Alice: The Girl From Earth

Chapter Five The Advice of Doctor Verkhovtseff

While en route we sent a subspace message to Doctor Verkhovtseff: “Arriving on Saturday. Can you meet us?” Verkhovtseff answered immediately. That he would be delighted to meet with us and would lead us through the dangerous belt of asteroids that surrounded the Three Captains’ World in his own speedster.

At the appointed hour we slowed to a halt outside the asteroid belt. The thick roi of sone debris was like a cloud hiding the planet’s surface from us. For some reason we were all excited; it seemed likely the encounter with Doctor Verkhovtseff would lead to important and interesting events. Perhaps, Even to adventures.

The doctor’s space cruiser flashed like a silver arrowhead among the asteroids and then he was beside us.

“Pegasus, are you receiving me?” A muffled voice came from the speaker. “Follow my lead..”

“What does he find so interesting here? It must be boring to be on just one planet.” Alice said; she had taken her place on the bridge in the little acceleration chair that had been made specially for her.

No one answered her. Poloskov piloted the ship while I took the navigator’s position. Zeleny was not on the bridge; he remained in the engine room.

The Pegasus changed course, avoiding a jagged asteroid, and immediately obeyed Poloskov’s command to drop toward the surface.

Beneath us passed a desert at various points cut with gorges and dotted with the pockmarks of craters. The space yacht’s silver arrow flew in front of us, guiding us in.

We slowed noticeably. You could already make out cliffs and dried rivers. Then in front of us was the dark green circle of an oasis; arched over it was the dome of the base. The doctor’s yacht went into a curve and landed on flat ground. We followed his example.

The Pegasus had hardly stopped rocking when Poloskov stood up from his acceleration couch and said, “That’s it.” Out the port, between the green oasis and our ship, I could see three stone statues.

It was the Three Captains. Their monument had been erected on a very tall base; even from far away you could make out that two of them were human beings. The third was a spindly, three legged Fyxxian.

“We’ve landed.” Alice said. “Can we go out.”

“Wait a moment.” I answered. “We don’t know the composition of the atmosphere or the temperature. Which space suit are you planning to wear?”

“None of them.” Alice answered. She pointed out the port. A man had exited the silver space yacht; he wore an ordinary, if very old fashioned grey business suit and had a floppy grey hat on his head. He raised his hand and waved to us.

Poloskov turned on the outside speakers and asked:

“I take it the atmosphere is suitable for breathing?”

The man in the hat quickly started to nod: Come on out, there’s nothing to fear!

We let down our gangplank; he met us at the bottom.

“Welcome to the base!” He said and bowed. “We so rarely see guests here!”

His manner of speech was very old fashioned; it went with his clothing.

Doctor Verkhovtseff appeared to be about sixty. He was short and skinny, but in general looked like a pleasant late middle aged mam with a face covered with tiny wrinkles who spent most of his time squinting or laughing, and when from time to time the skin of his face was stretched the wrinkles became white and very broad. Doctor Verkhovtseff had long, thin fingers. He shook our hands and invited us to visit the base.

We followed the doctor the green trees of the oasis.

“Why is there an oxygen atmosphere here?” I asked. “The rest of the planet appears to be sheer desert.”

“The atmosphere is artificial.” The Doctor said. “It was made when they erected the monuments. Several years from now they will be erecting a large museum dedicated to the heroes of space. They will be bringing in ships that have outlived their usefulness and all sorts of trees and wildlife from distant planets, a whole ecosystem.”

The doctor stopped in front of a stone block. Carved into it were these words in InterGal:

SPACE MUSEUM TO BE ERECTED HERE SOON

“As you can see,” Verkhovtseff said, “The museum will be the joint venture of some seventy different planets. In the mean time, as a beginning, an enormous atmosphere reactor was built in the center of the planet to separate out oxygen from ores. At the moment the atmosphere here isn’t the best, but by the time the museum opens it will be the best in the Galaxy.”

As we spoke we approached the base of the monument.

The monument was enormous, at least as high as a twenty story building. We stopped, bent our heads back as far as they could go, and looked over the Three Captains.

The first captain appeared to be young, broad shouldered and muscular. He had an almost up-turned nose and a broad face. The captain was laughing. On his shoulder sat a strange bird with two claws and a beautiful crown of stone feathers.

The second captain was taller than the first. He had the very wide chest and thin legs of those people who had been adapted to live on Mars. The Second Captain’s face was sharp and lean.

The Third Captain was a Fyxxian in a stiff space suit with helmet open and thrown over his back, leaning with one hand on the branch of a stone bush.

“They’re not at all old.” Alice said.

“You are correct, little girl.” Doctor Verkhovtseff answered. “They had already won fame and glory when they were quite young.”

We entered the shadows of the trees and walked down the broad path that led to the base. The base turned out to be an enormous establishment but mostly fille with cases, containers, and instruments.

“They’ve started to send the in the museum exhibits already.” The doctor said, as though apologizing for the clutter. “Come with me to my den.”

“It looks just like the Pegasus at the start of our voyage!” Alice exclaimed.

And in fact the passage through the base to Doctor Verkhovtseff’s living quarters was in some ways like walking though our ship when it had been filled with packages, cargo, and all sorts of equipment.

Doctor Verkhovtseff’s sleeping and working quarters turned out to be in a small store room between containers, filled with books and microfilms; there was scarcely room to place a folding cot which was covered with papers and films.

“Sit down, why don’t you; make yourselves at home.” The doctor said.

Other than to the occupant it was completely clear that there was nowhere here to find a place to sit. Verkhovtseff brushed a pile of papers onto the floor. The pages flew end over end, and Alice bent down to gather them up.

“You’re writing a novel?” Poloskov asked.

“Why would I write a novel? Oh, yes, of course, the lives of the Three Captains are far more interesting than any novel. It would be worth while in order to describe them as examples for future generations. But I have absolutely no literary gifts whatsoever.”

I thought that Doctor Verkhovtseff was just being modest. After all, it had been he who flew to the researchers on Arcturus Minor in order to find the plans of one of the Captains’ ships.

“And so,” the Doctor said, “how might I prove useful to my honored guests?”

“We were told that you knew everything there was to know about the Three Captains.” I began.

“We-el,” Verkhovtseff even turned red from embarassment, “that is a clear exaggeration.”

He placed his hat down on a pile of books; the hat tried to slide off, but the doctor caught it and placed it again in its former spot.

“The Captains explored a great many otherwise unknown planets.” I said. “They encountered remarkable animals and birds. We were told they left notes and observations in their diaries and logs. Our expedition is searching for unknown animals from other planets. Would you be able to help us?”

“Ah, that’s why…” Verkhovtseff grew pensive. His hat took this opportunity to slide off the pile of books and vanished beneath the cot. “Hmn,” he said, “if I had known earlier…”

“Papa, may I ask…” Alice asked.

“Of course, little girl.” The Doctor turned toward her.

“One of the stone Captains has a bird with two claws and a crown of feathers on its head perched on his shoulder. There’s no bird like that in the Zoo. Do you know anything about it?

“No.” Verkhovtseff said. “Almost nothing at all. And where is my hat?”

“Beneath your bed.” Alice said. “I can get it for you.”

“Don’t be troubled.” Verkhovtseff said, and crawled beneath his bed until only his legs stuck out from beneath it. It was searching for his hat in the darkness, shuffling papers, and continuing to talk: “They gave the sculptors the last photographs of the Captains. They chose the photos they liked the best.”

“You mean they just came up with the bird. The sculptors, I mean?” I asked, bending low over the bed.

“No, no!” Verkhovtseff’s shoes twitched. “I saw the photos myself.”

“And would you know where they were taken?”

“The First Captain was never separated from the bird,” Verkhovtseff answered, “but when he joined the Venus project he gave the bird to the Second Captain. And the Second Captain, as you know, vanished without a trace. The bird vanished too.”

“So it’s not even known where it came from?”

Verkhovtseff finally crawled out from under is bed. He had the hat rolled up on one fist, and in general he looked very embarrassed.

“Pardon me,” He said, “but I’ve lost the train of thought.”

“I mean, does anyone know where this type of bird originates?”

“No. Oh no.” Verkhovtseff answered quickly.

“Too bad.” I sighed. “It means failure. There seems to be no way you might be able to help us. And we were so hoping…”

“And why do you think that?!” Doctor Verkhovtseff grew indignant. “I’ve done a lot of traveling all on my own. Just let me think a moment.”

The doctor thought for about three minutes, then he said:

“Now I remember! On the planet Eurydice you can find the Dragonette minor. Also, they say, the Dragonette major.”

“I know.” I said. “One of the Captains shot a Dragonette major.”

“Do you know that for a fact?” Verkhovtseff asked.

“I know it. My friend, the archaeologist Gromozeka, told me about it.”

“Odd.” Verkhovtseff muttered and tilted his head to one side, looking me over as if he had seen me for the first time. “Well then just let me think some more.”

He thought for a few more minutes and then when on to describe the Martian Mantis. That was actually funny. Martian mantises may be found not only in all Zoos, but in many homes as well as pets. Alice, for example, has one.

Then Verkhovtseff went on to tell us about the tadprowlers, about the Fyxxian mudfly, about the Demon Birds of the planet Trool, and about other animals all well known from the pages of Guide to the Animals of our Galaxy.

“No, none of these animals are at all worth capturing.”

“My regrets,” Verkhovtseff said politely, “but I’ve spent my entire life interested in intelligent beings, and haven’t encountered all that many animals. May I give it one more go?”

Verkhovtseff began to ponder anew.

“Just where was I?” He asked himself. “A-ha,” He answered his own question. “I was on the Empty Planet.”

“Where?”

“On the Empty Planet. It’s not far from here, in a neighboring star system.”

“But if it’s an ‘Empty Planet,’ then how does it have animals.” Alice asked surprised.

“That’s something no one knows. You must understand, we were there on a Monday, and the whole sky was alive with birds. But on Tuesday there wasn’t a bird to be found, just wolves howling after herds. And the deer. But on Wednesday you couldn’t find either. The planet was empty.”

“But couldn’t the animals simply been hiding in dens or…”

“No, not at all.” Verkhovtseff said. “We were in a fast scout ship and out of curiosity we flew over most of the planet. There were no animals, and no birds. Just lakes. And I wasn’t the only one who was amazed by it. I’ll give you the coordinates.”

“Thank you.” I said. “But if you can’t remember anything else we’d like a chance to look at the Captains’ notebooks. In their travels and explorations they must have had a chance to observe many different kinds of animals.

“And who told you about the notebooks?” The Doctor asked, and frowned.

“Our friend the archaeologist Gromozeka.” I answered.

“I’ve never heard of him. Just why do you want the notebooks? I’ve just remembered the skliss from the planet Sheshineru. There are countless numbers of them there. They told me about it.”

“Thank you very much for the information.” I said. But what I really wanted was a chance to look through the Captain’s notebooks, but for some reason Doctor Verkhovtseff did not want me anywhere near them. For some reason he did not trust us.

“You’re welcome.”

“And the notebooks?” Alice asked.

“Oh, child, what in the universe would you want the notebooks for? And anyway, they’re not here. They’re on Fyxx; they hold them in the Archive. Yes, yes, in the Archive.” Doctor Verkhovtseff suddenly came alive, as though he had thought up a successful lie.

“Oh well.” Alice said.

The doctor was embarrassed, he wiped his eyes with the rumpled hat, and said:

“And you must certainly visit the market in Palaputra.”

“That’s one place we will be certain to stop.” I said. “We know all about it.”

“Then I shall see you off.” said the Doctor.

He stood up and led us back between the crates and containers toward the exit from the base. He walked very quickly, as though he feared we might change our minds and not leave.

We found ourselves back at the monument. We stopped beside it.

“And what happened to the Second Captain?” I asked.

“He died. Everyone knows that.” Verkhovtseff answered.

“We were told he vanished without a trace.”

Doctor Verkhovtseff shrugged his narrow shoulders.

“But you could find the First Captain?” I refused to give up. “He’s still alive?”

“Yes, he’s working somewhere off in space.”

“On the Venus Project? But there must be thousands of people working on it.”

“It would appear you yourself know how to contact him. There is really nothing else I can help you with.”

“Then I can only thank you for your hospitality. Although, in fact, we thought our encounter would go differently.”

“I also thought the same.” Verkhovtseff said.

“Perhaps, when you’ve finished writing the novel, you can send me a copy?”

“I am not writing any novels! I don’t know how! Whoever told you such a thing?”

“I’m talking about the novel you told the researchers on Arcturus Minor was you reason for visiting them a month ago when you asked about the construction of the Blue Gull.”

“What do you mean?” Doctor Verkhovtseff waved his arms furiously. “What about the Blue Gull? What researchers? I haven’t been there for at least six months!”

“Fine, fine…” I said, seeing how disturbed the Doctor became. “We didn’t want to embarrass you.”

“Think nothing of it.” Verkhovtseff said. “If you come this way again, drop in; I’m always glad to see visitors. Especially your enchanting daughter.”

He reached out a hand to stroke Alice on the head, but Alice stepped to one side and the Doctor’s hand hung in the air.

“Well, don’t forget.” He said, stopping beside the monument to the Three Captains. The Sklisses on Sheshineru and the mystery of the Empty Planet.”.

“Thank you doctor.” I answered. “We won’t forget.”