5
WAR OF THE GHOSTS
     by Clark Darlton
                                PROLOG

In the Greater Imperium of the Arkonides it is the year 10496 A (for
Arkon)-a time corresponding to the Earthly year of 9003 BC. Thus it is a
time in which the inhabitants of the Earth are yet submerged in primitive
barbarism, knowing neither of the stars nor of the great heritage of
vanished Lemuria.

By contrast-and despite the Great War against the Maahks-Arkon is in
its fullest prime. The present Imperator of this vast domain is
Orbanashol III, a man of brutality and cunning who is rumoured to have
instigated the death of his brother, Gonozal VII, in order to take over the
rulership for himself.

Even though Orbanashol III has firmly established his domain, there is
one man whom the Emperor of Arkon must fear: Atlan, the rightful heir
to the throne. After Gonozal's death, this one had disappeared without a
trace, along with the former physician to Gonozal VII.

However the young Crystal Prince is still very much alive! After having
been informed of his true heritage and having his extra-brain activated,
his every thought and action is aimed at one goal: to overthrow the
usurper.

Atlan's sworn friends and loyal supporters bring him to Kraumon, the
private planet which holds the secret of Fratulon's principal base of
operations.

Here the campaign against Orbanashol is to begin-but here also rages
THE WAR OF THE GHOSTS …
                     CAST OF CHARACTERS

ATLAN—The Crystal Prince tries his hand at peacemaking

Fratulon—Atlan’s foster father and teacher reveals his secret
stronghold

Tirako Gamno—Atlan’s friend and companion finds himself on a private
world where there are “strangers in Paradise”

Ice Claw—The Chretkor has an icy feeling about ghosts

Parvon Kher and Morvoner Sprangh—Two phantom warriors of a
legion of the damned

The Kralasenes—These bloodhounds of the usurper are “warmly”
received

The Maahks—The “Big Foot” monsters are also from worlds
between
Series and characters created and directed by
Karl-Herbert Scheer and Walter Ernsting.

            ACE BOOKS EDITION

  Managing Editor: FORREST J ACKERMAN

          WENDAYNE ACKERMAN
             Translator-in-Chief
            & Series Co-ordinator

               CHARLES VOLPE
                 Art Director

               PAT LOBRUTTO
                    Editor

                  Sig Wahrman
                 Stuart J. Byrne
              Associate Translators
  WAR OF
THE GHOSTS
      by Clark Darlton




 A Division of Charter Communications Inc.
    A GROSSET & DUNLAP COMPANY
        1120 Avenue of the Americas
        New York, New York 10036
    WAR OF THE GHOSTS

Copyright © 1977 by Ace Books

An Ace Book by arrangement with


     Arthur Moewig Verlag


      All Rights Reserved




First Ace Printing: November 1977

        Printed in U.S.A.
       ATLAN #5


1/ THE PHANTOM LEGION
         page *

   2/ "GHOST" TRAP
         page *

   3/ HYBRID WORLD
         page *

     4/ LONG SHOT
         page *

5/ AMBASSADOR IN LIMBO
         page *

    6/ THIRD PARTY
         page *

 7/ PHASE OUT-PHASE IN
         page *
                        1/ THE PHANTOM LEGION

   THE UNKNOWN still lay before me in spite of all I had come through.
Fratulon and his secrets! Frankly I sometimes took a dim view of his perpetual
mysteriousness, foster father or not. After all, he knew full well who I was or
actually should have been from the start—the rightful successor to my father,
Gonozal, who was treacherously murdered by my uncle, Orbanashol. Now in
my place the murderer himself sat on the imperial throne of Arkon.
   I had sworn to avenge this wrong and at my side were my true friends:
Fratulon, Ice Claw and now also Tirako Gamno the young Arkonide. Farnathia,
to whom I was bound by more than mere friendship, had fallen into the hands of
the Kralasenes and thus was lost to me for the present. But I was determined to
rescue her as soon as possible.
   It was Fratulon who had saved me from certain death when I was only 4 years
old and ever since then the henchmen of Orbanashol had pursued me. The worst
of all such bloodhounds and bounty hunters was Sofgart the Blind. He had
probably still not recovered from the defeat he had suffered by our escape from
the Tarkihl and so he and his deadly Kralasenes were undoubtedly still on our
heels.
   Ice Claw was a Chretkor and looked as though he were made of ice. In other
words he was practically transparent. When he was unclothed, all his internal
organs and arteries and nerve fibres were clearly visible. Just slightly over 4 feet
in height, he was in most other respects quite humanoid in appearance, except
for his unusual, talon-like hands. Unfortunate was the creature they touched if Ice
Claw wasn’t in a friendly mood. His freezing claws were a frightful weapon but
they had gotten us out of many a tight scrape.
   And then there was Tirako Gamno, whom I had come to know on Largamenia
during our tests to achieve the Ark Summia. This was a kind of final test of
maturity, completion and manhood, which had led to the activation of my extra-
brain. As an intellectual aesthete, Tirako appeared to be almost delicate and
fragile but he was anything but a coward.
   Thus there were the four of us who were bound to the battle slogan: “For
Atlan and Arkon—unto death!” Perhaps it sounded melodramatic but we were in
deadly earnest concerning our purpose. The Greater Imperium was ruled by a
scoundrel who ruthlessly hounded his opponents and had them assassinated
while the main issue was the terrible Methane War against the Maahks, which still
flamed across the Milky Way unabated.

                                     ****

   I was jolted from my thoughts as I heard heavy footsteps and the familiar
metallic sounds of the ancient armour that Fratulon seldom removed even for
sleeping. It had become a part of him like Skarg, the short sword he always
carried.
   Then his stocky, massive figure appeared in the ship’s control room where I
had just gone on watch after relieving Tirako.
   “Well, my son,” he said jovially, “how are you getting along with this old
tub?” He seated himself in an upholstered chair and filled it amply.
   I had to grin at his casual remark. The “old tub” he referred to was a disc-
shaped spaceship with excellent flight characteristics. It functioned perfectly,
having a powerful hyper-transition drive and being equipped with every
imaginable piece of technological equipment that one could expect to find on
board such a highly efficient vessel.
   “Need you ask, Fratulon? Naturally I’m getting along with it. It’s a very good
ship. I’d like to know how you got hold of it.”
   Fratulon grinned back at me. “The first line of defence is a tight lip, my boy. I
have to keep a few secrets to myself, even from my friends.”
   I threatened him jokingly. “You just wait until I’m the acting Imperator. I’ll put
you under a hypno hood where you won’t get away with your double-talk and
excuses. I’ll finally squeeze the truth out of you.”
   “You already know plenty,” he answered defensively, and then he stared
thoughtfully at the viewscreen. “We’ve put four transitions behind us by now.
We’ll soon be there.”
   “But where is that?” I asked for about the 10th time in several hours.
   “On Kraumon—I’ve already told you.”
   “That’s right, but it’s like everything else you’ve already said. It’s the details
that are missing. I presume that you’re talking about a planet that isn’t listed on
the charts.”
   “Quite correct, and that goes for the red sun that it orbits. Besides, Kraumon
is the only planet that star has, which is something of an advantage when tracking
approaching ships. That’s one of the main factors which made me choose it.
We’ll be safe there for the time being so that we can plan our next steps in peace
and quiet.”
   “Our little Chretkor friend is anxious to curl his talons around the scrawny
neck of Sofgart the Blind,” I reminded him. “We have to rescue Farnathia. Can
you understand my constant concern for her?”
   “They won’t harm a single hair on her head, Atlan, you can depend on it. If I
didn’t know that, we wouldn’t be sitting here philosophising about it. Now tell
me—what do you really think of your friend, Tirako Gamno?”
   His sudden change of subject surprised me. We had already amply discussed
Tirako, so why the question now?
   “In the first place,” I said, “to me he represents the younger generation who
hate the Dictator and want to be rid of him. That in itself makes him trustworthy.
He is among those who sense the traitor and criminal in Orbanashol and who
wish to overthrow him.”
   “Young people always want to overthrow something.”
   “True, but this generation has a chance of making a proper substitute for that
which is overthrown. That is the difference. Any dummy or hothead can simply
tear down the old without offering anything in its place. Tirako knows the full
truth and so it’s easier for him than his associates, who have no proofs and can
only follow their instincts. He is from a good family and I’m certain that we can
rely on him.”
   “Of that I am also certain—otherwise we wouldn’t have taken him with us. I
just don’t show anybody my best and most secret stronghold.”
   We fell silent for a while. The 5th and last transition had been programmed
already and soon it would automatically take place. We had all become
accustomed to the unavoidable pains of dematerialization. It was all a part of the
process. But it was worth it because by making these hyperspace transitions we
could put many light-years behind us in mere fractions of a second.
   Then Fratulon spoke again. “Kraumon is not a large planet and it looks rather
insignificant to the casual observer. The atmosphere is thin but entirely
breathable. Most of its surface is pretty much of a desert but at the equator there
is a copious and often luxurious growth of vegetation—not only giant forests but
also verdant steppes where the grass is a yard high. There are mountains and
protected valleys where no intelligent being has ever walked before. The fauna is
plentiful but they never overrun the place. Kraumon could be a small piece of
Paradise.”
   “And isn’t it?” I asked wonderingly. “I mean, if I owned such an untouched
planet I’d make it into a Paradise if it wasn’t one already.”
   “Well yes, from that point of view you might say Kraumon is a Paradise but it
has not been entirely untouched. Anyway you don’t have to worry that anyone’s
taken over in my absence—the station operates automatically.”
   “Where is it located?”
   “In an extensive area of forests, lakes and rivers. Speaking of Paradise, there
is only 0.7 normal gravity there, the planet has a mean average temperature of 75
and a daily rotation rate of 32 hours. On a clear day you could get a terrific tan.”
   “We’ll have little time for vacationing,” I interjected, and I looked at him
questioningly. “In fact what is our purpose there? You haven’t explained that
yet.”
   Fratulon smiled with a hint of superior confidence. “First of all we’re going to
hide because they’re still after us. Blind Sofgart’s not the only one searching for
us. Orbanashol has hired other headhunters besides him. But we’re safe on
Kraumon. I don’t think anybody knows of the existence of this planet out here
on the rim of the Empire cluster and even if they do we can give them a hot
reception.”
   I remained sceptical, aware that the automatic programmer was initiating the
final transition. Within moments neither Fratulon nor I felt much like talking
because the pains of dematerialization came swiftly upon us. For the fraction of
a second we were immaterial and formless along with the ship, yet we were being
hurled through the 5th dimension toward our destination.
   I was not very satisfied with this process and I could conceive of a time in
some far future day when another kind of translight space-drive would be
developed. Surely it must be possible, I thought, to traverse the hyper realms
without being totally atomised! I was no real scientist but I was certain that there
were no limitations to technological developments. They would always go on
and on.
   When we rematerialized I was convinced at first glance that the transition had
succeeded. Only a few light minutes ahead in space was a solitary red sun. A
slight distance from it I recognized the typical albedo reflections of a planet—
reddish green. That had to be Kraumon.
   Ice Claw came into the Control Central almost unnoticed. When I saw his
fragile-looking figure I wondered again as I had in the past how he ever survived
the transitions. If he was afraid of shattering to pieces due to extremes of
temperature it seemed to me a fear of dematerialization would be even more to
the point.
   “Are we there yet?” he asked Fratulon after nodding to me.
   “What you see there is Kraumon,” confirmed Sawbones. This was a nickname
Fratulon had picked up during his travels, since he was a physician and surgeon
as well as a scientist and ex-gladiator.
   “Seems like most other planets,” commented Ice Claw as he looked at the
screen. “You ought to turn on the magnification.”
   “The radar indicators have just turned on,” Fratulon explained. “We’ll be
picking up the echo beams any moment. I don’t know but I have a funny
feeling…”
   I glanced at him searchingly. Whenever Fratulon had a funny feeling, the
reason for it was seldom amusing.
   The indicator screens lit up and reproduced various portions of the planet’s
surface under strong magnification. Simultaneously the first data readouts
appeared in the view rasters. Fratulon studied them carefully. As I watched him I
could see that he was becoming increasingly concerned.
   “Is something wrong?” I inquired.
   He did not answer immediately. He carefully compared the new data with
some notes he had taken from a cabinet under the navigation console. He
frowned but still said nothing, so I utilized the time by observing the various
viewscreens to see what there was to see of Kraumon.
   It fit Fratulon’s description. I saw vast forested areas along the equatorial belt,
big lakes and long, broad rivers which amply irrigated the land. In between were
mountains divided by heavily verdured valleys. Beyond these were fruitful-
looking plains and meadows which stretched out for hundreds of kilometres,
where the terrain was again taken up by more forests and mountains and lakes.
   Fratulon readjusted the electronic opticals and projected a desired monitor
image onto the main panoramic viewscreen. it gave us our first look at surface
details. Although the planet was at least 3 light-minutes away and we were
approaching it at a rate of several hundreds of km per second, our tracking and
sensing equipment brought the surface details to us so clearly that it seemed we
were only about 1,000 meters above them.
   Finally Fratulon broke the silence. “Any moment now my station should be
showing up on the western rim. It’s e      arly morning in the valley there, so the
contrasts of light and shadow should enable us to see it all the better. On the
panob screen to the left…”
   He went on describing things while Ice Claw sat down beside me to observe
the view. I must confess that at this moment I was more than ordinarily excited
by the prospect of finally seeing Fratulon’s secret stronghold. Until now he had
often mentioned it without going into any details.
   Tirako Gamno also came into the control room and I signalled him to sit
down but to remain silent. Just now Fratulon did not wish to be disturbed. We
stared at the big screen as if entranced.
   A mountain crept slowly into prominence on the planet’s dark rim but because
of light contrasts it stood out in relief. As Fratulon increased the magnification
we had the impression of plunging swiftly toward the ground. Then the view
focussed sharply again. We saw a broad, green valley with rivers, lakes and
forests, just as Fratulon had depicted.
   But then we saw something else that was not as much in harmony with this
Elysian type of landscape; seven great domes lay in a random grouping among
some round, flat bunker-like structures and towers and other edifices of various
sizes and shapes, whose purpose was indeterminate. Some of them were
connected by covering installations of some kind while others appeared to be
isolated It was only later that I was to learn that even these were connected either
by subterranean tunnels or hangar installations.
   Gamno broke the silence this time. “It’s amazing that no one has discovered
such a large stronghold as this by now,” he said wonderingly.
   Fratulon leaned back to take a better look at the panob gallery screen. “I’m
not so sure they haven’t,” he muttered, obviously troubled. “Something down
there has changed. Even the mass detectors show a lower curve than normal,
which means that matter in some form has been removed. By matter I mean
anything—buildings, items of equipment, weapons… perhaps everything down
there. Of course the buildings themselves are still there, all 47 of them—I just
counted them. But something has to be missing from inside the buildings and
storerooms. Thieves have visited Kraumon!”
   I could only sit there and quietly observe the screen. I could make out nothing
of a suspicious nature.
   Ice Claw drawled out a suggestive question: “What kind of thieves, Fratulon?
It couldn’t be our enemies because they would have destroyed the entire base.
Or else they may still be there with a trap for us that we won’t be able to get out
of.”
   Fratulon shook his head slowly. “I don’t think so. Our trackers and sensors
would have detected their ship even in the deepest underground hangar. No—
other than my own spherical spaceship there’s no other ship on Kraumon. That
part’s been determined. Somebody was here but they’ve left. And they took
something with them if I can believe the instrumentation—in fact a great deal of
material is missing. We have to find out what they stole.”
   “It all sounds a little crazy to me,” I commented uncertainly.
   “Not only crazy, Atlan, it’s practically impossible. That base is secured
against any alien attack. Nobody can enter it without setting off an alarm and
bringing the combat robots into action. Besides, the storage rooms are
positronically secured, as well.”
   “Pirates,” said Gamno, making a wild guess. “Maybe it was pirates who
raided the place.”
   “They only exist in fairy tales,” protested Fratulon but he did not sound too
convincing. He nodded to me. “Start your landing manoeuvre, Atlan. Let’s not
lose any more time. I have to find out what’s happened there—or what may be
still going on. Tirako, you take over weapons control in case anybody tries
something.”
   “And what should I do?” inquired Ice Claw.
   “You just sit there quietly and keep those glass knees of yours from knocking
together,” advised Fratulon. “On Kraumon you’ll find a very nice range of
temperatures.”
While I concentrated on my own assignment, Fratulon continued at the tracking
and sensor controls in order to pick up every last scrap of data he could.
Gamno checked over the energy cannon console as well as the defence screen
switchboard. Ice Claw slouched in his seat and pouted.
   I increased our velocity so as to shorten the approach time. The planet rushed
swiftly toward us and we had to reduce the screen magnification. Otherwise a
single building tended to fill the whole view gallery. Other than that, nothing
changed. The terrain lay empty and deserted beneath us. I could not detect any
movement and there was not even any sign of life in the valley beyond the base
installations.
   “I see outward changes as well,” commented Fratulon. “Some of the domes
have been damaged as though somebody had tried to force their way in. I’ll have
to confess, the closer we get the more disturbing it appears to be. I wonder what
or who may be waiting for us down there.”
   “If you ask me,” snorted Ice Claw, “I’d say there’s nobody waiting for us. If
anybody ever really was there they’ve certainly long since disappeared.
Otherwise, as you said yourself, we would have detected their ship by now.”
   “Maybe only the ship has left,” retorted Fratulon laconically.
   I had seldom seen him in such a state of deep concern. His greatest and most
secret stronghold was no longer secret!
   After making an approach turn, we had the sun at our backs as we finally
dropped toward the surface. I reduced speed and glided low over an endless
series of steppes, heading west. If my memory didn’t deceive me, the equatorial
mountains and our valley should soon be coming over the horizon.
   Ice Claw began to rattle and clatter audibly. I knew him well enough to detect
that it was only a sign of his excitement rather than fear. Gamno’s right hand was
on the main battery’s firing switch. Fratulon did not take his eyes from the
viewscreen. This was in spite of the fact that the shields on the nearby viewports
had slid back, offering a direct view of the terrain before us.
   The mountain we were looking for came swiftly into view and began to loom
larger. Fratulon gave me a few navigational instructions and I corrected our
course. He wanted to approach the valley from the South, so now the sun was to
our right. The valley was more extensive than its first appearance had indicated.
A number of the lakes were connected by streams. Lush meadows alternated
with dense forests. It was indeed an unspoiled Paradise, except for the dangling
question of who or what may have made a forbidden entry here.
   “Slower,” ordered Fratulon. “The station will be under us in a moment. We’ll
land on the circular pad just outside the main enclosure. I think under the
circumstances it would be better for us to continue closer on foot and also I’d
say we’d better put on our combat spacesuits. In case of trouble we’ll be better
prepared that way.”
   “And the ship itself?” asked Gamno warily.
   “Remains behind—but positronically secured.”
   The buildings and domes came into view and I immediately located the round
landing pad some 1500 meters from the station. The forest began just beyond it.
We landed without incident. Fratulon shook his head several times but it seemed
that he had simply reconciled himself to the fact that unknown entities had found
his base and partially ransacked it.
   The engines became silent. I shut down all systems.
   “Energy screen?”
   “Not needed, Atlan. If anybody tries to force an entry into the ship, the screen
turns on automatically because of the positronic protection system. We can
leave it to take care of itself.” He stood up. “And now let’s get into those suits.
We’ll also carry our impulse beamers—just in case. I don’t want to be mowed
down by any possible attack by pirates.”
   “So you do think it could be pirates?” asked Gamno.
   Fratulon grunted something unintelligible and was the first to leave the Control
Central. The rest of us followed him to the ship’s small armoury. Shortly
thereafter we disembarked by way of the airlock. The air was a bit thin as
Fratulon had mentioned but it only took us a few minutes to accustom our lungs
to the altered atmospheric conditions.
   During our landing I had already caught sight of the 100-meter hull of
Fratulon’s other ship, on the forest edge near the station. As far as I could tell
from a cursory glance, it was intact. The thieves—if thieves were actually
involved—had apparently taken no interest in the spherical spaceship.
   Fratulon had also looked over toward the vessel briefly before taking the lead
and marching off ahead of us. He held his portable energy gun in the crook of an
arm, and from his opposite side dangled Skarg, his mysterious sword. Ice Claw
and Gamno walked together behind him and I brought up the rear. We were all
excited but nobody wanted to admit it. What had happened here or still might
happen was of great concern to me because after all Kraumon would one day
become the main base of operations against the Greater Imperium.
   We gradually approached the first outlying buildings which were just south of
the rising, forested terrain. My eyes took in the entire complex as I looked
beyond Fratulon and Gamno and even partially through Ice Claw’s crystal-
seeming form. I tried to detect any sign of movement but failed to notice
anything unusual.
   I was already beginning to have hopes that Fratulon had been mistaken.
Maybe the tracking and sensor equipment had been malfunctioning or the mass
detector had somehow failed. But then I recalled that he had mentioned visible
signs of damage here. The instruments could not have been at fault in that case.
   We had come within 100 meters of the first building when something fantastic
occurred which made all further speculations superfluous, at least as to whether
or not anybody had discovered the base.

                                    ****
   Fratulon let out a cry and stopped suddenly as though rooted to the spot.
Then he raised his arm as though in a slow-motion film and our eyes followed
his pointing finger toward the forest.
   Where we saw it also—or more to the point, we saw him.
   The strange Arkonide must have been as surprised as we were because he
stood there motionlessly as if frozen in his tracks. In that first moment I was
asking myself how’ he had gotten so close to us without our noticing him. It was
300 meters to the edge of the woods and in between there was no covering
whatsoever. We were 100 meters away from the first of the buildings.
   Fratulon found his voice again and he held his beamer ready to fire. “Hey
there, what are you doing here? Where did you come from?”
   The unknown space soldier had undoubtedly heard Fratulon, because he
leaned forward as though listening to him. But apparently he had not understood
the question. He did not reach for the pulse gun at his belt but instead raised his
hand in the air as though he intended to communicate by means of signs. Yet
even as he did so, his hand slowly became transparent.
   Involuntarily, I drew a sharp breath in amazement.
   “He’s turned on his deflector screen,” whispered Gamno.
   I knew that invisibility screens were just now in the stage of development but if
there were such a possibility the effect here was something else again. The man
before us had no deflector screen. The raised arm had by now disappeared
entirely. Although he appeared strangely maimed by this, the Arkonide was in no
apparent pain. He stood there only a few meters away and while we stared at him
his legs became transparent.
   Ice Claw snarled in a reaction of fright although he was more familiar with the
aspect of transparency than anybody. Yet what we were witnessing here was
something else. Without any technological means of doing so, the Arkonide was
disappearing before our eyes.
   But was it happening in accordance with his own will?
   In this respect I had my first doubts when I saw the warrior’s expression of
despair. His face was twisted in anger and fear. Then from one second to the
other it became paler and glassier until finally all we saw before us was an armed
torso and one arm senselessly waving in the air.
   “Dammit!” Fratulon blurted out. “This just can’t be!”
   The rest of the space soldier swiftly disappeared.
   His footprints were clearly evident in the sandy soil. Fratulon went to the spot
and felt around in the empty air, after which he bent down to have a closer look
at the tracks. When he stood up again his face was grave.
   “The tracks are real, so that the phantom had to be real also. His weight made
firm imprints in the sand. The big question is why no footprints lead to this spot.
Take a look here—you can see that his tracks came from nowhere and lead
nowhere. The only prints are the ones he made where he was standing when we
saw him. Only way I can figure he got here was that he must have had wings or
something.”
   “Invisible?” asked Ice Claw with a shudder.
   “Could be, because I only spotted him in the last few moments before he
disappeared. Then, too, there was something else that was peculiar. He was
wearing insignia and orders of merit that have long been abolished by
Orbanashol because they were issued by Gonozal. Wearing those trimmings is
punishable by death. The man we saw was wearing them although they’ve been
outlawed for 15 years already.”
   “Are you trying to say…?”
   He nodded confirmation. “It’s the only logical conclusion, Atlan. That warrior
is still fighting for Gonozal, your father. He must have lost contact with his top
command. But then there’s this business of his sudden appearance and
disappearance.” He shook his head. “That part I don’t quite grasp.”
   True, for the latter there was no explanation. As we continued toward the
station we watched our surroundings warily. To me the incident was more than
just mysterious. Even though the warrior had lost contact with his high command
and believed that he was still fighting for my long-dead father, the related
phenomena remained a riddle. I became increasingly convinced that the man had
not acted of his own free will when we saw him but that he was under some kind
of compulsion. I could not easily forget the look of desperation on his face when
he slowly became invisible.
   Could this have something to do with a space-time displacement?
   I didn’t care to pursue such imaginative speculations any further for the
moment because we arrived at the first of the buildings, which was a flat,
rectangular structure without windows. It had the appearance of a concrete block
with a single door. Apparently it was undamaged.
   Fratulon reached into his pocket and took out a small object, which I assumed
was some kind of key. It was a key of unusual design. Fratulon went to the door
in which no keyhole or other opening was visible. He pressed the “key” against a
certain spot and the door swung outward without further ceremony.
   “Just an ordinary positronic lock,” observed Gamno, as though its very
simplicity were a letdown for him.
   I said nothing but waited for him and Ice Claw to follow Fratulon inside. Then
I entered a room that was brightly illuminated by indirect lighting and the door
closed behind me.
   I looked about in some disappointment. The interior was large but empty.
Although there were no furnishings it reminded me of a sort of reception foyer.
There were only several passages leading off somewhere, and that was all.
   Fratulon must have read my thoughts. “From here you can get to any of the
other buildings,” he said. “You just have to know which way to go. I wanted to
avoid as much movement out in the open as possible, since we don’t know
what’s wrong here yet. One thing for sure, somebody has been here, and we
have to find out if anybody is still on the premises. That old space soldier who
made such a weird disappearance couldn’t have been responsible for all the
changes I’ve detected, just by himself. Yet who else could have helped him?”
   He led us into one of the passages, which soon ended before an elevator. By
my calculations we descended about 10 meters in the lift and then found a
continuation of the passage which led off in a westerly direction. Fratulon spent
half an hour showing us through his private domain. Because of his previous
reticence concerning the size and extent of the place our surprise was all the
greater. In the supply rooms were weapons, provisions and technical equipment
sufficient to outfit a modest spacefleet. There were hundreds of the most
modern combat spacesuits and even an automatically operating tracking station
in one of the domes, which we had already observed from the outside. It was
connected with a communications and databank room where all the recent events
had just been recorded.
   Fratulon was sure that he could pick up some data here as to the activities of
the unknown intruders, because now we were positive that they had been here.
We had found evidence of their visit in one of the numerous armoury vaults.
Here and there, apparently at random and in great haste, spacesuits had been
snatched from their wall hangers. Entire shelves had been emptied of impulse
guns, and a number of cartons containing energy recharge clips had been broken
open or pilfered.
   Fratulon frowned in thought as he observed the work of the robbers. “I don’t
understand it. Even if they had some way of getting in here they would have been
detected immediately by the sentinel robots and been killed or driven out. Yet
there’s no sign of any dead bodies or even any evidence of a battle. It really
looks like the work of ghosts, invisible phantoms of some kind who are pretty
dam real—like that forgotten warrior we saw outside.”
   “Maybe they are ghosts,” muttered Ice Claw uneasily.
   None of us actually believed in ghosts but we all knew that there were some
very strange things in the universe. Years ago Fratulon had told me the story of
an exploration ship that had raised quite a furore in the days when my father was
alive. The ship had gotten into some kind of cosmic storm and while in normal
spaceflight it must have crossed a point where two coordinates of time had
converged. The effect had been utterly incredible. The ship became two vessels
which had almost collided with each other. Actually it was only one ship but it
was existing simultaneously in two dimensions which by some phenomenon of
nature were momentarily coexistent on one plane.
   Fortunately the coordinates had shifted back into their original planes. Later
during an investigation of the incident the commander had declared that he had
been in contact with his counterpart on the viewscreen and that he had suddenly
become blurred and then turned invisible—as well as the other ship itself.
   I was reminded now of this old story and at the same time it brought to mind
the old space soldier we had seen outside. Was it that the planet Kraumon lay in
such a convergence point of time coordinates, the nature of which was still not
understood?
   When we came to the tracking and observation room, Fratulon closed the
door behind us. For awhile he carefully inspected the automatic monitoring
devises plus the timing registry of the observational data and then he turned to
us.
   “The equipment detected intruders here but each time the observations were
of such short duration that some kind of error must be involved. Judging by the
timing data it looks as though a tracking was made of ships or other things that
materialized out of hyperspace near Kraumon and then went into transition again
immediately—which would be senseless. But I’ll have to look into it more
thoroughly before making any definite statements.”
   I made no comment but my private suspicions seemed to be checking out
more and more. It was a wonder to me that Fratulon had not arrived at the same
conclusion by now.
   We went to the regular storage room that was located in the same dome.
Fratulon was able to determine that the robot guards had been activated
repeatedly and had rushed to this area without having been able to find anyone.
All they had been able to do was report to the Control Central that articles of
inventory were missing.
   “The sightings exterior to the station were always of very short duration,” said
Fratulon after a thorough study of the instrument readings. “But inside the station
the duration of each observation was 2 or 3 times as long. In spite of that the
robots were always too late. There’s no explanation for it unless the thieves were
teleporters, because that’s the only conceivable way for them to change from
one dimension to the other at any time they pleased, which was apparently the
case here. At least it had to be some such process as that.”
   We wandered about for awhile, still trying to puzzle it out, but then we gave
up. There was only one way to clear up the mystery. We had to wait until there
was another alarm and then try to get to the indicated location as quickly as
possible.
   Fratulon showed us the automated kitchen which we reached by way of a
covered passage. All we had to do was make a menu selection and within only a
few minutes the desired meal would appear in the corresponding slot. There
were also beverages of every kind.
   For awhile we relaxed and had something to eat. Actually I didn’t have much
of an appetite but I knew I had to eat something if I wanted to keep up my
strength. Luckily I was able to get by on only one meal a day whereas Fratulon
insisted he had to have at least the full 3meal schedule if he were not to fade
away and collapse.
   Meanwhile I had noticed that in each room a clearly visible plan of the entire
station was displayed on one of the walls. All buildings and passages were
etched onto a ground glass plate and designated by numbers. I asked Fratulon
what the purpose was.
   “Emergency maps,” he told us. “They light up in every room whenever an
alarm is set off. Wherever I might happen to be at the time I’m able to see where
something’s gone wrong and that way I can take the fastest route to the
designated area. The chart lights up with indicators showing the quickest way to
get there in each case. It’s all automatic. Even a stranger could use it.”
   Having eaten our fill and made ourselves a bit more comfortable, we prepared
to have a look at our living quarters because Fratulon intimated we might have to
stay here somewhat longer than he had planned for originally. I had no
objections aside from the fact that it was urgently necessary to find an
explanation for the strange occurrences on Kraumon.
   Our rooms were attractive and cozy and were provided with every
conceivable comfort. Admittedly there were no windows but a floor-to-ceiling
picture screen provided something more than just artificial scenery. A button
selector gave one a view of any desired landscape, and the air-conditioning was
automatically tied into the system so that if one were looking out at an ice planet,
for example, he wouldn’t exactly be sweating at the same time.
   I chose the primitive landscape of a pristine jungle world with a view of a lake
where saurian creatures were cavorting about. Fratulon noticed this when he
came to see me once more after the others had gone to their rooms.
   “Aha—the romanticist, I see!” he observed, pointing to the view. But when he
sat down his smile soon faded. “I’m worried, Atlan. Somebody’s discovered my
station and is doing mischief around here. We have to find him!”
   “You took the words out of my mouth,” I confessed to him as I stretched out
on the bed. “But I’ve never been on a ghost hunt before.”
   “No ghosts, Atlan! That old spacer we saw was alive! Ghosts don’t leave any
footprints because they don’t have any feet. The thieves come out of another
dimension, that’s all.”
   I was about to answer him but didn’t get that far. A wail of sirens startled me
and I was almost instantly on my feet. Fratulon shot to the door like a bolt of
lightning. He jerked the door open and dashed to the corridor where the nearest
emergency map was located. I followed him without even putting on my boots.
   “It’s right close by, in the gymnasium!” Fratulon shouted to me, and he raced
onward.
   Without a moment’s hesitation I followed him. I gave little thought to Ice Claw
or Gamno. Perhaps they were asleep and hadn’t heard anything. The gymnasium
was only a few dozen meters away and meanwhile I overtook Fratulon because
he couldn’t maintain his initial speed.
   Then we were at the door. Breathing hard, Fratulon slowly and cautiously
opened the door until there was a wide enough crack for us to be able to see
inside.
   We hardly believed our eyes.
   At least 10 heavily armed space soldiers had backed into the farthest corner
and were firing their impulse guns at something we couldn’t see because it was
apparently in the opposite comer to our right. The sharply focussed energy
beams shot through the gymnasium, setting a lot of the exercise equipment on
fire and causing the opposite wall to glow from the heat.
   “Those idiots!” growled Fratulon, incensed. “They’re going to wreck
everything! What is this madness? I don’t get it!”
   Naturally I didn’t comprehend it all myself. I carefully leaned forward to find
out what these space veterans were shooting at so wildly. And it was then I saw
the two Maahks.
   I had seen Maahks before but only in films. Remotely humanoid in
appearance, they were about 9 feet tall and over 5 feet wide. Their heads were
directly attached to their torsos without any evidence of a neck, and a crest
containing 4 eyes enabled them to look simultaneously in all directions. They
were real monsters and practically invulnerable unless one caught them with a
direct hit.
   The two Maahks were answering the fire.
   Fratulon pulled me back. “Have you lost your mind? If they see us it will be
the end of us. We’re unarmed.”
   “But what’s it all about? I don’t understand…”
   “Do you think I do? At any rate it seems that Arkonides and Maahks are
waging a private war here on my planet, and if my eyes don’t deceive me they’re
fighting with weapons from my own arsenal. So we finally know who the thieves
are—they’re stragglers from the great Methane War.”
   I thought of the previous incident and the strange circumstances with which
we had been confronted. I wasn’t too sure that Fratulon was correct but I didn’t
have time to ponder the question. One of the Arkonide soldiers received a
deadly energy shot in his chest. His combat suit was charred instantly but before
the sinking man could reach the floor he dematerialised and vanished. The
weapon in his hand went with him.
   Two other Arkonides also began to attenuate but they were neither dead nor
even wounded. They continued to fire at the Maahks until they had
dematerialised. The others remained there fighting for awhile but then one after
another of them also became invisible.
   Fratulon couldn’t hold me any longer. I pushed past him into the gym room. I
wanted to see what was happening to the Maahks. For the moment I was
oblivious to the danger my curiosity was exposing me to. One of the Maahks
was just in the process of becoming invisible. He had ceased firing because he
could not see any more enemies. He seemed not to notice me or else he
considered me of too little importance to even raise his weapon. His glass-
helmeted head dematerialised, followed by the tremendous body and his pillar-
like legs.
   The other Maahk lingered longer so that he was seen also by Fratulon who
had dashed in a panic to get me. He stood motionlessly beside me, watching in
fascination as the second Maahk also disappeared.
   Other than the destruction they had wrought, nothing remained behind that
either of the two groups had brought with them. The first detail of robot guards
came through the opposite door of the gymnasium and started immediately with
the cleanup work. Fratulon did not concern himself about it. Wordlessly, he left
the place and returned with me to my quarters.
   He sat down again as I lay back on the bed. “I think I’m beginning to see a
pattern in all this,” he mumbled, still troubled, and it was plain to see that he still
didn’t have any plausible answer. “They seem to come into our plane of
existence only under some kind of compulsion, yet they’re pulled back into their
own dimension whether they like it or not. And it’s the same with the Maahks.
But as far as we’re concerned they’re real enough because otherwise they
couldn’t fight with my weapons. The peculiar thing is, those weapons also
disappear with them when they go. That’s the part I can’t comprehend.”
   “Do you believe they could have come out of the past?” I asked, because I
had also seen the old forbidden insignia on the 10 space soldiers in the
gymnasium.
   “No, I can’t imagine such a thing. That kind of an actual time shift couldn’t be
involved here because it would cause their counterparts to appear also. I still say
that the ones we’ve seen are either stragglers or deserters from the Great War,
and they’ve just happened to stumble on this station.”
   “And how do you explain the accompanying phenomena? Their sudden
appearance out of nothing, right in the middle of the station, and their equally
sudden disappearance? Ordinary deserters or stragglers can’t do that.”
   “Then they could even be a special kind of stragglers,” retorted Fratulon
irritably. “Just now I don’t feel much like discussing it. I’m tired. The alarm
system will wake us up if the ghosts show up again.”
   “It failed to wake up Ice Claw or Gamno,” I cautioned him.
   Fratulon merely grumbled to himself as he left the room.
   I stretched myself out on the bed and closed my eyes.
   But I couldn’t get to sleep for a long time and when I finally did slip off into
dreams they turned out to be nightmares.
                             2/ "GHOST" TRAP

   On the following day Fratulon was surprisingly purposeful and active. Right
after we had all eaten breakfast in his automated kitchen he started a conference.
   “I was awake for a long time last night and did a lot of thinking. If we’re going
to find out anything at all it will have to be right from the source. So we’re going
to have to catch one of these phantom Arkonides and question him.”
   “Then you’ll have to catch a ghost!” said Ice Claw.
   “These are not ghosts!”
“Alright, then, phantoms, spectres, apparitions—what’s the difference?”
   Fratulon refused to be provoked. “Ghosts or phantoms or whatever… there’s
a scientific explanation for whoever these people are who are hovering around
this base. And if that is true then it should also be possible to trap them with
scientific methods.”
   Now his concept of the situation was getting close to my own suspicions,
which his further statements confirmed.
   “Scientific?” queried Gamno dubiously.
   Then Fratulon opened up. “That’s exactly right—scientific! These old
Arkonides with their outlawed insignia are a clear proof to me that this thing has
nothing to do with any time-shift business or that they’ve jumped, say, 15 years
into their future, or that we may have slipped 15 years back to them. No, all of
these Arkonides are old veterans—members of some lost patrol, perhaps, who
have actually lived 15 or maybe even 20 years since they became separated from
their higher command. So that would support the fact that they continue to
supply and equip themselves from the stores on this base. If we accept that then
we’ve cleared up an important point: these apparitions are from our own present
time.”
   “So how does that help us?” Ice Claw wanted to know.
   I was beginning to see what Fratulon was leading up to.
   “It helps us plenty because we can proceed with a more logical thinking
process—that is, those of us who can think!” snapped Fratulon. These two
never seemed to be contented unless they were arguing with each other. “If they
don’t have anything to do with timeshifts, then we can narrow it down to a
dimensional displacement. They exist simultaneously in our normal plane and in
hyperspace. Now whether they change back and forth either voluntarily or
involuntarily will have to be determined. Of course what I think is that it happens
against their will but I have no idea of who or what is forcing them to do it.”
   Since he had paused for a moment I took the opportunity to ask a question.
“How do you explain the fact that they can take objects from here back into
hyperspace? I mean, physical objects from our own dimension—weapons or
supplies they may only be holding in their hands—and they go right along with
them when they disappear. We certainly saw that happen when they were falling
under fire from the Maahks.”
   Fratulon glanced at me appreciatively. “That’s a very good, reasonable
question, Atlan. I’ve also thought about that but to be frank with you I haven’t
found any satisfactory answer. I can only grasp it by a sort of adaptive
extrapolation, you might say. In other words, when these phantoms materialize
out of their paranormal space and touch anything here while in that state—I mean
if they grasp objects here with a willed intent to take them with them, then it
happens. If the phenomenon were not connected with the will, then the whole
floor they’re standing on might go with them as well. Fortunately we were
witnesses to the fact that such is not the case.”
   Gamno sought to bring himself up to date. “Then if I understand this
correctly,” he said, “these lost unfortunates you’re talking about exist between
dimensions. They can’t stabilize themselves either in one dimension or in the
other. In other words they keep swinging back and forth between hyperspace
and the normal universe. How is such a situation possible, or what would be the
scientific explanation for it?”
   Fratulon smiled. “That’s right—they exist between two spatial planes. But if
you’re asking for an explanation I’ll have to pass. We can only guess at the fact,
nothing more. There’s no explanation for it, at least for the time being. But at
least with that much to go on we may be able to take some action. It’s
thoroughly possible to capture something in our own dimension which has
emerged from hyperspace—just as, for example, a teleporter can be held in a
para-trap.”
   “Aha!” exclaimed Ice Claw suddenly in apparent agreement.
   I myself was suddenly aware of what Fratulon was getting at and I was
frustrated by the fact that I hadn’t thought of it sooner. There was such a thing
as a para-trap. It was made up of energy fields which were generated by a locked
field projector. Anybody coming into the range of a sharply bound field of this
nature had no recourse but to remain there until somebody released him.
   “‘Aha!’ is the right way to sum it up!” said Fratulon, mimicking Ice Claw with
equal satisfaction. “It’s the only way we can capture one of these phantom
Arkonides. Of course I don’t have any idea of how long we could hold him in a
locked field but certainly long enough to ask a few questions. And I have a
pretty strong hunch that he’ll even be happy to give us some answers because
there’s no way he can be lurking in this flip-flop state of existence by his own
volition.”
   Gamno had an obvious question. “Fratulon—do we happen to have any of
these locking field projectors?”
   “I have a couple in storage but they still have to be installed. The only
question is: where will the phantoms show up the next time? But maybe the
theory of probability will help us there. It seems fairly certain that our visitors can
exert a certain influence over where they materialize. The alarm-indicator system
has stored information as to where they show up most often inside the station.
That’s where we’ll set up the projectors and then we’ll link them to the alarm
system. That way the projectors will go into operation automatically if these
ghosts appear where they are.”
   “Now you’re calling them ghosts!” reprimanded Ice Claw.
   “It’s the simplest way to refer to them,” admitted Fratulon, and he added:
“The strange thing about this, though, is the fact that the Maahks have also been
trapped in this situation. That could actually mean that some superior force or
power is behind the phenomenon. It hasn’t yet differentiated between Maahks
and Arkonides.”
   Naturally I hadn’t thought of this as yet. My first suspicion that all this had
something to do with a new Maahk weapon was thus shot down by this new
consideration.
   Fratulon withdrew into the computer section while Gamno went back to his
room to catch up on his rest. So I took Ice Claw with me on my planned
inspection tour through the base. As a precaution we both carried our impulse
weapons. The lighted maps of the station hanging everywhere on the walls
served to lighten the task of orientation.
   We didn’t talk much as we were immersed in our thoughts, which revolved
primarily around the ghostly apparitions. At any rate we were now supplied with
a few tangible theories, although of course one might be as valid as another.
   After about an hour we emerged from the inside of the base in order to have a
look around on the surface. Fratulon had given me a positronic key that would
enable me to open any locked doors. The sun had a reddish hue behind a scrim
of clouds, and it was warm. On Kraumon the days were long as well as the
nights. The lighter gravity felt just right.
   We went beyond the area of the station proper, in fact in a westerly direction.
Our ship lay at the other perimeter of the base. The ground was overgrown with
thick grass and isolated groups of trees relieved the landscape here and there. In
the distance below us I could make out the reflections from a lake that was
nestled in a forested region.
   I finally slowed my pace and let Ice Claw go ahead of me. He was apparently
enjoying the warmth of the day. I knew him well enough to guess that he was
already looking for a nice spot to take a sunbath. I had no objections to taking a
little break, myself. At a distance of 1 kilometre from the base, I sat down on a
fallen tree trunk. Ice Claw circled the area for awhile before he finally lay down
carefully in the grass and closed his eyes.
    We were situated on the flat crest of a hill. The view in all directions was good
and I noticed that actually we were in a large clearing in the forest. From our
position all the trees and bushes we had passed formed themselves into a solid
green wall. Toward the West the forest became thicker but its edge was still
some hundreds of meters distant. Further below was the lake I had observed
earlier.
    While I sat there observing this idyllic panorama and enjoying the
untrammelled beauties of Nature, there was a shimmering of the air not far from
the western edge of the forest which seemed to be just above the treetops. At
first I took it for a heat shimmer because the sun was shining hotly but then the
mirage began to take on definite contours and I knew that an Arkonide soldier
was materializing within about 100 meters of where we were. And he wasn’t
alone.
    More and more of the veteran fighters were appearing out of nowhere but they
had not yet become solid. At the same time, 3 Maahks also appeared in their
heavy combat suits. While still in a semi-solid state they opened fire on the
Arkonides, who returned the fire without hesitation.
    Even as Ice Claw awoke in alarm from his semi-slumber and rolled next to me
behind the protection of the tree trunk, the battling ghosts descended until their
feet touched the ground. They took more solid form until they were as real as
could be imagined. There could no longer be any doubt that they had emerged
from hyperspace and now existed entirely in our own dimension. And they
fought with an unbelievable animosity.
    Whenever an Arkonide was mortally wounded, some unknown and
incomprehensible force drew him back into hyperspace. He simply disappeared
as if he had never been there. It was no different with the Maahks. One of them
received 3 energy beams simultaneously in his tremendous body but he did not
dematerialise immediately—or at least not completely. The centre portion
attenuated into nothing but the pillar-like legs and the head portion lingered a few
seconds, weirdly separated from each other. Then, as the torso-less head began
to sink downward it also disappeared. The legs followed shortly thereafter.
    The whole apparition lasted almost 10 minutes, during which time two Maahks
died and at least 10 of the Arkonides. In a ferocious rage the remaining fighters
charged the remaining enemy and brought him under their concentrated fire. But
the attenuation took place even as this was happening. One after another the
Arkonides became transparent and withdrew from our normal plane of existence
to return whence they had come. The remaining Maahk followed them in the
same manner.
    Once more the clearing lay empty and deserted before us.
   Ice Claw turned over onto his back and continued to lie there at my feet. “I
think we’re totally out of our heads!” he exclaimed, looking up at me helplessly.
“What we saw just doesn’t exist! We must have lost our sanity!”
   “It could be that somebody’s crazy,” I told him, “but certainly not us. What
we saw was no mirage, Ice Claw. Come along and prove it for yourself.”
   I got up and waited until the Chretkor was also on his feet and then we went
together to the place where the two ghostly groups had been fighting. The grass
in the clearing had been trampled flat as though a horde of berserk porangs had
charged across it. In many places the ground had been torn up and some of the
bushes revealed dangling branches that had been singed, while others were still in
flames. Fortunately it had rained the previous night and the sun had not yet been
able to remove the dampness. The fire was unable to spread very far and it died
out by itself.
   But no matter how thoroughly I searched I couldn’t find a single physical
article that the troops had left behind. Everything that the Arkonides and the
Maahks had brought with them had also returned again into hyperspace.
   I pointed at the huge imprints that had been left by the feet of the Maahks.
“Do you think that phantoms can leave tracks like that?” I asked Ice Claw. “They
were actually here in front of our eyes and they even killed each other. Even if
they are in such an incredible state of existence they are still a reality and we have
to get used to that fact. We can be glad they didn’t discover us. But on the other
hand,” I added pensively, “it would be interesting to know whether or not they
would become aware of us at all or try to aim their weapons at us.
   “I wouldn’t like to take that chance, said Ice Claw. “If those ghosts show up
again I’m heading for cover.”
   “But we have to find an answer!” I retorted somewhat curtly.
   Since we hadn’t put on our suits we weren’t able to report what had occurred
to Fratulon over radio. But I felt it was more or less time to return to the station,
anyway. Those para-traps had to be installed.
   As we walked back to the base I had the uncanny feeling that we were being
constantly observed—by eyes that looked at us from out of hyperspace…

                                      ****

   Fratulon listened silently to our report. After some cogitation he said: “Seems
as if these phantom troops have singled out Kraumon as a specific theatre for
their war games. Or it’s also possible that they’ve no other choice. On the other
hand, here they can help themselves to weapons and supplies, so again that
would indicate that they are able to select the areas of their materializations.”
   “In the meantime,” I asked him, “have you figured out where we should set the
traps?”
   “There are two locations where the alarms are most frequently triggered. The
arsenal and the main provisioning station where field rations and operational
equipment items are stored. We’ll set up the locking field projectors there. We’ll
tie the power feed to the alarm system and then all we’ll have to do is wait.”
   “It’s as simple as that?” asked Gamno, who appeared to be well rested and
fresh for action.
   “At least it sounds simple but it remains to be seen,” grunted Fratulon as he
led the way.
   We procured the projection equipment with the help of several work robots
and brought them to the planned locations. The work of connecting them went
swiftly. Each projector and its method of operation were comparatively simple.
As soon as an alarm was triggered, the corresponding projector would be
activated, whereupon it would generate a spherical forcefield. Of course the field
was not large in diameter but whatever was caught in the energy sphere would be
unable to escape from the normal universe under any circumstances short of an
insufficient supply of power. But Fratulon assured us that there was plenty of
power available.
   He observed his work with satisfaction. “OK, now they can come back any
time they like but I sure hope we don’t just catch a Maahk. He wouldn’t be of
much help to us. Just look at those gun racks! The Arkonides have stolen at least
a couple hundred impulse beamers from me so they can fight their phantom war.
Of course I ought to be thankful that’s all they’re after and that they haven’t
taken a notion to destroy the power plant. Well, maybe we’ll soon know what
this is all about.”
   “If we catch an Arkonide,” I asked him later, “how are we going to cross-
examine him?” We were all seated in the automatic kitchen and were waiting for
the meals we had selected.
   Fratulon answered without much hesitation. “I will interrupt the field power for
the fraction of a second so that you can enter the para-trap and join the
Arkonide. That should be long enough to let you get inside but not long enough
for the prisoner to escape. It has to happen very fast and above all you’ll have to
wear a combat suit because the air inside the sphere will be limited. A locked
field like that is impenetrable even to the smallest molecule.”
   I wasn’t too happy about the prospect. If the ghost Arkonide should open fire
on me there’d be a real catastrophe because the walls of the bubble field would
reflect the pulse beams and kill the attacker as well as his victim. Everything
would depend upon making it clear to the Arkonide, as quickly as possible, that
he was not in danger and that we wanted to help him. That would only be
possible if I could talk faster than he could shoot.
   Gamno read the apprehension in my face. “Should I go instead?” he asked,
willingly enough, and for a moment I had the feeling that Fratulon would accept
this suggestion.
   But then he shook his head. “No, Tirako, let Atlan make the attempt. For our
part we have to be ready to back him up in case of an emergency.”
   I didn’t like the entire setup. If I only had to deal with a normal flesh-and-
blood adversary I wouldn’t have hesitated a second. But we were faced with an
unexplained phenomenon—and yet we had to get to the bottom of it. That night
I went to bed with a troubled mind.
   I must have been only partially asleep when I was suddenly jolted into
wakefulness by the shrilling of an alarm signal in my ears. I leapt out of bed and
hastily put on my combat suit. I left the helmet open, not intending to close it
unless the air in the bubble field became stale. On the lighted map in the hall I
could see that the mysterious visitors had again selected the arsenal as their
target. I knew the shortest route without needing any reference to the map and I
ran as fast as I could go.
   I almost collided with Fratulon, who was approaching the place by another
passage. Without a word we ran onward together. Breathless and almost giddy
from our mad dash, we finally came to the arsenal where we had set up the para-
trap.
   The first thing I saw was 7 or 8 Arkonide warriors who were snatching up all
the energy weapons they could reach in their immediate vicinity. With amazing
speed they were stuffing their booty into plastic sacks. It was immediately
evident that they were aware of not having much time for their actions and they
didn’t want to dematerialise and go back empty-handed into their own unreal
dimension.
   But all that was not important to me and Fratulon. We ignored the robbers and
turned our attention to the old warrior who had been captured in our hyper-
energy field and who was struggling in vain to break through its invisible wall. He
was completely imprisoned.
   “As soon as the others start to fade out,” whispered Fratulon, “we’ll see if this
works. Our prisoner should be held back, unable to leave. He should remain
where he is, visible and in material form.”
   By now Gamno and Ice Claw had joined us but they remained in the
background to watch the proceedings. This time the duration of the Arkonides’
visit was fairly long. It was well that Fratulon had thought of altering the
programming of the robot guards. Just now they would not disturb us.
   At long last it began to happen. One after another of the thieving war
stragglers became transparent along with their plunder and then disappeared. The
Arkonide in the para-trap was the only one who remained. His material state
showed no signs of changing.
   “So far so good!” said Fratulon with relief. “Now the only thing left is to get
you into that energy field all in one piece before the prisoner can escape. You
have a half hour—no more.”
   I was already standing right next to the invisible barrier of the para-screen. The
Arkonide had noticed us and had finally desisted in his futile efforts to get out.
He did not appear to be frightened, in fact the opposite. In his eyes I thought I
saw even a spark of hope. He raised a hand and made signs to us. Then he felt
of his body as though it was hard for him to believe that he was still in a material
state. His movements and gestures almost made it possible for me to read his
thoughts.
   In order to quickly demonstrate my peaceful intentions to him, I placed my
weapon on the floor with the muzzle turned away from him. Then I made signs
for him to imitate me with a similar gesture. He obeyed at once and then looked
at me searchingly. I nodded to Fratulon, who was prepared for my signal.
   Everything worked as planned, and with amazing swiftness. The barely
perceptible wall of energy snapped off. In one jump I was next to the Arkonide,
even as the locking field turned on again. The entire process had only taken less
than half a second. The prisoner was taken by surprise and suspected a trap. He
was about to reach down for his weapon but I stopped him.
   “Whoever you may be, l y off of that. We want to help you. You and I are
                              a
both together inside a hyperenergy field and you will not dematerialise while
you’re here. My name is Atlan. Who are you?”
   “Parvon Kher, officer in the imperial war fleet of our ruler, Gonozal.”
   I felt it was useless just now to tell him that Gonozal had been dead for 15
years, murdered by his own brother who was the present Imperator. There were
more important things to discuss and perhaps the time at our disposal was more
precious than either of us suspected.
   “What has happened to you? Do you have any explanation for your present
condition? Tell me everything you know. We want to help you.”
   For a fleeting moment it seemed to me as if Parvon Kher’s right leg were
beginning to attenuate. For just the fraction of a second it almost became
transparent but then everything was the same as before. He himself did not seem
to have noticed the occurrence. But Fratulon had no doubt seen it because he
made signs to me that I should hurry.
   However, all I could do was bide my time while the other told his story.
   “It was a long time ago,” began Parvon Kher. His service insignia seemed to
have mouldered away or perhaps he had since found another uniform that was
not his own. “In a neighbouring solar system we ran into a heavy Maahk unit and
decided to attack and destroy their base. We landed in a number of ships and
left them with the intention of raiding the stronghold on foot. Maybe that was a
mistake but anyway we never saw our ships again. And I don’t know how many
Maahks were inside of that heavily defended base, waiting for us to show up
because the forces on either side of the battle didn’t all share the same fate. The
cause of it all must have been outside, not on the planet itself. The Maahk High
Command was testing a new weapon, a hyperenergy type of invention.”
   “Go on!” I urged as lie made a pause.
   “The result was an indescribably huge explosion and the effects of it were felt
by the Maahks inside the fortress as well as ourselves. We were hit
indiscriminately, Maahks and Arkonides alike, which the directors of the
experiment must have been well aware of. They seemed to have no consideration
for their own people and not a single Maahk on the ground escaped one kind of
consequence or the other. The explosion killed a major portion of troops on
both sides immediately but the rest of us dematerialised and were pulled into
hyperspace. But there’s nothing there since all connection with reality is cut off.
It’s only when we come back for a few seconds or a few minutes into regular
space, like just now—although it’s sporadic and involuntary—only then are all
objects and living things tangible and real for us. So we’ve used such moments
to equip ourselves and get weapons and food.”
   I was deeply impressed by this report and didn’t know what to say about it.
Fratulon was gesturing wildly outside the energy bubble. He probably wanted me
to hurry it up. But what was the use? Once the locking field shut off, Parvon
Kher would disappear again and be lost to us. I still wanted to talk to him before
that happened. I hastily summarized what I had learned and held up the note so
that Fratulon could read it. He signalled me that he understood the message.
   Then I turned to Parvon Kher again. “It appears that the Maahks also equip
themselves in the same way. Why does the war continue even in hyperspace? At
least there you should be able to make some kind of peace between you.”
   “Peace?” queried the Arkonide, as though he could not quite grasp the
meaning of the word. “Peace between Maahks and Arkonides? How can you
even ask such a question? That almost borders on high treason!”
   “The concept of peace can never be high treason, not even in the midst of a
war,” I said, although I realized he didn’t understand me. “You and the Maahks
exist neither here nor there. You swing back and forth between two universes.
Instead of getting together and finding a mutual solution to your problem, you’re
killing yourselves off. I would call that unreasonable and senseless, Parvon
Kher.”
   “Senseless or not, it’s my duty. And most of us have’ already died in that
cause.”
   “A fine reason for the rest of you to be victimized by the same idea,” I said
bitterly.
   “What kind of life do you call it, anyway, the way we are? We aren’t really
alive, either here or there. We’re nothing but a bunch of phantoms with no place
to go, and our only salvation is death.”
   “Then there should be a purpose to all such dying
   During the next pause in our conversation I noticed that Parvon Kher was
beginning to make the change. I swiftly felt behind me and encountered the wall
of hyper-energy. I made a sign to Fratulon but he had already seen what was
happening. Parvon Kher was returning to the other dimension even while the field
projector was still working. It meant that it would be impossible for us to keep
one of these ghosts in a para-trap for more than 10 minutes at a time. The force
that always returned them into hyperspace was stronger.
   Then two things happened at once and perhaps it was this coincidence which
was responsible for the events that followed. I was only able to reconstruct the
sequence later.
   Fratulon turned off the projector without my knowing it. At the same time,
Parvon Kher’s dematerialization proceeded more swiftly. In a completely
instinctive reaction I reached for him and attempted to hold him back. But I
thought I was still inside the spherical forcefield and was safe.
   And that was my mistake.
   I heard Fratulon’s shout of warning but paid it no heed, failing to realize the
significance of my hearing him at all. Had the field been there that wouldn’t have
been possible.
   Parvon Kher’s right arm was still real and tangible. I grabbed it and held on
tight as though to keep the rest of him from escaping into the other dimension.
This I could not do, no more than I could prevent Parvon Kher from taking me
with him!
   Fratulon, Ice Claw and Gamno were only a few meters away from me and I
could see all three of them become hazy before my eyes, along with the room
and everything in it. From their point of view, as I learned later, they saw me and
the rest of the Arkonide suddenly become invisible.
   And then I was weightless, floating above a clear blue lake.
                             3/ HYBRID WORLD

   My first thought was for my space helmet since I hadn’t yet closed it but then
I discovered that I could breathe without difficulty. Except for my impulse gun I
was still wearing the entire outfit I had had with me. I could feel the combat suit.
It was real.
   But what had happened to me? Like the other phantoms I naturally had the
impression that I was real and in a clear state of existence even though I didn’t
recognize the landscape beneath me. But on Kraumon there were thousands of
lakes like this one. Only—why had I become weightless?
   “Don’t be deceived,” said a voice behind me, and when I turned around I saw
Parvon Kher, who was again all in one piece. He was floating in the air like
myself, about 100 meters over the surface of the water. “You and I are real. We
can hear each other and grasp each other. But that scenery below isn’t real—at
least not for us. We could sink down through it clear to the core of the planet
without feeling the slightest resistance. We wouldn’t even be able to pick up a
stone because it would fall through our hands. Now do you understand why we
always have to make every possible use of the moments when the two
dimensions coincide?”
   I began to realize that I was lost. The force had drawn me with it as though I’d
been sucked into a vacuum. The same thing had happened to me as to the
Arkonides and Maahks who had been within range of that hyper-energy
explosion. However it was a relief to remember that I had informed Fratulon of
the most important facts concerning the situation. Maybe he’d discover some
way of pulling us back, or at least me.
   “Where are we, Parvon Kher?”
   “This is not the world where you captured me, it’s another—nameless and
unknown. We often materialize here to continue our battles but there are no
supplies or equipment here. That is only to be gotten on the Station World.”
   “Station World?”
   “That’s what we call your planet.”
   “It’s called Kraumon,” I told him. It didn’t do any harm for him to know that
much. I had to gain his confidence because I needed his help now. After all, he
was more familiar with this strange state of existence than I was. “It’s a secret
stronghold. But we have time to discuss many things. At the moment I have to
find a solution to this predicament. I have to return to the normal universe.”
   By now he was hovering quite close to me. “We’ve been trying to do that for
almost 20 years, Atlan. We haven’t succeeded yet.”
   “But I’m here through another set of circumstances than yours, Parvon Kher,
and that’s why there may be another solution to it than for your own situation.
Anyway, my friend Fratulon is now aware of the cause of all this and it’s entirely
possible that he may even be able to help you. He’s a very capable scientist.
Now tell me, what is happening here? Are we over this lake by preference or
coincidence? Can we exert any influence at all on our movements?”
   “Very little, I’m sorry to say. When we started to dematerialise in your base
station I thought intensively of this planet since it’s relatively safe here. The
Maahks are concentrated on another world than this one. They make a few
surprise raids on us here but it doesn’t happen very often. I willed us here and
here we are.”
   “And if I should want to go back to Kraumon?”
   “Then all you have to do is really want to get there and that’s where you’ll be.
Of course that wouldn’t gain you anything because you can’t touch or feel
anything—unless you happen to drop back for a short time into the normal plane
of existence. But then you should snatch up all the provisions you can lay your
hands on and take them with you. Otherwise you’ll starve like many of us have
already. Do you see those plantations over there? We’ve struggled hard to
develop them when we are materialized but the only time we can harvest is also
in the short periods when we’re in the normal plane.”
   We had drifted to the farther shore of the lake and now I could make out the
plantations. There were bush-like trees which bore a yellow-coloured fruit. The
branches bent down low under their weight. I was gradually beginning to
understand the survival problem that faced these unfortunate bi-dimensional
dwellers. They couldn’t make contact with anything in the normal plane of
existence except during brief times of materialization. And whatever they touched
then returned with them into the semi-reality of their other condition. However
awkward and troublesome this process might be, it was their only means of
avoiding death by starvation. And instead of being reasonable and pooling their
intellectual and material capacities the Arkonides and the Maahks still waged war
against each other.
   Parvon Kher explained to me further that the materializations happened
involuntarily and that they had no influence over them, although they occurred at
least once a day. It also sometimes happened that they would materialize in the
5th dimension but that was always a meaningless excursion. The worlds there
were empty and desolate. No one lived there and time was also different. He
emphasized that it was fortunate for them that such materializations did not occur
too often.
   I was sure that there was also a different time-ratio in our present half-state of
existence but couldn’t quite imagine what the consequences might be. For me
the only important thing was to make contact again with Fratulon. But at the
moment I didn’t have much time to think about it or to try to reach Fratulon for
help. There were other problems facing us.
   Two Maahks made an appearance. They were also floating above the
plantation before us.
   Parvon Kher jerked his impulse gun from its holster and was about to open
fire on them but I stopped him.
   “Don’t! They haven’t seen us yet, and don’t forget I’m unarmed. Our firing
power is weaker than theirs.
   “But… but I still have to fight them!”
   “You do not have to!” I informed him emphatically. “Why risk death when it’s
so certain?”
   “Because this kind of existence is pointless.”
   “In that case you could have committed suicide long before this,” I retorted
brutally.
   The Maahks appeared to be waiting for a materialization into the other plane
so that they could at least get hold of some of the fruit below them. They must
have been half starved to death, considering that they needed three times as
much nourishment as we did to stay alive. But since they had no influence over
their change of state they had to wait for their chance.
   We “wished” ourselves away from them and as we did so we looked at the
mountain that loomed into the sky not far ahead of us. Parvon Kher grasped my
hand as with no additional effort we picked up speed and passed within a short
distance of the Maahks. As I had hoped, they took no notice of us.
   It was in the mountains that we encountered the other Arkonides from Parvon
Kher’s lost unit.
                               4/ LONG SHOT

   In this hybrid type of space everything seemed to be real and substantial but it
wasn’t always possible to stand on firm ground. Although I could find no
explanation for such a variable state of existence I had to accept it if I didn’t
want to lose my mind.
   Parvon Kher was high in the esteem of the soldiers whose fate he was sharing.
He told them of his adventure and introduced me. I maintained silence
concerning my true identity and only gave them my name.
   I was not surprised to learn that they still harboured some hope of a basic
change in their condition somehow, because any process of Nature should be
reversible. If I as a normal being had been transferred from the normal dimension
into this semi-state of existence, then it should also be possible to permanently
transfer a hybrid-space dweller from where we were back to the natural state. I
confirmed their supposition in this regard because I also hoped for the same
possibility, yet I was not able to make any concrete suggestion.
   Strangely we were standing on solid ground and I began to suspect that even
this world was not real. Maybe some hyper-energy explosion had also
transferred it into the hybrid plane, which would make it appear to be real to us.
But Parvon Kher told me this wasn’t so, as was clearly evidenced by the
intermittent plantation operation.
   With their rayguns the Arkonides had melted some spacious caves out of the
cliffs, in which they felt secure. Whenever the ground became tenuous and
unstable for them they would shift into their usual floating state which could be
maintained without effort.
I began to appreciate how desperate these bi-dimensional Arkonides must be. It
was actually a wonder that they had even preserved half their intelligence this
long. During our initial conversations I sought to learn everything I could about
the events that had caused their condition. Later I hoped to contact Fratulon and
give him any clues I could. I was sure that something would occur to him
whereby I could at least be rescued.
   When the campfire was lighted, Parvon Kher joined me. He brought along an
old war horse whom I took to at first glance. Kher introduced him as Morvoner
Sprangh, a veteran of the great Methane War against the Maahks. He was one of
the Arkonide commanders, about 80 years old, 6ft 2in tall, with a scarred face
and a bald head. After we’d been introduced, he shook my hand and sat down
on a boulder. Through the entrance of the cave I could see the last light of day
fading away. It would soon be night—my first night on a world that actually
didn’t seem to exist at all.
   “So you’re from our normal universe?” he inquired congenially. His manner
was much more informal than that of Parvon Kher, who tended to be slightly
reserved and standoffish. “Then you can give us the latest news. We don’t hear
anything or see anything that could tell us what’s going on because we can’t
cover a very wide loop. Just 3 or 4 systems maybe—that’s all. But at least that
includes the Station World.”
   This had not occurred to me at all! “You mean your freedom of movement is
limited?” I was surprised. So far I had assumed they could go anywhere they
pleased in the universe. “Could you clarify that?”
   “Nothing much to explain, Atlan. I’ll grant you we can influence our range of
movement but it does have its limits. Otherwise you can bet I’d have gone to
Arkon to report our condition to Gonozal. Maybe he would have asked the
Scientific Council to help us.”
   “Yes, he certainly would have done that,” I said. But I decided not to report
to either of them that Gonozal was dead.
   It might have broken their will to live, in which case they would have ceased to
be valuable confederates. There was still time for the final truths to be spoken.
“But maybe there’s some other alternative or possibility,” I continued. “On the
Station World as you call it, I have a friend. He is also a scientist. Knowing him
as I do, he’s probably already working on a solution to the problem.”
   “But we’re not going to bring the Maahks through with us!” growled
Morvoner.
   I glanced at him searchingly and when I perceived the hate in his eyes I
decided to be careful. “Of course I can’t be sure, Morvoner, but I don’t know if
that can be avoided. If Fratulon really works something out that will pull us all
back into real space—I mean, permanently—the Maahks will probably also be
affected by it. They’ll be permanently rematerialized along with the rest of us. To
prepare for such a case, we ought to make some kind of agreement with them.”
   “Make a deal with the Maahks?” Morvoner’s roar of laughter almost pained
my eardrums. “That would be useless! We know from experience that they don’t
keep their word. You know as hard as it is for us to even think of such a thing
we’ve already tried to make peace with them but after that they pulled a raid on
us and mowed down half of their unsuspecting victims. No, there can never be
any peace made with the Maahks.”
   So they had tried it already! Parvon Kher had not told me about it.
“Morvoner,” I asked, “do you know how many Arkonides and Maahks there are
in this hybrid state of existence?”
   Parvon answered for him: “Of course the actual number isn’t known but I’d
estimate the number of our own men to be about 500 and I’d say there are about
30 left of the Maahks. If you consider the enemy’s superiority over us, that
makes an approximate balance of power between us.”
   “And what were the figures when this whole thing happened originally?”
   “About 5,000 to 300.”
   1 nodded. “So the ratio hasn’t changed. If the battle keeps on going there’ll be
nobody left on either side.”
   “We all have to die in the struggle,” muttered Morvoner.
   It was now dark outside. When I realized that all of us including the cliffs and
the caves were invisible to normal eyes, uncounted questions began to arise in
my mind. There were no answers. Perhaps there were more secrets and unsolved
riddles in the universe than I had suspected. Jumping through the 5th dimension
had never been a problem for us because every hyper transition was such a
jump. But in those cases we always returned to our own plane of existence.
   “Don’t beat your brains out over it,” advised Morvoner. “You won’t come to
any conclusions. Anyway, I think we can pay your friend Fratulon a visit, if he
isn’t afraid of ghosts. Still, by now he should have gotten used to seeing us.”
   “To have fear or anxiety concerning unsolved questions—that’s two sides of
a coin,” I advised. “He has no fear but he’s mightily vexed over not being able to
clarify this mystery. Perhaps we can give him some help and thus help
ourselves.”
   “First thing in the morning we’ll give it a try,” promised Morvoner, and Parvon
Kher nodded in agreement.

                                    ****

   In the middle of the night there was an alarm and 4 Maahks made an attack on
the caves.
   Morvoner had given me an impulse beamer that had come from Fratulon’s
arsenal. Although I accepted it I had resolved not to fire against the Maahks. I
remained in the cave while Parvon Kher and Morvoner Sprangh led the
Arkonides outside in an attempt to repulse the Maahks’ ferocious attack. I
ducked behind a fairly large boulder which shielded me from observation as well
as from any stray energy beams. I was able to peer over its top and watch what
was happening.
   Without regard to their own lives the Maahks stormed the cavern stronghold,
each of them equipped with 3 or 4 energy weapons which they used alternately in
rapid succession. Their heavy combat spacesuits were protected by defence
screens which could only be penetrated by well-aimed concentrated fire. Some
of the cave entrances were melted down, which took the lives of dozens of
Arkonides. They died in the fire of an enemy who took no prisoners and gave no
quarter.
   As I observed this I began to understand the old war horse’s anger and hate
and without yet sanctioning it. Nevertheless I had to admit to myself that their
battle was one for naked survival. There were only two choices: fight or die.
   And then one of the Maahks attacked my own cave.
   As molten lava began to drop from the rock ceiling and threaten my position,
all of my beautiful thoughts of peace were shattered as though by a single blow.
It was too late now for me to come out of the cave without endangering my life.
I had absolutely no choice other than to move cautiously to the cave threshold
and also open fire on the threatening Maahk.
   I would probably not have been able to handle him if some of the other
Arkonides had not come to my aid. They had discovered the lone assailant just
in time, recognizing the situation as an opportunity to surround him.
Concentrated energy beams shot out of the darkness from all sides and impinged
upon the Maahk’s shimmering defence screen until it finally collapsed in a
blinding flash. The succeeding shots, which included my own, delivered the
death blow to the monster.
   The night battle lasted 2 hours before the 4 Maahks were dead but it had cost
the lives of 40 Arkonides. And their corpses were real—they did not disappear.
They belonged to this Limbo world of semi-existence from which they would
never more escape. I lay down on some sleeping blankets which I had fashioned
for my bed, utterly exhausted, as Parvon and Morvoner returned. The surprise
raid appeared to have been nothing out of the ordinary for them because they
didn’t even talk about it. I lay there for some time and reviewed the whole thing
in my mind.
   On the following morning I felt like a wreck but I did not reveal my fatigue to
the others because today Morvoner wanted to go with me to the “Station World”
in order to establish contact with Fratulon.

                                    ****

   It was not as easy as I had secretly hoped.
   Morvoner and I left the cavern stronghold, floating away in a weightless
condition, which he assured me was the best way to prepare for a change of
state. I couldn’t see any scientific basis for these processes so I submitted
myself completely to Morvoner’s 20 years of experience. Besides, I hardly had
any other choice.
   We ascended higher and higher. We had taken the precaution to close the
helmets of our suits in order not to suffocate in case we ran into airless regions.
But the Arkonide explained that this measure of precaution was superfluous as
far as a “transition” to another planet was concerned. The transfer occurred
without any apparent passage of time.
   I thought intensively of Kraumon and Fratulon’s stronghold.
   Morvoner was doing the same so it should not be long before we had some
results. Nevertheless it was startling to me when I suddenly saw the surface of
the nameless world below me disappear, to be replaced in the same moment with
the bluffed outlines of a planet which at once seemed familiar to me. I had had
time previously to observe Kraumon during our approach in the spaceship.
   Yes, it was indeed Kraumon, even though seen indistinctly as though through
a thick layer of glass. On the other hand, Morvoner at my side remained
apparently solid and real.
   We sank slowly toward the surface and I soon made out the buildings of the
base station. Even the spherical spaceship and our disc-shaped scoutship were
still there, resting unchanged on their respective landing pads. Since we had not
yet materialized we penetrated the walls of the main building as though they had
not existed. Inasmuch as 24 hours had passed, our “changeover” would be
occurring at any moment, but we could not know how long our normal state
would last. I was in a hurry to find Fratulon although I knew he’d be jolted by
my sudden appearance without any previous warning. The only question was
where he might be at the moment.
   On Kraumon it was early morning. I thought of his room and—shortly
thereafter we were “standing” there. With a little concentration we could have
lowered ourselves to the floor but it wasn’t necessary at the moment. We waited
as we were, hovering over him.
   Fratulon had just gotten up. Already dressed but still not washed, he sat at a
table where he was studying some books. I could make out that they were tomes
of a scientific nature. Some of the titles I saw indicated that they had to do with
quantum mechanics and hyperenergy problems. Also there was a piece of paper
on the table which was a copy of my message to him before I disappeared with
Parvon Kher.
   It is impossible to describe the feelings that assailed me at the moment. There
was Fratulon before me and yet he might as well have been an infinity removed. I
could have drifted right through him without his being aware of me. There was
no way just now for me to commune with him because we were in two separate
planes of existence. Each of us was unreachable by the other so I had to be
content with at least being able to see him. However, he could not see me—and
this was a phenomenon that I couldn’t comprehend.
   I went closer and looked over his shoulder.
   “Is he already working at it?” inquired Morvoner.
   We could talk between ourselves but Fratulon was unable to hear us.
   “It looks like it, Morvoner. You can see he’s deep into the right kinds of
books. So he’s working on our problem and I’m sure he’ll find a way. The only
question is, how long will it take him?”
   “Have to wait and see—and we also have to wait until we materialize here,
although I don’t know if it’s going to help us much.”
   Perhaps not right away, I thought. That much was for sure. But I knew that
Fratulon would double h efforts if he knew I was still alive. Maybe it would
                            is
also help him if I were to quickly give him a few hints. I knew it was useless to
write him a note in my present hybrid state because it would disappear with me
as soon as I went back into our quasi-dimension. However, if he knew
beforehand he might be able to copy a carefully prepared message before it
disappeared again. I decided I would suggest this to him.
   After awhile Fratulon left his room. We followed him on his round of
inspection and also encountered Gamno and Ice Claw, who unsuspectingly
walked right through us while squabbling with each other over some
inconsequential trifles. Ice Claw, however, was the only one who seemed to
shudder involuntarily when he made “contact” with me. I resolved to tell him
about that sometime.
   “You have good friends,” said Morvoner as we watched Fratulon check over
his remaining stores of equipment and supplies. “This weird little one—is he
really transparent?”
   “Yes, he’s always like that. Ice Claw is a Chretkor.
   “I’ve heard something about them, Atlan. A very strange race, and damned
cold, too, if you shake hands with them!”
   Fratulon set out to complete his rounds alone while Gamno and Ice Claw went
to have their breakfast first. We followed Fratulon.
   He went down into the lower underground levels and began to inspect the
power station there. If he would at least talk aloud to himself!—I thought
desperately. Although I could not read his thoughts I could hear every sound as
well as I could make out various details around me.
   Fratulon began to work on the power equipment but I did not know what he
had in mind. All that Morvoner and I could determine was that he was changing
some junction boxes and making new connections. Had he already found a
solution to the problem?
   “It could happen any time now,” said Morvoner somewhat impatiently. “The
materializations always occurred rather on schedule with me. If I had a watch I
could practically predict them each time.”
   One thing I knew was that we couldn’t force our materialization into the other
plane. In the other plane! Involuntarily I was already using such an expression for
the normal universe. How quickly one became adapted…!
   Morvoner gave me a nudge. “It’s starting. Do you see how everything is
getting a more definite outline, how objects are becoming clearer and easier to
see? From the other side your friend should soon be able to see you, in case he
happens to turn around. But he’ll notice us alright, before we disappear again.”
   Fratulon’s figure was slowly but actually beginning to appear more solid and
stabilized. I began to see more details than before. And by luck he turned around
in this moment, probably to check some readings on the wall meters. I almost
had to laugh as I saw his face become almost rigid from his shock of surprise.
   “We don’t have much time, Fratulon,” I said hastily before he could start
questioning me, because I knew it would waste our moment of contact. “From
now on, carry your photo-recorder with you so that I’ll be able to transmit
messages to you optically. I’m all in one piece here. Are you going to be able to
bring me back?”
   It took a few seconds for Fratulon to collect himself and recover from his
surprise. He nodded briefly and indicated Morvoner. “Who is that?”
   “Will explain later—don’t know how much time we have. I’ll try every day
from now on to make contact with you. You may be able to solve this thing with
a hyperenergy detonation.”
   “Been working on that. What does it look like… over there?” Naturally his
curiosity could not be restrained.
   “A bit crazy, everything is so different. Now that you ask me it’s
unexplainable, paradoxical and illogical. You’d have to see it for yourself.”
   “No thanks! You’re getting transparent again. Come back soon, I’ll keep on
working and…”
   When he stopped talking I knew we had become invisible to him. For awhile
he stared at the spot where he had last seen us and then he went back to the
labours that pertained to my salvation. He was really cold-blooded, this Fratulon.
Nothing phased him.
   “He’s a good man,” said Morvoner. “Maybe he’ll really do it, at least in your
case. I think that any other salvation would come too late for the rest of us.
We’ve been in this hybrid state too long.”
   “There’s always salvation if one believes in it,” I admonished him. “Are we
going back to the caves?”
   He nodded and grasped my hand. Seconds later we were in the midst of a
raging battle.
   A dozen Maahks were engaged in a new attack against the cavern stronghold
in the mountain, and this time in broad daylight. Six of them died before the rest
of them finally fled but also many Arkonides had met with death.
   By nightfall everything was quiet and peaceful again. Morvoner and I finally
found time to report our adventure to the survivors.
   Parvon Kher was silent for some time before he spoke. “The normal
dimension…? The more I think of it, it seems it would be like entering an alien
universe. I’m almost afraid of it…”
   Nor was he alone in this opinion.
                                    ****

   From Ice Claw’s personal notes:
   Ever since Atlan disappeared I’ve felt a strange uneasiness. Of course
Fratulon has tried to explain this thing to me and Gamno but when he starts
throwing around all that technical jargon it’s enough to drive a person up the
wall. Neither an Arkonide nor a Chretkor could understand that—and certainly
Chretkors are intelligent. Anyway, I’m not a scientist.
   So now he’s down there fooling around in the power planet section and he
says he’s going to try bringing Atlan back. Just how he’s going to manage that is
a complete mystery to me and Gamno. Yet we trust his knowledge and ability. It
would not be the first time he’s found a way out of a hopeless situation.
   Today I was present when Atlan materialized again.
   During the past few days we had all become accustomed to the ghosts and
were hardly even startled anymore when they’d suddenly show up around the
station, either inside or out. On the other hand, the old Arkonide fighters also
ceased to be skittish when they came to us. We had a pretty active contact with
their phantom world.
   Fratulon has explained to me and Gamno that it’s impossible for these bi-
dimensional people to bring any objects into our own dimension but they can
take anything back with them that they pick up from this plane. So when Atlan
appeared again it would be no problem to hand over a message to him if it was
prepared in time. This was why Fratulon had written Atlan a letter and kept it
ready to give to him as soon as he showed himself.
   Gamno had been assigned to check our scoutship outside. We feared that the
Maahks might materialize there and try to damage it. The Maahks must have
already seen that we were in contact with the Arkonides and that we had allied
ourselves with their cause. So we had to watch out for them.
   I was helping Fratulon, who kept on making new calculations and was running
our two technical robots back and forth so much that I was afraid their
positronics would break down at any moment. But they held up under it all.
   “What have you written him, anyway?” I asked, referring to the letter he
wanted to give to Atlan.
   Fratulon hardly looked up from his work. The letter was sticking out of his
breast pocket. “If my theory is correct and everything works like I think it will,
we’ll be able to bring everybody back out of the other dimension, including
Atlan. But also the Maahks. Now I don’t intend to have my station get all shot up
and that’ll surely happen if they’re going to try to keep going with their warfare.
That’s why I’ve asked Atlan to make sure the Arkonides understand they’re
going to have to cut out all of that mess. Whether or not he’ll be able to
convince them is another question.”
   “That depends a lot on the Maahks, doesn’t it?” I said.
   “It’s always depended on both sides,” he corrected me. “But some side has to
make a beginning—to make peace, I mean. Why shouldn’t Atlan be the one to
start it?”
   “But you aren’t telling him anything else?”
   “That comes later. I haven’t finished my preparations yet. Come here and hold
this cable for me…”
   I kept looking about me in all directions but if Atlan was there I wasn’t able to
see him as yet. An eerie sensation crept over me whenever I thought about his
being a ghost who could go right through me.
   When he finally did materialize, there were two Arkonides with him. One of
them I recognized. He was the soldier we had caught in the energy trap and who
had taken Atlan with him. The other old fighter had a scarred up face and a bald
head.
   Fratulon didn’t lose a second. He gave Atlan the letter and then he
photographed a message written in large letters which Atlan practically held in
front of his nose. It was only then that the conversation began and nobody knew
how long it would last.
   “This is Morvoner Sprangh and this is Parvon Kher, Fratulon—they’re the
two Arkonide commanders. We’re having a bad time with the Maahks. They
seem to be getting very active lately. The attacks happen almost daily now. Are
you making progress with the work?”
   “I think it’ll work alright but you’ve got to be patient.
   “We need weapons,” said Parvon Kher. “Do you have any objections if we
help ourselves?”
   “So far you’ve never seemed to need my permission,” retorted Fratulon,
somewhat irritated. “Try to make peace with the Maahks—but that’s all in the
letter. At any rate I’m not going to bring anybody back if a truce isn’t made.
Otherwise—just Atlan alone.”
   Actually I had wanted to exchange a few words with Atlan, myself, but I had
waited too long. He disappeared from view before I could open my mouth, and
Fratulon’s letter went with him.
   A short while later Gamno showed up and reported that he had seen a Maahk
outside near the edge of the forest. “He just appeared all of a sudden and he was
looking at the big ship. I don’t think he saw me because I took cover right away.
Think it was a coincidence?”
   Fratulon looked up from his work. “Definitely not, Tirako. They have their
eyes on the ship. It’s a wonder to me it’s still standing there intact or that they
haven’t tried long ago to steal it but maybe its mass is too great for them to take
it with them into hybrid space. Still, if they can’t steal it they’ll probably want to
destroy it. It’s lucky that neither the Maahks nor the Arkonides have heavy
weapons because the defence screen can handle any shot from a hand beamer.
Nevertheless I suggest that one of us should man the fire control station on the
big ship when we start the experiment.”
   I knew, however, that it would still be some time before that happened. In the
meantime, the photograph had been developed. Atlan’s handwriting was clear
and legible. Fratulon read the message aloud:
   “My friends: I’m beginning to accustom myself to this strange state I’m in and
I’m getting a picture of the situation over here. Of the Arkonides and Maahks
who were pushed into hyperspace 20 years ago, there are only about 10% of
them left. They’ll keep on fighting each other until there’ll be nobody here. If you
discover a way of bringing me back, do it quickly and don’t worry about the
others here. That may sound hard but I don’t see any other possibility.
Otherwise their war will be carried to Kraumon. How far have you gotten with
your preparations?”
   That was all. No vital information, no tips or clues; nothing. Fratulon had the
same reaction as I did but he concealed his disappointment.
   “Got to keep going,” he said, and he continued with his work just as though
we had not been present.
   I nodded to Gamno and we both left the power station.
   Later when we were having something to drink in the kitchen, Gamno
commented: “I’m trying to figure this. As far as I can see, all the bi-dimensional
people materialize at the same time, including Atlan, wherever they happen to be.
And that tells me that there’s some unknown common factor binding them all—
which also means that if we try to just pull Atlan back alone they’ll all come back
into this universe, permanently.”
   I had to admit that Gamno’s assumptions made sense. One proof had been
the Maahk he had seen outside near the ship. A comparison of timing had shown
that the Maahk had appeared at exactly the same time as Atlan and his two
companions, and his materialization had lasted exactly as long as theirs.
   “All that won’t keep us from helping Atlan,” I said stubbornly. “Fratulon
knows the risks involved. We have to tell Atlan that nothing can be done about
preventing the others from coming. He has to see to it that those old war dogs
and the Maahks finally make peace.”
   On the following day I also encountered a Maahk and I was lucky that this
time the length of the materialization was very short…
   Gamno was busy helping Fratulon, who hardly saw his bed anymore. I took
over the normal daily tour of inspection, which had become a standard operating
procedure by now, and after doing the station itself I went up to the surface to
take a look at the ship. I was carrying my impulse gun and was wearing a combat
spacesuit since we never ventured outside anymore without this protection. My
helmet, however, was open.
   Suddenly I saw a shimmering in the air about 100 meters ahead, between me
and the big spherical spaceship. A giant Maahk materialized and saw me. But he
had probably had his eyes on me before he appeared because he immediately
raised his weapon and aimed at me.
   In a flash I closed my helmet and snapped on my energy screen. The first ray
beam shot past me. My screen could have absorbed it easily but if the Maahk
got the idea of bringing me under continuous fire by emptying his entire charge
of energy at me, the situation could be dangerous for me.
   He got the idea.
   I shut my eyes, blinded by the raw energy that poured over my screen and
turned it into a ball of light, with me in the middle. My greatest fear was the
tremendous heat differential that was building up because the screen could not
shield me for long against this onslaught. Nor was it possible at the moment for
me to return the fire and if I’d been able to it probably wouldn’t have had much
effect.
   This state of affairs lasted only 10 seconds, however, and then the firing
suddenly ceased. At first I couldn’t see anything because my eyes had to adjust
themselves to normal sunlight, which seemed like relative darkness. But I was
finally able to make out that the Maahk had disappeared. Which meant that there
would be no more materializations today. I shut off the defense screen.
   All around me was molten sand which was in the process of hardening again
or glazing over. I gingerly worked my way out of the area and finally came to the
place where the Maahk had been standing. The ground had been heavily
trampled by his ponderous feet, which proved that I hadn’t been dreaming. Now
I could imagine what would happen when we pulled Atlan back to us—and if
Gamno proved to be right.
   I checked the security coverage of both ships and then returned to the station.
Fratulon informed me that Atlan had made no appearance today.

                                    ****

   That evening we all met in the kitchen. We made our food selections and had
our supper while Fratulon talked to us without much optimism.
   “Just a few more changes in the power hookups and the experiment will be
ready,” he said. “Whether it’ll work or not I don’t know, but even if it does work
our problems are not going to be over with. I can only hope that Atlan is alive
and well. What could have detained him from coming to us today?”
   I tried to reassure him. “There could be many reasons. Today the transition
was only for a few seconds. He could have been too late.”
   “Maybe he’s here even now but we can’t see him,” said Gamno, looking
about him instinctively. “Since he’s able to hear us, as he claims, then he’s aware
of the present status.”
   “I’ll only pull him back when I can be sure those Maahks are going to keep the
peace. They themselves have to be advised of that.”
  “Maahks only communicate with each other by means of ultra-sonic
impulses,” I interjected, speaking from experience. “How do you talk to them?”
  “Atlan will have to figure it out, or else those Arkonide commanders. Reason
will out.”
  We soon went our separate ways because there wasn’t much left to talk
about. All questions remain unanswered.
  And the next day there were still more questions because again Atlan failed to
appear. Instead, 27 heavy impulse weapons disappeared from the arsenal.
                       5/ AMBASSADOR IN LIMBO

   “I’m certain that the Maahks are planning a death blow against us,” said
Morvoner as he checked the energy charges in his weapon. “And what you tell
me about your friend Fratulon I don’t like at all, Atlan. You’ve missed contact
with him twice because the time was too short but you were able to hear his
conversations with his companions. According to what you heard it looks as if
we’ll all be pulled back automatically when you are. And that includes the
Maahks. I’d like to know what he’s waiting for. Isn’t it all the same whether we
fight them here or there?”
   I didn’t answer right away. I stared thoughtfully into the flames of the fire in
the cave. We were fairly safe here because Parvon Kher had posted some guards
outside. If the Maahks opened an attack we would be given the alarm
immediately. New supplies of weapons had been brought in, of course from
Fratulon’s armoury. He had been highly irritated by it but I was sure he would
not vent his rage on me because of the thieves.
   “Peace must be made with the Maahks, Morvoner. We don’t have any other
choice. Somebody has to talk to them.”
   “Atlan, have you also thought of the possibility that such negotiations could
work to the disadvantage of all of us?”
   “How so?”
   Morvoner passed a hand over his scars and sighed. “Put yourself in the place
of Fratulon and in the Maahks’ place. He’s holding up on the experiment
because he’s afraid that the war will continue and that his station will be
damaged. The Maahks know that and you know, Atlan, that the Maahks can still
destroy the station even if they stay here in hybrid space, because they’ll keep on
materializing periodically. So if Fratulon refuses to act he still hasn’t gained
anything. The Maahks would take a fearful revenge against him. Isn’t that
logical?”
   It was logical enough, but would Fratulon see it that way?
   “I’ll go talk to the Maahks,” I offered. “They’ll listen to me when they learn
that I’ve just recently joined you and haven’t ever taken part in these terrible
battles of mutual destruction. If they are reasonable they’ll make peace.”
   “But they are not reasonable!” Morvoner bellowed at me angrily.
   “And neither are you!” I shouted back with equal ire.
   We fell silent. Parvon Kher came to the fire and sat down.
   “What’s all the shouting about?”
   When I explained it to him he shook his head. “You’re attempting the
impossible, Atlan. We won’t have any peace until the remaining 20 Maahks are
dead. Besides, it isn’t all that certain that we’ll always remain in the normal
universe even if the experiment succeeds. Maybe Fratulon’s theory won’t work
out right and only you will go back. So why worry about it? Let things take their
natural course without going out of our way to ask for trouble.”
   On this particular night the Maahks remained quiet and withheld their attack.
As day began to dawn in our unreal world even the last sentries lay down to rest.
I myself was refreshed and I was determined today to take the risk and attempt
to make contact with the Maahks.
   Without being noticed I left the cave and refrained from going into the usual
hovering state. The ground was firm again and so I could progress on foot,
which was needed exercise for my muscles. I pushed my way down to the
plantation area in the hope that the Maahks would be most likely to be found
there. My two impulse guns dangled in holsters on my belt. Even I didn’t fancy
facing the giant creatures unarmed.
   My way led through the deep forest. Morvoner had said that the Maahks also
liked to stay in this area because the tree trunks and the heavy canopy of foliage
offered them protection and concealment. Perhaps I’d be lucky and meet with
them right away.
   It wasn’t quite clear to me yet what I was going to say to them, if they allowed
me to get that far at all. After all, so far the only contacts with them had resulted
in shooting, not talking.
Many of the great tree trunks had diameters of up to 3 meters. Even two Maahks
could hide behind one of these trees at the same time if they chose to. I was
relying on their curiosity to keep them from killing me on sight because it
certainly wasn’t often that a lone Arkonide ventured into their territory.
   “Stay where you are, dwarf!”
   The voice rang mightily in my ears and I complied instantly. The Maahks
could adapt their articulatory organs for speaking Intercosmo and so I knew
there would be no problem with regard to communication. Although I looked
cautiously about me in all directions all I saw was the tree trunks and underbrush.
But then I saw a movement to one side of me, as though one of the trees were
splitting in two. The second trunk turned out to be a Maahk.
   As he came out from his hiding place he aimed his beamer at me.
   “I want to talk to you!” I shouted loud enough so that he’d be sure to
understand. “It’s important.”
   He came to a stop. Apparently he was alone. “You wish to talk with us?
That’s senseless. We haven’t said a word to each other in several decades.”
   “Then it’s about time we began. Important events have occurred that could
change this whole deplorable situation for all of us.”
   “Only death could do that—perhaps.”
   I decided to make use of the opportunity. It was unlikely I’d have another
chance. So I reported to him everything that had happened and that I had only
been with the old Arkonides for a few days. He knew of the “Station World”
because the Maahks also got their supplies from there. When he heard that
Fratulon was preparing an experiment that would be an attempt to pull them all
back into normal space, I noticed the first positive reaction: he lowered his
weapon and shoved it into his belt. Of course he knew very well that I wouldn’t
have been able to kill him quickly with a surprise shot from my own gun but
nevertheless I took his action as a gesture of good faith. Nor did he demand that
I surrender my two energy guns.
   “This story is too interesting to keep from my companions,” he said. “Go on
ahead there—I’ll show you the way.”
   I would have found my way without his help because the heavily trampled
footpath couldn’t have been missed. Again I was forced to wonder why the trees
and foliage and the forest floor were real to us whereas the plantation fruit by the
lake could only be picked from their plane of existence during certain periods or
at certain intervals. Perhaps various part of this whole world changed back and
forth sporadically.
   The Maahk warriors saw me but before they could react in their usual manner
my leader shouted a warning to them. The others’ weapons lowered. Only then
did I have a chance to take a look at the main headquarters of the remaining 20
Maahks. They were living as primitively as we were in the caves. Trees had been
cut down and their trunks had been stacked in such a way as to form a
protective barricade. The Maahks lay on the ground or stood about and stared at
me as though I were some kind of freak or monstrosity. Certainly they had never
had an armed Arkonide in their midst before.
   The Maahk who had captured me reported to the others what I had told him
and then I myself had to repeat the whole story. As far as I could make out they
all seemed to become very pensive.
   Finally an especially large Maahk pointed to me and asked: “How do we know
this isn’t a trap? The Arkonides are very cunning and sly. I can’t conceive of
their making us a peace offer after they’ve almost brought us to extinction.”
   I attempted to explain that making peace was the only way that it would make
it possible to go back into normal space. I truthfully laid out the reasons for this
and concluded: “The experiment will only be made when the fighting has been
stopped. It’s senseless for all of you. Each of you blames the other side but
even Maahks should know that in a war it’s always like that—one side blaming
the other. With such an attitude there can never be peace. Now, however, there is
an urgent and logical reason for ending the war between you.
   They did not appear to be completely convinced. A few of them even became
threatening and demanded that I be disarmed. There were others, however, who
suggested that they observe Fratulon at his work in order to check the validity of
my claims. The whole thing turned into a regular council meeting and it seemed
as though they’d forgotten me. I sat on one of the big tree trunks and had a good
view. I wondered what Morvoner might say if he could have seen me now. He’d
probably conclude that I’d lost my mind.
   It didn’t take me long to see that the Maahks were not in agreement with each
other. Most of them argued for a continuation of the war and my execution.
Later, they said, they could always check my story to see whether or not I had
lied. There were only three Maahks who took my part and among them was the
one who had brought me here.
   Once more I employed every art of persuasion with them in order to talk them
out of their intentions but at the same time I was checking my surroundings for
an escape route. I still had my weapons. Apparently they all thought it a foregone
conclusion that I wouldn’t attempt to use them. Besides, I had not yet been
officially sentenced to death.
   The forest began directly behind my back. If I could just take cover among
those huge boles it was possible that they wouldn’t find me. Of course I had
already tried to use the “wishful thinking” method of just floating away back to
the caves in the mountains but I remained where I was. So it appeared that the
hovering method of travel only worked on certain occasions also.
   The Maahk I had first encountered came up to me. “I’m sorry, Arkonide. I
believe your story.”
   “That won’t help me much now. It was well intended.”
   “I know, but the majority are for your death.”
   “Just because I’m an Arkonide?”
   He hesitated for a moment. “Yes, just for that. One of us tried like you did to
go into the enemy camp and talk of peace but we never saw him again. The
Arkonides murdered him. You will atone for that crime.”
   It was a sheer mockery of justice but I couldn’t make the Maahk see it that
way. I didn’t have much time left because the council meeting was coming to an
end. They had probably agreed on the death sentence for me. It seemed to be a
foregone conclusion and I decided not to wait around.
   “Look over there!” I said to my reluctant guard. “What’s that between the tree
trunks?”
   As he strained to see something in the direction I had indicated, I toppled
back swiftly and landed hard on my back. Luckily I was not injured and was able
to jump up immediately and race into the woods, where I ran in a pattern to get
as many tree trunks as possible between me and the alien camp.
   Not 10 seconds later an inferno broke out behind me. Energy beams flashed at
random, striking trees and causing them to burst into flames. I heard the rumble
of the heavy pillar-like legs of the Maahks as they rapidly approached. I made a
90-degree turn and soon discovered a giant tree root that was exposed several
meters above ground. There were 3 or 4 narrow crevices beneath it which
seemed large enough to conceal me. Even as I ran toward it I selected which one
and then threw myself down and crawled hastily inside.
   Not a second too soon.
   Three Maahks ran past me so closely that I feared their weight might shatter
the protecting root but luckily that wasn’t the case. Nor had they detected my
tracks. From my concealment I saw them towering above my position but only
for a few moments and then they were running onward. Nevertheless I lay where
I was. There was no sense in attracting their attention to me by making another
dash for freedom. They would surely kill me.
   I saw a fourth Maahk but wasn’t sure whether or not he was my “friend”. He
moved slowly and deliberately but seemed not to be very keen about the chase.
Yet I noticed that he searched every square meter of the forest floor and reacted
slightly when he saw the tree root. His weapon was in his hand, ready to fire. All
he would have to do was to aim at the root and fire. That would have been the
end.
   But he didn’t do it.
   Of course it was also possible that the other Maahks who had preceded him
had made enough tracks to mislead him. At any rate he straightened up again and
continued onward, after casting one more glance at the giant tree root. Personally
I was convinced that he had spotted me but of course I had no proof.
   I tried again to think intensively of the cave stronghold but once more it failed
to work. Also an attempt to make a transition to Kraumon failed. I remained
underneath the tree root, which was as solid and real as anything in the normal
universe.
   The sound of pursuit gradually ebbed away. The Maahks separated but they
did not give up the search. It could be that their camp was deserted and without
guards. For a moment I fought the temptation to go back there and destroy their
weapons cache but then I dropped the idea. With a lot of luck I had escaped
death the first time but I wouldn’t make it a second time.
   I remained where I was until the sun was high in the sky and there were no
more suspicious sounds in my vicinity. Then I crept out of my concealment and
sought to get my bearings. The terrain slanted downward toward the lake but
also ascended into the mountain. So if I followed the ascending slope I was
bound to approach my destination.
   I passed the deserted camp at some distance and felt a little safer after that
because the Maahks were searching for me in a downhill direction. But it was
possible also that some of them might be lying in ambush for me up ahead
because after all they were aware of the cave stronghold.
    I continued to be cautious, observing each clearing carefully before I crossed
it. Both my energy beamers were in my hands, ready to fire. If I concentrated
both beams I’d be able to penetrate a Maahk defense screen, I was sure.
    Gradually the trees began to be spaced farther apart, offering me less cover. I
hurried onward at a faster pace. And now finally I succeeded in achieving the
floating state which I had needed so urgently before. I rose up off the ground
toward my goal. This revealed to me that apparently I hadn’t possessed enough
power of concentration during my perilous situation to be able to make a
location change by means of thought transition. It was a factor I hadn’t taken
into consideration before.
    Morvoner and Parvon Kher met me at the outer perimeter of the cave area.
They had no idea of where I had been or what I had experienced. Together with
a few other warriors they were practicing war games in a mock attack on a
Maahk, who was represented by a large rock.
    “So there you are!” Morvoner’s voice boomed out at me as he let his men
seek cover. “Where have you been hiding?”
    This whole time I had been wondering whether to tell them the truth or to keep
silent about the entire matter. I would have to admit a failure which would only
serve to rake up more hatred for the Maahks among the Arkonides. And I myself
would offer them proof that there could be no negotiating with the enemy.
    Nevertheless I decided to speak the truth. “Morvoner, I was in the camp of
the Maahks.”
    He stared at me as though convinced I had finally gone mad. Then he sent his
men and Parvon Kher’s soldiers into the caves and sat down on a nearby
boulder. “Where did you say you were?” he blurted out.
    I reported to the two commanders, describing my attempt to talk with the
Maahks. They listened to me almost with disbelief until I came to the part where
they condemned me to death. Then their faces brightened noticeably.
    “Well then!” exclaimed Morvoner, sounding relieved. “So you see we were
right’ You just can’t negotiate with any Maahks. Even if they take a vote they end
up killing. No, we’ll have to wipe them all out, there’s no other choice.”
    “And that Maahk who came to negotiate with you that time? Wasn’t he also
condemned to death by you?”
    Morvoner nodded with perfect equanimity. “Yes, he was killed, I’ll admit that,
but at that time it was quite another situation. Besides, he came to demand our
surrender. That was such an insult that we simply had to silence him where he
stood.”
    It was an argument that could have called for several rebuttals but I refrained
from commenting on it. Instead I said: “The fact that I escaped and am alive to
tell about it is something I have to thank one of those Maahks for. He let me get
away although he could have killed me easily there where I was hiding helplessly
under the tree root.” I described the details of my flight. “So you see, Morvoner,
there are different kinds of Maahks just as there are different kinds of Arkonides.
   He thought about that and then nodded. “Of course that is so but what good
is such knowledge in our case? None, I tell you. Now just forget all this talk of
peace when the only reality we’ve got is a war.”
   He was right, I was right, the Maahks were right. All of us were right and for
that very reason it was useless.
   I changed the subject. “Today I must try to make contact with Fratulon. I
have to talk him into making the experiment in spite of the risks. Even in face of
the danger that the war will continue on Kraumon. If we bring the ship’s guns
into play we can settle the matter in a hurry.”
   “You’d better go alone, Atlan. If I don’t go along maybe you can talk to him
better.”
   I thanked him and looked up into the blue sky. This time I could fully
concentrate.

                                      ****

   Fratulon had finished his preparations. When I found him he was sitting in the
kitchen with Ice Claw and Gamno. They had eaten and had something to drink.
Their conversation was low-toned and desultory and finally I discovered the
reason for their depressed mood. Today was the third day in which I had not
made an appearance. They were very worried about me. Since I couldn’t
determine the time for my materialization I had to wait and so I was a witness to
their conversation: “We can’t worry about it,” Ice Claw was saying, and he held
his glass carefully so as not to cause its liquid contents to freeze solid. “If I were
you I’d carry out the experiment anyway, whether those Arkonide and Maahk
ghosts kept fighting or not. You can’t expect Atlan to bring about peace in 3 or
4 days after they’ve been trying in vain to do it for 20 years.”
“So then what happens to Kraumon?” asked Fratulon. “Should we surrender this
base?”
   “Maybe so,” said Gamno, “in one way or another. “If you were able to just
bring Atlan back by himself the Arkonides would think they’d been betrayed and
they’d try to get revenge, not to mention what the Maahks would also do.
Besides, it’s not certain yet whether the thing will work or not, anyway.”
   “My calculations check out!” declared Fratulon peevishly.
   “Then get along with it—make the experiment!” said Gamno decisively.
   If they were thinking this way, I reasoned, my own mission here was going to
be light. In Ice Claw and Gamno I had some good allies although I fully shared
Fratulon’s apprehensions. It was obvious to me that he was merely fighting for
time. Perhaps he hoped secretly that the Arkonides and the Maahks would
mutually get rid of each other before he started the experiment. That way he
wouldn’t have a problem. However, we didn’t have that much time.
   Ice Claw brought up another question: “What do you think would happen if
you released your hyper-energy explosion at a time when there didn’t happen to
be any Arkonides or Maahks on Kraumon?”
   Fratulon shrugged. “I assume they’d drop back into normal space wherever
they happened to be at the time. By the gods, how do I know?! I’ve never
conjured up ghosts like this in my life!”
   But Ice Claw had raised an interesting question. What might happen actually if
we were all on the other bi-dimensional world when the explosion took place? It
would probably be best not to try it. Maybe nothing would even happen.
   The three became silent again just as I started to sense the approach of
materialization. I hadn’t brought a written message so I was hoping that the
normal state would last long enough for us to clear up a few questions.
   Ice Claw saw me first. As I came to the table and sat down on one of the
empty chairs, he shouted: “There he is!”
   “It’s about time!” said Fratulon. “Where have you been hiding?”
   “I don’t know how long I can be with you, Fratulon. So don’t ask
unnecessary questions. Give me a time when you’ll try the experiment so that I
can be sure to be here on Kraumon. Maybe there’s something to your theory that
the others will stay where they are, and maybe not. We’ll have to anticipate that
they’ll materialize here. I tried to make a peace arrangement but it fizzled. So
you’d better man the fire control station on board the big ship—that way we’ll
be prepared.”
   “And the base itself?”
   “If the others don’t come through with me to the normal plane, it’s more likely
than ever that it will be lost. Gamno is right, they would wreak terrible revenge,
and they could do it. So I think it will make more sense if I can set up a period
of neutrality with the Arkonides, enough to let them see our good intent. We
have to leave the Maahks to chance. If they remain on the other bi-dimensional
world, so much the better for us. On the other hand, if they materialize here
they’ll at least be able to see that I spoke the truth. I explained the whole setup to
them and warned them about a continuation of the war but they did not believe
me.”
   Fratulon fixed his gaze on me. “I’ll carry out the experiment in exactly 24
hours from now. We know now that the time ratios of both planes are identical
because we’ve made comparisons. So in 24 hours your time the explosion will
take place. It will be harmless to us because it will have no detonating effect in
normal space. It will only exert force through the hyper-energy fields. I’ve
calculated everything precisely.”
   “Very well then, I’ll be here with the Arkonides within 24 hours.” I took the
glass away from Ice Claw. “We eat and drink ‘over there’ too, you know. Much
obliged.”
   When we heard the alarm, nobody became very excited. Only Fratulon got up
and went over to the lighted station plan on the wall. Then he came back to the
table.
   “The arsenal again—what else? I don’t know if it’s Maahks or Arkonides this
time but it doesn’t make any difference anymore. I’ll be glad when this whole
‘haunting’ period is over with. Then I’ll put those old war horses in their places,
once and for all. Those poor old comrades have really reverted to the primitive.”
   “Nothing much more basic than being a ghost,” commented Gamno with a
grin.
   Shortly after that I dematerialised, abruptly and without warning. I remained
awhile and then returned to my phantom planet to report to Morvoner and
Parvon Kher what I had learned.
   On the following day the entire ghostly army of the Arkonides would be
present on Kraumon to await the hyperenergy explosion.
                             6/ THIRD PARTY

   The next morning I returned to Kraumon in order to pass the last few hours of
my present state in the vicinity of my friends. Morvoner and the others were to
follow me within a few hours. I did not realize then what the consequences of my
somewhat sentimental decision would be.
   Fratulon was making the last preparations. Gamno was helping him. Ice Claw
was on board the big spherical spaceship where he was checking out the fire
control system.
   It was then that the alarm sounded.
   Fratulon was startled. Of course he was not aware of my presence as I had
not yet been able to make contact with him. “So soon? That’s unusual.
Ordinarily they materialize much later in the day. We’ll have to postpone the
experiment and…”
   Gamno interrupted him after checking the lighted station plan. “It’s not the
arsenal this time—it’s the observatory.”
   Fratulon dashed to the indicator map. “They’ve never shown up there before!
Something else must have tripped the alarm. Maybe a spaceship is approaching
us.
   “A ship?”
   “That’s right—or have you forgotten Sofgart the Blind? He and his Kralasenes
will never get off our trail but I would never have believed they could also find
Kraumon. We have to destroy the ship before the crew gets a chance to
announce their discovery over hypercom. You stay here, Tirako. I’ll take care of
that other ship!”
   He hurried away without waiting for an answer. Invisible and in a sense
disembodied, I followed him, anguished over not being able to make contact
with him. But perhaps I could do something else. First, however, I had to know
precisely what had set off the alarm.
   Fratulon’s experiment had to be made at the moment when our materialization
took place. That same moment offered the one chance to damage the ship that
was entering our system at the same time, in such a way that it could neither
return where it came from nor even send out a distress signal. This meant that
both events had to take place simultaneously. But how would Fratulon be able to
guess what I had in mind? The ship was certainly more important than the
experiment because the latter could be repeated at any time.
    In the observatory the viewscreen had turned on automatically. Fratulon made
some vernier adjustments until the slowly moving blip first focussed sharply and
then resolved itself into a torpedo-shaped spaceship. The sensor data came in
rapidly and indicated that it was only 20 meters in length. Also, it was moving at
less than the speed of light.
    I was familiar with this type of small, fast and manoeuvrable interceptor. The
imperial secret service, the police and space patrol forces used them—as well as
the bloodhounds of Sofgart the Blind. Perhaps it was mere coincidence which
had brought the ship into our system but also we may have left some trace
behind us that someone had found. I’d soon know which.
    Fratulon did not deliberate long. I knew that the station did not have any really
long-range ordnance with which to ward off an outer space attack in time. There
was only one alternative: the cannons of the spherical spaceship. Of course their
use would put the final seal on our discovery, and if the alien ship managed to
get away, Kraumon could be forfeited as a result. So I decided to take the risk of
missing out on my chances for a return to normal space, at least for now.
    Without any lapse of time I was out in space by the approaching ship. In my
dematerialised state I was able to penetrate it and was soon hovering in the
middle of the control room, which was little more than a cockpit. Three
Arkonides wearing secret service uniforms were seated in the flight control seats,
obviously tense with expectation. I could almost read their thoughts, so intent
were they at their respective tasks. Also if they were Arkonides there would be
little doubt that they were in the employment of Blind Sofgart, whom I had barely
escaped several times in the past just by the skin of my teeth.
    I calculated that I still had several hours before I would materialize. If they
reached the planet before that time I would not be able to perform my planned
action. However, my hopes were pinned on the probability that nobody would
be so foolhardy as to approach a suspicious planet and try to land on it without
taking certain precautions. Certainly Sofgart’s henchmen wouldn’t be stupid
enough to make such a mistake.
    For awhile I listened to the sparse conversations, which failed to tell me
whether or not they were here only by chance. Yet that really didn’t make any
difference. They must never find out that Kraumon was Fratulon’s base and
stronghold.
    Without any introductory remarks, one of the Arkonides suddenly spoke:
“That must be it! So our tip-off was valid after all!”
    I’d have given a lot to know what “tip-off” he was talking about but nobody
mentioned another word about it. They were a taciturn bunch and I could
understand why. The tension fairly crackled in the small flight cabin.
   I inspected the entire ship and tried to plan where it would be best for me to
do my work of sabotage after I had materialized. Perhaps I’d only have a few
seconds of time in which to come in material contact with the normal plane and
try to damage an important part of the ship. Most urgent of all was the hyper
transmitter because at all costs they must be prevented from beaming out any
distress signal containing their position coordinates. That would he taken care of
automatically if a defect occurred in their power plant.
   So first of all it would be the transmitter.
   I hovered over it and located the most vital and indispensable parts but at the
same time I cursed the fact that my hands passed through solid objects without
effort. I was helpless at the moment.
   On the viewscreen over the control console Kraumon was starting to show
recognizable details although for me they were still a bit blurred. However, I had
almost accustomed myself to this kind of vision.
   The three men became somewhat more talkative.
   “The Blindman is going to be happy with us,” said one of them. “I’d like to
know why this Fratulon character is so valuable.”
   “It has to do more with that youngster he has with him,” said another.
“There’s a mystery surrounding him but nobody seems to know what it is, other
than Sofgart. Anyway, it makes no difference to us. The main thing is to get the
reward.”
   The commander let the two men talk without any comment. He kept his eyes
solely on the viewscreen and I was relieved to see that Fratulon’s stronghold was
just now on the opposite side of the planet. This helped me gain time even
though Fratulon from his position was no longer able to track the ship, unless he
had a couple of observation satellites in orbit.
   “Is it true that nobody is on to the clue we picked up?” inquired the first
Arkonide, and I waited in suspense for the answer. “I mean, in that case we’d
have to divvy up with somebody else.”
   Now the commander entered the conversation. “Kroner, will you shut up!
We’ll never catch Fratulon if characters like you are on his tail. All you think of is
the reward. Concentrate on your job! And just so’s you can relax—we’re the
only ones who have this clue. Nobody else has ever heard of this planet and the
man who told us about it is dead. And dead men tell no tales.”
   This was all that he mentioned about it but it was enough for me even though I
didn’t know who his informer had been. He was dead so that took care of that.
The only ones who knew the secret now were just these three Arkonides.
Regardless of the issue involved I felt regret that these three men must die and by
my own hands.
   Once more I studied the hyper-transmitter until I knew precisely that it would
take me about 3 seconds to put it out of commission. It would take days to
repair it, provided of course that they had the corresponding spare parts, which I
doubted.
   Then I turned my attention to the power and propulsion room. My work there
would take a little more time and I could only hope that such time would be at
my disposal. If Fratulon went ahead with his experiment at the same moment it
might have various effects which could hinder me in carrying out my self-
assigned tasks. For example, as a result of a hyper-energy explosion I could be
pulled away toward Kraumon to become materially stabilized there. But it could
just as easily happen that although I fell out of hyperspace I would remain on
board the ship, visible in the normal plane of existence.
   Or also, nothing at all might occur.
   It was useless to indulge in any further speculation. I would have to wait for
results and then act accordingly. There was nothing else I could do.
   On the other hand, if there were only some way that I could inform Fratulon
of my plans…!
   Suddenly I had an idea. If I were to write a message now and place it
somewhere in plain sight for Fratulon, then during the general materialization the
note would become visible and I’d thus be able to warn him of my actions. If
necessary he’d have to put off the experiment for a day or so. The only vital part
then would be to advise the old Arkonide troops but that was no great problem.
I could make contact with them any time.
   I did not hesitate any longer. I always carried writing foil with me and I also
had a stylus. Since I was real to myself I was able to prepare the message
without any trouble. The only thing now was to get it to Fratulon in such a way
that he would be sure to notice it. Where would he be when the materialization
started?
   Today there was only one place he could be at such a time: the power plant,
the centre of his experiment.
   I “wished” myself there—and I was there. Gamno sat at the main control
console of the rewired installation. The console top was empty. Any note placed
there would certainly attract attention, especially if it were in my handwriting. So
I placed it in that position where it was clearly visible to me. For his part, Gamno
could not see it, and once he even passed his hand through it. For him the note
existed in another dimension.
   Without losing any more time I returned to the ship of the secret police where
I found everything unchanged. I prepared myself for the approaching
changeover. In any case I could be sure now that Fratulon would hold off with
his experiment e   xactly 2 extra minutes, which would give me time to put our
pursuers out of commission.

                                     ****
   I was to learn later what was happening meanwhile at the base:
   In order to prevent any possible interception of radio messages, Fratulon sent
a robot guard over to the spherical spaceship with a written message, which
advised Ice Claw of the approaching vessel. Ice Claw was instructed to open fire
at once if the ship landed. No questions asked, nothing. Just immediate
destruction. Fratulon knew that not only his life but my own depended upon
such a measure as this. He had no other choice.
   He remained in the observatory until the robot returned and confirmed that his
instructions to Ice Claw had been acknowledged. Only then did he return in a
better frame of mind to the power plant deep below the surface. This was at a
time when my note was already there. Under normal conditions he might have
swept it off the console top inadvertently but in its present state it remained
where I had placed it.
   He also received an invisible visit from Morvoner and Parvon, who became
convinced that all preparations for the crucial experiment had been made. The
other Arkonides—that is the entire phantom army—were outside the station in
open territory so that their sudden materialization would not cause any damage.
They had seen no sign of the Maahks. No doubt they had remained on their bi-
dimensional world in order to take advantage of their materialization by
plundering the plantations. In the interim there had been no surprise attacks.
   When Morvoner and Parvon finally materialized in the power plant room and
immediately became visible to Fratulon, he was about to close a switch that
would activate his experiment—but at that moment he also saw the note with my
handwriting on it. He read it hastily, looked at the clock… and waited.
   He waited exactly 2 minutes.

                                    ****

   When I saw the objects become more sharply focussed on board the alien
ship I knew that my materialization was imminent. I just had time to withdraw
from the control room before I felt myself standing on a solid metal deck. From
there I would have to take ten steps to reach the hyper-transmitter. I had lost 20
seconds.
   But with 2 or 3 adjustments I put the hypercom out of commission. Then I ran
back into the power and propulsion compartment where I had already rehearsed
my actions. I had calculated that I would need just about 1 minute here. If in the
meantime one of the Arkonides should appear from up forward I’d have to
neutralize him or he’d kill me. Luckily for me, nobody showed up and I was able
to complete my sabotage work.
   When this tripped off a shrill alarm in the tiny ship I knew that only seconds
remained for me. By my reckoning, Fratulon must be activating his experiment at
that very moment. Exactly 120 seconds had elapsed since the start of the
materialization.
   I had squeezed myself into the farthest comer of the compartment, seeking
cover behind a generator so that the enemy would not discover me immediately.
But nothing happened so far. Perhaps the three Arkonides were looking first for
a malfunction in the alarm system. It may not have occurred to them yet that
something was actually wrong with their propulsion unit. They would only
discover the defect of the hypercom when it was too late.
   Suddenly I had a sensation as though an invisible force was beginning to pull
at me. I had already closed my space helmet in order not to take any risks. I
knew that if my dematerialization did not occur soon I would have to leave the
ship in material form because it was falling with an increasing velocity toward the
red sun and within a few hours it would plunge into it and be consumed. Before
that time, however, the experiment must have succeeded, or if not I would
simply returned back to the bi-dimensional world. In either case I would have
been removed from danger.
   I dematerialised but it was entirely different than before. I felt disembodied as
usual and I practically “fell” through the hull of the ship into empty space but my
conscious mind registered every detail. It was as though the ship remained
behind me although it was on a collision course with the red sun and was unable
to change it. Kraumon stood off slightly beyond the sun and to one side.
   I too was hurtling toward the system’s central star but I could definitely see
that my single destination was Kraumon. When I tried to feel my body I couldn’t
find it. Previously I had always been able to feel my body as though it were
physically real but not this time. Yet I could see it.
   The experiment… had it really succeeded?
   Kraumon grew swiftly before me. Nothing braked my incredibly swift fall,
which appeared to presage my ultimate destruction. Even if I were bodiless such
an impact would shatter whatever essence that contained me—or if there was to
be no impact then the other alternative faced me of falling straight on through the
planet itself and continuing on into eternity.
   But all my fears turned out to be superfluous.
   I also saw 4 or 5 Maahks falling through space toward Kraumon. By this I
was certain that Fratulon’s hyper-energy explosion had affected everyone
involved in a bi-dimensional state whether they were on Kraumon or anywhere
else within the extensive range of its effects. I did not concern myself about the
Maahks but instead concentrated on the moment when I would reach the planet’s
surface.
   Actually nothing happened at all.
   In one second I was looking down at the station below me. It rushed swiftly at
me until the buildings took in my entire field of vision. In the next second I was
standing on solid ground outside the base among the Arkonides—and all of us
were fully materialized and in the actual material state.
   The only question remaining was how long the condition would last.
   But I didn’t have time to think about it nor did the Arkonides. Blinding beams
of energy came from all sides and killed at least 100 of the Arkonide troops
before the rest of them could put up a defence against the Maahks’ treacherous
attack. I had turned on my own defence screen and sought cover in the nearby
forest. I couldn’t make it to any of the station buildings. Three Maahks stood in
front of the nearest dome and fired uninterruptedly. Our big spaceship was at the
other side of the base area, which prevented Ice Claw from taking a hand in the
battle.
   So it seemed that my altruistic mission had been in vain. The Maahks had not
accepted my recommendation and although the warlike Arkonides had their
shortcomings in this case they were blameless.
   A hot wave of anger engulfed me. So this was the thanks we got for having
brought them back into the normal universe! Once they had finished the
Arkonides they would no doubt attack the station itself. Only now they were no
longer bi-dimensional—they couldn’t disappear anymore. And that, in a sense,
could be their undoing.
   I found shelter among the trees and observed the fight from a safe distance
without taking part in it myself. Before the total number of seven Maahks could
be destroyed, about half of the entire Arkonide force was killed. By my
reckoning there were now 200 Arkonide survivors and thirteen Maahks. So the
old ratio stood more or less the same.
   My main worry now was how to get to Fratulon.

                                    ****

   My target building was only a few hundred meters distant but that journey
turned out to be a virtual Odyssey. The surviving Arkonides had gone for cover
in the outlying buildings of the station, where they had entrenched themselves.
Some of them hurried into the now familiar arsenal in order to replenish their
supply of weapons and energy recharges. There was nothing to be seen of the
remaining Maahks.
   The Arkonide sentinels let me pass when they recognized me and Parvon Kher
discovered me shortly thereafter.
   “Looks like it’s working,” he said, clapping me on the shoulder. “This
Fratulon fellow is tremendous. Now we’re back again in the world of reality.”
   I pointed behind me at the corpses lying about. “It doesn’t look any better
than the unreality we came from, Parvon Kher. Is this mad slaughter to continue
forever? There is no place for this war on Kraumon because it is precisely here
that we are preparing galactic peace.”
   “The Maahks started it, you know that yourself—or weren’t you here when it
all began?”
   “Yes, I witnessed it, and the blame is not on your side. I know you were only
defending yourselves. Nevertheless I’ll never give up hoping that all this can be
brought to a stop.”
   “A futile hope,” said Parvon Kher. “This war has become so much a part of
our flesh and blood that it seems we can’t live without it.”
   “That I’ll agree with!” I answered bitterly. “Soon there’ll be none of you alive
and all because you don’t want to live without war.”
   “The problem will be solved when we’ve destroyed the rest of the Maahks.
It’s as simple as that.”
   “I’m afraid it isn’t all that simple,” I retorted, and I left him standing there.
   When I encountered Fratulon in the power plant area he hugged me
wordlessly. Gamno came up and slapped me on the shoulder. He said nothing
either but I knew what he was trying to say. Morvoner Sprangh was also present
but he merely nodded silently.
   “So now the problems are only getting started,” said Fratulon as he glanced
significantly at Morvoner. “We have to try to hold this war off, to keep it at a
distance from the station. Morvoner has promised to see to it that the Arkonides
get off the base proper and draw back into the woods. If no peace can be
established, then the final conflict will happen there.”
   “It’s all so damned senseless!” exclaimed Morvoner bitterly.
   “Of course it is,” Fratulon agreed. “Especially now when you could all be
leading a normal life again. Normal and natural, that is. But instead you seem to
want to die an unnatural death.”
   Morvoner surprised us then with a revelation. “I’ve given over the top
command to Parvon Kher,” he said. “I don’t wish to be a part of this bloodbath
anymore. Atlan has convinced me that killing can only be justified in self-
defence. So we should only engage in defensive actions, no more attacks.
Naturally I’ll be with my comrades if the Maahks make any more raids but I’ll
never again plan an attack against them or lead one.”
   Ice Claw made a surprise entrance. He had put the big ship under positronic
security again and turned on the defence screen. I was the first one he greeted
but then he reported: “The robot brought me the orders because I wasn’t on
radio intercom. So this whole thing has worked out, as well as the matter of the
foreign ship. I lost it in the trackers and sensors but as far as I could see of its
course it must have fallen into the sun. Wasn’t that a bit too rough, Atlan?”
   Before I could react to his question or vindicate myself, Fratulon answered for
me: “No, Ice Claw, their penalty was not unjust, and there’s no way you could
connect that event with the war between the Arkonides and the Maahks. Their
fight is senseless because now they could easily finish out their lives either here
or on some other world. They keep killing each other merely out of habit. But the
men who were on their way here in that space interceptor might have betrayed us
as well as the existence of this base, and what that could have meant you know,
yourself. Our mission would have come to an end and Orbanashol would have
remained the Imperator of Arkon forever.”
   It was too late for him to catch his mistake.
   Morvoner glanced quickly from him to me. “Orbanashol? Who is
Orbanashol? The Imperator of Arkon is Gonozal. We have given our oaths of
loyalty and obedience to him alone, forever.”
   Now it was Fratulon’s turn to give me a helpless look.
   I shrugged and opened up to Morvoner. “I’ve k it from you until now,
                                                         ept
Morvoner, but Gonozal has been dead for 15 years. He was murdered and after
his death his brother, Orbanashol, took the throne. You couldn’t know that so
up to this point your oath has been valid. But now it is null and void.”
   “Gonozal—dead?!” I could see that this was a very real shock to Morvoner,
which brought him all the closer to me. He must have revered my father very
much. “Murdered, you say? By whom?”
   Before Fratulon could answer, I took charge of the situation. “I’ll explain it all
to you later, Morvoner, after we’re straightened out here on Kraumon. Those
men whose ship is failing into the sun were after us. They are bloodhounds of
the new Imperator and they are our enemies as well as yours. You’ll understand
that when you come to know everything that’s happened. I sent them to their
deaths because we didn’t have any other alternative but you can believe me when
I tell you that they are working with tile murderer of Gonozal. You will soon
come to understand the connection.”
   “Your word is good enough for now, Atlan. You know that I’m your friend
and that I trust you. But later you’re going to have to explain it all.”
   “I’ve promised you that already,” I assured him.

                                     ****

   The news that Gonozal had long been dead seemed to have no impact upon
the course of events as far as the Arkonide warriors and the Maahks were
concerned. Their mutual hatred was so deeply rooted that the war was continued
in spite of its absolute futility.
   In spite of an urgent appeal by Morvoner, Parvon Kher considered it his
bound duty to root out the rest of the Maahks. So when on the second day after
our return to normalcy the Maahks renewed their attacks I took it upon myself to
make a peace offer, speaking over the station’s outdoor P.A. system. At least
Parvon Kher had gone along with that much.
   The Maahks ceased firing and listened to the message. I repeated it three times
in order to make sure that everyone understood it. I counted seven Maahks who
stood on the edge of the woods and listened. From all appearances they seemed
to be undecided whether to carry out their raid or not.
   But then the monstrous betrayal happened.
   Parvon Kher gave orders to fire.
   It was only with great difficulty that I kept Morvoner from rushing out to the
Arkonides in a transport of rage. I knew that we could exert no further influence
on that which now ensued. Our last chance for peace was gone.
   The surprised Maahks had turned off their defence screens as otherwise they
would not have been able to hear the P.A. announcement, so now for a few
seconds they were defenceless. Five of them fell at once while the remaining two
charged the Arkonides, creating such havoc that I couldn’t watch it anymore.
They wreaked a terrible revenge for the presumed betrayal and finally died in the
concentrated fire of the defenders.
   According to my calculations now there were only 6 Maahks left and about 80
Arkonides.

                                     ****

   On the following morning, Fratulon said: “I like this fellow, Morvoner
Sprangh, Atlan.”
   “That makes two of us, Fratulon.”
   “We have to make sure he doesn’t make some stupid mistake that would
cause him to be lost to us. Don’t you think you should tell him the whole truth
now? Perhaps it would be better.”
   I didn’t have to ponder the question for long. Once more it seemed that
Fratulon had read my thoughts. “You’re right, Fratulon. I’ll talk to him today. I’ll
need a few documents of proof and they are in the scoutship. Will you give me
the key to it?”
   As he gave me the key he said, “You know where the documentation are kept.
Once you convince him we will have gained a valuable ally. Acquaint him with
the swearing in procedure. If he’ll take the oath he’ll belong to us.”
   Ice Claw came unceremoniously into Fratulon’s room. “I don’t understand it,”
he announced by way of greeting.
   “What makes it so special if you don’t understand something?” asked
Fratulon.
   Ice Claw did not seem to take offence. “All those dead Arkonides and the
dead Maahks outside—they’ve disappeared. Can you explain it?”
   “Disappeared?!” Fratulon appeared to be shaken by this. “What do you mean,
disappeared? Have the others buried them already?”
   “Of course not! What would be so strange about that? They haven’t been
buried at all, they’ve simply disappeared. They’ve turned invisible. After they
died they returned into hyperspace.”
   Fratulon thought a moment and then offered a theory: “Perhaps it’s because
they were too long in the other plane. They’re too heavily tied to it. Even though
they were pulled back to normal existence by the explosion, once they are
physically dead here the hyperspace connection takes effect again. Mental
resistance may have something to do with it—it dies out when they die. That
would be the most plausible explanation. Anything else would be a bit too wild
to contemplate.”
   “You mean I shouldn’t work up a sweat about it?” asked Ice Claw. “I’m dead
serious!”
   “No—that’s too serious. It might be bad for your health,” advised Fratulon,
and he then turned to me. “Go and talk to Morvoner. See if you can win him
over to our cause.”
   After Morvoner’s separation from his troops he had been assigned a room
inside the station. This had occurred as a result of the betrayal of the Maahks.
Parvon Kher and his remaining 80 fighters had been restricted from entering the
base. They were encamped on the edge of the forest.
   Morvoner was already awake. When I told him the purpose of my visit he
asked no further questions. He washed and dressed and after shoving his energy
gun in his belt he followed me. I made no objection to the safety precaution
although I myself was unarmed.
   We left the station and crossed the open space to the disc-shaped ship. With
the help of the positronic key I opened the entrance hatch and shut off the alarm
system. After we entered I carefully closed the airlock hatch again so that we
would be safe from surprise. To make doubly sure, I also activated the defence
screen.
   In the small control room I pointed to one of the seats. “Sit down, Morvoner.
I have something to tell you. You said my word was good enough but I’m going
to give you more than that. After I show you some evidence of what I am going
to say you will be able to decide whether you’re on our side or not.”
   “You know that I’m on your side, Atlan.”
   “But you don’t know everything yet,” I told him, deliberately holding off his
premature eagerness. “Just wait and see and then decide. It’s better that way.”
   He took a seat while I procured some photographs and documents from the
wall safe. Then I also sat down.
   “Gonozal was the rightful Imperator at the time you were serving in the Fleet.
He was assassinated by his brother, Orbanashol, who has since assumed the
powers of the Imperator of Arkon. I have the substantiation of these facts, which
are from reliable sources, and I’m going to show it to you. Fratulon was
personal physician to Gonozal and he was forced to flee, taking me with him.
Morvoner, I am Gonozal’s son and as such I am the rightful heir to the throne. I
was 4 years old when my father presumably was killed in a hunting accident.
Until a short time ago I did not know my true identity but I know it now. I seek
worthy allies and comrades in arms, my friend. Fratulon certainly counts as one
of them, as well as Ice Claw and Gamno. All of us hope that you will belong to
our group, and that’s why I’ve taken you into my confidence. The decision is
yours—but don’t be too hasty. Whoever becomes my friend and whoever is a
member of our central core may also have Death as his companion.”
   I actually expected him to spontaneously declare himself to be my confederate
yet I felt no surprise when he did not.
   “Atlan, I believe your every word,” he said, “and this news really shakes me to
my foundations but don’t ask me for an immediate answer. I’m in the habit of
very careful deliberation when it comes to such matters. I know I’ll react
favourably to all this and will join you—nevertheless no one will ever accuse me
of having decided at the drop of a hat. I need the time… let’s say, one day…”
   I shook his hand. “One day is not too much to ask for a decision of such
magnitude, Morvoner. Now ask whatever questions you have, if some of these
things seem to need more clarification. Back there 20 years ago, did you leave a
family behind you?”
   “Even if I had I would have been long dead for them, Atlan. I’m free,
completely free—but I’m also old.”
   “A man like you does not measure his age in terms of years,” I assured him,
with conviction. “You have a wealth of experience and that’s why I’d like to ask
you if there’s any solution in the case of Parvon Kher. I would not like to see
him die.”
   “He’ll die just like his men and the Maahks. No one will be left.”
   I took him at his word because I also knew this. My last scrap of hope
vanished in this regard. “And there’s nothing we can do?”
   He shook his head. “No, we can’t do a thing about it. Absolutely nothing.”
   After that I showed him the few documents we had which confirmed my
claims. The mute testimony wasn’t much but it must have convinced him beyond
any shadow of a doubt that we were speaking the truth. Nevertheless he still
adhered to his intention to think it over. By the next day he would have arrived at
his decision.

                                    ****

   However foolish it may have been, I decided to make one last try. The next
morning I left the station and went unarmed to confer with Parvon Kher and his
greatly reduced contingent of troops. Only 80 soldiers were left out of the
original 5,000 men who had been rubbed out in a futile conflict which made a
victim of either side.
   “Morvoner is a coward,” he announced by way of greeting, and he didn’t so
much as offer me a seat on the broad tree root he was sitting on. “He’s left us in
the lurch.”
   “Intelligence and cowardice are not always to be compared, Parvon Kher. The
Maahks might have been ready to negotiate if you had not acted too hastily. All
of you might have peacefully lived out your lives here on Kraumon. But all that’s
over and done with. The only thing you have to look forward to is death.”
   “We’re not afraid of it, and besides, we’re doing our duty.”
   For a moment I considered revealing the truth to him but then thought
otherwise. “Each does his duty where he sees it.”
   “That’s what deserters often say.”
   I was losing my patience. “If you were a man of reason I could show you that
you are the deserter but I’m afraid any further argument would be purposeless.
Your minds have been warped by a fixed idea and nobody can help you
anymore.” I got up and looked toward the station. “Maybe one day you’ll come
to your senses and then you’ll always be welcome on the base. From here on,
however, you’ll have to straighten yourself out on your own. Farewell, Parvon
Kher.”
   “The best to you, Atlan,” he almost growled. He was too stubborn to yield
even one inch.
   I returned to the base whose borders were guarded by robots. It was
impossible for anyone to get into the place unnoticed.
   Morvoner came up to me before I had reached the first of the buildings. “For
Atlan and Arkon—unto death!” he said ceremoniously, raising his hands. Then
he reached out to grasp mine.
   “So you have decided?” I asked superfluously, although I wanted to assure
myself.
   “I did that yesterday even before I learned you were the son of our
Imperator.” He pointed beyond me. “Were you able to accomplish anything?”
   “No, but it was to be expected. Parvon Kher and his warriors are lost. The
Maahks will snuff them out.”
   “They’re obliterating themselves,” replied Morvoner, and he led the way as we
entered the dome, intent upon finding Fratulon and the others. Our new alliance
had to be formalized.
   We found all of them in the observatory. Fratulon indicated the viewscreen as
we came in.
   “You did a good job, Atlan,” he said. “Do you want to be a witness to the
final phase?”
   At first I didn’t know what he meant but then a short impulse from my extra-
brain reminded me of the Kralasenes. “How much longer?” I asked.
   “Half an hour. The red star’s gravity is exerting an increasing force on the
ship. Even if their propulsion were intact there’d be no chance for them now.
Soon it’ll be over with—they’re probably dead by now anyway.”
   I saw a flaming solar protuberance reach out into space as though to grasp the
tiny blip of light that represented the bounty hunters’ ship. It seemed as if the
great star were growing impatient to receive its burnt offering. A feeling of
bitterness crept over me as I thought that I had caused the deaths of three
Arkonides. But what else could I have done?
   Fratulon placed a hand on my arm. “Either they would have betrayed us or we
would have had to keep them as prisoners for the rest of their lives. After all, you
gave them the quick way out. If they had returned without us, Blind Sofgart
would have punished them in a much more lingering manner.”
   We waited in silence until the ship finally plunged into the sun and resolved
itself into its atomic components. It only lasted a second or so and then it was
over with. Fratulon shut off the viewscreen.
   “Morvoner has made his decision,” I announced.
   We placed our hands together, one on the other, and recited the oath together.
And now we were five.
                         7/ PHASE OUT-PHASE IN

   For a few days we had peace and quiet.
   Only rarely did we catch sight of the Arkonides who had pulled back into the
forest to the North of the base. On a reconnaissance foray I saw them starting to
build log cabins. I kept myself in concealment from them as I only wished to
observe.
   We had not seen any signs of the six surviving Maahks. Perhaps they had
withdrawn down to the lake, which was a few kilometres distant at least. In that
area there was wild game as well as plants bearing edible fruit. As far as I was
concerned they could spend the rest of their lives there if they wanted to. Since
there were no female Maahks among them there was no danger of a Maahk
population expansion.
   The situation was largely the same with the Arkonides. They would gradually
die out and cease to be a source of danger, aside from the fact that in their
remaining life span they would also be unable to leave the planet of Kraumon
since the only available spaceships belonged to us.
   And that was precisely the point that was to be brought to our attention later.
   Meanwhile the work robots on the base had cleaned up and repaired the
damages that had been caused by the “phantom” contenders. For me and
Fratulon and Gamno and Ice Claw it was the beginning of normalcy, if indeed
anything about our lives could be called “normal”.
   Then, too, Morvoner Sprangh was a part of us now and he was gradually
made aware of all our secrets. He was inflamed with the idea of fighting against
the brutal usurper Orbanashol and hurling him from the throne. Although he
himself had had no experience under the tyrant’s rule we were able to show him
documents and other proofs which would have thoroughly convinced a far
greater sceptic than he was.
   We then considered the plans for the immediate future. We had been able to
determine that the station had been restored to the point where it was once more
ready for action. The day came when we were all together at mealtime and
Fratulon reviewed the situation.
   “It wouldn’t be wise for us to jump the gun prematurely,” he told us. “Yet the
incident with that search ship that fell into the sun shows us all too clearly that
they’re still on our heels. I don’t know how our trail was picked up but it’s a sure
sign that somebody found a clue. You must not underestimate Sofgart the Blind.
He is our immediate and most sinister enemy.”
   “In Gonozal’s time we didn’t have such characters,” asserted Morvoner. “In
those days nobody was spied on and pursued—much less murdered. There
were just laws that one was held accountable for and if a person was in the right
he was able to benefit by right justice.”
   “Much has changed since my father’s death, Morvoner,” I told him in all
truthfulness. “Your strictly but justly ruled Imperium of the past has now
become a bloodthirsty dictatorship which no one dares to oppose. But whoever
risks it will have the bloodhounds after him—as in our case.”
   “Just let them come!” exclaimed Morvoner. “They won’t take this base! But
it’s too bad my remaining Arkonide warriors are so stupid. They would be
splendid confederates to have.”
   “Their routine of habit and hate have made them unusable for such a task,”
said Tirako Gamno. “I often think it would be better if they were dead.”
   “You mustn’t say that!” cried Ice Claw, somewhat outraged by the idea.
“They have been through an incredible gamut of terrible suffering. They should
have earned their peace and reward by now.”
   “They don’t want peace!” interjected Morvoner. “Unfortunately I have to
agree with Gamno. They would be better off dead.”
   “Only a short while ago you were also living on such hate,” I reminded him.
   “That was a different situation, something else entirely. A man has to be
flexible in his attitude and be able to make compromises. Even the Maahks have
shown that they were ready to negotiate, if anybody gave them a chance. But I’m
afraid it’s too late now.”
   “Perhaps not,” said Fratulon, although not too optimistically. “There’s been
peace these past few days. I hope it will stay that way.”
   Before any of us could continue the discussion, the alarm bells rang. We
remained seated and stared at each other. There hadn’t been any alarms for a
long time now because if any Arkonide had tried to enter the station the robot
sentinels would have always sent him back. And of course there were no more
ghostly invasions.
   So what could this alarm mean?
   Fratulon finally got up and went over to the illuminated map with an almost
deliberate slowness. “The worst it could be would be a signal from the tracking
station,” he said, “which would mean that another ship is approaching us. The
station is programmed so that nobody can come into this system without being
detected, and their only target would have to be this planet since it’s the only one
here.” When he reached the map, however, he suddenly whirled to face us. “The
disc I” he exclaimed, referring to our scoutship. “The alarm is coming from
there! Let’s go, friends, that calls for action…!”
   The disc—our splendid little flier that had brought us here!
   “An attack!” shouted Gamno, springing to his feet.
   We couldn’t be sure of that. There was no direct video contact with the
scoutship. Short of running outside to see it, the only other alternative was the
observatory. Up there we’d be able to see it directly. Fratulon decided on the
safest method.
   When the observatory’s big screen brightened we saw our flying disc standing
in the approaching twilight of evening. But by contrast to the concentrated
energy beams of the Arkonides the twilight was converted to a blackness of
night. The glaring bright coruscation of flames glancing off the defence screen
blinded us and made us close our eyes.
   The objective of the incorrigibles was immediately apparent and Morvoner
expressed it aloud: “They want the ship so they can leave Kraumon. They don’t
dare to make a try for the big ship because it’s too much for them. Fratulon, can
they blast through that defence screen?”
Fratulon squinted his eyes, straining to look at the fire-bathed ship. Our
observation screen brought it so close to us that we seemed to be only a few
dozen meters away from it. He seemed to be undecided as to what should be
done.
   “It would be possible if they were systematic about it and all stuck to the same
method. Then the screen would collapse. Then they’d be able to break through
the outer lock door without doing irreparable damage.”
   “In that case we’d better do something to keep them from it, Fratulon!”
   I was completely in agreement with Morvoner. We couldn’t just stand there
and watch while the Arkonides took our ship. But before I could say anything
something happened that made any other comments superfluous. It wasn’t
ourselves who blocked the Arkonides from handling the ship but rather a totally
unexpected ally: the Maahks!
   They must have approached from the forest without being observed because
their attack came with surprising swiftness and deadly precision before we could
do a thing about it. At least half of the Arkonides died before Parvon Kher could
organize a defence. The ship had suddenly become incidental although it was
basically the reason for the entire massacre.
   Morvoner stood next to me and groaned aloud. “By the gods, we can’t permit
that! We have to help them…!”
   “They were going to steal our ship,” said Fratulon in a colder tone than I had
ever heard him use. “Sooner or later this decisive encounter had to take place. I
have no intention of keeping the Arkonides or the Maahks from killing each
other. And I’d like to give you something to think about: do you think,
Morvoner, that there is a single Arkonide or Maahk out there who would ever
thank you for hindering them in their mutual murder—or for perhaps dying
yourself in the attempt?”
   Morvoner stared in fascination at the viewscreen but did not give an answer.
   The Arkonides had taken cover on the edge of the forest and were now
returning a concentrated fire against the Maahks. By actual numbers the ratio
began to straighten out again. Three Maahks died almost at once. The remaining
three gave up the senseless fight. Ignoring the Arkonides they turned back to
storm the ship.
   I looked over at Fratulon. He had no other choice now but to take action if he
did not want to endanger the ship. His face had become angular and hard,
revealing a severity in him that I had never seen before.
   Pressing a few buttons on a nearby emergency panel, he made contact with
the combat robots who had been waiting in the arsenal for years to receive a
battle assignment. With a radio impulse he released their security block and gave
them the order to move into the fighting. What happened then, and which we
were able to observe from the safety of the observatory, was the final
consequence of the implacable hatred of the Arkonides and the Maahks and their
unwillingness to compromise.
   Only when faced with a threat of death exterior to themselves was there an
astonishing unification of thought whereby both sides were forced to work
together but by then it was too late. Neither the Arkonides nor the Maahks had
an opportunity to benefit by a lesson that cost them their lives.
   Under cover of super powerful defence screens, the heavy combat robots
emerged from the station and marched out onto the field of battle. In fact they
moved right into the crossfire of the contending forces and took prompt police
action without any favouritism for one side or the other. Their one objective was
to defend the scoutship, nothing more.
   We followed the ensuing events in silence. Morvoner’s fists were clenched as
he saw his former comrades fall one by one. I was sorry for him at the moment
but I knew he’d recover from the shock when everything was over with. We had
done more than enough in the interests of peace, and from that point of view we
were not to blame for what was happening.
   The Maahks were the first to hold their fire against their normal foes. Instead
they levelled a concentrated defensive fire against the robots, and moments later
the Arkonides followed their example. For the first time in their turbulent history,
representatives of both enemy races faced a common enemy. Without any
previous agreement they fought as allies together in order to save their lives. In
the face of common death they had finally seen the truth and grasped the
meaning of collective action which would have meant survival. It was a
perspective that arrived too late.
   “Can’t you call back those robots?” asked Ice Claw.
   Fratulon gave no reply. I was sure that he could have done so with ease but I
realized that in another sense he could not stay the punishment he had unleashed.
We would only be safe on Kraumon when the last of those Arkonides and the
last of the Maahks had fallen.
   I saw a few of the robots succumb to the fury of concentrated energy beams.
Sporadic shots still bounced off the ship’s screen but they could do no damage
now. Three Arkonides retreated into the woods but two combat robots followed
them with merciless precision. Shortly thereafter we saw distant lightning at a
distance between the trunks and a few trees burst into flame. Then the two
robots returned unscathed to the main scene of the fighting.
   I turned away and sat down. Gamno joined me.
   “It’s horrible!” he said hoarsely.
   I only nodded in silence.
   One hour later, Fratulon ordered the robots to return to the station. Their grim
labours were finished.

                                    ****

   The air transport flier from the spacesphere had brought us to the peak of the
nearby mountain and set us down there. Below in the station there was no one
because it was no longer necessary for anybody to stay there,
   Fratulon had announced the arrival of a new phase of work without expanding
on the subject but when we left the big spaceship on our present excursion he
had said this was a well-earned day of rest. So we were on the mountain now
enjoying the view of the Paradise planet that we had all to ourselves once more.
   Farther below was the lake with its forested shores and its islands. Beyond
stretched the grassy plains, whereas the buildings of the base could be seen
below us to our left. Aside from a few crude cabins and barricades in the woods
there were no signs left of the Arkonides and the Maahks. The dead of those lost
legions of the damned had returned whence they had come: into hyperspace.
   The war of the ghosts had ended.
   Which could not be said of our problems, however.
   “Are we going to stay here?” I asked Fratulon. “What’s the next chore we
have to tackle?”
   He did not look at me. His gaze swept the forests and steppes of his planet
but he answered me: “We still have work to do here at the base. This phantom
invasion has delayed us. The supplies and equipment that have been pilfered will
have to be replaced. Fortunately there are no further repairs to be made, at least
none that are of any consequence. If we are going to continue to operate
successfully we can only do so when we are sure of having a safe sanctuary here
on Kraumon, which will mean that we’ll have to be fully able to defend ourselves
against attacks from the outside. What we need is heavy weapons. I’m
thoroughly convinced that those three bloodhounds of Sofgart the Blind didn’t
come here by chance. The conversation you overheard on board their ship is
clear enough evidence of that fact. Who can say that such an event will not
occur again?”
   Ice Claw had been listening and now he made some inquiries of his own:
“Then what you’re saying is: we’re going to stay here awhile longer? I’m just
wondering where you’re going to get all this equipment for beefing up the
station. Heavy ordnance like you’re talking about can’t be picked up at the store
around the corner—aside from the fact that there aren’t any stores available.”
   “Now that’s a real sharp observation,” said Fratulon with a touch of sarcasm.
“I didn’t quite have a shopping tour in mind. Naturally the items I mentioned are
already here. They are in deep storage far below the surface and all that’s
necessary is to bring them up and install them. Of course there’s a lot of work
involved in all that but we do have the robots. On the other hand I’ll confess
there are some items that are still lacking and those we’ll have to see about.”
   Morvoner had been standing slightly apart from us but had nevertheless
followed the conversation thus far. Instead of entering into it he had waited until
Fratulon and Ice Claw fell silent again. Then he turned to us but seemed to be
addressing me primarily.
   “You told me what happened—that is, 15 years ago. What I’m interested in
knowing is what’s going on today. I mean, has the Imperium expanded? What’s
become of the war against the Maahks? Are we going to conquer them?”
   Fratulon answered for me: “The whole war against the Maahks just keeps on
going and there’s still no end in sight. Of course the Imperium has expanded,
necessarily so, because new planets kept being added—especially those that
became involved because of the fighting itself, aside from the fact that a galactic
war causes new worlds and races to be discovered. As to who will win? I’m
sorry, Morvoner, I don’t know the answer to that question, myself. Could be
that both sides will lose just as we have witnessed here on Kraumon. “He looked
down toward the station again. “In any war, both sides must lose, Morvoner—
it’s a natural law.”
   “I wouldn’t have agreed with you a short while ago,” admitted Morvoner, “but
I realize it now.”
   We remained on the mountain for about three hours and then the flier took us
back to the base again.
   Ice Claw headed for the automatic kitchen. I accompanied him, ever
fascinated to see the food and drink he consumed going down through his body.
At such times he would smile with forbearance but usually did not spare me his
ironic remarks.
   Gamno and M      orvoner went on a hike down to the lake to take a swim and
bathe themselves.
   On the following day the real work of fortifying the base would finally get
underway with the installation of some major defensive weapons. We were
determined not to be taken by surprise again.
  None of us knew then that we did not have much of a reprieve at our disposal.
The new menace was already approaching and this time there weren’t any
phantoms involved.
  This time we would be met by hard reality.

                                  THE END