Read Captain Future 21 - The Return of Captain Future (January 1950) for Free Online Page A

the proud creature that had watched the birth of empires and had shared the rule of a thousand suns.
    Slowly, majestically, spreading its veils like wings to the windless vault of space, the Linid rose, going outward no man knew where, a dark and lonely shape against infinity.
    Curt said somberly, “Somewhere out there, beyond wherever it is going, is the world of the First-Born that we know now was the birthplace of man — the world that we will never see. But we know.”
    They stood, the six of them, too full of thought for any speech, watching.
    Dark unto dark. And presently the vault of space was empty.
     
    THE END
     

Meet the Futuremen!
     
    In this department, which is a regular feature of CAPTAIN FUTURE, we acquaint you further with the companions of CAPTAIN FUTURE whom you have met in our complete book-length novels. Here you are told the off-the-record stories of their lives and anecdotes plucked from their careers. Follow this department closely, for it contains many interesting and fascinating facts to supplement those you read in our featured novels.
     

     
    The Metal Robot
    From the Winter 1940 issue of Captain Future
     
    GRAG the robot is the largest and strongest of Captain Future’s three strange comrades. He is probably the strongest being in the whole Solar System.
    He towers over seven feet in height, a massive, manlike figure of gleaming “inert” metal.
    This metal, being impervious to most forces and weapons, has protected Grag from destruction many times. Yet old scars show where his body-plates have been broken and rewelded in the past.
     
    IMBUED WITH INTELLIGENCE
    Grag was built in the cavern-laboratory on the moon by Roger Newton, Captain Future’s father, and Simon Wright, the Brain, according to an intricate design.
    The robot was not designed to be merely an automaton, but to have an intelligence and individuality of his own.
    His creators endowed him with a brain consisting of metal neurones roughly corresponding to the neuron-pattern of a human brain, though more simple. The thought-impulses set up inside this metal brain are electrical. Electrical and magnetic “nerves” control the robot’s great limbs.
     
    ATOMIC POWER
    Grag’s source of energy is atomic power. A compact, super-powerful plant is located deep within his metal torso for safety. A small amount of metal fuel inserted into this power-plant inside his body is sufficient to keep his strength for many months.
    The metal robot can hear better than any human being, because his microphonic ears are super-sensitive.
    They enable him to hear sounds which are above or below the range of human audibility, and Captain Future has sometimes made use of this fact to communicate through Grag with planetary creatures who talk in tones beyond the range of human hearing.
    Grag has an immense and unshakable loyalty to Captain Future, which is his chief emotion.
    The robot tended Curt Newton through his infancy, and because Curt needed constant watching then, Grag thinks that his master still needs watching over.
     
    THE BRAIN’S HANDS
    Toward Simon Wright, Grag feels respect and some awe. For he knows that Simon helped create him.
    Also he has long been accustomed to acting as the Brain’s hands, performing experiments and researches under the Brain’s direction.
    But toward Otho, the android, Grag is deeply jealous. For the robot’s great desire is to be thought of as human or near-human. Grag has always been angry when anyone has referred to him as a machine, or automaton. He feels that he is just like other humans, except that his body is made of metal instead of flesh.
    But Otho, who was also created by Captain Future’s father and the Brain, likes to taunt the big robot on that point. Long ago Otho found out that the great, simple-minded robot was most sensitive about his unhuman appearance, and ever since then Otho has gibed about it.
     
    CAMARADERIE
    Grag invariably becomes furious at these taunts. Yet the bickering