The Blue Dwarfs Read online

  It grew gradually light and the foothills could be seen not far ahead.

  A grassy valley cut through the mountains in a westerly direction and the entrance to the valley was no more than two or three miles away. There they would rest.

  They reached their goal. At the valley entrance, in a recess along the southern valley wall, they made their camp.

  Which is to say they let themselves collapse and fell asleep in the same instant.

  • • •

  When Milligan tried to stand up at the end of the 3-hour rest period, his legs gave way. He fell over and remained there, lying in a prone position. Mullon thought Milligan had sprained his ankle and tried to help him up.

  But Milligan could no longer stand up. He was so weak that he fell down when not held up.

  Half an hour later the first symptoms of that mysterious disease appeared: blue pustules.

  Mullon radioed Greenwich immediately and learned that Weeney had achieved a partial success in fighting the sickness. He had succeeded in slowing down the activity of the virus with one of the medications brought from Earth and if not curing the disease, at least bringing it to a standstill.

  Then Mullon and Pashen loaded Milligan aboard the helicopter. Mullon wanted to fly the patient back to Greenwich but when he tried to turn the motor on, the machinery responded with a single rattling noise and died completely.

  Mullon then tried to locate the problem but although he was a technician and familiar with helicopters, he was not successful. Meanwhile the sun sank and a flight to Greenwich was no longer even thinkable. The narrowness of the passes and the height of the mountains would have made such an enterprise fatal and one simply could not risk the only helicopter available to 8000 settlers.

  Not to mention the fact Mullon had no more light to continue his investigation of the helicopter's propulsion system.

  They would have to wait until the next morning, even though Milligan could be long dead by then.

  Mullon assigned periods of watch-duty to the others, then took the first three-hour period himself. The afflicted Milligan could not be left without anyone to keep an eye on him.

  Milligan accepted his fate calmly. He was conscious and even the breakdown of the helicopter did not seem to bother him. "Don't worry, Boss," he said to Mullon, "everything will be alright!"

  Mullon's watch-period ticked away without incident. He let 3½ hours go, since he did not feel tired himself and wanted to let the others have a little extra rest. Only then did he wake Freddy.

  In the meantime, Milligan had fallen asleep.

  Freddy took a gun and a small flashlight and sat down in front of the tent in which Milligan was sleeping. Next to her burned a small lantern, which Mullon had put up during his watch. The lantern threw a circle of weak light into the darkness and attracted a number of beetles and night butterflies.

  Freddy spent her time observing the flying insects and since she did it with expert knowledge in the field, she was able at the same time to fulfill one of the expedition's objectives.

  In this manner three hours passed relatively quickly. Freddy remained where she was, however. She wanted to wake Pashen only when she was so tired she could no longer keep her eyes open. It had not gotten to that point yet: the variety of beetles and butterflies swarming around the small lantern offered no chance for monotony.

  In spite of the intensity of Freddy's concentration on the insects she did not miss hearing a light rustling from the direction of the pond, suddenly coming through the bushes.

  Freddy let fall the shining beetle that had been on her hand and reached for the flashlight. She flicked it on and turned it into the direction from which had come the rustling.

  Her success was instant. The rustling became louder but quickly moved away. At the same time, the unknown creature made sounds that seemed terrified and fear struck.

  Freddy switched off the flashlight and waited. After about 10 minutes the rustling began to approach again. Freddy patiently allowed it to come towards her until she heard a light thump, which meant that the unknown creature, whatever it might be, had sprung out of the bushes and onto the grass.

  At that moment Freddy switched the flashlight on again. The harsh flood of light caught a small grey-white furred being that held its tiny front paws up in front of its eyes in a gesture of terror.

  Considerable surprise was evident on both sides. Just as Freddy came to the realization that the bright light must be uncomfortable for the little monkey and was about to point the flashlight in another direction, the Mungo pulled its hands away from its face, turned and disappeared with one broad leap into the bushes.

  Freddy was not satisfied, however. She was sorry that she had frightened the little fellow away. It was very possible that it was the same monkey that had saved her from the snake that afternoon. She began to call out.

  The Mungo moved only once she had remembered a few of the sounds her rescuer had made earlier that day and tried to imitate them: "Gai-gai-gai... chrrrr... guhr-guhr-guhr... "

  The results were astonishing. When Freddy paused, she heard rustling from all sides coming towards her. And soon appeared six small and curious, and at the same time amazed, faces in the narrow circle of light from the lantern.

  Freddy stretched her hand out to one of the Mungos and the little fellow sprang the rest of the way to her. He looked up at her so winsomely that Freddy began to laugh.

  Someone came up from behind and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Who's making funny noises in the middle of the night?" he asked.

  It was Mullon. The Mungos did not seem to be afraid of him. They looked at him with the same curiosity as they did Freddy when he stepped into the light from the lantern.

  "I imitated their speech to call them to me," Freddy explained. "The flashlight had scared them away."

  "And they let themselves be called to you?"

  "See for yourself."

  One of the Mungos—the first to come forward—had in the meantime gone to the entrance to Milligan's

  tent and was tugging at the flap. He looked at Mullon and Freddy so demandingly there was no more doubt that he wanted into the tent.

  "What does he want there?" asked Mullon.

  "I don't know," Freddy laughed. "Ask him!"

  Mullon bent down to the little monkey, who tugged at the tent flap all the more. Mullon hesitated a bit, then raised the flap. The Mungo slowly walked into the tent. His five companions remained behind.

  It was dark inside the tent until Freddy raised the lantern and held it behind the Mungo. He had already found his way to Milligan's cot in the darkness and now stood in front of the sick man. He looked back and forth from Milligan to Mullon, who had come in behind him.

  Freddy raised the lantern high enough that the light touched Milligan's face and in a few moments he opened his eyes. "What in... " he mumbled sleepily and confused.

  "You have visitors," answered Mullon.

  Milligan looked to the side and discovered the little monkey. "Ah... is that the little guy who saved Mrs. Mullon this afternoon...?"

  "I don't know, Milligan," said Freddy, "but it looks like it in any case."

  The Mungo had followed the brief conversation with such attentiveness that it looked like he understood every word. Now, as everyone grew quiet, he sprang up on Milligan's bed and began to pull the man's shirt apart where it was unbuttoned at the collar. The blue spots all over Milligan's skin came into view. The Mungo laid its small, delicate hand on one of the pustules, looked at Freddy and with a deep and bewailing voice cried: "Uuuuuh... ep-ep!"

  Mullon bent down to him. "Yes, it's terrible," he answered, as serious as if he had understood what the monkey wanted to tell him.

  The Mungo began to chatter and gesticulate with his arms. Mullon did not doubt that the monkey was not only excited but that he wanted to say something too.

  "Can anyone help me brush up on my Mungoese?" Mullon inquired half-mockingly and half-desperately.

  The Mungo seeme
d to understand that he was not being understood. With a long jump that surprised Mullon he sprang down from Milligan's bed and out of the tent. As Mullon and Freddy followed, they heard a sharp, shrill cry and when they finally emerged from the tent, the six Mungos had vanished without a trace.

  Mullon scratched his head. "If I only knew what all this means," he murmured, thoroughly at a loss.

  "I think I can tell you," Freddy answered. "They want to help Milligan."

  Mullon looked at her, startled. Then he started to laugh. "You aren't serious! How could a bunch of little monkeys be able to help a sick Terran?"

  "Let's wait and see," she suggested.

  Mullon sat down in the grass next to his wife. Again came the rustling in the bushes and a moment later the monkeys appeared in the light from the lantern. This time, however, they had brought something with them: they carried whole bunches of blue-green, fleshy leaves between their teeth. They laid the leaves before Freddy as though she had sent them out to get them. Then five of the monkeys stepped back to the edge of the light while the sixth stood in front of Freddy and looked at her demandingly.

  "Now what?" Freddy asked, smiling.

  The monkey took three or four of the leaves and put them in his mouth, then proceeded to chew on them. After a bit he stopped chewing and looked around as though searching for something. "He needs a spittoon," Mullon ventured.

  Freddy found a plastic bowl and placed it before the Mungo. He bent over and spat a solid stream of soupy green liquid into the bowl. Then he put more leaves into his mouth and began to chew energetically on them as well. The other monkeys came over and helped him with the work. In a short time the bowl was half-full with the green and watery mush.

  "And now?" asked Freddy. One of the Mungos tried to lift the bowl but was not successful. So Freddy picked it up. The Mungo chattered in approval, then sprang to the tent flap. Mullon raised it and let Freddy and the monkey in. The other five remained outside as before. Milligan was still awake. "Is he back again?" he asked weakly.

  "Yes," answered Mullon, "and it looks like he's brought some medicine for you."

  "The monkey...?"

  "Yes." Milligan raised himself up as far as his slight strength would carry him. The Mungo had gone to the head-end of his cot, thought for a moment, then sprang up. He settled by Milligan's head, stretched his arm out carefully and pointed to Milligan's mouth.

  "No!" exclaimed Mullon horrified. "He's supposed to drink this stuff?" Unmoved, the monkey held his tiny finger close to Milligan's lips, looking meaningfully at the bowl Freddy held in her hands.

  "That's evidently what he means, alright," Milligan decided. "Let me have the stuff. Maybe it'll help." Freddy gave him the bowl and before anyone had time to even breathe again, Milligan had swallowed the entire contents with a few large gurgling gulps.

  He made a wry expression. "Brrr... good it wasn't—but hopefully it'll help." No one had paid attention to the little Mungo in the past few moments. He had sprung down from

  Milligan's bed to sit on the ground. He waved his arms and the look on his face would have fit anyone who had just succeeded in pulling off a great prank. Milligan yawned loudly. "I'm so tired," he murmured. "I think I'll go back to sleep."

  "Do that," Mullon told him. "Sleep is always good. We'll be coming in to look after you." They went out, the Mungo hopping in front of them. Mullon expected him to join his companions and leave but instead all the Mungos remained and sat around the lantern. "What are they waiting for now?" asked Mullon in surprise.

  "To see if Milligan gets well or not," answered Freddy.

  Mullon laughed. "You and your infinite trust. I hope it isn't disappointed. Anyway, I'm going back to bed. Do you want to wake up Pashen yet?"

  Freddy shook her head. "I'm still not tired."

  Mullon disappeared into his tent. Freddy stayed by the lantern and talked quietly with the Mungos. They answered but no one understood the other. About every 15 minutes Freddy looked in on Milligan and each time she was accompanied by the Mungo who seemed to be the leader of the group. Milligan slept peacefully and quietly. Two hours later, Pashen awoke on his own and came out of his tent. He was surprised that he had been allowed to sleep. Freddy told him what had happened and that he had to look in on Milligan at regular intervals. Then she gave the six Mungos to his care and went to get some sleep.

  When Freddy awoke once more, it was still dark outside. A pale glow could be seen above the eastern wall of the valley but at least an hour and a half remained before sunrise. Mullon was no longer in the tent. Freddy heard him outside, talking quietly with Pashen. She stood up, washed from the small collapsible plastic container that belonged to every tent as standard equipment, then went outside. The picture had not changed. Pashen and Mullon sat together in front of Milligan's tent, the lantern still burned and the monkeys still sat around it in a circle.

  The two men stood up as they heard Freddy's steps.

  "Milligan's getting on fine," said Mullon without waiting for her question. "He's sleeping peacefully and... "

  "And...?"

  "The blue spots are gone!"

  "No—!"

  Mullon nodded earnestly. "They are. It's a miracle but it's the truth."

  Freddy bent down to the Mungos and stroked each one in turn on the head. "We must give them a present!" she decided.

  With that she went over to the supply tent and began to search among the various items there. She returned shortly, carrying large pieces of brilliant yellow cloth.

  Mullon leaped to his feet. "The outer covering for our life jackets! Are you alright, Freddy?"

  "It's all from only one life jacket," Freddy corrected. "And anyway, so? When have you seen enough

  water in one place around here that you would need a life jacket?"

  "There are oceans on Grautier," answered Mullon, "but... "

  "Don't be so greedy," Freddy interrupted angrily. "These little fellows have helped Milligan get back on his feet and now you want to send them away without a reward. There's enough bright cloth back in Greenwich that we can sew the life jacket back together again." Mullon offered no more objections. Freddy sank to her knees and handed the Mungos their presents.

  The little animals pressed the fabric to their bodies with their hands like one would do with an article of clothing before buying it, then danced for joy.

  Freddy's eyes shone and Mullon and Pashen were so surprised by the sudden outburst of happiness that they did not notice Milligan raise the tent flap behind them and step out.

  "Hey, I'm back," he said simply.

  Mullon turned. "How do you feel?" he asked.

  "Stronger than ever," Milligan answered. "That stuff must have been the devil's own brew. I hope we can take some back for the sick in Greenwich."

  Mullon laughed. "Do you have any idea what it was you drank?"

  Milligan shook his head.

  "Have you got a strong stomach?"

  "Strong as the next man's, I guess."

  "Well," hesitantly, "I guess I can risk telling you now. But remember what it did for you when I tell you it was chewed-up leaves... "

  "Chewed up by whom?"

  "The local brand of monkeys... plus a soupçon of their salivation."

  Milligan momentarily went the color of pea soup.

  3/ CISLARCZIK'S FATE

  A single blue-green leaf had escaped the nocturnal alchemy and the chewing and spitting frenzy of the Mungos. Mullon used the leaf to make clear to the monkeys that he would like to have more leaves. Mullon even went further: he tried to explain to the Mungos that where he had come from a number of people were sick like Milligan had been and that he wanted to heal them too.

  The monkeys understood. An hour later Mullon had so many leaves that he was afraid he would not be able to get them all aboard the helicopter.

  • • •

  If Glannon had wanted 20 hours to rest in, he was disappointed. After only 10 hours, Harper woke him up and made him drink from the cantee
n.

  After drinking, Glannon felt his tiredness melt away in a short time A warm current of fresh strength seemed to flow through his limbs.

  The water in the canteen contained a small amount of highly concentrated compounds for restoring bodily energy.

  Half an hour after Harper and Glannon had drunk of the miracle water, they were once more on the march.

  The pass led in a straight line into the mountain range. It rose steeply and had been cut so deeply into the mountain walls that the sun did not penetrate to the pass floor. Harper and Glannon did not have to suffer any great heat for this part of the journey.

  Towards noon they reached the summit of the pass. They stopped to rest briefly but then drank more of the fortified water and pressed on. The pass sank now, even more steeply than it had risen, and eventually opened out on a small plateau.

  Harper and Glannon quickly crossed the plateau and on the other side entered a gorge that seemed to lead up to another pass.

  Harper didn't know that this was the pass that Mullon had flown through in the helicopter on the day before and the broad valley in which Mullon was camped lay behind them.

  He didn't know it yet. He would soon find out, however.

  Yet a third man was traveling westward through the rocky wasteland of the mountains at that time: Cislarczik.

  Harper's blow had knocked him out for only two hours. When he came to, he found the empty canteen and Glannon's note.

  From that moment on, Cislarczik thought of nothing but how he could make Harper pay. He followed Harper and Glannon's plainly visible trail, which led on to the river. He camped about half a mile downstream from the place where the other two were resting and kept his eye on them until they took up the march once more. He followed their footprints for as long as he could see them, slept through the entire night, then pressed ahead the next morning as quickly as he could before the downtrodden grass straightened up again. He knew that without a compass he would never be able to find his way back to Greenwich from there so he had to find Harper and obtain his compass.