Part 8 (1/2)

And for a job like that, MacMaine's special abilities weren't needed.

He could only watch and wait until it was over.

So he watched and waited. Unlike the short-time fury of a s.p.a.ce battle, the reduction of a planet took days of steady pounding. When it was over, the blaster-boats of the Kerothi fleet and the shuttles from the great battle cruisers landed on Houston's World and took possession of the planet.

MacMaine was waiting in his cabin when General Hokotan brought the news that the planet was secured.

”They are ours,” the HQ spy said with a superior smile. ”The sniveling animals didn't even seem to want to defend themselves. They don't even know how to fight a hand-to-hand battle. How could such things have ever evolved intelligence enough to conquer s.p.a.ce?” Hokotan enjoyed making such remarks to MacMaine's face, knowing that since MacMaine was technically a Kerothi he couldn't show any emotion when the enemy was insulted.

MacMaine showed none. ”Got them all, eh?” he said.

”All but a few who scattered into the hills and forests. But not many of them had the guts to leave the security of their cities, even though we were occupying them.”

”How many are left alive?”

”An estimated hundred and fifty million, more or less.”

”Good. That should be enough to set an example. I picked Houston's World because we can withdraw from it without weakening our position; its position in s.p.a.ce is such that it would const.i.tute no menace to us even if we never reduced it. That way, we can be sure that our little message is received on Earth.”

Hokotan's grin was wolfish. ”And the whole weak-hearted race will shake with fear, eh?”

”Exactly. Tallis can speak English well enough to be understood. Have him make the announcement to them. He can word it however he likes, but the essence is to be this: Houston's World resisted the occupation by Kerothi troops; an example must be made of them to show them what happens to Earthmen who resist.”

”That's all?”

”That's enough. Oh, by the way, make sure that there are plenty of their cargo s.p.a.ces.h.i.+ps in good working order; I doubt that we've ruined them all, but if we have, repair some of them.

”And, too, you'd better make sure that you allow some of the merchant s.p.a.cemen to 'escape,' just in case there are no s.p.a.ce pilots among those who took to the hills. We want to make sure that someone can use those s.h.i.+ps to take the news back to Earth.”

”And the rest?” Hokotan asked, with an expectant look. He knew what was to be done, but he wanted to hear MacMaine say it again.

MacMaine obliged.

”Hang them. Every man, every woman, every child. I want them to be decorating every lamppost and roof-beam on the planet, dangling like overripe fruit when the Earth forces return.”

_The Results_

”I don't understand it,” said General Polan Tallis worriedly. ”Where are they coming from? How are they doing it? What's happened?”

MacMaine and the four Kerothi officers were sitting in the small dining room that doubled as a recreation room between meals. The nervous strain of the past few months was beginning to tell on all of them.

”Six months ago,” Tallis continued jerkily, ”we had them beaten. One planet after another was reduced in turn. Then, out of nowhere, comes a fleet of s.h.i.+ps we didn't even know existed, and they've smashed us at every turn.”

”If they _are_ s.h.i.+ps,” said Loopat, the youngest officer of the _Shudos_ staff. ”Who ever heard of a battles.h.i.+p that was undetectable at a distance of less than half a million miles? It's impossible!”

”Then we're being torn to pieces by the impossible!” Hokotan snapped.