Part 7 (2/2)
They filled Damis with amazement and moved him to awe to think of the loyalty and bravery displayed by those whom he had been taught from childhood to regard as a race of slaves, created solely to minister to their overlords.
Damis pushed the s.h.i.+p to the greatest acceleration which he dared to use, and, as they approached the Earth, he cast many an anxious glance at the diminis.h.i.+ng fuel supply. For thirteen days he drove at high speed until the Earth seemed almost at hand. Using almost the full power of his bow motors, he checked its speed. For a time he thought he had overestimated the power of his motors and that it would be necessary to avoid the atmosphere belt, run past the Earth and return. At the middle of the fifteenth day, with the Earth less than a thousand miles away, he threw in his last notch of power.
The deceleration pressed them so tightly to the nose of the s.h.i.+p that they could hardly breathe. Damis lay with his hand on a side motor to throw them out of danger. Gradually the forward motion of the s.h.i.+p ceased and at last Damis rose with an effort and shut off the bow motors.
”We are falling under the influence of terrestrial gravity,” he announced. ”In another three hours, we will land.”
He was as good as his word. Three hours later he dropped the s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+p to a landing at a spot half a dozen miles distant from the beleaguered capital of the Sons of G.o.d. As he landed, the sun was just peeping over the eastern horizon.
Their approach had been seen and the s.h.i.+p was surrounded by hundreds of Terrestrial swordsmen. As the airlock opened and Damis and Turgan appeared there was silence for a moment and then a thunderous shout of joy rose to the heavens. From the forefront of the crowd, a crimson-robed man ran toward the s.h.i.+p.
”Turgan, my lord,” he cried as fell on his knees and strove to kiss the Kildare's hand. ”You are spared to us who had given you up for lost. Our spies reported that the Sons of G.o.d had followed you to Mars and had slain you all. Havenner reported to Glavour that you had made such a resistance that it was impossible to follow his orders and bring you back alive.”
”Havenner!” cried Damis. ”Havenner is on Venus with Lura.”
”The s.h.i.+p of the Sons of G.o.d returned last night,” replied the Akildare, ”with a loss of two men of its crew and with the Princess Lura a prisoner.”
Tears of joy sprang into Damis' eyes and ran unrestrained down his face.
”And she is safe?” he cried.
”One of our spies saw her and reports that she is well although in poor spirits. She is confined in the palace and will not be harmed. A Jovian fleet of a hundred s.h.i.+ps is expected hourly with Tubain himself in command. A message to Glavour has ordered that Lura be held for Tubain's arrival, when he will dispose of her.”
”What is the situation here, Toness?” interrupted Turgan. ”I rejoice with Damis that my daughter is safe, yet, unless we are victorious, her present safety will avail her little.”
”Things have gone neither well nor ill since your departure, Kildare,”
replied Toness. ”I have followed out the great conspiracy as it was planned many years ago. Although we have lost thousands of our bravest men, we have the Sons of G.o.d besieged in the Viceregal palace and we have tapped and cut the secret source of power which Timour, the Akildare, found years ago. They have no weapons save some hand tubes that are not yet exhausted and their axes. Their most powerful weapons of offense are crippled, yet we cannot storm the palace in the face of the defenses they have left. Have you brought us any hope from Mars?”
”We have brought weapons against which all the power and science of the Sons of G.o.d are as helpless as is our feeble strength against their might,” replied Turgan. ”Send me men to transport these weapons, and in two hours not a Jovian will remain on the planet.”
A wild cheer of joy from the a.s.sembled Terrestrials answered the words of the Kildare. A score of men ran forward and entered the s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+p on the heels of Turgan. They reappeared in a few minutes carrying with the greatest of care the two terrible weapons which were the gift of the Grand Mognac. Damis suddenly looked up from a reverie in which he had been plunged.
”I have just figured it out,” he exclaimed. ”Despite his report to Glavour, Havenner knew that Turgan and I lived. He started away from Mars toward Venus, a destination which he had already informed his crew that they would make for. He feared the Martian weapons and he strove to draw us away toward Venus so that he would be safe. Once the Martian instruments had ceased to watch him, he altered his course and made for Earth. With his greater supply of fuel and more powerful s.h.i.+p, he was able to make a higher speed and, despite the additional million or two of miles, he was able to land before us. The thing that puzzles me is why we were not seen by the Jovians as we approached.”
”You came from a different direction than Havenner, oh Nepthalim,”
replied Toness. ”All of their instruments were either watching Havenner or the Jovian fleet. But for an accident, your approach would not have been noted by us. I am confident that the Sons of G.o.d have no idea that you have returned, especially since Havenner reported that he had slain you. We will take them by surprise. Where shall we take the weapons?”
”Take the one with the blue rod to the top of the mountain which overlooks the palace and set it so that the rod points in the direction from which Tubain's fleet is approaching. That hill is less than two miles from the palace, so you had better take them both there. Point the red rod toward the palace.”
At a word from Toness, the Terrestrials started off with the weapons for the point indicated by Damis. The Nepthalim and Turgan followed them, relating their adventure on the red planet as they walked along. The shutting off of the Jovian source of power had effectually crippled all of the power-driven chariots which certain of the higher officials among the Earthmen had been allowed to maintain.
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