$1000 PRIZE CONTEST- See Po<^ 8

NUMIER VOLUME

10 17

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MPIRE OF
J>AYID V. RtEtX
 minor emergencies that continually arise. As
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On the job, and in your relationships with
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 3

CIVES YOU A REAL START TOWARD UNOERSTANDtNG THESE SUBJECTS

WITH 31 PHOTOS. SKETCHES. RADIO DRAWINGS
Bot ni>rtti*t4rodrn« ree«If«n
cui>ftti*t4rodrn« Qm tunlos oondcnMir; AoteoiiL OBCtIUtor eoD fcMt
„ "Ofkto
Bow no9<n« tubM. lutm
Ton
llov
»hl»l.U Kwi
Thro* rptMxs why Badio fcitralBbtrnlDK
fcitr bent rotor Installing power cord
tubfti rail p] Troublre of comMnatlon vol-
Klretrodynaralfl loutbpaaktr; iv —
Wliat thoi ume
Bow II works A
I.P, traiiffonuBrs
,

do, repair lilnu

<N>ntrol, on-off sr^lcb
RopUrlitf damacffl cona tinL Tooo cootrola
lUMnl'-rliui roica cell
Bow to locato dWcctlre wl*
“'Tl,,
dered lolots Dial lamp rmneetlcru
RftCDKllM tor OMa deld coU

tranifern* Paper, elecroljtte. mica, Tceling tube*

e r coo* UlnuDer ODodmiori Clrcull dUturbaone t«at
• trnettoB, MitiiMn bsoona liolatlng dtfectlre itage

SIO A WEEK

See For Yourself How Ji" wheu

IN

I
SPARE TIME
"I repaired soma Radio sets
was on my lentil I«a-

I Train You at Home to

'
-

realb' don't see how

JS'
I

^A%. > M ran giro so much for sucli

>41 yiMi
amount of moniy. I

BE A RADIO
a small
BE R maile SSOO in a year and a
half, end 1 hare mnite an ar-
trace of flO a week Just tpsio lima'’ —
JOHN .IBKKY. U3T Kalamath St.. Den-

u.H.alfBli'i;
TECHNICIAN
1,
letBOH from my
eeablliktl 31 Year!** S"!!''’
shows how N.R.I. trains yon for wheo I enrollcilwith N.R/I J .lS
T I'nie- And with this Sample I am now Badio Serrlce Han- r.
III send my 64.pap Illustrated book. -Win Rich
Rewards in Radio.” agar for M—— Pumlture Co f'
It descries many fascinating jobs Radio offers, tells how you can train for for their 4 storea" JAMRi^ t-
-

then at home in spare time. iL BY AN, 119 Pebble Cwri.

Fall Rircr. Mass.
Bsolaaars Soon Moh* S5. SlO
N«w Moh* SSO W**k Thoa o w«*k Ertro In Spar* Tim* UEUTENANT IN
v*r * or* Were’* prebabir an opportunity rlsht hi U. 8. ARMYSiONALCOAPS
nera'i a big abortace et capable Radio r^r neighborhood lo make money In tpare W . '*1 cannot divulge any Infer*
Ibeboklani and Oi>>-rators beeaus* ao many time fixing Radios. I'll glee you the train-
bare jolnNl the Amy and Nary. PUlng ‘rv ^at bas iiartad hundreds nf N.R.I
rnallnp ax lo my type of work,
hut 1 cut say that N.B.I.
Badlai mn
better now than tor yean. Witb
MW Radlga out of oraduriioo. fixing oM sets,
students toaklng IS. SIO a week extra with-
Ih a tew taoiilha aticr anmlllng. ’Die N R.I
training is certainly coming In
wbM CmrM Isn't something just prepared lo A '^ '1 mlchiy handy these days."
to uie
ware forrcrrly trailed
normal number of lorrlring
In. adrie greatly
lobe. adranttgo ot the present market for teeh-
take ^ .abJs <Name end addreea omitted
(or military reawme.)
Breadcasilng Surions. Arlailmi and Poline olcal boohs and eoursca. It baa been tried
Radio. 8blp R4dlo and other conununicmiloni
bnochw are scrambling for Operatora and
testsd, developed, p^ecteri during the
Jean we bare been tea^ng Radla
U
A MONTH
- vUt be SO easy to gel started
xn
In this fasd-
B"! 0"* W»"* N.e.l. C. Dof., YOU
MAIL COUPON NOW tor PRBB Sample "Per
t20e
BUSINESS
eeveraJ
IN

year* I have
OWN

HUagbM. The Ooremment. too. needs Iweson and fit-page Illustrated bmih. Tou'U been Id bueloesi for myself
a ef ew u petent ctrlllan and enlisted e many fesclnallng jobe Radio olTere making around $300 a ni<»iih.
Bnstrww has steadily in*
creased.” ARIJ8 J, FROEH-
of Uie aa eovelone or paste no a penny poetall— NKB, 800 W, Teiaa Ava,
I^lebe TelertsIdD. PreqweBcy Mndulatluo.
ilatluo. J. E. SMITH, Praaidest. Oept. 3Klil, Na-
tiooee Creek. Texaa
SPdBleetcentcs will opeu after thowari This U la tlosal Radio lastitBte. WaMilngten 0, D. C.
Ibt M(t (d opponunlry you shouldn't pais
"* up.
tlllllM Nts ril riTIL Hill Ills

vJi &.? 11
FREC
4lSk Hivr. roo ®*'‘TH.
raTift..5; RADIO President. Dept. 3KH
Ita likely lo gn Into Dilll- NATIONAL INSTITUTE. Waahinsto* 0, 0. C.
tary ewvice, soldUri, lall-
^IhODt obligailtm. Sample Z«asco and 64-ptge book.
*. marines, ihould mall the Win Rich
a"!
BewinU in Badto,” (No aaJesfflsn wlD tail. Write ptalnly.)
Ceo^ Now! Loatnlng Ra-
dio balM Bervtc* men get
ant« rask. extra preattte.
Me tnursiCtoi duties,
MUCH HiaHKRPAT. Also
inpim far good Badio Jobi
lw SMTtos ewda fWer
f ffO Ssrvtc* men now
swelled.
 . —

CONTENTS
PAGE Ppi/Mi NOVEMBER
1943

^ STORIES
» S T OR I E S «
EMPIRE OF JEGGA (Supei Novel) by David V. Reed 10
The whole universe suddenly shrank when Nick Brewster blasted his ship into the void between worlds.

THE AURA OF DEATH (Short) by Helmar Lewis 156

No one knows exactly what a soul —but
is it seems certain that no mere mochine can control it . . .

JENNY—THE FLYING FORD (Short) by Elroy Arno 162

If you’ve seen a Ford flying, it must hove been Jenny! You see, Jenny could fly when she wanted to.

JUGGERNAUT JONES—PIRATE (Novelet). by A. R. McKenzie 168

Juggernouf Jones certainly hit the skids on this world! In fact, that wasthe way you traveled . .

JOHNNY RAIN-MAKER (Short) by Leroy Yerxa 180

Johnny got laughed out of the boys' club when he said the ancient gods could make it rain. Then

THE BLACK POOL (Novelet) by Ed Earl Repp 190

John Hale, the laboratory sleuth, dove right smack into the middle of Death's own swimming pooll

» FEATURES «
The Observatory 6 Beat The Heat With Vitamin C 167
Si ,000 Prize Story Contest 8 Scientific Mysteries 186
Vignettes of Famous Scientists 161 Discussions 207
Ether-power Ship Of Europa 208

Front cover painting by Robert Gibson Jones illustrating a scene from "Empire Of Jeggo"
Back cover painting by James B. Settles depicting the "Ether-power Ship Of Europa"
Illustrations by Hadden/ Ronald Ciyne/ Robert Fuqua; Arnold Kohn; Malcolm Smith

Wlltiee B. ZItF, Psbltthw, B. G. Davit. Editor; Roymond A. Palnw, Moiwalnfl Editor

Howard Browno, Aolitanl Editor, Horaao R. mIIIh, Art Dlroctor, H. O. Sbons, ClrcvlolloA Dtrodor

Wo do not occopt rorponsibiilty tor tho return ot urtwllclled monutcripb or artwork. To toeltilolo handling, iho
oulhor should oncloto o tolf-oddrossod onvolopo with iho roquisito poitogo ottachod, and artist should oncloso
or forward rotum postago. Accopled notorial b subiocf lo whoiovor rovlsion Is nocotiory to ffiool roaulrononb.
^rrtxent covors oil ouihon', contributors', and eontostonts' rights, lltio, ond Intorosi In and to iho malorlol occoplod
and will be mode ol our current roles upon oeeeplonce. All pholos and drowings will be considered os port
of moteriol purchosed.
The notne! of oil characters that ore used in short stories, serials and seni-fictlon articles that deal
with types ore Rciillous. Use ot a rsanie which b the same os thal ot ony llvlrtg person Is coincldenlal.
 AMAZING STORIES 5

He Could Change
lUCmiCIMSI
His Face
But he could not alter
RONOMIH/ TRY THIS

® AMAZING NEW^

W
hi* "Tell-Tole"

FINGER PRINTS *^rR0U61E-SH00IIN6|

iHIlCTb*
Muter crimmal, John DtHinger, had his
/Mtores BO altered that many aaaoeiatea
|M/lNUftlW/®7
coold not recogalza him, bat hia fln^r
printa, which he ansueceMfany tried to
alter, were poeitive proof of hia identity.

SCIENTIFIC
CRIME DETECTION
Ended hi* criminal career
Learn this good-pay
steady -employment
I
There
Profession At Home
It
Print Experts,
olwoys o demand for Finger
GOOD TIMES or BAD .
I

No«. . . whea the demend foroor gredyteele greeter then eeer be-

fore, U e might, good time to get into tiue profeeoioe which provMee
food per, eteedreoiploTment Jobe eteli ttme*. Let I. A. S. t^n 700
loaite iplendld poeitioa Ib thle Ceednetlna BeM of edeotlfle erine de-
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Not Ditfieull to loam ‘

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remtoeeae. Wiring Oing rams coven-
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Z Auto Ignition. Radio*.
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R^io problem. Thie Telcvicinn. Refrigera-
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tiflmtiea trical or
tion. Air Conditioning,
ef I.A.8.A cneMtr of theee men ere heede of BoreeaB. KUcy of eervicc elooe may be worth
then knew ebeolate^ notidna ehoot erhne detection before tber h^ hundreds of doUere to youl - Electrical and Radio
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readr—eeod coupon TODAY.
INSTITUTE OP APPLIED SOINCE
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List of I. A. S. Operatives I
•mrrUTI of AFFUEO science, Dapt.1M7
TV20 Swnnyeida Avn., ChlcaRO 40, III.
naeeeaasd me llioetrated ‘‘Blue Book of Crime,** cemphtolletef over
M) bareaoi amplerfnr roar riede atee. tnr eth e r wtta lew prteeeeod
Beer Tam offer. iUtentsre mat ONLY teperMuataUarece-l

NeM..
 our where the Axis won’t

Y freedom, your your

right to Bve, the rest of it right like it;

future —are being delivered to you

today! in this Third War Loan! The number 9 is sup-
And the way the transaction ought to be posed to be the most unlucky number of all. Let’s
completed is on a C. 0. D. basis! In plain Amer- make the Axis change that to 3. Make ’em skud-
lean words, it’s time to pay for those smashing der at the very mention of the number I
victories our armies have been delivering these
past few months 1 '
OWE it both to our country and to our
* ’ friends and relatives b the Service to help
DEGINNING on September 9, the Third War them wm the war and win it sooner by making
Loan opened. It is the largest single financing the increased Third War Loan Bond purchases
program ever undertaken. Its goal is a substan- asked of us and makbg them on our own initia-
tial berease in War Bond uve, wneiaer or noc ap-
purchases. Evwy Amer- proached individually.
ican must be aware of The fighters are deliver-
the importance of this ing today, and although
drive and understand the they aren't banding us a
reasons underlying it. C. 0. D. slip with their
You, as readers of a ;
victory deliveries, let's

brand of fiction which not be cheap enough to

deals with the future,
'

even think of accepUng

are perhaps best fitted of delivery on credit.
allAmericans to give
thb message to your fel- IT ISN’T a duty; It’s a
1 0 w Americans. This ^ privilege. War Bonds
Third War Loan drive is willbuy for us after the
a payment toward your war the things we can’t
buy now because we're
future, as
liquidation of a debt
well as the
you BUY MORE BONDS too busy fightbg for our
owe today ! lives to make them.
Further, you will never be b a better position Every Bond we buy means something we've
to pay off a debt with a smile on your face! actually got for our future happinessand comfort.
Each Bond will mean greater security for ourselves
his war has given us a national mcome of
T more than double what it was b 1939, the
and a better future for our childru. And each
Bond is a bulwark agabst bfiation; will keep
living costs down, m a ke America's future sound.
most prosperous year b our peace-time history,
Ten percent of this increase is not enough to put
into War Bonds. This is no longer a ten percent boys are out there flgbtbg, with weapons
war. It’s a battle for all or nothbg What will 1 we’ve got to pay for. And we’re being asked
you do with this tremendous national mcome if we to pay for them with money that will be returned
lose the war? Really, that’s a silly question — to us imTA brereit after thewar I Is that a break,
every American knows full well where and what or Imagme being certab of gettbg your
isn’t it!
he’ll be if we In the slave mart!
are defeated. money back after you buy something, and aHll
So it doesn’t take a lot of thinking to understand keep what you bought You are paying for vic-
1

tbat it is up to every one of us to figure out for tory, so that you can use the same money to buy
himself bow much more than ten percent he can things to enjoy b
the peaceful era to follow,
bvest in War Bonds. We all know the price of Certainly you don’t need to be prodded to realize
living has gone up. And we know how much, that the faster we buy this victory, the sooner
Well, set aside what you need to live on and sink — we’U enjoy our right to live b peace.
BACK THE ATTACK—WITH WAR BONDS
6
 AMAZING STORIES

p w'f.'S?riii-
actual

PREPARE FOR
A GOOD WAR-TIME JOB
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I’LL FINANCE YOUR

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You are probably sitting pretty now. Almost “LEARN-BY-DOING” AT COYNE

anyone can get a fair job with good money. Coyne Training Is practical training, easy to grasp . . . you
learn quickly by doing actual jobs on _
But when peace comes, when millions of real electrical machinery in my
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my
—
—
industry converts back where will you te?
are trained right here in big Chicago
training shops. You don’t need pre-
There will be keen competition between vious experience or advanced edu-
companies and readjustments of many jobs. cation. Expert instructors guide you ||i^iH||rjB||JjM
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Will you be one whom industry labels “Must
—
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Ask our free 48-page booklet on the
for
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MEN WHETHER YOU ARE 16

I

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listed below.
SCHOOL
COYNE ELECTRICAL chicabo,
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WIN $1,000.00..!
$2,000,00 it you are in the Servii^e

PRIZES TO BE PAID IN
MATURITY VALUE WAR BONDS

HERE'S HOW
On the opposite page you see an illustration. All you have to
do is write a short-short story of approximately one thousand
words based on what you see in this illustration! What It's ail
about* we don't profess to know. Thot's up to you. Regordiess
of the fact that it may even be ex-Fueftrer by the time of the
contest, that is your problem, ond part of the contest. Using
the illustration as a springboard, write a short story which has
os an integral part of its makeup the scene our artist hos
imagined. Usually the artist illustrates the story after it Is

written; in this case we reverse the procedure. Here's the Illus-

tration, you write the story to fit it!

ANYOHE CAN ENTER

You don't have to be a regulor reader of this magazine, nor a
subscriber, nor o writer. Anyone at oil, except employees of
Amazing Stories, the Ziff-Dovis Publishing Co., and their families,
9.
con submit one or more stories for competition. Your entries ore
limited only to the plots the illustration suggests. If you happen
to be a member of the armed forces, any branch at all, you will
receive double value, or war bends totaling a moturity value of
$ 2 000 . 00
, .

RULES OF CONTEST
1. Cenfeit open fo all except empleyeet of Amatiiig Stories, the Zlff-Oovls
Publishing Company, and their families.
2. Write year story on one side of the paper only, using Ink or typewriter.
3. Story should be approximately 1.000 words In length.
4. No entry will be returned. Other published stories will be paid for at
our usual rate.
5. The editors of dmosing Stories wHI be the Indges In this eentest. Their
decision Is accepted as final by all contestants.
S. Contest editors regret that they are unable to entertain correspondence
of any kind regarding entries.
7. Prise winning story becomes the property of dmasina Stories,
i. All entries must be In the hands of the eentest eeltors at midnight of
November 10, 1943.
Winner will be announced in the March, 1944, Issue of Amoxiiig Stories,
on sale on or about January 10, 1944.
10. In case of ties, stories will be judged as to neatness, conciseness and
clarity of presentation.
11. Address all entries to Contest Editors, Amailng Stories, 540 North Michi-
'
gan Ave., Chicago 11, lillnois.

WIN THIS CONTEST - - AND HELP WIN THE WAR

S
 DAVID Which side should on Eerthman choose
V. REED if he finds the other planets at war?

ifteen minutes before mid- massed throngs ended. Deafening

F night the batteries of searchlights

were turned on, and huge white
fingers began to play in the dark skies
cheers roared over the countryside,
tons of confetti swirled aloft to be
caught for an instant in the lights and
over Long Island. Columns of light transformed into myriad gems. Once
flashed down to earth, sweeping briefly a shaft of light stabbed into the center
over countless thousands of people as of the crowds and gleamed on silver.
if in an attempt to discover where the There, resting on the ground at an
 DAVID Which side should an Earthman choose
V. REED if he finds the other planets at

ifteen minutes before mid-

F
fingers
night the batteries of searchlights
were turned on, and huge white
began to pday in the dark skits
over Long Island. Columns of light
flasheddown to earth, sweeping briefly
over countless thousands of people as
if inan attempt to discover where the
massed
cheers
throngs ended. Deafening
roared over the countryside,
tons of confetti swirled aloft to be
caught for an instant in the lights and
transformed into myriad gems. Once
a shaft of light stabbed into the center
of the crowds and gleamed on silver.
There, resting on the ground at an
 ”

12 AMAZING STORIES

angle, was a long, cylkidrical vessel, that Brewster quits again. He didn’t
slender as a bullet.The mob surged really quit last year and I don’t think
forward against the cordon of p>olice
that isolated the ship. Excitement “Whadd’ye mean he didn’t quit? He
burned in the night air like a weary- damn well did quit! That first ship of
ing fever. his took off without him on it, didn’t it?
“And here come another party, es- He was supposed to be there, wasn’t he?
corted by a squad of state troopers I And where was he? Up in that expen-
Listen to those sirens!” siveCanadian hunting lodge of his, dead
The sirens were echoing by radio in drunk after a five day celebration and
a score of countries; half the civilized orgy, and up to his ears in dames!”
world was listening. The radio and “But he didn’t tell the ship to leave
television men filled the great colonial without him. If he’d had a chance to
veranda of the Brewster mansion, and sober up, and the ship had waited, he’d
dozens of voices hummed together, de- have gone with it.”
scribing the scene, interpreting, elab- “If! /// We don’t deal with Ijs on
orating. the Post! Maybe he’d have gone and
“That’s Governor Horton of Texas maybe he wouldn’t. The fact is that
down there, folks. He’s the short man the ship left and never was heard from
trying to duck the photographers. You again. Fourteen men gambled with
may remember Governor Horton was death on that experiment of his, and
here once before to bid Nick Brewster the chief experimenter wasn’t there
—
goodbye last year when the Trail- when they lost, and in my book and the
blazer I made the first attempt to reach public’s book, that means quitting! If
the Moon by rocket ship. I don’t have he goes off tonight, we run the first head.
to remind you that Brewster stayed up If he doesn’t, we call him a two-time
in the Canadian woods that night! quitter and everybody agrees with us.
Look at them milling down there . . Now here’s the change I want. Break
out that lousy story on the Treasury
A COPY boy came running through Department and give me a three column
the city room of the New York cut of Brewster. Here’s the picture I
Post, two large sheets of paper flying want you to use.”
before him, work stopping in his wake. The editor held up a glossy print, a
He skidded to a stop before the man- picture of a young man with deep-set
aging editor’s desk and faced the as- eyes that looked out at the world half
sembled brains of the newspaper. in contempt, half in amusement, with a
“Hold up the first front page,” said strong jaw that was relaxed in a lazy
the editor. The copy boy raised one of smile.
the sheets in trembling hands. “Handsome rat, isn’t he?” said the
TRAILBLAZEROFF ON PER- II editor. “Run this caption under it:

ILOUS JOURNEY TO MOON! Nick (Sure Thing) Brewster, Million-

“Okay. Let’s see the alternate.” ake Adventurer Who Reached For The
BREWSTER QUITS AGAIN! Moon. Got that? Okay, where’s re-
“Only one
“Fine,” said the editor. write? You got that story on the life of
change. I want a
— Brewster ready?”
“Excuse me, chief, but don’t you “Not so it’s readable.”
think we’re going a little too far with “Read me what you have. Just the
that alternate headline? I mean, saying highlig^its.”
 ” —
EMPIRE OF JEGGA 13

Nick Brewster, famous, foolhardy time. Dr. Stevens left without him.
adventurer, went the limit tonight when The ship was never heard from again.
he took o§ for the Moon in the second When the telescopes lost it, the “Trail-
of his two million dollar experimental blazer I” ceased to exist. Its signals
rocket ships. Born with a silver spoon died away and the great magnesium
in a mouth usually given to sneering, flares it was supposed to light up on

young Brewster inherited five million the Moon were never seen. . . .

dollars at his father’s death in i05i>

Six years later, according to FOR- “^^HAT’S enough,” said the editor.
TUNE’S estimate of last year, he had “Great stuff. Go on from there
run the figure well up past forty mil- and work on Brewster. The inside story
lion,earning the nickname of Sure of the wild party in that hunting lodge,
Thing Brewster, leaving behind 'him a but keep it clean; this is a family news-
history of escapade and scandal, dan- paper. Soft-pedal the woman angle and
ger and enterprise. play up the rumors. You know Brew- —
Today, aged twenty-seven, he could ster never intended to go on that trip.
few men his friends, his unpopular-
call Cold feet or something. Sure Thing
ity ascribed to many Chief
reasons. Brewster never took a really long
among these were the facts of his con- chance —
tinual absence from the United States “What about his being a hunter and
within the past two years, his arrogance, explorer?”
and often-mentioned record with
his “Hunter my foot Say he shot tigers
1

ladies, the last named supposedly hav- from behind expensive guns, explored
ing chased him before he was old enough the Arctic in ermine sleeping bags.
to vote. Those who knew him consid- Lives means nothing to him. Play up
ered. him extremely intelligent, hard as the way he was booed and hissed in pub-
granite. lic. Get out the pictures of him being
Last year, June 12, 195S, Brewster rescued from that angry mob at that
alienated more people with a single blow ball game in Chicago. Dig up the dirt
than ever before. Backing the invention biographies. Run that story of that
of Dr. John Stevens for a rocket ship girl who took him in Maine
a shot at
capable of reaching the Moon, he sank that girl whose brother was one of the
two million dollars into it. Leading crew in the first ship.”
scientists who examined the vessel “But he never pressed charges
agreed that it had every chance of suc- against her.”
cess. The night the ship left, carrying “Because he was afraid to show his
Dr. Stevens and thirteen men of the face in a courtroom 1 Find me a juicy
crew, Nick Brewster, who had an- financial scandal of his. Do two or
nounced that he would be aboard for three paragraphs on his chief engineer
the dangerous experiment, was left be- — —
what’s his name Joe Abbott? Ab-
hind. bott’s been out of a job for two years.
Various stories filled the press, ex- Talented engineer, down on his luck,
plaining Brewster’s defection, but old classmate of Nick Brewster’s,
was Dr. Stevens’ state-
chiefly credited —
bought with gold that kind of stuff.
ment that he had received word that We got half an hour to hit the streets,
Brewster was in Canada, attending a so hop to it. I got a date with the
farewell party so enthusiastically that television-cast of the big event, if it

he was unable to leave at the appointed comes offl”

14 AMAZING STORIES

The editor switched on the screen thing you like; that’s the way I am,
behind his desk and fiddled the dials. that’s Nick Brewster.” He lit a fresh
The dark screen began to glow and the cigarette from a butt, and his grey eyes
outlines of a panorama shot grew traveled over his cupped hands to Ab-
clearer. An enormous, well-kept estate, same,” he added, “I want
bott. “All the
its shrubbery trampled, its gates you to know that I’m grateful for the
broken, people everywhere, lights in the way you stuck by me.”
sky. . . . “Yotf paid me for it, didn’t you?”
..and still they come, folks. The said Abbott.
roads to the Brewster estate have been “Yes,” said Brewster, slowly, “I paid
closed for a week, ever since the news you, but I don’t think I could have
got out that Brewster had built a dupli- bought your friendship. I’ve had that
cate of the first Trailblazer for a new all along. We’ll be following the Trail’
try, but right now an army couldn’t blazer / in a little while, and none of
keep order here! Not much time left us knows what’s in store for us. That’s
now, if it’s really going to happen. Hold why I’m telling you thanks, now.”
on, folks, here come more sirens 1 It Abbott got up and walked to one of
looks like . . . moment, please
just a the great windows that formed a bay
yes, it’s. . . in the library. He parted the closed
curtains with a hand and looked out.
“T DON’T give a damn who it is,” said Presently, he said, “I think it’s almost
Nick Brewster, evenly. “I don’t time. They’ve got the searchlights on
want to see anybody.” the ship.”
“He doesn’t want to see anybody,” As he spoke, the windows shivered
Joe Abbott said to the police captain at from the cheering outside. A door
the door. The captain went out quickly, opened, and the police captain was in
but for a moment the confusion and the library. “Mr. Whiteside says the
noise from the rest of the packed house ship is ready, Mr. Brewster. I’ve got
sifted through and marred the silence an escort of fifty men waiting just out-
that lay in the library. side.We’ve cleared the hall.”
“They’re all here,” said Abbott, “Thank you,” said Brewster. He
quietly. “The Hollywood contingent, threw his leather coat over his shoul-
and Wall Street and Washington, and a ders, and as Abbott reached him, be
couple of ambassadors and senators and punched Abbott lightly on the shoulder.
governors. But Governor Horton was “Let ’er go, Joe,” he smiled, and fol-
your father’s best friend. Maybe you lowed the captain out.
could see him without offending the The police had pushed the visitors,
others. He came all the way from distinguished and otherwise, against the
Texas.” walls. As Brewster and Abbott
“To hell with Horton and the rest of emerged from the library, a few people
them,” said Brewster. called to them. Brewster waved a hand
“Nick,” said Abbott, “you can’t perfunctorily and walked swiftly
just
— through the policed lane to the veranda.
Brewster interrupted him with a There he stopped for a moment, blinded
wave of his band. “Not now, Joe. by the series of fiash-bulb explosions as
There isn’t time. We’re different peo- the photographers shot their pictures.
ple, you and I, and you won’t get any “How about a smile, Mr. Brewster?
satisfaction talking to me. Call it any- Waving goodbye?”
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 15

“Mr. Brewster! Mr. Brewster! One Looking through one of a row of cir-
with you and Governor Horton shaking cular portholes in the outer bulkheads,
hands? Just a quick shot, please!” they saw the crimson flash of the
Before Brewster could say anything, rockets light up the countless faces out-
Governor Horton had pushed through side, and the crowds melting away, as
the crowd and had taken Brewster’s if from the heat of the tubes.
hand. As the lights exploded all around Abbott adjusted mouthpiece and ear-
them, Horton said, “I’ve been trying to phones. “Set?” he spoke into the phone
see you all day.” at his lips. “Fire in order, one to six.”
“I know,” said Brewster. “Were you The blasting grew louder, and the peo-
going to tell me what you told the Life ple had disappeared from view. “Fire
reporters in that picture series they in series, one to twenty.”
ran on me? That my father should Instantly, the blasting increased un-
have left his money to a home for mon- til it was a steady, splitting thunder.
grels?” The crimson become tinged with yel-
iow, then faint bits of blue edged into
tJE SHOOK his hand free, and nod- the flames that ringed the ship. One
ding to the captain, started down by one, the searchlights had faced the
the stairs on the two hundred yard walk slender hundred-foot length of the ship,
to the ship, Abbott following. Pande- but they scarcely paled the fire.

monium broke loose. Furious waves of “Cease fire and stand by,” said Ab-
people surged against the protective bott.
dikes of police, screaming, yelling, try- The silence seemed overpowering.
ing to get closer to Brewster. One of Nothing existed now except the metal
the searchlights knifed down and pro- bulkheads of the ship’s bowels, gleam-
vided a brilliant white lane to the ship. ing in dull convolutions of coils and in-
Fantastic showers of confetti filled the struments and meters and and
dials,
air, and the hoarse voices of tens of outside there was darkness pierced by
thousands hammered like a gigantic a circle of cold white eyes. Abbott
drum. Brewster walked on, head down, pressed a finger down on a switch, and
looking neither to right nor left, as if they could hear the quiet mesh of gears
there was no one there. When he as the prow of the vessel began to tilt
reached the glistening ship, Abbott heavenward. Brewster fastened his
caught his hand and held him at the belt and stared out of a porthole. The
massive lock long enough for the pho- ship stopped moving at a sixty degree
tographers to shoot a few pictures, then angle.
both men went in. Over the flat horizon, a fat rust-col-
Inside, Harry Whiteside, who was ored autumn moon waited serenely. A
Abbott’s assistant, gravely shook hands thin layer of clouds lay high in the sky,
with both men, then turned the power tinted underneath with soft orange.
screws that sealed the lock. The rest “Aft tubes only, one to seventy. Fire
of the crew was ready, most of them al- together.”
ready strapped in their heavy belts.
“Fire the port tubes,” said Abbott to
JT WAS over a moment after it had
Whiteside. “That crowd out there is begun, but the moment was an
too close.” He led Brewster forward eternity of pain. There was a single,
to control room, and as they got there, all-encompassing sound, and something
a muffled series of blasts went off. tore at their hearts and throats. There
 —
16 AMAZING STORIES

were endless seconds in which there was a view or the ship would have dropped
no sight, and a mist through which back to Earth before it had cleared the
glittering objects began to take form, a atmosphere! And yet the moon was so
copper wire, a red-gleaming light. enormous before them that they must
There was a moment when being have been very close to it.
ceased, and ever so slowly, thought be- “Is there a telescopic lens in the pro-
came and sluggishly, memory
possible, jector?” asked Brewster.
returned, and Brewster remembered the “No,” said Abbott, trying to shake
distant moment
after Abbott had last off his daze. “We’ve got to go aft and
spoken, and then he had turned in his see what’s happened.”
belt and grinned somberly and tried to He
unhitched his belt and started to
shake hands. And Brewster remem- take a step, then suddenly he grabbed
bered how he had thought: how calm at the belt and held on. His feet had
Joe’s voice is» Then agony, dull and left the deck completely, and he was
insistent and gnawing, and the strain floating in mid-air! He pulled himself
against the glassite belts was beginning down, and all at once Brewster
was
to ease and they could hear it creaking laughing. Abbott looked at him in won-
softly. der, and the laughter had done the trick.
In the vast stillness that followed, “Forgot,” he mumbled, half grinning
Brewster wiped away the tears that had at Brewster. “We’re in free space.
streamed down his face. His vision You’d better put those magnetized shoes
sharpened, and he saw Abbott before on too.” Hurrying now, he unfastened
him. Abbott’s face had frozen in a two pairs of metal-shod shoes from a
mask of astonishment, and the first tiny tier on the bulkhead and threw a pair
cracks of fear were appearing in it. to Brewster. A moment later, both
‘‘Look!*’ Abbott whispered. were clambering down the companion-
But Brewster had already seen it. It way. '

was no trick of his eyes, no after-image. “JoelMr. Brewster! Follow me

The moon, white as plaster, was an quick!” Whiteside had come running
enormous ball, a sphere so great that from the stern and met them halfway.
it completely filled the sky. There was They followed him back to the aft ob-
nothing but its unbelievable immensity servation room. Half the crew was
ahead. there, staring out of the large portholes.
“What’s happened?” said Brewster.
Abbott turned to him slowly and '^HERE, as it appeared, directly be-
shook his head. “I don’t know,” he hind them, was the Earth, a dark,
said. “Something’s gone wrong I We’re blue-green ball. Its proportions, when
much too close 1” they could maneuver themselves into
He turned to a screen that projected such postures as to see all of it at
the rear view from the ship and switched once, were unbelievable. Sometimes
it on. The screen flashed on an image they could see all of it, then, by moving
of a city. They saw a river separating their heads an inch or so, they lost the
the city, and they could make out mass and saw only a segment, but with
bridges, the faint phosphorescence of a such clarity and in such detail that it
ferry’s wake in the water, houses, lights. could have been possible only from an
It was impossible! They couldn’t be airplane hovering a few miles above
so close to Earth Their initial velocity
I Earth. It was utterly impossible to sec
should have taken them far beyond such both the entire diameter of Earth and
 EMPIRE OP JE9GA 17

yet be able to see segments of it in such “Yes. Quickly.”

powerful magnification. But they were “But we’ve got all the stern tubes fir-
seeing it. ing in series and they’ve been set for the
“That we saw said next six hours. You may interfere with
city
Peters, “the one with the river running
before,”
the acceleration and the
—
—
through it that was two cities, St. Paul “Those are orders.”
and Minneapolis. I know them inside “Aye, aye, sir.”
.” Abbott breathed
out. It was like looking through a mag- “Acceleration. . .

nifying glass.” heavily, staring at the control board.

“We’ve got to stop it somehow. .”
“Like . . . looking through a . . mag- . .

nifying Brewster murmured.

glass,” Nick Brewster crossed over to him,
He shifted his head a bit. “It keeps and seizing him by the arms, he shook
happening. Suddenly you get a new Abbott. His voice was cold and deci-
angle and everything grows sharp . . sive when he spoke. “Snap out of itl
they way I thought I saw the Andes What’s wrong?”
mountains in South America, as if it “Wrong?” said Abbott, slowly.

was a relief map, close to us. .” . . “Everything’s wrong. Everything but

“Stand over here,” said Steinberg, these instruments, and they check each
“just where I am. See it? That’s Man- other. And if they’re right, I think I
hattan! There’s the Washington Bridge, know what happened to the Trailblazer

and the Hudson, and there’s Newark /.”

Bay. And if you move just a bit to the “What happened?”

right, you can see Long Island and
those searchlights from where we took
off!”
Abbott brushed a hand across his
face. “It just isn’t possible,” he re-
peated. “Maybe the instruments have
a clue to this.” He turned to the crew,
whose faces revealed the same bewil-
derment that lay on his. “Everybody
— “Look at the planometers. The one
that measures our distance from the
moon. Now look at the timer. We’ve
been up eighteen minutes. Our initial
velocity was 7 miles a second. Allow-
ing a gradual deduction we’re traveling
at approximately 25,000 miles an hour.”
“What are you getting at?”
“Look at the planometers!” cried Ab-

back on duty,” he said. “You can tell bott. “Eighteen and a half minutes now
your alternates what’s happening, but —and we’ve covered 7770 miles. But
keep your heads. We’ll work it out and look at our distance from the moon
let you know.” 50,230 miles! Don’t you see what that
He started after Brewster back to the means?” The veins in his throat were
control room. like iron bands. “The moon isn’t 240,-

Abbott’s practiced eyes swept over 000 miles from Earth It’s less than
1

the banked array of instruments. 60,000! If our instruments are right

Slowly he sank down to his chair and and everything points to it then in a —
spoke into his phone, his hands trem- little more than two hours we’ll crash

bling as they held the mouthpiece. into the moon while we’re still accelerat-
“Harry? Fire all bow tubes. Im- ing!
mediately.”
Whiteside’s puzzled voice rang from CHAPTER II

the earphones from where they lay on

the control board. “Did you say bow ^ICK BREWSTER gripped the steel
tubes?” arms of his chair. “What are you
 .

18 AMAZING STORIES

talking about?” he demanded. the detailed view we get^ Our first two

“It^s all there in the instruments,” seconds of flight carried us beyond such
said Abbott, hoarsely. “T^ey all check. close views.
The distance from the sun to Mars “So something, some agent we don’t
isn^t registering as 141,000,000 miles. know about, makes it appear that we
It says 33,000,0001 The distance from are much closer to Earth than we know
the sun to Mercury isn’t 36,000,000 but we are. That same thing has always
less than a fifth of that! And the vast made everything else appear much far-
distance from the sun to Neptune — al- ther away than we now know they were!
most three billion miles —
registers here Something warps our point of view . .

as less than a thirteenth of that dis- and there’s only one answer to that that
tance!” I can see.”
“The instruments have all gone hay- Brewster waited for him to continue.
wire,” said Brewster. “Even the ratios “It can only be that the dense atmos-
are wrong!” phere of the Earth acts as a lens,” said
Abbott kept staring at the control Abbott. “Looking out into space from
board. “Are the instruments wrong?” Earth is like looking through the wrong
he repeated. “We have evidence here to end of a telescope. Can anything be
show that they’re right. We know the measured accurately when it’s seen
moon is in reality very close to us now. through a magnifying lens a lens —
We have only to look out there to see that’s been turned the wrong way?”
that the meter reading 49,310 miles Abbott switched on the rear view mir-
must be correct. Its size alone tells us ror again and both men looked into it.
that. “Now,” Abbott continued, “we see
“And now, look through this observa- that the converse is true. T^e reason
tion porthole — there — to that green we suddenly see large segments of E^rth
star, that enormous ball of cold fire. It so clearly is because we catch the lens
could only be Neptune, and according right. \^en we do, we see details that
to our charts, it is Neptune. But Nep- only a tremendous magnification could
tune should be invisible to the naked show. It adds up. . .” .

eye! Why do we see it so clearly? Brewster said: “Then we’re going to

Why is the moon so close? Both the in- crash?”
struments and our eyes tell us the same Joe Abbott nodded. “We allowed six
story. Only the measurements that we hours for acceleration and four to ease
always accepted seem wrong. The off in. We set the tubes that way and
measurements must be wrong T* there’s nothing we can do about it.
“But what about the way we see We’re less than two hours from the
Earth?” asked Brewster. moon.”
“The same thing,” Abbott nodded. “And that,” said Brewster, quietly,
“When we see all of the Earth, we see “iswhat happened to the Trailblazer L
*it asshould be seen from 8,000 miles
it Without any means of communicating
away, where we now are. The flaw here with Earth while she was in space, she
is the way we suddenly see parts of it went to her doom.” He pronounced the
so closely. We know, however, that we last word hollowly, as if he were mock-
can’t be as close as we seem to be at ing it. When Abbott looked at him, be-
those times because our initial velocity, cause of the way he had said it, Nick
without which we could never have left Brewster had a faint, bitter grin on his
Earth, must have taken us far beyond face.
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 19

LTALF an hour later the moon had where, for some reason, it clung. When
^ ^ grown so large they couldn’t see the first of the crew came into the con-
all of it at once. It looked like a great trolroom, Brewster was laughing.
ball looselywrapped in shrivelled, pock- “Look at that,” he pointed. ‘T won-
marked skin, and given a slight rosy dered where any cigarette butts disap-
color by the jets of flame from the fore peared to. Thought someone was clean-
rockets. ing up after me.”
*‘Is there a chance?” said Brewster. One by one the crew came into the
“Very slim. We have more power in room, until all twelve were there, stand-
our fore rockets than the first Trail- ing quietly in the narrow confines along
blazer, because we thought maybe that the panels of dials.
was one of the reasons she didn’t land “I’ll make it short and sweet, men,”
safely and we
— said Brewster. “We’re gomg to crash

“You’re repeating yourself,” said on the moon about an hour. If you’re

in

Brewster. “Don’t give me that en- interested in finding out why, Joe Ab-
gineering crap again. Just answer the bott can tell you. It’ll give you some-
question: is there a chance?” thing to do. If you’re not interested,
“I won’t know for another half hour.” maybe you’ll take my suggestion and
Without a word, Brewster got up, lit one of these bottles, and to hell with it.
a cigarette, and walked out of the con- Some of you have been with me be-
trol room. Presently he came back, fore, some of you haven’t, but I know,

lugging a heavy wooden case which he having chosen you carefully, that none
had evidently taken from the supply of you is afraid to die. If you want it,

hold. Then he sat in his wicker chair here it is: the best Scotch on the market,
across the long, narrow room from Joe twenty-year-old stuff. Only hold on
Abbott, looking out at the moon and oc- tight to it, or you’ll have to go after it

casionally glancing at the timer as the with a ladder.”

slow minute hand turned on its axis. Holding the case between his legs,
When the planometer passed 16,000 Brewster passed the first bottle to
Brewster said, “Well, Joe?” Drake. “Thank you, sir,” said Drake,
Abbott shook his head grimly. “If tersely.They followed him in line.

we had another hour and a half, maybe Morrow, Oberman, Rogofsky, Peters,

some of us could live through the crash.
We’ve decelerated 6800 miles per hour,
and at that rate
— side was last and he smacked his lips
“Save it,” said Brewster. “At that
rate only posterity will be interested in
the figures, and none of us are going to
be part of posterity. Call the crew to-
gether here. All of them.”
He took a wrench from the tool rack
and smashed open the case, pausing
long enough to allow Abbott to pipe
the crew. Then, strewing fistfuls of
straw over the metal deck, he started
to take out a bottle when he saw the
straw rising weightlessly from the deck
and moving slowly up to the overhead.
Callahan, Lindstrora, Steinberg, Fred-
ericks, Stewart,Purdom. Harry White-
appreciatively. Some of them spoke,
most of them were silent. They sat
down on the deck, against the bulk-
heads, keeping their metal-shod shoes
as flat as they could.
“Have one?” asked Brewster.
“Don’t mind if I do,” said Abbott.
“Keep the cork in between drinks,”
said Brewster. “Here’s how.”
A few minutes later, Brewster went
out, returning soon afterward with a
portable phonograph and a batch of
records. “Had it specially built for this
20 AMAZING STORIES

trip,” said Brewster. “It has springs to Scotch whiskey grew heavier. Several
keep the pickup in position.” othershad joined in the singing. Mor-
row kept time by beating his bottle
I_TE STOOD over the men, looking gently on the deck. Rogofsky’s eyes
down at them, watching the way were closed. It was very noisy now
their eyes kept turning to the plan- with the singing and the music, and Ab-
ometer. Brewster was an uncommonly bott leaned far over in his fixed chair
tall man, a little over six foot three, and tapped Brewster.
and standing there now he looked taller “Drunk?” he asked.
than ever, and with the little, bitter “Only my first bottle,” Brewster
on him and his cold eyes, he
ironic smile grinned, mirthlessly. “I wish I were.
looked almost satanic. My doctor used to tell me that someday
“Joe,” said Brewster. “Switch the I’d be sorry kept drinking. Well,
if I
planometers off. Nobody’s really inter- I’m sorry now, because now it’s going to
ested inthem anymore.” take too long to get drunk.”
Abbott threw in several switches, and “Zat all you’re sorry for?” asked Ab-
the moon planometer froze at 13,441. bott, swaying the least bit.
Then he got up and pulled steel shutters “That’s all.”
down over the face of the observation “You’re a hard guy, Nick, a really —
ports. The brilliant whiteness that had “Cut it,” said Brewster, sharply. He
been pouring into the room gave way smiled again. “I’m afraid I have to
to the blue-white of artificial light. The give you the same answer as always:
phonograph whirred quietly, and a there isn’t time now. We pioneers don’t
dance band played one of the current philosophize, do we, Joe?” His lips
hit tunes.Brewster turned it up louder curled sarcastically.
and began to whistle along, pausing now “Tell me one thing,” Abbott per-
and then to uncork his bottle. sisted. “You went on this ex exped —
He was putting on the third record . . . ishun just to show them up, didn’t
when Stewart suddenly got to his feet you? Just to ssshhow ’em up.”
and hurled his bottle at the moon plan- “No,” said Brewster. “I went be-
ometer. “Why doesn’t it move?” he cause I wanted to go. It was as simple
shouted. “I’m not afraid Let it
1 as that. I know you don’t understand
move!” The bottle had smashed into it.”

bits,and the fragments of broken glass Abbott’s head rolled loosely. He took
and the liquor hung in odd shapes near histhumb off the neck of his bottle and
the planometer. “Damn it!” Stewart took a long drink. Then he sat there,
raved. “Damn — staring at nothing.
Nick Brewster took two quick steps
to Stewart,spun him around by his '^HE Trailblazer II went plummeting
arm and smashed a fist into his face. down. Little by little, the singing
The impact of the savage blow was died away. Fredericks lurched out of
enough to knock the man off his feet, the room, and they could hear him
and as he fell unconscious to the deck, retching in the companionway. The
Callahan tied him down with a glassite lights twinkled and dimmed and never
belt. The third record began to play, recovered their full power. In the si-
and Rogofsky and Oberman sang the lence a steady hum had become audible,
words thickly. as if it were the momentum of the ship
Minutes passed, and the odor of itself making itself heard, crying a song
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 21

of death as it hurled its long, sleek imperceptibly as an elevator, until it

length down toward the lifeless world
below. The phonograph played on.
Brewster had lost all sense of time
when he got out of his chair. The end
was moments distant, he knew vaguely.
His mind was clear and awake, and a
thousand swift thoughts raced tor-
turously through the various levels of
his consciousness. Even now, he knew,
he was unable to accept the inevitable
blindly, and though part of him re-
coiled at the notion that had seized him,
his desire to know what was happening
was stronger — to be there,
ness to catastrophe, though the evidence
would be buried with him.
His mouth was a thin, set line as he
was no more than fifty feet in the air.
The force of the rockets was being use-
lessly spent in the atmosphere: they
had ceased to affect the ship at all!
And something, some prodigious
might not resident in the ship had
cushioned and eased and stopped its
momentum, and was now holding it in
its grasp!
Staring down, Brewster knew that his
eyes were playing tricks on him. It had
seemed to him that there had been
movement below, that the soil had
a final wit- and that the white rocks were
shifted,
—
moving then the shattering realization
—
was on him because the rocks had
moved! Only they weren’t rocks 1

raised an edge of the steel shutters and
looked through. For a moment he was
blinded by the impact of whiteness on
his eyes. He saw only an illimitable
expanse of chalky land, the outlines
blurred with the colors of the spectrum,
and colored concentric rings swimming
up toward him. Then he saw the sur-
face of the moon, its placid sweep of
empty valleys, its dry ravines, its moun-
tains like ivory sculpture.
They were beings of some sort, life!
Suddenly two thin bars of white sub-
stance reared up from the ground,
higher and higher, until the topmost
ends leaned against the sides of the
ship. There were crossbars all the way
—
up it was a ladder! And now, sep-
arating itself from the ground, some-
thing white was climbing up that ladder
to the ship!
. . .

It was during these fleeting instants CPELLBOUND, Brewster watched

of sight that Brewster realized that the ^ the beingcome up. It was only
ship had stopped falling that she . . . when was a few feet below
the thing
hovered perhaps a hundred feet over the that he —
saw it was human or as near
surface of the moon! human as any living creature could be
Dazed momentarily, Brewster let the without actually being human. It was
shutters fall, and whirling around, he a man, no more than five feet tall, with
climbed through the squatting men and a pale skin and deep, luminous, black-
raced down the companionway to the red eyes, and hair the color of platinum.
stern of the ship. There he saw that the He was swathed in a voluminous white
aft rockets were still spitting their cloak that blended perfectly with the
powerful fire. There was power enough landscape, and it was only when his
in them to have buried the ship in the head appeared from under the cloak
crash . . . but they hadn’t crashed I that Brewster understood why he had
What had stopped them? thought at first that the rocks were
The ship was levelling offl Slowly, moving.
the stern came down until the vessel When the man had climbed to the
was hovering parallel to the surface! level of the ship, he clenched his hands
It continued to drop foot by foot, as and began beating against the sides.
 AMAZING STORIES

Brewster heard the faint boom of his Joe Abbott stirred and looked
hammering and did nothing. The man through his helmet at Brewster. His
reached inside his cloak and held a eyes unconsciously darted down to the
cone-shaped rod in his hand, and from wrist watch he had hidden under a
the apex of the cone a thin, green stream and suddenly
sleeve of his leather coat,
like liquid fire played on the metal sides. he was roused. He got up unsteadily
It had no effect on the ship. and took Brewster’s arm.
Then, quite by accident, though the “What happened?” His voice echoed
man seemed alarmed and was looking through the helmet speaker with metal-
about, the man’s eyes lifted until he lic resonance.
looked through the stern port where “See that the men are all right,”
Brewster was standing, and his eyes met Brewster snapped, “then come to air
Brewster’s. lockl” Something was telling him to
What was he saying? Brewster hurry.
gazed into the ruby eyes and watched
the man gesticulate and mouth
little ‘Y^/'HEN he got back to the lock there
phrases. He was trying to tell Brewster was no hesitation. He threw in
something. He was indicating that its power switch and stood back.
Brewster come down, that he leave the Slowly, the massive door began to swing
ship. Was this, thought Brewster, one open. Brewster had fastened a glassite
of the beings responsible for the mighty belt around his middle, expecting a
force that had inexplicably saved the tremendous rush of air from the ship
vessel? Why was he so perturbed? to the outside, but when it came its
What made him assume that Brewster, mildness amazed him.
or the men in the ship, were friendly be- With the door opened, he gripped
ings? Why did he seem to think that the edge and peered out over the side.
they could leave the ship at all? There was no movement down below,
His mind working slowly, still un- but the man on the ladder at the stem
able to comprehend fully what had hap- was still there, still hammering. As
pened, Brewster gazed at the man and Brewster’s helmeted head stuck out of
saw his chest moving, saw his nostrils the ship, the man saw him.
dilate. He was ... but of course he was All at once, another ladder seemed to
breathing. Why shouldn’t . . . Brewster raise itself from the ground, reaching up
shook his head violently. He had to be to the lock. As the first man swiftly
able to think clearly. The man was slid down his ladder, a second appjeared,
trying to tell him something, something climbing up the new ladder. Up he
that was evidently of great importance. came, several rungs at a time, until his
Suddenly Brewster had made his de- head was level with Brewster’s feet.
cision. Back he ran, down the ship, to He looked up at Brewster, and Brew-
the vaulted doors of the air lock, ster’s hand tightened on the automatic
paused, a moment, then went into the pistol he held.
control room. The men looked up at “Quick ” said the man. “How many
!

him would be impossible

in a stupor. It of you are there?”
to rouse them. He opened a stowage He had spoken in English in . . .

chamber and began piling out oxygen slightly accented, yet unmistakably ac-
helmets and tanks. Laboriously, he curate English!
fixed a helmet on each of the men, “Answer at once I” the man cried.
and took one himself. “How many?”
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 23

“Fourteen,” Brewster choked. ciently dense to breathe. He found

“Take them out at once!” the man nothing strange in this; matters had
cried. “Come down below to us as long since passed the stage of normal
quickly as you can! Your lives depend reaction.
on it!” Several men had already assembled
Brewster turned back toward the at the lock,and Abbott came in, drag-
control room, and in turning he bumped ging Tom Drake. “You think you can
into Joe Abbott. Abbott was standing go down yourself, Peters?” said Brew-
there as if paralyzed. sters. “And you, Callahan?” Both
“Come on!” Brewster shouted, men nodded, though they seemed to be
having trouble standing erect. “Go
CHAPTER III ahead,” Brewster said. He lifted Drake
like a sack and slowly edged back on
T)Y THE time Brewster had half car- the ladder. By the time he had reached
^ ried the first of thecrew to the lock, bottom, Peters and Callahan were gone.
the man had disappeared from the lad- He put Drake down, and a cloak
der. When he looked down there was swirled up and hands pulled Drake
no one in sight! away, under it.

Brewster regarded Abbott and said, He started the long, perilous climb
tersely, “You’re too unsteady. Get the up again, fatigue pulsing through him,
men in here. I’ll carry them down.” numbing bis body. Abbott had taken
He lifted Stewart’s inert form over his the helmets off the others and had
strong shoulders and lowered himself to doused them with water, but only Pur-
the ladder. The ladder was as smooth dom seemed to be aware of his sur-
as glass to his touch. It was a long roundings. Lindstrom had struggled
way down. to his feet, and Rogofsky was blinking
Reaching bottom, he stepped care- his eyes and groaning weakly. The
fully on the crusty soil and deposited others were too drunk to move or do
Stewart, then quickly went up again. more than look around, stupefied.
Almost at the top, he glanced down. At a word from Brewster, Purdom
Stewart had disappeared, and on the started down, and Lindstrom, stagger-
spot where Brewster had left him, only ing, went after him. Doggedly, Brew-
his helmet remained! ster lifted Rogofsky up and went back
Suddenly the soil moved, and Brew- to the ladder. He saw only Purdom
ster saw what had happened. There climbing down, halfway from the
were many men down below, all of ground. A few feet from the bottom
them carefully camouflaged with white of the ladder he saw Lindstrom. He
cloaks. When they lay quietly on the had fallen and hit the ground in a gro-
ground, and the stiff cloaks formed hap- tesque posture. A cloak moved to him
hazard folds, they were indistinguish- and covered him up, and the man who
able from the terrain. One of these had been under the cloak began to climb
men had hidden Stewart with a cloak. swiftly up the ladder.
Now he reached for the helmet he had The little man reached the ship.
taken off Stewart and covered that. “Leave the others!” he said. “The
Startled, Brewster climbed into the Jeggites are coming. To be caught by
ship and took off his own helmet. The them is death ” He pointed toward the
!

first experimental breath reassured him. horizon. A clustering group of dark

The air was cold and dry, but suffi- stains were advancing.
 24 AMAZING STORIES

*‘But we can’t leave these men here!” There, on the brow of a hill, thirty
cried Abbott. yards away, stood three strange ve-
“Help Rogofsky down, Joe,” said hicles. They looked like deep bowls
Brewster, quickly. “I’ll take Morrow balanced on a tripod of three wheels.
instead.” They were colored a dead, dusty white
“But what about — that might have remained invisible even
“We’ll come back for them.” though they had stopped on the crest
He eased Rogofsky down after Ab- of the hill and higher hills behind them
bott. The moment they were clear he had to supply protective blending. But
ran down the companionway to the men came out of the vehicles, four men
stowage hold. A moment later, carry- out of each of them, looking up at the
ing an enormous carton, he returned and Trailblazer II.
stooped down under Morrow, adjusting They looked like men, though they
both burdens. Powerful as he was, his were utterly unlike the little white men
face tightened in pain as he reached the who had concealed Brewster and the
ladder, and oddly enough, a single others. They were tall, at least six feet
thought went through his mind. With in height, dark-visaged, and dressed in
the lesser gravity of the moon he should tight-fitting uniforms of black, shining
have felt much more weightless, much cloth, with peaked caps on their heads.
stronger. But he felt only weariness, Brewster felt the anticipatory chill
and the ground below seemed to waver of danger as he regarded them. These
as he gripped the ladder with one hand. were undoubtedly advance guards of
the larger group that he had seen from
'^HE little man remained in the ship the ship. They seemed uneasy as their
until Brewster was halfway down, eyes swept the valley below the vessel.
then followed. He jumped down the They waited for minutes, without
last rungs and began tipping the ladder speaking to each other, until the larger
over. Abbott cried out and clutched party reached them.
the ladder, starting to say something, There were perhaps fifty men all
when Nick Brewster gripped his arms. told, standing abreast in a lo‘ng, precise
Abbott wrenched free and Brewster column that extended over the hill. As
pursued, winding his arms around Ab- they started down into the valley, be-
bott’s throat, pulling him down. hind them an enormous vehicle rolled
From somewhere a huge cloak was up to the crest. was made of a dull,
It
thrown over the struggling men, and reddish, substance, mounted on numer-
hands pulled at them until they both fell ous wheels, its sides covered with gleam-
over, lost in the folds and choking in ing instruments beside which black-clad
the swirling particles of dust.
Relent attendants walked, keeping pace with
lessly, Brewster tightened his mur- the machine. From the top of the ma-
derous embrace. chine protruded a squat, hollow tube
“You must be quiet!” a voice close like a cannon, revolving with the ease
to them whispered. “Our one chance of a weathervane as the vehicle moved,
against the Jeggites is surprise.” A so that the tube remained always
body moved cautiously, close to them, pointed at the Trailbrazer II, high
parting the folds until a transparent above them.
portion of the concealing cloak was
disclosed . . . and suddenly, Abbott OURNING with curiosity, Brewster
stopped fighting. watched the long column march
 EMPIRE Of JEGGA 25

into the valley. He felt an intense ad- number of the dead tall men, had been
miration for their precision, for their killed,but the outcome of the battle
silentthoroughness. They were mili- had never been in doubt. The tall men
tary men, he knew, and . . . had been outnumbered at least six to
At that moment, without an instant’s one.
warning, dozens of fiery green streaks Already many of the little men were
of light blazed into being 1 There was running out of the valley. Numerous
a scarcely audible hissing sound, and voices called out in English for the men
more than half of the advancing column from the TraUblazer to follow. The
tumbled over and rolled down the rest men hesitated in confusion, for though
of the hill. Half the remaining men the monstrous battle they had witnessed
fell flat on the ^ound, taking whatever had swiftly restored their minds, they

cover was afforded by the lined, pitted
valley, and from their hands, holding
small cones, came an answering
not a haphazard, wild spray, but a series
of patient thrusts, each to one of the
heard Abbott shouting for them to wait
— and they saw that somehow the Trail-
fire blazer had settled down until it now
hovered no more than ten feet from the
ground 1

spots where green light had issued.
The other half of the platoon raced
back to the bowls, but before they had
reached them the peaks that sur-
rounded the valley, that towered over
the low hill, were filled with more of
the green, thin flames. Man
slumped over as the concealed fire kept
blazing. There was no knowing which
arid spot of land would suddenly be-
come a deadly stream of fire. But the
men in black never wavered, never
broke.
Somehow they contrived to give each
other a secret signal, and
they began backing to the vehicles, fir-
ing steadily as they retreated. Of the
more than fifty who had been
moment before, three lived long
to gain their vehicles. Of these, one
toppled over at the door. The second
vehicles remained where it stood. The
third whirred and slowly moved away.
Immediately there was action in the
valley. Scores of cloaks were swept
aside and gathered up. The man in
Abbott was running back toward the
ship.
“Go back!” a dozen voices screamed
in alarm.
—
“There is no ” Several of
the little men were running after him
when Brewster knifed through their
after man ranks, hurled his body forward and
brought Abbott down.
At that moment the TraUblazer* bow
kicked into the air. A muffled explo-
sion roared out and a jagged hole ap-
peared just short of the prow. A sec-
ond, than a third blast rocked the
ground together, and the thunder of the
all together explosions, freed by the gaping wounds
in the ship, rolled out from the stricken
vessel with such force that the rush
there a of air alone knocked scores off their
enough feet. Again and again some mighty
agent within the ship roared, blowing
away huge sections of metal, strewing
the valley with debris and dust. Finally
the midship smashed apart, flying in
every direction, and seeming to do it
so slowly that it looked like a terrible
flower blossoming. . . .

Brewster’s cloak scrambled to his feet;

he was holding a cone he hadn’t had AXTHEN it was over, and Brewster
' '
occasion to use. There were hundreds and Abbott arose, they saw, with-
of the little men in the valley. A large out fully understanding, that many of
number of them, more than twice the the little men had been killed by the
 ”

26 AMAZING STORIES

convulsive explosion of the ship. And neers on the first Trailblazer with Dr.
of their own, Morrow’s face had been John Stevens. .” The corpses were
. .

splattered away by a chunk of metal. mummified and shrivelled, the features

He lay dead, a few feet from the re- scarred and broken.
mains of Lindstrom. “You see,” said the little man, ear-
Four men had been left in the ship. nestly. “Only six survived out of the
There was nothing there now but sec- entire crew. Though the Jeggites had
tions of molten carcass. A fire licked been waiting for a ship to leave your
yellowly in the white sand. world for centuries, they were unpre-
His head still reeling from the impact pared when it came, and it crashed. Of
of the sound, Brewster heard faintly the six survivors, we know that Dr.
the cries of the little men. They were Stevens is still a prisoner of the Jeg-
pointing to the direction from which the gites, and perhaps three others are still
had come. Far off, a new black
Jeggites alive.” The little man’s eyes glinted
wave was speedily advancing toward as he looked at the bodies. “But these
them! two men were tortured to death. We
Brewster remembered little after stole their bodies from a ship that in-
that. He and the others fled, following tended to carry them away —
the little men. Misty impressions re- “But we don’t undestand,” said Ab-
mained in his mind; the sight of many bott. Wearily, he brushed a hand
little men who stopped running and lay across his face. “We don’t know what
down again under their white cloaks, you’re trying to tell us. All this about
waiting to ambush the new pursuers. the Jeggites and. ... We don’t even
The pools of drying blood ... the known how you speak our lan-
sudden surge of bitterness as he re- guage. . .

membered leaving the carton behind Abbott turned to Brewster, as if to

. .the tremendous exhilaration he
. speak to him, but changed his mind
felt when he finally climbed out of the when he looked at Brewster’s curious
valley, as if he were flying, for every expression. Brewster shrugged as if to
step sent him bounding into the air, say that it was useless. They had been
covering twenty feet at a leap! talking to one, then another of the lit-
It was the same for the others from tle men, and the hurried conversations
the ship —
as if invisible shackles had had all been the same —
nervous, repe-
been broken. They leaped high above titious explanations that got nowhere,
their guides, frequently outdistancing that explained nothing ultimately,
them and forced to wait. Once, when though they seemed overburdened with
Brewster looked behind, he saw green fact.
flame again in the valley, and dark bod- All that time there had been feverish,
ies falling. And then, running into a though it seemed aimless, activity
tortuous zigzag of peaks, a small cav- around them. They were standing in
ernous opening gave from a mountain- one corner of an enormous-domed cav-
side, and they were following the little ern, and there were scores of the little
men into the shelter of darkness. . . . men about. They had been leaving and
arriving in steady streams through the
“’Y'ES,” said Brewster, slowly, star- winding catacombs buried in the bowls
* ing down at the two mutilated of the mountain. Many of them sat
bodies. “Their names were Hoake and along the tiers that formed an amphi-
Worth. They were combustion engi- theatre of the cavern, little beings
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 27

wrapped in their white shrouds, looking “Save your breath,” said Brewster.
pale and ill in the light that flared from “Can’t you see they’re all idiots? He’s
numerous torches. told us a dozen times that these Es-
“But you see we do speak your lan- tannars rule them, and one of them
guage,” said the little man, as if he seems to be expected, so let’s wait for
were helpless in the face of the fact. that.”
“Our spies among the Jeggite servants “You do no understand,” said the
learned it from the men of ypur first little man. “The Estannars do not
expedition, and the Estannar teachers rule us. Only the Jeggites rule.” Ha-
taught it to all. People of all the races tred blazed in his voice so fiercely that
can speak it. We learn it as the lan- it gave a new dimension to this vapid,
guage of freedom.” muddled being. “The Jeggites rule
“What kind of freedom?” said Brew- the Borons, Estannars, Ermos, Phy-
ster. lades, Hruthes. .”
. He broke off,
.

The man frowned and looked

little as unable to continue a
if list so terri-
more helpless than ever. He answered ble to him.
in a tone that implied that his answer Sudden, keen interest flickered on
was very obvious. “We want only one Brewster’s expressionless face. “You
—
freedom freedom from the Jeggites.” mean thes< Jeggites rule the moon, and
His anxious eyes looked from Brewster all the races of the moon are rebelling
to Abbott and traveled along the faces against them?” The little man nod-
of the other men. “You do not believe ded and would have spoken if Brewster
me,” he said, “but soon one of the Es- had let him. “Think of it!” said
tannar will be here. He will tell you Brewster, softly, with an ironic twist
the same things, and then you will know on his lips. “The barren moon! Hun-
they are true.” dreds of thousands of people of differ-
He gestured toward the mummified ent races, locked in a terrific fight
bodies. “That is why we kept these against one of them!”
—
bodies to show you that we spoke the There was a fresh burst of activity
truth, and that you must go with the at the far end of the cavern and a string
Estannar when he comes to take you of torches emerged from one of the tun-
away.” nels that gave into it. As if it were a
“Take us away?” said Abbott, per- long awaited signal, the men seated in
plexed. “Where?” tiers rose and a subdued murmur
“To safety, where you can help in swept up into the half-darkness.
the plan of the Estannars.” The torchlight revealed a man walk-
“Who are the Estannars?” ing quickly toward the group of hu-
“They are our teachers. Some of mans. His rapid stride parted the
them were sent here to live with us and white cloak, which, like his torch-bear-
direct our tasks. Everyone knew that ers and escort, he wore, and revealed
once a ship had come from your world an undergarment that looked like a
of Kren, others would follow. The Es- suit of mesh armor, composed of ham-
tannars worked out the plan to steal mered, beaten rings, gleaming.as bright,
you from the Jeggites.” fiery gold. He was scarcely taller than
the men around him, but he appeared
A BBOTT groaned in despair. He to tower over them. It might have
said to Brewster: “What do you been his erect carriage, or the way he
make of this mess?” held his head— he had a high, impos-
 ” ” ”

26 AMAZING STORIES

ing forehead and wore his blond hair
—
short but whatever it was, there was
something purposeful and strong about
him.
When he stopped before the Earth-
men, standing on the other side of the
dead, leathery-hued corpses, and looked
plunged into a situation of enormous
complexity. At this moment the most
important element of that situation is
its danger. Though you have had no
part in its creation, that danger threat-
ens you more immediately than any of
us. I speak not only of the danger to

at each man individually, they met the your lives. It is much more than that.
frankness of his steady, blue eyes. He But since I cannot undertake speaking
was a very handsome man by an Earth- to you now, I can only ask for your
ly standard, which was the only stand- trust and your willingness to follow
ard one could have applied to him, for me.”
therewas no difference at all between “Where?” said Brewster.
him and an Earthman. “I want to avoid the questions that
He said: “Do you have a spokes- must follow that answer.”
man?” Brewster said: “I’m afraid you can’t
“I’m the spokesman,” said Brewster. avoid them.”
“I am Dramon, an Estannar. Tell “Very well,” said Dramon. “Our
me your names.” plans are almost completed. We are
taking you to Estannar.”
'^HE Estannar stepped around the “I thought Estannar was the name
^ corpses and shook hands, like an of a race.”
Earthman, first with Brewster, then Dramon breathed in audibly. “It is
with each of the men as Brewster gave name of the place where that
also the
theirnames: Abbott, Stewart, Peters, You know Estannar as the
race lives.
Callahan, Drake, Purdom and Rogof- planet Venus.”
sky. “There were six more of us,” said In the stunned silence, the Estan-
Brewster, “who were
— nar’s intelligent eyes traveled over the
“I know,” said Dramon. “They semi-circle of men before him. “Yes,”
were lost in your escape from
— he nodded, slowly, “it is an overwhelm-
“Four of them were blown up!” Ab- ing conception for you. I under-
bott interrupted suddenly. The anger stand. . . .

and baffled helplessness that had “The universe is filled with life-
churned in him overflowed, as if here, life that will appear familiar to you,
finally, was someone who could be held andlife so strange that its existence will

accountable. “We don’t know where be utterly incomprehensible. There

we are,” he said, “or what we’ve gotten are different races on each of the plan-
into, but whatever
— ets, and there are many breeds among
“Suppose you let me tell you,” said these races. All the life of the universe,
Dramon, quietly. A brief smile lit his save yours, is the domain of the Jeg-
face up. “We seem be interrupting
to gites —
the inhabitants of the planet you
each other. Since we have little time call Mars. The Jeggites ... the

now, and I have the answer to the count- Martians are the lords and con-
. . .

less questions I know must be in your querors of the universe.

minds, me tell you what I think you
let “The Martians have waited centu-
have to know immediately.” ries for mankind to come, for only you

He made a little gesture with his can help them complete their conquest.
hands and he said, “You have been Only through you can they hope to
 ” —
EMPIRE OF JEGGA 29

conquer the planet we call Kren, and Dramon held his fists closed so tight-
which you call Eaith.” ly that white spots appeared over his
knuckles. “The Martians were wait-

fsJlCK BREWSTER tried to find co- ing for a ship like yours,” he said. “Our
^
herence in the chaos of his mind. sciences never mastered metals. We
He looked away from the blond man created what your Dr. Stevens called
before him, then he looked back again. a plastic civilization. Our plastics

His lips moved uncertainly, and finally burned where your metals didn’t. That
he laughed. It was a troubled laugh. is why we destroyed your ship to —
He didn’t know where to begin. make certain that it did not fall into

He said: “You’re saying that you the hands of the Martians.”

I mean all of you, these different races The Estannar held up a restraining

you speak of—can space-travel?” hand as Brewster said something about

“Interplanetary commerce existed a Stevens. Brewster flushed and went on

thousand years ago. Our sciences de- speaking, but Dramon turned from him
veloped differently, more quickly on to the others, and instead of raising his

some planets than others but in many voice as Brewster had done, he spoke

ways interplanetary science far out- more quietly.

strip^ your own. The destructive “I cannot hope for your understand-
power alone of the Martians is prodi- ing,” he said. “The Martians are be-

gious, though
— yond your understanding. The uni-
“If the the Martians,” said
. . .
verse they rule is an empire built on
Brewster, pronouncing the word hesi- hatred and violence. Its teeming bil-
tantly, “wanted to conquer Earth, why lions of people are the slaves of Mars
didn’t they try?” in one form or another, and all, to

“They’ve never stopped trying. The varying degrees, pay it tribute. Mars
atmosphere that surrounds the Earth, is a world of unreason, with a morality

hardly paralleled in density anywhere of its own, a morality so repugnant to

in the solar system, created such fric- the rest of the universe that it has

tion that the Martian vessels were fought the Martians for centuries.
burned. Martian vessels have reached “You are now part of that fight. You
the Earth, but only as cinders.” belong among us. But whether or not
Brewster said: “It didn’t burn our —
you want to help us for potentially
ship.” you are the greatest of our allies re- —
The Estannar made his gesture turning to your own world is now im-
again, turning his palms outward and possible. Therefore, I must again ask

closing his fists. “I must ask you again
to trust me. I can tell you everything,
but not now. There is no time, be-
lieve me.”
Brewster’s eyes were clouded as he
stared at the Estannar.
know anything,” he
begin to understand you, let alone trust
said.
you. All we know is we’re in the mid-
dle of something that’s so big it
it . . Brewster said: “We’ve no rea-
son to trust you.”
you: will you come with me?”
The Estannar stepped back and re-
garded the men, and then, as he saw
their eyes turn to Nick Brewster, he
waited for Brewster to speak.
“We don’t
“We don’t
^A CHANGE
ster.
had come over Brew-
Listening to the Estannar,
a host of conflicting thoughts and emo-
. . . tions had raced through him. His deep-
set eyes glinted greyly as he asked,
“Would you say that the things you’ve
 ” ” ” ”

30 AMAZING STORIES

told us are facts — or opinions?” to be more our kind.”

“Facts.” The Estannar said, “You speak more
“No one would disagree with you?” to your friends than to me, but I do
Brewster persisted, quietly. “There not see how you can think the Mar-
aren’t races . . . individuals, people, tians might be more your
—
say, who see these things a little differ- Brewster interrupted. “Do we have
ently?” a choice?”
“What are you trying to say?” “Earthmen!” said Dramon. “Speak
Brewster stroked his chin reflective- for yourselvesi Brewster will not be-
ly. “I’m saying it,” he said. “I don’t lieveme, but what do you say, Drake?
see why we must assume you’re telling And you, Purdom?” He had remem-
the truth.” bered the names perfectly. “What have
Somberly, Dramon said: “It is a you to say, Abbott?”
tragic fact that since I am of Estannar, Joe Abbott said: “I believe you, if
I always speak the truth. I cannot only because you saved our lives.”
lie.” “Did he?” Brewster snapped. “We
Nick Brewster smiled. “I won’t pre- were stopped from crashing by a ma-
tend to understand that. do know, I chine, but the Martians had that ma-
”
however, that every fight has two sides. chine !

At least two. It might just happen that “What you say is true,” the Estannar
we had fallen on one side, when we admitted, as the men waited. “The
might have chosen the other, given our Martians had the machine, but it was
choice.” stolen from us. We Estannars, Venu-
The men who were stand-
white sians, invented the machine long ago,
ing behind
little

Dramon came in closer. anticipating

—
Softly, the Estannar said, “You might “Not interested!” said Brewster.
choose . . .conquest murder
. . . “We don’t know whose the machine
. . . slavery . . . injustice?” was. We know the Martians used it.
“It depends,” said Brewster. “It de- If we’re to be thankful for being alive,
pends on your point of view.” He faced we'llthank theml”
his companions as he went on. “Not “It seems to me, Mr. Brewster
—
that we approve of murder, but mur- Glenn Purdom began.
der, violence, injustice even if — they “Shut up!” said Brewster.
exist —are just words, opinions. The Dramon said: “But their purpose in
—
Indians of our west burned people saving you was only to
alive,and from their point of view they Brewster demanded: “Do you have
were right because they were defending a choice?”
themselves. The pioneers conquered
them, and from their point of view they '^HEVenusian let his hands fall limp-
were right because they needed land ly to his sides,‘^o,” he said, very
where they could live. If you, as an quietly. “There never has any ques-
Estannar, landed in the Indian country tion of a choice. You forget that more
a hundred years ago, the Indians would than your desires are involved.” He
have told you that the pioneers were flung his cloak over his shoulders and
conquerors and murderers, but it would spoke a few words in a strange tongue
be only a partial truth. Maybe, if to the little men around him. They
you’d had a choice, you’d have chosen cried out his orders, and the cavern
the pioneers. Maybe they’d turn out echoed with their voices. “You will do
 EMPIRE OP JEOOA 31

as I say,” said the Venusian to the
Earthmen. “If you disobey, we
be forced tokill you.”
“That,” Brewster sneered,
anny enforced by murder.”
Dramon nodded. “If you prefer.”
The little men had come pouring
down from the overhanging tiers. They
formed triple lines along the cavern
floor, each of them holding a cone in
rows of figures swathed in cloaks, mov-
will ing forward silently like bleached shad-
ows in a white fog. Though full real-
“is tyr- ization of what had happened to him
and his men had not yet come, nor
would it for some time, strangely, it
seemed to Nick Brewster that of all the
things that were going on in his mind,
the memory of home was the most un-
real. . . .

his hands. At a signal, they started

walking quickly into one of the tun- A N HOUR later the column stopped.
nels from which many of them had Dramon went ahead, returning in
come. Torchbearers went in with them ten minutes to ask the Earthmen to fol-
at regular intervals, as the immense ca- low him forward again. When the
vern emptied its lights into the tun- group reached the head of the column,
nel, it grew more shadowy and dimen-’ they were once more in a cavern. This
sionless. cavern was very long and narrow, cross-
When half the little men had gone in, ing the tunnel at a right angle, like the
Dramon told the Earthmen to follow. cross-bar of a capital T.
All eight men preceded him, and behind Four other Venusians were there,
Dramon came the rest of the little men. standing around a jutting stone on which
The tunnel roof was low enough to lay a mass of tunics made of the shin-
force all the Earthmen except Rogof- ing armor which Dramon alone of these
sky to stoop. There was no sound now five wore. When the Earthmen came
save the patter of hundreds of feet in into the cavern, the Venusians started
soft, powdery soil. The dust rose in a to give each of them one of the tunics.
thick pail through which the torches Dramon stopped them, speaking to
burned feebly. The men coughed as them in a foreign tongue.
they trudged on, holding bits of rags Dramon said: “Come with me.” The
to their mouths, feeling along the devi- Earthmen followed him into the cross-
ous turnings of the tunnel. The cough- bar for a few hundred feet, swallowed
ing grew more painful, the dust thicker, up in darkness. They heard Dramon
like a hot, dry mist. scratching and digging, then something
Once, when the torches ahead disap- heavy rolled away from the wall of the
peared around an abrupt turn, and cross-bar.
those behind had not come up quickly They were looking out on a vast
enough to break the sudden descertt of plain. It was nightbound, but its face
darkness, Brewster was startled by was clearly illumined by what seemed
something that glowed weirdly, swing- to be great black pots of fire. The fire
ing near him. It turned out to be the was unlike any the Earthmen had ever
luminous dial of Abbott’s watch. The seen. Th6 tongues of flame spread out
hands said 5:40. Wildly, Brewster evenly in all directions, forming a blaz-
thought: Six hours ago I was ing rosette, and what little movement
home. . . . there was in each of these many petals
The tunnel straightened and inclined of fire was slow and almost purposeful.
down for a short distance, and Brews- The came from these pots of
light that
ter peered ahead and saw the ghostly fire was white, faintly tinged with am-
32 AMAZING STORIES

ber, and this light too was evenly spread sloping fins, and tiny lighted windows

over the plain. head like many sightless eyes. It

Two hundred yards away, one-third
hidden in a pit, though they saw all of
it because they were looking down, was
a spear-shaped ship. It was like a
queer, bright orange fish, with huge.
in its
was about four hundred feet long.
Beyond the ship were other ships,
none of them very near. They were of
varying shapes and colors and most of
them were larger than the orange ves-
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 33

The litrie velUy we* « hellof flaming greefl fayi and batHing men. Thw
in a fufh of blinding illumination a «pace »hlp leaped toward the *ky

sel. In the center of the plain were From behind the orange ship, a bowl-

several low buildings. Most of them shaped vehicle rolled away. Far over
were circular and lights blazed in them. to the left, a small vessel shot into the
People were moving about on the plain, sky. It left a trail of glowing cinders
but there were not more than ten near behind it. When its roar and sibilant

the orange ship. These were all men hissing died away it was quiet again.
dressed in black. Dramon pushed the stone back in
34 AMAZING STORIES

place and shut off the view. The Earth- “If you prefer,” said Dramon.
men had heard footsteps passing them He said something to one of the lit-
in the cross-bar all this time. One or tle men, and his words were passed
two torches along the shallow length along. In a moment, down the length
of the cavern revealed that the little of the cross-bar at intervals of a few
white men had all taken positions par- feet, the little men pulled away stones
allel to the Earthmen. that blocked the cavern off from the
“That ship you saw not far away,” plain below the mountain slope.
said Dramon, “was waiting to take you “Stay here until you are told to
to Mars. The Martians arc confused leave,” said Dramon.
by what has happened. Most of the He raised an arm quickly and
armed strength of their colonial regi- brought it A moment later he
down.
ments are scouring the lighted portions jumped out of the cavern and started
of Boron, your moon. At a given sig- running down the mountainside, and
nal we will all come out of the moun- behind him came a wave of the white
tain and seize that ship. It is a war- men, the Borons. Another long row
ship, faster than most, and with a good of Borons swept out of the shallow cav-
start, it may outdistance all pursuit, or, ern, then a third, a fourth.
if overtaken, it will have a good chance The first row was almost halfway
of fighting its way out.” down before the group of black-clad
“Where do you intend taking us?” Martians saw them coming. They
Brewster asked. hardly had a chance to do more than
“I don’t know,” said Dramon. “My that. They dropped to their knees,
orders will come later.” and scores of thin green lances were
Brewster asked: “What happens if already piercing them. One by one
the attack fails?” they flopped over.
Suddenly the pots of fire nearest the
other Venusians arrived, car- orange ship flared up in streamers of
There was
rying the armor tunics. flame. In an instant it had spread over
a hurried consultation between them the field. The petals seemed to join
and Dramon, and when it was over one hands and form single, immense pyra-
of them took all the armor and went mids of fire that lighted the field with
back with it. The other three stayed. the brilliance of sunlight. From far
Dramon then answered Brewester. off a series of chiming, high-pitched
“If we fail, death is the best alterna- notes sounded. And now the pots of
tive. The worst is capture by the Mar- fire died down to a dull, eerie glow that
tians. Remember the bodies of the seemed darker than night, with one fan-
men from the first ship.” tastic difference —the Borons were
He looked up at Brewster in the clearly visible in that glow, though
gloom. “What you are thinking is cor- nothing else was!
rect,”he said. “I decided against giv- Martians had long since come pour-
ing you the armor. Since you will have ing out of surrounding vessels, meeting
no part in the fighting, you will be in the attack. Now they were lost in the
no danger if we succeed. If we failed, darkness. Lines of Borons, gleaming
it would only aid in your capture.” with phosphorescence wherever their
Brewster said: “You mean the Mar- skin showed, swept past the place where
tians want us alive, but if you fail it’ll the orange ship had been, carrying the
be easier for you to kill us this way.” battle ever deeper into the plain. The
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 35

Borons covered themsdves with their for thecone-shaped rods each had car-
white cloaks, and as long as they re- ried. He
found them and got up.
mained under them, were as invisible The other men had sensed and felt,
as the Martians. From their weapons rather than seen, what he had done.
came streams of green fire that covered Abbott cried out some incoherent query.
the plain with planned, intricate pat- The sound of the brief scuffle and Ab-
terns as delicate as spider-webs. bott’s voice brought approaching foot-
steps.
\^HERE the green burst against a “Duck outside!” Brewster whispered
’ ship, it spluttered up momentarily fiercely. He grabbed at the men nearest
hishowers of sparks. Where green an- him and shoved them through the holes.
swered green, other streams of fire, sud- He jumped out after them and waited
denly coming into existence under the for the others. He couldn’t be sure that
level of the patterns, put an end to those they were all there, so he whispered,
answers. “Up the mountain. Hold hands and
All at once there were lines of liquid jump.” He clutched hands on either
firepouring down from twenty feet side of him, then leaped up as high as
above the plain. Again and again a he could. He landed sooner than he
score of green streaks would stab all expected; the slope was very steep at
around it, until the overhead attack that point, and as the men crashed into
would stop, but only from that one it, their line broke. They felt for each
spot. The Martians, with strength ac- other again and jumped once more, un-
customed to much greater gravities, evenly this time.
were leaping high into the air Their I A pencil of green fire careened over
targets were frequentlyvisible, and their heads, seeking them out. The men
several Martians had leaped past the scrambled for shelter, lying flat against
fourth line of Borons, to attack them the slope. The green came closer, The
from the rear, from everywhere at once. sound of their breathing was giving
The field was a silent chaos of mo- them away. Brewster fumbled with
tion, motion that was described only in the green cones, but nothing happened.
terms of light. Little by little the Bor- A beam of fire bit off pieces of rock
ons edged deeper, cutting a clear path near him. A second beam joined it.

of destruction behind which there was

"DREWSTER crawled away a few
calm and
tle
solid darkness.
the green fires died away.
Little by
Suddenly
lit-
^ and feet got to his knees. He took
lights streamed out of the portholes of a deep breath, tensed his muscles as
the orange ship. he crouched, and let go. His leap car-
“Now!” cried one of the Venusians ried him at least fifty feet down the
to the Earthmen. “Run for the ship!” mountainside, behind the origin of the
As the Venusian stooped to go green streaks, and slightly to one side.
through the hole, Nick Brewster seized He edged in closer and judged the dis-
him by the neck, swiftly raised him tance. Then he threw himself up and
overhead and hurled him at the two re- forward. He came down on two forms
maining Venusians. Instantly, almost standing close together. His knees hit
before they had hit the opposite wall of one in the back, and as he toppled for-
the cavern, he smashed into them, his ward, he spread his arms and encircled
fists flailing like pistons. It was over in the other. A violent stab of pain hit
seconds. Brewster felt in the darkness his forearm and crept to his shoulder
36 AMAZING STORIES

and he rolled over on one side and Brewster’s body jerked convulsively
kicked with his feet. He got up too and he was still.

quickly and overshot his mark and the

green flame brushed his throat. Then '^WO sounds marred a depthless
he jumped almost straight up, and when One was a constant, low-
quiet.
he landed, immediately dove forward. pitched humming that was barely au-
One hands thudded sickeningly
of his dible. The other was sporadic, a hiss-
against flesh that broke under the force ing noise which lasted for a few seconds
of his blow and fell away. at a time. The second sound was made
He lay very still, trying not to breath, by little bursts of air that came from a

waiting. Something scraped less than tube placed in the center of the fluted
five feet away, downhill. He rolled ceiling. Nick Brewster had figured it
over suddenly, and when he got up, he out after staring at it a while, feeling
was holding a squirming body high in the air around him freshen after the
the air. He swept his arms down and hissing noise.
smashed the body in his grip against the He on his side, just a lit-
rolled over
rocks. When he opened his hands, the tle. A stout, though somewhat flexible,
body down the slope.
rolled belt pinned him down. Across the
He Nausea
stood up, sick with pain. small cubicle, one atop the other in a
rolled through hisbody and he vomited. sort of double-decker bunk, lay Paul
He numbness coming over him, and
felt Stewart and Bucky Callahan. Brew-
he staggered as he started back up the ster wondered whether they were dead
slope. “J0C7” he called out, weakly. or asleep. He monkeyed with his belt
“Joe.” He sank down on one knee, until he pressed a button that opened
then fell. Moments later, he hardly it, then he swung his legs over the side
realized that Abbotthad found him. of his cot and sat up, his legs dangling
It seemed to him that the world was some four feet from the floor. He
on fire. Something crashed and roared peered down and saw little Rogofsky
in his ears. He had no way of know- lying in the cot underneath.
ing that the orange ship had blasted After he eased himself to the floor he
off. The pots of fire had blazed up tried shaking each of the three men, but
again, and their light had revealed nothing happened. Nevertheless, they
scores of bowl-shaped vehicles on the were alive; he felt their breath against
plain. From these rolling monsters, his hands, testing them . . . then he saw
which had come up under cover of his right arm. The leathern sleeve had
darkness, jets of green flame spurted. been cut open and there was a long, pink
The Borons, helpless now, scattered, scar from wrist to elbow. He touched
falling by tens under the raking fire his throat and felt a chunk of knotted
from the vehicles. flesh. He remembered a little, then
Abbott stared down into the brilliant gave it up.
light of the plain, watching the carnage He looked over the small, windowless
slowly come to an end. In his arms he chamber. It, and the furniture, was
held Brewster’s head. There was a made of a smooth substance that felt
bewildered light in his eyes as he looked like the ladder the Borons had used. A
over the field and heard Nick Brewster plastic? Then so was the belt, though
mutter, with his last conscious breath, it was pliable. The bedding felt like
“The Martians . . . will . . . save . . . wool, but it was as spongy as rubber.
us. . . There was a crack along one of the two
 EMPIRE OF JEGSA 37

free walls. When he touched it, it ona was sunlight, glancing off the
parted and the two sections slid out of Moon; the green ball was Earth. The
sight, forming a door that gave on a Martians had come around to the dark
narrow passageway. Moon.
side of the
Brewster walked down the passage- He went to the end of the corridor
way, turned with it, aird came to a dead and was in another chamber of sleep-
end. Suddenly the small section of the ing Martians. He retraced his steps
floor on which he was standing began along the windows, sensing he was go-
to descend. It went down for about ten ing to the bow. He climbed up three
feet and fitted into the floor of a large stairs, pressed against a door and was

room. It was severely furnished with in an oval room. There, strapped in a

a few chairs and tables. Along the op- reclining chair, silhouetted against an

posite wall was a series of cots, in each orange, transparertt wall, was a Mar-
of which lay sleeping Martians. tian. Brewster walked up to him and
Brewster spent a long minute look- saw that on the other side of the chair
ing at the Martians before he resumed was an inclined panel of tiny dials and
his wandering. Individuals though they buttons. Through the transparent wall
were, they shared in common their sien- he saw the planets, gleaming like jewels.
der, long faces, skin that was a deep, As Brewster stood there, the Mar-
coppery hue and something more
. . .
tian’s eyes opened. After a moment,
. something unrelaxed about them,
. .
the Martian sighed and said: “Have
though they slept. you been awake long?”
The adjoining chamber was divided Brewster said: “About ten minutes,
by a raised platform in its center. The if you understand that.” The Mar-
ceiling of wheels and dials,
was a maze tian let breath out slowly and nod-
and the walls were covered with colored ded. “I’ve been wandering around
panels, each of which bore a different the ship,” Brewster added. “Every-
symbol. Four Martians slept in cots one’s asleep.”
below the platform. At the far wall “Not asleep,” said the Martian. It

was an open door. Brewster went seemed difficult for him to speak, and

through it and found himself in a he inhaled several long breaths before

slightly curving passageway again. It he said, “They took a drug to avoid the
was lined with windows. effects of the first few minutes after a

At first he saw nothing when he take-off. I use less because I am in

looked through. Then the blackness command of the ship, but the others

became pierc^ with points of iight. He should soon be awake.” He motioned

walked along the passageway from win- and said, “I should like to talk to you.
dow window, noticing the different
to Sit down, if you will.”

colors of the lights.When he was near “Where?” said Brewster, but as he

the last window, he saw a circle of light, turned around, he saw that a chair had
like a diffused corona around a smaller come up from the deck. He sank into
circle of darkness. Beyond it he saw a its softness, watching the deck open
much larger greenish sphere —then sud- again as a tow table rose up.
denly, for an instant —a relief map of Brewster gasped in bewilderment. He
mountains and plains. looked from what was on the table to
the Martian and saw the thinly veiled
^OW he knew where he was. He was amusement in the Martian’s grey eyes.

in a Martian spaceship. The cor- Brewster said something inaudible and

38 AMAZING STORIES

began to open the carton. For on the “I wasn’t sure.”

table was the huge carton that had been “You couldn’t be sure. But what if
the last thing Nick Brewster had taken you guessed wrong?”
from the Trailblazer lit His hands “Did I?”
were trembling. He took out several The Martian’s keen eyes flickered.
long envelopes, dug in past the phono- “How strange and varied you Earth-
graph and the pile of records and other men are,” he mused doud. “We can
wrapped parcels and brought out one of stand on the plains of Boron and see
several dozen cartons of cigarettes. your world plainly, with the naked eye.
The Martian smiled as Brewster fum- If we use our powerful telescopes, we
bled in his leather coat for a pack of can look down into individual streets of
matches. Brewster struck a light and your cities, see your gardens, animals,
took a long drag. The Martian’s smile rivers. We know so much of the ex-
deepened as the first grateful plume of ternals of your world, and so little of
smoke blew out. its people. . .
.”
Brewster said quietly: “You don’t He murmured: “What I were to if
know what this means to me.” you that the Venusians cannot lie?
tell

“But I do,” said the Martian. “We —

Cannot if you understand that.”
were very careful to bring it along after “I don’t,” Brewster said. “One of
the Borons abandoned it.” He let them told me the same thing.”
Brewster smoke a while before he re- “It was true. It is the outstanding
sumed what he had been saying. “We characteristic of the Venusian race. An
didn’t drug you because you remained organic impossibility . .
.” he shrugged
unconscious after our surgeons oper- contemptuously, . . like an animal
ated on you.” that must run toward light ... a seed
Brewster touched his throat and said that must grow in soil. The one vital
nothing. flaw in the destiny of Estannar —of
Venus. They cannot lie!"
'yHE Martian said: “Your arm was Nick Brewster shifted uneasily in his
almost burned away, and you had a chair and regarded the impassive Mar-
hole through your throat. Had we found tian. He started to say something and
you a little later, possibly not even our stopped as another Martian appeared
surgeons . . He waved a deprecat- in the passage leading to the bow. The
ing hand. “But to the point. The Es- two Martians exchanged a few words
tann — Venusians’ plan would have suc- and the second withdrew.
ceeded you hadn’t attacked them.
if “How fortunate we are,” the Mar-
They had you or fall
to leave without tian said, as an aside, adding, “Will you
to us themselves. We found the bodies look in your coat pockets, please?”
of two Venusians you killed in enforcing Brewster felt the pockets of his
your escape.” He paused, then asked and from one of the in-
leather coat,
directly: “Why did you do it?” ner ones he withdrew a strange, soft
Brewster lit another cigarette. He sheet of folded paper. He unfolded it
liked the calm intelligence in the Mar- and read a dark-inked, neat handwrit-
tian’s eyes, the subdued quality of his ing.
voice.
He said: “I don’t know.” To Whom This Message Is
“You didn’t believe what the Venu- Delivered:
sians told you?” You have fallen into the hands of
 ”

EMPIRE OF JEGGA 39

madmen. No matter what you see, tel^athic race. But you are an un-
no matter what you are told, be- commonly enigmatic subject. Tell me,
lieve only the words of this mes- do I bore you with this . . . this . .

sage, for they may be the last I will “This information on the Venu-
ever write. Torture, unbelievable sians?” Brewster finished, dryly.
su^ering and eventual death wait “Ah, but now you have quite given
for you, and from these there is no yourself away,” the Martian reproved
escape unless the Venusians can him, toying with the paper. “Well then,
kelp you. If they fail you must de- I was describing the Venusian resource-
stroy yourselves. I have noway of fulness. They knew as well as we did
knowing how many years separate that someday another ship would come
us, but if you are a human being, from your world, and they prepared a
believe these words or live to curse surprise for us. Realizing that you
the doubt that prevented you. were our chance to unite our civiliza-
Dr. John Stevens, tions, the real surprise is the fact that
Commander of the Trailblazer I. they did not kill you immediately. Cer-

tainly their hatred and envy are equal

“A forgery,” said the Martian. to it. Some plan, which as yet has es-
Brewster passed the paper to him. “I caped our vigilance. . . .

know the handwriting,” he said, with “We still do not know,” he resumed
no particular expression. after a reflective pause, “how they man-
The Martian read the paper, and aged to smuggle themselves to Boron.
when he had finished, he held it in one Without Venusians to guide them, the
hand and struck it gently against the Borons would be helpless; they have
open palm of the other. the minds of children. With direction
“Rather florid,” he remarked, coolly. and weapons, they are magnificent
“As a matter of fact, your Dr. Stevens fighters. And though there aren’t many
has been in such poor mental health of them —
left we spread a disease
since he survived the wreck of his ship among their females —they have made
that he could not possibly have written our colonial outposts on Boron pesti-
this. Were you friends?” lential and dangerous, because of the

“I paid for his ship.” Venusians.

“Interesting,” the Martian com- “The Venusians,” he repeated slow-
mented, thoughtfully. “I plan to prove ly, grimly, “and their truths.”
that this is a forgery at dinner. It will He unfolded the paper, and in a
be a fascinating diversion for you, ob- lighter tone that pretended not to real-
serving how the Venusians use their ex- ize the significance of his words, he re-
traordinary intelligence in wild, futile minded himself casually: “Oh, yes, I
attempts to smash our empire. Dra- meant to explain that. Naturally, I
matic as it is, this adventure is less re- meant they always told the truth as they
markable than many
— see it. That isn’t always the same thing
as being unable to lie, is it?”
ILTE BROKE off for some reason, and And now that he had completed the
^ looking into Brewster’s eyes, he al- conversational circle, he studied Brews-
lowed himself to smile. “You know,” ter watchfully, noting Brewster’s rigid-

he said, “we Martians fancy ourselves ity relax the least bit, almost measuring
as somewhat clairvoyant. We like to the hardly audible sigh that escaped
think that we are the forerunners of a him.
40 AMAZING
Brewster said evenly; “I’ll take your
word for it. I’ll take your word for any-
thing you say because I’ve a lot to learn.
But if you want to tell me tell me. — dinner, then, Nick.”
Don’t play cat and mouse with me.”
“Catandmouse?”
“Itmeans I don’t like being played
with.”
The Martian nodded. “We all have
a lot to learn. For example, the Venu-
sians made a fatal error in assuming
they could force you to their will.”
Slowly, he began to smile again, until
his manner was warm and friendly,
more so than it had previously ap-
proached being. “I like you,” he said.
He rose from his chair. “And now,”
he said, returning the sheet of folded
paper to Brewster, “I have my work to
do, and you, doubtless, are anxious to
see your friends again.”
Brewster started, and a quick flush
spread over his face. He rose beside the
Martian. They were almost the same
height.
“You’d quite forgotten to ask about
them,” the Martian said, with an odd
twist to his smile. “The other four were
put in a room similar to yours. Any
member of the crew will direct you
most of them at least understand your
language.”
T)REWSTER picked up the carton,
caught the questioning look on the
Martian’s face, put the carton down
again and began to empty it. “Do you
want me to explain these things?” he
asked. “There’s nothing in here except
some pictures, a machine for playing
music, cigarettes, and these.”
He lifted out two heavy, blue-gleam-
ing automatic pistols.
“Metal. And very handsome,” the
Martian murmured, appreciatively.
“Do you have much ammunition?”
“About five hundred rounds.”
“Bullets, that is? .Ah, well, when we
STORIES
have more time to continue our dis-
cussion, I’ll show you some of our weap-
ons. You should enjoy them. Until
He held out a
firm hand which Brewster took. “Your
friends told me your name. I am Cap-
tain Akar.”
Brewster grinned and observed; “It
sounds like a laxative.”
He put the guns back and took the
carton with him as he left. Retracing
his steps, he found activity everywhere;
Martians attending the gigantic, com-
plex instruments, repairing, adjusting.
Brewster lingered long enough to satisfy
himself that he had the freedom of the
ship before asking for his companions.
When he was directed, without even an
escort offered, he felt happier than he
had been for . . . but when he sud-
denly looked at hiswatch, it had
stopped.
The men were on the upper deck, in
a semi-circular observation room,
fronted by a concave, transparent wall
that revealed the starry void through
which the ship silently forged.
When Brewster entered, the talking
he had heard stopped so abruptly that
first Callahan, then Drake, tried to pre-
tend that nothing untoward had hap-
pened. Brewster let the carton down
and looked at the men, and though he
had not the least idea of what might
have been going on among them, one
thing he knew as a certainty it was —
not his sudden appearance, in Itself, that
had stopped the talking. He sensed the
hostility that lay in the room. The
sense of freedom, almost of well-being,
and of looking forward to the unfolding
of events greater than he could yet real-
ize, disappeared.
He said: “You can tell it straight to
me.”
Joe Abbott walked toward him.
“You’re right, Nick,” he said. “Any-
thing we’ve got to say we’ll say in front
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 41

of you.” He faced the men a mwnent “Stay where you are, Matt,” Abbott
before continuing. “It’s this he said. said.

He opened his palm and revealed a sheet
of folded paper.
15 REWSTER knew what it was before
he opened it. It was a duplicate of
the warning signed by Dr. Stevens. He
looked at it without reading it and gave
Brewster took out the warning he had
found in his own pocket, and together
with the copy Abbott had given him,
handed both to Abbott.
“What does this do to your pet theo-
ries?” he sneered. “Here’s a copy of
”
that paper that the Martians gave me!

it back to Abbott.
Conscious of the impact of his words,
“Stewart found it in his coat,” s^d he stood there, savoring the effect as he
Abbott. watched the men. Then, as each came
“In his coat,” Brewster repeated. forward to look for himself, he disre-
“But there seems to have been a ques- garded them, busying himself instead
tion as to whether you were going to with the carton, from which he broke
tell me about it.” out a pack of the precious cigarettes.
As Abbott hesitated, Glenn Purdom He threw the pack to Drake.
stood up and said: “You’re right, “From our enemies,” Brewster said.
Brewster.” It was the first time any of Nick Brewster felt he had won a
Uie subordinate crew had refused him complete victory. The gratitude with
the formal Mister. “All we know is that which the cigarettes were taken was
something too much for us to under- subordinate only to the shock of his rev-
stand all at once anyway, you’ve
. . .
elation. It seemed to him that the ten-

taken things in your own hands, and you sion vanished with the clouds of smoke.

haven’t seen the things we’ve seen

— How sweet the tobacco smelled!
“What things?” Abbott smiled wanly, quoting: “Be-
Abbott answered: “You were uncon- ware of a Greek bearing gifts.”
scious. We were on the Moon for more “What about looking a gift horse in

than twenty hours after the Martians the mouth?” Brewster grinned.
got us. We’ve seen enough of their “All right then. Did you find out
slave system and their senseless mur- where we’re being taken?”
dering
— The question jarred Brewster. “It

“They’ve treated you all right, was a short conversation,” he said. “We
haven’t they?” didn’t get to it.”

“So far. But what if the Venusians “Strange,” Abbott mused. “It was
were right?” the first thing you asked the Venusian.
“They lied!” Brewster snapped. You insisted on it.”

Peters spoke up. “We’ll make up our

own minds.” thoughts raced swiftly through
Brewster regarded Peters in mock Brewster’s^ mind. Yes, it was
wonder. “What minds?” He laughed strange. He had forgotten all about it
abruptly. “What difference does it ... as he had not long before forgot-

make who you believe? What can you ten to ask about his friends ... his

do? Take the ship over and head for crew, at any rate. Why? Was it be-

Venus, you damned idiot?” cause he a more trusting instinct

felt

Peters took a step forward and for the Martians? There was no reason

Brewster said: “I’ll break you in half for it. But so too, there was no answer.

if you come any closer.” “FU tell you this,” Brewster said.
42 AMAZING STORIES

“When I do ask I’ll get a straight an- studied gaze swept the length of the
swer —not an ‘I don’t know.’
”
table, at the head of which he sat. The
“But the Venusian didn’t know!” Ab- eight Earthmen who were his guests
bott exclaimed, and tried to check the at dinner sat four on either side of
exclamation too late. him, having seated themselves in such
“Really .” . Brewster
. breathed, order that Nick Brewster had been left
somehow aware that he was stumbling the chair to the Captain’s right, seem-
into something important, something ingly by cbance. Below them sat three
concealed, and in which every other Martian officers, their rank indicated by
man in the room shared. “And what the number of black velvet bands on
makes you so Joe?” sure, their sleeves, ofwhich Akar wore three.
Tight-lipped, Abbott said: “Nothing. Brewster knew that the Captain was
I just felt it.” aware of something irregular. There
Now Brewster knew that the hostility was little or no conversation. Though
he had felt when he had first entered the the food was strange and excellent, and
room had never disappeared. He was this was the second meal for the Earth-
baffied by the reason for it, enraged as men in many hours, there was no enthu-
much as mystified. But he had to go siasm. The Captain and his junior offi-
easily, to find out what was up with- cers had made efforts to get the men
out destroying his chances entirely. He to talk. The Earthmen asked about a
took the pack of cigarettes from Drake fruit or drink, but never touched any
and lit one, offering another to Abbott, of the countless things the Martians
who had not yet taken any. might reasonably have expected them to
Abbott shook his head. “No thanks, ask about.
Nick. I don’t want to offend you, but But Akar’s eyes were too casual,
I couldn’tsmoke one of these without Brewster decided. Probably he knew
remembering that you chose to take or had guessed that there had been a
them when instead you might have falling out. What he was now trying
saved one of the four men left behind to fathom was the reason for it, and in
in the ship.” this he knew no more than Brewster,
Nick Brewster stared into Abbott’s because, Brewster realized, the wall be-
eyes. His mouth opened the least bit tween the crew and him was there long
and he licked his lips as if from a bitter before he had struck Abbott. The note
taste. Then, with the hand that held that Akar had called a forgery was part
the freshly lighted cigarette, he slapped of it, and Akar had said he would prove

Abbott viciously across the face. The his charge at dinner.

cigarette flew out in a shower of tiny The dessert was the most elaborate
sparks, leaving a dark smudge over a of all the dishes. It was a huge pastry
reddening welt on Abbott’s cheek. made of iced fruit that tasted like pine-
Abbott had fallen back a step. He apple. Irtwitcr refleoted on the un-
made no move. The other men came up usually rich food that thMS stem, stoi-
and gathered around him. Brewster cal militarists ate, and yet the dining
picked up the carton and left the room hall itself seemed to prepare one for
la a deathly silence. luxury. Of all the ship, this chamber

alone was obviously fitted with an eye

silence had persisted until now. for comfort; the walls hung with tapes-
Brewster glanced at Captain tries, the chairs deep and reclining, the
.\kar, noticing how the Martian’s un- lighting soft, the floors smoothly car-
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 43

peted. It was a contradiction that For all the Earthmen, Brewster real-
Brewster was to ponder many times be- thought back to that moment when
ized,

fore be came to understand it. Dramon, the Venusian, had sadly said:
“And now, gentlemen,” said Captain “It is a tragic fact that since I am of

Akar, “we have prepared a diversion for Estannar, I always speak the truth. 1
you.” He said something to one of his cannot lie.” And here, from the lips of
oMcers, who left the room, and added, a Martian, was corroboration!
“I hope it will cement our friendship.” “I intend now to show you,” Akar
When the officer returned, several concluded, “that even truth can have
members of the Martian crew followed, several sides, that what is true for a
carrying a heavy chair. It was an odd Venusian is not necessarily a truth for
chair. Each of the arms terminated in all.” His face was expressionless.
a red, translucent ball, and this same He pointed to Joe Abbott. “Will you
gleaming substance formed a hollow please sit down in this chair, Mr, Ab-
headrest on the chair’s back. When it bott?” he requested.
was placed on the door not far from After a moment’s hesitation, Abbott
where Akar sat, a small machine was gotup from the table and crossed over
attached to it. One of the Martians to the chair. The Captain placed Ab-
tested the machine by throwing in a bott’shands so that his fists closed
switch. Its effect was to bring the red around the balls on the chair arms, and
substance to startling, gleaming, spar- he adjusted the headrest to suit Ab-
kling life. It shone brilliantly, and bott’s height.
crackling noises issued from the little “I’m going to ask you a question, Mr.
sparks that dew from it. Abbott,” said Akar, quietly. “An unim-
The demonstration ended, the ma- portant question. I want you to resolve

chine was turned od. Captain Akar not to make any reply to it.”
rose from the table,and standing beside Abbott said: “I’m to try to say noth-
the chair, began to speak to the Earth- ing at all?”
men. “Gentlemen,” he said, “because “Precisely. Now, Mr. Abbott, how
of an organic deficiency—or construc- did you like your dinner?”
tion, if you will —
the Venusians are the As Akar spoke, he pressed in the
only race in the universe that are un- switch. Abbott cried out and leaped
able to speak a falsehood. They can- out of the chair, and the next instant
not lie.” smiled in chagrin as he rubbed his palms
together.
'^HOUGH his opening sentence was a “You found it painful?” the Captain
^ bombshell, Akar continued without asked, surprised.
pause, speaking directly and simply, “No,” Abbott admitted wryly. “Just
telling them what he had told Brewster — well, funny.” He sat down again and

some two hours before, including his ac- gripped the balls firmly. “Let’s go,” he
cusations against the Venusians and said.

their work among the Borons. And “What do you think of Martian cook-
though he made no apparent effort to ing?” said Akar.
convince the Earthmen that he was tell- Abbott’s fists grew white. His
ing the truth, and his sole intent seemed clenched hands trembled and his tight
to be the bare transmission of informa- lips parted.

tion, Brewster knew that his words were “Wonderful!” he blurted. “It’s the

more effective than the Martian knew. best. . .

44 AMAZING STORIES

And he stopped speaking the instant his seat at the table before adding, with
Captain Akar released the switch! soft emphasis: “But what if one
“You found it impossible to keep couldn’t speak without speaking the
from speaking, did you not, Mr. A5> truth?” His eyes searched the men’s
bott?” Abbott nodded, “Well,” said faces. “This chair would then have a
Akar, with a slight smile, “I am most new function and value, would it not?
pleased to learn that you like our food, Ithas that function and that value when
but I would like to demonstrate that we Martians deal with the sworn ene-
all this clever chair does is to force you mies of our civilization.”
to speak, not necessarily to speak the At a motion from the Captain a door
truth. You were caught off guard that opened and a Venusian was led in. It
time, Mr. Abbott, but now let us try was the same Venusian who had been in
again. And this time, resolve not only the cavern —
the one who had taken the
to remain silent, but to lie when you an^ armor away!
swer me. Akar said: “This important capture,
“Mr. Abbott, bow old are you?” together with penetration of secret re-
cesses in the mountain, we owe to Mr.
Captain threw the switdi in Brewster’s aid.” The Venusian was
again. After a short struggle, Ab< seated in the chair, bis hands strapped
bott answered, “A hundred and forty- down to force him to hold the ruby balls,
two.” his shoulders pinioned untk his bead
“And your sex, Mr. Abbott?” fitted into the headrest.

“Female, dammit!” A dramatic hush came over every-

The Captain release the switch thing. The Earthmen leaned forward
again. “Well, gentlemen, unless we are in rigid interest. Two of the junior offi-
to assume thatMr. Abbott is an old hag, cers left the table and stood dose to the
I think we amazing
will agree that this diair.
chair has noon what one says
effect “What is your name?” Akar said to
but merely makes one speak.” He the Venusian.
matched Abbott’s embarrassed smile as The Venusian stiffened and remained
he asked, “Do you agree, Mr. Abbott?” ^ent. He betrayed no fear, but rather
Again Abbott nodded Then he said: a grim defiance in the face of inevitabil-
“Would you mind turning it on without ity.

asking me anything at all?” Captain Akar threw in the switch.

Akar again switched the diiair on. Slivers of sparkling crimson shone
After a moment’s silence, Joe Abbott through the white of the Venusian’s
unaccountably said, “This is a helluvan shivering hands.
idea. When I was a kid back in school “What is your name?”
we had a teacher named Miss Happy. “Polio.” The word was tom from
I guess I just feel like babbling. WiH him.
you turn it off, please?” ‘*Wh«i did you come to Boron?”
“So you see,” said the Captain, “that “Since four revolutions of Boron.”
k makes one speak, if only to talk non- “Your capacity?”
sense. If you sat here long enough, you “Technical instructor in use of ar-
could talk yourself into exhaustion, and mor.”
you could tell u$ anything, lies as well ‘^our task?”
as facts.” “To assist Dramon in the raid. To
He waited for Abbott to get to equip the Easthmen.”
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 45

“What preparations for the raid were pens if the one man who knows where
you aware of?” to go happens to be killed or cap-
“That Borons, under our combat in- tured?”
structors
— The Martian shrugged. “Failure for
“How many combat instructors?” the all.” He waved to the Venusian and
Captain interrupted. said, as if it was self-evident, “Only
“I met three. I know of no others.” demons would persist in the face of
“Continue.” such tremendous difficulties. These
The Venusian continued exactly Venusians are as tenacious as plague
where he had been interrupted. “. . . lice. I have caught Venusians who
had carried out systematic attacks on were at great meetings, only to find
Lightside patrols and captured large that everyone present was blindfolded,
numbers of weapons.” to avoid knowledge of their number or
“Is that all?” identities. For instance, observe how
“Yes.” little this one knows.”

Switching the machine on again,

AKAR’S disappointment was brief. Akar said: “Do you know anything of
For the first time he faced the in- the make-up of your new armor?”
tent Earthmen. “You see,” he said, “No.”
“though there are a great many ques- “Where is the armor hidden?”

tions we should like to have answered, “I gave it to a friend.”

it is useless to ask. The Venusians,
knowing that capture means that we
have access to their secrets, protect
themselves by limiting their knowledge.
If ten men are to go on a mission, only
one knows what the mission is, and
even then only to a limited extent.
Their plans are shared among many of
them—
“For instance,” Joe Abbott broke in,
“would you say that it was entirely pos-
sible thatnone of the Venusians knew
where they were to take us after they
—
had taken us off the off Boron?”
Captain Akar smiled through a
frown. “I see they could not satisfy
your curiosity,” he said, shrewdly. “Un-
doubtedly it was true. What they had
“His name?”
“I don’t know.”
To
the Earthmen, Akar observed,
“And if he did know his name, and if
we fortunately captured this friend, un-
doubtedly we should find that this sec-
ond one had given it to a third, the third
to a fourth, until finally it bad been
given to a Boron to hide.”
He asked the Venusian: “How did
you know exactly when the Earthmen
were coming?”
Captain Akar shrugged and was
about to continue questioning when the
Venusian answered. “We posted
watches on all your gravity cushions.
We knew that you would arrest the
fall of the next Earth ship, and that

arranged was a rendezvous at some spe- if you moved the gravity cushions, the

cific point. Only one of them knew that Earthmen were coming.”
point, and since this fool was an armor “And to find out where they would
technician he wouldn’t even know that land?”
point, though we shall examine him “We detailed forces to cover all

minutely later on. They can take ad- movements of the cushions.”
vantage of any loophole in a question
to evade it without actually lying.” '^HE Captain nodded and showed
Nick Brewster observed: “What hap- slight satisfaction, observing, “This
46 AMAZING STORIES

our friend here should not

is scrniething ble of many twistings and turnings. To
have known, though it is common sense understand his thought processes, let
enough. Valueless as it is, it tells us —
us make one assumption ^that he had
something. he over-
It tells us that something to bide both from me and
heard things he shouldn’t have a con- — from you. By answering in English,
dition which ?ms possible only through he calculated to make me think that he
a relaxation of ^sdpline and order. had nothing to hide from me. As long
What is him must be true for
true for as be is safe from me, he is safe from
others, and when our forces have you, for only I know how to ferret out
brought in some of those others, they his secret.”
too will know things they shouldn’t. Brewster shook his bead. “I don’t
Perhaps ve may discover what new see it.”
type of bomb destroyed your ship so “I know you Not yet. But let
don’t.
effectively. Perhaps another may have us go further. Assuming that he had
a clue to the schedule they use for something to hide from me and from
smuggling Venusians past our space you, he could now choose to answer
patrols on Boron. . . either inMartian or in English.
The Martian Captain paused, as if “Now, the moment he came in here
reflecting, and his flashing eyes swept and saw that I was going to question
the room. Brewster had seen him do him before you Earthmen, he guessed
this more than once, and each time he that I might have some suspicion, that
had felt a vague uneasiness, as if, he I was going to try to make him admit
thought, he could fathom the same feel- something to you that he didn’t want
ing in the Martian. He wondered why to admit. Knowing that, he could have
he assumed it at all. Certainly Akar played safe. By answering only in
was capable of hiding anything he Martian, he could prevent me from get-
wanted hidden. His face was an obedi- ting his answers to you, because I
”
ent. expressionless mask, altered only would be forced to translate them
when it suited him. Why then did “And if you translated?” Brewster
Brewster feel that he understood this asked.
being? “Would you believe me? Especially
Now Akar said: “Has it occurred to if I claimed to be translating an ex-
you to wonder why this Venusian an- tremely damaging confession?” Akar
swered your language, English?
in let himself smile. “I wouldn’t expect
Why did he not speak in Martian, cer- you to believe me. Neither would this
tainly a more natural language for Venusian. But the price of keeping his
him?” secret from you would be practical ad-
“Why Martian?” Brewster asked. mission to me that he had something to
“Why not Venusian?” hide. And since be wanted to keep this
“There have been no other languages admission from me as well, he answered
but Martian since the spread (rf our in English, hoping I would thus assume
civilization. Ours is the language of he had nothing to hide from any of us.
the universe.” Do you see it now?”
“Then why did he speak English?” “Only partly,” said Brewster,
Brewster asked. thoughtfully. “But suppose we don’t
Akar said, quietly: “We are dealing assume that be bad anything to hide?
with a highly intelligent being, remem- He might very well have answered in
ber, an individual whose brain is capa- English even in that case. You haven’t
 —”
EMPIRE OP JEGGA 47

proved he actually had anything to “We had already rescued you. How
hide.” could the notes now be delivered ? Only
by a Venusian. Where Was there a
^KAR nodded somberly. “Nor Venusian close enough to you to hope
could I by reasoning alone. I to deliver such notes? There was a
have tried to trace his thought proc- Venusian prisoner on this ship, being
esses to show you what we are dealing taken to Mars for expert questioning.
with. Because the fact is that he had And deliver the notes he did, though
something to hide, as I knew all along.” how is a small detail to be taken care
Brewster asked: “And what is he of yet.
hiding?” “But consider this important fact
**The fact that he knows the notes this Venusian was captured by acci-
hidden in your clothes, supposedly dent. Surely, therefore, he could not
—
written by Dr. Stevens are forger- be the one originally intended to de-
iesr liver the notes. The original bearer
The words was tre-
effect of these probably let himself be captured easily,
mendous. Even the Martian officers hoping to get aboard this ship. When
seemed to react. Brewster knew that he didn’t he passed the notes on to this
the accusation itself had stunned the one here. That was a great mistake,
men, but be too felt surprised to learn though probably unavoidable. For
that Akar had known of the other note while the original bearer probably knew
and done nothing about it. nothing about the notes, this substitute
Presently, Joe Abbott said: “You knew too much. He knew enough of
haven’t proved it yet.” their origin to know they were for-
Captain Akar turned to the Venu- geries! That knowledge couldn’t be
sian, from whose face all blood seemed hidden! And that was the knowledge
to have drained. The switch went in he tried to hide from you, by first hid-
with a snap. ing it from me!”
“Did Dr. John Stevens write those Brewster scratched his chin. Some-
warning notes?” how he was more troubled than before.
The Venusian gasped. “No.” The more he thought about it, the less
“Did he know anything about it added up.
‘
them?” “Excuse me,” he said, getting up.
“No.” “Suppose everything you say it true.
“Was he capable, as far as you know, Why shouldn’t he have spoken Mar-!
of either writing or dictating them?” tian just the same?”
“No.” Akar hesitated. “But I explained —
“Are the notes Venusian forgeries?” “I know, I know,” Brewster inter-
“Yes.” rupted. “If he spoke Martian he would
The Captain switched off the ma- give himself away to you. So what?
chine. All he cared about was getting the
As quietly as before, the Captain notes, and he bad already seen to that.
said: “Shortly after we left Boron, a After that, for all you could do about
dispatch came to me with the informa- it, he might as well have walked in here

tion that a captive Venusian on Boron and told you he’d given us forged notes
knew of certain warning notes in- . . and you could never get him to
.

tended for the Earthmen in the event disprove those notes as long as he con-
that they were rescued by us. tinued to answer in MartianV’
 49 AMAZING STORIES

'^HE edge of resentment, almost of der cracked; the officer spun halfway
arrogance, with which Captain around, went to his knees and died be-
Akar had met Brewster's objections, fore he had sprawled on the floor. . . .
disappeared. He ran a slender finger But for Brewster’s incomprehensibly
along the line of his lips. Softly, his quick action, the green flames would
voke incisive, he said: “Tlien perhaps have killed both Akar and the Venusian,
you can infer why be chose to answer but now that it was over, Brewster stood
in English?" there, unable to understand the event in
“I don’t know,” Brewster mused, which he had played the chief role.
“but your assumption that he was hid- The Venusian sat stolidly. The
ing something is a good one. He may Earthmen, shaken, stared at the smgle
—
be hiding something something so im- pool of blood that bound the three dead
portant to him that he even took the Martians. The doors to the dining hall
chance of having to admit the forgeries had opened and black-clad members of
in an effort to cover up this other the ship’s crew waited there.
thing.”
“But what could be that important to /^NLY Akar moved with assurance.
him?” An officer, taller than he and with
Brewster said: “Ask him.” hard, stony features, came in, and aft^*
Thoughtfully, Captain Akar began a brief conversation with Akar, ordered
to speak in Martian, when Brewster the crew to remove the bodies. After
hurled himself across the room, his out- they had left the smell of blood hung
stretched arms sweeping the Captain oppressively in the room. Akar, still
^
off his feet! Two thin lines of green paying no attention to the Earthmen,
iire hissed in midair over Brewster’s spoke to the Venusian. Both question^
head and started slashing down. and answers wert in Martian, ques-
They never reached the floor. Lying tions long and thoughtful, and the an-
on his back, Brewster fired his auto- swers, often no more than a word or
matics from inside his pockets. Across two, after long pauses.
the room, the two junior officers fell Presently Akar walked to Brewst^.
as if they bad been smashed down by Stopping before him, the Martian in-
weight alone. The walls reverberated clined his head and touched his fore-
again and again as the pistols flred. head with his hand. He said: “Though
When Brewster got to his feet, the third I am but a bumble servant of my Em-
junior officer was still standing wooden- peror, 1 owe you my life. I tha^ you
ly, his slender weapon halfway out of for it.”
his tunic, bis face blank, seemingly To the Earthmen, speaking quietly
paralyzed by the explosions and their and without looking at them, he said:
ghastly effect. “You cannot understand what hap-
Captain Akar rose beside Nick pened here, I know. Let me then onee
Brewster. A quick glance told him and for all show you what the Venusians
that the Venusian toohad escaped as- meant by offering you their friend-
sassination.His voice was steady and ship. . . .

completely controlled as he said to “This Venusian knew from the start

Brewster, pointing a finger at the third that sometime during this voyage my
officer: “liu him.” personal enemies would make an at-
Brewster brought up one of the auto- tempt on my life. Venusian espionage
matics and pressed the trigger. Thun- had so informed him while ke was still
 EMPIR€ OF aeOOA 49

on Boron, imprisoned there with sev- T ATER, sitting together in the ob-
eral others. That was the secret he servation room, after each of the
hoped to keep from me, hoping also men had spoken to Nick Brewster, Ab-
that if it were attempted, that you might bott sat with him before the huge trans-
all be killed in the uprising. parent wall.
“My junior officers, having ques- “You know, Nick,” he said, “I don’t
tioned this Venusian while we were still have to tell you how sorry I am about
on Boron, discovered that he knew of this whole crazy mess. The others have
their plot. There was nothing they told you what they think, but I feel
could do about it, for they were being worse than they do because it was
held responsible for his safety. When my—”
they found the forged notes, hidden “Forget
here
— “It
it.”

was lousy of me to make that

Captain Akar tore away the Venu- crack about the cigarettes.”
sian’s tunic, baring his torso. He “Sure it was.” He sat there, watch-
turned the stolid captive aroupd and ing the plume of smoke from the rise
showed them his back. There was an tiny butt he nursed, wondering what
imperceptible cut along the lateral sur- unnatural luck had made him watch
face of the skin. The Captain carefully the Martian officers so carefully. And
took hold of the skin and pulled it. It he had really been right with his guess
—
came away showing a little pocket about Akar’s uneasiness. How strange
that had been formed under the skin! it all was . . .

“When they found these notes, they “Nick.”

told the Venusian they were going to Abbott broke in on his thoughts.
deliver them for him. In that way, by Brewster met Abbott’s eyes momenta-
binding themselves into a secret com- rily. “Nick, you’re still not satisfied,
pact with him, they hoped to secure are you?”
their own safety, for if he mentioned Brewster carefully ground out his
them at all, sooner or later he would butt. He played with the tinfoil from
have to tell about the notes he hoped the empty pack. “Nope,” he said,
to have delivered ... I” quietly. He stood against the concave
At length, Brewster sighed. “I see. surface of the great window and when
They gave him a stake in keeping his Abbott got up beside him he whispered,
mouth shut altogether. And when did “Be careful. We’re being listened to.”
they deliver the notes?” — —
“By the no you must mean . . .
“Sometime before the ship left Captain Akar?”
Boron,” Akar said. “They had ample Brewster nodded. “How else did he
opportunities then —
and the note was find out we’d quarreled?”
already in your clothes when you woke “But why should he spy on us?”
up aboard ship before anyone.” “He didn’t explain that when he was
In the silence that followed these being so honest with us.”
words, the Venusian sagged forward “You don’t trust him?”
against the bindings that held his arms. Nick Brewster smiled. Through his
His head slumped against his chest, and teeth he said: “Stop being a kid. Did
his breathing came faintly. Without you see that Venusian —the way he
saying anything further, Captain Akar never batted an eye when I fired those
left the room. Soon, crew members automatics? And the way he passed
came in, carried out the chair. . . . out at the end? Why? The Martians
50 AMAZINe STORIES

hod exhausted him before tiiey brought For my money, the Gaptafai’s still our
him in. Why? Maybe they just wanted man. But just in case I’m wrong . . .

him to answer questions without getting just in case, understand knowing

. . .

off any speeches on his own hook. That what I do, and being one step ahead of
chair forced him to talk, but maybe if him ... I can still change my mind.”
he’d had some energy, he could have And very softly indeed, he added: “As
added interesting facts too.” long as I have my wits. And my guns.”
“Do you think what he did say was “And us?” said Abbott.
the truth?” “Sure,” said Brewster. “Smoke?”
“Sure. —
Only trouble was the ques-
CHAPTER IV
tions weren’t the ones I would have
asked. And that last conversation in A KAR said: “The city’s name is Ho-
—
Martian what really went on between Tonda. It means Great Tonda,
them? Not that I doubt the general and since the word Ho is used only for
story, but why did our host, the Cap- those of the dynasty, in this sense it

tain, forget to mention the most impor- means also that it is the Emperor’s
tant fact in that deal of the Venusian City.”
and his junior officers?" Nick Brewster nodded but made no
“What fact?” attempt to keep the conversation going.
Nick Brewster smiled again. “You In this last hour, as they had hovered
better stay close to papa,” he said. at space-anchor over Mars, Captain
“The Captain told us all about that Akar bad more than once shown how
deal, except why any officers should de- pre-occupied he was. But he had in-
liver notes Uke that. How could the vited Brewster to his quarters for the
Venusian know whether or not they landing, and he kept speaking to Brew-
would deliver the notes? Evidently the ster, in the midst of Ms activities, for

Venusian assumed they would. Why?” the sake of politeness.

Slowly, Abbott asked; “Do you know The was well named, Brewster
city
why?” thought. Even from their great height
“No,” Brewster sighed. “But so far — the ship hung almost motionless miles
it looks like even the Martians are di- —
above it Ho-Tonda seemed vast and
vided. Remember what I said about sprawling. It had been laid out in inter-
falling on one side when we might locking geometric patterns which con-
choose the other? If the Martians are stantly changed as one’s point of view
divided, how do we know if we want to altered. At the center lay a huge hex-
be on Captain Akar’s side?” agon, which Akar said was the walled
Joe Abbott turned and faced the men inner city of the Ho-Ghan Lytio, the
in the interior of the room. They had Emperor. Ho-Tonda was a maze of
cut up sections of paper and made a colors, of gleaming towers and tinted
crude deck of cards and they were play- ribbons of roads, but the inner city was
ing for imaginary stakes. predominantly crimson, with spires and
Abbott said, in a subdued voice:
, steeples that glistened in the sun and
“Then vrtiy did you kill those other gave the hexagon the effect of an enor-
Martians, if you weren’t sure?” mous red diamond.
There was an irritated edge in Brew- Akar had several times looked below
he answered; ‘T didn’t
ster’s voice as through an instrument which Brewster
know then what I know now, and I'd guessed was a telescope. He had net
have done the same even if I knew. offered it to Brewster. Something had
 EMPIRE OF JE6GA 51

been bothering him from the time that
three escorting warships had appeared,
coming up suddenly to meet them. It
had happened almost simultaneously
with Brewster’s entrance to Akar’s
quarters,and a few minutes after that
the Captain had stopped his own ship.
He had conferred with two of his offi-
cers and spoken heatedly^ the first —
time Brewster bad had an indication of
—
Akar’s temper over a small phone at-
tached to the panel at his elbow.
After that he had continued to talk
to Brewster, but his mind was
littleand Brewster felt the slight im-
pact of the rockets startbg again.
“We’re landing,” Akar smiled. He
glanced out through the transparent
bulkheads of his small oval room and
saw the warships lying alongside and
one leadbg the way.
“What was that I saw on the screen?”
Brewster said.
Akar’s smile remained. “I continue
to like your direct manner,” he said.
He “There was some con-
rose, adding,
I had not ex-
fusion about the escort.
else- pected and would not land with direct
it

where, and growing anxiety ill-

his orders. The
orders came through, and
concealed; there was something in the what you saw was the sign of Jev
way he watched the three wheeling war- Thyle, my lord.”
ships, the way his eyes narrowed in “Sort of a seal or coat-of-arms?”
silent judgment, that indicated a deep “Exactly. The five Jevs each have
hostility. And Brewster had noticed their own, and they cannot be dupli-
that the hexagonal design emblazoned cated. The Jevs, you see, are the War
on the three warships’ hulls was a dupli- Lords of Jegga and the conunanders of
cate of the formation of the Inner City. the five armies. Together with the
Suddenly one of the row of buttons Regios, who are the civil governors,
on the panel began to flick on and off. they are the admbistrators of the Bim-
Akar reached for the phone, listened pire. As a warrior, my allegiance be-

briefly and quickly pressed down the bngs to Jev Thyle, Lord of the Flambg
flicking button. Across the room, a Stone.”
metal shield imbedded in the deck rose “And the Emperor?”
horizontally and tilted at an angle that “Naturally. The Imperial hexagon
faced Akar. Its under side held a is made up of the five-sided Empire
round screen. A red light flashed across and the Ho-Ghan, who represents the
the screen once and then the screen re- dynasty. Our allegiance to the Ho-
mained blank another moment. Ghan is paramount.”
Slowly, the irregular form of a small
stone appeared cm the screen. It was DOTH men stood m silence now as
an ordinary stone, pale-hued and lined the ship descended, Akar agam
with bluish veins. Suddenly, as if from busy with his thoughts, Brewster sub-
within it, an amber flame burst out, de- dued m contenq)Iatbn. Ho-Tonda, as
vouring the stone, filling the screen until they drew closer to the ground, resem-
nothing else was left. When the stone bled nothing so much as a dream city,
had been burned away, the fire died and whatever beauties it had displayed
and the screen was empty again. before were multiplied a himdred times
Akar let his breath out b satisfac- by closer scrutmy. Its buildbgs, varied
tbn. He returned the screen to its por- and arresting, were magnificent affairs
tion m the deck and deliberately pressed of colored stone and glass, massive
several of the panel buttons. Imme- structures that lost no grace or delicacy.
diately afterward, the ship shivered a Though each building was in itself a
 ”

52 AMAZINe STORieS

work of art, with pillars and abutments no mention of what happened aboard
and arches and open walls of glass like my ship.”
lacework, the buildings formed larger “Meaning what?”
groups of unified effect, and the colors “The Estannar and the —ah— slight
spread to complex harmonies. case of mutiny.”
And on the roofs, and in the windows, “Mentioned it to whom?”
and as the streets became evident, there “To anyone.”
too, tremendous crowds milled. The “All right,” said Brewster.
tiny dots of color that were their clothes “You see,” said Akar, “since the
were like innumerable bits of confetti, Argyres are taking you over, it may be
contributing to the holiday effect. The a short while before we meet again.
ships, on their way down, had not come Until then, I should like to feel that
near the inner city, but now, passing our secret remained —
over what seemed to be the outskirts “All right,” said Brewster. “Any-
of Ho-Tonda, Brewster saw a huge thing you say.”
canal. He might have thought it a
great lake except for its perfectly CHAPTER V
straight shore; it was many miles across
and stretched away to either side until '^HE Argyres were strange. Brew-
it was lost in distance. Its water was ster first saw them through the
tinted a pale red, and its surface was transparent wall of the observation
dotted wih numerous craft that moved deck, when he rejoined his men. As
about with the erratic speed of water- the ship slowly settled down, the Ar-
bugs. gyres marched to the ship, forming a
The ship’s bow swung down sharply double-filed laneback to the buildings
and went into a deep glide, and for a from which they had come. There
moment, flaring bow rockets cut off the were some five hundred of them. By
view, but when they let up Brewster comparison with Akar’s crew, they
saw a great field under them. The were all exceptionally tall, at least as
field was ringed by small, conical green tall as Akar’s second in command,
structures, and as the ship swept by Kaenas. Their uniforms were cut like
them, they glowed vividly even in the those of other Jeggite warriors, but
full light of day. A group of small, ex- their alternating horizontal stripes of
tremely ornate buildings, like miniature black and red gave them a bizarre,
cathedrals, stood in the center of the harlequin effect, which was heightened
field. At several places near these build- by their swift, stiff-jointed gait and the
ings, groups of ships sat on the ground startling unison with wlfich their red
with their bows tilted upward. Like the peaked helmets bobbed up and down.
escorting ships, all were crimson and They were completely expressionless.
marked with the Imperial hexagon; By the time Brewster joined his men,
Akar’s ship alone was orange-amber. the ship had landed and the men went
“We will be down in a moment,” down to the locks. They were dressed
said Akar. “You will want to join your in the meager clothes they had salvaged,
friends again.” Brewster nodded and in grimy coveralls and jackets, not talk-
started to leave when Akar added, “We ing much. Once or twice remarks
are being received by the Imperial brought laughter, but it was self-
Guard, the Argyres. It would please conscious and expectant. Yet they had
me greatly if you and your friends made taken on a certain bravado that was
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 53

close to swaggering, and when Brewster himored to take the Earthmen to Ho-
surveyed them, he liked their look. Tonda. . . .

The Argyres were directly outside. They rode in vehicles that were trans-
ELaenas supervised the opening of the parent tubes, slender as ships, entirely
locks. They opened slowly, and then enclosed and kept in balance by some
the Argyres were outside, but none of gyroscopic device. Brewster, Abbott,
them came forward, nor did any of them Callahan and Drake went in one of the
speak; their officers, who seemed to be larger vehicles, together with four Ar-
marked by heavily-jeweled tunics, just gyre officers, the other four men with
looked into the ship and regarded the four more officers in the one ahead. The
men. two large vehicles were kept in the cen-
The pause became awkward, and ter of the procession; smaller ones,
Brewster said to Kaenas: “We seem to seating two men, of which there were
be waiting for something.” But the scores, kept fanning in and out like
next moment, as Akar came down the highly disdplined gnats.
corridor toward the locks, not hurrying,
Brewster saw that they had been wait- TT WAS a short ride to Ho-Tonda,
ing for him. He stood at the entrance and a silent one. Once Abbott
of the locks, very erect, and exchanged started to say something about the epi-
sharp, silent salutes with the Argyres. sode at the locks, but Brewster shook
Then he turned to one of his crew, who his head. Hewant to talk just
didn’t
was carrying Brewster’s precious car- then, but what was more important at
ton for him, and said something to bhn. the moment, they were already enter-
The Jeggite went up to the lock, not ing the city, and the scene that greeted
stepping out, and held the carton out them needed all their attention.
for someone among the Argyres to take. Their reception was beyond their
The officers’ expressions remained stoic, wildest fancy. It was not so much the
but none moved. One of the Argyres fantastic din that the jammed streets of
finally let a bitter grimace cross his people raised, though their vehicle
face and he cried out something, and fairly shivered from its impact, nor was
far down the line, his words were re- it the dense clouds of streamers and
peated. banners and strange, gaily-colored
In a few moments, two short, stout spheres that floated in air and kept ex-
little men dressed in spotless white ploding, as much as the people them-
came running up. They took the car- selves that made the scene what it was.
ton from the Jeggite and ran back with For they seemed to be of every con-
it. Then, smiling, Akar said to the ceivable size and shape and color. There
Earthmen, “Goodbye,” and as they were tall Jeggites in flowing robes, and
filed out, he shook hands with each. much taller, brutish people with a green
Later, remembering the scene, Brew- cast to their skin, and short, stout ones
ster wondered if the others had under- such as they had seen at the landing
stood it, or had shared the sense of iso- field, and short, thin ones who were
lation he felt after Akar’s ship bad very dark, with skins that were oUy
blasted off. He thought not. They were and pufple-black, like eggplants, as
glad to set foot on land again. The day Drake remarked. And still there were
was warm and clear and invigorating. others, with slender, elongated heads
One of the officers made a short, formal and bright rings on their arms and
speech, declaring that the Argyres were throats, and some who were as coppery
54 AMAZING STORIES

as the Jeggites, but who were small, masks that were made to dupli-
helmets,
with thick legs. and the
cate the heads of their mounts,
But one thing they possessed in com- masks completely covered them to the
mon — their resemblance to humans in neck.
general, for they were, naturally, much They had left the people of Ho-
more similar than they were different. Tonda behind. Brewster guessed that
And though was a great variety
there they had entered the Inner City. But
to their clothes, there seemed to be no he could see nothing ahead for at least
recognizable uniformity in what each a mile except another wall. The fields
of the different races wore. Ho-Tonda on either side were empty. There were
told its own story eloquently at a strangely beautiful trees, and enormous
glance: it was a melting-pot, the great flower beds that were riots of color, and
cosmopolitan capital of the Empire, and pale pink streams that meandered
it had turned out in force to welcome lazily but there were no people. Only
the men from the world of Kren. the Argyres in their vehicles and those
In all that mad —several times
ride on their mounts were in evidence, and
the Argyre patrols rode into the crowds behind them they heard the horns.
when they overflowed— Brewster and
Abbott spoke once. That was when '^HEY reached the second wall and
Brewster pointed out a group of Estan- went through, and here were more
nars. Abbott nodded and made no re- heralds, in entirely different costumes,
ply when Brewster remarked that they and more horns. From the interior of
hardly looked like prisoners or rebels, this wall hundreds of vehicles, twenty
the way they were cheering and wav- feet high, came riding on their one
ing. Abbott had seen many other wheel. They were like moving pillars,
Estannars in the streets of Ho-Tonda. each with a diameter of some five feet,
Slowly, the procession wound its way studded with green cones like spikes in
to the heart of the city, and here it the hard, dull red, lustrous substance
stopped before a pink, massive stone of which they were made. Their occu-
wall. Then the wdl parted, opening a pants, if there were any, were not visi-
low, flat panorama of fields and gar- ble, and these too joined the procession.
dens, and hundreds of heralds inside The land that lay between the second
the wall began a mad tooting of horns, and third walls was covered with ridges.
all of themlow pitch, like the sound
in The valleys grew tall, blue grass and
of shell-horns used by primitive fisher- held ponds like pools of wine, and the
men. hills held small forests that grew in
The wall itself was some forty feet geometric design. And still no people.
deep, and from square niches that By then Brewster had noticed an odd
opened from its inner face, scores of thing. He had seen birds flying about
mounted Argyres came riding to join several times, never close enough to
the procession. Their mounts were make out clearly, but they had passed
clean-shaven, coal-black animals that many dead birds. They lay in the
looked like a cross between a horse and fields, sometimes quite near the straight
an antelope, larger than either, extreme- white road.
ly nimble and sure-footed, with double, It was another mile to the third wall.
curved horns that added to their fierce This wall was shorter than the others,
demeanors. And the Argyres who rode made of a strange substance, its top
them wore instead of the peaked red regularly spaced by small white domes.
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 55

As tb€ procession passed through,
Brewster out an involuntary gasp,
let
echoed by the others. For, though they
had seen nothing beyond the wall from
the other side, as they went throu^, a
great palace seemed to materialize.
Its intricately curving, convoluted
wallsmust have been half a mile in
length. It was surrounded by gigantic
flower beds and orchards, and streams
with foot-bridges. It was made of
something that looked like pink ala-
baster, with archways and windows and
columns. Whole expanses of its walls
were covered with detailed reliefs, many
of them colored, shining like gold and
ruby. It had three levels of terraces
and great stairways, and innumerable
banners hung in the breeze. And every-
where, there were people, dressed in
various colors, but all of them with
some red in their costumes.
This was a world of almost unimagin-
able splendor, the product of centuries
of might, of rulers with incalculable
labor at their disposal, but there was no
softness to its luxuriousness. Rather
there was a barbaric strength and vigor,
a clashing that often bordered on the
savage, and this only added to its
beauty.
There must have been a thousand
Earthmen came out and stood together
without speaking until one of the Ar-
gyre officers motioned them to follow
him. They walked across a stone foot-
t»'idge and came to an enormous white
stairway that led to the lowest terrace.
A LEAN, aged Jeggite dressed in a
long robe of red with a great many
stripes of different colors along the
sleeves,walked down the stairway to
meet them. Halfway down he stopped
and began to intone a long speech. It
was next to impossible to understand
him, not only because his pronounda-
tion was terrible and his voice high and
cracked, but because no one stopped
speaking while he made his speech. But
when he was through, he inclined his
head and evidently waited for the
Earthmen to come up the stairway.
Only Purdom started forward, and
then, seeing that the others were all
looking at Brewster, and that he had
not moved, Purdom came back. Brew-
ster looked at his men. His head was
reeling. He felt completely drained of
feeling, and the same exhaustion lay
on the faces of his men. It had been
too much for them.
Brewster took a step forward and
shouted *^Did you say you were taking
:

heralds in the gardens before the palace, us to a reception?”

and several times that number of Ar- As he spoke, a hush fell over the
gyres, differently dressed, carrying people. They were bearing an Earth-
strange lances and swords, until the eye man speak. The Jeggite inclined his
lost the capacity for detail. The Ar- head and said, “The Ho-Ghan is wait-
gyres lined the paths and foot-bridges ing in his hall.”
and terraces, and when the heralds Brewster shouted back: “We’re
stopped, and one could hear the voices tired 1” His voice was too loud in the
of the thousands of people the Ar- — new silence, and there was irritation in
—
gyres alone were silent it sounded like it that he could not control in spite of
the buzzing of all the bees in the uni- himself.
verse. The Jeggite said, in his quavering
Fmally the procession came to halt voice: “The Ho-Ghan is waiting in
in a large declevity, like an inverted, his hall.”
colossal mother-of-pearl shell, and the Beside Brewster, Abbott whispered,
Jeggites opened their vehicles. The “Careful, Nick.”
56 AMAZING STORIES

Brewster jerked his arm away and “It depends,” Brewster said, reflec-
shouted, louder than before, “We want tively, “on what you call evidence. Take
time to rest. Tell the Ho-Ghan we’ll thatlittle episode when we landed. Akar

meet him later.” not only took his time coming down to
They could not hear what the Jeggite meet the Argyres, but he insulted them
said; his words were lost in the great by having one of his crew try to give
flurry of conversation that followed. my carton to the Argyres. It was clear
From the expressions of those he saw, enough; the Argyres are above menial
Brewster knew he had shocked them. work. They sent for porters. But it
But he was angry now, and he stood was a deliberate act on Akar’s
belligerently, his eyes scanning the ter- part. . .
.”

races and balconies, his lips set hard.
His men and he were not going to be
placed on exhibition to suit anyone’s
plans, or orders, for that matter.
were and there was an end to it.
tired,
Somehow he had felt a sense of power,
the knowledge that they could assert
themselves. But he would have done
it no matter what he felt.
The Jeggite had been speaking all
this while,but when silence returned
again, and the Earthmen remained
where they were, he bowed and mo-
tioned to an Argyre officer near him.
He spoke to the officer, and the Argyre
came down the stairs to Brewster.
“You will follow me,” he said.
“Where?’' said Brewster.
“One of the palace wings has been
reserved for the use of the honored
visitors from Kren. You may
there.”
“Thanks,” said Brewster.
They walked up the stairway through
a dead silence.
* * * and soft carpets, and elaborate furni-
“AND you still think so?” said Ab-
bott. “On no evidence?”
Brewster leaned on the balcony and
stared into the descending twilight.
Everywhere little lights were springing
up, like fireflies in a gray woods. Far
off he could see the walls of the Inner
City outlined by twinkling ruby lights,
with quiet pools of grey land between
them.
The serving girls were returning with
more food and drink, and their giggles
floated out to the balcony. They were,
They as they had told the men hours before,
from Hruthes, or Uranus, and they
were small and round like the porters at
the Argyre field, and like them, dressed
in white robes trimmed with re ff. They
had first appeared shortly after the men
had been ushered into their quarters in
the palace wing, and they had brought
food and drink and gaiety with them,
but the men bad been unable to eat or
enjoy their rather pretty, silly whole-
someness.
Instead, the men had slept for a few
hours. The palace wing which had
been given them contained twelve
rooms, eight of them with huge beds,
but the men had slept on couches in
rest one of the four main rooms, preferring
to stay together. They had found some
rest, but not from the sheer splendor
that covered every corner of the palace,
from tapestried walls to giant carvings
ture of every conceivable substance, to
high, vaulted ceilings and sculptured
railings on the balconies of the four
main rooms.
It was on one of these balconies that
Brewster and Abbott stood. They had
awakened almost together, before the
others, and they had eaten while the
men slept, and then gone out on the
balcony to talk and smoke. Soon the
Hruthian girls and their giggling bad
 EMPIRE OF JEGOA 57

awakened the others, and the men sat The Argyre officer who had led the
down to a strange, wonderful dinner. men to the wing earlier that day had
Everything here was wonderful. In returned, and with him were two others.
the settling dusk, the palace had become Evidently at his suggestion, several of
a fairyland, a world suspended, ks the men had begun to put on the clothes
boundaries suggested only by myriad that the Hruthian girls had brought
lights. Below the jutting balcony lay with them, and it was the sight of
a portion of the third terrace, its tiled Drake and Callahan in those clothes
surface bathed in amber light from that made the others laugh. Heavy,
concealed sources. On three sides, horny-fisted Mike Callahan was strut-
across the gardens and terraces, hung ting about, chest puffed out, crying out
other sections of the palace, and wher- in an exaggerated brogue, “If only me
ever they looked, there were huge, beau- father and five brothers were here to
tifulrooms and people moving about. see me, dressed in the garments o’ the
From everywhere there came laughter heathen an’ lookin’ every inch the fine
and gay voices, wafted along with the lady I”
garden perfumes and the warm night Brewster smiled. The clothes were
air. two loose tunics like dresses, one of
In the midst of all this, Abbott’s voice which reached just under the knees, the
Brew-
persisted in the conversation that other to the waist. Both were a deep
ster had ended more than once. “But crimson, with a large horizontal band
maybe it was just an incident. You’re of pale green, very light and silky*. Over
attaching too much importance to it.” these came a long, flowing cape of lus-
“Maybe,” Brewster said. “I suppose trous green, fastened at the shoulders
in the end it all comes down to a feel- and reaching the floor. The shoes were
ing. I felt the hostility there. And,” thin-soled, single-strapped, red sandals,
he added, “I’d say it was you who’s at- sparkling with genas.
taching importance to things. What Abbott brought Brewster a pile of
the hell are you so worried about? Why clothes. “We’re going down to a recep-
should you care so much what I tion after all,” he said. “Seems the
thought?” Ho-Ghan is still waiting.”
Abbott stood away from the railing Slowly, Brewster began to change.
and looked into Brewster’s face. The Once two of the Hruthian girls started
light that came from the room shone on coming into the room and the men
the two men, one with a faint smile on howled them out. The wines they had
his lips, the other almost grim. “Be- had with their dinner had put them in
cause, Nick,” said the grim-faced man, high sfurits. Brewster said quietly to
“I wouldn’t want you to make decisions Abbott: “If you get a chance, remind
that might affect the rest of us.” the men that they’re to keep their
mouths tight about what happened on
TJREWSTER turned away without Akar’s ship.”
answering. He leaned out over the “Why?”
balcony and smoked reflectively, and “I promised.”
when he turned his head back to Ab- “They didn’t,” Abbott said, dryly.
bott, he saw that Abbott had gone back Brewster’s lips thinned to a narrow
inside. After a few moments he fol- line. When he was completely dressed,
lowed, curious about the general laugh- he stood for a moment feeling the free-
ter that was coining out. dom of the clothes. Not for a moment
60 AMAZING
gites passed. As Brewster went by, he
looked at the body on the stretcher.
It was the corpse of the little Hruthian
porter who had brought him the strange
note. There was not a mark on him,
but where he had had bright, curious
eyes there were now empty sockets,
gaping at the ornate ceiling.
“Nick, what is it?”
At the moment Abbott spoke, Akar
had turned around to look back at the
body, and before he turned back he
swept Brewster with a long, searching
glance which he made no attempt to
—
hide as if the chance of finding some-
thing on Brewster’s face was worth the
transparency of the effort.
Brewster kept walking without an-
swering Abbott. He had halted invol-
untarily for an instant ^en he first
caught sight of the Argyres; probably
too, he had reacted to the sight of the
body. But he was confident he had
shown Akar nothing. He wasn’t quite
sure why, but he felt it was important
that Akar should have seen nothing.
CHAPTER VI
CHE was tall for an Estannar. She
was slender as a reed, and her hair
fell in a pale golden shower almost to
her waist, its sheen soft in the thousand
lights. Once, when she danced by near
him, Brewster thought he had never
seen such flashing eyes. Their bottom-
less depths were more violet than her
robe, and her lips were full and redder
than the sandals on her feet.
The sight of her almost made Brew-
ster forget everything else.
The Earthmen were on a slightly
raised platform, the lowest of a group
of several, in the great hall of the Ho-
Ghan. They had entered without caus-
ing more than a little ripple of interest,
coming in through a side door, but in-
evitably word of their presence spread
STORIES
among the more than three thousand
people there. Yet this great hall, more
dazzling than anything the Earthmen
had seen, with its glorious sheer white
columns rising from a deep ruby floor,
its transparent walls through which the
surrounding gardens were visible, its
shimmering masses of gorgeously cos-
tumed, different peoples, its glitter and
—
excitement and noise all this was lost
on Brewster after he first saw that love-
ly girl.
Hemight never have seen her if the
awaited ceremonies had begun. But
they didn’t, and except for those who
maneuvered into positions where they
could get a close look at the Earthmen,
whatever had been going on before their
arrival continued with no interruption.
Hruthian servants, scores of them, scur-
ried about like an army of white ants,
carrying enormous trays of food and
drink; whole circles of friends stood
talking with no regard for the dancers
who had to dance right through them,
and everywhere people jostled and
called and laughed.
It had seemed to Brewster that a
squad of Argyres far down the hall, at
an enormous entrance, kept milling
about and looking toward the platform.
Looking about him, Brewster saw that
numerous other Jeggite warriors, many
of whom wore unfamiliar symlwls on
their tunics, had congregated in the
vicinity of the platform, engaged in
casual conversation, leaving occasional-
ly to dance but always returning. But
there were a great many Argyres in the
hall,and Brewster was watching those
nearest him when he saw the girl.
When she moved, a dozen men fol-
lowed her. When she drank, she had
to choose from a score of goblets that
flashed before her. When she danced,
themen she left took no othef partners.
Brewster couldn’t take his eyes from
her.
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 59

stood rooted to the spot, his eyes fixed left them and went to
in his trousers,

on the on the floor.

sight take one. His mind was so far away
The three Argyre officers who had from what he was doing that he started
been in the room were lying on the floor, when his lighter flicked on and the
sprawled grotesquely, face down. Some- yellow flame danced in his hand. He
thing had burned deep, bloodless terri- took a long drag and let the smoke out,
ble wounds into the small of their backs and he looked again to the floor where
just under the shoulder blades, and the Argyres had lain. No trace of them
from these wounds, as in a small fire-pit, remained, not even an ash.
tongues of amber flame spread to de- Akar walked over to him. “I told you
vour their bodies. They spread evenly, once that you would be interested in
with incredible speed, enlarging the our weapons. I would have preferred
horrible wound and racing along the another occasion.”
limbs, and a slight hissing sound, almost “This one was all right,” said Brew-
the sound of a kiss, came from the ster.“What was it?”
flames. The room was filled with a Akar smiled darkly. “A question of
sweet odor. we say, and leave it at
politics, shall

Over the flames, a little behind them, that for the while?” He had, Brewster
stood Kaenas and another Jeggite offi- thought, a really smooth delivery for
cer. The two Brewster had seen before understatements. “A complicated ques-
stood to one side of him, and on the tion,” he added. “I spared your friends
other side Akar stood, intent on the this disturbance —
perhaps it would be
scene. Brewster felt a violent reaction better if you made no mention of it.”
in the pit of his stomach, but he turned “Look,” said Brewster, “I don’t know
back to look again, fascinated. what’s going on here, and I’m willing
Now, as the flames destroyed the to wait on your say-so, but don’t get
dead men, they divided the bodies into the idea that I’m going to hold out on
sections, and as they reached the ends my friends too.”
of these sections, the four Jeggite offi- Akar nodded soberly. “As you wish,
cers bent over quickly and held cupped then.”
hands out to the fire. In their hands A minute later Brewster and the
were gleaming receptacles. The several Jeggites joined the Earthmen in the
fires ate the last remaining shreds, flick- corridor. Three more Jeggites were
ered an instant as if they were search- with them. Following Akar, the entire
ing for something, and then one after group walked down the corridor. Sud-
the other they leaped across the inter- denly, as they made a turn, a door thirty
vening inches of space into the waiting feet farther down the shining wing
which received them and
receptacles, opened and six Argyres came out. Fol-
were snapped shut. Then the Jeggites lowing them was a small, thin, very
put the receptacles back into place. dark man with a nervous step, and be-
They were the blazing center jewels in hind him came four Hruthian porters.
the representation of the flaming stone The porters were carrying a rigid
that all of them wore. stretcher, and on it lay a body.
The first of the Argyres to emerge
CILENTLY Akar picked up a wine had tried to go back, but the others
^ and poured Brewster a glass.
flagon had followed too quickly. They re-
Brewster shook his head. He fumbled mained where they were, exchanging
for a cigarette, remembered that he had precise formal salutes when the Jeg-
60 AMAZING
gites passed. As Brewster went by, he
looked at the body on the stretcher.
It was the corpse of the little Hruthian
porter who had brought him the strange
note. There was not a mark on him,
but where he had had bright, curious
eyes there were now empty sockets,
gaping at the ornate ceiling.
“Nick, what is it?”
At the moment Abbott spoke, Akar
had turned around to look back at the
body, and before he turned back he
swept Brewster with a long, searching
glance which he made no attempt to
—
hide as if the chance of finding some-
thing on Brewster’s face was worth tlie
transparency of the effort.
Brewster kept walking without an-
swering Abbott. He had halted invol-
untarily for an instant when he first
caught sight of the Argyres; probably
too, he had reacted to the sight of the
body. But he was confident he had
shown Akar nothing. He wasn’t quite
sure why, but he felt it was important
that Akar should have seen nothing.
CHAPTER VI
CHE was tall an Estannar. She
for
^ was slender as a reed, and her hair
fell in a pale golden shower almost to
her waist, its sheen soft in the thousand
lights. Once, when she danced by near
him, Brewster thought he had never
seen such flashing eyes. Their bottom-
less depths were more violet than her
robe, and her lips were full and redder
than the sandals on her feet.
The sight of her almost made Brew-
ster forget everything else.
The Earthmen were on a slightly
raised platform, the lowest of a group
of several, in the great hall of the Ho-
Ghan. They had entered without caus-
ing more than a little ripple of interest,
coming in through a side door, but in-
evitably word of their presence spread
STORIES
among the more than three thousand
people there. Yet this great hall, more
dazzling than anything the Earthmen
had seen, with its glorious sheer white
columns rising frcun a deep ruby floor,
itstransparent walls through which the
surrounding gardens were visible, its
shimmering masses of gorgeously cos-
tumed, different peoples, its glitter and
—
excitement and noise all this was lost
on Brewster after he first saw that love-
ly girl.
He
might never have seen her if the
awaited ceremonies had begun. But
they didn’t, and except for those who
maneuvered into positions where they
could get a close look at the Earthmen,
whatever had been going on before their
arrival continued with no interruption.
Hruthian servants, scores of them, scur-
ried about like an army of white ants,
carr5dng enormous trays of food and
drink; whole circles of friends stood
talking with no regard for the dancers
who had to dance right through them,
and everywhere people jostled and
called and laughed.
It had seemed to Brewster that a
squad of Argyres far down the hall, at
an enormous entrance, kept milling
about and looking toward the platform.
Looking about him, Brewster saw that
numerous other Jeggite warriors, many
of whom wore unfamiliar symbols on
their tunics, had congregated in the
vicinity of the platform, engaged in
casual conversation, leaving occasional-
ly to dance but always returning. But
there werea great many Argyres in the
hall,and Brewster was watching those
nearesthim when he saw the girl.
When she moved, a dozen men fol-
lowed her. When she drank, she had
to choose from a score of goblets that
flashed before her. When she danced,
themen she left took no other partners.
Brewster couldn’t take his eyes from
her.
 EMPIRE OP JEGGA 61

T> ESIDE him, Akar was talking about aside, so that a path kept opening for
^ something, but Brewster hadn’t him. He walked with an arrogance
heard a word of it. He was watching that perhaps he himself did not realize,
the girl dance an oddly graceful dance a lean, strong man with a face set as
to music from an orchestra of massed iffor some perilous undertaking. He

strings, coming from some hidden knew she had seen him coming, for the
source, and Akar’s voice kept droning path to her had cleared moments before
on. He turned to Akar then with a he reached her, as if by magic or, he —
vacant look on him, and he interrupted: realized, as if more people than he ex-
“Mow much longer are we going to pected had noticed the way he had
wait here? Any idea?” kept his eyes on her, but she gave no
“Until the Ho-Ghan arrives.” sign until the last.
“Do we have to stay here on this •He touched her partner’s shoulder
platform?” and murmured politely, “Thanks, old
Akar nodded. “Ritual forbids com- man,” and brushed him aside, and tak-
merce with anyone in this court until ing the girl’s hand, he fell into the
you have been presented.” As he spoke, rhythm of the strange courtly dance.
the path of his gaze lay beside Brew- She had smiled at him before she be-
ster’s. “Her name,” he observed, some- gan dancing, so he didn’t care much
what absently, “is Suba, of the great about the miserable job he was mak-
Marannes family. Be patient, my ing of it. The steps were far too com-
friend.” plex for him to have mastered from
Brewster scowled and turned to see observation. But suddenly the music
what the others were doing. Callahan stopped, and the next moment the soft,
was matching Drake and Stewart huge gay strains of a Viennese waltz were
draughts of wine. Purdom and Rogof- filling the great hall.
sky were talking to Kaenas, asking
questions and toasting the answers. The TTE STOPPED short. A glance at
holiday mood was stronger than ever. him Joe Ab-
the platform showed
For a brief moment, Brewster felt a bott and Akar smiling, and Abbott
twinge of danger. He couldn’t place it, raised a hand and made his fingers do
but it was there. He didn’t like the way a jig in mid-air. By then Brewster
they were drinking. Even Abbott, who had recognized the music it was one —
had been standing with Matt Peters a of the records he had brought with himl
few feet away, came toward Brewster. At another time, any time but this, the
“What’s eating you, Nick?” he asked circumstance would have started him
with a loose smile. to thinking, but now his
gratitude asked
Brewster shook his head, looking at no questions. was perfect. He
It
his men, and then he took the glass Ab- bowed and swept the girl into
gallantly
bott held out for him and gulped it his arms. And added sur-
then, to his
down, “Wow,” he muttered, and when prise, he saw numerous others in the
he turned around, the girl was quite hall join the dance I

near him. He gave Abbott the glass
with a grave gesture, and without an-
other word he stepped off the platform
and began walking across the floor to-
ward the girl.
The few people in his way stepped
Suba laughed. “We learned your
dances in your honor,” she said. “We
were to have danced them after your
presentation to the Ho-Ghan.”
Brewster laughed with her. When
he looked again to the platform, it was
 —
62 AMAZING STORIES

empty. They were all dancing now “At least one.”

even Akar had taken a partner. So
Brewster danced as he had never
danced before, unthinking, letting the
smooth waves of music sweep him
along, and Suba Marannes was a mag<
nificent partner.On and on the music
went, until the world had become a
whirling thing and the smooth floor had
ceased existing. When he opened his
eyes again, he saw that Suba and he
were dancing alone in that vast ball-
room!
So he stopped, beautifully poised and
“Perhaps I ought to take you back?”
She stopped and looked up at him.
“Do you think you could find your way
back?” she smiled. “But no, I wanted
to get out, and I could never have done
it without you.” She held his arm tight-
ly and led him on. “Let’s go higher, as
high up as we can, where we can look
down on all the world!”
“The world,” Brewster echoed, shak-
ing his head, a curious smile on his lips.
“Maybe I’d better not start thinking
about that again . .
.”

not the least whit embarrassed, and

with a slight bow, he gave Suba his arm
and escorted her off the floor. He led
her through a door in one of the trans-
parent walls and found himself in one
of the lower gardens. Still holding her
TTP STAIRS they went, past terraces
piledon each other, past huge
hanging gardens, past dark halls and
great chambers, climbing up and up un-
til before them there loomed an enor-

hand, he walked with her, sa3dng noth- mous circular structure with no open-
ing. ings in its deeply fluted walls. It was
The night was full now, and the sky like the topmost tower of some im-
a dark mystery. There were luminous mense building, but its roots were lost
flowers in the garden, he discovered, in the architectural masses that led to
but he felt no surprise. He wandered it A long, sloping walk led to it, curl-
along terraces and up great stairways, ing upward from itsbase like a thin
until he was lost in the intricate vast- serpent, reaching the very top.
ness of the palace, and the hall seemed There they went, climbing the walk,
far away, its noise like the distant buzz- and when they had reached the summit,
ing of insects. There was confusion they stood at the edge of an alabaster
in his mind, but somehow he felt bowl. A few feet away from the in-
strangely happy. It was a long time terior of the circular wall were columns
since he had felt the sense of isolation that rose for more than forty feet, sup-
he loved so well, the feeling of being porting a slender balcony that went
alone that gave him security and the way around the rim of the bowl.
strength. Except for this balcony, which was per-
Yet, after a bit, the isolation itself haps six feet wide, there was nothing
seemed odd to him, for there were no over the bowl, and its only roof was
people about, and they passed sentinel the still night sky, and the bright wink-
Argyres rarely, so that when he finally ing stars.
—
spoke after wondering what he would Here, at the very top of the palace,
—
say to her it was to remark, simply, they felt the vigor of the wind. Brew-
“There’s no one out here. I wonder ster leaned over the balcony, looking
why.” down at the darkly glistening floor of
“No one must leave the Ho-Ghan’s the great bowl, and then he turned to
hall when he is expected.” Suba. She stood holding the balcony
“Then I broke one of the rules?” rail, her face lifted up to the sky, beauti-
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 63

ful and strong. The wind played with He dropped to his knees beside her.
her hair and caught her robe, pressing Through the hewn fretwork of the inner
it to her body until it revealed every balcony rail he saw a white light mov-
delicate line, the fullness of her breasts, ing over the floor far below them. It
the soft suppleness of her thighs. Stand came from a long, taper-like object in
ing there she might have been made of the hands of a Jeggite, its nimbus so
the same material as the stone balcony, small that it illuminated only the upper
until she turned her face to Brewster, half of his body, so that he had the
and then she was too alive and vibrant appearance of a disembodied trunk
for him just to keep looking at her, and floating erratically in the hemming
he felt that if he didn’t speak he would gloom.
let the moment carry him too far. Erratically, because he was running,
But even while he was wondering but never quickly. As he moved across
about it he knew that he had waited the floor he changed directions again
too long and that he had lost and and again, and each time one of the
couldn’t help himself. Later, he didn’t columns near him glowed with a weird,
remember how it happened. The inter- white, opaque glow and opened like a
vening moments were gone, and she was tubular shell, and from its interior a
in his arms and he had kissed her. He Jeggite warrior would step out to stand
didn’t know how much like a dream it in his path. Retreating then, he would
was then, until it had ended, but while take a few steps in another direction
it lasted it was like nothing he had only to be confronted by new warriors,
ever known. until finally he stopped and stood quite
Fragments of thoughts drifted still, satisfied that there was nowhere

through his mind, images like the swift he could go anymore. Yet the remain-
review of life before the eyes of a ing columns —
there must have been
drowning man. He knew again the in- fifty or more —
kept coming alive in the
tolerable cold brightness of the Moon darkness and opening up and releasing
before the crash, the amber fire burn- warriors like black moths from cocoons,
ing the dead Argyres, the weary Estan- until they had formed a large circle
nar gasping an answer in the chair of around him.
truth, the myriad faces in the streets Gradually also, these columns had
of Ho-Tonda, the first cigarette Akar spilled their light into the bowl, so that
had given him, the laughter of a Hru- its interior was filled with a shallow,
thian girl they passed through his
. . . diffuse light, and this together with a
mind without apparent meaning . . . line of slowly moving lights that now
Or was it that in less than four days appeared, as if from over an invisible
he had lived a lifetime? It was a dream, horizon at the far end of the bowl, pro-
unsubstantial and chimera-like, filled vided enough light for Brewster to see
with fantasy and half-truths. But this ever5^hing.
he knew to be true — this woman in his He was a middle-aged man, dressed
arms, soft against his throat, and the in a full robe of deepest crimson, with
sky and the wind and the stars, and a stern though reposed face and long
nothing else, not even, finally, his iron-gray hair. He stood in the center
thoughts. of the circle, turningfrom one warrior
to the next with an expression that
"DUT suddenly her hands were press- seemed merely curious, and this curi-
ing into his arms pulling him down. osity he turned on the advancing lights
64 AMAZING
when they broke through the circle and
came towards him, for th^ were long
tapers such as he held, in the hands
of five masked Jeggite warriors, and
they formed a smaller circle around
him, but none were closer to him than
fifteen feet.
Though they wore masks, Brewster
knew, their identity was and was
plain,
meant to be, for these were no ordi-
nary warrior officers, both by their man-
ner and their dress. The emblazcmed
insignias they wore were so splendid
and large that they covered the upper
half of their black-sleeved, red tunics.
One wore three bolts like unfeathered
arrows of emerald jewels. The second
displayed a fiery red streak like the
wake of a rocket. The third bore the
amber flaming stone, and the fourth
carried an ensign that might have been
the amorjAous, quivering mass of some
protozoid, its body blue and its many
tyes a deeper blue-black. On the tunic
of the fifth was a pattern of diamonds,
like a field of well-ordered stars. And
all the other Jeggite warriors in the
larger, still circle, and all Brewster had
previously seen, wore one or another of
those blazing heraldic symbols, though
smaller ones.
TN THE hush that held the three-
score men below, the central Jeggite
suddenly spoke out. Though Brew-
ster could not understand a word of
what he heard, the deep acrimony in
the voice and the casual imperiousness
with which they were delivered im-
pressed him, as courage and contempt
for fate always did. And there was
courage in the man, unmannered, inso-
lent, controlled. He made only one ges-
ture, and that was to thrust a finger at
the one who wore the flaming stone,
his robe whipping aroimd him' in great
folds, his forearm muscular and
knotted, and then he was through. He
STORIES
had spoken for less than a minute.
Still no one moved, and the center
Jeggite laughed and threw his taper to
the floor where it exploded with a tre-
mendous white flash, and nothing of it
remained. Then the five warriors
moved in on him, their tapers held high,
and one after another plunged the
feebly glowing points into his body. He
gave them no resistance, standing with
his hand at his sides, and even after
the five white shafts had sunk deep into
his body, in his breast and his back,
he stood there swaying, looking at them,
the shafts moving with the effort of his
breathing, until he sank to his knees,
then to his hands, and then quietly, so
quietly, he rolled over, as far as the
shafts would allow him on his back.
Within a minute of the time of pass-
ing, the floor of the great bowl was
empty —but strangely, though every-
thing that had occurred until then had
been precisely arranged, and the «sas-
sination had been accomplished with
the simplicity and inevitability of a
drama, its end was chaotic; it disinte-
grated rather than ended. The five war-
riors stepped back, their eyes for a time
stillon the dead man, and one by one
they left the bowl in the direction from
which they had come, hurriedly, not
speaking to each other, some attended
by officers who joined them, some alone.
And those officers who remained went
back to their columns and they too
were gone, quickly, as though none
wanted to be the last to leave.
But even after they were gone, the
graceful columns retained much of their
light, losing it so slowly that for several
minutes the floor shone with the reflec-
tion of their luminous pallor. Gradual-
ly the light grew more faint, and the
spaces between the columns were the
first to return to darkness, so that the
lightformed fingers which pointed to
the dead man, and the fingers shrank
 — —
66 AMAZING STORIES

away until the body was alone in the “I meant all of you —the Earthmen.
darkness and silence. Only then did They wanted to receive you quietly.
the dead body begin to glow weirdly, They wanted the arrival of the Earth-
with an inner radiance the color of men to remain a secret, so that they
blood, and the focus of the light came could use it to ferret out the members
from five tangential points — and so of the Estannar underground, for all
bright did this light become that at one who knew would be traitors. And they
point Brewster could see that the dead had quarreled with the Ho-Ghan until
man had worn only one sandal, as if he they knew there could be no re-
had not had time to put on the other. treat. . .
.”
That was the end, though none had “Who do you mean by they?"
stayed to see it. Soon there was dark- “The Jevs, the War Lords. The Ho-
ness again. Ghan had killed two of them secretly
as soon as you landed on Boron. The
XJ'ICK BREWSTER got up. He Jevs were determined that your oath
looked over the balcony to the of fealty would be to one of their choos-
floor below but he could see nothing. ing. They took no chances on which
He closed his eyes momentarily, and side you would pick.”
the scene came alive again for him, It was her last words that stopped
though with the distant quality of un- Brewster cold. He still did not under-
reality. It had come at such a moment stand her, but there was something in
that it might have been a dream, but —
her phrasing and as he thought of it,
what he felt within him was real. He in the other things she had said
met Suba’s steady eyes for a moment “Because of us, you say?” he re-
before she turned away, and though he peated, slowly. “Then you knew this
had already guessed the answer, he said was going to happen? You led me here
to her, “What did it mean?” so that I could see itl That’s it, isn’t
Facing away from him, she stretched it?”
out an arm and pointed to the surround- She remained silent and he gripped
ing fields, to the walls that protected her arms, holding her close to him. “An-
the inner city. Far away there were swer me!” he demanded. “You led
occasional flashes of light in the fields, me to see itl”
streaks of livid green and once the sud- “Yes.”
den flare of amber. “And these other things you know
“They are destroying the loyal Ar- you’ve no business knowing them, have
gyres,” she said softly. ‘The War you? How do you know about these
I^rds have killed the Ho-Ghan. The quarrels? How do you know what the
dynasty has been overthrown. It has War Lords wanted? How do you know
not happened in a great many years.” so much unless you . .
. you . .
.”

“But why did they do it?” “Yes.”

She made no answer, and when he “But why?” Brewster cried. “Tell
turned her to him, her face was weary, me why!”
drained of feeling. Again he asked “VU tell you why!’
her. “But you know,”, she said wearily.
“You must know. It was because of T3REWSTER whirled around as he
you.” heard a hard, incisive voice behind
“What are you saying ? What do you him speak these words. He was face
mean because of me?” to face with Kaenas. The Jeggite had
 ” —
EMPIRE
silently come up behind them.
stood there, inches taller than Brewster,
a dark figure with a darker face, so
still that the dull gleam of his jeweled
tunic did not waver, the wind whipping
his cloak around him.
“Because the Estannars sent her to
poison you against us, to use her beauty
to blind you and make you believe the
lies she
— a
At that moment Brewster struck.
All the strength in him lashed out be-
hind that blow, and his fist smashed
squarely into Kaenas’ face and sent him
staggering against the outer balcony
rail. There he braced himself for an
instant and Brewster was upon him,
raining blows on his face, hammering
his fists into the Jeggite’s body, until he
doubled and fell forward. And
before he could think about it —though
of course he had thought about it al-
ready, thought it through to the end
he Kaenas high over his head and
lifted
threw him out over the rail into space,
down the precipitous drop from the
tower’s summit. For an instant his fig-
ure seemed to hang in air, shrouded by
his cloak, and then he was gone, lost in
the night.
Brewster stood at the rail, steadying
himself, and Suba came to stand beside
him. He took her hand away from him.
“Let’s go down,” he said. “Let’s get
away from here.”
“You believe me,” she said.
Brewster looked out across the slen-
der rail. Whatever had been happen-
ing in the fields of the inner city had
long since stopped. From far off,
ing up from below, he heard the muffled
roar of drums, and he looked down
toward the sound trying to create some
meaningful form out of the confusion
of lights. His hands trembled as he
held the rail and his breath was
shallow and rapid.
‘^ou were sent to get at me,” he
”
OP JEGGA 67
He my own way.
isn’t
— me
“Let tell you in It
“Answer me my way. I want to
know.”
“But you knew it your way before
you killed a man to save me.”
As her hand touched him he turned
and seized her wrist and flung it away.
“Get this and get it straight,” he said,
soft, sullen fury in his voice. “What
I did I did for myself, for my own rea-
sons.”
“And not because you love me?”
Her words stopped Brewster short.
For a long moment he looked at her,
and then he said, “You’ve got to un-
derstand that you’ve failed, if that’s
what you wanted. Don’t make any mis-
takes —
I don’t want any part of this
then, fight between you and them.”
“Even before you’re sure you know
what it’s about?”
“That’s it. And you can get that
simple message to your friends.”
She stood before him defiantly, her
eyes flashing, but when she spoke there
was only sadness in her voice. “What
you want doesn’t matter. You’re in this
whether you want to be or not, and
blind and vicious and selfish though you
are, we need you. And we will have
you. You’ve killed for me and you’ll
lie for me and kill for me again.”
Brewster shook his head and sighed.
“That makes two things you shouldn’t
have said,” he said, softly. “Now get
me the hell out of here before I say
something I shouldn’t.”
But before he followed her, Brewster
well- had to take a last look around again.
The lingering sensations of a man wak-
ing from a dream were still with him.
He could not believe that he had felt
the things he remembered feeling, nor
what he had seen ... or done. When
still finally he looked down into the bowl he
saw nothing, but he knew that some-
said. where in the darkness a body was lying
 68
propped against strange white shafts
that would not let it rest. Two murders
had been done up there, and the rea-
sons for either were not clear in his
mind. . . . color, with the thousands of people in
they had almost reached the
lower gardens, Akar came racing
across a terrace towards them. All the
way down they had kept picking up an
escort of Jeggite warriors —the
—
Argyres had vanished and some of
these had run ahead, evidently to where
Akar had been waiting for word of
them. He ran up to them, his usually
impassive face tom between relief and
smouldering irritation, and he addressed
a terse, irate remark to the girl in his
own language and then to Brewster,
“Quickly! Follow —there
me
time for you to be last in line!”
As Brewster left the girl —she
—
waving him to go and ran along with
Akar, he started to say, “It was all my
fault. She didn’t want to. .” But
. .
he didn’t finish. He was startled at the
realization that he was lying for Suba
Marannes!
For some minutes before he had
heard repeated blaring of horns and
ruffling drums, but in his state of mind
he had scarcely wondered what they
might mean, aside from some kind of
pageantry. For after what he had seen,
he knew that the awaited presentation
of the Earthmen to the Ho-Ghan would
not take place, so that his first view of
the court in its formal arrangement,
glimpsed through the transparent walls,
puzzled him.
When they came into view of that
glisteningfacade, Akar stopped run-
ning and continued the rest of the way
at a decorous pace, leading Brewster
into the great hall through the side door
they had first used. And here Brewster
stepped behind Matt Peters and Tom
Drake, who were standing apart from
AMAZING STORIES
the rest of the Earthmen, while Sam
Rogofsky stood before the lowest plat-
form, between both groups.
The hall was arranged in masses of
the court separated according to their
races, making perhaps a dozen fan-
shaped formations which faced three
central, ascending platforms. On the
lowest platform stood five men, all
sentinel Jeggites, their robes red and their
sleeves striped with many colors. One
of them, Brewster saw, was the aged
man who had addressed the speech of
welcome outside the palace. Above
and behind them were some forty Jeg-
gite warrior officers —
among them
Akar, though Brewster couldn’t see how
—
he had gotten there dressed as Akar
is still was dressed, each with the sign of his
Jev.
silently On the highest platform, and Brew-
ster’s breath escaped in a sigh when he
saw them, were the five Jevs, the chief
protagonists in the drama he had so re-
cently witnessed.
They were unmasked now and he
could study their faces, but there
seemed to be little difference among
them save in age. Resplendent in their
tunics, cold-eyed, dispassionate, they
seemed characterless except for their
extreme military bearing and the might
which lay on them. The eldest, his gra-
nitic face lined with age, was the one
who bore the flaming stone; the young-
est, who seemed no older than Akar,
with a heavily scarred cheek that did
not detract from his insolent handsome-
ness, was the one who wore what Brew-
ster thought of as a protozoid.
Flanking the platforms were rows
of drummers and trumpeters and
dozens of robed officials, one of whom
stood beside Rogofsky and spoke his
name toward the platforms. Rogofsky
bowed his head, accepted an enormous
volume from the official and crossed
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 69

over, very unsteady on his feet and He was dressed in a robe of purest
smirking, to where his friends waited. red, exactly as the man Brewster had
At a sign from the official, the drums seen in the tower had been dressed, and
and trumpets went off again and Peters he was built the same way. His hands
stepped forward to have the brief were clasped in his lap.
ceremony repeated. He nodded once, and lights sprang to
life at the feet of those who stood on

X^AITING his turn, Brewster the platforms facing him. He nodded

glanced around. The atmosphere
of the court had changed tremendous-
ly; he had not thought this gay, al-
most frivolous court capable of such
restraint. But it was more than re-
straint. When he looked at the faces
of the people nearest him, they seemed
dulland stupefied, as people look when
they are drunk ... or very frightened.
again and lights went on under the feet
of the Earthmen. He nodded a third
time, and officials ran behind the Earth-
men, always facing the throne, and they
hung something heavy and gleaming
around the necks of the Earthmen.
Then the throne began descending and
the horn blew again, and when all the
lights went on the throne was gone.

Was it possible an Emperor so

for Still in silence, the five Jevs left the

mighty as the Ho-Ghan to have gone to platform and walked slowly through
his death so easily? Had there been the length of the hall and disappeared.
none to fight for him? Were there none The instant the last one was gone, the
to mourn him? Was there not even to formations broke and everyone seemed
be a semblance of tribute, however to be talking at once. The presentation
mocking, to the memory of the ruler was over.
of so great an empire? But the drums “Well,” Abbott breathed, evidently
were rolling for him and he went for- moved, “that was something.”
ward to receive the heavy volume, to
T)REWSTER watched Akar coming
stand with his companions.
He had no sooner taken his position
^ He
towards them. fingered the pend-
when the entire court bowed their ant that had been placed around his
heads. A hundred men rapped their neck. It was an uncut, jagged emerald
staffs like the crack of lightning. All hung on a silk green and red cord. The
who stood on the three platforms volume in his hand was bound in green
turned so that their backs were to the leather. The first page bore Brewster’s
court. A blew on a deep
single herald name written in gold script. The next
horn, a low, majestic, melancholy note, page held the legend: An Introduction
and all the lights in the great hall faded To The Civilization Of The Empire Of
to darkness. And then, from behind Jegga.
the other platforms, rising so that it “For you,” said Akar, beside him.
was higher than they when it stopped, “It will tell you much of what you will
a fourth platform rose up, illuminated need to know of the interstellar worlds.
by a soft, blood-red glow, the only light They were prepared especially for you
in the hall. On it, in a great, gleaming and inscribed by the Ho-Ghan.”
throne that seemed to have been carved “That was the Ho-Ghan we saw?”
from a single, unbelievably enormous “Yes. These jewels he presented you
ruby, sat a man whose face was covered are the sign of his friendship and be-
by a silken veil that hung down from a nevolence. Did you enjoy the cere-
pointed hood. mony?”
70 AMAZING STORIES

“A great deal.” Brewster beckoned “Everything except that remark

a porter and took a goblet off the pref- about the night air.”
erred tray, Akar and Abbott doing the “Your pardon. I have no wish to in-
same. “Why does everyone seem so trude. I merely meant to comment on
excited?” he asked. “No one’s bother- the change that appears to have come
ing to dance.” over you since you left the hall with
Akar sipped his drink and nodded. Suba Marannes.”
“I imagine they were confused by the “I didn’t think it showed,” said
new order of precedence,” he said. “You Brewster. “Tell me about her. Who
see, caste and rank are very important is she? What does she do? I can’t
among us, and the order in which the make her out.” He had
been looking
ranks were placed tonight were quite for her all this time without being able
different from previous ones.” to find her.
“How so?”
“Excuse me,” Abbott said. “I see a “UER family has lived on Jegga for
young lady I greatly admire.” many centuries. They are very
“Your interest in us seems unique,” wealthy and influential people, mer-
Akar observed with a slight smile, in- chant princes. Her grandfather is a
dicating the other Earthmen who were widely respected man, having twice
all scattering, some to take partners, been decorated by the Jeggian Regio
some to talk to other officers. “As I for service to the Empire. She herself
was saying, the old order held only is —how shall I put it? —occupied
three ranks. The bottom platform was chiefly with the social world, with travel
for Jevs, the one above them for Regios, and sport and with whatever man seems
and the third for the Ho-Ghan. To- to suit her at the moment.”
night, due to the Ho-Ghan’s gracious “She’s had a lot of men?”
command, the Regios were lowest, and “She has been married five or six
a new caste, the warriors of Jegga, were times.”
placed over them, followed by the Jevs “What?” said Brewster, cwisiderably
and the Ho-Ghan.” suprised. “It’s incredible!”
Brewster waved his glass. “From “But true. If you get to know her,
the commotion it caused, it seems to you may understand, though I doubt if
have been quite a change.” she will remain in Ho-Tonda much
“It was,” Akar acknowledged. longer. One doesn’t enjoy seeing one’s
“What about the Argyres? There friends fall from power. Like most
were a lot of them around.” Estannars, she generally moves in cir-
“You’re very observant.” cles close to the Regios a natural —
“I’m more accustomed to drinking enough preference since Estannars dis-
than my friends.” like the inflexibility with which we war-
“Or perhaps the night air helped,” riors handle their venomous rebels.
said Akar. “The Argyres represent the After tonight, Ho-Tonda may not suit
Regios, the civil governors, forming a her tastes.”
sort of civil police.In Ho-Tonda, the “I see. It’s all very complicated. I
Imperial City, they were, naturally, the thought at first that all Estannars were
Imperial Guard, but with the elevation rebels, but of course I was quite
of the Jevs and the warrior caste, many wrong.”
of their functions will fall to others. I “Quite,” Akar agreed, “though there
trust you understand?” are several schools of divergent thought
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 71

on the matter. It is an age-old ques- “Be damned if I know. Where is

tion.” everybody?”
Brewster was silent then, leaning “Gone, by now. They left almost
against a nearby pillar as be sipped his half an hour ago.”
drink and looked on thoughtfully. Had “Who left? What are you talking
the tension hehad felt before been the about?”
work of his imagination? There was “Don’t you know?” said Abbott. “I
noise and gaiety again, and drinking thought you knew. The officers said
ever3nvhere. Glenn Purdom whirled you did. They’ve gone away Stewart, —
by, dancing, calling out something that Peters, Callahan, all of them. Funny
was confusion and Brewster
lost in the your not knowing.”
absently to him. His mind was
waved “Where did they go?” ,

a seething turmoil, filled with countless “To a city named Lacus. It’s not far
questions, and a heavy weight lay on from here.”
his heart. Suba was nowhere to be “But what the hell for?”

seen. . . . “Some of the Jeggite officers invited

Presently he turned to Akar and bade them. There’s some sort of party go-
him good night. ing on there and, well, they’d been
drinking and they had women with
"DUT there was no Nick sleep for them and,” Abbott shrugged, “they just
Brewster. Several times he had went, that’s all.”

dozed off, only to toss fitfully and “Why didn’t you stop them?”
awake again, to hear the music from “What for? They wanted to go.” He
below still going on, hearing the laugh- looked at Brewster, adding, “Don’t you
ter, the luxury of his bed strange and see yet,Nick? No one’s giving anyone
oppressive. Now it was quiet. He lis- orders anymore.”
tened to his own breathing, unable to Brewster kept looking at the fire, not
understand why it was so quick and saying anything. When Abbott struck
troubled. A heavy smell of smoke a match to light a cigarette, Brewster
seemed to lay in his lungs. saw that Abbott was still regarding him.
He sat up and flicked a button which “What the hell are you looking at?”
turned on a soft night lamp. A thin said Brewster.
veil of smoke hung in midair, passing “A guy with something on his mind,
slowly to the next room. Beside him I think. That’s why I stayed behind.
lay his guns and a pack of cigarettes. I thought maybe you’d want to talk it
He took a cigarette and lit it, then he out. It’s time, I think.”
put on a robe and went through the Presently Brewster said, “Maybe it

adjoining rooms to the central ones that is, Joe.” He exhaled a long, thoughtful
had balconies. The other beds were drag on his cigarette. “Joe, have you
empty, but on the balcony he found thought much about what’s happened
Joe Abbott, still dressed. The horizon to us? What are we going to do here?
was lit up luridly by a great fire in the All right, we’re pioneers and great ex-

smudged by clouds of smoke.

distance, plorers, and we’ve come into something
“I thought you were asleep,” said that . . . that,” he
about for cast
Abbott. “I sneaked into your room words, and not finding them, he said,
before and helped myself to some cig-
—
almost angrily, “ ^we’re in a world that
arettes. Felt like talking. What do can’t take us back to our world. Where
you think that fire is? It’s tremendous.” do we go from here? What happens
72 AMAZING STORIES

tomorrow, the next day? Where do we ing. From a pocket of his own tunic
go from here? Have you thought about he took out a small piece of torn cloth
that, Joe?” and fitted it to the tear. It matched
“A little,” said Abbott, slowly, “if I perfectly.
understand you. You can’t mean that “Where did you get that?” said
there’s no way for us to get back. There Brewster.
are at least four of us who know enough “The fragment? It was in Kaenas’
—
about metallurgy but hell, it’s not the hand when we found him. I took it be-
chemicals and blast furnaces and con- fore anyone saw. It might have been
verters you’re talking about. We know difficult to explain, though you are
we can build a ship capable of taking Kaenas’ superior.”
us back ... so what are you talking “Then you know I killed him?” said
about?” Brewster, slowly.
“About the things I saw tonight,” “Yes, I know.”
Brewster began, but he stopped there. “And you’re not going to do anything
He had been on the verge of telling Ab- about it?”
bott everything, but something stopped “But what can I do?”
him. He had never confided in anyone, “It was murder,” said Brewster.
and he could not now. He had started Akar shook his head. “One cannot
something he had no desire to finish; murder one’s inferior. One may take
he had already said too much. He life away, but that is quite a different
ground his cigarette out, looking at the thing, the privilege of a superior. Ka-
fire in the distance, then he turned to enas’ life belonged to the Jev Thyle, and
Abbott and “I’m sorry, Joe. I
said, he could punish you if he chose but —
don’t feel much like talking anymore. how can he learn of it unless I tell him?
I’m very tired.” And how can I tell him, who owe you
my life, my elevation from a lowly Cap-
JJTE LEFT then, and returned to his tain of a warship to full nobility as La-
room, surprised to find it in dark- nae, and the honors heaped on me be-
ness, for he seemed to remember that cause of the ring of conspirators you
he had left the light on. But when he discovered.”
turned the lamp on, he saw Akar sitting^ He paused at the threshold and said,
in a chair near his bed. “If you leave the inner city within the
“I am very pleased that you didn’t next few days, you will be well guarded,
continue your conversation,” said Akar, but be careful. We are striking at the
quietly. “I like a man who has the Estannars, and they may try anything
strength to stand alone.” He nodded, in desperation.”
adding, “I came here to tell you that I “That fire outside?” asked Brewster.
will be away for a few days. While I “We are burning their quarter,” said
am gone, you may do whatever you like. Akar, and he left.
I took the liberty of arranging for you It was early morning by the time
to visit Dr. John Stevens. For the rest, Brewster fell asleep. . . .

I wish you a pleasant holiday.” He rose

to go, then, as an afterthought, he CHAPTER VII
picked up the tunic Brewster had worn
and turned it in his hands. He found '^HE days that followed were tran-
a slight tear in the fabric of the green quil, but none was without some
stripe, where part of the cloth was miss- event that wove an inner meaning in
 EMPIRE OP
Brewster’s life. From the day that he
first saw the ruins of the fire in the Es-
tannar quarter, to the time that he wit-
nessed the capture and execution of a
small cell of rebels, to his meeting with
the mysterious, beautiful Vrita, to his
visit to Dr. Stevens, to his unspoken
quarrel with Joe Abbott —but it was
an endless list, for each day brought
something new, often strange, and Nick
Brewster found himself in a life that
fascinated him, a life in which time
slowly ceased to have its old meaning.
From the very beginning, the volume
that had been given him was an amaz-
ing storehouse, filled with fact and the-
ory, stimulating him as nothing had in
years.* He read and re-read it, famil-
iarizing himself with this strange world
in which he found himself. Its frank-
ness, both in what it said and what it
* The Introduction to the Civithation of the
Empire of Jegga was as complete a compendium
as any of the Eartbmen could have wi^ed. It
not only gave illuminating accounts of the history
of Jegga, but of itscustoms and language, and of
the interplanetary system as well. It seemed to
answer everything even the dead birds that
;
Brewster had seen within the wall of the inner
city were explained, and the explanation turned
out to be simple indeed. The inner dty had been
built to protect the life of the Ho-Ghan, and just
as there were walls and warriors to defend it on
land, there were walls of force, invisible and un-
explained, that kept the skies above the inner city
in^olale. Anything that ca/ne in contact with
these walls, either from above or below, was lulled
by the force, though the wall could not be pene-
trated. These same force-walls were In effect on
the ground, sheltering the inner city, but the walls
of masonry and the warriors who guarded them
were added for purposes connected with tradition
and grandeur.
The force-walls were the invention of the Lyrio
dynasty, and to it the dynasty owed its existence.
It was a secret passed on from generation to gen-
eration, though occasionally, when a Ho-Ghan
was banished and his rule taken away, and a new
member of the Lyrio dynasty elevated to Ho-
Ghan, the force-walls were discontinued for a
year, to demonstrate that the Ho-Ghan ruled by
agreement of the Jevs, as well as his own power.
The person of the Ho-Ghan was sacred and in-
violate. He might be banbbed but never kill«l,
never, in fact, touched.
As the Ho-Ghan was inviolate, so too were the
Je«. The title Jev itself came from the name
JEGGA 73
left out through ignorance, surprised
and pleased him, and it brought him to
begin learning the Jeggite language, to
which he devoted an hour each day. He
roamed the palace from one end to an-
other, except for theHo-Ghan’s own
palace. Comparing what he had read
of the inviolability of theHo-Ghan’s
life and what he had seen, he felt a
cynical amusement and nothing more,
and if he wondered who was now occu-
pying the Ho-Ghan*s palace, it did not
trouble him.
Whatever doubts and misgivings he
had had faded away. As he had ad-
mired the discipline of the Jeggites, and
been overwhelmed by their achieve-
ments, he discovered he liked the way
they lived. If he did not believe every-
thing he read, if their stands occasion-
ally dismayed him, if new events came
of the greatest Jeggite warrior in history, the one
who bad commanded the armies that first con-
quered the universe. And as the dynasty of Ho-
Ghans owed their eminence to their force-walls,
so too did each of the five Jevs owe their position
to some invention of an ancestor, and the title
and its secret was bandedMown through the years.
To these inventions and secrets the Empire itself
owed its security and existence, which accounted
for the Imperial hexagon. The force-walls were
deemed the greatest because they alone provided
the impregnable defense. Without it, no weapon,
no knowledge, could continue to dominate.
The five Jevs were of equal rank. The Jev
Azevedo was known by his symbol of star-fields,
for the first Azevedo was the one who had de-
vised the secret of celestial navigation, who bad
constructed the great navigating boards that were
still in use. Their construction was secret, and
kept by the Azevedo family. No navigation board
could be opened without wrecking it. No navi-
gation was possible without it, unless for short
—
distances but the Empire was vast.
The Jev Eblis was known by bis symbol of the
fiery rocket. The original Eblis bad lived thou-
sands of years before, preceding even Azevedo,
and be bad invented the rocket ship, and its means
of propulsion, so powerful that interplanetary
commerce became possible.
The Jev Nastrond was known by his symbol
of green bolts. His was the weapon that had
made conquest possible. Since the first Nastrond,
his descendants had perfected other weapons, all
based on the same principle, the heat ray. It was
used in small weapons and large, as automatic
(Footnote continued on next page)
 74 AMAZING
along to worry him, they were unim-
portant beside the good he found. Brew-
ster had lived dangerously, frequently
in self-imposed hardship and depriva-
tion, whether on his wanderings or his
hunting and exploration trips, and he
thus placed a high value on Will and
the ability and strength to live severely.,
but his wealth had taught him to enjoy
luxury whole-heartedly. Luxury for
him meant the time to read, to pUy, to
understand people and life and the
world, and it was a sort of state to
which he felt true civilization aspired.
But he did not worry if it would ever
come. He already had it. He was a
civilized man.
Still, once or twice, observing the
Jeggite warriors, he wondered that they
did not relax more often, and he remem-
bered that seeing Akar in the luxur-
rayguard and many other ways. Every derivaUve
of the Naslrond Ray was made by the Jev Nas-
trond and hb famify.
Supporting the Nastrond Ray was the Jev
Tbyle’s Flaming Stone. It was as strange and
ine.TpIicable aphenomenon as the Jev Ahriman’s
Anzus, for it was more than a weapon; it was a
natural force. The Flaming Stone was the sym-
bol for the Jev’s control of intelligent fire. Against
thb fire only the force-walls were impregnable.
The firecould devour anything, organic and in-
organic, for it was a living thing in its own right
and needed no fuel for its «xbtence. Or so it
was believed, for the Jev Thyie had said so and
there were none to dbpute him. The fire could
be directed and controlled perfwtiy. It could,
for instance, eat in a straight line, or to a pre-
determined point, and nothing could put it out
except a secret knowledge, which only controlled
it. But it was used abo as a guard. For examine,
on Boron, the Earth’s Moon, it served as illumina-
tion for landing holds, but abo because its strange
light could illuminate Borons without illuminating
anything else. In the years following the con-
quest, when the Estannars began using Borons as
their warriors, in the years when all the system
waited for the first Sartbmen to come, the fire
became inctlcuHibly valtiable. It was universally
symbollMd as a flaming stone, demonstrating its
power, and was kept in jewels and stone bowb.
The original flame was believed to be still in the
possession of the Jev Thyie.
The Jev Ahriman’s Anzus was a formless animal.
It had at lea^.t a hundred eyes, usually more, and
these eyes, prnperlv controlled, had hypnotic pow-
er. The ranje cl this power depended on the
STORIES
iousness of his wardroom aboard ship
had seemed to him to be a contradic-
tion. It Wfis an interesting notion, but
it passed. He found his every want
anticipated, and because it was so much
like the life he hid known, there were
times when he felt almost at home.
gUT there were shadows, too, and dis-
turbances. The men who had gone
to Lacus did not return. Tom Drake
came back, for a day and then went to
rejoin the others. They were making
a grand four of Jegga, going from city
to city, accompanied by Jeggite officers
and women and hosts of servants. Once
or twice, Brewster and Abbott spoke to
some of them through Sinju, and their
smiling faces were beginning to look
worn from too much drinking and dis-
sipation. On the fifth day of their ab-
size of theanimal and the focus of its eyes. An
Anzus with two hundred eyes could hold more
than a thousand meOi dictating their thoughts and
actions, directing their Will.
But the Anzus could
be cut Up so small that it was only the size of an
eye. The eyes could hold men as far as a bright
beam of light of lOOO duns (or some .*>000 candle-
power) could be seen, but if it could be seen, see-
ing it was not dependent on volition, for it could
travel, unlike light, through closed eyes. In effect
it was a transmitter of the thoughts of those who
cofttroRed it.There were bdiev^ to be countless
tbousaiids of them in the |>ossessioD of the Jev
Abrimao, and it was probably the most secret.
But il bad its limitations. In space its eyes could
be seen, or felt, for fabulous distances, but the
sbipe of the JeV Nastfond were known to be im-
pervious to it, and it Wai believed he had used
the Nastrond Ray in some new way to overcome
it. Moreover, for some reason it would not live
long away from JeggS, though it had first come
from Phylades. It was, when large enough, very
cumbersome and difficult to move, with no method
of locomotiUD except by meails of pseudopods,
and if it had to move it often roiled over its own
eyes, blinding itself. It had a distinctive character-
istic Oder, moreover, which was ndt pleasant, and
which sometimes could be smelled, if several were
together, farther than its effects could be felt.
'these were the Jevs. There had been others,
but their titles were lost in antiquity, or their
secrets had been fathomed and their right to the
title of Jev stolen and made common property.
For the Jevs owed their positions to their might,
to their lack of continued defense against each
other and their consequent interdependence. Each
 EMPIRE Of JESGA 75

sence, Brewster spoke to Rogofsky in where in particular?”

Chorcha and learned

the distant city of “Let’s not get nosy,” said Abbott.
that he and Stewart were taking a “Still mad because I wouldn’t talk
spaceship to Hruthes. At first inclined that night?”
to order them both not to leave Jegga, “Not at all. I don’t give a damn,
Brewster ended by wishing them a really.”
pleasant voyage. “Listen, Joe, I’m going to see Dr.
But he didn’t like it, and later that Stevens today. Why don’t you postpone
day when Abbott put in one of his in- whatever you’re doing and come with
creasingly rare appearances, Brewster me?”
spoke about it. “I don’t like it,” he said, “Your first invitation is a little late.

soberly. “I didn’t like the idea of their I saw Stevens two days ago.” He
going in the first place and I don’t like stopped on his way out. “Just one
their splitting up this way.” thing, Nick. I caught the word going

“Why not?” said Abbott, disinter- around that that dame you’re playing
estedly. “Afraid they’re not in good with is too much dynamite. I don’t
hands ? Seems to me you’re doing what know anything, but it sounded bad.
you want to do.” He paused in his Maybe you ought to lay off.”
packing and asked, “Got a carton of “Let’s not get nosy,” said Brewster.
cigarettes you can spare?” “So long.”
“In my room,” said Brewster, and After Abbott had gone, Brewster
when Abbott returned: “Going some- wondered whether Abbott had meant
had bia army, his warships, his domain, but since some five or six thousand difierent articles of
their power to govern was superseded by the manufacture, chemicals, vegetalion, and other
Regios, the boundaries of these domains were things.
fairly tenuous. Included also were several essays of a philo-
The Regios governed by virtue a of decree sophical nature, examining the phenomenon of life
from the Ho-Ghan. They were supreme m their in the universe. Life bad been found on all of
domains. They were a^^ointed for life,
regios, or the other eight planets of the universe, Earth
and their office could not be inherited, though fre- alone excepted from the Empire. Not only was
quently the Ho-Gban would af^int a descencjant this Life more or less intelligent, but, within cer-
of a previous Regio. The Regios had thwr own tain limitations, it was similar, at least in its dom-
armies, known as the Regiis, or, in ^o-Tonda, as inant form. For while there was a bewildering
the Argyres, and the name Argyre spread until alt variety of interplanetary life, with creatures of

the armies of the Regioe were known by it. Of
all the armies of the Empire, only tbe Argyres
possessed all tbe weapons of the Jevs
of their secrets. The weapons were only
them to enforce civil law, and as tol^ens of tbe
Jev’s loyalty to the Ho-Ghan and
vience to the Regios.
Of the extent of the Empire itself, and of its
nature,much was said. The most recent census
had counted more than two thousand heavenly
bodies in the Empire. Though most of these had
been uninhabited during tbe centuries of conquest,
they were later settled by various peoples of the
System. There were several chapters outlining
the hardships of life on soipe of tbes; bodies, and
the amazing nature of compensation? that the
every size, shape and description, the ascendant
form was more or less alike. The colors of their
—but none skins might be different, or the ears pointed or
lent to longer, or tbe chests larger, but basically they
were alike. And this, said scientists, showed that
their subser- Nature repeated a pattern, and this pattern had
everywhere proved superior to the other patterns
of Life. Some went further, to the history of the
Sup and the planets, but their arguments were
theoretical. Tbe essential sameness of dominant
Life throughout the System was demonstrated by
the fact that inter-marriage and inter-breeding was
possible among all of them, and, in fact, there
were countless numbers of variously interbred
people? along with the pure types.
The Regios governed as follows One Regio for :

Jeggite scientists had developed to make life on
these bodies possible. They bad, for insUnce, bad
to irrigate, to produce oxygen, to prevent the
continued splitting of some planetoids, to duplicate
comfortable gravity levels, equalize air pressure,
and so on. Here too was to be found a survey of
the nature of interplanetary commerce,
Jegga, or Mars; one Regio for Estannar, or Venus;
one Regio for Usau, or Mercury, and Hruthes, or
Uranus; one Regio for Ermos, or Saturn, and
Darzis, or Pluto; one Regio for Ania, or Neptune,
and Phylades, or Jupiter. In addition, Boron, the
Moon of Kren, or Earth, was governed by the
listing (Footnote continued on next page)
 76 AMAZING STORIES

Suba Marannes or Vrita. He had been of the System, newly landed at the Kael
seeing them both. But it didn’t seem spaceport.
likely that they could mean Vrita,
though he knew nothing about her, not
J
ATER in the day he had left the
even her full name, because his meet- palace, changing his clothes to a
ings with her had been secret. The mys- grfey civilian Jeggite robe and looking
tery about her spiced their visits. verymuch like a Jeggite in it, and elud-
He had met her two days before, to- ing the nuisance of his ever-present
ward evening. He had spent part of bodyguards by a series of quick shifts
the afternoon at the Sinju, tuning, in through thd connected balconies of the
Jeggian and places of interest on
cities palace wing. He- had left the inner
its broad screen, fascinated by its range city and hired a tyar, a two-wheeled ve-
and full color. He had only to call to hicle similar to the ones the Argyres
a central switchboard to be transported used, but which could unfold wings and
to the cloth mills of Bundokari, the blades and become a helicopter plane
great plastic foundries of Jesudar, the for longer distances. In the tyar he
farms that stretched for miles in the had gone to the uncultivated plains and
agrarian Toctai province, or the bus- woods some miles from Ho-Tonda.
tling canalport of Kardandan, trans- The day before, Abbott had at-
ferring to the waterways the products tempted to tell him of the samples of
Regio of f^sUDnar. The of the Empire was
rest time these people populated parts of Asia, and
colonial, split among the Regies, and administrated thousands of years later they produced the geniuses
by a great many vice-regios and minor officials. of the Jenghiz Khan, who was followed in six
There followed several chapters describing the generations by the great Kubla Khan. The evi -

physical and intellectual characteristics of the
various races.Aside from such frank statements
as those which referred to the brute strength of
the Pbyladians, or the stupidity of the Hruthians
(though they were docile and goodixatured) and
the ugliness of the Ermosians (which caused them
to be barred from most public places), there were
accounts of the virtues and vices of the Jeggites
and Estannars. Both were admittedly the most
intelligent,but the Estannars were said to be
without true inventiveness, without organizational
stubborn, and worst of all,
ability, undisciplined,
effete. But, withal, they were often charming,
witty, talented, and frequently rose above their
inherent weaknesses. The Jeggites were strong,
inventive, highly disciplined, natural leaders and
governors, imaginative, and with little patience for
weakness or inefficiency or stupidity.
The end of the volume concerned itself with
history and law. Curiously, there were several
essays which claimed that the Chinese people of
the Earth had originally come from the Earth’s
Moon. Actually, they were Jeggites who had,
countless centuries before, gone to the Moon
their way to the Earth, All their attempts failed,
and through the yeai~ a quarrel among them de-
veloped which split them into factions. These
factions then attempted, individually, to reach the
Elarth. Finally one such faction did break through,
landing in Asia, as Earthmen called it. But the
entire faction went together and none ever re-
turned, and the secret was gone with them. In
dences of the same racial inheritance showed,
however, in the similarity of many of their names
and dties, and, in fact, the palace of Kubla Khan
was a smaller replica of tbe palace of the Jeggite
Ho-Ghans. And tbe symbol of modem China
was still the Moon.
Going back further than that were accounts
of early life on Jegga, how it bad overcome its
aridity with the genius of its canal builders, how
the canals had influenced its early civilization. At
first they had traveled along these waterways, de-
veloping vessels of great speed, which were still
used in modem times. So too, the great cities of
Jegga were still on tbe waterways, and though
they no longer served their origin^ purpose, they
reminded Jeggites that these canals, with their
red water, had been the arteries and life-blood of
early Jegga. For this reason, the color of the
Emperor was red.
Last was a catalogue of law —tbe laws of the
colonies, of the various planets, of tbe Regios, of
military law, and of the Ho-Ghan. Here were
the laws of superiority and inferiority, worked
on out like tables of equdity, so that, for instance,
the same act performed by a Hruthian and a
Darzizt was, on the one band, a crime, while for
the other it was a legal act. These laws filled
fifty pages of fine print and concerned everything
from property to ethics.
There was also an appendix which listed many
common phrases in Jeggian and their translation,
and a great map of Jegga.—£o.
 EMPIRE OF JEOOA

limestone and ore he had taken from was saying “I am always wrong,'* and
Ute soil, for already Abbott had started more confused by her beauty. For she
thinking of the possibilities of produc- was tall, very tall, and her black, lus-
ing steel, the first step toward getting trous, large eyes reflected the glorious
back to Earth. But Brewster, busy the setting sun, her soft olive skin
fire of

with his thoughts, had been inatten- glowing in that radiance, her long, slen-
tive, and now he was checking up for der mouth parted in a half smile and
liimself. He had been unable to find the teeth so very white against the red
Abbott that day. lips, her hair thick and braided, fram-
He was walking about, climbing roll- ing the straight forehead and the chis-
ing ridges on the edge of a woods, when eled long oval face like a portrait of
he first saw the second tyar appear over- some Egyptian queen. She wore a gray
head. For a moment he gave no thought silken robe like his, her waist shaped by
to it. In his mind he was already see- a broad jeweled belt, her hips easy and
ing the construction of vast steel mills. angular, her hands crossed over her
He knew, and had known before, that breast.
every element needed was to be found
within the System; he saw the buried TLTOW expectant she seemed, how her
coal mines, the limestone and iron ore eyes carefully scrutinized him
pits, the flaming converters and open- from head to foot. And when she
hearth furnaces, the yellow molten riv- spoke, that same expectancy was in her
ers of steel, the bright hell of the ingot- voice, in the deep, husky voice that
soaking pits, the gigantic blooming mills made Brewster think of velvet rubbed
— of it he saw in his mind’s eye, done
all against the nap.
as had never been done before, using
it “0 morra ezad bahazrad'* she said.
the far advanced science of the Jeggites “I am seldom wrong.”
to build his dream. . . . “You —you speak English?” Brew-
But then it suddenly occurred to him ster blurted.
that it must be Abbott in that other “It would appear so, would it not?”
tyar, Abbott seeking him out. Before she asked, her eyes never stopping their
he could remember that Abbott could examination. “I caught a glimpse of
not have known where he had gone, he you at the reception of the Ho-Ghan,”
had run tow'ard where the tyar was she said, after a moment. “You were
landing. It was already dusk and the leaving. But now I see O morra ezad
sun was behind him, so that by the time bahazrad. You are indeed a very at-
he saw that it was a woman who had tractive man.”
gotten out of the tyar, he was already “Thank you,” said Brewster. He
upon it. He stopped then, and would had regained his composure by then ;
a
have turned back except for the way large portion of his twenty-seven years
she stood there, seeming to wait for him had been devoted to the quest and con-
to come closer, her face tilted curiously quering of feminine beauty, and if he
at him. had never lost the ability to react
So he came forward to explain, freshly to the stimulus, he had learned
searching his memory for the few Jeg- to control it. He was proud of the fact
gian words he had learned, hoping they that he could think on his feet, that his
might add up to an explanation. “0 judgments were as instantaneous as
morra bahazrad
. . . .0 igon,” he fal-. . they were accurate, and these and other
tered, confused because he realized he talents were seldom used so well as they
78 AMAZING STORIES

were on women. It had once been said tigued as he was, his mind filled with
of him that if he were dying of thirst the things he had seen that day in Ho-
and a beautiful woman brought him wa- Tonda, he was glad to see her. She re-
ter, he would first concentrate on the freshed him, she soothed and calmed
woman. him, and when for a little while he was
“You know,” said the woman, “I like able to forget what he had seen, it was
that speculative gleam in your eyjp. I easier to forget entirely.
hoped you’d have a gleam like that.” He had gone to Ho-Tonda that day
“You almost sound as if you came dressed in the civilian robe, for it

here to meet me,” said Brewster. avoided curiosity and crowds and so
“Ah, I like that. You’ve been around made bis bodyguards’ task easier. He
women. I had you followed after I saw had not attempted to evade bis guards
you leaving the inner city, and then I that day; he had found new ones that
came here. I thought you might enjoy morning, and upon inquiring after the
a quiet dinner in the country.” others, he was told that they had been
“You have a secluded little lodge not executed for failure in duty.
too far away,” said Brewster. “We’ll It had shocked him at first, learning
be quite alone and we can talk.” that what had been a light-hearted ma-
“Rather a large lodge, but quite right neuver for him had cost two men their
otherwise. Tell your tyar you won’t lives, and then it bad infuriated him.
need him. Make sure to get his num- He sought out the Jeggite officer, a La-
ber.” nae, who was responsible for his safety
When Brewster returned a few min- and told him in measured tones that he
utes later he said, “I’m considered ra- refused to have bodyguards. The Lu-
ther a fast worker in my country, so nae, old enough to be Brewster’s father,
my only request have a little respect
is told him that his own life depended on
for my reputation. So far this is won- Brewster’s safety, and that since he val-
derful and terrible. What’s your ued it, he would not he.sitate to execute
name?” as many bodyguards as he had to, until
“Vrita,” she said. “We’ll let it go at this process of elimination would finally
that.” furnish bodyguards who could not be
And as far as talking went, they bad eluded.
let it go at that, and it continued rather “That’s a damned cold-blooded thing
more wonderful than terrible. That to say,” Brewster had said. He found
night, far away in the still fastness of his rage useless against the man’s calm-
the forest in the Paipurth mountains, ness. “That’s the
—
had been everything Brewster could “But reflect a moment,” said the La-
have wanted. He had known several nae. “It is you who is being cold-
women whom Vrita brought to mind, blooded. The lives of these men now
fiery, extremely intelligent, restrained depend upon you.”
and passionate by turns, mysterious, So that in the end, when Brewster
but Vrita was the synthesis of all and went to Ho-Tonda, he was accompa-
something more, something elusive. nied by some six or seven Jeggites; he
wasn’t sure how many there were be-
CHE had returned him to the outskirts cause he wouldn’t let them get too close
^ of Ho-Tonda the next day, and that and they were dressed in civilian
night, after he had fallen asleep, he clothes, but he had agreed not to at-
woke up to find her in his rocnn. Fa- tempt to get away. He took a tyar to

the city itself and there walked toward
the Estannar quarter.
The fire that had raged for four
had finally burned itself out,
black columns of smoke still spiralled
into the sky from smouldering areas.
There were dense crowds for blocks
around the ruined quarter, milling
against the cordons of Argyres and Jeg-
gite warriors, and Brewster found him-
self unable to get closer than two blocks
to the edge of the quarter. But even
from where he stood, jostled on all sides,
he could see gaunt, charred skeletons of
stone buildings and hear the roar of a
fresh fire springing to life among
embers. He listened to the conversa-
tionson all sides, not because he could
understand them, but because he under-
stood enough from their intonations and
actions.
there no sympathy for the Es-
^ tannars among all these people?
Vrita had told him the night before,
when he spoke to her of the fire that was
then still what had happened to
raging,
the Estannars. She had spoken vaguely,
not wanting to talk of it, and he had not
pursued it, but he had heard enough to
prepare him for something bad. He
looked about him, trying to understand.
Here and there would be a sad-eyed
Phyladian, towering even over the Jeg-
gites, their bruitish faces impassive and
tragic as they gazed at the ruins, but
they were the only ones who seemed
affected. The others, the shifty Usuaus,
laughed uneasily, exchanging
comments with the curious Anaians, the
slow-talking Darzizts, and once, when
a group of Argyres came charging
through the crowds, chasing an Ermo-
sian and hitting him over the head with
long pikestaffs — for Jeggian law
bade Ermosians from public gatherings
—
even the dour
because of their ugliness
Phyladians joined the laughter.
EMPIRE OP JEGGA 79
They were no different, Brewster
realized, from comparable mobs he had
days seen at such occasions; they were vul-
though tures, gawking and gossiping and ti-
tillating their nerves with the view of
disaster, and they disgusted him no less
than other crowds he remembered. He
had mahy times had reason to hate
mobs.
His revulsion made him impatient
and careless. He began pushing through
the people, elbowing them aside. They
cried out at him, hurling insults at him,
and one stout Phyladian put a hand
against Brewster’s chest and pushed
the him back some five feet with a gentle
shove. And Brewster, already simmer-
ing, boiled over. He surged back at the
giant Phyladian, and instantly, where
a moment before there had not been
room enough for him to pass, there was
now a cleared area. The giant saw
Brewster coming toward him and came
to meet him, his enormous arms
stretched out before him as if to seize
Brewster and throw him somewhere.
Brewster stood there until the last
he suddenly ducked under
instant, then
the extended arms and buried his left
fist in the Phyladian’s belly, then his
right, then his left again, short, mur-
derous blows that hit like hammers.
Then he backed away, and as the giant’s
head came down, Brewster landed his
right fist on the side of the man’s face
with such a furious, full-bodied smash
that the giant literally flew off his feet,
landing at the edge of the cleared area.
rapid And then, before the Phyladian could
get to his feet —
for he was rising, though
he swayed like a dying ox, one eye
closed tight —
and, while Brewster wait-
ed ready to hack him to bits, over the
screams and yells sharp whistles blew
for- on all sides and Brewster’s bodyguards
surged through the crowds.
In a moment they were joined by Ar-
gyres. They would have killed the
 80 AMAZING STORIES

Phyladian if Brewster had not stopped Estannars —

the first he had seen that
them. But stop them he did, and then, day. There was a good deal of com-
when they were taking the bloody brute motion, with the Argyres spreading out
away, he remembered the fate of his in a large semi-circle around the pier,
bodyguards and he said: “Don’t do any- and it was impossible to see what was
thing to him. I want him brought to going on.
my quarters this evening. That’s an Suddenly everyone began moving
order, and if it’s violated, I’ll have a back. Warriors came up from under the
new set of bodyguards in the morning.” jutting skeleton of the pier, carrying the
The strange language he had spoken, men whom Brewster saw
bodies of five
as well as the perplexing circumstance were Estannars. They had been hid-
of this apparent Jeggite being so well ing under the ruins, breathing through
attended, so inflamed the curiosity of hollow reeds like the ones which lined
the crowd that Brewster’s bodyguards the canals, and they were so utterly ex-
had to get him away before his identity hausted that they could not move. All
might be guessed, for then, they told young men, they lay where they fell on
him, it would take an army to clear the sandy beach, their clothes in seared
them. So they hustled him down into tatters except for thin belts which hung
the cleared area of the ruins, where he heavily around the waists, holding sev-
had wanted to go anyway, and there he eral bulky pockets.
saw the capture of several Estannars, Warriors carefullyremoved these
and there too he met Suba Marannes belts, and then a Jeggite officer went
again. among them, examining their faces pa-
tiently.After a moment he stood up
THE company of his guards and and pointed to one of the men. A mur-
Argyres, Brewster walked through mur ran through the people near the
the devastated blocks. It stretched for pier. Looking closely, Brewster saw
perhaps a quarter of a mile, two or three that the man who had been singled out
blocks deep, paralleling a series of was odd-looking for an Estannar, with
branch canals. Everything, docks, the wiry smallness of a Usau and some-
warehouses, piers, had burned to the what darker hair than the others.
water’s edge, and though from the rub- They killed that man where he lay.
ble and charred remains Brewster knew The others were dragged erect and half
it had been a natural fire and not the carried to a waiting tyar. They were
work of the Jev Thyle’s flame, the de- taken directly past where Brewster
.
struction had been almost as complete. stood,and as he studied their faces, see-
Patrols of Argyres and warriors were ing that they were already half dead
everywhere, poking about in the ruins, from fatigue and exposure, he backed
but when Brewster had been there no into the assemblage of officials
and ci-
more than a few minutes, he saw patrols vilians.Then he felt a hand close on
running toward a point some distance his.
away where official tyars, the only ones
allowed over the area, were dropping. CO TAUT was he, and so swiftly had
By the time he reached the fire-black- he turned around that he saw the
ened pier that had become the center fleeting change of expression on Suba’s
of much activity, the place was filled face before she had had time to adjust
with warriors and officials and a sprin- herself, for evidently she had touched
kling of civilians, several of whom were his hand the moment she recognized him
 EMPIRE OP JEOGA ai

standing just before her. For a brief guard of honor formed and a Lanae
instant he caught her surprise and fright who was present introduced himself and
—or had it been fright? but it dis-— provided the tyars with a graciousness
appeared immediately and she said that scarcely hid his inquisitiveness.
something to him in Jeggian, pleasantly, Brewster stood there politely ducking
quietly. He understood only one word: questions until they left.
“hello.” The moment they were alone Suba’s
If it had not been for the constant cheerfulness coU^sed.Her smile fell
pressure of her hand on his, he might off unnaturally and she sat pressed in a
have spoken. As it was, she had incon- corner of the tyar without saying a word
spicuously taken him off to one side. until the retreating ruins were out of
“What are you doing here?” she asked, sight,and then she quietly said, “Your
her voice barely audible. “What made being in our quarter this afternoon was
you come here?” an unfortunate coincidence, but I am
“I don’t understand,” said Brewster. greatly obliged for your kindness.”
“I’d heard about this — the mean.
fire, I When she didn’t say anything after
I thought I’d look around. What’s the that, Brewster let his impatience out.
matter?” “I think I deserve at least a rudimen-
A had sped over her face.
cloud tary explanation.”
“These men near you are your guards?” “Yes,” she agreed, but several mo-
she said quietly. By then her quick ments more went by before she spoke.
eyes had seen the guards hovering close- “Those men who were waiting for me
ly, and her had organized
intelligence were my father and two of my uncles.
everything. The Cloud was gone and The Jeggites have been pretending to
she was smiling, chattering very cas- think my family had a hand in hiding
ually. “I think you’ve seen everything,” those rebels. Your presence there,
she said. “I’ll go back to the city with where they might infer you had been
you.” led, was most unfortunate under the
He hadn’t wanted to go with her. He circumstances. They might have said
didn’t know whether it was because he you were led there to give rebels a
wanted to stay or to avoid her. At any chance to kill you. As it is, they may
rate, he got no chance to answer, for still say it, but you have been very
she walked away quickly. A few yards kind.”
away and Argyres
several Estannars “Kill me?” said Brewster, confused.
were waiting before an official tyar. She “They wanted to kill me?”
spoke to them and they all looked curi- “I don’t know, I think they were
ously toward Brewster. They left with- meant for you.”
out her, she waving to the ascending
tyar, and then returned to Brewster. '\X7'HEN she said nothing else,
“It’s impossible for anyone except Brewster said, “I don’t think I’ve
officials to get tyars here,” she said, understood a single thing you said. Not
“but I’m sure you can get one. Tell one thing.”
your guards to ask a Jeggite officer for She turned to him. “You haven’t
one.” heard about Chorcha?”
Brewster looked at her and saved his “I don’t even know what it is.”
he asked for two tyars;
curiosity, but “And you don’t understand about the
he wanted to talk to her alone. The fire?”
request produced the expected stir. A “I’m not sure. I thought I did.”
 82 AMAZING STORIES

“What did you think the fire was? “Two hours before dawn, on the first
Why was it set?" night of your arrival in Ho-Tonda,
Brewster hesitated. “I thought it thousands of warriors encircled the en-
was . , . thought it was a gen-
well, I tire Marannes waterfront. The war-
eral punitive measure against the Es- riors had already seized power from
tannars. I imagine they cleared out the Argyres. The Jevs sanctioned an
the inhabitants and burned down the act that even the Regioswould never
quarter to force the Estannars to leave have allowed. They gave no warning
Ho-Tonda." to thehundreds of people who lived
“You think the entire Estannar quar- and worked in our quarter. A score
ter was burned down?" of fires started simultaneously through-
“Yes,” said Brewster, “though it out the quarter.
seems like a fairly small — Less than half the
people trapped there escaped with their
She interrupted. “The Jeggites lives, and they ran into waiting cordons
burned down only that part known as of warriors. When the rebels they
the Marannes quarter, my family’s sought were not found among them,
docks and warehouses, and the homes they waited for the fire to subside and
of the people who worked in them.” then searched the ruins until they dis-
“I don’t understand. Why only that covered them under the pier. . .
.”
quarter?”
“They had found out that a rebel cell pOR a moment she turned to Brew-
was hidden there.” ster, her eyes savage with dark pur-
“You mean," said Brewster slowly, ple light. “You say there must have
“that an entire section of the city was been other ways to find the men they
razed just to get at those five rebels sought —
but there was no better way
I saw caught?” for their purposes. The Jevs could
“Yes.” hardly have thought of an5rthing better
“But surely the Jeggites could have to demonstrate their ascendancy. They
found them some other way?" said killed hundreds of Estannars and struck
Brewster. “I know something of their a public blow at the Marannes family,
capabilities.” not only by their wanton destruction,
“Yes,” said Suba, softly. “They are for we are wealthy enough not to feel
very capable monsters.” even such a loss, but by showing that
“Look here!” Brewster exploded. Marannes property had been used to
“Suppose you stop giving me these half shelter enemies of the Empire.”
answers and vague hints and questions Brewster was thoughtful for a mo-
that lead nowhere! Or if you don’t ment after she finished speaking, and
want to talk, say so and .” His
. . then he said, “But they were right,
anger subsided before her suddenly taut weren’t they?”
face. It was
he couldn’t hurt such
as if She turned on him, fury in her.
loveliness, he thought, annoyed with “Right? Right to kill—”
himself. He couldn’t hurt her and that “I mean they were right in believing
was that. you had sheltered rebels.”
But then she began speaking, her “No,” she said. “None of my family
voice still soft, and she never looked at could possibly have done it.”
him but kept her eyes on the horizon, “I’m not talking about your family.
and he felt that she was very distant I meant you.”
from him all the time she spoke. “1 had nothing to do with it.”
 —
EMPIRE OF JEGGA 83

“You didn’t know they were there?” ment. Still, something was definitely

“No.” wrong with the story as it unfolded.

“Then it was just a coincidence that He pursued it. “It seems,” he said,
rebels were found in the property of a “that these E.onos were trapped here
family that has a rebel member?” in the fire the first night we arrived.
She flushed, but her lips were steady. If they came to kill us, why weren’t
“Yes. I am not lying.” your orders in line with that? Or were
Her words Brewster up
brought they?”
sharply. He had been about to say “Nol ” she said, sharply. “My orders
that the responsibility for the terrible were to conciliate you, to win your
loss of life, no matter how cruel the friendship and trust imtil you would
Jeggites were, was actually hers. But believe us.”
now he remembered with a recurrence “But that same night there were al-
of that queer sensation that he was talk- ready men in Ho-Tonda who were here
ing to someone who could not lie that — to 1^ us? Doesn’t that seem wrong
if she gave him an unqualified denial, to you? Isn’t it possible that you’re
be had no choice but to believe her. mistaken in your analysis?”
He shrugged. “Then how did you “The analysis is not mine. The Konos
know those rebels were here to kill they found in Chorcha and the other
me?” places all told the same story. They
“I didn’t say I knew,” she said. “I had come to kill you.”
only think so.” She looked down at the “It still doesn’t make sense,” Brew-
city hundreds of feet below them, the ster pointed out.
hum and bustle of its life a steady “I know,” she said, meeting his
sound in the silence. glance. “It will when I have found
“I thought at first the Jevs had fired out,”
our quarter to injure us, on the pretext
of hunting rebels. Today Argyres from "DREWSTER doubted it. “Do you
Chorcha reported to the Regio. Rebel know what happened when we
cellshad been discovered in every city landed on Boron, or in the ship that
your friends went, this morning even brought us to Ho-Tonda from Boron?”
in Chorcha where they were expected. “No,” she said very slowly and quite
The Regio informed my father, know- puzzled.
ing how bad it would be for us if they That was it, of course. After the
actually did find rebels in our quarter. break on Boron, and after the mutiny
When they found them I saw it could on Akar’s ship had failed, the rebels
not be an accident that they were every- had decided their only answer was to
where you Earthmen were ^they are — kill the Earthmen. Acting independ-
special agents called Konos, assassins, ently, as they had to for safety, they
sent here from Estannar itself.” dispatched MUers to Jegga. Mean-
“Have you any idea why they chose while, those who still operated under
your quarter to hide?” the previous orders were trying to con-
‘Tt was clever of them. The Maran- ciliate the

nes family’s position and well known What nonsense! Even that neat
loj^ty would make our quarter an theory had a tremendous flaw in it!

ideal hiding place ordinarily.” The rebels had planned to prevent the
Brewster could not help the trace of Earthmen’s falling into the hands of
a sarcastic grin, but he forbore com- the Jeggites — Dramon the Estannar
84 AMAZING STORIES

liimself had admitted that he would know X was there, didn't you?”
sooner have seen them dead than taken She nodded. “I capitalized on it, I
by the Jeggites. The failure of those demonstrated we were good enough
plans had decided them to kill the friends to leave together. If matters
Earthmen. Fine, as far as it went. But grow worse we may need even the sug-
—the very fact that Suba had been or^ gestion of powerful friends and you —
dered to win Brewster over already pre- are powerful, make no mistake. The
supposed that he was in the hands of Regio is a figurehead now, and the Ar-
the Jeggites! gyres quickly made their peace with
What did it mean? Had the rebel the Jevs when enough of the loyal of-
chief first sent Konos, then changed ficers were killed off. You'd think life
their minds and been unable to call was valueless to them,” she added soft-
their killers off? The ones trapped in ly, “but it isn't so . . . not their lives.
Ho-Tonda, perhaps —but what of the
>7

ones in the other cities?Was there no “And your life? Aren’t you ever
communication among them? Or was afraid they might seize you and and, . . .

there more than one source of orders? well, make you answer some ques-
In any case, the rebels were a badly tions?”
muddled lot and he pitied their puerile “A silly girl like me?” Her laughter
attempts at revolution. was gentle, bitter mockery. “They’d
But what of the Jeggites, he asked never suspect me. Why should they
himself, irritably.Did he yet under- bother with someone whose only inter-
stand what the mutiny aboard Akar’s ests in life are foolish rounds of fun?
ship was all about? Did he yet know I travel and hunt and dance and have
why Jeggite should have been pitted picnics and little else.”
against Jeggite? Even ifhe assumed Little else except get married,Brew-
that the mutinous officers had been Ar- ster wanted to say, but he said: “What
— —
gyres in disguise, say how did that if any of your family knew about you?
explain their connivance with rebel What if they were to be questioned?”
Estannars? Then he dismissed it, tem- He couldn’t understand the irritation
porarily. At least there was sufficient he felt.

order and intelligence among them to “No one knows. And my family is
have uncovered these rebels. He was too powerful, too famous. They
grateful for that, though he felt con- wouldn’t dare,” she said. She said it
tempt for these confused plotters. When again, as if to reassure herself. “They
Akar returned, he would have it out wouldn’t dare. They never have dared
with him. It could wait. . . . until now . .
.”

He said: “Well, now I understand

why you were so upset when you found gREWSTER thought she was going
me at that pier. First you thought I to cry. to ask you,” he
“I meant
was alone, so you tried to pass me off said quickly. “When they found those
as a Jeggite before I could spoil it by five rebels under the pier, they killed
speaking English. When you saw my one of them immediately, an odd-look-
bodyguards, you realized it was no use ing fellow. Why was that?”
trying to conceal the fact that I had She hadn’t cried, after all. She turned
been there. But you might have tried to him, seemingly surprised that he had
getting me out of there without stirring asked that question. “But he was a
up that fuss. You wanted everyone to Bheynor,” she said. “He was the off-
 .

EMPIRE OP JEGGA 85

spring of an Estannar and another race, equal. Not that Vrita was . . . hell,
a Usau, I think.” no, but therewas a kind of innocence
“Is that forbidden? I don’t under- about Suba that had a tremendous ap-
stand.” peal for him. Strange, that innocence,
She looked at him. “Have the Jeg- in a woman who had been married six
gites told you nothing?” she said, un- times. Or five times. ProbaWy an
believing. “Don’t you know that the invaluable quality in a spy, that ability
punishment for intermarriage between to appear innocent.
Estannars and other races is death for He had been suddenly stirred for a
all concerned?” moment when she told him about the
“I didn’t know. Why is that?” Bheynors. A wild idea had Hashed
“Why?” Suba echoed. There was a through his mind . something about
. .

distant look in her eyes when she spoke her marrying so often as a trick, to bear
again, a kind of nonsensical visionary those curious hybrids for her cauM . .
look, as Brewster mentally character- absurd, of course, because her mar-
ized it, and her voice held a sort of cold riages were only too well known. She
passion, more in her words than any- might, though, marry an Estannar as a
thing else, for her voice remained quite blind for mating with someone of an-
soft. other race. Then where were the chil-
“Because sometimes the offspring of dren — surely so well known a person
such a marriage looks like an l^tannar couldn’t hide a brood? If anything, this
without inheriting the curse of our race new aspect that had at first excited him
—sometimes can lie. It can go among
it and why?—only galled him more when
the Jeggites and confound them, and he examined it.
so they call these invaluable allies
Bheynors, which means: able to resist. TJTE HAD been in a bad mood when
But they are wrong, for in that sense he returned to the palace, and the
their malevolent empire is filled with Phyladian who was waiting for him
Bheynors. We are all able to resist, hadn’t helped any. He had completely
each in our own way. . .
forgotten about him until one of the

Brewster let the ensuing silence re- guards asked if Brewster wanted to
main unbroken. He was tired of her see him. They brought in the giant,
little orations. They only provoked his huge skull bandaged and his green-

his impatience. When the tyar landed ish skin discolored and bruised, and
not far from one of the gates to the in- Brewster had nodded and told the
ner city, Brewster quickly said his guards to let him go peacefully.
goodbye. “If you can use my help,” But then the Phyladian had refused
he offered, “don’t hesitate to call on to go, and his deep voice had rumbled

me.” on in a distressed monotone, and the

After he had left he was sorry he had guards were pr^aring to use force
offered his help. He had no interest when Brewster stopped them. “What
in helping her or any of her cohorts. does he say?” Brewster said.
She was a beautiful woman, but why “He thanks you very kindly for your
in hell should that make any difference? mercy, 0 Fyavo.”*
When he compared her to Vrita, he So Brewster had nodded and tried to
wondered which of them he would * Fyavo —a word meaDing honored visitor, but
carrying with it the connotation of princely posi-
sooner have taken to the mountain
tion and power, conferred by the Ho-Ghan’s gift
lodge, given his choice and other things of the einerald.^£D.
86 AMAZING
send the Phyladian away, but the giant
had still refused to go, and he had made
violent gestures with his hands, point-
ing to the guards. When Brewster again
asked what the giant was saying, the
guard said, “He is grateful also because
you saved him from injury at our
hands, O Fyavo.”
“Fine. Now tell him to go.”
“He is very dull witted and does not
understand that you cannot grant him
leave in the Jeggian tongue. 0 Fyavo.”
Brewster’s enormous Introduction
was lying nearby, so he had shrugged
and picked it up, opening to the appen-
dix. He read Uiree different phrases
aloud, combining them: “0 gahy or-
tram jkaba miratro O igo; hajtgi; 0 had lain awake, falling now and then
brui mettaz** “I wish you the very
best fortune for the future; I go now;
I bid you farewell.”
The Phyladian’s objections had only
increased, until Brewster caught one
word, then another, then a phrase, trac-
ing them all. Then he h^
risen and
stood before the guard who had done
the translating. “Tell me again what
he says,” Brewster said in an even
voice.
The guard’s brown face blanched.
“Your indulgence, Fyavo, for not lis-
tening carefully. He says he fears we
will killhim when he goes from here.
He has seen you are merciful and
wishes to remain here as your bonds-
man. He says his life is yours.”
Brewster slapped the guard across
the mouth. “He stays, and I’ll expect
to see him every day. If you ever try
this on me again, I’ll break you apart.”
He pieced together a few reassuring
syllables which he spoke to the Phyla-
dian and retired to his room.
And here again Brewster was uncer-
tain about his motives. Why had he
bothered about that stupid brute? Was
it merely his anger at the guard’s effort
to deceive him? He was sure they had
STORIES
meant to kill the giant. And the brute
had said his life was Brewster’s. Great.
He was getting to be a collector of lives.
First Akar, a noble, now this green-
headed brute. He remembered sud-
denly Suba’s saying: “You’d think life
was valueless to them, but it isn’t not—
their lives.” How true was it? They
seemed to have a sliding scale for the
value of life, like their tables of rank
and law and ethics.
Before he went to bed, he tried to
contact his friends. An officer appeared
on the Sinju and said he would pass
the message to Chorcha, where the
Earthmen were expected the next day.
Abbott was nowhere to be found. He
into a shallow, restless slumber, and
then suddenly Vrita had appeared. He
hadn’t known where she had come from
and he asked no questions, taking the
silken loveliness of her body in bis
arms.
CHE was gone when he awoke, and
^ then Rogofsky had called in from
Chorcha, saying that he and Stewart
were going to Hruthes by spaceship.
He had not told them what he felt, and
he had avoided it when he saw Joe
Abbott later in the day, before he went
to see Dr. Stevens. A call came in from
Suba Marannes when he was leaving;
he didn’t take it. And not because Ab-
bott had just told him there was talk
about him and a woman who could only
be Suba, but because she had plagued
him and given him a bad day the day
before.
Not day started out much
that this
better. His escort was a taciturn medi-
cal officerwho spoke less than a dozen
words the way to the hospital where
all
Stevens lay. When he took Brewster
into the large room, he jerked his head
toward the bed and said, “Hopeless.
Spinal injuries and shock. Dying slow-
 . .

s
EMPIRE OF JEGOA 87

ly.” was a long speech for him.

It He replaced the note in its hiding
When Brewster had last seen Stevens place, and the questions in a little re-
almost a year before, Stevens had been ceptacle in his mind marked: To Be
a man some fifty years old, with a finely O^ned When Akar Returns. So se-
moulded face and keen, intelligent eyes cure and satisfactory a place was it that
and a firm, vigorous step. The man he smiled when he held his two auto-
who lay in bed with jaundiced, tearing matics in his hands. He had not
eyes still retained some of the cast of touched them since the second day. He
Stevens’ features, but nothing more. A blew the dust off the guns and put them
dozen scars had disfigured him. The away.
hair on the right side of his head had
fallen out, the rest was thin and white TT WAS as if someone had been
as snow. His cheekbones were large watching him. There had been only
and prominent in his wasted skull, his that one note in five days, but after the
hands gnarled and bony and trembling. fifth day there was a new note every
Though his tear-filled eyes were open, day. He found them in his food, in his
there was no sign of recognition in their bed, once in a half empty pack of cig-
vacant yellow pools, nor did he seem to arettes. Only the first of this new series
hear the few words Brewster spoke. . . disturbed him to the extent that he did
When Brewster returned to the pal- something about it.

ace, he dug into his carton and took out

a pack of cigarettes. He emptied the Get it, Brewster? One by one
pack and took out the last cigarette. they’re gradually going to separate
Instead of tobacco it held a rolled up your whole outfit. Let them! Keep
bit of paper. your eyes peeled and your mouth
shut, and maybe you’ll wind up in
Don*t be a sucker, Brewster. the bed next to Doc Stevens. May-
There’s more to winning bets than be all of you will.

playing the odds — find out what

you’re betting on. Interested in He called on the Sinju and found that
palace revolutions, maybe? It’s a all except Rogofsky and Stewart were
juicy two to one, in the bag, and together in the Nogansi province, and
you lose either way. . . even those two were on their way back.
And Abbott calledhim briefly to in-
He realized reading and re-
then, quire what he was doing. Abbott was in
reading it, had stored the ques-
that he work clothes, making metallurgical sur-
some
tion of the existence of this note in veys in the Totamangu mountains, sur-
far recess of his mind, as he had stored rounded by troublesome bodyguards.
the note itself. Now it was out again After that he ignored the notes, even
and Brewster had no answer. He real- when one of them referred to Vrita, call-
ized that he had retained some vagrant ing her the first self-appointed satellite
idea that Stevens had written it . . . of the coming star. For all her secrecy
maybe, for some reason 1 will learn, it and care in meeting him, he knew that
was SteOens: that was the way he had soon or later their meetings would be-
stored it in his mind. But now he come known, but he was angry at this
knew it wasn’t Stevens. spying. It was not difficult to deliver

Then who was there among these such notes, he knew. The palace
people who could write in slang? teemed with servants and attendants,
 AMAZING
and even the watchfulness of the Ar-
gyres and warriors was not enough
thatmuch he knew from their constant
nervousness in challenging even casual
passersby, from sudden hurried
searches he would see conducted at all
hours.
He could have stopped it easily
enough. Because of Vrita, he had re-
duced his guards’ functions to merely
straggling behind him, and there were
times when they would wait for him at
appointed places far from where he was
meeting Vrita. It was an unspoken
agreement between them; he made life
comfortable for them, and they stayed
out of sight if he required it. Thus,
Vrita felt at ease in the mysterious role
she still kept up and which still in-
trigued him. Having pushed his guards
into the background, he was reluctant to
ask them to watch for the note-bearer.
Not that they mattered, except for
irking him. The notes had failed in
their primary purpose, he knew. Be-
cause they had waited until he re-ex-
amined the first one, they had probably
inferred that he was ripe for their war
of nerves. The opposite was true, be-
cause he understood their motives. He
completely gave up calling the others on
the Sinju. He relaxed entirely, forget-
ting the passage of time so well that he
had to consult the calendar he kept to
remember.
Afternoons he spent watching the
warriors drill or go through complicated
maneuvers in spaceships, even in tyars.
Evenings he was with Lanae and offi-
cers, dining with them, present at their
entertainments. He was invited every-
where in the palace, until he felt he was
one of the great number of nobles who
had lived there for years. And always
adding a welcome element of excite-
ment was his relationship with Vrita,
her sudden appearances, her notes
marked with a large, flowing symbol
STORIES
which she would not explain. Trying to
understand her became his pastime;
he had never met her at any of the
palace functions, yet she seemed to be
in the palace quite frequently.
Suba Marannes called twice and he
refused to answer both times, and then
he heard no more from her. One night
he overheard the name Marannes men-
tioned by several people, but it stopped
when he came closer and he asked no
questions. Once Abbott called in and
left word from the Nogansi province.
Brewster was too busy trying to arrange
seeing Vrita to call back. The next day
no one in Nogansi could locate Abbott.
So it went on easily, pleasantly, for
days . . .
Twelve days after the Earthmen had
first landed on Jegga, everything ex-
ploded.
'^HE first grey light of dawn was ly-
ing on the open terrace when Brew-
ster woke. Because his head was still
heavy from the wine he had had the
night before, and because the sudden
noise in the darkness had startled him.
at first he could not understand what
Abbott was saying. His eyes focussed
slowly on Abbott’s form sitting on his
bed, and he listened, then suddenly he
sat up and turned on his night lamp.
Abbott emerged from the gloom, his
face grim and hard.
“Do you understand, Nick? Rogof-
sky and Stewart arc deadl The others
are scattered all over this planet I I
any of them.”
can’t find
Brewster said, thickly: “How do you
know?”
Abbott opened a little bag and took
out his Introduction book. He had
pasted the flyleaf to the inside cover
and formed a pocket. From this pocket
he took out a handful of small, wrin-
kled sheets of paper and thrust the pa-
pers into Brewster’s hand. “I’ve had a
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 89

special courier service for the past few Brewster had received, warning Abbott
days,” he said, grimly. that they were all being separated, but

Brewster knew what they were the it went on to say that the reason for this

moment Abbott took them out. He
went through them carefully. They
had been written in the same stiff,
heavy handwriting that he had found
on his own notes. But they were a good
deal more specific in what they said.
They gave information and had none of
the sarcastic lines he had received. One
of them read:
Who you making these sur-
are
veys for? Why don*t you wait un-
til you find out? Find out what the
Jeggites intend doing with the met-
al you hope to make.
to see how heavily they^re banking
was because the Jeggites feared if they
were kept together, they might combine
what they were learning and unite
against the Jeggites.
“I checked on that one,” said Ab-
bott. “I tried to call the men, but all I
could get was that they had been in No*
gansi. I called you that night but you
didn’t call back. I went to Nogansi.
The men had been there and gone, some
to one place, some to another. They
had split up in groups of two. Purdom
and Callahan, they said, were in Ula-
tai. Iwent there and stayed on their
If you want trail until Icaught up with them in Pin-
gui. They wereall right, but they had

on you, get to a Sinju alone at the a lot of women with them and they were
95th hour. Tune in to 80-77-15. having a fine time. I stayed all day
with them trying to get them to come
“This was the first one I got,” said back. When they wouldn’t, I tried to
Abbott. “I couldn’t get to a Sinju right get to Casia, where I learned Drake and
on time. When I dialed it later,a Jeg- Peters were. On the way there I got
gite came on and asked what I wanted. this last note.”

I said I was fiddling around and stopped

trying. The next day I got this long Don*t bother going to Casia.
note, telling me what they had wanted You’re on a wild goose chase.
to show me on the Sinju.” While you’re scuttling back and
Brewster took the paper from Ab- forth, Rogofsky and Stewart are
bott’s fingers, lifted his brows at the taking a little trip from which they
length of the written message. It was won’t return. They were on the
the longest of all. Hruthian ship Mowhana yester-
The second note told Abbott that the day. Better go back and see what’s
Jeggites had long before prepared happening to Brewster.
everything needed for the manufacture
T>REWSTER put the note down and
of metal. They had laid out the sites of
mines of every description, needing only
^ reached for a cigarette. “How do
the techniques and methods to put them you know Stewart and Rogofsky are
into operation. It listed some ten dif- dead?” he asked.
ferent places on Jegga, Usau, Darziz “I kept trying to trace them. Finally
and Ania where everything was waiting. somebody told me they had taken pas-
It ended by saying that it had cost the sage from Hruthes. I checked all their

lives of hundreds of men to get that list, ship lists and saw that the Mowhana
and that it might cost his to be found hadn’t come in to Jegga. They told me
holding it. the ship bad had to turn back to
There was a note similar to one Hruthes. I called Hruthes on their
90 AMAZING STORIES

Tonju* — that ether telegraph of theirs “I’d just about finished when some
—but they wouldn’t say anything about Argyres arrested me. They thought I
Stewart or Rogofsky being there. They was an Estannar and wanted to know
know.”
just said they didn’t what I was copying the list for. Not
“So that made you decide they were that I understood them, or they me,
dead?” but when ended up in the Lucansor
I
“Not that alone. I took a tip from prison, were my bodyguards.
there
you and put on a civilian robe and So they arrested my guards and gave
ducked my guards. That was in Lucan- me a new set and I started back to
sor, where they told me the Mowkana Ho-Tonda. I wouldn’t explain and I
had turned back. I went back to the still bad the stuff I had copied. When
ship offices and hung about the place. I deciphered it with the stuff in my
There were crowds there all afternoon, book, I saw it was an announcement
so I knew something was up. Later that the Mowhana had been lost in
that day there was an announcement space. The rest of it was a list of pas-
over the Borju that had dozens of peo- sengers.”
ple screaming and crying. Then they “Did you find Stewart and Rogofsky
hung up some kind of announcement. listed?”
I couldn’t try deciphering it there, so “No, but would they have put their
I began to copy it down word for word. names on it?”
Brewster took a long drag and smiled
* The word Tonju, like Sinju and Borju, derive
at Abbott. “Then all you have to go by
from Uie same root; Ju, or news. Their uses,
is this note saying they were on the ship.
however, encompassed a good deal more than
that. The Sinju was a colored screen capable of What makes you believe this note so im-
reproducing images in natural color for vast dis-
plicitly? Have you any idea who’s
tances, but not through space. At the same time,
the images, which could be magnified to any uze, sending these notes to you?”
depending upon the receiving screen, were accom- “It’s not just the note, I tell you!
panied by voice or natural noises. Such natural
Why CM’t I get through to either Ro-
noises could be toned down or magnified.
The Tonju was more or less what Abbott called
gofsky or Stewart if they’re alive? And
it —an ether telegraph. was used when commu-
It since then I haven’t been able to locate
nication was wanted between planets, or from ship
any of the others.”
to ship in space. Once through the atmosphere
of a planet, it became possible to use the Sinju.
“But what about the notes them-
The Tonju did not reproduce voices, but only selves? Any ideas?”
impulses of some electrical nature, working on “Yes,” said Abbott, -evenly. “I don’t
the principle of light beams and bent by electricity.
There were several regular Tonju codes, and the
know if you’ve noticed, but these notes

various Jevs each used their own military codes. are written in slangy expressions, and to
The Borju corresponds to Earthly radio. It
me that means that there are. . .
.” He
reproduced voices, and was able to penetrate some
distance into space, though it was seldom used
took a cigarette and waited until be had
for that except in emergencies. lit it. “It means someone in con-
that
There was also a device called a Sorju, though cert with the rebel Estannars knows our
none of the Earthmen bad seen it. This was a
device of limited range, combining the uses of the
language very intimately . .

—
Sinju and Borju that is, capable of projecting
images and voice or natural noises, but able to TJREWSTER grinned at him. “Joe,
perform in space. There were not many of these
and they chiefly used for warships, where they you’re a laugh. Why don’t you
could, without any receiving operator, by them- say You’re remembering what that
it?
selves tune in on images in space, and thus were
half-witted little Boron told us about
extremely valuable to warships in battle, since
even their limited range outdistanced any other
survivors from the first Trailblazer, and
form of vision. — d. you’re sure these notes not only prove
 EMPIRE OF JESSA 91

there were —
at least one —
but also that gites didn’t know about it. Or if they
they joined the side of the Estannar did, maybe there’s an excellent reason
rebels.” for their not telling us. I know this is

“Then you knew?” a surprise, a shock, finding it out this

“Sure I knew. I’ve thought the same way, but there’s no sense letting your-
thing for days.” His grin widened. “I self get carried away by it.”

had my own little courier and my own Abbott seemed to calm down, but
little notes.” after a moment he shook his head and
“Then what do you think it means?” said, “You may be right about some of
“Means?” Brewster shrugged expres- this,but not about the Mowhana. If
sively. “Just what it is. We have one they expected to build any sort of con-
or more of us playing the rebels’ game. fidence in us with these notes, th’ey’d be
It’s a surprise, sure it is, but there’s a crazy to say something they knew we’d
logical answer and we’ll get it.” find out was wrong.”
Abbott regarded him steadily. “And Brewster grinned again. “Maybe
Rogofsky and Stewart?” they had other reasons than just build-
“One gets you five they’re perfectly ing your confidence. Maybe they
all right. They’ve just gone off some- wanted to get you in certain places at

where and these fools are trying to certain times —so they could take a
break you down with their notes.” crack at you, for instance?”
“And the others? Peters? Calla- “Then why didn’t they? I went.”
han? Drake?” “Sure you did, but our Jeggite friends
“You left out Purdom. What are you were a little too smart for them.” He
worrying about? You said yourself laughed at the way Abbott looked at

they were having a whale of a time. It’s him and got out of bed. “Okay, okay,
just tough to get in touch with them I know something, and I’m going to spill
sometimes. I gave up a few days ago,” it. But we might as well have break-
he added. fast. I can see I’m not getting back to

Abbott got up, facing the terrace. The bed.”

sky was beginning to show pale red
streaks through its gray-blue. “And CO, WHILE the dawn gently flooded
the general idea of there being men from the sky, Brewster and Abbott sat
the Trailblazer I here on Jegga, siding out on the terrace under brilliant
—
with the rebels and our not being told streamers of sunlight, having a break-
—
a word of it all this just means what it fast that Brewster ordered by name,
seems on the Surface and nothing more? dish for dish, grinning at Joe Abbott.
It doesn’t make you wonder a little? He had even concocted a palatable sub-
It doesn’t stir you in any way?” stitute for coffee, and all this, combined
“Hold on now. In the first place, we with the really serene morning, finally
don’t know that there are men from the had its effect on Abbott. He listened
Trailblazer here. I mean, it might just attentively while Brewster told him
be one man. It might be someone with everything he knew. Or so he thought,
the kind of intelligence that Mike Cal- but there were some things Brewster
lahan has. He
might have been taken held back. The thing with Vrita, for in-
in by the Or he might
rebels’ big talk. stance, and his short-lived romance with
even be a prisoner among them, forced Suba Marannes, or the killing of his

to write these notes. As for our not guards.

—
having been told maybe even the Jeg- But he did tell him about the slaugh-
92 AMAZING
ter of the Argyres, and the assassina-
Ho-Ghan, and the burning of
tion of the
the Marannes quarter, and then every-
thing Suba had told him. He cautioned
Abbott very grimly about ever reveal-
ing the source of the information which
Suba had given him, but he weighed all
of it against a lively skepticism. In
the end, Abbott was very quiet. He had
hardly interrupted, once asking why
Brewster had been worried about the
men that day when he, Abbott, had left,
and the answer that Brewster had
known of. the planned rebel ambushes
had seemingly satisfied him.
Still, when Brewster had finished, Ab-
bott insisted that they try getting in
touch with the men. Brewster had
gotten dressed and joined him at the
Sinju. When he came into the main
room of their wing, Abbott had looked
at him peculiarly. Brewster was wear-
ing one of several new tunics he had
gotten some days before, a handsome
tan and green thing, with a jeweled belt.
“You know,” Abbott said slowly,
“with that heavy suntan and the clothes
you’re wearing ... I don’t know,
maybe it’s the way you carry them, but
I don’t think I could tell you apart from
a Jeggite if I didn’t know you.”
“Comes in handy,” Brewster grinned.
“You should hear me spill the lingo.
Not just ordering dishes, either.”
They spent two hours at the Sinju in
fruitless efforts to reach any of the men.
Official after official appeared on the
screen, all of them professing ignorance,
all accepting messages for relay. When
Brewster saw that it was beginning to
wear Abbott down, he took him for a
walk through the palace gardens as a
native might escort a visitor. He re-
mained cheerful to the last. The last
was when Captain Akar came.
'Y'HE news that Akar was back
reached them in the gardens, and
STORIES
from the very way it was delivered, it
smelled of bad news. The messenger
who came for them almost lost his life
doing it. Evidently he had seen the two
Earthmen on one of the upper terraces,
and feeling the urgency of his mission,
he had forgotten elementary caution
and come dashing at the two men. He
was one of a score of Hruthians who
were searching the grounds for them.
He came running up a flight of stairs,
but he was still twenty yards from them
when suddenly the otherwise deserted
gardens became alive with armed
guards who sprang from nowhere. They
might have killed the messenger in his
tracks if he hadn’t been knocked down
when he reached the top of the stairs.
In a twinkling the guards were swarm-
ing allover him, and Brewster and Ab-
bott came running.
Five minutes later they were ushered
into a spacious room where Akar
awaited them. “Sit down, gentlemen,
botli of you,” he said quietly, but he re-
mained standing. When the attending
warriors closed the doors behind them,
he stood a few feet away from both men.
“I have distressing tidings for you,”
he said. “Two of your men, the ones
named Sam and Paul, or Rogofsky and
Stewart, as you call them, are in the
hands of the rebels. They were taken
when the ship on which they were re-
turning from Hruthes was attacked and
captured by a rebel warship. The few
survivors of the attack told us that your
men were taken alive. We do not know
where they now are.”
He paused a moment, then said, “I
see that this news is not as much a shock
as it might have been. That is why I
wanted you both here. I had informa-
tion which led me to believe that both
of you either already knew or expected
this news. The rebels seem to have
picked you two out as their main targets
for the notes they have sent you. They,
 EMPIRE OP JEGGA 93

as we do, believe in the principle of lead- “It is,” Akar said, with a slight smile.
ership, and they, again like us, seem to “Everything, as you know from reading
have decided that you two are the lead- the volumes we presented to you, re-
ers of your group. volves around the Ho-Ghan. From time
“I regret that necessity forced me so immemorial his position, his dynasty,
long to secrecy about matters which I his very person, has been something
know must have aroused your curiosity. sacred. The Ho-Ghan combined civil

Undoubtedly we were at fault in be- and military law, ruling Jev and Regio
lieving you could be kept in total ig- alike, but the Ho-Ghan’s power was
norance until it suited our convenience, originally a military one. The first

for our enemy

as you know, extreme-
is,
ly resourceful. But matters have now
come where you must be told
to a pass
everything, if we are to retain your
trust. Since I am uncertain as to what
you already know, I will answer what-
ever questions you put to me.”
“All right,” said Abbott, “suppose
you tell us why the rebels took Rogof-
sky and Stewart, and what you think
they’ll do to them.”
Brewster said: “No, we’ll get to i.t.
I think it would be better to go about
this in an orderly way, taking first
things first.”
Akar nodded. “And
ask. . .
“About the mutiny aboard your ship.
Why should some Jeggites have been
involved in a deal with rebel Estannars
—unless you Jeggites
among yourselves?”
A KAR remained thoughtful a mo-
ment before he answered. “There
is some truth in what you say. Not
Ho-Ghan was a Jev more powerful than
the rest, and nothing more, but in time
he took on new attributes. In a grow-
ing empire someone had to, and so he
became the repository of all civil law as
well as military law.
“But here a strange thing developed.
In time this military ruler attained
such power that he was able to appoint
Regios and declare that since they rep-
resented him, their power was greater
than that of the Jev. From time to
time the Jevs rose and overthrew the
Ho-Ghan. A new one took his place,
but inevitably the new Ho-Ghan fol-
first you would lowed the path of the others. Since
only the Lyrio family knew the secret
of the forcewall, only Lyrios became
Ho-Ghans, and thus, unassailable, they
soon, within a generation or two, ele-
are divided vated the Regios above the Jevs. For
generations more the Jevs would en-
dure it, busy with conquests, building
the Empire, until they too rose, each
time hoping that with the exile of this
Ho-Ghan they would permanently re-

that we Jeggites are divided in our op- sume their rightful position.
position to the rebels, or in our deter- “It was always a vain hope, and con-
mination to keep our civilization domi- tinued so to this day, but in the lines
nant and our Empire intact. But, as of this struggle we see the lines that
always, there are varying opinions as have divided all Jeggite power through

to how any ideal should be preserved history. As there was enmity be-
and furthered, and these differences of tween Regio and Jev, so was there
opinion have in the past divided us on enmity between Argyre and warrior,
the questions of method. You would and this enmity existed through all
like a complete answer, I imagine?” their relations. Because the warriors
“As complete as possible,” said Ab- were primarily responsible for the sub-
bott. “It sounds complicated.” jugation of the Estannars, the Estan-
94 AMAZING STORIES

nars sought power and influence and of the Jevs who happened to be in the
friends among Regio and Argyre. And inner city and ended the struggle. The
found them, for the Estannars are in- other Jevs gave up, and acting on or-
and even their re-
tellectually gifted, ders of the Ho-Ghan, made changes in
bellious elements have never been the personnel of all ships. We waited
enough to stop the rise of loyal Estan- twenty-two hours until word came to
nars to all sorts of positions of wealth proceed. I stillknew nothing.
and power. “I left with several new officers
“In many ways this friendship has aboard. They were Argyres, dressed
benefited the rebels too. We warriors in our tunics, sent to make certain there
have always felt the subtle hand of the was no trickery by the Jevs. As of-
Regies in our dealings with them. Not ficers they had the run of the ship, and
that they were traitorous, for as I say, they quickly examined the captive Es-
no Jeggite is a traitor to his race, but tannar aboard, eager to discover if

their caution and regard for the Estan- there was anything they didn’t know.
nars had many times stopped drastic As you know, among other things they
action where only such action could found out that the rebel somehow knew
succeed.” of their plot to mutiny and kill me if
Here Akar paused for some reason, necessary. But they had also found
but after a moment he went on. the notes he had to deliver to you. To
bind him to silence, they proved to him
“TXTX JEGGITS have waited cen- that they had delivered his notes for
^ turies for men from your world him, and he could not reveal one with-
to break through to us —and when you out revealing the other. It was a diffi-

came, you arrived at a time when the
Jevs wererestless. The arrival of your
first ship was unexpected, but it
presaged the coming of a second.
Waiting for that day, every rivalry be-
came more bitter, every question of
policy became a major issue.
ruled Boron with martial law, but the
Regio of Estannar wanted to have Ar-
gyres take over and be the first to greet
you. The Jevs realized, after your ar-
rival and after the Estannars had made
an attempt to seize you, that knowledge
of your arrival would establish guilt
among Estannars if your arrival was
kept secret. The Regios refused. It
was more important to them that you
be received in great style.
cult choice for them, but the success
of their mission depended on it, and
they paid the price.
“We later discovered that the Estan-
nars had ships out after us, and this
spy hoped a mutiny might play into
The Jevs theirhands—or it might result in the
death of everyone aboard, which suited
him as well.”
Akar smiled grimly at the memory
and regarded Brewster. “You saved
us for the second time then,” he con-
tinued. “But when we reached Jegga,
an Argyre escort came up and Jev
Thyle ordered me to obey them. The
Regios had won. But there never was
any question of cooperation with the
rebels. It was a continuation of the

“The final outcome of this struggle
was in doubt all the time you were on
Boron, after we had gotten you back.
We didn’t know it then, but when word
of your arrival reached Jegga, the Ho-
Ghan acted swiftly. He e.xecuted two
struggle between the Jevs and Regios,
or the Jevs and the Ho-Ghan.”
Brewster said: “But that same night
the Ho-Ghan placed the Jevs over the
Regios and elevated the class of Lanae
over them as well.”
 —
EMPIRE OF JEGGA 95

“Ah,” breathed Akar, “but that was
not the same Ho-Ghan and for that
we have you to thank. That was the
third time you saved us.”
“Me to thank?”
“Yes, for had you obeyed the wishes
of the Ho-Ghan and appeared at his
faction with the answer, but more for
— Abbott than Akar. To forestall the
possibility of Abbott pursuing the sub-
ject of the Ho-Ghan’s exile —
for Brew-
ster had told him of the assassination
Brewster quickly said: “Suppose you
tell us what happened to Rogofsky and

reception that afternoon, it would have Stewart?”

been over. We were too disorganized “I have already told you what I
to attempt anything then. Your refusal know.”
gave us several hours of grace, hours “I mean about the notes Abbott and
during which the assembled Regies and I have been receiving.” He added, very
high Argyres tried to calm the Ho- casually, “Why didn’t you tell us that
Ghan. He was in a wild rage at your there were other survivors from the first

insolence. He blamed the Regies for ship besides Dr. Stevens?”

the great public reception they had Akar didn’t move a muscle. “There
given you, saying it had given you too was an excellent chance that we might
great a' sense of your importance. He rescue them from the Estannars. I had
finally threw them all out, in a tantrum hoped to return with at least one of
all that afternoon. them. To have told you beforehand
might have further confused an already
“'T^HAT was our chance. We brought bad situation.”
^ our warriors. “How do you mean rescue them?”
in thousands of
When the reception started, the Ho- said Abbott.
Ghan was already on his way to exile at “I think I am using the correct term.
a secret destination. The Jevs made You see your contact with them, brief
the Ho-Ghan’s brother the new Ho- as it was, still breeds doubt in your
Ghan, and he issued the new laws ele- minds. They can be very convincing.
vating the Jevs and Lanae. The Regios I say rescue because it hardly seems

were ready to believe anything at the likely went willingly with the
they
time, and by the time they manifested rebels. They had been on Jegga less
doubt, the Jevs already ruled the inner than three weeks when they were taken,
city. They were ready to use force most of that time in a hospital.”
against the Regios themselves, as they “How many of them are there?” said
had on the Argyres. Brewster.
“So the Regios gave in. Since then “Suppose I tell you the whole story,”
they have tried to see the Ho-Ghan but said Akar, watching Brewster light a
the Jevs have refused, and the Ho- cigarette. “You’ll have to teach me to
Ghan sends out word that he will not do that sooner or later,” he smiled.
see them. Meanwhile the vast armies Then he resumed: “There were six sur-
of the Regios are being disbanded, and vivors from the crash. Two men died
edict after edict cuts their power. The on Boron the first day, but their bodies
secret of the Ho-Ghan’s overthrow will were stolen by the Borons. The others
be kept until it is safe to reveal It. Less were taken to Jegga. Dr. Stevens stead-
than a hundred people know that the ily deteriorated in spite of everything
Ho-Ghan who received you that night we could do, but the other three. Har-
was a new Ho-Ghan.” per, Crane and Burke, recovered under
*
Brewster nodded to indicate his satis- our care.
96 AMAZING STORIES

“Possibly all three are still alive. All the rebels were expending their full re-

we know is that one day there was a sources in their efforts to get you.
magnificently co-ordinated rebel raid “We didn’t want to alarm your men,
and they were all taken. Dr. Stevens but the danger of a successful raid was
was in the hospital, and was thus saved. too great. To minimize the danger of
We turned the System over without losing them all in one huge attack, we
finding a trace of the three men. We encouraged them to keep separating and
never again heard anything of them. kept their whereabouts a secret even
Until the day you landed on Jegga, it from both of you, for the enemy might
was thought the Estannars might have have been listening at any time. But
killed them. from the way Mr. Abbott here began
trailing first one group, then another,
“^UR first information that at jeast we surmised that the rebels had found
one of them was still alive came a means of alarming him.
from that Estannar we brought back “We followed Mr. Abbott every-
from Boron in my ship. Expert ques- where, intercepting all the notes the
tioning brought out an amazing num- rebels sent him from Ulatai on, but let-

ber of things, among them the fact that ting him receive them to encourage the
the Estannars were bringing one of the rebels to send more. We knew we could
three to Jegga. We also learned that disprove what they told him, and it was
there were already dangerous agents imperative to try finding the man who
called Konos in Ho-Tonda itself, hid- wrote them. For we then knew that
den in the Marannes quarter.” one of the three was on Jegga, and that
“And that’s why you burned the he was writing these notes. I imagine
quarter down?” said Brewster. you guessed there were survivors in the

“As soon as we knew. The Konos same way?”

are trained killers, and it could only Brewster nodded. “From the kind
mean that they were going to make an we found in the notes. It
of expressions
attempt on your lives. To decrease the was what we call a dead giveaway. But
danger,we removed most of your men you didn’t get him?”
from Ho-Tonda, inviting them on a “No. We caught four messengers,
tour of our cities and provinces, and but they knew nothing. We knew the
putting small bodyguards
armies of other men weren’t being sent these
around all of you. Then Argyres dis- notes, but we were sure you must have
covered that the rebels were following gotten some, Mr. Brewster. We tried
the tour, and in one instance at least, to find out, but our men here said you
the Estannar espionage was so good wouldn’t even let your own guards near

that they anticipated a visit to the city you half the time, and it was impossible
of Chorcha itself. to know.”
“By that time it was too late to stop “Oh, I got them, all right,” Brew-
Rogofsky and Stewart from their jour- ster grinned. He unbuckled the belt
ney to Hruthes, but on their return trip he was wearing and took out a small
we sent an escort of two squadrons of roll of papers. “I got the first one the
warships. We still have not received first night we were here. A Hruthian
all the details of the attack the rebels porter just walked in and handed it to
made, but it was a characteristically me. Ten minutes later we passed that
excellent one, planned and executed to porter in the corridor. The Argyres
perfection. It became apparent that were carrying him on a slab, dead.”
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 97

A KAR’S jaw tightened. Half to him- “Well, tell me about her,” he pursued.
he said softly, “Then that was
self, “I hardly know a thing about her. She’s
how the Argyres found out there were a complete mystery to me.”
rebel cellson Jegga. The first clue must “Another time, perhaps. I must go
have come from that porter, and they now. We still have ships out searching
killed him after he told them to keep us for your friends. Perhaps something
from finding out. You see,” he added, has happened.”
turning to the two men, “the struggle Abbott said: “You don’t seem to
between the Argyres and us affected think there’s much hope.”
even your safety sometimes. Both fac- “It would be foolish to hope. We
tions were jealous of the privilege of have had extraordinary success against
safeguarding you.” the rebels in the time that you have
Brewster drawled: “I don't care who been here, and yet we have failed. Not
saved us, as long as somebody did. And only have we lost two of your men, but
a pretty fair job, too, from what I’ve we have been unable to find one of the
heard.” He tossed the roll of papers to three they took away a year ago. And
Akar. “Some of these notes get pretty the danger is still as great as it ever
personal, if you’ll notice.” was, if it has not increased.”
Akar quickly ran through the notes. “I had no idea the rebels were so
Once he observed, “We could never powerful,” said Abbott.
duplicate this use of your language. We “That is our fault. We seldom un-
learned it chiefly from your men while der-estimate them, but we did not wish
they were here, and from the many to alarm you as long as the situation
books we were able to save from their was under control. Not that we are
ship. But the rebel Estanners learn it unduly alarmed even now; we have
from these men and pass it on, and one been their masters for too long not to
of the ways we trap rebels of other know how to handle them eventually.
races is by finding out that they speak As for your other men, you can look
your language but cannot honestly tell forward to their return shortly. The
us where they learned it.” inner city is quite impregnable, and

Abbott asked, “Then there are other Jegga- will be cleared of the rebels in
rebels besides Estannars?” due tima.”
Akar looked up at him. “Not many,”
he said. One of the notes seemed to OREWSTER and Abbott rose to go,
make him pause. “This reference to a but Brewster stopped halfway
woman called Vrita,” he said presently. across the room and turned back to
“Is she a very beautiful woman? A Akar. “By the way,” he said slowly,
Jeggian? With large eyes and braided “if you don’t want to continue under-
hair? Quite a beautiful woman?” estimating your Estannars, you might
“It sounds like her,” said Brewster. do worse than have a conversation with
“You seem to know her.” Suba Marannes.”
“I do know her, slightly,” said Akar. Akar nodded imperceptibly. “Thank
He rose from his chair, and it seemed you,” he said, quietly. “You evidently
to Brewster that he had put on what do not know that she left Jegga for
Brewster thought of as his impassive Estannar several days ago. It is to be
expression, not an expression at all, but hoped that her welcome on Estannar
the too careful avoidance of any ex- will be warm indeed. We had quite
pression. the same idea, but your frankness and
98 AMAZING STORIES

trust in us will not be forgotten. Our CHAPTER VIII

debt to you grows daily.” And he

touched his forehead in formal salute. .
AN HOUR or so later when Brew-
|
Abbott waited until be was alone ^ster left the balcony, he found
]

with Brewster before he spoke. He Abbott sitting alone before the Sinju. I

might have said anything then if Brew- The shades were drawn against the I

ster hadn’t quietly asked, “Well, Joe, warm afternoon sun and the great '

are you satisfied?” central room was cool and dark and ]

Abbott turned on him, his eyes Maz- faintly astir with the sounds that ac- I

ing, his voice filled with scorn. “What companied the projections on the large ,

do you mean am I satisfied?” he ground Sinju-screen. Brewster sank down on

out. “You’re the one who ought to
be satisfied! You deliberately turned
that girl over to them! You told me
to be careful about revealing anything
^e had told you and then you turn
around and dump her into their
“But you don’t understand
“I understand only too damn well!
—
That Vrita, whoever she is that’s the
reason! You’ve got your hands so full
with one woman that you can afford
to sacrifice another for the sake of a
lousy gesture! For a compliment and
the couch beside Abbott and looked on
as Abbott took the controls.
The green hills of Jegga kept re-ap-
pearing and blurring as the Sinju tried
to bring them into detailed focus. Again
— and again the Sinju circled the hills and
— tried to close in from a new vantage
point but always the image blurred.
“What are you looking for?” Brew-
ster asked.
Abbott gave no sign that he had heard
Brewster, and under his direction the
screen blotted out and then came to life

a salute you turn spy for them!” again high above a canalport that
“Not at all,” said Brewster evenly. Brewster recognized as Kardandan, Far
“These people are our friends. The below moved many small boats and
rebels are our enemies. It’s as simple barges and lines of squat vehicles ran
as that.” swiftly along single rails that fed into
“Is it?” said Abbott, his voice grow- the port from the hills in the distance.
ing very quiet. “Are you so sure it’s as The Sinju went along the canal for miles
simple as that?” He looked at Brewster until it came to a great concentration

and there was an odd light in his eyes.
“Yes,” he said, quietly. “You’ve made
your decision at last. You’ve picked
your team.”
“And you?”
Abbott didn’t answer, and for a long
time the silence lay in the room, heavy
and oppressive. When finally the Hru-
thian girls brought in the mid-day meal,
Abbott walked out and left Brewster
alone. Brewster, however, did ample
justice to the excellent food, and later
he whistled a tune as he stood on the
balcony, smoking and watching several
platoons of warriors go through drill
on a nearby field.
moved to it from Kard-
of the boats that
andan. Along the canal shore at this
point there seemed to be a harbor, but
here again, when the Sinju descended
for closer focus the screen lost the
image.
Brewster grunted and was about to
speak when, from across the room, a
voice called, “The Fyavo Brewster.”
Brewster got up and saw two warrior
officersstanding imder one of the arched
entrances. Seeing him, the officers
came forward and met Brewster half-
way and one of them handed Brewster
a black scroll. Brewster broke the hex-
agonal seal, opened the scroll and stud-
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 99

led the large red letters. He frowned, Suba Marannes had ledhim to witness
then nodded to the officers and said, the assassination of the Ho-Ghan Lyrio.
“0 igo miratro," to them and walked to
his room. A^HEN they reached the tower,
He was dressing in his red and green Brewster was led into a lower
ceremonial robe when Abbott came in. story as huge as the bowl aboveit. In
“Where are you going, Nick?” Abbott the darkness of this empty chamber the
asked quietly. roots of columns whi^ ascended
“The council of Jevs wants to see through the floor to the bowl were alive
me.” with a strange glow. The floor was
Abbott looked down at the scroll that marked with various glowing symbols
lay on the bed and observed, “You and to one of these, a circle in the cen-
really do speak their language, don’t ter of the room, the officers led Brew-
you?” ster.
“When in Rome,” said Brewster. He The moment Brewster stepped on the
put on a broad green belt. circle, it detached itself from the floor
“Nick, you know what I was looking and began to raise him. Simultaneously,
for on the Sinju.” a similar appeared in the ceiling
circle
“Yes?” above, sliding open to allow sunlight to
“I saw you did. That’s why I didn’t pour into the gloomy chamber. A mo-
answer. You think you’re the only one ment more and Brewster had been lifted
who knows what’s doing here.” up through this second circle to find
“All right, I’m not.” himself standing on the floor in the cen-
Abbott studied him, then said, “I ter of the bowl.
saw a lot in the Totamangu mountains. But he was also enclosed within the
The Jeggites have been mining ore and loose center of a great pentagonal table
transporting it to Kardandan and then around which sat the five Jevs. Each
up the canals. They censor the Sinju facet of the table was perhaps twenty
from coming too close but it’s evident feet long and a Jev sat alone at one of
they’ve got everything ready to start these facets, the surface of which was
manufacturing steel and every other marked with his oriflamme. Standing
metal they need if —
someone who there, Brewster could not face more
knows enough to fill in the gaps will than three of the Jevs at any one time,
show them.” and he turned slowly until he had seen
Brewster put his feet into green sand- them all.
als and picked up the scroll and started The Jevs regarded him impassively.
out of the room. He turned at the door Overhead the afternoon sun shone down
and said, “I’m way ahead of you, Joe,” on the alabaster columns and the black-
and went out. gleaming floor, its rays like fire in the
In the central chamber he joined the jeweled symbols and the wind ran
officers. In the corrHor they picked up through the open bowl and fluttered the
a guard of some fifty warriors and to- red ceremonial robes.
gether left the wing and started for the Still no one spoke. Then the white
council-room of the Jevs. Halfway columns that rose forty feet to the sky-
there, from the direction of their steady turned a pale crimson and opened and
ascent, Brewster knew that the council- a host of officials came out of them and
room would prove to be the great col- took their places around the Jevs. Now,
umned bowl where twelve days before thougji they still seemed to be ignoring
 ”

100 AMAZING STORIES

Brewster, the officials began to talk to “You are aware, Fyavo, that we
one anotlier in low tones, consulting know little of metals and that if a ves-
with the Jevs from time to time, and sel capable of returning you to Kren is

the bowl was filled with the sounds of to be built, you men of Kren will have
their voices. to teach our smiths your metal-sci-
Brewster took out a cigarette and lit ence?”
it, his lips tight, a thin scowl on his face. “Possibly,” Brewster said.
When he blew out smoke, every eye was “What?” cried Ahriman.
on him and a deep hush descended, Brewster half-turned to him and said
magnifying the loudness with which in a louder voice, “Possibly, I said.
Brewster said in an irritated voice: There’s more than one way of looking
“WeII?’» at it.”
The became meaningful.
silence
Presently the Lord of the Flaming '^HYLE said moodily, “Cease your
Stone, Jev Thyle, said, “We have sum- riddles, Fyavo.” He waved an im-
moned you here to discuss with you perious bejeweled hand. “Will you
some way of returning you to your teach our smiths or not? Answer forth-
world of Kren.” There was no emotion rightly andoncel”
at
on his aged, granitic face. “We know Brewster’s scowl lay undisturbed.
you would like to return. Is that not He took a thoughtful drag on his cigar-
so?” ette and blew out smoke slowly, then
Brewster started to say, “Fm not
— pointed his cigarette at Thyle and said,
when one of the officials, evidently for “Will you give me your flaming stone?”
the benefit of the attentive Jev Nast- Ahriman shouted, “Remember your
rond, began to speak in Jeggian, and position here I”
Brewster knew he was txanslating what Brewster spun around and said in a
Thyle had said. At the conclusion, the level tone, “I intend to as soon as —
official nodded to Brewster. I’ve established it.” He stared at Ahri-
Brewster said, “Eventually, but man and the young Jev paled with a
neither I nor, as far as I know, any of rage that turned the scar across his
my friends feel any great urgency.” cheek to a livid line. Before Ahriman
Behind Brewster, Jev Ahriman asked, could speak, Brewster jabbed his cig-
“Why?” him and said of the blue-black
garette at
Brewster turned to him. “Your hos- many-eyed Anzus on Ahriman’s robe,
pitality, among other things. Jegga is “Give me that creature of yours with
quite a wonderful world, and we have the eyes!” and turning on his heel he
scarcely begun to see it.” said to Eblis, “And your rocket!” and
Jev Thyle said, “But you will wish to Nastrond, “And your green heat!”
to return eventually?” and to Azevedo, “And your navigation
Brewster turned again and said, “Of board 1”
course.” In the ensuing silence Brewster ad-
At this there was a new flurry of dis- dressed Thyle again. “Have I made
cussion among the officials and Nast- myself sufficiently clear, mighty Jev?”
rond, oldest of the Jevs, a rather sleepy Jev Eblis got up. In one of his hands
and somewhat feeble old man, nodded he held a small red ball. He opened his
stonily as the translator summed up the palm and let the ball drop to the table.
exchange for him. Finally Jev Eblis, It rolled along the smooth black sur-
he of the red rocket streak, spoke up. face until it fell off to the black floor

where smashed into a hundred frag-
it
ments. Without a word Eblis turned
and walked across the open chamber
down a flight of stairs. His expression
had never altered from its impassive
cast, but there was dismay on the faces
of the group of officials who followed
him out.
Thyle sat with both hands flat on
the table before him, his eyes searching
Brewster’s lean, hard face. Azevedo
watched Thyle and Nastrond was still
looking at the red fragments like rubies
on the floor. But Ahriman too had
risen and in his hand he held a red ball.
His voice came softly and venomously.
“The Fyavo would be a Jev?”
Brewster nodded reflectively.
Ahriman raised his hand furiously
and flung the red ball to the floor at
Brewster’s feet and several of the shat-
tered particles fell on Brewster’s san-
dals. Brewster’s dull - gleaming eyes
traveled from Ahriman to the sandals
and back to Ahriman and his lips
parted to show his teeth in a wolfish,
mirthless grin. He exhaled smoke and
turned his back on Ahriman and faced
the other three Jevs.
Thyle had not stirred and now both
Nastrond and Azevedo regarded him as
if waiting to follow his lead. In the
hands of each Brewster saw one of the
red balls. Finally Thyle spoke, his
gruff voice still calm.
“You believe your knowledge
worth so much to us?”
“Isn’t it?”
Thyle’s cruel eyes blinked.
should it be?”
“I don’t know, but this
to find out if it is.”
“Then you believe what the Estan-
nars told you?”
Brewster shook his head.
said and smiled a little and added, “Is
it strange that I should try to
knowledge dearly?”
EMPIRE OP JEGGA 101
Thyle’s lips moved before he spoke.
“Not unless your price is so high that
purchase becomes impossible.” He
paused. “Once you give us your knowl-
edge,” he asked, “what assrmance have
you that the power so easily won will
not more easily be taken away?”
Brewster sighed and said, almost
pleasantly, “I thought I’d give you that
problem,” and smiled again. “I felt
you could work out suitable guarantees
if you wanted to strike a bargain.”
Again Ahriman broke in, but now he
spoke Jeggian and addressed Thyle
in a contemptuous tirade. Brewster
moved back in the circle to avoid stand-
ing along the diametrical line between
the Jevs and leaned against the table.
Though Ahriman’s flood of language
was beyond Brewster’s ability to un-
derstand, there was an element of bitter
hostility between these two Jevs that
was self-evident.
THE younger Jev poured out his
acrimony, Thyle made no answer
nor any effort to interrupt. He stared
stonily at Ahriman, his aging features
dull with controlled anger and at
length, when Ahriman stopped speak-
ing, Thyle rose from his massive chair.
Nastrond and Azevedo rose with him.
For a moment it appeared as if Thyle
would speak to Ahriman, who seemed
to be expecting an answer. Instead
is Thyle ignored him entirely and turned
to Brewster.
“Fyavo, know that in the Empire of
“Why Jegga power is not won by bargaining.
Think a little longer and weigh your
is one way conclusions carefully. We will send
for you again.”
Then he left the table and walked
quickly across the black floor to the
“No,” he stairs, Nastrond and Azevedo follow-
ing and behind them their coteries of
sell my officials. But Ahriman was the last to
go, remaining even after Brewster
102 AMAZING STORIES

vaulted the table and walked out. He Silently he climbed over the rail and
could almost feel the hatred that fol- dropped to the terrace fifteen feet be-
lowed him, not only in Ahriman’s eyes, low. He walked swiftly down a flight
but in the eyes of the jeweled repre- of stairs, through a landscaped plaza,
sentation of the Anzus he wore, as if and now he was running from the
it were alive. sounds of voices and music that were
Brewster couldn’t understand it. . . . everywhere in the palace. He leaped
across a shallow pond and came to an-
* *
other rail and dropped down again un-
pOR the first time since his arrival in til he was on the lowest level.

Ho-Tonda, Brewster felt a weari- Before one of the Palace wings he

ness that was more than ennui. It was found an area filled with waiting tyars,
not a physical sensation, but it ex- their drivers lounging nearby in an
pressed itself in a restlessness that al- arbor. He got into one and began to
most wore him out. For the firgt time fumble with the controls, trying to re-
he felt the weight of passing hours . . . member what he had noticed of the op-
and something missing something . . . eration of the simple mechanism. He
he couldn’t quite touch. had switched on the murmurous motor
Abbott was gone again when Brew- and unfolded the helicopter wings when
ster returned from the council of Jevs. one of the drivers ran out of the arbor
There was no sign of Akar, nor could toward the tyar.
he be reached through the offices of the The driver reached the tyar just as
Lanae of the palace, who should have the blades began to revolve. He
known. Brewster sat at the Sinju and reached a hand in, crying out some-
tried to locate Drake and Matt Peters, thing, and tried to touch the motor
but their trail ended in Casia, as Abbott switch. With a sudden burst of inex-
had told him. Glenn Purdom and plicable anger, Brewster smashed a fist
Bucky Callahan had vanished shortly into the driver’s face and knocked him
after reaching Pingui. down. Then he got out of the tyar and
At twilight, Brewster sat down alone waited for the driver to get up, his
to dinner, but couldn’t eat and gave up. knotted muscles trembling with eager-
He stood on the balcony wondering ness to hit the Darzizt again. But the
what was that had taken possession
it driver lay there afraid to move and
of him. It was not loneliness, for Brewster got into the tyar.
Brewster had never felt the need of an- Playing with the controls, he got it
other human, but at the same time he off the ground, lowered it again — for
had a sense of isolation, of being cut nothing was allowed to fly within the
off from the main stream. He stood —
Inner City and drove it to one of the
there and watched the lights come on roads. Speeding along, he was soon
all through the Inner City. He clutched through the guarded walls and in Ho-
the balcony rail with a tightness that Tonda itself. Here he went aloft and
numbed his hands, staring into a twi- headed the tyar toward the dark fast-
light as gray as the civilian tunic he had ness of Paipurth mountains.
put on. The image kept turning over in He knew that his sudden, successful
his mind. To lose himself in that twi- disappearance would mean the lives of
light as grey as the civilian tunic he had his bodyguards, but somehow it had
in the doing without thinking, with-
. . . stopped mattering to him. A strange
nu* rl^n, . . fever was running through him.
 .

EMPIRE OF JEGGA 103

QNLY when he was almost there did the door closed behind him. From
Nick Brewster he had
realize that where he stood, in a sort of foyer that
gone to Vrita’s lodge, and then he saw was also the connecting gallery between
that he might never have found it if the two main rooms, he could see that
there had not been lights on within. Not both were empty. Or, if there was any-
—
many lights one or two, perhaps, but one in the lower story, they were in
in the nightbound forest they were the second, dark room.
lonely beacons. Brewster called, “Vrita!”
Then Vrita was there. For once Silence. Once again he called, and
their meeting would not be her doing, suddenly something happened.
the result of a note, tender or curt, He didn’t know why he had done it,
coy or demanding. He felt his pulse but he found his hands tearing at his
quicken as he maneuvered the tyar into chest, gripping his tunic. It was as
a soft, gentle landing in a clearing near if his hands were looking for something,
the lodge. Then he walked the slope searching frantically — but his brain
of the hill, trying to decide how he didn’t know what hands wanted.
his
would make his entrance. **Selon tikka o jon trucam selon . . .

The lodge was a medium-sized house trucam . trucam

. . .

with two main rooms comprising the It was like a voice, his own voice,
lower story and four in the upper. It whispering in his ear, telling him to do
was made of rough green plastic and something he didn’t understand. Over
stone and wood, a rustic house but one and over he heard the strange Jcggian
which bore evidence of its owner’s words. His hands grew wilder in their
great wealth from the skill and warm fruitless search and his head was filled
charm of its architecture to its furnish- with the irresistible words and he felt
ings. Its rugs and couches and cur- unable to move from where he stood.
tains were all bright, lovely things, its And now swiftly the turmoil in his brain
lamps soft and cheerful. Perhaps it increased.
was this almost alive warmth of the He bowed his head and concentrated
lodge itself that had drawn Brewster the remnants of his will on moving
there as much as its associations. away from where he stood, as if from
When Brewster reached the low- some dim realization that he had to.
based veranda he saw that a single lamp Slowly, agonizingly, he advanced first

was lit within. The front of the lodge one foot, then another, and began a
was set with a great oval window. By labored walk toward the room with the
day its curtains were parted to allow a light. Sweat stood in huge droplets on
view of the enveloping woods but at his face and his eyes were half closed
night they were drawn to keep light with pain. He watched his legs mov-
from showing. Now they were only ing slowly, so slowly, as if they and

partly drawn, which explained the light their movement were part of a dream.
Brewster had seen from miles away. But when he had taken the first step,
But when he looked in through t^ the second was easier, and the third cor-
window there was no one to be seen in respondingly easier, until little by little,

the dimly lighted room.
The door slid open at his touch, but
without his finding necessary to ar- it
range the symbols on the lock as Vrita
had taught him. He went inside and
some of the pain was lost and his head
cleared a little. But still the voice in
his inner mind repeated the strange
words, and still his hands worked.
Step by step he left the foyer and
104 AMAZING STORIES

walked toward the light, and then he Brewster carried out in pain and hurled
was able to raise his head and gulp in a himself across the room to a small ob-
long grateful breath of air. His mouth ject he saw on the floor.
was dry, his pulse hammered in his was a cone-shaped glistening mass
It
veins, but his brain was becoming his of substance, some two feet wide at its
own again. And now suddenly he be- irregularly circular base and two feet
—
came aware but only by its growing high. Three large indigo eyes studded
—
weaker of an odor so insidious and yet the apex of its cone, unwinking eyes
so overwhelming that its presence had with evil black pupils, staring at Brew-
been unnoticed until now. So com- ster with horrible intensity.
pletely and immediately had his olfac- It was on this creature —
an Anzus, as
tory sense been saturated that the odor —
Brewster had realized that he hurled
was indistinguishable until it weakened. himself, his fingers tearing into its jelly-
**Selon tikka o jon trucam trucam . . . like flesh. He fought it without think-
. . trucam .
. trucam ...”
. . ing,without knowing what he was do-
ing. He had made his plan of action
pAINTER and fainter now with dis- before he entered the mind-paralyzing
tance, but still there. He sank down sphere of its influence. His brain was
on a couch exhausted, feeling that he twisted by cruel, invisible fingers and he
had won some terrible fight ... or its wept aloud with pain. He had suc-
first round, for it was not over yet. But ceeded in sinking his hands into the
now he could think and his mind was Anzus and now the terrible energy that
gripping the edges of the mystery, ex- had been driven to random searching
amining it. There was an unseen pres- movements was redirected to the
ence in this house. He lay back, get- struggle.
ting his breath and waiting for strength His hands, imbedded in the viscous
to return to him, for enough confidence substance to his wrists, felt as if they
in his will to overcome the whispering were immersed in hot oil. But he was
influence. as senseless to pain as to everything
After a little while he got up, his face elsenow and he lay on the floor, crying
set in grim hard lines, and started and kicking out violently, clutching at
slowly back to the foyer. And the voice the Anzus eyes. His seared palms
and the odor grew more powerful again, closed around one and he tore it out and
increasing in direct ratio with his ad- flung it across the room, and then he
vance back to the foyer. He stopped ripped the second eye out. He could
and drew back, then suddenly ran into not budge the small fleshy body but
the foyer and ran out again. When he now he withdrew both hands and closed
returned to the room with the light he them around the and pulled
third eye
fell to the floor before he could reach it out with a great backward lunge of
the couch, holding his head, and a low his body.
moan escaped him. Suddenly a great stillness came over
.Again he waited and got up. He everything. He lay on his back, his
stared into the foyer, gathered himself arms flung waves of
out, feeling the
and with a quick lunge dashed through pain in his hands.But he could think
the foyer into the adjoining dark room. again and he knew he had won and he
With the same movement his hand lay there breathing in great gasps, his
brushed a light-switch on the wall. A eyes closed in utter exhatislion.
soft amber light suffused the room and Though he heard someone enter the
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 105

lodge and heard, distantly, a voice cry had looked at him. Because of this
out, he could do nothing. He continued Brewster began to speak of Ahriman,
to lay there, bearing the footsteps but Vrita quietly interrupted him.
recede and then come back, and he felt “I know everything that happened
someone lifting bis hands and the pain at the council today.”
leaving. Brewster studied her and when she
Then he opened his eyes and saw remained silent he said, getting up
Vrita on her knees beside him, slowly, “What I meant to say was that
“Nick,” she was saying softly, fear- Ahriman — assuming the Anzus is his?
fully, over and over. “Nick, speak to — couldn’t have known I was coming
me,” and her hands moving over his here because I came here on the sheer-
tenderly. “Nick, Nick . . est impulse.” He paused, looking down
“It’s all right . now,” Brewster
. . at her, then added, “And even that’s
whispered. “It’s fine ...”
. , . assuming he’d know about my coming
Vrita continued bathing his hands in here.”
the dark fluid she had brought in a She looked up at him quickly. “The
vessel, looking at him.She was dressed Anzus was not meant for you.”
in and Wack striped robe of the
the red Brewster said in an interested voice,
high warrior nobility. Her long black “No?”
hair hung down over her shoulders in But her eyes were distant again and
wild disorder and her olive skin was she seemed lost in thought. Presently
deeply flushed. Her black eyes were she started to get up from the floor and
fixed on him. Brewster helped her. He took her face
in his palms and captured her eyes.
CLOWLY, Brewster’s strength re- “Don’t you think you ought to tell
turned and his hands felt soothed. me, Vrita?”
After what seemed to him an intermin- She asked huskily, “Tell you what?”
able time, he tried to sit up and suc- “Everything. I surprised you here
ceeded with Vrita’s help. He leaned tonight and find you wearing the robe
against her for a fewmoments as he of nobility. And you tell me you know
looked at the remains of the Anzus. about the council and that the Anzus
The conic form had collapsed to a wasn’t meant for me . .

shapeless oozing mass, its three eyes He thought he detected relief in her
scattered around the room, dead and manner but he couldn’t be sure. He
lustreless. What little odor of the dropped his hands and waited for her
Anzus persisted was a faintly oppres- to speak.
sive perfume. A long weary sigh “Of course,” she smd. “I obviously
escaped Brewster. meant to tell you or I wouM not have
Vrita asked softly, “What hap- said what I did.”
pened?” She had left a large drawbag lying
He told her, but he remembered only on the floor at her feet and now as she
the word trucam. It seemed to be made a motion to get it, Brewster
enough for her, for she repeated the stooped to pick it up for her. With
five words in proper order. The ex- a sudden deft motion her hand was
pression on her face was one Brewster under his and she retrieved the black
had never seen there before, a sort of velvety bag herself. Bre^ter could
calm, deeply intelligent, directed fury not help the surprise in his eyes as they
that reminded him of the way Ahriman rose together.
106 AMAZING STORIES

She stepped back a few feet
apart the silk thongs of the bag’s mouth.
From it she drew out a roughly cor-
rugated case of some strange black sub-
stance, fashioned in a crude oval the
and drew case in it. She walked back to Brew-
ster,her eyes gleaming in triumph and
looked at him. He had not moved and
his face was ghastly pale even in the
amber light.

large diameter of which was perhaps “You wonder at the stone?” she
three inches. Her body seemed to asked quietly and shook her head. “The
tense and she stared at the case for a —
wonder is you that you fought an
long moment, holding it in a cupped Anzus and stand here alive and posses-
palm, her hand extended before her. sor of your reason.”
Her eyes, clouded now, flashed to Brew- Brewster looked down at his hands.
ster and back to the case. Her breath- The palms were wrinkled and dry but
ing was shallow and audible. there was no pain. “What was that ,

Then she dropped the drawbag and Anzus here for?” he asked.
j

brought her free hand up to touch the She waited until Brewster’s eyes \

top of the case. It swung open slowly. lifted to her.

The atmosphere around the interior of “Ahriman decided to kill Thyle,” she
the case sparkled with topaz brilliance, said slowly. “Today after the council
shimmering as if from a great heat meeting when Thyle would not force
emanating from a large, blue-veined your obedience, Ahriman was helpless.
yellow stone. Brewster could not deter- Before you came to Jegga the Ho-Ghan
mine its shape beyond guessing it was executed the Jevs Nastrond and Aze-
a spheroid because its outlines were vedo; the ones who bear the name to-
blurred and vibrating with an incredi- day are their successors. They look to
bly swift ictus. Thyle for guidance and as long as the
three stood together, Ahriman could not
CTARING at the stone, Vrita walked have his way.”
—her movement was more a long “His way?”
swift glide — to the decomposing Anzus “To put you to torture, if necessary.”
and bent over it. She put four finger- Brewster shrugged. “How can they,
tips to the stone, not touchingit, and when I have the protection of the Ho-
four slender amber flames came to life Ghan himself?”
on her fingers. Lightly she waved her She was silent for a moment, then
hand over the Anzus and the flames said, “I thought you understood there is

leaped — like tiny, airy dancers of living no protection in Jegga except one’s own
flame — to the Anzus. They had barely might.” Softly she added, “It was one
touched it when three of the flames of your most admirable qualities —you,
rose slowly into the air and moved, one a Krennian, to be so much like out
each, to each of the three eyes of the ideals.”

Anzus, floating through the air in a Brewster grunted, struck by her

straight line to their quarry.
burned for no more than an instant,
then returned to Vrita’s fingers and she
held them over the stone and they were
gone. No sign nor vestige of the Anzus
remained.
Then Vrita closed the case, picked up
the drawbag and carefully deposited the
They words yet trying to get at an undercur-
rent. From the beginning, from the
night he had seen the Ho-Ghan assas-
sinated, he had played the game stead-
ily, keeping his knowledge to himself
except for Joe Abbott—and he had
more than once regretted the impulse
that h.rd prompted him to confide even
 ””
in Abbott. What it was he didn't
know, but always there were hints and
suggestions and half-formed ideas in his
mind that told him there was a much
greater importance to the event than
even Suba Marannes had mentioned.
Now as he thought of it, his earlier
melancholy returned and, as it mingled
with his weariness and confusion, it re-
sulted in a sullen and growing— though
still hidden —
pointless anger.
“Go on,” he said.
She nodded. “The words selon tikka
0 jon trucam are part of an ancient rit-
ual for those of dead nobility who have
died by their own hand. The Anzus
was placed here to waylay and compel
such an action
— my iife myself without resorting to mur-
“You mean the Anzus actually hyp-
notized me though T couldn’t under-
stand the words?” He looked at her.
“Do you know what I mean? Do you
know what the word hypnotize means?”
“Exactly. Our identical word for it
is the word Anzus, which means: an-
other’s thought. The words were only
Words, but the thought impulses applied
to you just as well. The movements of
—
your hands you spoke of you could not
resist them. You kept searching the
tunic on your chest for something that
was not there.” She paused. “But
suppose that something had been there?
You would not have had time to re-
cover, to think, to be able to fight the
Anzus. You would never have known
an Anzus was there at all, and death
would have come quickly. As it was, a
less strongly willed person would have
lost his sanity
— cious Aaxians of ours, have a high re-
He interrupted, frowning.
the Anzus wasn’t meant for me, so you
must know for whom it itias meant
someone who wore something on his
chest capable of killing him . .
CHE met his gaze and nodded. “But
I’ve already told you it was here to
— ” ”
EMPIRE OF JEGGA 107
kill Thyle, and only .Ahriman could
have placed it here.”
“Here? Thyle here?” Brewster jsked,
puzzled. “Why should Ahriman expect
to find Thyle here?”
“Because Thyle came here tonight.
I was Thyle’s wife.”
Brewster took the blow without a
sign. After a moment he let his breath
out and said, “Past tense?”
She spoke the words softly: “By
half an hour. I killed Thyle a little
while ago. He had found out about us.
It was your life or his.”
Brewster’s eyes blazed. Through
he said, “Did you consider I
tight lips
might have preferred something to save
der?”
A surprised look crossed her face.
“Do you object to murderf Don’t talk
like a fool,Nick. You would have been
dead by morning.”
“Maybe and maybe not. But if what
you said about Nastrond and Azevedo
depending on Thyle is true, then you’ve
practically delivered me to Ahriman and
I'm no better off —
But seeing the shocked look in her
eyes as she stared past him, he had
broken off and whirled around to find
himself standing ten feet from the Jev
Ahriman who had silently entered the
foyer. Tall and overbearing, his black
robe whipped around his shoulders, fea-
tures twisted in an evil smile, he sur-
veyed Vrita and Brewster.
“Tell him the truth, my darling,” he
mocked. “These Krennians, these pre-
“You said gard for the truth, so let him know you
planned to deliver him to me.” His
smile grew bitterly contorted. “But I
did you an injustice, my darling. I did
.”
not realize how great the cost was to
you —not only Thyle,—but him. Not for
the sake of our own
As Vrita’s hands fumbled with the
108 AMAZING STORIES

opening of the drawbag, Ahriman took flowing into the hollows of his eyes. His
three swift steps forward and struck the body shivered convulsively and he was
bag from her hands and with a smash- still.

ing blow knocked her to the floor.
always one of his hands faced Brew-
ster, and in it he held a slender green
tube. He bent down and picked up the
drawbag and when he rose he looked at
Brewster’s solemn face. He turned the
tube around in his long hngers.
“Not now,” Ahriman said softly.
“First we must talk.”
He nodded and motioned Brewster to
the door. Brewster started walking and
said, “You can’t do this. I’m under the
Ho-Ghan’s protection and if anything
He didn’t finish, nor had he meant
. .
But Brewster walked unsteadily to where
Vrita had started to get up from the
floor. He tried to help her but she
brushed him aside. Her slender face was
grim with purposefulness. She picked
up her bag from where Ahriman’s fall
had thrown it, took out the black case
and opened it and started toward Ahri-
man’s inert body when Brewster quick-
ly got in her way.
“What are you going to do?”
T_TER laughter was short and forced.
^ ^ She made no answer but held a

to. The words, couched in a slight hand over the shimmering stone. Her
whine, tinged with fear, were meant to fingers caught in flame and she held her
distract for a brief instant and that in- hand up. “For Ahriman,” she said, and
stant arrived when Brewster reached swept around Brewster to the Jev. Be-
the door. As the door slid open, Brew- fore he could stop her — ^he wasn’t sure
j

ster started through, then with a single that he wanted to— she had knelt and
move stretched his long arms out so that touched the flames to Ahriman. |

each of his hands were braced against The fire caught with a prolonged hiss i

the sides of the doorway. The pressure and began to spread over the Jev’s form,
he applied throug^i his hands was racing quickly. ...
enough to support hisbody as he sud- Brewster stood beside Vrita until the
denly swung off the floor and kicked end, until not an ash of the once mighty ,

both legs behind him. Jev Ahriman remained. But one thing '

His feet struck Ahriman squarely on resisted the fires, emerging, as it ;

the chest. Before the Jev had staggered seemed, from the consuming flame, un-
back more than two or three feet, Brew- til when the long lifeless body had van-

ster had already landed, spun about and ished, it alone lay on the floor, bright
dived at him. His outstretdied arms and hard and enduring. And when
caught around Ahriman’s thighs. They Vrita bent over to recapture the flame
hit the floor together but Brewster had and restore it to its stone, she picked
unlocked his grip, so that when his open this thing up.
palms hit the floor they acted as a lever It was a thin, iridescent blue disc an
and swiftly pushed him up. In an in- inch in diameter. It had been the cen-
stant hewas standing over Ahriman. As tral jewel in the representation of the

the Jev’shand swung upward, Brewster Anzus Ahriman had worn, but had
it

kicked it aside and his foot went on in been covered with brilliant thread and
and smashed down heavily on Abri- jewels brighter than itself. Everything
roan^s face. around it had burned but this remained.
The short-lived struggle was over. It lay in Vrita’s quivering palm like a

Ahriman lay unconscious, his nose thing alive, and indeed, as she held it

broken in a bloody smear, the blood a darker black inner circle appeared and
 ” ” ”

EMPIRE OF JEGGA 109

contracted to a pin-point, like an eye’s might enthrall Thyle. It happened in

pupil in intense light. Thyle’s own home on the Yassidi canal
“TheAnzus’ central eye,” Vrita — I was there when Thyle tore the stone
breathed. She looked up at Nick Brew- from his robe and burned himself alive.
ster’s impassive face. “Do you under- Then I came to destroy the Anzus I
stand?” she asked him. knew was here —
Brewster wasn’t sure that he did. “You hadn’t planned to meet Ahri-
There was too much here for him to man here?”
grasp all at once. His quick brain had “No. He must have guessed my fears
encompassed the larger aspects, but the and followed from—”
details resistedhim until the puzzle was “Your fears? Then you do have —
like a newer,more deadly fire within his She cried out angrily, “Listen and try
mind. He shook himself and said noth- to understand this thing I have done for
ing, waiting for her to go on. A plan you!” She waited and calmed, then
was forming in his mind but he delayed said, “When Thyle was gone I seized
its execution. the amber stone. I had reason to fear
As if some understanding of his —
Ahriman for if Thyle had no heirs,
thoughts had come to her, Vrita stepped whoever gained and claimed before the
away from him, her eyes clouding. council of Jevs would be sustained in
“What did Ahriman mean?” Brew- his claim. Tomorrow the possessor
ster asked quietly. could summon the council tonight —
Her eyes kept searching him until he .Ahriman knew I had it. I knew I had
turned and walked away, his back to to destroy all three Anzus before Ahri-
her. He lit a cigarette and smoked. Her man could use them to force me to sur-
voice came to him, a soft, conciliatory render the stone to him.”
voice.
“I used Ahriman to help me over- CHE waited for a sign from Brewster
come Thyle. I knew he hated Thyle but it did not come. “Alone I was
and after today their enmity was open. powerless against Thyle,” she said, “but
I saw that if Ahriman should prove the without my aid Ahriman could not place
victor that it might mean your life
— his Anzus, for there were guards and
Brewster spun around. “You used warriors and elaborate warning systems
Ahriman to kill Thyle and all the while which I alone could overcome.”
you planned eventually to get rid of “And which Ahriman trusted you to
Ahriman?” do for him?”
She shook her head. “It would not “Yes.”
have been necessary. Ahriman had “But why should he have trusted
brought three tor* Anzus as close to you?”
Ho-Tonda as he could. My part of the “He knew I hated Thyle.”
plan was to place them where they Brewster nodded and said, “But there
was more than that. There’d been
*Tor—ixom torgko, or school; roughly trans- enough between you for Ahriman to feel
lated, tor would mean instructed or orientated.
sure you’d do it. Right?”
In this particular application, i.e., the tor Anzus,
it meant activated. An Anzus could be made tor “It was before I met you. There has
only by Ahriman or one of bis warriors with a been no one else since.”
torman, or power-grant, from the central eye. An
Brewster grinned dryly. “I’m not
Anzus could be made tor from a considerable dis-
tance by virtue of the central eye, offering a safe, —
complaining I just want to get this
sort of remote control —£d. straight. It needs a little straightening.
110 AMAZING STORIES

don’t you think?” ready to seize the opportunity to leap

“What do you mean?” at me and take away the stone. If you
“When did you find out Thyle knew were sure you knew how to handle it,
about us?” you would do it now .” . .

She hesitated. “This afternoon . . . Brewster sighed. ^‘Right” he agreed.

after the council meeting.” “And here again you prove my love
“Takes thought to keep it straight, for you is not misguided.”
huh?” Brewster’s grin came back hol- Before Brewster had recovered from
lowly. “If Thyle knew before the meet- his astonishment at her quiet declara-
ing, I think you’ll agree he’d not only tion, she had run to him and thrown
have voted with Ahriman — if I’d lived her arms around him. He held her
long enou^ to get to the meeting —but close, feeling her body tremble, his
he’d have taken a hand in the torture mind in a whirl. The plan he had
you mentioned. But if, as you say, he formed and admitted to her was shat-
found out after the meeting, where did tered by his confusion.
you get time to plan this affair with Presently she released him and stood
Ahriman?” before him and held out the drawbag
“It needed little
— and the Anzus eye for him to take.
“Save it. I know the Jeggian Code* “For you, my own,” she said. “The
Getting one Anzus, let alone three, near one thing you did not guess.”
a Jev was a difficult business. So I’d Brewster stared at her and wearily
say you’d planned it some time in ad- ran his hands over his face, his eyes
—
vance and your killing him today had dulland puzzled. “Vrita I . . . . . .

nothing to do with saving my life, I . .

whether or not it’s true that Thyle
found out about us. In other words,
you had an immediate reason but it
wasn’t me or my life. What was it?”
“What do you think it was?”
Brewster took a step forward. As he
did so, Vrita moved farther away, in-
creasing the distance between them.
Brewster was still grinning as he said,
“We understand each other, don’t we?
You’d planned to give Ahriman the
stone, but something happened today
that made you change your mind and
.” He stopped trying.
“I understand,” she soothed him.
“There was so much you could not
— know.” She smiled at him tenderly.
“Shall I tell you? Does that sharp-
edged mind of yours still reach out to
grasp nothing but air?”
He nodded slowly.
“You were right, she said softly.
“The plan was formed when the Ho-
Ghan killed the Jevs. When the new
Jevs Azevedo and Nastrond fell under
Thyle’s influence, Ahriman knew he
would never, so long asit persisted, have

decide to keep it yourself.” a voice in the council. For the sake of

She kept looking at him, then spoke our relationship, I consented to his
slowly. “Yes,” she said, her eyes plan. But before I could carry it out,
gleaming. “You are rig^it in most I had met you, and from then on I
things. Even at this moment you are delayed . . . because a plan of my own
had come to me. I needed time to find
* The Code strictly forbade transportation of
an Anzus within 500 onum (miles) of Ho-Tonda, out if I was right.
or within 300 onum of any Jev or Lanae, nor
could any Anzus be moved from Ahriman's com-
pounds unless couriers preceded with due warn-
“^^ODAY I knew. When Thyle told
ing. By order of the Jevro, or laws for the lex’s me what you demanded of the as-
—Ed. sembled Jevs, I decided to carry out
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA in

Ahriman’s plan for my own purpose. I gone, you will go to the council to as-
brought Thyle here, but the Anzus had sume the mantle of the mightiest Jev
not yet been placed in readiness. While of all! the Lord Thyle- Ahriman .” . .

we were here, a private call came “But what of Thyle’s heirs? First
through for Thyle on the Sinju. I didn’t you said there were none then you —
know what it was at the time, but it said they lived in Ujannor.” He kept
was the information that you and staring at her.
I . Her voice became hard. “He
. Poised and serene and lovely, she
came storming out of that room and smiled at him. “There were heirs,”
seized me and took me to his home at she nodded. “I removed them, for how
Yassidi, evidently waiting for someone else could you become the Jev Thyle
to arrive. was while he waited that
It while they lived?”In the silence she
the Anzus there became tor and he de- added, “The knowledge that there no
troyed himself before my eyes. longer were heirs, more than my de-
“I knew Ahriman was nearby and struction of his three Anzus, told Ahri-
I had to act quickly. I took the amber man what I was doing — for when he
stone and destroyed the Anzus. Then seized the stone he gave evidence that
I went to Thyle’s villa near Ujannor he knew it was for him who could take
where his heirs lived, and where Ahri- it.”

man had placed the second Anzus. Last
of all 1 returned here. 1 found the
lights still on, as I remembered Thyle
had left them, but the shock of find-
ing you here, in agony on the floor,
drove the Anzus from my mind until
you spoke. Then I realized that Ahri-
man must have come here later and
left the Anzus tor and you had walked
into its active field.
“But Ahriman evidently followed us
to Kardandan. Perhaps it was there,
or more likely in Ujannor that he di-
vined my plan. When he heard us
speaking here, then surely he must have
known that I myself had decided who
would succeed Thyle. . .
.”
Brewster looked at the drawbag she
had offered him and which he had not
taken. He said in a quiet, troubled
voice, “You mean me?”
“Yes, my love,” she
“Though you are not born of our race
you are one of us in mind and spirit
and being. These things I know as
only a woman can know.” She looked
into his eyes. “The gods of Jegga are
Brewster said thinly, “And Ahri-
man’s heirs?”
“There is but one confirmed, his
brother. Before word of the passing
of Ahriman is common, we will have
removed him.” She swept her arras up
on his shoulders and pressed her cheek
to his. “Shall I let so trifling a matter
stand in our way?” she asked. “I, who
for your love, this night killed the two
sons and heirs I bore Thyle?”
Long minutes passed and then Brew-
and took
ster gently separated himself
the drawbag and the central eye in
his hands. He kept looking at them,
and when he raised his eyes to Vrita,
they were thoughtful and overcast and
he didn’t seem to see Vrita at all.
“Nick, my love, you haven’t told me
you’re happy.”
It was as if he heard her moments
whispered. later. He nodded then and his voice
was and somehow had the qual-
quiet,
ity of a sigh, when he spoke to her.
“Vrita, I thank your gods and mine I
met you. I am happy, my dear, very
happy .
.” .

with us. I planned only for you to He took her in his arms and kissed
succeed Thyle, but now with Ahriman her.
112 AMAZING STORIES

CHAPTER IX dozens more, Brewster gave his energy.

And though he had counted each pre-
TT WAS a simple note. It had been cious passing hour, a strange patience
placed, as usual, in a pack of had settled over him. He could afford
Brewster’s cigarettes. his duties timenow because time had
Before it’s too late, before the already run out on him, and he knew
ascension, go to the Imperial li> it. . . .

brary and get hold of Descoru es When he returned to the Inner City,
Jegga jon lev, volume 11, and read to the now empty Krennian wing, he
pages 60-62. Even for a big shot came as heir-apparent, and with him
like you it won’t be easy to get into all the trappings and fanfare of the
the library if you announce it, so rank he was to assume that day . . .

you’d better wander into the vi-
cinity accidentally and bluff your
way you can be stopped.
in before
Here’s a map of the palace wing
you want, beyond the Ho-Ghan’s
—
gardens the library is marked X.
But there was more information than
was contained in the note to be found
among Brewster’s cigarettes, for he dis-
covered that three cartons had been
taken from his supply. It was rather a
definite answer to Abbott’s latest disap-
pearance. It looked as if this one was
—
meant to be final and said so.
As to when Abbott had pulled out,
no one knew. Brewster had not re-
turned to the Inner City for two days
after he left so suddenly that fateful
night. The intervening days he had
spent with Vrita, locked in the security
of Thyle’s castle more than a thousand
onum from Ho-Tonda, working to ar-
range the innumerable pre-ascensional
details that claimed his attention.
Through Jev-korman and ohfran and
kotai,* through these ceremonies and
* Jev-korman —grants of power by the Jcv to
the members of his army, or the ceremony by
which such grants were given, including
oaths of fealty by various Lanae, Ovis (captains)
and other officers. —
Ohfran a wide category,
meaning generally: indulgence. It included propH
erty arrangements, granting of pardons and boons,
—
promotions and rewards. Kotai pre-ascensional
ceremony of pledging fealty to the four other Jevs
and he was weary. The day before he
had appeared time and time again on
the Sinju while numerous commenta-
tors explained to Jegga —
and others on
the Tonju gave the news to the Empire
— ^how the Ho-Ghan had elevated the
leader of the Krennian Fyavos to Jev,
Lord of the Flaming Stone. It was a
symbol of unity between the Empire
and the world of Kren which would
soon be opened to enlist under the Ho-
Ghan’s banner. And, so the news went,
the opportunity for all this had been
given the Ho-Ghan when Jev Thyle
and both his heirs had perished in an
accident, the details of which were not
yet to be given out.
The story was necessary, Tubal, Lu-
nae of the Censorship, assured Brew-
ster, to preserve balance throughout
the Empire. It was not yet known
what Jev Ahriman would do, Tubal
had pointed out soberly, and the wiser
course was not to infuriate him unneces-
sarily —
for already he had withdrawn
and refused to answer the summons to
the council meeting. Brewster agreed
to everything, to each request at ohfran,
also
exercising no initiative at Jev-korman,
listening to Vrita and Tubal and to
Iga,Lanae representing the council.
As he was patient, he was almost
docile . . .

and the Ho-Ghan, and the declaring of heirs in But in one thing he had been ada-,
tbeir order. Also the submission of new names
if the Jev was of a different family than a prede-
mant — his solitude when he returned
—
cessor this last an antiquated feudal custom Ed. — to the Inner City. He dismissed his
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 113

servants and attendants, his Lanae and
officers—he scarcely knew half a dozen
of them by name— and he had come
alone to the quarters he had lived
to hnd in their peaceful desolation
few hours in which he could think.
There had been a forlorn hope in the
back of his mind that he might find
Abbott waiting there, but it had van-
ished when he found the note.
It was odd, that note. Undoubtedly
the rooms and all the effects in them
had been thoroughly searched and by
more than one interested party yet
here was this note. Brewster knew, of
course, that it had not eluded detection
because it had not been there to detect.
It had been placed in the cigarette per-
haps minutes after Brewster arrived in
the Krennian wing.
Brewster had quickly walked through
the wing. It was, as he had ordered,
empty, except that out on the central
terrace, he found Poro, the Phyladian
whose lifehe had saved. The green-
skinned brute had often been found by
Brewster, sitting thus, his great cloudy
eyes scanning the horizon, his strong
face relaxed and calm. He had become
a fixture in the wing, a silent figure
whose presence or absence was scarcely
noticed by Brewster. He had looked
at Brewster then and bowed obediently.
A FTER that Brewster had gone, as
^ the note directed, to the palace
wing beyond the Ho-Ghan’s gardens.
Wearing his gray civilian tunic and
sneaking out through a side door, once
he dispersed the guard he found even
there, he was able to lose himself in the
lery lined with Argyres bore the legend
Corn Es Ho-Ghan on its massive hex-
agonal seals. Brewster, instantly con-
in, spicuous because he was alone, had
a wandered to the door, but as he had
come up to it the guards had planted
themselves in front of him. Several
officers had come running down the
corridor. Until that moment Brewster
had shown only desultory interest in
the doors, but then, as the officers had
shouted at him and been about to lay
their hands on him, he had stepped
— back, his face the picture of so cold a
fury that it stopped them. And his
voice, quiet and controlled, somehow
more audible because of their shouting,
had sounded deadly.
**Ento 0 brui. O dej-Jev Thyle”*
When he started forward again, they
melted out of his path. He had acted,
as hehad planned, as i! these warriors
were stable boys back home, refusing
the owner entry to his own premises.
It was a part that came easily and
naturally to him, and though he was
now long past being able to feel the
sting of the thought, there was still a
vestigial bitterness to his easy success.
He had entered the Coru, the library
or repository of histories, searched the
elaborate archives for the title, and
though he had been able to translate
Descoru es Jegga jon Jev as History
of Jegga and Jev, he knew the language
would prove too much for him. So,
finding Volume II, he had slipped it
under his robe and gone out of the li-
brary shortly after entering. Ostensibly
he had gone in to humble the guard;
the point made, he had left.

thronged, bustling halls of the palace. And then, back in his own quarters,
But as it had not been difficult to cast the Introduction to guide him, he had
aside his now celebrated identity for a read pages sixty through sixty-two.
little same anonymity was
while, this Now, the bulk of it translated, he
a hindrance when he reached the site
* Dej-Jev — literally, Jev-to-be, or heir-appar-
of the Imperial library. The great mar- ent. (What Brewster said was; “Stand aside, I
ble doors facing down an empty gal- bid. I am Jev-to-be Thyle.”) —Ed.
114 AMAZING STORIES

re-read its most — from

salient the point . . and so Jev wept, and his
of view of the writer of the note
marking here and there a still elusive
— parts, eyes were not dry so long as he
gazed upon Kren, nor would he
word. But it was clear. , . . leave Boron. It is written in the
.Thus, when Jev had reached
. hand of Proh, who lived with him
the age of thirty and one winter that last winter of his life, that
he had led the armies of Lyrio to Jev knew no peace, knowing the
their final sytemal victory. Be- world of Kren to be. beyond his
hind him lay ten and four winters grasp . . .

of campaigning, which had added

to the young Empire not only the " .at length, weary and weak-
.

recalcitrant empire of Ermos and ened by sorrow, and, so says Proh,

the kingdoms of Ania and Darziz
and PhyladeSf but hundreds of
smaller dependencies. In honor^
therefore, of the most ruthless and
cruel soldier in the history of Jeg-
ga, the Ho-Ghan Lyrio gave voice
to the first of the later laws of
Jevro:
*‘From this day forward, saving
only the Ho-Ghan, the mighty of
the mighty shall be known as Jev.
The name Jev shall become a title
bestowed by the Ho-Ghan upon
the War Lords of the Empire first
created by the first Jev. So long
as the Empire shall persist, so too
shall the name and title Jev
**.
. . and in the time of his fifty
and sixth winter, great Jev,
often given to talking aloud when
none were present to listen, Jev
wandered naked across the barren
face of Boron to stand on its high-
ermost peak. And there he stood
for the time of a full revolving of
Boron around Kren, and he wotdd
not sleep nor take food nor water,
nor speak to any man, but he
stood there and wept as he looked
down at the green fields of Kren.
And the revolving done, Jev per-
mitted himself to die, but before
he died he spoke for the last time.
“'0 Kren, 0 Aaxia, thou most
. . . prized of all, thou hast been given
to out-live Jev, but there will be
a day when another Jev shall hold
who thy green throat until all who liv-

for twenty winters had lived in est in thy quiet fields shall remem-
Boron, the small moon of green ber to curse the time in which the
Kren, knew that within his life- dream of Jev came to naught. . . J
time he woidd not see the conquer^
mg of this most beautiful of the . and until that day none who
.

inner worlds. The secret that had spoke the tongue of Jegga or Es-
countless centuries before enabled tannar, or the tongues of any of
the men of Jegga to penetrate the the empires or kingdoms or de-
atmosphere of Kren, had gone with pendencies that Jev had conquered,
them. For twenty winters Jev had in none of these tongues was there
sent his warships, of such construc- to be found the word Aaxia. So
tion and such another and yet writ Proh. But from that day on
another, to essay the journey, and the word Aaxia came to mean most-
he had seen all turn to flame. prized, the name by which Kren
There was no way. There was no was henceforth known, to keep im-
way. , . . perishable the dream of Jev and to
 ”

EMPIRE OF JEGGA 115

serve as reminder that the ven- “Fine,” Brewster said, “I feel like a
geance of Jev would one day be goddamned bride.” His smile persist-
visited on Kren. . , ed. “Did you find my friends in time
to get them here?”
TTAVING read and re-read these Akar was silent a moment. “I bring
^ paragraphs, Brewster put away poor tidings,” he said.
the Introduction and the Descoru — or Brewster said, “Look, just talk to me.
meant to, when he looked up and saw Forget I’m a Jev. You used to be
Poro, the Phyladian, standing on the quite a talker. What are your poor
threshold of the balcony, looking into tidings? Can’t find ’em?”
the large central chamber where Brew- “I have sent messengers everywhere,
ster had sat reading. armed with the seal of the Ho-Ghan.
Itwas the first time Brewster had There is no trace of them .”
. He.

ever seen Poro watching him, and the hesitated.

silent scrutiny brought an impercepti- —
“Go on what else did you want to
ble, thoughtful frown to Brewster, say?”
where the reading of the Descoru had “I fear perhaps Jev Ahriman has
not changed his expression at all. He taken them. He has not responded to
who stood there
returned Poro’s gaze, the council or the Ho-Ghan and will

likea dumb, faithful dog waiting its
master’s call, and seemed about to
speak to the Phyladian when he saw
the shadow of someone entering the
chamber from the corridor. With a
swift movement Brewster
not be present at the ascension cere-
mony.”
Brewster said quietly, “I know it’s
not Ahriman. The question is whether
you honestly think so or know better.
slid the If I find out that you consciously lied

heavy, gilded volume under the low to me, I won’t be easy with you. Re-

couch. Poro, who had seen the action, member that.”

now saw Akar coming in just as Brew- Akar inclined his head, saluted, and
ster did, and he silently turned away turned to leave. Brewster said, “One
and went back out on ^e balcony. more thing,” and stopped Akar. “This
Brewster had not seen Akar since is something I meant to ask you before.

the morning after Thyle’s death and
then but briefly, for Akar immediately
appointed to ranking Lanae by Brew-
ster, had had his own numerous duties.
He advanced toward Brewster hesitant-
ly, obviously acquainted with Brew-
ster’s order that none be allowed into
the wing, and half expecting Brewster
to order him out.
Instead Brewster nodded pleasantly
to him.
“Greetings, great Jev, son of
Brewster shook his head. “Never
mind what I’m a son of,” he said with
a wry smile. “What’s up?”
Akar looked uncomfortable. “Every-
thing is in readiness.”
You remember two days ago I showed
you a batch of notes I’d gotten?” Akar
nodded and Brewster said, “You asked
me about the woman named Vrita men-
tioned in one of those notes. I know
that you knew who she was. What I
—
want to know now is did you tell
Thyle anything about it?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“A few hours after the meeting.”
— Akar’s face was stony. “First I checked
on it. I discovered that she had ex-
ecuted every driver of the tyar that
brought you to the lodge, and every
servant or guard who knew.”
Brewster looked puzzled. “How
 116
could you find that out?”
Akar’s discomfort grew visibly. Fi-
nally he said, “I had a guard of my
own to watch her.” His coppery skin
flushed.
Brewster made a low sound in his
throat. He frowned and asked softly,
“Then you too?”
“It was before she met you. I knew
I meant nothing to her.”
“You didn’t tell Thyle because you
were jealous of me?”
“Thyle was my Jev. It was my duty
to tell him.”
Presently Brewster nodded. “I ad-
mire your Ipyalty,” he said and nodded
again, signifying Akar was free to go.
When Akar left, Brewster went out on
the balcony and stood beside Poro,
watching the battalions of Argyres as-
sembling below. A fever was running
through the Inner City but Brewster
was calm and thoughtful. . . . here Brewster would comment, here
* *
^J’HE ceremony of the ascension
the extravagance and the almost
intolerable slowness of a dream, and
Brewster went through it like a dream-
er.He scarcely saw the vast banks of
people or heard their voices. There
was color before his eyes and sound
in his ears, and here and there would
be a face he knew, a uniform he re-
membered, but nothing more. The
sight of the Ho-Ghan, veiled as was his
prerogative, hardly stirred him in his
lethargy. He stood alone before the
Ho-Ghan and the three Jevs and went
through the ritual with the amber stone,
his fingers aflame and the flames not
burning the red robe he accepted from
Jev Eblis, and he repeated the words
he had learned byrote. When the pa-
rades had stopped and the music died
away and the last ceremonial finished
he went, flanked by great columns and
AMAZINS STORIES
warriors and Argyres, to the tower of
the Jevs.
There he sat at the pentagonal table
with Nastrond and Eblis and Azevedo
and kept the word he had given to
Lanae Iga at kotai. Seated and stand-
ing by the score all around tlie great
table were the scientists of Jegga, wait-
ing for Brewster to speak.
Then Brewster spoke, and began to
explain the Earth science of making
metal. His words fell in an awesome
hush and he did not pause until he had
spoken for more than two hours. Then
the scientists and ministers spoke and
he answered their questions, correcting
diagrams, elaborating, explaining. The
great Sinju screen that had been set up
in the bowl traveled the length and
breadth of Jegga, bringing the mines
and smelters and roads of the vast sys-
tem already built into close view, and
suggest something.
It was as Joe Abbott had said every-—
thing was ready. But now the hills
had and the Kardandan canals and the Pin-
gui red mountains which Abbott had
searched vainly with the Sinju, all these
and more came into sharp, distinct
focus.
It was dark when the council ad-
journed, and Brewster returned to the
Krennian wing. He sank down to an
exhausted slumber from which he kept
awaking to stare bleakly at shadows.
Late that night he began to wander
through the quiet chambers, feeling the
presence of guards everywhere though
the chambers were empty. In the cen-
tral chamber he found Poro sitting
awake, and only then was he able to
return to his uneasy bed and find sleep.
*
On the second day after he had be-
come Jev, sixteen days after the coming
 EMPIRE OF JEOGA 117

of the Earthmen to Jegga, Brewster She had hesitated, then: “What of

knew he was losing control of himself. Ahriman and the Eye?”
It was a new sensation to him. He “I am Thyle. It is enough for me
felt the remnants of his patience slip- now. I must not forget that I am a
ping away, and his newly found calm- —
Krennian it would mortify your peo-
ness with it. The cold fever that had ple if I were to claim the seat of Ahri-
run through him the night Thyle had man.”
died now returned and he could not “But what will you do with the
fight it off. He was waiting for some- Anzus eye?”
thing, and when it did not come he “Nothing, now. The decision can
knew he would have to go out and meet wait.”
it, to force it to come. “The secret of Ahriman’s death will
What slight comfort he could gather not keep much longer.”
from his mental state was the fact that “I know.”
he was still aware of what was happen- She bad studied his inscrutable face
ing to him. He could preserve his bal- and found nothing and then she had
ance and hasten the end by losing him- said, “You will not mortify those whom
self in work, and there was work to be it is your privilege to mortify, yet you
done. hurt me, who bestowed the privilege on
So on second day, he left Ho-
this you. .What has changed between us?
Tonda for an extended tour of Jegga to Do you love me no longer?”
supervise the beginning of operations He had taken her in his arms then,
in the great network of mines and and kissed her. “Leave me now,” he
hearths which his knowledge had made had said. “Don’t come again until I
it possible to function. As a Jev he send for you. I’m going away tomor-
co^d not travel alone, but he excluded row. When I return there will be time
Vrita from his entourage at the price to talk. But not now, not tonight.
of a stubborn refusal. His tiction, and Try to understand,”
the actions which had preceded it at the When she had left, he wasn’t sure
ascension, were inexplicable, and he whether he had acted wisely. There
could not have afforded it had he not had been danger in both the courses
sensed the immediacy of the end. But open to him. Four days before he would
it had been dangerous. have chosen the other, but that night
she had revived the memory of the
CHE had come to him in the Krennian words she had spoken to him, and fight-
quarter the night before. It was ing it he had taken the chance. It

their first meeting in three days. She
had looked at Brewster as he stood
before her, troubled and faintly aloof,
wearing the red robe as if he had been
born to it, and she had spoken her
mind.
“You have not seen me.
not called me.”
“It would have been violating the
tradition. You are a widow.”
“Was I not a widow three days ago?”
“I was not a Jev.”
hardly mattered, he thought, that he
had perhaps tipped the scales even
further against himself. It was getting
too latenow to do much about it.
The next morning he had left for
Pingui. From there he had gone to
You have Kardandan, and then to the great
blooming mills of Zorka, and then to the
Totamangu mountains. There in the
great open hearth furnaces he had
touched his amber stone and set the
intelligence of Thyle’s flame to its task.
116 AMAZING STORIES

And seeing it do its work, he knew that tives of the universe outnumbered
he had given Jegga and this, its own those of Jegga, and its gay life was

fire, the spark that would spread to an conducted in a hundred variant dialects
industry greater by far than any on of the Jeggian tongue. It suspended

Earth. He had looked out upon the
sea of faces of innumerable workmen
drawn from the universe in all their
variety, and it had been too great a
thought for him to keep the end in
mind.
So he traveled for
center of great parties and feasts and
celebrations, and surrounded as he was
by his Lanae and ministers, and the
numerous officials of every neighboring
province and city, he knew a greater
loneliness than ever before.
thistime he was waiting, knowing it
would come and yet beginning to
. . . It was during the feast given in his
many of the planetary laws of Jegga
and substituted its own or none at all.
From morning until night its skies were
dotted with arriving craft, its canals
clotted in perp)etual traffic.
When Brewster first asked to go to
five days, the Ramusio, Akar and his Lanae advised
against it. Brewster listened and re-
peated his order and the matter was
closed until they arrived in Ramusio.
There Brewster decreed two holidays
for the army of warriors that had ac-
And all companied him, and thus opened the
door.

wonder. honor by the Vice-Regio of the prov-

For in his mind he had
a struc- built ince that the staffs were rapped and a
ture of bits of information, of vague voice called:
perceptions and ide^, and in more than “The Fyavo Abbott.”
one sense it might prove to be a bouse There, across the noisy, crowded hall,

of cards. He was the same Sure stood Joe Abbott. He was dressed in a
Brewster, gambling for stakes beyond blue civilian tunic, with nothing to dis-
his comprehension, but forced to tinguish him from an Estannar except
gamble now. He was waiting to draw the jagged emerald that hung from a
his cards. . . cord around his neck. He gazed around
the hall until his eyes lit on Brewster,
4: Xc * then he smiled and came forward.
Akar had instantly gotten up beside
TT CAME in Ramusio on the fifth Brewster and ordered one of the ad-
day, exactly three weeks after he joining chairs vacated, butBrewster
had first landed in Jegga. He had al- had moment later and quietly
risen a
most been certain of it there, if any- ordered Akar to see that the feast con-
where, and he had given it every He met Abbott
tinued until his return.
chance. halfway across the hall and Abbott
Ramusio was four thousand onum bowed and touched his hand to his
from Ho-Tonda. It ranked perhaps forehead before he shook Brewster’s
twentieth in size among the cities of proffered hand.
Jegga, but it was a sprawling giant of Abbott said, “0 brut ro, Jev Tkyle,”
commerce. It was the hemispheric smiling faintly.
junction of four canals and its space- Brewster half-laughed. “Come out-
port ranked with Kael, and through it side,” he said.
flowed much of interplanetary culture. He led Abbott to a roof terrace and
Yet it was a wild and violent place. In motioned to a Lanae to clear the place.
its ancient streets the many-hued na- Silently he took out a pack of cigarettes
EMPIRE OP JEG6A 119
r 120 AMAZING STORIES

o and saw the way Abbott regarded them along the terrace, at the ready. Others
and offered him one. He lit both cigar- came up bearing a wandho screen.*
ettes and watched Abbott inhale and Akar saluted.
exhale gratefully. The night air was “Your pardon, great Jev. Lanae
still. Tuew declares the Fyavo Abbott to be
“You look as if you hadn’t had one carrying something with the substance
in a long while,” Brewster said. “I’d of Estannar on it. Therefore, with your
have thought three cartons would last permission, the wandho is ready.”
longer than a week.” He grinned and A slow baleful grin spread across
added softly, “Unless you found six Brewster’s face. He turned to Abbott
other guys who wanted a smoke pretty and said, “You see? Maybe you don’t
bad?” He tried to meet Abbott’s eyes know what a wandho is?” He studied
in the gloom. Abbott’s tight lips and sighed. “I see
Abbott looked at him and said, you do, so you’d better hand over what-
“You’ve done all tight,Nick,” in an ever it is.”

emotionless voice. “I don’t suppose “No,” Abbott said. “Turn on your

you can go much higher, huh?” screen.”
Brewster glanced at him sharply and One of the Lanae barked an order,
said, “Warn them off, Joe. It’s no good but Akar raised a hand and stopped the
here. This whole area is heavily warriors who were adjusting the screen.
guarded. Let me arrange it when A crafty look shone on Akar’s intelli-

there’s a chance.” gent face. He held a little green tube

Slowly Abbott shook his head. in his hand advanced to Abbott.
as he
“You’re good, Nick, you’re good. But “No,” he said, “I will take it upon my-
this is different. Not even a smart self to search the Fyavo.”

cookie like you can break out of what's At that instant, as Abbott turned
already been arranged.” His face about and made a dash for the rail,
twisted into a hard smile. “But you Brewster quickly stepped forward and
knew we’d come for you, didn’t you? brought his fist down in a slashing blow
You saw how things were beginning to on the back of Abbott’s neck. Abbott
shape up a little differently than—” went sprawling over and fell against the
He Brewster’s hands away
pushed rail. Two or three steps more and he
angrily. “Not me,” he
said. “I’m not would have hurled himself to the street
the boy. hope to get through
I couldn’t hundreds of feet below. Brewster’s
to you were armed. So I’m doing
if I hands were unsteady as he kneeled and
the next best thing —
I’m the finger searched the unresisting form. The
man, to make sure you’re not confused blow he had given Abbott, because he
with your adopted Jeggite brothers.” had been prepared to give it, had
“You fool I” Brewster snapped in knocked Abbott senseless. Now he
exasperation. “You haven’t a chance! stood up again, holding in his hand a
I’ve been expecting something like small tube-like pink cylinder.
this—” Akar accepted the cylinder and
turned it over in his hands and nodded.

piE broke off as Akar came hurrying “It is as we hardly dared hope. This
out on the terrace, his face grim is an Estannar signal Hare. The wand-
and purposeful. Two Lanae stood be-
side him and behind them were long
• Wandho screen —
a chemical detector used
with high frequency light waves, capable of ex-
columns of warriors who fanned out all ploding bidden weapons, etc. Ed. —
 ” ”

EMPIRE OP JEGGA 121

ho would have detonated it instantly

he looked meaningfully at Brewster,
—
“ and killed your
friend Fyavo.”
“And the effect of a sharp fall?”
“The same. It has a delicate mecha-
nism for so powerful a flare. I have
seen these in raids on Boron.”
paused. “There is but one answer ^the
Estannars are
^ position for an attack
on your life.”
Brewster nodded soberly. “You’ve
been ready all this while?”
“At a moment’s notice, mighty Jev.
No onslaught, however desperate, could
succeed against us, but now with the
starting signal in our hands, my cap-
tains will look forward to another Char-
chan.”*
Brewster looked down at the uncon-
scious form at his feet with
contempt and pity. “Send him back
Ho-Tonda and keep him under guard
Krennian quarter.
the See that no
harm comes to him I have my own — hoped to storm the lower of the vice-
plans for him.”
“And you, mighty Jev? You must
not
— it
— through guarded, nightbound skies to
the military spaceport several onum
the from Ramusio. Here waiting launches
shot them skyward to warships that lay
at space-anchor high over the city, their
sleek bodies dark and their muttering
He rocket-tubes shielded.
— Brewster recognized the warship in
which he found himself as the one which
Akar had previously commanded. Noth-
ing in it had changed, and its new com-
mander proudly led Akar and Brewster
to the oval control room in the ship^s
bow.
The plans, as Akar had said, had al-
ready been prepared, but now every
warship had time to build up its rocket-
power before allowing its blasts to be
seen. Since none of the military sta-
a look of tions or lightships had reported more
to than isolated vessels anywhere within
in range of the signal flare, the Estannar
plan was clear. They could not have
Regio’s palace with foot troops; thus
was a certainty that they had filled

the dark skies over Ramusio with armed

Brewster stopped him with a hard tyars, waiting to descend on the tower,
smile. “You would have the one you overwhelm H, and flee before any power
call mighty Jev run for safety, Akar? could be brought to bear against their
No. I am a great admirer of the Jeg- scattering number. It was to be no more
gian techniques. I will be with you.” than a large raid, the only attack —as
* * *
Akar explained with contempt —which
the Estannars were capable of planning.
“Suppose it had been launched as
OUTWARD sign of change was planned?” Brewster asked. “How would
allowed. The feast continued and you have met it, with only a few mo-
the wine flowed. Many of the Lanae ments’ notice?”
remained and half the warrior guard, Akar smiled as his hands expertly
but Brewster and Akar left immediately played with the code keys on the con-
in a tyar that landed on the terrace and trol board. “A few moments’ notice
took off again in the darkness. From would have been more than we needed.
the vice-Regio’s palace they proceeded You were in no ordinary tower, my
* Charchan —the scene of a great massacre of
lord. At the first sign of alarm the en-
Estannars who were caug^it with a huge fleet and tire hall would have descended two hun-
no fue! for its ships after the Jeggians ambushed
dred and the tower itself filled with
feet,
.1 convoy of fuellers. The one-sided battle of
Chtirchan, and its effects on Estannar morale, warriors. But now our warriors have
ended one of the great modem rebellions —Ed. been warned to keep out of the tower
122 AMAZING
—we mean to sweep clean.”
Akar spoke into the little phone be-
side him. Answers kept crackling back,
and the control board danced with
lights. Painstakingly, Akar repeated
the changes in orders, apologizing to
Brewster for speaking in Jeggian,
though Brewster understood almost
everything; the military language was
a sort of simplified Jeggian, condensing
even detailed and complex orders to a
few words.
Half an hour after they had left the
vice-Regio’s palace, everything was
ready. There was no tenseness visible
on Akar’s darkly smiling face as he be-
gan the action. He switched on the
Sinju and under his nimble fingers the
screen searched Ramusio for the palace,
then held it. He pressed a button. Five
seconds later a pde red streak shot into
the black heavens from the tower. High
above it the streak blossomed until the
sky seemed to be overcast with a thin
film of blood.
Suddenly the streets leading to the
palace were cut across with hundreds of
slender green beams. Other beams met
them, falling back under the original on-
slaught. Then, just as the red glow in
the sky came its brightest moment
and began to die away, hundreds of
tyars were revealed in its light, swoop-
ing down on the palace. For a moment
Akar put on the speakers attached to
the Sinju, and the whirring thunder of
tyars and the shrieks of the city filled
the control room. When Akar turned
off the sound, he touched a glowing but-
ton at his fingertips and its light went
out.
The warship quivered and came to
lifewith a great roar. Suddenly the
miniature city in the Sinju was flying
edges of the darkly lit screen and
ofi the
the palace kept growing. Akar’s hands
rested on the control board gently,
watching the Sinju intently. The at-
STORIES
tacking tyars had landed on the tower
by the hundreds, and others buzzed in
all around it like swarms of mad-
the air
dened gnats. But there seemed to be
littlefighting there, for hardly a streak
of green was to be seen. And then
several of the tyars began taking off.
“They’ve seen us coming,” Akar said.
AT THAT moment three warships
flashed across the screen and from
their bows great forked tongues of blue-
green lightning lashed out to hit the
tower. Instants after they were gone,
when the luminous afterlight of their
boltshad died away, Brewster saw the
enormous holes the bolts had punched
into the tower. He caught but a glimpse
of the tyars as they spilled into the
streets, smashed to bits, and then three
more ships and three more again dived
in 'for the attack, and the rhythm of
their attack made the Sinju, at so close
a range, too brilliant to be of any more
use.
But the Sinju flashed upward and
great searchlights on the ground below
probed white fingers to catch the re-
maining tyars as they scattered. Di-
rectly under the main deck of Akar’s
ship, Nastrond guns sent a shattering
broadside into the air directly ahead.
Looking up quickly through the glass-
ite ports, Brewster saw the Sinju’s
scene come alive.
Akar’s ship was in the fifth group of
three, coming in last to crush whatever
tyars had escaped. It swung through
the sky, its arc caught in the lights be-
low, and crippled, blazing tyars were
swept off its sleek bow and sides as it
knifed into the area around the palace
and was gone, its wake a wide swath of
destruction.
Now Brewster took the Sinju and
manipulated it to hold the scene they
had left behind. The upper tower was
a ruin in which nothing stirred. Its
 EMPIRE OF JESGA 123

crumbling upper walls were falling “Konos,” Brewster repeated thought-

down into streets alive with
lights and red-orange pyres. The tur
over the entire area was empty, and
only fiery particles discharged from the
warships’ rocket tubes were to be seen,
flashing fuliy. He got up and walked about the
little room and noticed he had not
wrinkled the bed sheets sufficiently, and
he looked to see whether Akar too had
noticed it, and to take his attention, he

drifting slowly down. Brewster sat gaz- asked quickly, “But how could they
ing into the Sinju, lost in thought, hard- get into the Inner City, let alone the
ly hearing Akar's voice. palace?”
“Action concluded, my lord. What “For the past two da3rs there have
are your orders?” been mass attacks,” Akar said grimly.
Brewster shook his head. . . . “Last night, shortly before the attack
And so the thing for which Brewster here in Ramusio began, Konos de-
had waited had come and gone and the scended on Ulatai and completely de-
opportunity with it. But it was not yet molished the new forges. It was obvi-
over, for the next day brought startling ously an attempt to draw our forces to
news. that area. It failed, if only because we
knew they were already set to attack
CHAPTER VII here, but the destruction at Ulatai was
great.”
A BBOTT had escaped! Brewster was silentand thoughtful.
Brewster sat there and heard Akar said, “I bring you a message,
Akar speak, and he shook the weariness therefore, from the council. It met this
from his sleep-numbed brain. The blow morning, and has decided, with your
crushed him. concurrence, to undertake drastic ac-
“How did it happen?” he murmured. tion. The Jev Eblis moves to arrest
“Tell me everything.” every Estannar in Greater Ho-Tonda.”
“According to your directive, the Fy- Brewster cocked his brows. “Every
avo was sent last night to Ho-Tonda. Estannar? How many?”
He arrived there shortly before dawn “Perhaps seventy thousand.”
and was confined to the Krennian wing Presently Brewster nodded. “Send
under house arrest. Two hours ago the my concurrence,” he said, and as an
Argyre watch changed and it was dis- afterthought: “Arrange everything for
covered that the entire guard of picked my departure to Ho-Tonda at once. Ap-
warriors had been slain and the Fyavo point Lanae Tuew to take charge in
gone.” your absence.”
Brewster swung his legs to the edge “My absence, my lord?”
of the bed and reached for the robe he “Yes. You won’t be going with us.
had hurriedly taken off when Akar
knocked
I —
have a special errand for you an er-
for admittance. He looked in- rand I trust to no one else. Come back
credulous. “How was it done?” quickly.”
“Three of the guards had been hurled When Akar went out Brewster hur-
over parapets and the other five stran- riedly dressed, putting on the red robe
gled. The officers are at a loss to under- he had worn for days. From under a
stand it, but they believe it was the cushion of a sofa he removed his bol-
work of a band of Konos searching for stered automatics and buckled them
you under some previous, out-dated in- under his robe. Then, waiting for Akar,
struction.” he began to pace the room.
 ”

124 AMAZING STORIES

In Ramusio, as everywhere else he was followed by Akar. Saying nothing,

had gone, he had chosen a tiny room in Brewster started walking toward the
a military establishment as his own edge of the nearer canal. The morn-
temporary quarters. His excuse had ing had lost its early chill and the sun
been unvoiced, but seemingly indicative was emerging golden from its red misti-
of a fear of attack by Konos. But this ness. Here and there birds wheeled in
would not have explained why he had a cloudless, white-blue sky that was
slept sitting up in a chair or a sofa, otherwise empty. A warm breeze swept
starting at every sound though he was over the sandy lowlands, combing the
surrounded by a corps of warriors. Now, vivid green weed-brush that lined the
on the sixth day of a vigil that might canal banks.
have erupted into violence at any time, Here, on the edge of the canal,
he was exhausted. Every nerve-end was Brewster stood and looked down into
raw, his cheeks sunken, his eyes hag- the still waters, his reflection redder
gard and red-rimmed. The Konos at than the water and that of Akar beside
Ulatai had unwittingly lengthened his him a black and clearly defined figure.
life-expectancy, but it could not go on. “It grows late, my lord,” Akar said
In Ho-Tonda the last links would be quietly.
broken today. He had to act immedi- Brewster nodded. “There is a saying
ately, to hope —
as he now saw there had among us on Earth,” he said, which is
been good reason to hope, that he was phrased; Tt’s later than you think.’ It
light. But most of all he had to act is meant to reflect how time passes
while he still retained some shred of mortals more quickly than they
sanity. . . . know ...” After a moment he went
on. “It’s very late now, Akar. This
l^HEN Akar returned, Brewster is my errand.”
^
said, ‘T'Jow you and I win go alone His hands fumbled at the jewel-en-
to the vice-Regio,
—
where ” He shook crusted oriflamme on his robe, and from
his head, seemingly changing his mind. the center jewel he took out an object
It had to be done carefully. “Take a that gleamed against the amber stone
tyar and come with me,” he said. “I next to which it had lain. He held his
am sending you on a secret errand to hand to Akar and revealed the thin
Vrita.” blue-black disc of the Anzus eye.
Studying Akar’s face he had seen Akar’s face grew tight and he looked
nothing. They left the Argyre fort and at Brewster.
took an armored tyar, which Akar “Take this to Vrita,” Brewster said.
drove. It started toward the sunlit “Wait for —
spires ofRamusio, but halfway there “But Vrita is in Ho-Tonda.”
Brewster seemed to come out of his Brewster nodded and finished soft-
reverie and told Akar to put the tyar ly, “Wait for her,” and he tipped his

down. They were then over an
deserted area between two canals, and
when Akar confusedly asked Brewster
whether he meant directly below,
Brewster nodded. He had maintained
his attitude of absent-minded musing.
Slowly the tyar settled to the ground,
and as it touched, Brewster got out and
arid, palm over so that the gleaming disc
slipped from his hand and fell to the
sandy earth between them.
Akar did not seem to have heard
Brewster then. His eyes had focussed
on the disc and followed its fall. Now
he kneeled to pick it up, and only then
did he seem to understand ^at Brews-
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 125

ter had said. Bent half over, his hand
extended, he looked up to Brewster and
the first dim flicker of alarm lit his eyes.
His face was no more than three feet
away from Brewster’s, and for an infi-
nite moment the two stared at each
other and understood each other’s
thoughts.
And then as Akar started to draw
away slowly, very slowly, as if what
he saw had robbed him of the power
tertook away the slender green tube
fastened to a belt around Akar’s middle
and stood up.
For moments longer, almost until the
consuming fire had reached his eyes,
Akar kept staring at Brewster. There
was no emotion in them but surprise.
When it was over, nothing remained
and where his body had Iain there were
glazed, almost molten sand-grains and
a tall figure’s depressed outline . . .

to act, he tried to speak but no sound and the jewel of Akar’s oriflamme.
came from him. For as Akar had bent Brewster picked it up and opened it.
over, Brewster had reached under his Akar’s jewel was smaller than the one
robe and withdrawn one of his auto- Brewster wore but the amber stone
matics. Its deadly snout was inches within Akar’s filled the jewel com-
from Akar’s temple. Now it moved pletely,and thus was actually larger
down, and the hand that held it grew than Brewster’s.
tight and the gun roared. Then he picked up the blue-black disc
Akar fell as if he had been bludg- from where it had Iain all this time.
eoned. Hunched over he took the blow He turned it over in his hands a mo-
and dropped on his side, then rolled ment and then carelessly pitched it into
over and lay on his side, his head near the waters of the canal. The jewel he
the water, his still moving
legs higher placed in a sewn pocket in his robe.
up the bank. Blacker than his tunic, Without a backward glance he
brighter than the jewels of his ori- walked quickly back to the tyar.
flamme, a wet stain spread quickly from
the gaping hole in his belly. He was '^HE journey from Ramusio to Ho-
alive, his eyes open and watching
still
Tonda had taken six hours, and in
Brewster put the gun away. that time, for the first time in days, he
Brewster stood over him. “Time ran had slept with his clothes off. When
out on you first,” he said, his voice cold Lanae Tuew, the dour-faced middle-
and sardonic. aged Jeggite in command of the traijs-
Jegga tyar, came in to wake Brewster,
touched a hand to the still open Brewster’s request was whether
J_JE first
jewel on his chest and let a finger Akar had reported via Borju.
brush the amber stone within. A tiny He seemed faintly distressed when
flame, almost invisible in the bright sun- Tuew replied negatively, and searching
light, danced on his fingertip. Tuew’s face he felt better. So far he
“I prefer ray own toys,” Brewster was in the clear. He had wondered
said, “but if you lend someone one of how far Akar had gone to protect his
yours, he may find a use for it.” absence, and there had been uncomfort-
He leaned over a little and pointed able moments when he had returned
his fiery finger to the deep wound. The alone after purportedly having sent
breeze caught the flame and it leaped Akar on his mission. But no questions
over the intervening space and settled had risen and now he was playing to
in the bloody hollow, and there it found head them off.
a new vigor and began to spread. Brews- “The air lanes around Ho-Tonda,”
126 AMAZING
Tuew informed him, “have been
blocked by the military. Jev Azevedo
sends his compliments and suggests a
primary landing without the city.”
“Of course,” Brewster said. He
washed and shaved while the vessel
and its powerful escort landed at an
Argyre field north of Ho-Tonda. Dis-
embarking, he was met by Iga, the
council representative, and taken to the
field house where the port officers were
gathered around a Sinju, watching the
operations Iga explained.
Jev Eblis had struck quickly. Ar-
mored tyars held control of the lower
air and a fleet of warships cruised
watchfully high above them. On the
ground Argyres had combined with
picked shock divisions of the three Jevs,
in anticipation of a struggle which had
not yet materialized. Indeed, the mass
arrests were proceeding with singular
lack of serious difficulty, and on the
Sinju Brewster watched one small seg-
ment of the great undertaking.
A flying division had arrived to block
offa freight canal. With the air lanes
and roads closed, thousands had tried
to escape along the canals. The sunlit
red waters were clogged with vessels of
every description, with rafts and even
with swimmers. The troops hovered
over the canal, stemming the horde.
Again and again they would go in pur-
suit of someone who had broken through
their cordon, diving down to within a
few feet of the water to point out a
swimmer to one of their patrol boats.
Two things Brewster noticed; that
many of the fleeing people did not
seem
to be Estannars; and that no violence
was being used. Wherever he saw
them, the troops were merely herding
people into the never-ending line of
black tyar-vans along the canal. It was
obvious that they were under orders to
take live prisoners.
Presently Lanae Tuew came in and
STORIES
announced that an air lane had been
When Brew-
cleared to the Inner City.
ster went out to the waiting tyar, it
seemed to him that he could hear the
massed voices of Ho-Tonda rising high
in the air. But he could see little of
what was going on below because his
ship was surrounded by so heavy an
escort. Landing to enter the Inner
City, there was a new delay.
Few of the escorting vessels were al-
lowed through. Enormous numbers of
warriors swarmed the City’s defenses,
and unlike the handsome, decorative
mounted warriors he had seen there so
many times, these were hardened men,
some grimy, with the smell of battle
about them. Carefully they scrutinized
each tyar though they held high officers.
Brewster himself received a formal and
impressive salute, both there and at the
other walls, for the palace as well as the
Inner City teemed with warriors, many
of them in uniforms Brewster had never
seen before.
Onceat the palace, Brewster repaired
to the Krennian wing, and there, sur-
rounded by his staff officers he put
through calls for Akar in Toctai and
Kael and Cassia. Waiting for an an-
swer he knew would never come, he
paced the central chamber worriedly.
The messengers returned to confess
failure and at length, seemingly after
an inner debate, Brewster called Lanae
Catu, his chief of personal guard.
The concern on Brewster’s face was
far from sham now. He was about to
test the first of his theories.Of all the
ways it might possibly collapse, one of
the most dangerous lay in too complete
a success; if he was completely right,
this first test was extremely perilous.
He said, “There was a Phyladian
named Poro. This morning he was ar-
rested. Bring him to me.”
“I have heard of no such arrest, my
lord.”
 — ” ” ”

EMPIRE OF JESGA 127

“Then find someone who has!” He stood there waiting, watching the
Brewster snapped. fleeting scenes on the Sinju across the
room, while his ears were filled with
^ATU retreated and left, and Brew- the distant sounds of the beleaguered
ster went to the room he had occu- city. Presently the officers returned,
pied and replenished his supply of ciga- and manacled to a heavy weight he car-
rettes. He had no hope of finding one ried was Poro, surrounded by Argyres.
of the ubiquitous notes and he found Brewster looked at the Phyladian’s dull
none, and he went out on the balcony face and then walked to him.
of the central room where he stood and He said to the Lanae of the guard,
smoked. Inside, his officers, perhaps “What instructions did Lanae Akar
.

twenty of them, had ordered wine and send you this morning concerning treat-
were watching the Sinju’s survey of ment of this Phyladian?”
the city with calm, deliberate com- “This morning?” The Lanae was
ments, but Brewster could feel their puzzled. “None, my lord.”
eyes on him. “You are Lanae of the guard?”
When Catu returned, bringing the “Yes, my lord.”
Lanae and two captains of the palace “Then you Brewster snapped.
liel”
guard, Brewster stepped in at the “Free the Phyladian.”
threshold of the balcony, and with the “But he —
loudness of his voice kept the trio at a “Silence ” Brewster said curtly.
!

distance, stoppingthem in their tracks “Free him.”

as they approached. Through his mind The Lanae mumbled the order fear-
kept running the words he had spoken fully, and the guards assumed a new,
to the dying Akar “ij you lend some- tense watchfulness as the green-skinned
one one oj your toys, he may find a use giant was unmannacled. Poro gently
for it” —
and he knew it was a time for laid the heavy weight down and stood
boldness. quietly.
“I don’t want to hear your excuses 1” “Order the guard changed and all
he called angrily. “Bring the prisoner who were in the palace on duty for the
Poro to mel” past night and day are to report to La-
There was an instant of silence, and nae Tuew presently.”
in that instant the thoughts raced madly Again the Lanae gave the order, and
through his brain: what if they should the guard filed out.
answer that Poro was dead? . would . . Brewster said to Catu, who stood
Akar not have told him so? but . . . close by, “Summon a picked patrol of
if Akar had arrested Poro he would not my best warriors. This Lanae and all
have had him killed ... it all de- his officers are to be put under arrest
pended on whether Poro had been ar- and —
rested . and logic inexorably said
. . “My lord, it was not —
that he had logic? .
. . but it was
. . . He fell silent under the black fury
no more than a house of cards . . . of Brewster’s eyes. “There will be
And so over and over he thought it time,” Brewster said evenly, “to judge
through in that instant. your guilt or innocence later.” He
When the officers saluted and left turned back to Catu. “They are to be
without a word, he knew he had won kept incommunicado,” he said. “Keep
the first round. The house of cards was them separate from each other, allow
still standing, but for how tong? no talking among them and they are to
 ”

128 AMAZINS STORIES

see no one, nor to send or receive mes- Poro nodded and put a finger to his
sages. This duty is entrusted only to lips. He moved with agility surprising
men of my command.” for his bulk, walking swiftly to each of
Silently the Lanae and officers of the the four entrances to the central cham-
guard were led out. When Brewster ber and looking into the adjoining
looked around at his staff officers, he rooms. Then he returned and dialed
saw that none understood what they the Sinju, and the screen swept across
—
had witnessed as he well knew by the city to a plaza surrounded by enor-
then, for understanding itthey might mous buildings. One of these buildings
have interfered. Now he addressed was lost behind the streams of green
them. fire that was being played on it from

“I see, my officers, that your thoughts huge Nastrond guns. The Jeggites were
are all with the events taking place in attacking it in force.
Ho-Tonda. The warriors of Thyle be- Poro glanced at the scene and turned
long beside those of my brother Jevs. the Sinju off.

Therefore, it is my order that you, un- “They have found our Konos,” he
der the leadership of Tuew, present said in English, his deep voice hushed.
yourselves and your regiments to Jev “We must go to him before it is too
Eblis for his disposal. This accom- late. Only he knows what is to be done
plished, Tuew will return here to await now.”
Akar and myself.” “But how can we go there?”
“You have done well thus far. Con-
'^UEW was confused. “And who fuse your warriors further and order a
will remain here?” he asked, look- patrol to take you there. You must
ing at Poro distrustfully. “And what continue to use your power while the
of your
— Jevs are occupied.” He started, lis-
Brewster said quietly, with finality, tening to some sound he had heard, then
“Akar has arranged all.” He nodded said, “You have disposed of Akar for
for them to go. “I am not one to fear a time?”
—
a brute ” he grinned scornfully at “For a long time,” Brewster said
Poro, “— have bested with
I my own somberly.
hands.” “Good. Let us go then. And re-
By the look that crossed the faces of member to answer no questions but
Tuew and several others he knew they show your might instead. To these
had heard of his fight with the Phyla- people you are a Jev.”
dian, and now understood that Poro Brewster cursed bitterly and left with
was that Phyladian. him.
“Nevertheless I will post a special * * *
guard,” Tuew said, and left at the head
of the other staff officers. One by one
'

they went out, some casting a last look 'HE military escort flew in a wedge,
back, others hurrying, until in a few high over the embattled towers of
moments they were all gone, and Brew- Ho-Tonda, and in the protecting flank
ster was left alone in the semi-darkness of their formation Brewster drove his
of the great chamber with Poro. own tyar. Beside him sat Poro. Brew-
Brewster regarded the Phyladian, ster had carefully made sure every com-
then said softly, “You speak my lan- municating instrument was functioning
guage of Kren?” —
only one way from the others to Irim
 EMPIRE OF JES&A 129

—and then he spoke to Poro. He could Poro said, “So you reasoned that I
hardly arrange his thoughts; a thou- had been sent to get to you?”
sand questions clamored in his brain. “Not all at once. You see, there was
Poro could not answer them all. a hole in it. What if I hadn’t caught
“I knew immediately it was you who on that my bodyguards meant to kill
freed Abbott,” Brewster told him. “It you? What if I hadn’t cared if they
was the only thing that made sense. I did? For an emissary, your case had
found that note teliing me to go to the certain coincidences for it, but as many
Imperial library and it couldn’t have against it.”

been there long or it would have been “You overlook one thing. Had you
—
found they searched my things regu- not seen that your guards were ready to
larly. The only one in the wing was kill me, or had you not cared, nothing

you. You were practically telling me
it was you but I couldn’t take the
chance, even after I found you watch-
ing me reading that book. Suppose you
were a decoy?”
“But why should you have thought
that?”
“I wasn’t sure of anything anymore.
Everyone was turning out to be some-
one else. The Jeggites had proven to
be so fantastically clever that I just
couldn’t tell. Iknew one mistake might
be the end. Of all the planted coinci-
dences I’d been maneuvered through, I
—
had caught only one the one with
Vrita. Then I saw that your being
the palace, in the Krennian wing, wasn’t
the accident I’d thought it was.
membered you had unobtrusively
picked that fight we had — Poro, the quiet Phyladian, wandering
Poro smiled, and with his smile the
dullness of his eyes lifted, as under a
veil, and then he was again the stolid,
stupid Phyladian. “It was a calculated
affair,” he amended. “I had been in-
structed better than to pick the fight.
was merely to offer the excuse, and I
more important than my death would
have occurred. True, I would have
failed as an emissary, but others in a
variety of guises would have attempted
to reach you. The very nature of your
position was such that any attempt to
draw you into contact would necessarily
have to be the result of some coinci-
dence.”
Brewster nodded. “I saw that later,
but this morning when Akar told me
Abbott had escaped, my first idea was
that Akar had killed him. When he
told me the details, I understood it was
true and that you must have been the
in one who engineered it. It was absurd
to think of Konos, as Akar said, get-
I re- ting in here. Then who else could have
killed and beaten a large guard? Only
unnoticed from room to room, had the
—
freedom of action only Poro was here
— and he alone had the strength to
overcome so many men quickly, And
yet, even here I had doubts ... I had
I them until the last moment, until you
answered me .
.”.

was assured you would seize it.” He
nodded reflectively. “From the very
beginning he understood your nature
and predicted many of your reactions.”
“Thank God,” Brewster said fer-
vently. “He was playing against a
gang who knew me pretty nearly as
well as he did.” His face was bleak
and drawn.
“You could not understand what na-
ture of being I was?”
“Yes. Suba Marannes had told me
of the Bheynor, the offspring of inter-
marriage between Estannars and those
of other races, who look like Estannars
and still retain the power to lie. But
you did not look like an Estannar, and
you acted with an inteliigcnce that I
130 AMAZING STORIES

knew was far from the Phyladians . . the Jevs have found out about the many
Temhor in the city.”
DEEP sigh escaped Poro. “I, and “But how?”
the beings like me, have been one “Panic, perhaps. You have seen the
of the Estannars most carefully Sinjuand you know what is going on.
guarded secrets until today. too We Did you not notice that many of those
are the products of intermarriage, but who sought to escape do not look like
we are Bheynor in reverse. We re- Estannars? Some doubtless are inno-
semble those of the other races, but
tain the intelligence of the Estannar.
re- cent Usaus, Anians, Ermosians —but
many others are Temihor.”
Our beings are called Temhor, which “But why do they run ? They’re giv-
means, in the ancient language of Es- ing themselves away and if they’re—
—
tannar promise for the future. For as intelligent as you .” . .

more than a hundred years we Temhor “They are not as fortunate as I, who
have been bred scientifically, and in us was chosen to work with him. They
the Estannars see the people of the fu- know only that they have lost contact
ture, the interbred racial being, com- with each other. Our strength lay in
bining the best features of all.” He our organization, and the arrival of
paused. “But you could not know this, great numbers of Konos broke that
naturally, and we understood the ob- organization to bits, for the Konos have
stacle would be great.” been killing recklessly for days, trying
“I had to gamble on some kind of to get through to you. Accidentally
explanation,” Brewster said. “Every- they must have killed many members
thing else pointed to it. I kept saying of our groups who were also trying to
to myself ‘inexorable logic, inexorable getyou in contact, in case I should fall
logic’when there was no logic to so by the wayside. That was his precau-
much of what had happened. I had to tion.”
take the chance even if I was wrong, Brewster shook his head. “I still
because unless I was right about you, don’t understand much of what you’re
I would lose perhaps my last chance to saying. It can wait a little, but one
contact the faction that held Abbott.”
He regarded Poro. “You explained it
thing does seem to be clear —that tre-
mendous things have been in prepara-
allto him?” tion here, and that suddenly every-
“As much as I had time. He left thing has been let loose.”
on foot, and the last I saw of him, he “Yes,” Poro agreed, “the prepara-
had gained the second wall. Certainly tions have been ready here for a great
he would have gotten through to the many years, but much of what is hap-
others and warned them that you would pening now is not the result of those
come of your own win but then the— preparations — it isa series of desperate
mass arrests started. I do not think he moves meant to head oS your collabora-
got past the cordons. They were al- tion with the Jeggites, utilizing those
ready on guard early this morning.” preparations. one had stored
It is as if
“Then there’s no hope for him?” munitions for a long planned battle and
“Perhaps. He may have been ar- then had to blow everything up, to hold
rested as an Estannar. The warrior the enemy back, because the enemy had
patrols were ordered to kill none who struck first. The Estannars are wreck-
did not fight. Only the Konos offer ing the plans of many years just to gain
resistance. For the rest, it appears that a little time now.”
 EMPIRE OF JEGSA 131

“I see,” Brewster said. A heavy, would be foolish. Instead I have hoped

involuntary si^ escaped his tight- that the Jeggites do not yet realize
drawn lips, “^at a tragic waste,” he what has happened.”
said quietly. “Here we were trying to “The contact was through an
get through to them and they destroyed Anzus?”
every means we could have used. And Poro looked at him and smiled brief-
now they’re destroying the things we’ll ly. “Yes,” he said. “It was very in-
need later ... if there is to be a telligent of you to see that. I can un-
later . . derstand now why he insisted that you
Poro was pointing below. Their had to be taken in as one of us.”
squadron of tyars had left the city and One by one the tyars landed in a
itsenvirons not long before. Now they pwecise column along the apron of a
had approached the outlying state field, flagged into position by Hruth-

farms of the nearby Toctai province. ians. The last time Brewster had been

Along an intersection of three roads be- here, the field had been supervised by
low was the grouping of neat rectangles Argyres. Their conspicuous absence
of white buildings that Brewster re- was mute testimony to the demands on
membered. The escorting tyars ahead military power that had been neces-
were already dropping. sitated by the operations in Ho-Tonda.
“Now we will see him,” Poro said. How much stranger, then, the fact that
“He has expected much of this for none of Thyle’s army had been re-

many days. He has not lost heart. He quested.

wOl know ^at to do.”
T^ANEUVERING the tyar into a
long ^lallow glide, Brewster won-
dered. He had realized before that he
had been no more than a tool in hands
far more skillful than his own or, in
the imagery he had created, he was not
the player of the cards, but a card him-
self. A valuable one, to be sure, and
perhaps the most valuable of aQ, if he
could be played at the correct time. He
was a loose Ace. He might be trumped
own player called first,
out, or, if his
made into the Ace of trump.
he might be
But k was not in his hands now
Suddenly his thoughts turned to a
new dkaimel, and Brewster saw
everything had inevitably led to it, to
the question he now asked Poro: “But
Getting out of the tyar, Brewster,
accompanied by Poro, spoke a few
words to his patrol captain, ordering a
clearance from the field. The captain
soon returned with word that it had
been granted by the old warrior in com-
— mand of the few Argyres within the
central building. Then Brewster told
the patrol to wait at the field for him,
and went with Poro and one of the
patrol warriors.
Entering the unguarded main square,
Brewster kept thiiiing that Providence
was still with him. The Jeggites evi-
dently attached little importance to the
. . . area or to him. How simple, with a
pliable communications system, it
that would have been to storm the place
with suddenly gathered Koaos. Yet
hereit was, open to attack, guarded by

wdiat if the contact with him has also a handful of poorly armed Argyres. It
been destroyed
—” He broke off, see- was even possible that a siinple bluS
ing that Poro had been expecting the would do the trick, if it was necessary.
question. 'They were challenged only once, and
“It is undoubtedly destroyed. To after that the full guard assmnUed for
hope otherwise after these mass arrests formal salute. Accompanied to the
 ” .

132 AMAZIN6 STORIES

medical staff chamber by the command- might otherwise have risen, and again,
ing officer, Brewster recognized the as it was to occur many times that day,

taciturn doctor he had met on his first Brewster remembered his words: ", . .

visit. He S[)oke to the doctor for a few «/you lend someone one of your toys,
moments. he may find a use for it and a vast
.

“How is he?” Brewster asked. gratitude that Stevens too had banked
“No change, my lord.” on just that, filled his heart.
“When did you last see him?” Brewster closed the door behind him
“Yesterday. I’m due now. With and walked to the bed where Dr. John
your permission, my lord. I’ll go with Stevens lay. He had not changed. The
you.” jaundiced, scarred face was expression-
“I prefer going alone. Ill send for less, the gnarled hands trembling. The
you presently.” eyes that Brewster remembered as
The doctor seemed glad to be re- sightless yellow pools were closed now,
lieved ofwhat he obviously considered and his deep, slow breathing was testi-
an onerous duty. He bowed and left. mony that Stevens slept. But when
Brewster motioned to Poro, and to- he had quietly opened the door, Brew-
by a Hruthian orderly and
gether, led ster had seen the old man close his
walked down
his patrol warrior, they eyes, and he conveyed the information
the spotless green marble hall of the to Poro with a shake of his head.
hospital. An oppressive silence lay Poro nodded understandingly. He
over this building, as it lay over the leaned over the bed and whispered, “It
entire settlement. It seemed pitifully is I, Lau of the Anzus group. Brew-
under-staffed. The rooms which Brew- ster and I are here alone. If you hear
ster glimpsed were all filled with pa- me, open your —
tients, and now and then their murmur- Before he had finished speaking,
ous complaining voices would drift into Stevens’ eyes had opened. He did not
the corridors filled with male and female move his head, however, and to meet
Hruthians, orderlies and nurses, but of his gaze Brewster leaned over beside
the Jeggian doctors there were few to Poro. He was shocked by the clarity,
be seen. The hospital area here was the fierce intelligence that lay in Stev-
equally distant from Ulatai and Ho- ens’ eyes, and when, a moment later,
Tonda, and Brewster estimated that the Stevens began to speak in a well con-
first flood of casualties from both cit- trolled murmur that did not carry be-
ies had been brought here. But where yond the bed, a shudder ran through
were the doctors? Had they been or- Brewster. It was like a voice from the
dered to the combat zones? Then how grave. Prepared as he had been for
great had the impending battle grown? something like this, the actuality of
that soft, ghostly voice was almost too
A FEW moments later the orderly much.
stopped outside a door guarded by “The Anzus is gone. Of my three
two Argyres. Brewster motioned his doctors, two have been called and the
patrol warrior to wait outside and told last may go soon. You must hurry
Poro to enter with him. In every face while there confusion enough to
is still

Brewster had seen the wonder that fol- allow you freedom. Commandeer a
lowed his appearance with the silent warship and start for Usau. Allow as
Phyladian. Only his pre-eminent rank small an escort as possible. Do you
had forestalled the questioning that understand?”
 EMPIRE OF JEGOA 133

Brewster was not sure that he under- “I haven’t got

it all yet,” Brewster
stood, buthe said, “We can take you told Poro. ‘Xet me talk it out as if I
with us. It will not be difficult — were thinking aloud and you’ll help
“It has never been difficult. You me.”
must go alone, Nick. Do not try to
save Abbott or the Marannes people. pWRO shook his head. “There is
You must go quickly or it will be too much you know that will be beyond
late. Poro will explain everything.” me. Many of my actions have been
His eyes moved the least bit to focus based on instruction or faith, but in
on Poro. “I sent Kari to Ulatai yes- those matters concerning him, I can be
terday. The work in Ho-Tonda is his of service.” He stood befcwe Brewster,
doing, as are the warships off Usau. waiting. “I must beg you to be quick.”
When you get through, tell Tartullian “I’ve got a reason for stalling,”
that Brewster may call the force-wall Brewster said quietly. He lit a cigarette
off. He will understand. All my plans and drew the smoke into his lungs and
have been based on it, and the men lost watched the plume he blew out, frown-
in Ho-Tonda will aid its realisation.” ing and meditative. Then he nodded
He closed his For all the clear-
eyes. and began to speak.
ness and control with which he had “Stevens knew what was happening
spoken, the few words had exhausted to me and he built his plans on the
him. Brewster looked down at his quiet expectation of my reactions. Now,
form and a dim realisation of what from what he said, it appears that he
Stevens was prepared to go through could have been taken away from there
from now on came to him. Perhaps by the Estannars, but chose to remain
because he was still uncertain or per- there as a voluntary prisoner?”
haps because he knew it was not for him “Partly so. The Estannars could
to question, Brewster knew also that have taken him in the raid when they
he could do nothing with or for Stevens. rescued the other three survivors of the
But Poro had been right. He had first ship from Kr^. But since he was
known what to do. . . . already under the influence of their
Silently Brewster and the Phyladian Anzus, the Estannars decided to leave
left the chamber. They returned to him behind, hoping he would consent
the field where their tyars waited, not to act as their most necessary link be-
a word exchanged between them there tween them and their agents in Jegga.
or in the tyar on the way hack. Poro And he did so consent.”
had shaken his head, afraid that the “I see. put it this way: there
I’ll
communications system had been tam- were Estannars in Jegga when the sur-
pered with. And now, at the critical vivors of the first Trailblazer were
hour, it was imperative that no inkling brought here. These Estannar agents
of the mission Brewster would shortly had an Anzus?” He paused.
undertake, should leak out. . . . “From time to time many Anzus
Once back at the palace, however, have fallen into our hands, as have
and seduded in the privacy of the Kren- many of the weapons of the Jeggltes.
nian chambers, Brewster quickly It was inevitable that such exchanges
pieced together the fragments thet bad of trophies should occur between war-
invisiblybound Poro and Stevens and ring nations. Just as the Jeggltes cap-
the others whom he had not known, tured many of our military secrets, so
and whom Stevens had mentioned. did we capture theirs. TOen it was
 ”

134 AMAZING STORIES

known that the Jeggites had taken live Anzus. The improvement in his con-
Krennians, the Estannars knew that dition was immediately noticeable to
the Krennians had to be taken away his doctors, and that day he was sub-
before the secret of metal manufacture jected to a merciless grilling, until our
was forced from them. Anzus rescued him. As it was, its in-
“But the Estannars knew also that fluence returned none too soon, for the
one day more Krennians would come to Jeggian doctors had sent for an Anzus
Boron and be captured by the Jeggites. of their own.
They prepared against that day, and /Tt failed, because ours already oc-
forseeing the possibility of failure on cupied the field of his brain and he was
Boron, they built a great under- saved. They kept him alive, hoping
ground organization here in Jegga. For against hope. He was their only link
the time they used beings like me,
first with the secret of metal. In time, be-
the Temhor. We were taken from our cause the Estannars made no new move
secret lands in Estannar and sent in to get him, the Jeggians decided we
groups to establish ourselves in Jegga. too realized he was of no use to them,
We all had different assignments, and and were thus further convinced. But
mine, fortunately, was to be a member all this time he was in contact with us,
of the Anzus group, among whom I was directing us, counselling, keeping the
known as Lau. contact alive among the various sections
“For, from the beginning, because of our arriving Temhor and Bheynor
Dr. Stevens was injured and was under and Konos. Why all this went on we
the care of Jeggian surgeons, it was de- did not know, save to realize that our
cided to try to establish him as the link. leaders were planning an eventual blow
We set our Anzus within range. It was here in Jegga itself. Our strength was
brought to the fields near the great growing steadily —
hospital settlement, and its hypnotic
power brought to bear on Dr. Stevens. T> REWSTER interrupted. “I can sec
He was still unconscious during those how you could keep in touch with
early days, and to the knowledge of him through the Anzus — at least I think
Jeggians, he scarcely improved. I can —but I don’t see how he got
For we controlled his mind and his through to you. As far as I know, the
Through our Anzus we were
actions. —
Anzus works one way from its con-
able to transmit our thoughts to him. troller to the controlled.”
What others of your people had learned Poro smfled faintly. “He spoke to
from the most cruel experience, Dr. us. We had three Temhor doctors on
Stevens learned from us. thestaff, two who appeared to be Dar-
“It was not necessary to control his ziztand one Usau. In the course of
mind after those early days except to their duties they occasionally visited
defend him against the Jeggians. We him. Whatever we told Dr. Stevens
had kept his eyes clouded and his arms through the Anzus, he could tell his
trembling, and though his mind was three doctors and have it passed along
clear be looked still a dying, h(^less by them to their own groups.
cripple. But to prove our side — for we “I was of the Anzus group, and
had him of the Jeggian plans
told to there were five of us. We
lived on a
conquer Kren along with the rest of great state farm near the hospital set-
the universe in their hands —one day we tlement. Three of us were, h‘kc me,
released him from the influence of our Temhor-Phyladian, but as ^parent
 ” ”

EMPIRE OF JEOSA 135

Phyladians were highly desirable as munications had been broken all along
farm laborers. We three kept the Anzus the line. From the time you of the
in our fields and transmitted to Dr. second Krennian ship arrived, the

Stevens whatever orders were given to Jeggites killed thousands on the

us. The orders came from the other slightest suspicion. Shortly after I

two of our group; one, a Temhor-Anian,
was the head of the farm; the other, a
Bheynor, was his assistant. We never
knew where they got their orders, but
undoubtedly there were additional links
all the way through to the leaders in
Estannar.
came to the palace I learned that both
the Bheynor and the Temhor-Anian
on our farm had been executed because
they were known to be friendly with the
Marannes family. It meant the end of
our contact with leaders in Estannar
until new ones could be established with

“Thus, group on group communi- us.

cated, and it all went through Dr. “But it did not affect Dr. Stevens’
Stevens. But he was more than a cen- ability to send his own messages

tral link. This I discovered when I through his three Temhor doctors.

was ordered to attempt getting into con- The two Temhor-Phyladians on the
tact with you. Dr. Stevens had been farm remained unsuspected. Thus they
sending you notes
— were able to keep Dr. Stevens under
“Then it was Stevens 1” Brewster the Anzus influence, releasing him for

said, startled. “It seemed to me that short periods sufficient to enable him
it had to be Stevens, but I heard an to talk or write a note. Naturally,
Estannar deny it He let his
. .
because the danger was now infinitely

voice die away, seeing the answer. “But greater, these free periods became less
the notes decreased in
of course no Estannar would be allowed
to know it,” he said, as if explaining
and less,
frequency
—and
to himself. “That would be inviting “Did you ever deliver any notes to

disaster.” Abbott?”
“More than that,” Poro added, “the “Twice. Secretly, of course.”
— who came contact
Estannars all in “You were able to read them, I

with us—were purposely misinformed. gather?”

Only we Bheynor and Temhor close to “Yes.”
Dr. Stevens knew the truth. wrote He “Did you ever notice the difference
the notes and had them delivered. Be- in the way the notes were worded?”

fore me there had been several Temhor- “Naturally, but you must understand
Hruthians in the palace who were links. this by now?”

The Argyres discovered them without — “You mean he was playing on my

discovering the secret of the Temhor personality.”
—and destroyed them. There were
others too, scattered among shop- “'Y'ES,” Poro nodded, "from the very
keepers, tyar-drivers — we even had a ^ beginning. The notes Dr. Stevens
bearer to a Lanae in the army of Jev sent to Abbott were all factual. He
Nastrond. My
task was to get into the merely told him to look in certain
palace in a capacity where I could de- places, knowing that Abbott was al-
liver Dr. Stevens’ notes, which were ready predisposed to accept the evi-
given tome by a gardener. dence. It was different with you . .

“But I knew all along that there Poro spoke gently, with no intimation
was a division among us. Our com- of censure. “. . . .You thought along
 ”
136
and it was Dr. Stevens’
different lines,
opinion that you had to find out for
yourseif,no matter how iong it took.
Therefore the notes he sent you were
meant oniy to pique you, to make you
think a iittie, to wound, perhaps.
He played on your personality, as you
say, because he believed that you would
find whatever evidence was needed once
you decided to look for it . .
“And when I became the
Jev Thyle?”
Poro frowned. “It was a shock. You
see, until then Dr. Stevens had held out
hope. This new, incredible develop-
ment appeared to have changed every-
thing. He knew of the Konos who had
—
been sent to kill you the ones discov-
ered in the Marannes quarter and he
had sent his own message through to
the Estannar leaders that
further attempts were to be made.
he was puzzled. He sent one last note,
which I put into your cigarettes when
you returned to the palace as Jev Thyle.
“I saw you reading the note, and I
saw you go to the Imperial library, and,
if you recall, I watched you re^ that
section in Descoru es Jegga jon Jev. I
reported this through to Dr. Stevens,
and after that, no matter what you did,
he was certain that it was meant eventu-
ally to hurt the Jeggites.”
“Even when I gave the Jeggites the
making metal?”
secret of
Poro nodded. “We had a Temhor-
Darzit among the scientists
gave your report to one of Dr. Stevens’
doctors. Dr. Stevens, too, knew the
metal processes and he saw the errors
you had committed. But all your er-
rors were in the end processes, and this
told him that you were playing to gain
time — you
“I was trying to contact some ele-
ment of the rebels. I was still afraid
to try you, Poro, and I had guessed
that Abbott’s constant disappearances
AMAZING STORIES
were linked with the rebels. I needed
time until either Abbott showed up
again or someone else contacted me.”
“Ah yes,” Poro said, “but since Dr.
Stevens had no contact with them, they
had no way of knowing that you had
lied when you supposedly gave the se-
cret away. They could only see the
huge manufactories begin to function.
.” To them you had been an outcast but
so-called now you were the lowest of all traitors.
Thus, I was not surprised when Abbott
was brought to the Krennian wing this
morning under arrest as a conspirator
in an attempt on your life. I killed his
guards and freed him, and then I told
him that you had read the Descoru and
now understood everything. And it was
— his intention to bring this news to the
Konos factions with whom he had been
no such in contact. But I did not think that he
Now had gotten through, and from Dr. Stev-
ens’ warning not to attempt to rescue
him, evidently he was arrested.”
“What about the other things he
said?” Brewster asked. He had smoked
three cigarettes, lightingthem end to
end. But a strange vigor ran through
him, as at last he was beginning to un-
derstand so many of the things that had
plagued him. “What was that about
sending someone named Kari to Ulatai
yesterday?”
“I perceived from that,” Poro said
thoughtfully, “that I had been in error
on some of the things I told you pre-
who later viously. Kari was leader of a special
band of Konos kept in Ho-Tonda for
Dr. Stevens’ use. They were a fairly
large band, numbering several hundred
at times. Because their only contact
with Estannar leaders was Dr.
the
Stevens, they could not be used against
—thus special Konos had to be sent
in. But last night Dr. Stevens sent Kari
to destroy the forces at Ulatai. The
Jeggites were aiready far advanced on
some sampies of the metal, and it was
 ” ”

EMPIRE OF JES&A 137

imperative to delay them, or they would message that may call the force-wall
discover that you had lied.” into abeyance.”
“Then it was an action calculated to “As a Jev?”
give me time?” Poro nodded and kept his expression
unchanged.
“^BVIOUSLY. And now, from what Brewster looked at him and said,
Dr. Stevens said, It appears that “You think I don’t know?”
the action in Ho-Tonda today was Poro said nothing. A look of keen
touched off by him. Kari and his interest came into his eyes.

Konos forced the Jeggites to a position “I’ve known all Brewster

along,”
where they could retain order only by said. Descoru
“It wasn’t reading the
some such gigantic upheaval as arrest- that did it. If Stevens had thought

ing all Estannars. Once this happened,
evidently Dr. Stevens’ orders and not
panic, as I supposed, sent our Temhors
fleeing with the Estannars. Thus new
confusion is added and even innocent
members of other races are joining the
stampede to escape from Ho-Tonda.
All this will keep the Jevs too occupied
to know what you are doing and mean-
while you can make your
— ready knew.”
“But what of Stevens? He said the
Anzus was gone, and two of his three
doctors gone. Where does that leave
him?”
“In a dangerous position, as he well
knows. Something must have happened
to the two Temhor-Phyladians who kept
the Anzus, and Dr. Stevens is no longer
under its influence. His doctors have
doubtless been among those called to
attend the wounded in the fighting in
Ho-Tonda, for the Konos there would
merely reading that book would do it,
he’d have gotten it to me earlier or
— —
something like it
“But only as Jev could you have got-
ten into the library,” Poro reminded
him.
Brewster nodded. “All right, but
reading those passages in the Descoru
did no more than confirm what I al-
“But how could you know?”
Brewster countered, “How did 1
know Dr. Stevens was probably under
the influence of an Anzus?” When no
answer came from Poro, Brewster said,
“Because I saw evidences of the divi-
sion of command all through the actions
of the rebels. One group tried to kill
—
me another sent me notes. If you
were delivering the notes, as I finally
concluded, then you also had the oppor-
tunity to kill me. Why didn’t you kill

not submit without inflicting great dam- me? Obviously because your faction
age. But while one of his doctors re- didn’t want you to.

mains, Dr. Stevens is safe.” “Again, there were things you don’t
“And if he leaves?” know about. Akar told me that others

Poro shrugged. “They may see the of my men from the TraUblazer had
change in Dr. Stevens or they may not. gotten notes. He didn’t know about
Perhaps he will pretend to sleep, as he Abbott or me, but he knew about them.
did when he heard us come in. In any Why? Because one faction used good
event, he has weighed the consequences methods and went undetected that —
and made his decision. Evidently Kari was your faction. But the other group,
was able to contact a group of Estannar which I assume is headed by Harper,
warships off Usau. Your one hope is to —
Crane and Burke the survivors of the
get through to them, and to bring to first TraUblazer —
sent notes poorly and
Tartullian, a great Estannar leader, the were found out. Which was clear evi-
 ”

138 AMAZING STORIES

dence of a badly divided system. squeeze it dry.” He paused medita-

“Everything kept pointing to Dr. tively. “But even though there are
Stevens. I had seen him and it seemed hundreds dying in Ho-Tonda,” he said
unbelievable. But two things convinced quietly, “this was probably the only
me. lesser of the two was my own
The way. .
.”
.

experience with an Anzus. I saw then “No,” said Poro. “There were other
that might easily control one’s every
it ways, but after what has happened, this
action, however involuntarily. Still, as will be the shortest, if not the best, way.
I say, this was merely a confirming fac- The great and learned Tartullian will
tor —something I deduced from the fact show you. And now we must hurry, if
that major evidence pointed to it.” you are to get through to him.”
“And this major evidence?” Poro Brewster ran his hands down on his
asked. face. “I’ve been thinking,” he said.
“The fact that I understood what lay “I’ve got one or two things I ought to
behind my becoming Jev. I saw then, do first.” He looked at Poro. “They’ve
once I appeared to be a Jev, that the got Abbott and the Marannes family.
faction that sent me the notes still let I’m going to get them out before I
me live and I realized that who- leave.”
. . .

ever was behind it had banked on my “You must not —

realizing everything sooner or later. It “I don’t care about the time. I know
was a tremendous gamble on my intel- the Estannars captured the other six of
ligence and there was no one ” he
— the Trailblazer and they’re safe —but
spoke somberly, “ not even Abbott, — just in case they aren’t and because —
who would have done that except Dr. Abbott and the Marannes family are
Stevens. He alone knew me well blood on my hands, I’m going to wash
enough to hope — to —
know I would see clean.”
through it all.” “Think,” said Poro. “It is not a
question of time. You are to return
pORO shook his head. He said quiet- here and still be the Jev Thyle. You
^ ly, “I see from your words that you must not bumyou will later
bridges
have indeed realized the underlying need to cross. Everything must be left
farce, and though I see it and know Dr. untouched, no matter what the risk, for
Stevens’ high estimate of you, it still in meddling with the Jevs you show
seems incredible that you saw it by them you know what they plan.” He
yourself. . . smiled regretfully. “Do you think they
Brewster said grimly, his face sud- would want you to deny them the dan-
denly flushed, “I’ll go into the details ger they all undertook . the danger . .

some other time. I’m not proud of in which you had to leave Dr. Stevens?”
them. But you can have no doubt that Brewster said through tight lips,
I knew. Otherwise I would not have “You’re right. But not all the way.
kept the amber stones and thrown away We’ll split that up: you’ll go.”
the Anzus eye.” His smile was cold For an instant Poro looked at Brew-
and empty. “I had a use for some of ster,then he nodded his head slowly.
their toys, you see.” “You’ve gotten ahead of even Stevens,
“And will have again before this day I see.”
is through.” Brewster grinned momentarily.
“Yes,” Brewster agreed. “There’s a “Even Steven that’s good, Poro,
. . .

lot to this being a Jev and I’m going to if you knew it.” He knit his brows re-
 EMPIRE OP JEGGA 139

flectively. “Yes, I think I have. And want one, they must be ready for one.
I have my own ideas of what goes from And if they’re ready for one . . . Do
here on. It’s that divided plan again; you follow me?”
I think it’s still divided. If it wasn’t, Poro’s eyes gleamed. “The inner
Stevens wouldn’t risk everything he’s city!”
planned on one cast of the dice. It’s “That’s what Stevens and all Estan-
death for him, you know .” . . nar have planned. Crack that, and you
crack the whole set-up. What was it
jpORO stood silently, his eyes fixed Stevens said: ‘Tell Tartullian that
on Brewster with what was certainly Brewster may call the force wall off?’
nothing but wondering contemplation. He meant can call it off, not may!'
It was helpless contemplation, too; as There was blankness in Poro’s face.
though he realized, just as Stevens had, Brewster noted it, half-smiled. “You
that Brewster must follow his own line see, Poro, I do know an answer that
of reasoning. And it was apparent that you, anybody else, doesn’t. Except
suddenly a new line of reasoning had perhaps two: Stevens, and .” . .

been reached, followed, and measured “Time is growing short,” Poro took
to a decision. up after his deliberational pause as
“What if Tartullian’s plan doesn’t though despairing of understanding;
correspond with yours?” even realizing here was a secret almost
“You don’t luiow my plan,” said revealed, then held back. “What mes-
Brewster. sage do I give to Tartullian when I
Poro shrugged. “You don’t know ‘meet’ him?”
Tartullian’s —nor Stevens’.” “Tell him that Brewster has called
“Stevens knows me,” said Brewster the force wall down.”
calmly. “He knows me so well that “Nothing else?”
there is but one line of reasoning he can —
“Nothing except to hit hard and
follow. Only one way he can convince fast. And on time.” Brewster looked
me that my place is here. Well, let’s reflective. “The time .” He
. .

say I’ve skipped a step in his reason- launched into a series of verbal calcu-
ing, and I’m convinced now? Then lations, and except for a few inter-
what?” spersed corrections, Poro listened si-
Poro looked at him. “You stay lently. When Brewster had finished,
here.” Poro’s eyes were shining. The giant
“Exactly. But Tartullian can’t know Phyladian strode to the window to stare
that. And he’s got to know. So there’s toward the center of the city toward —
your answer. You go to Tartullian.” the inner wall. His clenched fist rose,
“How?” then fell with an unmistakable portent.
“Just as Stevens directed. He must “Hard and fasti” he swore.
know why he planned it that way. I’ll

see that you go according to plan. A CHAPTER XI

small ship —and a Jeggite warship con-
voy.” pOR two dap Brewster remained
“That means a fight.” calmly in his quarters. Much of
“Now you’re catching on,” said the time he spent sleeping; some of
Brewster with a grin. “And if it means it in contemplation of the last remnants

a fight, it must be because both Stevens of the fighting in the outer streets, along
and Tartullian want one and if they — the Kardandan canals. Most interest-
 140 AMAZING STORIES

ing was the Sinju. It showed him a canal where he had thrown it.
scene of destruction at Ulatai. Kari # * *
and hisKonos had done their work ^"ASTROND’S lean face bore no
well. The blast furnaces lay in ruins, on the Sinju. Brew-
friendliness
the mine shafts were blasted, and all ster spoke Arst: “You’re wrong,” he
work had ceased. said, anticipating his accusation, “Ula-
The battle had been a furious one tai was not my doing. A bargain is a
and sheer suicide on the part of Kari bargain.” There was no apology in his
and his men. They had been slain to voice, rather a scarcely bidden satis-
the last man, hunted down by detach* faction that he meant Nastrond to dis-
raents of enraged Jeggites. Jev Na- cern.
strond himself visited the scene, drove Nastrond saw it. He scowled. “Still
his armed forces to ruthless extermina* ambitious, O Jev?” he said. “Perhaps
tion of the Konos. Over the Sinju, your balance cannot match your
Brewster watched his hawk face with stride I"
interest. Brewster renamed impassive. “I
Brewster called him on the Sinju the make the threats,” he said.
second day. But not before the news “That is presumption,” said Na-
he had been awaiting came over the strond. “You can make no threats.”
Tonju. The news was garbled, to be Brewster frowned inwardly. There
sure, and incomplete. Strict censorship was a quiet deflnition in Nastrond’s
had been clamped down, but enough voice that spelled an uncomfortable
had come through to give Brewster the certainty. Certainty about what?
news he wanted. There had been a bat- Swiftly Brewster knew that here was a
tle in space between pirate Estannar man who knew something he did not.
ships, and the warships. There had It wasn’t good.
been casualties. And nowhere any There was a queer tight sensation in
mention of the ship that carried Poro. Brewster’s breast as he went on; “The
Brewster called the fleet commander. mighty Jev Nastrond also presumes,”
“I ordered a strong escort. You sent he said softly. “He forgets the death
a weak one. My messenger has been —
of a man a mighty man. He forgets,
kidnaped 1” too, the existence of an imposter, and
“It was an unprecedently strong the reason for that masquerade. Per-
force, O Jev,” protested the com- haps it is because he remembers a law?
mander. “Already I have reported to A law that now operates on the side of
the Regio. A powerful punitive expe- his enemies; who wait to strike at his
dition will be prepared . .
.”
heart?”
“See that it is!” Brewster said cold- Now at last the calmness of the Jev
ly, “And report to me, not the Regio. Nastrond was broken. His face be-
Get that straight." came ugly, twisted. His eyes flamed
It was pure bluff, and Brewster knew with mixed emotions. But predominat-
it. But he smiled grimly. Today the ing Anally, sweeping over Brewster like
thing would come to a bead. Today a wave, was hate, and murderous inten-
would decide the real power of the tion. “You ask for death 1 ” he snarled.
—
Jevs and the most powerful of the “But you are not its minister,” re-
Jevs. He Angered the intelligent Are minded Brewster. “You will be only a
stone at his breast; thought of the anzus
stone of Ahriman at the bottom of the
member —
of a council of four no, of
Ave. In the inner city. All of us know
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA U1
what we want. There is enough for all. The dark girl’s face grew tight. “You
Tonight, at the hour before midnight.’’ do not welcome my presence?”
“You dare to bargain with mel” Na- Brewster advanced, stood beside the
strond was enraged. For an instant couch a moment looking down at her.
he seemed about to launch into a tirade, She had apparently planned for the
then suddenly craftiness crept into his moment of his arrival very carefully.
eyes and his voice leveled out into a Even now, his mind surging with the
flatness that was so obviously sly that plans of the coming hours, Brewster
Brewster smiled. But there was no was forced to admit that she was dis-
humor in his smile. Instead he looked turbing. For a long moment he stared
squarely into Nastrond’s eyes. down, thinking. She saw his inner de-
“Remember the law,” he said. “It is bate, but failed to recognize its nature.
written —already that one
written — “Why do you stand there? Am I
hour after midnight the truth will be not pleasing to you? Perhaps my hair
made known, and a barrier removed. is not well done . .

Removed for a yearl If by any un- might as well be now, Brewster

It
toward chance, the Jev Thyle should thought. It was as good a time as any.
not emerge from the conference of Jevs He bent down, took her shoulders in
tonight, in time to erase what is writ- both hands, lifted her face to his, and
ten . .
.” Brewster paused sugges- kissed her on the lips, forcefully, al-
tively. “That is not bargaining,” he most crushlngly. Then he dropped her
finished softly. “A bargain
such that is back, to lie gasping.
two or more concerned have a voice in All at once hate flamed into her eyes.
the making of that bargain. You have She leaped to her feet, screaming. She
no voice.” hurled herself upon him, fingers ex-
Nastrond’s face was white now, but tended, clawing, scratching. Brewster
he calmed himself with what seemed grasped both wrists tightly, shook her
an incredible ability; and slowly he savagely, hurled her back on the couch.
smiled. “At the hour before midnight,” “I know of the others,” he said cold-
he agreed. “A conference. Then we ly. “Akar . . . Ahriman . .
.”

shall bargain.” For an instant startled hope flared

The Sinju went blank as Nastrond into her eyes. “You’re jealous . .

broke the connection. Brewster she whispered.

frowned. Nastrond had smiled; an Brewster laughed harshly. “Jealous
enemy who smiles is a dangerous en- of a harlot?”
emy, But why? What was that dis- She went icy now, and Brewster al-
turbing thing that Nastrond knew that most shuddered at what he saw in her
could make him smile in the position in eyes. For a moment he was puzded.
which he now stood? Here again was that imcomfortable feel-
“Damn!” said Brewster aloud, after ing that anotherknew something he did
he had turned ofl his own Sinju. not. All at once it was vastly disturb-
* * « ing. Real alarm flooded him.
JDREWSTER went to his room to She rose to her feet, crossed to the
sleep. But as he closed the door, mirror and carefully rearranged her
he stopped and looked toward the couch hair, straightened the flimsy transpar-
with a flicker of annoyance crossing his ency of her gown, posed artfully. There
face, to be erased as quickly as it had seemed to be an unexplainable confi-
come. “Vrita,” he said. dence in her; a sureness of her future
 142
course —
a course with which she toyed
before embarking upon it. “You know
murmured. “It is a pity,
so little,” she
for one so intelligent —
and so ambitous.
Ah, that ambition If only it were
1 keep you content. But it wasn’t real
founded on something substantial; on
reality.”
Brewster was silent. He knew that
if he spoke, the secret she was implying
would become a real secret by reason of
his curiosity. Instead, he turned to-
ward the door, walked deliberately to-
ward it and threw it open. “I want to
sleep,” he said shortly.
“It was you who killed Akar,” she
said, still engaged before the mirror.
There was no accusation, no emotion,
in her voice. It was as though she
had merely said, “It is warm today.”
He snorted. “Melodrama doesn’t
become you, Vrita. Please go; before
I throw you outl”
It worked. Eyes flaming, Vrita
turned to him, caution cast to the winds.
“You are a fool, Krennian. Yes, I said
Krennian; that’s all you arel You
think you are the Jev Thyle do you — back it up. More than worthless be-
we are such fools? Do you
believe that
think thatwe would bargain, when we
can command?”
Brewster griimed at her tightly. “If
you are babbling about Akar and his
flaming stone, forget it,” he advised
caustically. “I took his stone away
from him. He is no more Jev than your
dead husband. Which is a point that
nauseates me. A man is an idiot who
sleeps among brambles whose scratch
can become infected with filth and
thus be the death of him. No one knifes
me in my sleep.”
^^RITA was obviously furious now.
But once again the mysterious ele-
ment of triumph superimposed her fury.
It flooded over her now, sure and pow-
erful. She laughed loudly at him.
“Husband I” she exclaimed.
AMAZINS STORia
a dupe you arel I was no more the wife
of the Jev Thyle than you are the Ho-
Ghanl That was only a trick. A trick
to give to you a Jev-ship which would
any more than the Jev-ship that Akar
though was his. Yes, there have been
many, Akar among them. It has
pleased me to toy with them. Just as I
have toyed with you.” She laughed in
his faceand went on: “Jev? You think
you are a Jev? Fool! There is no
more Jev Thyle. Nastrond killed him,
not I. True, it was my hand that held
the gun, but it was Nastrond’s plan.
Then, when you forced your ridiculous
bargain on the Jevs, he conceived the
idea to bestow a worthless title and a
minor flaming stone on you to keep
you quiet."
“Rave on,” said Brewster coldly.
Inside him a real iciness was growing.
Here, before his mind’s eye, all his
plans were crumbling. What he had
written was now a worthless scrap of
paper without the authority of a Jev to
cause it was the statement of an enemy.
In all the solar system, no enemy had
more reason to be such than a man of
Kren. No Jeggite would listen to his
accusations —much less would the Re-
gio himself.
She did go on, now, the dam of tri-
umph releasing the floodwaters of enu-
meration. “Remember how you
learned I was the wife of Thyle? Ah!
Yes, you were duped. You gave the
— secret of making metal in return for a
worthless title. Nastrond is the real
Jev Thyle. You, who believed you held
two Jev-ships, those of Thyle and of
Ahriman, have only one, and a bit of
—
the power of another power that you
cannot control. Remember? You
know nothing of the flaming stone, ex-
cept perhaps to start that which you
“What cannot stop! And the Anzus eye . . .
 EMPIRE OF JESGA 143

What about method of using the

the ly. Her eyes glittered with hate now.
Anzus? Even if you had any Anzus Brewster grinned at her. “All right.
to use!” I’ll make it brief. In plain words, I in-
“I haven’t even got the Anzus,” said formed Nastrond that, as the Jev TTiyle,
Brewster calmly. “I destroyed it. I I would call the force wall down tonight
placed no trust in a gift of yoms. You at one hour past midnight. I can do

knew as well as I that it was the least this,because I know something you
useful of the five. I can overcome it obviously don’t, that the Ho-Ghan is
Even the Estannars use the Anzus. It dead, murdered by the Jevs, and that
was by no means foolproof.” the present Ho-Ghan is a fraud.” He
Vrita lifted her eyebrows, then she ignored her gasp of utter surprise, went
laughed. “That leaves you with no on: “To insure my own safety, I ar-
power at all.”She walked up to him, ranged to have a message delivered to
pressed herbody tight against his, the Regio, ordering the force wall down
lifted her lips and kissed him warmly. if I do not emerge unharmed from the
Then die turned to the door. “Charity inner city.”
is good for the soul,” she mocked. Vrita looked at him a long moment
“Goodbye, Fyavo!” as he stopped speaking. Then she
“Just a minute,” Brewster said. “I spoke, the inferences that had followed
harve a few things to say.” one another in her mind emerging as
9ie stood with her back to the door, words. “Yon must be a fool. You
waiting. “Go ahead,” she said with a know, of course, that you will not leave
careless toss of her head. “But make it the inner city, once you go into it. You
brief. I have use for my time.” know also that your message to the
Regio will be worthless, once he knows
TJREWSTER sat down on the couch, you haven’t the power to call the force
took a cigarette from his pack and wall down. And you know, too, that
lit it deliberately. Then he blew smoke Nastrond knows you are not a Jev.
in her direction and looked through it Further, you know that I know.”
at her mildly curiosity-tinged features. Brewster carefully extinguished his
“1 just talked to Nastrond,” he said cigarette by grinding it into the carpet
casually. “Arranged a conference with beneath his foot. “Certainly, I know
him and the other Jevs and the Ho- all that,” he said calmly.

Ghan for tonight. In fact, in a few “Then why do you tell me of this
hours, now. The proposed discussion ridiculous plan for a meeting, and of
might interest you, since you have a your foolish threats?”
stake in Nastrond the same stake, I— “Don’t you know?” Brewster lifted
presume, that you had in Akar, and his head and stared straight into her

Thyle, and myself.” He paused, eyed black eyes.

her reaction to the insult. “No. I don’t.”

She looked scornful. “You were not He got to his feet, walked slowly to-

unwilling,” she retorted. ward her. “I intend to go through with

“Back on my own world I eat ice the plan. In short, I intend to bluff it
cream,” he said, “because it tastes out.”
good. You have a certain flavor, like “That’s siliyl” she exclaimed. “You
fruit. The only trouble is that you are are more of an idiot than I thought.
rotten to the core.” You can’t bluff anyone. Even I .” . .

“Have your say ” she snapped harsh-

1 Brewster said: “I’ve never killed a
144 AMAZINe STORIES

woman before.” the soldiers halted beside a builtflng,

Her face went ghastly white. For a turned inward, vanished. Hurriedly
startled instate her eyes met bis, saw Brewster brought his tyar down in the
the truth in them. Then she whirled, street, stepped out of it. He rtm toward
tore at the door in an attempt to get H the builtfog, which stood under the
open and flee through it. But she was looming shadow of the great stone wall
too late. He caught her shoulders, surrounding the inner city. There he
turned her around, pinned her against stopped short, frowning. Facing him
the door. Her terror-filled eyes glared was a blank stone wall with no door-
into his, her lips writhed with a scream way visible anywhere in it.
that would not come. He advanced, examined the wall
“This is war,” he said. “Wat be- closely, looking for cracks that might
tween my world and yours. And be- indicate a secret entrance. But thne
cause my world doesn’t know it’s be- was none. Experimental pounding on
hind the eight bail, I’ve got to act In its the wall reveal^ no hollow sound. The
name. And so, right here and now I walls were solid as Gibraltar, or very
declare war on Jegga. Unfortunately, thick. Nothing here but cold stene.
I constitute the only Earthman on the Brewster growled in annoyance, looked
fighting front It’s Earth or Jegga; and up and down the deeply shadowed nar-
if you leave this room, it will be Jegga.” row street
4:
It was quite possible that the party

^
p^RKNESS, and a semblance of
der, the first in several days, lay
or- of guards and their prisoner could have
made their way through these shadows
over Greater Ho-Tonda like a soothing and out of the street, while causing him
blanket. Nick Brewster piloted his to believe they had entered a doorway
own tyar low over the rooftops, heading that it was obvious now did not exist.
toward the inner city and the gateway He shrugged and turned back to the
where admissicm wis possible, operated tyar. That must have been what really
from within. Here a gateway could be happened. But had their prisoner been
c^ned in the force wall, on signal. Abbott?
It was still several miles to the inner Again Brewster scanned near-
aloft,

city wall, just beyond which was the by streets without success.No march-
invisibleand deadly force wall, with its ing soldiers were visible. More than
constant circle of dead birds marking half convinced he had been victimiied
its boundary. by his own wishful thinking, Brewster
Below were the city streets, narrow resumed his way toward the entrance to
and crooked here, and practically de- the itmer dty. If there had been a
serted except for patrols of Jeggite sol- prisoner, the chances were thousands
diers. Just ahead, marching rapidly to one he had been an Estannar. No
down a narrow street, was a platoon of prisoner as important as Joe Abbott
soldiers; and in their midst walked a would be dragged throu^ the streets
captive. He was tall; looked like an at m'ght in such an unceremonious man-
Estannar. But suddenly Brewster ner.
dipped his tyar lower, eyes peering
down intent on the captive’s bead. If ^"EARING his destination now,
that wasn’t Joe Abbott’s familiar shock Brewster’s realization of the co-
of touseled hair ... I he was about to put up broke
lossal bluff
Befere Brewster could make certain. over him with growing conviction as to
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 145

its miUion-to-one chance for failure. as to his real intentions. As yet, he

Jev Nastrond knew the secret. Na- was sure, they considered him no more
strond had no reason to fear him, be- than a rat seeking to gain what power
cause he was not a Jev and in no posi- he could by what treachery and double-
tion to carry out his threat to call the dealing he could. They did not suspect
force wall down. And Nastrond would the real depths of his intrigue: his al-
see to it that when his message reached liance with Stevens; with the Estan-
the Regio, the truth about his status nars; with the rebd movements. Proof
would also reach him. The least that enough of that was Nastrond’s accept-
could result would be an investigation, ance of his denial that he bad anything
which would take fatal time. And time to do with the attack on Ulatai.
was the essence of victory for the Jeg- Brewster brought his tyar to earth
gites now. before the entrance to the inner city
Out in space the cat was out of the and was immediately accosted by the
beg. The Jeggites knew now that they guards. He found it unnecessary to say
faced an enemy with ships but they — anything; he was instantly recognized
also knew that that enemy’s hand had and conducted forward. He was ex-
been forced, and that eventual victory pected.
was theirs. Only one thing could smash He was led throu^ several doors,
the Jeggite power, the smashing of the and room, the
finally stood in a great
inner city, the death of the Jevs, the opposite side of which was blank stone.
elimination of their amazing powers. Low in it he saw a small opening, large
And that would not happen unless the enough to walk through; and visible
force wall went down before Tartullian beyond was a lighted reception room.
arrived to attack. But between was a blank space. That
Tonight Just between midnight
I blank space, Brewster knew, marked
and the dawn, the attack would come. the force wall, extending on down into
And TartuUian’s fleet would come to its the ground.
doom, unsuspecting, trusting in him, to A bell rang once and the captain of
lie in shattered wreckage at the foot of the guard motioned Brewster forward.
the force wall, just as unwary birds lay Brewster looked at him, then shrugged
there, victims of the irresistible force and walked boldly toward the opening.
that made the wall impregnable. He didn’t hesitate as he strode into the
But if bis blufl worked, the wall lethal area, through it, and into the
would go down All he needed was
I lighted room beyond. Here several
access to the inner city, and then . . . more guards stood, eyeing him specula-
He would get in all right! Nastrond tively. Inwardly, Brewster shuddered
would see to that. And also, Nastrond with relief, a nervous reaction that was
would see that he didn’t get out. But purely involuntary. Walking through
there was one factor that played in that opening was like walking under a
Brewster’s hand Nastrond, and the — bucket of paint, only on a vastly more
other Jevs still faced the danger that potential basis for disaster.
had forced them to secrecy regarding He was led now. into the inner city,
the Ho-Ghan up to now; the danger of where he saw ahead of him the fantas-
the news leaking out, and the automatic tically imposing palace of the Ho-Ghan.
lowering of the force wall by immutable He made his way down the open street,
and age-old law. which was brilliantly lit from concealed
Brewster counted, too, on their doubt light sources. At length he reached the
146 AMAZING STORIES

palace and walked up its broad marble Nastrond closed the door and stood
steps. eyeing Brewster warily. “You have a
Here a pa^ met him, conducted him flair for intrigue and drama,” be ob-
deferentially into a small, but luxuri- served coldly. “Also a rather erratic
ously furnished room. imagination. What is all this child’s
play?”
IMMEDIATELY the page had left “You mean switching reception
the room, Brewster followed, peered rooms?” Brewster grinned mirthlessly.
down the corridor outside. When he “I didn’t like the upholstery in that
was certain it was deserted for the mo< other place. Besides, I don’t want to
ment, he ran cat-like toward a door on talk in any ante-chamber. Our busi-
the Offsite side. He opened it, ness is around the council table with —
stepped in, found himself in another everybody present.”
ante-room. He left the door ajar, sat “Exactlyl ” snapped Nastrond. “And
down casually in an easy chair, took now, if you don’t mind, we’ll proceed
his heavy pistol out of his beh and laid to the conference as was intended.”
it across Ms knees. Then he waited. “But not under armed escort,” cor-
Id a moment the sound of footsteps rected Brewster. “Remember, I hold
came; and two guards took up their all the aces. If I don’t come out of
station outside the door across the hall- here unharmed, the force wall will go
way. Then other footsteps came: down for a year. I can Imagine you
these softer as though the owner was have an idea of what will happen once
clad in sandals. Brewster, sitting in that news gets out From nameless
the shadows of his own room, caught sources, I’ve learned that you have
just a glimpse of the man as be passed. reason to fear certain elements which
Itwas Jev Nastrond. Brewster grinned. could conceivably get past even the
A few seconds of silence followed, Jeggite war fleet.”
then an angry question in Nastrond’s Nastrond laughed nastily. “Yes,”
voice. There was a flurry of excite- and he repeated Brewster’s words,
ment; running footsteps faded toward “you hold all the aces. And we fully
the entrance of the building. Brewster expect you to play them.”
sat still, waiting. Brewster waved his pistol; Nastrond
'Hie sound of the sandaled feet came led the way from the room and down
again, returning, and as the owner the corridor. After a seemingly end-
came abreast of the doorway, Brewster less passage throu^ a complex maze
called out in low tones. ‘Tlere I am, of rooms, they entered a large one,
Jev Nastrond. Please come in, and vastly more splendid than all the rest.

don’t make any fuss; I’ve got you cov- Incredibly beautiful paintings hung on
ered with a primitive, but effective, the walls, the most magnificent Brews-
weapon.” ter had ever seen. Marble mosaics
Nastrond stoj^d, his face flushing made up the floor and walls; of an in-
an angry red. But he came into the tricate design so painstakingly laid that
room without hesitation. itmust have taken years to complete.
“Qoee the door behind you,” di- The design was such that it automati-
rected Brewster. “We’ll have a private an ornately carved
cally led the eye to
conference before we proceed to our door which seemed to be cut from a
—
scheduled business which I observe single opaque, cloudy blue crystal.
you had no intentions of carrying out.” Brewster’s eyes fastened on it mo-
 EMPIRE OF JEGGA 147

mentarily, then he shifted his gaze to his plan,no matter what they planned
the three men who now stood facing to do about him afterward.
him silently, waiting for him to speak. These Jevs were one with the new
“No deal, gentlemen,” be said easily. Ho-Ghan, that he knew. There could
The Jev, Azevedro, spoke. “No be no duplicity nor secrecy between
deal? What do you mean?” them. Such an empire as the Jegga
“Jiet that there’s one missing,” said empire could not have been built on
Brewster. “This is between us all. constant treachery and double-dealing.
We’U begin when the party’s full up.” And because of that Brewster felt sure
“Don’t be a fool,” said Jev Eblis. that a simple demand would bring forth
“You know as well as any that Ahriman the one person in all this set-up he
has been missing for many days. No wanted to see. The one person he had
one knows where he is.” to seel
“No one?” Brewster’s glance fell Because ef what lay back in his
only casually on Nastrond, then swept apartment, they could not know that
on to Azevedro, and back to Eblis. The he knew what they thought he didn’t
glance had been enough. Jev Nastrond — that his power was nil. All the cards,
did know of the death of Ahriman. And apparently, were stacked in their favor.
he also knew who had killed him. T^ey could not suspect his real reason
There was a sardonic gleam in his eye for demanding that the Ho-Ghan be
that he was at no pains to conceal. But present —
that he had any reason other
could it be true the other two didn’t than simply a desire to arrogantly put
know? Brewster would have sworn it on the screws just as a matter of throw-
was 90 Brewster went on:
. “Let’s ing his weight around . . .

^ip that I am not referring to Ahri- Azevedro spoke up angrily. “Keep

man. He is unimportant. I am re- your place, Jev Thyle. You have come
ferring to the Ho-Ghan. Where is he?” here to dicker. Such trivial matters
need be brought to the attention of the
QUTWARDLY Brewster was calm, Ho-Ghan only when . .

but inwardly he was seething with “WiutI” Nastrond’s sharp voice cut
tension. Who was the new Ho-Ghan? into the sentence like a Imife. “All
That was the question that he had been right,Brewster. If you would see the
unable to answer through all of his Ho-Ghan, then look!”
deductions. And somehow, he sensed Swiftly, as Brewster stood with a
that in the answer to that question lay frown of incomprehension that grad-
a great deal of significance. Certainly ually blackened into anger, Nastrond
the Ho-Ghan vras no puppet. He was strode to a cabinet, drew forth a long
a person high in Jeggite circles. And robe, a mask with a peaked top, and
here, now he was gambling much on threw it over himself. Then he turned
the mysterious Ho-Ghan’s identity. to face Brew^er. “Behold the Ho-
Would his bluff work? Would the Ho- Ghan!” he cried.
Ghan come forward? Brewster counted Brewster laughed in his face. “You
on the cupidity of his enemies; and on fool your companions more than you
their curiosity. Certainly these Jevs do me,” he said. “That’s a gag that
were not so foolish as to imderesti- won’t go, Nastrond. I know better
—
mate an enemy or even a rival, if they than that. And so do your two com-
—
supposed him as such ^to the extent of panions. Just look at the jealousy in
being so careless as to pass up learning Azevedro’s eyes! And the sorprise in
148 AMAZING STORIES

Eblis’. First, you aren’t

Nastrond, 13REWSTER had no time to debate
tall enough. Remember,
I saw the on the inexplicable action of Jev
new Ho-Ghan at the reception; and re- Eblis. For standing before him was a
member, too, that you stood at my side tall figure clad in a snow-white robe,
at the time. The man who sat in the bis face covered by the tall peaked
—
throne was no stooge ^you wouldn’t headgear that Brewster had seen In the
risk that. He’s a man as important in reception hall on the only other occa-
all this as youl Come (m, Nastrond, sion he had viewed the false Ho-Ghan.
cut out the kidding." “We meet at last,” said Brewster,
The three Jevs stood stock still. still holding his gun level, its barrel

Then Nastrond spoke. “You are right, trained directly on the tall figure. “I’ve
Brewster. We’ll make a deal with you. been wondering for a long time about
What do you want?” As he spoke he you.”
moved back a few paces. Brewster The Ho-Ghan remained silent, stand-
leaped instantly toward the crystal ing motionless, apparently imperturbed
door, stood with his back against it His by Brewster’s advent. The only sign
pistol a(^ared in his hand, covering of emotion might have been the rapid
the three in the room. rising and falling of his breast as he
“I want to see the Ho-Ghan,” he breathed.
said. “Right now. Open the door, Now that he confronted the false
Nastrond, or I’ll kill you all where you Ho-Ghan, Brewster was not anxious to
stand and blast it in myself I” strip his mask from bis face; rather
Azevedro’s face flamed, and he he stood with eyes intent, roving his
reached for his belt, at the same time gaze up and down the Ho-Ghan’s tall,
stepping forward. almost slim figure. Tall as himself was
“Stop ” barked Nastrond. “Let him
I this imposter, and with an erect, un-
go, Azevedro. Let him go in.” He faltering carriage. Brewster’s deduc-
crossed to a wall, pressed a hidden tions strove to pierce the mask, to
lever. Behind Brewster there was the guess the man’s identity. He failed.
sigh of air, and he sensed that the door And still the man remained silent.
was ajar. He turned toward it. But Brewster could sense his dark eyes, be-
as he did so, Nastrond’s hand streaked hind the mask, returning his scrutiny.
for his belt beneath his borrowed Ho- “Somehow,” Brewster said, "I’ve got
Ghan robe. Then, before Brewster a lot of respect for you. And just on a
could whip his gun up, a Bash of flame guess, something just happened behind
came from Jev Elbis, and Nastrond this door —maybe you heard the com-
toppled to the floor with a ghastly motion out there just before that —
scream of agony. makes your part in this just a little
Moving even in his aston-
swiftly, deeper than I figured. It’s too bad it
ishment, Brewster sent a slug crashing has to end.”
into the brain of the forward-plunging Still no answer from the hooded

Azevedro. He cast one startled glance figure. Brewster smiled grimly. All
at Jev Eblis, who was smiling oddly, right, it suited him. There’d be some
then the outer door crashed in and real drama in this unmasking “Where’s I

Brewster leaped through the crystal your Sinju?” he asked. “We’re going
door as a swarm of guards entered. He to do a little calling.”
slammed the door shut behind him. The tall figure turned slightly, indi-
Oddly they did not follow. cating the instrument at one side of the
 EMPIRE OF JESOA 149

room. Brewster nodded and strode
over to it. He hid a hand on the con-
trol switch, then paused to face the Ho-
Gban.
“Before we begin, I mi^t as well
yon what this is all about. In brief,
your game is up. And Jegga’s game is
up. With the help of a man named
Stevens, perhaps t^ greatest hero the
Earth has ever known, the age-old
dream of Jev is going to be shattered.
Earth, or Eren, will never become the
slave of Jegga; and further, Estannar
and Boron and all the other worlds will
be free. No longer will Jegga rule.
Here, tonight, in the inner city, the
power of Jegga will be smashed. And
do you l^ow what will smash it?”
Brewster paused suggestively, smiled
grimly, toyed with the gun in his hand.
“One little bullet,” he said softly. “One
little piece of lead from this primitive
weapon of mine. A weapon that poles
to insignificance besides your own, but
curiously, wrought of the one thing that
has kept the dream of Jfev from besom-
ing a realhy ever since that dead day
when he killed himself in insane frus-
tration on the surface of Boron, the
world he longed to conquer plainly
visible, but ever unattainable, just
above him. It’s ironic, isn’t it, oh Ho-
Ghan?”
There was a long moment of silence
while the two looked at each other.
Then Brewster went on. “One little
bullet; and with your death, in plain
view of the Regio, the force wall comes
down. The only thing he doesn’t know
is that when it does come down, a man
named Tartullian wfil lead an Estannar
fleet to attack and destroy the iimer
city, and with it the defenses of the
outer city. Jegga will fail, and the slave
worlds will be free.”
Brewster’s fingers ti^tened on the
Sinju switch and be leveled the gun.
Then he stood there frozen, the blood
draining from bis face in sudden shock.
For the Ro-Ghan had thrown off his
mask with one motion and stood re-
vealed before Mm. And a soft, musical
tell vokse came to his stunned ears: “Would
you kill me, Nick Brewster?”
“Suba!" Brewster’s voice came
hoarsely from his lips. “Suba Maran-
nes! Oh, my God!”
CHAPTER XII
'Y'HE girl’s face was pale. “At last
you are on our side, Nick Brews-
ter,” she said. ‘“But what is this about
Tartullian?”
Brewster returned his gun slowly to
his belt, advanced toward her, still
dazed by the unexpected shock of the
revelation. “I can’t believe it,” he
whispered. “How can it be possible?
You, an Estannar, the false Ho-Ghan!
It's impossible/”
“Impossible? For a bheynor?" she
asked.
“You! A bheynor?”
She nodded. “Yes. And my grand-
father too. What about him; what
happened out there?” She indicated
the door.
Brewster looked bewildered. “I
don’t get you. Your grandfather?
There are no Estannars out there.”
“The Jev, Eblis,” she said impa-
tiently. “Is he all right?”
Brewster looked at her silently for a
second, then he nodded his head. “I
begin to see, slightly,” he said. “Yes,
Eblis is all right. In fact, he killed
Nastrond, and I took care of Azevedro.
Eblis didn’t follow me, and I gather
he had something to do with the guards
not following. In fact, it seems to me
he led them off somewhere else.”
“The planl” she breathed. “He’s
gone to put it into execution. The
Konos in the city —and the Estannars!
The prisems will be opened. There win
150 AMAZING STORIES

be battle in the streets. The rocket of not really being married, I mean,” he
Eblis has become a weapon I" persisted. Their eyes met, then she
“Wait a minute,” Brewster halted went on without further interruption,
her. “Let’s sit down and get this clear but he continued to smile.
in my mind. What’s going on? How
did you get here? How did you get “cjiWO of the Jevs were killed, and
to be the Ho-Ghan? Were you the my grandfather took the place of
Ho-Ghan that night at the reception? one of them. That was how it came
How did your grandfather get to be the about that I became the Ho-Ghan. Re-
Jev, Eblis? And a million other member that night in the palace, when
.” the Ho-Ghan was
things . . killed? Remember
Suba smiled, but there was anxiety how, you before we entered
later, I left
in her smile. “Yes, of course, but the ball-room. was then that I took
It
quickly. There are things you must my place as the new Ho-Ghan, without
teB me, too. There is much work for even the knowledge of the other Jevs.
us to do. . . . The story is long, so I Actually, another false Ho-Ghan was
will give you only the high points. It placed there by the Jevs, but he lived
began long ago. You realize now that no more than a few minutes after he
I am a spy. That I’ve been working donned the robe. His body was yet
for the Estannar cause for years. burning as I sat on the throne.
“Our methods had to be complicated, “I have been here ever since. Ex-
by necessity, and although I could lie, cept for the time you saw me at the
being a bheynor, many others of our burning of the Marannes section of the
agents could not. So they could know Estannar quarter. Many wondered,
only their particular phase of all plots, then, wheremy grandfather was. None
so that their capture would not give could have suspected he was acting as
away the ramifications of the plan, nor the double of the Jev whose place he
endanger their companions. Still, mes- had taken. No one would have sus-
sengers had to be gotten through. I pected he could accomplish this feat,
was the means of that.” because no one knew he was a bhey-
“How?” Brewster was puzzled. nor. Now he has gone to release the
“Very simple. Every time a mes- Estannars and arm them, together with
senger came, I married him. Then, the remaining Konos with new weap-
when it was time to go back, I divorced ons he devised from the Eblis rocket.
him. You see, as an Estannar, be They are powerful weapons, easily
could never have gotten by the Jeggites. comparable to the green ray of Nas-
By marrying me, whose reputation as trond. With them we stand a chance
that sort of a woman had been care- in the outer city.”
fully built up, the Jeggites never sus- Brewster sat calmly for a moment.
—
pected the truth nor could they refuse “But not much of a chance,” he said.
entry to the city of my husband. My “Perhaps a momentary victory, then
grandfather was twice decorated by disaster when the Jeggite fleet attacks
the Regio for distinguished service to in force. Only by capturing the inner
Jegga. He was a trusted man.” city could they hope to win.”
Brewster was smiling. “That’s won- “That is impossible,” said Suba.
derful!” he said. For an instant Suba “The Regio’s troops guard the en-
look at him, then she went on hurriedly. trance,and besides, the entrance will
He interrupted her. “About you’re become one with the whole force wall
 EMPIKE OF JEeOA 151

at the least sign of trouble —and none nothing ” Ishe moaned bitterly.
but the Jevs and the Regio eould open Brewster took her by the shoulders
it again. My
grandfather, unfortu- and lifted her up. “Suba, darling,”
nately,does not know that secret. be whispered. “1 had hoped there
And once he leaves the city, his mas- would be something else for us. But
querade wQI be over, and he cannot this is something that is beyond even
return.” my imagioation. Before I say another
Brewster’s face was pale now. “You w^, I want to tell you that I love
mean we can’t get out of here?” you. And before we proceed to make
She shook her bead. “Not while the an emotional mess of it, I want to tell
force wall is up. And now there will be you what I’m going to do.” He
no chance to get it down.” turned and stared down at the turmoil
“And TartuUian’s fleet will be ut- in the outer city. He waved a hand
terly destroyed by the force wall when outward. “Just how much does that
he attacks,” groaned Brewster. mean to you?’’
“Come,” said Suba. “Let’s go up into “Everything!” she said tragically.
the root gardens. Perhaps we can “Even your life?”
signal them from there.” Slowly her eyes turned until they
Brewster followed her, his heart “What do you mean?”
stared into his.
lead in his breast. He knew that it was “Are you willing to die so that all
hopeless. Tartullian’s fleet would come that will not be for nothing?”
in like lightning, staking all in one “Need I answer?” she aied.
smash. His complete success de- For an instant he considered her
pended on his speed and power. Once tear-streaked face, then be shook bis
he gained the iimer city, and the outer bead. “No, I don’t. Then, here’s the
city with its defense rays, he could answer .” He fumbled at his breast
. .

fight off the Jeggite fleet, and be master and in an instant the flaming jewel of
of the situation. But he would be com- Thyle lay cupped in his palm. He
ing in expecting the force wall to be added another, smaller jewel from its
down. And before be knew that it was pouch in his tunic, then stood there,
not down, his fleet would be lying in gazing down at the beautiful flame of
crushed wreckage at the wall’s foot, them. “I know how to start their
just as those dead birds lay there, action, but not how to stop it,” he said,
victims of a force they could not see or reflectively.
understand. For a long time there was silence on
There was one answer. His hand the balcony of the roof garden, then
went to his breast . . Suba Maraunes spoke. “Start it,” she
said simply.
QNCE on the roof, they could see far He lool^ out over the city. “The
over the city, and now, as they force wall will stop it. Nothing can
watched, they could see that fighting pass through that, not even the intelli-
was beginning. Tiny figures were run- gent fire. But everything inside will be
ning through the streets, attacking the utterly destroyed. When Tartullian ar-
giant ray stations, and one by one they rives, he will find this inner dty and
became the center of flashing mael- all its weapons and the city's defenses

stroms of green rays and red flames. a mass of flame. It is the only way to
Suba looked for a while, then buried stop him from attacking it and destroy-
her head in her hands. “All for ing himself.”
 ”

152 AMAZING STORIES

TJE HELD the shimmering stone in Brewster. It was obvious what be

his pain), his fingers caught the wanted.
flame, coaxed it forth. Then, with a “He wants us to come down,” said
quick motion, he tossed it over the rail, Suba.
to fall in a shower of coruscating “It looks as though he knows some-
sparks to the courtyard below. The thing we don’t,” agreed Brewster. “He
other stone he carried to the opposite was running for some place. And not
side of the roofand hurled it into the long ago I saw him do a vanishing stunt
darkness as he had the first. Down be- very similar to what he’d have to do
low, now, with incredible swiftness the now, judging from the blank wall he
flame grew, hissing with a loudness that was heading for!”
rapidly assumed terrifying proportions. Without another word Suba led the
“Death by the fire of the living stone way down from the roof garden. In
is so clean,” whispered Suba, staring a few moments they were running down
down at the holocaust that was grow- the street toward the waiting Joe Ab-
ing instant by instant. Already a bott, who was critically gauging the
smaller building collapsed in a rush advancing wall of flames. Behind
of brilliant sparkling fire. Suba turned them, a portion of the palace crumbled.
to Brewster and looked up into his face. Toward the opposite end of the inner
Then she leaned forward and kissed city, where the exit through the force
him long and tenderly on the lips. Just wail lay, many Jeggites were running.
once. He returned the kiss, and they Some of them were too late, and they
stood looking at each other silently. could be seen trapped behind a wall of
“No dramatic emotions,” he said. flames that advanced rapidly, cutting
Henodded. “Somehow they seem a off their escape.
sign of weakness.” “Hurry!” yelled Abbott. “This
“And weakness isn’t in your make- way. I know a way out!
up, is it?” Suba said. It wasn’t really Brewster and Suba reached him, and
a question; more an admission of a fact. Brewster clutched Abbott’s hand warm-
But Brewster wasn’t paying any at- ly for an instant before they all ran in
tention to her now. His gaze was fixed the direction Abbott had originally been
on the courtyard below, where the small heading. As they ran, Abbott panted
building had collapsed. Down there a out: “How’d you get here, Nick? And
man’s figure was running, toward the what’s Suba doing in that get-up?”
outer wall. Brewster grinned. “Believe it or not,
*^Abbott!” bellowed Brewster in an my boy, she’s the Ho-Ghan!”
amazed shout. **Joe Abbottl” Even Abbott gaped, faltered in his stride,
above the hiss of the flames his voice then went on, gasping.
carried like that of ancient Stentor. Ab- “It was as big a shock to me when
bott heard it, stopped in his tracks and I found it out.” said Brewster. “But
stared around bewilderedly. Brewster what’s important now is that we get
yelled again. This time Abbott looked out of here. I’ll tell you the rest later.”
up. The shock and surprise in his “How in hell did this fire get
stance was patently evident. He looked started?” asked Abbott, looking back
up, then looked around at the flames with apprehension at the wall of flames
again, constantly growing in violence, roaring down on them. “Man, this will

but without any smoke or fumes. burn the whole inner city out like tis-

He waved an arm desperately at sue paper!”

 EMPIRE OP JEGOA 153

“1 started it,” Brewster said. “It was shouted: “I don’t know how to cut off
the only way to save the day for the that stone door. I had to leave it open.
Estannar fleet under Tartullian . . But further on we pass through the
force wall and I can close that. This
“^^OU know about thatl” exclaimed is a secret entrance Nastrond knew

Abbott. And almost in the same about I don’t think even the Ho-
breath: “Vou started Mt/” Ghan knew it existed. He had me
“Don’t get confused,” said Brewster. brought in for some reason not more
“I’m on the right side. Always have than an hour or so ago.”
been. But I had to know first what the “I saw you,” said Brewster. “And
big plan was. Stevens had one, and I can give the reason. But I got to
the Estannars had one, and they the outer wall and you’d vanished as
weren’t getting together any too well. though the earth h^ swallowed you
I had plans to call the force wall down, up.”
but that got knocked into a cocked hat. The noise was terrific now; and the
There was only one thing to do, bum tunnel through which they were pass-
the city out . .
.” ing amplified it. After a hundred more
“And yourselves along with itl” in- yards, in which the heat grewmore ter-
terrupted Abbott. They had reached rific by the second, Brewster began

the wall now, and Abbott’s fingers gasping. Ahead of him Suba faltered,
roved over it, found a rocky protuber- would have fallen. He caught her.
ance, and pressed it. A section of the “The oxygen I” he panted. “It’s go-
wall sank back. They went inside. ing fast —
being sucked out by that
“Yes. Because in less than an hour, damned flame. How much farther,
maybe minutes, Tartullian’s fleet will Joe . . .
?”
attack with all it’s got — straight for “Here!” came Abbott’s voice, almost
the inner city, thinking the force wall as though he were answering, although
is down .
.” . Brewster realized he hadn’t heard a
"Nol" exclaimed Abbott. “For God’s word Brewster had said. Even Ab-
sake, nol” bott’s triumphant yell had come to him
“The stop him, if he doesn’t
fire’ll only as a whisper.
get here too soon. If the whole inner Abbott pushed Brewster ahead, then
city is a mass of flames, he’ll have sense followed. A few yards farther, and
enough not to waste time on it. He’ll as though it had been cut ofli with a

proceed to section two of his plan, and knife, the roar of flames ceased. They
go after the outer city defenses.” were in total darkness.
“They’ll be tough to crack.” “I never want to run a gauntlet like
“They’realready being cracked,” that again!” Abbott’s voice came fer-
said Brewster. “We saw it from the vently, sounding startlingly loud in the
roof. The Estannars have been re- silence. He lowered his tone a bit when
leased and armed. Don’t ask me how next he spoke. “We’re okay now, Nick.
— that’s a long story, and I don’t un- It’s a few hundred feet to the other
derstand all the angles myself, yet. But stone door. Then we’ll be in the
Suba, here, can explain it all. It’s her street.”
grandfather, more recently the Jev, “Let’s go,” said Brewster. “I’ve a
Eblis.” hunch we’re going to be needed out
Behind them a roar of flame cut oS there. There’s fighting to do.”
his voice for an instant, and Abbott “That’s for me!” exclaimed Abbott.
;.j4 AMAZING STORIES

“I’ve been itching to get my hands on sound of his shotswas lost in the roar
some Jeggite throats for ages now.” of battle, and the absence of any flame
streak gave the gunners no clue as to
^REWSTER put Suba on her feet. what was striking them down.
“You’re going to stay right in Abbott whooped with joy. “Got an-
here,” he said. “Nothing can happen other of those cannons?”
to you behind these wails. And right Brewster grinned, pulled out the
now, I don’t want anything to happen other one and thrust it in Abbott’s fist.

to you. We’ve got important matters He also whipped a belt of cartridges

to discuss after this is over . .
.” from beneath his robe and Abbott
“Nothing doing . . . about staying strapped it on. Then Abbott plunged
in here, I mean,” she said. “I’m the down the street in search of something
next in line in command among the to shoot at.
Ho-Tonda Estannars, and if anything
* * *
should happen to Grandfather, I’ll have

to take over. I’m going out there with ^J^HE next few hours were a mael-
you both.” strom of action that culminated
“You’ll have to let her come,” said finally in the exhausting of Brewster’s
.Abbott. “She’ll only follow. I know ammunition. They found themselves in
these Estannar women, believe me.” a large square, not far from the former
Brewster grinned. “I didn’t expect Estannar quarter, which was still
her to stay,” he said. “It was just my blacked with fire. Other sections of
way of saying I think a lot of her. But the city were aflame now, and the
come on, let’s get going. If my ears sounds of battle were diminishing. A
don’t play me false, there’s hell begin- large Estennar ship landed in the
ning to pop out there 1” square, and troops poured out, took up
» *
stations all around. Two figures
emerged from the ship.
11JELL had begun to pop. There was “Rogofskyl” yelled Brewster.
no doubt of it when they stepped “TartullianI” exclaimed Suba Mar-
into the street. High in the heavens annes.
over Ho-Tonda a vast fleet of warships The little spaceman rushed forward,
wheeled and rushed in battle. And clasped Brewster’s hand and pumped
everywhere ships were falling; both Es- it up and down. “You old son of a
tannars and Jeggite. But as they gun!” he babbled. “You pulled the
watched, it was evident that the pro- trick after all, didn’t you? Even bet-
portion was three to one on the red ter, you beat us to the punch and
side of the Jeggite ledger. burned that inner city joint out We I

On a rooftop nearby a group of Jeg- Earthmen did all the invasion navigat-
gites were preparing to put a green ing . .
.”

flame cannon into operation. Even as Brewster grinned. “Wrong, Rogof-

they watched, its first bolt shot sky- sky. The force wall’s still up. I
ward and an Estannar ship fluttered couldn’t callit down. You see I’m not
like a broken leaf; came down out of a Jev at all .” . .

control. But Rogofsky’s face had gone sickly

Brewster took his pistol from his pale. “You mean Lordl The . . .

belt and with six deliberately spaced only reason we didn’t dive in was the
shots, picked off the entire crew. The fire. No use attacking something that’s
 EMPIRE OF JESGA 155

already burned out. Thanks, Brew- book of star-maps.

ster! You never did a better job of “We want to take a look Kren,”
at
playing with matches I” said Brewster. “I’ll show you where
Tartullian advanced and shook when you’ve got it in the screen.”
Brewster’s hand. He was an old man The old astronomer got to his feet,
with white hair, but his face was and in a few moments the familiar
young. And now it was wreathed with globe of Earth lay glowingly green on
triumph and the realization of a life- the screen. It grew rapidly larger, un-
time dream. “We’ve won, Fyavo," he tilfinally only the North American
said. “Ho-Tonda and most of
is ours, continent was visible. Once more
the battle fleet of Jegga is smashed. Brewster saw that peculiar shifting
The master world is no longer master.” phenomenon that brought patches of
Brewster grinned. “I wonder how the surface into startling magnifica-
I’m going to tell them how lucky they tion. He took over the instrument
are back in Brooklyn. Nobody’ll be- himself, and the scene on the screen
lieve me.” He turned to Suba. “One moved until the eastern seaboard of
more thing, Suba. Take me to the the United States came into view. Then,
nearest telescope.” more delicately, he maneuvered until
“Telescope?” she was mystified. the scene on the screen showed a broad
“What do you want with a telescope?” river,and across it a giant bridge.
“I just want to show you something.” Brooklyn bridge.
Brewster turned to Tartullian. “How “There,” said Brewster, taking Suba
about a company of men to guard us, by the arm. “That’s where we’re go-
while we go?” ing. Just as soon as we can get the
The question in Suba Maranne’s metal works at Ulatai back into opera-
face never left it, but she led the way tion. That’s Brooklyn, your new
through the city to a building whose home.” He looked at her. “Okay?”
top was the familiar dome of an ob- She looked at the screen, then
servatory. They entered and when turned to smile at him. “Okay,” she
they reached the telescope, they found said.
an old man sitting calmly studying a THE END

ir SUPER DIVING SUIT ir

r. CHRISTIAN J. LAMBERTSEN, of the

D University of Pennsylvania Medical School

has announced the invention of a new life-
saving oxygen suit to aid guards in rescuing
drowning persons. In addition to tbb use, the
new apparatus could be used for inspection and
minor repairs of bulls of boats under water. It
can also be used for pearl and sponge fishing and
with seme slight changes in mines, sewers, gas
companies and chemical plants where the atmos-
phere is deficient in oxygen or contains noxious
gases.
This new innovation allows a life guard to
stay under water for about eighteen to twenty-
five minutes in depths to sixty feet while search-
ing for a drowning person, instead of the usual
one minute at depths to thirty feet.
The oxygen harness is strapped to the life
guard's back and weighs just over twelve pounds
in the air. Under water its weight cannot even
be felt. A small cylinder for oxygen or an oxy-
gen-nitrogen mixture fits into a pocket. A nose
and mouth mask, rehreathing tUgs, lead plate
and a soda lime container are the other features
of the life-saving apparatus. The breathing bags,
breathing tubes and inhaler are all buoyant under
water and their lift almost exactly balances the
under water weight of the oxygen cylinder, regu-
lator, soda lime container and lead plate.
Within fifteen seconds or less the entire life-
saving outfit can be straM>cd on and ready for
use. It is designed to fit persons of different size
and shape without time-wasting adjustments.
This harness does not require any assistance at
the surface like the deep-sea diver’s outfit. The
only fault of the ensemble is that it does not pro-
tect the life guard from cold while under the
water.
 — a

THE OF
HELMAR LEWIS
Brutus, the dog, became endowed with
that mysterious possession, a human aura!

W
dog, Brutus?
that!
HAT would you say if I told
you
I
that, with
have given a soul to my
Yes! I have done just
Before I subjected Brutus to
my auratron,
I
I
had endowed an animal with a soul.
had taken the soul of old Professor
Anton Grodt, who had died in my
bouse while I was in the midst of my
experiments, and transplanted it in the
the rays of my aurascope, he was body of the dog, Brutus. Would the
merely what his name implied, a brute. dog, now, have the moral and ethical
He was an enormous wolf-dog that I values of the late professor who had
raised from a puppy with a good strong been a kind, generous old man —
body, a fairly intelligent brain as in- — refugee from Germany — full of love
telligence goes among dogs but, — and toleration of the foibles of man-
withal, a soulless brute. kind?
When I first examined the dog under Understand me, I was not seeking the
the aurascope, the results were, as I sensation of a talking dog. Speech is
had expected them to be, entirely nega- a physical attribute, the result of man’s
tive. After all, Brutus was not a superior intelligence. The soul that I
human being. But, after an intensive had put into the dog would have no
subjection to my auratron ray, when effect on his intelligence, I realized.
I examined him next, I was overjoyed It would simply give him a system of
to note the presence of —
an aura a soul, values that places man above the brute
in other words — in what had once been animal. And these values, I discov-
my dog. ered, did not evidence themselves in
Perhaps you are not aware of the the dog at But gradually I found
first.

awful implications of this experiment. that Brutus became more considerate

Perhaps you do not realize that, in of my comforts than he had ordinarily
—
fashioning an aura a soul, that is been. He ceased barking at strangers
for my dog, I had clothed him with and, most important of all, refrained

human qualities. Do you understand from keening to the moon, that

what I am driving at now? Yes, I greatest of dog delights. Then I no-

had made a human being out of what ticed that Brutus’ eyes, instead of
bad once been an animal. being and menacing, as one
wild
I had made a human being! would expect from a wolf-dog, had
For after all, a human being is taken on a kindly benevolent glow,
simply an animal with a soul. And much like the eyes of the professor
158 AMAZING STORIES

from whom I had taken his soul. that trips up most criminals eventu-
But I do not lay too much stress, ally and brings them to justice. For it
yet, on the miracle I have wrought. has been my experience that there is in
An insufficient amount of time has every human being, because of the
passed for me to make gran^ose claims presence of a soul, some spark of soul-
for my discovery. I must keep a care- ness that forces him to regard his life
ful scientific check on Brutus observ- of crime with rue and therefore inde-
ing all of his actions minutely and re- cision. And it is this feeling of inde-
cording them in my case-book. And cision that causes him, at some time,
I am certain that one of these days, as to falter in his criminal activity and
soon as he has completely oriented him- betray himself.
self to his new-found soul, Brutus will So, if a person were to lose his soul,
begin to react ethically and morally to because of my aurascope, I visualized
ever3rthing around him, in the same that the result would be an anti-sodal,
proportions as a human being. unethical, unmoral —not necessarily
But there is another consideration immoral —thinking brute of a man
that holds my attention now. You may who could become a menace to society.
recall that, when I mentioned my mura- But there might be other sidereal re-
tron, I said that it oould act upon the sults. Perhsqjs, because of my experi-
soul, either positively or negativ^y. I ments, I could develop a supec-in-
had already proved its use, in a limited telligence. After all, it is a commonly
way of course, by traiisferriag the soul known fact that we allow our intelli-
of the late professor to the body of a —
gence our better sense, that is
dog. That experiment, however, had to be superceded, in a great many in-
been performed on the body of a dying stances, by the introduction of the soul
man. So, naturally, I was unable to —sentimentality.
observe the results of hie having lost his I, for instance, have succeeded in
soul. making myself entirely unsentimental.
I am a cold, calculating and completely
IV/fY CONCERN, now, is to deter- intelligent scientist. Were I to allow
^ ^ my
mine the effects of my auratron sentiment to intervene in work, I
on a Uve human being who had lost bis would have some compunction in using
soul. For some time I have been my niece Adelaide in my experiments.
working on it. Naturally, I have de- And that is what have already done.
I

duced certain theories regarding the For at this very moment, as I am

outcome.
For example, I know that if I de-
tach the soul from a man, he will lose
all moral and ethical values. That
means that there is a pos^bility be will
become, perhaps, another Jack the
Ri^r and roam the dark purlieus of
the city attacking innocent women.
Then, again, with the loss of his
ethical values, Uie subject of my
writing these lines into my journal,
Adelaide is resting on the apparatus I
have devised in my laboratory prepara-
tory to undergoing my experiment with
the auratron. Yes, I have decided to
use her as my human subject to de-
termine the effects of losing the soul in
a human being.
In a very short while, after she has
ex- relaxed herself completely, I expect to

periment might conctfvably bocome arisefrom my desk and begin the ex-
the most cunning thief ki the world. periment on her. She agreed to be-
For it is this sense of ethical values come my guinea pig because she lo\'es
 —
THE AURA OF DEATH 159

me. You see, she allowed sentiment telligence, she may develop a into
to overcome her natural fears because, human being whose resourcefulness
as a human being and possessing a would result in untold wonders for the
soul, she did not possess the super-in- world —new and radical developments
telligence which would have warned in science, in industry — in virtually
her away from it. anything.
My problem now will be to deter- These are matters that can be deter-
mine whether or not she will achieve mined only by the experiment that I am
that super-intelligence after I have de- soon to perform on her. As I look down
prived her of her soul. She is a beau- at the floor and glance at my dog Brutus,
tiful girl. From my desk I can see I cannot help but reflect that my
her lying outstretched on the activat- experiments will turn out to be suc-
ing pallet. Her long, blonde hair shim- cessful.
mers around her head. Her
like gold Already, in a mere dog, I am begin-
eyes are closed now but I know them ning to note signs of humanness.
to be a clear blue under the eyelids. There is that look in Brutus’ eyes
The skin on her face is of that trans- a look of accusation, almost that —
lucent quality that adds so much to a proves to me that he is developing a
beautiful woman. Altogether, in face quality of sympathy and sentiment,
and form, and even in temperament, ’^^ou see, Brutus has become sentimen-

she is the ideal woman. tally human because of his soul. He

But what will she be after she loses resents and objects to my forthcoming
her soul? experiment on another human being
Will she become a cunning, calculat- who still possesses a soul. Such are
ing woman whose only object in life the results of human sentiment.
will be to project herself over the Now, as I look over to where my
bodies of her dead lovers to fame and niece is resting easily, I can see that
fortune? Will she become a sea-mad she is almost ready for the experi-

fiend who over com-

will give herself ment. I have already started the motor
pletely and unequivocally to the dubi- which furnishes the power for my ap-
ous delights and pleasures of lust? paratus. The electronic tubes have
Will she become a vicious, depraved all been warmed sufficiently so that
and bestial creature who will prey on they will deliver the shower of elec-
mankind and wreak the vengeance of trons the moment I turn the activating
her soul-less brain on them? switch. From my chair
at the desk I
can see the various gauges and meters
T DON’T know. That is why I am and I note with pleasure that they have
^ conducting this experiment on her. all been set at their necessary calibra-

For, on the other hand, she may turn tions. There is a pleasant humming
out to be a credit to mankind. The sound in the room coming from the
loss of her soul, as I have mentioned coils of the activator-receiver under
before, might conceivably give her the the pallet on which my niece is rest-
super-intelligent mind. For, freed ing. I can even smell the odor of ozone

from the fetters of sentiment, ethics in the air issuing from the X-ray tube
and morality, her brain might be overhead. Soon I will turn the rheo-
enabled to soar to heights of intelli- stat, the Z-ray tube will sizzle and glow

gence heretofore unattainable to the or- and the ozone vrill permeate the room
dinary mortal. With her superior in- even more. And I will direct the nose
 —
160 AMAZINO STORIES

of the auiatron activator around the as though he is preparing to pounce

body outline of my niece. She will on me. He cannot stand the effects of
quiver, I know, for her body will sense, sentiment. I shall return him to the
intuitively, that being deprived of
it is brutehood from which he sprang.
one of its supposedly most precious pos- But, enough of writing. The time
sessions. After five minutes, when I has come for action. The subject of
have gone over her complete aura, the the experiment is fully relaxed to re-
experiment will be finished. ceive the activating rays of the aura-
Then what will happen? tron. The auratron itself is ready to
Well —time has come for me to find perform, its myriad tubes glowing
out. I must close the pages of this warmly, its maze of inner apparatus
journal for the time being. Later on, humming like a live thing. It awaits
when I have completed the experi- the touch of my finger so that it can
ment on Adelaide, I will reopen these go to work, as though it fully realizes
pages and note down the results. I the importance of the part it is to play
wonder what I will be able to write in the affairs of the world.
then? These are the last words I shall re-
Will it be “a super-intelligent hu- cord in my journal at this time.
man being?” What will I write next?
Or will it be “a depraved beast?” « 4:

I observe that my hand quivers as I From the Los Angeles Dispatch,

write these last few lines. You see, July 11, 1941;
it is because I have a soul that I am FAMOUS SCIENTIST
visibly affected by what I am going to BRUTALLY KILLED
do. The beautiful girl lying on the BY PET WOLF-DOe
pallet is of my own flesh and Wood At seven o'clocjc yeeterdaj? evening,
the police were called to the borne and
my brother’s daughter whom I have laboratory of Dr. Lucius Crandall,
world-known acientist.
cared for ever since she was a child. On breaking down the door leading
Despite my supposedly scientific cal- into the scientist’s laboratory, they
found nls dog, Brutus, mauling over the
lousness, 1 am subject to human senti- dead body ca its former master. The
—
ment because I have a soul. Who
entire laboratory and its contents were
In a gambles, as though the dog had
tried to destroy everything in tt.
knows? If the experiment on Ade- Also In the room, cowering In a cor-
laide turns out to be successful, I may ner near the telephone, which she had
used to eall the poliae, was Miss Ade-
turn the auratron on myself next. Then laide Crandall, the scientist’s niece who
lived with him.
I shall not experience these sentimen- “I don’t know why Brutus did such a
tal tremors that shake my hand as I thing,” tbe love^ young girl daclared
to the pt^ice. “Brutus was lihe one of
write these words. us ana he loved my faithfvdfy.
But, as I was lying on me pallet in the
I know one thing. My
next de-soul- laboratory, I hears him bark and when
I opened my eyes, I saw him over my
ing experiment will be performed on uncle's body gnawing at his throat.”
Brutus. I do not like the look in his ^e coum give no ^er
reascm for the
tragedy. ’^I’m glad tbe police ^ot the
eye. He stares up at me, from where dog when they entered me room,” she
acmed. “He might have attacked me
he is resting on the floor, his great next.”
brute body poised on springs of steel, THE END

REMEMBER!
AT LEAST ONE EXTRA El 00 WAR BOND IN SEPTEMBER

BACK THE ATTACK—WITH WAR BONDS

VIGNETTES OF FAMOUS SOENTISTS
ALEXANDER BLADE
jamei ^ud^Ut ^atta
AMES DWIGHT DANA, American Geolo-
was bom at
J gist,
Utica,
mineralogist
New
and zoologist,
York, on the 12tb of February,
1813. His early education wbb acquired in hk
home town, after which be entered Yale College.
Upon graduation he was ofiered a poaitioo as in-
structor inthe United States Navy, which af-
forded him an opportunity for travel in several
parts of Europe.
In 1836 he was appointed assistant to Professor
SQUman at Yale, and while serving in that capac-
ity published his first important work “A System
of Mineralogy,’* which at once became a standard
reference book in its specialty throughout the
world, and has remained so ever since.
From 1838 to 1842 he was a member of the
United States Exploring Expedition under Com-
mander Wilkes—whose field was in the southern
Pacific Ocean — in which he ^ledalized on the
subjects of mineralogy, meteorology, hydrography,
coralsand cnutacea. He brought back with him
230 entirely new species of corals, and 638 of
Crustacea. He also wrote the narrative of the
journey. In recognition of his great services to
scienceon this expedition, he was appointed in
1850 to the chair of natural history at Yale,
where he remained for the succeeding forty years,
an honored and highly appreciated member of
its faculty.
Corals were oripnally classed as among the
zoophytes by Cuvier, by which term be meant
those low forms of animal life that are fixed to
a definite position and place, and have the appear-
ance in most cases of growing plants. Hie word
is no longer used in the current system of classi-
fication. In its place the spedes it covered an
known as bydroids, corals and sea anemones. The
last two belong to the clsss anthozoa, and con-
stitute one of the most wonderful divisions of the
animal world.
Coral is a calcareous, gelatinous or homy
product, which is secreted from the water of the
sea by that strange form of animal called the
polyp. After passing through its organism, the
refuse material is excreted, and deposited around
it, after much the same process by which the
oyster constructs its shell, except that in the case
of the coral the structure keeps on growing in-
definitely, and like a plant, while each polyp,
during its brief acistence, occupies a minute cdl
in the material so built up, reproduces itself by
a process of budding, and then dies.
The individual is little more than a minute
and formless speck of protoplasm which, when
161
^
taken out of the water when alive, drains away
watery slime from the little cell
in the state of a
in
When
the body of the coral which was its home.
alive, and in its normal condition and situ-
ation, k
protrudes portions of itself like little
fingers or hairs, from the entrance of its cell,
and by means of these finds and absorbs its nour-
ishment. These fingers or tentades are supplied
with nerves, and are extremely sensitive. U
touched by a foreign and objectionable body
they are Immediately withdrawn, and only re-
appear slowly and cautiously. Under normal
conditions they are continually protruded, and
by waving about collect the nourishment neces-
sary for their growth.
In most cases these polyps eidst in colonies,
each individual leading apparently a completely
solitary life and having no association wkb or
relation to its immediate nei^bors even though
the cells which constitute their homes are very
dose together. The coraline forms produced arc
of almost infinite variety, and though the prod-
uct of each individual in building is eztremdy
small, the combined products are enormous, con-
sisting of the formation of islands and groups of
MawHn, and of barrier reefs hundreds of miles
in length.
They can live only In dean water, and in depths
less 12S feet, and also require a tempera-
ture of 68^ F. or over, which b obtainable only
in or near the tropics. The color of coral is gen-
erally some shade of white or gray. But in the
Mediterranean and Red seas, and in the Persian
gulf a red variety is found which is much prized
for jewelry and ornamental purposes. At oer-
tain pTar*»a in the Pacific a bladt kind oc-
curs, which brings even a higher price than the
red.
Dana’s great services to sdence were recog-
nized abundantly during bis lifetime. In 1854
he was elected president of the American Associa-
tion for the Advancement of Sdence, and later
became a member of tbe Royal Sodety of Lon-
don, the Institute of Paris and tbe Academies of
Berlin, Vienna and St. Petersburg. In 1872 he
was awarded the Wollaston medal of the British
Geological Sodety, and in 1877 the Copley medal.
He was tbe originator of the modem theory-
now universally accepted—of mountain folding
and formation as the result of lateral pressure;
and taught that valleys are, with rare exceptions,
entirely products of erosion; and that in fossils,
the individuals that compose a species, are almost
codkesly diverse in form detail.
 JENNY-
THE FLYING
FORD
BY ELROY ARNO
T WAS pitch dark behind Lew Jen- fenders were on tightly and she was
ken’s bam. The nv>on had long unable to flap them. The moment was
I since hidden behind a bank of long since forgotten.
clouds. And for a good reason. This Twenty years had passed. Jenny
was H^oween, and the moon couldn’t (short for Jennifer) was now held
continue watching what took place be- firmly together by baling wire. She
low. managed to stay on the road, delivering
The Elks were busy. That is, the Lew Jenken and his eggs to Fountain
Elks club of Fountain Falls, not the Falls every week end. She quenched
toothy variety of north-woods animal. her modest thirst with distillate and
The Elks had a surprise on tap for Lew carried on.
Jenken. Namely, Lew would awaken But because Jenny did have a per-
in the morning to find Jenny, his Model sonality of her own, she resented the
T Ford, astraddle the roof-beam of the treatment she was now getting. Not
bam. that she hadn’t been taken apart before.
The job of getting bulky old Jenny to Her entire jAysical apparatus had been
her weather-vane post wasn’t a simple strewed about the lawn so many times
one. Several members had already that she wondered how she managed
fallen the length of the shingled roof to go on.
and landed in the haystack below. How- It vras now past midnight. Lew
ever, piece by piece, Jenny’s metal Jenken was fast asleep, sawing on a
anatomy was going up the ladder. favorite log. He dreamed that one of
Jenny, be it imderstood, was not the his flock of hens had just produced a
common variety of Ford. She had been golden egg and he was signing a con-
number 1,000,000 off the assembly line tract foe the wonderful fowl with Walt
and Heiuy bad felt like breaking a Disney.
bottle of champagne over her bow. The Elks were sweating their way up
Mr. Ford had made this remark at and down the ladder with Jeimy, or
Jenny’s launching: parts thereof. Jenny had but one con-
“She’s smooth, all right. Looks as solation. AVhat she lost on the ground,
though she might take off and fly.” she gained on top of the bam. As she
So proud was Jenny at that moment, came apart, so did she go together
she almost tried to fly. However, her again, but with minor variations.
162
164 AMAZING STORIES

Walter Frish, High Master or some- Jenny sat there a long time, crouch-
thing, of the visiting Elks, toddled down ing forward on her springs, engine
the ladder after the fifteenth trip and pumping wildly, wondering what to do
accosted his^nearest brother. next. Then into her mind came the
“And me with a bad heart,” he man- old yearning.
aged to puff. “This would kill me if Jenny had always wanted to fly.
I had to work this hard.” Henry Ford had said she looked al-
Curt Rand, expansive, very red and most smooth enough to do so. In fact
managed a
also built for lighter labor, Jenny had secretly tried to fly several
retort. times during her colorful career. Al-
“Wish I could fly up there,” he ways she failed, but with the feeling
groaned. “I’ve counted the steps on that perhaps it might be that her fen-
that ladder until I know justhow high ders were too tight. She had never
I am by the feel of the wood through been able to flap them.

my shoe bottom.” Now they were looser than they had

Frish started to chuckle. ever been before.
“Pm thinking of I^w Jenken’s face The Elks had been careless with
when he comes out here in the morning. their wrenches and screwdrivers. Jenny
It’s the only thing that keeps me alive.” felt all wobbly and relaxed. If she could

The Elks toiled on. flap her fenders fast enough, could she
stay in the air?
A ND so it was .that at two o’clock Jenny moved forward cautiously to
on that crisp October night, Jenni- the front end of the barn. The yard
fer the Model T found herself complete was a long way below her. It was
once more, worn tires straddling the muddy, but still not a soft place to
top of Lew Jenken’s barn. land. She knew she was taking the
Her headlights, engine and seat chance of wrecking her rear end again,
cushions were in approximately the cor- and that wasn’t a pleasant thought.
rect places. Beyond that, Jenny didn’t What of it? A girl of her age had
dare to guess. Not that she was fright- seen life. Why not take a chance?
ened. For a car, she was experiencing Jenny crouched forward, her springs
an entirely new set of emotions. flexing under her, and cold sweat broke
The Elks were gone. out on her radiator. She leaned back
Jenny took an experimental lunge again, straining away from the big opMi
forward, her left tires slipped and she space before her.
started to slide toward destruction. It was no use. How could a Ford fly?
Jenny balanced herself again but for an But, unless she tried, how would she

instant her piston rings slapped terribly. ever know? There was a lot of woman
Then the wheels stopped slipping and in Jenny. A lot of that stuff that says

Jenny remained tense, afraid to move “you've got to try everything once.”
again. Jenny flapped one fender. It was very
The moon was still hidden. Jenny wobbly. It moved up and down lazily,

blinked one headlight, then the other almost a foot. She tried the others.
and her faint, yellow eyes cast a glow They all wiggled up and down and she
across the farm-yard. With her lights felt very light in the dash board. It was

on she felt safer. However, the height a queer heady feeling.

gave her a start. How on earth would Jenny took a long chance.
she ever get down? She backed up about five feet, gath-
 jenny—THE FLYING FORD 165

ered her wheels under her and leaped Lew backed the T up to the door of
forward with all the power she could the hen house. He collected the last
manage. The edge of the barn was of the eggs, put them in a partly filled
gone and she hung in space over the egg crate and placed it on the rear seat.
bam-yard. She was so frightened that Then he went back into the coop and
she almost forgot to fly. Then, with brought out three full crates, the ac-
a great clatter, she started to pump cumulated work of a week for himself
her fenders up and down with all her and fifty layers.
strength. “Eggs,” he mumbled to himself. He
Jenny didn’t fall. She hung in space, spat tobacco juice half way across the
then slowly, very slowly, moved in a yard and climbed behind Jenny’s wheel.
gentle arc up over the house. It was “Fifteen cents a dozen, and with butter
wonderful, feeling her strength like at fifty-six. Can’t sell enough to buy
this. Jenny reached the road, flew over a living. Oughta do something .” . .

it, then tried a few slow glides and
swoops. They worked without a
She dropped- gently to the drive beside
the house, settled into the dust and let
her fenders flap.
The moon was bright now and she
was afraid someone would see her.
Triumphantly Jenny rolled up the
drive, and through the open barn door.
Contented and at peace with herself at
last, she dropped into a long, peaceful
sleep. Something feminine and subtle
within Jenny had been satisfied. At
last her full power was realized. No
Cadillac or Auburn would push her
from the highway again. The world
held endless experiences now that she
had longed for all these years.
ew JENKEN was a mild man.
L had a couple of hundred chickens
and they provided a small income by
supplying eggs and fryers for the mar-
ket at Fountain Falls. This morning
he was angry. The neighbors had
rowed Jenny the Model T, yesterday.
He hadn’t driven her since then, but
Lew had been going to do something
hitch. about living conditions for twenty
years. He never quite got to it.
Jenny felt grand this morning. Under
Lew’s guiding hand, she entwed the
county road and started sputtering to-
ward Fountain Falls. Twice she hopped
a few feet off the road, trying out her
new power. Lew swore, blaming the
jumps on the bad road.
“I swear they oughta scrape these
roads a couple times a year.”
Jenny listened to Lew’s complaints,
and moved ahead with a certain degree
of speed. As she moved, a strange new
emotion took hold of her. So niany
times she had come this way. Always
she had carried Lew and his crates of
eggs. This morning something new
He had been added. Jenny was feeling
her oats.
“I ain’t so old,” she whispered to
herself. “Pfui, what’s twenty years?
Got a few more years in me. I can
bor- a kite.”
fly like
Then she lapsed into thought, won-
dering her plan wasn’t a little risque
if

what had hap^ned to Jenny was a for an old girl with her mileage.
shame. He backed Jenny out of the “But why?” she asked herself. “So
garage this morning, realizing that her I can fly like a bird? Birds manage,
fenders were about ready to fall off. don’t they? I could try!”
Thffe wasn’t a tight bolt on her old Naturally what Jenny was pondering
body and he wondered if she’d make could hardly be known. Her words,
the trip to town without falling apart. and her thought were not audible.
166 AMAZING STORIES

At last she made up her mind. She aged to get Jenny off the barn so fast,
snorted, overheated a little with excite- but Frish was also Sheriff; and if Lew’s
ment, and her radiator started to puff car was stolen, his duty was clear.

and blow off steam. “I’ll phone the state police right

“So I ain’t got feathers, and I ain’t away,” he said. “They won’t get out
got the ability to get started,” she mut- of the county with it.”
tered darkly. “But I can do the rest “Wouldn’t go far, anyhow,” he added
of the job as well as anyone.” under his breath.
Her last words were pronounced just
T>UT the police didn’t find Jenny. Lew
as Lew got out to pour fresh water in-
to the boiling radiator. It all happened
^ didn’t find her. In fact Jenny was
so fast that to this day Lew isn’t sure lost for the better part of two weeks.
if Jenny actually moved, or if he was When at last she was reported, the
clipped by a Flying Fortress. callcame from the county airport.
Jenny gathered her springs under “Lew Jenken?” the voice on the
her and bounced into the air. Her ra- phone asked.
diator cap caught Lew under the chin Lew grunted.
and sent him spinning into the dust. “Mr. Jenken, you reported a Ford
Lew tried to roll over, gave up and missing a coupla’ week ago?”
passed out cold. Not so Jenny. She Lew’s interest grew.
felt the smooth power of her fenders “Yesl”
as she sprang into the air. She gained A chuckle on the wire.
altitude fast, pumping with all the “We spotted your car in a tree, Mr.
strength in her tank. She was above Jenken.”
the road and leveling out for swift “In a . .
.?” Lew clutched the ta-
flight. She knew exactly where she was ble for support. “But but — . .

going. A few miles behind Lew’s farm The chuckle came again.
was a dense wood-lot. In it, several “Well, it sounds funny, but you said
huge elm trees reached high into the it was a model T. One of our boys was
air, with huge spreading ‘branches. flying over Breeze’s wood-lot this morn-
Jenny swooped around, caught the ing. He said he saw something in the
beam and went winging away across top of a big elm. He flew low to get a

sunny farm land. A few crows, startled better look, and reports it was a car,

by the sight of a flying Ford, followed
at a safe distance. Jenny flew care-
fully and the eggs on the rear seat
rocked with the vibration of her body.
'^HE remainder of Jenny’s story
legend in Fountain Falls.
Jenken wandered into town during the
afternoon, his jaw swollen and his tem-
per matching it. He met Walter Frish
in front of the grocery store.
“And by golly, someone jumped
her and knocked me down. They stole
the buggy and the eggs too.”
Frish wanted to ask Leo how he man-
probably an old Ford. Don’t ask me
how it got there!”
Lew hung up. He scratched his head,
then he scratched his chin. After a long
time he scratched his chin again, swore
is a loud oath and started out on foot
Lew across the back-eighty.
So that’s where they found Jenny,
the flying Ford. She was perched in
the highest branches of a big elm. Lew
climbed the tree while Walter Frish
in and Curt Rand waited for him below.
Rand grinned, then sobered quickly.
“No, Walter, it would be impossible.”
“That’s what I think,” Frish agreed.
 jenny—THE FLYING FORD 167

“The barn was hard enough. How in “Heard you start the motor.”
hell anyone could ever get that Ford “What bothers me,” Rand said, “is
way up there . . .?” how do we get her down?”
Lew Jenken got the greatest shock, Lew Jenken was shaking from head
however. It might have been his imag- to foot.
ination, but as he edged carefully out “We
don’t,” he stuttered. “By the
toward the limbs that Jenny occupied, gods,we leive the motherly old settin’
he fancied that Jenny moved suddenly, hen up there where we found her.”
as though about to fall. Lew hesitated, Head down, he started toward home.
shook his head and moved fon\’ard.
The limbs were thick and Jenny was It has never been recorded how or
across several of them. He reached the ^ when Jenny left the elm tree in
car and climbed carefully into the rear Breeze’s wood-lot. Lew Jenken knew,
seat. because right after that he bought a
The egg crates were empty. second-hand pickup. He returned to
“Stole ’m, the . . .!” he murmured, the wood-lot once and found a couple
then his eyes opened wide. of hundred well started chicks under
The eggs were gone. In their place, the elm tree where Jenny had perched.
fluttering or cuddling close to Jenny’s He sold them at a very nice price, and
motor, were dozens of tiny fluffy chicks. used the cash for a down payment on
Jenny’s hood was lifted high. Under the pickup.
it, the chicks struggled over and under As for Jenny? That one attempt to
her engine. Lew moved out farther, become a mother had brought her a
not able to believe what he saw. surging wish to live. A long- felt need
His hand moved out carefully and to visit new and exciting places. She
he managed to grab a chick. Jenny’s tired of her flock soon after it hatched,
motor started with a bang, roared loudly and set out on wing to see the world.
and the tree started to vibrate. Lew Thus, dear reader, if you awaken
dropped the chick and scurried back some spring morning to find a decrepit
toward the trunk of the elm. Jenny’s model T Ford staring in your bedroom
motor idled gently and the chides window from a nearby tree, you will
flocked closer to the warm engine. probably be dead so^r. It will be
Jenken didn’t stop until he reached Jenny the flying Ford, seeking excite-
the ground. ment in far fields.
“I see she still works,” Frish said. THE END
BEAT THE HEAT WITH VITAMIN C

W ORKERS that have to perform

duties under conditions of high tempera-
tures are often attacked by heat cramps
and heat exhaustion. Industrial doctors have
found that this is due to the loss of salt from
their a day Uicy have cut down heat cramps to a very
minimum even where the temF>erature soared
above 100“ and the humidity was very high.
Each tablet contains 50 milligrams of vitamin C,
250 units of B-1, and other B vitamins.
the body through sweat and thus companies have
installed salt pill dispensers near drinking foun-
The success of the Du Pont Company indicates
that the plan will soon spread to steel mills, foun-
tains so that workers could replenish their bodily
needs for However, cases still occurred
salt.
dries, ship yards, blast furnaces, and the many
where workers suffered from heat cramps and other places where men work under high tempera-
prostration. tures. In fact, thearmy may use it for its sol-
Physicians of the Medical Division of Du Fonts diers fighting in the tropics and the navy will
believe they have solved the problem with their find it useful for its men working in the boiler
vitamin C piUs. By giving workers two tablets rooms and gun turrets.
 —

Juggernaut Jones,
“f iHIS,” I said as the space- a market upon pirate-infested Mercury
I
I freighter, AROMA, capacity- even greater than that intimated by
loaded with fertilizer, spun my immediate howbeit jealous superior,
down through Mercury’s gale-tom at- one Sales Manager Harmon T. Dee.
mospheres to a near-fatal crash land- For Mr. Karp, while weak in a sales
ing, “is disgusting.” campaign’s closing phases, has a knack
Even as I was extricating my ex- of smelling out markets.
pansive self from the cargo, two dis- “Juggy made us crash!” Mr. Karp
gruntled gentlemen dashed into the shrieked.
hold. —
The man with him a muscular gen-
“Juggernaut Jones made us crash!” tleman named Captain Smith whom I
one screamed, glaring at me. “Nobody had met previously during my cam-
can mess things up like Juggyl” paigns —nodded.
It was Mr. Joe Karp, peddler of the “01’ Blubberpuss has done worse.”

pathetic repulser-ray Globe Glider “This crash,” I said, wiping cargo

the only serious competitor Uneek Fli- from my wrist watch, “is one catas-
ers’ famed h 5^-magnesium, rocket- trophic event of which I am innocent.
type product has in the air-transport Sincewe left earth on this wreck which
field. you now command, I have been locked
My rival’s presence meant there was within this odorous hold, pitchforking
 ””

170 AMAZING STORIES

piles. Your unwarranted act— “Tool closet!” Captain Smith

“Unwarranted!” Captain Smith gur- groaned. “That’s the firing chamber
gled. “You call sitting your fat whosis of the AROMA’S No. I braking rocket.
down on our main control board un- No wonder we couldn’t stop.” Pitch-
warranted! For twenty God-awful fork in hand, I was conducted to the
hours we were spiraling straight at the AROMA’S control room. “You’ll start,”
sun before we could repair our lines.” the Captain explained, “with that board
“But you repaired them? The and repair every lead.”
AROMA was under control approach- “This board?” I asked, inadvertently
ing Mercury?” touching a lever.
“Right,” Captain Smith replied The AROMA leap convulsively
grudgingly. upward, then dived nose-first down a
“Then why,” I asked, “blame me long, tapering cylinder. We stopped
for your faulty piloting?” mid-way with a grinding thud.
Wincing, Mr. Karp began scrutiniz- “Every tube backfired!” Captain
ing the hold. Well forward were doz- Smith screamed. “He’s wrecked an
ens of atmospheric demonstrator planes. entire spaceship this time!”
Half were Mr. Karp’s Gliders; half, “We’re miles,” Mr. Karp moaned,
Uneek’s superior models, including a “from the Twilight Zone. We’ll freeze!”
30-jet, ski-equipped light-duty truck “On Mercury?” I chuckled.
which, to aid schedule runs, carried the “He’s done it again!” Captain Smith
revolutionary new Perfection Clock. whispered. “He’s rushed into another
While this cold-climate machine was of his idiotic campaigns without know-
famed for its ability to proceed on its ing beans about the field.”
skis over crusted snow when atmos- “Mercury,”
I said, “is a small planet,

pheric conditions jeopardized flight, dangerously close to the sun. Only a

Harmon T.’s inclusion of it, with equip- small sector called the Twilight Zone
ment designed for operation upon the is inhabited.”
closest planet to the sun, further “The Millennium!” Mr. Karp
strengthened my suspicion that Uneek gasped. “He’s right”
Fliers Inc. sadly needed a far-sighted “The inhabitants,” I continued, “are
individual such as myself in charge of colonists, constantly being decimated
its New Chicago Main Office. But by dastardly, if mysterious, pirates.
definitely. Where,” I protested, “on this sun-and-
“Where,” Mr. Karp asked, “are the pirate cursed planet is the rumored
rest ofyour tools?” giant new market?”
“In the tool closet, naturally.” “Who,” asked a squeaky voice, “is
“Tool closet!” Captain Smith shout- the captain here?”
ed. “There’s no such thing — Crouched in the doorway, clutching
I crossed the passage to a flush-type two ugly black whips in its shovel-like
door. hands, was a hideous, man-sized, fur-
“This,” I said, “is the tool closet.” coated creature. Two bulbous green
eyes, projecting from its mousy head,
T OPENED the door and an avalanche glared at us with bestial fury.
of unoxidized X-anthracitic rocket “Be brave!” I thundered to my com-
powder, plus the charred remains of a rades.
goodly number of pitchforks tumbled Lunging forward, I thrust my fertil-

upon me. izer fork viciously into the monster’s

 JUGGERNAUT JONES, PIRATE 171

white belly. Shrieking, the creature which I doubt —then, sir, there rests
fell writhing upon Promptly, the floor. within this freighter your salvation.”
myriads of the repulsive things charged “Not you!” the Mercurian squeaked.
through the doorway. Dozens sub-
dued me just as the Mercurian, who TyrODESTLY, I nodded. “Myself
^
had miraculously withstood my attack, and trucks. Dependable Uneek
bounded erect. trucks equipped with Perfection Clocks
“Fun is fun,” it squeaked, lifting its to assure on-schedule deliveries. Rock-
polarized glasses to wipe its weak eyes, et-type carriers, sir, which, belching
“but this is no occasion for tickling. fiery streamers of oxidizing hypo-mag-
I’m Chief Talpar. What ails this fat nesium fuel, will flood your country-
thing?” side with light, heat and
—
“That,” Captain Smith said, “is a Chief Talpar recoiled. “After we’ve
long, sad story. Salesman Jugger- spent billions insulating and perfecting
naut Jones has sold airplanes to birds, these polarized lenses to avoid lethal
fish and metal people but he still can’t rays!”
understand that humans aren’t the only “I, then,” Mr. Karp chuckled, “have
intelligent life.” your solution. The feathery Globe
“This monster,” I scowled, “speaks Glider which is not only as lightless as
space-American but I’ve never seen a a spinster’s night but as noiseless as a
member of its race . . . the Pirates!” lover’s whisper. Mighty invisible,
”
I gasped. “The mystic raiders of the ground-contacting repulsers will
Twilight Zone! Exposed!” “DeLuxe Uneeks,” I injected, “are
“We Talpites,” the cunning Mercu- equipped — at slightly higher cost
rian said uneasily, “are a nervous, re- with rocket dampers and exhaust muf-
tiring people with a hereditary dislike flers. When in flight —— ^

for heat and light but we have, shyly, “Flight?”

kept in touch with the Universe.” “Exactly.”
Mr. Karp stepped forward. “Talpiton,” the Chief sighed, “lies
“And you Talpites live here in the beneath us. The tunnel to our distant
Black Zone?” food Sectary isabout half the width of
“Right. We have a city. Talpiton.” this ship . . . Flying machines for sub-
Chief Talpar touched his glasses with terranean dwellers! Insane!” His nose
a whip butt. “We were happy until twiched. “Gentlemen, do you realize
some fool invented these anti-glare your freighter is now lodged inside our
sp>ecs, thus tripling our life span. TaJ- city’s only air-vent? That millions of
piton is now overflowing and threat- Talpites face suffocation?”
ened with starvation.” “A minor item,” I chuckled. “We
“A shortage?” will rush repairs and blast —
“Decidedly not. Our Sectary, lo- “Blast! Thundering rockets, lethal
cated off in the vegetation-supporting heat and light would mean a death more
Twilight Zone, is producing more than certain than suffocation Who,” . . .

enough food. The trouble is: our food- Chief Talpar asked, “must we thank
carrying Degenerates couldn’t keep for this ghastly end we face?”
pace with our population increase.” He was informed forthwith.
“Then,” Mr. Karp smiled, “trans-
portation is your problem.” TN THE Talpiton County jail, sur-
“If such,” I said stiffly, “is true rounded by dull-appearing cellmates
 —
172 AMAZING STORIES

— all humans —I pondered my predica- which a forest of slender trees was

ment. Despite the impetus of the growing from a bed of decapitated puff-
frightful cold, my agile brain failed to balls. The nearest roof-support, I

identify even the most fragmentary noted, was two-part— half ornamented
sort of sales campaign. brass, half crude iron. Both metals
“Revolutionary!” I scowled. were riveted one against the other.
An objective, to be sure, was avail- “The expansion factor,” I mused.
able; i.e., to save myself et talents so Below me, countless furry, begoggled
I could continue in the service of a Talpites were afoot upon the city -gir-
company which, while niggardly with dling outer drive. Most were swarming
salaries, depended upon me et talents to around the larger roofed buildings
hold its coveted position as “King of the which, undoubtedly, housed the govern-
Airways.” ing element. Well to my right, fol-

Naturally, innumerable obstacles lowing the outer drivers curve, I saw a

complicated this objective. I was (1) wall opening leading to the air-vent
incarcerated, (2) in disfavor with my wherein the AROMAwas lodged. A
jailors and (3) doomed to death by similar opening, far to my left around
suffocation since the AROMA could be the curve, fed the tunnel which con-
removed only by Talpite-destroying ex- nected Talpiton with its food-dis-
plosives, rocket or otherwise. pensing Sectary.
Yet even should I surmount all ob- The c^nings were directly across
stacles, no man of my standards would the tank from each other yet, due to
think of supplying the fiendish Mer- building congestion and the closeness
curian Pirates (Talpites) with flying of the roof-supporting posts, travel

ships to further their nefarious deeds. from one to the other was restricted to

“For the first time,” I sighed, “I am the long circuitous route around the
without a market.” outer drive.
I studied my fellow human inmates But vastly more important, I could
who were wandering loggishly about. see, within the main walls as they

My impression was of men, mentally curved, endless rows of barred win-

stultified by some great tragedy. All dows from which stared stupid human
were trudging aimless beats upon a faces.

floor made uncertain due to a fused Humans. Thousands. Man-power!

coating of shiny, translucent crystals.
Gazing from the prison window, I TV/TY brain was suddwily two
saw Talpiton City a stupendous,— notches beyond high gear. I had
tank-contained metropolis of mush- but to whip the joy of living into my
room-like buildings, dl roofless save fellow incarcerates, lead them against
several giant, oddly familiar structures the Mercurian Pirates, install my lib-

drawn up, directly beneath me, beside erated fellow humans in this tanked
a wide outer-drive type of avenue city and
which followed the city-encircling, jail- “Zounds!” I gasped. “I have found
containing walls. my market!”
Overhead was a tremendous crystal- Numberless ski-fitted, clock-equipped
studded dome, supported by myriads of Uneek 30-jet trucks would slide, not
metal posts.
thin, roughly-square fly, merrily across the wax-crystaled
It was as though I looked through tunnel floor to the Sectary and back
a window into a gas storage tank in with food.
 JUGGERNAUT JONES. PIRATE 173

“But more,” I said. “No need, with “Who,” I asked, “has been incar-
humans, for costly rocket mufflers. cerated the least length of time?”
Open jets, belching flame, will supply “Ated?” Lars mumbled. “No eat
much-needed heat and light to this un- yet. Hungry.”
“Jailed! Locked up. How long.
derworld.”
One minor item remained unsolved. How much time
—
Obstacle three. Death by suffocation. “Time?”
was aware of hacking coughs about bared my wrist and pointed at my
I
I
me, a tightening in my own lungs and watch. “Time. How many —
a shivery, totally-unexpected lurch of In a flash, I was buried under writh-
the entire city area below. Talpites ing bodies. Lars snatched my watch,
began flinging themselves towards the simpering eagerly as he watched the
huge governmental buildings. jerking second hand. Another dullard
As ever, in a crisis, my brain re- grabbed the time-piece, then another
sponded. and another. The last tossed it into
“The AROMA’S rocket fuel,” I de- a neighboring cell.

cided. “I, and my noble cellmates, will In rising, my palms touched the
pack a giant bomb and ignite same be- foggy floor covering. Several loose
neath the AROMA, thus not only blast- granules clung to my flesh, dissolving
ing the ship from the vital air-vent but with no unusual chemical reaction.
liquidating the vulnerable Talpite Pi- “Unfair,” I protested. “Must I, to

rates as well.” an already over-loaded campaign, tie

At lastl A campaign replete with the millstone of strange materials?”

acceptable objectives; i. e., sell Uneek My cellmates, now, seemed jittery.

Fliers. It was possible that, consid- Eyes held a weird, blood-chilling glint.

ering the instability of this world —as “Temporarily unbalanced,” I said.

just demonstrated —the Talpites were “No doubt due to fatigue.”

planning an exodus to other worlds, The prison door swung. Several
where, by burrowing in the soil, they spectacled pirates entered and casually
would cause surface cities to crumble. whipped six prisoners, Lars included,
Thus, disorganized, the entire Inter- ' from the herd.
planetary Union would fall victim to “Desist!” I thundered.
these slave-hungry Mercurians. Slashing calmly, a Talpite nicked my
I, alone, could prevent thisl wrist. A devastating shock ravaged my
“Objectives,” I enthused, “worthy body.
of my talents.” “You, too,” the fiend squeaked.
I whirled upon the nearest prisoner
—a hard-fisted gentleman with the CTUNNED, I marched with the six

name “Lars” stamped upon his broad out along a metal-protected corridor
chest. up a ramp to emerge high in the air-
“You, peon!” I cried. “Attend. Sal- vent at a point opposite the bow batch
vation is at hand.” of the stranded AROMA. Entering, I
“Hand?” A hoarse croak came from found Messrs. Karp and Smith, plus
those cold-compressed lips. “Hand?” the cunning but shy Chief Talpar, un-
Empty-eyed, Lars extended his right bolting glassic travel-covers from two
band. atmospheric fliers.

Shout as I would, not a flicker of * One was Uneek’s renowned 30-jet,

interest could I arouse. ski-and-clock-equipped truck; the

 ”” ” ”” ”

174 AMAZING STORIES

other, Globe Glider’s similarly fash- “How much time we got?” Mr. Karp
ioned but inferior model. asked.
me, Mr. Karp choked,
Sighting “Time?”
Captain Smith guffawed and Chief Tal- “I mean in minutes and hours. If
par blinked apologetically. we’ve got to chase through that tunnel,
“Poor eyes,” he said. “My men clear to the Sectary and get back with
couldn’t see
— the solvent
—
** Degenerate!** Mr. Karp howled. ChiefTalpar shuddered. “Time!
“Juggernaut Jones rounded up with We have no such measure. Ages ago,
a gang of brainless degenerate laborers. we threw off such frightful shackles to
Ho, mamma!” our liberty. But if your Glider is able
“Come to think of it,” Captain Smith to skid through the tunnel as quickly
smirked, ogling me, “there is an amaz- as you —
ing resemblance. Fat, idiotic puss; “Glider!” I scoffed. “Much as I
blank eyes — dislike to malign a competitive
“This,” I scowled, “is insulting.” product —
“Perhaps,” Chief Talpar said, “I “Conk out, Juggy,” Mr. Karp said.
was hasty in jailing you but — “You’re getting your chance. WeTl
“Skip it, Chiefy,” Mr. Karp said. need two loads of solvent. I’m play-
“Juggy’s used to prisons. And like ing it fair like always. We’ll both
you say, your Degenerates are harm- ferry back a load. We’ll make it that
less.” the firstone back to this air shaft
“Sir?” I inquired. gets—”
“Planetary conditions,” Captain “The test!” I cried. “The proof of
Smith sneered, “decide which species product. With sales to the winner and
isto reach the intelligence level. Be-
cause of surface disturbances, Mercury
was best suited for burrowing mam- T STOPPED, aghast. So cunning had
mals of Talpidae. Humans here, ob- been Chief Talpar, even I had been
viously, have degenerated to a near- tempted to swallow his story of starv-
brainless state. Get it?” ing Talpites. Even I had envisioned a
“Naturally,” I nodded. market—once the AROMA had been
“That,” Mr. Karp said, “I’d like to —
melted for adaptable, ski-fitted trucks,
bet on!” sliding through the slick, crystal -coated
“What,” I asked, “transpires now?” tunnel, bearing food from the distant
“Without you to mess things up,” Mr. Sectary.
Karp explained, “we’ve hit on a way What action to take? Scores of
to save Talpiton. The Chief says his whip-armed Talpites were about us.
Sectary chemists have developed a And only sue human prisoners. Messrs.
quick-acting solvent which will melt the Karp et Smith, being duped, would
AROMA’s tel-iron stays. We’ll col- side with Chief Talpar. Indeed, so
lapse the ship —you ruined it anyway deluded was Mr. Karp, he had, as
—and clear the vent.” customary, craftily arranged this pseu-
“And you, Juggy,” Captain Smith do-fair test of product, thinking to
leered, “will foot the bill.” impress the one he believed was our
“But—” prospectus —
Chief Talpar —with the
“Gentlemen,” Talpar
Chief saidt magnificence of his nature.
“Our breaths are numbered.” However, once we were locked in our
 JUGGERNAUT JONES. PIRATE 175

bitter duel, Mr. Karp would —again ing place for insects.”
as —
customary employ every foul My campaign faced disaster. In-
means he could devise to best me. sects were food for Talpidae; humans
“I must,” I decided, “bide my time. scorned such tidbits. The rescued
Time?” pseudo-degenerates might scorn my
I frowned. With Talpiton without suggestion that they employ fleets of
a time measure, speed schedules would trucks to haul mere bugs.
mean nothing. Quite unexpectedly, a Even more grief had struck me.
feeling of acutepessimism seized me. I had, on pretext of needing help to

It I were sunk in a
was as though load the solvent, taken Lars as pas-
quagmire of timeless eternity in which senger, to impress this soon-to-be-freed
struggle was senseless. human on merit of product. But in the
“I will comply,” I thought. “Mr. process of being caught in outer drive
Karp and I will again compete. How- traffic as we slid easily along on the

ever, in winning, I will be impressing sturdy skis, and being forced to follow
not the cruel Pirate Talpites, but the Mr. Karp through the first ghastly
humans whom they have enslaved. turns of the crystal-coated tunnel, my
While the AROMA
is being dissolved, prospectus had fallen sound asleep.
my revitalized force will seize the X- Once in the curve area, I stopped to
anthracitic rocket powder, plant our inspect the slippery, translucent pas-
bomb and —victory!” sage covering. Of irregular shapes, all
I flung a knowing glance at Degener- loose particles dissolved on touch with-
ate Lars, now listlessly engaged in help- out undue chemical reaction.
ing lower the two competitive ski-trucks “Odd,” mused.
I

to the shaft bottom, preparatory to a Regaining my cab, I found Lars star-

dash out the vent, around the outer
drive, past the government buildings,
to and through the opposing wall open-
ing which fed the tunnel leading to the
Sectary where the solvent waited us.
Lars caught my eye. Again, I was
disturbed to see a hard glint within
those heavily-lidded eyes.
ing with hypnotic fascination at the
dashboard clock. Somehow, the act
aroused in me a strange premonition.
Driving forward into a long, low-
roofed straightofway, I discovered Mr.
Karp waiting. As I slid towards him,
he started moving. Simultaneously, I
felt myriads of his silent, invisible but

potent rays press upon my hull.

IV/TILES from Talpiton, beneath the “Practicing,” I frowned. “He seeks

^ so-called Twilight Zone in a to perfect the best means of fouling me
cavern which, though far warmer, was when we begin our return test run.”
a miniature of Talpiton City even to It was, of course, an old Karpian
the brass-iron, closely-set supporting stratagem —that of knocking me off-

posts, Mr. Karp and I prepared to em- —

course made possible by his out-
bark upon the test run back. moded type of machine.*
The solvent, in plastic containers,
was aboard. Sweltering Talpites *A Glider is able to maintain height and for-
ward movement only by directing its electro-
waited the take-off while behind them,
beam repulser rays upon a reasonably level solid,
in cages, I could see a most frightful creating, literally, an airship which “walks” on
collection of bugs and crawlers. invisible stilts or props. Naturally, without a
suitable solid to contact, a Glider, differing from
The Sectary.
a free-flying, or sliding, magnesium-powered,
“It,” I frowned, “is simply a breed- —
rockct-type Uneek, would be helpless. Eid.
 176 AMAZING STORIES

The tunnel’s roof was only inches “I must,” I decided, “pass before we
above our hulls. reach the curves.”
*‘There will,” I decided, “be no leap- I sounded my klaxon, threw on power
frog passings.” and prepared to zoom past Mr. Karp,
There was, however, just enough rope et al, to victory. Quite suddenly,
room to pass on the horizontal. I found myself et ship bounding bock
“But such,” I admitted, “will be and forth between the waxy waUs like
hazardous with Mr. Karp bombard- a berserk billiard ball. Crystals,
ing me with course-disrupting repuls- chipped free, showered about me.
ers. Better if I take the lead at the I straightened ship. Mr. Karp was
start. Right?” still twenty-five feet ahead.
Lars, staring grimly at the clock, Again, I threw on power. My strong
made no answer. but muffled rockets spat madly. We
lurched forward. Abruptly, we were
A RRIVING—and loading the solvent upside down, sliding rapidly to the
—Mr. Karp swaggered over. rear, the rope flapping behind.
“I,” he said, “am
you jump-
sick of “At least,” I sighed, “durability is

ing the gun on these tests. So I’m being proved.”

having the Talpites put blocks under I stopped. The solvent was intact.
both our skis. When they jerk them With Lars' help, I righted my ship and
away, we’ll go.” faced it around.
He retired. “Watch yourself,” Lars growled,
“A childish attempt to mislead me,” “else you'll break clock.”
I chuckled. His voice was bestial. His hands
The foot-high blocks were placed. were tensed, claw-fashion, as though
. As the Talpites stepped back, un- he contemplated a maniacal lunge at
coiling the ropeswhich would jerk away my throat.
the barriers, I flipped the “On-Power” “Excitement,” I decided. “Over-
switch. Powerful but dampened rock- eagerness at being rescued.”
ets sprang to life. Rapidly, I computed Again, I moved forward. Mr. Karp,
a take-off which would lift me over the suprisingly, had stopped, waiting. Ap-
blocks, down on the skis and into the proaching warily, I felt countless re-
tunnel ahead of Mr. Karp who, nat- pulsers stab against my skis.
urally, had plotted the same move. “That,” I .said, “was how it hap-
Due perhaps to my uneasiness re- pened.”
garding Lars, I clear^ the blocks by
fifty feet, striking the domed roof, pjOLDING course dextrously, I
bouncing from four slender but sturdy nosed on. Mr. Karp did likewise.
brass-iron support posts to enter the I increased my speed. Mr. Karp, too,
tunnel, with one of the block-ropes gained momentum. Plotting a surprise
caught in my skis, some twenty-five dash past him, I suddenly threw on
feet a-rear of Mr. Karp who, as I had top speed. To my dismay, the Glider
prophesied, had jumped the gun. took a similar leap and held the lead.
“The crisis,” I said, “approaches.” I switched on the reserve tank of
Mr. Karp led on the straightofway. ethylized, double-hypoed magnesium
Once within the curves, passing, even which all demonstrators carry. My gal-
for a pilot of my ability, would be lant craft responded with a leap of un-
difficult. matched fury. So, unfortunately, did
 JUGGERNAUT JONES. PIRATE 177

Mr. Karp, Beyond him, I saw the first “Sales!” Mr. Karp howled. “He
lethal curve. Beyond those snarls lay thinks of sales when millions are gasp-
Talpiton. And across that tanked, ing their last! Okay, you win.”
dome-protected metropolis was the air- “I will return for the solvent,” I said,
vent finish line. as I slid my ship past the deflated

The crisis 1 Glider,“when I have won this race.

To allow my agile brain free action, Maybe,” I appended, glancing at glit-
I slowed pace. Mr, Karp, oddly tered-eyed Lars beside me.
enough, did likewise. There was an odd jerk as my Uneek
“Conserving power,” I said, “for our slipped into the first curve. But not
half<ircle run through trafiic around until I had negotiated several treacher-
the outer drive.” ous turns, did I dare glance back. When
My brain was tardy with the solution. I did, my blood ran cold.

I further de-accelerated. Mr. Karp, Mr. Karp had snared the dragging
likewise. Still in high, my motors blockrope and was progressing blithely
coughed and suddenly died, stopping along under my tow.
us dead. “Knavery,” I said, “begets knavery.”
“Boneheadl” Lars hissed, doubling I flipped a lever marked “Off

his mighty fists. Dampers-And-Mufflers.” Instantly the

As I stepped from my ship to ponder familiar thunder of igniting magnesium
this new developement, a barrage of poured backward down the passage. As
unseen repulsers swept my legs from did the brilliant blistering-white flames
beneath me. And as I crashed upon from some fifteen unequaled jets,
my muscular stomach in a veritable “Knavery,” I said as the charred tow
storm of crystal-pebbles now shower- rope fell in ashes upon pools of
ing from the walls, my hapless Uneek liquefying but unoxidizing crystals now
zoomed backward. Mr. Karp’s Glider cascading down the metal walls, “has
was shuddering but making no prog- been repaid. Also, my greatest fear
ress. Realization struck home. dispelled.Those unknown crystals do
“The waxy crystals,” I cried, “being not burn ... So it is forward,” I cried,
fused upon these straight walls, offer “through Talpiton to victory and
Mr. Karp’s repulsers no footing. Only sales!”
by focusing those propelling rays upon Something swished past me. I looked.
my has the wretch been able
craft, It was Mr. Karp’s Glider, again in the
to progress. Verily, I have been push’ lead. I looked back. My flame-spit-
mg himl” Then, as Mr. Karp jumped ting jetshad swept the crystalline layers
from his stalled ship and as Lars drove clear of the walls, baring the rough
a toothed braking strip down on the metal beneath.
floor,stepping the Uneek, my brain “Dummy!” Lars snarled. “You gave
whirred into high gear. “I,” I smiled, him a footing for his rays.”
“hold the whip hand!”
“We’ll suffocate ” 1 Mr. Karp wailed, A FEELING of morbid futility, even
rushing back through the rapidly foul- greater than that I had experi-
ing air. enced in the AROMA, swept me. I
“I ask,” I said, “only that I be given had proven adaptability yet trickery
safe passage around your pitiful Glider. had whipped me. Mr. Karp would
To sell my prospectus, I must finish cross the finish line. Thesolvent would
remove the AROMA. Mercury’s dev-
 — —
17S AMAZING STORIES

ilish pirates would have breath. Ava- won from years spent dodging Mr.
lanches of orders, garnered by Mr. Karp’s repulser ray attacks, I swooped
Karp, would pour upon a company not and darted around and between those
adverse to dealings with criminals. lethal posts en route to

Lacking revenue, Uneek Fliers would “The air- vent I” I thundered. “And
wane. Personnel would be cut. Though victory.”
indispensable, I would be dismissed due A wall —and an opening loomed
to Harmon T.’s fanatical jealousy of ahead.
my past successes. “Excelsior!” I shouted. “The vent!”
“Catastrophic!” I said. “That,” Lars said, “is the Sectary

A huge fist waved menacingly before tunnel we just came out of.”

my eyes. I had, inadvertently, misplaced di-

“Get moving, Fatso!” Lars snarled. rections while dodging posts. I “about-
Determination flooded me. I would faced” and plunged once more into the
—
go down but fighting. maze.
“V. Parker Jones,” I thundered, “This time,” I said, “Victory sure!”
“never quits. Onward!” “Victory?” Lars snarled, pointing
I flipped the “On-Damper-And- down.
Muffler,” lever, snuffing out heat and I looked. Thousands of begoggled
flame,and went hurling in Mr. Karp’s Talpite soldiers were charging up the
wake. Around two turns and Talpi- — outer drive, armed with black shocker
ton City! whips. The disorganized humans wa-
It was a madhouse. Bands of savage- ver^, then fled in utter rout back
eyed Degenerates were darting from through the tank wall.
openings in the city’s tank-wall and “We lost!” Lars screamed. With
flinging themselves upon the furry lips drawn, he flung his hands towards

Talpites. my neck. never give them air.

A revolt of the Degenerates! Never!”

“War!” Lars shrieked. “We’ll mas- “Who,” I frowned, “is the villain
sacre ’em!” here, anyhow?”

Hope flared witliin me. If these

^LANCING down, I saw the Talpite
harassed humans
“Mr. Karp!” I cried.
won
^ militia rapidly clearing the outer
His ghastly ship, still on skis, was drive; saw Mr. Karp’s sliding ship pick

scarcely one-quartw the way around up speed as it started a wide, sweeping

the outer drive, proceeding slowly past curve towards the air-vent. Mr. Karp
the government buildings. The tangle en route to victory!
of fighting men was creating a jam not I, who had proven greater adaptabil-

even he could surmount. I looked out ity; I, the man who should be recipient

through the forest of slender, brass- of an order avalanche from someone,

iron roof supports and saw the air-vent was aloft, lost between brass-iron posts

entrance directly across the tank from and facing death by choking.
me. “A Jones,” I said, “dies fighting.”
“Straight lines,” I said, “make for I tensed. My back pressed upon the
shorter distances.” control board — the “CW-Muffler” lever
In a flash, I was aloft, skis folded, to be exact. The din of smashing
driving my flier out over the puffball worlds burst forth as every rocket jet
huts into the jungle of posts. With skill went into action; the flame of a crum-
 JUGGERNAUT JONES. PIRATE 179

pling sun engulfed every metal post my ears, “to bring aid for the op-
in range while huge gobs of faultily- pressed.”
oxidized douWe-hypoed magnesium There were gales, I discovered, upon
hissed down into massed Talpites. Mercury which not even a Uneek could
They dropped their whips and ran, surmount. Not until we had crashed
beating insanely at their eyes and ears. and been jailed by pirate-shy colonists
The Degenerates stopped, turned and in the Twilight Zone —
^and the space-

made ready an annihilating counter- gram from Harmon T. Dee, Sales

attack. Manager of Uneek Fliers, Inc. had
But even more discouraging, I saw been tossed into my cell —were my
the metal posts around my suspended fears dispelled.
ship begin a slow, maddening curve “These messages,” I chuckled,
as the component metals answered an “while superfluous, invariably describe
irrefutable law of terrestrial physics. a victory even more staggering than I
As in ancient thermostats, the brass dared to envision. Likewise with re-

halves of these all-important posts, ex- wards and decorations.”

panding under heat more than the iron
halves, were compensating for this T READ:
extra expansion by bending outside the “Be advised, as oj now, by Di-
curve. To my utter horror, I saw huge rectorial Order, you are no longer as-
gaps appear in the dome above as the sociated in any way, shape or manner
time-weakened metal plates there were with the Atmospheric Sales Division oj
slowly but relentlessly being dragged Uneek Fliers, Inc.
down and to the side by the curving “Eureka! Hurray! (Deleted)!
posts. “Your Tdlpite campaign most de-
And through those gaps came large structive in your (deleted) career!
translucent blocks, counterparts of the You not only wrecked AROMA, wiped
waxy crystals which, as they roared out Talpiton City and hurled all Tal-
through my blazing rockets and melted, pites into eternal slavery at hands of
I recognized as chunks of ice. Lars* people, but, by collapsing huge-
“In the press of events,” I mused, “I pocket in Glacier Area, you caused
forgot that Mercury, while closest to such chaotic storms to roar over Mer-
the sun, so maneuvers as to hold one cury that the Tivilight Zone is now ab-
side constantly towards that luminary. solutely uninhabitable.
Quite naturally the other side, cursed “Love but no kisses.

by perpetual night, would be glacier Harmon T. Dee.

covered, thus forcing Mr. Karp’s lost “P. S.: As regards your stratagem
prospectus, like the nocturnal moles in smuggling watch to captured colo-
they are, to shelter beneath the ice. nists —thus morbid feel-
dispelling the
“Thus,” I concluded as larger ice ing of pessimism and futility which in-
chunks plummeted down to crumple the variably strikes a human who is forced
governmental buildings, “ends another to endure an environment lacking a
campaign. This time, disastrously.” —
time-measure REgenerate Lars and
Above, through a sizeable seam in the fellow captives, recovering from their
glacier, I could see the stars of Mer- understandable rage ag(^st their

cury’s endless night. captors, are appointing you honorary

“I go,” I said, rocketing upward with Vice-Chief of new subterranean colony
Lars’ maniacal laughter dinning into (Concluded on page 185)
Johnny Rain-Maker
BY LEROY YERXA
As is usually the case, Johnny
talked too much— and then had to back
up his words; he had to make it rain

T he weekly meeting of the In-

dian Chiefs of East Falls was in
full swing. Johnny Wilson, fully

accredited as Big Chief at the age

and
them.”

had a
stuff. It was old business with

Skeets, in spite of his loud protest,

lot of respect for Johnny’s knowl-
of ten had the floor. The Indian Chiefs edge.
had a darn swell cave, dug in a hill “Prove it; prove it,” he started to
behind Johnny’s back yard. It was cov- chantin a high, sing-song voice. “Old
ered by packing-box sides and had been Johnny Rain-Maker’s gotta prove it.”
examined by Johnny’s father and pro- The small circle of chiefs leaned for-
nounced safe. ward eagerly. Johnny’s face grew very
Discussions had been going on heat- red. His flat nose quivered angrily.
edly for some time and the ten chiefs “All right, darn it.” His words lacked
had lost some of their dignity in the conviction. “I’ll go get some stuff and
process.- First, there was the matter I’ll make it rain.”
of who would be the Big Chief. Johnny An immediate silence pervaded the
Wilson, chosen partly because of poli- cave. Johnny couldn’t make it rain.
tics,had taken his place by the entrance Still, his Pop knew more about Indians
to the cave and proceeded to “lead.” than anybody.
A technical point had come up. “I don't believe it,” Skeets said, but
Skeets Janson, Johnny’s senior by three in a more respectful voice. “It’s a lot
months, couldn’t agree. of —of baloney.”
“Yaaaa! Just because your old man Johnny wrapped the ragged blanket
digs up rocks and stuff, you gotta be around him with proper dignity and
the Big Chief and we gotta believe any- retreated from the cave. Once outside,
thing you say.” he ran down the steep incline and
Johnny owned a box of broken ar- through the wood-shed into the house.
row-heads and bits of Indian bead neck- Mom wasn’t in the kitchen and Johnny
laces. That had swung the election. hurried upstairs. Pop’s room was
The was donated by Johnny’s
collection empty. He found the little stone frog
father. in Pop’s cabinet.
“Nuts,” Johnny sneered. “Pop says Pop said if you held the frog in your
the Indians could make rain an’ every- hand and said some magic words, it
thing. They had a lot of magic words would start to rain anytime.
 182 AMAZING STORIES

Pop oughta have known. He said it dashed wildly into the back yard and
came from an Indian tribe in South started to pull her washing from the
America and they always got rain that line.
way. Johnny hurried out of the house The Indian Chiefs retreated hur-
and back to the cave. riedly to the safety of the wood-shed.
Ten frightened little boys stood in-
^^INE very pale little boys sat in a side the shed wondering what to do
quiet circle, waiting for him to re- about Johrmy’s rain-storm. The rain
turn. Johnny held up the stone frog was coming harder every minute. Skeets
so they could take a good look. It was stared at Johnny, whose face was white
just a little thing, all gray and homely as paper. He still held the stone frog
and it didn’t look very powerful. in his shaking hand.
He placed it in the pdm of his hand. “Fott did it!” Skeets whispered.
His forehead was wet and the palms of "Fo« made it rain!”
his hands were sticky. He looked at “Johnny Rain-Maker I” someone
Skeets, and everyone was very quiet. taunted. “Now we can’t play baseball
Skeets looked scared. tomorrow.”
—
“Go go ahead and use it,” Skeets Johnny gulped and said nothing. He
said. “I’ll betcha a jack-knife it don’t was plenty scared. Instead of being
work.” proud, he was afraid. They’d have to
Johnny was trying to remember the stay inside imtil the storm was over.
magic words Pop had hold him. If the The championship game with the Tiger
Indians could make it rain, Johnny Cubs was off.
guessed ke could. His voice was quav- He looked around hopefully at his
ery and a little uncertain. brother chiefs and saw only frowns.
“Send soon, O frog, the jewel of wa- He retreated slowly to the house and
ter to ripen the grain and — and . .
.” put the stone frog back in Pop’s room.
He forgot the right word. It was a By the time he reached his own bed-
strange one that he didn’t know very room window, it was darker than ever.
well. Something like mill. He started One by one the Indian Chiefs ran down
again. the drive toward home. Skeets stopped
“Send soon, O frog, the jewel of wa- at the curb and, looking up at Johnny,
ter to ripen the grain and millet in the thumbed his nose and stuck his tongue
fields.” out.
The cave was deathly silent. Skeets
stared out the door across the yard.
JT RAINED all week. Tuesday, the
The sun was shining brightly against Indian Chiefs were planning a hike.
the white boards of the house. They were forced to stay inside and
Skeets had a sick little grin his face. Johnny dropped another degree in their
“Come on, froggiel” He lifted his estimation. By Wednesday night,
hands in the air. “Make it rain I” Johnny was miserable. He heard from
“Whooosh!” Skinny Davis, by way of the back fence,
The storm hit the top of the cave that plans were made to drop him from
with a roar. All of a sudden the sun the club. Pop was reading a big book
was gone. Water came down in slant- about the Indians of Pueblo, or some-
ing white sheets. It washed the dirt thing. Johnny decided that, once and
from the boards and came through the for all, he would find proof for or
roof of the cave. Johnny’s mother against his power to make rain.
 JOHNNY RAIN-MAKER 183

He approached the subject carefully, Farmers were losing their crops be-
making every attempt to hide his per- cause /Of the hot dry weather. The
sonal interest in magic. His father and chiefs dared not tell their terrible se-
he were alone in the living room and cret to the public. There was a certain
Johnny spoke from the warmth of the fear of retahation from Johnny, if they
bear rug by the fireplace. did. Perhaps he had more magic se-
“Pop?” crets, like turning his enemies to stone.
Pop looked over the top of his book, Johnny Rain-Maker stayed close to
not happy at being disturbed. home, sometimes sitting for hours be-
“What is it, Johnny?' fore his Pop’s cabinet where he could
“P<^.” Johnny squirmed uncom- stare through the glass at the little

fortably. “Could Indians really bring stone frog. He wanted to try it again,
rain when they wanted it?” just to make sure it worked. He
If his father was surprised at the didn’t quite dare.
growing intelligence of his offspring, he
hid the fact behind a smile. pINALLY the rain situation in East
“Why, maybe — if they wanted it bad Falls grew desperate. The river
enough.” was dry. The town wells were so
Johnny was silent for a long time. low that water was put on honorary
“Pop,” he said finally. “If I took ration. Trucks brought drinking water
that stone frog from your cabinet and from High Springs and it was sold in
made magic with it, would it rain?” five gallon bottles. If rain didn’t come
His father looked down sternly. soon, the farmers would leave their
“You do, and I’ll beat the pants off crops to burn in the fields.

you.” The Indian Chiefs held a meeting

This answer, although it didn’t cover in Sheet’s barn. Johnny hadn’t been
the question fully, put a stop to any welcome among them for two months.
further research work on Johnny’s He had been properly ousted from the
part. He went upstairs and sat by the club and his effigy burned to destroy
bedroom window for a long time. The his power.
rain stopped late that night, and the Sheets presided over the meeting
next day Johnny felt a lot better. and it was decided that something must
be done about Johnny Rain-Maker at
TJOWEVER, the Indian Chiefs once. Sheets, a little frightened over
weren’t ready to forgive and the importance of the step, suggested
forget. They couldn’t overlook the in- that Johnny be summoned. He placed
justice Johnny had done them in keep- the allimportant phone call himself.
ing them inside for the better part of Mrs. Wilson, Johnny’s mother, an-
a week. Besides that, they were a swered the first ring.
little frightened of him. Anyone who “Hello —
Who? Oh, Sheets. Where
can make it rain for three days by re- have you been? Yes, Johnny’s all right.
citing magic words, is a good guy to Yes, you may speak to him if you wish.
stayaway from. WTiy haven’t you been around all sum-
The weeks rolled along smoothly mer?”
enough, although East Falls seemed to Finally Johnny was summoned.
have had its full quota of rain for the Skeets heard his voice on the wire, a lit-

summer. Johnny became more and tle timid and frightened.

more unpopular as the months wenbby. “Hiya, Big Chief Johnny?”
184 AMAZING STORIES

“All right, I guess. How you been, ward the elm tree. It was only a little

Sheets?” way, but once away from the house,

“Fine,” Sheets answered. “Say, Johnny couldn’t stop running. He had
Johnny, we got something ’portant to almost reached the group of boys un-
do. We want to mahe you Big Chief der the elm when a drop of rain hit his
again. Can you come to a meeting to- nose. Another bounced on his bare
night at seven, under the elm tree on arm. He reached the tree and little
the Jones farm?” spatters of dust were springing from
Johnny was wildly happy about the the dry earth where the rain drops
invitation. landed.
“You bet,” he said eagerly. “I’ll be He didn’t realize how important
there right smach at seven.” those rain drops were until he saw the
Sheet’s voice grew more secretive. tense, excited looks on the faces around
“Johnny, bring the stone frog with him. The chiefs were staring at him
you.” in surprise.
Johnny Rain-Maher felt cold shiv- “It’s raining already,” Sheets said
up and down his bach.
ers playing breathlessly. “I didn’t even need a
He turned around to mahe sure Mom charm. It up and rained without John-
wasn’t listening. ny and his frog.”
“I can’t tahe that again,” he whis- The water was beating against the
pered. earth in ever-increasing volume. It
Sheets was angry. spilled down as though the clouds had
“You done it once,” he said. “You been saving a whole summer’s supply.
gotta mahe it rain right away or we’ll Water soaked through the foliage of
tell on you. Then you will be in the the elm and dripped on the boys. New
soup.” and ever increasing respect was grow-
Right then it was more important ing in them for Johnny Rain-Maker.
than anything else that Johnny get his The Indian Chiefs knew they hadn’t
old friends bach. wanted Johnny to produce rain. They
“I’ll — I’ll be there,” he said miser- had been frightened of him when they
ably. thought he could produce magic. Now
“And you’ll bring the frog?” he wasn’t magic at all. He was just
“I’ll try,” Johnny whispered, and like the rest of them.
hung up. Skeets, with water running off his
nose, shook Johnny’s hand solemnly.
JT WAS almost seven o’cloch. Pop “We blamed it on you,” he said.
was late getting home. Mom was “And all the time the charm didn’t
sprinhling the garden with an old pail have a thing do with the rain. I
to
that had holes in the bottom. Johnny guess we can prove it now. The rain
tooh the little stone frog from the case sure started all by itself this time.”
and held it in his hand. Just so he’d “Let’s make Johnny the Big Chief
remember, he said the magic words over again,” someone offered.
once, imder his breath. Skeets lifted a stiff arm toward the
“Send soon, O frog, the jewel of rain-drenched sky.
water to ripen the grain and millet in “We hereby take away the name of
the field.” Johnny Rain-Maker and make you Big
He ran downstairs, climbed the back Chief again.”
fence and hurried along the road to- “Thanks,” Johnny said. He had a
 — .

JOHNNY RAIN-MAKER 185

crazy, choking feelkig in his throat.

“I’ll try to make a good chief.’^
He looked down at the little stone Don’t Miss .i,'t Fun!
frog, partlyhidden in his hand. He
remembered saying the charm all the Teach Yourself to
way through, just before he left home. DANCE with
Johnny hoped it had all been a mistake.

Hoped the frog didn’t have a thing to

do with it. Still, he had said the magic
words twice and it had rained twice.
And harder than he had ever seen it
rain before.
Maybe he’d better keep the frog hid-
PATTERNS
Learn any dance step
den in his bedroom, in case East Falls Foxtrot. Waltz, Rhumba
ever needed a big storm again some- and Jitterbug — IN
time. It might work. Johnny couldn’t ,
ONLY 5 MINUTES!
be sure. Not qidte sure.
NO INSTRUCTION
JUGGERNAUT JONES. PIRATT BOOKS TO READ
(Concluded from page 179)

being established in Talpites* ex-Sec- MEN! Be a good, firm leader.

Teach your partners
tary region. newest steps! OIRLSI
the steps and become a
** Interplanetary Union conferring on
partner. Good dancers a
you Special Merit Medal of Crossed invited everywhere.

Skis for blocking air-vent and then Teach yeurself olene, in

I room and
destroying spaceships (governmental ivrpnse your
buildings) which Mercurian Mole-Men friends.
FRIO ZE QUORNE/ dancing teacher to The Hartmans
were readying for invasion dash out of and many other famous stars has developed this amaring
I

system of scl/*teaching that sweeping the country.

vent, across space to more stable en-
is
I

DANCE PATTERNS are actual footprints, printed on

virons. As you suspected, action of I

heavy, durable paper. They indicate starting position and

I

Mole-Men, in burrowing in less rigid all is follow directions for moving each foot in
you do
the coacludon of the steps. Do the steps a couple
>

planetary crusts, would have spelled on your

of times DANCE
PATTERN, then several times
disaster to surface life (us).
without the DANCE
PATTERN, and you are needy to
step out on any dance floor dance as easily as you
. . .

**Uneek Fliers now on 24-hour shift, can walk aciYMS the room. Learn one new step each ev^
rang, practice with or without radio or record player, and
turning out ski-equipped models for II IN ONE WEEK
UNS you
vou can be an sccomnlithed
accomplished, danrer.
dancer, I

use by Regenerate Humans in building

and lighting their new Sub-Twilight Includes FIEC heeklel
’shewing the Hartmans
Zone city. demonslraling DANCE
PATTEXNS.
“Profits resulting from sales are
I
DANCE PATTERNS INC. Dept. ZD MS
being diverted by Uneek Fliers to 1 A division of L« Ouoroe School of Danelagh
1
5 West 46tb Strwt, New York. N. Y.
a long-planned step into the Spaceship ,
Gentlemen:—
InckMcd find ($ Cash Check
Field. Directors naming you aj Mana- 2
* Money order
)
for tbe following dance patterns.
I

I Foxtrot. Rhumba Jitterburg Waltz. . .

ger of Special Sales, Solar Division, ( It is understood that the above patterns will be tent poet
paid and that I may return them within five days if 1 am
I

with salary increase. I

I
I
not entirely satisfiwi and my money will be returned.
I
“Directors are confident that, in
,
I
Name
space, your (deleted) sales campaigns I
I Address

will be less destructive in scope. I

fcity

“They hope!!! Harmon T.” I

 he tuaraks were a na-
T tion TO BE FEARED 7,000
YEARS AGO. GREAT LAND
FIGHTERS, THEY WERE KNOWN
TO THE YOUNGER, SEA-GOING
RACE OF EGYPT AS "LYBIANS"

he tuarak wore his

T HAIR IN A WAVE-LIKE
CREST VERY SIMILAR TO THAT
AFFECTED BY THE INDIANS
WHO INHABITED AMERICA

uarak legend claims

T THE GREEK STRONG
MAN, HERAKLES, ONCE
RULED THEM, BEING THE
FIRST TUARAK EMPEROR
 —

THE MYSTERIOUS TUARAKS

By L. TAYLOR HANSEN
Seventy centuries ogo a mysterious roce of warlike people lived
in what Is now modern Libyo. The Egyptians knew and feared them

T he flatninti;

ing to a close,
day of the Sahara was draw-
when suddenly,

they had appeared upon the nearest dune from

against the
sunset sky, silently, one after another, as

nowhere, three veiled figures, blending with the

if
that is a question which is not answered.

haps it never will be.

Per-

Tuarakian is an ancient agglutinating language

very sway of their camels, stalked across the hori-
zon. To our questioning stare, the guide mur-
mured but a single word of explanation.
sufficient.
“Tuaraksl”*
Some seven thousand years ago, before the day
of the camel, when to the west a great sea-power
was rising to garner the trade of the Mediter-
ranean, the Tuaraks were a nation whose armies
were to be feared. The rising sea-power was that
of Egypt, and she called the Tuaraks the “Lybi-
ans.”
Today the Tuaraks arc a dying people. Pressed
by the Arab whom they hate and despise as an
invader of merely some two thousand years ago,
and by the encroachments of a civilization which
they themselves retired from when their own
homeland sank below the waves of the Atlantic,
the Tuaraks ask only to be left alone.
Yet there is not an explorer who does not crave
to penetrate into their territory and wrest from
them the secrets of their past before they take
those secrets with them into the land of shadows.
For it is possible that they may have records
which would add fifty thousand years to the his-
tory of mankind. It is, indeed very possible.
The Tuarak is a tall, long-headed race, if one
may judge from the slits of eyes which are all
that the men show to an inquiring anthropologist.
Apparently the women, who are not veiled, and
who are quite petite compared to the height of
their men, are of the white race, or rather, let us
say of the dark-whites. Once more, judging from
the women, the cheek-bones are sometimes high
and wide while a few individuals have grey or
green eyes. Others again, have a red skin whose
tone reminds one of a Comanche or Sioux Indian.
One wonders if the male Tuarak has a beard, but
* Sometimes spelled Tuwareks or Tuaregs. There
are no set spelling rules for these umurilten lan-
guages.
whose roots have no similarity whatsoever to the
surrounds
Semitic Arabic tongues which the tribe.
Philologists have attempted to classify this lan-
guage with the curious islands of a pre-Aryan
It was tongue which survive today only as remnants
Basque, certain groups in the Caucasus, and An-
cient Sumer, as well as the great Eastern stocks
of the Amerind. However, the study of languages
has not progressed as yet far enough to be certain
of this relationship. It is a young science, but it
has growing suspicions concerning this scattered
group. The Tuaraks themselves offer no help
outside of the fact that when asked from whence
they came, they point to the green waves of the
Atlantic.
Other factors mark the Tuaraks as a very an-
cient Atlantic people. They are completely matri-
archal, and it is even to be suspected that the
women join them upon the field of battle. Swathed
in white robes from head to foot with only the
eyes showing, not only would it be impossible to
say whether one’s assailant was a man or a
woman, but also to identify them. Thus these
veiled raiders exact a tribute for the crossing of
their terrilorj’ from everyone —
including the Arab
who is terrified by their approach. Therefore the
mountains of the Hoggar are not a place to be
. . .
sought out, but a place to be avoided.
Although they a sort of lip-service to
give
Mohammeda'nism, probably carried in by the
Arabs, nevertheless these mysterious people have
other and older rituals in which the ‘•Ouran” or
native giant lizardis decidedly prominent. Fur-
thermore, they refuse to partake of the flesh of
this creature, which is considered a great delicacy
by the Arabs, because they say that it is their
“Maternal grandmother.” This statement not
only fixes it as their totem, and gives that dragon
the female sex, but it makes use of a word (n. rue-
ly “grandmother”), which is one of especial on-
dearment and respect in the Amerind languages of
every slock upon both of the Americas.
ACCORDING to old Eg>-ptian lemple-paint-
ings, the Lybians were pictured at the dawn
187
188 AMAZING STORIES

of hislor>' as dressed in a short kiit-Hke skirt much nations which followed the moon-calendar. In
like the Egyptians themselves. Yet as the Egyp- this respect, it is interesting to note that Hero-

tians bobbed Lybians wore theirs

their hair, the dotus made the very significant remark that Her-
in a crest-like wave on the top of the head and akles belonged to the twelve gods which had suc-
a curl or braid over one shoulder. This same type ceeded the more ancient eight gods. The eight
of hair-dress was also worn by the Ancient Cret- gods, of course, stood for the earlier sun-calendar,
ans, and with some variation is the aest-plus- while twelve is a lunar number.
scalp-lock worn by many Amerind tribes.* For These facts begin to place for us this antique
weapons they carried the lance and the arm dag- nation. It b evident that Herakles belonged to
ger. They carry the same weapons today, the troubled times. He had to fight many nations,
evident antiquity of which has made many a col- and it b certain thathb reign was one of war in
lector’s throat go suddenly dry, at the very sight a world where confusion had reigned snpreme.
of them. Furthermore, hb own people bear the marks of
For body decorations, those who have seen andent conquest, or ancient mingling following
them shed the all-enveloping outer garment say conquest, for they bear two totems, that of the
that they wear the polished arm bands of stone Dragon or Giant Lizard, while the early hair-
which were worn a hundred thousand years ago. dress b clearly that of the Great Bird. This con-
And today the Tuaraks carry the great triangular fusion b fundamental with them for though they
shield which was borne by the Pelagians, Cretans bear the red cross and have a matriarchal system,
and others who fought with lances against the yet they consider the lunar number of twelw to
small round shield and the heavy sword of the be sacred and hold their present-day “ahals" or
Aryans. Some observers noting the red cross upon singing festivities, under the glow of the full moon.
these ancient shields have concluded that these From these facts, b it not possible to deduce
people may have been the descendants of some that theday of Herakles, and the day of Lybia’s
lost crusaders. Of course, it is possible that these andent glory was traceable to that period of pre-
shields were so captured, and the green-eyed in- hbtory which followed the natural catastrophes
dividuals argue, also, that all the strangers carry- of readjustment in water-level ui>on the retreat

ing the shields were not promptly killed. How- of the ice? Certainly such a period of geograph-
ever, the matriarchal system, and the Lizard or ical catastrophes would also be a period of war

Dragon Totem, argue that the shields, (the cross and international confusion. A sudden migration
and triangular shape) were inherited from an an- of vast hordes from a flooded homeland into
cestry’ far more remote than the Middle Ages. another land already occupied by a people speak-
Doubtless the Crusaders, in turn, inherited them ing a different tongue would naturally result in
from some very ancient source, for the Crusaders war. A few centuries of such fluctuations would
invented neither the triangular shield nor the bring great confusion. Furthermore, such sudden
lance. As to the symbol of the cross, we must fluctuations of the water-level would abo re»ilt
remember that Rome used it to crucify her out- in throwing the delicate land-and-water-balance
laws and political enemies because she wished to off and inevitably cause some earth-slips and vol-
degrade in the mind of her subject peoples the canic upheavals. This would in turn, be followed
sacred symbol of the four directions. Nor should by more confusion.
we ever forget that red was the color sacred to Is not this, then the time of Herakles? It was
the sun. the time of the sinking shelf, and of the disap-
The roost interesting facts about the Tuaraks, pearance of the English Channel forest beneath
however, do not pertain to either their splendid (he rising tides of the Atlantic. If there had been
physiques or their curious possessions. One bears a world-empire of the megalithic-builders, the grip
with amazement that these modern outlaws con- of that empire upon its colonies had been forever
sider that Herakles, the mythical strong-man of
broken. Numerous minor totems bad arisen. The
Greek legend, was their most outstanding ancient Hyrda, perhaps the early form of the Octopus or
emperor. In the light of tliis fact, the entertain- the Spider Totem with ib lunar calendar bad ap-
ing supposed labors, loves and conquests of this peared. As Herodotus said, Herakles belonged to
early hero should certainly be re-surveyed in the the time df the twelve gods who bad supplanted
light of Totemism. It is immediately apparent
the eight gods of early antiquity.
that the supposed “monsters" which he van-
quished were all man-eating creatures such as — T 7PON this background, some of the fantastic
the terrible birds with the brazen wings and beaks, stories which the Arabs tell of the Tuaraks,
and the all-devouring bull which Poseidon, the take an unusual significance. One must call the
sea-god, sent to Minos, the king of Crete. If these stories fantastic, because exploring expeditions are
were rival nations overcome by the Ancient Lybi- not able to penetrate the massif of the Hoggar.
ans, then the various loves of Herakles are to be In that territory, the Tuarak warrior still remains
interpreted as his Furthermore, the
alliances. the supreme master of all he surveys. To those
recurring number of twelve, the twelve labors, who trespass without hb permission, comes a
for e.tample, means that be belongs to one of the swift and terrible retribution.Often as the land
has changed nominal mastery, French, Arab, mod-
* Iroquois, for example, and Eastern Alsonkin. —
em Italian and even the old Romans, found it
 .

THE MYSTERIOUS TUARAKS 189

wiser to shun the Hoggar strongholds of the Tua-

raks.
Yet around the campfire at night, when the
stars blaze out like tiny multi-colored suns, the
Arab guides whisper fantastic tales. They begin
by announcing that once the Sahara was a vast
lake—an inland sea, over which the ships of Egypt,
Crete and other powers now long forgotten, sailed
from the Hoggar and other massifs to a now
sunken strip of land circling the present Atlantic
coast around Africa’s bulge. This sunken strip
was wide and fertile, and in those days the pres-
ent Madciras, Canaries and Cape Verde Islands
were but the scenic snow-capped peaks of the
now-drowned portion of the Atlas, the chain
which once cupped the Saharan Sea.
To the student of the distant post, who remem-
bers that Diodorus, the Sicilian, once called this
—
supposed body of water Triton Lake and had —
insisted that an earth-convulsion which had sub-
merged the western Atlas, had also drained the
Sahara and turned it into a desert; to that stur
dent, this repetition coming from the lips of il- ability of the Tuaraks to appear and disappear
literate Arabs is almost breath-taking. However, from sight after some sanguinary raid.) These
this story, though forming the basis for other were once the vast underground fresh-water stor-
tales, is by no means the least fantastic. age systems which sustained Tuarak dties. Pos-
The guides will tell you that in the heights of sibly they were the means of continuing these

the Atlas above a mighty gorge, are the marble cities after the dedccation of the land. At any
towers of Ancient Khamissa. Of course, it has rate, the Arabs will tell you that not all of the

been deserted for miUeniums, but at certain times, underground passageways are water-filled. In
when the weather is just right and atmospheric those which are not, the unimagined splendor of
conditions correct, then the dark shadows of the Ancient Lybia still lies in state for the last of her
gorge again become the blue waters of an inland disinherited children, who wander, ghost-like in

sea filled with the ghost ships of long-forgotten their white robes, through these interminable

nations, in a tumbling kaleidoscope of galleys and labyrinths. There is gold much gold, and
. . .

colored sails, among which the andent towers are books . . books written in a strange script which
.

reflected in all of their exquisite beauty. only the Tuaraks can read. . . .

Nor is this the only ruined dty which white Across the flaming sunset sky of the Sahara,
men may not look upon. Between the ranges of the veiled figures who blended with every move-
the Air is the once proud Tafas-
and the Hoggar, ment of their camels, stalked silently along the

saset. Andsoutheast of the Hoggar, is Essouk, horizon. The long fiqgers of the level sunset light

the dty which was, milleniums ago, the teeming, stretched out their moving shadows into grotesque

impend capital of Herakles. spindle-legged giants from another planet. The

Intriguing as may be the stories of these ruins, guide bad murmured only a single word of ex-

there are still more intriguing stories of the vast planation :

underground labyrinths which network the Hog- “Tuaraks 1”

gar. (Doubtless they account for the uncanny It had been sufficient.

new SOENTinc 2-WAY TREAT/WENT WITH OOIMSAMA POWDER

-ON FEET AND IN SHOES - IS PRODUCING AAMZINS RE-
SULTS. IN TESTS ON THOUSANDS OF PERSONS, PRAaiCALLY
ALL CASES OF ATHLETES FOOT CLEARED UP IN A5HORT TIME
 OMING They stood mid-

C with blinding sudden- import. rigidly in the

ness the high ringing cry from dle of the small adobe-walled room,
the darkness brought both men waiting for something —they didn’t
to their feet to stand staring at each know what.
other. Hale still clutched his work in Around them, out in the night, were
one hand and his knife in the other, the crumbling ruins of other dwellings
and Dana had let his fall with a clatter. like the one they were in, ghost-houses
The hanging lamp w a sh e d their of a race long dead. Hde suddenly
shocked faces with yellow light, cast- shuddered at the thought of the hun-
ing dark shadows beneath their eyes. dreds of souls who had passed from this
A moment of strained silence passed pueblo over eight hundred years ago,
before either spoke. Then Hale blurted mysteriously, for an unknown rea-
hoarsely: “That was Carlson’s voice 1 son. . . .

I’d know it anywhere. . You didn’t say With an effort he wrenched himself
anything about this, Dana!” from the spell and hurried to his open
“I thought I’d wait,” the swarthy, suitcase to grab a ffashlight. “I’m going
black-haired man opposite him said down after him!” he announced curtly.
tensely, “I wanted to see what you’d “Wherever he is, he’s in trouble.”
say —
when they started howling.” “Don’t be a damned fool!”
Again the shriek laced through the The shirt-sleeved archaeologist
night to freeze them with its horrible lurched in his path to grip his arm.
 192 AMAZING STORIES

“Carlson said that same thing the night living solving them. Years ago he had
he went after Weber. We were sit- been an independent laboratory techni-
ting here just like we were now, when cian, with a penchant for unravelling
Weber’s voice came from the valley. scientfic knots, such as the steel al-
He grabbed a gun and a light and went loy that wouldn’t distribute its carbon
—
out and never came back. And molecules properly, or a plastic that
neither will you, Hale!” shrank so much on setting that it was
Angry lights flashed in the cold blue useless. After a newspaper reporter
eyes of the slender scientist. His hand wrote him up and labeled him “the sci-
was quick to brush off Dana’s grip. entific sleuth,” his business suddenly
“Nevertheless,” he snapped, “I’m going expanded.
out. I didn’t come a thousand miles He found himself working on cases
to this sun-blasted section of hell to with the police, or searching for a lost
pass up the first clue I stumbled over. needle of radium in a hospital, and
Stay here if you like—I’m going to find even tracing down deposits of oil that
Carlson.” disappeared. And not long ago he
Dana slowly let his hand fall to his had exploded a “scientific ghost” which
side. “All right,” he breathed. “But nearly claimed a human life. Never-
when you start seeing rainbows spilling theless, he was almost bogged in this
out of your flashlight and hearing sym- particular case.
phonies every time a bat squeaks, you’ll It was a mystery that had brought
get my idea. Only then it may be too the three archeologists from Pacific
late.” Southwest Museum out here to New
Puzzlement shackled Hale for a mo- Mexico. Dana, Weber, and Carlson
ment, but in a second he brushed past had been sent to explore the newly-un-
the heavy-set man and plunged down earthed pueblo a few miles from Pueblo
the steep path into the valley. The Bonito, the once great city of eight hun-
crunch of his boots in age-old rubble dred years ago. Why the city had
drummed out his determination. Hast- been deserted overnight historians had
ily he went through the tiny half- never learned. But in 1130 the tribe
ruined pueblo to the valley trail. that inhabited it had simply disappeared
Broken brown walls echoed to his pass- — from the section and from history.
ing, while windows watched him sight- The finding of this smaller village
lessly. only five miles away, by Weber, fired
The thrill of high danger tingled once again the hope of .solving the
through his veins, but he rushed on, riddle. But after three weeks on the
eager to track down this first clue in a job, catastrophe struck. Weber entered
maze of puzzles. Not in five years of a tunnel down in the small, cup-shaped
investigating scientific mysteries had valley, and never came out. Carlson
he been buffetted about by such para- went after him the next night, hearing
doxes, inconsistencies and riddles. Now, his shrieks —and he didn’t come back.
with a chance to get his hands on some- The alarmed museum officials got in
thing that might prove valuable, he touch with Hale immediately, fearing
was stopping for nothing that might a police search which might result in
keep him from getting a handhold in ruin of invaluable archaeologic treas-
the case. ures. Now, for the first time, the
Far from being unused to proWems shrewd active scientist had something
such as this, Dr. John Hale made his to work on.
 —
THE BLACK POOL 193

jD OCKS and tough shrubs fled by him The melody that came from his lips

as he raced on. Beyond the slen- caused him the utmost delight, for his
der beam of his light all was blackness voice was as pure as the tone of a bell.
and utter silence. Now
he stopped, And back at the mud house a white-
conscious that he was rushing blindly faced man heard one more ghastly voice
along with little sense of where he was uttering horrible lamentations . . .

going. The long, white column
liance lifted over the ragged heads of
mesquite clumps and buckthorn to play
over the concave valley floor.
As if the move had been a signal, a
hoarse wail lifted from the trail not a
hundred yards ahead! Instantly an-
other cry mocked it from somewhere
farther off.
Chills rippled the length of Hale’s
taut body. Horror drew his eyes wide,
set his jaw in hard lines. The blood
that slogged through his veins
cold and thick asmud.
From some source in his
drew strength to raise a shout.
son Weber!” he cried into the night.
1 and then he saw his flashlight. It, too,
“Where are you?”
Then he was silent, holding his breath
until his chest ached, hearing the chirps
of night insects that gave him
answer. And when he realized
men would not reply, he went racing
on down the trail again.
Hale was never to learn just when or
why the rigid determination seeped
from his body and a dreamy lassitude
took possession of his senses.
He was simply wandering aimlessly
about the valley, too delighted with
himself and this exquisite world of mu-
sic and rainbow-light to care for any-
of bril- After a time Hale noticed the stars.
But what stars! The black New Mex-
ico sky was studded with glittering
chips of gems that were as bright as
electric lights. They were of every
conceivable color —emerald, red, white,
blue —as he peered up with back-
tiltedhead, open-mouthed with delight,
he could see a brilliant rain of colored
drops descending from them. Streaking
through the night sky, they came down
likea million glittering meteorites
felt as and every one of them was pattering
against his own forehead.
body he He could hear them. He reached up
“Carl- to catcha handful of the lovely gems;
was ablaze with brilliance, pouring a
flood of living beauty into the drab un-
derbrush.
his only Close at hand a bat squeaked. The
the music of its cry made Hale close his
eyes with rapture. Tinkling, evanes-
cent, it was the music of another world.
Everything was right. This was a
universe of beauty. Delighted surprise
brought his head up as another voice
poured liquid melody into the night
not far below him. With an answering
voice, he went running down the path
In the next moment his foot struck a

thing prosaic. John Hale was happy; rock, and he crashed headlong to the
he was deliriously happy, with an exu- rocky trail. Pain blinded him. He lay
berant joy that carried him along like a there stunned for a moment. Then,
cloud. rubbing his skinned knees, he got to
CHAPTER II his feet. For a moment memory failed
him.
The Music from the Stars “How did I get here?” he puzzled, as
unfamiliar landmarks rose to his vision.
A^ORE than anything in the world, Suddenly he caught his breath. In a
he wanted to sing. He tried it. terrifying rush the recollection of what
 E —
194 AMAZING STORIES

he was just doing came back to him. black eyes were malevolent under hb
In that very instant he commenced to brown forehead. “This place isn’t safe
know the sensations of lassitude and joy even in daylight. You’ve already
tasted .”
again. . .

In his mind there remained sufficient Hale was already across the room,
stability to send him running blindly getting hb little black bag in which he
back up the path. Terror clung to his carried a number of instruments im-
limbs, chilling them, but he was pos- portant in his work. “I wouldn’t feel
sessed of one thought: To get back right being careful,” he smiled. “After
out of this valley of madness! the museum is paying me five thou-
all,

Somehow he did it. A reservoir of sand dollars to find Weber and Carlson,
strength was tapped to lend him the and I’m afraid I’d have to earn it, this
power to gain the hut. Staggering, he time.”
lurched through the door to fall into his He had an unpleasant intuition of
chair. hostility ashe went out.
There were about fifty two-story
TT WAS five minutes before he could adobe dwellings in the pueblo, and in
speak. “You were right!” he mut- the hour that followed Hale climbed
tered. “It’s a valley of madness!” over most of them.
Dana nodded. “Had a taste of it The feeling of intrusion would not
myself when I went after Carlson. I leave him, as though he were trespass-
tell you, there’s insanity in the very ing on forbidden property. The silent,
air!” square houses with their empty-looking
But Hale’s mind was already shuf- windows seemed to resent his presence,
fling through facts stored up in his re- he thought. But only silence and empti-
tentive memory. “Ever hear of pey- ness greeted him as he trod through
ote?** he asked at last. empty rooms and climbed over roofs.
Dana said, “I thought of that, too. He was dirty and tired when he thought
Peyote buttons give the same exhilar- of bed again.
ting symptoms, but neither you nor I His light ran down a wall, and he
ate any. The Mexicans and Indians winced at the black loneliness of the
sometimes use them in ceremonies, but windows. Wearily he started back
I fail to see how that could affect us.”* to lock his steps in a grinding halt,
Hale’s brow folded in thought. “So whirling to stab the ray through a win-
do I. But I’ll swear there’s peyote back dow.
of this somewhere.” **Gla55!** he gasped. “Glass in an —
For a while they were silent. At last Indian pueblo!”
the scientist stood up. “I’lrtake a look His long legs rushed him over the
around the building before I go to ground and across the threshold . . .

bed,” he explained. “It’s just possi- and as his eye mirrored the scene inside
ble . .
.” the room, a breath of amazement rasped
“I wouldn’t,” snapped Dana. His in his throat.

* Nature, September, 1937, page 15S.

A laboratory as modem as his own
“These
tiny cactus plants, knowa as ‘mescal buttons’ con*
occupied the room! Instead of pottery
tain from four to seven remarkable alkaloids ollas and stone artifacts, the flashlight
which produce exquisite hallucinations of color glittered over sparkling flasks and re-
desigBs and even intensify sounds. They are in
common use among the North American Indians torts and tubing. Gas cylinders flanked
in ‘peyote worship’ ceremonies.” — d. every wall, and at their feet squatted
 THE BLACK POOL 195

black storage batteries. Down through an ever-growing pyra-

Moving about the room at last, Hale mid of knowledge in his consciousness
speculated. “Funny Dana didn’t men- one tendril of thought reached after a
tion this,” he mused. “Looks like min- forgotten fact. This was not entirely
eralogical apparatus as well as general new. Scientists had succeeded in cul-
equipment. But what in the devil is tivating a crystalline virus in the to-
this?” bacco plant, which actually grew like
He was standing by a massive copper a living organism. As far as they could
tub filled with shining crystals. Over tell, it was a link between the organic

the top of a glass hood rested, end-

it and the inorganic.*
ing in a pipe that conducted to a com- And here in the age-old village of the
pressor apparatus. A strong current on mesas, one —
man Hale was not ready
interest tugged through the scientist as to say which of the three —
had done the
he hunched over the crystals. His ears same thing with the peyote bean. Had
were quick to pick up a faint crackling isolated the narcotic property in that
from the vessel. drug and developed it to the point where
Lines of thought creased his brow, he could draw off and store up its ex-
matching the puzzled gleam in his eyes. them later.
halations to release
The mass of pinkish crystals was not But why?
stationary. It shifted and raised little John Hale pounded that question at
octagonal pinnacles that grew high and himself as he gingerly removed the lead-
then tumbled down. Glittering mounds off tube and sniffed it. Yes, it was the
crackled up and buckled into sheered- deadly breath that held the valley in-
off fragments. The whole thing was violate. He struck a match and watched
restlessly moving — as though it were the gas bum with a tiny blue flame,
growing! blew it out and replaced the tube.
So deep in thought was he that he
JT STRUCK John Hale suddenly, the hardly knew it when he left the little
meaning of this, the reason for the laboratory and stood on a roof looking
insanity that hovered over the valley. down into the valley. Somewhere
Rigid with understanding, he stood on down there, was the answer to all this.
the threshold of solving the riddle of the Somewhere in that little valley so like
pueblo. a crater, or the grave of a meteorite
Part of the secret lay under that glass Was it the same thing that had driven
bell. His mind had already flashed the pueblo people to abandon their
him the meaning of this laboratory. “Beautiful City” a few miles away, to
Those crystals were growing not as a — start building this village . . and .

salt grows by the action of an acid on then to leave it unfinished?

metal, but as maggots grow into tre- Hale went to his cot still wondwing.
mendous volume by feeding on one
small bit of rottenness. For under that CHAPTER III

heap of shining crystals lay a nucleus on The Pool of Death

which these livii^ cryst^s fed! The
crystals were as much alive as he was ^LL during breakfast he kept study-
And, in a sense, they breathed; and ing Dana and trying to fathom the
when their deadly breath was exhaled,
it was drawn off into the compressor, *"^cieHce, January 28, 1938, pps. 91-92.
to be stored in cylinders. (Continued on page igy)
:96 STORIES
 AMAZING STORIES 197

THE BLACK POOL . . . War days are

(Continued from page igs)

archaeologist as the perpetrator of the

plot —whatever it was. OPPORTUNITY
Suspicion and reason waged a battle
within him: suspicion made him regard
Dana unfavorably, and reason reminded
him there was no apparent motive for
DAYS for YOU
such an
It
act.
was Dana himself who provided
in Accounting. .

the next tangent of action. “I’ve been If you like to we^ with figures and are
earnestly ambitious, accounting today offers
thinking that tunnel might have some-
you unpiuaUeled opportunity—to serve your
thing to do with Weber’s disappear- country and to profit
ance,” he told Hale. “He said he was For there just aren’t enough bookkeepers
going down into it the day he disap- and accountants to fill the needs of govern-
peared, but whether he did or not . ,
ment and industry. There are thousands of
new and vacant jobs. These jobs pay weO
“I’ve been wondering the same
and they are open to both men and women.
thing,” Hale admitted. “Since we Moreover, this need will continue through
haven’t seen them in the daytime, it’s the war and the post-war adjustmoitperi^
possible they may stay in some tunnel. Ask us to prove this — to sh^ you
If it’s near enough to the line of mad- how you can grasp this opportunity quidJy.
ness that seems to rim the valley, we
should be able to rescue them.”
“It’s a long shot. I’ve looked for
them every day since they disappeared.
But it’s a cinch that tunnel’s a chance.”
So flashlights were got out and they Aik
left the coolness of the adobe for aching for riut

forenoon glare, making their way down froo

the dusty trail toward the tunnel that 48-page
led into the steep side of the valley booklet
slope. A few hundred feet above the
level at which Hale had lost his senses
last night, they came upon the brush-
hidden mouth of it.

A grateful coolness soothed their

perspiring bodies as the cold air struck LASALLE
them. Dana set out gingerly into the
black depths of the smooth-walled pas-
EXTENSION UNIVERSITY
sage.
A Cornspondnnem kigfUvthn
D«pt tSTB-H OUCAOO
The slope led upward. By the loose I wiBt to knew wbat eppartst^ there it Cor tae in
gravelly rubble on the floor Hale put Aoopuntiiig sow and bow 1 cu
pcepare fix ft. Send
me|^w free booklet and any other pcvUsent tafw-
it down as an old river outlet.
kept He
fVamc. Age
close behind the other, glancing ahead
now and then. Fifteen minutes crept
by as they penetrated farther and far- ddrfress........ .................. ..............
( Continued on page igg)
 198 AMAZING STORIES

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 AMAZIN6 STORIES 199

ence of a hundred living dead the next!

THE BLACK POOL It was blood-chilling, the sight of all
( Continued from page igy)
those grinning
ther into the hill. The utter darkness A sense that was half intuition

was like fine coal dust that only their brought the scientist’s arm up in a
flashlight beams could melt, and that sweeping gesture of defense. Too late
flowed back the instant they turned. . . the gun in Dana’s fist jarred
.

Then, with no warning, the walls sud- against his head with staggering force.
denly fled back to form a small cavern. Agony dragged him to his knees.
They stopped short inside it, eyes Before he could stir, the archaeolo-
widening to the impressive sight of the gist raised the gun for a second blow.

rock vaulted ceiling and walls. Word- “You damned meddling fool!” The
lessly they let their lights play over words exploded from his lips. “Try your
floor, ceilingand walls. sleuthing down there. Just ask those

A low cry from Dana riveted the skeletons why Weber and Carlson dis-

scientist’seyes on the spot his rigid fin-
ger indicated. Simultaneously he keened
his hearing to the musical bubbling of
running water. Glistening coldly, the
black sheen of dark water caught his
appeared. They’ll know the answer!”
Hale threw every ounce of his
strength into a vicious drive at Dana’s
midriff. The breath sobbed through
his tight lips with the effort. But Dana

gaze as it rippled down a channel had planned all this, and he was ready.
through the center of the cavern. His knee rose to batter Hale’s de-
Warily, because of the damp floor, fenseless jaw, and then the gun made

they moved to the bank of the under- its roundhouse sweep again. The sci-
ground river . . . and then, in the entist pulled up straight, and went stag-

next instant, both men recoiled in hor- gering backwards. His face was bloody
ror, their minds rebelling at the ghastly from the crimson torrents that the chop-
sight before them. ping gun barrel had loosed.
Dana found it in his heart to laugh
TT WAS a pool of death they were as John Hale stepped back into space
gazing into. Barely rippled by the and plunged into the water. He moved
slow current, the clear deep water up and watched his form slowly settle

flowed quietly over the skeletons of towards the waiting arms of the lu-
scores of human beings who lay in or- minous skeletons, and noted with satis-
dered rows on the floor of the river. faction the ascending bubbles that

But it was not death alone that cov- meant an equal quantity of water was
eted Hale’s limbs with chill sweat. For going into his victim’s body. . . .

these relics of a dead race were aglow Hale’s whole body was sick with pain.

with a phosphorescence that instilled a He knew what was happening, though,

living white fire in their bones! In for the shock of ice water had brought
three parallel lines that extended far full consciousness in place of the drunk-
up and down the quiet stream, they lay enness of a moment before. Twisting
watching the men above. The ruffled down through twenty feet of water, he
face of the water imparted a grotesque, saw the horrible company awaiting him.
sinuous movement to the brittle limbs. In fancy their bony fingers were already
A lump bulked inside Hale’s throat entangled in his hair.
that he could scarcely force down. To The quickness of wit that had saved
be alone one moment, and in the pres- him many times before rallied his forces
 200 AMAZINS STORIES

now. Through the shimmering veil of

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water he saw Dana’s head loom over
the bank to watch him. It was then
that he released the realistic cloud of
bubbles. Then he held his breath, al-
lowing only a thin stream of bubbles to
escape, and went sliding through the
water to come to rest against the bony
cage of a dead chest.
Within him, Hale writhed. The
rigidity of black horror paralyzed him
as the bones caved and he sank another
six inches into the very body of the
dead aborigine. It seemed he must go
mad before the watcher left, but at last
the dark head pulled back and Dana
was going.
Silently Hale clawed himself to the
surface. Very cautiously he broke the
water and glanced into the cavern. Yes,
there was the retreating light. But it
was going down the continuation of the
tunnel, instead of back. Caring little
for that now, Hale waited a minute or
two and then wriggled to the floor.
i-
Gasping, shuddering, half-frozen, he
lay there for five minutes before the
warmth of returning circulation set his
thought-processes once more in motion.
But with restored consciousness came
• Walnmcl a sharp chill of fear.

cred la ttfs remarkable set.

In his mind a small vortex of ap-
Doesn't Coat you a cent to aee
and examine It In your oim
prehension for the lives of the men he
boras for 7 days.
Read the coupon below then — had been sent to find began to turn,
flU It In and tend It to me. I’U
eend you your sec. U it Isn't some- CoyM Sluip Prii._. until it was a boiling maelstrom of anx-
Autusi wirinc diacTMM,
tbiag yonH viJue all your life then motor wuxlirt^ radio
tend it back. It wQl ned bwe cost l>ook . lUM. e t c. Fur d sUy
ious conjectures that drave him to his
you ooe penny to have seen It. use oa job. Limited
quontil>r.»oA('TNO\V. feet and sent him staggering along
Do It lidbt now before yoo I yr. Persoaul Toch-
lay this ad adlde. alcal Service by maU the tunnel after the would-be
I Then you decide If yoa want It from the Coyne StsB killer.
on any Eleccrtcsl or
very'liberal
HI terms M J3
Radio pre'blem.PS&B
oBerin*. KH. C CHAPTER IV
U. C. LB\mv^e^ Dept.^-K? ERCC ‘nriAL>
COYia BL&OTRICAL SCHOOL COUPQN
I SM S. PsuUna St.. Chicstto 12. Iltlools \ Backlash

DlA.ai>d'isg^ft^Cm^ESlQPPRTN''^‘wuin!
, 7 day* after receivlnn (he books. Ill eilher tetumcoeiDorMiid you thing had been accomplished by
U.M uad tlaa fl a month (wtfl the total price of $13.9S is paid. I
the nearly fatal visit to the watery
\
ADDRESS.. graveyard. The keystone had been
•CITY STATS. mortared into place in the arch of facts
JoCWPATlON^.j^... AGE,
^1 he had built.
The pathetic story of how Pueblo
 A

AMAZING STORIES 201

Bonito and the newer little village were

deserted had been answered by the sight QfucA. ic i

of the glowing skeletons. It was a

search for water that drove the Indians
over the hills to the new location. With MACHINIST
the frightening spectacle of a drying
river before them on which they relied TRAINING
for all their water, they had sought out
—
a new source and in this underground
river they found it.
But death lurked in that water,
though they did not know it. Hale
realized now that his speculation that
the cup-shaped valley was of meteorite
origin was It had burrowed
correct. 3-Vo{iune.
in there far in the shadows of
back MACHINE SHOP
Time, landing squarely in the midst of TRAINING COURSE
the underground stream.
rat KGINKEU 4 ElKin Now. for ibe flnt lUae, (ha
of macblaery la coa-
By the time the natives foimd the world
eentraUd Into a eonplete.
S.Voiuzoe Courae. It la vitally
river, it was flowing through the heart Deceaaary for all UaidUnlila.

of the shattered meteorite impregnat- — It la alM a TValnlna Omrae

tor beatnnam who are em-
ployed or teek rood pay jdba
in Uachlne Shcp WorlL
ing itself with the deadly radium or
HUNDUDS Of
other radioactive substances inside it! DRAWINGS— OtAORAMS
• Wrliten In aaay-to-under-
But the Indians did not know that. aland lanauace by practi-
cal ahop Inilructora
• Pnfuie with
And they drank it day after day, and lUuatraUotta.
ditcrama. cbarta and valu-
able tablea.
even built a city here so that it would • Beay-to*follow and tmder-
atand, lacarcBeu et your
not be such a long trip to water. Per- prertgua work.
• AU phaaea of modwn ma-
haps it was years before crumbling WAR WORKERS R TRAINEES chine ahop woric.

FMrUI. COMTtHTS FROM RIGHT OUT Of

jaw-bones and horrible rheumatic pains NATIONAL'S SHOPS
MuhlM Towtt C«npltMy DrmtIM Thia tralEitnc a.
warned them that they were being poi- •Id Fully 0*Moa«trat«l. u
ptrabls fuodam«i tala learned
MMAwromtatt ud fluM. by reeldeotlal atudeata a4 Na-
Drill Prm OpotwAloii. tional Sctaoola. Out of the er-
soned. And then it was too late. LkMio OpwwtlMA. perleooe In teacblnp thoueanda
HHlRf HwNIbm— ll Ty»N. atadmiu bu oone thia aim-
of"*
As a sacrifice to the water-devils, Shoptr AAd PUmt M'UM. '
pilflad. eaily-to-undantand
n«lB Md Uilvmai Ortadtn. Cootae.
they sank the already-dead victims of Bluvriwt RMdiM A DraTtlny.
10FREEGIFT5
ExAtgMllMhul*— WIitt He Hint
radium poisoning in the river, and then Hm
If you mall
ataiy,
Coupon Immedl-
wa'U diva you abaolutely
te Out Helei for OHIIIm.
moved Sbep Projeete—LcyotA FebrUatieii. Pm, leven mamloui Drafllna
disa^^ar forever.
again, to Lathe Cuttloa Teoli and GriRdind. Leaaooa. and a oemplate hCa-
Drill Jlgi. Seeedi and Feeda.
dUnata* Dictionary of tenna.
Eight hundred years had steeped Standard and Open.SIda Ptancn.
etc., and two Practical ffiiop
“'‘di you
Vtraler Caliper aad Depth Omim. your
those bones in the radioactive water Aaarteai Staadard Haobiae Taaen.

untilthey became phosphorescent. If it

had not been for the presence of the NATIONAl SCHOOL!
glowing skeletons, all this would never
free F'DAT TRIAL EXAHINAFION
have happened. . . .
NZ. Praaldant PaMean
lOLA Dajrt. V-IO Paany
Hale cursed the mischance that SL. Lea Aagalaa 37. CalH. Peatoard

placed them where a man’s greed could

COVBSB. Within 1 daya after recdviu the Couna (and Bis.-
read their story. Then he snapped his valoua Bocua Gift
manL and owe
fcr praapuaaa). I'll althar iKnni tha ihlp-
you notbloc: or If aatlaatd. I'll amid you 38. GO
|
.
light off hurriedly, diving into the shel- Md 13.00 a fnooth unUl a total of 318.60 li paid <1^ I
paymanL 88.60).
|
ter of an outcropping rock, as a voice NAMB I

knifed the silence! CITT 8TATB f

OCCUPATION AOB |
Tou may deduct 11.25 if you

"J^ANA, for God’s sake!” a hoarse SAVE 107o encloae eaab (811.36)
ihlaCoatm. Same return prlv- P
llata arid refund auaranteed.^
with
|
f

voice protested. “Have you gone

202 AMAZING STORIES

WOH0-8 tlREEST KWt MUKERg completely crazy? You can't get away
with this forever. They’re bound to
iMinsiai
On 60 Days’ Trial 1 1
find him!”
r9s Hale went rigid. The voice was Carl-
IDutal PUtx piM>vWuiahr-briiArL. son’sl But how different from the tone
i TBkcovnltnprMiioaJ
•tbooie. Ot«
MONET-BACK of it on the occasions of the many lec-
WOEMB «... _
8UARANTEEI tures of his Hale had attended.

ISEHD HO MONEY!! “Why not?” Dana taunted. “If the

two of you could disappear the way you
(Md, one more won’t hurt. They’ll find
you two starved to death in here one of
GettingUp Nights these days, and deduce what I want
—
them to that you both got lost and
Makes Many Feei Oid couldn’t find your way out. As for
Do you fe«l older than you are or enffer from Getting —
Hale he’ll drift away, eventually.
up Nights.
neaa,
ness, Swollen Ankles, Rbenmatic
scanty or
-* —
Night, Backache, Kervousneas, Leg Pains, Dlul-
»' «
Pains, Bnnilng,
o frequent passages? If so, remember that
.
They’ll never find him.”
your Kid
Kidneys are vital to your health and that these An ugly silence came into the cavern.
ty be duetouon-organloand noD-systemic
Imdder tronbles—in such eases Oystex (a Hale gripped his flashlight and moved
ahead. Light spilled suddenly into the
ons excess add] , „
gain and nothing to lose In trying Cystez. An Iron-clad passageway as he rounded the turn.
guarantee assures a refund of your money on return
of empty package unless fully His shocked gaze recorded a scene he
Cystex satisfled.
-
Don't delay. Get Cys-
1. 1

tax (Slss-tez) from your drag-

gist today. Qsly 3Sa.
was not to rub out of his memory for a
long time.

Asthma Mucus Bound with ropes, the two missing

men lay on the floor. A tremor of pity
Loosened First Day shook Hale at their appearance. Hag-
gard, bearded, ragged, they were pa-
For Thousands of Sufferars
Choking, gasping, wheeslng spasms of Bronchial
thetic sights. Carson, tall and gray, was
Asthma roin sleep and energy. Ingredients In the pre- emaciat^, and his eyes stared out of a
scription Mendaeo quickly circulate through the blood
and commonly help loosen the thick strangling mncus veritable death’s head. Little Weber,
first day, thus aiding nature In palliating the ter-
rible recurring choking spasms, and
freer breathing and
In promoting short and fat amonth ago, was now of
restful steep. Meadaoo Is not a
smoke, dope, or Injection. Just pleasant, tasteless pal- average weight, and seemed to have
Iron clad guarantee— money back aniess compIeMy shriveled two inches. They bore the
satisfactory. Ask your dru ggist for MaadAce today.
stamp of men who have seen hell. Yet,
Good News for oddly, they were perfectly sane now.

Colon Sufferers
The McCleary ClluLc, H-1021 Blms Bird., Excelsior
Springs, Mo.. Is patting out an up-to-the-mlnote.
123-page book on Colon Disorders, Plies and Constl-
patiou and commonly associated chronic allmenta
The book la Illustrated with charts, diagrams and
X-ray pictures of these ailmeuts. Write today a post-
card will do— to the above address and this large
book will be sent you FREE and postpaid.
BICCER PAY THAN£Y£fl!
Leeal “Store Root*** Plos poyi mes lAe
yes hlg ateasy—sfoedyl—In wholesale busl-
neat of your own. No car necessary. Sell
mij nlw-msker. pliu <0S oUter quleX prcCt iUou.
Msity iMtUeiudlr MTtrtlMd. Ns ixperlaocs o^sd.
AffiutaS (seU FAKE. Writs TOD AT I
- WOBLD'k PRODUCTS CO.
OsK SSK tpsaeir. IsSisss
—
Dana the man who could kill and
—
laugh stood across the small room
with a mask of some sort in his hand,
and his revolver shoved through the
waist band of his trousers. Behind him
— a bank of gas cylinders supplied a mod-
em note to the time-carved tunnel. By
copper tubing, the six of them were
V'TAMJWf connected to a larger pipe that traced
its length down the tunnel.
“So that’s that,” he clipped, now.
“You two have to go because you
wouldn’t promise to keep your mouth
shut; and Hale’s gone ... for more
\
AMAZING STORIES 203

or less the same reason.”

“And you’ll stay here.” Weber said
it weakly, but with a voice edged with
bitterness. “You’ll stay and enjoy the
money you sold your soul for.”
Do You Make
Dana laughed. “If you like to put
that way. But
won’t be hard forget-
it
it
these Mistakes
ting, with that little thousand-ton me-
teorite at the bottom of the valley to
think about. I’ll get the right to remove
it, and then I start to live.” He cocked
an eye at the electric lamp on the floor.
in ENGUSH?
Sharwla Cody's romorkoblo faivooHoa bos woblod
nero than 100,000 |»oeplo to eorroct Ibtir
“I wonder how much money a load of Riistakss ta Citqllsh. Onty IS mluloi day
pitchblende like that thing contains is roqolrod to laprovo yoor sptooh ood wriHoy.

worth. I’ll bet plenty. Radium and

the rest of its family come rather high.” M
you
XNT
hear
peraoQB lay, "Did yoti
fcooi
They should
bliu today?"
say, "Have
beard from him today?"
Along the line of John Hale’s jaw a Borne apell “caleDdar" "calen-
der’’ or "calander." Still others
line of white showed. His Angers say "between you and I" instead
of “between you and me.” It la
cracked on the barrel of the light. He aatonlahluf how often 'who" is
was looking at the coldest-blooded mur- uacd for “whom," and how fre-
gnently the almplest words are
derer he had ever hoped to see. A man mispronounced. Pew know
whether to spell certain words
who would kill his partners to keep with one or two "c’s" or “m's”
or "r's." or with "le" or "el."
secret their And of a valuable deposit Most persons use only common wx>rds—colorleM flat
ordinary. Their speech and their letters are Ufaldsa.
of mineral-bearing material. Abruptly, monotonous, humdrum. Every time they talk or writs
the^ahow themselTea lacking In the esMBtlol pelAtt
a hissing noise attracted his attention
Woadsrful Nsw lavoatloa
to where Dana was opening the valves Per miny years. Me. Cody itodled tba problem at cr«tlns IsslUw-
tir* babiU at wins tood basUtli. arts cmuuUiO esperUoMata te
on the six tanks. fluaUy Imnted a limple nieibod by wblcb you can aaiuira a bansr
eowiraand of Uia Kicllth lansvas* lo only 16 mlnatss a day. Nos
He stared, as the killer put on the you eaa alsp makint tba mUlikiw irtUdi hae« ham hurttot you. Me.
Oody a madaau ha*e isouad moea tntproeamant la flea maka than
petflsaaly bad btea obuisad to otbar ptpSla in two yaanl
gas mask he held and yanked the tubes
from all six cylinders, allowing the
Lsora by Habit — Not by Isles
Undar old maUtoda ralea ara aasMTlaad. bui ooitaci babllt ara net
fmad. Finally tba nilei theoNMitea ara fotfoUan. Iba nas Sturwln
gas to flow into the room I It came out Oody malliod proTidea for Uu formailwi at cornel habfia by
to your aUStitloo eonatantty mly iba nItUkaa you ysuraiM siaka.
in a dense, rust-colored cloud that set- One at tba seodoful thlnsi about lir. Cody'a cottna U tba Waad
with wbldt thata habn-fonalni practice drtUa can Iw carrlad ont.
tled quickly to the floor. Tmean wrtta lha ansWMa lo fifty qoaatlfln In 16 minntaa ami
owraet your work ta 6 mlantea aora. Ttta dradcaty and work at
“This isn’t what I’d planned,” Dana cepylag hnra been anJad by Mr. Cody!
your own nlsUKM unill It
Tm
caocaotuia nlways
becemea "uecad natura" to tpaak and
m
wrtu ctRMUy.
snapped, his voice muffled through the Mll^loak ce ta|Dsh
mask. “I wanted to let you two roam A oaw book amlatntiis Kr. Cody'a ramarkabla method ready. b
If you ara arar trabarrasaed by mlatakaa In sraitacar. ipeUlns.
mnctuatloa. preauinlatton. or U you aanot Instantly commsod tba
around at night, crazy as loons, until ax^ word* wUb wblcb to exsraaa your idaia, ttaU now fiaa book,
Tou Can kUstar Oood Br«tUh—to 15 MIoutM a bay." wtlj
you killed yourselves or starved. Now
I’ve got to hurry. You won’t leave
here alive again. This time you stay.
I’m diverting the gas from the valley- I SHERWIN CODY SCHOOL OP ENGLISH

outlet to thisroom as you seel If — I

I
1710 Soorls lalldlag, loehastsr
Pleaia stad am. wltbeait any obllsatlon oo
4, N. Y.

my part, your
you nothing will I”
that doesn’t Anish
•
I
new fraa book. "Bow You Can Usuot Good E&rlttb— In 1$
Mlnutaa a Day."
Stray wisps of the gas were drawn
Nanta
down the passage to Hale. He fought I
! PlaaM print plainly

down the panic that stiffened him, for

I Addiaw
with those few Arst breaths of it, the I

dreaded light-headedness claimed him I

I If 18 yanrs ar uadar eback hart tar BooUM A
Horror darkened his eyes at the peal of
 laughter that came suddenly from Carl-
son. Already he was going under!
There was no time to lose. And as
Dana gestured a humorous good-
bye to his victims, he got ready. The
archaeologist turned to go.

Get In at the Start-end Grow ^^T THAT moment a thunderbolt of

Plutles U s BeirisduBtiT' which tb* netton’s wmr
need! U foretns: to quick maturity, AJreadr Plu- fury hurled itself upon him from
tie* are indlipeuMble in practically every branch
of the Servioe—Aircraft Ordnance. Oheinlc^» the weapon to the floor. His fists
Marine^ Slsnal Corpa, ete. Opportanltiea T Nearly
everythine, from hoiAes to dothlng, from gadscta shouted in alarm and his gun leaped
to tools, will be affected by Plasties.
to his hand.
Spore Time Training Now Ready Hale’s down-sweeping hand knocked
The time to set started Is tiow. Ton can prepare
at bome^ in yonr apare time, to take your place the weapon to the floor. His fists
In an infant industry that even now is leapins
into prominenoe. A new, practied trainins plan thudded solidly against the heavier
ia now ready to help you reallM your ambftlona
and buOd year future aecnrity. Act now. Don’t man’s torso. Unknown to himself, he
delay, hlall tbia coupon today.
was shouting. The gas was getting
AMERICAN SCHOOL, Dipt. P73t «
*
DmsI Ava. at OSth si. Cblesge S7, IIL him, more so than he realized. All he
Bendme TRES tnfonaatloa owerlnc tpeeiel tretnlnt la
No cbllniKn on my
subieots checked bcltnr. pert knew was that he was ready to quit, to
PlaMica Avlntloa
lie back quietly and watch the gyrating

forms of indescribably beautiful colors

3 High School Count that cascaded down before him. But a
hidden well of power kept his fists and
body laboring with the fury of a
wounded animal, while his mind was
Rectal Ailments shilling back into Nirvana.
Snarling his anger, Dana flung him
Are Serious Threat against the rock wall. Hale’s head
FREE BOOK —
Explains Many boimced. Then, with the rush of
clarityborn of pain, he saw his chance.
Associated Conditions
Backache, headache, constipation, dizziness, nau-
The flashlight was still clutched in his
sea, abdominal soreness, stomach and intestinal hand, and as the other rushed in, he
CMiditions are often caused by Piles, Fistula or Colon
Troubles. You can understand bow and why when
cocked his arm.
you see the pictures and diagrams and read your Thud! The sound of the single
copy of a 40-page FREE BOOK which explains the
nature of these ailments. Write today— a postcard
'
blow was sickening. Dana went down
will do, Thornton & Minor Clinic, Suite C-1002, like a limp rag.
926 McGee St., Kansas City, Mo.
Through the reddish fog the scien-
tistcould barely see the two forms on

w
Baidsb tbs mving fsr
th
Md
od i have. UaksyoorMifftoi.
bappy with Tobacco Badccmcr.
•

Wilts for frse booklot tcfUns of ia-

I
the floor. Again he drew on a bank of
reserve power to navigate the room and
vrUeh has SB* bend down by the archaeologists.
Usvsd many maa. FREE
SO rssm la Btnlaaam Fumbling fingers aroused fury in his
THE NEWELL COMniNY
BOOK
MO CiMrtDa Sta., SC Usds. Mo. mind. With every breath the display
of lights increased, but now there was
a sharp pain with it that he had not ex-
perienced the night before. He must
hurry!
His time was almost up when he had
released the two. He shouted to them,
 i

tried to make them understand what

they were to do, and steered them
toward the exit. Pushing, shoving,
swearing, laughing. Hale got them
FREE OFFER
started. He thought of turning off the
gas,and rejected it as a new wave of for FALSE TEETH
weakness swept through him.
On the point of following, he pulled
up. A gasp of fear passed his lips.
Dana had come to and recovered the
gun!
Blood-streaked,
against the wall, trying to bring the
he stood leaning
TIGHTENS FALSE
gun up into line. He was sick and TEETH OR NO COST
amr anatlog aeath aaafart vttliMt HMilH > tlXlt
weak and almost out on his feet. «a«i . . . aajer that feallai of hiMii year owa teeth fficiik

Through the drifting boiling red fog IIICT

A fTIK
3 Sailifir year deaira fir feed . . .
what JTM wait CROWN
«IU9I keuncr tightens rxiSE
his figure stood out menacingly.
TEETH OR NO COST. Rffdert far
Hale shouted, *‘DonU! For God’s f 1
Partlali, Lowen or Uinrt.

^ . I I
eaharfaaimmt aid
sake!” Iia|]| dlMBfort eauMd tor taeae duM
iMen Anly CROWN RELINES.
But Dana kept on trying to pull
the trigger with the last of his strength.
NTSIL
^ Ip g ]|gy
ataya that
itata Oti
way ai ta
Uka new aid
4 neotha. No
.. . ald-faahiMad haatlai ta bun year
No.2 A ^ CROWN fram
Hale knew the gun would go off before / taba aid wt yaur taatfc haak la.
he could reach him. There was one ..1 Thw*!! «
aa aBB9ly aa aaar. larantar
N. la a raoeaaliad aatSffHty la daatal

(Concluded on page 206) y Md. A aataat haa

CROWN RELINER
haaa aMlIad far
ta prataot you
troa loiltatara. Attv yaa lallat yav

®
Plata with CROWN, taka yaqr faiu
CLASSrflED ADVERTISING taath a«rt far alaaalat withaat afaet*
tta CROWN REUNER. CROWN
I |

IM
REUHER It laaraataad It'i . . .

haralan.NOT A POWDER OR
PASTE! Oaaa Nal Bora ar Irritata.
It aol ntinad. mi aftar 4 aaalba.
ntara putty aaad tiha tar fall

rafaaS.

SEND NO MONEY uad this,

Too mtiit bt one hundred per
40 AC&KB.Maar Wblta Hirer, nnlntprored: poultiT Uad. cent delisted or BO coat. Try aMaa ware m Eld
190. IS down. $5 monthly. Free DM anil Utenture. Hub*
1kr^ in Orouaiaa Bldi.. Kauw CUy, Hkn— it tm fottr montfaa and return ’

for ftU refoad If not t lafled. w H9m l tm

Ordar at onea and waTf Intiode tha aeb.” Ballna
free with your order a tube of
Do you want a haitdaiadt ruU Queen alta cUar for only fHo Crown's Dental Plata Cleaner.
•a^t 30% llarana (uaraaceed. No lera* Hller. Sand for Bush coupon. Pay postman one ural ptok aote. Of"
free caial^ and trial offer. Dldney Bam. S8 H'Mt Uonroa dollar for comblna^ phia
N-41. CUloaro. lU.
postase. or pend cash
pay poftage. Act now.
and we taday.
—
-
aad btiterf Smell badt I

CtOWN KASTICS CO.

tuaui noi waodarfnl Cnera Dental

PtaM ^11"^ and iootuda tha traa
LO.NDSOUEf Join Reliable Club—eftabllabed 1909. Book of Crorn Omtal Claaoar. I wiu pay
(dwtoi and deavtmlooi tf memhete. Free, eaaled. Bzchaaya pwnw" caw doUar pbu potac* ao
tompany. SSSf-Zinfalii. Kanaaa City. Mo. ayrtvaL U I an not aaUifled anar

( X am wwtoelBf ooa doUu b fun paymmt.

1 a
206 AMAZING STORIES

THE BLACK POOL

(Concluded from page 205)

chance him.
left to He turned and
staggered from the room, careening
drunkenly along the tunnel with his
^«a bam on. your troublea Are over. Baft
yea flashlight cutting crazy arcs before
now About lOTOd ones you lesve behlndt WUl they
bAve to face strugglo sad bArdablp becAuse of him.
TOur neglect? Only a few pennies a day NOV
erW help p r ovide for their future. TRIPLX Df- The two explosions came almost
CSUNHT LZF8 INSURANCE, backed by l.egAl
Reserves, offers sound, dependable security. Policy simultaneously. One, the sharp crack
Natural Causes. <*) Sickness.
of a revolver. And then an expan-
If? Travd Accidents, (4) Auto Acoidenta. sive, crushing roar that flung Hale off
<B> A^dents. No rettrlotlono on Oeeu*
patloa. Travel or Boeldeaee, as provided. Policy
«P ta insvaluable IneontestabUlty Clause. Uen.
his feet and piled him against the wall
jottsn. ehlldrm age 1 day to 70 years eligible,
to oral No Red Tapo>-No bfedleal Exam- twenty feet farther on.
No agent
bend no UONBT.
will call, investigate
write for ftee detalle todayl
nowl A sheet of flame swept from the gas-
packed room with a loud whoosh. The
earth shook like a bowl of jelly, bring-
ing down a fall of small rocks from the
Feel Old? Get New Pep ceiling. Hale’s head was clear now,
Thm Strong IRON Way^wlih though he ached from the top of his
IRO^ VITAMINS Bi, A and D! head to the soles of his feet. He was
MUM. traaiaN who feel elder than tbelr years, who ]
ars constantly tired, pepleaa, nerreai, irritable or
fer with minor aehet.palna and freqoenteolds, h as deaf as a rock, but he had had the
good newel Thooaan da suffer na^eaalr bMauee ofla^
ofmONaadVHMlMl NowInOoolRONITgOVITA. good sense to keep his mouth open.
MIN TABLCr
-Aairr taken
teken dall
daily *oo gut IRON for buUdIny
td, atreutb wiving blood
tieb.red,atr«utbwlvja«
nlnsBl.AaDoD.
well as popular'"*
il.AaDOD. Trrtbnal Sealfyoo don't fat
A tremor pulsed through the earth,
tor. rearm roonger with more PoOb VIn ana aa
than rou tBoogfat poasibic. Baod name and ^dre starting far down below them. As it
panrpoateardforS weeks' aopplr. Pay postman
P pine few eenta Honsrbaeklfnot
postage.
IRONITUO VITAMIN MODUCTS
plei came nearer, Hale dosed his eyes and
Me*CMtoc^r««oAva.,OopC.S2K, roiBBya.WI waited for the end. But it passed with
no more than a jar which cracked the
tunnel open at a few spots.

POEMS WANTED For Mutleal Setting I

After a while there remained noth-
ing of the terrific explosion save the
Hothor, Boom. Love. Sacred. Patriotic, Comic I ringing in Hale’s ears. He couldn’t
orsnyaobJecL Don’t Delay— Bond oa your I
Original Poem at once for — a. I believe it for a long moment. He was
emlnatlon and FREE Rhyming Dictionary. |
safel Carlson and Weber were safel
Richird Brothers ” IfStt’.T'.TL".;
Then he crawled to his feet and
turned the battered light down the tun-
nel. A light gray smoke filled the
room, but through it Hale made out
a black huddle on the floor. It had the
,
Batch aent FREE foe your O. K. I
general shape of a man, though it was
I pants ars mads. Pit gnarsntosd. Send pSeoe
' ef eletli or vaat toidsy. only a blackened cinder.
AuratioR auTBM Mim ctnmiRv
20g g. Stota gt. Dept. 487 Chlsase tried to warn himl” the scientist
breathed. “He should have known, as

High School Course I did, that it was explosive!”

at Home Mony FWsb h 2 Yean He turned then, and made his way
I

Oo as ratddiy as your time and ablUUes permit Oouree swiftly as he could up the tunnel.
—
equlvalnl to reafdeot sebool work preparM for ootlege
sntnttM esama. Standard H.6. taTtaeut>plied.Diplo«sa.
Oredit(k 8. 8. wiblmi elrsadr eomoleud. nui(<a aeUacw It 4». More than anything in the world he
•bad. Blah •oimdoa la rarrJmpofWM for edraeMwaatW
Matafeaaad Wdutry and ao^ly. Doo't ba haedkaeoad eU
a Blih> tad^ta. SWrt rear *~ '-***• aaw. nee
nm wanted to see the sun again and get a
Ulafi eo nqeaat. No oM^tioa.
t Aairiou Sobsoi. Omt. H-739,On«alatSgtb, Chicago 37 deep breath of fresh air. . . .
p iSCUSSIONS ^
A icAziNO
Everybody
Stokies will publish In each issut a selection of
is wdcome to contribute. Bouquets and brickbats
an equal chance. Inter-reader correspondence and controvert will be encour-
aged through this department Get in with the gang and have your say.
letters from
will
readers.
have

FAMOUS IN A FEW YEARS the core. It was an amaslng story in an amasktg

Sin: magazine.
There were two excellent stories in the Sept, The September issue of Amauho Stories was
issue. “When The Darkness Came,” and “The truly wonderful. Every story was delightful by
Devil's Planet,” by David Wright O'Brien. O’Brien itself. Honorable mention goes to Patton’s “War
is always welcome; how about some more like Worker 17,” another fine story.
“When The Darkness Came”? Let’s have more Rita Berman,
cover paintings by J. Allen St. John. He Is my 1502 42Dd Street,
favorite. If you find more new authors like Brooklyn, N. Y.
Yerxa, let’s have them. He should be famous in a Thanks, Rita. You make us feel goodl—'Eo.
few years.
David C. Ford, ANALYSIS OF SEPTEMBER ISSUE
Box 63, Sirs:
Owasco, New York. Pertaining to the September issue of Amazing
More paintings by St. John are coming. And Stories, the rating of the stories are as foUows:
VM agree that Yerxa is very promising. We have 1 —“Luvium, The Invincible City” one of the . . .

high hopes for him Ed. . — best stories ever written by any author. More
like this. 2—“When The Darkness Came” . . .

ALL-TIME TEN BEST a highly original plot, a new twist in science stories.
Sirs; 3 —
“Lunar Vengeance” ... a fair story. Not too
No other magazine gives me as much enjoyment well told. A
—
“The Devil’s Planet” ... the finest
as yours. Of the stories I have read in your grand story every written by O’Brien. Could we have
magazine, I like the following ten best. 1—The more like that? —"War Worker 17” ... a pretty
S
Test —
Tube Girl; 2 The Liquid Man; 3 ^The — good story, well 6—^“The Powerful Pip-
told.
Voyage That Lasted 600 Years; 4 The Day Time — squeak” fair. The plot wasn’t too original.
—
Stopped Moving; 5 The Visible Invisible Man; 7 —“Madcap . . .

Of Mars” poorl Horrible!

— —
6 ^The New Adam; 7 King Arthur’s Knight In Never again ! 1 1
. . .

The back covers are fine. More

A Yankee Court; 8—The Immortality of Alan of these fine works of art by Settles.
—
Whidden; 9 The Invincible Crime Buster; 1^ Jack Deluoub,
Doorway To Hell. 7709 Broadway,
George Mucha, Jx., North Bergen, N. J.
63 Madison Ave., Settles has a whole series of covers for us.
Perth Amboy, N. J. You’ll keep on getting tkem.—'ED.
Yoi^ve certainly picked a Hst herel We remem-
ber each of those stories with a lot of pleasure our-
ATOMIC BULLETS?
selves I —
Eo. Sirs:
In many
of your stories I have noticed the use
UNSTINTED PRAISE of machine guns, rifles, etc., firing explosive atomic
Sirs: bullets. Being well aware of the tremendous
A story has to be, in my opinion, reaUy wonder- amount of voltage required to release this titanic
ful before I take up the task of writing to the force of energy, I have wondered how the neces-
editor. I have found such a story in your Sept, sary paraphernalia could possibly be included in
issue. “When The Darkness Came” a four-star — a thirty or fifty caliber projectile?
winner I This story was not only well written, Kenneth Putman,
but the suspense was something to behold. I must Rt. 1,
admit, a bit sheepishly, that for a while there, I Huntland, Tenn.
was almost tempted to turn to the end and see Always new inventions ore cumbersome at first.
the outcome. It did not destroy the hypnotized Present atom smashers are huge. Does that mean
feeling of the reader, but rather followed it up to more efficient methods will not be developed f Ed. —
207
ETHER-POWER SHIP OF EUROPA
By MORRIS J. STEELE

The vessel used by the Inhobltaats of Eurepa, one of

Jupiter's moons, Is powered by energy out of the otr

CCORDING to astronoraexs, Europe is one Above the control cabin the resemblance to
/A of the satellites of the giant world, Ju* Earth ships ceases. Here we have another deck,
piter,and is the second of nine satellites. something like the crow’s nest of a sailing vessel,
from the center of Jupiter is 416,600
Its distance mounted on a short mast. Extending upward
miles,which places it somewhat less than twice from thb crow’s nest b an aerial provided with
as far away from its parent body as our own a Y branch, each arm of which ends in a smaller
moon. Y branch. This b the aerial which captures the
Its period of revolution is 3 days, 13 hours, cosmic rays which come through the thin at-
13.7 minutes. Its diameter is 1,960 nailes. At the mosphere in much greater force than on Earth.
present time it is not believed to have an atmos- Directly at the apex of the field of energy thus
phere. trapped, we have an arrow-like rod, similar in
Some time in its history, it must have been a principlo to a lightning rod, which catches and
world very capable, in spile of its distance from converts the cosmic energy into a usable form of
the sun, of sup^rting life. It is that period in power. 'This conversion results in an escape of
its history that concerns us. energy in the form of light and beet The long
Imagine a world with a very thin blanket of bar of the lightning rod disperses thb harmlessly
air, far away from the sun so that It appears only into the surrounding atmosphere, being visible
as the brightest star in the sky, and near enough to the eye by reason of a rainbow-like banner of
to a giant world that fills almost all of the heav- color, much like the spectrum band broken from
ens, except for the fact that almost always it is ordinary light by the prism.
blanketed from view by seething purple-colored Thb source of power b constant, not being
clouds. affected by the weather or by the presence or
Here we find a world which is slightly oblate, lack of a cloud blanket.
so that It now possesses two great one at
oceans, The ship itself is constructed of wood, very
each pole, separated by a strip of land around strongly constructed with painstaking attention
the equator. These oceans never freeze, because to joining, so thatno stress or strain can loosen
on this world, there b no such thing as winter, the parts, and at the same time each joint can
due to its double source of light and heat, the give with the motion of the ship.
sun and Jupiter itself. Jupiter b, at thb period Europa never has violent storms, so thb ship
in the solar system’s hbtory, a world still aflame, must withstand only the daily tidal waves that
a junior sun. And on the surface of these two sweep both oceans with the rotation of the planet.
great oceans we find a race of people who have These tidal waves are made choppy by die com-
built extremely strange ships indeed. peting gravity of the sun, whose i^uence b much
These ships are a queer mixture of super-science less than that of tibe giant world, Jupiter, so near
and primitive ingenuity. Although they are pow- in the heavens of Europa.
ered by one of the mystery energies of the uni- Because of these waves, the forepart of the
verse, cosmic energy drawn from the ether Itself, ship is enclosed, and the after decks are left clear
they are propelled by common oars, rigged in of movable objects. When the waves appear, the
series to the motors inade the ship. crew remains rither below-decks or in the control
Perhaps the Europan never conceived of the cabins.
propefler. At any rate, none of his ships are To combat any chance of swamping, the ships
driven by other means than oars.
are built with a very deep draft, ha\nng perhaps
To our surprise, they have produced a ship
twice as much of the huD below water as above,
which b very much along the same lines as our
and ballasted heavily in the keel.
own ships, having a slim, stream-lined hull, with
The oars are adjustable, riding on curved metal
a sharp prow to cut the water.
Up forward is a control cabin, and the helms- I-beams so that they can be set to any desired
man’s whedL About amidship, along both sides, depth. Shallow depth for slow motion and deep
is a bank of giant oars, rigged in series on a paral- draft for great speed. These ships can attain a
lel bar whkb acts like a pbton on a locomotive. speed in excess of eighty-five miles an hour!

20S
 Hi Ml BouMm.
Hfl L HI
Bvr miQl«nl« tad Drat
PmU.
Yl F
Bmot BUd««. TootB Sharlnt
^Hl Cn»a, PerMtul Ntedt, Ra. Saod fcr
l« Ptm ComUM* C*Ulef.
KEYSTONE N«w Y«rfc, N.
CO.. 73 Fifth A**.. D*st. 3410, V,

Beat Any Dice Game

Have Geld In four Peek##.
When There's Silver In Tour Hair
Send me a Stamped Self-Addressed Envelope, end
I will tell things about DICE you never knew,
Print Name and Address Plainly

J. F. STEWART
Bex 526 Heasten. Texos
210 AMAZING STORIES

INOUGHlfmfVffPif
^avi Influence Others
With Your Thinking!
SOME TIME. Conc«ntn(e Inlenlly tipoB privately taught thb aeurfy-lob art of dto pntedcal see
'TTf.
olW person seated in • room with )'oq. without hit of mind power.

notielnf IL Observe hhn fradoally become restless and

hnalTy tnm artd loob in year direcHott. Smplc«-7ei U b
This Free Book Points Out the Way
a posttipc demoiutraOon iKat tbougbt generates a mental Ibe Rosiemdans (not a r^gioos organization) tuvtte
you lo explore the powers of your mind. Their sensible,
energy which can be protected from your mind to (he
tiniple suggestions have caused intelligent mot and women
consciousness of another. Do you realize how much of lo soar to new heights of accomplishmonl. They luiS sfioor
your tucoetl ar»d happiness in life depend upon your you how to use your natural forces and talents to do
influencing others? Is it rwl important lo you to liave things you now think are beyond yoxir ability. Use (he
coupon btlotu and send for a copy of the fasdnating
olhm undentand yosr point of view-«ts be receptive to
•ealed /ree book. “The
Mastery of Life." whkb explains
your proposals?
bow you may receive ibis unique wisdom find bcneBt by
)b application to your dally afratrs.
Demonstrable Pacts
How many times have you wished there were eome vrag The ROSICRUCIANS
you could impress another ravDrably>^9et ocross to him (AMORC)
or her your ideas? That ihoughb can be transmitted,

raceh-ed. and understood by others Is now scientifically

demonstrable. The tales of miraculous accomplishments Sotbe X. N. Ltf Tbe Roslcrrsdana. AMORC.
Raeimdan Park. Shn Jose. California.
of orind by (he andents are now known to be fact— not
Ktndly send me a free copy of the book. 'The
fable. The method whereby these things can be inisn-
Mastery of Life." I am intrreated to leairring bow
Itoaolfy. not acctdentally. accomplished has been a secret I may receive tosboctloas about tbe fufl use of my

loug cherished by the Rosfmicians—one of the schools of natoral powen.

andenl wisdom edstlng thsoughout the world. To iboik Name
sands everywhere, for centuries, (be Roslcrudans have AAlixa

rSINTED IN 0.8.1.
 GEE what a build/ No - ATLAS
Didn’t it take a long Makes Muscles Grow
time to get those muscles? Fast /
\

Will You Let

Me PROVE
Con Moke
I

YOU 0 Meat
LET ME START SHOWING YOU RESULTS LIKE THESE
What a
differenced

••Have
put 31/2"
and 2iA
(n ormal)
•xoanded."— F. S.

For quick results

I recommend CHARLES

"Am
^
|> CHARLES
ATLAS
snapshot
striding
ATLAS
Awarded tlie title
showing wonderful prog* of •Tlie World’s
ress.” — W. N. J> Most Perfectly
Developed Man"
in international
contest-in compe-
tition with ALL
men who would
consent to appear
against him.
Tliis is a recent
JohnJocobs JohnJacobs photo of Charles
Atlas showing
BEFORE AFTER how he looks to-
day. This is not a
studio picture but
an actual un-
Here’s What Only 15 Minutes a Day Can Do For You touched snapshot.

DON’T care how old or young you marvelous physical Hpecimens my way. —
give you no gadgets or contraptions to
are. or how ashamed of your present I

I physical condition you may be. If

fool with. When you have learned to
develop your strength through '‘Dynamic
you can simply raise your arm and flex Tension," you can laugli at artificial
it I can add SOLID MUSCLE to your muscle-makers. You simply utilize the
—
biceps yes. on each arm in double- — DORMANT muscle-power in your own
—
God-given body watch it increase and
quick time! Only 15 minutes a day
—
right in your own home is all the time
multiply (Uiuhle-quick into real solid
LIVE MUSCLE.
I ask of you! And there’s no cost if
I fail.
My method "Dytwmie Tension”- -will
turn the trick fur you. No theory’ -every
I can broaden your shoulders, exercise is practical. And. man.
strengthen your back, develop your so easy! Spend only 15 mimites
whole muscular system INSIDE and a day in your own liome. From
OUTSIDE! I can add inches to your
chest, give you a vise-like grip, make
the very start you’ll be using my,
method of “Dunamie Tension" CHARLES ATLAS, Dept. 910
those legs of yours lithe and powerful.
almost unconscfouslv every min- 115 E. 23rd Street, New York, 10, N. 1.
I can shoot new strength into your old
tite of —
the day walking, herding
over. etc.~to BTTILD MT’SCLE I want the proof that your system of “Dynamic Ten-
backbone, exercise those inner organs,
help you cram your body so_ full of pep.
and ^^TAT.ITY. sion" will help make a New Man of me —
give me a
healthy, husky boiiy and big muscular develojiment.
vigor and rcd-hlooded vitality that you FREE BOOK Send me your free hook, "Everlasting Health and
won’t feel there’s even “standing room” "Everlasting Health Strength".
left for weakness and that lazy feeling and Strength"
Before I get through with you I’ll have In it I talk to you in straight-
vour whole frame “measured” to a nice, from - the - shoulder language.
(Please print or write plainly)
new, beautiful suit of muscle! Packed with inspirational pic-
tures of myself and pupils fel- —
What's My Secret? lows who became NEW MEN
strength, my way. Let me show
in

"Dpnantic Tension!’* That’s the ticket! you wiiat I helped THEM

do. Sec
The iflentlcal natural method that I myself what I can do for Y'OIH For a
developed to cliange my body from the real thrill, send for this book to- City State
scrawny, sUinny-cliestecl weakling I was day. AT ONCE. CHART.es Check here if under IG for Booklet A
at 17 to 'ray present super-man physique! ATLAS. Dept. niu. 115 East
Thousands of other fellows are becoming 2Srd St.. New York lu, N \
ETHEE-POWER SHiP OF EUROPE
This ship of Jupiter’s mopn
a strange combination of primitive
is

and ultra-scientific craft. propelled by oars v^hich are in

It is

turn powered by energy taken from the ether itself! See page 208