The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Winged Men of Orcon, by David R. Sparks

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Title: The Winged Men of Orcon
A Complete Novelette

Author: David R. Sparks

Release Date: July 30, 2007 [EBook #22176]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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[Illustration]

The Winged Men of Orcon

_A Complete Novelette_

By David R. Sparks

Far out at the edge of the Universe
two scientists play a game of
wits--Earth to the winner.

CHAPTER I

_The Wrecked Space-Ship_

When I came to, it was dark; so dark that the night seemed all but fluid
with black pigment. Breathing was difficult, but in spite of that,
however, I felt exhilarated mentally. Also I felt strong, stronger than
I ever had in my life before. I tried to raise my hands, and found that
I was handcuffed.

I lay sprawled out on a sharply canted floor of metal, and from outside
the house, or whatever it was I was in, I could hear the screeching and
howling of the wind. I touched my face with my fettered hands, and the
act gave me a feeling of comfort, for the scar on my cheek was still
there and I knew that I was myself.

[Illustration: A flash of blue light played about our ship.]

Twisting around, I sat up, and with great difficulty drew a lighter from
my trousers pocket. The flame glimmered up. I knew then that I was lying
in the control room of a great flying machine!

All about me I saw crumpled human forms clad in glistening gray flying
jumpers. It was very, very hot. I thought I caught the sound of waves
crashing on a shore. Through a broken port blustered a hot wind laden
with an odd odor suggestive of garlic and kelp. It was just as dark
outside as in. I stirred about a bit, and found that I was in good shape
except for the handcuffs.

A low moan came from behind a bulkhead door at one end of the control
room. I listened, and again the sound was repeated. With the lighter
still flickering in my hands, I got to my feet. The bulkh