Captain Future 12 - Planets in Peril (Fall 1942) Read Free Page A

out the readings of the meteorometers and Curt shifted the space-stick at each warning. The still-angry android interspersed his readings with loudly muttered comments upon the trickery of Grag, who had followed them forward.
    Curt Newton grinned to himself. He was used to this perpetual bickering of Grag and Otho. He had heard it all his life, for Grag and Otho and the Brain had been with him since he was born.
    The story of Curt Newton's birth and upbringing was one of the strangest in history. Years ago, a brilliant scientist named Roger Newton had fled from enemies on Earth and taken refuge on the wild, barren Moon. With him had gone his young wife and his strange colleague, Simon Wright, the Brain.
    They had built a home and laboratory beneath Tycho crater. In it, a son had been born to Roger Newton and his wife. Here Newton and the Brain had pursued their experiments designed to create intelligent living beings, and had created Grag, the robot and Otho, the android.
    But their enemies followed them, and killed Roger Newton and his wife. The murderers themselves met quick retribution. And thus the orphaned infant was left to the care of the three strange beings: the Brain, the robot and the android. These three, through the years, had guarded and reared the child upon the lonely Moon. And they had given him an education such as no boy had ever before received.
    The Brain had supervised Curt's scientific education until the boy approached his tutor in wizardry of science. Otho had taught him swiftness and cleverness. Grag had carefully fostered his physical strength. It was small wonder that Curt Newton grew up into a man of tomorrow.
    The finest human scientist and most audacious planeteer in the System, Curt had so devoted his powers to fight for the System's peoples that they named him Captain Future, and called his three loyal comrades the Futuremen.
    "Well, we're through that cursed meteor zone at last," announced Otho, turning with relief from the meteorometers.
    He gestured to the bright red dot of Mars ahead.
    "We'll reach Deimos in a few hours," he said.
    "I don't see why Tiko Thrin had to drag us all the way out here to Deimos," complained Grag. "What's it all about, anyway?"
    "Tiko wouldn't say, according to Simon," Curt replied. "He said only that it was imperative we come. It must be important. Tiko Thrin isn't a man to exaggerate."
    "Bah! Those Martians are all nutty," Otho scoffed. "We'll get there and he'll have some crazy new scientific idea to tell us. You'll see."
    The Comet rapidly swept closer toward the burning crimson sphere of Mars. Captain Future skillfully steered in a broad curve toward the hurtling little satellite of Deimos. He brought the ship down smoothly toward the shadowed night-side of the tiny moon.
    The planet-lit face of the Garden Moon was clear as a map to Curt's eyes. Soon he was landing their craft on the tree-bordered lawn of Tiko Thrin's small chromaloy house.
    "Hello, that's Joan coming!" Curt exclaimed, as he and Grag and Otho emerged into the soft planet-glow.
    His pulse had jumped, as it always did, at sight of the slim Earthgirl he loved. She was running toward them across the velvety lawn.
    "Something must be wrong," Otho muttered. "She's in a big hurry —"
    But Curt had already strode forward to meet the girl. He greeted her by exuberantly picking her up in his arms and holding her high in the air.
    "Show a little affection, Mr. Randall, or I'll toss you right off this low-gravity moon," he threatened cheerfully.
    "Curt, put me down!" she ordered urgently. "Something has happened — something tremendous."
    Captain Future’s face sobered instantly, and he set her on her feet.
    "What is it, Joan?"
    She was breathless, her eyes brilliant with excitement.
    "Curt, in the house are two people from another universe!"
    As Curt Newton and the two Futuremen looked at her incredulously, she rushed on.
    "They're humans, Curt, but they're not like us. The man's name is Gerdek, and