Captain Future 08 - The Lost World of Time (Fall 1941) (21 page)

"And Saturn will be a ringed planet henceforth," Curt Newton whispered. He looked at the breathless Katainians. "But Yugra is safe. There is no other hazard between us and the edge of the System."

The edge of the System! The rocket-moon, moving at ever accelerating speeds in these last days had finally reached it. Yugra had passed the orbit of Pluto and now was launching out into the vast void of interstellar space. Out there, bright and beckoning, shone the brilliant green star, Sirius. And toward that star beacon the little moon of lost Katain was moving on its titanic journey.

STANDING in the domed control room beneath the bright eye of the green beacon star, the Futuremen bade farewell to the Katainians.

"You should have no more trouble," Curt Newton said earnestly to Darmur. "When you finally reach Sirius, the rocket-tube can be used to cause Yugra to fall into an orbit around one of the habitable planets you observed there. It will be like living in Katain again."

Darmur nodded gravely. "Yes, a new home for my people — worlds upon which they can expand into a great civilization. We all owe our lives to you four, who came from the future to answer our call for aid."

His voice choked as he and Jhulun wrung Curt's hand.

"Not even in your future time can there be other men who could do what you four did!" he declared. "The gratitude of an entire people will be yours forever."

Curt flushed under the praise.

"We merely helped, Darmur. The plan was yours — and
an
epic plan it is, this great migration starward."

"Yes, we go out to a far star, never to return," Darmur replied solemnly. "But I think that a little part of our hearts will always be here in the System with lost Katain."

The Brain, who disliked shows of emotion, moved restlessly.

"Shall we get started, lad?"

Curt took Lureen's small hand. The girl's violet eyes had tears in them as she looked up at him. Impulsively he kissed her.

"Good-by, Lureen."

"Good-by, man from the future."

The
Comet
flashed up off the surface of Yugra in a blaze of rocket-fire. Twice Captain Future circled the towering control house in farewell. Then he turned the prow of the little ship back toward the Sun.

Not until they were within the System again did he turn on the time-thruster. For the last time the force rocked and shook them as they leaped across a hundred million years to their own age.

CURT finally shut it off. They looked out. The familiar planets of their own time were like the faces of old friends.

Grag gave a long metallic sigh of relief.

"No more time jaunts for me! I vote we scrap that thruster."

Curt was looking toward the bright star, Sirius. There was an unusual intensity in his gray eyes.

"In this time," he murmured, "the remote descendants of the Katainians must still live on Sirius' worlds. Maybe some day —"

"Maybe some day we'll go and see?" Otho cried eagerly.

Captain Future did not answer, but the bright spark of Sirius, glimmering across the vast void, was somehow like a shining promise.

THE END