The Robot Brains [with w_cat] - страница 24

In a few minutes the great building of the United Nations was burning. The New York firemen could not put out the fire because the water in their pipes was turning into steam. Nobody could do anything... and many of the world's outstanding statesmen perished in the great fire.

The tanks were moving forward. There were three rows of them, the most modern heavy tanks with powerful guns. They were making a circle around the buildings of the Imperial Technical Institute.

The commander was watching them through field-glasses from his observation post. He was a thin, grey-haired veteran, very sure of himself and very proud of his tanks.

The commander smiled to himself, remembering the bomb which had not exploded. Such things sometimes happened to bombs. But he was sure that nothing could stop his tanks. He continued watching them through his field-glasses. They were already near the Institute. Another second or two - and he was going to give the signal to open fire.

Suddenly something was wrong. The first row of tanks stopped. They began to change their shape. They were melting, like ice.

The commander seized his microphone. "Open fire!"

The second and third rows of tanks stopped, too. The commander saw through his field-glasses that they were melting. They were melting very quickly In a few minutes there were no more tanks. There were great pools of melted metal in their place.

Captain Christian threw the end of his cigar into the Thames and stepped down into the cabin. Paul was still working on his apparatus. It was a small box with wires, and it was difficult for Christian to believe that it could be an effective weapon against the Brains.

"Have you read the report about the tragedy in New York?" Christian asked.

Paul nodded.

"Do you understand how the Brains did it?"

"They have modernized their decapitation weapon. They release the energy of the air by remote control."

"Can your energy barrier hold out against that?"

"Yes."

"Then you must teach our scientists to erect this energy barrier. The Brains may attack with their new weapon again."

Paul shook his head.

"No, Captain, I will not interfere. The people of your time are not ready for such a weapon. But my apparatus is nearly ready - the Brains will not bother you any longer."

Paul connected his apparatus to the energy source. A high-pitched sound came from the little box. It was getting higher and higher. It was resounding in the captain's head. Christian felt that he wanted to scream. The sound was getting still higher... higher... then Christian could not hear it any more. But the needle moving across the dial on the machine told him that the sound was still coming from the little box.

Paul explained: "I have built a high-frequency oscillator. It broadcasts sound waves which cannot be heard by a human ear. The sound is continuous and will last indefinite time."

"Well?"

"The structure of the Brains' ear is different from yours. -They will hear the sound, and it is impossible for them to stop it. From this moment they will always have this noise in their heads. I don't think they will be able to stand it for a long time.. and to escape from this noise, they must return to the future."

Christian shuddered.

"For me a few seconds were enough!" he said.

"Quite so," said Paul. "So the Brains will have to return to their time. When they return, I shall destroy their time machine, and you can live in peace."

Christian went up on deck and lit a cigar. He was sure that the Brains would strike back. He only hoped that Paul's energy barrier would be effective enough to hold out against their attack.

Waldo trembled and screamed and held his big head with his small hands. That high-pitched note was sounding in his head without stopping. He felt sharp pain, a red curtain was hanging before his eyes. He could not think clearly

The Brains suffered greatly. Their science could find nothing to stop that terrible noise in their heads. They could not stand that noise any longer. Some of them went mad and killed each other.