Captain Future 12 - Planets in Peril (Fall 1942) Read Online Free Page A
Author: Edmond Hamilton
Tags: Sci Fi & Fantasy
after world that we abandoned. For they can live in the endless icy darkness of airless worlds, where we would die.
"Our retreat, and their advance, have now almost reached the fatal climax. Most of our universe is already blacked-out by death, a vast wilderness of ashen bulks that once were stars, and icy spheres that once were smiling worlds. The last millions of us Tarasts now huddle together upon the chill worlds of a few smoldering stars that are not yet completely dead.
"Now the Cold Ones are reaching toward that dying star-cluster that is our last refuge. Already they have established a base there from which they attack our crowded worlds."
Gerdek's handsome young face was quivering with emotion as he went on with his saga of a dying civilization.
"Is it any wonder that most of my people have lost all hope for the future? 'Soon,' they murmur, 'our race will be gone and the Cold Ones will inherit our dead universe. It is futile to resist the laws of nature.'
"So they have no more interest in science, in the glory of our past. Sunk in despair, more and more of them lose hope for the future of our race, and think only of the present. More and more listen to Vostol's plan."
"Vostol's plan?" Captain Future repeated, puzzled by the reference. But Gerdek went on.
"Only a handful of us have clung to hope and have tried to keep the ancient science alive," he said. "My sister Shiri and I are of that small group. We have exhorted our people not to surrender or to despair. We have told them that if the Tarast race can only endure, the time will come when our dying universe will be reborn to new life once more.
"For we of the little scientist group are certain that our universe will be reborn! We have found, among the records left by the brilliant scientists of our great past age, mathematical calculations that seem to prove that the laws of entropy will reverse themselves, when the cooling of our universe reaches a critical point.
"We ourselves have not the scientific knowledge now to understand all these ancient records, but we believe them and have tried to make our people believe them.
"But our people have not believed," Gerdek said sadly. "They have rejected the half-proofs we were able to present, and have listened instead to those like Vostol, who counsel surrendering to the inevitable and thinking only of our own immediate future.
"If we few scientists could only prove to our people that the rebirth of our universe will come, we would inspire them to new hope for our race and to new struggle against the advancing Cold Ones.
"That is why Shiri and I have come to your universe to ask for your help," Gerdek concluded. "When we first accidentally received your signals, we guessed your science was greater than our own decayed scientific knowledge. You, with your greater knowledge, would be able to give my people the will and the means to fight against racial extinction."
CAPTAIN FUTURE was a little staggered by the implied proposal.
"You mean that you want us to go out to that distant, dying universe of yours? Just how could we help if we did?"
Gerdek answered instantly.
"You, with your greater scientific knowledge, could convince my people that our universe will be reborn. And you could help us fight the powerful Cold Ones, help us to hang on until the great day of resurrection comes."
Curt looked doubtful. The girl Shiri saw the doubt on his face, and asked him a tense, quick question through the Martian translator.
"You believe that our universe will be revived, do you not? The ancient scientists of our race whose records we found were certain of it."
Curt Newton nodded.
"I'm certain of it, too. Our science of cosmogony tells us that a three-dimensional universe like ours or your own will cool and darken and die only to a certain point. When the amount of entropy reaches that critical point, the dead universe will be reborn."
Joan looked astounded.
"Are you sure of that, Curt? I admit I'm no
"Our retreat, and their advance, have now almost reached the fatal climax. Most of our universe is already blacked-out by death, a vast wilderness of ashen bulks that once were stars, and icy spheres that once were smiling worlds. The last millions of us Tarasts now huddle together upon the chill worlds of a few smoldering stars that are not yet completely dead.
"Now the Cold Ones are reaching toward that dying star-cluster that is our last refuge. Already they have established a base there from which they attack our crowded worlds."
Gerdek's handsome young face was quivering with emotion as he went on with his saga of a dying civilization.
"Is it any wonder that most of my people have lost all hope for the future? 'Soon,' they murmur, 'our race will be gone and the Cold Ones will inherit our dead universe. It is futile to resist the laws of nature.'
"So they have no more interest in science, in the glory of our past. Sunk in despair, more and more of them lose hope for the future of our race, and think only of the present. More and more listen to Vostol's plan."
"Vostol's plan?" Captain Future repeated, puzzled by the reference. But Gerdek went on.
"Only a handful of us have clung to hope and have tried to keep the ancient science alive," he said. "My sister Shiri and I are of that small group. We have exhorted our people not to surrender or to despair. We have told them that if the Tarast race can only endure, the time will come when our dying universe will be reborn to new life once more.
"For we of the little scientist group are certain that our universe will be reborn! We have found, among the records left by the brilliant scientists of our great past age, mathematical calculations that seem to prove that the laws of entropy will reverse themselves, when the cooling of our universe reaches a critical point.
"We ourselves have not the scientific knowledge now to understand all these ancient records, but we believe them and have tried to make our people believe them.
"But our people have not believed," Gerdek said sadly. "They have rejected the half-proofs we were able to present, and have listened instead to those like Vostol, who counsel surrendering to the inevitable and thinking only of our own immediate future.
"If we few scientists could only prove to our people that the rebirth of our universe will come, we would inspire them to new hope for our race and to new struggle against the advancing Cold Ones.
"That is why Shiri and I have come to your universe to ask for your help," Gerdek concluded. "When we first accidentally received your signals, we guessed your science was greater than our own decayed scientific knowledge. You, with your greater knowledge, would be able to give my people the will and the means to fight against racial extinction."
CAPTAIN FUTURE was a little staggered by the implied proposal.
"You mean that you want us to go out to that distant, dying universe of yours? Just how could we help if we did?"
Gerdek answered instantly.
"You, with your greater scientific knowledge, could convince my people that our universe will be reborn. And you could help us fight the powerful Cold Ones, help us to hang on until the great day of resurrection comes."
Curt looked doubtful. The girl Shiri saw the doubt on his face, and asked him a tense, quick question through the Martian translator.
"You believe that our universe will be revived, do you not? The ancient scientists of our race whose records we found were certain of it."
Curt Newton nodded.
"I'm certain of it, too. Our science of cosmogony tells us that a three-dimensional universe like ours or your own will cool and darken and die only to a certain point. When the amount of entropy reaches that critical point, the dead universe will be reborn."
Joan looked astounded.
"Are you sure of that, Curt? I admit I'm no
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