Сидней Баундс - The Robot Brains [with w_cat]

"We must do something to stop them," he said. "But what?"

He looked at the time machine on the screen.

"It is necessary to understand how this machine operates," he said. "I must concentrate... I will leave you with Barbara now, Captain. Later we'll speak again. Excuse me now."

Paul left them.

Barbara said:

"If you like, I will tell you about our history since your time."

"I'll be interested to hear that," said Christian. "I want to know more about you and Paul, and this ship and the star colonies."

"The time period is great," she began, "so I can only mention the main events that have brought us where we are today. First you must know that there was a war - the last terrible war, when atomic radiation flooded the planet, and whole continents were dead.

"This was the time of the insects: they mutated and became very big. The people who remained alive now divided into two camps: the true men and the Brains. It was impossible to live on the surface. We saw hope in leaving the planet and flying into space to look for other worlds. The Brains decided to go underground.

"We built our spaceships and flew to other planets, but found that it was quite impossible to live on both Venus and Mars.

"Try to imagine Earth as it was then, ruined and radioactive, and full of giant insects. The Brains had already gone underground and organized their colony there. Even at that time they were already beginning to degenerate. And you have seen the results of that wrong idea. Knowledge alone is worthless - there must be wisdom to control it.

"Finally we succeeded in building powerful spaceships which could fly far into space and reach stars.

"We flew into space and organized the first star colonies. Since that time we have organized many colonies. We have studied a lot of worlds and got a lot of knowledge.

"We wanted to help the Brains, but they rejected our help and did not want to co-operate. By our standards they were dangerous. So we set up a base on the moon to watch over them. You must understand that it is quite impossible for us to kill them...

"There are always two Watchers on this moon base. Our period of duty lasts twelve months."

Shocked, Christian exclaimed: "So there are only two of you? But of course, you can call for help."

Barbara smiled

"You have no idea, Captain, how great is the distance that separates us from the nearest colony. No. Paul and I must solve this problem alone."

Paul joined them.

"I have studied the time machine," he said, "and now I understand the principle on which it works. The black crystals are the main part of it. They appeared many thousand years ago as a result of the great atomic radiation of the Third World War. They are products of multi-dimentional hyperspace. The Brains discovered and studied them, and learnt to use them for moving through time. But they cannot make new crystals. So when we return all the Brains back into their time, I shall destroy their time machine and crystals, and they won't be able to travel through time and bother you."

"What shall we do now?" asked Christian.

"We shall go into your time and look for the Brains."

"All right, let's go!"

In their spaceship Paul and Barbara had a machine which looked like the robots, but could carry passengers. They got into it and started in the direction of the lift

In the underground jungle and corridors they met some giant women, who looked curiously at them, but no one tried to stop them. In the big hall the two robots were still standing near the time machine. Several Brains were looking down at them from the top of the machine.

Paul raised his voice.

"We are the Watchers. You must return to your cells and remain there till I call you."

One of the Brains raised his decapitator and fired at Paul. But nothing happened.

"There is no danger." said Paul. "I have just erected an invisible energy barrier around us. Nothing can pass through it."

Paul spoke to the Brains again. "You must go at once, before I lose patience," he said. The Brains got down from the top of the time machine and left the hall.

"Well," said Christian, "what shall we do now?"

"Our task is simple," answered Paul. "To bring back the Brains who are now in your time and then to destroy the time machine."

He turned to Barbara.

"I am afraid you must remain here, my dear," he said. "One of us must be here to guard the machine."

Barbara nodded.

Paul took a crystal out of the machine and fastened it to his belt. Then he took another crystal and fastened it to Christian's belt.

Barbara held out her hand.

"I don't think we shall meet again, Captain," she said, "so I wish you good luck" To Paul she said: "Take care of yourself."

Paul took a small metal box. Then he touched the crystals on his and Christian's belts. There was darkness again. Christian wondered what was waiting for him in his own time.

Christian and Paul were sitting at the table in front of the Old Man, head of Military Intelligence.

"Glad to see you, Captain," said the Old Man. "And your friends. I hope you have brought good news. Cigar?"

"Thanks." Christian took a cigar from the wooden box and lighted it. "This is one thing they haven't got in the future," he said with pleasure.

The Old Man was looking at Paul.

"So you are a man from the future?

"One hundred thousand years in the future," said Paul.

Christian told his story. The Old Man listened attentively and did not interrupt him.

You've done well, Captain," he said when Christian finished. "At least we know now who are our enemies." He turned to Paul. "Do you think you cap help us?"

Paul nodded.

"I think so," he said. "It won't be easy, but I think I can do something."

"Good," said the Old Man. "We will give you any help you need. Our situation is desperate," he continued. "We cannot do anything with the Brains because they disappear immediately. And appear in other places, destroy, kill, and disappear again. I have here - " he lifted some papers from the table, "details of murders in all parts of the world - Cuba, Turkey, Russia, other countries. And all the victims were scientists. All our rocket bases have been destroyed. It is clear that they want to stop us from getting into space."

"It will all be different now," said Christian.

"I hope so," said the Old Man. "By the way," he continued, "I have let your friend Fox know that you have come back. He wants to see you. I think he has a surprise for you -"

Christian smiled.

"And I have a surprise for him - Paul"

The Old Man said: "It will be better if Mr. Paul stays with us."

Paul stood up

"I am going with Captain Christian," he said

The Old Man opened his mouth to speak - and changed his mind.

Christian and Paul came to Doctor Fox's house in a taxi. The door opened, and Doctor Fox jumped out and shook Christian's hand.

"Chris! It's good to see you again... come in, come in!"

He ran along the corridor. At the door of the living room he stopped.

"Surprise!" he shouted.

Christian saw a small figure with dark hair.

"Why, Jo!" he exclaimed.

"Mrs. Fox," the doctor said proudly. "We have been married a whole week."

Christian laughed.

"Well, congratulations!"

"Welcome back, Sailor," said Jo.

"This is Paul," said Christian "Paul, these are two good friends of mine."

Paul stepped forward, smiling.

Fox and Jo were listening with great interest while Christian was telling them about his adventures.

"The Brains will find you," said Paul to Christian when they left Fox's house. "You have interfered with their plans too often, and they will not forgive you that. They will come to you soon, I am sure. And when they come, I want to talk to them."

They drove to Reading, where the captain's yacht was still standing in the quiet place in the Thames.

In the cabin of the yacht Paul put his metal box on the table and opened it.

"You need not be afraid, Captain," he said. "My energy barrier will protect you."

Christian pulled out a box of shells and loaded his automatic.

"If the Brains come," he said, "let them be afraid."

Paul looked at him.

"There will be no more shooting, please," he said. "I don't want any more killing."

They had visitors the next day.

Christian was standing on deck and smoking his cigar.

Suddenly he was no longer alone. A voice said:

"At last, Captain!"

He turned and saw many big bald heads. The Brains! One of them was Waldo. He raised his decapitator. There was a flash - and nothing happened. Paul's energy barrier protected Christian.

Waldo was shaken.

There is a Watcher here," he said - and then Paul came up on deck.

Waldo spat. All the Brains were standing and looking at Paul

"You must return to the future," said Paul quietly. "If you don't. I shall have to use force."

Waldo laughed.

"It is well known," he said, "that the Watchers do not kill. You can do nothing. We are not afraid of you!"

Christian was angry. He threw away his cigar and raised his automatic.

"I am not a Watcher," he said," and I kill."

Paul turned his head.

"It is useless to shoot, Captain," he said. "My energy barrier works both ways - it will protect them, too"

"I'll kill you one day!" shouted Waldo to Christian. "You shan't always escape me."

Paul looked at Waldo.

"Your time machine is in the hands of the Watchers," he said. "You are free only while you remain here - and I shall make this age unbearable for you."

Waldo was looking at him with angry eyes.

"You Watchers have done what you liked too long," he said. "You have upset our plan - but that won't save you. We'll see what happens -"

Paul interrupted: "I shall not allow you to interfere with the natural course of history. Return to your own time, and I'll do what I can to help you."

"Help!" Waldo spat. "We want no help from the Watchers. You will see what will happen - we shall destroy Earth completely!"

Paul looked troubled, and Christian said: "Switch off your barrier and shoot them!"

"He won't do that!" Waldo laughed. "A Watcher will never kill!" He touched the crystal on his belt and disappeared with the rest of the Brains.

Christian turned to Paul.

"You heard what he said - the'll destroy Earth. There won't be any future if we don't kill them. There is no other way."

Paul sighed unhappily.

"There must be another way," he said.

He went down into the cabin. He took some wires out of his metal box and began making some complicated device

"It will be good if you inform your government of this new threat of the Brains," he said to Christian. "It will take me some time to build the weapon which I am making, and who knows what the Brains may do during this time."

"This weapon which you are making - will it stop the Brains?"

"Yes, it will stop them."

Christian ran up on deck, jumped on the shore and hurried to the nearest telephone.

The Imperial Technical Institute occupied a very large territory; hundreds of specialists worked in its laboratories and workshops; and its stores contained materials for production of anything from shampoo to an atomic bomb.

The Brains came there at night. The guards were decapitated at once, and behind the Institute's massive walls the Brains began making weapons of destruction.

They worked hard. In the stores of the Institute they found all the necessary materials. The Brains were very many, and they all were clever specialists, so their work went on very fast.