Vol Vi Part 97 (2/2)
Putting my Zoorph back on her feet, we raced toward that breach in the wall. Over our heads the great blasting explosions went on, and I saw but three of the circling disks left to the defense of the city.
Outside the city wall we stopped to catch our breath, leaning against the wall in the shadow.
Carna said, musingly: ”It is all over for the ancient Empire of the Jivros, if help does not come for them tonight. For, now that they are seen to be so helpless without their slaves and their fighting men, the news will spread. Planet after planet will rise against them. This is their finis.h.!.+”
”They expected to conquer earth, Carna. They could never have done it. For a little while, perhaps, but not for long.”
”They might have! They are like ants; they have a highly developed pattern of activity. But when that pattern is disrupted, they are lost. They do not think--they remember.”
”We've got to make contact with the queen and with Genner and the Croen. We will be left out of things.” I was wondering what Carna's future plans were.
”You are interested in the beautiful sister of the Prince?” asked Carna.
”You are interested in the so handsome Prince?” I answered in the same tone of voice.
”Of course, what woman would not be! But I am more interested in you, for I fell in love with you. But I can fall out again, and maybe--who knows....” she laughed.
”What's more to the point, Carna, is she interested in me?”
”I could tell you,” said Carna, her eyes mysterious on my own, luminous and huge in the darkness.
”Well, perhaps you had better tell me, then.”
”Why? I love you!”
”You mean she is interested in me!”
”Very much, and she is a very smart woman who has ways of getting what she wants. I am very much afraid she will take you with her to s.p.a.ce when they go, and leave poor Carna in her ruined city, with no one but the wild beasts and the dead bodies. This will be the end of this place.”
”You are wrong!” I smiled, thinking the girl was flattering me.
”No, not wrong, dear earthman. I am very much afraid of the future, for I am to lose you, but I have a way of avoiding that.”
”And what is that way?”
”You will find out when the time comes, and you may like it very much!”
”Let's get away from this wall where we can see what's going on....”
We plodded across the level, gra.s.sy valley floor, walking backward some of the time, watching the great circling s.h.i.+ps above the city's center, and the lancing blue paths of their rays stabbing at some darting adversary high above them.
Then from the western sky came a series of round low shapes, speeding so rapidly the eye could hardly distinguish them from the darkly glowing horizon. After their pa.s.sage, in a close series, came the air-scream of falling missiles, high-pitched, then came a terrific cannonading of explosions. Fountains of fire sprang up in exact sequence, one after the other. The ground shook and shook underfoot, each shock seeming greater, to add its strength to the one preceding it. I knew that this was for the Jivros the end of their plans on earth.
Simultaneous with the arrow-swift flight, two great blazing lances of blue fire shot downward from the s.h.i.+ps far overhead, transfixed the circling spheres one after the other. They tilted, plunged slowly, faster and faster--ended in great splashes of fire and sound somewhere in the city below.
I mopped my face. The night was hot, and relief flooded me.
”We got out of there just in time, Miss Mystic!”
She nodded, her white smile in the night a beautiful thing.
”What is this Miss Mystic word you use?”
”It means Zoorph, Carna. It is U.S.A. speech.”
”U.S.A. speech,” she parroted. ”Some day I will talk U.S.A. speech, too, like you!”
”I hope so. This tongue of yours gives me cramps in the jaws.”
We plodded on across the gra.s.s, heading for the cliff ledge where we had met. I knew no where else to go.
Quite suddenly came a soft sussuration overhead, a light-beam lanced down, pinning us there. I tossed Carna aside, rolled myself out of the path of light. But mercilessly the light beam spread, until we were again within the circle of illumination.
But no blue death ray followed. The dark shape settled to the earth beside us, and the door in the side opened.
I sprang to my feet in glad surprise to see Holaf in the round doorway, motioning us to enter. He cried: ”Come, the day of the Jivro has ended, there is work now for men to do!”
Carna laughed happily, ran to the doorway, and as Holaf caught her waist and swung her up, she kissed him on the cheek, still laughing in abandoned joy to know that finally the centuries-long nightmare fastened on her people was ended. I followed more sedately, wondering what now? I thought of poor cross-eyed Jake Barto, and of the three fortune-hunters who had gone the same path--and as I shook Holaf's hand, questioned the ecstatic confidence of release upon his face.
”Suppose the Empire sends s.h.i.+ps here, will they not destroy all you have gained? Why do you feel so sure their power is broken? They were but few here?”
”They will not send s.h.i.+ps, for no messenger got away. What do you think the s.h.i.+ps of the prince have been doing? This is the beginning of their end!”
”How did you get out of the palace? The last I saw you, you were storming the place, gun in hand, and cheering....”
”When the bombs began to burst against the very roof, I got out. I killed a few Jivros first, though! It has been a good time; the best of my life!”
”Were you picked up as you picked us up?”
”Of course. Look there who it is that has done us the honor....”
My eyes followed his finger pointing through the far arched doorway to the control room. At the bank of levers and dials, her face intent upon the scene through the circular plastic dome, sat Wananda. Inadvertently my eyes went to Carna's face; she nodded once, vigorously. I knew she meant: ”See, I have told you the truth. She knew where you were, her heart told her, who else would descend to pick you up while the fighting was still going on?”
I went to her, and stood for a moment beside her, watching her swift hands, the light on her midnight hair, the delicate superb chiseling of her forehead and nose, the exquisite aura of womanhood about her--she was every inch a queen.
She turned, startled to find me there, then smiled, and a warm flush spread slowly from her neck upward to her temples. She knew that I knew! She laughed a little quiet sound to herself.
”That is why the Zoorphs are hated, earthman. One can never keep a secret!”
”You must have the powers of Carna yourself, to know that she told me.” I answered.
”I have studied their methods. One comes by such talents hereditarily. The Zoorph is only an organization which concentrates on taking in and teaching such gifted children. I, as a princess, had a tutor of their sect. I know that you love her, too, you know.”
”And not yourself. But she confesses that I love her only because of her skill at hypnosis, or something of the kind. To me that seems unfair, but I cannot help it. I love her, though I am drawn to you. But why should we concern ourselves with these matters? You will go back to s.p.a.ce with your s.h.i.+ps to carry rebellion to the other Jivro strongholds. I will be left behind to mourn you both.”
”Why should you be left behind? Do you find the Schree or the Zerv company so repellent?”
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