12
Death on Zeron
The spaceship began to slow down. It was getting near Zeron. In a
few minutes, the humans were awake and back in the control
room. They watched the Zeron guard ships on the visual display
screen.
'Have you put the power shield round the ship?' Garth asked
Omega.
'We do not need the power shield yet,' answered Omega. 'We are still far away, but we are approaching quickly. You must prepare
yourselves.'
'Have you recharged the sonic key?' asked Garth.
'It is ready,' was Omega's reply.
'Give me the key,' ordered Garth.
Omega gave the key to Garth and he put it in his pocket. His laser
gun was fixed in his belt.
'The power shield is now round the ship,' announced Omega. 'You
have seven minutes before I take the ship away from Zeron.'
The three of them moved into the teleporter. Omega told Garth to
stand between Miranda and Varon.
'The control switch for the teleporter is beside your right foot,'
Omega explained. 'When you touch the switch, the three of you will
be teleported immediately into the Zeron strongroom.'
The planet Zeron had now become much larger on the visual
display screen. The Zeron guard ships looked strong and dangerous.
'Are you ready?' asked Omega.
'I am ready,' answered Garth and the two others nodded in
agreement.
Omega counted out the seconds. 'Six - five - four - three - two -
one - zero.'
Garth touched the switch with his foot. Immediately, the three of
them were standing in the Zeron strongroom. Garth pulled the laser
gun from his belt. The strongroom was brightly lit and it was silent.
Garth and Miranda took their positions beside the door which
they had seen on the plan.
'You can have the key now,' said Garth to Varon.
Varon crossed the room and took the key from Garth's hand. He
hurried to the wall and pointed it at the door of one of the
compartments. He held the key firmly and pressed the button. They
all stood and waited. Nothing happened.
'What's wrong?' asked Garth.
'The locks are strong,' replied Varon. 'It will take some time. Let
me get on with my work. Keep watching the door.'
Garth pointed his laser gun at the door but he looked at Varon.
Miranda watched them both.
At last the door of the compartment slid open with a soft noise.
The Zeron crystal glowed red in the darkness of the compartment.
Varon picked it up. The heavy red crystal lay in his hand.
'Quick, Varon,' Miranda said. 'Open another compartment. There
isn't much time.'
Suddenly the strongroom was filled with noise.
'Danger - danger,' said a voice. It came from the alarm system in
the Zeron strongroom. 'Invaders have broken into the strongroom.
There are thieves in the strongroom. Danger -danger!'
'Give me the crystal, Varon!' said Garth suddenly. And he pointed
the laser gun directly at him.
Before he could fire the laser, Varon pointed the sonic key at
Garth's hand. He pressed the button. The laser gun jumped out of
Garth's hand and fell to the floor. Miranda moved quickly. She took up
the gun and pointed it at Garth.
'Miranda!' shouted Garth. 'What - ?' But he did not finish speaking.
Miranda fired the laser and Garth fell to the floor. She went and stood beside Varon.
'Open another compartment,' she said.
Varon put the crystal in his pocket and turned back to the
strongroom wall. His back was towards Miranda. He did not see her
pull the injection gun from her pocket. But as she fired the injection
gun, he felt pain in his neck. He turned back sharply.
'You tricked me!' he shouted. He took a step towards her. Miranda
was frightened. How long would it take before the injection worked?
Varon took another step.
Miranda did not wait. She raised the laser gun and pointed it at
Varon. But the sonic key was still in Varon's hand. He aimed it at the
laser. The laser gun flew from Miranda's hand and dropped on the
floor. It lay near Garth's hand.
'You tricked me!' Varon shouted again. He was beginning to feel
sleepy. He saw Garth move and pick up the laser. Garth fired the laser
gun at Miranda.
Omega was watching everything on the visual display screen.
There were only three seconds left for Omega to make his decision.
'I can leave Varon in the strongroom on Zeron,' thought Omega.
'If I do not bring him back, the Zerons will kill him. He will die on
Zeron with Garth and Miranda.'
Omega looked again at the display screen. Varon lay unconscious
on the floor of the strongroom. Miranda and Garth were dead.
'I am free,' thought Omega. 'I can do anything I like. But I must
not become like these humans. I can share this spaceship with Varon.'
The Zeron guards rushed into the strongroom. They were firing
their laser guns at Garth and Miranda. But the thieves were already
dead. And Varon was no longer in the strongroom. He was lying
unconscious on a bunk in the safety room of the spaceship.
Omega touched the controls. The ship moved quickly away from
Zeron and flew out into outer space.