Space 1999 #5 - Lunar Attack by John Rankine Read Free Book Online

Benes said, ‘Alien contacts . . . lost!’
    Koenig called Carter who looked stunned by the evidence of his console. ‘Return to base, Alan.’
    ‘Yes, sir.’
    Koenig moved slowly, flipped off the Red Alert button. He said, ‘Alert condition cancelled. Stand down.’
    Helena Russell called her medicentre and Mathias took it at the communications post, with the orderly chaos of a hospital service trader mobilisation around him.
    ‘Bob? False alarm. Wind it up.’
    Nobody could come to terms with it and Bergman spoke for all when he said, ‘John, I don’t understand. Does this mean we can go down to the planet?’
    The answer was taken from Koenig. The screen was filled with a picture that Sandra had not tuned. It was the hall of columns and the male alien’s voice filled Main Mission.
    ‘No.’
    All eyes looked wonderingly at the intruders and the male alien went on, ‘We trust you will stay away. Because you are so primitive and unstable, so governed by emotions like fear, you would destroy this perfect world.’
    Now it was in their minds and they could remember the glimpse of a possible future (or was it past?) that had been avoided.
    The female alien confirmed it, ‘The fighting craft that appeared to attack you were created in your own minds by your own fears. Our only defence was to make your fears appear to be a reality.’
    The male figure had the last word, ‘Alpha is not destroyed. Nor is our planet. In a moment of time we have shown you the possible consequences of a decision we trust you will not take.’
    The screen blanked. Each one was silent, coming to terms with his own mind.
    John Koenig reckoned he should put them back to work. He spoke to Bergman, but for everybody’s benefit.
    ‘How far away did you estimate the next solar system?’
    Helena was staring at the blank screen. She was remembering the rose madder foliage and the bland, green calm of the landscape. Hand on Koenig’s arm, she said slowly, ‘It is a beautiful planet.’

CHAPTER THREE
    John Koenig looked round the rows of intent faces in the recreation centre and reckoned soberly that his people were coming out of it very well. They had settled back into the routine of work and leisure and were still ready to give a new thing a try.
    He had been dubious about Bergman’s string quintet, thinking it might be limited in appeal, but in the event, Victor Bergman’s enthusiasm was communicating itself to all hands. He had worked hard with his volunteers and the standard of musicianship was impressive. Even Alan Carter who didn’t know a five bar rest from a beer garden joined in the applause as the piece came to an end and the maestro bowed professionally from the podium.
    Bergman started again, slow delicate music on a strict rhythm. It filled the space with nostalgia for the vanished culture of Earth planet, spilling out into the empty corridors of the sprawling Moonbase, repeated from communication posts which carried closed circuit coverage.
    Some Alphans were still at the coal face, filling every minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run. In Hydroponic Unit Two, a dedicated group had set up what could have looked like an old time séance.
    Certainly they had the atmosphere for it. There was a low key green light for optimum plant growth. There were lines of free-growing plants, some exotic, some bearing experimental fruits, some in their own transparent cases getting their ration of ultra violet.
    Running water and Bergman’s music made a backdrop. Inside the Unit Laboratory area, it was ignored. Dan Mateo, the botanist in charge of the unit, was explaining his experimental design and his three volunteers were as hooked as Bergman’s musicians.
    They settled themselves round a table and Mateo sorted out four leads from a black box in the centre. Each one ended in a flat electrode and Mateo flapped one on his left wrist. Next to him Laura Adams, inclined to giggle as the privilege of a strikingly pretty girl, caught his