Chapter 45
The heat ray flashed sending its destructive energy into a small zeppelin carrying a single tank and a small horde of homunculi. Each of the synthetic monstrosities growled as the erupting fires engulfed them. A huge explosion put an end to all cries and sent the flaming skeletal structure falling to the sea beneath. The dangling tank went with it.
"That's a few less worries for our soldiers on the Western Front." Said Biggles as he patted Lindo on the back.
"It is our pleasure to see the machinery of war disappear." Announced Lindo.
"Have we got them all?" Asked the pilot.
"Just one left." Answered Captain Brieux. "It should be casting off about now."
A crewman, looking through what had to be a long range scope, confirmed that statement.
"They haven't noticed what we have been doing." Added the Executive Officer.
Captain Brieux had taken the Luftpirat to a far off intercept point where any zeppelin flying from the island to France would be met with the heat ray.
After the Super Zeppelin's destruction it was decided to do the same to any of the remaining airships who were carrying such foul cargo to the fields of war. Mors found the battlefields ugly enough, without these abominations adding to its horror. His standing orders were clear.
The far distance had allowed the Luftpirat to destroy each aerial transport without alerting the others, so one by one they fly to an intercept point and had the heat ray send them and their terrible load to oblivion.
"The last zeppelin will be here in a minute." Announced Lindo while offering Biggles the heat ray. Biggles was aghast, looked around at the crews' look of approval, then felt highly honoured to wield such God like power. He donned the heat proof gloves, took the camera like mount, placed his finger on the trigger and stepped into the firing position.
A synthesized cloud hid the Luftpirat, so when the last zeppelin casually passed on its way to France, it was oblivious to its danger.
Biggles observed that it was a normal sized airship with only a quarter of it surface covered with homunculi and only one tank dangling from its gondola. It was carrying far less than its capacity. What this told the League member was that this was all that was left for Totenkopf to send into battle. With the birthing pits destroyed there was nothing left to send. This mission the League was undertaking was almost complete.
Will this act make him a Martian, a God or a devil? Biggles spent little time pondering those questions, these abominations must not reach the Western Front, he was a troubleshooter, that's what he was. He squeezed the trigger and the parabolic mirrors flashed, sending the heat ray to the upper part of the zeppelin, then along the top where all the hydrogen bags were. The explosions occurred in succsession virtually the instant the ray struck. Biggles did not want to give the fire retarding qualities these new zeppelins had, any chance to contain these conflagrations. He will destroy all hydrogen bags with one sweep of this heat ray.
All homunculi were on the last quarter of the bag surface, they began to incinerate. A few had the initiative to loose their hold on the rigging and drop clear of the imminent all consuming fire. Most homunculi went to a fiery oblivion with the airship crew who had no time to parachute out.
Those homunculi that dropped clear would not survive the fall. The burning structure would fall on top of them and the one tank would sink instantly.
"Thank you." Said Biggles as he handed the camera like mount back to Lindo who along with Izzy Buttons began to put the deadly machine away.
"That's all of them." Announced Brieux. "The mission is a success."
"Not yet." Replied Biggles. "We must return to the island and get Totenkopf. He is the man behind all this horror. This doctor is insane, we must stop him doing anything else."
Captain Brieux brought the Luftpirat, with its cloud cover back to the island and stopped it over the mouth of the volcano.
Captain Mors and Tarzan were seen in the surface scanning scope, they had found an entrance about half-way up the mountain side, and there appeared to be Irma Vep waving them to come in.
Biggles said. "Gregor and I will fly down the mouth of the volcano and join them."
Gregor Samsa articulated his limbs positively at that idea.
Captain Brieux opened the floor hatch and bade the two League members good luck.
"Move away from the mouth after we are gone; lest Totenkopf fires a rocket at you." Commanded Biggles as Gregor's limbs embraced him.
Gregor dropped through the hatchway with his passenger , sprouted wings and flew into the dark mouth.