Part 30 (1/2)

He felt it now, that inner pulling, twisting in his mind, the willing which was their more subtle weapon. Once they had almost bent him with that willing because then he had worn their livery, a s.p.a.cesuit taken from the wrecked freighter. Now he did not have that c.h.i.n.k in his defense. And all that stubborn independence and determination to be himself alone resisted the influence with a fierce inner fire.

”We offer life to you, Foanna, freedom of the stars. These other dirt creepers are nothing to you, why take you weapons in their cause? You are not of the same race.”

”Nor are you!” Ross's hands moved under the envelope of the robe, unloosing the two hidden clasps which held it. That bank of controls before which the commander sat--to silence that would cause trouble. And he depended upon Ynlan. The Rovers should now be ma.s.sed at either end of the canyon waiting for the force field to fail and let them in.

Ross steadied himself, poised for action. ”We have something for you, star men--” he tried to hold their attention with words, ”have you not heard of the power of the Foanna--that they can command wind and wave?

That they can be where they were not in a single movement of the eyelid?

And this is so--behold!”

It was the oldest trick in the world, perhaps on any planet. But because it was so old maybe it had been forgotten by the aliens. For, as Ross pointed, those heads did turn for an instant.

He was in the air, the robe gathered in his arms wide spread as bat wings. And then they crashed in a tangle which bore them all back against the controls. Ross strove to enmesh them in the robe, using the pressure of his body to slam them all on the b.u.t.tons and levers of the board. Whether that battering would accomplish his purpose, he could not tell. But that he had only these few seconds torn out of time to try, he knew, and determined to use them as best he could.

One of the Baldies had slithered down to the floor and another was aiming strangely ineffectual blows at him. But the third had wriggled free to bring up a paralyzer. Ross slewed around, dragging the alien he held across his body just as the other fired. But though the fighter went limp and heavy in Ross's hold, the Terran's own right arm fell to his side, his upper chest was numb, and his head felt as if one of the Rover's boarding axes had clipped it. Ross reeled back and fell, his left hand raking down the controls as he went. Then he lay on the cabin floor and saw the convulsed face of the commander above him, a paralyzer aiming at his middle.

To breathe was an effort Ross found torture to endure. The red haze in his head filled all the world. Pain--he strove to flee the pain but was held captive in it. And always the pressure on him kept that agony steady.

”Let ... be....” He wanted to scream that. Perhaps he had, but the pressure continued. Then he forced his eyes open. Ashe--Ashe and one of the Foanna bending over him, Ashe's hands on his chest, pressing, relaxing, pressing again.

”It is good--” He knew Ynvalda's voice. Her hand rested lightly on his forehead and from that touch Ross drew again the quickening of body and spirit he had felt on the dancing floor.

”How--?” He began and then changed to--”Where--?” For this was not the engine room of the s.p.a.cer. He lay in the open, with sweet, rain-wet wind filling his starved lungs now without Ashe's force aid.

”It is over,” Ashe told him, ”all over--for now.”

But not until the sun reached the canyon hours later and they sat in council, did Ross learn all the tale. Just as he had made his own plan for reaching the s.p.a.cer, so had Ashe, Karara, and the dolphins worked on a similar attempt. The river running deep in those mountain gorges had provided a road for the dolphins and they found beneath its surface an entrance past the force barrier.

”The Baldies were so sure of their superiority on this primitive world they set no guards save that field,” Ashe explained. ”We slipped through five swimmers to reach the s.h.i.+p. And then the field went down, thanks to you.”

”So I did help--that much.” Ross grinned wryly. What had he proven by his sortie? Nothing much. But he was not sorry he had made it. For the very fact he had done it on his own had eased in part that small ache which was in him now when he looked at Ashe and remembered how it had once been. Ashe might be--always would be--his friend, but the old tight-locking comrades.h.i.+p of the Project was behind them, vanished like the time gate.

”And what will you do with them?” Ross nodded toward the captives, the three from the s.h.i.+p, two more taken from the small scouting globe which had homed to find their enemies ready for them.

”We wait,” Ynvalda said, ”for those on the Rover s.h.i.+p to be brought hither. By our laws they deserve death.”

The Rovers at that council nodded vigorously, all save Torgul and Jazia.

The Rover woman spoke first.

”They bear the Curse of Phutka heavy on them. To live under such a curse is worse than a clean, quick dying. Listen, it has come upon me that better this curse not only eat them up but be carried by them to rot those who sent them--”

Together the Foanna nodded. ”There has been enough of killing,” said Ynlan. ”No, warriors, we do not say this because we shrink from rightful deaths. But Jazia speaks the truth in this matter. Let these depart.

Perhaps they will bear that with them which will convince their leaders that this is not a world they may squeeze in their hands as one crushes a ripe quaya to eat its seeds. You believe in your cursing, Rovers, then let the fruit of it be made plain beyond the stars!”