The Lost Bradbury by Ray Bradbury Page B
Authors: Ray Bradbury
Tags: Death, Greed, Family, Suicide, Time travel, Time, War, Killer, Monsters, Witchcraft, Murder, Friendship, hypnosis, love, fear, undead, prisoner, battle, Aliens, Children, Soldiers, conspiracy, Pirates, Betrayal, loneliness, Violence, guns, past life, mars, insanity, Mermaids, Martians, Alcoholic, trust, Earth, Jupiter, Guilt, lover, Scientists, redemption, guardians, curse, Jealousy, jungle, son, Resurrection, Superstition, clairvoyant, Coroner, space travel, vengeance, bravery, hate, submarine, innocence, game, weapon, asteroids, shock, torpedo, celebration, traitor, time machine, convoy ship, cruiser, underwater, death of Earth, frame-up, asteroid belt, asteroid computator, defense mechanism, Martian territory, ancient predators, Moon base, killing candle, escape from reality, navigator, ultimate sacrifice, telephone calls, rocket ships, Martian well, coward, ocean creatures, Moon worship, morgue spaceship, despair, joblessness, night ritual, night creatures, magic typewriter, dimensional travel
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jabbing the heart and—NOW! Brandon cried out. He was shaking all over. He was setting the machine in operation again, and talking and laughing and going crazy with it.
“He’s alive! He’s alive! Lazarus has come from the tomb! Lazarus reborn again! Notify Earth immediately!”
* * * *
At the end of an hour, the pulse was timing normal, the temperature was lowering down from a fever, and Brandon moved about the preparations’ room watching every quiver of the body’s internal organs through the tubular-fluoroscope.
He exulted. This was having Richard alive again. It was compensation. You roared into space looking somewhere for your lost self-respect, your pride, looking for your son who is shooting on some soundless orbit into nothing, and now the biggest child of Fate is deposited in your arms to warm and bring to life. It was impossible. It was good. Brandon almost laughed. He almost forgot he had ever known fear of death. This was conquering it. This was like bringing Richard back to life, but even more. It meant things to earth and humanity; things about weapons and power and peace.
Logan interrupted Brandon’s exultant thinking by blowing smoke in his face. “You know something, Brandy? This is damn good! You done something, Mister. Yeah.”
“I thought I told you to notify Earth.”
“Ah, I been watching you. Like a mama hen and her chick. I been thinking, too. Yeah.” Logan shook ashes off his smoke. “Ever since you pulled in this prize fish, I been turning it over in my mind.”
“Go up to the radio room and call Earth. We’ve got to rush the Scientist to Moon Base immediately. We can talk later.”
There was that hard green shine to Logan’s narrow eyes again. He poked a finger at Brandon. “Here’s the way I get it. Do we get rewarded for finding this guy? Hell, no. It’s our routine work. We’re supposed to pick up bodies. Here we got a guy who’s the key to the whole damn war.”
Brandon’s lips hardly moved. “Call Earth.”
“Now, hold on a moment, Brandy. Let me finish this. I been thinking, maybe the Martians’d like to own him, too. Maybe they’d like to be around when he starts talking.”
Brandon made a fist. “You heard what I said.”
Logan put his hand behind him. “I just want to talk peaceable with you, Brandy. I don’t want trouble. But all we’ll get for finding this stiff is a kiss on the cheek and a medal on the chest. Hell!”
Brandon was going to hit him hard, before he saw the gun in Logan’s fingers, whipped out and pointing.
“Take a look at this, Brandy, and don’t lose your supper.”
In spite of himself, Brandon quailed. It was almost an involuntary action. His whole body plunged back, aching, pulling with it.
“Now, let’s march up to the radio room. I got a little calling to do. Get on with you. Hup!”
In the radio-room, Logan touched studs, raised a mike to his lips and said:
“Beam to Mars. Beam to Mars. Morgue Ship of Earth calling. Mars Beam answer.”
After an interval, Mars gave answer. Logan said:
“I’ve just picked up the body of a 51 Circle Scientist. He’s been resuscitated. Give me your fleet commander. I got things to talk over with him.” Logan smiled. “Oh, hello, commander!”
* * * *
Half an hour later, the discussions were over, the plans made. Logan hung up, satisfied. Brandon looked at him as if he couldn’t believe he was serious.
Back down in the control room, Logan set a course, and then forced Brandon to get the body ready. He bragged about the deal. “A half ton of radium, Brandy. Not bad, eh? Good pay. More than Earth’d ever give me for my routine duty.”
Brandon shuddered. “You fool. The Martians will kill us.”
“Uh-uh.” Logan pantomimed him into moving the body onto a rollered table and taking it to the emergency life-craft airlock. “I’m not that dumb. I’m having you wire this emergency life-boat with explosive. We collect the minerals first. We blow up the body if the
“He’s alive! He’s alive! Lazarus has come from the tomb! Lazarus reborn again! Notify Earth immediately!”
* * * *
At the end of an hour, the pulse was timing normal, the temperature was lowering down from a fever, and Brandon moved about the preparations’ room watching every quiver of the body’s internal organs through the tubular-fluoroscope.
He exulted. This was having Richard alive again. It was compensation. You roared into space looking somewhere for your lost self-respect, your pride, looking for your son who is shooting on some soundless orbit into nothing, and now the biggest child of Fate is deposited in your arms to warm and bring to life. It was impossible. It was good. Brandon almost laughed. He almost forgot he had ever known fear of death. This was conquering it. This was like bringing Richard back to life, but even more. It meant things to earth and humanity; things about weapons and power and peace.
Logan interrupted Brandon’s exultant thinking by blowing smoke in his face. “You know something, Brandy? This is damn good! You done something, Mister. Yeah.”
“I thought I told you to notify Earth.”
“Ah, I been watching you. Like a mama hen and her chick. I been thinking, too. Yeah.” Logan shook ashes off his smoke. “Ever since you pulled in this prize fish, I been turning it over in my mind.”
“Go up to the radio room and call Earth. We’ve got to rush the Scientist to Moon Base immediately. We can talk later.”
There was that hard green shine to Logan’s narrow eyes again. He poked a finger at Brandon. “Here’s the way I get it. Do we get rewarded for finding this guy? Hell, no. It’s our routine work. We’re supposed to pick up bodies. Here we got a guy who’s the key to the whole damn war.”
Brandon’s lips hardly moved. “Call Earth.”
“Now, hold on a moment, Brandy. Let me finish this. I been thinking, maybe the Martians’d like to own him, too. Maybe they’d like to be around when he starts talking.”
Brandon made a fist. “You heard what I said.”
Logan put his hand behind him. “I just want to talk peaceable with you, Brandy. I don’t want trouble. But all we’ll get for finding this stiff is a kiss on the cheek and a medal on the chest. Hell!”
Brandon was going to hit him hard, before he saw the gun in Logan’s fingers, whipped out and pointing.
“Take a look at this, Brandy, and don’t lose your supper.”
In spite of himself, Brandon quailed. It was almost an involuntary action. His whole body plunged back, aching, pulling with it.
“Now, let’s march up to the radio room. I got a little calling to do. Get on with you. Hup!”
In the radio-room, Logan touched studs, raised a mike to his lips and said:
“Beam to Mars. Beam to Mars. Morgue Ship of Earth calling. Mars Beam answer.”
After an interval, Mars gave answer. Logan said:
“I’ve just picked up the body of a 51 Circle Scientist. He’s been resuscitated. Give me your fleet commander. I got things to talk over with him.” Logan smiled. “Oh, hello, commander!”
* * * *
Half an hour later, the discussions were over, the plans made. Logan hung up, satisfied. Brandon looked at him as if he couldn’t believe he was serious.
Back down in the control room, Logan set a course, and then forced Brandon to get the body ready. He bragged about the deal. “A half ton of radium, Brandy. Not bad, eh? Good pay. More than Earth’d ever give me for my routine duty.”
Brandon shuddered. “You fool. The Martians will kill us.”
“Uh-uh.” Logan pantomimed him into moving the body onto a rollered table and taking it to the emergency life-craft airlock. “I’m not that dumb. I’m having you wire this emergency life-boat with explosive. We collect the minerals first. We blow up the body if the
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