The Three Planeteers

CHAPTER XXIII Epilogue

Lustily the old song of the Companions of Space was roaring from hundreds of throats, resounding across the huge sunlit spaceport of great New York, Lana's pirate followers, after being feasted and honored for weeks on Earth, were trooping out to their ships to follow their leader back to the Zone. And that roaring chorus that always before had inspired dread was now greeted by a tremendous cheer from the vast throng gathered around the spaceport.

At the edge of the spaceport stood a little group — the Planeteers, Lana, old Stilicho Keene, and the big space dog that pressed close to its mistress. Facing them were Richard Hoskins, Chairman of Earth, little Philip Blaine, and grim-faced Commander Leigh. Drawn up to one side were solid ranks of gray-uniformed men of the Earth Navy, an honor-guard of many thousands.

"I don't know what to say to you Planeteers,” the Chairman told them unsteadily. “You know what you've done, the whole system knows, and will never forget. But I wish you'd stay here."

John Thorn smiled, his arm around the slender waist of the pirate girl.

"We're going to be needed out there in the Zone, sir,” he answered. “It's not going to be so easy to bring law and order to those wild asteroids, even though you've caused all eight plants to recognize the Zone as a ninth independent world."

"Curse me if I like this idea of me sidin’ with law and order after all these years,” grumbled old Stilicho, his wrinkled face dismayed. “All I know is piracy, and—"

"You'll like it, Stilicho,” Lana told him fondly. “We'll need a strong space-police to cover the whole Zone, and it will take plenty of force to subdue some of the outlaw asteroids."

"Plenty of fighting, ye say?” echoed the old Martian. He spat rial juice thoughtfully. “Well, maybe at that it might—"

"Every world in the system will have only friendship for the Zone,” the Chairman told them earnestly. “Now that the League is gone forever, and popular government restored on the outer planets, I hope and pray that interplanetary war is over forever."

"And the scientific expedition to Erebus?” John Thorn asked.

"It rockets off next week,” the Chairman said, a deep sadness in his eyes. “It carries sufficient cyclotron equipment to bring dissolution and peaceful death to the doomed ones of Erebus."

A hush fell upon them all. And then the Chairman, his fine face working with emotion, shook their hands in farewell.

Lana started to move away, but Thorn checked her.

"I've a wedding present for you, Lana,” he said diffidently. “I had the Chairman re-open the old case of your father's dismissal from the Earth Navy. The investigation was impartial, and showed that in fact Martin Cain was unjustly cashiered from the navy because of the conspiracy of a jealous cabal."

Lana's eyes widened startledly, and clung to Thorn's.

"John, you mean—"

"Listen!” he said.

Commander Leigh had turned and was loudly reading a paper to the solid gray ranks of naval officers and men.

"Order of the Earth Naval Staff, June fourteenth, Twenty-nine-fifty-six: Martin Cain, deceased, is hereby posthumously returned to full rank of captain in the Earth Navy, and his name is ordered inscribed at Headquarters on the roll of officers who have served with honor."

Lana was crying. “My father's name, where he always longed for it to be."

The sixty pirate ships were waiting. They moved out to the Venture, and Stilicho climbed inside. But they were all surprised when Gunner Welk drew back from the door.

"I'm not going with you, John,” the big Mercurian rumbled. “I didn't know how to tell you all before, but this is good-by."

Thorn was startled. “Gunner, you're not going to separate from us now? Not after you and Sual Av and I have been so long together?"

"What's the matter that you want to break us three up now, Gunner?” Sual Av asked, his ugly face distressed.

Gunner avoided their eyes. He stared off into space with brooding cold blue eyes, his massive countenance queer.

"You're getting married and that changes things,” he told Thorn. “It can't help but change things."

His voice deepened. “There were three comrades from different worlds, and they raised a racket from Mercury to Erebus in their time — three Planeteers who did some things that the system won't soon forget. But one of them got married, and that was the end of the Planeteers."

He shrugged heavily. “But I suppose we had to split up some time. Just because three fellows go through hell together with a grin doesn't mean that they have to stay together afterward. I'm wishing you good luck, John, and you, Sual."

Lana stepped forward, and looked up with steady searching blue eyes into the Mercurian's massive, brooding face.

"Gunner, when we fought together and spaced together, I did my part, didn't I?” she asked quietly.

"Of course!” he rumbled. “I'd fight the man who says you're not the staunchest, bravest girl in the system."

"Then John and I marrying isn't going to break up the Planeteers,” she told him. “It's going to give you another comrade, that's all. And all four of us together, won't be too many for the work of making a civilized world out of the Zone."

Gunner stared at Lana, and slowly his craggy face relaxed. He looked from her to John Thorn.

"Four of us together? And plenty of trouble ahead? Then I stick!"

He turned toward Sual Av, and shoved the grinning Venusian toward, the door of the ship.

"What the devil are you hanging back for?” he rumbled. “Don't you know that we're needed out in the Zone — we Four Planeteers!"