Master of the World Page #2

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Where the devil are we anyway?

Looks like a ship's cabin.

Can you get it unlocked?

I already have, but it seems

to be bolted on the outside.

Maybe I can cut through one of these

shutters and stick my hand through it.

- This is very strange.

- What's strange about it?

Look at that.

It isn't wood, yet...

it isn't metal either.

Huh? Give it here. What is it?...

Come with me!

Are we on a ship?!

Answer me!

You were asked a

question, my good man.

- Best do as he says, gentlemen.

- This way.

Come, dear, come.

Must be a ship from

the size of it.

A riverboat.

We were shot down in a mountain crater,

how the devil could we be on a riverboat?

A flying ship!

- A heavier than air ship.

- Impossible!

On the contrary, not only

possible, but actual.

You are be carried through

space by a ship of several

tons weight, at a speed of

some 150 miles per hour.

150...!

And why exactly are we being

carried though space, Mister?...

Robur!

The name is Robur, sir.

Welcome aboard the

Albatross, good people.

As to why you are all here,

the reason is twofold.

Primarily, left within

the carter of that

mountain, you would most

likely have perished.

And secondarily, in the

unlikely event that

you had survived the

crash of your balloon...

Which crash you caused!

In of necessity, sir.

However, since you did

survive the crash...

had you managed to make your

way back down that mountain

you might have given knowledge

of what you had seen.

Why should you fear that?

That, sir, is my concern alone.

And is it your concern alone,

sir, that we, as American

citizens, have been wantonly

fired upon and then abducted?

Well, you can scarcely regard yourselves

as victims of an abduction, sir...

since you are free to come and

go on this ship as you choose.

Do you ever intend to

release us, Mr. Robur?

At the appropriate time, miss.

- And when will that be?

- When I am ready, sir.

But surely you must

all be hungry.

Turner will show you

where to freshen up.

Dinner will be in a half hour.

This is Tapage, our chef.

Mademoiselle. Messieurs.

And your names, good people,

what might they be?

Perhaps you'd better

identify yourself first.

Well, I thought I

had done so, sir.

A name is no

identification, sir.

Where are you from, your

background, your nationality?

Well, as to that, sir.

I have no nationality.

No nationality!

No, sir, my crew and myself like to think

of ourselves as citizens of the world.

Oui, Monsieur.

My name is Dorothy Prudent

and this is my father.

Prudent?

And this is Mr. Evans, my fiance.

John Strock, sir.

Well, it is my pleasure

to meet all of you.

I'm afraid I cannot say

the same for myself.

It was this ship then, that caused

the trembling of the Great Erie?

Yes, Mr. Strock, it was.

I hoped that it caused no undue

alarm to the people of that area.

They thought it was

a volcano, sir.

A volcano, did they?

Well, I'm sorry about that.

However, we were compelled to perform

certain maintenance operations.

But surely you gentlemen must

be curious about my ship.

Having flown to that mountain crater

by the outmoded means of a balloon.

Outmoded!

You question this, sir?

Emphatically and categorically!

Even if you could perform the

navigation, which you could not...

it would take 10 years for a

balloon to circuit the Earth.

The Albatross can

do it in 10 days.

No, gentlemen, no, the day

of the balloon is behind us.

The future belongs to

the flying machine.

These engines not only drive our

suspensive and propulsive blades...

but they supply our ship

with light and heat as well.

What is there source of power?

Electricity, created by a

mass of metal cutting

through what I call the

magnetic force lines.

Fantastic! Incredible!

Come this way.

Why does he need an armory?

150 feet long by 20 wide.

Quite literally a ship of the sky,

complete with deck and cabins and crew.

But you said before that the

ship weighs several tons.

Surely it must weigh

more than that!

And it would indeed, Mr. Strock, were

this ship not built entirely of paper.

Paper? That's ridiculous!

Not at all, sir.

Straw paper, impregnated

with dextrin and clay and...

squeezed in a hydraulic press.

Now, if you will follow me.

This is our control center.

The very heart of the Albatross.

And here we have the

viewer of our telescope.

A system of powerful

prismatic lenses.

Each one adjustable by

one of these levers.

And now...

if you will all make

yourselves secure...

I would like to demonstrate for

you the ships maneuvering ability.

First, the vertical lift...

All right, Mr. Alistair,

the vertical lift.

If you will please note

the height meter...

we have now reached 6,000 feet.

Now... level off.

Hold on tightly, please...

a left turn.

Now... a right turn.

What was that?

Take the wheel, Mr. Alistair.

It was your own voice, miss.

You accidentally opened

the voice magnifier.

That explains the

voice the people of

Morgantown heard, coming

from the Great Erie.

A voice quoting from the Bible.

Yes, sir.

Yes, it was I, the...

voice magnifier was

inadvertently left open.

What's the purpose of the

voice magnifier, Mr. Robur?

Now, as to speed...

Full propulsive

power, Mr. Alistair!

Take the wheel, Mr. Alistair.

The wind pressing

against this vane...

actuates the needle which

indicates the speed.

We have now reached a speed

of 203 miles an hour...

which is quite fast

enough for now.

Resume normal speed,

Mr. Alistair.

Take the wheel.

Quite impressive, sir.

The government would be most

interested in your ship.

Yes, I'm sure they would.

Are we to infer from that, sir, that you

do not intend informing our government?

Regarding this ship, I shall

inform no government at all, sir.

You 3 gentlemen will

share this cabin...

and you, miss, will

be quartered here.

You will each find a change

of apparel in your cabins...

but unfortunately, miss, there

is no female clothing available.

Please regard the

Albatross as your home.

And I only ask that you try in no way

to interfere with its operation.

Now, good afternoon.

If you'll excuse me.

I wouldn't wear that stuff,

it's a badge of servitude.

This ship...

this is like living in a dream.

More likely like a nightmare.

What does he need an armory for?

And that telescope,

and the machine he uses

for enlarging the voice.

And what was it he

fired at our balloon?

I wish I knew, I could make

millions manufacturing it.

Well, what are we going to do?

- Then what would you suggest?

- Make plans for our escape.

It's 6,000 feet in the air.

I caution you, sir, do not

tax my patience too far.

The point is, Mr. Prudent,

sooner or later

this ship has to land for

repairs or supplies.

We must make certain that

when this occurs we're

prepared to use the

moment to our advantage.

And how do we know it has to...

how do we know it has to land?

Well, it landed in that

mountain crater, didn't it?

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