The Fatal Third

Peace had had its fling in the 21st century. Now was the time for violence ... and rugged Third Officer Webster ... and the miserable Uranians who knew not what they unloosed.

[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Planet Stories November 1953. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]

Hanford Webster, third officer of the space ship Polaris, was afflicted with what would have been known in the twentieth century as a first class jinx. However, more about the jinx later. He wasn't thinking about that right now where he was on duty standing his trick in the astrogation chamber. The fleet was nearing its destination--Uranus. And then it happened.

One instant the ten-ship Earth fleet was streaking through space. The next moment nine of the ships broke up into small pieces, actually disintegrating there in his visi-plate before the bulging eyes of Mr. Webster. Twisted fragments of metal formed a cloud in space and began to fall in a gentle arc toward the planet Uranus some fifty thousand miles away. It was a hideous cloud, liberally sprinkled with frozen bits of human beings who had been the pride of the space fleet only a split second before.

The tenth ship almost didn't get away. It was flying lookout position four hundred miles behind and above the main fleet. Even so, it got a severe jolt--like smashing into a solid wall. If anybody except Third Officer Hanford Webster had been at the controls God only knew what would have happened.

Third Webster saw the whole thing in the visi-plate just as his own ship gave a mighty lurch. A lesser man might have blacked out under the shock. But Webster kept his faculties. Almost automatically he kicked the Polaris in a wide circle away from the tiny ship that had put out from Uranus. And at the same time he started to check the damage.

"First," he called over the intercom. "First."

No answer.

"Second," he called.

"Here," came a weak answer. "What happened?"

"I don't know yet, but we're the only ship left. Find the First and come up."

"Okay."

One after another Webster checked the crew. No one dead or even seriously hurt. Fourteen men had been knocked out. There were a few sprains and pulled tendons and at least one bruised soul. Even disaster seems to have a sense of humor. The Chief Machinist had been sitting in the head when the blow struck. They found him there helpless, thrust deep into the toilet, wildly cursing.

The First arrived at the Control Room. The Polaris by this time was heading swiftly back to Earth.

"Have you warned Earth?" asked the First.

"Not yet," said the Third, "I've just finished checking. We're in good shape."

"I'll tell them then," said the First. "What a surprise this is going to be. It will upset everything."

And so the call went out to Earth. The Uranians had destroyed an Earth Fleet at 0622 Greenwich on April 13, 2072.

Right after the Polaris grounded, its officers were summoned to appear before the World Court. All the officials were there. Every branch of science was well-represented.

Third Officer Webster led off. He minutely described what he had seen. He explained how the Polaris had acted. But it had happened so fast that his description was sketchy. No one was able to figure out how the Uranians had done it. Webster's best guess was:

"It looked like the ships were yanked off their course and just broke up under the strain--like a strong magnetic field suddenly appeared in the middle of them. But that couldn't be."

The others agreed. Scientists long ago had found that things like death rays and peculiar beams could never exist. It was impossible to get enough energy in an extended beam to have any effect on anything.

Several hypotheses were proposed and rapidly shattered. The question of what had done it reached a blank wall.

But even more puzzling was the question of why. The Uranians were utterly incapable of bearing the malice necessary to start a war. They were as detached and unemotional as a rock.

Again the Court got nowhere.

Doctor Trant stood up.

"I don't think we can separate the two questions, how and why. So I recommend that we play back all the tapes we've made since we first contacted Uranus. Most of us know the whole story already, but with all of us listening together we might pick up something we've missed."