The Robot Brains [with w_cat] - страница 14

365 He took a belt with a black crystal from one of the Brains and fastened it round Christian's waist.

366 "Very soon all your questions will be answered..."

367 Waldo touched the crystal on Christian's belt, and laughed loudly.

"See you later, Captain Christian!"

368 The cellar disappeared. Christian was in complete darkness. It seemed to him that he was hanging in some empty place, between the stars - only there were no stars.

369 At last Christian saw a bright light and knew that he had arrived.

370 The Old Man and Doctor Fox were standing in the cellar.

371 "Are you sure it was Waldo and not another of the Brains?" asked the head of Military Intelligence.

372 "Yes. It was easy to see. I had seen him at the Fair, and recognized him by the scar on his nose."

373 "And after you seized Waldo, Captain Christian brought him here, and you took the crystal to a different hiding-place?"

374 "That's right," said the doctor, "And when I opened the box, it was empty."

375 "Scientists are studying your box," said the Old Man, "But I don't think they will learn anything from it."

376 "What do you think: is Christian still alive?" asked Fox. "Yes, I believe so," said the Old Man. "Up to now they have always left the decapitated bodies of their victims. So I think they have not killed Captain Christian. Evidently they have taken him with them - alive. But why? And where?"

Fox felt better.

377 "Then there is a chance," he said: "If Christian is alive, maybe he will escape and bring us the information that we need."

"I hope so," said the Old Man.

378 Christian was in a very large hall with a high ceiling and no windows. He had an impression that he was deep underground.

379 In the walls of the hall there were some doors through which he could see long corridors. The central part of the hall was occupied by a big construction with ladders and balconies. Two Brains stood near a large switchboard with red and green lights. The sides of the construction were covered with black crystals.

380 The crystals were placed in pairs. From time to time a Brain appeared from nowhere and put his black crystal into the construction, and then a red light on the switchboard turned into green. Sometimes another Brain took the crystal from the construction and fastened it to his belt. Then he touched the crystal and disappeared.

381 Christian understood that this construction was a kind of transmitter, with the help of which the Brains got to the earth and disappeared from it.

382 He wanted to jump to his feet and break the machine... but two Brains armed with decapitators were guarding him. The crystal, with the help of which he had got into that hall, was taken from his belt and put into the transmitter.

He began to wonder where he was.

383 Was he still on the earth but underground? Or was it another planet? Or maybe, he was on board a spaceship?

He decided that he must wait and learn all he could.

384 A woman came from one of the corridors. It was a very strange woman. She had long blond hair and was very beautiful. But she was at least nine feet tall.

385 She came up to Christian and said something very quickly, but Christian did not understand her. A Brain answered her, and she laughed. Then she bent and easily lifted Christian with one hand. She looked at him a few seconds, then lost interest and dropped him to the floor, like a child drops a doll.

She turned away and left the hall.

Christian stood up.

"We meet again, Captain Christian..."

386 It was Waldo's voice. And, indeed, the Brain was standing near Christian.

387 "Do you begin to understand now?" asked Waldo. "No? Well, it doesn't matter. You will never leave this place. You will die, but not easily..."

388 He called two other Brains who came up and stood on both sides of Christian, holding their decapitators ready.

389 "Follow me," said Waldo and went along one of the corridors.

Christian walked after him.

390 They walked along the corridor, sometimes crossing other corridors. On the side of the corridor there were cells in which Christian saw Brains and giant women. Finally they stopped near an empty cell.