WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:05.679 World Beyond Pluto, a Johnny Mayhem adventure by C. H. Thames. 2 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:12.000 They loaded the Overage spaceship at night because Triton's Won 3 00:00:12.119 --> 00:00:15.560 spaceport was too busy with the oarships from Neptune during 4 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:22.519 the day to handle it. Symphonies, Pitchblen Hardesty groaned. Pitchblend 5 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:26.199 Hardesty was the stevedor foreman, and he had supervised upwards 6 00:00:26.199 --> 00:00:30.480 of a thousand loadings on Triton's crowded blastways, everything from 7 00:00:30.559 --> 00:00:33.640 the standard mining equipment to the innards of a new 8 00:00:33.679 --> 00:00:37.560 tavern for Triton City's so called Street of Sin, to 9 00:00:37.880 --> 00:00:42.359 special anti riot weapons for the Interstellar Penitentiary, not fifty 10 00:00:42.359 --> 00:00:46.679 four miles from Triton City, but never a symphony orchestra, 11 00:00:47.479 --> 00:00:54.679 and most assuredly, never never an all girl symphony orchestra. Symphonies. 12 00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:59.439 Pitchbland Hardesty groaned again as several stevedors came out on 13 00:00:59.479 --> 00:01:03.000 the blast lugging a harp, a bass fiddle, and a 14 00:01:03.079 --> 00:01:08.159 kettle drum. I'm off at, Pitchbland, one of the stevedores said, 15 00:01:08.200 --> 00:01:11.519 with a grin. I didn't say you staying away from 16 00:01:11.560 --> 00:01:16.959 the music hall. That was true enough, Pitchbland Hardesty had 17 00:01:17.000 --> 00:01:21.159 to admit he was a small, wiry man with amazing 18 00:01:21.239 --> 00:01:24.400 strength in his slim body and the lore of a 19 00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:28.680 solar system which had been bypassed by thirtieth century civilization, 20 00:01:29.319 --> 00:01:33.760 for the lures of interstellar exploration in his brain. While 21 00:01:33.799 --> 00:01:37.719 the symphony, the All Girl Symphony, had been playing its 22 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:42.319 engagement at Triton's makeshift music hall, Hardesty had visited the 23 00:01:42.359 --> 00:01:47.959 place three times. Well it wasn't the music sharis heck, 24 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:51.879 he told his critic. Now, who ever saw a hundred 25 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:56.159 girls in one place at one time? On Triton. The 26 00:01:56.200 --> 00:02:00.519 stevedor rolled his eyes and offered Pitchbland a suggestive whistle. 27 00:02:01.359 --> 00:02:04.319 Hardesty booted him in the rump, and the stevador had 28 00:02:04.359 --> 00:02:06.640 all he could do to stop from falling into the 29 00:02:06.680 --> 00:02:10.960 kettle drum. Just then, a loud bell set up a 30 00:02:11.000 --> 00:02:15.319 lonely tolling and pitch blend Hardest, he exclaimed, prison break. 31 00:02:16.280 --> 00:02:18.639 The bell could be heard all over the two hundred 32 00:02:18.680 --> 00:02:22.479 square miles of inhabitable Triton, under the glass site dome 33 00:02:22.680 --> 00:02:26.879 which enclosed the small city, the spaceport, the immigration station 34 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:32.520 for nearby Neptune, and the interstellar penitentiary. The bell hadn't 35 00:02:32.520 --> 00:02:35.960 told for ten years. The last time it had told 36 00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:40.159 pitch Blend, Hardesty had been a newcomer on Neptune's Big Moon. 37 00:02:41.000 --> 00:02:45.439 That wasn't surprising, for Interstellar Penitentiary was as close to 38 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:50.080 escape proof as a prison could be. All Right, all right, 39 00:02:50.360 --> 00:02:54.120 pitch Blenn snapped, hurry up and get r loaded. Wat's 40 00:02:54.199 --> 00:02:57.960 the rush, one of the stevadors asked. The gals ain't 41 00:02:57.960 --> 00:03:01.280 even arrived from the hotel yet. I'll tell you what 42 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:05.039 the rush is, Pitchblend declared, as the bell told again. 43 00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:09.080 If you were an escape prisoner on Triton, just where 44 00:03:09.080 --> 00:03:12.759 would you head? Why? I don't know for sure, Pitchblend. 45 00:03:13.560 --> 00:03:17.159 I'll tell you where. You'd head for the spaceport, fast 46 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:19.800 as your legs could carry you. You'd head for an 47 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:23.479 outgoing spaceship because it would be your only hope. And 48 00:03:23.639 --> 00:03:28.000 how many outgoing spaceships are there to night? Why? Just 49 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:32.039 two or three? Because all our business is in the daytime. 50 00:03:32.599 --> 00:03:34.960 So if the convict was smart enough to get out, 51 00:03:35.400 --> 00:03:40.159 he'll be smart enough to come here. We got no weapons, 52 00:03:40.520 --> 00:03:43.719 the stevedore said. We ain't even got a pea shooter 53 00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:49.120 weapons on Triton. You kidding a frontier moon like this, 54 00:03:49.680 --> 00:03:52.879 the place would be blasted apart every night. It' a 55 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:55.599 steppin couldn't hold all the disturbers of the piece if 56 00:03:55.639 --> 00:04:01.599 we had o some guns. But the convict, yeah, Pitchblenn 57 00:04:01.599 --> 00:04:06.840 said grimly, he'll be armed, all right. Pitchblen rushed back 58 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:09.719 to the manifest shed as the bell told a third time. 59 00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:12.479 He got on the phone and called the desk of 60 00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:17.360 the hotel Triton Hodesty over at the spaceport, he said, 61 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:24.480 loading foreman, Loading foreman. The mild antiseptic voice at the 62 00:04:24.519 --> 00:04:27.000 other end of the connection said it as you would say, 63 00:04:27.160 --> 00:04:33.240 talking dinosaur. Yeah, loading foreman. At night. I'm in charge here. 64 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:40.079 Listen you the manager. The manager haughtily is asleep. I 65 00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:44.680 am the night clerk. Okay, then you tell those hundred 66 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:47.720 girls of years to hurry, don't scare them. But have 67 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:51.519 you heard about the prison break? Heard about it? It's 68 00:04:51.560 --> 00:04:55.279 all I've been hearing. They they want to stay and 69 00:04:55.399 --> 00:05:01.040 see what happens. Don't let em, roared Pitchblend, use any 70 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:04.399 excuse you have to tell him we got a centrifugal 71 00:05:04.480 --> 00:05:08.079 upagal and perhelian parathonitis over here at the spaceport or 72 00:05:08.120 --> 00:05:11.000 any dawn thing. Tell him if they want to blast 73 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:13.839 off tonight, they'll have to get down here quick. You 74 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:19.199 got it, yes, But then do it? Pitchpleann hung up. 75 00:05:19.800 --> 00:05:24.680 The escape bell tolled a fourth time. His name was 76 00:05:24.759 --> 00:05:28.279 house Bartok. He had killed two guards in his escape, 77 00:05:28.600 --> 00:05:31.199 and he was as desperate as a man could be. 78 00:05:32.279 --> 00:05:34.839 He had been sentenced to Interstellpin for killing a man 79 00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:38.920 on Mars in this enlightened age, when capital punishment had 80 00:05:38.920 --> 00:05:44.199 been abolished. Recapture thus wouldn't mean death, but the prison 81 00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:48.360 authorities at Interstellpin could make their own interpretation of what 82 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:52.879 life in prison meant. If house Bartok allowed himself to 83 00:05:52.920 --> 00:05:56.519 be retaken, he would probably spend the remaining years of 84 00:05:56.600 --> 00:06:01.879 his life in solitary confinement. He walked quickly now, but 85 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:05.040 he did not run. He had had an impulse to 86 00:06:05.120 --> 00:06:08.240 run when the first escape bell had told, but that 87 00:06:08.360 --> 00:06:12.079 would have been foolish. Already he was on the outskirts 88 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:15.519 of Triton City because they had not discovered his escape 89 00:06:15.560 --> 00:06:19.160 for two precious hours. He could hole up in the 90 00:06:19.160 --> 00:06:23.600 city lose himself somewhere, but that would only be temporary. 91 00:06:24.439 --> 00:06:28.519 They would find him eventually. Or he could make his 92 00:06:28.600 --> 00:06:32.199 way to the spaceport. He had money in his pocket 93 00:06:32.439 --> 00:06:36.079 the dead guards. He had a guardsman's uniform on, but 94 00:06:36.360 --> 00:06:39.519 stripped of its insignia. It looked like the jumper and 95 00:06:39.639 --> 00:06:43.920 top boots of any spaceman. He had false identification papers 96 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:46.800 if needed, which he had worked on for two years 97 00:06:46.839 --> 00:06:50.040 in the prison print shop where the prison newspaper was 98 00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:54.639 published he had. Suddenly, he flattened himself on the ground 99 00:06:54.680 --> 00:06:57.360 to one side of the road, hugging the gravel and 100 00:06:57.480 --> 00:07:00.920 hardly daring to breathe he heard a vehicle coming from 101 00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:05.319 the direction of Interstellpin. It roared up, making the ground vibrate. 102 00:07:05.800 --> 00:07:09.680 Its lights flashed, It streaked by, trailing a jet of 103 00:07:09.759 --> 00:07:14.920 fire house Bartok didn't move until the afterglow had faded. 104 00:07:15.639 --> 00:07:18.279 He got up and walked steadily along the road which 105 00:07:18.360 --> 00:07:25.399 led from Interstellpin to Triton City. Girls, hurry up with 106 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:32.519 your packing, girls, sighing, Matilda Moriarty subsided. The girls obviously 107 00:07:32.680 --> 00:07:36.279 were in no hurry. That would have been out of character. 108 00:07:37.000 --> 00:07:42.160 Matilda Moriarty sighed again. She was short, stocky, fifty two 109 00:07:42.279 --> 00:07:46.199 years old and the widow of a fabulously wealthy interstellar 110 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:50.480 investment broker. She had a passion for classical music, and 111 00:07:50.600 --> 00:07:53.240 now that her husband had been dead three years, she 112 00:07:53.319 --> 00:07:58.199 had decided to exercise that passion. But for Matilda Moriarty, 113 00:07:58.519 --> 00:08:03.000 a very outgoing fifty two, exercising it had meant passing it. 114 00:08:03.040 --> 00:08:08.079 On the outworlds, Matilda had told her friends lacked culture. 115 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:12.800 The highest form of culture for Matilda was classical music. 116 00:08:13.639 --> 00:08:18.720 Very well, she would bring culture to the outworlds. Triton 117 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:22.079 was her first try, and even now sometimes she had 118 00:08:22.120 --> 00:08:25.079 to pinch herself so she'd know the initial attempt had 119 00:08:25.079 --> 00:08:30.399 been a smashing success. She didn't delude herself completely. It 120 00:08:30.439 --> 00:08:34.159 had been a brainstorm selecting only girls, and pretty young 121 00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:38.279 girls at that for the Interstellar Symphony on a world 122 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:41.679 like Triton, a world which played host to very few 123 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:45.000 women and then usually to the hard types who turned 124 00:08:45.080 --> 00:08:48.279 up on any frontier in any century. A symphony of 125 00:08:48.320 --> 00:08:51.200 a hundred pretty girls was bound to be a success. 126 00:08:52.279 --> 00:08:56.639 But the music, Matilda Moriarty told herself, they had listened 127 00:08:56.639 --> 00:08:59.720 to the music. If they wanted to see the girls 128 00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:02.799 in their latest Earth style evening gowns, they had to 129 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:07.799 listen to the music, and they had listened quietly, earnestly, 130 00:09:08.279 --> 00:09:13.039 apparently enjoying it. The symphony had remained on Triton longer 131 00:09:13.080 --> 00:09:17.759 than planned, playing every night to a full house. Matilda 132 00:09:17.799 --> 00:09:21.200 had had the devil's own time chaperoning her girls, but 133 00:09:21.399 --> 00:09:24.559 that was to be expected. It was their first taste 134 00:09:24.600 --> 00:09:28.080 of the outworlds. It was the outworld's first taste of them. 135 00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:32.080 The Widow Moriarty had had her hands full all right, 136 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:38.639 but secretly she had enjoyed every minute of it. They 137 00:09:38.679 --> 00:09:42.519 say the bell means a prison break. The first violin 138 00:09:42.639 --> 00:09:47.360 squealed excitedly. First violin was twenty two, an earth girl 139 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:50.960 named Jane Cummings and a student at the Conservatory on 140 00:09:51.080 --> 00:09:54.639 Certis Major on Mars. But to the Widow Moriarty, she 141 00:09:55.000 --> 00:10:00.080 was and would remain first violin. That way, calling the 142 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:03.759 the girls after their instruments, the Widow Moriarty could convince 143 00:10:03.799 --> 00:10:07.679 herself that her symphonic music had been of prime importance 144 00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:12.039 on Triton, and her lovely young charges of secondary importance. 145 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:16.080 How many times do I have to tell you to hurry? 146 00:10:17.080 --> 00:10:20.600 But these gowns will need a pressing when you return 147 00:10:20.679 --> 00:10:25.279 to Mars anyway, and a prison break I never saw 148 00:10:25.320 --> 00:10:29.679 a prison break before. It's so exciting. You are not 149 00:10:29.919 --> 00:10:32.799 going to see it. You're just going to hear about it. 150 00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:36.480 Come on, come on, all of you. At that moment, 151 00:10:36.720 --> 00:10:42.360 the room phone rang Hello. The widow Moriarty said, this 152 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:46.720 is Jenkins, ma'am. Desk the spaceport called a few minutes ago. 153 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:51.279 I'm not supposed to frighten you, but well, they're rather 154 00:10:51.399 --> 00:10:55.240 worried about the prison break. The escaped convict. They figure 155 00:10:55.519 --> 00:10:59.960 will head for the spaceport disguised. He could let him 156 00:11:00.200 --> 00:11:03.399 try masquerading as a member of my group. The widow 157 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:07.600 Moriarty said, with a smile, all the same, if you 158 00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:13.399 could hurry, We are hurrying, young man. Yes, ma'am. The 159 00:11:13.480 --> 00:11:19.120 widow Moriarty hung up. Girls. The girls squealed and laughed 160 00:11:19.320 --> 00:11:26.039 and dawdled house. Bartalk felt like laughing. He had just 161 00:11:26.120 --> 00:11:28.799 had his first big break, and it might turn out 162 00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:31.720 to be the only one he needed. On an impulse, 163 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:34.840 he had decided to strike out directly for the spaceport. 164 00:11:35.559 --> 00:11:38.039 He had done so, and now stood on the dark 165 00:11:38.120 --> 00:11:42.480 tarmac between the manifest shed and the pilot barracks, and 166 00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:46.000 not ten minutes after he had reached the spacefield, a 167 00:11:46.120 --> 00:11:49.200 cordon of guards rushed there from Interstelpin and had been 168 00:11:49.240 --> 00:11:53.120 stationed around the field. Had Bartalk arrived just a few 169 00:11:53.159 --> 00:11:56.720 minutes later, he would have been too late, his capture 170 00:11:56.960 --> 00:11:59.879 only a matter of time. As it was now the 171 00:12:00.120 --> 00:12:02.960 oh he had a very good chance of getting away. 172 00:12:03.639 --> 00:12:08.120 Circumstances were in his favor. He could get so far 173 00:12:08.200 --> 00:12:12.200 away that they would never find him. It was simple, 174 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:16.039 get off Triton on a space ship, go any place 175 00:12:16.120 --> 00:12:19.440 that had a big spaceport, and managed to tranship out 176 00:12:19.480 --> 00:12:22.679 in secret. Then all the police would have to search 177 00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:27.159 would be a few quadrillion square miles of space. But 178 00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:32.279 first he had to leave Triton. From the activity at 179 00:12:32.279 --> 00:12:35.080 the port, he could see that three ships were being 180 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:38.399 made ready for blast off. Two of them were purely 181 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:42.919 cargo carriers, but the third, Bartak could tell because he 182 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:48.039 saw hand luggage being loaded would carry passengers. His instinct 183 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:51.720 for survival must have been working overtime. He knew that 184 00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:54.600 the third ship would be his best bet, for if 185 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:58.360 he were discovered and pursued, hostages might make the difference 186 00:12:58.440 --> 00:13:03.840 between recapture and freedom. Bartok waited patiently in the darkness 187 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:08.240 outside the pilot barracks. The only problem was how to 188 00:13:08.360 --> 00:13:12.679 discover which pilot belonged to which ship. The cordon of 189 00:13:12.759 --> 00:13:16.399 police from Interstelpin had set up several score arc lights 190 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:19.639 on the perimeter of the field. The spaces between the 191 00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:24.799 lights were patrolled by guards armed, as Bartok was, with blasters. 192 00:13:25.879 --> 00:13:28.919 Bartok could never have made it through that cordon now, 193 00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:34.720 but it wasn't necessary. He was already inside the barracks. 194 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:39.759 Door opened and a pilot came out. Tensing ready, Bartok 195 00:13:39.879 --> 00:13:43.840 watched him. The three ships were scattered widely on the field. 196 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:47.840 Venus Bell to the north, Star of Hercules to the south, 197 00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:52.600 Mozart's Lady to the east. Venus Bell and Star of 198 00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:57.639 Hercules were straight cargo carriers. Mozart's Lady what a queer 199 00:13:57.720 --> 00:14:01.519 name for a spaceship. Bartok couldn't help thinking had taken 200 00:14:01.559 --> 00:14:04.559 in hand luggage. So if the pilot, who had just 201 00:14:04.679 --> 00:14:09.000 left the barracks headed east, Bartok would take him. The 202 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:13.559 pilot paused outside, lit a cigarette, hummed a tune. The 203 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:18.679 scent of tobacco drifted over to Bartalk. He waited. The 204 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:27.279 pilot walked east toward Mozart's Lady. Ready Girls Ready, Missus 205 00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:31.799 Moriarty couldn't we well sort of hang around until we 206 00:14:31.879 --> 00:14:37.240 see what happens you mean the escaped convict. Yes, ma'am, 207 00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:43.159 hopefully they'll catch him. They always catch them. But come on, 208 00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:50.559 oh gosh, missus Moriarty, I said, come on reluctantly. The 209 00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:56.519 hundred girls trooped with their chaperone from the hotel. Bartalk 210 00:14:56.600 --> 00:15:01.559 struck swiftly and without mercy ester would make too much noise. 211 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:04.840 He turned it around, held it by the barrel, and 212 00:15:04.919 --> 00:15:08.360 broke the pilot's skull with it. In the darkness, he 213 00:15:08.519 --> 00:15:12.799 changed clothing for the second time that night, quickly confidently, 214 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:17.120 his hand steady. In the darkness, he could barely make 215 00:15:17.159 --> 00:15:21.960 out the pilot's manifest The man's ship was Mozart's Lady, 216 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:27.120 all right, outbound from Triton City for Mars. Well, Bartalk 217 00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:30.720 thought he wouldn't go to Mars. Assuming they learned what 218 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:33.480 ship he had boarded, they would be guarding the inner 219 00:15:33.559 --> 00:15:38.320 orbits too closely. He would take Mozart's Lady daringly outward, 220 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:43.399 beyond Neptune's orbit. Naturally, the ship wouldn't have interstellar drive, 221 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:47.960 but as yet, Bartalk wasn't going interstellar. You couldn't have 222 00:15:48.200 --> 00:15:51.759 everything you couldn't expect a starship on Triton, could you. 223 00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:56.799 So Bartalk would take Mozart's Lady outward to Pluto's orbit 224 00:15:57.240 --> 00:16:00.679 and wait. From the amount of hand luggage taken aboard, 225 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:04.320 Mozart's Lady would be carrying quite a number of passengers. 226 00:16:05.399 --> 00:16:10.279 If that number were reduced drastically reduced, the food, water, 227 00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:14.759 and air aboard would last for many months until the 228 00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:20.000 fuss died down, until Bartak could bring Mozart's Lady, long 229 00:16:20.200 --> 00:16:23.559 since given up for lost, in for a landing on 230 00:16:23.559 --> 00:16:28.159 one of the inner planets. Now, he dragged the dead 231 00:16:28.200 --> 00:16:31.919 pilot's body into the complete darkness on the south side 232 00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:35.120 of the pilot barracks, wishing he could hide it better, 233 00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:38.559 but knowing he didn't have the time or the means. 234 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:43.799 Then he walked boldly across the tarmac, wearing a pilot's uniform, 235 00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:49.879 toward Mozart's Lady. Fifteen minutes later, house Bartok watched with 236 00:16:49.960 --> 00:16:53.960 amazement while a hundred pretty young women boarded the ship. 237 00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:57.399 Of all the things that had happened since his escape, 238 00:16:57.720 --> 00:17:01.000 this came closest to unnerving him, for it was the 239 00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:06.559 totally unexpected Bartalk shrugged chain smoked three cigarettes while the 240 00:17:06.599 --> 00:17:10.480 women boarded slowly, taking last minute looks at dark triton, 241 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:15.279 the spaceport, the cordon of guards, the arc lights. Bartalk 242 00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:20.920 cursed impotently. Seconds were precious now the pilot's body might 243 00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:25.839 be found if it were. At last, the port clang 244 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:29.680 shut and the ground crew tromped away. Since even an 245 00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:32.759 over age ship like Mozart's Lady was close to ninety 246 00:17:32.759 --> 00:17:37.519 percent automatic, there was no crew, only the pilot, who 247 00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:42.880 was Bartalk, and the passengers. Bartalk was about to set 248 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:46.400 the controls for blast off when he heard footsteps clomp 249 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:50.039 clamping down the companionway. He toyed with the idea of 250 00:17:50.119 --> 00:17:55.039 locking the door, then realized that would arouse suspicion a 251 00:17:55.079 --> 00:18:00.279 square woman's face over a plump, middle aged figure. I'm 252 00:18:00.279 --> 00:18:03.759 missus Moriarty, pilot. I have one hundred young girls aboard. 253 00:18:04.039 --> 00:18:08.920 We'll have no nonsense, no, sir, I mean no, ma'am. 254 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:14.599 Well make sure, yes, ma'am, and I want an easy 255 00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:18.839 trip without fuss or incidents for half of our girls. 256 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:22.119 It's the second time in space, the first being when 257 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:27.519 they came out here. You understand, yes, ma'am. What happened 258 00:18:27.559 --> 00:18:31.359 to the pilot who took us out uh pressed into 259 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:35.160 service last week on a Mercury run. I'm surprised the 260 00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:39.359 control board didn't tell you. They didn't. It doesn't matter. 261 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:43.680 You do your job and that's all. Yes, ma'am, house 262 00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:49.599 Bartok said, just my job. A few moments later, Mozart's 263 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:56.920 lady blasted off stop. Hey wait, pitch Plend Hardesty bawled 264 00:18:56.960 --> 00:18:59.519 at the top of his voice. But it didn't do 265 00:18:59.559 --> 00:19:03.119 any good good. The police rushed up behind Pitchblend, not 266 00:19:03.319 --> 00:19:07.680 daring to fire. Moments before they had found the dead 267 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:11.519 pilot's body. They knew at once what it meant. Of course, 268 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:14.480 they had not been more than a minute too late. 269 00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:20.240 Call Central Control on Neptune, a police officer said, we'll 270 00:19:20.279 --> 00:19:24.759 send a cruiser after them. Won't do any good. Pitchblend Hardest, 271 00:19:24.759 --> 00:19:29.039 he groaned, What are you talking about, fellow? Unless the 272 00:19:29.079 --> 00:19:33.920 cruise is brand new on Neptune, don't be silly. Newest 273 00:19:33.960 --> 00:19:38.079 one we've got is ten years old, like I said, 274 00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:41.680 won't do any good. I work that ship over, mister. 275 00:19:42.119 --> 00:19:45.160 I know what she's like inside. She may look like 276 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:47.960 an overaged tub on the outside, but don't let that 277 00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:52.119 fool you. She's got power, mister. She's probably the fastest 278 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:55.119 thing this side of the Jovian moons, except for those 279 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:59.440 experimental one man rocket bombs down at Neptune Station. But 280 00:19:59.599 --> 00:20:02.279 chasing a big tub in a one man's space bound 281 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:07.160 coffin here, pitch Blend used the vernacular for the tiny 282 00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:11.839 one man experimental ships. Ain't got to do anybody any good. 283 00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:15.079 Best thing you can do is track Mozart's lady by 284 00:20:15.160 --> 00:20:19.240 radar and hope she'll head sunward. Then they could intercept 285 00:20:19.240 --> 00:20:24.400 her close in. But Mozart's lady did not head sunward. 286 00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:30.119 Radar tracking confirmed this. Moments later. Mozart's lady was outward 287 00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:34.400 bound for Pluto's orbit, and with Pluto and Neptune currently 288 00:20:34.440 --> 00:20:37.799 in conjunction, that could even mean a landing, although the 289 00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:42.880 police decided that wasn't likely. There were no settlements on Pluto. 290 00:20:43.079 --> 00:20:46.720 Pluto was too weird. For the strangest reason, in a 291 00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:51.720 solar system and a galaxy of wonders, Pluto was quite uninhabitable. 292 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:57.000 More likely Mozart's lady would follow Pluto's orbit around than 293 00:20:57.079 --> 00:21:01.599 make a dash sunward. Our officer threw up his hands. 294 00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:05.799 I give up, He said, she's heading for Pluto's or 295 00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:12.039 ball right call Neptune Station. Neptune Station, Sir, you bet 296 00:21:12.359 --> 00:21:15.440 this job's too big for me. The brass will want 297 00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:20.519 to handle it. Seconds later, subspace crackled with energy as 298 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:24.160 the call was put through from Triton City to Neptune Station. 299 00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:30.480 Whatever else history would write about him, it would certainly 300 00:21:30.519 --> 00:21:35.240 call Johnny Mayhem the strangest and literally most death defying 301 00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:40.799 test pilot in history. Of course. Testing the sleek experimental 302 00:21:40.839 --> 00:21:45.680 beauties out of Neptune Station and elsewhere wasn't Mayhem's chief occupation. 303 00:21:46.680 --> 00:21:51.640 He was, in a phrase, a troubleshooter for the Galactic League. 304 00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:54.960 Whenever he had a spare few weeks having completed an 305 00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:58.480 assignment ahead of schedule in his latest of bodies, he 306 00:21:58.599 --> 00:22:01.000 was likely to turn up at some testing station or 307 00:22:01.079 --> 00:22:04.920 other and volunteer for work. He was never turned down, 308 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:09.880 although the Galactic League didn't approve. Mayhem was probably the 309 00:22:09.960 --> 00:22:15.240 Galaxy's best pilot, with incredible reflexes and an utter indifference 310 00:22:15.319 --> 00:22:19.720 toward death. For the past two weeks, having completed what 311 00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:23.359 turned out to be an easier than expected assignment on Neptune, 312 00:22:23.880 --> 00:22:26.759 he had been piloting the space bound coffins out of 313 00:22:26.839 --> 00:22:32.720 Neptune Station and with very satisfactory experimental results. A few 314 00:22:32.759 --> 00:22:35.880 minutes ago, he had been called into the station director's office, 315 00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:38.839 but when he entered, he was surprised to see the 316 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:44.359 Galactic League Firstman of Neptune waiting for him. Surprised, Eh, 317 00:22:44.680 --> 00:22:49.160 the Firstman demanded, I'll bet you want me to quit testifying. 318 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:53.720 Mayhem said, with a smile, which clearer than words, told 319 00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:57.960 the First Man his advice would be rejected. The First 320 00:22:58.039 --> 00:23:03.000 Man smiled too, Why no, Mayhem, As a matter of fact, 321 00:23:03.480 --> 00:23:05.680 I want you to take one of the coffins into 322 00:23:05.720 --> 00:23:12.240 deep space. Maybe something's wrong with my hearing. Mayhem said, no, 323 00:23:12.759 --> 00:23:15.480 you heard it right. Of course, it's up to you. 324 00:23:16.400 --> 00:23:23.000 Everything you do, you volunteer. Let's hear it, Firstman. So 325 00:23:23.559 --> 00:23:27.640 the First Man of Neptune told Johnny Mayhem about Mozart's lady, 326 00:23:28.119 --> 00:23:32.119 which six hours ago had left Triton for Pluto's Orbits 327 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:36.000 with an eccentric, wealthy widow, a hundred girls, and a 328 00:23:36.119 --> 00:23:40.960 desperate escaped killer. The only thing we have out here 329 00:23:41.079 --> 00:23:44.640 fast enough to overtake them, Mayhem, is the one man Coffins, 330 00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:47.599 the only man we have who can fly them is 331 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:52.279 you What do you say? Mayhem's answer was a question, 332 00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:57.079 but the question didn't really require an answer. Mayhem asked, 333 00:23:57.880 --> 00:24:02.559 what are we waiting for? The first man grinned he 334 00:24:02.680 --> 00:24:06.680 had expected such an answer. Of course, the whole galaxy, 335 00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:11.680 let alone the Solar System, knew the Mayhem legend. Every 336 00:24:11.720 --> 00:24:15.359 world which had an Earthman population and a Galactic League post, 337 00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:19.680 however small, had a body in cold storage waiting for 338 00:24:19.759 --> 00:24:23.880 Johnny Mayhem if his services were required. But of course 339 00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:28.200 no one knew precisely when mayhem services might be required. 340 00:24:28.920 --> 00:24:33.200 No one knew exactly under what circumstances the Galactic League Council, 341 00:24:33.720 --> 00:24:37.119 operating from the hub of the galaxy, might summon Mayhem, 342 00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:41.839 and only a very few people, including those at the 343 00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:46.000 Hub and the Galactic League firstmen on civilized worlds and 344 00:24:46.119 --> 00:24:50.839 observers on primitive worlds, knew the precise mechanics of Mayhem's coming. 345 00:24:52.200 --> 00:24:58.079 Johnny Mayhem, a bodyless sentience Mayhem Johnny Marlowe then, who 346 00:24:58.079 --> 00:25:01.200 had been chased from Earth, a pariah and a criminal 347 00:25:01.240 --> 00:25:04.240 eight years ago, and who had been mortally wounded on 348 00:25:04.279 --> 00:25:08.279 a wild planet deep within the Sagittarian swarm, whose life 349 00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:12.119 had been saved after a fashion by the white magic 350 00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:17.960 of that planet. Mayhem doomed now to possible immortality as 351 00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:23.480 a bodyless sentience and Ilan, which could occupy and activate 352 00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:28.160 a corpse if it had been frozen properly. And Ilan 353 00:25:28.599 --> 00:25:31.720 doomed to wander eternally because it could not remain in 354 00:25:31.759 --> 00:25:34.960 one body for more than a month without body, and 355 00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:41.759 Ilan perishing. Mayhem, who had dedicated his strange, lonely life 356 00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:45.480 to the service of the Galactic League because a normal 357 00:25:45.559 --> 00:25:49.400 life and normal social relations were not possible for him. 358 00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:54.960 One thing, Mayhem, the first man said, Now, on Neptune, 359 00:25:55.960 --> 00:25:59.839 how much longer have you in that body of yours? Five? 360 00:26:00.720 --> 00:26:05.440 Possibly six? That doesn't give you much time. If you're 361 00:26:05.480 --> 00:26:08.319 caught out there when your month is up, I won't 362 00:26:08.319 --> 00:26:12.319 be We're wasting time talking about it. It would mean 363 00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:18.799 your death. Then let's get started. The first man stared 364 00:26:18.839 --> 00:26:24.000 at him levely. You're a brave man, Mayhem. Let's say 365 00:26:24.359 --> 00:26:28.079 I'm not afraid to die. I've been a living dead 366 00:26:28.119 --> 00:26:32.240 man for eight years. Come on one of this so 367 00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:36.759 called coffins. A tiny one man ship barely big enough 368 00:26:36.759 --> 00:26:40.759 for a prone man. Food concentrates and water was already 369 00:26:40.759 --> 00:26:45.200 waiting at the station spacefield ten minutes after hearing about 370 00:26:45.240 --> 00:26:52.880 Mozart's Lady. Without fanfare, Mayhem blasted off in pursuit, maintaining 371 00:26:52.960 --> 00:26:57.039 top speed all the way. House, Bartalk brought Mozart's Lady 372 00:26:57.039 --> 00:27:01.200 across almost two billion miles of space from Neptune's to 373 00:27:01.319 --> 00:27:05.559 Pluto's orbit in three days. He was delighted with the speed. 374 00:27:06.759 --> 00:27:09.759 It would have taken the average space tub ten days 375 00:27:09.799 --> 00:27:13.480 to two weeks, and since as far as Bartok knew, 376 00:27:13.799 --> 00:27:17.119 there were nothing but average space tubs on Neptune, that 377 00:27:17.319 --> 00:27:22.200 gave him a considerable head start. It was Jane Cummings, 378 00:27:22.440 --> 00:27:27.759 first violin, who discovered Bartok's identity. Bartok was studying the 379 00:27:27.799 --> 00:27:31.039 star map at the time and considered himself safe from 380 00:27:31.039 --> 00:27:37.000 discovery because he kept the control door of Mozart's Lady locked. However, 381 00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:40.759 Jane Cummings had established something of a liaison with the 382 00:27:40.759 --> 00:27:44.599 pilot outward bound from Earth and Mars, so she had 383 00:27:44.640 --> 00:27:48.519 been given a spare key, which he'd kept secretly all 384 00:27:48.559 --> 00:27:53.519 the time. The symphony was on Triton, now curious about 385 00:27:53.559 --> 00:27:56.559 the new pilot for the same reason that the miners 386 00:27:56.640 --> 00:28:00.400 on Triton had been curious about the symphony. Jane made 387 00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:03.720 her way forward, inserted her key in the lock, and 388 00:28:03.880 --> 00:28:09.480 pushed open the control door. Hello, there, she said, house 389 00:28:09.559 --> 00:28:12.960 Bartalk whirled. The turning of a key in the lock 390 00:28:13.079 --> 00:28:15.880 had so unnerved him. It was the last thing he 391 00:28:15.960 --> 00:28:18.960 expected that he forgot to shut off the star map. 392 00:28:19.599 --> 00:28:23.079 Its tell tale evidence glowed on the wall over his head. 393 00:28:24.480 --> 00:28:28.559 What do you want, he managed to ask, politely, Oh, 394 00:28:28.839 --> 00:28:34.680 just to say hello. You already said it. Jane Cummings pouted. 395 00:28:35.480 --> 00:28:40.039 You needn't bite my head off. What's your name? Mind's Jane? 396 00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:43.240 And I play the violin. It wouldn't hurt you to 397 00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:48.680 be polite. Bartok nodded, deciding that a little small talk 398 00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:52.079 wouldn't hurt if he kept the girl from becoming suspicious. 399 00:28:52.519 --> 00:28:56.359 That was suddenly important. If this girl had a key 400 00:28:56.400 --> 00:28:59.359 to the control room. For all he knew, there could 401 00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:05.160