Part 20 (1/2)
”Yes, Great Master.”
”You will be housed in this city, Wor, in the dwelling-globe you occupied before. Keep your prisoners with you, if you like.”
”These two Earthmen....” began Molo, but he was interrupted.
”Settle that later. I do not want the annoyance.”
I was dimly conscious of a great clanging, coming through the curtain of barrage which was over us.
The brain added, ”Keep Wyk with you, to guard the prisoners; he will also attend your needs. In the battle, Martian, I expect great things of you and your _Star-Streak_.”
”Great Master, you will not be disappointed.”
”And prisoners, but not too many. Bring me a few young specimens like these, representative of Venus, Mars and the Earth. I want both of the s.e.xes, an equal number of each.”
”Yes, Great Master.”
”The warning signal is coming. You will now see our first contact.”
The light at our feet was fading. It clung last by the gruesome face of the huge brain; the goggling eyes shone green, and as the light in the little mound-room dimmed there was in a moment nothing left but those lurid green pools of the brain's eyes.
Then I was aware that the aperture at our feet had closed. Over us, the barrage curtain was dissipating, sight and sound coming in to us.
The huge ball-shaped conclave room again became visible, the audience crowding its entire inner surface.
I suddenly felt Anita's fingers twitching at my sleeve.
”Gregg, darling, can you hear me?”
”Yes. Be careful.”
But Molo was gazing up over our heads. The crowd was s.h.i.+fting, bending so that they all seemed gazing at their feet. A dim white radiance, seeming to come from down here somewhere near us, lay in a splotch on a segment of the throng overhead. Molo was watching.
I whispered, ”All right, Anita. Quick, what is it?”
”The great control station is not far from here. Venza and I have been trying to find out where it is exactly.”
She stopped, evidently fearful of Meka. Then she added:
”Gregg, we haven't been guarded very closely; they're not suspicious of us.”
”Later, Anita. Can't talk now.”
”No. Watch our chance. Later.”
I turned toward Molo. ”What's that up there?”
”The transparent ray is opening the top of the globe.”
The clanging signal gong had stilled. The audience was hushed and expectant. The white patch of light overhead spread until it encompa.s.sed all the top of the globe. The whole area was glowing. The people were white, spectral shapes, transparent! And the top of the globe was transparent; I saw the night sky, with the gleaming reddish stars.