that possibility hadn’t occurred to me. I just saw the man, and called out his name pretty much by reflex. After that I couldn’t do much but make a report. The Settlement microphone was alive