Before Egypt

He said, "The sooner that one's in the Hall of the Dead, thebetter."

  * * * * *

  Mike had been conscious of a hand touching his arm but he had paid noattention. Now, as the two Terrans turned to leave, he turned also,with tears of helpless anger welling in his eyes. It was M'Landa. TheH'Lorkan spoke.

  "What's he saying?" Mike asked.

  As M'Landa spoke, a quick change came over Nicko. He whirled andstared back in to the cell. "He says there's another man in this cellwith us. He's been talking to him. He's a Baserite."

  Now Mike saw the man sitting in a shadow against the wall. Two thingshad kept him from noticing before--the dim light and the incidents ofterrible interest down in the pit. As they approached, the man got tohis feet and spoke. Mike could not understand what he said, but he nowknew the man thrown brutally into the vat of purple liquid had alsobeen a Baserite. This man in the cell could have been his twin.

  "Are you able to understand him?" Mike asked Nicko.

  "Sure. He said he was watching us--trying to figure out whether wewere spies?"

  "Spies! Spying on whom?"

  The questions and answers were going back and forth through Nicko. Heasked the Baserite. The man said, "Upon me."

  "Who are you?"

  "I am Mertaan, a fighting Prince of Baser. I was taken from a Baseriteship."

  "Too bad, fellow. I'm sorry."

  "It was no accident. I arranged to be taken."

  "That hardly makes any sense."

  The man spoke through grim lips, his clear eyes blazing. "That's why Iwondered about you--wondered if our plot was suspected. We can't takea chance."

  "Your plot?"

  "Yes. But I think you are genuine prisoners."

  Nicko translated and added, "You can be damned sure about that."

  "What plot are you talking about?" Mike asked.

  "Baser attacks the Ptomenites in force tonight."

  "I'm glad to hear that but I don't see how you can be much help inhere."

  "This is one facet of the plan. We corrupted a scant few of thePtomenite guards. They are our men."

  An odd thought struck Nicko. "We're glad to hear that too, but couldyou tell me something? With gold and jewels lying around on the groundwhat kind of bait lures a man on this planet."

  "Our women are the most beautiful and exciting females in existence,"the Baserite said grimly.

  Nicko whistled and Mike snapped. "Quit taking up time with sillyquestions. We want to know more of this plot."

  Mertaan took a key from the front of his jacket. "There is one or moreBaserites in every cell of this block. Each has a key that will unlockhis cell. The Baserite war fleet comes over soon. When we hear thewhine of the ships, we strike. Are you with us?"

  "We could hardly be with the Ptomenites."

  Mertaan eyed Nicko suspiciously. "Is the strange one also with us?"

  "Just wait and find out!" Nicko said.

  * * * * *

  The Baserite turned even grimmer of face. "I am taking no chances.This plan must work. My brother just died down there in their reekingvat--"

  Mike was astounded. "You mean you had a key? You could send the wholecell block to his rescue? But you let him die?"

  Ice glazed over the pain in the Baserite's eyes. "There is much moreat stake here than one life. A nation. The time was not right. I hadhoped my brother would be spared a few minutes longer but it was notto be."

  Mike marveled anew. Truly--these Baserites were men of iron will."When?" Mike asked grimly.

  "Soon." Mertaan took a small, strange-looking weapon from his pocket.It resembled a pistol enough to be identified as such. "I wish I couldoffer you arms, but smuggling them in was very risky. What few we haveare in the hands of picked warriors."

  Sweat was standing out on Mike's brow. "Never mind the guns. I justhope it's soon. The next one to go into that vat is a girl who--"

  The Baserite's eyes filled with quick sympathy. "One of you, myfriend?"

  "One of us."

  "I can only hope the ships come first."

  Mike licked his dry lips. "But if they don't--you say you have someguns--the keys." He was looking at the Baserite with fixedcalculation, his thoughts transparent.

  Mertaan had no difficulty in divining them. "We cannot move until theships come. If you strive to change this I shall kill you swiftly andsilently. I shall kill everyone in the cell to ensure silence."

  Mike's look remained fixed. He knew he did not have the courage towatch Doree die horribly when there was a key and a weapon within hisreach. He deliberately forced the cold look from his face but whetherthe Baserite's suspicion was lulled, he could not tell.

  Mertaan smiled coldly and said, "There is another of your kind in thecell block."

  * * * * *

  Mike took a step forward, but the Baserite stepped warily back. "Anold man?" Mike asked.

  "A very old man. He is four cells down. We know nothing of him becauseno one can speak his language."

  Professor Brandon! Mike sent up a silent prayer of thanksgiving. "Hewill be released when the time comes?"

  "If he chooses. None will be forced to go against their wishes, but Icannot imagine anyone refusing."

  Mike turned to the bars gripping them hard. Several priests wereworking ghoulishly over the body of the dead Baserite. Mike lookedtoward the various entrances to the pit. Through which of these wouldthey bring Doree? He prayed that none of the doors would open.

  But as though part of a plan to torture him, one of the doors openedsuddenly. Two guards came through.

  They were leading Doree.

  She was very pale and seemed to Mike to have grown increasinglybeautiful. She wore a simple golden robe and the guards did not treather as roughly as they had handled the Baserite. Small consolation.

  She had found a great courage and walked serenely with her head heldhigh and Mike's pride and love almost burst his heart. Desperately hetried to keep control over himself.

  * * * * *

  Doree advanced under close scrutiny of the guards to the point atwhich the Baserite had been slain. She appeared empty of all fear.

  Then a priest advanced and stood for a moment looking at her. In hishands he held two lengths of golden chain. A great silence fell overthe watching prisoners in the cells, every eye glued on the priest andthis beautiful girl.

  Then a great roar of anger arose as the priest reached out and whippedDoree's gown from her body. She stood naked in the center of the pit.

  Mike went mad. With a roar he turned and hurled himself upon Mertaan.

  The latter, even though sharply alert for attack, was not quick enoughto get his weapon into action against Mike's lightning rush. Mikeclosed with him and they went down.

  The Baserite was probably the stronger of the two, but his strengthwas no match for Mike's demoniacal rage. His hands went around theBaserite's throat. "Must I kill you?" he snarled, "or will you give methe key?"

  There was no fear in Mertaan's expression but now, under pressure ofMike's steel fingers, it changed. He appeared to be listening for hisown death.

  But not for his death. He tore frantically at Mike's fists and got afew words past them. "Listen--listen, man! Can't you hear them? Theships are coming over! The time is now!"

  Mike could not understand the words but the meaning got through to himas a high whining sound transcended the roar of the prisoners. AndMike realized the roar had not been caused by the priest's unveilingof Doree's beautiful body, but by the whine from above. The prisonersknew that the moment had come and they were already pouring from thecells.

  Mike sprang to his feet and lifted the Baserite. The latter snatchedthe key from his jacket and unlocked the front cell-gate. Mike wentthrough first to find himself packed into a plunging, screaming mob.

  Here and there he spotted a Baserite frantically trying to establishsome sort of order in the ranks of the pris
oners. But they remained asnarling, bloodthirsty wave of disorganized vengeance. Mike tore hisway savagely through the pack with Nicko and M'Landa close behind him.

  "We've got to get down first!" he yelled. "She'll be killed in therush!" Even now, below them, the panicked priests were knocking eachother down in their rush for the exits.

  Nicko pushed forward. "Let me go first! I'll make way!"

  And he did. He flexed his scales until each one stood out from hisugly body like a razor-edged knife. Then he charged the mob. Bloodsplashed until Nicko was a great red smear. Those he hit screamed inpain and fell back, leaving an avenue down which the three raced.

  They came to a stairway and as they tumbled into the pit, Mike lookedswiftly over his shoulder. He was thinking of Mertaan's weapon. But itwas not available. Mertaan had been lost in the mob of screamingprisoners.

  Mike snatched up an odd-looking instrument from a table he passed. Heknew nothing of its original use but it would make an excellent club.He baptized it by catching a fleeing, terrified priest and splittinghis skull with one blow. This brought him within a few steps of whereDoree lay. She had been knocked to the floor as the desperate priestssought to escape the wrath of their prisoners.

  * * * * *

  Mike's eyes were only for her. He did not see a guard nearby whoturned suddenly and charged him with the flat ugly sword gripped tightin his fist. Mike knelt down to lift Doree. The sword plunged down.But instead of going into Mike's back, it was driven deep into thebreast of M'Landa who had hurled himself forward.

  Nicko, with a curse bellowed in some obscure dialect, leaped forwardand took the guard into his hands. He lifted the guard and held himaloft with one hand. With the other he tore the man's throat out andhurled him dying and bloody across the pit.

  The whole building trembled at that moment, obviously from a bombhurled off a Baserite ship. But Mike and Nicko were scarcely aware ofthis new thunder. Mike had set Doree on her feet and was now holdingthe fallen H'Lorkan warrior in his arms. Gently he withdrew the sword.There was a lump in his throat. He said, "Thanks, friend. You'll neverbe forgotten. I will always remember."

  M'Landa smiled. He spoke and Nicko interpreted. "This is a fine worthydeath. I could ask for no more. I die pleasantly, in the hope that thePtomenites are brought down forever."

  Then he was dead and there was no time to mourn him. "Back upstairs,"Mike said. "Your father is in a cell there. We've got to get him andthen find a way out of here and to the ship--if we aren't too late.I've got a hunch McKee and Talbott will be heading in the samedirection."

  Nicko had picked up Doree's robe. He threw it over her shoulders andhe and Mike formed a cordon in front and in back of the girl, Nickogoing first. They headed for a stairway while all about them bloodyslaughter was taking place.

  The priests had found the exit doors mysteriously locked and what fewguards were in the pit proved to be helpless against the outragedhorde from above. The priests and the guards were being torn to piecesas though by the fangs of maddened dogs. The screams of terror andagony were a crescendo drowning the whine of the ships overhead.

  * * * * *

  Professor Brandon was crouching in the far corner of the cell. A manof peace, this place of blood and confusion was beyond his conception.He was in a daze, his mind having thrown up a buffer against horror.

  Doree's arms went around him but Mike pushed her back almost roughly."There is no time," he said. "We've got to get out of here." He pickedthe frail Brandon up in his arms. "You take the lead, Nicko. Take myclub. It's up to you to cut a path through."

  They left the cell and went out onto the balcony and discovered thatthe frantic priests had at last broken through the locked doors oftheir prison-pit. The ones remaining alive had fled the place with theprisoners on their heels.

  Sounds from beyond indicated that some of the frenzied prisoners hadabandoned the chase and were now stalking through the building,killing and looting.

  "Out this way," Mike directed, indicating an open doorway. "This isthe side toward the blast field."

  "The passage is empty," Nicko said. "Come on."

  "Watch yourself!" Mike snapped.

  And it was well that Nicko did because halfway down the passage, threeof the blood-crazed prisoners leaped on him from a side passage. Onebrought a club down viciously, aimed by sheer chance at the base ofNicko's skull, the one vulnerable spot on his body. Nicko avoided theblow and smashed the prisoner's head.

  The other two landed astride Nicko. It was like jumping into a nest ofsharp knives. Ripped, bloody, screaming, they staggered away and fled.

  No one else challenged the right of way and Nicko led the party outinto the night. Overhead, the sky was bright with battle and here andthere about the area, there were sharp skirmishes, evidently betweenBaserite and Ptomenite troops. There was no way to tell which way thebattle swayed.

  "Straight ahead," Mike ordered. "Skirt the wall of that building."

  They reached the field, ran across the last open area and faded inamong the ships. Mike smiled grimly as he saw the dark, unlightedoutline of the Terran space craft. They had beaten McKee and Talbott!Perhaps the two scoundrels had been slain. "Up the ramp, quick!" Mikedirected.

  * * * * *

  But McKee and Talbott had not been killed. Nor had Mike beaten them tothe ship. He had preceded Nicko up the ramp and as he came to thehatch, the lights of the ship flashed on and Talbott stepped forthholding a Terran pistol. Beyond him, inside, stood McKee and thePrincess Katal'halee.

  "I told you all we had to do was wait here--that they would show up,"Talbott said.

  McKee pushed forward, a somewhat mystified expression on his face."Sure, but I still can't figure how you convinced this Katal babethey're responsible for the uprising."

  Talbott's smile was one of grim satisfaction. "I have persuasiveways," he said. "I'll back them down the ramp and she can pronouncesentence and I'll execute them."

  "Why stall?" McKee asked. "Kill all five of them and let's get out ofhere. About time we started thinking of our own skins."

  "I'm taking the Princess with us, you idiot!"

  "You're the idiot!" McKee snapped. "Not letting well enough alone!"

  * * * * *

  The proud Ptomenite Princess pushed forward, her cold eyes on Mike andhe realized of course, why the two Terran schemers could talk sofreely. Katal'halee could not understand a word they said.

  Talbott motioned with the gun and Mike backed slowly down the ramp. Hewas still holding Professor Brandon in his arms, the old man's eyesblank and uncomprehending.

  "That'll do," Talbott said. He stepped aside and the Princess pointeda contemptuous finger at the group. She spoke sharply and Mike lookedswiftly at Nicko.

  "It's a death sentence," Nicko said. "She's accusing us of everythingbut stopping up the royal sink."

  The Princess now stepped aside and motioned imperiously to Talbott. Heraised his gun.

  But a new voice barked sharply. A fine needle of crystalline ray shotout of the darkness and melted the gun in Talbott's hand. Talbottjerked his seared member back with a squall of pain.

  Mertaan stepped into the circle of light. He looked at Mike. "I hadreason to follow you," he said and Nicko quickly interpreted.

  "But it can wait a few moments." He turned to the Princess Katal'haleeand a hatred built up over generations flashed between them. Yet,their eyes seemed also to mirror a mutual respect. Mertaan said, "Youare wrong about your betrayers. It was these two who made thearrangements--contacted our allies within your city. The tall one isvery good at getting his points over with gestures and pictures."

  Evidently, on this planet, even enemies did not lie to each other.Katal'halee's eyes turned on the pair with a venom that sent everydrop of blood from their faces. "What did they ask in return?"

  "Only seats of power in the city after we conquered it."

  *
* * * *

  Nicko was translating for Mike and the latter whistled softly. "Sothat was the idea. The jewels in the ship were only an ace in thehole."

  "But they must figure the battle goes bad for the Baserites," Nickosaid. "They planned to take off."

  "The last minute," Mertaan told Katal'halee, "your fine friends turnedmilk-white. They had no stomach for the battle they helped arrange."

  "A truce between us, Baserite," the Princess said. "Give me these twoand a gun with which to march them off into the darkness. You and Ican settle accounts later."

  Mike was astounded when, without hesitation, Mertaan took anotherweapon from his person and handed it to the Princess. Mike's fleshcrawled as he stood rigid, expecting a blast from the royal Ptomenitethat would wipe them all out. He wondered at Mertaan's gullibility.

  But evidently the word of these fierce people could be taken at facevalue. The Princess ignored all but McKee and Talbott. She pointed thegun at them and motioned. Now they understood what had transpired.Sweat streamed from their faces.

  "No!--please, no!" Talbott screamed. "He lies! He tells you lies!"They both fell to their knees.

  Mertaan smiled coldly at them. "Where are your pictures and persuasivemanners now, scum!" He