diff options
| author | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-02-04 11:36:25 -0800 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-02-04 11:36:25 -0800 |
| commit | 55d9ec87f409a30f5ed57cd501d628488b18d9b1 (patch) | |
| tree | ff445000c9bdb1677d795f2d6150bb8af39f0e44 | |
| parent | afd29412a811ae65ced967ca4b5654c46501118d (diff) | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 4 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63824-h.zip | bin | 691390 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63824-h/63824-h.htm | 2700 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63824-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 261762 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63824-h/images/illus1.jpg | bin | 194312 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63824-h/images/illus2.jpg | bin | 190811 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63824.txt | 2577 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/63824.zip | bin | 43907 -> 0 bytes |
10 files changed, 17 insertions, 5277 deletions
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..d289955 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #63824 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63824) diff --git a/old/63824-h.zip b/old/63824-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 37c7105..0000000 --- a/old/63824-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63824-h/63824-h.htm b/old/63824-h/63824-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index a3daf8c..0000000 --- a/old/63824-h/63824-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2700 +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 The Man the Sun Gods Made, by Gardner F. Fox. - </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; -} - -.ph1 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; } -.ph1 { font-size: medium; margin: .83em auto; } - - - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Man the Sun-Gods Made, by Gardner F. Fox - -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: The Man the Sun-Gods Made - -Author: Gardner F. Fox - -Release Date: November 20, 2020 [EBook #63824] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MAN THE SUN-GODS MADE *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>THE MAN THE SUN GODS MADE</h1> - -<h2>By GARDNER F. FOX</h2> - -<p>They called him a god and worshipped him.<br /> -He neither ate nor drank, nor breathed the<br /> -wild free air, yet he was mighty beyond<br /> -belief. But grief bowed those superbly-muscled<br /> -shoulders, for he knew he was human.</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Planet Stories Winter 1946.<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>Tyr stood on the warm white sands and stretched. The hot yellow rays of -the sun played across his ribbed chest and the muscles in his long legs -and thick arms. Tyr smiled. It was good to be alive, even if he was a -god.</p> - -<p>He wondered when they would come to worship him again, sending the -bittersweet keening of the <i>suota</i>-horns out across the silver deserts -and blue lakes of Lyallar. He hoped it would be soon, for he had, -despite himself, grown to like sitting on the ruby throne. From where -he stood, looking across the groined vastness of the Lord Chamber, -he could see the upturned faces of his people. Even the rat-face of -Otho he liked at moments like those, for the wondrously beautiful face -of Fay smiled red-lipped at him. Tyr gave many gifts to Fay from the -treasures that the Lyallar heaped upon him. And always it seemed she -was eager for more, her brown eyes flickering like those of a greedy -child.</p> - -<p>Tyr spread his arms, feeling millions of tiny nerve-ends in his skin -open to drink in the energy pouring from the titanic orb of fire in -the heavens that was sun to the planet Lyallar. Tyr ate no food, and -breathed no air. All that he needed for his existence he got from the -sun.</p> - -<p>As the energy flooded into him, making him tingle in every fibre of his -being, Tyr felt again the effect of that energy on his brain. It was -as though the power he fed on was so great that it opened the deeper -spaces of his mind so that any problem was no problem at all—while the -moment lasted.</p> - -<p>He had found the stone tower in a moment like that. Seen it at first -miles away, standing lone and stark on the silver sand. Built of -brownish rock, round as the bole of a tree, it was something new to him -who had explored all the strange places of this planet. Tyr had run to -it, testing his swift feet. He could have distanced a dozen cheetahs, -one after another, could Tyr. He was more than swift. He was inhuman.</p> - -<p>The lock was easy to break with all that energy flooding him. He merely -took it in his big hands and his muscles writhed and bulged, and the -flaky red metal of the lock snapped. With the flat of a hand he pushed -open the door and went within. It was dim and cool inside, and at first -Tyr did not like it.</p> - -<p>There were queer objects all about him, some of glass, some of metal. -Here were curves and cones and vibrating rods of the thickness of -a man's little finger. And books! Even the libraries of the Trylla -contained no books such as these. He lifted one down and browsed, and -found that his mind was understanding it, knowing what those terms and -symbols meant, without thinking. His mind frightened Tyr at times. It -was almost not a part of him. It was as though all the men and women -who had been his forebears had left a little something of themselves in -his makeup, so that their knowledge and experience could guide their -descendant.</p> - -<p>Many hours Tyr spent in that odd place. It was a change from the -deserts and the ruby throne. Gradually, through the years, he found -that he was amassing an education from the books and the glass and -metal objects—</p> - -<p><i>Suu-ohhh-taaaa!</i></p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The clarion notes rang sweet and clear. They brought Tyr erect, the -peculiar ring chained to his neck bouncing on his chest. He looked -toward the dim horizon, where stood Yawarta, city of the ruby throne.</p> - -<p>This was the call to the god of the Lyallar. Tyr ran easily, like a -perfect machine that never tired. Across the white sands, and through -the eerie forest in which all the trees resembled frost-flakes, -silver-white in the sun. Deep in the heart of the forest lay an azure -pool, its blueness contrasting startlingly with the silver of the -forest.</p> - -<p>The towers of Yawarta were slim and dark beyond the grassy fields. Like -drops of blood on a satin pillow they brooded, reminding the Tryllan -race that they were slaves to the <i>ardth</i> who dwelt far beyond the -nearest star.</p> - -<p>A girl was standing before a golden door set flush with the hillside.</p> - -<p>"Fay!"</p> - -<p>"Speak not, on your life!" she whimpered.</p> - -<p>They stood silent, breathing softly. Tyr heard the voices then, harsh -voices, where the Tryllans spoke in musical syllables.</p> - -<p>"The <i>ardth</i>! They have returned?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. They swear to kill you, Tyr. They are hunting you now, along the -tunnels to the door."</p> - -<p>Tyr bent and swung the girl high on his chest, grinning. "They will -never catch Tyr."</p> - -<p>Tyr began to run. His legs blurred with the speed of his motion. He -stepped out along the grassy slope, and down it, and then was running -free on the plains. He heard Fay's gasp as she grew aware of his pace. -She buried her head against his shoulder to breathe, and her yellow -hair whipped and stung his face as the wind tossed it.</p> - -<p>For four hours Tyr ran, not needing to breathe. When he swung the girl -down, he was as composed as though he had moved ten feet. Fay stared up -at him with warm brown eyes.</p> - -<p>"Truly you are a god, Tyr. Only a god could run without effort."</p> - -<p>"No god. Only—only—"</p> - -<p>He halted. He had no word to describe himself. Neither did the Trylla, -except "god." So god he had become, unwillingly; yet he was dimly aware -that he was unique among men, that he stood alone.</p> - -<p>"We are far from the Old Ones, the <i>ardth</i>, here," he said. "It would -be easy to dwell here on the deserts until they have left."</p> - -<p>Fay stirred restlessly, saying, "I do not want to stay on the deserts. -They are bare places. No people, no laughter."</p> - -<p>"I don't blame you. There must be something I can do."</p> - -<p>He rubbed his hands on the soft white fur that clasped his hips. A hot -anger was beating up inside him, making his nostrils flare. The Old -Ones! They had come back to Lyallar, where Tyr ruled! The masters of -planets and the far reaches of space had come back. He was one, and the -<i>ardth</i> were many. Individually, nothing could ever defeat him. But one -against a race! He shook his head.</p> - -<p>"You could fight them, Tyr. You are a god. What can the Old Ones do to -you? There is no way of killing you. Sometimes an assassin has tried, -while you sat on the ruby throne. But no one has ever succeeded."</p> - -<p>That was true. Yet he did not tell her that his own uncanny speed saved -him. There was no sense in testing fate, by letting a weapon strike -him. He had a subtle knowledge that he might be immune to certain types -of missiles, but he was not sure.</p> - -<p>"You could walk into Yawarta and slay them all, Tyr," the girl said -softly, watching him carefully with her brown eyes. "Then we could go -back to the old days. You could give me that emerald necklace I want."</p> - -<p>Tyr wondered at the greed in the brown eyes. It disturbed him. But it -did not disturb him as much as the thoughts of the Old Ones. Thought -of them brought a yearning for battle that rose red and mist-like -inside his great chest. How to tell of that hotness within him, where -his guts ought to be, but were not, that made his heart pump with fury? -Yet, despite his rage, he was alert and careful as a stalking cat. He -could not tell this to Fay; she wanted him to walk unarmed into Yawarta -and blast the <i>ardth</i> with some sort of supernatural power.</p> - -<p>He walked around on the white sand, brooding at his moving feet. He -looked into his mind for the words, stumbling and halting.</p> - -<p>"Fay, the Trylla have made of me a god. Now I know I am no god. I am -not such a god as the legends of the Tryllan cults tell of, at any -rate. I am only a man. A human being, who is something of a freak."</p> - -<p>There was a patient smile on the girl's red mouth. She shook her head -and the soft yellow hair tumbled around her bare shoulders.</p> - -<p>"We have spoken of this before, Tyr. Always you say that you are not a -god, and then you turn around and do what only a god can do."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Tyr sighed. "Maybe I am a god. Maybe I expect a god to be too much. But -that is not exactly the point. It is this: the Trylla call me god, no -matter what I call myself. Therefore I must act like a god, for their -sake."</p> - -<p>Fay nodded, brown eyes fastened on him.</p> - -<p>Tyr said slowly, "A god would not let oppressors molest his people, -would he, Fay?"</p> - -<p>"That is just what I have said. You must go into Yawarta and slay and -slay—"</p> - -<p>"No. No, I do not think that is what a god would do."</p> - -<p>Fay frowned slightly. She kicked at a lump of sand and watched it fly -apart. She ran a finger into her thick yellow hair and twirled it.</p> - -<p>"Of course you may be right," she said tartly. "I am not versed in the -way of gods."</p> - -<p>"Nor am I," scowled Tyr. "But, in the heart of me, something says there -is another way. That, if I can convince the <i>ardth</i> that I could defeat -them, smash them in some way—then what would be the triumph of a god."</p> - -<p>"That might take a long time. I would like very much to have that -emerald necklace. Otho said it was worn by Queen Yatha-sath two -thousand years ago. Please, Tyr?"</p> - -<p>She came close to him, perfumed warmth and soft white skin. Her mouth -was very red. But Tyr looked away, frowning.</p> - -<p>"The Old Ones derive their powers from a thing called science," he -said slowly. "It says so in a book in the Tower. If I could learn that -science, I might defeat them with their own weapons. But that would -take a long time. Many years."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>He stared up into the sun and smiled gently, feeling its hot rays lave -his chest and arms and thighs. Like bubbles of air surging up through -water, he felt the dormant strength of his muscles. He had strength. A -strong man can fight with his hands and with his legs. He would fight.</p> - -<p>He turned sharply to Fay and asked, "What is the Barrow that the Trylla -often mention? Where is it?"</p> - -<p>"The Barrow is the pride of the Trylla. Without it there would be no -hope."</p> - -<p>"Yes, yes. I know. But what <i>is</i> it?"</p> - -<p>"It is the hidden place where all the wartime secrets of the race are -stored. When the last invasion of the Old Ones took place, nearly a -hundred years ago, all the accumulated knowledge of the conquered -Tryllans was locked away lest the Old Ones destroy it."</p> - -<p>"Could you find the Barrow?"</p> - -<p>Fay shuddered. Tyr looked at her, saw her fingers move through her -yellow hair, watched with gentle smile as white teeth nibbled at red -lip. He put out his big hands and held her arms.</p> - -<p>"It is for the Trylla that I ask."</p> - -<p>"I—I know. I can find the Barrow." Her chin lifted defiantly. "Of what -use are old legends if they make those who hear them weaklings and -cowards? Better to—to die bravely than to hole up like the <i>tabbug</i> at -the first cry of the hunting-cat!"</p> - -<p>Tyr grinned at her, wondering if she believed in her own words. She was -so lovely, so childishly greedy for pretty things, so—he frowned at -the idea—so unconsciously selfish, wrapped in her own interests, that -abstract terms like bravery and cowardice seemed alien to her tongue. -Her brown eyes flirted up at him from under their long lashes, and -caught his warm grin.</p> - -<p>She muttered sullenly, "The Barrow is five days' journey from the -Desert of the Dead, and that lies two days' travelling from here."</p> - -<p>"So near?"</p> - -<p>"Much of the journey is across terrible deserts, and the rest is over -insurmountable mountain barriers. The Barrow is atop the tallest -mountain on all the planet."</p> - -<p>"That makes it so much harder for the Old Ones to find it," Tyr said.</p> - -<p>"The Old Ones can fly. The Trylla must walk. Our monorails run only -in the cities. Oh, Tyr, the only way you can win is to go into the -chambers of Yawarta and destroy the leading <i>ardth</i>. You can do it no -other way!"</p> - -<p>"If Harl the Ancient still lives," Tyr dreamed, "he could help me -fight. He was the greatest of the Tryllan warriors. There are rumors he -does live, in the Barrow. That is why I must find it. I need Harl."</p> - -<p>The girl nibbled at her red mouth sullenly, saying, "I don't see why -you don't do as I say. In that way, you'd get to power faster. We -wouldn't have to share the glory with Harl."</p> - -<p>"The <i>ardth</i> aren't bowling pins to fall at the sway of an arm, Fay. -They are dangerous men. Wise men with enough savagery in their blood to -make them vicious."</p> - -<p>Tyr knew he could never hope to walk into the secret chambers of the -<i>ardth</i> alive. He knew his limitations. He was human, after a fashion. -He bled when cut, and he ached when bruised. And the <i>ardth</i>—</p> - -<p>The <i>ardth</i> were a strange race. They were nomads who swept across the -trails of the stars in great vessels that spanned a bridge of space -from planet to planet. Never happy for long, they were eaten by a -cancerous unrest that drove them on and on, to the outermost rims of -the galaxies, hunting always.</p> - -<p>They had home planets, too, but they were seldom at home. Instead -they chose to lock themselves in ships of metal and fling themselves -out between the suns. Instead of green grass and trees, their windows -looked on blackness relieved only by twinkling dots that were stars, -and steadily glowing pinpricks that were unexplored planets.</p> - -<p>Five hundred years ago they had come to Lyallar. The Tryllans, then a -great race, had fought them bitterly and had driven them off. Three -hundred years later, they came again; this time they came for war. -That war lasted seventy-two years and, at its end, the Tryllans were -a broken race. And that time the Old Ones stayed, or, rather, their -cities stayed—and the Glow.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>No one really knew what the Glow was. It made the Old Ones powerful, -and was as closely guarded by them as was the Barrow by the Trylla. -Without the Glow, the <i>ardth</i> were naught. They hid the Glow deep in -their biggest city, that they named Mart.</p> - -<p>"If we could go to Mart and find this Glow," said Tyr abruptly, out of -his deep thought.</p> - -<p>Fay laughed bitterly, "The Barrow one can find by rolling downhill, -compared to finding the Glow and using it."</p> - -<p>Tyr grunted. It was hard, being a god.</p> - -<p>Sometimes he wished he were like other men, for then he would have no -people to protect, no Old Ones to battle for a race that looked to him -for guidance. Often he had thought that the Old Ones might be gods, but -he knew that none of them could do what he could do.</p> - -<p>His godship prodded him into saying, "Let us find the Barrow, and Harl."</p> - -<p>"Harl is old, very old," replied the girl. "He is so old that he must -be a doddering gaffer now."</p> - -<p>"But his brain would be young," Tyr argued. "And it is the brain that -is trained in war from which I seek aid."</p> - -<p>The girl sat on a rock and undid a sandal and shook sand from it. She -shrugged petulantly and fastened her sandal. "Must we go now? It is -almost night."</p> - -<p>Tyr looked at the sun low on the horizon. Tyr did not like to travel by -night. He preferred the hot day, when the sunrays beat with insistent -heat about his tanned chest and shoulders. But there was need for -hurry. The Old Ones did not stop for darkness, and neither would he.</p> - -<p>"Come," he said shortly.</p> - -<p>The way was easy, at first. In the red light of the dying sun, they -saw the sand before them, each rise and dip moulded into graceful -curves by the winds that whipped the barrens night and day. They went -lightly, swiftly.</p> - -<p>Slowly the stars loomed in the darkening sky above them. And, as is the -way with travellers the worlds over, they grew silent and more intimate -in unspoken thought. Once or twice Fay's hand brushed Tyr's, and he -helped her across the higher dunes.</p> - -<p>On a hard swirl of sand, they stood close. Fay whispered, "All those -stars, Tyr. You would think the Old Ones would be satisfied with so -many. They might leave Lyallar alone!"</p> - -<p>Tyr felt surprise at the emotion within him. It was almost a sympathy -with the nomad oppressors.</p> - -<p>"They have curiosity. I have it myself. I have lived on every desert -that Lyallar can boast, yet I am ever searching for a bigger and a -hotter one. Maybe the Old Ones are like that."</p> - -<p>He looked down at the girl, smiling wistfully at the pale loveliness of -her hair, at the warm brown of her eyes. He shivered, watching her. He -wanted so much to take Fay and go out into the desert with her, away -from everything that smacked of godhood. They could go to the Tower, -and live there safely. The <i>ardth</i> would not find him there. There -would be none to say him yea or nay. If—he was a god!</p> - -<p>Tyr sighed and turned from Fay's red mouth and looked out across the -unending dunes. An inner voice whispered, <i>The Trylla need you, Tyr. -You are their god, and a god does not run away. When is a god needed -more than in time of trouble? You cannot leave them, for they are as -children. You must fight.</i> He nodded in the darkness, grimly.</p> - -<p>Side by side they went on through the night. And now they went apart -from each other, as though the decision were a final parting. Words -were unnecessary. The Trylla needed Tyr.</p> - -<p>It was dawn when they saw the others trudging wearily across a far bank -of sand. Tyr shouted and waved, summoning them. Dragging deadened limbs -they came, in torn clothes and with smears and streaks of dirt on gaunt -faces. They stood before him, and in their eyes was the dull glaze of -despair and in their voices the sullen acceptance of their fate.</p> - -<p>"We fled after seeing the <i>ardth</i> ships come."</p> - -<p>"They will find us, though. We want just a few more days of freedom."</p> - -<p>"All of Yawarta is captive to them. They have made Otho governor, and -thrown Zarman, whom you appointed ruler, into the cells."</p> - -<p>"And they have sent out commands that you be returned to them at once. -They have offered rewards."</p> - -<p>Tyr grinned mirthlessly, shaking his tawny head. A return meant -torture, possibly death. If the Old Ones thought enough of him, they -might feed him to the Glow.</p> - -<p>He said, "Fay and I are bound for the Barrow. We will find Harl and -call him to lead new armies against the <i>ardth</i>. Join with us. We shall -win."</p> - -<p>"We cannot win ... alone."</p> - -<p>They looked at him out of dull eyes in which tiny flames of hope sprang -alive and flickered, and then died. They shuffled their feet. They -looked tired enough to fall, and the bare soles of several bled red -drops into the sands.</p> - -<p>"Sleep," said Tyr gently. "You need rest. Dawn is coming up, and I can -go on in the sunlight to survey the path before us."</p> - -<p>He drew Fay with him, over the crest of a dune. His fingers rose to -touch the circlet of dull gold that gleamed from the chain about his -neck. Slowly he unfastened it as Fay watched, staring. The ring was a -part of him, for he had worn it ever since he could remember. Now he -wanted Fay to wear it. It bruised his ribs when he ran, or bounced on -his back and against his jaw. But more than that, every Tryllan knew -that ring. It would be a symbol of power in Fay's hands.</p> - -<p>"Use it well," he said, closing her white fingers about it.</p> - -<p>Her brown eyes were wide, looking up at him. Tyr put out his hands and -caught her arms above her elbows. He held her like that, just looking -at her beauty, for a long moment.</p> - -<p>And then he turned and ran swiftly, lest the muffled thunder of his -blood should smash the resolutions his brain had welded so firmly.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph1">II</p> - -<p>Sand slipped away in back of him, as wind passes the arrow in its -flight. Air was cool on his chest and on the powerful thighs that -rippled with muscles as he ran. The sun beat at him, leaving him in its -warmth. He grew strong and powerful as the cells of his skin sucked in -energy.</p> - -<p>Run, Tyr. Run faster and yet faster, that the thoughts teeming in your -brain may be left behind. You are a god, and a girl named Fay is not -for you. You have only the <i>ardth</i>-men, Tyr. They are your enemies, and -they must be vanquished!</p> - -<p>But how? But how? His brain howled in desperation. They are so many. -They know sciences, and they have weapons. You have two bare hands and -a strong body, a strange body, a body that frightens you at times, it -is so different.</p> - -<p>Something dug into the sand ahead of him and exploded. Tyr swerved like -a frightened faun and came to a stop. Something else blew up a little -closer to him. Hard granules of sand stung his flesh.</p> - -<p>He saw them, then, in the sky. Three sleek aircraft with stubby wings -and a long fuselage out of which shot tiny glints of red.</p> - -<p>The <i>ardth</i>!</p> - -<p>Tyr drew his hands down his ribs, lips twisted. By the god that he was -supposed to be! He'd show them a race, even if they could fly and he -could only run.</p> - -<p>The sun was hot and searing. Good! It was his ally, that immense orb. -While it shone, they could not catch him.</p> - -<p>Tyr ran.</p> - -<p>His pace was a blurred thing. His flight was that of the <i>kala</i>-bird -whistling before the hawk. He swerved and he darted, and he made -fools of the men in the shiny things above and behind him. It was an -incredible thing that he did, but Tyr was an incredible being. The -rules were not made for him, for who made the rules knew nothing of -Tyr. He outran those aircraft.</p> - -<p>All day long, while the sun beat upon him, Tyr flew. Vaguely he -realized that he was a living, functioning thing of energy—not pure -energy, but energy translated into human power.</p> - -<p>Yet he was human, and the fliers were machines. He lost them among -the rocks, but the aircraft spread in widening circles and one of them -found him again. And so Tyr ran on. Once or twice he stumbled, toward -the end of the day. The thunder of the jet planes was loud in his ears. -They swooped low, casting long shadows before them.</p> - -<p>There were no more explosions. Those had stopped once he began his mad -race. He thought, 'At least, Fay and the others are safe. I've led the -<i>ardth</i> a long way from them.' The muscles in his legs were hardening, -knotting. They grew heavy and inert.</p> - -<p>Tyr staggered.</p> - -<p>The planes had landed, and the men were coming for him. The -stars-and-bars on their jackets loomed bigger and bigger as he stood -and waited. His chest rippled with sweat, and his long arms hung limp -on either side of his giant frame.</p> - -<p>He could fight and die here, with the moon starting its rise in front -of him, and the wilderness of his run behind him. His body was pouring -the energy through his system again, and his muscles grew less heavy.</p> - -<p>"By Kagan!" swore the first <i>ardth</i>-man, staring at him with round eyes -over the muzzle of a lifted gun. "Who are you, man? <i>What</i> are you?"</p> - -<p>"He's their god," rasped another, appraising Tyr with knowing eyes.</p> - -<p>"No wonder," grunted the third, holstering his weapon. "A god such as -he would find me among his worshippers! They'll never believe us on -Rigel-7!"</p> - -<p>"Do you yield?" asked the first.</p> - -<p>They did not seem so frightening, close up. They were like Tyr. They -were men, smaller than he, but men. He could kill them all, here and -now, but—</p> - -<p>He owned a desire to see more of these <i>ardth</i>. Perhaps he could -reason with their commander, make some sort of compromise. He would do -anything to save the Trylla. Fay and the others were safe. Let them go -to the Barrow. He would know where to find them when he escaped from -the <i>ardth</i>. And he would escape. There was no prison made that could -hold Tyr.</p> - -<p>He said slowly, "I yield. I will go with you."</p> - -<p>Dully, despite all his hopes and plans, he knew himself a complete and -total failure as a god.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Her hair was black as the tip of a raven's wing, parted in the middle, -and drawn back over tiny ears. She had black eyes and a wide, crimson -mouth that kept smiling at him, gently. She stood in the midst of the -cloaked <i>ardth</i>-men who stared at him as they listened to the voices of -the airmen who had captured him.</p> - -<p>Tyr grew uncomfortable under her steady gaze. He shifted his feet, -feeling silly, looming so big above the smaller pilots. He felt that -they all were laughing at him. What a god he was! No wonder they -laughed at him secretly. A god who was the protector of his race, -allowing capture by three pilots he could have killed with three blows -of his big hands.</p> - -<p>The eyes and the mockery of the men he did not mind, but the steady -eyes of the woman—</p> - -<p>Forget her, and look about you, Tyr. This is a room of the Old Ones, -with its silver and black-glass windows arching a hundred feet up along -the wall, and the hooded eagle design carven into the stone and wood. -A highbacked chair stood empty on a rostrum as the man who usually -filled it stood with the others, watching him. This was wealth, from -the priceless red damask drapes at the windows to the hand-laid tiles -beneath his feet.</p> - -<p>It was no use. Her dark eyes were too steady.</p> - -<p>"A lie," said one of the Old Ones calmly. "No man could do what he did."</p> - -<p>"He is no man, sire. He is the one the Trylla worship. He is—Tyr!"</p> - -<p>They started at that. The pilot had told his story cleverly. He grinned -with self-appreciation as the murmurs and the cries rewarded him. Tyr -knew the closer scrutiny of the eyes beneath drawn brows. They ate him -up, those eyes. Especially the eyes of the woman.</p> - -<p>A lean man with a bald head and iron-grey mustache stepped forward -and walked around Tyr, his glittering eyes probing. Shaking his head -dubiously, he said, "Katha, you're our biochemical expert. Can it be?"</p> - -<p>The woman with the black hair came toward him, swaying gracefully.</p> - -<p>"I must make tests, Space Commander," she said, and Tyr liked the -hoarse vibrancy of her voice. It sent tingles down his spine. But maybe -that was the black eyes of her that smiled up at him as she asked, "Is -it true, what he says?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, it's true. I outran their planes. I could have killed them, but I -did not choose to."</p> - -<p>"Then why didn't you?" she smiled.</p> - -<p>"Because I—show me to your commander. I want to treat with him. That -is why I suffered capture. I will offer peace for peace. All I ask—"</p> - -<p>The lean man with the bald head came around in front of Tyr and stared -at him with cold eyes.</p> - -<p>"I am Space Commander Ronald Mason," he said flatly. "I am in charge of -Expeditionary Space Force to the Fornax Cluster. You will offer peace? -But there is no war."</p> - -<p>Tyr held the snarl in his throat as he replied, "But there will be war, -unless the <i>ardth</i> are willing to deal with me for the liberty of the -Trylla."</p> - -<p>Mason smiled, but Tyr saw the flecks of passion deep in his ice-blue -eyes. "The Trylla are a free race."</p> - -<p>Tyr said patiently, "The Trylla worship me. They think I am a god. I -know, and you know, that I am nothing of the sort. Yet I would help -them, if I could. You cannot keep me here, if I seek to escape. I can -plunge this planet into the bloodiest war you ever saw. But I do not -want to do that. I seek only peace. Peace, and some sort of pride for -the Trylla, that they may once again hold up their heads—"</p> - -<p>Mason interposed, "A laudable desire. But the Trylla are quite content. -Otho tells me they will make no trouble. As for your idle boast of -escaping—"</p> - -<p>Space Commander Mason gestured and turned away with, "Test him, Katha. -See why his responses vary so far from the norm."</p> - -<p>Red anger beat up in Tyr in mounting pulsings. He bit into his lip and -eased up to the tips of his toes. His muscles writhed. He—</p> - -<p>A cool hand touched his forearm. The black eyes were there again, and -the red mouth was smiling at him.</p> - -<p>"The tests? Please?"</p> - -<p>Tyr licked his lips, confused. He looked at the <i>ardth</i>, and down at -the girl, whose eyes were sapping the mad rage in his heart. He said, -"Yes, the tests."</p> - -<p>"Follow me."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The room was big and white, and fantastically clean. Chrome and -plasticine gleamed and shone under the bluish-white ceiling that -diffused soft brightness into every corner. A fluoroscope machine -stood against the north wall. On tables were set scalpels and needles -and rolls of cotton. Electronic ray-machines, microscopes and -cyclotroncancereas peered beyond them. This was the biochemical science -of the Old Ones inside four walls.</p> - -<p>Katha closed the door behind her and loosed her black cloak. She was -garbed in black blouse with a star-and-bar in silver threaded into the -material. Tight trousers, white, gave her a streamlined look.</p> - -<p>"Be comfortable, please. This will not hurt, what I am about to do."</p> - -<p>Tyr watched her roll a big machine out, saw her thrust a needle with -a handle into a jar of white liquid. She saw him watching her, and -laughed softly.</p> - -<p>"You are like a caged animal. You do not like walls, do you?"</p> - -<p>"No. I prefer the desert."</p> - -<p>"You have spent all your life on the desert?"</p> - -<p>"All. Ever since I was small."</p> - -<p>She turned from a wad of cotton that she was unrolling to regard him -thoughtfully from under long black lashes.</p> - -<p>"A boy. What of your parents?"</p> - -<p>"I don't remember them, if there were any to remember. The first thing -I recall is sand under my feet, and running. The sun was always my -friend. I love the sun. It feeds me. I need nothing to exist, other -than the sun."</p> - -<p>Her left hand was warm where it caught his wrist. The damp cotton was -swept across his flesh swiftly.</p> - -<p>"I remember a lot of things about my youth. Unconnected things, like -the first day I found the blue lake and the silver forest. The day I -killed a <i>panth</i> with my bare hands. The first night I saw the stars, -and recognized them for what they were."</p> - -<p>Katha held his hand in hers and said, "I am going to draw blood. It -will hurt—a little." As the ruby liquid oozed from his wrist, the -woman went on speaking. "And you cannot recall anything beyond that? -Only that you were a boy, and that you grew up?"</p> - -<p>"Only that. It was many years before I saw another ... human. The -Trylla are not desert-dwellers. They like their cities. But I saw a -caravan, and came close to examine it, and when the guards saw me, I -ran so swiftly they started rumors."</p> - -<p>Her mouth smiled in amusement as she walked across the room.</p> - -<p>"No wonder. A man who can outrun three aircraft is quite a runner."</p> - -<p>"From that began the tales about me. A hunter would shoot and miss. -That started my invincibility legend. After many years, during which I -found the Tower, they sent a delegation to me, to ask me to be their -god, to take the ruby throne."</p> - -<p>"How did you learn to speak, if you never knew other men and women?"</p> - -<p>Tyr paused. Some of his education he had gotten from the books in -the Tower. His other knowledge, and it was vast, he secured from -eavesdropping in the narrow alleys of Yawarta.</p> - -<p>But he said, "Oh, I just picked it up."</p> - -<p>"The tower you mention. What is that?"</p> - -<p>"An old building I broke into. It stands by itself on the Desert of the -Whipping Wind."</p> - -<p>"Can you read?"</p> - -<p>"No," he lied.</p> - -<p>She was sliding a splinter of glass under a frosted screen, and -depressing a button, and bending. Tyr watched, wondering what she -sought.</p> - -<p>"That is too bad," she murmured. "For if you—you—you—ohh!"</p> - -<p>Her face whitened as she stared at him.</p> - -<p>"What is it?"</p> - -<p>"Your blood ... if it is blood. It is so—so different!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Katha put out a white hand and deflected a switch on the wall. A -section of panelling slid back, disclosing a screen on which stood the -three-dimensional images of the black-cloaked men in the throne room.</p> - -<p>"Space Commander, I must see you. Already the preliminary test has -disclosed revolutionary reactions."</p> - -<p>Her voice was excited. It made the bald, lean man jump a little. Tyr -saw him stride toward him, loom larger and larger, walk out of the -screen and—disappear. A moment later, the laboratory door opened and -Mason entered.</p> - -<p>"What is it, Katha?" he said coolly.</p> - -<p>"His blood. It is not blood that we know, that carries food and -oxygen, and the toxics. It is alien. The cell structure is apparently -designed to transmit—this is going to sound silly, and I haven't the -opportunity of checking my first impressions, to make sure—but the -cells appear constructed to transmit pure energy in the form of sheer -heat."</p> - -<p>"But the tissues, girl! In a normal man the food becomes energy in the -tissues. How—?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know. Look for yourself."</p> - -<p>She stood away from the microscope, gesturing toward it. Space -Commander Mason bent to the screen. His right hand raised the -electronic power a hundred units. He stood like that for many minutes, -frowning, scarcely breathing. When he straightened, he looked at Tyr -for a long time, breathing harshly.</p> - -<p>He said, "It seems to be a blood that carries nothing but radiating -heat pulses. That means he intakes his energy pure. The efficiency rate -is perfect. Katha, he isn't a man. Not a man such as we know men."</p> - -<p>Katha took Tyr by the arm and led him behind a fluoroscope machine, -saying, "Stand here, please." Mason was eyeing him steadily as he -walked in front of the screen.</p> - -<p>Tyr grinned to himself. They were in for a shock, if this machine did -what he thought it did.</p> - -<p>The room darkened. A pale green glow came and pulsed. The plate before -him seemed to hum softly. The dark blobs of shadow that were the -Commander and Katha moved suddenly and grew still. Deadly still.</p> - -<p>"The machine is wrong!" croaked Commander Mason.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus2.jpg" alt=""/> - <div class="caption"> - <p><i>"The machine is wrong!" croaked Commander Mason.</i></p> - </div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>"It was tested yesterday. Commander. Besides, he has a heart, and a -blood stream."</p> - -<p>"<i>No stomach! No lungs! No intestines!</i>" he breathed.</p> - -<p>"And in place of them, strange organs that we know nothing of. -Commander, let me take him to the home planet for study! What an -experience. A mutant that—"</p> - -<p>Light grew from the ceiling, slowly. Mason stood beside the switch, -staring at Tyr. His eyes were wild, having seen a miracle. He shuddered -and drew his cloak tighter about him.</p> - -<p>"A mutant! And <i>what</i> a mutant!"</p> - -<p>Katha said reflectively, "He has organs in place of digestive tracts -that are designed for some purpose. But what purpose?"</p> - -<p>Tyr slid away from the fluoroscope machine. He flexed his muscles. -Long enough now had he rested and played their games with them. Now he -was going into action.</p> - -<p>"Commander, about my offer—"</p> - -<p>"Quiet, man. Quiet! I need to think. A long time ago I knew a man who -said—but no! What I am thinking is incredible. It could not be. And -yet—and yet—"</p> - -<p>Tyr picked up a bar of steel and balanced it lightly in his palms. -Slowly his fingers closed around it. Muscles lifted on arms and back. -The bar bent into a circle.</p> - -<p>"My muscles may be different, too," he said. "About my offer. Is it -peace or war? All I want—"</p> - -<p>Space Commander Mason moved his right hand swiftly downwards. It came -up from beneath his cloak with a gun. He smiled grimly, "You're big and -you're powerful as a bullock, and you're <i>different</i>. I don't want to -test your skin with a shower of light photons, but—"</p> - -<p>Katha came up to Tyr. There was a hungry look in her eyes and about her -mouth. She whispered, "Be sensible, god of the Trylla! You are a long -time dead. Come with me. Later you can meet the Space Commander, when -his surprise has worn off."</p> - -<p>Across the black sheen of her coiled hair he looked at the bald man and -read a pride as great as his own in the blue eyes. Dimly he knew that -Commander Mason was possessed of a will of steel and power as great as -his own, among his people. Tyr nodded.</p> - -<p>"I will come with you."</p> - -<p>Katha lifted her black cloak and threw it around her slender shoulders. -She cast a red-lipped smile at him and tucked her arm through his.</p> - -<p>"Come along to my apartment," she laughed. "I want you to tell me more -about yourself."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The alleys were dark and deserted. Underfoot the rounded edges of the -<i>calanian</i> cobblestones bit into their thin sandals. The cyclopean -stone structures towered black and forbidding against the pale greyness -of the night sky. Like spiderwebs of giant structure, great space-vox -antennae were flung from tower to tower.</p> - -<p>They walked slowly through the warm night, and others walked faster. -It was Tyr who heard the clanking of a guard's accoutrements, the -<i>thup</i> of a holstered ray-gun smiting a trousered thigh, the harsh -rattle-clang of manacles and chains.</p> - -<p>His wrist dragged her against him, and back with him into the shadows -of a recessed door. Many men were coming down the street. There were a -lot of chains, too.</p> - -<p>A sliver of moonlight touched the leading man who walked stooped with -iron and the pain of open whipcuts.</p> - -<p>"Zarman!" breathed Tyr.</p> - -<p>His brain raced. Zarman was the governor appointed by Tyr. The <i>ardth</i> -had taken him and flogged him. It was a sign of their power over Tyr. -The people needed a sign from their god. If he were to free Zarman and -send him back to the people—</p> - -<p>Tyr was across the cobblestones and his right fist was coming up in a -short arc. A startled guard did not have time to open his mouth before -the back of his head touched his spine and his neck cracked under that -blow. Tyr lowered him with his left hand in the small of his back, as -he snatched up the heatgun from the holster.</p> - -<p>"Tyr!" sobbed Zarman, straightening.</p> - -<p>The others knew him too, and in place of the blind pain and despair, -came the laugh of hope to snap their backs straight and their chins -forward.</p> - -<p>"Beware," they whispered. "There are more of them."</p> - -<p>Tyr moved into the shadows, saying, "Keep marching. Turn at the -corner—and wait."</p> - -<p>The guards came on unsuspecting, but this time there were three of -them, talking and jesting. Tyr came out of the shadows with naked hands -and he hit so fast that one guard writhed on the stone street before -the others had their guns out. Another dropped with splintered ribs. -The third opened his mouth to scream. Two big hands took his throat and -vised on it.</p> - -<p>Tyr dropped the guard and nodded to the prisoners, "Keep moving. Zarman -waits for me around the corner."</p> - -<p>There were only two more guards. Tyr charged low. His fists pumped.</p> - -<p>Tyr shook himself, standing alone in the alley, with the moon above -beaming down at him, bathing him in silver. The street was deserted -except for a white face above a dark cloak, and Tyr. The girl had a gun -in her hand.</p> - -<p>"Shoot," Tyr said, tensing himself.</p> - -<p>"Goose," whispered the girl, and bent her head to watch her hand -holster her weapon.</p> - -<p>"Why do you not shoot?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, I don't know. I always was a sucker for an underdog."</p> - -<p>But there was another explanation in her dark eyes looking up at him -that made Tyr blink. He caught her elbow and walked with her around the -corner.</p> - -<p>Zarman and the others were ranged along the wall in darkness. Zarman -came forward and looked at the girl, and whispered, "She is an <i>ardth</i>."</p> - -<p>"Forget her. Tell me of yourself."</p> - -<p>"The Old Ones caught us easily. Otho blabbed with his traitorous mouth. -They came and took us, though we fought."</p> - -<p>"If I set you free, what can you do for your freedom?"</p> - -<p>"We can fight, god Tyr. We can burrow like the mole, and battle like a -cornered rat. Try us!"</p> - -<p>Katha went around the corner for the key to the manacles. She searched -the implementa of the guards and brought it back proudly.</p> - -<p>The men lowered the chains and manacles into a hole they dug beneath -the cobblestones. They reset the stones and kicked the dirt into -crevices between them. One of them took the gun Tyr handed him.</p> - -<p>Zarman made a motion to the men, and they faded out of sight.</p> - -<p>"We go underground. Into the old tunnels dug during the war with the -<i>ardth</i>. Only the Trylla know those labyrinths."</p> - -<p>"Good. I shall get word to you."</p> - -<p>Katha sighed when Zarman was out of sight.</p> - -<p>Tyr asked dryly as they walked, "Why did you not shoot me? You had your -gun out."</p> - -<p>"That was for the guards—in case your fists were not enough."</p> - -<p>"But you are an <i>ardth</i>!"</p> - -<p>The girl sighed and said, "It is such a nice moon. And we are almost at -my rooms."</p> - -<p>She laughed softly, and Tyr wondered why.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph1">III</p> - -<p>Tyr had never seen such sybaritic luxury as was revealed when he let -the goldthread drapes rustle across the arched doorway behind him. -Strewn cushions, plump and fat, with red-and-white worked in thin -curves across their surfaces; the blue tinted walls that radiated -warmth; the richly toned murals and the hidden lights bespoke limitless -wealth. Low bookcases crammed the walls. Perfume pervaded the cool air. -It was a feminine scent, cloying, lingering.</p> - -<p>Katha lifted a scarlet jug and poured cool white liquid into two -crystal hemispheres. One she handed to Tyr, the other she raised in her -white, red-nailed hand.</p> - -<p>"To freedom," she laughed softly, and drank.</p> - -<p>The white wine was rich and heady, and it warmed his throat going down. -Tyr sipped again, and again. He looked around the room with unveiled -eyes.</p> - -<p>This was just one apartment of one girl. She ranked high in the -councils of the <i>ardth</i>, but this was a planet far from home. And all -the luxury before him! Why, one of those pillows with the red-and-white -curves would make Fay's eyes bulge in jealousy. And he was pitting -himself against a race that could give a woman this, for herself!</p> - -<p>He grimaced. What could one man—even such as Tyr—do against such a -race? He should quit now and enjoy himself with this woman who looked -at him with those steady black eyes. He told himself all that, hating -the truth of it.</p> - -<p>A cool hand snuggled into his palm. "Tell me about you," Katha smiled.</p> - -<p>"There isn't anything to tell."</p> - -<p>"You have strength and incredible speed. But what are your other -powers, Tyr? You are a mutant, a changeling. You know that. But why, -Tyr? Why? Nature doesn't try changes unless she is fitting a being for -something."</p> - -<p>Katha was very close to him. She was perfumed and she was womanly, and -Tyr was used to neither. She was as subtle and complex as some rare -drug, where Fay was as transparent, in her childish hungers, as plate -glass.</p> - -<p>It may have been the white wine, he thought afterward, but all he saw -now was her red mouth and the mocking amusement swimming in her black -eyes. He kissed her, holding her close in his arms.</p> - -<p>"We're straying from the subject," she smiled up at him from his arms.</p> - -<p>It was then that the cough sounded, from the golden drapes of the door. -Otho stood smirking in the opening, eyes leering. From head to toe he -glistened in a rainbowed silk that bellied and sank about his form with -a sensitiveness to air currents that made it seem alive.</p> - -<p>He had a gun in his hand and it was levelled at Tyr.</p> - -<p>"I am sorry to interrupt your—amusements—"</p> - -<p>Tyr did not think he moved fast, but he was in front of Otho even as -the eyes of the other were commencing to widen in fright. Tyr hit the -gun upward, slamming it against Otho's sneering mouth where it made a -wide gash. The gun fell to the rug, and Tyr put out his hands and took -hold of the sleazy silk and lifted. Otho dangled a foot off the floor.</p> - -<p>"I could break your spine," Tyr whispered.</p> - -<p>Otho was white. He dared not speak.</p> - -<p>"I could put the fingers of one hand around your fat neck and snap it."</p> - -<p>Otho closed his eyes and shuddered.</p> - -<p>Tyr dropped him and Otho fell loosely to the floor and rolled over and -came to his hands and knees. The big brown god of the Trylla loomed -vast and massive above his crouching form.</p> - -<p>"You do not show respect to your god, Otho," Tyr grinned dangerously. -"Nor to a woman. At least, you might be courteous, if you are not -religious."</p> - -<p>Tyr listened to the mumble that came from the man's mouth, watched him -crawl away. He turned to Katha, "That is the governor Mason gave the -Trylla."</p> - -<p>Katha let her hip rest against the onyx tabletop as her white fingers -sought for an hydroette. The end came greenly alive at her first intake -of breath. Blowing green smoke from between her red lips she leaned -back and laughed softly.</p> - -<p>"You know, you <i>are</i> a god in some ways. Your very bigness, the titanic -strength and speed of you. If you swore allegiance to the <i>ardth</i>, you -would rise fast. You would be a space commander in a few years."</p> - -<p>"Is that a promotion over being a god?"</p> - -<p>"Tyr, listen to me. Be sensible. Use that brain of yours. You have a -brain, and a good one. It is untutored, but it sops up knowledge as a -Venusian sponge does water! I saw your eyes moving in that laboratory -of mine. You deduced the uses of the fluoroscope, the electronic -microscope. You needed only to see them in action—"</p> - -<p>She caught her breath. The skin around her lips showed white, as her -mouth tightened. "Perhaps you could even duplicate them, given time -and the materials, just from seeing them. Could you, Tyr?"</p> - -<p>Tyr wondered, himself. His mind held a confused jumble of plates -and wires, and remembrances of diagrams he had seen in books in the -Tower. Left alone, he rather imagined he could do what Katha hinted. -Especially if he worked in sunlight. For the sun would open the facets -of his mind, make his brain as keen and alive as his body, give it that -subconscious awareness of knowledge that awed him.</p> - -<p>"It may be racial memories," he said slowly. "In most men those are -buried too deeply for practical use. But with me it may be different. I -do know that things do not long remain a mystery with me, once I ponder -on them."</p> - -<p>Katha walked across the room, staring at the cushions that she kicked -idly aside. Her thin brows were puckered.</p> - -<p>"I said you could be a Space Commander, Tyr. You could be more than -that. You could be Presider itself, if—if what I think about you is -true.</p> - -<p>"The Trylla think the <i>ardth</i> a heartless crew. Oh, I know. But what -the Trylla, and the other inhabitants of the planets we have taken over -do not know is this: We <i>ardth</i> are facing a fight against extinction. -It won't come for centuries, but it is coming, as surely as you live.</p> - -<p>"<i>The Glows are dying!</i></p> - -<p>"And when that happens, all our cities and all our spaceships—you -might say our lives as well—will come to a stop. If you—"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Men came through the doorway, and Space Commander Mason was in front -of them. Otho poked his fat and sneering face between two <i>ardth</i> and -laughed at Tyr. The men splayed out and Mason walked toward them, a -grim smile on his lips.</p> - -<p>"You've left quite a trail behind you tonight, Tyr," he said. "Those -guards, then Otho. I tried to treat with you as an equal. Your word -means much with the Trylla. But I made a mistake."</p> - -<p>Katha ran before the Commander and said swiftly, "Katha reporting on -mutant Tyr of the planet Lyallar. From observations, my conclusions are -that he is an advanced form of life, requiring no food but taking his -energy directly from another source. That his strength is phenomenal. -That his brain is superhuman. That he must be tested further. My -recommendation is—"</p> - -<p>Mason put her aside and gestured to his men.</p> - -<p>"—that he be shipped to the home planet for study."</p> - -<p>Tyr shook his head and said, "No," but he never took his eyes away from -the man with the bald head.</p> - -<p>Mason lifted his hand suddenly.</p> - -<p>And Tyr moved.</p> - -<p>He went fast, so fast that his arms were mere blurs lifting Mason off -his feet and flinging him. He swung up over a table and drove both -heels into a man's chest. He hit another <i>splat</i> on the jaw just as the -man's finger tightened on the trigger and a bolt of fire went toward -the high ceiling. Now their guns were aiming and shooting yellow bolts -at him. He caught three of them on his chest.</p> - -<p>Those yellow fires burned momentarily, before his pores could suck -their ravening power into his system. But they filled him with a -wild, savage elation. His throat keened as he charged the men by the -entrance, who knelt and fired as their eyes widened, seeing him come, -growing bigger and bigger before them.</p> - -<p>He did not stop. He ran over the men, and left them broken on the floor.</p> - -<p>Tyr chuckled grimly, his feet treading a rug. His big right fist held -a solargun that he had wrenched from a falling soldier. A weapon for -the Trylla! His shoulder splintered a door with two hundred pounds of -energy behind it. The lock went through the wood and Tyr was onto the -cobblestones.</p> - -<p>The street was dark and empty. He ran with the wind, dodging around -corners and leaping along straight streets. Far behind him there came -shouts and the dull thumping of pounding feet.</p> - -<p>The cyclopean walls of Yawarta rose before him. Here and there hung the -great nets of the fishermen, hung out to dry on stout wooden pegs. Up -then he went, his arms lifting his massive body with ease. From bastion -to ledge he went up the wall like a scurrying spider.</p> - -<p>Now he stood on the broad top, beneath the stars. He raised an arm and -waved it at the city, and went over the other side.</p> - -<p>He ran free, away from Yawarta.</p> - -<p>Behind him he could hear the <i>phffft-phffft</i> of the jet planes rising -to pursue him, leaping upwards like hounds from the racing barriers. -Tyr grinned and stretched his long legs out so that the ground sped by -eerily. They could not catch him under the stars, not with this weapon -in his hand.</p> - -<p>Wind whistled past his ears. He headed for the silver forests he could -see in the dim distance. He would be under their shelter soon.</p> - -<p>Beams of light showered the ground, hunting him. They slid all around, -missing him as he dodged gracefully, swerving from their pale radiance.</p> - -<p>Soon he would be beneath those trees. Nothing on all Lyallar could -catch him then.</p> - -<p>Tyr swung the solar gun upward, put the cold muzzle to his naked chest, -and pulled the trigger.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Sunlight tinted the bluffs a pale amber, spreading a gossamer gold -across the shelving stone ledges. It made dark shadows undulate in rock -crevices, and sent tiny cascades of brilliant red and yellow from veins -of quartz. The cliffs towered high above a rolling countryside where -hummocks of grass grew in clustered greenness.</p> - -<p>Tyr stood erect on the jagged tongue of rock, staring down at a file of -men and women walking across the hills. He was naked but for the white -cloth at his middle into which the butt of the solar gun protruded at a -rakish angle. Towering huge in the morning sun, he looked the god, by -every inch of him, that the Trylla thought him to be.</p> - -<p>He grinned and patted the walnut handle of the weapon. That blast of -power had given him needed energy last night, when the sun was on -the other side of the planet. His follicles had drunk it in, and his -strange organs filtered it throughout his body.</p> - -<p>All night long had he run, yet he was fresh and strong.</p> - -<p>Now he looked across the brown valley, and saw the Trylla walking -across it, beginning the long ascent up the other side. Here and there -he recognized familiar figures. Fay was at the head of the column, -just ahead of young Texel and grim old Gaarn. Tyr scanned the blue sky. -No <i>ardth</i>-men there!</p> - -<p>He lowered himself over the jagged edge of the bluff. His canny feet, -feeling about like sensitive fingers, found chinks in the weather-worn -rock. He went down foot by foot, yet swiftly.</p> - -<p>When he dropped the last twenty feet to the crumbly valley bottom, the -Trylla were only a few miles from him. His straight descent had saved -him hours of travel. He could catch them now in a matter of minutes.</p> - -<p>Fay saw him first, turning her golden head almost as if some telepathic -thought commanded her. She cried out, and the slender column wavered -and halted.</p> - -<p>Tyr came up to her with outstretched hands and a smile on his lips, but -the smile faded when he saw her eyes.</p> - -<p>"Why have you returned?" she asked numbly. "You made your bargains with -the <i>ardth</i>, for the girl named Katha. What else did they give you for -Lyallar, besides the girl?"</p> - -<p>"For Lyallar? Besides the girl? Are you mad, Fay? And you others—do -you believe what she says? Fay, what—"</p> - -<p>Gaarn said sourly, "Deny it, then. Deny that you went alone with this -woman Katha to plot our undoing. Deny that Zarman and others who -trusted you were flogged."</p> - -<p>"I plotted no one's undoing. And as for Zarman—"</p> - -<p>"He was flogged, wasn't he?" howled Texel, his eyes two abysses of -anguish.</p> - -<p>"Flogged before I—"</p> - -<p>Texel spat at him, and Tyr quivered and his hands came up. Sadly, he -let them fall again. Force would accomplish nothing. And a god must be -understanding.</p> - -<p>"I freed Zarman and the others as they were being taken through the -streets," he said patiently. "As for Katha, she is a biologist of the -<i>ardth</i>."</p> - -<p>"You were alone with her," Fay muttered sullenly. "Otho saw you kissing -her."</p> - -<p>"Otho! So that is where you get your news."</p> - -<p>"The talking trees, the silver ones," said Gaarn between toothless -lips. "They pick up subsonic messages. That was how we heard."</p> - -<p>"And of course, you believe. It matters not that the <i>ardth</i> appointed -Otho in place of Zarman. Take his word to mine. It was Otho that sent -the messages out, wasn't it?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said a woman.</p> - -<p>"Otho wants me as a captive. So do the <i>ardth</i>. Otho hopes that you -will turn me in. There will be a reward for me. That is why he sent out -that message. He wants to turn the Trylla against me."</p> - -<p>He talked to their eyes that reflected their feelings, fighting to -recapture their trust, "If the <i>ardth</i> kill me, what hope is left to -you? You all say I am a god, your god. Yet you desert me at the first -lies of a renegade!"</p> - -<p>The men shuffled their feet. Their faces were haggard, and lined with -bitterness and distrust. In some eyes, Tyr could read real hate.</p> - -<p>"Why have you come back?" whispered Fay, staring up at a distant -mountaintop. "To turn us in? To give my back to the floggers? Am I that -valuable to the <i>ardth</i>?"</p> - -<p>Tyr pleaded, "Should I have returned alone, if my purpose was your -capture? If that were the case, the skies would be alive with aircraft! -I knew you were on your way to the Barrow. I could have made you all -prisoners by now, if such was my intent. Reason it out. Otho tells you -lies to turn you away from the one thing that had any chance of helping -you!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Like children, their faces grew hopeful, as their minds absorbed his -words. Fay was biting her lip. From under her yellow lashes, her brown -eyes studied him.</p> - -<p>"But you kissed this Katha, didn't you? You kissed an <i>ardth</i>-woman! -The god of the Trylla would never do that."</p> - -<p>Tyr could see her illogical reasoning was swaying the others. They were -hesitant, reproachful.</p> - -<p>He said defiantly, "I kissed her, because she was a woman, and lovely. -I—"</p> - -<p>Fay turned her back. The others looked from the girl to Tyr and back at -the girl again.</p> - -<p>"I am no traitor, because of that kiss. I—"</p> - -<p>They were not listening, but following Fay who was walking swiftly -away, and toward the hills in the purple distance. His fingers closed -on empty bitterness as he stood there alone, miserable. His people ... -following a girl toward destruction.</p> - -<p>Sorrow gnawed in his heart. This was the fate of a god, then, that his -children should misunderstand him, perhaps even that they should hate -him. Still, he did not blame them. They were so alone, so helpless, and -so afraid.</p> - -<p>Watching them move away, Tyr knew they needed him more than ever. They -were leaving the only one who stood any chance of helping them. Without -him, the Trylla were like toys before the hard, sure hands of the -<i>ardth</i>.</p> - -<p>He touched the handle of the solar gun and let his fingers trail away.</p> - -<p>He would have to find the Barrow alone, now.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Two days later, Tyr parted the green fronds of a mountain bush and -looked at the gleaming whiteness of the Barrow. It was a low rounded -dome, lying across the hard whitish rocks of a strange mountain peak. -From where he stood, he could make out arches receding back in under -the dome, many of them. The arches were so many that each looked like a -reflection of the others.</p> - -<p>The Barrow, he thought with dull triumph. It was camouflaged perfectly. -That roundness gave no glint to a watcher in the sky. Its lowness cast -no shadow. Its whiteness blended with the dazzling brilliance of the -white mountain rocks. No wonder it had stood years without detection. -Even looking for it as he was, Tyr almost missed it. Only the arches, -seen at a certain angle, betrayed its existence.</p> - -<p>He loped toward it, breaking into the open. Only when he was near the -arches did he see the woman on the ground to one side, kneeling. Before -her a man lay on his back.</p> - -<p>Tyr went forward on the tips of his toes, as silent as a breeze moving -across rock.</p> - -<p>The girl knelt beside the man, was moving her hands over him swiftly, -competently. Then she leaned back on her haunches and shook her dark -head. The black blouse and white slacks looked familiar. When he saw -her face as she raised it, he knew.</p> - -<p>"Katha," he said.</p> - -<p>The girl whirled, reaching for a gun at her hip. But when she saw him -fully she gave a low cry and scrambled to her feet. "Tyr, Tyr! Oh, I'm -so glad I've found you!" And was running to him.</p> - -<p>He tried to be curt, but it was useless. There was too much joy shining -out of those black eyes, too much laughter and delight. And she was so -feminine! He put out his hands and held her arms, making her stay a -little away from him. Tyr wondered if she heard the wild pounding of -his heart.</p> - -<p>"Why?" he asked. "Why are you here? Why did you come searching for me?"</p> - -<p>Laughter was like musical hoarseness in her throat. With head flung -back so that she could hold him with her eyes, she said, "Because Space -Commander Mason ordered that you be shot on sight. Because you are a -doomed man. And because—I think you may yet save the Trylla."</p> - -<p>"You are <i>ardth</i>!"</p> - -<p>"It makes no difference. What are you, for that matter?"</p> - -<p>"I—I don't know."</p> - -<p>He did not know. Always that uncertainty tugged at the core of him. -Unknowingness within him, like an emptiness. Who are you, Tyr? What are -you? And mad laughter answered, "You do not know. You will never know -what you are. A god? Ho! Not you, not Tyr."</p> - -<p>She saw the blankness in his eyes, and the misery. Her voice was soft, -tender. "Tyr, can't you see? You are—Tyr."</p> - -<p>He shook his head, heart dull within his chest.</p> - -<p>She cried between a laugh and a sob, "But you are the first, Tyr, -the first of your kind! I can tell you that. You are a biochemical -newcomer."</p> - -<p>"What does that mean?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know. No one knows. <i>You</i> have to prove it to yourself first. -<i>You</i> have to learn about you, and then others will know. Who can best -understand a new thing but the thing itself! Explore yourself, Tyr—and -know!"</p> - -<p>Katha hooked a finger in the black braid of her belt and made traceries -in the sand with the toe of her sandal. "I had to come and find you. -I could not let you die. Besides, there is something in what you do. -If the Trylla could be made friendly to the <i>ardth</i> they would help -us. Perhaps they could find the way to keep the Glows from dying. The -<i>ardth</i> need help. You might be the agent to bring <i>ardth</i> and Trylla -together."</p> - -<p>From the depths of his bitterness, Tyr laughed harshly.</p> - -<p>"I am but one against the <i>ardth</i>. I have no allies. Even the Trylla -turn their faces from me. The only thing that keeps me going is the -thought that a god must protect his people. Even if they hate him."</p> - -<p>"Then think of the rewards that the Trylla may reap, if you unite them -with the <i>ardth</i> in friendship. The <i>ardth</i> are not only conquerors, -but colonizers as well. In the far-flung span of cities that spread -from the home planets fanwise beyond even Fornax, there are many -marvels.</p> - -<p>"You have never been to Zafega on Fomalhaut-2. You have not beheld the -creata-screens, where your dreams become reality, where the deeps of -the subconscious are caught in graphs and translated into pictures. -That is incredible beauty, and horror in one! No one is ever the same, -having beheld his dreams in a waking moment.</p> - -<p>"Then there are the historays that recapture the past, making a living, -breathing thing of it. You could see the history of all Lyallar, Tyr, -from its primordial beginnings until the—"</p> - -<p>Tyr whispered roughly, "That sight would make me realize even more -bitterly what it means to be a Tryllan—and alive—these days."</p> - -<p>Katha turned her back to him, looking across the rock and sand to a -distant fringe of silver trees. Tyr bit his lip, staring at her shapely -shoulders. Fool! To alienate the one person on all the planet who cared -whether—</p> - -<p>An old face lying on the ground, his eyes saw. Gaunt brown cheeks, and -sparse grey hair on a round skull. Harl. The ancient one with a brain -filled with the magic of war and the knowledge of sciences lost to all -the Trylla, other than himself. Harl was dead.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph1">IV</p> - -<p>Katha killed him. That was why she was here. She cared not a fig for -his chances of freeing the Trylla. She was a spy. And he believed her -talk of screens and luxuries and the joys of joining the <i>ardth</i>!</p> - -<p>His hand vised at her wrist and twisted her around to face him. Her -black eyes went wide, frightened at the mad rage in his face. Under the -grip of that hand, her knees dug into the sand.</p> - -<p>"You murdered him. You—"</p> - -<p>"No! Oh, no, Tyr! His heart stopped from excitement. He—he thought the -<i>ardth</i> had found the Barrow. It <i>is</i> the Barrow, isn't it?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," he muttered numbly, looking away from her toward the receding, -confusing arches.</p> - -<p>Accuse her again, Tyr. Do not let those big black eyes fool you. She -is a traitress, is she? She is a spy, instead. Accuse the one thing on -all Lyallar that believes in you. Smash her belief. Kill her with your -hands. Stand alone, as always you have done.</p> - -<p>"No!" he moaned, swaying on big legs, widespread.</p> - -<p>The woman knelt, looking up at him.</p> - -<p>His eyes closed as thoughts rocketed across his brain. She killed Harl. -<i>She wears no gun, his body bears no mark of violence!</i> She is a spy -for Mason, and will betray you. <i>She has come alone to you!</i> Kill her, -and be safe. Trust not in your strength to fight what may come.</p> - -<p>He put out his big hands and caught her shoulders. He lifted her up and -held her against him. He rained kisses on her soft mouth.</p> - -<p>She stirred after a while, gently.</p> - -<p>She whispered, her black head nestled to his chest, "You love me, Tyr?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"You came to the Barrow, Tyr. Let us do what you would have done. Rumor -has it that there are weapons inside."</p> - -<p>"Harl was the only one who knew their use."</p> - -<p>She rubbed her arms with her palms, loving the bruise where his hands -had dwelt. She chided, "Fie, darling. A god can understand any weapon." -And when he glanced sharply to seek mockery in her eyes, she said -simply, "I mean it. You can understand them, if you will. Your mind is -different. Try it!"</p> - -<p>As they went beneath the myriad arches, their feet stepping loudly on -the marble flooring in the stillness, Tyr said, "If I cannot use these -weapons the cause of the Trylla is forever lost."</p> - -<p>A labyrinth of strange things and objects, set on shelf and counter, -under glass and on metal. Mazes of plasticine and steel, glittering and -glimmering, shadowing cones and tridents and metal circlets. And none -of it was even remotely understandable to the brown giant who stood and -stared.</p> - -<p>Katha slipped a hand into his and said, "You can do it, Tyr. Yes, you -can!"</p> - -<p>He shook his head, but he went and stood before the machines. With -narrowed eyes, he studied curving generators and domed turbines. -Slowly, almost reluctantly, he began to understand them. If only—</p> - -<p>A beam of yellow sunlight swam through a glassine vent in the wall, -quivering, moving. It touched Tyr, laving his brown face and dark hair -in its radiance. The sunlight was hot and soothing. Tyr smiled faintly, -knowing that the light was opening the secret facets of his brain, -feeding energy to them, making his mind work whether he wanted it to or -not.</p> - -<p>He was understanding these silent machines, now.</p> - -<p>He touched a button, and watched an engine throb and hum, coming to -life. Where the blue discs were was its outlet. They turned red, and -glowed. When they went white, a blast of power would splay out, and he -did not want that to happen, yet. He shut the power off.</p> - -<p>Katha walked with him. "You know?" she asked softly.</p> - -<p>"I know."</p> - -<p>"There is a kitchenette off to one side," she said. "I am going to -prepare food for myself. Then tell me your plans!"</p> - -<p>When she left him, Tyr turned back to the metal giants, touching levers -and rods. He lost himself in their intricacies as a boy does with new -and complicated toys.</p> - -<p>He did not hear Katha cry out from the next chamber. He did not hear -the footsteps. He did not see the girl who came with Gaarn and Texel -to stand in the doorway, a solar gun in her white hand.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>A ball of flame exploded amid the coils and antennae of a big machine. -Another fell onto a huge dynamo. Still another whistled shrilly as it -clove a path through cones and hoops.</p> - -<p>Tyr whirled, but it was too late. Fay was firing rapidly, as fast as -she could depress the stud. The yellow blasts ate and drank their way -through the machines until every one lay smashed and wrecked.</p> - -<p>Tyr laughed bitterly.</p> - -<p>"Destroy your every chance," he said. "Your freedom lies on the floor, -amid those twisted metal things."</p> - -<p>Fay lifted the gun and aimed it at him. She said coldly, "The <i>ardth</i> -shall never receive our weapons, Tyr. I destroyed them before you could -bring the <i>ardth</i> to them."</p> - -<p>"I would never bring the <i>ardth</i>! What mad poison eats in your brains, -you Trylla? Without weapons, what may I do?"</p> - -<p>"The Old Ones shall never get them!"</p> - -<p>"The Old Ones do not need these things. They have better ones. A -hundred years ago they beat men who used these weapons. In that time -they have new weapons, better weapons! What would the <i>ardth</i> want with -things like these?"</p> - -<p>There was doubt in the eyes of some, but Fay lifted her gun. Tyr walked -toward her, seeing the red hate in her eyes. Her finger touched the -stud and balls of yellow fire leaped for him, splashed across his chest.</p> - -<p>He went on, unstoppable. The energy from the yellow balls poured into -him. Muscles rippled on his arms as he reached out and took the gun -away from her.</p> - -<p>With white hand pressed to her writhing mouth, Fay stared at him in -dumb awe. Tyr wrapped his fingers around the gun. The metal crumpled in -his hand. When he opened his hand the remnants bounced on the floor.</p> - -<p>Tyr put a hand to Fay's shoulder and pushed her aside. Gaarn and young -Texel watched him with fascinated, frightened eyes. He lunged into the -chamber where Katha had cried out.</p> - -<p>"Katha!" he called.</p> - -<p>She lay on a long white table, and there were strong steel straps -holding her. Her clothing was somewhat torn. Her dark eyes met his from -the corners as her red mouth smiled a little.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus1.jpg" alt=""/> - <div class="caption"> - <p><i>He lunged into the chamber where Katha lay. Her dark eyes met his.</i></p> - </div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>"I tried to warn you. The Trylla do not like the <i>ardth</i>. They wanted -me alive to learn secrets from me." She made a grimace. "I don't know -whether I could have stood up to torture."</p> - -<p>"There's no need of it, now," he grunted, putting his hands under the -straps and bursting them. He lifted her and held her on his chest.</p> - -<p>"I am no longer god of the Trylla," he rasped bitterly, looking down at -her. "I am hated by them. Now I am—nothing!"</p> - -<p>She was very round and soft on his ribs. Tyr tightened his arm, -watching her mouth. Katha made a face and mocked him.</p> - -<p>"Man or god—you hurt!"</p> - -<p>He eased his arms a little, still holding her tightly. He went down the -corridor of the arches as Fay and the others watched from the shadows. -His footfalls were soft, but deadly. It was as though his feet intoned -a <i>danse macabre</i> for the Tryllan race.</p> - -<p>Tyr carried the girl to her jet plane that had been hidden among the -rocks. He lifted her into it and swung up, both hands on the smooth -plasticine handles. The door clicked behind him.</p> - -<p>Katha dropped into a red leather seat before an intricate -control-board. Her white fingers touched pins. The ship rumbled and -shuddered. Slowly it trundled forward, gathering momentum. From the -port window, Tyr watched the white dome of the Barrow falling away -below. He turned his eyes to the front, seeing her lift the plane over -a fringe of <i>hibithus</i>-trees to arrow into the cloudless sky.</p> - -<p>"Katha, I am homeless."</p> - -<p>Homeless and a wanderer, without a people. The Trylla had been his -people, if a god ever had people. Now they had turned against him, -broken with him, even tried to kill him. There was bitterness on his -tongue and in his heart. A bitterness that burned and galled.</p> - -<p>From the depths of his anguish, he cried, "I want to be a part of -something, Katha! I am neither Tryllan nor <i>ardth</i>. What am I?"</p> - -<p>The woman caught his hand and pressed it to her lips. She whispered -softly, "To me you are always a god, Tyr. I love you. You love me."</p> - -<p>"I have you. Yes, that makes up for everything else."</p> - -<p>He sighed, "But I keep telling myself that I have failed. That I have -not done all I could to free the Trylla."</p> - -<p>"What of the tower, Tyr? You said it had strange things in it. Perhaps -it is a laboratory, of sorts. I might make tests there, of you, seek -to know your purposes, your abilities."</p> - -<p>"Yes, the tower. I'd forgotten that. It could be a home to us. An -<i>ardth</i>-woman and a—an unknown!"</p> - -<p>"I am <i>ardth</i> no longer. I gave that up when I came after you. I knew -what I was doing."</p> - -<p>He knelt and caught her to him, saying, "There is no place for either -of us, except with the other. Two wanderers."</p> - -<p>"Two wanderers," she sighed. "With a purpose. A mad, insane belief in -themselves. To fight even when there is no chance of victory!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The tower stood gaunt and lonely, rising up into a blue sky. Baked dirt -powdered into clouds under their feet as they walked toward it. The -tower was strong and thickly built, and it towered above the flat earth -in its loneliness. In that respect, it was a little like Tyr himself, -Katha thought. She studied the flat buttresses and arched windows.</p> - -<p>"An <i>ardth</i>-man built that," she said.</p> - -<p>"If he did, he made it a laboratory and home at the same time."</p> - -<p>Katha furrowed her thin black brows. "But what <i>ardth</i> ever built such -a tower on Lyallar?" she wondered.</p> - -<p>Tyr pushed open the big wooden door. The round room was walled with -dials and panels, cool and dim. It gave off a faint and musky smell. A -circular table was covered with vials and belljars and retorts. Shelves -lined the walls, and bottles lined the shelves. At the far side of the -room, a metal stairway twisted its way to the upper floors.</p> - -<p>Katha wandered around, delight shining in her eyes. She lifted vials -and smelled at chemicals. Laughter gurgled in her throat.</p> - -<p>"But this is marvelous. It's almost as complete as my own lab. Now who -built this place, Tyr? Can you tell me?"</p> - -<p>He showed her a big book bound in tooled leather.</p> - -<p>"William Rohrig!" she cried at sight of the golden letters stamped into -the cover. "Why—why, he was an <i>ardth</i> genius! We often wondered what -became of him! He was to travel to Antares, to study life conditions on -one of its outer planets. Commander Mason would be delighted—"</p> - -<p>She broke off, glancing sideways at Tyr.</p> - -<p>He said, "If it were not for me, you could go back. You could go -anyhow. I—"</p> - -<p>Her white palm covered his mouth. "Don't say it, Tyr. We'll see this -through, you and I."</p> - -<p>"If there were only some way in which I could convince the <i>ardth</i> that -they and the Trylla could live in peace! The Trylla mistrust me and the -<i>ardth</i> hate me, for I threaten their power. Katha, Katha! There is no -answer."</p> - -<p>"There is always an answer to a problem. The only trouble is, it takes -a long time to see it."</p> - -<p>While Tyr worked at the table, making tests and experiments under -Katha's guidance, to test the powers of his mind, Katha made the tower -her own. Sunlight bathed Tyr through an open window. Above him he -heard her footsteps going to and fro, heard her lifting things, and -the squeals of delight when she unearthed notebooks that had once been -Rohrig's.</p> - -<p>They spent their days in work and laughter. Katha made many tests on -him, saying, "You are a biological miracle, darling. I don't know much -about miracles, so I have to learn, slowly and gropingly."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>But she never completed her findings. For one day she discovered, -tucked into a corner of the big desk on the second floor, a dusty old -diary. For three hours she sat entranced with it, never stirring, until -Tyr came hunting her, anxious over her silence. He found her with tears -in her eyes, her white teeth nibbling at her full lower lip.</p> - -<p>She looked up at his entrance whispering, "Do you know your name, Tyr? -Your full name?"</p> - -<p>"Tyr. A ring round my neck bore it."</p> - -<p>"Those were only your initials. Your real name is Theodore Young -Rohrig. Your father was William Rohrig. You are <i>ardth</i>, Tyr!"</p> - -<p>He stared at her. She clapped her hands, black eyes glowing.</p> - -<p>"He knew about you. Oh, he was brilliant, Tyr—or Ted! He knew your -function. He called you a mutant, darling. No stomach, no lungs, no -need for water. The future man! I can see, now that my eyes have been -opened. It is Nature, striving all the time for perfection, equipping -her products with the necessities to get along in their environments! -In you she is fitting man for space travel, darling!</p> - -<p>"Out there among the stars, without lungs and with no need for food -or water, you could strip a ship down and really travel. Light-years -wouldn't mean a thing to you. Just a battery of sun-lamps to feed you. -You wouldn't age hardly at all, for you derive your heat from outside -sources, instead of generating it in your tissues, as normal men do! -Your organs merely transmit the heat and energy into your muscles and -brain. There is no food to be digested and churned into energy, to be -broken into heat-energy in the cells. Your energy comes from outside!"</p> - -<p>"You make it sound important."</p> - -<p>"It <i>is</i> important! I feel I don't understand <i>how</i> important you -really are."</p> - -<p>Grimly he said, "Now if only we could convince the <i>ardth</i> and the -Trylla of that!"</p> - -<p>Katha caught his arm, saying fiercely, "Tyr—Ted—oh, I'll call you -Tyr! You can't give up. You must fight. The <i>ardth</i> are fighters, Tyr. -Your father was a fighter. He came here with his wife because he had -space leprosy! That's right. And his wife came with him. You were born -on Lyallar—far, so far from your home planet. He died a long time ago, -did William Rohrig, but his fighter's heart didn't die."</p> - -<p>A red fingernail stabbed into the flesh of his chest. "That heart is in -you, Tyr. It wants to fight. Maybe it doesn't know how, but you are sad -only for that reason. You aren't fighting!"</p> - -<p>Tyr whispered hoarsely, "Tell me how, Katha. How shall I fight?"</p> - -<p>"How do you want to fight? What does your heart and your brain tell -you?"</p> - -<p>He stood and let the sunlight hit his forehead. It grew hotter and -hotter as he stood there, and inside his skull he felt something -stirring, and knew it for his opening brain. <i>Fight them where they are -most vulnerable, Tyr. Hit them at their core!</i> The inner voice that was -his thought whispered again, <i>Destroy the Glow!</i></p> - -<p>"I must destroy the Glow," he said to her.</p> - -<p>Katha shuddered, whispered in horror, "You cannot! You would die from -it long before you ever came to it. The Glow is terrible, awesome, -Tyr!"</p> - -<p>The sunlight made a pattern on his chest as he turned. "Nevertheless, -that is what I must do."</p> - -<p>The woman bowed her head and took his hand.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The city of Mart sprawled like a lazing slug upon the prairie. Aircraft -sped across its walls, winging into illimitable distances. The deep -hum of tradesmen's voices as they called their wares mingled with -the smooth roll of gyrocars, rising to form the soul of the great -metropolis. Armed guards clanged along the tops of the pyramidal walls.</p> - -<p>A tall man clad like a mountain shepherd, in wool cloak and hood, -stalked beside a woman who went with downbent head, clinging to his -arm. Once in a while the woman whispered to him, and the man made a -turn into a different street.</p> - -<p>They had dust on their cloaks and dust on their feet, those two. -Occasionally the woman stumbled, for she was a born actress. Yet an -airplane lay less than three miles from the city walls, hidden by -boughs torn from <i>hibithus</i>-trees.</p> - -<p>"We are almost at the Commune," whispered the woman.</p> - -<p>"There are no people here," the man said.</p> - -<p>"Your Trylla approach not near to the building that houses the Glow. -They fear it too much."</p> - -<p>They went faster, lengthening their steps. Opposite a tall white -building that had <i>ardth</i> lettering graven into its stone, they slowed -and the woman spoke again.</p> - -<p>"That is where the Glow is, hidden deep in the bowels of earth beneath -the Citadel. Always are there guards there. They must be overcome."</p> - -<p>The man threw back the cloak, revealed big chest and long arms naked -under it. Head flung back, he studied the building eagerly.</p> - -<p>"They will be overcome!"</p> - -<p>The cloak fell to the flagging and the golden giant was gone in long -strides that carried him to the doors of the Citadel and within them. -The woman stood watching, then bent and lifted his fallen cloak, threw -it over her arm, and followed.</p> - -<p>Inside the darkness of the Citadel, Tyr went on bare feet, with -uncanny silence. A guard came toward him, and he darted into the -shadows. When the guard was five paces away, Tyr struck.</p> - -<p>He lowered the guard, and went on. Voices came from ahead of him.</p> - -<p>"This Tyr will know how strong are the <i>ardth</i> when he learns what has -befallen Zarman!"</p> - -<p>"Aye! I wonder what has become of him? Is he dead?"</p> - -<p>"Not he. He bides his time. He hopes for a rising of the Trylla!"</p> - -<p>"With Zarman and his crew to be executed today, what chance have the -Trylla?"</p> - -<p>Tyr was turned to stone. His heart hammered inside his chest. Zarman -to die! But how had the <i>ardth</i> taken him? Once captured, he would be -twice as wary! His hands lifted in the shadows toward the guards, but -he held them still.</p> - -<p>Tyr swung about and went on.</p> - -<p>He did not know of the men outside in the street who halted suddenly -and looked at Katha excitedly. Their footfalls as they ran across the -street toward her went unheard by him as he raced along the corridors -of the Citadel.</p> - -<p>Katha had no chance to scream. A wrist jammed her throat and an <i>ardth</i> -voice whispered, "Traitress!"</p> - -<p>Tyr ran on.</p> - -<p>A heavy throb pounded through the steel corridors, and along the -polished runways, and into the panelled rooms of the Citadel. Deep -down, seemingly in the guts of the planet, came the monotonous, -frightening beat and thunder of the Glow, pulsing in a powerful rhythm. -Not many men stayed long in this building, and the guards were changed -every few hours. No one had run into it with such gladness as did Tyr, -ever.</p> - -<p>His feet barely touched the floor as he ran. He flexed his muscles, -testing his strength. He was fit and ready from a week of lying in -blazing sunlight, from basking under sun-lamps arranged by Katha to aid -her in her tests.</p> - -<p>A guard saw him and yanked at a gun, but Tyr took his face in the palm -of his hand and banged his head against the polished steel wall, and -left him twitching but alive. Tyr ran swiftly now, heading down and -always downward along the ramps, deeper into the earth.</p> - -<p>The farther he went, the more sullen grew the throb and roar. It -pounded at the temples, shook the walls, surging all around.</p> - -<p>On a lintel before a metal elevator was inscribed an <i>ardth</i> word. Tyr -knew it to be the warning of the Glow. But he put out his hand and -opened the elevator door and stepped within. He threw the switch.</p> - -<p>There was a falling sensation for a moment, but that passed as Tyr -walked around his little cell, working his arms and legs. He was tense -and excited, waiting, waiting. This was to be the test. Katha said if -he lived through it, that it would be the most marvelous sensation of -his entire life. That it would, in some alchemic way, transmute him.</p> - -<p>It was warm now. The car was falling faster and faster. Tyr wondered -why the <i>ardth</i> bothered to have a car at all. If the Glow was all -rumor had it to be, the <i>ardth</i> would have to build a new car every -time this journey was taken. But the ritual of the thing! The <i>ardth</i> -must maintain their superstitious hold on the Trylla.</p> - -<p>He smiled. The <i>ardth</i>! They were his race, a people that called a -planet called Earth their home. It sounded so like the Tryllan word -<i>ardth</i>, meaning old, that the Trylla had always called them that. Even -the Earthmen accepted the term.</p> - -<p>Hot was the car, like some monstrous bubble of fiery air. The light, -yellow and brilliant and blinding, came seeping in through cracks in -the jointures of the door.</p> - -<p>The metal of the car was turning red, deepening to a cherry rose, -fading to a cold blue, dawning to a pale white....</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>In the Auditorium of Ancestors, Space Commander Mason sat languidly on -the highbacked ivory throne under an arched canopy. Sprayed fanwise -before him were gorgeously uniformed <i>ardth</i> officers, stiff-backed as -they faced the girl with black hair and black eyes.</p> - -<p>Fifteen feet from the throne, Katha stood with head flung back, smiling -at Commander Mason. "Your men are efficient, Space Commander," she -said. "They found me on the street."</p> - -<p>"There is no one as lovely as Katha among the <i>ardth</i>," smiled Mason. -"There is no one as treacherous, either."</p> - -<p>"I fled to Tyr because I felt him to be of help to us. He is—and will -be a help. He has gone now to destroy the Glow."</p> - -<p>Mason was out of his seat in one tremendous explosion of speed. His -hands caught her arms.</p> - -<p>"Destroy the Glow? Are you mad? Is he? Nothing can destroy the Glow! -What secret does he know?"</p> - -<p>"No secret, other than himself. He is Tyr."</p> - -<p>Mason clenched a fist, saying, "You said he could help us. It is no -help to destroy the Glow!"</p> - -<p>"He cannot destroy it. He will learn that!"</p> - -<p>"I think he will, too. It will destroy him, long before he reaches it. -But I have spoken enough with you. You must die for actions performed -detrimental to the <i>ardth</i> welfare."</p> - -<p>Space Commander Mason clapped his hands. Guards entered a doorway, -and behind them came ragged men with flogged backs, bleeding, wearing -manacles. Katha started toward them, before Mason caught her.</p> - -<p>She called, "Which of you is Zarman?"</p> - -<p>A big man lifted a face swollen with beatings. His eyes were sullen as -he looked across the room, at a group of Trylla clad in rainbowed silk -garments. Otho smirked beside Fay, who wore a gigantic emerald necklace -on her white throat. Her hand fingered it lovingly. On her hand gleamed -a golden ring with the letters TYR engraven on it.</p> - -<p>"She bears the ring of Tyr," rasped Zarman. "She came to us with a -lying message and we believed her. She led us to—the <i>ardth</i>!"</p> - -<p>Fay tossed her blonde curls indifferently, and glanced down at the -necklace that once had belonged to Queen Yatha-sath.</p> - -<p>Commander Mason cleared his throat.</p> - -<p>"Take them all, including Katha, to the Square of Dying. We will -witness their hanging together."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Tyr laughed aloud and stretched, feeling a mad inferno of fire bathing -him. His pores were opening, one by one, accepting that insane -incandescence with a strange and alien hunger. A man would have died in -madness long ago, but Tyr did not die.</p> - -<p>He watched the metal of the car weep itself into globous molten -droplets of metal that bulged and oozed and bubbled. A cable parted, -and the car plunged free.</p> - -<p>There was brightness here, all around him as he watched the car flare -in riotous colors. The irridescent hues of red and blue and white -flashed for a quivering instant, then puffed into mist that was like a -bath of minute motes of color.</p> - -<p>Tyr reached for an outcropping of volcanic rock, and clung to it. He -lifted himself, and stood on a stone ledge.</p> - -<p>Beneath him, suspended in a mighty chasm, was the Glow.</p> - -<p><i>The Glow was a tiny sun!</i></p> - -<p>It hung in an endless abyss. It pulsed and throbbed and quivered, and -shot streamers of fire upwards and around it. From its moving core, -the leaping tongues shot out, expending its energy and, by its own -inconceivable heat, restoring the elements to begin the process all -over again.</p> - -<p>Many ages ago, the Earthmen discovered solar energy. When deVries -invented the multilinear umbra-cell, he discovered that it would hold -hordes of hydrogen atoms that could be heated to a point that made them -an atomic sun. From these bits of power scientists built small suns of -their own, and hung them in deep abysses. From their everlasting power -they sapped the energy needed to drive their machines and light their -homes. They fed the solar power through tentacles of spun carborungsten -into generators and dynamos.</p> - -<p>The Earthmen took these suns with them across the voids, to planets -like Lyallar, and strung them in their deepest chasms. And where went -the suns, they were objects of dread and awe.</p> - -<p>This one was no object of dread to Tyr.</p> - -<p>Standing on the lip of rock, he laughed and raised his arms, and felt -that titanic heat and energy flow directly into him. Tyr had no need -for carborungsten cables to power the dynamo of his body. The follicles -of his skin opened their hungry mouths and sucked that energy into him.</p> - -<p>Tyr was changing, standing there.</p> - -<p>He was becoming energy itself, every pore and organ of him filling to -capacity with the heat and light of that glowing orb. He was charged to -bursting.</p> - -<p>Tyr turned to the jagged stone wall, and began to climb.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>A gallows stood in the Square of Dying, lifting its black arms toward -a blue sky. From the crosspiece hung plasticine nooses, like silvery -webs. Men and one woman stood below those hoops of transparent plastic, -on a raised platform.</p> - -<p>Space Commander Mason said to Katha, "You realize now that your man-god -Tyr is nothing compared to the <i>ardth</i>?"</p> - -<p>"Tyr is the only hope the <i>ardth</i> have," she whispered. "I have told -you his father was William Rohrig."</p> - -<p>"A tale calculated to amaze me. I do not believe you."</p> - -<p>"I told you how his body is different, that it can sop up solar energy -and translate it into terms of human energy without wear or tear on his -system. That he is future man, man in a body fitted to venture out in -space, far beyond where we have gone."</p> - -<p>"I still do not believe."</p> - -<p>A man came and looped the noose around the woman's neck. She shook her -head when he would have covered it with a purple mask.</p> - -<p>"I tell you now, Commander Mason, that the only one who can renew the -Glows is Tyr. Our electro-astrogines have informed us that the elements -needed to make new Glows exists only on the planets close to the great -suns. Every expedition we sent to those planets perished of heat before -they reached them.</p> - -<p>"One man could make such a trip—Tyr."</p> - -<p>Mason grinned at her. "You're mad, Katha. Executioner, throw the bolt." -The executioner put his hand on the lever and swung it over.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Tyr climbed the black rock swiftly. Hands and feet felt for and found -niches in the rough surface. Up and up he went. Once he stood on a -narrow ledge and craned his neck, staring at the blackness where the -carborungsten cables gaped their dark orifices. He was going up there, -to those cables, and rip them out. He would smash the dynamos, and -nothing could stop him.</p> - -<p>Over the lip of a metal cable-mouth he went, and his hands showed -bright in the darkness as he seized the wires and pulled, ripping them -from welded sockets. He tore and broke with his glowing hands, passing -them under and over the cables, and tearing.</p> - -<p>As he destroyed, he walked. With his fists he battered against a wall -of metal and splintered it. He stepped through and walked toward the -dynamos that were lazily rotating. Some of them already had come to a -halt.</p> - -<p>Tyr touched the engines with his hands and summoned the energies of -his body. The metal cracked under the strain of that superhuman power. -Casings split and bearings crumpled.</p> - -<p>Tyr walked on.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The executioner threw the lever, and nothing happened. Katha laughed -softly, and there was a light in her dark eyes that made Space -Commander yearn.</p> - -<p>She whispered, "He has won!"</p> - -<p>Mason roared, "Throw the auxiliary engines over!"</p> - -<p>But the auxiliary engines were dead, too. Now the <i>ardth</i>-men murmured -and whispered among themselves, for the unnatural quiet of the Citadel -was hammering their eardrums.</p> - -<p>Footsteps sounded on the flagging.</p> - -<p>Something tall and something bright was crossing the Street of Space -and entering the Square. It was shaped like a man, but its gleaming -yellowness was so brilliant that it hurt the eyes to see it.</p> - -<p>"Tyr!" screamed Katha.</p> - -<p>Space Commander Mason shuddered and put a trembling hand across his -eyes. He looked smaller, frail in his dark cloak, standing before the -giant who was coming toward him. His officers fell away from him as Tyr -came on. To one side a girl with an emerald necklace dropped and lay in -a huddled heap on the ground.</p> - -<p>From the throats of the manacled Tryllans a roar went up.</p> - -<p>"Our god has come for vengeance!"</p> - -<p>"Yield, you <i>ardth</i>! Yield to Tyr!"</p> - -<p>"See how he shines in his glory!"</p> - -<p>Twenty feet from Mason, Tyr came to a stop, for fear that the heat his -body emanated would blast the man.</p> - -<p>"Free Katha and Zarman and the others," the yellow giant said.</p> - -<p>Mason nodded.</p> - -<p>"Stay away from me," he warned Katha, seeing her leaping from the dais -of the gallows. "I am still overcharged with energy. It will fade in a -little while. Wait."</p> - -<p>Tyr looked at Mason.</p> - -<p>"Zarman will be governor of Lyallar. Otho must die. Fay—Fay will be -banished for her treachery. Let her keep the emeralds. She will die if -we take them from her. The Trylla will live in peace and friendship -with the Earth peoples. It is my order."</p> - -<p>Zarman came forward and held out his hand to Space Commander Mason who -took it thoughtfully. The man with the bald head swung on Tyr.</p> - -<p>"Then it is true what Katha said? You <i>can</i> go near a sun? It makes -your body like—that?"</p> - -<p>"It fills it with heat and light. And heat and light are energy. My -body is energy, right now. Later, that peak of pure energy will fade. -It will resume its normal look. But potentially, it is always as you -see it now ... needing only a sun to make it so."</p> - -<p>Katha looked at Mason, across the cobblestones of the square.</p> - -<p>She said, "I told you Tyr is the one to renew the Glows. He would not -die on a planet near enough to the sun for the elements we need."</p> - -<p>"I will do that," agreed Tyr. "I am no longer god of the Trylla. I -brought them their freedom. I have discharged the responsibility they -put about my shoulders when they made me their god.</p> - -<p>"My father was <i>ardth</i>. I, too, am <i>ardth</i>. If I can save the <i>ardth</i>, -I shall."</p> - -<p>He turned toward Commander Mason and said. "And, being an <i>ardth</i>, I am -under your orders, sir."</p> - -<p>Mason drew a deep breath, took off his hat and ran his hand over his -bald head. His face wrinkled with amazement, changing to a shy smile.</p> - -<p>"My orders, Tyr? Hmm. The first thing you ought to do is—cool off. -Then, when you're able to do it safely, take this woman Katha into your -arms and kiss her for her belief in you! After that—you might consider -mating with her. Your children will carry a torch, Tyr. To the true -ends of the world."</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Man the Sun-Gods Made, by Gardner F. Fox - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MAN THE SUN-GODS MADE *** - -***** This file should be named 63824-h.htm or 63824-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/8/2/63824/ - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive -specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this -eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook -for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, -performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given -away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the -trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country outside the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - 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. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org - - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its -volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous -locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt -Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - - - -</pre> - -</body> -</html> diff --git a/old/63824-h/images/cover.jpg b/old/63824-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 28e164f..0000000 --- a/old/63824-h/images/cover.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63824-h/images/illus1.jpg b/old/63824-h/images/illus1.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 39e0b5b..0000000 --- a/old/63824-h/images/illus1.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63824-h/images/illus2.jpg b/old/63824-h/images/illus2.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 42e7357..0000000 --- a/old/63824-h/images/illus2.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/63824.txt b/old/63824.txt deleted file mode 100644 index deed5a8..0000000 --- a/old/63824.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2577 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Man the Sun-Gods Made, by Gardner F. Fox - -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: The Man the Sun-Gods Made - -Author: Gardner F. Fox - -Release Date: November 20, 2020 [EBook #63824] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MAN THE SUN-GODS MADE *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - THE MAN THE SUN GODS MADE - - By GARDNER F. FOX - - They called him a god and worshipped him. - He neither ate nor drank, nor breathed the - wild free air, yet he was mighty beyond - belief. But grief bowed those superbly-muscled - shoulders, for he knew he was human. - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Planet Stories Winter 1946. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -Tyr stood on the warm white sands and stretched. The hot yellow rays of -the sun played across his ribbed chest and the muscles in his long legs -and thick arms. Tyr smiled. It was good to be alive, even if he was a -god. - -He wondered when they would come to worship him again, sending the -bittersweet keening of the _suota_-horns out across the silver deserts -and blue lakes of Lyallar. He hoped it would be soon, for he had, -despite himself, grown to like sitting on the ruby throne. From where -he stood, looking across the groined vastness of the Lord Chamber, -he could see the upturned faces of his people. Even the rat-face of -Otho he liked at moments like those, for the wondrously beautiful face -of Fay smiled red-lipped at him. Tyr gave many gifts to Fay from the -treasures that the Lyallar heaped upon him. And always it seemed she -was eager for more, her brown eyes flickering like those of a greedy -child. - -Tyr spread his arms, feeling millions of tiny nerve-ends in his skin -open to drink in the energy pouring from the titanic orb of fire in -the heavens that was sun to the planet Lyallar. Tyr ate no food, and -breathed no air. All that he needed for his existence he got from the -sun. - -As the energy flooded into him, making him tingle in every fibre of his -being, Tyr felt again the effect of that energy on his brain. It was -as though the power he fed on was so great that it opened the deeper -spaces of his mind so that any problem was no problem at all--while the -moment lasted. - -He had found the stone tower in a moment like that. Seen it at first -miles away, standing lone and stark on the silver sand. Built of -brownish rock, round as the bole of a tree, it was something new to him -who had explored all the strange places of this planet. Tyr had run to -it, testing his swift feet. He could have distanced a dozen cheetahs, -one after another, could Tyr. He was more than swift. He was inhuman. - -The lock was easy to break with all that energy flooding him. He merely -took it in his big hands and his muscles writhed and bulged, and the -flaky red metal of the lock snapped. With the flat of a hand he pushed -open the door and went within. It was dim and cool inside, and at first -Tyr did not like it. - -There were queer objects all about him, some of glass, some of metal. -Here were curves and cones and vibrating rods of the thickness of -a man's little finger. And books! Even the libraries of the Trylla -contained no books such as these. He lifted one down and browsed, and -found that his mind was understanding it, knowing what those terms and -symbols meant, without thinking. His mind frightened Tyr at times. It -was almost not a part of him. It was as though all the men and women -who had been his forebears had left a little something of themselves in -his makeup, so that their knowledge and experience could guide their -descendant. - -Many hours Tyr spent in that odd place. It was a change from the -deserts and the ruby throne. Gradually, through the years, he found -that he was amassing an education from the books and the glass and -metal objects-- - -_Suu-ohhh-taaaa!_ - - * * * * * - -The clarion notes rang sweet and clear. They brought Tyr erect, the -peculiar ring chained to his neck bouncing on his chest. He looked -toward the dim horizon, where stood Yawarta, city of the ruby throne. - -This was the call to the god of the Lyallar. Tyr ran easily, like a -perfect machine that never tired. Across the white sands, and through -the eerie forest in which all the trees resembled frost-flakes, -silver-white in the sun. Deep in the heart of the forest lay an azure -pool, its blueness contrasting startlingly with the silver of the -forest. - -The towers of Yawarta were slim and dark beyond the grassy fields. Like -drops of blood on a satin pillow they brooded, reminding the Tryllan -race that they were slaves to the _ardth_ who dwelt far beyond the -nearest star. - -A girl was standing before a golden door set flush with the hillside. - -"Fay!" - -"Speak not, on your life!" she whimpered. - -They stood silent, breathing softly. Tyr heard the voices then, harsh -voices, where the Tryllans spoke in musical syllables. - -"The _ardth_! They have returned?" - -"Yes. They swear to kill you, Tyr. They are hunting you now, along the -tunnels to the door." - -Tyr bent and swung the girl high on his chest, grinning. "They will -never catch Tyr." - -Tyr began to run. His legs blurred with the speed of his motion. He -stepped out along the grassy slope, and down it, and then was running -free on the plains. He heard Fay's gasp as she grew aware of his pace. -She buried her head against his shoulder to breathe, and her yellow -hair whipped and stung his face as the wind tossed it. - -For four hours Tyr ran, not needing to breathe. When he swung the girl -down, he was as composed as though he had moved ten feet. Fay stared up -at him with warm brown eyes. - -"Truly you are a god, Tyr. Only a god could run without effort." - -"No god. Only--only--" - -He halted. He had no word to describe himself. Neither did the Trylla, -except "god." So god he had become, unwillingly; yet he was dimly aware -that he was unique among men, that he stood alone. - -"We are far from the Old Ones, the _ardth_, here," he said. "It would -be easy to dwell here on the deserts until they have left." - -Fay stirred restlessly, saying, "I do not want to stay on the deserts. -They are bare places. No people, no laughter." - -"I don't blame you. There must be something I can do." - -He rubbed his hands on the soft white fur that clasped his hips. A hot -anger was beating up inside him, making his nostrils flare. The Old -Ones! They had come back to Lyallar, where Tyr ruled! The masters of -planets and the far reaches of space had come back. He was one, and the -_ardth_ were many. Individually, nothing could ever defeat him. But one -against a race! He shook his head. - -"You could fight them, Tyr. You are a god. What can the Old Ones do to -you? There is no way of killing you. Sometimes an assassin has tried, -while you sat on the ruby throne. But no one has ever succeeded." - -That was true. Yet he did not tell her that his own uncanny speed saved -him. There was no sense in testing fate, by letting a weapon strike -him. He had a subtle knowledge that he might be immune to certain types -of missiles, but he was not sure. - -"You could walk into Yawarta and slay them all, Tyr," the girl said -softly, watching him carefully with her brown eyes. "Then we could go -back to the old days. You could give me that emerald necklace I want." - -Tyr wondered at the greed in the brown eyes. It disturbed him. But it -did not disturb him as much as the thoughts of the Old Ones. Thought -of them brought a yearning for battle that rose red and mist-like -inside his great chest. How to tell of that hotness within him, where -his guts ought to be, but were not, that made his heart pump with fury? -Yet, despite his rage, he was alert and careful as a stalking cat. He -could not tell this to Fay; she wanted him to walk unarmed into Yawarta -and blast the _ardth_ with some sort of supernatural power. - -He walked around on the white sand, brooding at his moving feet. He -looked into his mind for the words, stumbling and halting. - -"Fay, the Trylla have made of me a god. Now I know I am no god. I am -not such a god as the legends of the Tryllan cults tell of, at any -rate. I am only a man. A human being, who is something of a freak." - -There was a patient smile on the girl's red mouth. She shook her head -and the soft yellow hair tumbled around her bare shoulders. - -"We have spoken of this before, Tyr. Always you say that you are not a -god, and then you turn around and do what only a god can do." - - * * * * * - -Tyr sighed. "Maybe I am a god. Maybe I expect a god to be too much. But -that is not exactly the point. It is this: the Trylla call me god, no -matter what I call myself. Therefore I must act like a god, for their -sake." - -Fay nodded, brown eyes fastened on him. - -Tyr said slowly, "A god would not let oppressors molest his people, -would he, Fay?" - -"That is just what I have said. You must go into Yawarta and slay and -slay--" - -"No. No, I do not think that is what a god would do." - -Fay frowned slightly. She kicked at a lump of sand and watched it fly -apart. She ran a finger into her thick yellow hair and twirled it. - -"Of course you may be right," she said tartly. "I am not versed in the -way of gods." - -"Nor am I," scowled Tyr. "But, in the heart of me, something says there -is another way. That, if I can convince the _ardth_ that I could defeat -them, smash them in some way--then what would be the triumph of a god." - -"That might take a long time. I would like very much to have that -emerald necklace. Otho said it was worn by Queen Yatha-sath two -thousand years ago. Please, Tyr?" - -She came close to him, perfumed warmth and soft white skin. Her mouth -was very red. But Tyr looked away, frowning. - -"The Old Ones derive their powers from a thing called science," he -said slowly. "It says so in a book in the Tower. If I could learn that -science, I might defeat them with their own weapons. But that would -take a long time. Many years." - - * * * * * - -He stared up into the sun and smiled gently, feeling its hot rays lave -his chest and arms and thighs. Like bubbles of air surging up through -water, he felt the dormant strength of his muscles. He had strength. A -strong man can fight with his hands and with his legs. He would fight. - -He turned sharply to Fay and asked, "What is the Barrow that the Trylla -often mention? Where is it?" - -"The Barrow is the pride of the Trylla. Without it there would be no -hope." - -"Yes, yes. I know. But what _is_ it?" - -"It is the hidden place where all the wartime secrets of the race are -stored. When the last invasion of the Old Ones took place, nearly a -hundred years ago, all the accumulated knowledge of the conquered -Tryllans was locked away lest the Old Ones destroy it." - -"Could you find the Barrow?" - -Fay shuddered. Tyr looked at her, saw her fingers move through her -yellow hair, watched with gentle smile as white teeth nibbled at red -lip. He put out his big hands and held her arms. - -"It is for the Trylla that I ask." - -"I--I know. I can find the Barrow." Her chin lifted defiantly. "Of what -use are old legends if they make those who hear them weaklings and -cowards? Better to--to die bravely than to hole up like the _tabbug_ at -the first cry of the hunting-cat!" - -Tyr grinned at her, wondering if she believed in her own words. She was -so lovely, so childishly greedy for pretty things, so--he frowned at -the idea--so unconsciously selfish, wrapped in her own interests, that -abstract terms like bravery and cowardice seemed alien to her tongue. -Her brown eyes flirted up at him from under their long lashes, and -caught his warm grin. - -She muttered sullenly, "The Barrow is five days' journey from the -Desert of the Dead, and that lies two days' travelling from here." - -"So near?" - -"Much of the journey is across terrible deserts, and the rest is over -insurmountable mountain barriers. The Barrow is atop the tallest -mountain on all the planet." - -"That makes it so much harder for the Old Ones to find it," Tyr said. - -"The Old Ones can fly. The Trylla must walk. Our monorails run only -in the cities. Oh, Tyr, the only way you can win is to go into the -chambers of Yawarta and destroy the leading _ardth_. You can do it no -other way!" - -"If Harl the Ancient still lives," Tyr dreamed, "he could help me -fight. He was the greatest of the Tryllan warriors. There are rumors he -does live, in the Barrow. That is why I must find it. I need Harl." - -The girl nibbled at her red mouth sullenly, saying, "I don't see why -you don't do as I say. In that way, you'd get to power faster. We -wouldn't have to share the glory with Harl." - -"The _ardth_ aren't bowling pins to fall at the sway of an arm, Fay. -They are dangerous men. Wise men with enough savagery in their blood to -make them vicious." - -Tyr knew he could never hope to walk into the secret chambers of the -_ardth_ alive. He knew his limitations. He was human, after a fashion. -He bled when cut, and he ached when bruised. And the _ardth_-- - -The _ardth_ were a strange race. They were nomads who swept across the -trails of the stars in great vessels that spanned a bridge of space -from planet to planet. Never happy for long, they were eaten by a -cancerous unrest that drove them on and on, to the outermost rims of -the galaxies, hunting always. - -They had home planets, too, but they were seldom at home. Instead -they chose to lock themselves in ships of metal and fling themselves -out between the suns. Instead of green grass and trees, their windows -looked on blackness relieved only by twinkling dots that were stars, -and steadily glowing pinpricks that were unexplored planets. - -Five hundred years ago they had come to Lyallar. The Tryllans, then a -great race, had fought them bitterly and had driven them off. Three -hundred years later, they came again; this time they came for war. -That war lasted seventy-two years and, at its end, the Tryllans were -a broken race. And that time the Old Ones stayed, or, rather, their -cities stayed--and the Glow. - - * * * * * - -No one really knew what the Glow was. It made the Old Ones powerful, -and was as closely guarded by them as was the Barrow by the Trylla. -Without the Glow, the _ardth_ were naught. They hid the Glow deep in -their biggest city, that they named Mart. - -"If we could go to Mart and find this Glow," said Tyr abruptly, out of -his deep thought. - -Fay laughed bitterly, "The Barrow one can find by rolling downhill, -compared to finding the Glow and using it." - -Tyr grunted. It was hard, being a god. - -Sometimes he wished he were like other men, for then he would have no -people to protect, no Old Ones to battle for a race that looked to him -for guidance. Often he had thought that the Old Ones might be gods, but -he knew that none of them could do what he could do. - -His godship prodded him into saying, "Let us find the Barrow, and Harl." - -"Harl is old, very old," replied the girl. "He is so old that he must -be a doddering gaffer now." - -"But his brain would be young," Tyr argued. "And it is the brain that -is trained in war from which I seek aid." - -The girl sat on a rock and undid a sandal and shook sand from it. She -shrugged petulantly and fastened her sandal. "Must we go now? It is -almost night." - -Tyr looked at the sun low on the horizon. Tyr did not like to travel by -night. He preferred the hot day, when the sunrays beat with insistent -heat about his tanned chest and shoulders. But there was need for -hurry. The Old Ones did not stop for darkness, and neither would he. - -"Come," he said shortly. - -The way was easy, at first. In the red light of the dying sun, they -saw the sand before them, each rise and dip moulded into graceful -curves by the winds that whipped the barrens night and day. They went -lightly, swiftly. - -Slowly the stars loomed in the darkening sky above them. And, as is the -way with travellers the worlds over, they grew silent and more intimate -in unspoken thought. Once or twice Fay's hand brushed Tyr's, and he -helped her across the higher dunes. - -On a hard swirl of sand, they stood close. Fay whispered, "All those -stars, Tyr. You would think the Old Ones would be satisfied with so -many. They might leave Lyallar alone!" - -Tyr felt surprise at the emotion within him. It was almost a sympathy -with the nomad oppressors. - -"They have curiosity. I have it myself. I have lived on every desert -that Lyallar can boast, yet I am ever searching for a bigger and a -hotter one. Maybe the Old Ones are like that." - -He looked down at the girl, smiling wistfully at the pale loveliness of -her hair, at the warm brown of her eyes. He shivered, watching her. He -wanted so much to take Fay and go out into the desert with her, away -from everything that smacked of godhood. They could go to the Tower, -and live there safely. The _ardth_ would not find him there. There -would be none to say him yea or nay. If--he was a god! - -Tyr sighed and turned from Fay's red mouth and looked out across the -unending dunes. An inner voice whispered, _The Trylla need you, Tyr. -You are their god, and a god does not run away. When is a god needed -more than in time of trouble? You cannot leave them, for they are as -children. You must fight._ He nodded in the darkness, grimly. - -Side by side they went on through the night. And now they went apart -from each other, as though the decision were a final parting. Words -were unnecessary. The Trylla needed Tyr. - -It was dawn when they saw the others trudging wearily across a far bank -of sand. Tyr shouted and waved, summoning them. Dragging deadened limbs -they came, in torn clothes and with smears and streaks of dirt on gaunt -faces. They stood before him, and in their eyes was the dull glaze of -despair and in their voices the sullen acceptance of their fate. - -"We fled after seeing the _ardth_ ships come." - -"They will find us, though. We want just a few more days of freedom." - -"All of Yawarta is captive to them. They have made Otho governor, and -thrown Zarman, whom you appointed ruler, into the cells." - -"And they have sent out commands that you be returned to them at once. -They have offered rewards." - -Tyr grinned mirthlessly, shaking his tawny head. A return meant -torture, possibly death. If the Old Ones thought enough of him, they -might feed him to the Glow. - -He said, "Fay and I are bound for the Barrow. We will find Harl and -call him to lead new armies against the _ardth_. Join with us. We shall -win." - -"We cannot win ... alone." - -They looked at him out of dull eyes in which tiny flames of hope sprang -alive and flickered, and then died. They shuffled their feet. They -looked tired enough to fall, and the bare soles of several bled red -drops into the sands. - -"Sleep," said Tyr gently. "You need rest. Dawn is coming up, and I can -go on in the sunlight to survey the path before us." - -He drew Fay with him, over the crest of a dune. His fingers rose to -touch the circlet of dull gold that gleamed from the chain about his -neck. Slowly he unfastened it as Fay watched, staring. The ring was a -part of him, for he had worn it ever since he could remember. Now he -wanted Fay to wear it. It bruised his ribs when he ran, or bounced on -his back and against his jaw. But more than that, every Tryllan knew -that ring. It would be a symbol of power in Fay's hands. - -"Use it well," he said, closing her white fingers about it. - -Her brown eyes were wide, looking up at him. Tyr put out his hands and -caught her arms above her elbows. He held her like that, just looking -at her beauty, for a long moment. - -And then he turned and ran swiftly, lest the muffled thunder of his -blood should smash the resolutions his brain had welded so firmly. - - - II - -Sand slipped away in back of him, as wind passes the arrow in its -flight. Air was cool on his chest and on the powerful thighs that -rippled with muscles as he ran. The sun beat at him, leaving him in its -warmth. He grew strong and powerful as the cells of his skin sucked in -energy. - -Run, Tyr. Run faster and yet faster, that the thoughts teeming in your -brain may be left behind. You are a god, and a girl named Fay is not -for you. You have only the _ardth_-men, Tyr. They are your enemies, and -they must be vanquished! - -But how? But how? His brain howled in desperation. They are so many. -They know sciences, and they have weapons. You have two bare hands and -a strong body, a strange body, a body that frightens you at times, it -is so different. - -Something dug into the sand ahead of him and exploded. Tyr swerved like -a frightened faun and came to a stop. Something else blew up a little -closer to him. Hard granules of sand stung his flesh. - -He saw them, then, in the sky. Three sleek aircraft with stubby wings -and a long fuselage out of which shot tiny glints of red. - -The _ardth_! - -Tyr drew his hands down his ribs, lips twisted. By the god that he was -supposed to be! He'd show them a race, even if they could fly and he -could only run. - -The sun was hot and searing. Good! It was his ally, that immense orb. -While it shone, they could not catch him. - -Tyr ran. - -His pace was a blurred thing. His flight was that of the _kala_-bird -whistling before the hawk. He swerved and he darted, and he made -fools of the men in the shiny things above and behind him. It was an -incredible thing that he did, but Tyr was an incredible being. The -rules were not made for him, for who made the rules knew nothing of -Tyr. He outran those aircraft. - -All day long, while the sun beat upon him, Tyr flew. Vaguely he -realized that he was a living, functioning thing of energy--not pure -energy, but energy translated into human power. - -Yet he was human, and the fliers were machines. He lost them among -the rocks, but the aircraft spread in widening circles and one of them -found him again. And so Tyr ran on. Once or twice he stumbled, toward -the end of the day. The thunder of the jet planes was loud in his ears. -They swooped low, casting long shadows before them. - -There were no more explosions. Those had stopped once he began his mad -race. He thought, 'At least, Fay and the others are safe. I've led the -_ardth_ a long way from them.' The muscles in his legs were hardening, -knotting. They grew heavy and inert. - -Tyr staggered. - -The planes had landed, and the men were coming for him. The -stars-and-bars on their jackets loomed bigger and bigger as he stood -and waited. His chest rippled with sweat, and his long arms hung limp -on either side of his giant frame. - -He could fight and die here, with the moon starting its rise in front -of him, and the wilderness of his run behind him. His body was pouring -the energy through his system again, and his muscles grew less heavy. - -"By Kagan!" swore the first _ardth_-man, staring at him with round eyes -over the muzzle of a lifted gun. "Who are you, man? _What_ are you?" - -"He's their god," rasped another, appraising Tyr with knowing eyes. - -"No wonder," grunted the third, holstering his weapon. "A god such as -he would find me among his worshippers! They'll never believe us on -Rigel-7!" - -"Do you yield?" asked the first. - -They did not seem so frightening, close up. They were like Tyr. They -were men, smaller than he, but men. He could kill them all, here and -now, but-- - -He owned a desire to see more of these _ardth_. Perhaps he could -reason with their commander, make some sort of compromise. He would do -anything to save the Trylla. Fay and the others were safe. Let them go -to the Barrow. He would know where to find them when he escaped from -the _ardth_. And he would escape. There was no prison made that could -hold Tyr. - -He said slowly, "I yield. I will go with you." - -Dully, despite all his hopes and plans, he knew himself a complete and -total failure as a god. - - * * * * * - -Her hair was black as the tip of a raven's wing, parted in the middle, -and drawn back over tiny ears. She had black eyes and a wide, crimson -mouth that kept smiling at him, gently. She stood in the midst of the -cloaked _ardth_-men who stared at him as they listened to the voices of -the airmen who had captured him. - -Tyr grew uncomfortable under her steady gaze. He shifted his feet, -feeling silly, looming so big above the smaller pilots. He felt that -they all were laughing at him. What a god he was! No wonder they -laughed at him secretly. A god who was the protector of his race, -allowing capture by three pilots he could have killed with three blows -of his big hands. - -The eyes and the mockery of the men he did not mind, but the steady -eyes of the woman-- - -Forget her, and look about you, Tyr. This is a room of the Old Ones, -with its silver and black-glass windows arching a hundred feet up along -the wall, and the hooded eagle design carven into the stone and wood. -A highbacked chair stood empty on a rostrum as the man who usually -filled it stood with the others, watching him. This was wealth, from -the priceless red damask drapes at the windows to the hand-laid tiles -beneath his feet. - -It was no use. Her dark eyes were too steady. - -"A lie," said one of the Old Ones calmly. "No man could do what he did." - -"He is no man, sire. He is the one the Trylla worship. He is--Tyr!" - -They started at that. The pilot had told his story cleverly. He grinned -with self-appreciation as the murmurs and the cries rewarded him. Tyr -knew the closer scrutiny of the eyes beneath drawn brows. They ate him -up, those eyes. Especially the eyes of the woman. - -A lean man with a bald head and iron-grey mustache stepped forward -and walked around Tyr, his glittering eyes probing. Shaking his head -dubiously, he said, "Katha, you're our biochemical expert. Can it be?" - -The woman with the black hair came toward him, swaying gracefully. - -"I must make tests, Space Commander," she said, and Tyr liked the -hoarse vibrancy of her voice. It sent tingles down his spine. But maybe -that was the black eyes of her that smiled up at him as she asked, "Is -it true, what he says?" - -"Yes, it's true. I outran their planes. I could have killed them, but I -did not choose to." - -"Then why didn't you?" she smiled. - -"Because I--show me to your commander. I want to treat with him. That -is why I suffered capture. I will offer peace for peace. All I ask--" - -The lean man with the bald head came around in front of Tyr and stared -at him with cold eyes. - -"I am Space Commander Ronald Mason," he said flatly. "I am in charge of -Expeditionary Space Force to the Fornax Cluster. You will offer peace? -But there is no war." - -Tyr held the snarl in his throat as he replied, "But there will be war, -unless the _ardth_ are willing to deal with me for the liberty of the -Trylla." - -Mason smiled, but Tyr saw the flecks of passion deep in his ice-blue -eyes. "The Trylla are a free race." - -Tyr said patiently, "The Trylla worship me. They think I am a god. I -know, and you know, that I am nothing of the sort. Yet I would help -them, if I could. You cannot keep me here, if I seek to escape. I can -plunge this planet into the bloodiest war you ever saw. But I do not -want to do that. I seek only peace. Peace, and some sort of pride for -the Trylla, that they may once again hold up their heads--" - -Mason interposed, "A laudable desire. But the Trylla are quite content. -Otho tells me they will make no trouble. As for your idle boast of -escaping--" - -Space Commander Mason gestured and turned away with, "Test him, Katha. -See why his responses vary so far from the norm." - -Red anger beat up in Tyr in mounting pulsings. He bit into his lip and -eased up to the tips of his toes. His muscles writhed. He-- - -A cool hand touched his forearm. The black eyes were there again, and -the red mouth was smiling at him. - -"The tests? Please?" - -Tyr licked his lips, confused. He looked at the _ardth_, and down at -the girl, whose eyes were sapping the mad rage in his heart. He said, -"Yes, the tests." - -"Follow me." - - * * * * * - -The room was big and white, and fantastically clean. Chrome and -plasticine gleamed and shone under the bluish-white ceiling that -diffused soft brightness into every corner. A fluoroscope machine -stood against the north wall. On tables were set scalpels and needles -and rolls of cotton. Electronic ray-machines, microscopes and -cyclotroncancereas peered beyond them. This was the biochemical science -of the Old Ones inside four walls. - -Katha closed the door behind her and loosed her black cloak. She was -garbed in black blouse with a star-and-bar in silver threaded into the -material. Tight trousers, white, gave her a streamlined look. - -"Be comfortable, please. This will not hurt, what I am about to do." - -Tyr watched her roll a big machine out, saw her thrust a needle with -a handle into a jar of white liquid. She saw him watching her, and -laughed softly. - -"You are like a caged animal. You do not like walls, do you?" - -"No. I prefer the desert." - -"You have spent all your life on the desert?" - -"All. Ever since I was small." - -She turned from a wad of cotton that she was unrolling to regard him -thoughtfully from under long black lashes. - -"A boy. What of your parents?" - -"I don't remember them, if there were any to remember. The first thing -I recall is sand under my feet, and running. The sun was always my -friend. I love the sun. It feeds me. I need nothing to exist, other -than the sun." - -Her left hand was warm where it caught his wrist. The damp cotton was -swept across his flesh swiftly. - -"I remember a lot of things about my youth. Unconnected things, like -the first day I found the blue lake and the silver forest. The day I -killed a _panth_ with my bare hands. The first night I saw the stars, -and recognized them for what they were." - -Katha held his hand in hers and said, "I am going to draw blood. It -will hurt--a little." As the ruby liquid oozed from his wrist, the -woman went on speaking. "And you cannot recall anything beyond that? -Only that you were a boy, and that you grew up?" - -"Only that. It was many years before I saw another ... human. The -Trylla are not desert-dwellers. They like their cities. But I saw a -caravan, and came close to examine it, and when the guards saw me, I -ran so swiftly they started rumors." - -Her mouth smiled in amusement as she walked across the room. - -"No wonder. A man who can outrun three aircraft is quite a runner." - -"From that began the tales about me. A hunter would shoot and miss. -That started my invincibility legend. After many years, during which I -found the Tower, they sent a delegation to me, to ask me to be their -god, to take the ruby throne." - -"How did you learn to speak, if you never knew other men and women?" - -Tyr paused. Some of his education he had gotten from the books in -the Tower. His other knowledge, and it was vast, he secured from -eavesdropping in the narrow alleys of Yawarta. - -But he said, "Oh, I just picked it up." - -"The tower you mention. What is that?" - -"An old building I broke into. It stands by itself on the Desert of the -Whipping Wind." - -"Can you read?" - -"No," he lied. - -She was sliding a splinter of glass under a frosted screen, and -depressing a button, and bending. Tyr watched, wondering what she -sought. - -"That is too bad," she murmured. "For if you--you--you--ohh!" - -Her face whitened as she stared at him. - -"What is it?" - -"Your blood ... if it is blood. It is so--so different!" - - * * * * * - -Katha put out a white hand and deflected a switch on the wall. A -section of panelling slid back, disclosing a screen on which stood the -three-dimensional images of the black-cloaked men in the throne room. - -"Space Commander, I must see you. Already the preliminary test has -disclosed revolutionary reactions." - -Her voice was excited. It made the bald, lean man jump a little. Tyr -saw him stride toward him, loom larger and larger, walk out of the -screen and--disappear. A moment later, the laboratory door opened and -Mason entered. - -"What is it, Katha?" he said coolly. - -"His blood. It is not blood that we know, that carries food and -oxygen, and the toxics. It is alien. The cell structure is apparently -designed to transmit--this is going to sound silly, and I haven't the -opportunity of checking my first impressions, to make sure--but the -cells appear constructed to transmit pure energy in the form of sheer -heat." - -"But the tissues, girl! In a normal man the food becomes energy in the -tissues. How--?" - -"I don't know. Look for yourself." - -She stood away from the microscope, gesturing toward it. Space -Commander Mason bent to the screen. His right hand raised the -electronic power a hundred units. He stood like that for many minutes, -frowning, scarcely breathing. When he straightened, he looked at Tyr -for a long time, breathing harshly. - -He said, "It seems to be a blood that carries nothing but radiating -heat pulses. That means he intakes his energy pure. The efficiency rate -is perfect. Katha, he isn't a man. Not a man such as we know men." - -Katha took Tyr by the arm and led him behind a fluoroscope machine, -saying, "Stand here, please." Mason was eyeing him steadily as he -walked in front of the screen. - -Tyr grinned to himself. They were in for a shock, if this machine did -what he thought it did. - -The room darkened. A pale green glow came and pulsed. The plate before -him seemed to hum softly. The dark blobs of shadow that were the -Commander and Katha moved suddenly and grew still. Deadly still. - -"The machine is wrong!" croaked Commander Mason. - -[Illustration: _"The machine is wrong!" croaked Commander Mason._] - -"It was tested yesterday. Commander. Besides, he has a heart, and a -blood stream." - -"_No stomach! No lungs! No intestines!_" he breathed. - -"And in place of them, strange organs that we know nothing of. -Commander, let me take him to the home planet for study! What an -experience. A mutant that--" - -Light grew from the ceiling, slowly. Mason stood beside the switch, -staring at Tyr. His eyes were wild, having seen a miracle. He shuddered -and drew his cloak tighter about him. - -"A mutant! And _what_ a mutant!" - -Katha said reflectively, "He has organs in place of digestive tracts -that are designed for some purpose. But what purpose?" - -Tyr slid away from the fluoroscope machine. He flexed his muscles. -Long enough now had he rested and played their games with them. Now he -was going into action. - -"Commander, about my offer--" - -"Quiet, man. Quiet! I need to think. A long time ago I knew a man who -said--but no! What I am thinking is incredible. It could not be. And -yet--and yet--" - -Tyr picked up a bar of steel and balanced it lightly in his palms. -Slowly his fingers closed around it. Muscles lifted on arms and back. -The bar bent into a circle. - -"My muscles may be different, too," he said. "About my offer. Is it -peace or war? All I want--" - -Space Commander Mason moved his right hand swiftly downwards. It came -up from beneath his cloak with a gun. He smiled grimly, "You're big and -you're powerful as a bullock, and you're _different_. I don't want to -test your skin with a shower of light photons, but--" - -Katha came up to Tyr. There was a hungry look in her eyes and about her -mouth. She whispered, "Be sensible, god of the Trylla! You are a long -time dead. Come with me. Later you can meet the Space Commander, when -his surprise has worn off." - -Across the black sheen of her coiled hair he looked at the bald man and -read a pride as great as his own in the blue eyes. Dimly he knew that -Commander Mason was possessed of a will of steel and power as great as -his own, among his people. Tyr nodded. - -"I will come with you." - -Katha lifted her black cloak and threw it around her slender shoulders. -She cast a red-lipped smile at him and tucked her arm through his. - -"Come along to my apartment," she laughed. "I want you to tell me more -about yourself." - - * * * * * - -The alleys were dark and deserted. Underfoot the rounded edges of the -_calanian_ cobblestones bit into their thin sandals. The cyclopean -stone structures towered black and forbidding against the pale greyness -of the night sky. Like spiderwebs of giant structure, great space-vox -antennae were flung from tower to tower. - -They walked slowly through the warm night, and others walked faster. -It was Tyr who heard the clanking of a guard's accoutrements, the -_thup_ of a holstered ray-gun smiting a trousered thigh, the harsh -rattle-clang of manacles and chains. - -His wrist dragged her against him, and back with him into the shadows -of a recessed door. Many men were coming down the street. There were a -lot of chains, too. - -A sliver of moonlight touched the leading man who walked stooped with -iron and the pain of open whipcuts. - -"Zarman!" breathed Tyr. - -His brain raced. Zarman was the governor appointed by Tyr. The _ardth_ -had taken him and flogged him. It was a sign of their power over Tyr. -The people needed a sign from their god. If he were to free Zarman and -send him back to the people-- - -Tyr was across the cobblestones and his right fist was coming up in a -short arc. A startled guard did not have time to open his mouth before -the back of his head touched his spine and his neck cracked under that -blow. Tyr lowered him with his left hand in the small of his back, as -he snatched up the heatgun from the holster. - -"Tyr!" sobbed Zarman, straightening. - -The others knew him too, and in place of the blind pain and despair, -came the laugh of hope to snap their backs straight and their chins -forward. - -"Beware," they whispered. "There are more of them." - -Tyr moved into the shadows, saying, "Keep marching. Turn at the -corner--and wait." - -The guards came on unsuspecting, but this time there were three of -them, talking and jesting. Tyr came out of the shadows with naked hands -and he hit so fast that one guard writhed on the stone street before -the others had their guns out. Another dropped with splintered ribs. -The third opened his mouth to scream. Two big hands took his throat and -vised on it. - -Tyr dropped the guard and nodded to the prisoners, "Keep moving. Zarman -waits for me around the corner." - -There were only two more guards. Tyr charged low. His fists pumped. - -Tyr shook himself, standing alone in the alley, with the moon above -beaming down at him, bathing him in silver. The street was deserted -except for a white face above a dark cloak, and Tyr. The girl had a gun -in her hand. - -"Shoot," Tyr said, tensing himself. - -"Goose," whispered the girl, and bent her head to watch her hand -holster her weapon. - -"Why do you not shoot?" - -"Oh, I don't know. I always was a sucker for an underdog." - -But there was another explanation in her dark eyes looking up at him -that made Tyr blink. He caught her elbow and walked with her around the -corner. - -Zarman and the others were ranged along the wall in darkness. Zarman -came forward and looked at the girl, and whispered, "She is an _ardth_." - -"Forget her. Tell me of yourself." - -"The Old Ones caught us easily. Otho blabbed with his traitorous mouth. -They came and took us, though we fought." - -"If I set you free, what can you do for your freedom?" - -"We can fight, god Tyr. We can burrow like the mole, and battle like a -cornered rat. Try us!" - -Katha went around the corner for the key to the manacles. She searched -the implementa of the guards and brought it back proudly. - -The men lowered the chains and manacles into a hole they dug beneath -the cobblestones. They reset the stones and kicked the dirt into -crevices between them. One of them took the gun Tyr handed him. - -Zarman made a motion to the men, and they faded out of sight. - -"We go underground. Into the old tunnels dug during the war with the -_ardth_. Only the Trylla know those labyrinths." - -"Good. I shall get word to you." - -Katha sighed when Zarman was out of sight. - -Tyr asked dryly as they walked, "Why did you not shoot me? You had your -gun out." - -"That was for the guards--in case your fists were not enough." - -"But you are an _ardth_!" - -The girl sighed and said, "It is such a nice moon. And we are almost at -my rooms." - -She laughed softly, and Tyr wondered why. - - - III - -Tyr had never seen such sybaritic luxury as was revealed when he let -the goldthread drapes rustle across the arched doorway behind him. -Strewn cushions, plump and fat, with red-and-white worked in thin -curves across their surfaces; the blue tinted walls that radiated -warmth; the richly toned murals and the hidden lights bespoke limitless -wealth. Low bookcases crammed the walls. Perfume pervaded the cool air. -It was a feminine scent, cloying, lingering. - -Katha lifted a scarlet jug and poured cool white liquid into two -crystal hemispheres. One she handed to Tyr, the other she raised in her -white, red-nailed hand. - -"To freedom," she laughed softly, and drank. - -The white wine was rich and heady, and it warmed his throat going down. -Tyr sipped again, and again. He looked around the room with unveiled -eyes. - -This was just one apartment of one girl. She ranked high in the -councils of the _ardth_, but this was a planet far from home. And all -the luxury before him! Why, one of those pillows with the red-and-white -curves would make Fay's eyes bulge in jealousy. And he was pitting -himself against a race that could give a woman this, for herself! - -He grimaced. What could one man--even such as Tyr--do against such a -race? He should quit now and enjoy himself with this woman who looked -at him with those steady black eyes. He told himself all that, hating -the truth of it. - -A cool hand snuggled into his palm. "Tell me about you," Katha smiled. - -"There isn't anything to tell." - -"You have strength and incredible speed. But what are your other -powers, Tyr? You are a mutant, a changeling. You know that. But why, -Tyr? Why? Nature doesn't try changes unless she is fitting a being for -something." - -Katha was very close to him. She was perfumed and she was womanly, and -Tyr was used to neither. She was as subtle and complex as some rare -drug, where Fay was as transparent, in her childish hungers, as plate -glass. - -It may have been the white wine, he thought afterward, but all he saw -now was her red mouth and the mocking amusement swimming in her black -eyes. He kissed her, holding her close in his arms. - -"We're straying from the subject," she smiled up at him from his arms. - -It was then that the cough sounded, from the golden drapes of the door. -Otho stood smirking in the opening, eyes leering. From head to toe he -glistened in a rainbowed silk that bellied and sank about his form with -a sensitiveness to air currents that made it seem alive. - -He had a gun in his hand and it was levelled at Tyr. - -"I am sorry to interrupt your--amusements--" - -Tyr did not think he moved fast, but he was in front of Otho even as -the eyes of the other were commencing to widen in fright. Tyr hit the -gun upward, slamming it against Otho's sneering mouth where it made a -wide gash. The gun fell to the rug, and Tyr put out his hands and took -hold of the sleazy silk and lifted. Otho dangled a foot off the floor. - -"I could break your spine," Tyr whispered. - -Otho was white. He dared not speak. - -"I could put the fingers of one hand around your fat neck and snap it." - -Otho closed his eyes and shuddered. - -Tyr dropped him and Otho fell loosely to the floor and rolled over and -came to his hands and knees. The big brown god of the Trylla loomed -vast and massive above his crouching form. - -"You do not show respect to your god, Otho," Tyr grinned dangerously. -"Nor to a woman. At least, you might be courteous, if you are not -religious." - -Tyr listened to the mumble that came from the man's mouth, watched him -crawl away. He turned to Katha, "That is the governor Mason gave the -Trylla." - -Katha let her hip rest against the onyx tabletop as her white fingers -sought for an hydroette. The end came greenly alive at her first intake -of breath. Blowing green smoke from between her red lips she leaned -back and laughed softly. - -"You know, you _are_ a god in some ways. Your very bigness, the titanic -strength and speed of you. If you swore allegiance to the _ardth_, you -would rise fast. You would be a space commander in a few years." - -"Is that a promotion over being a god?" - -"Tyr, listen to me. Be sensible. Use that brain of yours. You have a -brain, and a good one. It is untutored, but it sops up knowledge as a -Venusian sponge does water! I saw your eyes moving in that laboratory -of mine. You deduced the uses of the fluoroscope, the electronic -microscope. You needed only to see them in action--" - -She caught her breath. The skin around her lips showed white, as her -mouth tightened. "Perhaps you could even duplicate them, given time -and the materials, just from seeing them. Could you, Tyr?" - -Tyr wondered, himself. His mind held a confused jumble of plates -and wires, and remembrances of diagrams he had seen in books in the -Tower. Left alone, he rather imagined he could do what Katha hinted. -Especially if he worked in sunlight. For the sun would open the facets -of his mind, make his brain as keen and alive as his body, give it that -subconscious awareness of knowledge that awed him. - -"It may be racial memories," he said slowly. "In most men those are -buried too deeply for practical use. But with me it may be different. I -do know that things do not long remain a mystery with me, once I ponder -on them." - -Katha walked across the room, staring at the cushions that she kicked -idly aside. Her thin brows were puckered. - -"I said you could be a Space Commander, Tyr. You could be more than -that. You could be Presider itself, if--if what I think about you is -true. - -"The Trylla think the _ardth_ a heartless crew. Oh, I know. But what -the Trylla, and the other inhabitants of the planets we have taken over -do not know is this: We _ardth_ are facing a fight against extinction. -It won't come for centuries, but it is coming, as surely as you live. - -"_The Glows are dying!_ - -"And when that happens, all our cities and all our spaceships--you -might say our lives as well--will come to a stop. If you--" - - * * * * * - -Men came through the doorway, and Space Commander Mason was in front -of them. Otho poked his fat and sneering face between two _ardth_ and -laughed at Tyr. The men splayed out and Mason walked toward them, a -grim smile on his lips. - -"You've left quite a trail behind you tonight, Tyr," he said. "Those -guards, then Otho. I tried to treat with you as an equal. Your word -means much with the Trylla. But I made a mistake." - -Katha ran before the Commander and said swiftly, "Katha reporting on -mutant Tyr of the planet Lyallar. From observations, my conclusions are -that he is an advanced form of life, requiring no food but taking his -energy directly from another source. That his strength is phenomenal. -That his brain is superhuman. That he must be tested further. My -recommendation is--" - -Mason put her aside and gestured to his men. - -"--that he be shipped to the home planet for study." - -Tyr shook his head and said, "No," but he never took his eyes away from -the man with the bald head. - -Mason lifted his hand suddenly. - -And Tyr moved. - -He went fast, so fast that his arms were mere blurs lifting Mason off -his feet and flinging him. He swung up over a table and drove both -heels into a man's chest. He hit another _splat_ on the jaw just as the -man's finger tightened on the trigger and a bolt of fire went toward -the high ceiling. Now their guns were aiming and shooting yellow bolts -at him. He caught three of them on his chest. - -Those yellow fires burned momentarily, before his pores could suck -their ravening power into his system. But they filled him with a -wild, savage elation. His throat keened as he charged the men by the -entrance, who knelt and fired as their eyes widened, seeing him come, -growing bigger and bigger before them. - -He did not stop. He ran over the men, and left them broken on the floor. - -Tyr chuckled grimly, his feet treading a rug. His big right fist held -a solargun that he had wrenched from a falling soldier. A weapon for -the Trylla! His shoulder splintered a door with two hundred pounds of -energy behind it. The lock went through the wood and Tyr was onto the -cobblestones. - -The street was dark and empty. He ran with the wind, dodging around -corners and leaping along straight streets. Far behind him there came -shouts and the dull thumping of pounding feet. - -The cyclopean walls of Yawarta rose before him. Here and there hung the -great nets of the fishermen, hung out to dry on stout wooden pegs. Up -then he went, his arms lifting his massive body with ease. From bastion -to ledge he went up the wall like a scurrying spider. - -Now he stood on the broad top, beneath the stars. He raised an arm and -waved it at the city, and went over the other side. - -He ran free, away from Yawarta. - -Behind him he could hear the _phffft-phffft_ of the jet planes rising -to pursue him, leaping upwards like hounds from the racing barriers. -Tyr grinned and stretched his long legs out so that the ground sped by -eerily. They could not catch him under the stars, not with this weapon -in his hand. - -Wind whistled past his ears. He headed for the silver forests he could -see in the dim distance. He would be under their shelter soon. - -Beams of light showered the ground, hunting him. They slid all around, -missing him as he dodged gracefully, swerving from their pale radiance. - -Soon he would be beneath those trees. Nothing on all Lyallar could -catch him then. - -Tyr swung the solar gun upward, put the cold muzzle to his naked chest, -and pulled the trigger. - - * * * * * - -Sunlight tinted the bluffs a pale amber, spreading a gossamer gold -across the shelving stone ledges. It made dark shadows undulate in rock -crevices, and sent tiny cascades of brilliant red and yellow from veins -of quartz. The cliffs towered high above a rolling countryside where -hummocks of grass grew in clustered greenness. - -Tyr stood erect on the jagged tongue of rock, staring down at a file of -men and women walking across the hills. He was naked but for the white -cloth at his middle into which the butt of the solar gun protruded at a -rakish angle. Towering huge in the morning sun, he looked the god, by -every inch of him, that the Trylla thought him to be. - -He grinned and patted the walnut handle of the weapon. That blast of -power had given him needed energy last night, when the sun was on -the other side of the planet. His follicles had drunk it in, and his -strange organs filtered it throughout his body. - -All night long had he run, yet he was fresh and strong. - -Now he looked across the brown valley, and saw the Trylla walking -across it, beginning the long ascent up the other side. Here and there -he recognized familiar figures. Fay was at the head of the column, -just ahead of young Texel and grim old Gaarn. Tyr scanned the blue sky. -No _ardth_-men there! - -He lowered himself over the jagged edge of the bluff. His canny feet, -feeling about like sensitive fingers, found chinks in the weather-worn -rock. He went down foot by foot, yet swiftly. - -When he dropped the last twenty feet to the crumbly valley bottom, the -Trylla were only a few miles from him. His straight descent had saved -him hours of travel. He could catch them now in a matter of minutes. - -Fay saw him first, turning her golden head almost as if some telepathic -thought commanded her. She cried out, and the slender column wavered -and halted. - -Tyr came up to her with outstretched hands and a smile on his lips, but -the smile faded when he saw her eyes. - -"Why have you returned?" she asked numbly. "You made your bargains with -the _ardth_, for the girl named Katha. What else did they give you for -Lyallar, besides the girl?" - -"For Lyallar? Besides the girl? Are you mad, Fay? And you others--do -you believe what she says? Fay, what--" - -Gaarn said sourly, "Deny it, then. Deny that you went alone with this -woman Katha to plot our undoing. Deny that Zarman and others who -trusted you were flogged." - -"I plotted no one's undoing. And as for Zarman--" - -"He was flogged, wasn't he?" howled Texel, his eyes two abysses of -anguish. - -"Flogged before I--" - -Texel spat at him, and Tyr quivered and his hands came up. Sadly, he -let them fall again. Force would accomplish nothing. And a god must be -understanding. - -"I freed Zarman and the others as they were being taken through the -streets," he said patiently. "As for Katha, she is a biologist of the -_ardth_." - -"You were alone with her," Fay muttered sullenly. "Otho saw you kissing -her." - -"Otho! So that is where you get your news." - -"The talking trees, the silver ones," said Gaarn between toothless -lips. "They pick up subsonic messages. That was how we heard." - -"And of course, you believe. It matters not that the _ardth_ appointed -Otho in place of Zarman. Take his word to mine. It was Otho that sent -the messages out, wasn't it?" - -"Yes," said a woman. - -"Otho wants me as a captive. So do the _ardth_. Otho hopes that you -will turn me in. There will be a reward for me. That is why he sent out -that message. He wants to turn the Trylla against me." - -He talked to their eyes that reflected their feelings, fighting to -recapture their trust, "If the _ardth_ kill me, what hope is left to -you? You all say I am a god, your god. Yet you desert me at the first -lies of a renegade!" - -The men shuffled their feet. Their faces were haggard, and lined with -bitterness and distrust. In some eyes, Tyr could read real hate. - -"Why have you come back?" whispered Fay, staring up at a distant -mountaintop. "To turn us in? To give my back to the floggers? Am I that -valuable to the _ardth_?" - -Tyr pleaded, "Should I have returned alone, if my purpose was your -capture? If that were the case, the skies would be alive with aircraft! -I knew you were on your way to the Barrow. I could have made you all -prisoners by now, if such was my intent. Reason it out. Otho tells you -lies to turn you away from the one thing that had any chance of helping -you!" - - * * * * * - -Like children, their faces grew hopeful, as their minds absorbed his -words. Fay was biting her lip. From under her yellow lashes, her brown -eyes studied him. - -"But you kissed this Katha, didn't you? You kissed an _ardth_-woman! -The god of the Trylla would never do that." - -Tyr could see her illogical reasoning was swaying the others. They were -hesitant, reproachful. - -He said defiantly, "I kissed her, because she was a woman, and lovely. -I--" - -Fay turned her back. The others looked from the girl to Tyr and back at -the girl again. - -"I am no traitor, because of that kiss. I--" - -They were not listening, but following Fay who was walking swiftly -away, and toward the hills in the purple distance. His fingers closed -on empty bitterness as he stood there alone, miserable. His people ... -following a girl toward destruction. - -Sorrow gnawed in his heart. This was the fate of a god, then, that his -children should misunderstand him, perhaps even that they should hate -him. Still, he did not blame them. They were so alone, so helpless, and -so afraid. - -Watching them move away, Tyr knew they needed him more than ever. They -were leaving the only one who stood any chance of helping them. Without -him, the Trylla were like toys before the hard, sure hands of the -_ardth_. - -He touched the handle of the solar gun and let his fingers trail away. - -He would have to find the Barrow alone, now. - - * * * * * - -Two days later, Tyr parted the green fronds of a mountain bush and -looked at the gleaming whiteness of the Barrow. It was a low rounded -dome, lying across the hard whitish rocks of a strange mountain peak. -From where he stood, he could make out arches receding back in under -the dome, many of them. The arches were so many that each looked like a -reflection of the others. - -The Barrow, he thought with dull triumph. It was camouflaged perfectly. -That roundness gave no glint to a watcher in the sky. Its lowness cast -no shadow. Its whiteness blended with the dazzling brilliance of the -white mountain rocks. No wonder it had stood years without detection. -Even looking for it as he was, Tyr almost missed it. Only the arches, -seen at a certain angle, betrayed its existence. - -He loped toward it, breaking into the open. Only when he was near the -arches did he see the woman on the ground to one side, kneeling. Before -her a man lay on his back. - -Tyr went forward on the tips of his toes, as silent as a breeze moving -across rock. - -The girl knelt beside the man, was moving her hands over him swiftly, -competently. Then she leaned back on her haunches and shook her dark -head. The black blouse and white slacks looked familiar. When he saw -her face as she raised it, he knew. - -"Katha," he said. - -The girl whirled, reaching for a gun at her hip. But when she saw him -fully she gave a low cry and scrambled to her feet. "Tyr, Tyr! Oh, I'm -so glad I've found you!" And was running to him. - -He tried to be curt, but it was useless. There was too much joy shining -out of those black eyes, too much laughter and delight. And she was so -feminine! He put out his hands and held her arms, making her stay a -little away from him. Tyr wondered if she heard the wild pounding of -his heart. - -"Why?" he asked. "Why are you here? Why did you come searching for me?" - -Laughter was like musical hoarseness in her throat. With head flung -back so that she could hold him with her eyes, she said, "Because Space -Commander Mason ordered that you be shot on sight. Because you are a -doomed man. And because--I think you may yet save the Trylla." - -"You are _ardth_!" - -"It makes no difference. What are you, for that matter?" - -"I--I don't know." - -He did not know. Always that uncertainty tugged at the core of him. -Unknowingness within him, like an emptiness. Who are you, Tyr? What are -you? And mad laughter answered, "You do not know. You will never know -what you are. A god? Ho! Not you, not Tyr." - -She saw the blankness in his eyes, and the misery. Her voice was soft, -tender. "Tyr, can't you see? You are--Tyr." - -He shook his head, heart dull within his chest. - -She cried between a laugh and a sob, "But you are the first, Tyr, -the first of your kind! I can tell you that. You are a biochemical -newcomer." - -"What does that mean?" - -"I don't know. No one knows. _You_ have to prove it to yourself first. -_You_ have to learn about you, and then others will know. Who can best -understand a new thing but the thing itself! Explore yourself, Tyr--and -know!" - -Katha hooked a finger in the black braid of her belt and made traceries -in the sand with the toe of her sandal. "I had to come and find you. -I could not let you die. Besides, there is something in what you do. -If the Trylla could be made friendly to the _ardth_ they would help -us. Perhaps they could find the way to keep the Glows from dying. The -_ardth_ need help. You might be the agent to bring _ardth_ and Trylla -together." - -From the depths of his bitterness, Tyr laughed harshly. - -"I am but one against the _ardth_. I have no allies. Even the Trylla -turn their faces from me. The only thing that keeps me going is the -thought that a god must protect his people. Even if they hate him." - -"Then think of the rewards that the Trylla may reap, if you unite them -with the _ardth_ in friendship. The _ardth_ are not only conquerors, -but colonizers as well. In the far-flung span of cities that spread -from the home planets fanwise beyond even Fornax, there are many -marvels. - -"You have never been to Zafega on Fomalhaut-2. You have not beheld the -creata-screens, where your dreams become reality, where the deeps of -the subconscious are caught in graphs and translated into pictures. -That is incredible beauty, and horror in one! No one is ever the same, -having beheld his dreams in a waking moment. - -"Then there are the historays that recapture the past, making a living, -breathing thing of it. You could see the history of all Lyallar, Tyr, -from its primordial beginnings until the--" - -Tyr whispered roughly, "That sight would make me realize even more -bitterly what it means to be a Tryllan--and alive--these days." - -Katha turned her back to him, looking across the rock and sand to a -distant fringe of silver trees. Tyr bit his lip, staring at her shapely -shoulders. Fool! To alienate the one person on all the planet who cared -whether-- - -An old face lying on the ground, his eyes saw. Gaunt brown cheeks, and -sparse grey hair on a round skull. Harl. The ancient one with a brain -filled with the magic of war and the knowledge of sciences lost to all -the Trylla, other than himself. Harl was dead. - - - IV - -Katha killed him. That was why she was here. She cared not a fig for -his chances of freeing the Trylla. She was a spy. And he believed her -talk of screens and luxuries and the joys of joining the _ardth_! - -His hand vised at her wrist and twisted her around to face him. Her -black eyes went wide, frightened at the mad rage in his face. Under the -grip of that hand, her knees dug into the sand. - -"You murdered him. You--" - -"No! Oh, no, Tyr! His heart stopped from excitement. He--he thought the -_ardth_ had found the Barrow. It _is_ the Barrow, isn't it?" - -"Yes," he muttered numbly, looking away from her toward the receding, -confusing arches. - -Accuse her again, Tyr. Do not let those big black eyes fool you. She -is a traitress, is she? She is a spy, instead. Accuse the one thing on -all Lyallar that believes in you. Smash her belief. Kill her with your -hands. Stand alone, as always you have done. - -"No!" he moaned, swaying on big legs, widespread. - -The woman knelt, looking up at him. - -His eyes closed as thoughts rocketed across his brain. She killed Harl. -_She wears no gun, his body bears no mark of violence!_ She is a spy -for Mason, and will betray you. _She has come alone to you!_ Kill her, -and be safe. Trust not in your strength to fight what may come. - -He put out his big hands and caught her shoulders. He lifted her up and -held her against him. He rained kisses on her soft mouth. - -She stirred after a while, gently. - -She whispered, her black head nestled to his chest, "You love me, Tyr?" - -"Yes." - -"You came to the Barrow, Tyr. Let us do what you would have done. Rumor -has it that there are weapons inside." - -"Harl was the only one who knew their use." - -She rubbed her arms with her palms, loving the bruise where his hands -had dwelt. She chided, "Fie, darling. A god can understand any weapon." -And when he glanced sharply to seek mockery in her eyes, she said -simply, "I mean it. You can understand them, if you will. Your mind is -different. Try it!" - -As they went beneath the myriad arches, their feet stepping loudly on -the marble flooring in the stillness, Tyr said, "If I cannot use these -weapons the cause of the Trylla is forever lost." - -A labyrinth of strange things and objects, set on shelf and counter, -under glass and on metal. Mazes of plasticine and steel, glittering and -glimmering, shadowing cones and tridents and metal circlets. And none -of it was even remotely understandable to the brown giant who stood and -stared. - -Katha slipped a hand into his and said, "You can do it, Tyr. Yes, you -can!" - -He shook his head, but he went and stood before the machines. With -narrowed eyes, he studied curving generators and domed turbines. -Slowly, almost reluctantly, he began to understand them. If only-- - -A beam of yellow sunlight swam through a glassine vent in the wall, -quivering, moving. It touched Tyr, laving his brown face and dark hair -in its radiance. The sunlight was hot and soothing. Tyr smiled faintly, -knowing that the light was opening the secret facets of his brain, -feeding energy to them, making his mind work whether he wanted it to or -not. - -He was understanding these silent machines, now. - -He touched a button, and watched an engine throb and hum, coming to -life. Where the blue discs were was its outlet. They turned red, and -glowed. When they went white, a blast of power would splay out, and he -did not want that to happen, yet. He shut the power off. - -Katha walked with him. "You know?" she asked softly. - -"I know." - -"There is a kitchenette off to one side," she said. "I am going to -prepare food for myself. Then tell me your plans!" - -When she left him, Tyr turned back to the metal giants, touching levers -and rods. He lost himself in their intricacies as a boy does with new -and complicated toys. - -He did not hear Katha cry out from the next chamber. He did not hear -the footsteps. He did not see the girl who came with Gaarn and Texel -to stand in the doorway, a solar gun in her white hand. - - * * * * * - -A ball of flame exploded amid the coils and antennae of a big machine. -Another fell onto a huge dynamo. Still another whistled shrilly as it -clove a path through cones and hoops. - -Tyr whirled, but it was too late. Fay was firing rapidly, as fast as -she could depress the stud. The yellow blasts ate and drank their way -through the machines until every one lay smashed and wrecked. - -Tyr laughed bitterly. - -"Destroy your every chance," he said. "Your freedom lies on the floor, -amid those twisted metal things." - -Fay lifted the gun and aimed it at him. She said coldly, "The _ardth_ -shall never receive our weapons, Tyr. I destroyed them before you could -bring the _ardth_ to them." - -"I would never bring the _ardth_! What mad poison eats in your brains, -you Trylla? Without weapons, what may I do?" - -"The Old Ones shall never get them!" - -"The Old Ones do not need these things. They have better ones. A -hundred years ago they beat men who used these weapons. In that time -they have new weapons, better weapons! What would the _ardth_ want with -things like these?" - -There was doubt in the eyes of some, but Fay lifted her gun. Tyr walked -toward her, seeing the red hate in her eyes. Her finger touched the -stud and balls of yellow fire leaped for him, splashed across his chest. - -He went on, unstoppable. The energy from the yellow balls poured into -him. Muscles rippled on his arms as he reached out and took the gun -away from her. - -With white hand pressed to her writhing mouth, Fay stared at him in -dumb awe. Tyr wrapped his fingers around the gun. The metal crumpled in -his hand. When he opened his hand the remnants bounced on the floor. - -Tyr put a hand to Fay's shoulder and pushed her aside. Gaarn and young -Texel watched him with fascinated, frightened eyes. He lunged into the -chamber where Katha had cried out. - -"Katha!" he called. - -She lay on a long white table, and there were strong steel straps -holding her. Her clothing was somewhat torn. Her dark eyes met his from -the corners as her red mouth smiled a little. - -[Illustration: _He lunged into the chamber where Katha lay. Her dark -eyes met his._] - -"I tried to warn you. The Trylla do not like the _ardth_. They wanted -me alive to learn secrets from me." She made a grimace. "I don't know -whether I could have stood up to torture." - -"There's no need of it, now," he grunted, putting his hands under the -straps and bursting them. He lifted her and held her on his chest. - -"I am no longer god of the Trylla," he rasped bitterly, looking down at -her. "I am hated by them. Now I am--nothing!" - -She was very round and soft on his ribs. Tyr tightened his arm, -watching her mouth. Katha made a face and mocked him. - -"Man or god--you hurt!" - -He eased his arms a little, still holding her tightly. He went down the -corridor of the arches as Fay and the others watched from the shadows. -His footfalls were soft, but deadly. It was as though his feet intoned -a _danse macabre_ for the Tryllan race. - -Tyr carried the girl to her jet plane that had been hidden among the -rocks. He lifted her into it and swung up, both hands on the smooth -plasticine handles. The door clicked behind him. - -Katha dropped into a red leather seat before an intricate -control-board. Her white fingers touched pins. The ship rumbled and -shuddered. Slowly it trundled forward, gathering momentum. From the -port window, Tyr watched the white dome of the Barrow falling away -below. He turned his eyes to the front, seeing her lift the plane over -a fringe of _hibithus_-trees to arrow into the cloudless sky. - -"Katha, I am homeless." - -Homeless and a wanderer, without a people. The Trylla had been his -people, if a god ever had people. Now they had turned against him, -broken with him, even tried to kill him. There was bitterness on his -tongue and in his heart. A bitterness that burned and galled. - -From the depths of his anguish, he cried, "I want to be a part of -something, Katha! I am neither Tryllan nor _ardth_. What am I?" - -The woman caught his hand and pressed it to her lips. She whispered -softly, "To me you are always a god, Tyr. I love you. You love me." - -"I have you. Yes, that makes up for everything else." - -He sighed, "But I keep telling myself that I have failed. That I have -not done all I could to free the Trylla." - -"What of the tower, Tyr? You said it had strange things in it. Perhaps -it is a laboratory, of sorts. I might make tests there, of you, seek -to know your purposes, your abilities." - -"Yes, the tower. I'd forgotten that. It could be a home to us. An -_ardth_-woman and a--an unknown!" - -"I am _ardth_ no longer. I gave that up when I came after you. I knew -what I was doing." - -He knelt and caught her to him, saying, "There is no place for either -of us, except with the other. Two wanderers." - -"Two wanderers," she sighed. "With a purpose. A mad, insane belief in -themselves. To fight even when there is no chance of victory!" - - * * * * * - -The tower stood gaunt and lonely, rising up into a blue sky. Baked dirt -powdered into clouds under their feet as they walked toward it. The -tower was strong and thickly built, and it towered above the flat earth -in its loneliness. In that respect, it was a little like Tyr himself, -Katha thought. She studied the flat buttresses and arched windows. - -"An _ardth_-man built that," she said. - -"If he did, he made it a laboratory and home at the same time." - -Katha furrowed her thin black brows. "But what _ardth_ ever built such -a tower on Lyallar?" she wondered. - -Tyr pushed open the big wooden door. The round room was walled with -dials and panels, cool and dim. It gave off a faint and musky smell. A -circular table was covered with vials and belljars and retorts. Shelves -lined the walls, and bottles lined the shelves. At the far side of the -room, a metal stairway twisted its way to the upper floors. - -Katha wandered around, delight shining in her eyes. She lifted vials -and smelled at chemicals. Laughter gurgled in her throat. - -"But this is marvelous. It's almost as complete as my own lab. Now who -built this place, Tyr? Can you tell me?" - -He showed her a big book bound in tooled leather. - -"William Rohrig!" she cried at sight of the golden letters stamped into -the cover. "Why--why, he was an _ardth_ genius! We often wondered what -became of him! He was to travel to Antares, to study life conditions on -one of its outer planets. Commander Mason would be delighted--" - -She broke off, glancing sideways at Tyr. - -He said, "If it were not for me, you could go back. You could go -anyhow. I--" - -Her white palm covered his mouth. "Don't say it, Tyr. We'll see this -through, you and I." - -"If there were only some way in which I could convince the _ardth_ that -they and the Trylla could live in peace! The Trylla mistrust me and the -_ardth_ hate me, for I threaten their power. Katha, Katha! There is no -answer." - -"There is always an answer to a problem. The only trouble is, it takes -a long time to see it." - -While Tyr worked at the table, making tests and experiments under -Katha's guidance, to test the powers of his mind, Katha made the tower -her own. Sunlight bathed Tyr through an open window. Above him he -heard her footsteps going to and fro, heard her lifting things, and -the squeals of delight when she unearthed notebooks that had once been -Rohrig's. - -They spent their days in work and laughter. Katha made many tests on -him, saying, "You are a biological miracle, darling. I don't know much -about miracles, so I have to learn, slowly and gropingly." - - * * * * * - -But she never completed her findings. For one day she discovered, -tucked into a corner of the big desk on the second floor, a dusty old -diary. For three hours she sat entranced with it, never stirring, until -Tyr came hunting her, anxious over her silence. He found her with tears -in her eyes, her white teeth nibbling at her full lower lip. - -She looked up at his entrance whispering, "Do you know your name, Tyr? -Your full name?" - -"Tyr. A ring round my neck bore it." - -"Those were only your initials. Your real name is Theodore Young -Rohrig. Your father was William Rohrig. You are _ardth_, Tyr!" - -He stared at her. She clapped her hands, black eyes glowing. - -"He knew about you. Oh, he was brilliant, Tyr--or Ted! He knew your -function. He called you a mutant, darling. No stomach, no lungs, no -need for water. The future man! I can see, now that my eyes have been -opened. It is Nature, striving all the time for perfection, equipping -her products with the necessities to get along in their environments! -In you she is fitting man for space travel, darling! - -"Out there among the stars, without lungs and with no need for food -or water, you could strip a ship down and really travel. Light-years -wouldn't mean a thing to you. Just a battery of sun-lamps to feed you. -You wouldn't age hardly at all, for you derive your heat from outside -sources, instead of generating it in your tissues, as normal men do! -Your organs merely transmit the heat and energy into your muscles and -brain. There is no food to be digested and churned into energy, to be -broken into heat-energy in the cells. Your energy comes from outside!" - -"You make it sound important." - -"It _is_ important! I feel I don't understand _how_ important you -really are." - -Grimly he said, "Now if only we could convince the _ardth_ and the -Trylla of that!" - -Katha caught his arm, saying fiercely, "Tyr--Ted--oh, I'll call you -Tyr! You can't give up. You must fight. The _ardth_ are fighters, Tyr. -Your father was a fighter. He came here with his wife because he had -space leprosy! That's right. And his wife came with him. You were born -on Lyallar--far, so far from your home planet. He died a long time ago, -did William Rohrig, but his fighter's heart didn't die." - -A red fingernail stabbed into the flesh of his chest. "That heart is in -you, Tyr. It wants to fight. Maybe it doesn't know how, but you are sad -only for that reason. You aren't fighting!" - -Tyr whispered hoarsely, "Tell me how, Katha. How shall I fight?" - -"How do you want to fight? What does your heart and your brain tell -you?" - -He stood and let the sunlight hit his forehead. It grew hotter and -hotter as he stood there, and inside his skull he felt something -stirring, and knew it for his opening brain. _Fight them where they are -most vulnerable, Tyr. Hit them at their core!_ The inner voice that was -his thought whispered again, _Destroy the Glow!_ - -"I must destroy the Glow," he said to her. - -Katha shuddered, whispered in horror, "You cannot! You would die from -it long before you ever came to it. The Glow is terrible, awesome, -Tyr!" - -The sunlight made a pattern on his chest as he turned. "Nevertheless, -that is what I must do." - -The woman bowed her head and took his hand. - - * * * * * - -The city of Mart sprawled like a lazing slug upon the prairie. Aircraft -sped across its walls, winging into illimitable distances. The deep -hum of tradesmen's voices as they called their wares mingled with -the smooth roll of gyrocars, rising to form the soul of the great -metropolis. Armed guards clanged along the tops of the pyramidal walls. - -A tall man clad like a mountain shepherd, in wool cloak and hood, -stalked beside a woman who went with downbent head, clinging to his -arm. Once in a while the woman whispered to him, and the man made a -turn into a different street. - -They had dust on their cloaks and dust on their feet, those two. -Occasionally the woman stumbled, for she was a born actress. Yet an -airplane lay less than three miles from the city walls, hidden by -boughs torn from _hibithus_-trees. - -"We are almost at the Commune," whispered the woman. - -"There are no people here," the man said. - -"Your Trylla approach not near to the building that houses the Glow. -They fear it too much." - -They went faster, lengthening their steps. Opposite a tall white -building that had _ardth_ lettering graven into its stone, they slowed -and the woman spoke again. - -"That is where the Glow is, hidden deep in the bowels of earth beneath -the Citadel. Always are there guards there. They must be overcome." - -The man threw back the cloak, revealed big chest and long arms naked -under it. Head flung back, he studied the building eagerly. - -"They will be overcome!" - -The cloak fell to the flagging and the golden giant was gone in long -strides that carried him to the doors of the Citadel and within them. -The woman stood watching, then bent and lifted his fallen cloak, threw -it over her arm, and followed. - -Inside the darkness of the Citadel, Tyr went on bare feet, with -uncanny silence. A guard came toward him, and he darted into the -shadows. When the guard was five paces away, Tyr struck. - -He lowered the guard, and went on. Voices came from ahead of him. - -"This Tyr will know how strong are the _ardth_ when he learns what has -befallen Zarman!" - -"Aye! I wonder what has become of him? Is he dead?" - -"Not he. He bides his time. He hopes for a rising of the Trylla!" - -"With Zarman and his crew to be executed today, what chance have the -Trylla?" - -Tyr was turned to stone. His heart hammered inside his chest. Zarman -to die! But how had the _ardth_ taken him? Once captured, he would be -twice as wary! His hands lifted in the shadows toward the guards, but -he held them still. - -Tyr swung about and went on. - -He did not know of the men outside in the street who halted suddenly -and looked at Katha excitedly. Their footfalls as they ran across the -street toward her went unheard by him as he raced along the corridors -of the Citadel. - -Katha had no chance to scream. A wrist jammed her throat and an _ardth_ -voice whispered, "Traitress!" - -Tyr ran on. - -A heavy throb pounded through the steel corridors, and along the -polished runways, and into the panelled rooms of the Citadel. Deep -down, seemingly in the guts of the planet, came the monotonous, -frightening beat and thunder of the Glow, pulsing in a powerful rhythm. -Not many men stayed long in this building, and the guards were changed -every few hours. No one had run into it with such gladness as did Tyr, -ever. - -His feet barely touched the floor as he ran. He flexed his muscles, -testing his strength. He was fit and ready from a week of lying in -blazing sunlight, from basking under sun-lamps arranged by Katha to aid -her in her tests. - -A guard saw him and yanked at a gun, but Tyr took his face in the palm -of his hand and banged his head against the polished steel wall, and -left him twitching but alive. Tyr ran swiftly now, heading down and -always downward along the ramps, deeper into the earth. - -The farther he went, the more sullen grew the throb and roar. It -pounded at the temples, shook the walls, surging all around. - -On a lintel before a metal elevator was inscribed an _ardth_ word. Tyr -knew it to be the warning of the Glow. But he put out his hand and -opened the elevator door and stepped within. He threw the switch. - -There was a falling sensation for a moment, but that passed as Tyr -walked around his little cell, working his arms and legs. He was tense -and excited, waiting, waiting. This was to be the test. Katha said if -he lived through it, that it would be the most marvelous sensation of -his entire life. That it would, in some alchemic way, transmute him. - -It was warm now. The car was falling faster and faster. Tyr wondered -why the _ardth_ bothered to have a car at all. If the Glow was all -rumor had it to be, the _ardth_ would have to build a new car every -time this journey was taken. But the ritual of the thing! The _ardth_ -must maintain their superstitious hold on the Trylla. - -He smiled. The _ardth_! They were his race, a people that called a -planet called Earth their home. It sounded so like the Tryllan word -_ardth_, meaning old, that the Trylla had always called them that. Even -the Earthmen accepted the term. - -Hot was the car, like some monstrous bubble of fiery air. The light, -yellow and brilliant and blinding, came seeping in through cracks in -the jointures of the door. - -The metal of the car was turning red, deepening to a cherry rose, -fading to a cold blue, dawning to a pale white.... - - * * * * * - -In the Auditorium of Ancestors, Space Commander Mason sat languidly on -the highbacked ivory throne under an arched canopy. Sprayed fanwise -before him were gorgeously uniformed _ardth_ officers, stiff-backed as -they faced the girl with black hair and black eyes. - -Fifteen feet from the throne, Katha stood with head flung back, smiling -at Commander Mason. "Your men are efficient, Space Commander," she -said. "They found me on the street." - -"There is no one as lovely as Katha among the _ardth_," smiled Mason. -"There is no one as treacherous, either." - -"I fled to Tyr because I felt him to be of help to us. He is--and will -be a help. He has gone now to destroy the Glow." - -Mason was out of his seat in one tremendous explosion of speed. His -hands caught her arms. - -"Destroy the Glow? Are you mad? Is he? Nothing can destroy the Glow! -What secret does he know?" - -"No secret, other than himself. He is Tyr." - -Mason clenched a fist, saying, "You said he could help us. It is no -help to destroy the Glow!" - -"He cannot destroy it. He will learn that!" - -"I think he will, too. It will destroy him, long before he reaches it. -But I have spoken enough with you. You must die for actions performed -detrimental to the _ardth_ welfare." - -Space Commander Mason clapped his hands. Guards entered a doorway, -and behind them came ragged men with flogged backs, bleeding, wearing -manacles. Katha started toward them, before Mason caught her. - -She called, "Which of you is Zarman?" - -A big man lifted a face swollen with beatings. His eyes were sullen as -he looked across the room, at a group of Trylla clad in rainbowed silk -garments. Otho smirked beside Fay, who wore a gigantic emerald necklace -on her white throat. Her hand fingered it lovingly. On her hand gleamed -a golden ring with the letters TYR engraven on it. - -"She bears the ring of Tyr," rasped Zarman. "She came to us with a -lying message and we believed her. She led us to--the _ardth_!" - -Fay tossed her blonde curls indifferently, and glanced down at the -necklace that once had belonged to Queen Yatha-sath. - -Commander Mason cleared his throat. - -"Take them all, including Katha, to the Square of Dying. We will -witness their hanging together." - - * * * * * - -Tyr laughed aloud and stretched, feeling a mad inferno of fire bathing -him. His pores were opening, one by one, accepting that insane -incandescence with a strange and alien hunger. A man would have died in -madness long ago, but Tyr did not die. - -He watched the metal of the car weep itself into globous molten -droplets of metal that bulged and oozed and bubbled. A cable parted, -and the car plunged free. - -There was brightness here, all around him as he watched the car flare -in riotous colors. The irridescent hues of red and blue and white -flashed for a quivering instant, then puffed into mist that was like a -bath of minute motes of color. - -Tyr reached for an outcropping of volcanic rock, and clung to it. He -lifted himself, and stood on a stone ledge. - -Beneath him, suspended in a mighty chasm, was the Glow. - -_The Glow was a tiny sun!_ - -It hung in an endless abyss. It pulsed and throbbed and quivered, and -shot streamers of fire upwards and around it. From its moving core, -the leaping tongues shot out, expending its energy and, by its own -inconceivable heat, restoring the elements to begin the process all -over again. - -Many ages ago, the Earthmen discovered solar energy. When deVries -invented the multilinear umbra-cell, he discovered that it would hold -hordes of hydrogen atoms that could be heated to a point that made them -an atomic sun. From these bits of power scientists built small suns of -their own, and hung them in deep abysses. From their everlasting power -they sapped the energy needed to drive their machines and light their -homes. They fed the solar power through tentacles of spun carborungsten -into generators and dynamos. - -The Earthmen took these suns with them across the voids, to planets -like Lyallar, and strung them in their deepest chasms. And where went -the suns, they were objects of dread and awe. - -This one was no object of dread to Tyr. - -Standing on the lip of rock, he laughed and raised his arms, and felt -that titanic heat and energy flow directly into him. Tyr had no need -for carborungsten cables to power the dynamo of his body. The follicles -of his skin opened their hungry mouths and sucked that energy into him. - -Tyr was changing, standing there. - -He was becoming energy itself, every pore and organ of him filling to -capacity with the heat and light of that glowing orb. He was charged to -bursting. - -Tyr turned to the jagged stone wall, and began to climb. - - * * * * * - -A gallows stood in the Square of Dying, lifting its black arms toward -a blue sky. From the crosspiece hung plasticine nooses, like silvery -webs. Men and one woman stood below those hoops of transparent plastic, -on a raised platform. - -Space Commander Mason said to Katha, "You realize now that your man-god -Tyr is nothing compared to the _ardth_?" - -"Tyr is the only hope the _ardth_ have," she whispered. "I have told -you his father was William Rohrig." - -"A tale calculated to amaze me. I do not believe you." - -"I told you how his body is different, that it can sop up solar energy -and translate it into terms of human energy without wear or tear on his -system. That he is future man, man in a body fitted to venture out in -space, far beyond where we have gone." - -"I still do not believe." - -A man came and looped the noose around the woman's neck. She shook her -head when he would have covered it with a purple mask. - -"I tell you now, Commander Mason, that the only one who can renew the -Glows is Tyr. Our electro-astrogines have informed us that the elements -needed to make new Glows exists only on the planets close to the great -suns. Every expedition we sent to those planets perished of heat before -they reached them. - -"One man could make such a trip--Tyr." - -Mason grinned at her. "You're mad, Katha. Executioner, throw the bolt." -The executioner put his hand on the lever and swung it over. - - * * * * * - -Tyr climbed the black rock swiftly. Hands and feet felt for and found -niches in the rough surface. Up and up he went. Once he stood on a -narrow ledge and craned his neck, staring at the blackness where the -carborungsten cables gaped their dark orifices. He was going up there, -to those cables, and rip them out. He would smash the dynamos, and -nothing could stop him. - -Over the lip of a metal cable-mouth he went, and his hands showed -bright in the darkness as he seized the wires and pulled, ripping them -from welded sockets. He tore and broke with his glowing hands, passing -them under and over the cables, and tearing. - -As he destroyed, he walked. With his fists he battered against a wall -of metal and splintered it. He stepped through and walked toward the -dynamos that were lazily rotating. Some of them already had come to a -halt. - -Tyr touched the engines with his hands and summoned the energies of -his body. The metal cracked under the strain of that superhuman power. -Casings split and bearings crumpled. - -Tyr walked on. - - * * * * * - -The executioner threw the lever, and nothing happened. Katha laughed -softly, and there was a light in her dark eyes that made Space -Commander yearn. - -She whispered, "He has won!" - -Mason roared, "Throw the auxiliary engines over!" - -But the auxiliary engines were dead, too. Now the _ardth_-men murmured -and whispered among themselves, for the unnatural quiet of the Citadel -was hammering their eardrums. - -Footsteps sounded on the flagging. - -Something tall and something bright was crossing the Street of Space -and entering the Square. It was shaped like a man, but its gleaming -yellowness was so brilliant that it hurt the eyes to see it. - -"Tyr!" screamed Katha. - -Space Commander Mason shuddered and put a trembling hand across his -eyes. He looked smaller, frail in his dark cloak, standing before the -giant who was coming toward him. His officers fell away from him as Tyr -came on. To one side a girl with an emerald necklace dropped and lay in -a huddled heap on the ground. - -From the throats of the manacled Tryllans a roar went up. - -"Our god has come for vengeance!" - -"Yield, you _ardth_! Yield to Tyr!" - -"See how he shines in his glory!" - -Twenty feet from Mason, Tyr came to a stop, for fear that the heat his -body emanated would blast the man. - -"Free Katha and Zarman and the others," the yellow giant said. - -Mason nodded. - -"Stay away from me," he warned Katha, seeing her leaping from the dais -of the gallows. "I am still overcharged with energy. It will fade in a -little while. Wait." - -Tyr looked at Mason. - -"Zarman will be governor of Lyallar. Otho must die. Fay--Fay will be -banished for her treachery. Let her keep the emeralds. She will die if -we take them from her. The Trylla will live in peace and friendship -with the Earth peoples. It is my order." - -Zarman came forward and held out his hand to Space Commander Mason who -took it thoughtfully. The man with the bald head swung on Tyr. - -"Then it is true what Katha said? You _can_ go near a sun? It makes -your body like--that?" - -"It fills it with heat and light. And heat and light are energy. My -body is energy, right now. Later, that peak of pure energy will fade. -It will resume its normal look. But potentially, it is always as you -see it now ... needing only a sun to make it so." - -Katha looked at Mason, across the cobblestones of the square. - -She said, "I told you Tyr is the one to renew the Glows. He would not -die on a planet near enough to the sun for the elements we need." - -"I will do that," agreed Tyr. "I am no longer god of the Trylla. I -brought them their freedom. I have discharged the responsibility they -put about my shoulders when they made me their god. - -"My father was _ardth_. I, too, am _ardth_. If I can save the _ardth_, -I shall." - -He turned toward Commander Mason and said. "And, being an _ardth_, I am -under your orders, sir." - -Mason drew a deep breath, took off his hat and ran his hand over his -bald head. His face wrinkled with amazement, changing to a shy smile. - -"My orders, Tyr? Hmm. The first thing you ought to do is--cool off. -Then, when you're able to do it safely, take this woman Katha into your -arms and kiss her for her belief in you! After that--you might consider -mating with her. Your children will carry a torch, Tyr. To the true -ends of the world." - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Man the Sun-Gods Made, by Gardner F. Fox - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MAN THE SUN-GODS MADE *** - -***** This file should be named 63824.txt or 63824.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/8/2/63824/ - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive -specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this -eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook -for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, -performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given -away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the -trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country outside the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - 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. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org - - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its -volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous -locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt -Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - diff --git a/old/63824.zip b/old/63824.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 3da1b18..0000000 --- a/old/63824.zip +++ /dev/null |
