The Robot Brains [with w_cat] | страница 34

"There are always two Watchers on this moon base. Our period of duty lasts twelve months."

Shocked, Christian exclaimed: "So there are only two of you? But of course, you can call for help."

Barbara smiled

"You have no idea, Captain, how great is the distance that separates us from the nearest colony. No. Paul and I must solve this problem alone."

Paul joined them.

"I have studied the time machine," he said, "and now I understand the principle on which it works. The black crystals are the main part of it. They appeared many thousand years ago as a result of the great atomic radiation of the Third World War. They are products of multi-dimentional hyperspace. The Brains discovered and studied them, and learnt to use them for moving through time. But they cannot make new crystals. So when we return all the Brains back into their time, I shall destroy their time machine and crystals, and they won't be able to travel through time and bother you."

"What shall we do now?" asked Christian.

"We shall go into your time and look for the Brains."

"All right, let's go!"

In their spaceship Paul and Barbara had a machine which looked like the robots, but could carry passengers. They got into it and started in the direction of the lift

In the underground jungle and corridors they met some giant women, who looked curiously at them, but no one tried to stop them. In the big hall the two robots were still standing near the time machine. Several Brains were looking down at them from the top of the machine.

Paul raised his voice.

"We are the Watchers. You must return to your cells and remain there till I call you."

One of the Brains raised his decapitator and fired at Paul. But nothing happened.

"There is no danger." said Paul. "I have just erected an invisible energy barrier around us. Nothing can pass through it."

Paul spoke to the Brains again. "You must go at once, before I lose patience," he said. The Brains got down from the top of the time machine and left the hall.

"Well," said Christian, "what shall we do now?"

"Our task is simple," answered Paul. "To bring back the Brains who are now in your time and then to destroy the time machine."

He turned to Barbara.

"I am afraid you must remain here, my dear," he said. "One of us must be here to guard the machine."

Barbara nodded.

Paul took a crystal out of the machine and fastened it to his belt. Then he took another crystal and fastened it to Christian's belt.