CHAPTER IX
_Ianito_
Quickly stripping the protecting cloak from her body, the green-bronzeone held the struggling girl gingerly but with a grip of iron. His eyesbulged from their sockets, and the other guard staggered backward withhands outstretched as if to ward off an evil spell that might be castby this supernatural visitant.
Blaine thrust his arm through the folds of his coat, ray pistol inhand. A crazy laugh forced itself to his lips at sight of the detachedmember, stretched there, tensed, drifting in mid-air. The pistolprodded Ulana's captor viciously.
"Hands off of her!" the voice behind the lone arm was snarling. "Handsoff, or I fire!"
The girl slipped to the floor in a heap as the amazed guard loosed hisgrip. And, in the same instant, the blue flame spurted. He had notintended to press the release; it was useless anyway to battle theentire outfit. But the blood lust was upon him and a savage joy in thedestruction of this beast who had dared lay hands on Ulana impelled himto turn on the other. Blindly he swung, clubbing the pistol and beatingin the ghastly face that wobbled there upon the spineless,superstition-bound body.
Others were coming then, hundreds of them it seemed. The pale face ofDantor appeared for an instant in the background, through the red hazethat was blinding him. He only knew he was fighting desperately,viciously, and against impossible odds. The satisfying crunch of hisleft fist against a leering green-bronze face was followed by anexcruciating pain as one of his knuckles was driven back. Hardlyknowing he had pressed the release of the ray, he was mildly astonishedto see that two of the guards were enveloped in the blue vapor.Scintillant tiny sunbursts within the blue. Two less of those devils!His pistol was empty and he flung it into a grinning face; he saw theblood spurt and the face change shape, crushed beyond humanresemblance.
He was down then, gasping for breath against the floor plates. Theweight upon him was enormous; crushing. If only they'd quit squirmingso ... and pounding ... reminded him of his old football days ... somescrimmage!
Abruptly came the blankness of insensibility.
* * * * *
Dimly at first, in the painful throbbings of returning consciousness,Blaine knew he was in one of the Llott workshops where machines hummedand pounded and where many operatives were busily engaged. A cool handstroked his aching brow and he opened his eyes. Ulana! They had sparedher. Alert on the instant, he was acutely aware of the babbling ofvoices close at hand. Ianito was there, at the base of the hugetelescope, talking with Dantor, his voice raised excitedly. Themonorail crew stood by, and he noted with grim satisfaction thatseveral of them were as badly damaged as he could wish.
His gaze returned to the sweet face that bent so near. Weakly he drewthe golden head to his breast; held it there a moment, thinking,hoping, planning. Then he sat up on the edge of the low couch on whichhe had been placed, regarding her anxiously. Evidently they had notharmed her--as yet.
Ianito had dismissed the green-bronze ones and was approaching thecouch. Dantor was with him, lagging a little and pressing a finger tohis lips; shaking his head gravely to warn them. They must not speak ofthe plans made in the Tritu Anu; must not talk.
The Dictator was regarding them now with hard eyes. But it seemedalmost that something of admiration or respect, something of human-likeemotion was in his cold stare.
"Hah!" he grunted, at last. "These two are in love, Dantor. It is asyou explained. It is good, and fits in with my plans to a nicety. Ishall spare the life of the Earth man on account of his knowledge ofthe inner planets; I can use him later. The girl I shall spare for adifferent reason, and that fits in with my plans as well."
* * * * *
What did he mean by that last crack, the grinning devil? A sinisterintent was there, behind his smooth talk. Blaine half rose from hisseat in quick anger, but the girl's gentle touch on his arm restrainedhim. She depended on him now and he'd have to go easy until the propertime came.
"Impetuous, aren't they?" Ianito was saying, "these Earth men. Acharacteristic that must get them into much trouble, even in their ownworld."
Laughing at him, this hell-hound! Blaine gritted his teeth.
The Dictator addressed him directly. "You are a fortunate young man,"he drawled sarcastically. "You have slain several of my trustedretainers and by so doing have forfeited your right to life. But Ianitois forgiving. Mechanized, you will be of value to me when the great daycomes. And it pleases me that you are so deeply attached to the Rulanmaiden; it pleases me greatly."
"Why?" Blaine snapped, a great rage consuming him. Only the pressure ofUlana's fingers held him back. He would have to control his temper orhe'd make a mess of things.
"Because, my dear Carson, it will so displease the Zara."
With this cryptic remark he turned on his heel and left them. A numberof his technical experts awaited him at the eyepiece of the greattelescope.
Dantor whispered swiftly before following him, "Keep up your courage,Carson. A way may yet be found."
The group by the telescope was an excited one. Something had occurredwhich must be of great moment. It came to Blaine in a flash that thereverberations of the copper shell of Antrid had ceased. Therocket-tube was silent.
"I don't know why we shouldn't be in on this," he said to the girl."Let's go over there and see what it's all about."
* * * * *
One of the astronomers was reporting to Ianito, referring to a sheet ofcalculations he held in nervous fingers. "Our orbital velocity hasincreased greatly," he was saying, "and the new path lies at an averagedistance of eighty-three erds from the mother planet. According to myfigures it will require six more charges to free us from her pull andanother to redirect us toward our destination."
Eighty-three erds! Practically a million Earth miles. Already they hadswung out to a new orbit between those of Ganymede and Callisto. Andwhat of the effect on the other satellites? Blaine listened carefullyas the astronomer continued.
"Perturbations in the movements of the other bodies in our own systemare marked, and, in the case of the first satellite, have proveddisastrous. It has commenced its inward journey and soon will havefallen into the gaseous envelope of the mother body. But this needoccasion us no concern; it is small and there will be stabilization ofthe others after the second charge is fired."
Colossal conceit! What amazing ignorance or oversight of natural laws!These Llott scientists could see no farther than their snub noses, orat least no farther than the satellite system of Jupiter. And Ianitowas complimenting the astronomer on his good work!
The group broke up now and the Dictator turned to the controls of hiscrystal sphere. Blaine and Ulana caught the view of the undergroundlaboratory at the base of the great rocket-tube.
All was as it had been when they first saw this chamber. The breech ofthe huge cannon had cooled and its massive block was open. Tommy wasthere, fishing the radium capsule from the powdery residue in orderthat it might be used in exciting the next charge. A mechanicalprecision marked his every motion.
"It is good," Ianito grunted, flicking a lever that cut off the view."We are progressing nicely, thanks to the generosity of the Earthbeings in providing this k-metal."
His sarcastic grin was infuriating. Dantor cast a warning look in theEarth man's direction. It wouldn't do to lock horns with thisself-satisfied despot; at any rate, not now. Blaine's mien wasexpressionless as he faced him.
* * * * *
The view in the crystal was another familiar one when Ianito made aquick readjustment: the throne room in the palace of the Zara! TheDictator snorted when he saw that Clyone was reclining lazily on hergolden couch, submitting graciously to the ministrations of herhandmaidens.
"Faithless creature!" he snarled. "Harlot! Parricide! But at lastIanito will have his revenge."
The hate in his voice and in those terrible glass-hard eyes wasdevasta
ting in its intensity: implacable, relentless. Yet Blaine couldnot down the exultant feeling that came to him when he saw that thismonster could suffer, too.
"What's the matter?" he sneered. "Did she throw you down?" He couldhave bitten off his tongue as he spoke. Ulana gasped.
And if Ianito had been in a rage before he was a madman now. Despitehis contempt of the misshapen creature, Blaine quailed before themurderous glare that answered his rash words. But the Dictator wasmaster of himself, at that; his lips tightened in a thin line and heheld his peace. He actually smiled after a moment, the devil, a smile,though, of evil triumph. He turned once more to the crystal andswitched on the sound mechanism.
"Clyone," he called, in velvety voice; "it is Ianito."
She looked up, startled, her chalky face gone whiter still. Her jeweledfingers fluttered to the smooth throat.
"I hear you," she replied shakily. "What do you wish of me."
"Nothing much--this time. I have visitors who request an audience withyou, oh Clyone. Can you see them at once?"
"Who--who are they?" Her eyes widened at his insinuating tone.
"An Earth man--Carson--and the Rulan maiden who is to become his mate."Ianito chuckled evilly as he watched her expression.
"Carson?" she whispered, her wild eyes softening, "He--he lives?" Blackhatred replaced the wondering joy that had glowed in her face. She wasthinking of the statement regarding the Rulan maiden. "Why, yes," shesnapped, suddenly very much alert; "I can see them. Send themimmediately."
The Dictator chortled as he switched off the power. Dantor paled andlooked away. So this was his scheme! He was sending Ulana to certaindeath at the hands of the leopard woman. Blaine bit his lips until theybled. If only he had one of their ray pistols again. If he had--
* * * * *
Ianito was at his side, whispering. But he couldn't see him; the devilhad donned one of Dantor's invisible cloaks. Something hard presseddeep into his ribs.
"I shall be with you," the Dictator told him, "but she will not know.It is necessary, of course, that I watch over you in order that yourdeportment be suitable to the occasion. The death ray of Antrid isready in my hands. Proceed, you and the Rulan maid, and see to it thatyou give her every attention while in the Zara's presence."
Dantor interposed an objection, "But, Ianito, you promised to sparethem. I learned to love these two and want no harm to come their way."
"I keep my promise, oh Dantor. Ianito will not harm them."
"But the Zara."
"What Clyone does is none of my concern. Silence, Dantor; I command it!You will remain here." The voice of the Dictator cut like a knife.
The old Rulan scientist bowed his head and turned away. Good oldDantor! He'd done all in his power to help them. This was the end; nota question of doubt. Blaine Carson drew the Rulan maiden fiercely tohim. This Clyone might meet some opposition if she attempted to wreakher spite on Ulana; she _would_ meet it. There was no need for Ianitoto ask that he pay every attention to the lovely, frightened girl whoclung to him so trustingly.
They were in the lift then, dropping swiftly into the palace beneaththe great dome that topped Antrid.
"This Clyone," Ulana whispered, "she has great power of enticement, myCarson. I fear for your loss--to me. She will take you from me, and Ishall be alone--or dead. Death would be the better."
"Never!" said Blaine huskily. "Never, my dear. She has no power overme; nor will I permit her to bring suffering to you."
Ianito laughed then, an ugly cackle that came out of the unseen.