Forbidden Planet (23 page)

He looked down at Altaira—and bent his head and kissed her. He said, “Forgive me, my dear—forgive me—”

She put her arms around him. She murmured something I couldn’t hear.

He said, “Let me go, Altaira.” He said it gently, but there was something in his voice.

He looked at me. All the feelings I’d had about him seemed to have changed.

He must have known what I was thinking. He said, “Come with me a moment, John,” and smiled.

He walked slowly out to the center. Every step looked as if it took all his strength. I put a hand under his arm to help him.

He stopped. I wondered why, because there was nothing here. But he pointed down at the rock floor. He said, “John, if you would lift that for me . . .”

I looked down and saw a tile let into the rock.

I bent and got my fingers under the edge of it. I lifted it out—and saw a thing like a big plunger-switch, sealed across the top.

I asked him what it was. But he didn’t answer. He knelt down beside it, slowly and carefully.

He said, “Something I must do—” and reached down for the thing.

He checked. He looked up at me. He said, “John, is your ship ready to lift?”

I didn’t know what he was getting at. I had a strange feeling. But I answered him. I said, “Yes, sir. Or she will be within an hour or so.”

He didn’t say anything. He just smiled at me. He reached down and broke the seal across the top of the plunger.

He put his hand on it—and threw all his weight on the hand.

The plunger sank.

Still kneeling, he looked up at me. And then at Altaira.

He said, “In twenty-four hours there will be no planet Altair-4 . . . John, before then, you must be ten billion miles out in space . . .”

He started to get up—and swayed—and fell.

Altaira dropped down beside him. She lifted his head so that it rested on her lap.

She said, “Father—Father—,” and then stopped.

I thought he’d gone—but his eyes opened and he looked up at her.

He whispered, “I’m glad it’s this way, Alta . . . Be happy, dear. Be happy on earth—and forget the stars . . .”

Excerpts from “this third millennium—A Condensed Textbook for Students” by A. G. Yakimara, H.B., Soc.D., etc.

(The following are taken from the revised microfilm edition, dated Quatuor 15, 2600 A.D.)

. . . This frightful, cosmically-powered explosion, resulting in the complete disintegration of the Planet Altair-4, was visible to all Astronomers in the Solar System. The awe-inspiring, terrible beauty of the sight will never be forgotten by those who witnessed it . . .

It was, of course, considered a natural phenomenon—until the return, on Sexter 20th, 2391, of the Cruiser C-57-D, when Commander J. J. Adams first was able to relate his epic tale.

*  *  *

. . . There is good reason to believe that, at first, Commander Adams’ reports of the scientific supremacy of this ancient and defunct race did not receive complete credence. However, when he exhibited (and ‘put through its paces’) the anthroform robot-machine constructed by Doctor Morbius, doubts began to dissolve . . .

*  *  *

. . . A high pitch of frustration was reached over the so-called “Cerebro-micro-wave” records brought back by Commander Adams. And it was not until nearly sixty years later that these remarkable devices were analyzed and interpreted. They were of the highest importance, being the first examples of the possibility of what we now called Mnemono-Verbal Transmission—or the transmitting, by instant memory-wave, of a recording, in the words the memorizer would have used, of any experience.

The content of the records, however, was of little scientific value. They comprised Major Ostrow’s impressions of his stay on Altair-4, and various ‘experiences’ of Doctor Morbius. These latter might have been invaluable, except for the fact that they used the Krell terms of reference and have therefore never been completely deciphered. The only recording which has been completely translated refers to the ‘tour of inspection’ of the Krell underground powerhouse upon which he took Commander Adams and Major Ostrow . . .

*  *  *

. . . It is easy to understand why the saga of the C-57-D has attained such romantic status. Take, for instance, the marriage of Commander Adams to the daughter of Edward Morbius. It was performed in Deep Space, on the journey back from the exploded planet. And in order for the ceremony to be legal, Commander Adams was forced formally to relinquish his command (for the space of fifteen minutes!) to his Bosun, Zachary Todd . . .

*  *  *

. . . Regarded as a major tragedy by many scientists, the auto-destruction of Altair-4 was, in a way, welcomed by the Church and most thoughtful men and women.