Second Variety - 3

alertly. "Major, I've been meaning to ask you something," Klaus said.
"How did you run across the David? The one that was tagging you."
"I met it along the way. In some ruins."
"What did it say?"
"Not much. It said it was alone. By itself."
"You couldn't tell it was a machine? It talked like a living person?
You never suspected?"
"It didn't say much. I noticed nothing unusual.
"It's strange, machines so much like people that you can be fooled.
Almost alive. I wonder where it'll end."
"They're doing what you Yanks designed them to do," Tasso said. "You
designed them to hunt out life and destroy. Human life. Wherever they
find it."
* * * * *
Hendricks was watching Klaus intently. "Why did you ask me? What's on
your mind?"
"Nothing," Klaus answered.
"Klaus thinks you're the Second Variety," Tasso said calmly, from
behind them. "Now he's got his eye on you."
Klaus flushed. "Why not? We sent a runner to the Yank lines and he
comes back. Maybe he thought he'd find some good game here."
Hendricks laughed harshly. "I came from the UN bunkers. There were
human beings all around me."
"Maybe you saw an opportunity to get into the Soviet lines. Maybe you
saw your chance. Maybe you--"
"The Soviet lines had already been taken over. Your lines had been
invaded before I left my command bunker. Don't forget that."
Tasso came up beside him. "That proves nothing at all, Major."
"Why not?"
"There appears to be little communication between the varieties. Each
is made in a different factory. They don't seem to work together. You
might have started for the Soviet lines without knowing anything about
the work of the other varieties. Or even what the other varieties were
like."
"How do you know so much about the claws?" Hendricks said.
"I've seen them. I've observed them. I observed them take over the
Soviet bunkers."
"You know quite a lot," Klaus said. "Actually, you saw very little.
Strange that you should have been such an acute observer."
Tasso laughed. "Do you suspect me, now?"
"Forget it," Hendricks said. They walked on in silence.
"Are we going the whole way on foot?" Tasso said, after awhile. "I'm
not used to walking." She gazed around at the plain of ash, stretching
out on all sides of them, as far as they could see. "How dreary."
"It's like this all the way," Klaus said.
"In a way I wish you had been in your bunker when the attack came."
"Somebody else would have been with you, if not me," Klaus muttered.
Tasso laughed, putting her hands in her pockets. "I suppose so."
They walked on, keeping their eyes on the vast plain of silent ash
around them.
* * * * *
The sun was setting. Hendricks made his way forward slowly, waving
Tasso and Klaus back. Klaus squatted down, resting his gun butt
against the ground.
Tasso found a concrete slab and sat down with a sigh. "It's good to
rest."
"Be quiet," Klaus said sharply.
Hendricks pushed up to the top of the rise ahead of them. The same
rise the Russian runner had come up, the day before. Hendricks dropped
down, stretching himself out, peering through his glasses at what lay
beyond.
Nothing was visible. Only ash and occasional trees. But there, not
more than fifty yards ahead, was the entrance of the forward command
bunker. The bunker from which he had come. Hendricks watched silently.
No motion. No sign of life. Nothing stirred.
Klaus slithered up beside him. "Where is it?"
"Down there." Hendricks passed him the glasses. Clouds of ash rolled
across the evening sky. The world was darkening. They had a couple of
hours of light left, at the most. Probably not that much.
"I don't see anything," Klaus said.
"That tree there. The stump. By the pile of bricks. The entrance is to
the right of the bricks."
"I'll have to take your word for it."
"You and Tasso cover me from here. You'll be able to sight all the way
to the bunker entrance."
"You're going down alone?"
"With my wrist tab I'll be safe. The ground around the bunker is a
living field of claws. They collect down in the ash. Like crabs.
Without tabs you wouldn't have a chance."
"Maybe you're right."
"I'll walk slowly all the way. As soon as I know for certain--"
"If they're down inside the bunker you won't be able to get back up
here. They go fast. You don't realize."
"What do you suggest?"
Klaus considered. "I don't know. Get them to come up to the surface.
So you can see."
Hendricks brought his transmitter from his belt, raising the antenna.
"Let's get started."
* * * * *
Klaus signalled to Tasso. She crawled expertly up the side of the rise
to where they were sitting.
"He's going down alone," Klaus said. "We'll cover him from here. As
soon as you see him start back, fire past him at once. They come
quick."
"You're not very optimistic," Tasso said.
"No, I'm not."
Hendricks opened the breech of his gun, checking it carefully. "Maybe
things are all right."
"You didn't see them. Hundreds of them. All the same. Pouring out like
ants."
"I should be able to find out without going down all the way."
Hendricks locked his gun, gripping it in one hand, the transmitter in
the other. "Well, wish me luck."
Klaus put out his hand. "Don't go down until you're sure. Talk to them
from up here. Make them show themselves."
* * * * *
Hendricks stood up. He stepped down the side of the rise.
A moment later he was walking slowly toward the pile of bricks and
debris beside the dead tree stump. Toward the entrance of the forward
command bunker.
Nothing stirred. He raised the transmitter, clicking it on. "Scott?
Can you hear me?"
Silence.
"Scott! This is Hendricks. Can you hear me? I'm standing outside the
bunker. You should be able to see me in the view sight."
He listened, the transmitter gripped tightly. No sound. Only static.
He walked forward. A claw burrowed out of the ash and raced toward
him. It halted a few feet away and then slunk off. A second claw
appeared, one of the big ones with feelers. It moved toward him,
studied him intently, and then fell in behind him, dogging
respectfully after him, a few paces away. A moment later a second big
claw joined it. Silently, the claws trailed him, as he walked slowly
toward the bunker.
Hendricks stopped, and behind him, the claws came to a halt. He was
close, now. Almost to the bunker steps.
"Scott! Can you hear me? I'm standing right above you. Outside. On the
surface. Are you picking me up?"
* * * * *
He waited, holding his gun against his side, the transmitter tightly
to his ear. Time passed. He strained to hear, but there was only
silence. Silence, and faint static.
Then, distantly, metallically--
"This is Scott."
The voice was neutral. Cold. He could not identify it. But the
earphone was minute.
"Scott! Listen. I'm standing right above you. I'm on the surface,
looking down into the bunker entrance."
"Yes."
"Can you see me?"
"Yes."
"Through the view sight? You have the sight trained on me?"
"Yes."
Hendricks pondered. A circle of claws waited quietly around him,
gray-metal bodies on all sides of him. "Is everything all right in the
bunker? Nothing unusual has happened?"
"Everything is all right."
"Will you come up to the surface? I want to see you for a moment."
Hendricks took a deep breath. "Come up here with me. I want to talk to
you."
"Come down."
"I'm giving you an order."
Silence.
"Are you coming?" Hendricks listened. There was no response. "I order
you to come to the surface."
"Come down."
Hendricks set his jaw. "Let me talk to Leone."
There was a long pause. He listened to the static. Then a voice came,
hard, thin, metallic. The same as the other. "This is Leone."
"Hendricks. I'm on the surface. At the bunker entrance. I want one of
you to come up here."
"Come down."
"Why come down? I'm giving you an order!"
Silence. Hendricks lowered the transmitter. He looked carefully around
him. The entrance was just ahead. Almost at his feet. He lowered the
antenna and fastened the transmitter to his belt. Carefully, he
gripped his gun with both hands. He moved forward, a step at a time.
If they could see him they knew he was starting toward the entrance.
He closed his eyes a moment.
Then he put his foot on the first step that led downward.
Two Davids came up at him, their faces identical and expressionless.
He blasted them into particles. More came rushing silently up, a whole
pack of them. All exactly the same.
Hendricks turned and raced back, away from the bunker, back toward the
rise.
At the top of the rise Tasso and Klaus were firing down. The small
claws were already streaking up toward them, shining metal spheres
going fast, racing frantically through the ash. But he had no time to
think about that. He knelt down, aiming at the bunker entrance, gun
against his cheek. The Davids were coming out in groups, clutching
their teddy bears, their thin knobby legs pumping as they ran up the
steps to the surface. Hendricks fired into the main body of them. They
burst apart, wheels and springs flying in all directions. He fired
again through the mist of particles.
A giant lumbering figure rose up in the bunker entrance, tall and
swaying. Hendricks paused, amazed. A man, a soldier. With one leg,
supporting himself with a crutch.
"Major!" Tasso's voice came. More firing. The huge figure moved
forward, Davids swarming around it. Hendricks broke out of his freeze.
The First Variety. The Wounded Soldier.
He aimed and fired. The soldier burst into bits, parts and relays
flying. Now many Davids were out on the flat ground, away from the
bunker. He fired again and again, moving slowly back, half-crouching
and aiming.
From the rise, Klaus fired down. The side of the rise was alive with
claws making their way up. Hendricks retreated toward the rise,
running and crouching. Tasso had left Klaus and was circling slowly to
the right, moving away from the rise.
A David slipped up toward him, its small white face expressionless,
brown hair hanging down in its eyes. It bent over suddenly, opening
its arms. Its teddy bear hurtled down and leaped across the ground,
bounding toward him. Hendricks fired. The bear and the David both
dissolved. He grinned, blinking. It was like a dream.
"Up here!" Tasso's voice. Hendricks made his way toward her. She was
over by some columns of concrete, walls of a ruined building. She was
firing past him, with the hand pistol Klaus had given her.
"Thanks." He joined her, grasping for breath. She pulled him back,
behind the concrete, fumbling at her belt.
"Close your eyes!" She unfastened a globe from her waist. Rapidly, she
unscrewed the cap, locking it into place. "Close your eyes and get
down."
* * * * *
She threw the bomb. It sailed in an arc, an expert, rolling and
bouncing to the entrance of the bunker. Two Wounded Soldiers stood
uncertainly by the brick pile. More Davids poured from behind them,
out onto the plain. One of the Wounded Soldiers moved toward the bomb,
stooping awkwardly down to pick it up.
The bomb went off. The concussion whirled Hendricks around, throwing
him on his face. A hot wind rolled over him. Dimly he saw Tasso
standing behind the columns, firing slowly and methodically at the
Davids coming out of the raging clouds of white fire.
Back along the rise Klaus struggled with a ring of claws circling
around him. He retreated, blasting at them and moving back, trying to
break through the ring.
Hendricks struggled to his feet. His head ached. He could hardly see.
Everything was licking at him, raging and whirling. His right arm
would not move.
Tasso pulled back toward him. "Come on. Let's go."
"Klaus--He's still up there."
"Come on!" Tasso dragged Hendricks back, away from the columns.
Hendricks shook his head, trying to clear it. Tasso led him rapidly
away, her eyes intense and bright, watching for claws that had escaped
the blast.
One David came out of the rolling clouds of flame. Tasso blasted it.
No more appeared.
"But Klaus. What about him?" Hendricks stopped, standing unsteadily.
"He--"
"Come on!"
* * * * *
They retreated, moving farther and farther away from the bunker. A few
small claws followed them for a little while and then gave up, turning
back and going off.
At last Tasso stopped. "We can stop here and get our breaths."
Hendricks sat down on some heaps of debris. He wiped his neck,
gasping. "We left Klaus back there."
Tasso said nothing. She opened her gun, sliding a fresh round of blast
cartridges into place.
Hendricks stared at her, dazed. "You left him back there on purpose."
Tasso snapped the gun together. She studied the heaps of rubble around
them, her face expressionless. As if she were watching for something.
"What is it?" Hendricks demanded. "What are you looking for? Is
something coming?" He shook his head, trying to understand. What was
she doing? What was she waiting for? He could see nothing. Ash lay all
around them, ash and ruins. Occasional stark tree trunks, without
leaves or branches. "What--"
Tasso cut him off. "Be still." Her eyes narrowed. Suddenly her gun
came up. Hendricks turned, following her gaze.
* * * * *
Back the way they had come a figure appeared. The figure walked
unsteadily toward them. Its clothes were torn. It limped as it made
its way along, going very slowly and carefully. Stopping now and then,
resting and getting its strength. Once it almost fell. It stood for a
moment, trying to steady itself. Then it came on.
Klaus.
Hendricks stood up. "Klaus!" He started toward him. "How the hell did
you--"
Tasso fired. Hendricks swung back. She fired again, the blast passing
him, a searing line of heat. The beam caught Klaus in the chest. He
exploded, gears and wheels flying. For a moment he continued to walk.
Then he swayed back and forth. He crashed to the ground, his arms
flung out. A few more wheels rolled away.
Silence.
Tasso turned to Hendricks. "Now you understand why he killed Rudi."
Hendricks sat down again slowly. He shook his head. He was numb. He
could not think.
"Do you see?" Tasso said. "Do you understand?"
Hendricks said nothing. Everything was slipping away from him, faster
and faster. Darkness, rolling and plucking at him.
He closed his eyes.
* * * * *
Hendricks opened his eyes slowly. His body ached all over. He tried to
sit up but needles of pain shot through his arm and shoulder. He
gasped.
"Don't try to get up," Tasso said. She bent down, putting her cold
hand against his forehead.
It was night. A few stars glinted above, shining through the drifting
clouds of ash. Hendricks lay back, his teeth locked. Tasso watched him
impassively. She had built a fire with some wood and weeds. The fire
licked feebly, hissing at a metal cup suspended over it. Everything
was silent. Unmoving darkness, beyond the fire.
"So he was the Second Variety," Hendricks murmured.
"I had always thought so."
"Why didn't you destroy him sooner?" he wanted to know.
"You held me back." Tasso crossed to the fire to look into the metal
cup. "Coffee. It'll be ready to drink in awhile."
She came back and sat down beside him. Presently she opened her pistol
and began to disassemble the firing mechanism, studying it intently.
"This is a beautiful gun," Tasso said, half-aloud. "The construction
is superb."
"What about them? The claws."
"The concussion from the bomb put most of them out of action. They're
delicate. Highly organized, I suppose."
"The Davids, too?"
"Yes."
"How did you happen to have a bomb like that?"
Tasso shrugged. "We designed it. You shouldn't underestimate our
technology, Major. Without such a bomb you and I would no longer
exist."
"Very useful."
Tasso stretched out her legs, warming her feet in the heat of the
fire. "It surprised me that you did not seem to understand, after he
killed Rudi. Why did you think he--"
"I told you. I thought he was afraid."
"Really? You know, Major, for a little while I suspected you. Because
you wouldn't let me kill him. I thought you might be protecting him."
She laughed.
"Are we safe here?" Hendricks asked presently.
"For awhile. Until they get reinforcements from some other area."
Tasso began to clean the interior of the gun with a bit of rag. She
finished and pushed the mechanism back into place. She closed the gun,
running her finger along the barrel.
"We were lucky," Hendricks murmured.
"Yes. Very lucky."
"Thanks for pulling me away."
* * * * *
Tasso did not answer. She glanced up at him, her eyes bright in the
fire light. Hendricks examined his arm. He could not move his fingers.
His whole side seemed numb. Down inside him was a dull steady ache.
"How do you feel?" Tasso asked.
"My arm is damaged."
"Anything else?"
"Internal injuries."
"You didn't get down when the bomb went off."
Hendricks said nothing. He watched Tasso pour the coffee from the cup
into a flat metal pan. She brought it over to him.
"Thanks." He struggled up enough to drink. It was hard to swallow. His
insides turned over and he pushed the pan away. "That's all I can
drink now."
Tasso drank the rest. Time passed. The clouds of ash moved across the
dark sky above them. Hendricks rested, his mind blank. After awhile he
became aware that Tasso was standing over him, gazing down at him.
"What is it?" he murmured.
"Do you feel any better?"
"Some."
"You know, Major, if I hadn't dragged you away they would have got
you. You would be dead. Like Rudi."
"I know."
"Do you want to know why I brought you out? I could have left you. I
could have left you there."
"Why did you bring me out?"
"Because we have to get away from here." Tasso stirred the fire with a
stick, peering calmly down into it. "No human being can live here.
When their reinforcements come we won't have a chance. I've pondered
about it while you were unconscious. We have perhaps three hours
before they come."
"And you expect me to get us away?"
"That's right. I expect you to get us out of here."
"Why me?"
"Because I don't know any way." Her eyes shone at him in the
half-light, bright and steady. "If you can't get us out of here
they'll kill us within three hours. I see nothing else ahead. Well,
Major? What are you going to do? I've been waiting all night. While
you were unconscious I sat here, waiting and listening. It's almost
dawn. The night is almost over."
* * * * *
Hendricks considered. "It's curious," he said at last.
"Curious?"
"That you should think I can get us out of here. I wonder what you
think I can do."
"Can you get us to the Moon Base?"
"The Moon Base? How?"
"There must be some way."
Hendricks shook his head. "No. There's no way that I know of."
Tasso said nothing. For a moment her steady gaze wavered. She ducked
her head, turning abruptly away. She scrambled to her feet. "More
coffee?"
"No."
"Suit yourself." Tasso drank silently. He could not see her face. He
lay back against the ground, deep in thought, trying to concentrate.
It was hard to think. His head still hurt. And the numbing daze still
hung over him.
"There might be one way," he said suddenly.
"Oh?"
"How soon is dawn?"
"Two hours. The sun will be coming up shortly."
"There's supposed to be a ship near here. I've never seen it. But I
know it exists."
"What kind of a ship?" Her voice was sharp.
"A rocket cruiser."
"Will it take us off? To the Moon Base?"
"It's supposed to. In case of emergency." He rubbed his forehead.
"What's wrong?"
"My head. It's hard to think. I can hardly--hardly concentrate. The
bomb."
"Is the ship near here?" Tasso slid over beside him, settling down on
her haunches. "How far is it? Where is it?"
"I'm trying to think."
Her fingers dug into his arm. "Nearby?" Her voice was like iron.
"Where would it be? Would they store it underground? Hidden
underground?"
"Yes. In a storage locker."
"How do we find it? Is it marked? Is there a code marker to identify
it?"
Hendricks concentrated. "No. No markings. No code symbol."
"What, then?"
"A sign."
"What sort of sign?"
* * * * *
Hendricks did not answer. In the flickering light his eyes were
glazed, two sightless orbs. Tasso's fingers dug into his arm.
"What sort of sign? What is it?"
"I--I can't think. Let me rest."
"All right." She let go and stood up. Hendricks lay back against the
ground, his eyes closed. Tasso walked away from him, her hands in her
pockets. She kicked a rock out of her way and stood staring up at the
sky. The night blackness was already beginning to fade into gray.
Morning was coming.
Tasso gripped her pistol and walked around the fire in a circle, back
and forth. On the ground Major Hendricks lay, his eyes closed,
unmoving. The grayness rose in the sky, higher and higher. The
landscape became visible, fields of ash stretching out in all
directions. Ash and ruins of buildings, a wall here and there, heaps
of concrete, the naked trunk of a tree.
The air was cold and sharp. Somewhere a long way off a bird made a few
bleak sounds.
Hendricks stirred. He opened his eyes. "Is it dawn? Already?"
"Yes."
Hendricks sat up a little. "You wanted to know something. You were
asking me."
"Do you remember now?"
"Yes."
"What is it?" She tensed. "What?" she repeated sharply.
"A well. A ruined well. It's in a storage locker under a well."
"A well." Tasso relaxed. "Then we'll find a well." She looked at her
watch. "We have about an hour, Major. Do you think we can find it in
an hour?"
* * * * *
"Give me a hand up," Hendricks said.
Tasso put her pistol away and helped him to his feet. "This is going
to be difficult."
"Yes it is." Hendricks set his lips tightly. "I don't think we're
going to go very far."
They began to walk. The early sun cast a little warmth down on them.
The land was flat and barren, stretching out gray and lifeless as far
as they could see. A few birds sailed silently, far above them,
circling slowly.
"See anything?" Hendricks said. "Any claws?"
"No. Not yet."
They passed through some ruins, upright concrete and bricks. A cement
foundation. Rats scuttled away. Tasso jumped back warily.
"This used to be a town," Hendricks said. "A village. Provincial
village. This was all grape country, once. Where we are now."
They came onto a ruined street, weeds and cracks criss-crossing it.
Over to the right a stone chimney stuck up.
"Be careful," he warned her.
A pit yawned, an open basement. Ragged ends of pipes jutted up,
twisted and bent. They passed part of a house, a bathtub turned on its
side. A broken chair. A few spoons and bits of china dishes. In the
center of the street the ground had sunk away. The depression was
filled with weeds and debris and bones.
"Over here," Hendricks murmured.
"This way?"
"To the right."
They passed the remains of a heavy duty tank. Hendricks' belt counter
clicked ominously. The tank had been radiation blasted. A few feet
from the tank a mummified body lay sprawled out, mouth open. Beyond
the road was a flat field. Stones and weeds, and bits of broken glass.
"There," Hendricks said.
* * * * *
A stone well jutted up, sagging and broken. A few boards lay across
it. Most of the well had sunk into rubble. Hendricks walked unsteadily
toward it, Tasso beside him.
"Are you certain about this?" Tasso said. "This doesn't look like
anything."
"I'm sure." Hendricks sat down at the edge of the well, his teeth
locked. His breath came quickly. He wiped perspiration from his face.
"This was arranged so the senior command officer could get away. If
anything happened. If the bunker fell."
"That was you?"
"Yes."
"Where is the ship? Is it here?"
"We're standing on it." Hendricks ran his hands over the surface of
the well stones. "The eye-lock responds to me, not to anybody else.
It's my ship. Or it was supposed to be."
There was a sharp click. Presently they heard a low grating sound from
below them.
"Step back," Hendricks said. He and Tasso moved away from the well.
A section of the ground slid back. A metal frame pushed slowly up
through the ash, shoving bricks and weeds out of the way. The action
ceased, as the ship nosed into view.
"There it is," Hendricks said.
The ship was small. It rested quietly, suspended in its mesh frame,
like a blunt needle. A rain of ash sifted down into the dark cavity
from which the ship had been raised. Hendricks made his way over to
it. He mounted the mesh and unscrewed the hatch, pulling it back.
Inside the ship the control banks and the pressure seat were visible.
* * * * *
Tasso came and stood beside him, gazing into the ship. "I'm not
accustomed to rocket piloting," she said, after awhile.
Hendricks glanced at her. "I'll do the piloting."
"Will you? There's only one seat, Major. I can see it's built to carry
only a single person."
Hendricks' breathing changed. He studied the interior of the ship
intently. Tasso was right. There was only one seat. The ship was built
to carry only one person. "I see," he said slowly. "And the one person
is you."
She nodded.
"Of course."
"Why?"
"_You_ can't go. You might not live through the trip. You're injured.
You probably wouldn't get there."
"An interesting point. But you see, I know where the Moon Base is. And
you don't. You might fly around for months and not find it. It's well
hidden. Without knowing what to look for--"
"I'll have to take my chances. Maybe I won't find it. Not by myself.
But I think you'll give me all the information I need. Your life
depends on it."
"How?"
"If I find the Moon Base in time, perhaps I can get them to send a
ship back to pick you up. _If_ I find the Base in time. If not, then
you haven't a chance. I imagine there are supplies on the ship. They
will last me long enough--"
Hendricks moved quickly. But his injured arm betrayed him. Tasso
ducked, sliding lithely aside. Her hand came up, lightning fast.
Hendricks saw the gun butt coming. He tried to ward off the blow, but
she was too fast. The metal butt struck against the side of his head,
just above his ear. Numbing pain rushed through him. Pain and rolling
clouds of blackness. He sank down, sliding to the ground.
* * * * *
Dimly, he was aware that Tasso was standing over him, kicking him with
her toe.
"Major! Wake up."
He opened his eyes, groaning.
"Listen to me." She bent down, the gun pointed at his face. "I have to
hurry. There isn't much time left. The ship is ready to go, but you
must tell me the information I need before I leave."