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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f9af016 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #63632 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63632) diff --git a/old/63632-h.zip b/old/63632-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index e18f918..0000000 --- a/old/63632-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63632-h/63632-h.htm b/old/63632-h/63632-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 6d308ec..0000000 --- a/old/63632-h/63632-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1402 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=us-ascii" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of Formula For Conquest, by James R. Adams. - </title> - <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> - - <style type="text/css"> - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - - h1,h2 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - clear: both; -} - -p { - margin-top: .51em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .49em; -} - -hr { - width: 33%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: 33.5%; - margin-right: 33.5%; - clear: both; -} - -hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} -hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} - -.center {text-align: center;} - -.right {text-align: right;} - -/* Images */ -.figcenter { - margin: auto; - text-align: center; -} - -.caption p -{ - text-align: center; - text-indent: 0; - margin: 0.25em 0; -} - -div.titlepage { - text-align: center; - page-break-before: always; - page-break-after: always; -} - -div.titlepage p { - text-align: center; - text-indent: 0em; - font-weight: bold; - line-height: 1.5; - margin-top: 3em; -} - - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Formula For Conquest, by James R. Adams - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Formula For Conquest - -Author: James R. Adams - -Release Date: November 4, 2020 [EBook #63632] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FORMULA FOR CONQUEST *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>Formula For Conquest</h1> - -<h2>By JAMES R. ADAMS</h2> - -<p>August Q. Twilken had a formula, Freebooter<br /> -Tod Mulhane had a nose for adventure and<br /> -Mon Pordo had an urge for Interworld<br /> -domination. When those three got together,<br /> -hell had to explode—and did.</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Planet Stories Fall 1945.<br /> -Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that<br /> -the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>"I have a formula," the little man said loudly.</p> - -<p>I punched him ungently in the ribs and jerked my head toward the mangy -crew whooping it up in the close confines of the ill-smelling Martian -<i>musk-parlor</i>.</p> - -<p>"Shh. Not so loud, guy," I whispered from the corner of my mouth. -"This bunch would slit your throat in a minute, if they knew you had -something on you that would bring a credit or two. I don't know what -your game is, but let's go in the back room where we can talk without -startin' someone's ears to burnin'."</p> - -<p>I wrapped my arm around the guy's shoulders and steered him toward -the back room, singing and laughing, as though I had an overload of -<i>Meez-musk</i> and was feeling a little bit happy.</p> - -<p>I didn't know what had brought the little fellow to me. I'd never seen -him before yet he seemed to know me and had made his way directly to -the bar where I stood and addressed me by name. Anybody that knew that -much about Tod Mulhane, soldier of fortune, needed looking into, and I -was determined to give this mild-mannered, shrimp of a man a thorough -going over.</p> - -<p>I bolted the door behind us and seated myself at the table always kept -there for various games of chance.</p> - -<p>"Mousie" nervously assumed a seat and sat staring at me, his big, -milky-blue eyes blinking nearsightedly and a withered, vein-covered -hand tweaking incessantly at a bedraggled gray mustache.</p> - -<p>"I'm Professor August Q. Twilken," he essayed. "I have a formula."</p> - -<p>"And I'm Tod Mulhane, as you seem to know, and I have a couple of great -big ears, open and waiting. What can I do for you, Twilken?"</p> - -<p>Twilken's face suddenly became grim and the milkiness left his eyes a -moment, to disclose dancing, hard lights of determination.</p> - -<p>"Nothing for me, Mr. Mulhane," he said slowly. "This is for the world! -Yes, for three worlds!"</p> - -<p>I nodded patiently, thinking maybe I had a nut on my hands.</p> - -<p>"Of course, Twilken. And just what is it we're going to do for these -worlds?"</p> - -<p>"We're going to save them from the coming Interplanetary War!" Twilken -said forcefully. "Here's the way things—er—stack up. We know Jupiter, -Saturn and Uranus have their armies poised for a quick thrust at -the Allied Worlds—Mars, Earth and Neptune. But, so far, they have -hesitated, knowing both sides are pretty well matched in strength and -fearing the assault might be drawn out in a long, destructive conflict -that would gain them nothing. They won't wait forever, however, and, -sooner or later, they'll find a weakness in the Allied Worlds' armor -and strike with all the force at their command. Mr. Mulhane, the Allied -Worlds <i>must</i> be the ones to break this deadlock. <i>We</i> must be the ones -to gain an edge in strength and force them to disarm, or be destroyed -by the ruthless machine of the brain behind their mad plot. But, I -forget, you know all of this, Mr. Mulhane."</p> - -<p>"Tod's the name," I said absently. "Yes, I know all about Xan VIII's -scheme to defeat the Allied Worlds. So what? There's nothing I can do -about it. Naturally, being a Martian, I am anxious to see the Allied -Worlds win. But I can't see—"</p> - -<p>"You're a Martian?" Twilken stared, aghast. "But—but you look like an -Earthian!"</p> - -<p>"I have many disguises," I smiled. "And many pseudonyms—among them -being that of Tod Mulhane. A soldier of fortune such as I must resort -to numerous devices to elude his enemies. Incidentally, how did you -know who I was and where to find me?"</p> - -<p>"I have—uh—contacts," Twilken stammered. "But your disguise seems so -realistic! I would swear you're an Earthian!"</p> - -<p>"I put my entire being into a part. I would long since be dead if I -were unconvincing in my characterizations. But we digress, Twilken. -Come to the point."</p> - -<p>"The point is this," Twilken recovered from his astonishment. "If we -had the support of one of the lesser planets, such as Venus, we could -easily overthrow Xan's regime and bring a lasting peace to the System. -But, at the time, the inhabitants of Venus are in a crude stage of -evolution and are too stupid to be of much help. They have expressed -their willingness to help, but their ignorance might well be a weight -on our progress and turn the tide against us."</p> - -<p>I shifted uneasily in my chair and glanced at the door.</p> - -<p>"But supposing evolution could be speeded up on Venus," Twilken -continued. "Supposing the inhabitants could be developed as much in -two months as would ordinarily take a thousand years. They would soon -emerge to a state of intelligence as to be of immense value and aid to -our cause. I have something that will do this very thing, Tod!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>I leaped from my chair and wrenched the door open, just about scaring -Professor Twilken out of a year's growth.</p> - -<p>A short, fat Jovian fell into the room and lay grinning up from the -floor. His pink, shaggy-browed eyes searched our faces briefly, then he -arose, bowing deeply.</p> - -<p>"Gendlemen," he intoned. "I hope I am nod indruding. I was leaning -wearily againsd dis door, half asleep, and den I suddenly find myself -lying here on de floor!" He gestured at the bare planks and laughed. It -sounded like a snake hissing. "Mosd clumsy of me!"</p> - -<p>The Jovian's inability to pronounce the letter "T" made his speech -sound like that of a Venusian gunman. I wondered how much he had -overheard.</p> - -<p>The Jovian bowed again, brushing dust from his gleaming, spun-metal -tunic.</p> - -<p>"I drusd I have nod inconvenienced you gendlemen. I musd be more -careful, in de fudure. I have a nasdy habid of falling asleep ad odder -people's doors! Now, if you will excuse me..."</p> - -<p>The Jovian slid through the door and lost himself in the hubbub beyond. -I had a hunch we were going to have trouble from him. People just -didn't go around 'falling asleep' against strange doors without a -purpose.</p> - -<p>Twilken had sat all this time, his milky eyes looking about for a hole -to crawl in to and his hand clutched his breast, as though about to -have a heart attack.</p> - -<p>"Is that your formula?" I indicated his tunic pocket.</p> - -<p>"Yes! It must never fall into the hands of the Jovians, Tod. They -could make fearful use of it! We must carry out my plan quickly, or -that son-of—" Twilken clapped a hand over his mouth, to stifle the -strong words he had been about to utter. "—that mad devil will warn -his consorts and they'll be after us like hounds. In all fairness, Tod, -you must know the Allied Worlds Council is not endorsing my venture. -The diplomatic relations between worlds are stretched to the breaking -point, and, if the Jovian government thought the Council was supporting -such a plan, they might strike immediately with devastating results -to the morale of our people, for there are some who think we can't -possibly stand against such an efficient organization as Xan's. That's -why I need you. You have a fast ship; you have courage and the brains -to carry out my course of action if I should fall by the wayside. Will -you help me?"</p> - -<p>I grinned and hitched up my pants, Earth-fashion.</p> - -<p>"When do we start?"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>We were well out in the void, thundering toward Venus, when Twilken -pointed excitedly at a small speck on the telescreen.</p> - -<p>"That's a ship, Tod!" he yelled. "That blasted Jovian's following us!"</p> - -<p>I poured more power to my craft and slammed down frantically on the -meteor-shield stud—but it was too late. A great blast rocked the ship -and girders groaned their protest as they buckled under the terrific -pressure. A piece of flying metal smacked Twilken on the head and he -sank to the floor, out cold.</p> - -<p>I ran to the navigation room locker and snatched out a couple of -spacesuits. I tugged and stuffed Twilken into one and barely made it -into my own when the air began to hiss out through the torn plates.</p> - -<p>We were caught up in the vacuum and whisked out into the dark, cold -vastness, to float about like two corks in a millpond.</p> - -<p>The Jovian ship, for such it proved to be, rushed in quickly and -fastened a grappling-beam on our helpless figures. In less than a -minute, we were inside the cruiser and facing the leering Jovian of the -<i>musk-parlor</i> incident.</p> - -<p>"I am mosd pleased ad dis oppordunidy do renew our acquaindance," he -smirked. "No doubd you know whad I am afder? I shall wasde no dime in -playing cad and mouse. Give me de formula and dere shall be no drouble."</p> - -<p>Twilken came to long enough to shout: "You shan't have it!"</p> - -<p>"Bud I will," the Jovian assured him. "I have bud do search you. I am -cerdain we shall find de formula on your person. Will you surrender id -volundarily or musd we use force?"</p> - -<p>"Give it to him, Augie," I said. "We're cold turkey."</p> - -<p>"Misder Mulhane is quide correcd," the Jovian agreed. "You have no -aldernadive bud do relinquish your secred."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Twilken groaned despairingly and removed his bulger. He dug in his -pocket and brought out the formula, somewhat the worse for wear.</p> - -<p>The Jovian snatched it eagerly and beamed toothily at us, his thin, -pointed tongue darting like a snake over his bloated lips.</p> - -<p>"Dank you, Misder Dwilken. Never fear, I shall make good use of your -formula. Would you care do know how I indend do defead de Allied Worlds -wid id?"</p> - -<p>We remained silent.</p> - -<p>"Very well, I shall dell you. Jusd as you have a podendial ally in -Venus, de inhabidands of Pludo are likewise sympadedic to <i>our</i> cause. -As you know, dey long ago reached and passed de poind of greadesd -indelligence, and are slowly reverding do de savage sdage from which -dey evolved. I propose do hald dis redrogression, wid de assisdance of -Misder Dwilken's formula, and resdore dem do deir former greadness. Dey -will be dankful do us Jovians, yes, and dey will be happy do assisd us -in our conquesd of de Allied Worlds."</p> - -<p>"You—you fiend!" Augie spluttered ineffectually. "You're going to use -<i>my</i> formula to swing the balance of power in <i>your</i> favor!"</p> - -<p>"Dad's righd," the Jovian bowed. "Is nod dis de very same ding you -indended to do for your own worlds? Durn aboud is fair play, I once -heard on Eard."</p> - -<p>"But we weren't planning to destroy you and your crummy bunch with it!" -Augie shouted, incensed at the Jovian's condescending air. "We were -only going to use it to force your armies to disarm and to remove your -cutthroat clique from power."</p> - -<p>"No doubd," the Jovian waved a plump, bejewelled hand. "And dad musd -never be. Xan VIII has udmosd confidence in my abilidy as chief of de -Jovian Secred Police and, if I fail, he would surely kill me before -rediring indo exile. I remember his exacd words: 'Mon Pordo, if you -bedray de drusd placed in you, dere can be nodding bud dead as a -reward!' You can readily appreciate my predicamend, gendlemen. I musd -give vicdory do my governmend or perish as a resuld. Nadurally, when I -overheard your conversashion ad de musk-parlor, I realized dad here was -a means do an end."</p> - -<p>"You're a sly devil, Mon Pordo," I said harshly.</p> - -<p>"Dank you, Misder Mulhane. Dad is a necessary evil of -my—ah—profession. Dis ship has sed a course for Jupider and, dere, -you will be held prisoners, pending de oudcome of our experimends wid -Dwilken's formula."</p> - -<p>"And then you'll kill us!" Augie said hotly.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps. Dad is for me do decide. You cerdainly have no choice in de -madder. And now," Pordo indicated three hulking Jovian brutes, waiting -to pounce on us, "dese gendlemen will escord you do your cells. Id is -regredable I cannod allow you de run of de ship, bud de oppordunidies -dus offered might prove doo dempting do resid. I advise you do go -quiedly, gendlemen."</p> - -<p>We went quietly.</p> - -<p>We were placed in adjoining cells and Twilken spent his rage in -rattling the bars and cursing Mon Pordo for a bloody, ill-spawned, -war-mongering idiot. The Jovians paid no attention, however, and Augie -soon simmered down to a slow boil, pacing his cage like a trapped -animal.</p> - -<p>We got to talking and Augie wanted to know all about me, why I had -chosen such a career and did I have any immediate plans for escape?</p> - -<p>At first, I was reluctant to talk about my life-history as a -free-booter of space, but Augie was persistent and I soon broke down. -I hardy knew how to start, but the words came easy once I got going. -Augie listened attentively, interjecting questions here and there.</p> - -<p>"I <i>am</i> a Martian," I began. "But I was reared and educated on Earth -and, consequently, I think, act and talk much as an Earthian. I suppose -that's the main reason I most generally adopt the role of Tod Mulhane -when hiring out my services. My real name doesn't matter—it wouldn't -mean anything to you. As to why I became a soldier of fortune, perhaps -it's because of an insatiable appetite for adventure I possess or maybe -because I was left an orphan at an early age and just naturally drifted -into it. That doesn't matter either. I've put a lot of space behind my -tubes in my brief span of years and seen a lot of things that would -make your blood run cold—things I've never talked of before, nor will -I tell of them now. So you can sketch in the details yourself, if you -care to. I've told all that's worth listening to."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>We had been conversing in low whispers and Augie glanced up and down -the corridor to make sure no guards were present before voicing his -most imperative query.</p> - -<p>"Most interesting," he approved. "But, surely you have a method of -escape planned? We can't just sit here and let these devils go through -with their mad deed."</p> - -<p>I motioned for silence and Augie subsided, watching my antics with -great interest. I placed my hand between two bars and pulled gently, -with an even pressure. My companion stared bug-eyed as the hand came -loose, exposing a pink tentacle ending in five, wire-thin appendages.</p> - -<p>Augie gasped, suddenly remembering his Martian anatomy.</p> - -<p>"Of course!" he breathed jubilantly. "I'd forgotten! If Pordo had -realized you were a Martian he would never have placed you in an -uninsulated cell!"</p> - -<p>I laughed.</p> - -<p>"We're not going to escape yet, though," I said softly. "It would do no -good. Pordo would merely recapture us and lock us away in the insulated -cargo-hold. We wouldn't have a chance then."</p> - -<p>"What do you plan to do, then?" Augie asked perplexedly.</p> - -<p>"We'll let them think we're helpless," I explained. "They'll go ahead -with their scheme and, at the crucial moment, we'll step in and queer -the works." I replaced the false hand.</p> - -<p>"How?" Augie wanted to know.</p> - -<p>"<i>That</i>," I said, "remains to be seen."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The pilot brought the cruiser in for a perfect landing and the -unceasing throb of the rockets sputtered, died and gave way to a loud -silence.</p> - -<p>Mon Pordo came down the passageway, flanked on each side by a -stony-faced guard. His cruel lips parted in a wide grin as he unlocked -our cells and motioned us out.</p> - -<p>"We have arrived, gendlemen," he hissed. "I am pleased do node you -have made no efford do escape. We shall proceed immediadely do de -governmendal palace where you will be inderned in de underground -prison-block. You will accompany dese men who will lead you do your -quarders."</p> - -<p>The musclemen hustled us from the ship and into a waiting surface-car. -I had refitted the false hand, fusing the ends of the plastic together -with a quick jolt of electricity. The stupid guards didn't suspect -anything as we roared from the Jove City Space-port, headed for the -luxurious palace which housed the high officials of Jovian government. -I could have burnt them to a crisp where they sat, but Twilken was to -one side of me and he would be the first to get it. I decided other -avenues of action would present themselves in due time, so I relaxed -against the cushions and stared casually out the window, mentally -mapping the route we were following, to use as reference in our coming -escape. Twilken sat dejectedly, his milky eyes playing tag with a small -insect beating frantically against the wondow. I felt a strange kinship -for this mild little man. He was so <i>darn</i> concerned over our plight; -so <i>terribly</i> anxious to regain the formula he had labored long and -hard to perfect. I wasn't so worried about our present unfavorable -circumstances as he—having built up an immunity to such misfortunes in -my past escapades. Nevertheless, my brain was working overtime—seeking -a way to circumvent the Jovian plot once we had escaped.</p> - -<p>We braked to a halt in the palace courtyard and the two ugly Jovians -prodded us toward a massive, solid-steel door. The damp, moss-covered -tunnel through which we passed ran deep under the palace and row -after row of tiny, unlighted cells lined each side. Many of them -were occupied, and I didn't care to look twice at the wild-eyed, -disease-wracked bodies of Nan's victims. There was a hopeless look on -those hollow-cheeked faces; a blank, "why go on fighting?" stare in -the eyes of the more sane—the ones who hadn't been there very long -yet. The cells were wet and filth-littered and the suffocating stench -of the place was so dense you could almost see it.</p> - -<p>We were more fortunate in the matter of living conditions. The cell in -which we were placed was large, tolerably dry and was supplied with a -couple of candles for illumination. Still, the unrelenting smell and -the tortured moans of the prisoners was enough to drive a man mad.</p> - -<p>"Pordo wands do keep you alive awhile," one of the guards explained, -referring to the clean cell. "If dis formula doesn'd show resulds, id's -going do be doo bad for you fellows! Pordo don'd like do be dampered -wid, so, if all dis is jusd a drick—look oud!"</p> - -<p>The Jovian slammed the door to and the pair went off down the tunnel, -echoes of their laughter rolling back to bounce gleefully through the -cells, plucking one more anguished groan from the lips of the half-dead -men within.</p> - -<p>The old-fashioned wax candles were relics of a long-gone day and age, -manufactured solely for ornamentation. But some scientist had whiled -away a few idle hours by adding a couple of new features.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Augie removed the cap from the wick of one and it burst into a -brilliant, unflickering flame. Even it was far superior to the crude -electric lighting of the ancients.</p> - -<p>"What now?" Augie asked.</p> - -<p>"We wait," I said. "This cell isn't too uncomfortable and we can bide -our time here; play the game Pordo's way and lull him into a sense of -invulnerability. Things may come to a head sooner than you think, and -you can bet we'll be in there fighting at the end."</p> - -<p>Augie's eyes flamed and his face screwed into a mask of hate.</p> - -<p>"I despise that tyrant Pordo!" he breathed soulfully. "D-damn him, if I -may use such a vulgar term."</p> - -<p>I glanced about the cell and located a musty, well-worn cot. It was the -only one the room contained, so it was the floor for one of us. Night -must be spreading its black cloak across the world outside and we were -both dead-tired.</p> - -<p>"We'll flip a coin for the bed," I said. "Then we'll alternate in its -use for as many nights as we're here."</p> - -<p>Augie chose heads and flipped the coin. It came up tails.</p> - -<p>"D-damn," he reiterated. "Seems my luck has flown the coop for good!"</p> - -<p>He crossed the room and snapped the cap down over the candlewick. -Darkness rushed in, probing inky fingers under the cot and in crevices, -eager to strangle any loitering mote of its fleeing enemy.</p> - -<p>Pordo visited us the next day, anxious to let us know how he was -progressing. He bowed his silly, condescending bow.</p> - -<p>"I drusd you have slepd well, gendlemen. I am indeed sorry dere are no -bedder quarders available, bud de choice rooms of de palace are quide -well-filled wid de visiding diplomads of our allies. Incidendally, de -Pludonians have also arrived for de experimend!"</p> - -<p>"You mean you're going to conduct the experiment right here on -Jupiter?" Augie exclaimed, wide-eyed.</p> - -<p>"Dad is precisely whad I mean!" the Jovian bit out. "Do you objecd?"</p> - -<p>Augie was too confused to offer a reply. He just stood staring at -Pordo, tiny beads of sweat popping out on his forehead.</p> - -<p>"You will ask why," Pordo divined. "And I can see no danger in delling -you. We have god do desd de formula firsd on a selecded few individuals -from Pludo. Accordingly, de dwendy-five mosd highly advanced indellecds -of Pludo have been broughd here do de palace and will undergo de -speeded up evolushion process. In dis way, we may make advance condacd -wid de enlighdened Pludonians, before evolving de masses, and make -a pacd wid dem, pledging deir planed's aid in our projecd. Den, de -millions of odders will receive de dreadmend and we will be ready -do acd! We are nod doo sdupid do realize de evolved creadures mighd -possess animosidy doward our purpose. Dus, in our firsd experimend, we -are evolving no more dan can be easily eliminaded, should dey prove -hosdile. De formula is even now being prepared and will be applied -immediadely. According do Misder Dwilken's dada, de process should be -complede in dwo monds, ad de mosd. Id is pleasand to condemplade, isn'd -id, gendlemen?"</p> - -<p>"It will never work!" Augie shrieked. "Your plan is utterly mad!"</p> - -<p>"Id <i>bedder</i> work," Pordo said significantly, "or I'm afraid I shall be -forced do adminisder drasdic punishment do dose who have dus wasded my -dime. Good-day, gendlemen!"</p> - -<p>We watched the receding figures through the bars and, when Pordo was -out of sight, Augie said through grim lips:</p> - -<p>"I don't like it, Tod. He's hitting into something he can't handle!"</p> - -<p>The fifth day of our confinement, Augie did something that almost put -the fat in the fire.</p> - -<p>A guard brought our food and water each day and would dawdle awhile in -the cell, heaping salt on our wounds by informing us of how well the -experiment was going forward. This day he was exceptionally boastful -and Augie was feeling particularly testy about the whole thing.</p> - -<p>The Jovian had explained in much detail how you could actually <i>see</i> -the Plutonians evolving as the formula took effect. His eyes bugged -in awe as he told how the skin and flesh stretched and twisted on the -skeletons, forming itself into new substance.</p> - -<p>As he turned to leave, smug in the knowledge he had paved the way for a -sleepless night, Augie jumped from the cot and hissed after him:</p> - -<p>"<i>Mismu T!</i>"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The guard whirled, eyes blazing. The Jovians were extremely sensitive -about their vocal defect that made forming of the letter "T" physically -impossible. Augie's hot expletive was the equivalent of telling Pordo's -underling he was too dumb to pronounce the sound.</p> - -<p>The enraged dupe leaped at Augie, snarling fiercely. The two went down -in a tangle flying arms and legs, the Jovian pouring sledgehammer blows -into Augie's midriff—blows that were meant to kill. He wore no gun, -or he would have used it. The Jovians were giving us no opportunity at -escape.</p> - -<p>I jumped into the fray, knowing if I didn't intercede in Augie's behalf -the guard would maul him into a bloody pulp.</p> - -<p>The Jovian turned on me and closed in, fists flailing and teeth -gritting in fury at my interruption. I sidestepped his wild body punch -and heard bone crunch as I caught his chin on a well-timed upper-cut. -The guard screamed, blood dripping from his torn lips and Augie came in -triumphantly from behind, raining mincy, bird-like blows on his head.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""/> - <div class="caption"> - <p><i>Professor Twilken clubbed futilely at the Jovian's back.</i></p> - </div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>It didn't last long. The other guards, attracted by the clamorous -uproar, came on the run and quickly subdued us with clubbed -flame-pistols. Our badly-beaten opponent was dragged from the room, -uttering garbled, vengeful threats, and we were left to lick our wounds.</p> - -<p>"You shouldn't have done that," I mildly reproached Augie.</p> - -<p>"I was mad." He thrust out a stubborn chin. "They're stirring up a -hornet's nest, Tod, and I won't be responsible for what happens! My -formula was meant to be used on the native worlds of the subjects and -there's no telling what kind of monstrosities they may evolve by not -following the natural laws embodied in it. The resultant organisms may -be intelligent, yes, but—"</p> - -<p>Augie broke off, tenderly fingering a swollen eye and munching -thoughtfully on his lower lip. He was sure down in the dumps all right, -and I couldn't blame him. We were in a hell of a mess, putting it -mildly. Three worlds to save, and we couldn't even save ourselves!</p> - -<p>We spent two full months in the dungeon. I fretted away the last thirty -nights on the floor, since contact with the cold stone had goaded -Augie's rheumatism into full-flare.</p> - -<p>News leaked in now and then and, on the sixty-second day, our guard -disclosed the experiment had been completed and the high officials -of Jupiter and its cohorts would meet that very day with the evolved -Plutonians in the Grand Assembly Hall of the palace to form a pact that -would seal the fate of the Allied Worlds.</p> - -<p>"Now is the time, Augie!" I whispered excitedly.</p> - -<p>Augie was electrified into action. He backed off in a corner and pulled -the cot down over him. There would be tremendous heat.</p> - -<p>I placed one hand under a foot and heaved up. The false hand remained -on the floor, leaving my prehensile tentacle free to act.</p> - -<p>I strode to the door and glanced up and down the tunnel. No guards -were present—they were probably outside discussing the conference, -which was now in progress.</p> - -<p>I twined my "fingers" about a thick, steel bar and gave it all -the juice I had! The metal glowed red-hot slowly fading into an -incandescent white! The stuff began to melt, flowing out into the -tunnel and forming bubbling puddles at my feet. The door didn't last -long; all that was left was the cooling pools of metal and a gaping -frame that yawned invitingly! The way was clear!</p> - -<p>"Willing to take a chance?" I asked.</p> - -<p>Augie gulped and nodded weakly.</p> - -<p>I boosted him to my back and made a sudden dash through the hissing, -liquid steel, taking care not to slip. I wasn't afraid for myself, I'm -non-conducive to heat. But Augie, perched precariously on my back, -would certainly be engulfed and devoured by the stuff if I should fall.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Then we were through the molten hell, making our way cautiously down -the passageway. Pitiful moans assailed our ears; frenzied pleas for us -to release the sufferers inside welled forth from the dark cells. But I -was adamant.</p> - -<p>"Time enough for that later, <i>if</i> we're successful," I said to Augie. -"These half-dead creatures would only be in our way in the coming -fight."</p> - -<p>We reached the outer door and I pulled tentatively on the handle. It -was unlocked! Apparently, the guards thought the thick cell-doors were -enough protection against escape and hadn't bothered to fasten this -one. Anyway, they would return soon.</p> - -<p>"You wait here," I whispered to Augie. "They're probably outside the -door and would raise a hell of a noise if we came rushing out fighting. -I may be forced to use a little persuasion on them."</p> - -<p>I opened the door and stepped casually outside. The guards were huddled -in a circle not ten feet from me, absorbed in an abstract debate on -what would arise from the palace conference. One of them spotted me and -let out a squeal.</p> - -<p>"L-look!" he stammered. "One of de prisoners is loose!"</p> - -<p>They marshalled their forces and advanced on me slowly, quietly, seeing -no reason to summon aid. There were five of them—I was but one.</p> - -<p>They made a concerted rush and clamped eager hands on my arms. Mon -Pordo and Xan would reward them liberally for thwarting such an -ill-planned coup. It was so easy, too.</p> - -<p>I placed my exposed tentacle on the shoulder of one and let go with a -few thousand volts!</p> - -<p>The Jovians were packed together tightly and the electric charge -dispatched them with grim ease. There was nothing left but a sickening -mass of blackened, cooked flesh.</p> - -<p>Augie poked his head through the door and gagged wretchedly at the -charnel sight.</p> - -<p>"It was necessary," I said.</p> - -<p>We stuffed the charred bodies inside the tunnel door and fled swiftly -across the courtyard to the palace-proper where I pointed to a high -window. Vines ran rampant on the wall. It would be an easy matter to -climb up them to the window.</p> - -<p>We started up, gaining footing in small cracks between stones and going -hand over hand toward the opening. Augie looked down once, and turned a -pale green. From then on, he kept his eyes fastened to our objective.</p> - -<p>I reached the window first and held out a hand to Augie. I pulled -him through and we stood looking about. We were on a huge balcony, -overlooking the brilliantly lighted Grand Assembly Hall. The most -eminent political figures of three planets were there below us.</p> - -<p>Here was Taj Morkus and Klex II of Saturn. There was Wen Dorn and the -intellectual, if perverted, scientist, Haljin from Uranus.</p> - -<p>The wily Mon Pordo was all about the Hall, like a fretful hen, bowing -and shaking hands and directing the villainous delegates to seats at -the council table.</p> - -<p>At the head of the table sat Xan VIII himself, adorned from head to -foot with rare, exotic jewels, watching the redundant proceedings from -bored, seemingly-sleepy eyes.</p> - -<p>There were more, many more, but those six were the main cogs of the -machine. I counted exactly one hundred figures seated around the -table, and some of them were strange beings indeed....</p> - -<p>I knew immediately these were the evolved Plutonians. There were -twenty-five of them, ranged along one side of the immense table, -fidgeting uncomfortably under the concentrated attention of their -hosts. There was something odd about those creatures, although I -couldn't say just what. Certainly their color was strange; a sick, -yellowish-white—but that wasn't what bothered me. I could tell by -their actions they were rational, thinking beings. It was something -about their "flesh" that had me going. Augie solved the problem with -his next words.</p> - -<p>"My lord!" he whispered loudly. "Those creatures are composed almost -entirely of an impure form of calcium carbonate! I thought something -like this would happen! Away from the native world, the Plutonian -process of evolution was torn between its natural tendencies and the -contradictory characteristics of its new environment. This is the -result!"</p> - -<p>It was then I knew what we must do. We went over the plan hurriedly, -yet making sure there were no flaws. Down below, Mon Pordo was -beginning a speech. He stood at the table importantly, white teeth -flashing against the purple background of his corpulent lips.</p> - -<p>"Gendlemen," he began blandly, as if that was the only form of address -he knew. "I have de unequalled honor of presending do you a mosd -marvelous revelashion. I have de privilege of making known do you dad -which has been kepd secred from your eyes; dad which we have ofden -hinded ad in the pasd dwo monds, bud have nod yed divulged. Once I -have mad dis gread disclosure, you will realize vicdory is widin our -grasp—jusd as our enemies will realize furder resisdance is endirely -fudile and will abandon deir idealisdic cause. I—"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>He rambled on like that for half an hour, finally getting around -to introducing the Plutonians. Things moved more swiftly then. The -Plutonians were just the least bit reluctant to form an allegiance -and the experienced diplomats argued, pleaded, thrust and parried -and generally browbeat them into a decision. The confident delegates -finally withdrew to other parts of the palace to give the beleaguered -Plutonians a chance to think it over in private. This was what I had -been counting on, and we took quick advantage of the situation.</p> - -<p>Augie scurried back through the window and clung to the vines outside, -to be a safe distance away from what was to come. An hour, the -diplomats had said. We would make good use of those sixty minutes. I -leaped to the balcony-rail and plummetted down in the center of the -Hall.</p> - -<p>The Plutonians didn't have time to get out so much as a peep. I had -divested myself of both false arms and, even in mid-air, I released a -killing charge of electricity that left the duped creatures slumped -in their chairs—lifeless hulks. If the armed Mon Pordo had been -there, things would probably have been different. The Jovians were -quick-eyed and quick-acting and he would have blasted me to pieces with -his ato-matic the minute I appeared on the balcony-rail. That's why I -couldn't risk it before. I didn't want Augie facing the devils alone.</p> - -<p>I spent quite a little time in the Hall, standing in the center of the -table and sending out wave after wave of electricity over the dead -Plutonians—doing things to their bodies.</p> - -<p>Finally satisfied I had accomplished my purpose, I arranged the beings -in life-like poses along the table and moved silently to a spot beneath -the balcony-rail.</p> - -<p>Augie had succeeded in tearing one of the tough vines loose from the -palace wall and now he lowered it to me, keeping a wary eye on the Hall -door.</p> - -<p>Going quickly up the thin fiber strand, I stepped jubilantly over the -rail—and found myself looking directly into the venom-filled eyes of -Mon Pordo!</p> - -<p>He was standing in back of Augie, a little to one side, so the deadly -ato-matic held unwaveringly in his hand could cover us both.</p> - -<p>The frozen surprise on my face caused Augie to turn and stare sickly. -All the heart seemed to go out of him at that moment. His shoulders -slumped wearily and the hard lines of determination in his face -dissolved into a black pool of despair beneath the caustic solvent of a -big, unashamed tear. We were beaten!</p> - -<p>For once, Pordo was so infuriated he forgot all about bowing. His -eyes smouldered like blobs of hot grease, about to burst into flame; -frenzied, unholy hate seemed to ooze from every pore. Even so, he spoke -quietly.</p> - -<p>"A nead plan, gendlemen. Bud id has failed, jusd as all plods againsd -Xan VIII will fail! Drue, you have given us a demporary sed-back by -killing de Pludonians, bud we sdill have de formula and dere are odders -who, dough nod as indelligend, will well serve our purpose. Id is doo -bad I decided do visid you during de recess, isn'd id? Odderwise, your -rash acd may have succeeded! When I found you gone and your guards -dead, I knew insdandly whad you were up do and came here as de logical -poind for you do sdrike from. I am sorry, gendlemen, bud you are doo -dangerous do be allowed do live. So, I musd eliminade you!" Pordo -raised the gun and his finger tightened on the firing stud.</p> - -<p>This was it! I couldn't blast Pordo with an electric shock without -killing Augie, too. Good-bye, "Tod Mulhane"—you've had a short but -interesting life! I steeled myself for the atomic capsule that would -soon rip through my body.</p> - -<p>Augie acted almost impulsively. He still held the fibrous vine in his -hand and had noted slyly one of Pordo's feet enmeshed in the extending -end. He lunged suddenly backward and Pordo came down hard on the -balcony floor!</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Instantly we were on him; clawing, punching—making a desperate bid for -the ato-matic. Pordo tried to scream and Augie planted a solid kick in -his belly. The Jovian suddenly decided he didn't want to scream; maybe -because there wasn't any air left in him to yell with.</p> - -<p>I whipped a tentacle about the fat throat and began tightening my -muscles, ruthlessly. Pordo's eyes bugged hideously and the wind -whistled through his teeth in a vain effort to enter his lungs.</p> - -<p>Sure, we were two on one, but fair play didn't enter the picture. We -were fighting to save three worlds, and Xan and his henchmen had used -the same tactics in their blood-drenched rise to power. This was a case -of 'Durn aboud <i>is</i> fair play,' as Pordo would say.</p> - -<p>Right now, he wasn't saying <i>anything</i>. The fat body had gone limp in -my grasp and Pordo's evil soul was probably this minute bowing at the -gates of hell and saying, "Gendlemen!"</p> - -<p>"They'll be returning any minute!" Augie panted anxiously. "We've got -to work fast!"</p> - -<p>I handed him a small chunk of stuff I'd gouged from the body of a dead -Plutonian and retired to my place at the balcony rail.</p> - -<p>Augie took the stuff gingerly and placed it on the flat, upturned butt -of Pordo's ato-matic. He crossed the slanting balcony to a point where -the ceiling almost met the floor and waited there breathlessly.</p> - -<p>A network of pipes ran across that ceiling. Pipes that contained water. -This part of the palace was much the same as it had been many years -ago, when the first Jovian dictator had met with his underlings here in -the Assembly Hall and formed the policies of government that had laid -the groundwork for eventual System domination. The Jovians entertained -a sentimental attachment to this outmoded room and wouldn't think of -modernizing it, except for inconsequential details such as lighting. -Even the ancient, automatic sprinkler system remained. Originally used -to combat fire, it was now nothing but an ornament; a relic of bygone -days. The Jovians didn't need it now; scattered about the room were -dozens of the recently invented <i>Kelecyrine-capsules</i>, one of which -could extinguish the most persistent of flames. But I was staking -everything on the hope the sprinkler was still connected to a water -pump.</p> - -<p>The diplomats were reentering the room! They moved forward -confidently—unrealizing of the fact the Plutonians were dead. Xan led -the procession, his gigantic belly bouncing up and down in rhythm to -his pompous steps.</p> - -<p>Now! I waved my hand frantically at Augie. He snapped to sudden life. -A stream of saliva squirted from his lips and impaled the stuff on the -gun butt. It literally exploded into flames! Fingers of fire danced -around the gun butt, questing hungrily for something to absorb.</p> - -<p>Augie supplied that something. He moved the gun up under a rusty -sprinkler pipe and held it there. Luckily, he had had the foresight to -empty the gun's atomic capsules and wrap a torn piece of cloth about -his hand.</p> - -<p>The Assembly Hall was big and the men below were walking slowly. -Augie's torch had ample time to heat the pipes before the group reached -the table.</p> - -<p>Xan was getting suspicious. The unmoving forms of the Plutonians had -him puzzled. They ought to at least have the courtesy to rise from -their chairs to acknowledge his august presence.</p> - -<p>At that moment, one of the dead beings tumbled from his seat, breaking -into a million pieces as he hit the floor. Xan yelped alarmedly and -rushed forward—just as the sprinkler pipes opened up and gushed forth -a thick sheet of water; drenching the whole assemblage!</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Things began to happen then! A tremendous <i>whooom!</i> shook the room and -a canopy of flame flashed out from the table! In a trice, the Hall -was a blazing holocaust. Scream after scream tore from the throats -of the victims as the roaring inferno gulped them in and fiery teeth -gnawed the flesh from their bones. There wasn't a chance of one of them -reaching a <i>Kelecyrine-capsule</i>!</p> - -<p>We raced to the window and tumbled down the vines. I had the location -of the space-port well fixed in my mind, although it didn't matter much -now if we were captured. The plot had been foiled!</p> - -<p>"We have the Plutonians to thank for our success!" Augie yelled, -pounding across the courtyard.</p> - -<p>He was right. Calcium carbonate had been almost the sole constituent -of the Plutonians. There were other elements, yes, but in a far less -degree. Using electricity for heat, I had simply converted that impure -carbonate into a crude form of calcium oxide! It was crumbly stuff, -but it had stuck together long enough to deceive the conspirators into -thinking everything was shipshape in the Assembly Hall. When those -sprinkler pipes let go with their load of water, well ... any high -school boy can tell you what happened.</p> - -<p>"What about those devils in the dungeon, Tod?" Augie had to shout to -make himself heard above the turmoil. Guards were running for the -palace, intent on saving their ruler; screaming court-ladies were -dropping from windows, enveloped in clouds of dense, black smoke. I -knew the <i>Kelecyrine-capsules</i> had long since burst and put out the -flames, but not before they had done their grisly job.</p> - -<p>"They'll be released when the Jovians find their government has -collapsed about them!" I flung back. "We've got to get away from here -before these people come out of their daze!" That sounds cowardly, but, -to me, it was prudence.</p> - -<p>We found a surface-car and sped for the Jove City Space-port. It -was deserted. Everybody had been drawn to the palace by the frantic -emergency calls of the Jovian Secret Police. We scrambled in a small, -private cruiser and were soon far out in space, making for Earth.</p> - -<p>"In a way, I'm glad the formula was lost," Augie said reflectively. "I -can't reconstruct it from memory, you know. Too complicated. I don't -think I would, anyway, seeing what havoc it can cause."</p> - -<p>I nodded, setting the automatic control and relaxing in the bucket -seat. "Tod Mulhane" had pulled through one more scrape.</p> - -<p>"Too," Augie continued, "there would be no need of it now. Our enemies -will be practically helpless now their leaders are dead, and we can -easily force them to capitulate. The Jovians and their allies should -welcome a democratic government after so many years of tyranny. -Incidentally, Tod, where do you go from here?"</p> - -<p>I grinned at Augie and lit a <i>Tobac-tube</i>.</p> - -<p>"I haven't any plans, Augie, but you can bet I'll not sit home -knitting!"</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Formula For Conquest, by James R. 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Adams - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Formula For Conquest - -Author: James R. Adams - -Release Date: November 4, 2020 [EBook #63632] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FORMULA FOR CONQUEST *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - Formula For Conquest - - By JAMES R. ADAMS - - August Q. Twilken had a formula, Freebooter - Tod Mulhane had a nose for adventure and - Mon Pordo had an urge for Interworld - domination. When those three got together, - hell had to explode--and did. - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Planet Stories Fall 1945. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -"I have a formula," the little man said loudly. - -I punched him ungently in the ribs and jerked my head toward the mangy -crew whooping it up in the close confines of the ill-smelling Martian -_musk-parlor_. - -"Shh. Not so loud, guy," I whispered from the corner of my mouth. -"This bunch would slit your throat in a minute, if they knew you had -something on you that would bring a credit or two. I don't know what -your game is, but let's go in the back room where we can talk without -startin' someone's ears to burnin'." - -I wrapped my arm around the guy's shoulders and steered him toward -the back room, singing and laughing, as though I had an overload of -_Meez-musk_ and was feeling a little bit happy. - -I didn't know what had brought the little fellow to me. I'd never seen -him before yet he seemed to know me and had made his way directly to -the bar where I stood and addressed me by name. Anybody that knew that -much about Tod Mulhane, soldier of fortune, needed looking into, and I -was determined to give this mild-mannered, shrimp of a man a thorough -going over. - -I bolted the door behind us and seated myself at the table always kept -there for various games of chance. - -"Mousie" nervously assumed a seat and sat staring at me, his big, -milky-blue eyes blinking nearsightedly and a withered, vein-covered -hand tweaking incessantly at a bedraggled gray mustache. - -"I'm Professor August Q. Twilken," he essayed. "I have a formula." - -"And I'm Tod Mulhane, as you seem to know, and I have a couple of great -big ears, open and waiting. What can I do for you, Twilken?" - -Twilken's face suddenly became grim and the milkiness left his eyes a -moment, to disclose dancing, hard lights of determination. - -"Nothing for me, Mr. Mulhane," he said slowly. "This is for the world! -Yes, for three worlds!" - -I nodded patiently, thinking maybe I had a nut on my hands. - -"Of course, Twilken. And just what is it we're going to do for these -worlds?" - -"We're going to save them from the coming Interplanetary War!" Twilken -said forcefully. "Here's the way things--er--stack up. We know Jupiter, -Saturn and Uranus have their armies poised for a quick thrust at -the Allied Worlds--Mars, Earth and Neptune. But, so far, they have -hesitated, knowing both sides are pretty well matched in strength and -fearing the assault might be drawn out in a long, destructive conflict -that would gain them nothing. They won't wait forever, however, and, -sooner or later, they'll find a weakness in the Allied Worlds' armor -and strike with all the force at their command. Mr. Mulhane, the Allied -Worlds _must_ be the ones to break this deadlock. _We_ must be the ones -to gain an edge in strength and force them to disarm, or be destroyed -by the ruthless machine of the brain behind their mad plot. But, I -forget, you know all of this, Mr. Mulhane." - -"Tod's the name," I said absently. "Yes, I know all about Xan VIII's -scheme to defeat the Allied Worlds. So what? There's nothing I can do -about it. Naturally, being a Martian, I am anxious to see the Allied -Worlds win. But I can't see--" - -"You're a Martian?" Twilken stared, aghast. "But--but you look like an -Earthian!" - -"I have many disguises," I smiled. "And many pseudonyms--among them -being that of Tod Mulhane. A soldier of fortune such as I must resort -to numerous devices to elude his enemies. Incidentally, how did you -know who I was and where to find me?" - -"I have--uh--contacts," Twilken stammered. "But your disguise seems so -realistic! I would swear you're an Earthian!" - -"I put my entire being into a part. I would long since be dead if I -were unconvincing in my characterizations. But we digress, Twilken. -Come to the point." - -"The point is this," Twilken recovered from his astonishment. "If we -had the support of one of the lesser planets, such as Venus, we could -easily overthrow Xan's regime and bring a lasting peace to the System. -But, at the time, the inhabitants of Venus are in a crude stage of -evolution and are too stupid to be of much help. They have expressed -their willingness to help, but their ignorance might well be a weight -on our progress and turn the tide against us." - -I shifted uneasily in my chair and glanced at the door. - -"But supposing evolution could be speeded up on Venus," Twilken -continued. "Supposing the inhabitants could be developed as much in -two months as would ordinarily take a thousand years. They would soon -emerge to a state of intelligence as to be of immense value and aid to -our cause. I have something that will do this very thing, Tod!" - - * * * * * - -I leaped from my chair and wrenched the door open, just about scaring -Professor Twilken out of a year's growth. - -A short, fat Jovian fell into the room and lay grinning up from the -floor. His pink, shaggy-browed eyes searched our faces briefly, then he -arose, bowing deeply. - -"Gendlemen," he intoned. "I hope I am nod indruding. I was leaning -wearily againsd dis door, half asleep, and den I suddenly find myself -lying here on de floor!" He gestured at the bare planks and laughed. It -sounded like a snake hissing. "Mosd clumsy of me!" - -The Jovian's inability to pronounce the letter "T" made his speech -sound like that of a Venusian gunman. I wondered how much he had -overheard. - -The Jovian bowed again, brushing dust from his gleaming, spun-metal -tunic. - -"I drusd I have nod inconvenienced you gendlemen. I musd be more -careful, in de fudure. I have a nasdy habid of falling asleep ad odder -people's doors! Now, if you will excuse me..." - -The Jovian slid through the door and lost himself in the hubbub beyond. -I had a hunch we were going to have trouble from him. People just -didn't go around 'falling asleep' against strange doors without a -purpose. - -Twilken had sat all this time, his milky eyes looking about for a hole -to crawl in to and his hand clutched his breast, as though about to -have a heart attack. - -"Is that your formula?" I indicated his tunic pocket. - -"Yes! It must never fall into the hands of the Jovians, Tod. They -could make fearful use of it! We must carry out my plan quickly, or -that son-of--" Twilken clapped a hand over his mouth, to stifle the -strong words he had been about to utter. "--that mad devil will warn -his consorts and they'll be after us like hounds. In all fairness, Tod, -you must know the Allied Worlds Council is not endorsing my venture. -The diplomatic relations between worlds are stretched to the breaking -point, and, if the Jovian government thought the Council was supporting -such a plan, they might strike immediately with devastating results -to the morale of our people, for there are some who think we can't -possibly stand against such an efficient organization as Xan's. That's -why I need you. You have a fast ship; you have courage and the brains -to carry out my course of action if I should fall by the wayside. Will -you help me?" - -I grinned and hitched up my pants, Earth-fashion. - -"When do we start?" - - * * * * * - -We were well out in the void, thundering toward Venus, when Twilken -pointed excitedly at a small speck on the telescreen. - -"That's a ship, Tod!" he yelled. "That blasted Jovian's following us!" - -I poured more power to my craft and slammed down frantically on the -meteor-shield stud--but it was too late. A great blast rocked the ship -and girders groaned their protest as they buckled under the terrific -pressure. A piece of flying metal smacked Twilken on the head and he -sank to the floor, out cold. - -I ran to the navigation room locker and snatched out a couple of -spacesuits. I tugged and stuffed Twilken into one and barely made it -into my own when the air began to hiss out through the torn plates. - -We were caught up in the vacuum and whisked out into the dark, cold -vastness, to float about like two corks in a millpond. - -The Jovian ship, for such it proved to be, rushed in quickly and -fastened a grappling-beam on our helpless figures. In less than a -minute, we were inside the cruiser and facing the leering Jovian of the -_musk-parlor_ incident. - -"I am mosd pleased ad dis oppordunidy do renew our acquaindance," he -smirked. "No doubd you know whad I am afder? I shall wasde no dime in -playing cad and mouse. Give me de formula and dere shall be no drouble." - -Twilken came to long enough to shout: "You shan't have it!" - -"Bud I will," the Jovian assured him. "I have bud do search you. I am -cerdain we shall find de formula on your person. Will you surrender id -volundarily or musd we use force?" - -"Give it to him, Augie," I said. "We're cold turkey." - -"Misder Mulhane is quide correcd," the Jovian agreed. "You have no -aldernadive bud do relinquish your secred." - - * * * * * - -Twilken groaned despairingly and removed his bulger. He dug in his -pocket and brought out the formula, somewhat the worse for wear. - -The Jovian snatched it eagerly and beamed toothily at us, his thin, -pointed tongue darting like a snake over his bloated lips. - -"Dank you, Misder Dwilken. Never fear, I shall make good use of your -formula. Would you care do know how I indend do defead de Allied Worlds -wid id?" - -We remained silent. - -"Very well, I shall dell you. Jusd as you have a podendial ally in -Venus, de inhabidands of Pludo are likewise sympadedic to _our_ cause. -As you know, dey long ago reached and passed de poind of greadesd -indelligence, and are slowly reverding do de savage sdage from which -dey evolved. I propose do hald dis redrogression, wid de assisdance of -Misder Dwilken's formula, and resdore dem do deir former greadness. Dey -will be dankful do us Jovians, yes, and dey will be happy do assisd us -in our conquesd of de Allied Worlds." - -"You--you fiend!" Augie spluttered ineffectually. "You're going to use -_my_ formula to swing the balance of power in _your_ favor!" - -"Dad's righd," the Jovian bowed. "Is nod dis de very same ding you -indended to do for your own worlds? Durn aboud is fair play, I once -heard on Eard." - -"But we weren't planning to destroy you and your crummy bunch with it!" -Augie shouted, incensed at the Jovian's condescending air. "We were -only going to use it to force your armies to disarm and to remove your -cutthroat clique from power." - -"No doubd," the Jovian waved a plump, bejewelled hand. "And dad musd -never be. Xan VIII has udmosd confidence in my abilidy as chief of de -Jovian Secred Police and, if I fail, he would surely kill me before -rediring indo exile. I remember his exacd words: 'Mon Pordo, if you -bedray de drusd placed in you, dere can be nodding bud dead as a -reward!' You can readily appreciate my predicamend, gendlemen. I musd -give vicdory do my governmend or perish as a resuld. Nadurally, when I -overheard your conversashion ad de musk-parlor, I realized dad here was -a means do an end." - -"You're a sly devil, Mon Pordo," I said harshly. - -"Dank you, Misder Mulhane. Dad is a necessary evil of -my--ah--profession. Dis ship has sed a course for Jupider and, dere, -you will be held prisoners, pending de oudcome of our experimends wid -Dwilken's formula." - -"And then you'll kill us!" Augie said hotly. - -"Perhaps. Dad is for me do decide. You cerdainly have no choice in de -madder. And now," Pordo indicated three hulking Jovian brutes, waiting -to pounce on us, "dese gendlemen will escord you do your cells. Id is -regredable I cannod allow you de run of de ship, bud de oppordunidies -dus offered might prove doo dempting do resid. I advise you do go -quiedly, gendlemen." - -We went quietly. - -We were placed in adjoining cells and Twilken spent his rage in -rattling the bars and cursing Mon Pordo for a bloody, ill-spawned, -war-mongering idiot. The Jovians paid no attention, however, and Augie -soon simmered down to a slow boil, pacing his cage like a trapped -animal. - -We got to talking and Augie wanted to know all about me, why I had -chosen such a career and did I have any immediate plans for escape? - -At first, I was reluctant to talk about my life-history as a -free-booter of space, but Augie was persistent and I soon broke down. -I hardy knew how to start, but the words came easy once I got going. -Augie listened attentively, interjecting questions here and there. - -"I _am_ a Martian," I began. "But I was reared and educated on Earth -and, consequently, I think, act and talk much as an Earthian. I suppose -that's the main reason I most generally adopt the role of Tod Mulhane -when hiring out my services. My real name doesn't matter--it wouldn't -mean anything to you. As to why I became a soldier of fortune, perhaps -it's because of an insatiable appetite for adventure I possess or maybe -because I was left an orphan at an early age and just naturally drifted -into it. That doesn't matter either. I've put a lot of space behind my -tubes in my brief span of years and seen a lot of things that would -make your blood run cold--things I've never talked of before, nor will -I tell of them now. So you can sketch in the details yourself, if you -care to. I've told all that's worth listening to." - - * * * * * - -We had been conversing in low whispers and Augie glanced up and down -the corridor to make sure no guards were present before voicing his -most imperative query. - -"Most interesting," he approved. "But, surely you have a method of -escape planned? We can't just sit here and let these devils go through -with their mad deed." - -I motioned for silence and Augie subsided, watching my antics with -great interest. I placed my hand between two bars and pulled gently, -with an even pressure. My companion stared bug-eyed as the hand came -loose, exposing a pink tentacle ending in five, wire-thin appendages. - -Augie gasped, suddenly remembering his Martian anatomy. - -"Of course!" he breathed jubilantly. "I'd forgotten! If Pordo had -realized you were a Martian he would never have placed you in an -uninsulated cell!" - -I laughed. - -"We're not going to escape yet, though," I said softly. "It would do no -good. Pordo would merely recapture us and lock us away in the insulated -cargo-hold. We wouldn't have a chance then." - -"What do you plan to do, then?" Augie asked perplexedly. - -"We'll let them think we're helpless," I explained. "They'll go ahead -with their scheme and, at the crucial moment, we'll step in and queer -the works." I replaced the false hand. - -"How?" Augie wanted to know. - -"_That_," I said, "remains to be seen." - - * * * * * - -The pilot brought the cruiser in for a perfect landing and the -unceasing throb of the rockets sputtered, died and gave way to a loud -silence. - -Mon Pordo came down the passageway, flanked on each side by a -stony-faced guard. His cruel lips parted in a wide grin as he unlocked -our cells and motioned us out. - -"We have arrived, gendlemen," he hissed. "I am pleased do node you -have made no efford do escape. We shall proceed immediadely do de -governmendal palace where you will be inderned in de underground -prison-block. You will accompany dese men who will lead you do your -quarders." - -The musclemen hustled us from the ship and into a waiting surface-car. -I had refitted the false hand, fusing the ends of the plastic together -with a quick jolt of electricity. The stupid guards didn't suspect -anything as we roared from the Jove City Space-port, headed for the -luxurious palace which housed the high officials of Jovian government. -I could have burnt them to a crisp where they sat, but Twilken was to -one side of me and he would be the first to get it. I decided other -avenues of action would present themselves in due time, so I relaxed -against the cushions and stared casually out the window, mentally -mapping the route we were following, to use as reference in our coming -escape. Twilken sat dejectedly, his milky eyes playing tag with a small -insect beating frantically against the wondow. I felt a strange kinship -for this mild little man. He was so _darn_ concerned over our plight; -so _terribly_ anxious to regain the formula he had labored long and -hard to perfect. I wasn't so worried about our present unfavorable -circumstances as he--having built up an immunity to such misfortunes in -my past escapades. Nevertheless, my brain was working overtime--seeking -a way to circumvent the Jovian plot once we had escaped. - -We braked to a halt in the palace courtyard and the two ugly Jovians -prodded us toward a massive, solid-steel door. The damp, moss-covered -tunnel through which we passed ran deep under the palace and row -after row of tiny, unlighted cells lined each side. Many of them -were occupied, and I didn't care to look twice at the wild-eyed, -disease-wracked bodies of Nan's victims. There was a hopeless look on -those hollow-cheeked faces; a blank, "why go on fighting?" stare in -the eyes of the more sane--the ones who hadn't been there very long -yet. The cells were wet and filth-littered and the suffocating stench -of the place was so dense you could almost see it. - -We were more fortunate in the matter of living conditions. The cell in -which we were placed was large, tolerably dry and was supplied with a -couple of candles for illumination. Still, the unrelenting smell and -the tortured moans of the prisoners was enough to drive a man mad. - -"Pordo wands do keep you alive awhile," one of the guards explained, -referring to the clean cell. "If dis formula doesn'd show resulds, id's -going do be doo bad for you fellows! Pordo don'd like do be dampered -wid, so, if all dis is jusd a drick--look oud!" - -The Jovian slammed the door to and the pair went off down the tunnel, -echoes of their laughter rolling back to bounce gleefully through the -cells, plucking one more anguished groan from the lips of the half-dead -men within. - -The old-fashioned wax candles were relics of a long-gone day and age, -manufactured solely for ornamentation. But some scientist had whiled -away a few idle hours by adding a couple of new features. - - * * * * * - -Augie removed the cap from the wick of one and it burst into a -brilliant, unflickering flame. Even it was far superior to the crude -electric lighting of the ancients. - -"What now?" Augie asked. - -"We wait," I said. "This cell isn't too uncomfortable and we can bide -our time here; play the game Pordo's way and lull him into a sense of -invulnerability. Things may come to a head sooner than you think, and -you can bet we'll be in there fighting at the end." - -Augie's eyes flamed and his face screwed into a mask of hate. - -"I despise that tyrant Pordo!" he breathed soulfully. "D-damn him, if I -may use such a vulgar term." - -I glanced about the cell and located a musty, well-worn cot. It was the -only one the room contained, so it was the floor for one of us. Night -must be spreading its black cloak across the world outside and we were -both dead-tired. - -"We'll flip a coin for the bed," I said. "Then we'll alternate in its -use for as many nights as we're here." - -Augie chose heads and flipped the coin. It came up tails. - -"D-damn," he reiterated. "Seems my luck has flown the coop for good!" - -He crossed the room and snapped the cap down over the candlewick. -Darkness rushed in, probing inky fingers under the cot and in crevices, -eager to strangle any loitering mote of its fleeing enemy. - -Pordo visited us the next day, anxious to let us know how he was -progressing. He bowed his silly, condescending bow. - -"I drusd you have slepd well, gendlemen. I am indeed sorry dere are no -bedder quarders available, bud de choice rooms of de palace are quide -well-filled wid de visiding diplomads of our allies. Incidendally, de -Pludonians have also arrived for de experimend!" - -"You mean you're going to conduct the experiment right here on -Jupiter?" Augie exclaimed, wide-eyed. - -"Dad is precisely whad I mean!" the Jovian bit out. "Do you objecd?" - -Augie was too confused to offer a reply. He just stood staring at -Pordo, tiny beads of sweat popping out on his forehead. - -"You will ask why," Pordo divined. "And I can see no danger in delling -you. We have god do desd de formula firsd on a selecded few individuals -from Pludo. Accordingly, de dwendy-five mosd highly advanced indellecds -of Pludo have been broughd here do de palace and will undergo de -speeded up evolushion process. In dis way, we may make advance condacd -wid de enlighdened Pludonians, before evolving de masses, and make -a pacd wid dem, pledging deir planed's aid in our projecd. Den, de -millions of odders will receive de dreadmend and we will be ready -do acd! We are nod doo sdupid do realize de evolved creadures mighd -possess animosidy doward our purpose. Dus, in our firsd experimend, we -are evolving no more dan can be easily eliminaded, should dey prove -hosdile. De formula is even now being prepared and will be applied -immediadely. According do Misder Dwilken's dada, de process should be -complede in dwo monds, ad de mosd. Id is pleasand to condemplade, isn'd -id, gendlemen?" - -"It will never work!" Augie shrieked. "Your plan is utterly mad!" - -"Id _bedder_ work," Pordo said significantly, "or I'm afraid I shall be -forced do adminisder drasdic punishment do dose who have dus wasded my -dime. Good-day, gendlemen!" - -We watched the receding figures through the bars and, when Pordo was -out of sight, Augie said through grim lips: - -"I don't like it, Tod. He's hitting into something he can't handle!" - -The fifth day of our confinement, Augie did something that almost put -the fat in the fire. - -A guard brought our food and water each day and would dawdle awhile in -the cell, heaping salt on our wounds by informing us of how well the -experiment was going forward. This day he was exceptionally boastful -and Augie was feeling particularly testy about the whole thing. - -The Jovian had explained in much detail how you could actually _see_ -the Plutonians evolving as the formula took effect. His eyes bugged -in awe as he told how the skin and flesh stretched and twisted on the -skeletons, forming itself into new substance. - -As he turned to leave, smug in the knowledge he had paved the way for a -sleepless night, Augie jumped from the cot and hissed after him: - -"_Mismu T!_" - - * * * * * - -The guard whirled, eyes blazing. The Jovians were extremely sensitive -about their vocal defect that made forming of the letter "T" physically -impossible. Augie's hot expletive was the equivalent of telling Pordo's -underling he was too dumb to pronounce the sound. - -The enraged dupe leaped at Augie, snarling fiercely. The two went down -in a tangle flying arms and legs, the Jovian pouring sledgehammer blows -into Augie's midriff--blows that were meant to kill. He wore no gun, -or he would have used it. The Jovians were giving us no opportunity at -escape. - -I jumped into the fray, knowing if I didn't intercede in Augie's behalf -the guard would maul him into a bloody pulp. - -The Jovian turned on me and closed in, fists flailing and teeth -gritting in fury at my interruption. I sidestepped his wild body punch -and heard bone crunch as I caught his chin on a well-timed upper-cut. -The guard screamed, blood dripping from his torn lips and Augie came in -triumphantly from behind, raining mincy, bird-like blows on his head. - -[Illustration: _Professor Twilken clubbed futilely at the Jovian's -back._] - -It didn't last long. The other guards, attracted by the clamorous -uproar, came on the run and quickly subdued us with clubbed -flame-pistols. Our badly-beaten opponent was dragged from the room, -uttering garbled, vengeful threats, and we were left to lick our wounds. - -"You shouldn't have done that," I mildly reproached Augie. - -"I was mad." He thrust out a stubborn chin. "They're stirring up a -hornet's nest, Tod, and I won't be responsible for what happens! My -formula was meant to be used on the native worlds of the subjects and -there's no telling what kind of monstrosities they may evolve by not -following the natural laws embodied in it. The resultant organisms may -be intelligent, yes, but--" - -Augie broke off, tenderly fingering a swollen eye and munching -thoughtfully on his lower lip. He was sure down in the dumps all right, -and I couldn't blame him. We were in a hell of a mess, putting it -mildly. Three worlds to save, and we couldn't even save ourselves! - -We spent two full months in the dungeon. I fretted away the last thirty -nights on the floor, since contact with the cold stone had goaded -Augie's rheumatism into full-flare. - -News leaked in now and then and, on the sixty-second day, our guard -disclosed the experiment had been completed and the high officials -of Jupiter and its cohorts would meet that very day with the evolved -Plutonians in the Grand Assembly Hall of the palace to form a pact that -would seal the fate of the Allied Worlds. - -"Now is the time, Augie!" I whispered excitedly. - -Augie was electrified into action. He backed off in a corner and pulled -the cot down over him. There would be tremendous heat. - -I placed one hand under a foot and heaved up. The false hand remained -on the floor, leaving my prehensile tentacle free to act. - -I strode to the door and glanced up and down the tunnel. No guards -were present--they were probably outside discussing the conference, -which was now in progress. - -I twined my "fingers" about a thick, steel bar and gave it all -the juice I had! The metal glowed red-hot slowly fading into an -incandescent white! The stuff began to melt, flowing out into the -tunnel and forming bubbling puddles at my feet. The door didn't last -long; all that was left was the cooling pools of metal and a gaping -frame that yawned invitingly! The way was clear! - -"Willing to take a chance?" I asked. - -Augie gulped and nodded weakly. - -I boosted him to my back and made a sudden dash through the hissing, -liquid steel, taking care not to slip. I wasn't afraid for myself, I'm -non-conducive to heat. But Augie, perched precariously on my back, -would certainly be engulfed and devoured by the stuff if I should fall. - - * * * * * - -Then we were through the molten hell, making our way cautiously down -the passageway. Pitiful moans assailed our ears; frenzied pleas for us -to release the sufferers inside welled forth from the dark cells. But I -was adamant. - -"Time enough for that later, _if_ we're successful," I said to Augie. -"These half-dead creatures would only be in our way in the coming -fight." - -We reached the outer door and I pulled tentatively on the handle. It -was unlocked! Apparently, the guards thought the thick cell-doors were -enough protection against escape and hadn't bothered to fasten this -one. Anyway, they would return soon. - -"You wait here," I whispered to Augie. "They're probably outside the -door and would raise a hell of a noise if we came rushing out fighting. -I may be forced to use a little persuasion on them." - -I opened the door and stepped casually outside. The guards were huddled -in a circle not ten feet from me, absorbed in an abstract debate on -what would arise from the palace conference. One of them spotted me and -let out a squeal. - -"L-look!" he stammered. "One of de prisoners is loose!" - -They marshalled their forces and advanced on me slowly, quietly, seeing -no reason to summon aid. There were five of them--I was but one. - -They made a concerted rush and clamped eager hands on my arms. Mon -Pordo and Xan would reward them liberally for thwarting such an -ill-planned coup. It was so easy, too. - -I placed my exposed tentacle on the shoulder of one and let go with a -few thousand volts! - -The Jovians were packed together tightly and the electric charge -dispatched them with grim ease. There was nothing left but a sickening -mass of blackened, cooked flesh. - -Augie poked his head through the door and gagged wretchedly at the -charnel sight. - -"It was necessary," I said. - -We stuffed the charred bodies inside the tunnel door and fled swiftly -across the courtyard to the palace-proper where I pointed to a high -window. Vines ran rampant on the wall. It would be an easy matter to -climb up them to the window. - -We started up, gaining footing in small cracks between stones and going -hand over hand toward the opening. Augie looked down once, and turned a -pale green. From then on, he kept his eyes fastened to our objective. - -I reached the window first and held out a hand to Augie. I pulled -him through and we stood looking about. We were on a huge balcony, -overlooking the brilliantly lighted Grand Assembly Hall. The most -eminent political figures of three planets were there below us. - -Here was Taj Morkus and Klex II of Saturn. There was Wen Dorn and the -intellectual, if perverted, scientist, Haljin from Uranus. - -The wily Mon Pordo was all about the Hall, like a fretful hen, bowing -and shaking hands and directing the villainous delegates to seats at -the council table. - -At the head of the table sat Xan VIII himself, adorned from head to -foot with rare, exotic jewels, watching the redundant proceedings from -bored, seemingly-sleepy eyes. - -There were more, many more, but those six were the main cogs of the -machine. I counted exactly one hundred figures seated around the -table, and some of them were strange beings indeed.... - -I knew immediately these were the evolved Plutonians. There were -twenty-five of them, ranged along one side of the immense table, -fidgeting uncomfortably under the concentrated attention of their -hosts. There was something odd about those creatures, although I -couldn't say just what. Certainly their color was strange; a sick, -yellowish-white--but that wasn't what bothered me. I could tell by -their actions they were rational, thinking beings. It was something -about their "flesh" that had me going. Augie solved the problem with -his next words. - -"My lord!" he whispered loudly. "Those creatures are composed almost -entirely of an impure form of calcium carbonate! I thought something -like this would happen! Away from the native world, the Plutonian -process of evolution was torn between its natural tendencies and the -contradictory characteristics of its new environment. This is the -result!" - -It was then I knew what we must do. We went over the plan hurriedly, -yet making sure there were no flaws. Down below, Mon Pordo was -beginning a speech. He stood at the table importantly, white teeth -flashing against the purple background of his corpulent lips. - -"Gendlemen," he began blandly, as if that was the only form of address -he knew. "I have de unequalled honor of presending do you a mosd -marvelous revelashion. I have de privilege of making known do you dad -which has been kepd secred from your eyes; dad which we have ofden -hinded ad in the pasd dwo monds, bud have nod yed divulged. Once I -have mad dis gread disclosure, you will realize vicdory is widin our -grasp--jusd as our enemies will realize furder resisdance is endirely -fudile and will abandon deir idealisdic cause. I--" - - * * * * * - -He rambled on like that for half an hour, finally getting around -to introducing the Plutonians. Things moved more swiftly then. The -Plutonians were just the least bit reluctant to form an allegiance -and the experienced diplomats argued, pleaded, thrust and parried -and generally browbeat them into a decision. The confident delegates -finally withdrew to other parts of the palace to give the beleaguered -Plutonians a chance to think it over in private. This was what I had -been counting on, and we took quick advantage of the situation. - -Augie scurried back through the window and clung to the vines outside, -to be a safe distance away from what was to come. An hour, the -diplomats had said. We would make good use of those sixty minutes. I -leaped to the balcony-rail and plummetted down in the center of the -Hall. - -The Plutonians didn't have time to get out so much as a peep. I had -divested myself of both false arms and, even in mid-air, I released a -killing charge of electricity that left the duped creatures slumped -in their chairs--lifeless hulks. If the armed Mon Pordo had been -there, things would probably have been different. The Jovians were -quick-eyed and quick-acting and he would have blasted me to pieces with -his ato-matic the minute I appeared on the balcony-rail. That's why I -couldn't risk it before. I didn't want Augie facing the devils alone. - -I spent quite a little time in the Hall, standing in the center of the -table and sending out wave after wave of electricity over the dead -Plutonians--doing things to their bodies. - -Finally satisfied I had accomplished my purpose, I arranged the beings -in life-like poses along the table and moved silently to a spot beneath -the balcony-rail. - -Augie had succeeded in tearing one of the tough vines loose from the -palace wall and now he lowered it to me, keeping a wary eye on the Hall -door. - -Going quickly up the thin fiber strand, I stepped jubilantly over the -rail--and found myself looking directly into the venom-filled eyes of -Mon Pordo! - -He was standing in back of Augie, a little to one side, so the deadly -ato-matic held unwaveringly in his hand could cover us both. - -The frozen surprise on my face caused Augie to turn and stare sickly. -All the heart seemed to go out of him at that moment. His shoulders -slumped wearily and the hard lines of determination in his face -dissolved into a black pool of despair beneath the caustic solvent of a -big, unashamed tear. We were beaten! - -For once, Pordo was so infuriated he forgot all about bowing. His -eyes smouldered like blobs of hot grease, about to burst into flame; -frenzied, unholy hate seemed to ooze from every pore. Even so, he spoke -quietly. - -"A nead plan, gendlemen. Bud id has failed, jusd as all plods againsd -Xan VIII will fail! Drue, you have given us a demporary sed-back by -killing de Pludonians, bud we sdill have de formula and dere are odders -who, dough nod as indelligend, will well serve our purpose. Id is doo -bad I decided do visid you during de recess, isn'd id? Odderwise, your -rash acd may have succeeded! When I found you gone and your guards -dead, I knew insdandly whad you were up do and came here as de logical -poind for you do sdrike from. I am sorry, gendlemen, bud you are doo -dangerous do be allowed do live. So, I musd eliminade you!" Pordo -raised the gun and his finger tightened on the firing stud. - -This was it! I couldn't blast Pordo with an electric shock without -killing Augie, too. Good-bye, "Tod Mulhane"--you've had a short but -interesting life! I steeled myself for the atomic capsule that would -soon rip through my body. - -Augie acted almost impulsively. He still held the fibrous vine in his -hand and had noted slyly one of Pordo's feet enmeshed in the extending -end. He lunged suddenly backward and Pordo came down hard on the -balcony floor! - - * * * * * - -Instantly we were on him; clawing, punching--making a desperate bid for -the ato-matic. Pordo tried to scream and Augie planted a solid kick in -his belly. The Jovian suddenly decided he didn't want to scream; maybe -because there wasn't any air left in him to yell with. - -I whipped a tentacle about the fat throat and began tightening my -muscles, ruthlessly. Pordo's eyes bugged hideously and the wind -whistled through his teeth in a vain effort to enter his lungs. - -Sure, we were two on one, but fair play didn't enter the picture. We -were fighting to save three worlds, and Xan and his henchmen had used -the same tactics in their blood-drenched rise to power. This was a case -of 'Durn aboud _is_ fair play,' as Pordo would say. - -Right now, he wasn't saying _anything_. The fat body had gone limp in -my grasp and Pordo's evil soul was probably this minute bowing at the -gates of hell and saying, "Gendlemen!" - -"They'll be returning any minute!" Augie panted anxiously. "We've got -to work fast!" - -I handed him a small chunk of stuff I'd gouged from the body of a dead -Plutonian and retired to my place at the balcony rail. - -Augie took the stuff gingerly and placed it on the flat, upturned butt -of Pordo's ato-matic. He crossed the slanting balcony to a point where -the ceiling almost met the floor and waited there breathlessly. - -A network of pipes ran across that ceiling. Pipes that contained water. -This part of the palace was much the same as it had been many years -ago, when the first Jovian dictator had met with his underlings here in -the Assembly Hall and formed the policies of government that had laid -the groundwork for eventual System domination. The Jovians entertained -a sentimental attachment to this outmoded room and wouldn't think of -modernizing it, except for inconsequential details such as lighting. -Even the ancient, automatic sprinkler system remained. Originally used -to combat fire, it was now nothing but an ornament; a relic of bygone -days. The Jovians didn't need it now; scattered about the room were -dozens of the recently invented _Kelecyrine-capsules_, one of which -could extinguish the most persistent of flames. But I was staking -everything on the hope the sprinkler was still connected to a water -pump. - -The diplomats were reentering the room! They moved forward -confidently--unrealizing of the fact the Plutonians were dead. Xan led -the procession, his gigantic belly bouncing up and down in rhythm to -his pompous steps. - -Now! I waved my hand frantically at Augie. He snapped to sudden life. -A stream of saliva squirted from his lips and impaled the stuff on the -gun butt. It literally exploded into flames! Fingers of fire danced -around the gun butt, questing hungrily for something to absorb. - -Augie supplied that something. He moved the gun up under a rusty -sprinkler pipe and held it there. Luckily, he had had the foresight to -empty the gun's atomic capsules and wrap a torn piece of cloth about -his hand. - -The Assembly Hall was big and the men below were walking slowly. -Augie's torch had ample time to heat the pipes before the group reached -the table. - -Xan was getting suspicious. The unmoving forms of the Plutonians had -him puzzled. They ought to at least have the courtesy to rise from -their chairs to acknowledge his august presence. - -At that moment, one of the dead beings tumbled from his seat, breaking -into a million pieces as he hit the floor. Xan yelped alarmedly and -rushed forward--just as the sprinkler pipes opened up and gushed forth -a thick sheet of water; drenching the whole assemblage! - - * * * * * - -Things began to happen then! A tremendous _whooom!_ shook the room and -a canopy of flame flashed out from the table! In a trice, the Hall -was a blazing holocaust. Scream after scream tore from the throats -of the victims as the roaring inferno gulped them in and fiery teeth -gnawed the flesh from their bones. There wasn't a chance of one of them -reaching a _Kelecyrine-capsule_! - -We raced to the window and tumbled down the vines. I had the location -of the space-port well fixed in my mind, although it didn't matter much -now if we were captured. The plot had been foiled! - -"We have the Plutonians to thank for our success!" Augie yelled, -pounding across the courtyard. - -He was right. Calcium carbonate had been almost the sole constituent -of the Plutonians. There were other elements, yes, but in a far less -degree. Using electricity for heat, I had simply converted that impure -carbonate into a crude form of calcium oxide! It was crumbly stuff, -but it had stuck together long enough to deceive the conspirators into -thinking everything was shipshape in the Assembly Hall. When those -sprinkler pipes let go with their load of water, well ... any high -school boy can tell you what happened. - -"What about those devils in the dungeon, Tod?" Augie had to shout to -make himself heard above the turmoil. Guards were running for the -palace, intent on saving their ruler; screaming court-ladies were -dropping from windows, enveloped in clouds of dense, black smoke. I -knew the _Kelecyrine-capsules_ had long since burst and put out the -flames, but not before they had done their grisly job. - -"They'll be released when the Jovians find their government has -collapsed about them!" I flung back. "We've got to get away from here -before these people come out of their daze!" That sounds cowardly, but, -to me, it was prudence. - -We found a surface-car and sped for the Jove City Space-port. It -was deserted. Everybody had been drawn to the palace by the frantic -emergency calls of the Jovian Secret Police. We scrambled in a small, -private cruiser and were soon far out in space, making for Earth. - -"In a way, I'm glad the formula was lost," Augie said reflectively. "I -can't reconstruct it from memory, you know. Too complicated. I don't -think I would, anyway, seeing what havoc it can cause." - -I nodded, setting the automatic control and relaxing in the bucket -seat. "Tod Mulhane" had pulled through one more scrape. - -"Too," Augie continued, "there would be no need of it now. Our enemies -will be practically helpless now their leaders are dead, and we can -easily force them to capitulate. The Jovians and their allies should -welcome a democratic government after so many years of tyranny. -Incidentally, Tod, where do you go from here?" - -I grinned at Augie and lit a _Tobac-tube_. - -"I haven't any plans, Augie, but you can bet I'll not sit home -knitting!" - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Formula For Conquest, by James R. 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