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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b1ccc6a --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #66042 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/66042) diff --git a/old/66042-0.txt b/old/66042-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 50bc712..0000000 --- a/old/66042-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5713 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Weapon From Eternity, by Dwight V. Swain - -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 -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The Weapon From Eternity - -Author: Dwight V. Swain - -Release Date: August 11, 2021 [eBook #66042] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WEAPON FROM ETERNITY *** - - - - - THE WEAPON FROM ETERNITY - - By Dwight V. Swain - - Legends spoke of a weapon too dreadful to - use hidden somewhere among the stars--a weapon - that was its own master--choosing its victims! - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy - September 1952 - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - - - - CHAPTER I - - -Jarl Corvett selected the group--himself, Ungo, and five crewmen. - -They left their great ship on the far side of Vesta; came down with the -night in a fast raider carrier. - -A hollow offered shelter. Like dust settling, they landed. Abandoning -the craft, they pressed on towards their target. The hills fell behind. -The final cordon was bypassed. - -Then, at last, bleakly, they stared down at the sprawling building that -had been Wassreck's workshop. - -But lights beat on the white walls. Guards paced the parapets. The -commissioner's own carrier thrust up in the courtyard. - -Frowning, Jarl Corvett crouched deep in the shadows. Tension crawled -his spine like a leather-footed _palau_. His own black thoughts pressed -relentlessly in upon him: _Is this where it ends, warrior? Is this the -place, here under the Federation's dazzling Forspark lights on a tiny -astroidal speck that men call Vesta?_ - -Beside him, the darkness rustled. Scales brushed his arm. One-armed -Jovian Ungo's hoarse whisper echoed over-loud in his ear: "Give it up, -Jarl! Wassreck's gone, and they're ready. It's hopeless!" - -"It was hopeless before," Jarl Corvett said tightly. "It was hopeless -at Horla. But Wassreck came for me." - -The Jovian's scaly hand gripped his shoulder in the darkness. "I know, -Jarl. You're loyal. But this time--" - -"Could you face Sais without trying? Could you tell her you'd left him?" - -Ungo grunted, half-sullen. "Will it help if you're killed, too? Will it -make her feel better?" He cursed in his own tongue. "Me, I still like -living. I'm not ready to die yet." - -Jarl threw off the Jovian's arm. His words slashed, raw and savage, in -spite of his efforts: "You can leave if you want to! I ask no man to -risk his neck against his will!" - -Dimly, against the sky, he could see Ungo's head sink down between the -great, horny shoulders. "Don't gall me, you _chitza_! I go where you -go! I always will!" - -Jarl clenched his fists. He thought: _Yes, Ungo will always go where -you go, Jarl Corvett. He proved that when he left one arm on Pluto for -you. That's what's wrong with loyalty. It traps you, tears you two -ways. Because whichever road you take, good men, good friends, must -die._ - -And Sais would be waiting.... - - * * * * * - -He cursed aloud and crawled forward, away from big Ungo, digging in -knees and elbows with savage force, taking out his fury on the rocky -ground. - -Ahead, just outside the blazing lake of light around the building, the -air-vent loomed. Wriggling to it, he jerked out his knife and pried at -the grilled lid's seal. - -But then, once again, Ungo was beside him. "Here, let me at it, Jarl!" -Heedless of danger, the Jovian surged to full height. His talon fingers -splayed through the grill. The broad back, the mighty shoulders, -strained and heaved. - -There was a thin _spang!_ of metal parting. The lid tore free. - -Jarl gripped his comrade's arm. "Ungo...." - -"Forget it, Jarl. I understand. Our job is down below." - -A tightness came to Jarl Corvett's throat. Wordless, he swung his legs -over the edge of the vent, lowered himself to full arm's length, and -let go. - -It was a six-foot drop into blackness so ebon that it made the outer -night almost seem bright. Twisting, he crawled a few feet along the -horizontal conduit that ran from shaft to building. - -Ungo's gruntings drifted down as he wedged his great body through the -hole. Then, with a thud, the Jovian, too, had landed. The other five -followed, one by one. - -"This way!" Jarl whispered. "The tube leads straight to the blower -room." - -Ghost-silent, they crept through the murk for what seemed miles. Fine -dust rose about them in a choking haze, and there was an acrid stink of -tanaline and _jeol_. Tiny _bulaks_ chattered their fright, scampering -from the raiders' path. The suction of the Banx unit at the tunnel's -other end tugged at hair and tunics in a gusty, whistling gale. - -Then, feeling ahead, Jarl touched a screen. He halted; half-turned. -"We've made it. We're inside." Twisting, he ran his hand over the -tube's side wall till he found the cleaning hatch. His searching -fingers touched the bolt. He worked it round. - -The hatch swung open on creaking hinges. Knife in hand, Jarl slid out -into the blower room, with its looming bulk of Banx unit transmuters -and converters and compressors. - -A dim rectangle on the right marked the ramp to the floor above. - -Cat-footed, flat to the wall, Jarl moved up the incline, the raiders at -his heels. - -A faint scuff of sound whispered in the stillness. Ahead, out of a -cross-corridor, a Martian _fala_ in the blue tunic of a Federation -guard moved into view. - -Jarl froze, not daring to breathe. - -The guard crossed the ramp, not pausing, and went on down the corridor -out of sight. The shuffle of his steps faded and died. - -Jarl slid forward again till he reached the passage, then halted. -Taut-nerved, he waited, listening. - -Voices came dimly. Jarl lowered himself to the floor. Ever so -cautiously, he peered around the corner. - - * * * * * - -Far down the hall, the guard stood chatting with one of his fellows. A -moment later, breaking off, he turned and started back towards the ramp -again. - -Jarl drew back. Rising, he wiped the sweat from the palm of his knife -hand, then crouched waiting. - -The sound of the _fala's_ footsteps drifted to him, closer and closer. - -Jarl sucked in air. - -The scuffing echoed through the silence. The guard stepped out onto the -ramp. - -Jarl leaped forward--catching the _fala's_ chin from behind, jerking -back the ugly head, slashing at the throat. - -The guard's cry died in bubbling purple blood. He wrenched -spasmodically, hands and feet threshing; then went limp. - -Jarl dragged him backward--out of the corridor, down the ramp. -Breathing hard, he lowered the sagging corpse to the floor. - -Ungo touched his arm, gestured questioningly. - -Jarl whispered: "The living quarters are upstairs. They'll have her -there." - -The Jovian nodded, not speaking. - -Again Jarl dropped flat and wormed forward, searching the corridor. - -No one was in sight. - -Surging to his feet, he swung right down the hall to the next ramp, his -crewmen behind him. Swift, silent, he raced to the second floor. - -There were no guards here--only echoing stillness and blank, closed -doors. - -The first room was empty. In the second snored a sleeping _dau_ captain -from the Federation fleet. - -Big Ungo whispered hoarsely, "This one's locked!" - -It was the door at the end ... the door to the room that had once been -Sais'. - -Jarl pressed against it. Sheathing his knife, he brought out a -light-gun and pressing its muzzle against the lock, squeezed the -trigger. - -The silent beam blazed forth. The lock's bolt fused and fell away. - -The raiders pushed into the room. - -A girl lay in the bed, asleep. Quick, tight-lipped, Jarl crossed to her -side. - -She was a vision of slim blonde loveliness, this woman. A golden vision -from a far-off world. As he looked at her, the thought flickered -through Jarl Corvett's mind: _She's almost as beautiful as Sais._ - -Dark Sais, _Ktar_ Wassreck's daughter.... - -Yet even while the girl slept, a deeper, darker mood seemed to shadow -her loveliness, as if she held some brooding secret locked within her. -Or perhaps it was only that a strain of clouded alien blood ran in her -veins, from her mother--blood of Titan, or Io, or Venus. - -"Is this her, Jarl?" big Ungo whispered. "Is she Ylana? Time's running -short...." - -Jarl shook off his mood. "Yes. She's the one, the commissioner's -daughter." He caught the girl's shoulder and jerked at it roughly, one -hand to her mouth, in case she should scream. - - * * * * * - -She came awake with a start, grey eyes flaring wide in sudden panic. -Her whole body convulsed as she saw the raiders. - -Jarl threw himself on her, bearing her down. Fiercely, he whispered, -"Quiet, if you wish to live!" - -Her struggles ceased. Lips pale, breasts heaving, she lay stiff and -unyielding. - -He said: "Relax, woman! We're not going to hurt you." - -Her lips moved on his palm. He raised his hand a fraction. - -"Who are you?" Her voice shook. "What do you want here?" - -"They call me Jarl Corvett." - -The girl clutched her throat. "Jarl Corvett, the raider? The ally of -Wassreck--?" - -Jarl smiled at her thinly. "Ally, friend, comrade, brother. That's why -I've come here. I needed a hostage." - -"A hostage--?" - -"For Wassreck. He's a prisoner. You'll buy his freedom." - -The grey eyes distended. The girl breathed fast and shallow, ripe lips -half-parted. "You madman--!" she whispered. - -Jarl Corvett laughed harshly, and there was ice and fire in it. "Some -say so. But Wassreck saved me at Horla. Tonight I've come here to pay -back what I owe him." - -"Jarl!" Ungo broke in, raw-voiced and urgent. "Quick! Hurry! They will -find that dead guard any minute!" - -"Yes." Jarl raised up. He spoke again to the girl--bleak, cold, -rock-steady: "You're coming, Ylana. As to how--you do the choosing. But -even if we have to tie you and gag you and carry you, you're coming!" - -The girl's grey eyes probed his. Color came to her lips; they no -longer trembled. "You mean--you really believe you can storm in here -and take me? That your handful of raiders can fight through the -cordon--?" - -"Freemen have done more." - -"Freemen--?" Ylana's laugh was tight, bitter. "What do you and your -outlaws know about freedom? To you, it means nothing but freedom to -murder, to plunder!" - -Her words stung like gas-hail slashing down upon Pluto. Jarl felt his -breath quicken. "Who are you, to talk of the outlaw worlds and their -plunder?" he lashed back at her fiercely. "What of your father's own -fleet; your thrice-cursed Federation?" - -The girl blazed. "The Federation brings order!" - -"And what is your order but another name for plunder--the great -planets' power to take what they choose from the lesser?" Jarl choked -on his anger. "To you, I'm a pirate, because men like me sweep the void -in our own raider ships to keep our people from starving. What else -can we do, living on these barren rocks in the Belt, charred fragments -of worlds that should never have been colonized? But your father--with -no right on his side but the Federation fleet's might, he's named high -commissioner--sent out to tear even our bleak asteroids from us by -conquest--" - -"Jarl--!" burst out Ungo. - -"I'm coming!" Jarl towered over Ylana. "Get ready!" - - * * * * * - -The girl sat up in her bed. Her fists gripped the covers. "I warn you, -Jarl Corvett: You'll curse the day that you took me--" - -"Because of your father?" Jarl laughed, short and curt. "I'll still -chance it." - -"No." The girl's grey eyes seethed, dark and dangerous. "Because of me, -Ylana _rey_ Gundre! Because I'll see you and your men die in torment, a -thousand times worse than the flame-death at Horla--" - -"I'll chance that, too." Jarl jerked back the covers. - -Wordless, disdainful, the girl tossed her head. The golden hair -rippled. Rising, she took a gown from a chair and pulled it about her -slim, perfect figure. - -"That's better." Jarl turned to Ungo. "We'll go down through the -workshop. There's less chance there to trap us." - -In hair-triggered silence, they moved back through the hallway, the -girl boxed among them. A different ramp yawned. The door at its foot -let them into the workshop, the place of the robots. - -Wassreck's robots. - -A name to conjure with, _Ktar_ Wassreck. Master of robots, master of -raiders. The brain of a genius in a pain-shriveled body. A mind that -had fathomed the key to the star-stones; courage to strike even through -Oyo's flame-death, staking his soul for Jarl Corvett at Horla. - -And here were his robots--towering metal monsters, set shoulder to -shoulder. He dreamed of them, lived for them. More even than dark Sais, -they were his children. - -_Children of a nightmare_, Jarl thought as he led the way past them. -Bleakly, he wondered why Wassreck had made them--what dark, twisted -drive had spurred their creation. - -They came to a door. Jarl faced his raiders. "The hallway's outside. -The third ramp to the left leads down to the blowers." - -He turned to the girl, the commissioner's slim daughter. "Stay with me, -Ylana. And forget about running or screaming." - -She moved closer, not speaking. The grey eyes were unfathomable. - -He stepped into the passage, the girl close behind him. The crewmen -followed. - -Then, as they came abreast the second ramp, he heard voices--a harsh, -angry crackle that rose louder each second. - -Jarl stopped in his tracks and spun round to the crewmen. "Quick! up -the ramp--!" - -Gripping Ylana's wrist, he half-dragged her with him. - -Barely in time, they crowded into the entry. Down the hall, by the -blowers, someone cursed loudly. More footsteps pounded. Metal banged -metal. - -Big Ungo burst out, "It's that guard, Jarl. They've found him--!" He -clutched at his blaster--head down, geared for battle. - -Now new steps hurried towards them, from the way they had come. - -Jarl whipped out his light-gun. "We're not done! The commissioner's -carrier is out in the courtyard. We'll blast our way to it!" - -"Which way--?" - -"Back up this ramp! We'll drop from a window!" - - * * * * * - -They sped up the incline to the second level, then down the corridor. -But before they could reach a room that opened on the inner court, -tumult broke out on this upper floor also. Guards shouted. There was a -beat of feet; the clamor of men rushing towards them. - -Jarl leaped for a doorway. "In here--on the double!" - -His men crowded past him. Shoving Ylana before him, Jarl followed. -Inside, he half-closed the door. - -Like statues, they waited. The hurrying guard squad came closer. - -Jarl gripped Ylana tight, her slim body hard against him. He cupped his -hand over her mouth. The golden hair brushed his cheek. He could feel -her heart pounding. - -The first of the blue-uniformed Federation fighters ran past the -half-open door. - -Jarl poised his light-gun. - -In the same instant, lance-sharp pain stabbed through the hand he held -over Ylana's mouth. - -He jerked back by instinct--and knew of a sudden even as he did it that -the girl had bitten him. - -But his flinching left Ylana's mouth clear for an instant. She -screamed, shrill and piercing. - -Jarl cursed. He tried to throw her aside. - -But she clutched his belt, clinging. Snatching his razor-edged knife -from its sheath, she slashed at him. - -He rocked backward, off balance. - -The girl twisted. He glimpsed her face--teeth bared, features -strain-straut. Back-handed, she lashed at his temple with the -knife-haft, her full strength behind it. - -It struck home as the first guards burst through the doorway.... - - - - - CHAPTER II - - -Twin blue-and-silver Federation banners marked the place of the high -commissioner of all the asteroids. - -His table stood at the far end of the vast room that had been _Ktar_ -Wassreck's workshop. Other tables radiated out in a great arc from -it--tables crowded with officers of the Federation fleet. Heavy-thewed -Uranian _daus_ sat side by side with slim reptilian _Pervods_. -Transmi of Venus, all ear-stalks and sucking tubes, faced rubbery, -flat-featured Europans. Creatures of half-a-hundred divergent races, -hybrids and mutants, they gathered here from all the far-flung planets -of the Federation. Their rising voices clashed in strange cacophony -through the tinkle of cutlery and crystal, thrown back in a din of -ringing echoes from the giant metal robots that still lined the walls. - -Straightening in spite of the weight of his shackles, shrugging off -the hands of the guards who flanked him, Jarl Corvett met the seething -hostility of their glances with stiff-necked defiance. But underneath, -questions nagged him: _Why am I here? Who ordered me brought to this -banquet?_ - -But here he stood. That was what counted. Boldly, he surveyed the -room ... stared unflinching across at the commissioner. - -A handsome man, Commissioner _rey_ Gundre. Heavy-bodied and aging, in -these later days. But still personable, still a figure to catch the -eye, even slack-faced and slouched in his seat as now. - -He was a man of Earth, plainly, with all the strengths and weaknesses -and surging conflicts that went with that heritage. The sunburst -insignia of his rank stood out against the deep blue of his impeccably -tailored uniform. The white blaze that accented the darkness of his -hair only made him the more striking. - -His aide sat at his left hand, Ylana at his right. - -Ylana the golden, daughter of the high commissioner himself. - -And Jarl Corvett's nemesis. - -Even looking at her here, Jarl could feel the muscles at the hinges of -his jaws draw tight. - -Tonight she sat slim and graceful at the banquet table in a scarlet -stylon gown. Her blonde hair swept up in a soft golden nimbus like that -of Tal Neeni, sea goddess of Callisto. The red lips were smiling, the -grey eyes asparkle. - -Yet even when she laughed, some dark inner mood seemed to shadow her -beauty, even as it had last night while she lay asleep. - -That shadow.... Was it alien blood, or a secret? Again Jarl caught -himself wondering. He thought: _I should hate her!_ And in the same -moment: _Even Sais is no lovelier_.... - -Cursing himself for a fool and a weakling, he tore his eyes from her -and studied the aide. - -He was _Malya_, this officer; _Malya_ and warrior. His dark rough-hewn -face stayed emotionless, immobile. But the black _Malya_ eyes ranged -ceaselessly--bleak and watchful, never still. Ruthlessness was in them, -and recklessness ... a spirit that seemed to mock Jarl Corvett and deny -the blue Federation tunic that the dark aide wore. - - * * * * * - -Bitterly, Jarl looked down at his shackles. He thought of the _Malyas_ -among his own crewmen; the wild, free-born raiders. - -How long would it be before they, too, wore the blue of the Federation? - -Or before they died.... - -Now the commissioner stirred. Chin sunk on chest, he mumbled something -to his rock-faced lieutenant. - -The lean aide nodded briefly. Twisting in his seat, he pounded on -the banquet table--first with his fist; then the butt of his heavy -Talistan ray-gun. - -The sound rose even above the tumult and raucous voices, echoing and -re-echoing through the great room that till short days before had been -Wassreck's clandestine robotics laboratory. - -Slowly, the noise and voices died away. Chairs scraped. Heads turned. -Eyes of _Fantay_ and of _fala_, Mercurian and Martian, _Chonya_, -Thorian, _Pervod_, searched out the table where the aide and the high -commissioner sat. - -Not quite steadily, then, the commissioner rose, a brimming _kabat_ -goblet in his hand. His eyes had the glassy shine of bright new -mirrors, and his tunic was rumpled, twisted awry. - -Swaying a little, the commissioner slapped loose-fingered at the -blouse, as if to brush away the wrinkles. _Kabat_ slopped from the -goblet and spilled over his hand. Blinking, he looked down at the -spreading green stain. A foolish grin flickered fleetingly on his face. - -Ylana leaned towards him; spoke sharply. - -The commissioner's head twitched. He straightened, and his shoulders -snapped back to a too-stiff 'attention'. Jerkily, he raised his glass. - -"A toast to our host, officers!" he cried in a drink-thickened voice. -"A toast to _Ktar_ Wassreck--may he rot in hell!" - -Leaden silence came down on the room like a curtain. Furtive glances -flicked out to the towering robots, shoulder to shoulder, that lined -the walls. - -It made Jarl Corvett smile a little, the way the officers hung back. -Did some recall H'sana? Were others on Pallas? Free or captive, _Ktar_ -Wassreck still put cold fear in them! - -_Ktar_ Wassreck: Outlaw, scientist, scholar. Wassreck at Horla--gnome -head tilted, eyes burning, laughing in the face of death. Wassreck ... -and Sais.... - -Spasmodically, Jarl's fists clenched. His bruised head throbbed dully. - -"To our host!" the commissioner cried again, lurching forward. "To -Wassreck--" - -The spell broke. The officers surged to their feet. Their shouts rang -through the clamor: "To Wassreck--" - -"--May he rot in hell!" - -They drank it down. - -Fury swirled up in Jarl Corvett, hot and all consuming. - -Swaying, face flushed, the commissioner clutched a decanter. He spilled -more _kabat_ into his goblet. "Now--one for Corvett! A toast to Jarl -Corvett--" - - * * * * * - -He broke off as Ylana tugged at his tunic. Lines of angry tension -slashed the smooth loveliness of her face. Her lips moved, wrapping -round curt syllables. - -Her father laughed drunkenly. He turned towards the doorway where -guards and raider stood, and his hand swept up in a clumsy broadside -gesture. "Drag him out!" he shouted. "Flush the _chitza_ out of his -hole!" - -The two Mercurians who flanked Jarl closed in. One clutched his arm. - -Jarl's fury seethed higher. In spite of his shackles, he jerked free of -the Mercurian's taloned hand. He felt cold arrogance ring in his voice: -"No one drags Jarl Corvett! I'll walk alone!" - -For the fraction of a second the guards stood hesitant, lobed eyes -clouded beneath their nictitating lids. - -Jarl swung his arms back sharply. The chains of his shackles whispered, -link on link, like a flexing metal knout. - -The Mercurians' eyes fell. Contemptuous, ignoring them, Jarl turned -away. Head high, back unbending, he strode towards the table of the -high commissioner. - -The Earthman smirked at him, still swaying. - -Recklessness sang a death-song in Jarl Corvett's veins. - -"Hail, coward!" he cried fiercely, and swept the crowd with a scathing -glance. "Is this the best your Federation fleet can offer--scum so low -that they draw their sport from taunting prisoners? _Huroks_ so green -with fear that you must bring me here in bonds?" - -An angry babble rose from the tables, and the commissioner's -_kabat_-heavy lids drooped lower. But his lips twisted in the mirthless -semblance of a smile. - -"Do you rate yourself so high that you think I'd waste time on you, -_starbo_?" He laughed, deep in his throat. "No, brigand! You're here -against my will!" - -"Against your will--?" - -"Yes. You're here to face another--one whom even I cannot deny, after -what you've done." - -Wordless, narrow-eyed, Jarl studied him for a moment. "Then who--?" - -"Who would it be?" This time the commissioner's laugh was sour and -savage. "Can you not guess, _yanat_?" And then: "My daughter, Ylana." - -"Your daughter--!" Jarl pivoted to Ylana. - -"Yes!" The girl came to her feet as he turned, grey eyes blazing. Her -words burst forth in a scalding flood. "Did you think I spoke empty -words when I swore last night that you'd live to curse the day you -tried to seize me? Did you take my promise for a hollow threat--?" - -She broke off; swept round the table, a furious vision in gold and -scarlet. Her hand flicked up in a tight, peremptory gesture. "Atak! -Seize him--!" - -The commissioner's rock-faced _Malya_ aide closed in on Jarl, moving -round behind him. - -Ylana raised a shaking fist. "On your knees, _stabat_!" - - * * * * * - -A numb incredulousness crept through Jarl Corvett. But he stood the -straighter. "I kneel for no man--nor for woman!" - -A savage kick in the back of the knees caught him from behind in the -same instant. His legs buckled. He spilled forward, asprawl on the -floor. - -"A whip--!" cried Ylana, face white with passion. "A whip for this -raider dog they call Jarl Corvett!" - -One of the Mercurian guards sprang forward, jerking off his heavy, -_stanal_-buckled belt. "Here, _Shi_ Ylana! The plate will cut deep!" - -The girl snatched it from him. Her face contorted. - -"No, Ylana--!" It was her father, the _kabat_-haze fading from his -eyes. "Would you drag yourself down to the level of this _chitza_, here -before officers of the fleet--?" - -The girl turned on him as a _quirst_ turns on its pursuers. "Who talks -of dragging down, and of the fleet?" she lashed fiercely. "Do you dare -to speak--you, with your plots and schemes, your secret meetings--?" - -The high commissioner flushed to the hair. "Ylana! Silence!" - -"Was it you this _starbo_ and his scum dragged out of bed last night? -Was it you who screamed and called the guard when they sought to flee -in your own carrier?" - -Her father's jaws went stiff and set. His clenched fists bore down upon -the table. But he broke before Ylana's eyes; said nothing more. - -The girl turned her back on him. Furiously, she challenged Jarl: "You -were brave enough last night, when you dealt only with a helpless -woman! But how is your courage now, bold raider? How does force taste, -when another hand holds the lash?" - -Her shoulders twisted. Gripping the Mercurian's belt by the tongue, she -slashed out with the heavy _stanal_ clasp. - -Jarl rocked back. The buckle sang past his face, so close he could feel -its breath. - -But now, again, the _Malya's_ foot caught him from behind. It knocked -him forward on his shackled hands, off balance. - -Before he could recover, the belt whipped down again. The buckle tore -at his cheek. He rocked with pain. - -"Is it different, this time, raider?" Ylana shrieked. "Are you ready to -sing another song?" - -Tight-jawed, stiff-backed, Jarl met her gaze. He did not speak. - -The girl's red lips peeled back. "I asked you a question, dog!" she -cried. "I want an answer!" - -She slashed out with the belt again. The buckle seared his jaw and neck. - -"Answer me!" - -Wordless, Jarl swayed. - -The buckle ripped at his forehead. Blood gushed down into his eyes. - -"Answer me--!" - -Jarl lurched forward, clutching for her. But she darted back, out of -his reach. The stylon gown rustled. The buckle tore a path along his -scalp. The room blurred and swam before his eyes. Desperately, he tried -to cover his face with his shackled hands. But the tangled chains were -too short. He could only double forward, face to the floor. - - * * * * * - -The buckle struck behind his right ear with stunning force, a fiery -knife stabbing through a red haze of pain. - -"Wait, Ylana--!" It was Atak the _Malya's_ voice, drifting dimly to -Jarl as from afar. "Those blows to the head--he cannot last--" - -"Then drag him up! Tear off his tunic! Bear his back, so that I can see -the red blood run!" - -Hands clawed at Jarl's clothes. He felt his tunic rip away. The aide -dragged him up; twisted him about. - -"Hold him there, Atak! Hold him tight!" came Ylana's cry. - -The buckle seared Jarl's back--once, twice, a dozen times. - -"Speak, _starbo_! Beg for mercy as you made me beg--!" - -[Illustration: Jarl fought against showing pain as the girl brought the -belt down on his back.] - -Jarl cursed her with a raw, pain-surging hate; cursed her with all the -black epithets of a raider and the warrior worlds. - -"Still stubborn, _chitza_--?" Wild hysteria was in Ylana's voice. The -buckle bit in again. - -Atak's hoarse whisper rasped in his ear: "You fool, give up! The -woman's mad! Even a raider should know that there's a time to crawl!" - -Jarl clenched his teeth. - -The girl cried, "You see, Atak? He loves the lash--!" - -She struck again. - -The commissioner's voice slashed harshly, the fog of drink long gone: -"Ylana! You'll kill him--!" - -"You--!" The girl's contempt was a writhing, burning thing. "Where were -you last night, you _kabat_-soaked sot? You, with your talk of duty, -your fat-puffed pomp--" - -Her father's voice went clipped and tight. "Enough, woman! Raider or -not, this man's my prisoner. Tomorrow I'll ship him on to the Venus -headquarters. He'll die in the _slan_-chambers there; not by your -hand." The room echoed with the flat slap of his palm cracking down on -the banquet table. "Atak! Get his tunic! Send him to his cell." - -"Yes, Excellency...." The _Malya_ let go Jarl Corvett's arms. - -Blinking the blood from his eyes, the raider stood swaying. Still numb, -still not quite believing, he stared at golden Ylana, in her scarlet -stylon gown. - -Now, her hair hung down, no longer nimbus. Her lips were pale, and her -breasts rose and fell too fast. Madness gleamed in her dark-circled -eyes. - -She snatched the tunic from Atak. "Here! Let me...." Whirling, she ran -to Jarl and thrust the wadded garment into his shackled hands. "Brave -raider--!" - -She spat full in his face. - -The _Malya_ aide caught her arm and jerked her back. "If you were not -_rey_ Gundre's daughter--" He cursed under his breath. "Get out! You -disgrace us!" - -Gripping Jarl's arm, he led him from the hall. "I cannot expect your -pardon, Jarl Corvett. It would be too much to ask from any raider, any -man. But in their day, my ancestors roved the void...." - -His voice trailed off. Turning to the guards, he said, "Take him to -his cell. I'll see that one of the fleet _ktars_ comes on down." - - * * * * * - -Weak, tottering, Jarl let them lead him back to the old, thick-walled -wing they had given over to the prisoners. He had not even the strength -to curse when the guard, a Martian _fala_ with all his race's fiendish -love of cruelty, tripped him skillfully, so that he sprawled on his -face as he crossed the threshold to the room that was his cell. - -The door clanged shut on the Martian's ghoulish laugh. Sick with pain, -Jarl dragged himself up and crawled to the bunk. Belly-down, he sagged -onto the springless frame. - -How long he lay there he never knew. It was all he could do to breathe, -to be. The room about him was a reeling, distorted world of mists and -feverish dreams. - -Then, at last, that, too, passed. Wearily, he pulled himself upright -and shook out his wadded tunic. - -Metal clanged on the floor. - -Jarl stiffened in spite of his wounds. Swiftly, he bent and felt -beneath the bunk. - -His hand touched metal. It was a knife ... a keen, long-bladed telonium -fighting _skrii_. - -For a long, long moment he sat in silence, gripping its heavy haft. -Then, in the darkness, he slowly smiled. - -A _Malya_ was still a _Malya_, whether he wore the Federation's -uniform or not. - -Tomorrow they'd ship him to the Venus headquarters, the -_slan_-chambers, death. - -But this was tonight, the darkest hour, and he had a knife, and the -high commissioner's carrier still stood in the court outside.... - - - - - CHAPTER III - - -The fleet-bell was tolling the nineteenth hour before the _ktar_ came -down. - -Lying in the darkness, waiting for him, Jarl battled in stubborn -silence against the pain. He found himself giving heed to a thousand -little things--the roughness of the pollard-weave against his lacerated -cheek ... a prowling _peffok's_ distant cry. Faint, pervasive scents of -doloid dust, of must and _jeol_, pressed in upon him. He savored the -raw taste of blood in his mouth ... the saltiness of sweat when he ran -his tongue along his lips. Once, dimly, he caught the harsh rasp of -Ungo's voice, drifting to him from some other room. - -Ungo of Jupiter, Big Ungo the loyal. He'd come here, protesting, on a -fool's mad mission. And now.... - -A flood of black doubt welled up in Jarl Corvett--doubt of himself, his -world, his cause. Would his dreams end here, in this dreary cell? Would -morning find him lancing out through space on his way to Venus and the -_slan_-chambers? - -And ... would Wassreck die? - -Writhing, fists clenched, he tried to drive the vision of the burning -eyes, the pain-racked body, from his brain. - -But the image, the dark thoughts, would not go away. - -Because Wassreck was on Venus already. Wassreck had no hope, save in -him, Jarl Corvett.... - -An incoherent, protestful sound rose in his throat. Spasmodically, he -gripped the bunk's chill metal frame; twisted as if to rend it, tear it -apart. - -The effort made his tortured muscles shriek with pain. His ears -rang. The room rocked wildly. He gasped and sagged forward, plunging -down through green-and-purple depths of icy fire into a bottomless, -slowly-eddying pool. - -Then the pool resolved. Of a sudden he was looking into Sais' dark -eyes. She was smiling at him, a tender smile, and her fingers were cool -against his cheek, her soft lips welcoming his. - -But a misty barrier rose between them ... a barrier of heart and mind -that seared like a white-hot iron: _How can I face her? What can I say, -if her father dies?_ - -He cried aloud, a hoarse, choked cry, and Sais' face vanished. Once -more, the room closed in upon him. Again he lay straining on the -bunk--tasting the blood, drinking in the stink of doloid dust and -_jeol_. - -Sais, and Wassreck. Wassreck, and Sais. - -He wondered if he'd ever see either of them again. - -Somewhere outside, a vague new stir of movement broke the stillness. - -Jarl stiffened. For a moment he grasped the knife. Then, relaxing, -after a moment's hesitation, he slid the sleek blade out of sight -beneath his leg. - -The sounds drew nearer; finally paused outside his cell. A blur of -muffled, grumbling words seeped through the door. The bolt clicked back. - -It was the _ktar_, a dead-white, four-armed _kroy_ of Ganymede. -Flicking on the light, adjusting the vocodor translator, the creature -brushed smoothly into the room. Behind him, the _fala_ guard lounged -idly back against the jamb, thumbs hooked in belt. - - * * * * * - -Jarl shifted, then lay still again, not speaking. He was thankful to -Atak--thankful the _Malya_ had sent a Ganymedan _ktar_. Few were more -talented or highly skilled or kind. - -The _ktar_ crossed to him and set down the globe that held the -impedimenta of the healing craft. "How is it, raider?" - -Jarl grunted and lifted his shoulders a fraction in a shrug. - -The _ktar_ probed the cuts that gashed Jarl's back with deft, sure, -pseudopodal fingers. "Nasty. That thrice-cursed _stanal_ buckle bit -deep." Swiftly, he cleaned the wounds and applied the healing gel. - -Jarl winced and clenched his teeth. - -"Up, now," the _ktar_ commanded. "Let me at your face." - -Stiffly, Jarl twisted. Keeping the precious knife covered with his -buttocks, he swung his legs to the floor and sat up. - -The _ktar_ worked on in silence for a time. Then, at last, he -straightened. "That does it." He laughed--wry, almost bitter. "By the -time you get to Venus, you'll be in the best shape to die." - -Picking up the globe, he pivoted and, with the peculiar floating motion -of his kind, moved towards the door. - -Jarl gripped the haft of the telonium _skrii_. Tension came alive in -him, hot and quivering. Rising from the bunk, he followed the _kroy_, -holding the knife out of sight behind him. "I thank you, _ktar_...." He -dared say no more for fear his voice might betray him. - -The Ganymedan muttered something incoherent and passed out into the -hall. The _fala_ guard, in turn, planted a many-jointed arm appendage -hard against Jarl's chest and roughly shoved him back. His mottled -throat-sac quivered. "No farther, _chitza_!" - -Wordless, Jarl swayed. He made a show of cringing. - -The _fala_ laughed harshly. His bulging eyes flicked to the hall -outside. Turning, he gripped the door-handle and started to pull the -portal shut. - -Jarl leaped at him like a pouncing _zanth_, stabbing for the -throat-sac with the keen-edged _skrii_ blade. - -The point bit in, even as the Martian tried to throw up a warding arm. -What might have been a shout came out as a rush of blood and bubbling -air. - -The _fala_ tottered, coughing out his life. Down the corridor, the -Ganymedan whirled. - -Jarl snatched the ray-gun from the toppling guard's holster. His voice -rasped, low-keyed and tense: "Don't make me kill you, _ktar_! I want -only freedom, not your life!" - -The _kroy's_ eyes flicked down to the leveled gun. He stopped -short--stiff, silent. - -"Back here!" Jarl clipped. "Back in my cell...." - -Wordless, dead-white face a chalky mask, the _kroy_ slithered past him. - -"Take him with you!" Jarl gestured to the fallen _fala_ guard. - -The _ktar_ bent. His pseudopods locked onto the dead Martian's -shoulders. He dragged the corpse out of the corridor, into the cell. - -Jarl swept up the wave-pencil key from where it had fallen as the -_fala_ died. Tight-drawn as a Uranian _tal_-string, gun still lined on -the Ganymedan's neuro-plexus, he jerked the cell door shut and slid the -wave-pencil into its slot beside the lock. - - * * * * * - -The bolt clicked home. A fierce excitement flared within Jarl. Heart -pounding, heedless of the fatigue and pain that racked him, he spun -about and ran, half-reeling, down the hall. - -He wondered how much time he had. - -Or if he had any. - -Wassreck and Sais.... He gripped the ray-gun tighter. - -The first three doors he passed stood open. - -The fourth was closed and locked. - -Jarl slid the wave-pencil into the slot. - -The bolt snapped back. Shoving open the door, he strained his eyes, -searching the darkness of the room. - -A thick, familiar voice snarled sleepily from a bunk. - -"Ungo--!" - -The great, horny shoulders heaved up. The misshapen head lurched into -view. "Jarl--!" It was a half gasp, half sob. "Jarl, I thought they'd -done for you--that you'd gone under--!" - -Jarl reeled against the Jovian, clutching the mighty arm. "Quiet! -They'll be after us any second!" - -He could feel Ungo's muscles swell. "Let them--!" - -Jarl laughed in spite of his tension, his pain. "Not yet, Ungo. Not -till the job is done!" He pivoted. "Come on!" - -The Jovian's head sank down between the bulging shoulders. His eyes -gleamed. "The tube again--the way we came--?" - -Jarl paused at the door. "No." He peered up and down the corridor. - -"Then what--?" - -"The commissioner's carrier. It's still in the court outside. We'll -grab it as soon as I get back." Jarl started forward. - -Ungo caught his wrist. "Jarl...." - -"What--?" - -"There may be something you don't know...." - -Jarl came around sharply. "Speak up! Time's short!" Once more, the -tension was climbing in him. - -Ungo fumbled: "The guards--they talked a little. They say the reason -_rey_ Gundre went all-out on this raid was for a weapon, more than -Wassreck." - -Jarl felt the cords along his neck draw tighter. "A weapon--?" - -"Some new thing Wassreck worked out. A beam that focuses energy drawn -from cosmic dust." The Jovian's voice sank lower. His head thrust -forward. "Jarl, they claim it'll blast a ship right out of space, at -almost any range. They've got it geared and mounted now." - -Jarl braced himself against the door. It dawned on him that his palm -was slick with sweat against the ray-gun's butt. The little things came -back to him--the tastes, the smells, the sounds. Again he peered up and -down the empty hall. - -A weapon that focussed the power that lay in cosmic dust--? Even to -talk of it was sheer madness! - -Yet Wassreck had made madness come to life so many times.... - -Involuntarily, Jarl Corvett shivered. - -"If it's true, they'll blast us down before we even get the carrier -to our ship," said Ungo. He scrubbed his scaly hand along his hip. "We -wouldn't have a chance...." - - * * * * * - -Jarl bit down hard. With savage effort, he forced himself to think; to -shake off the bleak despair that kept rising in him, ever higher. "What -chance could we have if we went back through the tube, the air-vent?" - -"We could maybe hide...." - -"On Vesta--?" Jarl laughed aloud. "They'd find us as easily as in our -cells!" He broke off. The laughter went out of him, replaced by an -urgency even more feverish than that which had gone before. "No, Ungo! -It means we've got to run! We'd have to even if we could find a place -to hide!" - -"But why, Jarl--?" The big Jovian scowled and fumbled. - -"A weapon like that, and you ask why?" Jarl cursed in harsh, bitter -syllables. "What about the others--the outlaw worlds? What will it mean -when the Federation fleet sweeps down on H'sana?--on Ceresta?" - -It was Ungo's turn to curse. Jarl shoved the wave-pencil into his hand. -"Here! Break out the men! And hurry!" - -"But you--" - -Jarl laughed. Of a sudden, once again, recklessness was boiling in him. -"We came here on a mission!" - -"Not the woman--!" - -"She'll still make _rey_ Gundre hold his fire! She'll still buy -Wassreck free!" - -Ungo twisted. His bulk loomed rock-rigid, bigger than ever. "You can't. -Jarl! I won't let you! You are sick--crazy--" - -The fire of recklessness in Jarl glowed brighter. "Tell me that -tomorrow, Ungo!" he clipped through clenched teeth. "You may convince -me--after the commissioner's ordered his men to shoot us down with that -hell-cat aboard!" - -Ungo's breath came faster. "Then let me go, Jarl! Let me get her--!" - -Jarl brought the ray-gun up, stone-steady. "We may both die on Vesta, -Ungo. That's enough for me to have resting on my conscience." - -"But Jarl--" - -"I'll shoot if I have to, Ungo." - -Their eyes locked, and for a long moment they stood statue-like, -unmoving. Then, half-sullenly, the Jovian stepped aside. "I'll be -waiting, Jarl. Whatever happens, I'll be waiting." - -Jarl did not answer. Of a sudden there were no words for him to say to -Ungo. Ray-gun in hand, he ran down the hall, picking his way through -the maze of ramps and corridors. - -He thought: _It would have been better if Wassreck had let me die on -Horla._ - -Then, at last, he reached Ylana's room. It came to him as a shock when -there was no guard. - -Silently, he opened the door; stepped swiftly in, gun up and ready. - -The bed, the room, were empty. - - * * * * * - -In a sort of frenzy, he ran through the rest of the suite; jerked open -the neutron-bath and closets. - -But the girl was gone. - -He spun about, for a wild moment ready to race on through the rambling -building, searching further. - -But that was madness, and in his heart he knew it. Not even a clue as -to Ylana's whereabouts had been left behind. He might hunt for hours to -no avail. - -And time was running short ... the seconds ticking by. - -Jarl sagged back numbly. The fire went out of him. A dinning echo -drummed within his brain. _I've failed ... I've failed ... I've -failed...._ - -Wassreck had gone through Horla's holocaust for nothing. Sais would -weep and turn away. - -As for Ceresta. - -But there was still Ungo to think of ... Ungo, and the five dauntless, -swaggering raider crewmen who'd come here with him. He owed it to them -at least to try to get away. - -Leaden-footed, he stumbled back through the maze of halls and ramps -again. - -Then he was back in the corridor of the cells. Ungo lumbered up beside -him, eyes alight with a lust for battle. "Jarl! We knocked us off a -guard station--!" - -The five crewmen crowded around--grinning wolfishly, displaying -weapons. - -Jarl said dully, "Ungo, she was gone." - -The Jovian shrugged his massive shoulders. "It goes that way -sometimes." And then: "We can't wait, Jarl. The far sky's getting grey -already." - -"All right." - -"We've found a gate to the court...." - -"Let's go, then." Woodenly, Jarl walked with them to the heavy door and -peered through a crevice into the courtyard. - -The personal carrier of _rey_ Gundre, high commissioner of all the -asteroids, rose stark and sleek, a shining silver lance against the -darkness of the sky. Blue-uniformed Federation guards patrolled in -pairs or stood their posts around it, weapons dully gleaming. - -The sight of the ship, the fighters, somehow lifted Jarl. Of a sudden -he knew that now, of all times, he needed a foe that he could see and -strike. - -He clipped curt orders: "We'll come out fast and trust to shock to get -us through. The first man aboard grabs the controls. The last racks -shut the hatch. Blast as soon as the bell rings!" - -The raiders drew close, weapons ready. Jarl cut through the bolt on the -door. - -"Now?" whispered Ungo. - -"Now!" - - * * * * * - -Ungo's bulk struck the gate with a splintering crash. The raiders -charged for the ship like ravening _zanths_ that race to reach their -prey. - -Knife ready, ray-gun ablaze, Jarl Corvett leaped forward in his -crewmen's van. - -Guards spun about. Desperately, the nearest tried to form to meet the -rush. - -Jarl drove the knife deep into a _Pervod's_ breast; blasted a _dau_ -back with his ray-gun's full charge. The fierce joy of conflict leaped -in him. As from afar, he heard the shouts of his men as they lunged -into the fray. - -The guards' ranks wavered. - -But now those from beyond the carrier were rushing to their aid. Steel -clashed on steel. A great bulbous-bodied Thorian hurtled down on Jarl. -Its tentacles wrapped round him, crushing him. - -Savagely, he slashed at the leathery body; blasted with the ray-gun, -straight into the repulsive face. - -The Thorian's tentacles fell away. Jarl glimpsed Big Ungo, smashed down -a _dau_ with a blow of his one mighty arm. There was a smell of blood -and burnt flesh; wild screams of rage and fear and anguish. - -"To the ship--!" Jarl shouted. He hacked his way up the blood-slippery -ramp; clutched Ungo's belt and half-dragged the Jovian aboard. - -The last of the raiders scrambled in behind them. The hatch clanged -shut. The ready bell leaped to jangling life. - -There was a sudden roar of auxiliary gravicomps. The gyro-indicators -jiggled and swayed in their mountings. Men lurched awkwardly, caught -momentarily off balance in the crushing force of too-fast acceleration. - -Then stability returned. The carrier speared upward, out from Vesta, -into the spark-spangled, glittering murk of the boundless astroidal -night. - -Jarl turned, seeking out the crewmen, and a sudden sickness gripped -him. There were only three now: three and Big Ungo. - -But the dead were dead, and they had gone as raiders go. Bleakly, he -made his way to the viziscreen and turned it on. Spinning the dials, -he drew a cross on the specific black emptiness where his ship had -been scheduled to pick them up. His fingers shook a little, and his -earlier, darker mood came back to nag him. _We're overdue, a day behind -already. What if they've given us up and gone? What if a fleet patrol -has flushed them out?_ - -Grimly, he calculated the carrier's chances of making Ceres on her -own ... such slim, slim chances.... - -Only then, as he manipulated the dials, a great, shark-like bulk loomed -on the viziscreen. At his elbow, Ungo thrust out a quivering talon and -cried, "It's her, Jarl! The _Ghost_! She's still waiting!" - -Stiff-fingered, Jarl adjusted the focus. The familiar outlines of the -raider ship sharpened. Silent, space-drive off, she drifted shadow-like -through the asteroids like some strange, cylindrical metal world. - - * * * * * - -Jarl let out his breath, all at once acutely conscious of the strain -that frayed at him. He was suddenly tottering weak, his belly sick and -twisting. - -Still beside him, Ungo studied him with worried eyes. "Look, Jarl: -You're done. Lay down before you fall down." - -Jarl braced his arm against the cabinet of the viziscreen. "How can I -rest?" he mumbled, and knew himself that he was mumbling. "Even if we -make it, what happens to the raider fleet--and to Ceresta? This new -weapon...." - -"Can you help more if you're dead?" the Jovian badgered. "Will things -be better if you fall over?" He gripped Jarl's arm. "Come on! I'm -putting you to bed, whether you want to go or not!" - -Numbly, Jarl let himself be led into the commissioner's own tiny -private cabin. Wordless, he sagged onto the bunk. - -Ungo backed out again and closed the door. - -Flat on his back in the pulsing stillness, Jarl closed his eyes. - -But sleep would not come. His brain was a screen, alive with a vivid, -ever-shifting kaleidoscope of form and color. Again and again, his -mind flicked back to Sais and Wassreck ... to the raider fleet, the -wild rovers and fighting men he knew so well ... to Ceresta's teeming -streets, and the cold, bleak beauty of the hills and plains of Pallas. - -And to Ylana. - -Shifting, he opened his eyes and stared up at the dully gleaming -ceiling. - -Where had the girl gone? Why had she not been in her room? - -Above all, what strange lust had led her to flay him as she had, before -the highest officers of her father's fleet? - -Jarl frowned and rubbed his aching forehead. The girl's willingness to -bring down upon herself the shame of beating a shackled prisoner was a -hard thing to explain. - -Could it be that she indeed had alien blood--a strain from some -sadistic barbarian breed? Narrow-eyed, he tried to recall her face -more clearly ... the shadow that hung over her slim blonde loveliness. -Or--he frowned again--perhaps that shadow truly hid a secret--the -secret of a twisted mind set in beauty's body, irrevocably warping over -into madness. - -He moved to a more comfortable position, still staring up at the blank -inscrutability of the metal ceiling. A play of light and shadow caught -his eye. Idly, he followed its shiftings--first slow, then suddenly -abrupt, then slow again. - -Little by little, an uneasiness crept over him. New tension began to -crawl in his midriff. - -He loosened his belt and pulled the wrinkles from his tunic; moved -from side to side. - -But the uneasiness grew. He could not make it go away. - -Biting his lip, he lay back, still searching for the cause. - -Overhead, the shadows on the ceiling slowly began to shift again. - -It came to him, then: He was lying motionless, allegedly alone in this -cramped room--_yet the shadows were moving_! - -There could be only one answer: Someone else shared these quarters with -him. - - * * * * * - -The hair on the back of his neck crawled. Grimly, he wondered what the -odds on his life would be if it turned out that some _Pervod_ guard had -been trapped here when the carrier took off. - -Twisting in the bed, he let his hand fall across the haft of his knife. - -The shadows overhead flexed a fraction. - -Ever so slowly, ever so carefully, he turned his head, looking sidewise -down at the floor. - -A heel was drawing out of sight beneath the bunk. - -Jarl gripped the knife. Silently, he twisted still further, till he was -in position to strike. - -Only then did he speak--coldly, with all the menace he could muster: -"Come out--or I'll kill you!" - -The whisper of a quick-drawn breath broke through the stillness, then -died again in utter silence. - -Jarl poised; drew back his knife. "All right, then, curse you--!" - -Clothing rustled. A voice choked, "Wait, Jarl Corvett--! I'm coming...." - -A strangely familiar voice.... - -Again there was the rustling. A head moved into view from beneath the -bunk, already turning ... a woman's head, crowned with a nimbus of -golden hair. - -It was Ylana. - - - - - CHAPTER IV - - -A dragging eternity of silence echoed in the tiny cabin. Jarl's -knife-hand fell. He groped for words that would not come. - -Coolly, the girl slid out from under the bunk and, supplely graceful, -rose to her feet. Ignoring Jarl, she straightened the sleekly-styled -blue Federation tunic that accented rather than concealed the smooth -curves of her slim young body. When she looked up, her grey eyes were -mocking, half-disdainful. "What, raider? Have you never seen a woman, -that you must stare so at me?" - -"You--? A woman?" Jarl spat. "Your own sex would disown you! You're -more mad _ban_ than human!" He clenched his fist. "By H'sana's virgins. -I should kill you!" - -Ylana tossed her head--uncringing, defiant. The golden hair rippled. -"Is that your raider's way, then? To kill the one who gives you life?" - -"Who gives me life--?" Jarl cursed. He touched his lacerated face. -"You've given me scars only!" - -"Is your beauty such that wounds will mar it?" The girl's lips twisted -scornfully. "I thought you'd find my _skrii_ worth a few cuts, a little -pain, if it would buy you back your freedom." - -"The _skrii_--? The knife?" Jarl choked. "You mean--it was you who gave -it, not the _Malya_--?" - -"Who else?" she shrugged, and her contempt bit like the telonium -blade's own razor edge. "Did you think I'd shame myself, beating a -prisoner before my father's men, without reason?" - -Jarl rocked. "But why--?" - -Once more, Ylana's slim shoulders lifted. She smoothed her hair, with -elaborate deliberation. "You were too closely guarded for me to reach -you in your cell. But it came to me that if I made a show of hate, I -could trick my father into bringing you to the great hall so I could -confront you before all, at the banquet. The beating--it was the only -way I could devise to pass the _skrii_ on to you." - -Jarl studied her. But her eyes were clear, her smooth face guileless. -The shadow of a smile played about her mouth. - -He frowned and gestured helplessly. "Does not even a woman need some -reason....?" - -"I had a reason," she said, and of a sudden she was no longer smiling. -"I had so great a reason...." - -Abruptly, half-turning, she broke off. Her eyes left Jarl's, and he -saw that her hands had tightened to white-knuckled fists. Her breasts -rose and fell too fast beneath the tunic. - -He waited, not speaking. - -Still looking away, her voice the barest whisper, she said, "I learned -the truth at last, Jarl Corvett...." - -"The truth--?" - -"About freedom, and the Federation as a partnership of plunder. About -my father, and that renegade _chitza_ Wassreck." Her voice broke. Her -eyes came back; met Jarl's. "Raider, how can I tell you? Wassreck has -betrayed you!" - -"Betrayed me--?" Jarl went rigid. In two quick steps he was beside -her--gripping her chin; staring down into her eyes. "Not Wassreck--!" - -"Yes, Wassreck!" Her words came tumbling forth in a rush, raw and -defiant. "He was not captured, Jarl Corvett! He surrendered!" - -"You lie!" - -"No! Of his own free will, he sent a secret message to my father! He -had a new weapon, he said--a projector that would break your raiders' -power forever. He offered to give it to the Federation, if in exchange -they'd lift the brand of outlaw from him and award him a post of proper -honor." - - * * * * * - -New fury gripped Jarl Corvett. "You lie!" he lashed again. "You lie in -your teeth, you she-_quirst_! This is some sneaking scheme, a filthy -trick to match the one you played back there in the banquet hall--" - -"No, no...." The girl's voice choked with pain. Tears spilled down her -cheeks. "My jaw--you'll break it--" - -Jarl let go her chin. - -White patches from his gripping fingers marked her face. For an -instant, shame flooded through him. Yet, somehow, in the tension of the -moment, it only added to his fury. Savagely, he turned away and paced -the cabin. "Curse you, Ylana!" - -She looked away. The grey eyes were dull, her face deep-shadowed. "I -know, Jarl Corvett. You still hate me. You wonder why I should do this -thing--give you my _skrii_, tell you all I've told, hide here on my -father's carrier so that you would take me with you...." Her voice -broke. The tears coursed faster. "All my life, my father's talked of -duty. But now, with this new weapon in his grasp, he would keep it -secret till he can sweep the asteroids clean for the wealth that's -waiting to be seized. He talks of perquisites of office, claims it as -his due for his years of service...." - -Chill, narrow-eyed, Jarl weighed her words. "So, now, you'd turn -against him?" - -She hid her face. Her voice came muffled. "It was more than I could -stand, Jarl Corvett--that you should die for loyalty, while my father -loots the Belt, and Wassreck basks in honor. Now,"--she raised her -head, red lips aquiver--"now, at least, I've warned you. You can flee -somewhere--perhaps to the dark worlds beyond Pluto...." - -"Perhaps." - -"Perhaps--? What else is there for you to do?" - -Tight-jawed, Jarl slapped his hands against his hips. "I can still go -on to the outlaw worlds. My ship can still ramp at Ceresta." - -"Ceresta--?" The eager light faded from her face. She drew back, -staring. "But why, Jarl Corvett? Don't you understand what I've just -told you? The raider worlds are doomed!" - -"So you claim," Jarl nodded. "But Wassreck proved himself to me at -Horla. Do you think I'd forsake him now, on your word only?" Grimly, -again, he paced the tiny cabin. "No, golden Ylana! You--you're still -_rey_ Gundre's daughter!" - -Her hand came to her throat. "You mean--?" - -Rock-faced, he towered over her, fighting down all impulses to -gentleness, to mercy. "I mean that whether you tell the truth or not, -your father's still the high commissioner. How can I trust you?" - -He could see the pulse beat in her temple. "Then ... it means nothing -to you that I hid aboard the carrier, here, to warn you? I pledged my -life--" - -He nodded curtly. "Yes. You pledged your life. And now it's forfeit." -Turning on his heel, he strode to the door and flung it open. "Ungo!" - -The Jovian turned from the viziscreen. "What, Jarl?" - -"Come here! We've got our hostage!" - -"Our hostage--?" Big Ungo lumbered to the cabin's door, then stopped -short, gaping. "Jarl--! The woman--!" - -"Yes, the woman! Ylana, the commissioner's own daughter!" Even as he -said it, there was a sickness in Jarl Corvett. But he put false triumph -into his voice to cover the things he felt. "She came of her own free -will, old comrade, with a fool's wild tale that Wassreck had betrayed -us!" - - * * * * * - -The girl stood rigid. Her mouth, her throat, were working. Then -furiously, she stumbled forward and ran to him. Her fists beat a -drum-roll against his chest. "You _chitza_--!" Sobbing, she broke off; -turned to face Ungo and the staring crewmen. "A fool's tale, he calls -it! He'd go on to Ceresta!" She choked. "Must all of us die for this -one madman? I tell you, your sainted Wassreck has surrendered and given -the Federation his newest, most deadly weapon! I came to warn you, so -that you could flee to outer space--" - -Jarl caught her arm. Sharply, he twisted. "Enough, you she-_quirst_! -Even if you believe you tell the truth, you're more the fool to think -so!" - -Wincing, doubled with pain, she twisted. "What do you mean?" - -Jarl laughed, and the sound came out less mirth than anguish. "Did you -forget that Wassreck's own daughter, Sais, is at Ceresta? Would he cut -loose your father's Federation fleet, arm his deadliest foe with a new -weapon, knowing that Sais and the raiders would die together?" - -The girl's face paled. "No--! No, it can't be--" - -"It can't be, but it is. Sais came to me there, to beg me to try to -save her father!" - -Ylana swayed. Her lovely face was a mirror of shock. Helpless, -grey eyes tear-brimming, she twisted in mute appeal to the other -raiders. - -Ungo said: "It's true, woman. I was there with him." - -"But it can't be...." The words came out almost a whimper. - -Across the room, the viziscreen's communicator bell rang shrilly. - -Jarl let the girl's arm fall. Muscles stiff, belly tight with tension, -he strode to the screen and spun the dials swiftly to the cross shown -on the communicator unit. - -A room took form upon the screen, a bleak, bare, metal room where -blue-uniformed Federation crewmen moved to and fro. - -Ungo clipped: "The screen-room--! The screen-room of Gundre's own fleet -flagship, down on Vesta!" - -Mute, Jarl Corvett nodded; focussed. - - * * * * * - -Now a new figure appeared before the screen ... the iron-backed, -handsome figure of High Commissioner _rey_ Gundre. Deep lines etched -his lean face. His hair was mussed, his tunic-collar open. But he stood -erect, and his eyes were cold as Pluto's ice-things. - -His voice came, harsh and savage: "You _starbos_! If you've laid one -finger on my daughter, I swear by every god from here to Arcturus that -you'll die by inches!" - -A spark of quick admiration touched Jarl Corvett; and with it came -flooding a feeling that was almost pity. - -But he held his face cold, and twisted his lips in a mocking, mirthless -smile. "Brave talk, Commissioner!" And then: "You can have her back, -you know ... in exchange for _Ktar_ Wassreck!" - -_rey_ Gundre's mouth twisted. "You _chitza_! You know he's gone!" - -"Then get him back." - -"From the _slan_-chambers, the Venus headquarters?" _rey_ Gundre cursed. - -"From hell, if need be!" Jarl took a quick half-step forward; stood -with hands on hips, feet wide apart, in fierce, cold-eyed defiance. He -let his voice ring: "The choice is yours, Commissioner! How much do you -love her? Take your pick now! It's her, or _Ktar_ Wassreck!" - -The older man brought up a fist that shook with fury. His face worked -in a twitching spasm. "I'll blast you, Corvett! By the gods, I'll blast -you--!" - -"Blast, then," Jarl shrugged. "Blast, and be damned! But -remember--your daughter's with us!" - -Things happened to the other's face, then ... things that were not good -to see. The cheeks sagged, and the mouth went limp, and the eyes' fire -dulled to coals of pain. Of a sudden _rey_ Gundre was no longer the -high commissioner, but only a shriveled husk of a man all at once grown -old beyond his years. - -He swayed, then turned, as if he had forgotten Jarl and the raiders. -"Atak, what can I do--?" It was a plea, a supplication. - -His _Malya_ aide moved into view beside him on the screen. The dark, -rough-hewn face had the set of granite. "Corvett...." - -Jarl forgot his pity. Sudden needles of tension pricked at his neck. -"Yes." - -"Tell me, raider--have you heard of _Ktar_ Wassreck's new projector?" - -"Yes." - -"And that we've already set it up--that this moment it's geared for -action?" - -Woodenly, Jarl nodded. - -The _Malya's_ eyes grew black as the void. "Then know another thing. -Jarl Corvett! Know that we've plotted your course as you ranged off -from Vesta." - -Chill tendrils brushed Jarl's spine. But he held his face blank, -without emotion. "And so--?" - -"So you, too, have a choice to make, raider--the choice between coming -back, or trying to cross the void in a short-flight carrier." - - * * * * * - -Jarl shrugged and forced the thin vestige of a smile. "A good threat, -_Malya_. It might break me--if I believed it." - -"But you do not?" - -"No projector has the range to reach my ship from Vesta." - -"More power lies in cosmic dust than you can dream of, raider." Atak's -eyes were bleak, his dark face set in a mask of menace. "You've made -your choice, Corvett! Now set your cross for your own ship--and live -with the decision!" - -The viziscreen went blank. - -"Jarl ..." whispered Big Ungo. "Quick, Jarl, get a cross on the ship!" - -The crewmen's voices were muttered echoes. - -With an effort, Jarl kept his movements casual. Wordless, he spun the -dials. - -The _Ghost's_ looming bulk took form, drifting through the emptiness of -space. - -In the stillness, Atak's voice blared through the audio unit. "Are you -ready, raider? Are you watching?" - -Jarl cursed him. - -The _Malya_ laughed harshly. "I press a button...." - -Numb, stiff with tension, Jarl stared at the screen, hardly conscious -of the crewmen crowding round him. - -For a long moment, nothing happened. - -Then, before his very eyes, the _Ghost_ began to glow. - -It came slowly, at first--the faintest touch of pale phosphorescence. - -But with every heartbeat, it shone brighter. In seconds the hull was -weirdly agleam as with some strange, penetrating light. - -Then the ship rocked wildly. He could see the plates begin to buckle. - -"No--!" screamed a crewman. "No! My brother--!" - -Wallowing, the _Ghost_ flamed bright as a _thes_-wood torch. Proton -cannon streamed blazing, aimless death. The hull began to cave, then -burst asunder. Like an _eidel_-bomb exploding, it tore apart in -great, flaring sections that blasted out through space, beyond the -viziscreen's frame edges. - -Slowly, the weird light faded; died. The blackness of the void closed -in. - -Like men paralyzed, the raiders stared unspeaking into the awful -emptiness where short moments before the _Ghost_ had drifted. - -It came to Jarl Corvett that he was trembling. Numb-fingered, he -reached out and snapped off the viziscreen. - -The sound of the switch triggered loose the tension. At his elbow, -Ylana burst into hysterical, wildly-triumphant laughter. "You see--? -Will you believe me now, when I tell you what fate awaits you?" - -Pivoting, Jarl slapped her across the mouth with all his might. - -She crashed to the floor against the carrier's farthest wall; lay there -in a crumpled, moaning heap. - -The crewmen fell back a step, all eyes on Jarl. He could not read their -stony faces. - -"Jarl...." Ungo's voice was shaking. "Jarl, you saw it--?" - -The others' words were sullen echoes. - - * * * * * - -Jarl moved away from them a fraction, till his back was against the -viziscreen. He let his hand hang close to his ray-gun. - -He said: "We're wasting time. Even in this carrier, we still can make -Ceresta." - -They stared at him, all of them--Ungo, Ylana, the three hard-eyed -crewmen. Then, suddenly, a _Chonya_ blurted, "You're mad, Jarl! What -chance would we have against that projector?" - -"You can forget the projector." Jarl jerked his head in the direction -of Ylana. "As long as she's aboard, they won't dare use it." - -"But across the void...." The raiders exchanged fearful glances. - -"Would you rather die on Venus?" - -Big Ungo shifted. "But Ceresta, Jarl--it's too far to go. There are -other places nearer, safer." - -"And the raider fleet--?" In spite of himself, Jarl's voice was bitter. - -"The fleet--?" - -"How long do you think the Federation will wait to strike, now that -they've got this new projector?" Jarl laughed, harsh and curt. "By now, -the armorers will be fitting them into every ship. Tomorrow they'll be -blasting down on Ceres." - -He could see new fear come alive in the others' eyes. It put iron in -him. - -He lashed out: "Are your own necks all that you can think of? Does it -mean nothing to you that good friends will die and, with them, all -freedom?--That the outlaw worlds at last will be forced to bow their -necks to the yoke of the Federation?" - -The others' eyes fell. The raiders looked away and shifted. - -Jarl said: "That's one of the reasons why we're going to Ceresta. With -_rey_ Gundre's daughter there, the Federation fleet will hold off -striking." - -Big Ungo looked up, still half-sullen. "You said that was one reason. -What others are there?" - -A knot drew tight in Jarl Corvett's belly. "We came to Vesta to save -_Ktar_ Wassreck. Now they claim he has betrayed us." - -"But what--?" - -"Sais is at Ceresta." The knot drew tighter. "If it's true, if Wassreck -has gone over, then we'll need her for a hostage." - -Again the silence echoed. - -Then, suddenly, the _Chonya_ crewman cried, "To hell with that! You -don't give a _filan_ for Ceresta!" His voice went raw with angry -passion. "We know what you want! It's Sais you're after--not as a -hostage, but a woman!" - -Face contorted, he clawed for his blaster. - -Jarl whipped up his ray-gun--twisting, firing. - -The _Chonya_ crashed back, dead. - -Hate seethed in Jarl Corvett, a boiling, red-hazed murder-fury. He -shook in a spasm of unbridled passion. - -"You _chitzas_!" he shouted. "I'll kill you all--even you, Ungo--" - -The great Jovian's face twitched. But there was no fear in it. Bleakly, -he lumbered forward, towering. His deep voice rasped: "Kill ahead, -Jarl. Any time you want to." His massive shoulders seemed to draw -together. "I'm with you now, Jarl. I've always been. But I'll speak my -mind when I think I need to--to you, or the devil!" - -Jarl's tide of fury ebbed and died. The ray-gun dropped to his side, -and of a sudden he was shaking. "Ungo...." - -"I know, Jarl. It doesn't matter." Ungo's taloned hand was like a -steadying pillar. "Go ahead. Give your orders." - -Numb, sick, Jarl Corvett slowly straightened, and breathed deep. - -He said, "Our course is still Ceresta!" - - - - - CHAPTER V - - -Ceresta: Port Royal of the void; sprawling, anarchical capitol city of -the outlaw worlds. - -Here were burrows of Rhea's spider men, and _Pervod_ cones, and -_Fantay_ spires. Hive-like Mercurian domes rose amid the flat-roofed -dwellings of the _llorin_. Throbbing _Transmi_ drums beat out -their savage rhythm, echoing over voices that spoke in Pluto's -clacking accents and the reptilian sibilances of creatures from the -ammonia-and-methyl swamplands of Saturn and the Rings. There was the -acrid smell of Rogek gas and rocket fuel--and the stink of the bulbous, -grub-like _Mah'ham_ that fed on their own dead. Here a rover could -dine on t'krai of Callisto, or haggle over the price of one of -Neptune's fire-jewels ... or have his brains beaten out with a genuine -Torod mace. - -For this was a warrior's city, haven of the wild, blood-lusting raiders -who made the asteroid belt their home. Fighting men from half-a-hundred -satellites and planetoids and planets, they gathered here by their own -choice, drawn together in one vast cutthroat brotherhood of booty. Old -names, old fames, were left unmentioned. The hulls of the battered -ships that ramped in the vastness of the sprawling port bore no -Federation registration symbols. - -Now, in the shadowy dusk that characterized this strange, warped world -of Ceres, the carrier of High Commissioner _rey_ Gundre came limping -down. - -Jarl Corvett brought the craft in himself. - -He waited till the shadows verged on darkness, enough to hide the -carrier's insignia; then picked a spot far off from the tower, out -where the port bordered on the old native quarter, and let the ship -drop down her gravicomps dead like another, blacker shadow. - -The carrier rocked in to a silent landing. Rising from the control -seat, he strode to the hatch. - -But Big Ungo was already there before him--blaster on hip, massive -shoulders straining at the fabric of an appropriated Federation tunic. -"Jarl, you can't go alone...." - -Jarl Corvett smiled thinly. "I've got to, Ungo." - -"But there may be trouble...." The Jovian brought up his one hand in an -angry gesture. - -"I know. That's why you can't go. I need you here on board more than I -do with me." Jarl dropped his voice; jerked his head towards the cabin -where Ylana lay. "Stay with her, Ungo. We can't afford to lose her." - -"The men--" - -"Would you chance it? Would you trust that much to them?" - -For a moment their eyes clashed. But the questions held their own bleak -answers. Muttering, half-sullen, the big Jovian moved aside. - -Jarl said: "I'll be back, Ungo." Silently, he dropped out the hatch to -the ground and strode towards the dim lights that marked the ancient, -scabrous buildings which fringed the port. - -But every step was a coal for the dull fire of tension that burned -within him. Would he really be back? Would he ever see the carrier -again, or Ungo? - -Or Ylana.... - -He wondered. - - * * * * * - -The native quarter closed in about him, heavy with the stench of age -and rotting garbage. _Vocorn_ pipes wailed, thin and minor, and strange -eyes stared at him, luminous in the descending night. Once he stepped -shuddering into the protoplasmic slime of some primitive life-form -as it writhed its way across the mud-choked cobbles; once, through a -doorway, he glimpsed a snake-woman's sinuous dancing in the light of -flaring _thes_-wood torches. - -But he hurried on, still wrapped and trapped in his own dark thoughts. - -Again and again, in spite of him, his mind flashed back to Wassreck ... -_Ktar_ Wassreck, tortured genius, who'd come for him at Horla. - -Could betrayal find a haven in such a man? - -Jarl Corvett cursed aloud. It was beyond the believing. - -Yet if it were true.... - -A chill shook Jarl. Where did loyalty lie, in man or duty? - -Especially if that duty were only to a dream, the way of the raider.... - -He could find no answer. Savagely, he kicked a whimpering _bok_ from -his path and pushed on through the darkness. - -And Sais ... what of her? Would he find her waiting, or vanished? What -would she say? How could he tell her? - -Tight-jawed, head down, he hurried on the faster. - -Then, at last, he was striding out into the Place of the Raiders ... -crossing the open court to his own quarters. - -He tried the door. - -It was locked. Angrily, he beat on it with a heavy fist. - -A rustle of sound came from within. The door opened a crack. - -Belligerently, Jarl shoved inside. - -A hard object gouged his back. - -By sheer reflex, he tried to leap aside, to whirl. - -But rough hands seized him. A powerful arm jerked back his head, the -wrist-bone jammed so hard against his throat that he choked and gasped -for breath, his struggles unavailing. Close to his ear, a rough voice -rasped, "Give up, you zanat, or I'll break your neck!" - -Already the blackness was swimming with sparks and stars. Reeling, Jarl -called a halt to battle. - -"That's better!" the voice rasped. And then: "All right! We've got him! -Let's have some light!" - -The inner door opened. A yellow glare flooded the entryway. Staggering, -arms locked behind him, Jarl was dragged into the room beyond. - -Blinking, he stared into familiar faces ... the cold, hard-bitten -faces of the chieftains of the raider fleet--Toran the _Malya_ ... the -mongrel, Tas Karrel ... Bor Legat of Mercury ... half-a-dozen others. - -And there was another with them, not a warrior ... one whose dark, -proud, lovely face was pale beneath its color. - -Jarl choked, "Sais--! What have they done to you--?" - - * * * * * - -The woman who was _Ktar_ Wassreck's daughter pulled together the torn -bodice of her kirtle. A sudden flush replaced her pallor. "Ask them, -Jarl." The fine, dark eyes with which she swept the raider chiefs were -bitter, scornful. - -Jarl stood very still. Cold-eyed, seething, he looked from one captain -to another. - -He said tightly: "You know this woman. You know she's under my -protection. Who among you saw fit to lay hands on her, in my own -quarters?" And then, with special, deadly emphasis: "Who _dared_ to do -it?" - -But the chieftains' eyes threw back his fury. Their faces stayed hard, -bleak, impassive. - -"You _starbos_!" Jarl lashed. "Are you afraid to talk? Have you left -your tongues on Pluto?" - -The chiefs exchanged glances. Then, almost idly, Bor Legat moved -forward--Bor Legat of Mercury, Bor Legat the ruthless. His lean body's -shell-plates clacked in the stillness like tiny castinets. The basilisk -eyes were like diamonds. - -"Corvett," he said gently, "we're not afraid. Maybe this will convince -you." - -One arm appendage whipped up. The splayed, tentacular digits stung -Jarl's face like flicking lashes. - -Jarl rocked in a red haze of fury. "Bor Legat--" - -"I know. You'll kill me." Chill, casual, the Mercurian crossed to the -chart table and slouched down on one radial hip. The tentacular digits -wrapped around the proton grenade that served as a chart-weight and -swung it idly to and fro. - -To Jarl, the ticking seconds were like eons. The tension rising in the -room was almost a living thing. He waited, not speaking. - -At last Bor Legat raised the basilisk eyes to him. "Word travels fast, -Corvett. We know you've got _rey_ Gundre's daughter." - -Jarl stared. "That's why you're here--?" - -The Mercurian shrugged. "What else? And what better place to trap you -than your own quarters?" - -The other raiders nodded. - -"And Sais--?" Jarl queried tightly. - -"We needed her, to force your hand." - -Jarl shot a quick glance at the woman. She stood as before, straight -and proud, one hand to her bodice. Her dark eyes spoke unreadable -volumes. - -Bor Legat laughed softly. "She wants your help, Corvett. I hope that -she'll get it." - - * * * * * - -Jarl turned on him, voice raw and scalding. "Quit talking in riddles! -What is it you're after?" - -"You're not that stupid, Corvett." The Mercurian swung the proton -grenade a fraction faster. "We want the girl, of course; Gundre's -daughter, Ylana." - -"Why?" - -"To drive a bargain." The faintest hint of urgency crept into Legat's -tone. "We know why you stole her. You're out to save Wassreck." - -"And you--?" Jarl put scorn into his voice. - -"Death comes to all raiders. Why should a traitor's tale be different?" -The Mercurian lowered the grenade and leaned forward. "You can have it -straight, Corvett: _rey_ Gundre's made us an offer. If we give him you -and Ylana, he'll spare Ceresta." - -"And you believe him--?" Jarl laughed harshly. "No wonder you came -here! You're mad as a _ban_, Legat! How long do you think he'd hold to -his promise?" - -"Long enough," the Mercurian clipped curtly. He sat back once more. -Again, idly, he swung the grenade like a deadly oval pendulum. - -Jarl said: "Maybe there are some things you don't know--about Wassreck; -about his new projector--" - -"Yes; we've heard about it." A veil of craft and malice drew over the -basilisk eyes. "You see, we've got it, too, Corvett." - -Jarl started. "You've got it--?" - -"You heard me." Bor Legat's smile grew to a ghoulish grin, leering and -macabre. "Sais gave it to us." - -"Sais--!" Jarl swung sharply. - -The woman's ripe lips quivered. Once more her color deepened. "Yes, -Jarl. I knew the secret. I gave it to them." - -For a long, taut moment, Jarl studied her. But as before, the dark eyes -were unfathomable. - -He turned back to Bor Legat. "So what are your plans?" - -"You can guess them, can't you?" the Mercurian chuckled. "All we need -is time. You'll buy that for us--you, and the girl, Ylana. Then, when -the Federation fleet strikes through the Belt to blast us, we'll have a -surprise of our own all ready and waiting for them." - -"I see." Jarl nodded slowly, but his mind was racing. Then, pouring -savage scorn into his voice, he lashed out at the raiders: "Are you -utter fools, you _chitzas_? Do you rate _rey_ Gundre as a moonstruck -idiot?" He laughed, harsh and curt. "He'll strike, all right; but not -the way you expect, nor by the path you hope for! He'll know from the -start that you plan to trap him! His ships will break through before -you have the chance to trap them--" - - * * * * * - -He slashed on, in that vein; and as he talked he could see doubt flare -in the chieftains' eyes. Tas Karrel's glance wavered. Toran the _Malya_ -frowned and shifted. - -But Bor Legat the ruthless did not shift or waver. - -"We'll chance that," he clipped; and in spite of their doubts, the -others nodded. - -Jarl's jaw set hard. "Play it that way, then, if you can." He jerked -free of the hands that held him; hooked his thumbs in his belt in a -gesture of cold defiance. "_If_ you can...." - -Bor Legat's arm came down. The proton bomb swung loose at his side as -he leaned forward. "If--?" he queried, too gently. - -Jarl said: "You need two prisoners to keep your traitor bargain. You've -only got one." - -"You mean, you won't give up the girl." The Mercurian was almost -purring. "We counted on your being stubborn, Corvett. That's why we -held your lovely Sais a prisoner. With her to help, I think we can -convince you." - -With an effort, Jarl held his face immobile. He did not speak. - -Bor Legat said: "Torture means little to a man like you, Jarl Corvett. -I doubt that it would break you. But if you knew your silence would -doom this woman...." - -Sais cried: "No, Jarl--!" Before they could stop her, she was running -to him. She threw her arms around him. "Jarl, they're mad with fear of -my father's weapon! If you give _rey_ Gundre's daughter to them, they -will gamble the fate of the outlaw worlds on their bargain with him--!" - -For a moment Jarl held her to him. Her warmth, the softness of her -body, brought new strain, new tension. The fragrance of her dark hair -stabbed like a knife-blade. - -Slouched on the chart table, Bor Legat smiled and swung the proton -grenade. "Well, Corvett?" - -Again Jarl looked from one raider to another. But their hard faces -showed no trace of mercy, no hint of indecision. - -Bleakly, he turned back to Bor Legat. - -The Mercurian set the proton bomb down on the table with a thud. A grim -finality was in the gesture. - -"We've got three Earth days, Corvett," he said in a flat, hard voice. -"Three days to turn you over to _rey_ Gundre." And then: "It could seem -three thousand years to your lovely Sais, if you stay stubborn." - - * * * * * - -Once more, the seconds dragged like eons. Again Jarl looked to the -raider chiefs, the burly crewmen. - -A thought moiled in the far reaches of his brain: _If I could only -snatch a weapon...._ - -But even as it came, it died again. What good could any weapon do -against so many? Even if he killed Bor Legat, there'd be the others. - -The Mercurian said: "We're wasting time, Corvett. Give us Ylana--or -we'll get to work on your own woman." - -Sais choked, "Jarl, stand firm--! Let them have me; it doesn't -matter...." - -Her voice broke. Jarl held her tighter. Bitterly, he thought of -Wassreck, her father, and of Horla. - -What was loyalty now, when it made a man try to choose between Sais -and the thin-drawn chance that he might somehow save Ceresta? - -Of a sudden he felt as if he were being pulled apart by the conflicting -claims of love and loyalty, torn asunder under the impact of a dozen -different kinds of duty. - -The proton bomb on the table would rend a man less. - -The proton bomb.... - -Bor Legat straightened. He snapped to the crewmen, "Take the woman!" - -Never had the basilisk eyes held more deadly malice. - -"Jarl ..." whispered Sais. But her voice held only proud farewell; no -tears nor fears, no piteous entreaty. - -A raider gripped her shoulder. - -Jarl said, "Wait...." - -He spoke to Bor Legat, but his eyes were on the grenade that stood -beside the Mercurian on the table. A tremor of chill fascination -touched him as he stared at the safety pin, the firing lever. - -"A change of heart--?" Legat smiled his ghoulish smile. "For a moment, -there, I thought you'd let us have the woman." - -"No, Bor," Jarl Corvett said tightly, and in that moment a raider's -own wild recklessness was singing in him. "I've other plans for Sais -and you. If they work, she'll live, and so will I--and you, you scum, -there'll come a day when you'll have your chance to die by inches!" - -"What--?" Bor Legat came erect, as if he could not believe the words -he heard. - -Sais' eyes went wide. She tried to push back from Jarl. - -A raider crewman reached for his arm. - -"You heard me right," Jarl Corvett said. He let his shoulders slump and -made as if to turn away. Of a sudden his muscles were tense to aching. - -The crewman stretched to clutch him. - -But Jarl moved faster. Catching Sais about the waist, he flung her -bodily against the raider. Then, whirling, he lunged for the proton -bomb on the table. - -Bor Legat snatched for his pistol. - -But Jarl smashed an elbow into his middle. - - * * * * * - -The Mercurian retched and reeled. Before he could recover, Jarl drove -past him--clawing the grenade up from the table, jerking out the pin. - -"Corvett, no--!" shrieked a raider. Another whipped up a ray-gun. - -Jarl spun about. His hand ached with the strain of holding down the -spring of the bomb's curved firing lever. - -But fierce exhilaration surged within him. With a shout he swung the -grenade high above his head, where all could see. "Look, _chitzas_!" - -One and all, they froze in their tracks, eyes suddenly aglisten with -the glassy sheen of fear. Even Sais' dark, lovely face was all at once -a mirror of panic. - -"Shoot, curse you!" Jarl cried, and his voice rang with fierce triumph, -with exultation. "Shoot and be damned! Because if I die, I'll take you -with me!" - -Bor Legat choked, "Corvett--!" - -Jarl whirled upon him. "Yes, you _starbo_! Take me! But remember--if I -let go this firing lever, the spring completes the contact for me!" - -"No--!" croaked Legat, and his shell-like body plates were clacking. -"No, Corvett! That thing would blast us all to atoms!" - -Jarl said, "That's better." Coolly, he lowered the bomb and held it -cradled between his hands. "Sais...." - -"Yes, Jarl...." Quickly, supplely, she moved forward. - -"We're leaving now," Jarl clipped. And then, to the chieftains: "If you -want to live, don't try to follow." - -Hate hammered at him, a living thing--the hate of the wolf-pack that -sees its prey escaping. Fists clenched, and gun-hands quivered, and -eyes drew to murderous, icy diamonds. - -Jarl laughed aloud--scornful, contemptuous. The woman at his side, -looking neither to right nor left, he strode to and through the door; -closed it behind him. - -Sais' taut whisper cut through the darkness: "Jarl, they'll come after -us! They'll shoot at a distance--" - -Wordless, heart racing, he pushed her forward faster. She stumbled -across the final threshold, out into the night and the Place of the -Raiders. - -Jarl threw a quick glance back. Already, behind them, the door to the -inner room was opening. - -Cursing, he lobbed the proton grenade back over his shoulder; then -bolted after Sais. - -The night exploded into crashing chaos. A wall of force smashed Jarl -to the cobbles. Screams and shrieks slashed through dust and smoke and -falling debris. - -But he was outside, the wall between him and the blast. Scrambling to -his feet, he dragged Sais up. - -Together, they raced for the blackness of the native quarter.... - - - - - CHAPTER VI - - -They ran through the murk of Ceres' night till their lungs caught fire, -and their eyes rolled up, and their quaking legs could no longer hold -them. - -Then, at last, sobbing and panting, they fell in a heap in a -rubble-strewn alley, heedless of time or place or peril. - -But that passed, too. Slowly, the pain and weariness ebbed. Jarl's -strength flowed back. Once more, he was acutely conscious of the filth, -the smells, the slithering vermin. Somewhere afar, the _vocorn_ pipes -still were wailing. - -Sais twisted against him, her ripe body smooth as rippling velvet. -When he rested his palm on her hip, she gripped it fiercely in the -darkness. Her hand was hot; he could feel the movement of her quickened -breathing. - -The muscles in Jarl's belly drew tight. All at once--even here, even -now--he could think of nothing save this woman. His fingers trembled as -he smoothed her dark hair; touched her eyes, her lips. - -She moved closer, till the curve of her cheek lay against his shoulder. -The pressure of her body was a silent pledge, an invitation. - -Sais.... She was all passion, all woman. - -And all his. - -Or was she? - -The question came without his bidding. In spite of it. Yet once it had -come, it would not go away. - -He shifted. But it did no good. The spell of her was upon him, melded -of her woman's flesh and fragrance. - -She pressed closer. - -Rigid, he fought a silent battle ... and prayed that he would lose it. - -Why did he hang back? How could he doubt her? - -But in his heart he knew the answer to all his questions. - -This woman whose touch made his heart beat faster was more than merely -woman. She was Sais herself, _Ktar_ Wassreck's daughter. - -Once, that had been a bond between them. - -Now it rose like a cold stone wall, setting them apart. Because -now, in spite of himself, in spite of loyalty or duty, he doubted -Wassreck.... - -A _Pervod's_ drunken laugh drifted to Jarl, dull and muffled. The -faint, alluring scent of _mafrak_ reached his nostrils. - -Sais' fingers brushed his throat. - -He could stand the strain no longer. Twisting, he pushed her back. -"Sais...." Even in a whisper, his voice was raw and rasping. - -He could feel her body stiffen. "Yes, Jarl...?" - -How could he say it? What words could he find? - -He blurted: "They said on Vesta that your father had ... surrendered." - -For an instant her shoulders stayed tight and straining. Then, -incredibly, the tension left them. - -"Yes, Jarl." Her voice was the barest murmur. "They told it true. He -sent a secret message to _rey_ Gundre...." - - * * * * * - -A numbness crept through Jarl Corvett. He could hear his own heart -pounding in the stillness. "But why, Sais? Why? How could he do it--?" - -And her whisper came back: "You mean--you thought he had betrayed you?" - -The hurt in her voice twisted at Jarl Corvett. But he threw it off; -forced himself to press her further: "You ask--when for his own gain he -left you here, to die with the rest of us on Ceres?" - -He felt her body quiver, and it was like a knife-stab in his belly. - -But when she spoke, scorn edged her words: "You'd believe that, after -Horla?" - -"What can I believe--?" He broke off; lashed out: "If he didn't, tell -me! Why did he go? Why did he use you to bait me into a trap that -almost snared me?" - -A new tremor ran through Sais' smooth, perfect body. Of a sudden she -reached out and once more gripped his clenched fist in the darkness. -"Jarl, believe me...." - -"Believe you--?" - -"The trap was my fault, not his. He sent me a message that came too -late. You'd gone before I found it...." She choked. "Now I must tell -you all--" - -"All--?" - -"Yes, no matter what I promised." Sais broke off, still trembling; then -hurried on. "The projector ... it was a gamble...." - -Again she fumbled, halted. Jarl waited in taut silence. - -She said: "It draws its power from cosmic dust." - -"I know." - -"But that was only half my father's secret!" Sais' voice took on a -new raw edge. "Did you ever ask yourself how my father learned to -utilize that power, Jarl Corvett? Did you ever wonder why it was he who -mastered its principle, after the finest scientists of every planet had -striven for a thousand years and failed?" - -Jarl frowned in the darkness. "You mean--?" - -"I mean that it was not he who solved the problem!" Sais' nails bit -into his hand. Her voice lost its edge in an eager rush of words. -"Jarl, the secret came from another race--from a people who voyaged -across the void ... perhaps from even beyond the stars! Eons ago, they -lived and died. But one of their ships had crashed on Vesta. That was -why my father built his workshop there--so that he could better study -what little they'd left behind them. There was a book with metal pages; -he found it deep in the buried wreckage. From it, he worked out the -plans for this new projector." - - * * * * * - -It made Jarl's breath quicken, that picture--the picture of Wassreck, -twisted genius, digging through dead ruins in spite of a torture, -pain-racked body. The endless hours, the weary years, the lightning -mind and infinite patience--all were part of an old, familiar pattern. - -Wassreck's pattern. - -But it still was not enough to still the doubts that plagued him. With -an effort, he held his voice flat and clipped, emotionless. "So ... he -gave this master secret to _rey_ Gundre.... - -"He doomed the outlaw worlds. He left us to die here, at Ceresta." - -"No! He did not!" Bitter vehemence rang in her denial. "You fool, the -projector itself was nothing! He had to break through the Federation -fleet's blockade in order to reach Venus' orbit, and then Womar--" - -"Womar--!" Jarl went rigid. He strained his eyes to see the woman in -the darkness. - -"Yes, Womar, the satellite that hides behind the mother planet!" Sais -writhed upright. Again her words came fast and eager. "There was -another ship, Jarl Corvett--another craft built by that same ancient -master race somewhere across the void! If my father can find it, it -will mean the end of the Federation! It will buy the outlaw worlds -their freedom!" - -"But Womar..." Choking, Jarl came up beside her. His thin-stretched -mask of bleakness fell away. "Sais, it's madness!" - -"Because of the primitives, you mean? Because of the Federation ban, -the deserts--?" Sais laughed aloud, and there was scorn and fury in it. -"Yes, Jarl Corvett, it's utter madness! That's why my father went in -secret, leaving you behind to call him traitor! He wanted no other to -die with him on such a hopeless quest. So he sent his message to _rey_ -Gundre, wagered his own life on the one slim, desperate chance that he -could bring destruction to the Federation!" - -The fears, the doubts ... they all were dying. And as they died, a -gnawing sickness grew in Jarl Corvett. Of a sudden he was himself -traitor, betrayer, for his very doubting. - -"But why--?" he whispered. "Why did he go, Sais? What secret could be -greater than the one he gave to Gundre?" - -Sais laughed again, more softly. Once more, she came close to him, as -if unwilling, even here, to speak of this thing above a breathless -murmur. "The robots, Jarl; the robots!" - -He stared. "The robots--?" - -"Yes!" Now her voice shook with excitement. "Jarl, they were no idle -fancy, no toys brought to being out of an old man's dreams. They were -models of warriors--the great, inanimate metal warriors of that alien -race from beyond the stars. He built them from plans in the books he -found in the wrecked ship." - - * * * * * - -For Jarl, it was as if a curtain had suddenly been pulled aside. His -mind flashed back to Vesta, to Wassreck's workshop ... back to the -great hall's echoing vastness, and the towering metal monsters that, -shoulder to shoulder, lined its walls. - -Sais still was speaking: "He knew that the outlaw worlds were doomed, -Jarl. The Federation was too strong. The projector--it was only another -weapon. For victory, the raider fleet needed something more." - -Jarl did not speak. - -She said: "The metal warriors were to be that 'something more'. Not -models, such as he constructed, but giants, monsters--huge creatures, -indestructible, so mighty that they could break space-ships in their -hands." The woman's voice rose; took on a richer timbre. "Think of it, -Jarl Corvett! Think of an army of those awful warriors, each alone -strong enough to desolate a planet! What would power like that mean to -the outlaw worlds--?" - -She broke off, shaking. With an oath, Jarl pulled her to him; held her. - -"But he failed, Jarl...." Sais' words came dull and muffled. "He could -not give them life." - -"You mean--?" - -"The control was a mystery he could not master. The books told nothing -of its workings." - -"So now he would go to Womar...." - -"Yes. There was a chance, he thought, that he might find the secret -there, where the other alien ship had fallen. He had a theory that the -primitives themselves were decadent descendants of the master race." - -"But Womar...." Jarl's voice trailed off. He thought of the tales -he'd heard, the things he'd seen. Of Venus' hidden satellite and its -deserts. Of the Federation ban that made it death to land there. Of the -beings behind that ban, the primitives, still unconquered, with their -savagery and lust for blood and darkly rumored rites. - -Tremulous, close to him, Sais whispered, "He gambled his life, Jarl -Corvett. In secret, in order that he would not risk yours nor mine." - -In the distance, Jarl still could hear the wailing _vocorn_ pipes; the -shouts, the shrieks, the drunken laughter. A _thes_-wood torch was a -flaring pin-point in the blackness. He rolled the acrid taste of Rogek -gas about his tongue ... drank in the _Mah'ham's_ stench. - -Yes, this was Ceres, a Cerestan night, and he was here, with the warmth -and softness of dark Sais pressed against him. - -Yet another part of him was far away ... far, far away in time and -space and circumstance, armoring his quivering belly in a surface -plate of boldness as he strode out on Horla to face the agony of the -flame-death. - -And there was Wassreck, too, _Ktar_ Wassreck, with his burning eyes and -pain-racked body, blasting down through the holocaust to save him. - -Loyalty ... it was such a feeble, tenuous thing. - -Yet the bonds it forged were stronger than telonium or steel. - -Again he cursed, and pushed Sais back. Catching her hand, he turned and -led her, stumbling, through the darkness. - -"Jarl...." - -He clipped: "We're going to the space-port, _rey_ Gundre's carrier -waits for us there." - -"And then--?" - -"We blast for Womar." - -"Jarl--!" - -He strode on faster--hurrying, giving her no answer. There were too -many things to say ... too many words he could not utter. - - * * * * * - -They left the alley for another, broader. A _dau_ brushed past them -in the murk. Two bulbous Thorians parted, moving out of their way. -Curious, glowing eyes of _llorin_ watched them from an entryway. - -Then, around another turn, the buildings thinned. The odor of Rogek gas -and rocket fuel grew stronger. - -And, ahead, a shadowy group moved from one looming bulk of structure to -another. - -Jarl jerked Sais back into the blackness that rimmed a cone-like -_Pervod_ dwelling. - -"Jarl--" - -He clapped a hand across Sais' mouth. "Quiet! Bor Legat's men may still -be here before us!" - -Jarl felt a tremor run through her. Ghost-silent, he led the way along -the building; then, after a moment's pause, ran on swiftly to an -ancient _Fantay_ structure. - -The shadow-group ahead was breaking up spreading out in a thin black -line of menace. - -Tight-nerved, Jarl drew Sais to the right, parallel to the skirmish -line, along the crumbling _Fantay_ spire ... then on through the -burrow-like workings of spider men of Rhea, past flat-roofed habitat of -the _llorin_. - -They came out into another alley. - -But ahead, here, too, he caught a glimpse of motion, the hint of a -far-flung raider cordon. - -They tried again, by another alley--the one down which Jarl had come -when he left the carrier. He almost imagined he could make out the -ship's slim silver form far off in the vastness of the port, in spite -of the obscuring night. - -But again, between them and the sprawling ramping-place, stood sinister -figures. - -Jarl rested his shoulders against the wall of a rambling _fala_ hostel. -He felt old beyond belief; incredibly weary. His muscles ached with -tension. - -Sais touched his arm. "Jarl...." Her voice was a ragged whisper. - -He sucked in air. "Wait here a moment." - -Once more, in dead silence, he moved forward, skirting the pool of -greenish glow that marked the hostel's entry. Cat-footed, taut, he made -his way along the wall towards the port, the shadow-figures. - -Only then, without warning, a spear of light lanced through the -darkness. An energy-bolt splintered stone bare inches from his shoulder. - -He dived back by instinct; landed running. - -In the same instant a cry went up--the wild hunting-cry of Bor Legat's -raiders. - -Jarl caught Sais' hand and dashed for the corner of the building. - -From behind them came a pelting rush of feet, a babble of fierce, -life-thirsting voices. The night blazed with the fire of raider -weapons. - -Barely in time, they made the corner. Panting, they lunged on into the -maze of alleys. - -But then, ahead of them, rose other voices. New figures loomed; new -weapons flamed and echoed. - -Jarl catapulted Sais into an entryway. Savagely, he kicked at the -door's lock. - - * * * * * - -The door burst open. Beyond lay the blackness of an ebon sack, thick -enough to cut. The air that puffed out was stale and dead, heavy with a -musty smell of age, abandonment, disintegration. - -Jarl pushed inside and heeled the door shut. The clamor of the alley -faded. - -Breathing hard he groped through the room. Thick dust scuffed up -beneath his feet. Sais clung to his hand, fingers slick with icy sweat. -"Which way--?" She was half-sobbing. - -"Up!" Jarl clenched his teeth. "There's got to be a stair, a ladder!" - -They felt their way through another room. Another, and another. - -Then: "Jarl--! I've found it!" - -Jarl wheeled, moving to her. He touched the edge of worn stone steps. -"Come on!" - -They climbed through the murk, and Jarl thought of _quirsts_ and -_hwins_--a thousand deadly, crawling, nameless horrors. But there was -no other way, no faintest chance. Tight-jawed, he shoved his thoughts -back and stumbled higher. - -Three levels they climbed. Then the stone steps ended. Numb, rigid, -Jarl felt his way to an outer room. - -Stars shone faintly through a window. Sais still at his heels, he -crossed to the casement and looked out. - -Far below, the shouts and curses of Bor Legat's men still echoed. - -But Jarl paid them no heed. He had eyes only for the flat-topped -_llorin_ dwelling that crowded next to this structure in which he had -found temporary haven. - -The _llorin_-pile's roof rose to within short feet of the window. -Beyond it lay another; then a _Fantay_ spire.... - -Again he said, "Come on!" and levered open the window. - -New agitation gleamed in Sais' eyes, but she moved forward, wordless. - -Cat-like, Jarl dropped to the _llorin_ roof. After a moment's -hesitation, Sais followed. - -Silent, nerves raw with tension, they picked a path along the beams to -the next building and crossed to it. - -Here even the beams were rotten, sagging. Testing with his foot at each -step, Jarl led the way around the outer wall to the spire beyond. - -Even at its lowest point, the edge of the _Fantay_ peak was feet above -Jarl's head, across a yawning two-foot gap that plunged chasm-like to -the ground so far below. - -Bleakly, Jarl studied it; measured the distance with his eye. "Up, -Sais...." He lifted her; tottered precariously against the rim of -coping while, whole body atremble, she balanced on his broad shoulders. - -She whispered, "Jarl, I'll never make it...." Her words died in a -quavering sound of pure hysteria. - - * * * * * - -A trickle of sweat dripped from Jarl's chin. He dug his fingers into -her ankles till her blood spurted and ran down his nails. "You'll make -it...." - -"No, Jarl--! No! I can't--!" - -The sweat dripped faster. Jarl could feel Sais' terror. It crawled in -her voice and breath and body, quaked and quivered in the very air. - -But behind there was only the tender mercy of Bor Legat's raiders. - -Ahead, at least they had a faint, slim chance to reach the carrier. - -The carrier ... so near, and yet so far. - -Through clenched teeth, he said, "You'll make it--or I'll drop you down -the crack!" - -He tilted her forward. - -For an instant she hung there. He could hear a scream rising in her -throat. - -Jarl Corvett died a thousand deaths. - -Then out she swung, high over the chasm. Instinctively, her hands shot -out ... caught the _Fantay_ spire's low-dipping edge ... clung there.... - -He said tightly: "Pull yourself up! I'll help you!" Bracing himself, -straining every muscle, he lifted her higher ... higher ... till her -feet were at arm's length above his head. - -Panting, crying, she pulled herself half onto the spire. - -He let go her feet. - -She gasped in new panic. But her grip held firm. Twisting, -spasmodically, she swung her feet up and lay there, sobbing. - -Jarl's muscles went weak as water. - -But he did not dare to hesitate. Stiffly, he swung onto the knee-high -coping; crouched there. - -The chasm below drew his eyes like a magnet. He tore them away; forced -himself to look up, instead, to the spire. Sucking in air, he poised -himself, tensing. - -Sais stared down at him. Something close akin to horror was in her eyes. - -With all his might, Jarl leaped upward, outward, straining to reach the -other wall. - -One hand touched--and slipped. - -The other hooked round the edge of the stone ledge above. - -Sais clutched his free hand and tried to lift him. With a desperate -effort, he twisted and lunged again, hanging there in space. - -This time he got a grip on the ledge's inner edge. Sais tugged at his -tunic's collar. Gasping for breath, he levered himself higher, up onto -his elbows. A final surge carried him out of the chasm. - -Sais sank down beside him. For a long moment they lay there--both -panting, both shaking. - -But there was no time for weakness. Lurching to his feet, Jarl began -working his way around the rim. - - * * * * * - -They moved on to new buildings--one, two, half-a-dozen ... always -striving in the direction of the port. - -Then, at last, they reached a final, ramshackle structure only one -level high. - -Beyond it, the ramping-place stretched off through the flare-sparked -blackness of the night. - -Jarl peered down into the flanking alleys. But this time he could find -no shadow-cordon, no trace of Legat's raiders. - -Sais brushed against him. Once more, he caught the half-forgotten -fragrance of her hair. - -He pressed her hand. "It looks good, Sais. Legat never thought about -the roofs. His men are farther back in the quarter." - -"Then--?" - -"We'll chance it." - -Her lips touched his cheek. It was her only answer. - -Together, hand in hand, they slipped down a rickety outside ramp to the -ground. In silence, they made their way across the sprawling port's -scorched cinders. - -As they walked, Jarl felt the surface tension leave him. The heavy, -mixed smells of Rogek gas and rocket fuel were perfume in his nostrils. -His job was done, here at Ceresta. He'd rescued Sais and learned the -truth about _Ktar_ Wassreck. - -Now, he could almost laugh when he thought of Legat. - -But underneath, a stronger conflict plagued him. Because, again, it was -his destiny to go forth to battle ... to lead good men, good friends, -to die for the cause of the raider worlds, and loyalty. - -Frowning, he thought of Wassreck and of Womar ... the giant robots. Of -Ungo and Ylana. - -As for himself, how long could his luck hold? When, at long last, would -fate decide to down him? - -Shrugging, he veered his course in the direction of a massive marker -pylon. What did it matter, when he fell? As Legat had said, death came -to all raiders. - -For now, it was enough that he should carve his way and do his duty. - -Beside him, Sais asked, "How far is it, Jarl? I--I'm so tired." - -"Only a little way. Just beyond the pylon." He put his arm about her. - -"I'm glad...." She leaned upon him. - -Jarl veered again. They rounded the corner of the marker. - -"Where is it, Jarl?" Sais asked in a weary voice. And then: "Jarl! -What's the matter?" - -But Jarl hardly heard her. He stood stock-still, staring--unable to -move, unable to speak. - -"Jarl--!" - -He jerked free of the spell of shock; peered this way and that in a -frenzy of desperation. Once again, his heart was pounding. - -But the cindered ramping-place stayed bare and echoing and empty. - -Carrier and crew alike had vanished! - - - - - CHAPTER VII - - -Jarl picked Tas Karrel's ship, the _Knife_. Unswerving, Sais at his -side, he stalked up her ramp. - -A grim, slim, deadly craft, the _Knife_, black as the heart of her -mutant master. The fastest ship in all the raider fleet, with a killer -crew drawn from the scum of the whole wide solar system. - -The guard at the hatch was such a one--an Earthman, long fled from his -own home planet. Slouched at his post below the scarlet signal light, -thumb hooked in belt, he stared bleakly off across Ceresta's port and -puffed at a _chang_ cigarette of Venus. - -Jarl's footsteps echoed. The guard swung round. - -The next instant he was whipping up his blaster. The cigarette fell -from his lips, forgotten. "Jarl Corvett--!" - -Jarl laughed, a cold and mirthless laugh, and raised his empty hands. -"Put your blaster down. I've come to see Tas Karrel." - -"He's not aboard." The Earthman's blaster did not waver. - -"I know it. I'll wait." - -The guard's brow furrowed. For a moment he stood hesitating, wordless. - -Heedless of the menace in the cold blue eyes, Jarl brushed on past him. -Chill arrogance in his stance, he strode down the echoing corridor to -the crewmen's day-room. - -A knot of lounging raiders looked up as he entered, then snatched for -weapons. Again his name rang: "Jarl Corvett--!" "It's Corvett!" - -And again Jarl laughed his reckless laugh. "That's right. It's Corvett." - -A _Pervod_ pushed forward. Jarl recognized him as one of Tas Karrel's -chief lieutenants. - -The creature's chill reptilian eyes flicked from Jarl to Sais, then on -to the Earthman guard who had followed them in. "What brings these two -here? Where did they come from?" - -"How should I know?" the Earthman shrugged. "They say they want -Karrel--and I know he wants them." - -"Yes. They find it easier to come than to leave us." The _Pervod_ -laughed harshly and swung back to Jarl. "You, Corvett! We know you! -What do you want here?" - -Bleakly, Jarl met the reptilian's glare. Feet wide apart, hands on -hips, he stood straight and steady, surveying the crewmen who crowded -around him. - -"I want you!" he slashed harshly. - -"Me--?" He could see the lean _Pervod_ stiffen. - -Jarl let his voice ring. "Yes, you--and all of these others. The -_Knife_, too...." - -He grinned as he said it, and looked from one hard-bitten face to -another--measuring each raider, timing his pause to their grim, deadly -potential. He knew them so well, these outlaw crewmen. _Chonya_ and -_Malya_; _Pervod_ and Earthman; _dau_, _fala_, _Fantay_--they were one -with him. When his eyes met theirs, it was almost as if he could see -their restless minds working. - - * * * * * - -A silence built up in the echoing day-room. Before it could break, he -spoke again to them: - -"I need a ship!" he said boldly. "A fighting ship, fast enough to break -through the Federation's own cordon. And"--he paused--"that ship must -have a crew that fears neither man nor devil." - -The silence echoed louder. - -He said: "The _Knife_ is the fastest ship in the raider fleet--and a -crew that will raid with Tas Karrel would spit in _rey_ Gundre's own -eye!" - -Still, for a moment, the silence hung upon them. Then, slowly at first, -but rising, a ripple of wry, bleak laughter ran through the crowd. - -He knew that he had them, then. He leaned forward ... let his voice -drop to a confidential note. "What does a raider want most, my -comrades? Loot? _Kabat?_ Women--?" - -He grinned again, as he said 'women', and lifted a hand to dark Sais' -velvet shoulder. - -She twisted. The laughter rippled louder. - -Jarl planted his foot on a chair; rested elbow on knee. "Yes, we all -want them, my comrades. But"--he dropped his voice still lower--"so do -other men." - -The raiders crowded closer, craning and straining to hear him. - -"Then where's the difference, between us and those others--?" Abruptly, -he straightened and brought up his fist. He threw his words at them, -in a fierce, ringing challenge: "The difference--? I'll tell you, -comrades! It's not loot that we raid for, nor _kabat_, nor women; not -really! It's freedom we are after--the freedom to roam the void as -free men should, and to hell with the thrice-cursed tyrants of the -Federation!" - -Now the crewmen, too, shouted, in wild exultation. The din echoed and -deafened. - -"Are you with me--?" Jarl roared. - -But the _Pervod_ leaped forward. "You dogs! What of Karrel?" - -The shouting died down. Again all eyes came to Jarl Corvett. - -He held the smile on his face. "Yes. What of Tas Karrel?" - -The _Pervod's_ claws crept towards his gun-butt. The bony wings -whispered in the sudden stillness. - -Very softly, Jarl said, "There's the law of the raiders. A chieftain -must meet any man who dares challenge." And then: "You, _Pervod_! Will -you fight hand-to-hand for Tas Karrel?" - -The reptilian's eyes glinted. His claws touched the ray-gun. - -Scorn rang in Jarl's laugh. "I said hand-to-hand, by the law of the -raiders! I came here unarmed, to fight Karrel to the death for his -chiefship!" - -A low mutter rose from the crewmen. The _Pervod's_ eyes wavered. - -Jarl said: "Know my pledge, comrades! Not booty, but freedom! If you -blast with me, we may all die on Womar. If that doesn't suit you, kill -me now, before I meet Karrel!" - -The _Pervod_ lieutenant's eyes sought out the crewmen. They shifted, -not speaking. - -Jarl laughed without mirth. "You see, _chitza_--? They want -blood--mine, or Tas Karrel's!" - -The reptilian looked away--past Jarl, to the doorway. His claws were -atremble. - -Then, visibly, he stiffened. - -Jarl spun around. - - * * * * * - -Tas Karrel himself stood framed in the entry. His tiny, round, lidless -eyes flamed green murder. "You _starbo_--!" - -Tas Karrel, the mutant. Broad, tall, heavy-bodied. Hairy as a _dau_, -and with a _dau's_ bulging muscles. But his face was the blank, -hairless face of the _Fantay_ ... without nose, without cheekbones. - -"Welcome, Karrel!" Jarl laughed again, loud and reckless. "I'm claiming -the _Knife_ and your chiefship, by the law of the raiders!" - -"A fight to the death--?" The other's lipless gash-mouth twisted awry. -The green eyes were smouldering. "A pleasure, Jarl Corvett!" - -The huge mutant stripped off his tunic, his gun-belt. - -His _Pervod_ lieutenant cried, "Raiders! A death-ring!" - -The crewmen fell back, and linked arms, formed a circle. - -Knee-long arms swaying, their chief shambled forward. - -Jarl pushed Sais back. The circle parted to pass her. - -Karrel's mouth worked. "Jarl Corvett...." - -"Yes." - -"If you die, I claim the woman!" - -Jarl's heart pounded. "If I die, you can have her!" He did not dare -look at Sais. - -The mutant moved into the circle. His prehensile fingers flexed and -worked. His blank, grey-white face was a bleak mask of menace, the more -fearsome for its very lack of expression. - -Slowly, they moved around, ever facing--each searching for an opening, -seeking some hint of weakness. The tension climbed higher, in a -throbbing crescendo. - -Jarl could feel the sweat come to his palms. His pulses hammered. - -Then, suddenly, arms flailing, Tas Karrel sprang forward. - -Jarl leaped back; jarred against the _Pervod_ lieutenant. - -Karrel lunged again. Again, Jarl tried to leap aside. - -But a clawed _Pervod_ foot hooked out and tripped him. He sprawled on -the floor. - -In a flash, Tas Karrel was upon him. A bulging _dau_ arm bore down on -his windpipe. - -Writhing, Jarl tried to tear free. But the arm would not let him. The -prehensile fingers gouged at his eye-balls. - -He twisted; rocked back. Bit down on a finger. - -Karrel jerked. Jarl bit harder. Lunging, he bucked the mutant -forward ... hooked a hammering heel up and around, into the blank -_Fantay_ face. - -It was Karrel's turn to rock back. The hairy arm lifted. - -Jarl brought his chin forward, sucking air in great, choking gulps. He -drove a savage blow home below the other's rib-casing. - -Karrel tottered. Jarl broke clear; staggered upright. - -The mutant threw himself round; started to lunge up. - -Jarl kicked him in the face with all his might. - -Karrel's head snapped back. His hand clutched for Jarl's ankle. - - * * * * * - -Savagely, Jarl stomped down on the fingers. He smashed rights and lefts -to the grey-white mask face. A cut opened. Grey-green ooze spurted. - -Jarl kicked for the belly. - -An incoherent cry burst from the gash-mouth. The mutant threw himself -over, tumbling towards the edge of the circle. - -A hoarse murmur rose from the crewmen. Wolf-like, arms still linked, -they hunched forward. - -Jarl's arms dragged like anchors. His ears rang; his lungs burned. -Dimly, he glimpsed Sais' panic-straught face at the edge of the circle. -The sour stink of his own sweat rolled up in his nostrils. - -But he dared not hold back. If Karrel rose, he was finished. - -He dived in for the kill. - -But the mutant was twisting. His feet smashed at Jarl's breast-bone. - -Jarl crashed back, clear to the other side of the circle. - -Tas Karrel surged upright. "A knife--!" he roared harshly. - -The _Pervod_ flipped him a dagger. Swaying, he caught it ... lunged for -Jarl. - -It was over. Jarl knew it. There was nothing he could do now. - -Nothing but die. - -The frenzy of death alone brought him to his feet. He hurled himself at -the mutant. - -Tas Karrel swayed aside, green eyes burning. Jarl hurtled past him; -landed sobbing against the _Pervod_. - -The reptilian laughed shrilly. Letting go of the arms of the raiders -who flanked him, he caught Jarl ... shoved him back at Tas Karrel. - -Blindly, Jarl clutched the _Pervod's_ belt. His weight carried them -both to the circle's center. - -Cursing, Karrel slashed for him. - -Jarl wrenched to one side. The knife laid open the _Pervod's_ side. - -The reptilian screamed. His bony vestigial wings flailed. - -In the same instant, Jarl caught Karrel's knife-hand. With his last -ounce of strength, he wrenched it till the bones cracked. - -The knife fell. - -Jarl scooped it up. The _Pervod_ scrambled from his path. - -Tas Karrel stumbled backward. Fear flared in the green eyes. - -Teeth bared now, Jarl followed. - -The mutant sagged. Then, with a wild cry, hairy body shaking, he -whirled and threw himself over the linked arms of his crewmen, out of -the circle. In a mad dash, he lunged for the exit. - -"No--!" A raider whipped up his blaster. "Death to you, coward!" - -He fired. Tas Karrel sprawled on his face in the doorway. - -The circle broke into chaos. - -Jarl spun about, seeking the _Pervod_. - -The reptilian was backing away, slinking towards another door. - -"You _chitza_--!" - -The _Pervod_ stopped short. - -"Take your knife with you!" Jarl shouted. He drew back the blade. - -Face contorted, the Venusian clawed for his ray-gun. - - * * * * * - -Like lightning, Jarl hurled the dagger. It sank to the hilt in the -_Pervod's_ throat. Threshing in his death-throes, the creature spilled -forward. - -Jarl gripped a stanchion. "To your stations!" he shouted. "We're -blasting for Womar!" - -Order came from the chaos. Sub-chiefs bellowed commands. Crewmen boiled -out of the doorways. - -Sais ran to Jarl's side. Her white cheeks were tear-smudged, but she -smiled through her tears. - -There was a ringing of bells, a clanging of hatches. A _fala_ cried, -"All's ready!" - -"For Womar--!" Jarl echoed. - -A muffled roar cut him short. The room rocked with the shock of the -takeoff as the _Knife_ slashed its way up from the port, out from Ceres. - -Jarl threw one arm around Sais--more for support than from feeling. It -was all he could do to stand upright. - -She braced him. "You mean it--? We're going to Womar...?" All at once -her voice trembled. - -Shrugging, Jarl rested against her. "You heard my orders." - -"But ... what of Bor Legat ... _rey_ Gundre...?" - -"We'll face that when we meet it." With an effort, Jarl straightened. -"Now, I've got to rest." - -"Of course, Jarl...." She moved close beside him, helping him as he -limped to Tas Karrel's quarters. - -Then they came to the cabin, and she, too, would have entered. But he -barred her way. "No, Sais." - -"Jarl...." - -"No." He shook his head, closed the door. Heavily, he stumbled to a -couch and dropped down. - -But though Sais stayed behind, his own dark thoughts would not. - -It was madness, this venture; what other name could a man find for a -wild dash for Womar? - -Yet what else could he do, with time running out on him? At best, he -had three slim Earth days to save Ceres. - -Three slim days, less the travel.... - -And Womar.... What might he find when at last he ramped there? Suppose -Wassreck was wrong, and there were no robots? Or if the metal monsters -still lay hidden there, how much chance had he to find them? - -As for fitting them for battle, mastering the controls that sent them -forth.... - - * * * * * - -He shuddered, and his brow seemed suddenly burning hot, as with a -fever. Then he chilled. Shaking, drawing covers close about him, he -wondered if his wounds had drained him, sapped his strength too low. - -But what chance did he have, unless he went on to Womar? - -What chance indeed, when even his own kind turned against him! - -His own kind, the raiders. He knew them so well--how they felt, the -twist of their reckless, ice-edged thinking. And because he knew, it -was not in him to hate them or betray them. No; at worst, he could only -strive and fail. - -And if he failed--? He cursed and twisted. _rey_ Gundre would surely -blast the raider fleet. The outlaw worlds would die. - -Freedom would die with them. - -Wassreck, too. - -Three days only ... for freedom, and for Wassreck.... - -Perhaps he slept, then. Or perhaps it was only delirium's distorted -screen that drew the twisting patterns across his mind. - -Whatever it was, it lifted brain from body ... moved him up from -Tas Karrel's couch--out of the room, the ship itself ... across the -void, through space and time. The hideous, shining masks of Womar's -primitives hurtled down upon him out of swirling mists. Madly, he -battled strange life-forms in a world he'd never seen. - -But he was not alone, for now other faces revolved past him slowly, -crying fearful words he could not hear ... Ungo's face; Ylana's.... - -Ylana--! The red lips smiled and mocked him as she beckoned, and her -hair was a rippling pool of purest gold. There was the softness of her -body pressed against him; the grey eyes, shadowy as silver pools. - -Ungo. Ylana. Where were they? Why had they left him to die back there -on Ceres? What could have taken them away? - -Now Bor Legat's face came sweeping towards him, basilisk orbs twin -mirrors of craft and malice. His body plates were rattling with his -laughter--the merciless, cacophonic laughter of the Mercurian who sees -his enemy fall and die. - -Then another voice was calling, close beside him, and this time he -could hear the words, even if he could not understand. They pulled him -back across the void, up from the death and tumult of the unknown alien -world. - -Straining, struggling, he sought to place the tones, the timbre, and -as he fought, it dawned upon him that it was Sais' voice, and that his -eyes were closed. - -His lids were leaden weights, but he dragged them up. Numbly, he forced -Tas Karrel's room back into focus. - -Sais stood beside him, face strained and drawn. Her words took on -meaning: "Jarl--! Quick! Wake up--!" - -He lurched from the couch. "What's the matter? What is it--?" - -"Quiet--!" Panic was in her raw whisper. "You slept so long, Jarl! -We're coming down now, ramping on Womar...." - -He pushed back his hair; shook the haze from his eyes. "Then what--?" - -"It's the crewmen." He could feel a tremor pass through her. Her eyes -would not meet his. "I--I told them too much, Jarl. About Womar ... the -robots. Now they have sent for Bor Legat--" - -"Bor Legat--!" - -"Yes. They don't trust you. They plan to seize you and hold you...." - -Jarl cursed. "No! It can't be--" - -"What can I say, Jarl?" Her mouth quivered. "Beat me, if you want to--" - -"No." His hands shook, but he fought down his fury ... even forced a -thin smile. "Maybe this way is better, Sais...." - - * * * * * - -Spinning round, he snatched up a belt heavy with dead Tas Karrel's -weapons and girded it about him. - -The woman clutched his arm, eyes wide with new fear. "Jarl! What are -you doing--?" - -"What can I do?" He laughed harshly. "I'll drop down when we ramp and -go on alone." - -"No, Jarl--!" - -"Yes! Stay in here. Lock the door, so they'll still think they've got -me." - -"No! You can't leave me!" Her voice rose. She was sobbing. "Please, -Jarl! Take me with you--" - -Jarl gripped her smooth shoulders fiercely; shook her. "Sais! Listen!" -And then, as she quieted: "Sais, once before, I came down on Womar. -I've seen the primitives." Involuntarily, he shuddered. "Believe me, -Sais, no matter what the crew does to you, it can't match the work of -those creatures." - -"No, Jarl--" - -A dim roar filled the room--the roar of a ramping. Walls and floor -vibrated. - -"Jarl, I'm going with you!" - -The vibration stopped. The cabin echoed with sudden stillness as the -great ship came to rest. - -"Jarl...." - -For the fraction of a second, Jarl hesitated. From afar, he could hear -orders shouted. Once again, a knot drew tight in his belly. - -"Please, Jarl...." - -Pivoting, he stared down into Sais' tense, strained face. - -Even now, she was lovely.... - -But he'd made his decision. There could be no other. - -"Sais, I'm sorry...." He drove his clenched fist to the point of her -jaw--a short, jarring blow. - -He could see the shock glaze her eyes as her head snapped back. Her -knees buckled. - -"I'm sorry, Sais," he said again, even though he knew she could not -hear. Ever so gently, he lowered her limp body to the couch. - -He wondered if he'd ever see her again. - -But it was no time for wondering, or thinking. He had a job to do, out -there in the stretching, scorching, windswept deserts. - -Silently, he eased open the cabin door. - -The passageway outside was echoing, deserted. - -Quick, quiet, he pulled the portal closed behind him and ran cat-footed -for the nearest exit hatch. - -A Callistan paced to and fro close by it, on guard. - -Jarl waited till the creature turned, then leaped and clubbed it down -with the barrel of his ray-gun. In seconds, he was spinning back the -hatch-bolts. - -The hatch swung wide, and night poured in ... the blistering, -dust-choked desert night, pale with the light reflected by looming -Venus' unbroken mists and billowing cloud-banks. - -Somewhere, out there, were primitives in hideous metal masks, so fierce -that even the almighty Federation at last had forbidden this satellite -to all men. - -Perhaps, too, here were robots ... towering metal monsters from beyond -the stars, brought down by destiny in its strange workings to save the -outlaw worlds. - -Or perhaps not. Perhaps this seared and storm-swept ball held only the -end of Wassreck's dreams ... and death. - -Jarl Corvett smiled a thin, wry smile. At least, he'd know the answer -soon. - -Breathing deep, he swung out through the hatch and dropped down on -Womar.... - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - - -Morning on Womar. - -The hot winds were flames whipping at Jarl's face, and the driven -sand slashed and burned like pelting needles. Slowly, the night died -and, off to his right, the sun rose--fiery, incandescent. Venus, to -his left, stretched in a great, shining arc as far as the eye could -see. Dust swirled about him in smothering clouds. He wallowed through -a sea of powdery, ankle-deep grit where rocks shoved up in hidden -reefs to trap him. Hollows loomed in his bloodshot eyes like chasms, -and hillocks grew to mountains up which he toiled on hands and knees, -choking and gasping. His cheeks were rasped raw now, his lips all -parched and cracking. - -Still he lurched onward--lost and disoriented, without destination. - -But not without goal. - -A goal--? He laughed aloud--the muddled, drunken laughter of a -heat-twisted brain. Yes, he had a goal; but it was the goal of utter -madness. - -For somewhere in this blazing waste, Womar's primitives lay waiting. He -knew; he'd seen them charge before. How they sensed an alien's coming -was a secret no stranger had ever fathomed. But sense it they did; so -they'd hide and wait, till at last the sun and dust and slashing wind -had done their work and the invader fell and could not rise. - -Then, and then only, they would come, from whatever dark, hidden maze -they came from. Their blood-thirsting screams would rise above the -howling wind, and their hideous metal masks would flash like mirrors of -madness in the white flame of the sunlight. - -And after that ... Jarl choked on his parched, swelling tongue. After -that, there would come other things ... things no alien being had -survived, rites so awful as to make this blazing wilderness seem a -cool Elysium. - -What was left, they'd spread out in neat display as their own black -warning to other straying strangers. - -That was his goal: that the primitives should seize him. - -Yet now, as the moment neared when he would fall to rise no more, he -knew of a sudden how mad it was. Not even Ceresta and the raider fleet -were worth it; not even freedom. Nothing could be worth it. - -But now, there was no turning back. He'd come too far; he'd pressed his -luck one time too many. - -Swaying and staggering, he came to another, deeper hollow, where bare -rock showed through the dust and sand along the slopes in serrate -ledges. At the bottom, the drifting grit lay in smooth-swept whorls -like a hill-bounded cove where ripples had somehow been trapped in -motion, frozen into the surface of the water. - -He laughed once, wildly, and lurched ahead; then slipped and pitched -forward, tumbling headlong. Rocks gashed at him as he fell--tearing, -clutching, as if even they shared the primitives' hatred for all aliens. - -Stunned, choked, half blinded, he came to rest at last at the edge -of the pool of rippled sand. Here, away from the sweep of the wind, -the heat bore down like a smothering blanket. Jarl's brain reeled. He -could draw no strength from the air that scorched his lungs. He knew -instinctively that no being of his race could long survive the drain -and pressure. - -Frantically, he dragged himself up and wallowed forward, out onto the -sand. - -Even as his feet sank into the sifting dust, he knew he should have -gone the other way, back up the slope. But by then it was too late. -Deeper he sank, and deeper, till the loose sand was thigh-high about -his legs. - - * * * * * - -Desperately, he threw himself flat, trying to spread the weight of his -body. But the grit gave way beneath him, sliding and swirling, hungrily -sucking him deeper. Dust clogged his nostrils. When he tried to open -his mouth to suck air, sand flooded in. - -He floundered wildly, and the thought flashed through his mind, _Do -I die here--here, in this whirlpool of shifting grit, swallowed up, -buried alive, before I even find the primitives...?_ - -He struggled again to rise, and could not. The choking dust swirled -higher. His senses dimmed. The blazing sun began to darken. - -And then they came. - -They came with a rush, across the crest, their metal masks blurred to -blinding flashes. Out of the clefts of the rocks they came, and up from -the sand-pool's edges, howling like the screamings in a nightmare, the -wailings of banshees. - -Their bodies were brown as the sun-blistered rocks, their -shoulder-plumes scarlet as heart-blood. Their girdles were scarlet, -too, and the plumed bands that circled wrists and ankles. Monstrous -footgear, broad as their lean, hard bodies, sprayed sand as they -charged. Light flared in iridescent splendor from strange, outré -weapons. - -Desperately, Jarl tried again to rise. But again, the eddying grit gave -way beneath him. - -Then they were upon him--seizing him, dragging him up and out of the -powder-dry morass that held him. The great webbed shoes they wore did -not sink in, but, rather, skimmed the surface. - -Vainly, Jarl struck out and sought to struggle. But he was as a child -in the grip of giants. The primitives' hands were like shackling bands -of steel upon him. - -He let himself go limp. After all, was this not the very thing he'd -come for? - -Unless they killed him here and now.... - -But they carried him back bodily to the sand-pool's edge, to a place -where the serrate rocks rose in lowering, brooding ledges. A crevice -yawned. Swiftly, they shoved him between the saw-toothed boulders, down -into it. - -Now other hands reached up from the depths of an inner cavern to -receive him. He found himself lifted into the black emptiness of a -narrow tunnel. - -Then he was on his own feet once more. But the hands still gripped -his arms, pushing him along as he stumbled through the ebon passage. -Dimly, he became aware of a strange odor in his nostrils--a sweet yet -musty scent he'd never smelled before. - - * * * * * - -The passage led on, ever downward. Steadily it grew cooler. Jarl began -to lose the sense of draining pressure. His captors jabbered in the -darkness. But their speech was like no tongue he'd ever heard before, -all consonants and gutturals. - -It seemed they hurried on for miles. Then, at last, a dim light showed -ahead. - -The party halted. Someone clamped a heavy metal mask upon Jarl's -head--a mask with neither eye- nor ear-holes. It shut him off in a -throbbing private night, through which the guttural voices drifted only -as dim whispers. - -Once more, the primitives shoved Jarl ahead, and as they moved forward, -he had a sudden feeling that they had left the tunnel and come out into -a larger room. - -Then they were lifting him again; laying him down flat on some smooth -surface; holding him there, rigid. - -He clenched his teeth, bracing himself for the torture that he knew -would sooner or later be his lot. - -But no pain came. Instead, of a sudden, the surface on which he lay was -vibrating, moving. Air whipped at him. With a shock, he realized that -he and the others were hurtling through Womar's heart at jarring speed -on some strange transport unit. - -It made his spine crawl, just a little. How primitive were these -primitives? Had all the worlds been wrong about them? What dark secrets -did they hold hidden, here in these black caves that honeycombed the -rock beneath this satellite's blazing deserts? - -And what of the robots? Where were they hidden? - -Or did they exist at all--? - -But he had no time to ponder, for as suddenly as the motion had -begun, it ended. The rush of air slowed, then halted. Once more, the -primitives' hands were lifting him, dragging him forward. - -But this time the passageway through which they moved led upward. - -The heat rose as they climbed, till Jarl was sweating and choking -inside the helmet. Then the slope leveled off again, and he sensed that -they had come out into another, larger room. New voices joined the dim -whisperings of his escort, till their volume swelled to a tremendous, -throbbing chorus. Bodies buffeted against Jarl, milling about him. -Hands clawed at him--clubbing, tugging, scratching. He could feel the -crowd's hot hate crushing in upon him. The musty, cloying, sweetish -odor he'd smelled before grew even stronger till he was sick and dizzy, -ready to vomit. - -His captors pressed on, not hesitating. Roughly, they led Jarl -stumbling up a flight of steps. - -At the top, there was a brief halt. Then the faint squeal of massive -hinges. - -A blast of heat struck Jarl a hammer blow. He reeled under its impact. - -From behind, someone gave him a savage shove. He lurched forward. - -A new burst of sound smashed at him, even through the metal helmet--a -wild shout, torn from a thousand throats, fierce and welling in its -hatred. The heat and smell were great sledges, pounding at him. - - * * * * * - -In spite of all of his control, Jarl felt a sudden rush of panic. -Stumbling, staggering, he came upright--fists clenched, braced to meet -the fury of those about him even in his helplessness, his blindness. - -But again hands seized him before he could strike a blow. Someone -fumbled at the catches of the shrouding helmet. - -The metal mask came away. Sound, light, heat, stench, smashed in on -Jarl. - -He jerked back and threw his hands up across his eyes, trying to shut -out the blinding blaze of Womar's sun. - -But other hands jerked down his own. Blinking, half blinded, stiff with -shock, he stared out incredulously upon a sight such as he had never -seen before. - -For he stood in the prow of a great space-ship--a ship vast beyond the -belief of mortal man. - -It was old, this ship--old with an age that staggered Jarl Corvett's -mind. Eons were in the sagging plates and splitting arches. The -crystals that glinted in the dull, warped metal spoke of untold ages -here on Womar. The hull was smashed and shattered, too, and the blazing -sun poured in through a thousand great jagged holes and rifts. One -whole end of the craft was crumpled, buckled, where it had plowed deep -into the rocks and sand as it crashed here. - -And it was alien. A thousand differences stood out in line and -structure and material. The size alone would have been enough to -mark it as having come from outside this solar system. Yet without -bulkheads, without bracing, the mass of it loomed as one incredibly -vast and far-spreading room--an engineering feat to stagger man's -imagination. - -And here, too, were the primitives, heirs to Womar's scorched, -windswept deserts. A thousand strong--ten thousand--they packed the -huge hold in a screaming, seething mass, metal masks hideously aglint -in the streaming sunlight. - -But for Jarl Corvett, ship and primitives alike were mere incidentals. -Swaying, staring, he could find eyes only for one thing: the robots. - -The robots--! He rocked--incredulous, unbelieving. - -But here they were--metal monsters that towered rank on rank in -this great hold, like monstrous originals of the figures in _Ktar_ -Wassreck's workshop. Like a forest they rose ... a forest of utter, -malign menace. - -Their feet alone stood higher than a tall man's head; and the glinting -orientation-slots of the great head-units towered so far above the -crowd as to have been beacon lights on distant mountains. - -Chill, unmoving, they stood here in the hull of this shattered ship as -they had stood for ages. But where ship and fittings were decaying, -these mighty warriors still shone resplendent, fabricated of some -different, finer metal. Strength gleamed in every line of their -orange-gold figures. The screaming primitives were only ants that -crawled and danced and raged upon them. - - * * * * * - -Staring at them, Jarl Corvett could only choke and tremble. There -was room for but one thought within his reeling brain: _Wassreck was -right--! He was right! He was right...!_ - -It made this whole mad gamble worth the while. Even if he died here, -all his efforts unavailing, it would still be worth it. - -And what could not an army of these giant automatons accomplish? What -chance would even the mighty Federation stand against them? - -It was destiny. More surely even than he knew his name, Jarl knew that -destiny had brought him here ... the strange, dark destiny of courage -and fighting men that ever seemed to ride on the side of the outlaw -worlds, and freedom. - -But now that he was here, destiny would need a strong right arm to -implement it. - -His arm. - -He swung round, then, with his old, bold coat of arrogance upon -him--surveying his captors, searching for some faintest hint of hidden -weakness. - -But the primitives did not waver. Their eyes stayed cold, leering out -at him from their metal masks, grim as the day of judgment. - -Those masks.... With a sudden rush of recognition, it came to Jarl -that their stylized patterns were modeled after the head-units of the -towering robots. - -Such a little thing, that recognition. Yet again, Jarl felt his tension -lift a fraction. He smiled a thin, wry smile and waited. - -But now, to one side of the stage-like platform on which he and his -escort party stood, there was a sudden stir of motion. A new door -opened in what had been a bulkhead barring the way to another part of -the ancient, fallen ship. - -A cry went up from the seething multitude. The mass of primitives -surged forward, close against the platform. - -Slowly, creaking and groaning, a great stone slab was wheeled forth. -Its sides were deep-graven with carved figures ... strange, hideous -figures that writhed in ecstasy and anguish. Stains smudged its upper -surface. Heavy metal clamps, long age-corroded, were set into each -corner. - -With a sickening jolt, it came to Jarl that it was an altar. - -Straining and grunting, a crew of primitives tugged it into position in -the platform's center. - -Jarl's captors gripped his arms. - -The panting group by the altar straightened and hurried back through -the door in the bulkhead. Rattling sounds came forth. A moment later, -the primitives reappeared, rolling out a monstrous, shining metal tub -on wheels, big as one of the kettledrums of the spider men of Rhea. Its -sides were graven with the same contorted figures as the altar. - -The din of the crowd swelled louder. Masked primitives leaped and -screamed in impassioned frenzy. - -Tight-jawed, Jarl waited. - -The wheeled tub was set in place beside the altar. It moved easily and -smoothly. Then, again, the altar-crew retreated through the bulkhead. - -This time, when they returned, they bore a living, struggling creature. - - * * * * * - -Man-sized, the thing was like no animal Jarl had ever seen before, with -brown, bead-like skin and tiny brain-case. Off-hand, he judged it to -belong to some desert species native to this grit-drifted hell-hole, -Womar. - -The primitives carried it to the altar; clamped its spradled body face -up atop the stone with the ancient shackles. The din of the crowd was -deafening. - -Somewhere on high, a great gong sounded. The shouts and screaming died -away. - -In the same instant, a new door opened in the bulkhead. Another -primitive stepped forth; paused, posing. - -This creature's garb was different from the others! His metal mask was -ebon. So were his plumes, his girdle. A great scarlet jewel was set in -the forehead of the dead-black helmet. His hands were gloved in sleek -jet gauntlets. - -Now, while Jarl watched, the posing primitive's arms came up, till the -gloved hands were high above his head, displayed, as if they were a -symbol. - -The throng below stood frozen, rigid. - -The black-masked primitive strode forward, to a spot between the altar -and the shining metal tub. Swiftly, he lifted the lid that capped the -drum-like vat. - -Two of the altar-crew rushed forward and held it open for him. Another -held out a strange implement that, to Jarl, looked like some crude sort -of grease-gun. - -The black-masked figure dipped the nozzle of the thing into the tub and -worked a plunger, then turned to the struggling life-form shackled to -the altar. Deftly, he stabbed the snout of the tool into a spot below -the creature's breast-bone. - -The captive tried to jerk away, to no avail. With smooth precision, the -primitive in black pressed home the plunger. - -A gusty sigh ran through the throng about the platform. It came to Jarl -that he was cold as ice despite the heat and blazing sun. The musty, -sweetish smell he'd caught before swirled about him, even stronger. - -The black-masked figure straightened. With quick, sure movements, he -twisted at a fitting, then lifted away the tool. The nozzle he left -sticking in the creature on the altar. It thrust up from the hollow -below the breast-bone like the hilt of a deep-plunged dagger. - -The two primitives by the wheeled tub let the lid fall back. Turning, -one darted to the bulkhead door. When he came out, he bore a flaring -torch. - -New silence fell upon the crowd, so complete that the altar-crewman's -footsteps rang and echoed in the stillness. - -He passed the torch to his black-masked fellow. - -Black-Mask swung the flaming brand on high and, turning, faced Jarl -Corvett. His voice thundered, harsh and guttural. - -Jarl stood rock-rigid. The words he could not understand. But the -threat, the menace--they needed no translator. - - * * * * * - -Pivoting, the primitive stepped back from the altar; thrust out the -torch till its flame touched the tip of the nozzle protruding out of -the shackled prisoner's chest. - -Of a sudden Jarl's whole body was drenched with icy sweat. He could -not move; he could not breathe. The tales of horror he'd heard so many -times swirled through his brain. - -For an instant, nothing happened. - -Then, all at once, there was a puff of sound, a flash of flame above -the captive. A great black jet of smoke shot high into the air, out of -the nozzle. - -The life-form on the altar gave one shrill cry that was agony, -incarnate. Its body jerked and twisted, lashing against the shackles in -a frenzy. - -The primitives went mad. The huge room rocked with their howls and -screamings. - -But Jarl Corvett hardly heard them. - -He'd seen cruel death before, on a dozen far-flung planets. - -But this.... - -For while he watched, thin lines of fire were racing along the doomed -sacrifice's writhing body. In a spreading network, the flesh itself was -bursting open, flames leaping up in a thousand places. - -In a searing flash, the truth came to Jarl: _The creature's blood was -burning!_ - -He sagged in his escort's grip, and retched--shock-stunned, sick with -horror. - -But the primitives who flanked him jerked him upright. An open hand -stung his face with brutal slaps. - -The spell that gripped Jarl broke. Numb, tight-jawed, he forced himself -to look again upon the altar. - -The shackled creature lay there still, a charred, contorted horror. - -While Jarl watched, the monster in the ebon mask stepped back and -passed the torch to the altar-crewman who had brought it. Other -primitives unclamped the gyves and dragged the corpse away. - -Again Black-Mask brought up his hands. Again the crowd's tumultuous -hubbub faded. - -Black-Mask's hands came down. He swung about till he faced Jarl. -Imperiously, he gestured. - -Jarl's captors dragged him forward. The torch-bearer stepped quickly -back, out of their path. - -Fear was in Jarl Corvett, then--a fear that verged on shrieking terror. -His body seemed like a thing apart--a statue carved from living ice, -with no relation to his being. - -But hate came with the terror, a flaming hate that grew at every step, -till its white-hot fire ate up the fear and burned away his sickness -and his trembling. Of a sudden he was himself again. He sucked in air. -Without volition, his muscles stiffened against the digging fingers of -his savage escort. - -They jerked him up short before the altar. The black-masked figure -shook a jet-gloved fist and shouted guttural imprecations. - - * * * * * - -The last shreds of Jarl's terror vanished, washed away in the flood of -his tormentor's fury. Out of nowhere, a thing that Wassreck once had -said came flashing to him: _Hate is the face of fear, not courage._ - -That hate which showed in the primitive's every line and gesture--it, -too, was born of terror ... a welling fear of all and any beings who -came down from the skies to Womar. - -Jarl laughed aloud, it was so funny--that he and this other should face -each other so, in deadly menace, when within they were only quivering -twins of terror. - -And as he laughed, his own hate died the same swift death to which -his fear had fallen. A grim, bleak poise replaced them both. For if -the primitives, in their hearts, felt the self-same fear that he had, -there was still a chance for recklessness to blaze a path through this -wilderness of desperation. - -His laugh cut short the black-masked figure's shouting. The primitive -stared at him, as if unbelieving. - -Cold-eyed, cold-nerved, Jarl drew himself to his full height. Rigid, he -probed for some--for any--last wild gambit. - -But Black-Mask, too, was straightening. He cried out fiercely to his -helpers. - -They shoved Jarl forward. - -As they did so, the primitive beside the huge, wheeled tank lifted up -the lid. - -Jarl glanced down into it. - -The vat was full. The awful broth almost lapped the brim. From it, in -sickening waves, rose the sweetish, cloying fumes Jarl had come to -associate with the primitives. - -Black-Mask leaned forward. Shouting again, he lashed out. His -jet-gloved fist raked at Jarl's face. - -Instinctively, Jarl rocked back. New tides of black despair washed -through him. What could he do, locked in his captor's grasp, hemmed -between tank and torch-bearer, black-masked fiend and blood-drenched -altar? - -Tank--and torch-bearer--! - -That link ... in an instant it grew to a searing, surging flame, hotter -even than these creatures' own hell-fire brew. - -Spasmodically, Jarl twisted round. - -The primitive with the blazing brand still stood statue-like at the -corner of the great stone slab. - -Black-Mask snarled another order. His henchmen jerked Jarl -back--lifting him, swinging him upward, till he hung suspended above -the altar. - -By instinct, Jarl wrenched against them; felt them, too, stiffen in the -face of his resistance. - -But if he could not fight them, perhaps there was another way.... - -Before they could lower him to the slab, he let himself go limp, -loose-limbed and unresisting as any corpse. - -It broke their balance. He hit the stone with a sodden thud ... lay -there unmoving, head lolled back. - -For the fraction of a second their grip relaxed. - - * * * * * - -It was Jarl's moment.... Savagely, then, he lashed out with all his -might, in a violent spasm of arms and legs and torso. His feet smashed -the metal mask into one primitive's face. His elbow sank fist-deep in -another's midriff. - -The restraining hands fell from him. - -Desperately, he threw himself across the altar, toward the -torch-bearer. Before the creature could recoil, Jarl was upon -him--smashing him down with fists and knees and shoulders; snatching -the flaming brand out of his hands. - -Falling over each other in their haste, the others lunged to seize Jarl. - -But instead of fleeing, he leaped back onto the altar. There was a -prayer in his heart--his heart in his mouth. With a wild curse, he -hurled the torch straight for the vat of hell-broth. - -It struck the open lid, then plunged on down into the liquid. - -But even as it fell, the fumes were flaring. Flame and smoke leaped up -in a roaring column. A cloudburst of liquid fire sprayed out in all -directions. - -The cries of the primitives exploded into one great scream of pain -and terror. As Jarl threw himself flat, with the altar-stone between -him and the tank, he glimpsed the reeling, flame-cased figure of his -jet-masked tormentor--stumbling, falling. - -Then the black smoke billowed out in nauseous, all-obscuring murk that -swallowed even the thundering holocaust that still roared around what -had been the tank of liquid. - -Jarl rolled from the wheeled platform on which the altar rested. Bent -double, he raced through the choking haze for the bulkhead. In seconds, -he was fumbling his way along it to the nearest doorway ... slipping -through and ramming the heavy bolt home behind him. - -Ahead, a shaft and spiral stairway loomed. Panting, he sprinted upward, -past level after level. - -The stairway ended against another metal door. - -The outlined figure of one of the mighty warrior robots was blazoned on -it. - -Jarl's heart pounded harder. - -Shoving open the hatch, he half-fell inside and locked it, too, behind -him. - -He found himself now in a control room. Panels thick with dust lined -three of its walls. The fourth was a single massive, transparent, -plastic plate through which occupants could look out across the great -hold where the robots were massed ... where brief moments before Jarl -Corvett had stood face to face with hideous death. - -Stumbling to it, Jarl stared down upon the smoke-smirched scene below. -Flames still were leaping about the platform. Here and there, he could -catch dim glimpses of primitives' hurrying figures as they ran among -the metal monsters. - - * * * * * - -Overhead, the dense black smoke almost hid the roof. Eddying, slowly -rising, it swirled out through the cracks and rifts in the ancient -hull, up into the blazing, sunlit heat of Womar's desert sky. - -Of a sudden Jarl was weak to the point of sickness. Numbly, he turned -and surveyed the rest of the control room with a closer scrutiny. - -Bank after bank of dials and indicators marked with strange symbols -leered down at him like a host of huge blank eyes. Against the far -wall, units with focussing plates like the viziscreens of his own solar -system were ranged in a precise row. - -And everywhere--on every panel, every instrument--were stamped neat, -stylized images of the warrior robots. - -The numbness in Jarl grew. He knew instinctively, without question, -that this was the place sought by _Ktar_ Wassreck--the brain, the nerve -center, for the shining metal monsters that were to have saved the -warrior worlds. - -But now that he was here, what could he do? His own ignorance was a -tight-drawn, all-concealing blindfold. - -With time enough, and skill and patience, he might perhaps have worked -his way through to an understanding of how the robots were controlled. -But time was the one thing he did not have. Second by second, the -precious hours were ticking by. As far as he was concerned--lacking -knowledge, training, understanding--he might as well have been on Venus. - -And so the warrior worlds would die. The Federation fleet would sweep -down on Ceresta. - -Already, the three days given by _rey_ Gundre were running out.... - -Jarl shook in the grip of helpless, frustrating fury. He had come so -far; yet now that he was here, he could do nothing. - -He cursed aloud; and as he did so, a new sound drifted to him. - -A familiar sound ... the sound of a space-ship's blasting rockets. - -He whirled; leaped back to the broad expanse of transparent plastic -panel. - -He reached it just in time to see a great section in the top of the -hull above the hold suddenly buckle and crash down. Sunlight streamed -through smoke and dust. - -The roar of the blasting rockets echoed louder. A moment later, another -huge chunk of hull tore loose and fell. Then another, and another, till -the hole showed like a spreading canopy of sky above the robots. - -Below, the last of the primitives were fleeing. Breathing hard, pressed -tight to the observation panel, Jarl watched and waited. - -The rocket-roar took on the peculiar whistling sound that went with -ramping. Before Jarl's eyes, a ship dropped down stern-first into the -hold and rocked to a landing amid the debris and towering robots. - -Now the ship, as well as the sound, was suddenly familiar. - -Too familiar. - -It was the flagship of High Commissioner _rey_ Gundre's mighty -Federation fleet! - - - - - CHAPTER IX - - -Jarl Corvett lay flat on his belly on the floor of the room that housed -the brain of the warrior robots, staring bleakly down into the hold -below. - -Then, again, he twisted, shifted. This endless waiting--it was enough -to drive a saint to murder. - -How long had it been--two hours--or two eons? - -It was a time for thinking--because there was nothing else to do but -think. Escape was not even a thing to dream about by daylight, with -primitives still roving through these warrens. Tonight, perhaps, a man -might find a way; but for now there was only ... thinking. - -So Jarl lay there on the floor, sweating and shifting. Narrow-eyed, he -studied the motionless bulk that was the flagship, and asked himself a -thousand questions. - -Questions he could not answer. - -Why would _rey_ Gundre, of all the players in this mad drama, come -roaring down on Womar? What did he seek? How had he found his way here? - -Above all, what was he waiting for this way--jets dead and hatches -still unopened? - -And for him to pick the robot-hold of this ancient ship to land in.... - -Unless, by some wild chance, _Ktar_ Wassreck had escaped-- - -Even the thought made Jarl's heart leap. - -But then it quieted down again, drained by the dark, dull hopelessness -within him. - -The time for dreams was dead and gone. For all his bravado and boasting -he, Jarl Corvett, had failed the man who'd come for him on Horla. By -now, at best, _Ktar_ Wassreck lay a corpse in the chill horror of -Venus' _slan_-chambers. - -Pain welled up in Jarl, and with it came new sickness. Choking, he -buried his face against his arms and cursed the day his mother bore him. - -But his mind would not stay still. Drearily, he thought about the -others. - -About Ungo and Ylana, Bor Legat, Sais.... - -It only brought new anguish. For he'd failed them, too; failed them -one and all ... Ungo, friend of friends, who'd trusted him beyond all -others ... Ylana, vision of golden loveliness--betraying her world and -her own father just to save him ... Bor Legat of Mercury, murderous and -merciless, yet loyal in his twisted way to the raider cause. - -And Sais. - -Dark Sais, _Ktar_ Wassreck's daughter. Even in this place, Jarl could -recapture the fragrance of her hair, the pulsing pressure of her -perfect body. She was all woman.... - -And all Jarl Corvett's. - -So he'd brought her down to this wild world and left her to the mercies -of Tas Karrel's raider rabble. - -Cursing again, he writhed about and once more stared up at the banks of -panels. - -But that was all that he could do. He did not even dare to rise and -experiment with the controls spread out before him, for fear someone -below would glimpse the movement. - -Then, from the hold, there rose a sudden clatter. - -Jarl swung back to the plastic window, craning and peering. - - * * * * * - -Below, the main hatch of _rey_ Gundre's ship was opening. -Blue-uniformed Federation crewmen poured out, weapons glinting, and -took up positions amid the debris. - -In the same instant, the high whine of a light, fast-traveling carrier -cut through the hold. - -A moment later, a slim, swift craft dropped through the gaping hole in -the ancient hull and set down for a landing. - -Its prow was marked with Bor Legat's black lightning-flash insignia. - -Incredulously, Jarl dug his nails into the plastic. - -The carrier came to rest. Its hatch swung open. A burly _dau_ leaped -out. - -Instantly, the Federation crewmen came to their feet and crowded round. - -But the _dau_ ignored them. Turning, he gestured to someone still -inside the carrier. - -Another figure dropped down ... a figure with shimmering golden hair -and a scarlet tunic that emphasized the slim, ripening womanhood of the -one who wore it. - -Ylana--! - -Jarl caught his breath. His palms were suddenly slick with sweat, the -muscles of his chest constricted. - -While he watched, the girl moved calmly to the Federation flagship. - -The _dau_ swung back aboard the carrier. The hatch clanged shut. A -moment later, the craft was in the air again, lancing out of the -ancient hull and away. - -Ylana disappeared into the flagship. - -Jarl sank back, trembling. Brow furrowed, lips dry, he tried to make -sense of this new maneuver. - -It was plain now what had happened to the girl, and Ungo. Bor Legat had -captured them that night, back on Ceresta. Now he was carrying out his -plan to trade her life for time, and the desperate chance that somehow -Ceresta might be defended. - -But why should he meet _rey_ Gundre here? What had led the two of them -to choose this shattered hulk for their rendezvous? - -Jarl looked down once more. - -More crewmen were hurrying from the flagship--clearing the debris from -around the ramping-spot; setting up a perimeter studded with heavy -weapons. - -They planned to stay a while; that much was plain. - -But why? Why, why, _why_--? - -The question rang in Jarl's brain like a tolling bell. But he still -could find no answer. - -Another hour dragged by. Slowly, the shadows of ship and robots -lengthened. Hunger gnawed at Jarl's belly. He moved this way and that, -trying to work the ache from his weary muscles. - - * * * * * - -Down in the hold, the crewmen moved more slowly. Yet even up here, high -above them, Jarl could sense a rising tension. It showed in the way -they kept looking towards the burrows into which the primitives had -fled ... their sudden starts, their readiness with their weapons. - -He hunched forward, narrow-eyed, resting his weight upon his elbows. - -Then there was a flurry about the hatch as a Thorian officer barked -orders. The crewmen snapped to smart 'attention'. - -A moment later _rey_ Gundre himself strode down the ramp, a lean, -imposing figure. Ylana followed, close behind him. - -Together, they moved about the perimeter's defenses, then started back -towards the great ship's hatchway. - -But now Ylana hesitated, and there was a brief moment of discussion. -The golden hair rippled as she shook her head and gestured. - -Her father's shoulders lifted in a shrug. Pivoting, he went on up the -ramp without her. - -Ylana turned. Almost aimlessly, she wandered out among the robots; -paused and leaned back against a gigantic metal foot, watching the -blue-uniformed crewmen as they toiled and sweated. - -The shadows grew longer. The crewmen ceased to heed her presence. - -She moved, then, swiftly, silent as the deepening dusk--sliding around -the foot in one quick motion; darting past an unmanned post of the -perimeter defenses to a spot out of view amid the tangled debris. - -Jarl went rigid. Twisting, he worked his way along the observation -plate to a place where he again could see her. - -But already she was on the move again, creeping on hands and knees, -farther and farther from the flagship. - -Where was she going? Why had she broken out of the circle? - -And what if the primitives should catch her? - -The thought brought Jarl to his feet, shuddering. - -Besides, with the thickening gloom down in the hold, perhaps this time -he could get an answer to his questions. - -With one last glance to chart the course that the girl might follow, he -ran to the door and threw back the bolt; then slid out and felt his way -down the black well that was the spiral stairway. - -In seconds he was at the bulkhead door. Opening it a crack, he weighed -his chances. - -The crewmen still were busy with their tasks inside the network of -defenses. The pools of shadow hung all-enshrouding. Flat on his belly, -he wriggled forth and crept along the wall in the same direction he'd -seen Ylana take. - -Out here, once more he caught the cloying, sweetish scent of the -hell-broth, mixed with smoke, and the knot in his belly tightened. The -shadows loomed like grim reminders of the primitives' dark fury. - -He moved faster. - - * * * * * - -Back around the ship, a ring of blinding lights came on as if to -emphasize the death that lurked in the outer darkness. Jarl surged to -his feet. Stiff with tension, he searched the gloom for some hint of -Ylana. - -Off to the right, close by the bulkhead, a dull sound rang, as of some -object striking metal. - -Groping, Jarl found a broken brace-bar to serve him as a weapon. Wary, -taut-nerved, he worked his way towards the spot from which the noise -had come. - -But he found nothing. Grim recognition of the hopelessness of his task -crept through him. - -He fought it down. Swinging round, deliberately, he kicked a -crystalizing metal plate fallen from the great hull's roof. - -The sound echoed, loud and startling in the silence. Jarl stood -stock-still, straining his ears for some reaction. - -So close at hand it made him jerk, there was a sudden rasp of movement. - -Heedless now of noise, Jarl sprinted towards it. In a mighty leap, he -cleared a heap of black-scorched litter. - -Ylana crouched beyond it. Face a white blotch in the murk, she started -up as he made the hurdle. Her mouth came open. He could hear the first -whisper of a scream rising in her throat. - -Savagely, he jammed his open palm across her mouth and swept her to -him, smothering her kicks and blows and struggles. Lips close to her -ear, he rasped, "Ylana! It's me--Jarl...." - -He could feel her muscles contract, her body stiffen. Then, suddenly, -she was limp in his arms--clinging to him, half-sobbing. - -"Quick! We've got to move!" He dragged her with him, on along the -bulkhead, then off amid the black mass of the debris. - -Halting, finally, once more he strained his ears, listening for any -hint that they'd been heard and followed. - -But none came. At last, relaxing, he let go of her and slumped down -into the drifted sand and litter. - -He could feel the girl's eyes on him. But he held his silence. - -"Jarl Corvett ..." she choked. And then, in a rush: "Thank the Gods you -came, Jarl; so glad...." - -She dropped down close beside him, her shoulder pressing against him, -her hand on his. - -Turning, he studied her. - -The grey eyes were black-shadowed, her lovely face deep-lined. - -Of a sudden he wanted nothing so much as to embrace her. - -But there were so many questions to be answered.... - -He flung them at her bluntly: "Why did they come here, Ylana--your -father; Bor Legat? What brought them down to Womar--to this ship?" - -He could see her soft lips quiver. For an instant the grey eyes wavered. - - * * * * * - -But then they raised again and met his gaze. She said: "My father is -a traitor, Jarl Corvett--a traitor to himself and all the things he -believes in, and to the Federation." - -Jarl stared, unspeaking. - -The girl's mouth worked. Her fingers gouged his hand. - -"Jarl--oh Jarl...." Agony was in her voice. "Before, I told you how -he'd loot Ceresta. Now--now he's gone the whole way. He dreams of still -more power--of carving out an empire, destroying the Federation with -its own fleet. His orders--I learned today they were to arrange a truce -and spare Ceresta, give the asteroids their freedom and bring them into -the Federation on even terms. But he's beyond that. All he can think -of is loot and power, destruction. He's mad--mad, Jarl; stark, raving -mad...." - -The girl's voice broke. Sobbing, she buried her face against Jarl's -shoulder. - -Hard-jawed, tight-lipped, he held her close. But he did not dare let -feeling touch him. Not now, with time so short; so much at stake. - -If the asteroids could hold their freedom, even in the Federation; if -Ceresta and the raider fleet were only spared.... - -"And you--?" he clipped. "Where were you going? Why did you try to run -away?" - -Ylana lifted a tear-smudged face. All at once her chin was firm, and -her lips no longer trembled. - -She said: "Once I would have betrayed him for you alone, Jarl Corvett. -This time, I came to do it for the Federation--and for freedom." - -"You mean--?" - -Her laugh held bitterness and pain. "The fleet commanders do not know -my father's orders. I thought to reach Bor Legat's ship and warn them." - -"Then Legat--" - -"He came here only to bring me to my father, in hopes that he could -save Ceresta. He'd channel a message through his viziscreen." - -Jarl's breath came faster. There was a pricking and tingling along his -spine. - -He let go of Ylana; surged to his feet. - -The girl rose, slim and straight beside him. "Yes, Jarl--?" - -Jarl laughed, deep in his throat. Suddenly hunger and fatigue and pain -were nothing. He saw only his dreams, his goal. "I'll get to Legat, -Ylana! By all the gods of the void, I swear it!" - -Her words came, swift and eager: "And I'll go with you--" - -"No, Ylana--" - -"Yes!" Fists clenched, face tight with strain again, she stepped back -from him. "I've earned the right, Jarl! You can't leave me!" - -For a long, long moment, he looked deep into her eyes. There were -so many things to see there--courage, and anguish; fierce loyalty, -determination, pain. - -She hurled words at him--commanding and entreating: "You'll need me, -Jarl! You can't find Legat's ship without me. It's close--it and the -_Knife_. We can reach them by the time it dawns, if we go together--" - -Still Jarl stared into her eyes, unspeaking. - -She broke off. Her hand came up, swept back the rippling golden hair. -Her throat was a smooth-carved ivory column, her face a lovely mirror -of the things that shone deep in her eyes. - - * * * * * - -Slowly, Jarl smiled. He knew there was no need for other answer. And -words could be such futile, empty things. - -Her hand in his, together they crept on through the debris; up through -a broken port set high in the side of the ancient hull. - -Then they were out at last, into the windswept wastes of Womar's -deserts ... stumbling on through the sand and rocks, mile after mile. -They had no breath for talk, no time for resting. A pause might bring -the primitives down upon them. - -Jarl gripped his brace-bar club and prayed. - -Then light came dimly, herald to another blazing desert day. But with -it, too, rose the lance-sharp outlines of the prows of two great raider -ships, ramped amid a wilderness of jutting crags. - -Jarl's heart leaped. Quick jubilation surged within him. "Ylana--!" - -The girl screamed. - -Jarl whirled--club up, fists clenching. "What--?" - -But again, there was no need for words, for the girl was pointing back -across the endless, dust-deep waste through which they'd come to an -ominous moving figure. - -The figure of a mighty warrior robot, a metal giant that loomed like a -monstrous, man-made nightmare against the clear blue of the morning sky. - -Jarl rocked--incredulous, unbelieving. His club-arm sagged down to his -side. - -With every fleeting second, the metal monster towered still larger, -closer. Its massive legs swung out in wallowing, league-long strides, -closing the gap between them. - -Ylana cried out again. She darted to Jarl; clung close against him, -shaking like a slim reed in a wind. - -He tore free from his shell of shock and frozen-fascination. Sweeping -the girl up, he raced for the nearest outcropping of jagged rock. - -The giant from beyond the void stalked nearer. The clanking of the -great joints rolled down on them like distant thunder. - -Ylana sobbed, "My father--he must have found that I was gone--" - -Jarl did not answer. Drawing her down behind the rocks, he waited, as -for the Juggernaut of fate itself. - -The monster thundered closer, great feet grinding stones to powder with -every stride. The rising sun's rays transformed the mighty, gleaming -torso to a living statue carved in orange-gold fire. - -Ylana shook with a new wave of paroxysmal panic. It took every ounce of -Jarl's control to hold himself from leaping up and running--tearing his -heart apart in one last frantic, desperate flight. - -But what good would it do to run, when this monstrous menace could -overtake and pass him in a single stride? - -Heart in his throat, he pulled Ylana close against him and waited in -rigid, aching tension for his doom. - -Another clanking step ... another; and the robot towered above them, -mountain-high. - - * * * * * - -Jarl's straining muscles cramped with pain. In awful fascination, he -felt the robot's shadow fall across them; watched as a gigantic foot -came down. The very ground shook. Dust spurted in a smothering cloud. - -It was as if death, personified, looked down upon them. - -And then, incredibly, the ponderous leg swung out again--swept over -them, past them, and crashed to earth again beyond. - -Another step. The shadow lifted. - -Jarl raised his head; stared, still not believing. - -But the robot was still moving on--on, through the bleak crags and the -wastelands. - -On, towards the place where the prows of the space-ships stood out -against the sky. - -Straining his eyes, Jarl could see tiny figures running, the headlong -rush of panic in their stride. - -But the robot was striding faster. - -A roar of rockets echoed dimly. As one, the _Knife_ and Bor Legat's -_Lightning_ blasted up into the sky. - -But already the robot was leaping, pivoting, with hideous, awkward -grace that spoke of awful strength beyond man's feeble understanding. -Great, gleaming metal hands shot out and seized the _Lightning_ in -mid-air. A lance of light blazed from the force-spot in the forehead -and blasted the _Knife_ to shattered fragments before it cleared the -rocks. - -And even as the light-beam struck, the mighty arms were levering. The -_Lightning's_ hull-beam cracked and splintered. The body parted in a -spray of shattered shards and clawing, falling crewmen. - -Then it was over. With savage force, the robot hurled the broken ship -to the ground ... trompled the shattered hull-sections into the dust. - -Ylana clung to Jarl--choking, crying, whole body shaking. Tight-lipped, -holding her close, he pressed back against the rocks, so hard the -ridges gouged his flesh like blunt-edged bayonets. - -The metal giant was turning, now. Again its great feet clanged and -thundered. Back it came once more, along the same road that had brought -it to its terrible festival of carnage and destruction. Again, its -shadow swept past Jarl and Ylana, not even pausing. Slowly, the -thunder of its footsteps faded. The massive hulk grew smaller, smaller, -in the distance. - -Then it was gone. Heavily, Jarl Corvett struggled to his feet. Slowly, -grimly, he turned. - -Ylana's reddened eyes met his. "Jarl--! Where are you going?" - -He shrugged; made himself ignore the new panic in her voice. "You can -guess that, can't you?" - -"No, Jarl! No--!" Eyes wide, lips quivering and parted, she came up, -clutching at his tunic. - -He pushed her hands away, not daring to let the tenderness he felt show -in face or action. His words came raw and harsh, in a voice he could -hardly recognize as his own: "What else is there to do? The ships are -gone. There's no other way that we can get in touch with Venus, fleet -headquarters." - -"No, Jarl...." - -"But your father's got a ship." He bit his words off, clipped and hard. -"He's got the robots, too, it seems--may the gods of the void protect -us all! But if he should die...." - -He let his voice trail off; stared out across the crags and desert -wastes. - -"Then I'll go, too--" - -"No." He pushed her back again--grim, unrelenting. "A few of Bor -Legat's men didn't get aboard the ship. Some may still live. Go stay -with them till I come." And then, bleakly: "_If_ I come...." - -Turning without a backward glance, he plodded off through the scorching -sand, following the course of the giant robot-- - -The course to _rey_ Gundre and his flagship. - - - - - CHAPTER X - - -Womar's blazing day--barely half as long as that of Earth--had waned -again before Jarl reached his destination. - -Then, at last, he was crawling through the dusk on hands and knees, up -to the shattered hull of the ship from beyond the void. The sun had -burned his face to a tortured mask, and his feet were raw, leaden lumps -of flesh that left a trail of blood behind him. - -Breathing hard, staggering weak from hunger and fatigue, he dragged -himself up out of the dirt to the broken port. He did not even wonder -what he would find within. He didn't care. He only knew that whatever -he was to do, he must do quickly, before the last remnants of his -draining strength were spent and he fell, to rise no more. - -And what was he to do? - -Drunkenly, he laughed. Who was he to say? His world was a blur of -star-splotched black, and sometimes--too often--he saw stars that he -knew weren't there. The time was past for schemes and planning. - -At best, below, he'd die tonight. - -But perhaps he might take _rey_ Gundre with him. - -_rey_ Gundre, Ylana's father. - -Her father--! No wonder her golden loveliness was shadowed. The real -wonder was that madness hadn't claimed her. - -But at least, this way, her sire's death would not be on her -conscience. No one could claim that hers had been the hand to slay him. - - * * * * * - -Down in the hold, the Forspark lights were blazing. With a tremendous -effort, Jarl pulled himself through the port. Half-sliding, -half-falling, he skidded down into the dirt and debris; lay there for a -moment, resting, dizzy and straining for breath to fill his lungs. - -Then, lurching to his feet, he stared across at the ring of light; the -flagship, ramped amid the forest of towering robots. - -What turned a man like _rey_ Gundre from the call of duty? Where did it -start, that insatiate lust for power and booty? - -And how, so quickly, had the high commissioner learned the secret of -controlling the metal giants? - -Had _Ktar_ Wassreck talked before he died? Could he have sought to buy -his life, at the last, with this final, priceless treasure? - -But now, to think took too much effort. Now--Jarl swayed--he only knew -that he must kill ... that such power as this was too great to be -trusted to any man, be he of the Federation or the raiders. - -Yet how to reach him, there in the ship, while armed crewmen paced to -and fro in the ring of light, on guard against the primitives? - -The primitives.... - -Jarl leaned against the hull, and laughed his drunken laugh again. - -The primitives: they held the answer. - -Shuffling and stumbling, he worked his way through the piles of debris -to the charred ruins of the altar platform. On hands and knees, he -searched the trompled sand, probing amid the stinking litter. - -Then, at last, his fingers touched the scorched, stiff corpse of a dead -primitive, still sprawled in the dirt where the creature had fallen. -Fumbling, he stripped off his own garments; replaced them with the -corpse's shoulder-plumes and girdle, ankle- and wrist-bands, sandals. -Unclamping the hideous metal mask, he clamped it on his own head ... -smeared his body thick with sand and ashes. - -Then it was done and he was ready, save for a weapon. - -A weapon.... He frowned. What weapon was there that he could carry past -the guards who paced their posts about _rey_ Gundre's ship? - -Wearily, he sagged back on his haunches and let sand trickle through -his fingers while he tried to prod his aching brain to action. - -The grit piled up in a little heap between his knees, a dusty cone -symbolic of this whole thrice-cursed desert world of Womar. It was -everywhere, that grit and dust, underfoot and in the air alike. It -rasped and smothered, choked and blinded. - -And--it came to him in a sudden flash--it was the weapon he was seeking! - -Scooping up the sand, he stuffed it between the girdle and his belly in -sifting handfuls, till he could pack in no more. - -And as he did so, his weariness fell away a little. A tiny spark of his -old fire came alive again. A thread of the strength he'd thought was -gone flowed slowly through him. - -He found that he could even stand straight without staggering. - -Bleakly, he laughed. - -Then, breathing deep, throwing back his head, he howled the wild, harsh -howl the charging primitives had uttered--pushed it out with all the -volume he could muster. - -He could see the guards jerk, in the light-ring round the ship. A -ray-gun blazed. - - * * * * * - -Jarl crouched behind a pile of debris. After a moment, when the guards' -first excitement had subsided, he moved in closer; howled again. - -This time, the crewmen showed less tension. Grim, purposeful, they -crouched by their weapons, watching and waiting. - -Jarl moved still closer. He shouted--a guttural, clacking diatribe that -went on for half a minute. - -Two officers came to the nearest point of the defense perimeter. -Uncertainly, they peered out into the echoing sea of darkness. - -Again Jarl shouted; kept up the stream of clacking sound still longer. - -One of the officers stepped back; gestured. A Forspark light swung -round and focussed on the area where Jarl lay hidden. - -Jarl scraped his palms against his legs. Drum-like, his heart pounded. -His belly writhed as he weighed the odds against this madman's gamble. - -But there was no other way. - -Once more he shouted; kept the clatter running. - -And as he did so--slowly; open hands upthrust and empty--he rose to -full height. Still shouting, he moved step by step into the beam of -searching light. - -He was close to the perimeter, now--close enough to hear the guards' -excited babble. - -Still no shot came; no ray-beam lanced out to burn him down. - -Boldly, he strode forward, straight towards the defenses. - -Crewmen moved up to meet him--cold-eyed, weapons leveled. - -He reached the edge of the perimeter; stood there, waiting. - -A _Fantay_ officer came out. Ray-gun in hand, throat-sac aquiver, he -circled Jarl, uncertainty and puzzlement written on his ugly face. - -Jarl threw out more of the meaningless, clacking syllables. The mask -distorted them even further. They came out a guttural rattle like -nothing ever heard on any planet. - -A _Pervod_ said, "Better take him in to the commissioner. Maybe the -vocodor can make something of his gabble." - -The _Fantay_ nodded briefly. His pad-like hands moved over Jarl, -probing the plumes, the wrist-bands, the girdle. - -A trickle of sand spilled to the ground. - -The _Fantay_ brushed it off, unheeding. He reached up; started to -fumble at the catches of the metal mask. - -Jarl's heart leaped. He knocked away the officer's hand and hurled an -angry cascade of gutturals at the creature. - -The _Fantay_ fell back a step, startled and even more uncertain; and -an Earthman clipped, "Leave that tin hat alone, Beyno! This thing's a -primitive. Maybe he thinks it's bad luck or something to take off his -mask in front of strangers." - -"Yes; that could be it." The officer swung around. "Gundre will be up -in the control section. Let's take this _chitza_ there." - - * * * * * - -Taking Jarl's arm, he led him forward, centered amid the little knot -of crewmen. Across the spreading ring of light they moved, and up the -ramp into _rey_ Gundre's mighty flagship ... through echoing -corridors ... in and out of a lift that whisked them a dozen levels -higher in as many seconds ... down still another gleaming metal -passage, till at last they faced the door of the craft's control -section. - -The officer let go of Jarl and stepped forward; touched the signal -button. - -The intercom plate glowed. _rey_ Gundre's voice blared: "Yes! What is -it?" He sounded tense and angry. - -The _Fantay_ clipped, "Sir, we've got one of the primitives. He came in -of his own free will, but we can't understand what he's trying to say. -We thought maybe you'd want to put him on the vocodor." - -"A primitive--!" There was a moment's hesitation. Then: "All right. -Just a minute." - -The intercom plate went blank. - -Jarl's knees were suddenly weak again. He swayed a little. Already, so -soon, he was here. It had been incredibly simple. - -But the next step-- - -Abruptly, the door to the control section opened part way. The high -commissioner himself looked out. His lean, handsome face was haggard, -the dark hair so rumpled that the white blaze was almost lost. - -His deep-set eyes flicked to Jarl Corvett. Then he snapped, "Two guards -will be enough," and drew back a fraction to let them enter. - -They filed in--first the _Fantay_ officer, then Jarl. The guards -brought up the rear. - -Behind them, _rey_ Gundre closed and locked the door. - -It was a bare, bleak room--the navigation unit, with its globes and -astrocharts and viziscreens. Through a half-open door to the right, -Jarl could see the switches and dial-studded panels of the operating -cubicle; the empty pilot-chair. - -Tight-drawn as a _llorin's_ bow-string, he shifted, seeking the spot -best suited to his purpose. Wry, mocking words _Ktar_ Wassreck once had -spoken rang in his brain: "_You'll live longer if you pick a place to -run to before you have to run._" - -Even now, as he faced certain death, it was good advice. Disregarding -the others, he moved almost to the cubicle's doorway. - -For the first time, then, as he swung round to face his captors, he saw -the plate of the long-range viziscreen. - -Saw it ... rocked ... almost cried out. - -For there, in stark detail, were the familiar outlines of tiny Ceres: -the bare expanse that was Ceresta's sprawling port ... the geometric -patterns of the town. - -And there, too, in the upper scanner, shone clusters of tiny, crawling -pinpoints--the mighty Federation fleet hurtling through the void, -poising in this moment to lance down upon their distant prey. - - * * * * * - -It dragged through a thousand years, that awful instant; an instant so -terrible that it made the navigation room swim and dissolve before -Jarl Corvett's eyes. - -Why had his fate brought him here at this final moment? Why must he -take his stand just in time to see the Federation fleet blast his one -last dream? - -Desperately, fists clenched and sweating, he tried to calculate how -long it would take the racing ships to reach a range where they could -use Wassreck's deadly force projectors. Five minutes--? Three? - -But what did it matter? Whatever the time, it still would be too short. - -Unless fate had brought him here now for a purpose; unless the gods of -the void themselves were riding at his side.... - -His stomach writhed. With a will born of utter frenzy, he tore his eyes -from the screen. - -The guards and the _Fantay_ officer still stood waiting. _rey_ Gundre -was studying him with narrowed eyes. - -Cold as death, Jarl made himself stride forward. Thrusting stiff hands -between the girdle and his belly, once again he spat a stream of -crackling gutturals at his foes. - -But then, the high commissioner was suddenly tensing, backing. "What is -this?" he cried sharply. "You're no primitive!" His voice went high and -raw. "Guards! Seize him--!" - -The _Fantay_ lunged. The guards clawed for their ray-guns. - -But already Jarl was pivoting, whipping a fistful of sand into the -officer's eyes. He leaped back as he threw it, so that one guard was -between him and the other. Savagely, he hammered home a blow; crowded -close and caught the ray-gun's barrel as it cleared the holster, -levering it up till it tore free from the creature's tortured grasp. - -Then the other guard was upon him, smashing him to his knees. - -But the metal mask broke the force of the blow. Jarl triggered the -ray-gun. The beam lanced out, struck home at the base of the bulging -jaw. - -The guard fell backward. - -Jarl fired again. The _Fantay_ died. - -But now _rey_ Gundre's own weapon was out. The remaining guard came -charging in. - -Jarl dropped flat as the high commissioner fired. The beam passed over -him; blasted the lunging guard. - -Jarl shot for _rey_ Gundre's weapon. - -The ray-gun flew out of the high commissioner's hand. - -Panting, Jarl lurched to his feet. His whole body trembled. For an -instant he thought he was going to faint. - -Then, out of the depths of his will, new strength came. He leveled the -ray-gun; held it steady. - -_rey_ Gundre went white to the lips. Unsteadily, he moved backward, -till his body, the palms of his hands, were pressed flat against the -wall. He could not seem to tear his eyes from the hideous metal mask -Jarl wore. - -"Is the high commissioner afraid, then--?" Jarl laughed harshly. -"Forget it, Gundre, I've things for you to do before you die." - -"Jarl Corvett--!" The commissioner's eyes went wide with shock, -mirror-bright with fear. - -Jarl laughed again, a bleak and mirthless sound. With his free hand, he -unclamped the mask; dropped it to the floor. - -Tightly, he said: "Get a cross on your fleet, Commissioner. Give them -their true orders--that Ceres is to be spared." - - * * * * * - -The panic that flared in _rey_ Gundre's eyes was a frightful thing -to see. His face sagged, grey as lead. "No, Corvett--! Not that! I -can't--!" - -"Then you can die," Jarl said. - -He raised the ray-gun. - -The high commissioner's mouth worked. "No, no...." Tottering, he -stumbled towards the viziscreen. - -Jarl followed him, grim as death. - -The clustered pinpoints were closer to Ceres now, slashing through the -void like streaks of light. - -With trembling fingers, _rey_ Gundre fumbled at the dials. - -"Faster!" Jarl clipped. "Your life depends on it, Gundre! If they -strike, you die!" - -A new voice, behind them, said, "No, Jarl." - -By sheer reflex, Jarl whirled. - -A man stood in operation unit's doorway ... a tall man with a gaunt, -pain-twisted body, and high-domed head, and burning eyes. - -A man Jarl Corvett knew so well-- - -"_Wassreck--!_" - -"Yes, Jarl. Wassreck." The other's voice was almost gentle. The wry -mouth twisted with the thin ghost of a smile. - -Jarl's knees went weak as water. His gun-hand sagged. He clutched a -chair to keep from falling. - -Still smiling, _Ktar_ Wassreck moved forward, into the navigation room. -"Did I surprise you, Jarl?" - -"I--thought you dead." - -"And Sais, too--?" The other chuckled softly, and half-turned. "Come, -my dear...." - -And of a sudden, there was dark Sais, framed in the open -doorway--radiant, lips half-parted, eyes aglow. - -_Ktar_ Wassreck said, "I know how much she means to you, my comrade. I -brought her here, from Karrel's ship, to wait till you should come." -His pain-warped shoulders twisted. "Because I knew you'd come, Jarl, -sometime. Loyalty is a thing you understand." - -"I called him on the _Knife's_ screen, Jarl," Sais broke in. Her voice -was warm and eager. "The crew didn't think to guard me. After that, I -ran away, into the desert, and waited till the flagship came." - -Jarl swayed. His brain was reeling, and everything had a queer, -distorted look. He wondered if perhaps he'd finally fainted ... if this -were all a dream, somehow, or death. - -But he made himself speak, because he had to learn the truth ... find -answers to the questions that kept tumbling and jumbling.... - -"You ... were aboard the flagship--?" - -"Of course, Jarl," Wassreck nodded. "I wasn't captured, nor yet did I -surrender. All this has been a careful plan, worked out between the -high commissioner and me." - -"A--plan--?" - -"Yes!" _Ktar_ Wassreck's voice rang. With sudden eagerness, he leaned -forward, and his eyes burned with a strange new light. "Jarl, with the -power that's in these robots, the universe is ours to rule! What force -is there that can stand against them? What planet could defy their -might?" - -"But the high commissioner...." Jarl gestured, stumbled. "Why would -he aid the outlaw worlds--?" And then, in sudden panic, whirling: -"Quick--! The Federation fleet--it's headed down for Ceres! We've got -to stop them! It may already be too late!" - -But Wassreck's voice said, "No, Jarl." - -It was flat this time, no longer gentle. - - * * * * * - -Slowly, slowly Jarl turned from the scanner, with its clustered, -crawling pinpoints. A seeping emptiness was rising in him--an ugly, -hollow feeling he'd never felt before. - -Wassreck still stood in the same spot as before. But now, his right -hand was at waist-level. - -It held a blaster. - -In a voice not even remotely resembling his own, Jarl asked, "What do -you mean?" - -Wassreck's eyes were burning coals. His gaunt face seemed even thinner -than before. - -He said: "I mean the outlaw worlds must die!" - -Jarl nodded slowly. "I guessed that would be it." - -"Don't you see, Jarl--?" Sais cried, coming to him. "The raiders will -never lose their idiot dreams of freedom! Always, everywhere, they'll -make trouble! It would be madness to leave them with Ceresta and their -fleet. The Federation planets know what it means to bow before a -ruler--" - -Wordless, Jarl looked down at her. - -Hand on his arm, she rushed on--glowing, eager: "At first my father -thought of you as dangerous. But always, I've loved you. That's why -I came to you on Ceres, saying he was captured--so that you would -prove your loyalty to him. Now, he knows; and the two of you can rule -together. You and I--we'll have each other...." - -She pressed against Jarl--body warm, hair soft and fragrant. - -Wassreck broke in: "Jarl, you saw what happened today when I tried out -that robot on Bor Legat's ships! And once the raider fleet is smashed, -there'll be no opposition." - -The numb emptiness filled Jarl to overflowing. "And if I say no--?" - -He could see the other stiffen. - -"Is there a choice?" Wassreck's laugh was suddenly savage. "Your -ray-gun's down, and my blaster's on you. Even if you could kill me, the -crew knows you're here; they'd be waiting for you." - -And Sais whispered, "Jarl, why should you die for nothing? What can -it gain you, or anyone else?" Her cool fingers caressed him. "Jarl, -don't you understand? I love you! I want us to be together, now and -forever...." - -Jarl stood very still. - - * * * * * - -How many nights had he lain in a chill, lonely bunk far out in space, -and dreamed of Sais beside him? How many times had he cursed the raider -way, the blood and iron, and longed instead for power and booty? - -Now he could have those things. What made him hang back? Why did he -hesitate? - -Why indeed, when refusal meant death without gain, without meaning? - -Only then he thought of other things, and pain came in a rush to fill -the emptiness. - -For he thought of those who lived, and those who'd died, whether they -lived or died for good or evil. Of Bor Legat and Ungo, Tas Karrel and -Ylana, a thousand fallen crewmen. - -Of Ceresta's teeming hives, and Pallas, and of the raider fleet. - -Of freedom. - -Perhaps there was still a place in this mad universe for a man who did -not fear to die. - -Again, he looked down into Sais' dark, lovely face. Again, her hair's -fragrance rose like perfume in his nostrils. - -But as he stared, somehow, the lines and contours kept shifting, -changing, till it was as if he were gazing at one of the primitives' -hideous, leering masks. - -Bleakly, he pushed her away. - -Her face sagged, incredulous. But it was _Ktar_ Wassreck himself who -spoke: "You know what this means, Jarl--?" - -"I know." - -"Then it doesn't count that I came for you on Horla? Loyalty means -nothing...?" - -"Loyalty--?" Jarl laughed a bitter laugh. "And what are you loyal to, -then, Wassreck? Your friends who'll die down on Ceresta?" - -The gaunt man's face grew cold and bleak. He did not answer. - -Jarl turned his head; slashed out at _rey_ Gundre, still standing -by the viziscreen: "You, Commissioner! What are you loyal to? The -Federation, that you betray? Ylana, your own daughter, who'd rather -die in the desert than live here with you?" - -A trace of color came to the high commissioner's grey, sagging face. -Unspeaking, he looked away. - -"Loyalty--!" Jarl spat. "How can any of you even pretend to know what -it means? Because a man's first loyalty is to his own conscience--and -conscience is a thing you neither have nor understand!" - -Wassreck's gaunt face contorted. "A pretty speech--to die with." - -His finger went white on the blaster's trigger. - -Jarl Corvett whipped up his ray-gun. - - * * * * * - -Yet even in that moment, Jarl knew the truth: that his strength had -gone; that he was too slow. Before he could even fire himself, Wassreck -would kill him. - -But he didn't dare to die--not while _Ktar_ Wassreck still lived and -held the secret of the mighty warrior robots. Too much was at stake. -Too many could suffer. - -Only now, there was nothing he could do. At last, the gods of the void -had ridden on their way without him. - -But then, incredibly, another figure hurtled across his field of vision. - -The figure of High Commissioner _rey_ Gundre. - -For a split second, Wassreck's eyes wavered. - -Jarl dived to one side as the blaster roared. The bolt seared a -flaming path diagonally along his ribs. - -But now, Jarl, too, was firing--lancing a ray-beam into Wassreck's -midriff. - -The gaunt body stiffened ... straightened ... fell. - -Jarl threw himself round, searching for Sais and _rey_ Gundre. - -They lay in a tumbled heap near the farthest wall. The commissioner was -twitching, moaning faintly. - -Jarl stumbled across to where he lay, tried to help him to turn over. - -A blaster bolt had taken the man high in the chest. Blood already was -trickling from his mouth. "Ylana--!" he gasped, then choked on the -blood. - -A moment later, he died. - -Jarl turned to Sais. - -She, too, was dead. She held a blaster in her hand--and her neck was -broken. - -Dully, head throbbing, Jarl remembered _rey_ Gundre's mad, unexplained -rush. - -Now it needed no explanation. - -Outside, someone was pounding on the door. Dim sounds of tumult sifted -through the portal. - -So the guards had come already.... - -Struggling to his feet again, Jarl made his way to the viziscreen. He -had lost all track of time. He half expected to find Ceres already -blasted, broken. - -It still was there. But the clustered pinpoints that were the -Federation fleet had begun converging high above, readying for the -final plunge. - -With trembling fingers, Jarl set a cross for the lead ship; switched on -the communicator unit. Harshly, in _rey_ Gundre's name, he rasped out -orders. - -The wheeling ships veered; peeled off on a different course. - -Ceres was saved. - -Jarl sagged against the screen. He felt incredibly old, incredibly -weary. - -The pounding on the door grew louder. - -Jarl thought: _Another minute and they'll break in_.... - -And he would die. - - * * * * * - -Only all at once, he didn't care. His job was done. What difference did -it make, what happened now? - -His only regret was that Ylana would never know that at the last, when -the crisis came, her father had broken clean and died to save him. - -And Sais.... What things had been in her mind when she raised that -blaster to try to kill the man she claimed to love? - -It was strange, though: he felt no hatred towards her. - -But, neither did he feel love, or sorrow, or pity. It was as if she -were an utter stranger, some passer-by he'd never known. - -So different from Ylana.... - -Ylana the golden. He spoke her name aloud, and liked its sound. - -Ylana the golden. Red lips, grey eyes, and rippling hair. - -Such queer things to be thinking about at a time like this. But then, -his whole state of mind just now was somewhat queer. - -Out in the hall, some heavy object smashed against the door. Soon, he -knew the panel would crash down. - -Why wait for it? Why not go out and meet death as a raider should? - -Jarl laughed drunkenly. Reeling, he stumbled to the door; with a clumsy -jerk threw back the bolt and braced himself to take the blasts. - -Then the door burst open. Beings of half-a-dozen planets charged in -upon him--and Big Ungo of Jupiter was in their van. - -Jarl knew then that this was a nightmare--the delirium of a fevered, -over-weary brain. He closed his eyes and let himself go limp; slumped -to the floor. - -But when he looked up again, Ungo was still there, and now Ylana, too, -knelt beside him, whispering, "Jarl--! Jarl Corvett...." while the red -lips quivered and tears spilled from the cool grey eyes. - -Ungo said: "She made us come, Jarl--all of us that were left from Bor -Legat's ships. With her to talk for us, we didn't even have to fight to -get in here." - -"You're lying!" Jarl accused him, twisting as pain stabbed along his -wounded side. "You're not here. I'm just dreaming. When I wake up, if -I'm not dead, you'll all be gone." - -"No, Jarl. This isn't dreaming. This is real." All at once Ylana was -smiling through her tears. "Sleep, now, Jarl. I'll still be here when -you waken--or forever, if you want me...." - -As she spoke, she reached out and gently closed his eyes. - -He didn't mind. As a matter of fact, of a sudden he wanted to let sleep -come, and quickly. - -For now he knew that waking would be better than any dream. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WEAPON FROM ETERNITY *** - -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. 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Swain</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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 <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: The Weapon From Eternity</p> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Dwight V. Swain</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: August 11, 2021 [eBook #66042]</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net</div> - -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WEAPON FROM ETERNITY ***</div> - -<div class="figcenter x-ebookmaker-drop"> - <img src="images/illusc.jpg" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>THE WEAPON FROM ETERNITY</h1> - -<h2>By Dwight V. Swain</h2> - -<p>Legends spoke of a weapon too dreadful to<br /> -use hidden somewhere among the stars—a weapon<br /> -that was its own master—choosing its victims!</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy<br /> -September 1952<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 class="ph1">CHAPTER I</p> - - -<p>Jarl Corvett selected the group—himself, Ungo, and five crewmen.</p> - -<p>They left their great ship on the far side of Vesta; came down with the -night in a fast raider carrier.</p> - -<p>A hollow offered shelter. Like dust settling, they landed. Abandoning -the craft, they pressed on towards their target. The hills fell behind. -The final cordon was bypassed.</p> - -<p>Then, at last, bleakly, they stared down at the sprawling building that -had been Wassreck's workshop.</p> - -<p>But lights beat on the white walls. Guards paced the parapets. The -commissioner's own carrier thrust up in the courtyard.</p> - -<p>Frowning, Jarl Corvett crouched deep in the shadows. Tension crawled -his spine like a leather-footed <i>palau</i>. His own black thoughts pressed -relentlessly in upon him: <i>Is this where it ends, warrior? Is this the -place, here under the Federation's dazzling Forspark lights on a tiny -astroidal speck that men call Vesta?</i></p> - -<p>Beside him, the darkness rustled. Scales brushed his arm. One-armed -Jovian Ungo's hoarse whisper echoed over-loud in his ear: "Give it up, -Jarl! Wassreck's gone, and they're ready. It's hopeless!"</p> - -<p>"It was hopeless before," Jarl Corvett said tightly. "It was hopeless -at Horla. But Wassreck came for me."</p> - -<p>The Jovian's scaly hand gripped his shoulder in the darkness. "I know, -Jarl. You're loyal. But this time—"</p> - -<p>"Could you face Sais without trying? Could you tell her you'd left him?"</p> - -<p>Ungo grunted, half-sullen. "Will it help if you're killed, too? Will it -make her feel better?" He cursed in his own tongue. "Me, I still like -living. I'm not ready to die yet."</p> - -<p>Jarl threw off the Jovian's arm. His words slashed, raw and savage, in -spite of his efforts: "You can leave if you want to! I ask no man to -risk his neck against his will!"</p> - -<p>Dimly, against the sky, he could see Ungo's head sink down between the -great, horny shoulders. "Don't gall me, you <i>chitza</i>! I go where you -go! I always will!"</p> - -<p>Jarl clenched his fists. He thought: <i>Yes, Ungo will always go where -you go, Jarl Corvett. He proved that when he left one arm on Pluto for -you. That's what's wrong with loyalty. It traps you, tears you two -ways. Because whichever road you take, good men, good friends, must -die.</i></p> - -<p>And Sais would be waiting....</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>He cursed aloud and crawled forward, away from big Ungo, digging in -knees and elbows with savage force, taking out his fury on the rocky -ground.</p> - -<p>Ahead, just outside the blazing lake of light around the building, the -air-vent loomed. Wriggling to it, he jerked out his knife and pried at -the grilled lid's seal.</p> - -<p>But then, once again, Ungo was beside him. "Here, let me at it, Jarl!" -Heedless of danger, the Jovian surged to full height. His talon fingers -splayed through the grill. The broad back, the mighty shoulders, -strained and heaved.</p> - -<p>There was a thin <i>spang!</i> of metal parting. The lid tore free.</p> - -<p>Jarl gripped his comrade's arm. "Ungo...."</p> - -<p>"Forget it, Jarl. I understand. Our job is down below."</p> - -<p>A tightness came to Jarl Corvett's throat. Wordless, he swung his legs -over the edge of the vent, lowered himself to full arm's length, and -let go.</p> - -<p>It was a six-foot drop into blackness so ebon that it made the outer -night almost seem bright. Twisting, he crawled a few feet along the -horizontal conduit that ran from shaft to building.</p> - -<p>Ungo's gruntings drifted down as he wedged his great body through the -hole. Then, with a thud, the Jovian, too, had landed. The other five -followed, one by one.</p> - -<p>"This way!" Jarl whispered. "The tube leads straight to the blower -room."</p> - -<p>Ghost-silent, they crept through the murk for what seemed miles. Fine -dust rose about them in a choking haze, and there was an acrid stink of -tanaline and <i>jeol</i>. Tiny <i>bulaks</i> chattered their fright, scampering -from the raiders' path. The suction of the Banx unit at the tunnel's -other end tugged at hair and tunics in a gusty, whistling gale.</p> - -<p>Then, feeling ahead, Jarl touched a screen. He halted; half-turned. -"We've made it. We're inside." Twisting, he ran his hand over the -tube's side wall till he found the cleaning hatch. His searching -fingers touched the bolt. He worked it round.</p> - -<p>The hatch swung open on creaking hinges. Knife in hand, Jarl slid out -into the blower room, with its looming bulk of Banx unit transmuters -and converters and compressors.</p> - -<p>A dim rectangle on the right marked the ramp to the floor above.</p> - -<p>Cat-footed, flat to the wall, Jarl moved up the incline, the raiders at -his heels.</p> - -<p>A faint scuff of sound whispered in the stillness. Ahead, out of a -cross-corridor, a Martian <i>fala</i> in the blue tunic of a Federation -guard moved into view.</p> - -<p>Jarl froze, not daring to breathe.</p> - -<p>The guard crossed the ramp, not pausing, and went on down the corridor -out of sight. The shuffle of his steps faded and died.</p> - -<p>Jarl slid forward again till he reached the passage, then halted. -Taut-nerved, he waited, listening.</p> - -<p>Voices came dimly. Jarl lowered himself to the floor. Ever so -cautiously, he peered around the corner.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Far down the hall, the guard stood chatting with one of his fellows. A -moment later, breaking off, he turned and started back towards the ramp -again.</p> - -<p>Jarl drew back. Rising, he wiped the sweat from the palm of his knife -hand, then crouched waiting.</p> - -<p>The sound of the <i>fala's</i> footsteps drifted to him, closer and closer.</p> - -<p>Jarl sucked in air.</p> - -<p>The scuffing echoed through the silence. The guard stepped out onto the -ramp.</p> - -<p>Jarl leaped forward—catching the <i>fala's</i> chin from behind, jerking -back the ugly head, slashing at the throat.</p> - -<p>The guard's cry died in bubbling purple blood. He wrenched -spasmodically, hands and feet threshing; then went limp.</p> - -<p>Jarl dragged him backward—out of the corridor, down the ramp. -Breathing hard, he lowered the sagging corpse to the floor.</p> - -<p>Ungo touched his arm, gestured questioningly.</p> - -<p>Jarl whispered: "The living quarters are upstairs. They'll have her -there."</p> - -<p>The Jovian nodded, not speaking.</p> - -<p>Again Jarl dropped flat and wormed forward, searching the corridor.</p> - -<p>No one was in sight.</p> - -<p>Surging to his feet, he swung right down the hall to the next ramp, his -crewmen behind him. Swift, silent, he raced to the second floor.</p> - -<p>There were no guards here—only echoing stillness and blank, closed -doors.</p> - -<p>The first room was empty. In the second snored a sleeping <i>dau</i> captain -from the Federation fleet.</p> - -<p>Big Ungo whispered hoarsely, "This one's locked!"</p> - -<p>It was the door at the end ... the door to the room that had once been -Sais'.</p> - -<p>Jarl pressed against it. Sheathing his knife, he brought out a -light-gun and pressing its muzzle against the lock, squeezed the -trigger.</p> - -<p>The silent beam blazed forth. The lock's bolt fused and fell away.</p> - -<p>The raiders pushed into the room.</p> - -<p>A girl lay in the bed, asleep. Quick, tight-lipped, Jarl crossed to her -side.</p> - -<p>She was a vision of slim blonde loveliness, this woman. A golden vision -from a far-off world. As he looked at her, the thought flickered -through Jarl Corvett's mind: <i>She's almost as beautiful as Sais.</i></p> - -<p>Dark Sais, <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck's daughter....</p> - -<p>Yet even while the girl slept, a deeper, darker mood seemed to shadow -her loveliness, as if she held some brooding secret locked within her. -Or perhaps it was only that a strain of clouded alien blood ran in her -veins, from her mother—blood of Titan, or Io, or Venus.</p> - -<p>"Is this her, Jarl?" big Ungo whispered. "Is she Ylana? Time's running -short...."</p> - -<p>Jarl shook off his mood. "Yes. She's the one, the commissioner's -daughter." He caught the girl's shoulder and jerked at it roughly, one -hand to her mouth, in case she should scream.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>She came awake with a start, grey eyes flaring wide in sudden panic. -Her whole body convulsed as she saw the raiders.</p> - -<p>Jarl threw himself on her, bearing her down. Fiercely, he whispered, -"Quiet, if you wish to live!"</p> - -<p>Her struggles ceased. Lips pale, breasts heaving, she lay stiff and -unyielding.</p> - -<p>He said: "Relax, woman! We're not going to hurt you."</p> - -<p>Her lips moved on his palm. He raised his hand a fraction.</p> - -<p>"Who are you?" Her voice shook. "What do you want here?"</p> - -<p>"They call me Jarl Corvett."</p> - -<p>The girl clutched her throat. "Jarl Corvett, the raider? The ally of -Wassreck—?"</p> - -<p>Jarl smiled at her thinly. "Ally, friend, comrade, brother. That's why -I've come here. I needed a hostage."</p> - -<p>"A hostage—?"</p> - -<p>"For Wassreck. He's a prisoner. You'll buy his freedom."</p> - -<p>The grey eyes distended. The girl breathed fast and shallow, ripe lips -half-parted. "You madman—!" she whispered.</p> - -<p>Jarl Corvett laughed harshly, and there was ice and fire in it. "Some -say so. But Wassreck saved me at Horla. Tonight I've come here to pay -back what I owe him."</p> - -<p>"Jarl!" Ungo broke in, raw-voiced and urgent. "Quick! Hurry! They will -find that dead guard any minute!"</p> - -<p>"Yes." Jarl raised up. He spoke again to the girl—bleak, cold, -rock-steady: "You're coming, Ylana. As to how—you do the choosing. But -even if we have to tie you and gag you and carry you, you're coming!"</p> - -<p>The girl's grey eyes probed his. Color came to her lips; they no -longer trembled. "You mean—you really believe you can storm in here -and take me? That your handful of raiders can fight through the -cordon—?"</p> - -<p>"Freemen have done more."</p> - -<p>"Freemen—?" Ylana's laugh was tight, bitter. "What do you and your -outlaws know about freedom? To you, it means nothing but freedom to -murder, to plunder!"</p> - -<p>Her words stung like gas-hail slashing down upon Pluto. Jarl felt his -breath quicken. "Who are you, to talk of the outlaw worlds and their -plunder?" he lashed back at her fiercely. "What of your father's own -fleet; your thrice-cursed Federation?"</p> - -<p>The girl blazed. "The Federation brings order!"</p> - -<p>"And what is your order but another name for plunder—the great -planets' power to take what they choose from the lesser?" Jarl choked -on his anger. "To you, I'm a pirate, because men like me sweep the void -in our own raider ships to keep our people from starving. What else -can we do, living on these barren rocks in the Belt, charred fragments -of worlds that should never have been colonized? But your father—with -no right on his side but the Federation fleet's might, he's named high -commissioner—sent out to tear even our bleak asteroids from us by -conquest—"</p> - -<p>"Jarl—!" burst out Ungo.</p> - -<p>"I'm coming!" Jarl towered over Ylana. "Get ready!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The girl sat up in her bed. Her fists gripped the covers. "I warn you, -Jarl Corvett: You'll curse the day that you took me—"</p> - -<p>"Because of your father?" Jarl laughed, short and curt. "I'll still -chance it."</p> - -<p>"No." The girl's grey eyes seethed, dark and dangerous. "Because of me, -Ylana <i>rey</i> Gundre! Because I'll see you and your men die in torment, a -thousand times worse than the flame-death at Horla—"</p> - -<p>"I'll chance that, too." Jarl jerked back the covers.</p> - -<p>Wordless, disdainful, the girl tossed her head. The golden hair -rippled. Rising, she took a gown from a chair and pulled it about her -slim, perfect figure.</p> - -<p>"That's better." Jarl turned to Ungo. "We'll go down through the -workshop. There's less chance there to trap us."</p> - -<p>In hair-triggered silence, they moved back through the hallway, the -girl boxed among them. A different ramp yawned. The door at its foot -let them into the workshop, the place of the robots.</p> - -<p>Wassreck's robots.</p> - -<p>A name to conjure with, <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck. Master of robots, master of -raiders. The brain of a genius in a pain-shriveled body. A mind that -had fathomed the key to the star-stones; courage to strike even through -Oyo's flame-death, staking his soul for Jarl Corvett at Horla.</p> - -<p>And here were his robots—towering metal monsters, set shoulder to -shoulder. He dreamed of them, lived for them. More even than dark Sais, -they were his children.</p> - -<p><i>Children of a nightmare</i>, Jarl thought as he led the way past them. -Bleakly, he wondered why Wassreck had made them—what dark, twisted -drive had spurred their creation.</p> - -<p>They came to a door. Jarl faced his raiders. "The hallway's outside. -The third ramp to the left leads down to the blowers."</p> - -<p>He turned to the girl, the commissioner's slim daughter. "Stay with me, -Ylana. And forget about running or screaming."</p> - -<p>She moved closer, not speaking. The grey eyes were unfathomable.</p> - -<p>He stepped into the passage, the girl close behind him. The crewmen -followed.</p> - -<p>Then, as they came abreast the second ramp, he heard voices—a harsh, -angry crackle that rose louder each second.</p> - -<p>Jarl stopped in his tracks and spun round to the crewmen. "Quick! up -the ramp—!"</p> - -<p>Gripping Ylana's wrist, he half-dragged her with him.</p> - -<p>Barely in time, they crowded into the entry. Down the hall, by the -blowers, someone cursed loudly. More footsteps pounded. Metal banged -metal.</p> - -<p>Big Ungo burst out, "It's that guard, Jarl. They've found him—!" He -clutched at his blaster—head down, geared for battle.</p> - -<p>Now new steps hurried towards them, from the way they had come.</p> - -<p>Jarl whipped out his light-gun. "We're not done! The commissioner's -carrier is out in the courtyard. We'll blast our way to it!"</p> - -<p>"Which way—?"</p> - -<p>"Back up this ramp! We'll drop from a window!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>They sped up the incline to the second level, then down the corridor. -But before they could reach a room that opened on the inner court, -tumult broke out on this upper floor also. Guards shouted. There was a -beat of feet; the clamor of men rushing towards them.</p> - -<p>Jarl leaped for a doorway. "In here—on the double!"</p> - -<p>His men crowded past him. Shoving Ylana before him, Jarl followed. -Inside, he half-closed the door.</p> - -<p>Like statues, they waited. The hurrying guard squad came closer.</p> - -<p>Jarl gripped Ylana tight, her slim body hard against him. He cupped his -hand over her mouth. The golden hair brushed his cheek. He could feel -her heart pounding.</p> - -<p>The first of the blue-uniformed Federation fighters ran past the -half-open door.</p> - -<p>Jarl poised his light-gun.</p> - -<p>In the same instant, lance-sharp pain stabbed through the hand he held -over Ylana's mouth.</p> - -<p>He jerked back by instinct—and knew of a sudden even as he did it that -the girl had bitten him.</p> - -<p>But his flinching left Ylana's mouth clear for an instant. She -screamed, shrill and piercing.</p> - -<p>Jarl cursed. He tried to throw her aside.</p> - -<p>But she clutched his belt, clinging. Snatching his razor-edged knife -from its sheath, she slashed at him.</p> - -<p>He rocked backward, off balance.</p> - -<p>The girl twisted. He glimpsed her face—teeth bared, features -strain-straut. Back-handed, she lashed at his temple with the -knife-haft, her full strength behind it.</p> - -<p>It struck home as the first guards burst through the doorway....</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph1">CHAPTER II</p> - - -<p>Twin blue-and-silver Federation banners marked the place of the high -commissioner of all the asteroids.</p> - -<p>His table stood at the far end of the vast room that had been <i>Ktar</i> -Wassreck's workshop. Other tables radiated out in a great arc from -it—tables crowded with officers of the Federation fleet. Heavy-thewed -Uranian <i>daus</i> sat side by side with slim reptilian <i>Pervods</i>. -Transmi of Venus, all ear-stalks and sucking tubes, faced rubbery, -flat-featured Europans. Creatures of half-a-hundred divergent races, -hybrids and mutants, they gathered here from all the far-flung planets -of the Federation. Their rising voices clashed in strange cacophony -through the tinkle of cutlery and crystal, thrown back in a din of -ringing echoes from the giant metal robots that still lined the walls.</p> - -<p>Straightening in spite of the weight of his shackles, shrugging off -the hands of the guards who flanked him, Jarl Corvett met the seething -hostility of their glances with stiff-necked defiance. But underneath, -questions nagged him: <i>Why am I here? Who ordered me brought to this -banquet?</i></p> - -<p>But here he stood. That was what counted. Boldly, he surveyed the -room ... stared unflinching across at the commissioner.</p> - -<p>A handsome man, Commissioner <i>rey</i> Gundre. Heavy-bodied and aging, in -these later days. But still personable, still a figure to catch the -eye, even slack-faced and slouched in his seat as now.</p> - -<p>He was a man of Earth, plainly, with all the strengths and weaknesses -and surging conflicts that went with that heritage. The sunburst -insignia of his rank stood out against the deep blue of his impeccably -tailored uniform. The white blaze that accented the darkness of his -hair only made him the more striking.</p> - -<p>His aide sat at his left hand, Ylana at his right.</p> - -<p>Ylana the golden, daughter of the high commissioner himself.</p> - -<p>And Jarl Corvett's nemesis.</p> - -<p>Even looking at her here, Jarl could feel the muscles at the hinges of -his jaws draw tight.</p> - -<p>Tonight she sat slim and graceful at the banquet table in a scarlet -stylon gown. Her blonde hair swept up in a soft golden nimbus like that -of Tal Neeni, sea goddess of Callisto. The red lips were smiling, the -grey eyes asparkle.</p> - -<p>Yet even when she laughed, some dark inner mood seemed to shadow her -beauty, even as it had last night while she lay asleep.</p> - -<p>That shadow.... Was it alien blood, or a secret? Again Jarl caught -himself wondering. He thought: <i>I should hate her!</i> And in the same -moment: <i>Even Sais is no lovelier</i>....</p> - -<p>Cursing himself for a fool and a weakling, he tore his eyes from her -and studied the aide.</p> - -<p>He was <i>Malya</i>, this officer; <i>Malya</i> and warrior. His dark rough-hewn -face stayed emotionless, immobile. But the black <i>Malya</i> eyes ranged -ceaselessly—bleak and watchful, never still. Ruthlessness was in them, -and recklessness ... a spirit that seemed to mock Jarl Corvett and deny -the blue Federation tunic that the dark aide wore.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Bitterly, Jarl looked down at his shackles. He thought of the <i>Malyas</i> -among his own crewmen; the wild, free-born raiders.</p> - -<p>How long would it be before they, too, wore the blue of the Federation?</p> - -<p>Or before they died....</p> - -<p>Now the commissioner stirred. Chin sunk on chest, he mumbled something -to his rock-faced lieutenant.</p> - -<p>The lean aide nodded briefly. Twisting in his seat, he pounded on -the banquet table—first with his fist; then the butt of his heavy -Talistan ray-gun.</p> - -<p>The sound rose even above the tumult and raucous voices, echoing and -re-echoing through the great room that till short days before had been -Wassreck's clandestine robotics laboratory.</p> - -<p>Slowly, the noise and voices died away. Chairs scraped. Heads turned. -Eyes of <i>Fantay</i> and of <i>fala</i>, Mercurian and Martian, <i>Chonya</i>, -Thorian, <i>Pervod</i>, searched out the table where the aide and the high -commissioner sat.</p> - -<p>Not quite steadily, then, the commissioner rose, a brimming <i>kabat</i> -goblet in his hand. His eyes had the glassy shine of bright new -mirrors, and his tunic was rumpled, twisted awry.</p> - -<p>Swaying a little, the commissioner slapped loose-fingered at the -blouse, as if to brush away the wrinkles. <i>Kabat</i> slopped from the -goblet and spilled over his hand. Blinking, he looked down at the -spreading green stain. A foolish grin flickered fleetingly on his face.</p> - -<p>Ylana leaned towards him; spoke sharply.</p> - -<p>The commissioner's head twitched. He straightened, and his shoulders -snapped back to a too-stiff 'attention'. Jerkily, he raised his glass.</p> - -<p>"A toast to our host, officers!" he cried in a drink-thickened voice. -"A toast to <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck—may he rot in hell!"</p> - -<p>Leaden silence came down on the room like a curtain. Furtive glances -flicked out to the towering robots, shoulder to shoulder, that lined -the walls.</p> - -<p>It made Jarl Corvett smile a little, the way the officers hung back. -Did some recall H'sana? Were others on Pallas? Free or captive, <i>Ktar</i> -Wassreck still put cold fear in them!</p> - -<p><i>Ktar</i> Wassreck: Outlaw, scientist, scholar. Wassreck at Horla—gnome -head tilted, eyes burning, laughing in the face of death. Wassreck ... -and Sais....</p> - -<p>Spasmodically, Jarl's fists clenched. His bruised head throbbed dully.</p> - -<p>"To our host!" the commissioner cried again, lurching forward. "To -Wassreck—"</p> - -<p>The spell broke. The officers surged to their feet. Their shouts rang -through the clamor: "To Wassreck—"</p> - -<p>"—May he rot in hell!"</p> - -<p>They drank it down.</p> - -<p>Fury swirled up in Jarl Corvett, hot and all consuming.</p> - -<p>Swaying, face flushed, the commissioner clutched a decanter. He spilled -more <i>kabat</i> into his goblet. "Now—one for Corvett! A toast to Jarl -Corvett—"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>He broke off as Ylana tugged at his tunic. Lines of angry tension -slashed the smooth loveliness of her face. Her lips moved, wrapping -round curt syllables.</p> - -<p>Her father laughed drunkenly. He turned towards the doorway where -guards and raider stood, and his hand swept up in a clumsy broadside -gesture. "Drag him out!" he shouted. "Flush the <i>chitza</i> out of his -hole!"</p> - -<p>The two Mercurians who flanked Jarl closed in. One clutched his arm.</p> - -<p>Jarl's fury seethed higher. In spite of his shackles, he jerked free of -the Mercurian's taloned hand. He felt cold arrogance ring in his voice: -"No one drags Jarl Corvett! I'll walk alone!"</p> - -<p>For the fraction of a second the guards stood hesitant, lobed eyes -clouded beneath their nictitating lids.</p> - -<p>Jarl swung his arms back sharply. The chains of his shackles whispered, -link on link, like a flexing metal knout.</p> - -<p>The Mercurians' eyes fell. Contemptuous, ignoring them, Jarl turned -away. Head high, back unbending, he strode towards the table of the -high commissioner.</p> - -<p>The Earthman smirked at him, still swaying.</p> - -<p>Recklessness sang a death-song in Jarl Corvett's veins.</p> - -<p>"Hail, coward!" he cried fiercely, and swept the crowd with a scathing -glance. "Is this the best your Federation fleet can offer—scum so low -that they draw their sport from taunting prisoners? <i>Huroks</i> so green -with fear that you must bring me here in bonds?"</p> - -<p>An angry babble rose from the tables, and the commissioner's -<i>kabat</i>-heavy lids drooped lower. But his lips twisted in the mirthless -semblance of a smile.</p> - -<p>"Do you rate yourself so high that you think I'd waste time on you, -<i>starbo</i>?" He laughed, deep in his throat. "No, brigand! You're here -against my will!"</p> - -<p>"Against your will—?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. You're here to face another—one whom even I cannot deny, after -what you've done."</p> - -<p>Wordless, narrow-eyed, Jarl studied him for a moment. "Then who—?"</p> - -<p>"Who would it be?" This time the commissioner's laugh was sour and -savage. "Can you not guess, <i>yanat</i>?" And then: "My daughter, Ylana."</p> - -<p>"Your daughter—!" Jarl pivoted to Ylana.</p> - -<p>"Yes!" The girl came to her feet as he turned, grey eyes blazing. Her -words burst forth in a scalding flood. "Did you think I spoke empty -words when I swore last night that you'd live to curse the day you -tried to seize me? Did you take my promise for a hollow threat—?"</p> - -<p>She broke off; swept round the table, a furious vision in gold and -scarlet. Her hand flicked up in a tight, peremptory gesture. "Atak! -Seize him—!"</p> - -<p>The commissioner's rock-faced <i>Malya</i> aide closed in on Jarl, moving -round behind him.</p> - -<p>Ylana raised a shaking fist. "On your knees, <i>stabat</i>!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>A numb incredulousness crept through Jarl Corvett. But he stood the -straighter. "I kneel for no man—nor for woman!"</p> - -<p>A savage kick in the back of the knees caught him from behind in the -same instant. His legs buckled. He spilled forward, asprawl on the -floor.</p> - -<p>"A whip—!" cried Ylana, face white with passion. "A whip for this -raider dog they call Jarl Corvett!"</p> - -<p>One of the Mercurian guards sprang forward, jerking off his heavy, -<i>stanal</i>-buckled belt. "Here, <i>Shi</i> Ylana! The plate will cut deep!"</p> - -<p>The girl snatched it from him. Her face contorted.</p> - -<p>"No, Ylana—!" It was her father, the <i>kabat</i>-haze fading from his -eyes. "Would you drag yourself down to the level of this <i>chitza</i>, here -before officers of the fleet—?"</p> - -<p>The girl turned on him as a <i>quirst</i> turns on its pursuers. "Who talks -of dragging down, and of the fleet?" she lashed fiercely. "Do you dare -to speak—you, with your plots and schemes, your secret meetings—?"</p> - -<p>The high commissioner flushed to the hair. "Ylana! Silence!"</p> - -<p>"Was it you this <i>starbo</i> and his scum dragged out of bed last night? -Was it you who screamed and called the guard when they sought to flee -in your own carrier?"</p> - -<p>Her father's jaws went stiff and set. His clenched fists bore down upon -the table. But he broke before Ylana's eyes; said nothing more.</p> - -<p>The girl turned her back on him. Furiously, she challenged Jarl: "You -were brave enough last night, when you dealt only with a helpless -woman! But how is your courage now, bold raider? How does force taste, -when another hand holds the lash?"</p> - -<p>Her shoulders twisted. Gripping the Mercurian's belt by the tongue, she -slashed out with the heavy <i>stanal</i> clasp.</p> - -<p>Jarl rocked back. The buckle sang past his face, so close he could feel -its breath.</p> - -<p>But now, again, the <i>Malya's</i> foot caught him from behind. It knocked -him forward on his shackled hands, off balance.</p> - -<p>Before he could recover, the belt whipped down again. The buckle tore -at his cheek. He rocked with pain.</p> - -<p>"Is it different, this time, raider?" Ylana shrieked. "Are you ready to -sing another song?"</p> - -<p>Tight-jawed, stiff-backed, Jarl met her gaze. He did not speak.</p> - -<p>The girl's red lips peeled back. "I asked you a question, dog!" she -cried. "I want an answer!"</p> - -<p>She slashed out with the belt again. The buckle seared his jaw and neck.</p> - -<p>"Answer me!"</p> - -<p>Wordless, Jarl swayed.</p> - -<p>The buckle ripped at his forehead. Blood gushed down into his eyes.</p> - -<p>"Answer me—!"</p> - -<p>Jarl lurched forward, clutching for her. But she darted back, out of -his reach. The stylon gown rustled. The buckle tore a path along his -scalp. The room blurred and swam before his eyes. Desperately, he tried -to cover his face with his shackled hands. But the tangled chains were -too short. He could only double forward, face to the floor.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The buckle struck behind his right ear with stunning force, a fiery -knife stabbing through a red haze of pain.</p> - -<p>"Wait, Ylana—!" It was Atak the <i>Malya's</i> voice, drifting dimly to -Jarl as from afar. "Those blows to the head—he cannot last—"</p> - -<p>"Then drag him up! Tear off his tunic! Bear his back, so that I can see -the red blood run!"</p> - -<p>Hands clawed at Jarl's clothes. He felt his tunic rip away. The aide -dragged him up; twisted him about.</p> - -<p>"Hold him there, Atak! Hold him tight!" came Ylana's cry.</p> - -<p>The buckle seared Jarl's back—once, twice, a dozen times.</p> - -<p>"Speak, <i>starbo</i>! Beg for mercy as you made me beg—!"</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus2.jpg" alt=""/> - <div class="caption"> - <p>Jarl fought against showing pain as the girl brought the belt down on his back.</p> - </div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>Jarl cursed her with a raw, pain-surging hate; cursed her with all the -black epithets of a raider and the warrior worlds.</p> - -<p>"Still stubborn, <i>chitza</i>—?" Wild hysteria was in Ylana's voice. The -buckle bit in again.</p> - -<p>Atak's hoarse whisper rasped in his ear: "You fool, give up! The -woman's mad! Even a raider should know that there's a time to crawl!"</p> - -<p>Jarl clenched his teeth.</p> - -<p>The girl cried, "You see, Atak? He loves the lash—!"</p> - -<p>She struck again.</p> - -<p>The commissioner's voice slashed harshly, the fog of drink long gone: -"Ylana! You'll kill him—!"</p> - -<p>"You—!" The girl's contempt was a writhing, burning thing. "Where were -you last night, you <i>kabat</i>-soaked sot? You, with your talk of duty, -your fat-puffed pomp—"</p> - -<p>Her father's voice went clipped and tight. "Enough, woman! Raider or -not, this man's my prisoner. Tomorrow I'll ship him on to the Venus -headquarters. He'll die in the <i>slan</i>-chambers there; not by your -hand." The room echoed with the flat slap of his palm cracking down on -the banquet table. "Atak! Get his tunic! Send him to his cell."</p> - -<p>"Yes, Excellency...." The <i>Malya</i> let go Jarl Corvett's arms.</p> - -<p>Blinking the blood from his eyes, the raider stood swaying. Still numb, -still not quite believing, he stared at golden Ylana, in her scarlet -stylon gown.</p> - -<p>Now, her hair hung down, no longer nimbus. Her lips were pale, and her -breasts rose and fell too fast. Madness gleamed in her dark-circled -eyes.</p> - -<p>She snatched the tunic from Atak. "Here! Let me...." Whirling, she ran -to Jarl and thrust the wadded garment into his shackled hands. "Brave -raider—!"</p> - -<p>She spat full in his face.</p> - -<p>The <i>Malya</i> aide caught her arm and jerked her back. "If you were not -<i>rey</i> Gundre's daughter—" He cursed under his breath. "Get out! You -disgrace us!"</p> - -<p>Gripping Jarl's arm, he led him from the hall. "I cannot expect your -pardon, Jarl Corvett. It would be too much to ask from any raider, any -man. But in their day, my ancestors roved the void...."</p> - -<p>His voice trailed off. Turning to the guards, he said, "Take him to -his cell. I'll see that one of the fleet <i>ktars</i> comes on down."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Weak, tottering, Jarl let them lead him back to the old, thick-walled -wing they had given over to the prisoners. He had not even the strength -to curse when the guard, a Martian <i>fala</i> with all his race's fiendish -love of cruelty, tripped him skillfully, so that he sprawled on his -face as he crossed the threshold to the room that was his cell.</p> - -<p>The door clanged shut on the Martian's ghoulish laugh. Sick with pain, -Jarl dragged himself up and crawled to the bunk. Belly-down, he sagged -onto the springless frame.</p> - -<p>How long he lay there he never knew. It was all he could do to breathe, -to be. The room about him was a reeling, distorted world of mists and -feverish dreams.</p> - -<p>Then, at last, that, too, passed. Wearily, he pulled himself upright -and shook out his wadded tunic.</p> - -<p>Metal clanged on the floor.</p> - -<p>Jarl stiffened in spite of his wounds. Swiftly, he bent and felt -beneath the bunk.</p> - -<p>His hand touched metal. It was a knife ... a keen, long-bladed telonium -fighting <i>skrii</i>.</p> - -<p>For a long, long moment he sat in silence, gripping its heavy haft. -Then, in the darkness, he slowly smiled.</p> - -<p>A <i>Malya</i> was still a <i>Malya</i>, whether he wore the Federation's -uniform or not.</p> - -<p>Tomorrow they'd ship him to the Venus headquarters, the -<i>slan</i>-chambers, death.</p> - -<p>But this was tonight, the darkest hour, and he had a knife, and the -high commissioner's carrier still stood in the court outside....</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph1">CHAPTER III</p> - - -<p>The fleet-bell was tolling the nineteenth hour before the <i>ktar</i> came -down.</p> - -<p>Lying in the darkness, waiting for him, Jarl battled in stubborn -silence against the pain. He found himself giving heed to a thousand -little things—the roughness of the pollard-weave against his lacerated -cheek ... a prowling <i>peffok's</i> distant cry. Faint, pervasive scents of -doloid dust, of must and <i>jeol</i>, pressed in upon him. He savored the -raw taste of blood in his mouth ... the saltiness of sweat when he ran -his tongue along his lips. Once, dimly, he caught the harsh rasp of -Ungo's voice, drifting to him from some other room.</p> - -<p>Ungo of Jupiter, Big Ungo the loyal. He'd come here, protesting, on a -fool's mad mission. And now....</p> - -<p>A flood of black doubt welled up in Jarl Corvett—doubt of himself, his -world, his cause. Would his dreams end here, in this dreary cell? Would -morning find him lancing out through space on his way to Venus and the -<i>slan</i>-chambers?</p> - -<p>And ... would Wassreck die?</p> - -<p>Writhing, fists clenched, he tried to drive the vision of the burning -eyes, the pain-racked body, from his brain.</p> - -<p>But the image, the dark thoughts, would not go away.</p> - -<p>Because Wassreck was on Venus already. Wassreck had no hope, save in -him, Jarl Corvett....</p> - -<p>An incoherent, protestful sound rose in his throat. Spasmodically, he -gripped the bunk's chill metal frame; twisted as if to rend it, tear it -apart.</p> - -<p>The effort made his tortured muscles shriek with pain. His ears -rang. The room rocked wildly. He gasped and sagged forward, plunging -down through green-and-purple depths of icy fire into a bottomless, -slowly-eddying pool.</p> - -<p>Then the pool resolved. Of a sudden he was looking into Sais' dark -eyes. She was smiling at him, a tender smile, and her fingers were cool -against his cheek, her soft lips welcoming his.</p> - -<p>But a misty barrier rose between them ... a barrier of heart and mind -that seared like a white-hot iron: <i>How can I face her? What can I say, -if her father dies?</i></p> - -<p>He cried aloud, a hoarse, choked cry, and Sais' face vanished. Once -more, the room closed in upon him. Again he lay straining on the -bunk—tasting the blood, drinking in the stink of doloid dust and -<i>jeol</i>.</p> - -<p>Sais, and Wassreck. Wassreck, and Sais.</p> - -<p>He wondered if he'd ever see either of them again.</p> - -<p>Somewhere outside, a vague new stir of movement broke the stillness.</p> - -<p>Jarl stiffened. For a moment he grasped the knife. Then, relaxing, -after a moment's hesitation, he slid the sleek blade out of sight -beneath his leg.</p> - -<p>The sounds drew nearer; finally paused outside his cell. A blur of -muffled, grumbling words seeped through the door. The bolt clicked back.</p> - -<p>It was the <i>ktar</i>, a dead-white, four-armed <i>kroy</i> of Ganymede. -Flicking on the light, adjusting the vocodor translator, the creature -brushed smoothly into the room. Behind him, the <i>fala</i> guard lounged -idly back against the jamb, thumbs hooked in belt.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Jarl shifted, then lay still again, not speaking. He was thankful to -Atak—thankful the <i>Malya</i> had sent a Ganymedan <i>ktar</i>. Few were more -talented or highly skilled or kind.</p> - -<p>The <i>ktar</i> crossed to him and set down the globe that held the -impedimenta of the healing craft. "How is it, raider?"</p> - -<p>Jarl grunted and lifted his shoulders a fraction in a shrug.</p> - -<p>The <i>ktar</i> probed the cuts that gashed Jarl's back with deft, sure, -pseudopodal fingers. "Nasty. That thrice-cursed <i>stanal</i> buckle bit -deep." Swiftly, he cleaned the wounds and applied the healing gel.</p> - -<p>Jarl winced and clenched his teeth.</p> - -<p>"Up, now," the <i>ktar</i> commanded. "Let me at your face."</p> - -<p>Stiffly, Jarl twisted. Keeping the precious knife covered with his -buttocks, he swung his legs to the floor and sat up.</p> - -<p>The <i>ktar</i> worked on in silence for a time. Then, at last, he -straightened. "That does it." He laughed—wry, almost bitter. "By the -time you get to Venus, you'll be in the best shape to die."</p> - -<p>Picking up the globe, he pivoted and, with the peculiar floating motion -of his kind, moved towards the door.</p> - -<p>Jarl gripped the haft of the telonium <i>skrii</i>. Tension came alive in -him, hot and quivering. Rising from the bunk, he followed the <i>kroy</i>, -holding the knife out of sight behind him. "I thank you, <i>ktar</i>...." He -dared say no more for fear his voice might betray him.</p> - -<p>The Ganymedan muttered something incoherent and passed out into the -hall. The <i>fala</i> guard, in turn, planted a many-jointed arm appendage -hard against Jarl's chest and roughly shoved him back. His mottled -throat-sac quivered. "No farther, <i>chitza</i>!"</p> - -<p>Wordless, Jarl swayed. He made a show of cringing.</p> - -<p>The <i>fala</i> laughed harshly. His bulging eyes flicked to the hall -outside. Turning, he gripped the door-handle and started to pull the -portal shut.</p> - -<p>Jarl leaped at him like a pouncing <i>zanth</i>, stabbing for the -throat-sac with the keen-edged <i>skrii</i> blade.</p> - -<p>The point bit in, even as the Martian tried to throw up a warding arm. -What might have been a shout came out as a rush of blood and bubbling -air.</p> - -<p>The <i>fala</i> tottered, coughing out his life. Down the corridor, the -Ganymedan whirled.</p> - -<p>Jarl snatched the ray-gun from the toppling guard's holster. His voice -rasped, low-keyed and tense: "Don't make me kill you, <i>ktar</i>! I want -only freedom, not your life!"</p> - -<p>The <i>kroy's</i> eyes flicked down to the leveled gun. He stopped -short—stiff, silent.</p> - -<p>"Back here!" Jarl clipped. "Back in my cell...."</p> - -<p>Wordless, dead-white face a chalky mask, the <i>kroy</i> slithered past him.</p> - -<p>"Take him with you!" Jarl gestured to the fallen <i>fala</i> guard.</p> - -<p>The <i>ktar</i> bent. His pseudopods locked onto the dead Martian's -shoulders. He dragged the corpse out of the corridor, into the cell.</p> - -<p>Jarl swept up the wave-pencil key from where it had fallen as the -<i>fala</i> died. Tight-drawn as a Uranian <i>tal</i>-string, gun still lined on -the Ganymedan's neuro-plexus, he jerked the cell door shut and slid the -wave-pencil into its slot beside the lock.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The bolt clicked home. A fierce excitement flared within Jarl. Heart -pounding, heedless of the fatigue and pain that racked him, he spun -about and ran, half-reeling, down the hall.</p> - -<p>He wondered how much time he had.</p> - -<p>Or if he had any.</p> - -<p>Wassreck and Sais.... He gripped the ray-gun tighter.</p> - -<p>The first three doors he passed stood open.</p> - -<p>The fourth was closed and locked.</p> - -<p>Jarl slid the wave-pencil into the slot.</p> - -<p>The bolt snapped back. Shoving open the door, he strained his eyes, -searching the darkness of the room.</p> - -<p>A thick, familiar voice snarled sleepily from a bunk.</p> - -<p>"Ungo—!"</p> - -<p>The great, horny shoulders heaved up. The misshapen head lurched into -view. "Jarl—!" It was a half gasp, half sob. "Jarl, I thought they'd -done for you—that you'd gone under—!"</p> - -<p>Jarl reeled against the Jovian, clutching the mighty arm. "Quiet! -They'll be after us any second!"</p> - -<p>He could feel Ungo's muscles swell. "Let them—!"</p> - -<p>Jarl laughed in spite of his tension, his pain. "Not yet, Ungo. Not -till the job is done!" He pivoted. "Come on!"</p> - -<p>The Jovian's head sank down between the bulging shoulders. His eyes -gleamed. "The tube again—the way we came—?"</p> - -<p>Jarl paused at the door. "No." He peered up and down the corridor.</p> - -<p>"Then what—?"</p> - -<p>"The commissioner's carrier. It's still in the court outside. We'll -grab it as soon as I get back." Jarl started forward.</p> - -<p>Ungo caught his wrist. "Jarl...."</p> - -<p>"What—?"</p> - -<p>"There may be something you don't know...."</p> - -<p>Jarl came around sharply. "Speak up! Time's short!" Once more, the -tension was climbing in him.</p> - -<p>Ungo fumbled: "The guards—they talked a little. They say the reason -<i>rey</i> Gundre went all-out on this raid was for a weapon, more than -Wassreck."</p> - -<p>Jarl felt the cords along his neck draw tighter. "A weapon—?"</p> - -<p>"Some new thing Wassreck worked out. A beam that focuses energy drawn -from cosmic dust." The Jovian's voice sank lower. His head thrust -forward. "Jarl, they claim it'll blast a ship right out of space, at -almost any range. They've got it geared and mounted now."</p> - -<p>Jarl braced himself against the door. It dawned on him that his palm -was slick with sweat against the ray-gun's butt. The little things came -back to him—the tastes, the smells, the sounds. Again he peered up and -down the empty hall.</p> - -<p>A weapon that focussed the power that lay in cosmic dust—? Even to -talk of it was sheer madness!</p> - -<p>Yet Wassreck had made madness come to life so many times....</p> - -<p>Involuntarily, Jarl Corvett shivered.</p> - -<p>"If it's true, they'll blast us down before we even get the carrier -to our ship," said Ungo. He scrubbed his scaly hand along his hip. "We -wouldn't have a chance...."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Jarl bit down hard. With savage effort, he forced himself to think; to -shake off the bleak despair that kept rising in him, ever higher. "What -chance could we have if we went back through the tube, the air-vent?"</p> - -<p>"We could maybe hide...."</p> - -<p>"On Vesta—?" Jarl laughed aloud. "They'd find us as easily as in our -cells!" He broke off. The laughter went out of him, replaced by an -urgency even more feverish than that which had gone before. "No, Ungo! -It means we've got to run! We'd have to even if we could find a place -to hide!"</p> - -<p>"But why, Jarl—?" The big Jovian scowled and fumbled.</p> - -<p>"A weapon like that, and you ask why?" Jarl cursed in harsh, bitter -syllables. "What about the others—the outlaw worlds? What will it mean -when the Federation fleet sweeps down on H'sana?—on Ceresta?"</p> - -<p>It was Ungo's turn to curse. Jarl shoved the wave-pencil into his hand. -"Here! Break out the men! And hurry!"</p> - -<p>"But you—"</p> - -<p>Jarl laughed. Of a sudden, once again, recklessness was boiling in him. -"We came here on a mission!"</p> - -<p>"Not the woman—!"</p> - -<p>"She'll still make <i>rey</i> Gundre hold his fire! She'll still buy -Wassreck free!"</p> - -<p>Ungo twisted. His bulk loomed rock-rigid, bigger than ever. "You can't. -Jarl! I won't let you! You are sick—crazy—"</p> - -<p>The fire of recklessness in Jarl glowed brighter. "Tell me that -tomorrow, Ungo!" he clipped through clenched teeth. "You may convince -me—after the commissioner's ordered his men to shoot us down with that -hell-cat aboard!"</p> - -<p>Ungo's breath came faster. "Then let me go, Jarl! Let me get her—!"</p> - -<p>Jarl brought the ray-gun up, stone-steady. "We may both die on Vesta, -Ungo. That's enough for me to have resting on my conscience."</p> - -<p>"But Jarl—"</p> - -<p>"I'll shoot if I have to, Ungo."</p> - -<p>Their eyes locked, and for a long moment they stood statue-like, -unmoving. Then, half-sullenly, the Jovian stepped aside. "I'll be -waiting, Jarl. Whatever happens, I'll be waiting."</p> - -<p>Jarl did not answer. Of a sudden there were no words for him to say to -Ungo. Ray-gun in hand, he ran down the hall, picking his way through -the maze of ramps and corridors.</p> - -<p>He thought: <i>It would have been better if Wassreck had let me die on -Horla.</i></p> - -<p>Then, at last, he reached Ylana's room. It came to him as a shock when -there was no guard.</p> - -<p>Silently, he opened the door; stepped swiftly in, gun up and ready.</p> - -<p>The bed, the room, were empty.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>In a sort of frenzy, he ran through the rest of the suite; jerked open -the neutron-bath and closets.</p> - -<p>But the girl was gone.</p> - -<p>He spun about, for a wild moment ready to race on through the rambling -building, searching further.</p> - -<p>But that was madness, and in his heart he knew it. Not even a clue as -to Ylana's whereabouts had been left behind. He might hunt for hours to -no avail.</p> - -<p>And time was running short ... the seconds ticking by.</p> - -<p>Jarl sagged back numbly. The fire went out of him. A dinning echo -drummed within his brain. <i>I've failed ... I've failed ... I've -failed....</i></p> - -<p>Wassreck had gone through Horla's holocaust for nothing. Sais would -weep and turn away.</p> - -<p>As for Ceresta.</p> - -<p>But there was still Ungo to think of ... Ungo, and the five dauntless, -swaggering raider crewmen who'd come here with him. He owed it to them -at least to try to get away.</p> - -<p>Leaden-footed, he stumbled back through the maze of halls and ramps -again.</p> - -<p>Then he was back in the corridor of the cells. Ungo lumbered up beside -him, eyes alight with a lust for battle. "Jarl! We knocked us off a -guard station—!"</p> - -<p>The five crewmen crowded around—grinning wolfishly, displaying -weapons.</p> - -<p>Jarl said dully, "Ungo, she was gone."</p> - -<p>The Jovian shrugged his massive shoulders. "It goes that way -sometimes." And then: "We can't wait, Jarl. The far sky's getting grey -already."</p> - -<p>"All right."</p> - -<p>"We've found a gate to the court...."</p> - -<p>"Let's go, then." Woodenly, Jarl walked with them to the heavy door and -peered through a crevice into the courtyard.</p> - -<p>The personal carrier of <i>rey</i> Gundre, high commissioner of all the -asteroids, rose stark and sleek, a shining silver lance against the -darkness of the sky. Blue-uniformed Federation guards patrolled in -pairs or stood their posts around it, weapons dully gleaming.</p> - -<p>The sight of the ship, the fighters, somehow lifted Jarl. Of a sudden -he knew that now, of all times, he needed a foe that he could see and -strike.</p> - -<p>He clipped curt orders: "We'll come out fast and trust to shock to get -us through. The first man aboard grabs the controls. The last racks -shut the hatch. Blast as soon as the bell rings!"</p> - -<p>The raiders drew close, weapons ready. Jarl cut through the bolt on the -door.</p> - -<p>"Now?" whispered Ungo.</p> - -<p>"Now!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Ungo's bulk struck the gate with a splintering crash. The raiders -charged for the ship like ravening <i>zanths</i> that race to reach their -prey.</p> - -<p>Knife ready, ray-gun ablaze, Jarl Corvett leaped forward in his -crewmen's van.</p> - -<p>Guards spun about. Desperately, the nearest tried to form to meet the -rush.</p> - -<p>Jarl drove the knife deep into a <i>Pervod's</i> breast; blasted a <i>dau</i> -back with his ray-gun's full charge. The fierce joy of conflict leaped -in him. As from afar, he heard the shouts of his men as they lunged -into the fray.</p> - -<p>The guards' ranks wavered.</p> - -<p>But now those from beyond the carrier were rushing to their aid. Steel -clashed on steel. A great bulbous-bodied Thorian hurtled down on Jarl. -Its tentacles wrapped round him, crushing him.</p> - -<p>Savagely, he slashed at the leathery body; blasted with the ray-gun, -straight into the repulsive face.</p> - -<p>The Thorian's tentacles fell away. Jarl glimpsed Big Ungo, smashed down -a <i>dau</i> with a blow of his one mighty arm. There was a smell of blood -and burnt flesh; wild screams of rage and fear and anguish.</p> - -<p>"To the ship—!" Jarl shouted. He hacked his way up the blood-slippery -ramp; clutched Ungo's belt and half-dragged the Jovian aboard.</p> - -<p>The last of the raiders scrambled in behind them. The hatch clanged -shut. The ready bell leaped to jangling life.</p> - -<p>There was a sudden roar of auxiliary gravicomps. The gyro-indicators -jiggled and swayed in their mountings. Men lurched awkwardly, caught -momentarily off balance in the crushing force of too-fast acceleration.</p> - -<p>Then stability returned. The carrier speared upward, out from Vesta, -into the spark-spangled, glittering murk of the boundless astroidal -night.</p> - -<p>Jarl turned, seeking out the crewmen, and a sudden sickness gripped -him. There were only three now: three and Big Ungo.</p> - -<p>But the dead were dead, and they had gone as raiders go. Bleakly, he -made his way to the viziscreen and turned it on. Spinning the dials, -he drew a cross on the specific black emptiness where his ship had -been scheduled to pick them up. His fingers shook a little, and his -earlier, darker mood came back to nag him. <i>We're overdue, a day behind -already. What if they've given us up and gone? What if a fleet patrol -has flushed them out?</i></p> - -<p>Grimly, he calculated the carrier's chances of making Ceres on her -own ... such slim, slim chances....</p> - -<p>Only then, as he manipulated the dials, a great, shark-like bulk loomed -on the viziscreen. At his elbow, Ungo thrust out a quivering talon and -cried, "It's her, Jarl! The <i>Ghost</i>! She's still waiting!"</p> - -<p>Stiff-fingered, Jarl adjusted the focus. The familiar outlines of the -raider ship sharpened. Silent, space-drive off, she drifted shadow-like -through the asteroids like some strange, cylindrical metal world.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Jarl let out his breath, all at once acutely conscious of the strain -that frayed at him. He was suddenly tottering weak, his belly sick and -twisting.</p> - -<p>Still beside him, Ungo studied him with worried eyes. "Look, Jarl: -You're done. Lay down before you fall down."</p> - -<p>Jarl braced his arm against the cabinet of the viziscreen. "How can I -rest?" he mumbled, and knew himself that he was mumbling. "Even if we -make it, what happens to the raider fleet—and to Ceresta? This new -weapon...."</p> - -<p>"Can you help more if you're dead?" the Jovian badgered. "Will things -be better if you fall over?" He gripped Jarl's arm. "Come on! I'm -putting you to bed, whether you want to go or not!"</p> - -<p>Numbly, Jarl let himself be led into the commissioner's own tiny -private cabin. Wordless, he sagged onto the bunk.</p> - -<p>Ungo backed out again and closed the door.</p> - -<p>Flat on his back in the pulsing stillness, Jarl closed his eyes.</p> - -<p>But sleep would not come. His brain was a screen, alive with a vivid, -ever-shifting kaleidoscope of form and color. Again and again, his -mind flicked back to Sais and Wassreck ... to the raider fleet, the -wild rovers and fighting men he knew so well ... to Ceresta's teeming -streets, and the cold, bleak beauty of the hills and plains of Pallas.</p> - -<p>And to Ylana.</p> - -<p>Shifting, he opened his eyes and stared up at the dully gleaming -ceiling.</p> - -<p>Where had the girl gone? Why had she not been in her room?</p> - -<p>Above all, what strange lust had led her to flay him as she had, before -the highest officers of her father's fleet?</p> - -<p>Jarl frowned and rubbed his aching forehead. The girl's willingness to -bring down upon herself the shame of beating a shackled prisoner was a -hard thing to explain.</p> - -<p>Could it be that she indeed had alien blood—a strain from some -sadistic barbarian breed? Narrow-eyed, he tried to recall her face -more clearly ... the shadow that hung over her slim blonde loveliness. -Or—he frowned again—perhaps that shadow truly hid a secret—the -secret of a twisted mind set in beauty's body, irrevocably warping over -into madness.</p> - -<p>He moved to a more comfortable position, still staring up at the blank -inscrutability of the metal ceiling. A play of light and shadow caught -his eye. Idly, he followed its shiftings—first slow, then suddenly -abrupt, then slow again.</p> - -<p>Little by little, an uneasiness crept over him. New tension began to -crawl in his midriff.</p> - -<p>He loosened his belt and pulled the wrinkles from his tunic; moved -from side to side.</p> - -<p>But the uneasiness grew. He could not make it go away.</p> - -<p>Biting his lip, he lay back, still searching for the cause.</p> - -<p>Overhead, the shadows on the ceiling slowly began to shift again.</p> - -<p>It came to him, then: He was lying motionless, allegedly alone in this -cramped room—<i>yet the shadows were moving</i>!</p> - -<p>There could be only one answer: Someone else shared these quarters with -him.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The hair on the back of his neck crawled. Grimly, he wondered what the -odds on his life would be if it turned out that some <i>Pervod</i> guard had -been trapped here when the carrier took off.</p> - -<p>Twisting in the bed, he let his hand fall across the haft of his knife.</p> - -<p>The shadows overhead flexed a fraction.</p> - -<p>Ever so slowly, ever so carefully, he turned his head, looking sidewise -down at the floor.</p> - -<p>A heel was drawing out of sight beneath the bunk.</p> - -<p>Jarl gripped the knife. Silently, he twisted still further, till he was -in position to strike.</p> - -<p>Only then did he speak—coldly, with all the menace he could muster: -"Come out—or I'll kill you!"</p> - -<p>The whisper of a quick-drawn breath broke through the stillness, then -died again in utter silence.</p> - -<p>Jarl poised; drew back his knife. "All right, then, curse you—!"</p> - -<p>Clothing rustled. A voice choked, "Wait, Jarl Corvett—! I'm coming...."</p> - -<p>A strangely familiar voice....</p> - -<p>Again there was the rustling. A head moved into view from beneath the -bunk, already turning ... a woman's head, crowned with a nimbus of -golden hair.</p> - -<p>It was Ylana.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph1">CHAPTER IV</p> - - -<p>A dragging eternity of silence echoed in the tiny cabin. Jarl's -knife-hand fell. He groped for words that would not come.</p> - -<p>Coolly, the girl slid out from under the bunk and, supplely graceful, -rose to her feet. Ignoring Jarl, she straightened the sleekly-styled -blue Federation tunic that accented rather than concealed the smooth -curves of her slim young body. When she looked up, her grey eyes were -mocking, half-disdainful. "What, raider? Have you never seen a woman, -that you must stare so at me?"</p> - -<p>"You—? A woman?" Jarl spat. "Your own sex would disown you! You're -more mad <i>ban</i> than human!" He clenched his fist. "By H'sana's virgins. -I should kill you!"</p> - -<p>Ylana tossed her head—uncringing, defiant. The golden hair rippled. -"Is that your raider's way, then? To kill the one who gives you life?"</p> - -<p>"Who gives me life—?" Jarl cursed. He touched his lacerated face. -"You've given me scars only!"</p> - -<p>"Is your beauty such that wounds will mar it?" The girl's lips twisted -scornfully. "I thought you'd find my <i>skrii</i> worth a few cuts, a little -pain, if it would buy you back your freedom."</p> - -<p>"The <i>skrii</i>—? The knife?" Jarl choked. "You mean—it was you who gave -it, not the <i>Malya</i>—?"</p> - -<p>"Who else?" she shrugged, and her contempt bit like the telonium -blade's own razor edge. "Did you think I'd shame myself, beating a -prisoner before my father's men, without reason?"</p> - -<p>Jarl rocked. "But why—?"</p> - -<p>Once more, Ylana's slim shoulders lifted. She smoothed her hair, with -elaborate deliberation. "You were too closely guarded for me to reach -you in your cell. But it came to me that if I made a show of hate, I -could trick my father into bringing you to the great hall so I could -confront you before all, at the banquet. The beating—it was the only -way I could devise to pass the <i>skrii</i> on to you."</p> - -<p>Jarl studied her. But her eyes were clear, her smooth face guileless. -The shadow of a smile played about her mouth.</p> - -<p>He frowned and gestured helplessly. "Does not even a woman need some -reason....?"</p> - -<p>"I had a reason," she said, and of a sudden she was no longer smiling. -"I had so great a reason...."</p> - -<p>Abruptly, half-turning, she broke off. Her eyes left Jarl's, and he -saw that her hands had tightened to white-knuckled fists. Her breasts -rose and fell too fast beneath the tunic.</p> - -<p>He waited, not speaking.</p> - -<p>Still looking away, her voice the barest whisper, she said, "I learned -the truth at last, Jarl Corvett...."</p> - -<p>"The truth—?"</p> - -<p>"About freedom, and the Federation as a partnership of plunder. About -my father, and that renegade <i>chitza</i> Wassreck." Her voice broke. Her -eyes came back; met Jarl's. "Raider, how can I tell you? Wassreck has -betrayed you!"</p> - -<p>"Betrayed me—?" Jarl went rigid. In two quick steps he was beside -her—gripping her chin; staring down into her eyes. "Not Wassreck—!"</p> - -<p>"Yes, Wassreck!" Her words came tumbling forth in a rush, raw and -defiant. "He was not captured, Jarl Corvett! He surrendered!"</p> - -<p>"You lie!"</p> - -<p>"No! Of his own free will, he sent a secret message to my father! He -had a new weapon, he said—a projector that would break your raiders' -power forever. He offered to give it to the Federation, if in exchange -they'd lift the brand of outlaw from him and award him a post of proper -honor."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>New fury gripped Jarl Corvett. "You lie!" he lashed again. "You lie in -your teeth, you she-<i>quirst</i>! This is some sneaking scheme, a filthy -trick to match the one you played back there in the banquet hall—"</p> - -<p>"No, no...." The girl's voice choked with pain. Tears spilled down her -cheeks. "My jaw—you'll break it—"</p> - -<p>Jarl let go her chin.</p> - -<p>White patches from his gripping fingers marked her face. For an -instant, shame flooded through him. Yet, somehow, in the tension of the -moment, it only added to his fury. Savagely, he turned away and paced -the cabin. "Curse you, Ylana!"</p> - -<p>She looked away. The grey eyes were dull, her face deep-shadowed. "I -know, Jarl Corvett. You still hate me. You wonder why I should do this -thing—give you my <i>skrii</i>, tell you all I've told, hide here on my -father's carrier so that you would take me with you...." Her voice -broke. The tears coursed faster. "All my life, my father's talked of -duty. But now, with this new weapon in his grasp, he would keep it -secret till he can sweep the asteroids clean for the wealth that's -waiting to be seized. He talks of perquisites of office, claims it as -his due for his years of service...."</p> - -<p>Chill, narrow-eyed, Jarl weighed her words. "So, now, you'd turn -against him?"</p> - -<p>She hid her face. Her voice came muffled. "It was more than I could -stand, Jarl Corvett—that you should die for loyalty, while my father -loots the Belt, and Wassreck basks in honor. Now,"—she raised her -head, red lips aquiver—"now, at least, I've warned you. You can flee -somewhere—perhaps to the dark worlds beyond Pluto...."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps—? What else is there for you to do?"</p> - -<p>Tight-jawed, Jarl slapped his hands against his hips. "I can still go -on to the outlaw worlds. My ship can still ramp at Ceresta."</p> - -<p>"Ceresta—?" The eager light faded from her face. She drew back, -staring. "But why, Jarl Corvett? Don't you understand what I've just -told you? The raider worlds are doomed!"</p> - -<p>"So you claim," Jarl nodded. "But Wassreck proved himself to me at -Horla. Do you think I'd forsake him now, on your word only?" Grimly, -again, he paced the tiny cabin. "No, golden Ylana! You—you're still -<i>rey</i> Gundre's daughter!"</p> - -<p>Her hand came to her throat. "You mean—?"</p> - -<p>Rock-faced, he towered over her, fighting down all impulses to -gentleness, to mercy. "I mean that whether you tell the truth or not, -your father's still the high commissioner. How can I trust you?"</p> - -<p>He could see the pulse beat in her temple. "Then ... it means nothing -to you that I hid aboard the carrier, here, to warn you? I pledged my -life—"</p> - -<p>He nodded curtly. "Yes. You pledged your life. And now it's forfeit." -Turning on his heel, he strode to the door and flung it open. "Ungo!"</p> - -<p>The Jovian turned from the viziscreen. "What, Jarl?"</p> - -<p>"Come here! We've got our hostage!"</p> - -<p>"Our hostage—?" Big Ungo lumbered to the cabin's door, then stopped -short, gaping. "Jarl—! The woman—!"</p> - -<p>"Yes, the woman! Ylana, the commissioner's own daughter!" Even as he -said it, there was a sickness in Jarl Corvett. But he put false triumph -into his voice to cover the things he felt. "She came of her own free -will, old comrade, with a fool's wild tale that Wassreck had betrayed -us!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The girl stood rigid. Her mouth, her throat, were working. Then -furiously, she stumbled forward and ran to him. Her fists beat a -drum-roll against his chest. "You <i>chitza</i>—!" Sobbing, she broke off; -turned to face Ungo and the staring crewmen. "A fool's tale, he calls -it! He'd go on to Ceresta!" She choked. "Must all of us die for this -one madman? I tell you, your sainted Wassreck has surrendered and given -the Federation his newest, most deadly weapon! I came to warn you, so -that you could flee to outer space—"</p> - -<p>Jarl caught her arm. Sharply, he twisted. "Enough, you she-<i>quirst</i>! -Even if you believe you tell the truth, you're more the fool to think -so!"</p> - -<p>Wincing, doubled with pain, she twisted. "What do you mean?"</p> - -<p>Jarl laughed, and the sound came out less mirth than anguish. "Did you -forget that Wassreck's own daughter, Sais, is at Ceresta? Would he cut -loose your father's Federation fleet, arm his deadliest foe with a new -weapon, knowing that Sais and the raiders would die together?"</p> - -<p>The girl's face paled. "No—! No, it can't be—"</p> - -<p>"It can't be, but it is. Sais came to me there, to beg me to try to -save her father!"</p> - -<p>Ylana swayed. Her lovely face was a mirror of shock. Helpless, -grey eyes tear-brimming, she twisted in mute appeal to the other -raiders.</p> - -<p>Ungo said: "It's true, woman. I was there with him."</p> - -<p>"But it can't be...." The words came out almost a whimper.</p> - -<p>Across the room, the viziscreen's communicator bell rang shrilly.</p> - -<p>Jarl let the girl's arm fall. Muscles stiff, belly tight with tension, -he strode to the screen and spun the dials swiftly to the cross shown -on the communicator unit.</p> - -<p>A room took form upon the screen, a bleak, bare, metal room where -blue-uniformed Federation crewmen moved to and fro.</p> - -<p>Ungo clipped: "The screen-room—! The screen-room of Gundre's own fleet -flagship, down on Vesta!"</p> - -<p>Mute, Jarl Corvett nodded; focussed.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Now a new figure appeared before the screen ... the iron-backed, -handsome figure of High Commissioner <i>rey</i> Gundre. Deep lines etched -his lean face. His hair was mussed, his tunic-collar open. But he stood -erect, and his eyes were cold as Pluto's ice-things.</p> - -<p>His voice came, harsh and savage: "You <i>starbos</i>! If you've laid one -finger on my daughter, I swear by every god from here to Arcturus that -you'll die by inches!"</p> - -<p>A spark of quick admiration touched Jarl Corvett; and with it came -flooding a feeling that was almost pity.</p> - -<p>But he held his face cold, and twisted his lips in a mocking, mirthless -smile. "Brave talk, Commissioner!" And then: "You can have her back, -you know ... in exchange for <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck!"</p> - -<p><i>rey</i> Gundre's mouth twisted. "You <i>chitza</i>! You know he's gone!"</p> - -<p>"Then get him back."</p> - -<p>"From the <i>slan</i>-chambers, the Venus headquarters?" <i>rey</i> Gundre cursed.</p> - -<p>"From hell, if need be!" Jarl took a quick half-step forward; stood -with hands on hips, feet wide apart, in fierce, cold-eyed defiance. He -let his voice ring: "The choice is yours, Commissioner! How much do you -love her? Take your pick now! It's her, or <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck!"</p> - -<p>The older man brought up a fist that shook with fury. His face worked -in a twitching spasm. "I'll blast you, Corvett! By the gods, I'll blast -you—!"</p> - -<p>"Blast, then," Jarl shrugged. "Blast, and be damned! But -remember—your daughter's with us!"</p> - -<p>Things happened to the other's face, then ... things that were not good -to see. The cheeks sagged, and the mouth went limp, and the eyes' fire -dulled to coals of pain. Of a sudden <i>rey</i> Gundre was no longer the -high commissioner, but only a shriveled husk of a man all at once grown -old beyond his years.</p> - -<p>He swayed, then turned, as if he had forgotten Jarl and the raiders. -"Atak, what can I do—?" It was a plea, a supplication.</p> - -<p>His <i>Malya</i> aide moved into view beside him on the screen. The dark, -rough-hewn face had the set of granite. "Corvett...."</p> - -<p>Jarl forgot his pity. Sudden needles of tension pricked at his neck. -"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Tell me, raider—have you heard of <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck's new projector?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"And that we've already set it up—that this moment it's geared for -action?"</p> - -<p>Woodenly, Jarl nodded.</p> - -<p>The <i>Malya's</i> eyes grew black as the void. "Then know another thing. -Jarl Corvett! Know that we've plotted your course as you ranged off -from Vesta."</p> - -<p>Chill tendrils brushed Jarl's spine. But he held his face blank, -without emotion. "And so—?"</p> - -<p>"So you, too, have a choice to make, raider—the choice between coming -back, or trying to cross the void in a short-flight carrier."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Jarl shrugged and forced the thin vestige of a smile. "A good threat, -<i>Malya</i>. It might break me—if I believed it."</p> - -<p>"But you do not?"</p> - -<p>"No projector has the range to reach my ship from Vesta."</p> - -<p>"More power lies in cosmic dust than you can dream of, raider." Atak's -eyes were bleak, his dark face set in a mask of menace. "You've made -your choice, Corvett! Now set your cross for your own ship—and live -with the decision!"</p> - -<p>The viziscreen went blank.</p> - -<p>"Jarl ..." whispered Big Ungo. "Quick, Jarl, get a cross on the ship!"</p> - -<p>The crewmen's voices were muttered echoes.</p> - -<p>With an effort, Jarl kept his movements casual. Wordless, he spun the -dials.</p> - -<p>The <i>Ghost's</i> looming bulk took form, drifting through the emptiness of -space.</p> - -<p>In the stillness, Atak's voice blared through the audio unit. "Are you -ready, raider? Are you watching?"</p> - -<p>Jarl cursed him.</p> - -<p>The <i>Malya</i> laughed harshly. "I press a button...."</p> - -<p>Numb, stiff with tension, Jarl stared at the screen, hardly conscious -of the crewmen crowding round him.</p> - -<p>For a long moment, nothing happened.</p> - -<p>Then, before his very eyes, the <i>Ghost</i> began to glow.</p> - -<p>It came slowly, at first—the faintest touch of pale phosphorescence.</p> - -<p>But with every heartbeat, it shone brighter. In seconds the hull was -weirdly agleam as with some strange, penetrating light.</p> - -<p>Then the ship rocked wildly. He could see the plates begin to buckle.</p> - -<p>"No—!" screamed a crewman. "No! My brother—!"</p> - -<p>Wallowing, the <i>Ghost</i> flamed bright as a <i>thes</i>-wood torch. Proton -cannon streamed blazing, aimless death. The hull began to cave, then -burst asunder. Like an <i>eidel</i>-bomb exploding, it tore apart in -great, flaring sections that blasted out through space, beyond the -viziscreen's frame edges.</p> - -<p>Slowly, the weird light faded; died. The blackness of the void closed -in.</p> - -<p>Like men paralyzed, the raiders stared unspeaking into the awful -emptiness where short moments before the <i>Ghost</i> had drifted.</p> - -<p>It came to Jarl Corvett that he was trembling. Numb-fingered, he -reached out and snapped off the viziscreen.</p> - -<p>The sound of the switch triggered loose the tension. At his elbow, -Ylana burst into hysterical, wildly-triumphant laughter. "You see—? -Will you believe me now, when I tell you what fate awaits you?"</p> - -<p>Pivoting, Jarl slapped her across the mouth with all his might.</p> - -<p>She crashed to the floor against the carrier's farthest wall; lay there -in a crumpled, moaning heap.</p> - -<p>The crewmen fell back a step, all eyes on Jarl. He could not read their -stony faces.</p> - -<p>"Jarl...." Ungo's voice was shaking. "Jarl, you saw it—?"</p> - -<p>The others' words were sullen echoes.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Jarl moved away from them a fraction, till his back was against the -viziscreen. He let his hand hang close to his ray-gun.</p> - -<p>He said: "We're wasting time. Even in this carrier, we still can make -Ceresta."</p> - -<p>They stared at him, all of them—Ungo, Ylana, the three hard-eyed -crewmen. Then, suddenly, a <i>Chonya</i> blurted, "You're mad, Jarl! What -chance would we have against that projector?"</p> - -<p>"You can forget the projector." Jarl jerked his head in the direction -of Ylana. "As long as she's aboard, they won't dare use it."</p> - -<p>"But across the void...." The raiders exchanged fearful glances.</p> - -<p>"Would you rather die on Venus?"</p> - -<p>Big Ungo shifted. "But Ceresta, Jarl—it's too far to go. There are -other places nearer, safer."</p> - -<p>"And the raider fleet—?" In spite of himself, Jarl's voice was bitter.</p> - -<p>"The fleet—?"</p> - -<p>"How long do you think the Federation will wait to strike, now that -they've got this new projector?" Jarl laughed, harsh and curt. "By now, -the armorers will be fitting them into every ship. Tomorrow they'll be -blasting down on Ceres."</p> - -<p>He could see new fear come alive in the others' eyes. It put iron in -him.</p> - -<p>He lashed out: "Are your own necks all that you can think of? Does it -mean nothing to you that good friends will die and, with them, all -freedom?—That the outlaw worlds at last will be forced to bow their -necks to the yoke of the Federation?"</p> - -<p>The others' eyes fell. The raiders looked away and shifted.</p> - -<p>Jarl said: "That's one of the reasons why we're going to Ceresta. With -<i>rey</i> Gundre's daughter there, the Federation fleet will hold off -striking."</p> - -<p>Big Ungo looked up, still half-sullen. "You said that was one reason. -What others are there?"</p> - -<p>A knot drew tight in Jarl Corvett's belly. "We came to Vesta to save -<i>Ktar</i> Wassreck. Now they claim he has betrayed us."</p> - -<p>"But what—?"</p> - -<p>"Sais is at Ceresta." The knot drew tighter. "If it's true, if Wassreck -has gone over, then we'll need her for a hostage."</p> - -<p>Again the silence echoed.</p> - -<p>Then, suddenly, the <i>Chonya</i> crewman cried, "To hell with that! You -don't give a <i>filan</i> for Ceresta!" His voice went raw with angry -passion. "We know what you want! It's Sais you're after—not as a -hostage, but a woman!"</p> - -<p>Face contorted, he clawed for his blaster.</p> - -<p>Jarl whipped up his ray-gun—twisting, firing.</p> - -<p>The <i>Chonya</i> crashed back, dead.</p> - -<p>Hate seethed in Jarl Corvett, a boiling, red-hazed murder-fury. He -shook in a spasm of unbridled passion.</p> - -<p>"You <i>chitzas</i>!" he shouted. "I'll kill you all—even you, Ungo—"</p> - -<p>The great Jovian's face twitched. But there was no fear in it. Bleakly, -he lumbered forward, towering. His deep voice rasped: "Kill ahead, -Jarl. Any time you want to." His massive shoulders seemed to draw -together. "I'm with you now, Jarl. I've always been. But I'll speak my -mind when I think I need to—to you, or the devil!"</p> - -<p>Jarl's tide of fury ebbed and died. The ray-gun dropped to his side, -and of a sudden he was shaking. "Ungo...."</p> - -<p>"I know, Jarl. It doesn't matter." Ungo's taloned hand was like a -steadying pillar. "Go ahead. Give your orders."</p> - -<p>Numb, sick, Jarl Corvett slowly straightened, and breathed deep.</p> - -<p>He said, "Our course is still Ceresta!"</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph1">CHAPTER V</p> - - -<p>Ceresta: Port Royal of the void; sprawling, anarchical capitol city of -the outlaw worlds.</p> - -<p>Here were burrows of Rhea's spider men, and <i>Pervod</i> cones, and -<i>Fantay</i> spires. Hive-like Mercurian domes rose amid the flat-roofed -dwellings of the <i>llorin</i>. Throbbing <i>Transmi</i> drums beat out -their savage rhythm, echoing over voices that spoke in Pluto's -clacking accents and the reptilian sibilances of creatures from the -ammonia-and-methyl swamplands of Saturn and the Rings. There was the -acrid smell of Rogek gas and rocket fuel—and the stink of the bulbous, -grub-like <i>Mah'ham</i> that fed on their own dead. Here a rover could -dine on t'krai of Callisto, or haggle over the price of one of -Neptune's fire-jewels ... or have his brains beaten out with a genuine -Torod mace.</p> - -<p>For this was a warrior's city, haven of the wild, blood-lusting raiders -who made the asteroid belt their home. Fighting men from half-a-hundred -satellites and planetoids and planets, they gathered here by their own -choice, drawn together in one vast cutthroat brotherhood of booty. Old -names, old fames, were left unmentioned. The hulls of the battered -ships that ramped in the vastness of the sprawling port bore no -Federation registration symbols.</p> - -<p>Now, in the shadowy dusk that characterized this strange, warped world -of Ceres, the carrier of High Commissioner <i>rey</i> Gundre came limping -down.</p> - -<p>Jarl Corvett brought the craft in himself.</p> - -<p>He waited till the shadows verged on darkness, enough to hide the -carrier's insignia; then picked a spot far off from the tower, out -where the port bordered on the old native quarter, and let the ship -drop down her gravicomps dead like another, blacker shadow.</p> - -<p>The carrier rocked in to a silent landing. Rising from the control -seat, he strode to the hatch.</p> - -<p>But Big Ungo was already there before him—blaster on hip, massive -shoulders straining at the fabric of an appropriated Federation tunic. -"Jarl, you can't go alone...."</p> - -<p>Jarl Corvett smiled thinly. "I've got to, Ungo."</p> - -<p>"But there may be trouble...." The Jovian brought up his one hand in an -angry gesture.</p> - -<p>"I know. That's why you can't go. I need you here on board more than I -do with me." Jarl dropped his voice; jerked his head towards the cabin -where Ylana lay. "Stay with her, Ungo. We can't afford to lose her."</p> - -<p>"The men—"</p> - -<p>"Would you chance it? Would you trust that much to them?"</p> - -<p>For a moment their eyes clashed. But the questions held their own bleak -answers. Muttering, half-sullen, the big Jovian moved aside.</p> - -<p>Jarl said: "I'll be back, Ungo." Silently, he dropped out the hatch to -the ground and strode towards the dim lights that marked the ancient, -scabrous buildings which fringed the port.</p> - -<p>But every step was a coal for the dull fire of tension that burned -within him. Would he really be back? Would he ever see the carrier -again, or Ungo?</p> - -<p>Or Ylana....</p> - -<p>He wondered.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The native quarter closed in about him, heavy with the stench of age -and rotting garbage. <i>Vocorn</i> pipes wailed, thin and minor, and strange -eyes stared at him, luminous in the descending night. Once he stepped -shuddering into the protoplasmic slime of some primitive life-form -as it writhed its way across the mud-choked cobbles; once, through a -doorway, he glimpsed a snake-woman's sinuous dancing in the light of -flaring <i>thes</i>-wood torches.</p> - -<p>But he hurried on, still wrapped and trapped in his own dark thoughts.</p> - -<p>Again and again, in spite of him, his mind flashed back to Wassreck ... -<i>Ktar</i> Wassreck, tortured genius, who'd come for him at Horla.</p> - -<p>Could betrayal find a haven in such a man?</p> - -<p>Jarl Corvett cursed aloud. It was beyond the believing.</p> - -<p>Yet if it were true....</p> - -<p>A chill shook Jarl. Where did loyalty lie, in man or duty?</p> - -<p>Especially if that duty were only to a dream, the way of the raider....</p> - -<p>He could find no answer. Savagely, he kicked a whimpering <i>bok</i> from -his path and pushed on through the darkness.</p> - -<p>And Sais ... what of her? Would he find her waiting, or vanished? What -would she say? How could he tell her?</p> - -<p>Tight-jawed, head down, he hurried on the faster.</p> - -<p>Then, at last, he was striding out into the Place of the Raiders ... -crossing the open court to his own quarters.</p> - -<p>He tried the door.</p> - -<p>It was locked. Angrily, he beat on it with a heavy fist.</p> - -<p>A rustle of sound came from within. The door opened a crack.</p> - -<p>Belligerently, Jarl shoved inside.</p> - -<p>A hard object gouged his back.</p> - -<p>By sheer reflex, he tried to leap aside, to whirl.</p> - -<p>But rough hands seized him. A powerful arm jerked back his head, the -wrist-bone jammed so hard against his throat that he choked and gasped -for breath, his struggles unavailing. Close to his ear, a rough voice -rasped, "Give up, you zanat, or I'll break your neck!"</p> - -<p>Already the blackness was swimming with sparks and stars. Reeling, Jarl -called a halt to battle.</p> - -<p>"That's better!" the voice rasped. And then: "All right! We've got him! -Let's have some light!"</p> - -<p>The inner door opened. A yellow glare flooded the entryway. Staggering, -arms locked behind him, Jarl was dragged into the room beyond.</p> - -<p>Blinking, he stared into familiar faces ... the cold, hard-bitten -faces of the chieftains of the raider fleet—Toran the <i>Malya</i> ... the -mongrel, Tas Karrel ... Bor Legat of Mercury ... half-a-dozen others.</p> - -<p>And there was another with them, not a warrior ... one whose dark, -proud, lovely face was pale beneath its color.</p> - -<p>Jarl choked, "Sais—! What have they done to you—?"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The woman who was <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck's daughter pulled together the torn -bodice of her kirtle. A sudden flush replaced her pallor. "Ask them, -Jarl." The fine, dark eyes with which she swept the raider chiefs were -bitter, scornful.</p> - -<p>Jarl stood very still. Cold-eyed, seething, he looked from one captain -to another.</p> - -<p>He said tightly: "You know this woman. You know she's under my -protection. Who among you saw fit to lay hands on her, in my own -quarters?" And then, with special, deadly emphasis: "Who <i>dared</i> to do -it?"</p> - -<p>But the chieftains' eyes threw back his fury. Their faces stayed hard, -bleak, impassive.</p> - -<p>"You <i>starbos</i>!" Jarl lashed. "Are you afraid to talk? Have you left -your tongues on Pluto?"</p> - -<p>The chiefs exchanged glances. Then, almost idly, Bor Legat moved -forward—Bor Legat of Mercury, Bor Legat the ruthless. His lean body's -shell-plates clacked in the stillness like tiny castinets. The basilisk -eyes were like diamonds.</p> - -<p>"Corvett," he said gently, "we're not afraid. Maybe this will convince -you."</p> - -<p>One arm appendage whipped up. The splayed, tentacular digits stung -Jarl's face like flicking lashes.</p> - -<p>Jarl rocked in a red haze of fury. "Bor Legat—"</p> - -<p>"I know. You'll kill me." Chill, casual, the Mercurian crossed to the -chart table and slouched down on one radial hip. The tentacular digits -wrapped around the proton grenade that served as a chart-weight and -swung it idly to and fro.</p> - -<p>To Jarl, the ticking seconds were like eons. The tension rising in the -room was almost a living thing. He waited, not speaking.</p> - -<p>At last Bor Legat raised the basilisk eyes to him. "Word travels fast, -Corvett. We know you've got <i>rey</i> Gundre's daughter."</p> - -<p>Jarl stared. "That's why you're here—?"</p> - -<p>The Mercurian shrugged. "What else? And what better place to trap you -than your own quarters?"</p> - -<p>The other raiders nodded.</p> - -<p>"And Sais—?" Jarl queried tightly.</p> - -<p>"We needed her, to force your hand."</p> - -<p>Jarl shot a quick glance at the woman. She stood as before, straight -and proud, one hand to her bodice. Her dark eyes spoke unreadable -volumes.</p> - -<p>Bor Legat laughed softly. "She wants your help, Corvett. I hope that -she'll get it."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Jarl turned on him, voice raw and scalding. "Quit talking in riddles! -What is it you're after?"</p> - -<p>"You're not that stupid, Corvett." The Mercurian swung the proton -grenade a fraction faster. "We want the girl, of course; Gundre's -daughter, Ylana."</p> - -<p>"Why?"</p> - -<p>"To drive a bargain." The faintest hint of urgency crept into Legat's -tone. "We know why you stole her. You're out to save Wassreck."</p> - -<p>"And you—?" Jarl put scorn into his voice.</p> - -<p>"Death comes to all raiders. Why should a traitor's tale be different?" -The Mercurian lowered the grenade and leaned forward. "You can have it -straight, Corvett: <i>rey</i> Gundre's made us an offer. If we give him you -and Ylana, he'll spare Ceresta."</p> - -<p>"And you believe him—?" Jarl laughed harshly. "No wonder you came -here! You're mad as a <i>ban</i>, Legat! How long do you think he'd hold to -his promise?"</p> - -<p>"Long enough," the Mercurian clipped curtly. He sat back once more. -Again, idly, he swung the grenade like a deadly oval pendulum.</p> - -<p>Jarl said: "Maybe there are some things you don't know—about Wassreck; -about his new projector—"</p> - -<p>"Yes; we've heard about it." A veil of craft and malice drew over the -basilisk eyes. "You see, we've got it, too, Corvett."</p> - -<p>Jarl started. "You've got it—?"</p> - -<p>"You heard me." Bor Legat's smile grew to a ghoulish grin, leering and -macabre. "Sais gave it to us."</p> - -<p>"Sais—!" Jarl swung sharply.</p> - -<p>The woman's ripe lips quivered. Once more her color deepened. "Yes, -Jarl. I knew the secret. I gave it to them."</p> - -<p>For a long, taut moment, Jarl studied her. But as before, the dark eyes -were unfathomable.</p> - -<p>He turned back to Bor Legat. "So what are your plans?"</p> - -<p>"You can guess them, can't you?" the Mercurian chuckled. "All we need -is time. You'll buy that for us—you, and the girl, Ylana. Then, when -the Federation fleet strikes through the Belt to blast us, we'll have a -surprise of our own all ready and waiting for them."</p> - -<p>"I see." Jarl nodded slowly, but his mind was racing. Then, pouring -savage scorn into his voice, he lashed out at the raiders: "Are you -utter fools, you <i>chitzas</i>? Do you rate <i>rey</i> Gundre as a moonstruck -idiot?" He laughed, harsh and curt. "He'll strike, all right; but not -the way you expect, nor by the path you hope for! He'll know from the -start that you plan to trap him! His ships will break through before -you have the chance to trap them—"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>He slashed on, in that vein; and as he talked he could see doubt flare -in the chieftains' eyes. Tas Karrel's glance wavered. Toran the <i>Malya</i> -frowned and shifted.</p> - -<p>But Bor Legat the ruthless did not shift or waver.</p> - -<p>"We'll chance that," he clipped; and in spite of their doubts, the -others nodded.</p> - -<p>Jarl's jaw set hard. "Play it that way, then, if you can." He jerked -free of the hands that held him; hooked his thumbs in his belt in a -gesture of cold defiance. "<i>If</i> you can...."</p> - -<p>Bor Legat's arm came down. The proton bomb swung loose at his side as -he leaned forward. "If—?" he queried, too gently.</p> - -<p>Jarl said: "You need two prisoners to keep your traitor bargain. You've -only got one."</p> - -<p>"You mean, you won't give up the girl." The Mercurian was almost -purring. "We counted on your being stubborn, Corvett. That's why we -held your lovely Sais a prisoner. With her to help, I think we can -convince you."</p> - -<p>With an effort, Jarl held his face immobile. He did not speak.</p> - -<p>Bor Legat said: "Torture means little to a man like you, Jarl Corvett. -I doubt that it would break you. But if you knew your silence would -doom this woman...."</p> - -<p>Sais cried: "No, Jarl—!" Before they could stop her, she was running -to him. She threw her arms around him. "Jarl, they're mad with fear of -my father's weapon! If you give <i>rey</i> Gundre's daughter to them, they -will gamble the fate of the outlaw worlds on their bargain with him—!"</p> - -<p>For a moment Jarl held her to him. Her warmth, the softness of her -body, brought new strain, new tension. The fragrance of her dark hair -stabbed like a knife-blade.</p> - -<p>Slouched on the chart table, Bor Legat smiled and swung the proton -grenade. "Well, Corvett?"</p> - -<p>Again Jarl looked from one raider to another. But their hard faces -showed no trace of mercy, no hint of indecision.</p> - -<p>Bleakly, he turned back to Bor Legat.</p> - -<p>The Mercurian set the proton bomb down on the table with a thud. A grim -finality was in the gesture.</p> - -<p>"We've got three Earth days, Corvett," he said in a flat, hard voice. -"Three days to turn you over to <i>rey</i> Gundre." And then: "It could seem -three thousand years to your lovely Sais, if you stay stubborn."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Once more, the seconds dragged like eons. Again Jarl looked to the -raider chiefs, the burly crewmen.</p> - -<p>A thought moiled in the far reaches of his brain: <i>If I could only -snatch a weapon....</i></p> - -<p>But even as it came, it died again. What good could any weapon do -against so many? Even if he killed Bor Legat, there'd be the others.</p> - -<p>The Mercurian said: "We're wasting time, Corvett. Give us Ylana—or -we'll get to work on your own woman."</p> - -<p>Sais choked, "Jarl, stand firm—! Let them have me; it doesn't -matter...."</p> - -<p>Her voice broke. Jarl held her tighter. Bitterly, he thought of -Wassreck, her father, and of Horla.</p> - -<p>What was loyalty now, when it made a man try to choose between Sais -and the thin-drawn chance that he might somehow save Ceresta?</p> - -<p>Of a sudden he felt as if he were being pulled apart by the conflicting -claims of love and loyalty, torn asunder under the impact of a dozen -different kinds of duty.</p> - -<p>The proton bomb on the table would rend a man less.</p> - -<p>The proton bomb....</p> - -<p>Bor Legat straightened. He snapped to the crewmen, "Take the woman!"</p> - -<p>Never had the basilisk eyes held more deadly malice.</p> - -<p>"Jarl ..." whispered Sais. But her voice held only proud farewell; no -tears nor fears, no piteous entreaty.</p> - -<p>A raider gripped her shoulder.</p> - -<p>Jarl said, "Wait...."</p> - -<p>He spoke to Bor Legat, but his eyes were on the grenade that stood -beside the Mercurian on the table. A tremor of chill fascination -touched him as he stared at the safety pin, the firing lever.</p> - -<p>"A change of heart—?" Legat smiled his ghoulish smile. "For a moment, -there, I thought you'd let us have the woman."</p> - -<p>"No, Bor," Jarl Corvett said tightly, and in that moment a raider's -own wild recklessness was singing in him. "I've other plans for Sais -and you. If they work, she'll live, and so will I—and you, you scum, -there'll come a day when you'll have your chance to die by inches!"</p> - -<p>"What—?" Bor Legat came erect, as if he could not believe the words -he heard.</p> - -<p>Sais' eyes went wide. She tried to push back from Jarl.</p> - -<p>A raider crewman reached for his arm.</p> - -<p>"You heard me right," Jarl Corvett said. He let his shoulders slump and -made as if to turn away. Of a sudden his muscles were tense to aching.</p> - -<p>The crewman stretched to clutch him.</p> - -<p>But Jarl moved faster. Catching Sais about the waist, he flung her -bodily against the raider. Then, whirling, he lunged for the proton -bomb on the table.</p> - -<p>Bor Legat snatched for his pistol.</p> - -<p>But Jarl smashed an elbow into his middle.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The Mercurian retched and reeled. Before he could recover, Jarl drove -past him—clawing the grenade up from the table, jerking out the pin.</p> - -<p>"Corvett, no—!" shrieked a raider. Another whipped up a ray-gun.</p> - -<p>Jarl spun about. His hand ached with the strain of holding down the -spring of the bomb's curved firing lever.</p> - -<p>But fierce exhilaration surged within him. With a shout he swung the -grenade high above his head, where all could see. "Look, <i>chitzas</i>!"</p> - -<p>One and all, they froze in their tracks, eyes suddenly aglisten with -the glassy sheen of fear. Even Sais' dark, lovely face was all at once -a mirror of panic.</p> - -<p>"Shoot, curse you!" Jarl cried, and his voice rang with fierce triumph, -with exultation. "Shoot and be damned! Because if I die, I'll take you -with me!"</p> - -<p>Bor Legat choked, "Corvett—!"</p> - -<p>Jarl whirled upon him. "Yes, you <i>starbo</i>! Take me! But remember—if I -let go this firing lever, the spring completes the contact for me!"</p> - -<p>"No—!" croaked Legat, and his shell-like body plates were clacking. -"No, Corvett! That thing would blast us all to atoms!"</p> - -<p>Jarl said, "That's better." Coolly, he lowered the bomb and held it -cradled between his hands. "Sais...."</p> - -<p>"Yes, Jarl...." Quickly, supplely, she moved forward.</p> - -<p>"We're leaving now," Jarl clipped. And then, to the chieftains: "If you -want to live, don't try to follow."</p> - -<p>Hate hammered at him, a living thing—the hate of the wolf-pack that -sees its prey escaping. Fists clenched, and gun-hands quivered, and -eyes drew to murderous, icy diamonds.</p> - -<p>Jarl laughed aloud—scornful, contemptuous. The woman at his side, -looking neither to right nor left, he strode to and through the door; -closed it behind him.</p> - -<p>Sais' taut whisper cut through the darkness: "Jarl, they'll come after -us! They'll shoot at a distance—"</p> - -<p>Wordless, heart racing, he pushed her forward faster. She stumbled -across the final threshold, out into the night and the Place of the -Raiders.</p> - -<p>Jarl threw a quick glance back. Already, behind them, the door to the -inner room was opening.</p> - -<p>Cursing, he lobbed the proton grenade back over his shoulder; then -bolted after Sais.</p> - -<p>The night exploded into crashing chaos. A wall of force smashed Jarl -to the cobbles. Screams and shrieks slashed through dust and smoke and -falling debris.</p> - -<p>But he was outside, the wall between him and the blast. Scrambling to -his feet, he dragged Sais up.</p> - -<p>Together, they raced for the blackness of the native quarter....</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph1">CHAPTER VI</p> - - -<p>They ran through the murk of Ceres' night till their lungs caught fire, -and their eyes rolled up, and their quaking legs could no longer hold -them.</p> - -<p>Then, at last, sobbing and panting, they fell in a heap in a -rubble-strewn alley, heedless of time or place or peril.</p> - -<p>But that passed, too. Slowly, the pain and weariness ebbed. Jarl's -strength flowed back. Once more, he was acutely conscious of the filth, -the smells, the slithering vermin. Somewhere afar, the <i>vocorn</i> pipes -still were wailing.</p> - -<p>Sais twisted against him, her ripe body smooth as rippling velvet. -When he rested his palm on her hip, she gripped it fiercely in the -darkness. Her hand was hot; he could feel the movement of her quickened -breathing.</p> - -<p>The muscles in Jarl's belly drew tight. All at once—even here, even -now—he could think of nothing save this woman. His fingers trembled as -he smoothed her dark hair; touched her eyes, her lips.</p> - -<p>She moved closer, till the curve of her cheek lay against his shoulder. -The pressure of her body was a silent pledge, an invitation.</p> - -<p>Sais.... She was all passion, all woman.</p> - -<p>And all his.</p> - -<p>Or was she?</p> - -<p>The question came without his bidding. In spite of it. Yet once it had -come, it would not go away.</p> - -<p>He shifted. But it did no good. The spell of her was upon him, melded -of her woman's flesh and fragrance.</p> - -<p>She pressed closer.</p> - -<p>Rigid, he fought a silent battle ... and prayed that he would lose it.</p> - -<p>Why did he hang back? How could he doubt her?</p> - -<p>But in his heart he knew the answer to all his questions.</p> - -<p>This woman whose touch made his heart beat faster was more than merely -woman. She was Sais herself, <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck's daughter.</p> - -<p>Once, that had been a bond between them.</p> - -<p>Now it rose like a cold stone wall, setting them apart. Because -now, in spite of himself, in spite of loyalty or duty, he doubted -Wassreck....</p> - -<p>A <i>Pervod's</i> drunken laugh drifted to Jarl, dull and muffled. The -faint, alluring scent of <i>mafrak</i> reached his nostrils.</p> - -<p>Sais' fingers brushed his throat.</p> - -<p>He could stand the strain no longer. Twisting, he pushed her back. -"Sais...." Even in a whisper, his voice was raw and rasping.</p> - -<p>He could feel her body stiffen. "Yes, Jarl...?"</p> - -<p>How could he say it? What words could he find?</p> - -<p>He blurted: "They said on Vesta that your father had ... surrendered."</p> - -<p>For an instant her shoulders stayed tight and straining. Then, -incredibly, the tension left them.</p> - -<p>"Yes, Jarl." Her voice was the barest murmur. "They told it true. He -sent a secret message to <i>rey</i> Gundre...."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>A numbness crept through Jarl Corvett. He could hear his own heart -pounding in the stillness. "But why, Sais? Why? How could he do it—?"</p> - -<p>And her whisper came back: "You mean—you thought he had betrayed you?"</p> - -<p>The hurt in her voice twisted at Jarl Corvett. But he threw it off; -forced himself to press her further: "You ask—when for his own gain he -left you here, to die with the rest of us on Ceres?"</p> - -<p>He felt her body quiver, and it was like a knife-stab in his belly.</p> - -<p>But when she spoke, scorn edged her words: "You'd believe that, after -Horla?"</p> - -<p>"What can I believe—?" He broke off; lashed out: "If he didn't, tell -me! Why did he go? Why did he use you to bait me into a trap that -almost snared me?"</p> - -<p>A new tremor ran through Sais' smooth, perfect body. Of a sudden she -reached out and once more gripped his clenched fist in the darkness. -"Jarl, believe me...."</p> - -<p>"Believe you—?"</p> - -<p>"The trap was my fault, not his. He sent me a message that came too -late. You'd gone before I found it...." She choked. "Now I must tell -you all—"</p> - -<p>"All—?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, no matter what I promised." Sais broke off, still trembling; then -hurried on. "The projector ... it was a gamble...."</p> - -<p>Again she fumbled, halted. Jarl waited in taut silence.</p> - -<p>She said: "It draws its power from cosmic dust."</p> - -<p>"I know."</p> - -<p>"But that was only half my father's secret!" Sais' voice took on a -new raw edge. "Did you ever ask yourself how my father learned to -utilize that power, Jarl Corvett? Did you ever wonder why it was he who -mastered its principle, after the finest scientists of every planet had -striven for a thousand years and failed?"</p> - -<p>Jarl frowned in the darkness. "You mean—?"</p> - -<p>"I mean that it was not he who solved the problem!" Sais' nails bit -into his hand. Her voice lost its edge in an eager rush of words. -"Jarl, the secret came from another race—from a people who voyaged -across the void ... perhaps from even beyond the stars! Eons ago, they -lived and died. But one of their ships had crashed on Vesta. That was -why my father built his workshop there—so that he could better study -what little they'd left behind them. There was a book with metal pages; -he found it deep in the buried wreckage. From it, he worked out the -plans for this new projector."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>It made Jarl's breath quicken, that picture—the picture of Wassreck, -twisted genius, digging through dead ruins in spite of a torture, -pain-racked body. The endless hours, the weary years, the lightning -mind and infinite patience—all were part of an old, familiar pattern.</p> - -<p>Wassreck's pattern.</p> - -<p>But it still was not enough to still the doubts that plagued him. With -an effort, he held his voice flat and clipped, emotionless. "So ... he -gave this master secret to <i>rey</i> Gundre....</p> - -<p>"He doomed the outlaw worlds. He left us to die here, at Ceresta."</p> - -<p>"No! He did not!" Bitter vehemence rang in her denial. "You fool, the -projector itself was nothing! He had to break through the Federation -fleet's blockade in order to reach Venus' orbit, and then Womar—"</p> - -<p>"Womar—!" Jarl went rigid. He strained his eyes to see the woman in -the darkness.</p> - -<p>"Yes, Womar, the satellite that hides behind the mother planet!" Sais -writhed upright. Again her words came fast and eager. "There was -another ship, Jarl Corvett—another craft built by that same ancient -master race somewhere across the void! If my father can find it, it -will mean the end of the Federation! It will buy the outlaw worlds -their freedom!"</p> - -<p>"But Womar..." Choking, Jarl came up beside her. His thin-stretched -mask of bleakness fell away. "Sais, it's madness!"</p> - -<p>"Because of the primitives, you mean? Because of the Federation ban, -the deserts—?" Sais laughed aloud, and there was scorn and fury in it. -"Yes, Jarl Corvett, it's utter madness! That's why my father went in -secret, leaving you behind to call him traitor! He wanted no other to -die with him on such a hopeless quest. So he sent his message to <i>rey</i> -Gundre, wagered his own life on the one slim, desperate chance that he -could bring destruction to the Federation!"</p> - -<p>The fears, the doubts ... they all were dying. And as they died, a -gnawing sickness grew in Jarl Corvett. Of a sudden he was himself -traitor, betrayer, for his very doubting.</p> - -<p>"But why—?" he whispered. "Why did he go, Sais? What secret could be -greater than the one he gave to Gundre?"</p> - -<p>Sais laughed again, more softly. Once more, she came close to him, as -if unwilling, even here, to speak of this thing above a breathless -murmur. "The robots, Jarl; the robots!"</p> - -<p>He stared. "The robots—?"</p> - -<p>"Yes!" Now her voice shook with excitement. "Jarl, they were no idle -fancy, no toys brought to being out of an old man's dreams. They were -models of warriors—the great, inanimate metal warriors of that alien -race from beyond the stars. He built them from plans in the books he -found in the wrecked ship."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>For Jarl, it was as if a curtain had suddenly been pulled aside. His -mind flashed back to Vesta, to Wassreck's workshop ... back to the -great hall's echoing vastness, and the towering metal monsters that, -shoulder to shoulder, lined its walls.</p> - -<p>Sais still was speaking: "He knew that the outlaw worlds were doomed, -Jarl. The Federation was too strong. The projector—it was only another -weapon. For victory, the raider fleet needed something more."</p> - -<p>Jarl did not speak.</p> - -<p>She said: "The metal warriors were to be that 'something more'. Not -models, such as he constructed, but giants, monsters—huge creatures, -indestructible, so mighty that they could break space-ships in their -hands." The woman's voice rose; took on a richer timbre. "Think of it, -Jarl Corvett! Think of an army of those awful warriors, each alone -strong enough to desolate a planet! What would power like that mean to -the outlaw worlds—?"</p> - -<p>She broke off, shaking. With an oath, Jarl pulled her to him; held her.</p> - -<p>"But he failed, Jarl...." Sais' words came dull and muffled. "He could -not give them life."</p> - -<p>"You mean—?"</p> - -<p>"The control was a mystery he could not master. The books told nothing -of its workings."</p> - -<p>"So now he would go to Womar...."</p> - -<p>"Yes. There was a chance, he thought, that he might find the secret -there, where the other alien ship had fallen. He had a theory that the -primitives themselves were decadent descendants of the master race."</p> - -<p>"But Womar...." Jarl's voice trailed off. He thought of the tales -he'd heard, the things he'd seen. Of Venus' hidden satellite and its -deserts. Of the Federation ban that made it death to land there. Of the -beings behind that ban, the primitives, still unconquered, with their -savagery and lust for blood and darkly rumored rites.</p> - -<p>Tremulous, close to him, Sais whispered, "He gambled his life, Jarl -Corvett. In secret, in order that he would not risk yours nor mine."</p> - -<p>In the distance, Jarl still could hear the wailing <i>vocorn</i> pipes; the -shouts, the shrieks, the drunken laughter. A <i>thes</i>-wood torch was a -flaring pin-point in the blackness. He rolled the acrid taste of Rogek -gas about his tongue ... drank in the <i>Mah'ham's</i> stench.</p> - -<p>Yes, this was Ceres, a Cerestan night, and he was here, with the warmth -and softness of dark Sais pressed against him.</p> - -<p>Yet another part of him was far away ... far, far away in time and -space and circumstance, armoring his quivering belly in a surface -plate of boldness as he strode out on Horla to face the agony of the -flame-death.</p> - -<p>And there was Wassreck, too, <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck, with his burning eyes and -pain-racked body, blasting down through the holocaust to save him.</p> - -<p>Loyalty ... it was such a feeble, tenuous thing.</p> - -<p>Yet the bonds it forged were stronger than telonium or steel.</p> - -<p>Again he cursed, and pushed Sais back. Catching her hand, he turned and -led her, stumbling, through the darkness.</p> - -<p>"Jarl...."</p> - -<p>He clipped: "We're going to the space-port, <i>rey</i> Gundre's carrier -waits for us there."</p> - -<p>"And then—?"</p> - -<p>"We blast for Womar."</p> - -<p>"Jarl—!"</p> - -<p>He strode on faster—hurrying, giving her no answer. There were too -many things to say ... too many words he could not utter.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>They left the alley for another, broader. A <i>dau</i> brushed past them -in the murk. Two bulbous Thorians parted, moving out of their way. -Curious, glowing eyes of <i>llorin</i> watched them from an entryway.</p> - -<p>Then, around another turn, the buildings thinned. The odor of Rogek gas -and rocket fuel grew stronger.</p> - -<p>And, ahead, a shadowy group moved from one looming bulk of structure to -another.</p> - -<p>Jarl jerked Sais back into the blackness that rimmed a cone-like -<i>Pervod</i> dwelling.</p> - -<p>"Jarl—"</p> - -<p>He clapped a hand across Sais' mouth. "Quiet! Bor Legat's men may still -be here before us!"</p> - -<p>Jarl felt a tremor run through her. Ghost-silent, he led the way along -the building; then, after a moment's pause, ran on swiftly to an -ancient <i>Fantay</i> structure.</p> - -<p>The shadow-group ahead was breaking up spreading out in a thin black -line of menace.</p> - -<p>Tight-nerved, Jarl drew Sais to the right, parallel to the skirmish -line, along the crumbling <i>Fantay</i> spire ... then on through the -burrow-like workings of spider men of Rhea, past flat-roofed habitat of -the <i>llorin</i>.</p> - -<p>They came out into another alley.</p> - -<p>But ahead, here, too, he caught a glimpse of motion, the hint of a -far-flung raider cordon.</p> - -<p>They tried again, by another alley—the one down which Jarl had come -when he left the carrier. He almost imagined he could make out the -ship's slim silver form far off in the vastness of the port, in spite -of the obscuring night.</p> - -<p>But again, between them and the sprawling ramping-place, stood sinister -figures.</p> - -<p>Jarl rested his shoulders against the wall of a rambling <i>fala</i> hostel. -He felt old beyond belief; incredibly weary. His muscles ached with -tension.</p> - -<p>Sais touched his arm. "Jarl...." Her voice was a ragged whisper.</p> - -<p>He sucked in air. "Wait here a moment."</p> - -<p>Once more, in dead silence, he moved forward, skirting the pool of -greenish glow that marked the hostel's entry. Cat-footed, taut, he made -his way along the wall towards the port, the shadow-figures.</p> - -<p>Only then, without warning, a spear of light lanced through the -darkness. An energy-bolt splintered stone bare inches from his shoulder.</p> - -<p>He dived back by instinct; landed running.</p> - -<p>In the same instant a cry went up—the wild hunting-cry of Bor Legat's -raiders.</p> - -<p>Jarl caught Sais' hand and dashed for the corner of the building.</p> - -<p>From behind them came a pelting rush of feet, a babble of fierce, -life-thirsting voices. The night blazed with the fire of raider -weapons.</p> - -<p>Barely in time, they made the corner. Panting, they lunged on into the -maze of alleys.</p> - -<p>But then, ahead of them, rose other voices. New figures loomed; new -weapons flamed and echoed.</p> - -<p>Jarl catapulted Sais into an entryway. Savagely, he kicked at the -door's lock.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The door burst open. Beyond lay the blackness of an ebon sack, thick -enough to cut. The air that puffed out was stale and dead, heavy with a -musty smell of age, abandonment, disintegration.</p> - -<p>Jarl pushed inside and heeled the door shut. The clamor of the alley -faded.</p> - -<p>Breathing hard he groped through the room. Thick dust scuffed up -beneath his feet. Sais clung to his hand, fingers slick with icy sweat. -"Which way—?" She was half-sobbing.</p> - -<p>"Up!" Jarl clenched his teeth. "There's got to be a stair, a ladder!"</p> - -<p>They felt their way through another room. Another, and another.</p> - -<p>Then: "Jarl—! I've found it!"</p> - -<p>Jarl wheeled, moving to her. He touched the edge of worn stone steps. -"Come on!"</p> - -<p>They climbed through the murk, and Jarl thought of <i>quirsts</i> and -<i>hwins</i>—a thousand deadly, crawling, nameless horrors. But there was -no other way, no faintest chance. Tight-jawed, he shoved his thoughts -back and stumbled higher.</p> - -<p>Three levels they climbed. Then the stone steps ended. Numb, rigid, -Jarl felt his way to an outer room.</p> - -<p>Stars shone faintly through a window. Sais still at his heels, he -crossed to the casement and looked out.</p> - -<p>Far below, the shouts and curses of Bor Legat's men still echoed.</p> - -<p>But Jarl paid them no heed. He had eyes only for the flat-topped -<i>llorin</i> dwelling that crowded next to this structure in which he had -found temporary haven.</p> - -<p>The <i>llorin</i>-pile's roof rose to within short feet of the window. -Beyond it lay another; then a <i>Fantay</i> spire....</p> - -<p>Again he said, "Come on!" and levered open the window.</p> - -<p>New agitation gleamed in Sais' eyes, but she moved forward, wordless.</p> - -<p>Cat-like, Jarl dropped to the <i>llorin</i> roof. After a moment's -hesitation, Sais followed.</p> - -<p>Silent, nerves raw with tension, they picked a path along the beams to -the next building and crossed to it.</p> - -<p>Here even the beams were rotten, sagging. Testing with his foot at each -step, Jarl led the way around the outer wall to the spire beyond.</p> - -<p>Even at its lowest point, the edge of the <i>Fantay</i> peak was feet above -Jarl's head, across a yawning two-foot gap that plunged chasm-like to -the ground so far below.</p> - -<p>Bleakly, Jarl studied it; measured the distance with his eye. "Up, -Sais...." He lifted her; tottered precariously against the rim of -coping while, whole body atremble, she balanced on his broad shoulders.</p> - -<p>She whispered, "Jarl, I'll never make it...." Her words died in a -quavering sound of pure hysteria.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>A trickle of sweat dripped from Jarl's chin. He dug his fingers into -her ankles till her blood spurted and ran down his nails. "You'll make -it...."</p> - -<p>"No, Jarl—! No! I can't—!"</p> - -<p>The sweat dripped faster. Jarl could feel Sais' terror. It crawled in -her voice and breath and body, quaked and quivered in the very air.</p> - -<p>But behind there was only the tender mercy of Bor Legat's raiders.</p> - -<p>Ahead, at least they had a faint, slim chance to reach the carrier.</p> - -<p>The carrier ... so near, and yet so far.</p> - -<p>Through clenched teeth, he said, "You'll make it—or I'll drop you down -the crack!"</p> - -<p>He tilted her forward.</p> - -<p>For an instant she hung there. He could hear a scream rising in her -throat.</p> - -<p>Jarl Corvett died a thousand deaths.</p> - -<p>Then out she swung, high over the chasm. Instinctively, her hands shot -out ... caught the <i>Fantay</i> spire's low-dipping edge ... clung there....</p> - -<p>He said tightly: "Pull yourself up! I'll help you!" Bracing himself, -straining every muscle, he lifted her higher ... higher ... till her -feet were at arm's length above his head.</p> - -<p>Panting, crying, she pulled herself half onto the spire.</p> - -<p>He let go her feet.</p> - -<p>She gasped in new panic. But her grip held firm. Twisting, -spasmodically, she swung her feet up and lay there, sobbing.</p> - -<p>Jarl's muscles went weak as water.</p> - -<p>But he did not dare to hesitate. Stiffly, he swung onto the knee-high -coping; crouched there.</p> - -<p>The chasm below drew his eyes like a magnet. He tore them away; forced -himself to look up, instead, to the spire. Sucking in air, he poised -himself, tensing.</p> - -<p>Sais stared down at him. Something close akin to horror was in her eyes.</p> - -<p>With all his might, Jarl leaped upward, outward, straining to reach the -other wall.</p> - -<p>One hand touched—and slipped.</p> - -<p>The other hooked round the edge of the stone ledge above.</p> - -<p>Sais clutched his free hand and tried to lift him. With a desperate -effort, he twisted and lunged again, hanging there in space.</p> - -<p>This time he got a grip on the ledge's inner edge. Sais tugged at his -tunic's collar. Gasping for breath, he levered himself higher, up onto -his elbows. A final surge carried him out of the chasm.</p> - -<p>Sais sank down beside him. For a long moment they lay there—both -panting, both shaking.</p> - -<p>But there was no time for weakness. Lurching to his feet, Jarl began -working his way around the rim.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>They moved on to new buildings—one, two, half-a-dozen ... always -striving in the direction of the port.</p> - -<p>Then, at last, they reached a final, ramshackle structure only one -level high.</p> - -<p>Beyond it, the ramping-place stretched off through the flare-sparked -blackness of the night.</p> - -<p>Jarl peered down into the flanking alleys. But this time he could find -no shadow-cordon, no trace of Legat's raiders.</p> - -<p>Sais brushed against him. Once more, he caught the half-forgotten -fragrance of her hair.</p> - -<p>He pressed her hand. "It looks good, Sais. Legat never thought about -the roofs. His men are farther back in the quarter."</p> - -<p>"Then—?"</p> - -<p>"We'll chance it."</p> - -<p>Her lips touched his cheek. It was her only answer.</p> - -<p>Together, hand in hand, they slipped down a rickety outside ramp to the -ground. In silence, they made their way across the sprawling port's -scorched cinders.</p> - -<p>As they walked, Jarl felt the surface tension leave him. The heavy, -mixed smells of Rogek gas and rocket fuel were perfume in his nostrils. -His job was done, here at Ceresta. He'd rescued Sais and learned the -truth about <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck.</p> - -<p>Now, he could almost laugh when he thought of Legat.</p> - -<p>But underneath, a stronger conflict plagued him. Because, again, it was -his destiny to go forth to battle ... to lead good men, good friends, -to die for the cause of the raider worlds, and loyalty.</p> - -<p>Frowning, he thought of Wassreck and of Womar ... the giant robots. Of -Ungo and Ylana.</p> - -<p>As for himself, how long could his luck hold? When, at long last, would -fate decide to down him?</p> - -<p>Shrugging, he veered his course in the direction of a massive marker -pylon. What did it matter, when he fell? As Legat had said, death came -to all raiders.</p> - -<p>For now, it was enough that he should carve his way and do his duty.</p> - -<p>Beside him, Sais asked, "How far is it, Jarl? I—I'm so tired."</p> - -<p>"Only a little way. Just beyond the pylon." He put his arm about her.</p> - -<p>"I'm glad...." She leaned upon him.</p> - -<p>Jarl veered again. They rounded the corner of the marker.</p> - -<p>"Where is it, Jarl?" Sais asked in a weary voice. And then: "Jarl! -What's the matter?"</p> - -<p>But Jarl hardly heard her. He stood stock-still, staring—unable to -move, unable to speak.</p> - -<p>"Jarl—!"</p> - -<p>He jerked free of the spell of shock; peered this way and that in a -frenzy of desperation. Once again, his heart was pounding.</p> - -<p>But the cindered ramping-place stayed bare and echoing and empty.</p> - -<p>Carrier and crew alike had vanished!</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph1">CHAPTER VII</p> - - -<p>Jarl picked Tas Karrel's ship, the <i>Knife</i>. Unswerving, Sais at his -side, he stalked up her ramp.</p> - -<p>A grim, slim, deadly craft, the <i>Knife</i>, black as the heart of her -mutant master. The fastest ship in all the raider fleet, with a killer -crew drawn from the scum of the whole wide solar system.</p> - -<p>The guard at the hatch was such a one—an Earthman, long fled from his -own home planet. Slouched at his post below the scarlet signal light, -thumb hooked in belt, he stared bleakly off across Ceresta's port and -puffed at a <i>chang</i> cigarette of Venus.</p> - -<p>Jarl's footsteps echoed. The guard swung round.</p> - -<p>The next instant he was whipping up his blaster. The cigarette fell -from his lips, forgotten. "Jarl Corvett—!"</p> - -<p>Jarl laughed, a cold and mirthless laugh, and raised his empty hands. -"Put your blaster down. I've come to see Tas Karrel."</p> - -<p>"He's not aboard." The Earthman's blaster did not waver.</p> - -<p>"I know it. I'll wait."</p> - -<p>The guard's brow furrowed. For a moment he stood hesitating, wordless.</p> - -<p>Heedless of the menace in the cold blue eyes, Jarl brushed on past him. -Chill arrogance in his stance, he strode down the echoing corridor to -the crewmen's day-room.</p> - -<p>A knot of lounging raiders looked up as he entered, then snatched for -weapons. Again his name rang: "Jarl Corvett—!" "It's Corvett!"</p> - -<p>And again Jarl laughed his reckless laugh. "That's right. It's Corvett."</p> - -<p>A <i>Pervod</i> pushed forward. Jarl recognized him as one of Tas Karrel's -chief lieutenants.</p> - -<p>The creature's chill reptilian eyes flicked from Jarl to Sais, then on -to the Earthman guard who had followed them in. "What brings these two -here? Where did they come from?"</p> - -<p>"How should I know?" the Earthman shrugged. "They say they want -Karrel—and I know he wants them."</p> - -<p>"Yes. They find it easier to come than to leave us." The <i>Pervod</i> -laughed harshly and swung back to Jarl. "You, Corvett! We know you! -What do you want here?"</p> - -<p>Bleakly, Jarl met the reptilian's glare. Feet wide apart, hands on -hips, he stood straight and steady, surveying the crewmen who crowded -around him.</p> - -<p>"I want you!" he slashed harshly.</p> - -<p>"Me—?" He could see the lean <i>Pervod</i> stiffen.</p> - -<p>Jarl let his voice ring. "Yes, you—and all of these others. The -<i>Knife</i>, too...."</p> - -<p>He grinned as he said it, and looked from one hard-bitten face to -another—measuring each raider, timing his pause to their grim, deadly -potential. He knew them so well, these outlaw crewmen. <i>Chonya</i> and -<i>Malya</i>; <i>Pervod</i> and Earthman; <i>dau</i>, <i>fala</i>, <i>Fantay</i>—they were one -with him. When his eyes met theirs, it was almost as if he could see -their restless minds working.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>A silence built up in the echoing day-room. Before it could break, he -spoke again to them:</p> - -<p>"I need a ship!" he said boldly. "A fighting ship, fast enough to break -through the Federation's own cordon. And"—he paused—"that ship must -have a crew that fears neither man nor devil."</p> - -<p>The silence echoed louder.</p> - -<p>He said: "The <i>Knife</i> is the fastest ship in the raider fleet—and a -crew that will raid with Tas Karrel would spit in <i>rey</i> Gundre's own -eye!"</p> - -<p>Still, for a moment, the silence hung upon them. Then, slowly at first, -but rising, a ripple of wry, bleak laughter ran through the crowd.</p> - -<p>He knew that he had them, then. He leaned forward ... let his voice -drop to a confidential note. "What does a raider want most, my -comrades? Loot? <i>Kabat?</i> Women—?"</p> - -<p>He grinned again, as he said 'women', and lifted a hand to dark Sais' -velvet shoulder.</p> - -<p>She twisted. The laughter rippled louder.</p> - -<p>Jarl planted his foot on a chair; rested elbow on knee. "Yes, we all -want them, my comrades. But"—he dropped his voice still lower—"so do -other men."</p> - -<p>The raiders crowded closer, craning and straining to hear him.</p> - -<p>"Then where's the difference, between us and those others—?" Abruptly, -he straightened and brought up his fist. He threw his words at them, -in a fierce, ringing challenge: "The difference—? I'll tell you, -comrades! It's not loot that we raid for, nor <i>kabat</i>, nor women; not -really! It's freedom we are after—the freedom to roam the void as -free men should, and to hell with the thrice-cursed tyrants of the -Federation!"</p> - -<p>Now the crewmen, too, shouted, in wild exultation. The din echoed and -deafened.</p> - -<p>"Are you with me—?" Jarl roared.</p> - -<p>But the <i>Pervod</i> leaped forward. "You dogs! What of Karrel?"</p> - -<p>The shouting died down. Again all eyes came to Jarl Corvett.</p> - -<p>He held the smile on his face. "Yes. What of Tas Karrel?"</p> - -<p>The <i>Pervod's</i> claws crept towards his gun-butt. The bony wings -whispered in the sudden stillness.</p> - -<p>Very softly, Jarl said, "There's the law of the raiders. A chieftain -must meet any man who dares challenge." And then: "You, <i>Pervod</i>! Will -you fight hand-to-hand for Tas Karrel?"</p> - -<p>The reptilian's eyes glinted. His claws touched the ray-gun.</p> - -<p>Scorn rang in Jarl's laugh. "I said hand-to-hand, by the law of the -raiders! I came here unarmed, to fight Karrel to the death for his -chiefship!"</p> - -<p>A low mutter rose from the crewmen. The <i>Pervod's</i> eyes wavered.</p> - -<p>Jarl said: "Know my pledge, comrades! Not booty, but freedom! If you -blast with me, we may all die on Womar. If that doesn't suit you, kill -me now, before I meet Karrel!"</p> - -<p>The <i>Pervod</i> lieutenant's eyes sought out the crewmen. They shifted, -not speaking.</p> - -<p>Jarl laughed without mirth. "You see, <i>chitza</i>—? They want -blood—mine, or Tas Karrel's!"</p> - -<p>The reptilian looked away—past Jarl, to the doorway. His claws were -atremble.</p> - -<p>Then, visibly, he stiffened.</p> - -<p>Jarl spun around.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Tas Karrel himself stood framed in the entry. His tiny, round, lidless -eyes flamed green murder. "You <i>starbo</i>—!"</p> - -<p>Tas Karrel, the mutant. Broad, tall, heavy-bodied. Hairy as a <i>dau</i>, -and with a <i>dau's</i> bulging muscles. But his face was the blank, -hairless face of the <i>Fantay</i> ... without nose, without cheekbones.</p> - -<p>"Welcome, Karrel!" Jarl laughed again, loud and reckless. "I'm claiming -the <i>Knife</i> and your chiefship, by the law of the raiders!"</p> - -<p>"A fight to the death—?" The other's lipless gash-mouth twisted awry. -The green eyes were smouldering. "A pleasure, Jarl Corvett!"</p> - -<p>The huge mutant stripped off his tunic, his gun-belt.</p> - -<p>His <i>Pervod</i> lieutenant cried, "Raiders! A death-ring!"</p> - -<p>The crewmen fell back, and linked arms, formed a circle.</p> - -<p>Knee-long arms swaying, their chief shambled forward.</p> - -<p>Jarl pushed Sais back. The circle parted to pass her.</p> - -<p>Karrel's mouth worked. "Jarl Corvett...."</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"If you die, I claim the woman!"</p> - -<p>Jarl's heart pounded. "If I die, you can have her!" He did not dare -look at Sais.</p> - -<p>The mutant moved into the circle. His prehensile fingers flexed and -worked. His blank, grey-white face was a bleak mask of menace, the more -fearsome for its very lack of expression.</p> - -<p>Slowly, they moved around, ever facing—each searching for an opening, -seeking some hint of weakness. The tension climbed higher, in a -throbbing crescendo.</p> - -<p>Jarl could feel the sweat come to his palms. His pulses hammered.</p> - -<p>Then, suddenly, arms flailing, Tas Karrel sprang forward.</p> - -<p>Jarl leaped back; jarred against the <i>Pervod</i> lieutenant.</p> - -<p>Karrel lunged again. Again, Jarl tried to leap aside.</p> - -<p>But a clawed <i>Pervod</i> foot hooked out and tripped him. He sprawled on -the floor.</p> - -<p>In a flash, Tas Karrel was upon him. A bulging <i>dau</i> arm bore down on -his windpipe.</p> - -<p>Writhing, Jarl tried to tear free. But the arm would not let him. The -prehensile fingers gouged at his eye-balls.</p> - -<p>He twisted; rocked back. Bit down on a finger.</p> - -<p>Karrel jerked. Jarl bit harder. Lunging, he bucked the mutant -forward ... hooked a hammering heel up and around, into the blank -<i>Fantay</i> face.</p> - -<p>It was Karrel's turn to rock back. The hairy arm lifted.</p> - -<p>Jarl brought his chin forward, sucking air in great, choking gulps. He -drove a savage blow home below the other's rib-casing.</p> - -<p>Karrel tottered. Jarl broke clear; staggered upright.</p> - -<p>The mutant threw himself round; started to lunge up.</p> - -<p>Jarl kicked him in the face with all his might.</p> - -<p>Karrel's head snapped back. His hand clutched for Jarl's ankle.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Savagely, Jarl stomped down on the fingers. He smashed rights and lefts -to the grey-white mask face. A cut opened. Grey-green ooze spurted.</p> - -<p>Jarl kicked for the belly.</p> - -<p>An incoherent cry burst from the gash-mouth. The mutant threw himself -over, tumbling towards the edge of the circle.</p> - -<p>A hoarse murmur rose from the crewmen. Wolf-like, arms still linked, -they hunched forward.</p> - -<p>Jarl's arms dragged like anchors. His ears rang; his lungs burned. -Dimly, he glimpsed Sais' panic-straught face at the edge of the circle. -The sour stink of his own sweat rolled up in his nostrils.</p> - -<p>But he dared not hold back. If Karrel rose, he was finished.</p> - -<p>He dived in for the kill.</p> - -<p>But the mutant was twisting. His feet smashed at Jarl's breast-bone.</p> - -<p>Jarl crashed back, clear to the other side of the circle.</p> - -<p>Tas Karrel surged upright. "A knife—!" he roared harshly.</p> - -<p>The <i>Pervod</i> flipped him a dagger. Swaying, he caught it ... lunged for -Jarl.</p> - -<p>It was over. Jarl knew it. There was nothing he could do now.</p> - -<p>Nothing but die.</p> - -<p>The frenzy of death alone brought him to his feet. He hurled himself at -the mutant.</p> - -<p>Tas Karrel swayed aside, green eyes burning. Jarl hurtled past him; -landed sobbing against the <i>Pervod</i>.</p> - -<p>The reptilian laughed shrilly. Letting go of the arms of the raiders -who flanked him, he caught Jarl ... shoved him back at Tas Karrel.</p> - -<p>Blindly, Jarl clutched the <i>Pervod's</i> belt. His weight carried them -both to the circle's center.</p> - -<p>Cursing, Karrel slashed for him.</p> - -<p>Jarl wrenched to one side. The knife laid open the <i>Pervod's</i> side.</p> - -<p>The reptilian screamed. His bony vestigial wings flailed.</p> - -<p>In the same instant, Jarl caught Karrel's knife-hand. With his last -ounce of strength, he wrenched it till the bones cracked.</p> - -<p>The knife fell.</p> - -<p>Jarl scooped it up. The <i>Pervod</i> scrambled from his path.</p> - -<p>Tas Karrel stumbled backward. Fear flared in the green eyes.</p> - -<p>Teeth bared now, Jarl followed.</p> - -<p>The mutant sagged. Then, with a wild cry, hairy body shaking, he -whirled and threw himself over the linked arms of his crewmen, out of -the circle. In a mad dash, he lunged for the exit.</p> - -<p>"No—!" A raider whipped up his blaster. "Death to you, coward!"</p> - -<p>He fired. Tas Karrel sprawled on his face in the doorway.</p> - -<p>The circle broke into chaos.</p> - -<p>Jarl spun about, seeking the <i>Pervod</i>.</p> - -<p>The reptilian was backing away, slinking towards another door.</p> - -<p>"You <i>chitza</i>—!"</p> - -<p>The <i>Pervod</i> stopped short.</p> - -<p>"Take your knife with you!" Jarl shouted. He drew back the blade.</p> - -<p>Face contorted, the Venusian clawed for his ray-gun.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Like lightning, Jarl hurled the dagger. It sank to the hilt in the -<i>Pervod's</i> throat. Threshing in his death-throes, the creature spilled -forward.</p> - -<p>Jarl gripped a stanchion. "To your stations!" he shouted. "We're -blasting for Womar!"</p> - -<p>Order came from the chaos. Sub-chiefs bellowed commands. Crewmen boiled -out of the doorways.</p> - -<p>Sais ran to Jarl's side. Her white cheeks were tear-smudged, but she -smiled through her tears.</p> - -<p>There was a ringing of bells, a clanging of hatches. A <i>fala</i> cried, -"All's ready!"</p> - -<p>"For Womar—!" Jarl echoed.</p> - -<p>A muffled roar cut him short. The room rocked with the shock of the -takeoff as the <i>Knife</i> slashed its way up from the port, out from Ceres.</p> - -<p>Jarl threw one arm around Sais—more for support than from feeling. It -was all he could do to stand upright.</p> - -<p>She braced him. "You mean it—? We're going to Womar...?" All at once -her voice trembled.</p> - -<p>Shrugging, Jarl rested against her. "You heard my orders."</p> - -<p>"But ... what of Bor Legat ... <i>rey</i> Gundre...?"</p> - -<p>"We'll face that when we meet it." With an effort, Jarl straightened. -"Now, I've got to rest."</p> - -<p>"Of course, Jarl...." She moved close beside him, helping him as he -limped to Tas Karrel's quarters.</p> - -<p>Then they came to the cabin, and she, too, would have entered. But he -barred her way. "No, Sais."</p> - -<p>"Jarl...."</p> - -<p>"No." He shook his head, closed the door. Heavily, he stumbled to a -couch and dropped down.</p> - -<p>But though Sais stayed behind, his own dark thoughts would not.</p> - -<p>It was madness, this venture; what other name could a man find for a -wild dash for Womar?</p> - -<p>Yet what else could he do, with time running out on him? At best, he -had three slim Earth days to save Ceres.</p> - -<p>Three slim days, less the travel....</p> - -<p>And Womar.... What might he find when at last he ramped there? Suppose -Wassreck was wrong, and there were no robots? Or if the metal monsters -still lay hidden there, how much chance had he to find them?</p> - -<p>As for fitting them for battle, mastering the controls that sent them -forth....</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>He shuddered, and his brow seemed suddenly burning hot, as with a -fever. Then he chilled. Shaking, drawing covers close about him, he -wondered if his wounds had drained him, sapped his strength too low.</p> - -<p>But what chance did he have, unless he went on to Womar?</p> - -<p>What chance indeed, when even his own kind turned against him!</p> - -<p>His own kind, the raiders. He knew them so well—how they felt, the -twist of their reckless, ice-edged thinking. And because he knew, it -was not in him to hate them or betray them. No; at worst, he could only -strive and fail.</p> - -<p>And if he failed—? He cursed and twisted. <i>rey</i> Gundre would surely -blast the raider fleet. The outlaw worlds would die.</p> - -<p>Freedom would die with them.</p> - -<p>Wassreck, too.</p> - -<p>Three days only ... for freedom, and for Wassreck....</p> - -<p>Perhaps he slept, then. Or perhaps it was only delirium's distorted -screen that drew the twisting patterns across his mind.</p> - -<p>Whatever it was, it lifted brain from body ... moved him up from -Tas Karrel's couch—out of the room, the ship itself ... across the -void, through space and time. The hideous, shining masks of Womar's -primitives hurtled down upon him out of swirling mists. Madly, he -battled strange life-forms in a world he'd never seen.</p> - -<p>But he was not alone, for now other faces revolved past him slowly, -crying fearful words he could not hear ... Ungo's face; Ylana's....</p> - -<p>Ylana—! The red lips smiled and mocked him as she beckoned, and her -hair was a rippling pool of purest gold. There was the softness of her -body pressed against him; the grey eyes, shadowy as silver pools.</p> - -<p>Ungo. Ylana. Where were they? Why had they left him to die back there -on Ceres? What could have taken them away?</p> - -<p>Now Bor Legat's face came sweeping towards him, basilisk orbs twin -mirrors of craft and malice. His body plates were rattling with his -laughter—the merciless, cacophonic laughter of the Mercurian who sees -his enemy fall and die.</p> - -<p>Then another voice was calling, close beside him, and this time he -could hear the words, even if he could not understand. They pulled him -back across the void, up from the death and tumult of the unknown alien -world.</p> - -<p>Straining, struggling, he sought to place the tones, the timbre, and -as he fought, it dawned upon him that it was Sais' voice, and that his -eyes were closed.</p> - -<p>His lids were leaden weights, but he dragged them up. Numbly, he forced -Tas Karrel's room back into focus.</p> - -<p>Sais stood beside him, face strained and drawn. Her words took on -meaning: "Jarl—! Quick! Wake up—!"</p> - -<p>He lurched from the couch. "What's the matter? What is it—?"</p> - -<p>"Quiet—!" Panic was in her raw whisper. "You slept so long, Jarl! -We're coming down now, ramping on Womar...."</p> - -<p>He pushed back his hair; shook the haze from his eyes. "Then what—?"</p> - -<p>"It's the crewmen." He could feel a tremor pass through her. Her eyes -would not meet his. "I—I told them too much, Jarl. About Womar ... the -robots. Now they have sent for Bor Legat—"</p> - -<p>"Bor Legat—!"</p> - -<p>"Yes. They don't trust you. They plan to seize you and hold you...."</p> - -<p>Jarl cursed. "No! It can't be—"</p> - -<p>"What can I say, Jarl?" Her mouth quivered. "Beat me, if you want to—"</p> - -<p>"No." His hands shook, but he fought down his fury ... even forced a -thin smile. "Maybe this way is better, Sais...."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Spinning round, he snatched up a belt heavy with dead Tas Karrel's -weapons and girded it about him.</p> - -<p>The woman clutched his arm, eyes wide with new fear. "Jarl! What are -you doing—?"</p> - -<p>"What can I do?" He laughed harshly. "I'll drop down when we ramp and -go on alone."</p> - -<p>"No, Jarl—!"</p> - -<p>"Yes! Stay in here. Lock the door, so they'll still think they've got -me."</p> - -<p>"No! You can't leave me!" Her voice rose. She was sobbing. "Please, -Jarl! Take me with you—"</p> - -<p>Jarl gripped her smooth shoulders fiercely; shook her. "Sais! Listen!" -And then, as she quieted: "Sais, once before, I came down on Womar. -I've seen the primitives." Involuntarily, he shuddered. "Believe me, -Sais, no matter what the crew does to you, it can't match the work of -those creatures."</p> - -<p>"No, Jarl—"</p> - -<p>A dim roar filled the room—the roar of a ramping. Walls and floor -vibrated.</p> - -<p>"Jarl, I'm going with you!"</p> - -<p>The vibration stopped. The cabin echoed with sudden stillness as the -great ship came to rest.</p> - -<p>"Jarl...."</p> - -<p>For the fraction of a second, Jarl hesitated. From afar, he could hear -orders shouted. Once again, a knot drew tight in his belly.</p> - -<p>"Please, Jarl...."</p> - -<p>Pivoting, he stared down into Sais' tense, strained face.</p> - -<p>Even now, she was lovely....</p> - -<p>But he'd made his decision. There could be no other.</p> - -<p>"Sais, I'm sorry...." He drove his clenched fist to the point of her -jaw—a short, jarring blow.</p> - -<p>He could see the shock glaze her eyes as her head snapped back. Her -knees buckled.</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry, Sais," he said again, even though he knew she could not -hear. Ever so gently, he lowered her limp body to the couch.</p> - -<p>He wondered if he'd ever see her again.</p> - -<p>But it was no time for wondering, or thinking. He had a job to do, out -there in the stretching, scorching, windswept deserts.</p> - -<p>Silently, he eased open the cabin door.</p> - -<p>The passageway outside was echoing, deserted.</p> - -<p>Quick, quiet, he pulled the portal closed behind him and ran cat-footed -for the nearest exit hatch.</p> - -<p>A Callistan paced to and fro close by it, on guard.</p> - -<p>Jarl waited till the creature turned, then leaped and clubbed it down -with the barrel of his ray-gun. In seconds, he was spinning back the -hatch-bolts.</p> - -<p>The hatch swung wide, and night poured in ... the blistering, -dust-choked desert night, pale with the light reflected by looming -Venus' unbroken mists and billowing cloud-banks.</p> - -<p>Somewhere, out there, were primitives in hideous metal masks, so fierce -that even the almighty Federation at last had forbidden this satellite -to all men.</p> - -<p>Perhaps, too, here were robots ... towering metal monsters from beyond -the stars, brought down by destiny in its strange workings to save the -outlaw worlds.</p> - -<p>Or perhaps not. Perhaps this seared and storm-swept ball held only the -end of Wassreck's dreams ... and death.</p> - -<p>Jarl Corvett smiled a thin, wry smile. At least, he'd know the answer -soon.</p> - -<p>Breathing deep, he swung out through the hatch and dropped down on -Womar....</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph1">CHAPTER VIII</p> - - -<p>Morning on Womar.</p> - -<p>The hot winds were flames whipping at Jarl's face, and the driven -sand slashed and burned like pelting needles. Slowly, the night died -and, off to his right, the sun rose—fiery, incandescent. Venus, to -his left, stretched in a great, shining arc as far as the eye could -see. Dust swirled about him in smothering clouds. He wallowed through -a sea of powdery, ankle-deep grit where rocks shoved up in hidden -reefs to trap him. Hollows loomed in his bloodshot eyes like chasms, -and hillocks grew to mountains up which he toiled on hands and knees, -choking and gasping. His cheeks were rasped raw now, his lips all -parched and cracking.</p> - -<p>Still he lurched onward—lost and disoriented, without destination.</p> - -<p>But not without goal.</p> - -<p>A goal—? He laughed aloud—the muddled, drunken laughter of a -heat-twisted brain. Yes, he had a goal; but it was the goal of utter -madness.</p> - -<p>For somewhere in this blazing waste, Womar's primitives lay waiting. He -knew; he'd seen them charge before. How they sensed an alien's coming -was a secret no stranger had ever fathomed. But sense it they did; so -they'd hide and wait, till at last the sun and dust and slashing wind -had done their work and the invader fell and could not rise.</p> - -<p>Then, and then only, they would come, from whatever dark, hidden maze -they came from. Their blood-thirsting screams would rise above the -howling wind, and their hideous metal masks would flash like mirrors of -madness in the white flame of the sunlight.</p> - -<p>And after that ... Jarl choked on his parched, swelling tongue. After -that, there would come other things ... things no alien being had -survived, rites so awful as to make this blazing wilderness seem a -cool Elysium.</p> - -<p>What was left, they'd spread out in neat display as their own black -warning to other straying strangers.</p> - -<p>That was his goal: that the primitives should seize him.</p> - -<p>Yet now, as the moment neared when he would fall to rise no more, he -knew of a sudden how mad it was. Not even Ceresta and the raider fleet -were worth it; not even freedom. Nothing could be worth it.</p> - -<p>But now, there was no turning back. He'd come too far; he'd pressed his -luck one time too many.</p> - -<p>Swaying and staggering, he came to another, deeper hollow, where bare -rock showed through the dust and sand along the slopes in serrate -ledges. At the bottom, the drifting grit lay in smooth-swept whorls -like a hill-bounded cove where ripples had somehow been trapped in -motion, frozen into the surface of the water.</p> - -<p>He laughed once, wildly, and lurched ahead; then slipped and pitched -forward, tumbling headlong. Rocks gashed at him as he fell—tearing, -clutching, as if even they shared the primitives' hatred for all aliens.</p> - -<p>Stunned, choked, half blinded, he came to rest at last at the edge -of the pool of rippled sand. Here, away from the sweep of the wind, -the heat bore down like a smothering blanket. Jarl's brain reeled. He -could draw no strength from the air that scorched his lungs. He knew -instinctively that no being of his race could long survive the drain -and pressure.</p> - -<p>Frantically, he dragged himself up and wallowed forward, out onto the -sand.</p> - -<p>Even as his feet sank into the sifting dust, he knew he should have -gone the other way, back up the slope. But by then it was too late. -Deeper he sank, and deeper, till the loose sand was thigh-high about -his legs.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Desperately, he threw himself flat, trying to spread the weight of his -body. But the grit gave way beneath him, sliding and swirling, hungrily -sucking him deeper. Dust clogged his nostrils. When he tried to open -his mouth to suck air, sand flooded in.</p> - -<p>He floundered wildly, and the thought flashed through his mind, <i>Do -I die here—here, in this whirlpool of shifting grit, swallowed up, -buried alive, before I even find the primitives...?</i></p> - -<p>He struggled again to rise, and could not. The choking dust swirled -higher. His senses dimmed. The blazing sun began to darken.</p> - -<p>And then they came.</p> - -<p>They came with a rush, across the crest, their metal masks blurred to -blinding flashes. Out of the clefts of the rocks they came, and up from -the sand-pool's edges, howling like the screamings in a nightmare, the -wailings of banshees.</p> - -<p>Their bodies were brown as the sun-blistered rocks, their -shoulder-plumes scarlet as heart-blood. Their girdles were scarlet, -too, and the plumed bands that circled wrists and ankles. Monstrous -footgear, broad as their lean, hard bodies, sprayed sand as they -charged. Light flared in iridescent splendor from strange, outré -weapons.</p> - -<p>Desperately, Jarl tried again to rise. But again, the eddying grit gave -way beneath him.</p> - -<p>Then they were upon him—seizing him, dragging him up and out of the -powder-dry morass that held him. The great webbed shoes they wore did -not sink in, but, rather, skimmed the surface.</p> - -<p>Vainly, Jarl struck out and sought to struggle. But he was as a child -in the grip of giants. The primitives' hands were like shackling bands -of steel upon him.</p> - -<p>He let himself go limp. After all, was this not the very thing he'd -come for?</p> - -<p>Unless they killed him here and now....</p> - -<p>But they carried him back bodily to the sand-pool's edge, to a place -where the serrate rocks rose in lowering, brooding ledges. A crevice -yawned. Swiftly, they shoved him between the saw-toothed boulders, down -into it.</p> - -<p>Now other hands reached up from the depths of an inner cavern to -receive him. He found himself lifted into the black emptiness of a -narrow tunnel.</p> - -<p>Then he was on his own feet once more. But the hands still gripped -his arms, pushing him along as he stumbled through the ebon passage. -Dimly, he became aware of a strange odor in his nostrils—a sweet yet -musty scent he'd never smelled before.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The passage led on, ever downward. Steadily it grew cooler. Jarl began -to lose the sense of draining pressure. His captors jabbered in the -darkness. But their speech was like no tongue he'd ever heard before, -all consonants and gutturals.</p> - -<p>It seemed they hurried on for miles. Then, at last, a dim light showed -ahead.</p> - -<p>The party halted. Someone clamped a heavy metal mask upon Jarl's -head—a mask with neither eye- nor ear-holes. It shut him off in a -throbbing private night, through which the guttural voices drifted only -as dim whispers.</p> - -<p>Once more, the primitives shoved Jarl ahead, and as they moved forward, -he had a sudden feeling that they had left the tunnel and come out into -a larger room.</p> - -<p>Then they were lifting him again; laying him down flat on some smooth -surface; holding him there, rigid.</p> - -<p>He clenched his teeth, bracing himself for the torture that he knew -would sooner or later be his lot.</p> - -<p>But no pain came. Instead, of a sudden, the surface on which he lay was -vibrating, moving. Air whipped at him. With a shock, he realized that -he and the others were hurtling through Womar's heart at jarring speed -on some strange transport unit.</p> - -<p>It made his spine crawl, just a little. How primitive were these -primitives? Had all the worlds been wrong about them? What dark secrets -did they hold hidden, here in these black caves that honeycombed the -rock beneath this satellite's blazing deserts?</p> - -<p>And what of the robots? Where were they hidden?</p> - -<p>Or did they exist at all—?</p> - -<p>But he had no time to ponder, for as suddenly as the motion had -begun, it ended. The rush of air slowed, then halted. Once more, the -primitives' hands were lifting him, dragging him forward.</p> - -<p>But this time the passageway through which they moved led upward.</p> - -<p>The heat rose as they climbed, till Jarl was sweating and choking -inside the helmet. Then the slope leveled off again, and he sensed that -they had come out into another, larger room. New voices joined the dim -whisperings of his escort, till their volume swelled to a tremendous, -throbbing chorus. Bodies buffeted against Jarl, milling about him. -Hands clawed at him—clubbing, tugging, scratching. He could feel the -crowd's hot hate crushing in upon him. The musty, cloying, sweetish -odor he'd smelled before grew even stronger till he was sick and dizzy, -ready to vomit.</p> - -<p>His captors pressed on, not hesitating. Roughly, they led Jarl -stumbling up a flight of steps.</p> - -<p>At the top, there was a brief halt. Then the faint squeal of massive -hinges.</p> - -<p>A blast of heat struck Jarl a hammer blow. He reeled under its impact.</p> - -<p>From behind, someone gave him a savage shove. He lurched forward.</p> - -<p>A new burst of sound smashed at him, even through the metal helmet—a -wild shout, torn from a thousand throats, fierce and welling in its -hatred. The heat and smell were great sledges, pounding at him.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>In spite of all of his control, Jarl felt a sudden rush of panic. -Stumbling, staggering, he came upright—fists clenched, braced to meet -the fury of those about him even in his helplessness, his blindness.</p> - -<p>But again hands seized him before he could strike a blow. Someone -fumbled at the catches of the shrouding helmet.</p> - -<p>The metal mask came away. Sound, light, heat, stench, smashed in on -Jarl.</p> - -<p>He jerked back and threw his hands up across his eyes, trying to shut -out the blinding blaze of Womar's sun.</p> - -<p>But other hands jerked down his own. Blinking, half blinded, stiff with -shock, he stared out incredulously upon a sight such as he had never -seen before.</p> - -<p>For he stood in the prow of a great space-ship—a ship vast beyond the -belief of mortal man.</p> - -<p>It was old, this ship—old with an age that staggered Jarl Corvett's -mind. Eons were in the sagging plates and splitting arches. The -crystals that glinted in the dull, warped metal spoke of untold ages -here on Womar. The hull was smashed and shattered, too, and the blazing -sun poured in through a thousand great jagged holes and rifts. One -whole end of the craft was crumpled, buckled, where it had plowed deep -into the rocks and sand as it crashed here.</p> - -<p>And it was alien. A thousand differences stood out in line and -structure and material. The size alone would have been enough to -mark it as having come from outside this solar system. Yet without -bulkheads, without bracing, the mass of it loomed as one incredibly -vast and far-spreading room—an engineering feat to stagger man's -imagination.</p> - -<p>And here, too, were the primitives, heirs to Womar's scorched, -windswept deserts. A thousand strong—ten thousand—they packed the -huge hold in a screaming, seething mass, metal masks hideously aglint -in the streaming sunlight.</p> - -<p>But for Jarl Corvett, ship and primitives alike were mere incidentals. -Swaying, staring, he could find eyes only for one thing: the robots.</p> - -<p>The robots—! He rocked—incredulous, unbelieving.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus1.jpg" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>But here they were—metal monsters that towered rank on rank in -this great hold, like monstrous originals of the figures in <i>Ktar</i> -Wassreck's workshop. Like a forest they rose ... a forest of utter, -malign menace.</p> - -<p>Their feet alone stood higher than a tall man's head; and the glinting -orientation-slots of the great head-units towered so far above the -crowd as to have been beacon lights on distant mountains.</p> - -<p>Chill, unmoving, they stood here in the hull of this shattered ship as -they had stood for ages. But where ship and fittings were decaying, -these mighty warriors still shone resplendent, fabricated of some -different, finer metal. Strength gleamed in every line of their -orange-gold figures. The screaming primitives were only ants that -crawled and danced and raged upon them.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Staring at them, Jarl Corvett could only choke and tremble. There -was room for but one thought within his reeling brain: <i>Wassreck was -right—! He was right! He was right...!</i></p> - -<p>It made this whole mad gamble worth the while. Even if he died here, -all his efforts unavailing, it would still be worth it.</p> - -<p>And what could not an army of these giant automatons accomplish? What -chance would even the mighty Federation stand against them?</p> - -<p>It was destiny. More surely even than he knew his name, Jarl knew that -destiny had brought him here ... the strange, dark destiny of courage -and fighting men that ever seemed to ride on the side of the outlaw -worlds, and freedom.</p> - -<p>But now that he was here, destiny would need a strong right arm to -implement it.</p> - -<p>His arm.</p> - -<p>He swung round, then, with his old, bold coat of arrogance upon -him—surveying his captors, searching for some faintest hint of hidden -weakness.</p> - -<p>But the primitives did not waver. Their eyes stayed cold, leering out -at him from their metal masks, grim as the day of judgment.</p> - -<p>Those masks.... With a sudden rush of recognition, it came to Jarl -that their stylized patterns were modeled after the head-units of the -towering robots.</p> - -<p>Such a little thing, that recognition. Yet again, Jarl felt his tension -lift a fraction. He smiled a thin, wry smile and waited.</p> - -<p>But now, to one side of the stage-like platform on which he and his -escort party stood, there was a sudden stir of motion. A new door -opened in what had been a bulkhead barring the way to another part of -the ancient, fallen ship.</p> - -<p>A cry went up from the seething multitude. The mass of primitives -surged forward, close against the platform.</p> - -<p>Slowly, creaking and groaning, a great stone slab was wheeled forth. -Its sides were deep-graven with carved figures ... strange, hideous -figures that writhed in ecstasy and anguish. Stains smudged its upper -surface. Heavy metal clamps, long age-corroded, were set into each -corner.</p> - -<p>With a sickening jolt, it came to Jarl that it was an altar.</p> - -<p>Straining and grunting, a crew of primitives tugged it into position in -the platform's center.</p> - -<p>Jarl's captors gripped his arms.</p> - -<p>The panting group by the altar straightened and hurried back through -the door in the bulkhead. Rattling sounds came forth. A moment later, -the primitives reappeared, rolling out a monstrous, shining metal tub -on wheels, big as one of the kettledrums of the spider men of Rhea. Its -sides were graven with the same contorted figures as the altar.</p> - -<p>The din of the crowd swelled louder. Masked primitives leaped and -screamed in impassioned frenzy.</p> - -<p>Tight-jawed, Jarl waited.</p> - -<p>The wheeled tub was set in place beside the altar. It moved easily and -smoothly. Then, again, the altar-crew retreated through the bulkhead.</p> - -<p>This time, when they returned, they bore a living, struggling creature.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Man-sized, the thing was like no animal Jarl had ever seen before, with -brown, bead-like skin and tiny brain-case. Off-hand, he judged it to -belong to some desert species native to this grit-drifted hell-hole, -Womar.</p> - -<p>The primitives carried it to the altar; clamped its spradled body face -up atop the stone with the ancient shackles. The din of the crowd was -deafening.</p> - -<p>Somewhere on high, a great gong sounded. The shouts and screaming died -away.</p> - -<p>In the same instant, a new door opened in the bulkhead. Another -primitive stepped forth; paused, posing.</p> - -<p>This creature's garb was different from the others! His metal mask was -ebon. So were his plumes, his girdle. A great scarlet jewel was set in -the forehead of the dead-black helmet. His hands were gloved in sleek -jet gauntlets.</p> - -<p>Now, while Jarl watched, the posing primitive's arms came up, till the -gloved hands were high above his head, displayed, as if they were a -symbol.</p> - -<p>The throng below stood frozen, rigid.</p> - -<p>The black-masked primitive strode forward, to a spot between the altar -and the shining metal tub. Swiftly, he lifted the lid that capped the -drum-like vat.</p> - -<p>Two of the altar-crew rushed forward and held it open for him. Another -held out a strange implement that, to Jarl, looked like some crude sort -of grease-gun.</p> - -<p>The black-masked figure dipped the nozzle of the thing into the tub and -worked a plunger, then turned to the struggling life-form shackled to -the altar. Deftly, he stabbed the snout of the tool into a spot below -the creature's breast-bone.</p> - -<p>The captive tried to jerk away, to no avail. With smooth precision, the -primitive in black pressed home the plunger.</p> - -<p>A gusty sigh ran through the throng about the platform. It came to Jarl -that he was cold as ice despite the heat and blazing sun. The musty, -sweetish smell he'd caught before swirled about him, even stronger.</p> - -<p>The black-masked figure straightened. With quick, sure movements, he -twisted at a fitting, then lifted away the tool. The nozzle he left -sticking in the creature on the altar. It thrust up from the hollow -below the breast-bone like the hilt of a deep-plunged dagger.</p> - -<p>The two primitives by the wheeled tub let the lid fall back. Turning, -one darted to the bulkhead door. When he came out, he bore a flaring -torch.</p> - -<p>New silence fell upon the crowd, so complete that the altar-crewman's -footsteps rang and echoed in the stillness.</p> - -<p>He passed the torch to his black-masked fellow.</p> - -<p>Black-Mask swung the flaming brand on high and, turning, faced Jarl -Corvett. His voice thundered, harsh and guttural.</p> - -<p>Jarl stood rock-rigid. The words he could not understand. But the -threat, the menace—they needed no translator.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Pivoting, the primitive stepped back from the altar; thrust out the -torch till its flame touched the tip of the nozzle protruding out of -the shackled prisoner's chest.</p> - -<p>Of a sudden Jarl's whole body was drenched with icy sweat. He could -not move; he could not breathe. The tales of horror he'd heard so many -times swirled through his brain.</p> - -<p>For an instant, nothing happened.</p> - -<p>Then, all at once, there was a puff of sound, a flash of flame above -the captive. A great black jet of smoke shot high into the air, out of -the nozzle.</p> - -<p>The life-form on the altar gave one shrill cry that was agony, -incarnate. Its body jerked and twisted, lashing against the shackles in -a frenzy.</p> - -<p>The primitives went mad. The huge room rocked with their howls and -screamings.</p> - -<p>But Jarl Corvett hardly heard them.</p> - -<p>He'd seen cruel death before, on a dozen far-flung planets.</p> - -<p>But this....</p> - -<p>For while he watched, thin lines of fire were racing along the doomed -sacrifice's writhing body. In a spreading network, the flesh itself was -bursting open, flames leaping up in a thousand places.</p> - -<p>In a searing flash, the truth came to Jarl: <i>The creature's blood was -burning!</i></p> - -<p>He sagged in his escort's grip, and retched—shock-stunned, sick with -horror.</p> - -<p>But the primitives who flanked him jerked him upright. An open hand -stung his face with brutal slaps.</p> - -<p>The spell that gripped Jarl broke. Numb, tight-jawed, he forced himself -to look again upon the altar.</p> - -<p>The shackled creature lay there still, a charred, contorted horror.</p> - -<p>While Jarl watched, the monster in the ebon mask stepped back and -passed the torch to the altar-crewman who had brought it. Other -primitives unclamped the gyves and dragged the corpse away.</p> - -<p>Again Black-Mask brought up his hands. Again the crowd's tumultuous -hubbub faded.</p> - -<p>Black-Mask's hands came down. He swung about till he faced Jarl. -Imperiously, he gestured.</p> - -<p>Jarl's captors dragged him forward. The torch-bearer stepped quickly -back, out of their path.</p> - -<p>Fear was in Jarl Corvett, then—a fear that verged on shrieking terror. -His body seemed like a thing apart—a statue carved from living ice, -with no relation to his being.</p> - -<p>But hate came with the terror, a flaming hate that grew at every step, -till its white-hot fire ate up the fear and burned away his sickness -and his trembling. Of a sudden he was himself again. He sucked in air. -Without volition, his muscles stiffened against the digging fingers of -his savage escort.</p> - -<p>They jerked him up short before the altar. The black-masked figure -shook a jet-gloved fist and shouted guttural imprecations.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The last shreds of Jarl's terror vanished, washed away in the flood of -his tormentor's fury. Out of nowhere, a thing that Wassreck once had -said came flashing to him: <i>Hate is the face of fear, not courage.</i></p> - -<p>That hate which showed in the primitive's every line and gesture—it, -too, was born of terror ... a welling fear of all and any beings who -came down from the skies to Womar.</p> - -<p>Jarl laughed aloud, it was so funny—that he and this other should face -each other so, in deadly menace, when within they were only quivering -twins of terror.</p> - -<p>And as he laughed, his own hate died the same swift death to which -his fear had fallen. A grim, bleak poise replaced them both. For if -the primitives, in their hearts, felt the self-same fear that he had, -there was still a chance for recklessness to blaze a path through this -wilderness of desperation.</p> - -<p>His laugh cut short the black-masked figure's shouting. The primitive -stared at him, as if unbelieving.</p> - -<p>Cold-eyed, cold-nerved, Jarl drew himself to his full height. Rigid, he -probed for some—for any—last wild gambit.</p> - -<p>But Black-Mask, too, was straightening. He cried out fiercely to his -helpers.</p> - -<p>They shoved Jarl forward.</p> - -<p>As they did so, the primitive beside the huge, wheeled tank lifted up -the lid.</p> - -<p>Jarl glanced down into it.</p> - -<p>The vat was full. The awful broth almost lapped the brim. From it, in -sickening waves, rose the sweetish, cloying fumes Jarl had come to -associate with the primitives.</p> - -<p>Black-Mask leaned forward. Shouting again, he lashed out. His -jet-gloved fist raked at Jarl's face.</p> - -<p>Instinctively, Jarl rocked back. New tides of black despair washed -through him. What could he do, locked in his captor's grasp, hemmed -between tank and torch-bearer, black-masked fiend and blood-drenched -altar?</p> - -<p>Tank—and torch-bearer—!</p> - -<p>That link ... in an instant it grew to a searing, surging flame, hotter -even than these creatures' own hell-fire brew.</p> - -<p>Spasmodically, Jarl twisted round.</p> - -<p>The primitive with the blazing brand still stood statue-like at the -corner of the great stone slab.</p> - -<p>Black-Mask snarled another order. His henchmen jerked Jarl -back—lifting him, swinging him upward, till he hung suspended above -the altar.</p> - -<p>By instinct, Jarl wrenched against them; felt them, too, stiffen in the -face of his resistance.</p> - -<p>But if he could not fight them, perhaps there was another way....</p> - -<p>Before they could lower him to the slab, he let himself go limp, -loose-limbed and unresisting as any corpse.</p> - -<p>It broke their balance. He hit the stone with a sodden thud ... lay -there unmoving, head lolled back.</p> - -<p>For the fraction of a second their grip relaxed.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>It was Jarl's moment.... Savagely, then, he lashed out with all his -might, in a violent spasm of arms and legs and torso. His feet smashed -the metal mask into one primitive's face. His elbow sank fist-deep in -another's midriff.</p> - -<p>The restraining hands fell from him.</p> - -<p>Desperately, he threw himself across the altar, toward the -torch-bearer. Before the creature could recoil, Jarl was upon -him—smashing him down with fists and knees and shoulders; snatching -the flaming brand out of his hands.</p> - -<p>Falling over each other in their haste, the others lunged to seize Jarl.</p> - -<p>But instead of fleeing, he leaped back onto the altar. There was a -prayer in his heart—his heart in his mouth. With a wild curse, he -hurled the torch straight for the vat of hell-broth.</p> - -<p>It struck the open lid, then plunged on down into the liquid.</p> - -<p>But even as it fell, the fumes were flaring. Flame and smoke leaped up -in a roaring column. A cloudburst of liquid fire sprayed out in all -directions.</p> - -<p>The cries of the primitives exploded into one great scream of pain -and terror. As Jarl threw himself flat, with the altar-stone between -him and the tank, he glimpsed the reeling, flame-cased figure of his -jet-masked tormentor—stumbling, falling.</p> - -<p>Then the black smoke billowed out in nauseous, all-obscuring murk that -swallowed even the thundering holocaust that still roared around what -had been the tank of liquid.</p> - -<p>Jarl rolled from the wheeled platform on which the altar rested. Bent -double, he raced through the choking haze for the bulkhead. In seconds, -he was fumbling his way along it to the nearest doorway ... slipping -through and ramming the heavy bolt home behind him.</p> - -<p>Ahead, a shaft and spiral stairway loomed. Panting, he sprinted upward, -past level after level.</p> - -<p>The stairway ended against another metal door.</p> - -<p>The outlined figure of one of the mighty warrior robots was blazoned on -it.</p> - -<p>Jarl's heart pounded harder.</p> - -<p>Shoving open the hatch, he half-fell inside and locked it, too, behind -him.</p> - -<p>He found himself now in a control room. Panels thick with dust lined -three of its walls. The fourth was a single massive, transparent, -plastic plate through which occupants could look out across the great -hold where the robots were massed ... where brief moments before Jarl -Corvett had stood face to face with hideous death.</p> - -<p>Stumbling to it, Jarl stared down upon the smoke-smirched scene below. -Flames still were leaping about the platform. Here and there, he could -catch dim glimpses of primitives' hurrying figures as they ran among -the metal monsters.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Overhead, the dense black smoke almost hid the roof. Eddying, slowly -rising, it swirled out through the cracks and rifts in the ancient -hull, up into the blazing, sunlit heat of Womar's desert sky.</p> - -<p>Of a sudden Jarl was weak to the point of sickness. Numbly, he turned -and surveyed the rest of the control room with a closer scrutiny.</p> - -<p>Bank after bank of dials and indicators marked with strange symbols -leered down at him like a host of huge blank eyes. Against the far -wall, units with focussing plates like the viziscreens of his own solar -system were ranged in a precise row.</p> - -<p>And everywhere—on every panel, every instrument—were stamped neat, -stylized images of the warrior robots.</p> - -<p>The numbness in Jarl grew. He knew instinctively, without question, -that this was the place sought by <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck—the brain, the nerve -center, for the shining metal monsters that were to have saved the -warrior worlds.</p> - -<p>But now that he was here, what could he do? His own ignorance was a -tight-drawn, all-concealing blindfold.</p> - -<p>With time enough, and skill and patience, he might perhaps have worked -his way through to an understanding of how the robots were controlled. -But time was the one thing he did not have. Second by second, the -precious hours were ticking by. As far as he was concerned—lacking -knowledge, training, understanding—he might as well have been on Venus.</p> - -<p>And so the warrior worlds would die. The Federation fleet would sweep -down on Ceresta.</p> - -<p>Already, the three days given by <i>rey</i> Gundre were running out....</p> - -<p>Jarl shook in the grip of helpless, frustrating fury. He had come so -far; yet now that he was here, he could do nothing.</p> - -<p>He cursed aloud; and as he did so, a new sound drifted to him.</p> - -<p>A familiar sound ... the sound of a space-ship's blasting rockets.</p> - -<p>He whirled; leaped back to the broad expanse of transparent plastic -panel.</p> - -<p>He reached it just in time to see a great section in the top of the -hull above the hold suddenly buckle and crash down. Sunlight streamed -through smoke and dust.</p> - -<p>The roar of the blasting rockets echoed louder. A moment later, another -huge chunk of hull tore loose and fell. Then another, and another, till -the hole showed like a spreading canopy of sky above the robots.</p> - -<p>Below, the last of the primitives were fleeing. Breathing hard, pressed -tight to the observation panel, Jarl watched and waited.</p> - -<p>The rocket-roar took on the peculiar whistling sound that went with -ramping. Before Jarl's eyes, a ship dropped down stern-first into the -hold and rocked to a landing amid the debris and towering robots.</p> - -<p>Now the ship, as well as the sound, was suddenly familiar.</p> - -<p>Too familiar.</p> - -<p>It was the flagship of High Commissioner <i>rey</i> Gundre's mighty -Federation fleet!</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph1">CHAPTER IX</p> - - -<p>Jarl Corvett lay flat on his belly on the floor of the room that housed -the brain of the warrior robots, staring bleakly down into the hold -below.</p> - -<p>Then, again, he twisted, shifted. This endless waiting—it was enough -to drive a saint to murder.</p> - -<p>How long had it been—two hours—or two eons?</p> - -<p>It was a time for thinking—because there was nothing else to do but -think. Escape was not even a thing to dream about by daylight, with -primitives still roving through these warrens. Tonight, perhaps, a man -might find a way; but for now there was only ... thinking.</p> - -<p>So Jarl lay there on the floor, sweating and shifting. Narrow-eyed, he -studied the motionless bulk that was the flagship, and asked himself a -thousand questions.</p> - -<p>Questions he could not answer.</p> - -<p>Why would <i>rey</i> Gundre, of all the players in this mad drama, come -roaring down on Womar? What did he seek? How had he found his way here?</p> - -<p>Above all, what was he waiting for this way—jets dead and hatches -still unopened?</p> - -<p>And for him to pick the robot-hold of this ancient ship to land in....</p> - -<p>Unless, by some wild chance, <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck had escaped—</p> - -<p>Even the thought made Jarl's heart leap.</p> - -<p>But then it quieted down again, drained by the dark, dull hopelessness -within him.</p> - -<p>The time for dreams was dead and gone. For all his bravado and boasting -he, Jarl Corvett, had failed the man who'd come for him on Horla. By -now, at best, <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck lay a corpse in the chill horror of -Venus' <i>slan</i>-chambers.</p> - -<p>Pain welled up in Jarl, and with it came new sickness. Choking, he -buried his face against his arms and cursed the day his mother bore him.</p> - -<p>But his mind would not stay still. Drearily, he thought about the -others.</p> - -<p>About Ungo and Ylana, Bor Legat, Sais....</p> - -<p>It only brought new anguish. For he'd failed them, too; failed them -one and all ... Ungo, friend of friends, who'd trusted him beyond all -others ... Ylana, vision of golden loveliness—betraying her world and -her own father just to save him ... Bor Legat of Mercury, murderous and -merciless, yet loyal in his twisted way to the raider cause.</p> - -<p>And Sais.</p> - -<p>Dark Sais, <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck's daughter. Even in this place, Jarl could -recapture the fragrance of her hair, the pulsing pressure of her -perfect body. She was all woman....</p> - -<p>And all Jarl Corvett's.</p> - -<p>So he'd brought her down to this wild world and left her to the mercies -of Tas Karrel's raider rabble.</p> - -<p>Cursing again, he writhed about and once more stared up at the banks of -panels.</p> - -<p>But that was all that he could do. He did not even dare to rise and -experiment with the controls spread out before him, for fear someone -below would glimpse the movement.</p> - -<p>Then, from the hold, there rose a sudden clatter.</p> - -<p>Jarl swung back to the plastic window, craning and peering.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Below, the main hatch of <i>rey</i> Gundre's ship was opening. -Blue-uniformed Federation crewmen poured out, weapons glinting, and -took up positions amid the debris.</p> - -<p>In the same instant, the high whine of a light, fast-traveling carrier -cut through the hold.</p> - -<p>A moment later, a slim, swift craft dropped through the gaping hole in -the ancient hull and set down for a landing.</p> - -<p>Its prow was marked with Bor Legat's black lightning-flash insignia.</p> - -<p>Incredulously, Jarl dug his nails into the plastic.</p> - -<p>The carrier came to rest. Its hatch swung open. A burly <i>dau</i> leaped -out.</p> - -<p>Instantly, the Federation crewmen came to their feet and crowded round.</p> - -<p>But the <i>dau</i> ignored them. Turning, he gestured to someone still -inside the carrier.</p> - -<p>Another figure dropped down ... a figure with shimmering golden hair -and a scarlet tunic that emphasized the slim, ripening womanhood of the -one who wore it.</p> - -<p>Ylana—!</p> - -<p>Jarl caught his breath. His palms were suddenly slick with sweat, the -muscles of his chest constricted.</p> - -<p>While he watched, the girl moved calmly to the Federation flagship.</p> - -<p>The <i>dau</i> swung back aboard the carrier. The hatch clanged shut. A -moment later, the craft was in the air again, lancing out of the -ancient hull and away.</p> - -<p>Ylana disappeared into the flagship.</p> - -<p>Jarl sank back, trembling. Brow furrowed, lips dry, he tried to make -sense of this new maneuver.</p> - -<p>It was plain now what had happened to the girl, and Ungo. Bor Legat had -captured them that night, back on Ceresta. Now he was carrying out his -plan to trade her life for time, and the desperate chance that somehow -Ceresta might be defended.</p> - -<p>But why should he meet <i>rey</i> Gundre here? What had led the two of them -to choose this shattered hulk for their rendezvous?</p> - -<p>Jarl looked down once more.</p> - -<p>More crewmen were hurrying from the flagship—clearing the debris from -around the ramping-spot; setting up a perimeter studded with heavy -weapons.</p> - -<p>They planned to stay a while; that much was plain.</p> - -<p>But why? Why, why, <i>why</i>—?</p> - -<p>The question rang in Jarl's brain like a tolling bell. But he still -could find no answer.</p> - -<p>Another hour dragged by. Slowly, the shadows of ship and robots -lengthened. Hunger gnawed at Jarl's belly. He moved this way and that, -trying to work the ache from his weary muscles.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Down in the hold, the crewmen moved more slowly. Yet even up here, high -above them, Jarl could sense a rising tension. It showed in the way -they kept looking towards the burrows into which the primitives had -fled ... their sudden starts, their readiness with their weapons.</p> - -<p>He hunched forward, narrow-eyed, resting his weight upon his elbows.</p> - -<p>Then there was a flurry about the hatch as a Thorian officer barked -orders. The crewmen snapped to smart 'attention'.</p> - -<p>A moment later <i>rey</i> Gundre himself strode down the ramp, a lean, -imposing figure. Ylana followed, close behind him.</p> - -<p>Together, they moved about the perimeter's defenses, then started back -towards the great ship's hatchway.</p> - -<p>But now Ylana hesitated, and there was a brief moment of discussion. -The golden hair rippled as she shook her head and gestured.</p> - -<p>Her father's shoulders lifted in a shrug. Pivoting, he went on up the -ramp without her.</p> - -<p>Ylana turned. Almost aimlessly, she wandered out among the robots; -paused and leaned back against a gigantic metal foot, watching the -blue-uniformed crewmen as they toiled and sweated.</p> - -<p>The shadows grew longer. The crewmen ceased to heed her presence.</p> - -<p>She moved, then, swiftly, silent as the deepening dusk—sliding around -the foot in one quick motion; darting past an unmanned post of the -perimeter defenses to a spot out of view amid the tangled debris.</p> - -<p>Jarl went rigid. Twisting, he worked his way along the observation -plate to a place where he again could see her.</p> - -<p>But already she was on the move again, creeping on hands and knees, -farther and farther from the flagship.</p> - -<p>Where was she going? Why had she broken out of the circle?</p> - -<p>And what if the primitives should catch her?</p> - -<p>The thought brought Jarl to his feet, shuddering.</p> - -<p>Besides, with the thickening gloom down in the hold, perhaps this time -he could get an answer to his questions.</p> - -<p>With one last glance to chart the course that the girl might follow, he -ran to the door and threw back the bolt; then slid out and felt his way -down the black well that was the spiral stairway.</p> - -<p>In seconds he was at the bulkhead door. Opening it a crack, he weighed -his chances.</p> - -<p>The crewmen still were busy with their tasks inside the network of -defenses. The pools of shadow hung all-enshrouding. Flat on his belly, -he wriggled forth and crept along the wall in the same direction he'd -seen Ylana take.</p> - -<p>Out here, once more he caught the cloying, sweetish scent of the -hell-broth, mixed with smoke, and the knot in his belly tightened. The -shadows loomed like grim reminders of the primitives' dark fury.</p> - -<p>He moved faster.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Back around the ship, a ring of blinding lights came on as if to -emphasize the death that lurked in the outer darkness. Jarl surged to -his feet. Stiff with tension, he searched the gloom for some hint of -Ylana.</p> - -<p>Off to the right, close by the bulkhead, a dull sound rang, as of some -object striking metal.</p> - -<p>Groping, Jarl found a broken brace-bar to serve him as a weapon. Wary, -taut-nerved, he worked his way towards the spot from which the noise -had come.</p> - -<p>But he found nothing. Grim recognition of the hopelessness of his task -crept through him.</p> - -<p>He fought it down. Swinging round, deliberately, he kicked a -crystalizing metal plate fallen from the great hull's roof.</p> - -<p>The sound echoed, loud and startling in the silence. Jarl stood -stock-still, straining his ears for some reaction.</p> - -<p>So close at hand it made him jerk, there was a sudden rasp of movement.</p> - -<p>Heedless now of noise, Jarl sprinted towards it. In a mighty leap, he -cleared a heap of black-scorched litter.</p> - -<p>Ylana crouched beyond it. Face a white blotch in the murk, she started -up as he made the hurdle. Her mouth came open. He could hear the first -whisper of a scream rising in her throat.</p> - -<p>Savagely, he jammed his open palm across her mouth and swept her to -him, smothering her kicks and blows and struggles. Lips close to her -ear, he rasped, "Ylana! It's me—Jarl...."</p> - -<p>He could feel her muscles contract, her body stiffen. Then, suddenly, -she was limp in his arms—clinging to him, half-sobbing.</p> - -<p>"Quick! We've got to move!" He dragged her with him, on along the -bulkhead, then off amid the black mass of the debris.</p> - -<p>Halting, finally, once more he strained his ears, listening for any -hint that they'd been heard and followed.</p> - -<p>But none came. At last, relaxing, he let go of her and slumped down -into the drifted sand and litter.</p> - -<p>He could feel the girl's eyes on him. But he held his silence.</p> - -<p>"Jarl Corvett ..." she choked. And then, in a rush: "Thank the Gods you -came, Jarl; so glad...."</p> - -<p>She dropped down close beside him, her shoulder pressing against him, -her hand on his.</p> - -<p>Turning, he studied her.</p> - -<p>The grey eyes were black-shadowed, her lovely face deep-lined.</p> - -<p>Of a sudden he wanted nothing so much as to embrace her.</p> - -<p>But there were so many questions to be answered....</p> - -<p>He flung them at her bluntly: "Why did they come here, Ylana—your -father; Bor Legat? What brought them down to Womar—to this ship?"</p> - -<p>He could see her soft lips quiver. For an instant the grey eyes wavered.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>But then they raised again and met his gaze. She said: "My father is -a traitor, Jarl Corvett—a traitor to himself and all the things he -believes in, and to the Federation."</p> - -<p>Jarl stared, unspeaking.</p> - -<p>The girl's mouth worked. Her fingers gouged his hand.</p> - -<p>"Jarl—oh Jarl...." Agony was in her voice. "Before, I told you how -he'd loot Ceresta. Now—now he's gone the whole way. He dreams of still -more power—of carving out an empire, destroying the Federation with -its own fleet. His orders—I learned today they were to arrange a truce -and spare Ceresta, give the asteroids their freedom and bring them into -the Federation on even terms. But he's beyond that. All he can think -of is loot and power, destruction. He's mad—mad, Jarl; stark, raving -mad...."</p> - -<p>The girl's voice broke. Sobbing, she buried her face against Jarl's -shoulder.</p> - -<p>Hard-jawed, tight-lipped, he held her close. But he did not dare let -feeling touch him. Not now, with time so short; so much at stake.</p> - -<p>If the asteroids could hold their freedom, even in the Federation; if -Ceresta and the raider fleet were only spared....</p> - -<p>"And you—?" he clipped. "Where were you going? Why did you try to run -away?"</p> - -<p>Ylana lifted a tear-smudged face. All at once her chin was firm, and -her lips no longer trembled.</p> - -<p>She said: "Once I would have betrayed him for you alone, Jarl Corvett. -This time, I came to do it for the Federation—and for freedom."</p> - -<p>"You mean—?"</p> - -<p>Her laugh held bitterness and pain. "The fleet commanders do not know -my father's orders. I thought to reach Bor Legat's ship and warn them."</p> - -<p>"Then Legat—"</p> - -<p>"He came here only to bring me to my father, in hopes that he could -save Ceresta. He'd channel a message through his viziscreen."</p> - -<p>Jarl's breath came faster. There was a pricking and tingling along his -spine.</p> - -<p>He let go of Ylana; surged to his feet.</p> - -<p>The girl rose, slim and straight beside him. "Yes, Jarl—?"</p> - -<p>Jarl laughed, deep in his throat. Suddenly hunger and fatigue and pain -were nothing. He saw only his dreams, his goal. "I'll get to Legat, -Ylana! By all the gods of the void, I swear it!"</p> - -<p>Her words came, swift and eager: "And I'll go with you—"</p> - -<p>"No, Ylana—"</p> - -<p>"Yes!" Fists clenched, face tight with strain again, she stepped back -from him. "I've earned the right, Jarl! You can't leave me!"</p> - -<p>For a long, long moment, he looked deep into her eyes. There were -so many things to see there—courage, and anguish; fierce loyalty, -determination, pain.</p> - -<p>She hurled words at him—commanding and entreating: "You'll need me, -Jarl! You can't find Legat's ship without me. It's close—it and the -<i>Knife</i>. We can reach them by the time it dawns, if we go together—"</p> - -<p>Still Jarl stared into her eyes, unspeaking.</p> - -<p>She broke off. Her hand came up, swept back the rippling golden hair. -Her throat was a smooth-carved ivory column, her face a lovely mirror -of the things that shone deep in her eyes.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Slowly, Jarl smiled. He knew there was no need for other answer. And -words could be such futile, empty things.</p> - -<p>Her hand in his, together they crept on through the debris; up through -a broken port set high in the side of the ancient hull.</p> - -<p>Then they were out at last, into the windswept wastes of Womar's -deserts ... stumbling on through the sand and rocks, mile after mile. -They had no breath for talk, no time for resting. A pause might bring -the primitives down upon them.</p> - -<p>Jarl gripped his brace-bar club and prayed.</p> - -<p>Then light came dimly, herald to another blazing desert day. But with -it, too, rose the lance-sharp outlines of the prows of two great raider -ships, ramped amid a wilderness of jutting crags.</p> - -<p>Jarl's heart leaped. Quick jubilation surged within him. "Ylana—!"</p> - -<p>The girl screamed.</p> - -<p>Jarl whirled—club up, fists clenching. "What—?"</p> - -<p>But again, there was no need for words, for the girl was pointing back -across the endless, dust-deep waste through which they'd come to an -ominous moving figure.</p> - -<p>The figure of a mighty warrior robot, a metal giant that loomed like a -monstrous, man-made nightmare against the clear blue of the morning sky.</p> - -<p>Jarl rocked—incredulous, unbelieving. His club-arm sagged down to his -side.</p> - -<p>With every fleeting second, the metal monster towered still larger, -closer. Its massive legs swung out in wallowing, league-long strides, -closing the gap between them.</p> - -<p>Ylana cried out again. She darted to Jarl; clung close against him, -shaking like a slim reed in a wind.</p> - -<p>He tore free from his shell of shock and frozen-fascination. Sweeping -the girl up, he raced for the nearest outcropping of jagged rock.</p> - -<p>The giant from beyond the void stalked nearer. The clanking of the -great joints rolled down on them like distant thunder.</p> - -<p>Ylana sobbed, "My father—he must have found that I was gone—"</p> - -<p>Jarl did not answer. Drawing her down behind the rocks, he waited, as -for the Juggernaut of fate itself.</p> - -<p>The monster thundered closer, great feet grinding stones to powder with -every stride. The rising sun's rays transformed the mighty, gleaming -torso to a living statue carved in orange-gold fire.</p> - -<p>Ylana shook with a new wave of paroxysmal panic. It took every ounce of -Jarl's control to hold himself from leaping up and running—tearing his -heart apart in one last frantic, desperate flight.</p> - -<p>But what good would it do to run, when this monstrous menace could -overtake and pass him in a single stride?</p> - -<p>Heart in his throat, he pulled Ylana close against him and waited in -rigid, aching tension for his doom.</p> - -<p>Another clanking step ... another; and the robot towered above them, -mountain-high.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Jarl's straining muscles cramped with pain. In awful fascination, he -felt the robot's shadow fall across them; watched as a gigantic foot -came down. The very ground shook. Dust spurted in a smothering cloud.</p> - -<p>It was as if death, personified, looked down upon them.</p> - -<p>And then, incredibly, the ponderous leg swung out again—swept over -them, past them, and crashed to earth again beyond.</p> - -<p>Another step. The shadow lifted.</p> - -<p>Jarl raised his head; stared, still not believing.</p> - -<p>But the robot was still moving on—on, through the bleak crags and the -wastelands.</p> - -<p>On, towards the place where the prows of the space-ships stood out -against the sky.</p> - -<p>Straining his eyes, Jarl could see tiny figures running, the headlong -rush of panic in their stride.</p> - -<p>But the robot was striding faster.</p> - -<p>A roar of rockets echoed dimly. As one, the <i>Knife</i> and Bor Legat's -<i>Lightning</i> blasted up into the sky.</p> - -<p>But already the robot was leaping, pivoting, with hideous, awkward -grace that spoke of awful strength beyond man's feeble understanding. -Great, gleaming metal hands shot out and seized the <i>Lightning</i> in -mid-air. A lance of light blazed from the force-spot in the forehead -and blasted the <i>Knife</i> to shattered fragments before it cleared the -rocks.</p> - -<p>And even as the light-beam struck, the mighty arms were levering. The -<i>Lightning's</i> hull-beam cracked and splintered. The body parted in a -spray of shattered shards and clawing, falling crewmen.</p> - -<p>Then it was over. With savage force, the robot hurled the broken ship -to the ground ... trompled the shattered hull-sections into the dust.</p> - -<p>Ylana clung to Jarl—choking, crying, whole body shaking. Tight-lipped, -holding her close, he pressed back against the rocks, so hard the -ridges gouged his flesh like blunt-edged bayonets.</p> - -<p>The metal giant was turning, now. Again its great feet clanged and -thundered. Back it came once more, along the same road that had brought -it to its terrible festival of carnage and destruction. Again, its -shadow swept past Jarl and Ylana, not even pausing. Slowly, the -thunder of its footsteps faded. The massive hulk grew smaller, smaller, -in the distance.</p> - -<p>Then it was gone. Heavily, Jarl Corvett struggled to his feet. Slowly, -grimly, he turned.</p> - -<p>Ylana's reddened eyes met his. "Jarl—! Where are you going?"</p> - -<p>He shrugged; made himself ignore the new panic in her voice. "You can -guess that, can't you?"</p> - -<p>"No, Jarl! No—!" Eyes wide, lips quivering and parted, she came up, -clutching at his tunic.</p> - -<p>He pushed her hands away, not daring to let the tenderness he felt show -in face or action. His words came raw and harsh, in a voice he could -hardly recognize as his own: "What else is there to do? The ships are -gone. There's no other way that we can get in touch with Venus, fleet -headquarters."</p> - -<p>"No, Jarl...."</p> - -<p>"But your father's got a ship." He bit his words off, clipped and hard. -"He's got the robots, too, it seems—may the gods of the void protect -us all! But if he should die...."</p> - -<p>He let his voice trail off; stared out across the crags and desert -wastes.</p> - -<p>"Then I'll go, too—"</p> - -<p>"No." He pushed her back again—grim, unrelenting. "A few of Bor -Legat's men didn't get aboard the ship. Some may still live. Go stay -with them till I come." And then, bleakly: "<i>If</i> I come...."</p> - -<p>Turning without a backward glance, he plodded off through the scorching -sand, following the course of the giant robot—</p> - -<p>The course to <i>rey</i> Gundre and his flagship.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph1">CHAPTER X</p> - - -<p>Womar's blazing day—barely half as long as that of Earth—had waned -again before Jarl reached his destination.</p> - -<p>Then, at last, he was crawling through the dusk on hands and knees, up -to the shattered hull of the ship from beyond the void. The sun had -burned his face to a tortured mask, and his feet were raw, leaden lumps -of flesh that left a trail of blood behind him.</p> - -<p>Breathing hard, staggering weak from hunger and fatigue, he dragged -himself up out of the dirt to the broken port. He did not even wonder -what he would find within. He didn't care. He only knew that whatever -he was to do, he must do quickly, before the last remnants of his -draining strength were spent and he fell, to rise no more.</p> - -<p>And what was he to do?</p> - -<p>Drunkenly, he laughed. Who was he to say? His world was a blur of -star-splotched black, and sometimes—too often—he saw stars that he -knew weren't there. The time was past for schemes and planning.</p> - -<p>At best, below, he'd die tonight.</p> - -<p>But perhaps he might take <i>rey</i> Gundre with him.</p> - -<p><i>rey</i> Gundre, Ylana's father.</p> - -<p>Her father—! No wonder her golden loveliness was shadowed. The real -wonder was that madness hadn't claimed her.</p> - -<p>But at least, this way, her sire's death would not be on her -conscience. No one could claim that hers had been the hand to slay him.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Down in the hold, the Forspark lights were blazing. With a tremendous -effort, Jarl pulled himself through the port. Half-sliding, -half-falling, he skidded down into the dirt and debris; lay there for a -moment, resting, dizzy and straining for breath to fill his lungs.</p> - -<p>Then, lurching to his feet, he stared across at the ring of light; the -flagship, ramped amid the forest of towering robots.</p> - -<p>What turned a man like <i>rey</i> Gundre from the call of duty? Where did it -start, that insatiate lust for power and booty?</p> - -<p>And how, so quickly, had the high commissioner learned the secret of -controlling the metal giants?</p> - -<p>Had <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck talked before he died? Could he have sought to buy -his life, at the last, with this final, priceless treasure?</p> - -<p>But now, to think took too much effort. Now—Jarl swayed—he only knew -that he must kill ... that such power as this was too great to be -trusted to any man, be he of the Federation or the raiders.</p> - -<p>Yet how to reach him, there in the ship, while armed crewmen paced to -and fro in the ring of light, on guard against the primitives?</p> - -<p>The primitives....</p> - -<p>Jarl leaned against the hull, and laughed his drunken laugh again.</p> - -<p>The primitives: they held the answer.</p> - -<p>Shuffling and stumbling, he worked his way through the piles of debris -to the charred ruins of the altar platform. On hands and knees, he -searched the trompled sand, probing amid the stinking litter.</p> - -<p>Then, at last, his fingers touched the scorched, stiff corpse of a dead -primitive, still sprawled in the dirt where the creature had fallen. -Fumbling, he stripped off his own garments; replaced them with the -corpse's shoulder-plumes and girdle, ankle- and wrist-bands, sandals. -Unclamping the hideous metal mask, he clamped it on his own head ... -smeared his body thick with sand and ashes.</p> - -<p>Then it was done and he was ready, save for a weapon.</p> - -<p>A weapon.... He frowned. What weapon was there that he could carry past -the guards who paced their posts about <i>rey</i> Gundre's ship?</p> - -<p>Wearily, he sagged back on his haunches and let sand trickle through -his fingers while he tried to prod his aching brain to action.</p> - -<p>The grit piled up in a little heap between his knees, a dusty cone -symbolic of this whole thrice-cursed desert world of Womar. It was -everywhere, that grit and dust, underfoot and in the air alike. It -rasped and smothered, choked and blinded.</p> - -<p>And—it came to him in a sudden flash—it was the weapon he was seeking!</p> - -<p>Scooping up the sand, he stuffed it between the girdle and his belly in -sifting handfuls, till he could pack in no more.</p> - -<p>And as he did so, his weariness fell away a little. A tiny spark of his -old fire came alive again. A thread of the strength he'd thought was -gone flowed slowly through him.</p> - -<p>He found that he could even stand straight without staggering.</p> - -<p>Bleakly, he laughed.</p> - -<p>Then, breathing deep, throwing back his head, he howled the wild, harsh -howl the charging primitives had uttered—pushed it out with all the -volume he could muster.</p> - -<p>He could see the guards jerk, in the light-ring round the ship. A -ray-gun blazed.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Jarl crouched behind a pile of debris. After a moment, when the guards' -first excitement had subsided, he moved in closer; howled again.</p> - -<p>This time, the crewmen showed less tension. Grim, purposeful, they -crouched by their weapons, watching and waiting.</p> - -<p>Jarl moved still closer. He shouted—a guttural, clacking diatribe that -went on for half a minute.</p> - -<p>Two officers came to the nearest point of the defense perimeter. -Uncertainly, they peered out into the echoing sea of darkness.</p> - -<p>Again Jarl shouted; kept up the stream of clacking sound still longer.</p> - -<p>One of the officers stepped back; gestured. A Forspark light swung -round and focussed on the area where Jarl lay hidden.</p> - -<p>Jarl scraped his palms against his legs. Drum-like, his heart pounded. -His belly writhed as he weighed the odds against this madman's gamble.</p> - -<p>But there was no other way.</p> - -<p>Once more he shouted; kept the clatter running.</p> - -<p>And as he did so—slowly; open hands upthrust and empty—he rose to -full height. Still shouting, he moved step by step into the beam of -searching light.</p> - -<p>He was close to the perimeter, now—close enough to hear the guards' -excited babble.</p> - -<p>Still no shot came; no ray-beam lanced out to burn him down.</p> - -<p>Boldly, he strode forward, straight towards the defenses.</p> - -<p>Crewmen moved up to meet him—cold-eyed, weapons leveled.</p> - -<p>He reached the edge of the perimeter; stood there, waiting.</p> - -<p>A <i>Fantay</i> officer came out. Ray-gun in hand, throat-sac aquiver, he -circled Jarl, uncertainty and puzzlement written on his ugly face.</p> - -<p>Jarl threw out more of the meaningless, clacking syllables. The mask -distorted them even further. They came out a guttural rattle like -nothing ever heard on any planet.</p> - -<p>A <i>Pervod</i> said, "Better take him in to the commissioner. Maybe the -vocodor can make something of his gabble."</p> - -<p>The <i>Fantay</i> nodded briefly. His pad-like hands moved over Jarl, -probing the plumes, the wrist-bands, the girdle.</p> - -<p>A trickle of sand spilled to the ground.</p> - -<p>The <i>Fantay</i> brushed it off, unheeding. He reached up; started to -fumble at the catches of the metal mask.</p> - -<p>Jarl's heart leaped. He knocked away the officer's hand and hurled an -angry cascade of gutturals at the creature.</p> - -<p>The <i>Fantay</i> fell back a step, startled and even more uncertain; and -an Earthman clipped, "Leave that tin hat alone, Beyno! This thing's a -primitive. Maybe he thinks it's bad luck or something to take off his -mask in front of strangers."</p> - -<p>"Yes; that could be it." The officer swung around. "Gundre will be up -in the control section. Let's take this <i>chitza</i> there."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Taking Jarl's arm, he led him forward, centered amid the little knot -of crewmen. Across the spreading ring of light they moved, and up the -ramp into <i>rey</i> Gundre's mighty flagship ... through echoing -corridors ... in and out of a lift that whisked them a dozen levels -higher in as many seconds ... down still another gleaming metal -passage, till at last they faced the door of the craft's control -section.</p> - -<p>The officer let go of Jarl and stepped forward; touched the signal -button.</p> - -<p>The intercom plate glowed. <i>rey</i> Gundre's voice blared: "Yes! What is -it?" He sounded tense and angry.</p> - -<p>The <i>Fantay</i> clipped, "Sir, we've got one of the primitives. He came in -of his own free will, but we can't understand what he's trying to say. -We thought maybe you'd want to put him on the vocodor."</p> - -<p>"A primitive—!" There was a moment's hesitation. Then: "All right. -Just a minute."</p> - -<p>The intercom plate went blank.</p> - -<p>Jarl's knees were suddenly weak again. He swayed a little. Already, so -soon, he was here. It had been incredibly simple.</p> - -<p>But the next step—</p> - -<p>Abruptly, the door to the control section opened part way. The high -commissioner himself looked out. His lean, handsome face was haggard, -the dark hair so rumpled that the white blaze was almost lost.</p> - -<p>His deep-set eyes flicked to Jarl Corvett. Then he snapped, "Two guards -will be enough," and drew back a fraction to let them enter.</p> - -<p>They filed in—first the <i>Fantay</i> officer, then Jarl. The guards -brought up the rear.</p> - -<p>Behind them, <i>rey</i> Gundre closed and locked the door.</p> - -<p>It was a bare, bleak room—the navigation unit, with its globes and -astrocharts and viziscreens. Through a half-open door to the right, -Jarl could see the switches and dial-studded panels of the operating -cubicle; the empty pilot-chair.</p> - -<p>Tight-drawn as a <i>llorin's</i> bow-string, he shifted, seeking the spot -best suited to his purpose. Wry, mocking words <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck once had -spoken rang in his brain: "<i>You'll live longer if you pick a place to -run to before you have to run.</i>"</p> - -<p>Even now, as he faced certain death, it was good advice. Disregarding -the others, he moved almost to the cubicle's doorway.</p> - -<p>For the first time, then, as he swung round to face his captors, he saw -the plate of the long-range viziscreen.</p> - -<p>Saw it ... rocked ... almost cried out.</p> - -<p>For there, in stark detail, were the familiar outlines of tiny Ceres: -the bare expanse that was Ceresta's sprawling port ... the geometric -patterns of the town.</p> - -<p>And there, too, in the upper scanner, shone clusters of tiny, crawling -pinpoints—the mighty Federation fleet hurtling through the void, -poising in this moment to lance down upon their distant prey.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>It dragged through a thousand years, that awful instant; an instant so -terrible that it made the navigation room swim and dissolve before -Jarl Corvett's eyes.</p> - -<p>Why had his fate brought him here at this final moment? Why must he -take his stand just in time to see the Federation fleet blast his one -last dream?</p> - -<p>Desperately, fists clenched and sweating, he tried to calculate how -long it would take the racing ships to reach a range where they could -use Wassreck's deadly force projectors. Five minutes—? Three?</p> - -<p>But what did it matter? Whatever the time, it still would be too short.</p> - -<p>Unless fate had brought him here now for a purpose; unless the gods of -the void themselves were riding at his side....</p> - -<p>His stomach writhed. With a will born of utter frenzy, he tore his eyes -from the screen.</p> - -<p>The guards and the <i>Fantay</i> officer still stood waiting. <i>rey</i> Gundre -was studying him with narrowed eyes.</p> - -<p>Cold as death, Jarl made himself stride forward. Thrusting stiff hands -between the girdle and his belly, once again he spat a stream of -crackling gutturals at his foes.</p> - -<p>But then, the high commissioner was suddenly tensing, backing. "What is -this?" he cried sharply. "You're no primitive!" His voice went high and -raw. "Guards! Seize him—!"</p> - -<p>The <i>Fantay</i> lunged. The guards clawed for their ray-guns.</p> - -<p>But already Jarl was pivoting, whipping a fistful of sand into the -officer's eyes. He leaped back as he threw it, so that one guard was -between him and the other. Savagely, he hammered home a blow; crowded -close and caught the ray-gun's barrel as it cleared the holster, -levering it up till it tore free from the creature's tortured grasp.</p> - -<p>Then the other guard was upon him, smashing him to his knees.</p> - -<p>But the metal mask broke the force of the blow. Jarl triggered the -ray-gun. The beam lanced out, struck home at the base of the bulging -jaw.</p> - -<p>The guard fell backward.</p> - -<p>Jarl fired again. The <i>Fantay</i> died.</p> - -<p>But now <i>rey</i> Gundre's own weapon was out. The remaining guard came -charging in.</p> - -<p>Jarl dropped flat as the high commissioner fired. The beam passed over -him; blasted the lunging guard.</p> - -<p>Jarl shot for <i>rey</i> Gundre's weapon.</p> - -<p>The ray-gun flew out of the high commissioner's hand.</p> - -<p>Panting, Jarl lurched to his feet. His whole body trembled. For an -instant he thought he was going to faint.</p> - -<p>Then, out of the depths of his will, new strength came. He leveled the -ray-gun; held it steady.</p> - -<p><i>rey</i> Gundre went white to the lips. Unsteadily, he moved backward, -till his body, the palms of his hands, were pressed flat against the -wall. He could not seem to tear his eyes from the hideous metal mask -Jarl wore.</p> - -<p>"Is the high commissioner afraid, then—?" Jarl laughed harshly. -"Forget it, Gundre, I've things for you to do before you die."</p> - -<p>"Jarl Corvett—!" The commissioner's eyes went wide with shock, -mirror-bright with fear.</p> - -<p>Jarl laughed again, a bleak and mirthless sound. With his free hand, he -unclamped the mask; dropped it to the floor.</p> - -<p>Tightly, he said: "Get a cross on your fleet, Commissioner. Give them -their true orders—that Ceres is to be spared."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The panic that flared in <i>rey</i> Gundre's eyes was a frightful thing -to see. His face sagged, grey as lead. "No, Corvett—! Not that! I -can't—!"</p> - -<p>"Then you can die," Jarl said.</p> - -<p>He raised the ray-gun.</p> - -<p>The high commissioner's mouth worked. "No, no...." Tottering, he -stumbled towards the viziscreen.</p> - -<p>Jarl followed him, grim as death.</p> - -<p>The clustered pinpoints were closer to Ceres now, slashing through the -void like streaks of light.</p> - -<p>With trembling fingers, <i>rey</i> Gundre fumbled at the dials.</p> - -<p>"Faster!" Jarl clipped. "Your life depends on it, Gundre! If they -strike, you die!"</p> - -<p>A new voice, behind them, said, "No, Jarl."</p> - -<p>By sheer reflex, Jarl whirled.</p> - -<p>A man stood in operation unit's doorway ... a tall man with a gaunt, -pain-twisted body, and high-domed head, and burning eyes.</p> - -<p>A man Jarl Corvett knew so well—</p> - -<p>"<i>Wassreck—!</i>"</p> - -<p>"Yes, Jarl. Wassreck." The other's voice was almost gentle. The wry -mouth twisted with the thin ghost of a smile.</p> - -<p>Jarl's knees went weak as water. His gun-hand sagged. He clutched a -chair to keep from falling.</p> - -<p>Still smiling, <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck moved forward, into the navigation room. -"Did I surprise you, Jarl?"</p> - -<p>"I—thought you dead."</p> - -<p>"And Sais, too—?" The other chuckled softly, and half-turned. "Come, -my dear...."</p> - -<p>And of a sudden, there was dark Sais, framed in the open -doorway—radiant, lips half-parted, eyes aglow.</p> - -<p><i>Ktar</i> Wassreck said, "I know how much she means to you, my comrade. I -brought her here, from Karrel's ship, to wait till you should come." -His pain-warped shoulders twisted. "Because I knew you'd come, Jarl, -sometime. Loyalty is a thing you understand."</p> - -<p>"I called him on the <i>Knife's</i> screen, Jarl," Sais broke in. Her voice -was warm and eager. "The crew didn't think to guard me. After that, I -ran away, into the desert, and waited till the flagship came."</p> - -<p>Jarl swayed. His brain was reeling, and everything had a queer, -distorted look. He wondered if perhaps he'd finally fainted ... if this -were all a dream, somehow, or death.</p> - -<p>But he made himself speak, because he had to learn the truth ... find -answers to the questions that kept tumbling and jumbling....</p> - -<p>"You ... were aboard the flagship—?"</p> - -<p>"Of course, Jarl," Wassreck nodded. "I wasn't captured, nor yet did I -surrender. All this has been a careful plan, worked out between the -high commissioner and me."</p> - -<p>"A—plan—?"</p> - -<p>"Yes!" <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck's voice rang. With sudden eagerness, he leaned -forward, and his eyes burned with a strange new light. "Jarl, with the -power that's in these robots, the universe is ours to rule! What force -is there that can stand against them? What planet could defy their -might?"</p> - -<p>"But the high commissioner...." Jarl gestured, stumbled. "Why would -he aid the outlaw worlds—?" And then, in sudden panic, whirling: -"Quick—! The Federation fleet—it's headed down for Ceres! We've got -to stop them! It may already be too late!"</p> - -<p>But Wassreck's voice said, "No, Jarl."</p> - -<p>It was flat this time, no longer gentle.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Slowly, slowly Jarl turned from the scanner, with its clustered, -crawling pinpoints. A seeping emptiness was rising in him—an ugly, -hollow feeling he'd never felt before.</p> - -<p>Wassreck still stood in the same spot as before. But now, his right -hand was at waist-level.</p> - -<p>It held a blaster.</p> - -<p>In a voice not even remotely resembling his own, Jarl asked, "What do -you mean?"</p> - -<p>Wassreck's eyes were burning coals. His gaunt face seemed even thinner -than before.</p> - -<p>He said: "I mean the outlaw worlds must die!"</p> - -<p>Jarl nodded slowly. "I guessed that would be it."</p> - -<p>"Don't you see, Jarl—?" Sais cried, coming to him. "The raiders will -never lose their idiot dreams of freedom! Always, everywhere, they'll -make trouble! It would be madness to leave them with Ceresta and their -fleet. The Federation planets know what it means to bow before a -ruler—"</p> - -<p>Wordless, Jarl looked down at her.</p> - -<p>Hand on his arm, she rushed on—glowing, eager: "At first my father -thought of you as dangerous. But always, I've loved you. That's why -I came to you on Ceres, saying he was captured—so that you would -prove your loyalty to him. Now, he knows; and the two of you can rule -together. You and I—we'll have each other...."</p> - -<p>She pressed against Jarl—body warm, hair soft and fragrant.</p> - -<p>Wassreck broke in: "Jarl, you saw what happened today when I tried out -that robot on Bor Legat's ships! And once the raider fleet is smashed, -there'll be no opposition."</p> - -<p>The numb emptiness filled Jarl to overflowing. "And if I say no—?"</p> - -<p>He could see the other stiffen.</p> - -<p>"Is there a choice?" Wassreck's laugh was suddenly savage. "Your -ray-gun's down, and my blaster's on you. Even if you could kill me, the -crew knows you're here; they'd be waiting for you."</p> - -<p>And Sais whispered, "Jarl, why should you die for nothing? What can -it gain you, or anyone else?" Her cool fingers caressed him. "Jarl, -don't you understand? I love you! I want us to be together, now and -forever...."</p> - -<p>Jarl stood very still.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>How many nights had he lain in a chill, lonely bunk far out in space, -and dreamed of Sais beside him? How many times had he cursed the raider -way, the blood and iron, and longed instead for power and booty?</p> - -<p>Now he could have those things. What made him hang back? Why did he -hesitate?</p> - -<p>Why indeed, when refusal meant death without gain, without meaning?</p> - -<p>Only then he thought of other things, and pain came in a rush to fill -the emptiness.</p> - -<p>For he thought of those who lived, and those who'd died, whether they -lived or died for good or evil. Of Bor Legat and Ungo, Tas Karrel and -Ylana, a thousand fallen crewmen.</p> - -<p>Of Ceresta's teeming hives, and Pallas, and of the raider fleet.</p> - -<p>Of freedom.</p> - -<p>Perhaps there was still a place in this mad universe for a man who did -not fear to die.</p> - -<p>Again, he looked down into Sais' dark, lovely face. Again, her hair's -fragrance rose like perfume in his nostrils.</p> - -<p>But as he stared, somehow, the lines and contours kept shifting, -changing, till it was as if he were gazing at one of the primitives' -hideous, leering masks.</p> - -<p>Bleakly, he pushed her away.</p> - -<p>Her face sagged, incredulous. But it was <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck himself who -spoke: "You know what this means, Jarl—?"</p> - -<p>"I know."</p> - -<p>"Then it doesn't count that I came for you on Horla? Loyalty means -nothing...?"</p> - -<p>"Loyalty—?" Jarl laughed a bitter laugh. "And what are you loyal to, -then, Wassreck? Your friends who'll die down on Ceresta?"</p> - -<p>The gaunt man's face grew cold and bleak. He did not answer.</p> - -<p>Jarl turned his head; slashed out at <i>rey</i> Gundre, still standing -by the viziscreen: "You, Commissioner! What are you loyal to? The -Federation, that you betray? Ylana, your own daughter, who'd rather -die in the desert than live here with you?"</p> - -<p>A trace of color came to the high commissioner's grey, sagging face. -Unspeaking, he looked away.</p> - -<p>"Loyalty—!" Jarl spat. "How can any of you even pretend to know what -it means? Because a man's first loyalty is to his own conscience—and -conscience is a thing you neither have nor understand!"</p> - -<p>Wassreck's gaunt face contorted. "A pretty speech—to die with."</p> - -<p>His finger went white on the blaster's trigger.</p> - -<p>Jarl Corvett whipped up his ray-gun.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Yet even in that moment, Jarl knew the truth: that his strength had -gone; that he was too slow. Before he could even fire himself, Wassreck -would kill him.</p> - -<p>But he didn't dare to die—not while <i>Ktar</i> Wassreck still lived and -held the secret of the mighty warrior robots. Too much was at stake. -Too many could suffer.</p> - -<p>Only now, there was nothing he could do. At last, the gods of the void -had ridden on their way without him.</p> - -<p>But then, incredibly, another figure hurtled across his field of vision.</p> - -<p>The figure of High Commissioner <i>rey</i> Gundre.</p> - -<p>For a split second, Wassreck's eyes wavered.</p> - -<p>Jarl dived to one side as the blaster roared. The bolt seared a -flaming path diagonally along his ribs.</p> - -<p>But now, Jarl, too, was firing—lancing a ray-beam into Wassreck's -midriff.</p> - -<p>The gaunt body stiffened ... straightened ... fell.</p> - -<p>Jarl threw himself round, searching for Sais and <i>rey</i> Gundre.</p> - -<p>They lay in a tumbled heap near the farthest wall. The commissioner was -twitching, moaning faintly.</p> - -<p>Jarl stumbled across to where he lay, tried to help him to turn over.</p> - -<p>A blaster bolt had taken the man high in the chest. Blood already was -trickling from his mouth. "Ylana—!" he gasped, then choked on the -blood.</p> - -<p>A moment later, he died.</p> - -<p>Jarl turned to Sais.</p> - -<p>She, too, was dead. She held a blaster in her hand—and her neck was -broken.</p> - -<p>Dully, head throbbing, Jarl remembered <i>rey</i> Gundre's mad, unexplained -rush.</p> - -<p>Now it needed no explanation.</p> - -<p>Outside, someone was pounding on the door. Dim sounds of tumult sifted -through the portal.</p> - -<p>So the guards had come already....</p> - -<p>Struggling to his feet again, Jarl made his way to the viziscreen. He -had lost all track of time. He half expected to find Ceres already -blasted, broken.</p> - -<p>It still was there. But the clustered pinpoints that were the -Federation fleet had begun converging high above, readying for the -final plunge.</p> - -<p>With trembling fingers, Jarl set a cross for the lead ship; switched on -the communicator unit. Harshly, in <i>rey</i> Gundre's name, he rasped out -orders.</p> - -<p>The wheeling ships veered; peeled off on a different course.</p> - -<p>Ceres was saved.</p> - -<p>Jarl sagged against the screen. He felt incredibly old, incredibly -weary.</p> - -<p>The pounding on the door grew louder.</p> - -<p>Jarl thought: <i>Another minute and they'll break in</i>....</p> - -<p>And he would die.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Only all at once, he didn't care. His job was done. What difference did -it make, what happened now?</p> - -<p>His only regret was that Ylana would never know that at the last, when -the crisis came, her father had broken clean and died to save him.</p> - -<p>And Sais.... What things had been in her mind when she raised that -blaster to try to kill the man she claimed to love?</p> - -<p>It was strange, though: he felt no hatred towards her.</p> - -<p>But, neither did he feel love, or sorrow, or pity. It was as if she -were an utter stranger, some passer-by he'd never known.</p> - -<p>So different from Ylana....</p> - -<p>Ylana the golden. He spoke her name aloud, and liked its sound.</p> - -<p>Ylana the golden. Red lips, grey eyes, and rippling hair.</p> - -<p>Such queer things to be thinking about at a time like this. But then, -his whole state of mind just now was somewhat queer.</p> - -<p>Out in the hall, some heavy object smashed against the door. Soon, he -knew the panel would crash down.</p> - -<p>Why wait for it? Why not go out and meet death as a raider should?</p> - -<p>Jarl laughed drunkenly. Reeling, he stumbled to the door; with a clumsy -jerk threw back the bolt and braced himself to take the blasts.</p> - -<p>Then the door burst open. Beings of half-a-dozen planets charged in -upon him—and Big Ungo of Jupiter was in their van.</p> - -<p>Jarl knew then that this was a nightmare—the delirium of a fevered, -over-weary brain. He closed his eyes and let himself go limp; slumped -to the floor.</p> - -<p>But when he looked up again, Ungo was still there, and now Ylana, too, -knelt beside him, whispering, "Jarl—! Jarl Corvett...." while the red -lips quivered and tears spilled from the cool grey eyes.</p> - -<p>Ungo said: "She made us come, Jarl—all of us that were left from Bor -Legat's ships. With her to talk for us, we didn't even have to fight to -get in here."</p> - -<p>"You're lying!" Jarl accused him, twisting as pain stabbed along his -wounded side. "You're not here. I'm just dreaming. When I wake up, if -I'm not dead, you'll all be gone."</p> - -<p>"No, Jarl. This isn't dreaming. This is real." All at once Ylana was -smiling through her tears. "Sleep, now, Jarl. I'll still be here when -you waken—or forever, if you want me...."</p> - -<p>As she spoke, she reached out and gently closed his eyes.</p> - -<p>He didn't mind. As a matter of fact, of a sudden he wanted to let sleep -come, and quickly.</p> - -<p>For now he knew that waking would be better than any dream.</p> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WEAPON FROM ETERNITY ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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. 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