Trapped on Venus Read Online Free Page B

which supported their space craft and the
experimental packages, be a liquid? A hard liquid, Scott thought? Or, maybe a
crystallized substance like ice, hardened by extreme heat rather than cold? It
was incredible! This one, small piece of data would now revolutionize
everything that had ever been thought or written about Venus. But, what did it
mean?
      “Fisk... We copy your
reading,” Stimson interrupted from Earth Control One. There was a note of
skepticism, of disbelief in his voice. “But, are you certain the analyzer is
working properly? We have no data to confirm.”
      “Affirmative, Earth One,”
he replied. “I can’t explain it, either. But my instruments are functioning
perfectly.”
      Scott was still
bewildered. “What do you make of it, Marty?”
      “I don’t know. I don’t
know what to make of it. But, if I’m right, Scott, this whole planet may be just
one hardened ball of liquid spinning in space.... Kind of like an egg – a soft,
liquid center, and a hard shell around the outside. I know it sounds bizarre,
but what other explanation could there be? I know my instruments are right.”
      Realizing that they
were moving over such precarious terrain flushed a silent chill through Scott’s
limbs. It was like walking over newly-formed ice – not knowing where the soft
spots were or whether it would hold their weight. But, the mission was too
important to abort. Even this startling discovery was not sufficient to deter
the effort that had brought them here. It had taken over three years of work
and countless hundreds of billions of dollars to bring them to this planet;
they couldn’t turn back now. The mission would have to go on, but perhaps with
a greater degree of caution.
      “Can you give us
anything more?” Stimson asked. “We would like to know the structural
composition if you can give it to us. Have you got anything, Marty?”
      “Negative, Earth one.
I’m going to continue with my tests, though, to substantiate. There’s an area
off to my right that I’d like to check. I’ll let you know if I find anything.”
      “Affir...... ive...”
There was a skip in the communications, but Fisk went on with his work.
      “Scott,” he said.
“watch your step. If it looks like it’s soft anywhere, try to avoid it. I’ll
run a few tests over here and see if the whole surface is like this. It may not
be.”
      “Roger, Marty. I’ll
keep my eyes open.” He took a few more steps. “Marty? Are you getting any
static over your receiver?” There was a short, intermittent crackle inside
Scott’s helmet.
      “Negative,” Marty
replied. “Why? Aren’t you picking me up?
      “Yes, I’m picking you
up, all right, but it seems to be coming from the hook-up with Stimson.... Stimson?
Are you reading me? Stimson? Earth One? Do – you – read – me? he said slowly.
      The signal was faint,
almost as if he were talking in a whisper. “Af... rma...tive. We read....
but.... sig.... getting weak.... Seem.... losing....   Over?” Even the static was fading now.
      “Stimson? Stimson, I
repeat, are – you – reading – me?”
      “Sig....   not clear.... trouble as before. Do you......
see.... might...... jump circuit.... Ov..r.”
      “Earth One? Stimson?
Do you read me?” Scott repeated.
      There was no answer, only
a hum as if a circuit was open but no voice coming over it.
      “Something must be
wrong with the hook-up, Marty. Are you getting a signal? Maybe it’s only my
receiver.”
      “Negative, Scott. But,
I’m reading you all right. It could be the relay in the ship again. There’s no
telling what this heat could be doing to it. All I could do before was splice
around the relay. It may not have held.”
      “Stimson?” he said
once more, but there was only silence.
      Scott turned to look
back at the ship, weighing the alternatives. Did they dare continue their
explorations without being in contact with Earth Control One? If they ran