CHAPTER VII
_In the Hands of the Mercutians_
A Mercutian was lolling in a reclining chair, his gray, warty faceturned half away from Hilary. He was rather undersized for aMercutian, standing not more than seven feet, and his gray, unwieldybody was heavy and gross as though thickened with good living anddebauch. A fleshy three-fingered hand was pounding vehemently on thearm of the chair. His guttural roughened voice came clearly to thelistener. He was talking to someone unseen from the angle of theslowly widening slit. He was annoyed.
"For the last time I give you the opportunity," the Mercutianhowled--in English. "If you refuse I turn you over to Urga; he wantsyou."
The crack in the door had widened perceptibly. Hilary's heart gave atremendous leap. Disclosed to his vision was a figure standingopposite the Mercutian, slim, defiant, proud--Joan.
What unimaginable luck! The automatic leaped like a live thing into,his hand. He crouched, the blood pounding in his temples, waiting forthe slide to come completely open. He dared not reach over for thebutton control to shift the speed; the movement might be heard inside.
The path was clear now. Overpower the Mercutian, escape with Joan downthe deserted corridors back to the secret passageway, emerge below,return to their hideout in the Ramapos and plan for revolt. It was allas simple as that.
* * * * *
"We must have these Earth slaves," the Mercutian continued, unheeding."They, must be made an example of. They are responsible for theunrest. They have killed Magnificents; and the Earth fools think theycan do the same. They will find out their error soon enough. But aslong as those three live, so long will the slaves hope, and plot."
"I cannot tell you anything about them," Joan said monotonously. Itwas evident that this was not the first time she had said so.
"Yes you can," the Mercutian said as softly as his gutturals wouldpermit. "There is one in particular you know a great deal about. Urgatold me. A long-lost lover, no?" His gray-ridged countenance contortedinto a thick disgusting leer.
"There it something mysterious about him. He has no identificationtag; he releases Peabody; seems not to know the penalties. He has apistol, a forbidden weapon; he dares to kill a Magnificent; he eggs ontwo others, ordinary Earth slaves to join him; he disappears out ofsight, in spite of all search." He was shouting now, pounding thechair arm with complete loss of dignity. "Who is he, where does hecome from, where did he go? Answer me?"
The girl faced him boldly.
"You are afraid of him, Viceroy," she challenged. "You fear hisexample. He has shown what a brave man can do; the Earth people willfollow him. The Mercutians are not invulnerable."
"Yes," the Viceroy said heavily. He was talking more to himself. Thenhe realized his mistake. "No, of course not," he growled hurriedly."Enough of this. You tell me what I want to know or I call Urga in."
Joan's face went white, but she faced him unflinchingly.
"I do not know where he is, and if I did, I would not tell you."
"Very well then." The Viceroy leaned over to the table.
The slide was completely open now.
"I wouldn't call anyone if I were you."
* * * * *
The Viceroy whirled in his chair at the sound of the calm Earth voice,calm yet deadly in its implications. He found himself staring into thestubby opening of an Earth automatic, a forbidden weapon. The handthat held it was steady, and the gray eyes that bored into his werehard as pebbles.
There was a smothered gasp from Joan. "Hilary."
"Yes; come to take you away." He spoke swiftly. "We have no time towaste, Joan. Is there any binding material in the room?"
"I--I believe there is. Dad always kept odds and ends in the storechest near the bookshelves."
"Go and get it then. We'll truss up his most MercutianMagnificence--No you don't," Hilary said harshly; "keep your hands infront of you and don't move."
The Viceroy was stealthily reaching for the sun-tube dangling from hisbelt. He jerked his hand back, a cold sweat beading his forehead.Hilary's finger had compressed on the trigger; the slightest extrapressure meant flaming death.
"That's better," Hilary approved.
"You shall pay for this," howled the Mercutian, finding voice again."You shall suffer a hundred deaths in one."
"Softly," Hilary grinned. "Just a little while ago you were veryanxious to meet me. Now that I'm here you don't seem overmuchpleased." Joan was rummaging frantically in the open chest.
The Viceroy started, his unlidded pink eyes opened wider. But he wascareful to keep his hands in plain view.
"You are the Earth dog who killed the Magnificents."
"I wouldn't call names," Hilary advised. "It might be unhealthy. But Iam that very individual. And I trust"--he bowed mockingly-"to havemore notches on my gun before I am through."
"You--you--shall be taken to Mercury. My father has special places forsuch as you." Joan was coming now swiftly with lengths of wire, softthick material for swathing.
"Get me there first," Hilary said indifferently. "Gag him, Joan, so hecan't open his ugly mouth any more. Then tie him up, well."
Joan thrust the gag into the thick gash of a mouth, choking off atorrent of imprecations in the guttural Mercutian tongue. Then sheproceeded to truss him, expertly, efficiently.
"Good job," Hilary approved. "Now with your kind permission, MostViceregal Magnificence, we shall go." He bowed mockingly. "Come,Joan."
"Not so fast, Earth slave." A cold saturnine voice resounded like theclang of doom behind him. He whirled, shifting his gun swiftly for aquick shot.
A little gush of heat caught his trigger hand as the index fingercontracted desperately. The smarting pain tore the pistol out of hishand. It dropped to the floor, unheeded. Hilary found himself staringinto the gross unpleasant face of Urga, a sun-tube trained directly athis midriff.
* * * * *
"The Earth slave who tried to slink into the building," Urga said,surprised. "How did he get up here?"
"I don't know," the Viceroy said shortly, working the gag out of hismouth. "Don't stand there like a fool. Untie me." Gratitude was notamong the Viceroy's virtues.
Urga's face mottled as he hastened to obey. When Artok stood finallyreleased, he glared heavily at Hilary and Joan. Then slowly a smilebroke over his warty features, a smile that boded unutterable things.Hilary waited quietly, ready to seize the slightest opening; Joanpressed wide-eyed against his shoulder.
"Know this Earth dog?" the Viceroy jerked at Hilary.
Urga's glance was puzzled. "I told you I threw him out of theentrance, but even then I felt I had seen him before."
"You have, Cor Urga," the ruler laughed shortly. "This is the one whois responsible for the mutterings of the slaves. He slew your comrade,Gornu."
The captain started, peered into his captive's unflinchingcountenance.
"He's disguised!" he cried. "Let me kill him, Magnificent." Hefingered his sun-tube significantly.
The Viceroy was in high good humor now.
"Not so fast. You would let him off too easy. I have a better scheme.We shall show the mutinous dogs how we treat those who revolt againstour will."
A cruel smile broke over Urga.
"I understand, Magnificent. Make a public warning of him like thatfool Peabody. Rip out his tongue and his eyes, smash his eardrums, andride him from city to city, in chains."
"Exactly."
Joan shuddered, convulsively. "No, no," she cried aloud in her terror,"don't do that. I'll tell you everything; I'll do--"
"Joan," Hilary interrupted sharply, "not another word." His arm wentaround her.
She collapsed against his shoulder, sobbing.
"It is too late for bargains now," the Viceroy shrugged indifferently."We have the man we wanted. As for the other two, you will tell uswhere they are hiding anyway."
Urga turned to him expectantly.
"Your Magnifice
nce," he urged respectfully, "you promised me the girl,if--"
"Yes, take her." The Viceroy waved a weary hand. "I don't want her; Ihave too many as it is."
The captain's face lit up with an unhealthy glow. He approachedeagerly to seize his prize. Joan gave a little cry of dismay, andshrank closer to her lover.
Hilary tensed in every muscle. Though it meant instant death, he wouldnot permit that towering brute to lay his clumsy paw on Joan.
Urga reached out to clasp the frightened girl. Hilary seemed touncoil. His fist shot straight up with all the power of his bodybehind it. It crashed into the jutting jaw of the Mercutian like acharge of high explosive dynol. For all his height and massivestrength, the giant toppled over, thudding heavily against the floor.
For the moment Hilary saw freedom ahead. The sun-tube had fallen fromthe nerveless fingers. He darted for it with the speed of a strikingsnake. Even as his fingers curled around the handle, there came a roarfrom the Viceroy.
"Drop it, or I'll cut you in two."
* * * * *
Hilary knew when he was beaten. Slowly, reluctantly, his fingersuncurled. He arose, to meet the gleaming opening of the Viceroy'sweapon, and the surprised stare in back of it.
Urga got up groggily, feeling gingerly the tender point of his jaw.There was unfathomable hatred in his lidless eyes.
The Viceroy chuckled throatily.
"I never thought, Cor Urga, to have seen a puny Earthman, a meremidget, overcome a Mercutian. Especially you, a winner of the prizeof strength three times running in the arenas."
Urga flushed darkly.
"It was an unexpected blow; it caught me unawares," he said heatedly."I'll break the slave in two."
"Try it--without your sun-tube," said Hilary laconically.
The captain made a movement toward him.
"Leave him alone," Artok cried sharply. He seemed to enjoy hisCaptain's discomfiture. "I have other plans for him. Now go. Take thegirl with you. I'll watch this presumptuous Earthling."
Urga advanced with an evil grin. Hilary thrust Joan suddenly behindhim; crouching like a cat. He would go down fighting. For all hisbulk, the Viceroy wheeled on his flank, raised his weapon.
"One false move, and you are dead carrion," he said coldly. His weaponwas raised. Hilary was caught between two fires, exposed to thesearing blasts that would issue at the slightest pressure.
Nevertheless he intended to strike. A sudden swerving jump, and hemight throttle one before he would be blasted into nothingness. Itwould be Urga, he decided grimly. He tensed for the final desperate,suicidal spring. The two Mercutians were watching him like unsheathedhawks.
"Good-by, Joan," he whispered, and his muscles went taut.
Urga paused, his weapon came up sharply. One little pressure, and--
* * * * *
There was a commotion in the outer hall, the sound of padding feet.The four in the master room froze into immobility. Two Mercutianguards stumbled panting into the room. They came to a jerking halt,threw themselves prone upon the floor, arms outstretched inobeisance.
"May we speak, oh Magnificent?" they asked humbly.
"Say your say," the Viceroy said crossly.
They rose to their feet heavily, and one of them spoke.
"The Earth dogs are revolting. The Cors of the outlying districtsreport that the slaves are massing and are marching on Great New York.They are armed with Earth weapons. The Cor of the Third Districtreports two men responsible--one is a giant among them, almost as tallas our own kind; and the other a puny red-haired firebrand. The Corhas tried to capture them, but they are elusive. Even the search beamscannot disclose their hiding place."
Hilary's heart gave a great bound. Grim and Wat had not waited then.
The Viceroy's face darkened with anger.
"The filthy scum," he growled; "this morning's lesson was not enough.This time I'll slay, burn, smash until there isn't a single rebelleft. I'll fertilize their damned Earth with their own black blood.You, Cor Urga," he snapped, "transmit my orders to the Cors of theHundreds. They are to mobilize their men at once, and proceed inaccordance with instructions known to them as General Order One. Allconveyors to be stopped except for troop movements. Every slave foundwith weapons, or acting suspiciously, to be slain on the spot. Flyingpatrols to scatter in pairs, observe for concentrations of slaves. Rayany gathering without warning. Inform Cor Algor of the _Tora_ (thiswas the great armed diskoid of the Mercutians that had previouslyreduced Great New York, Hilary found out afterwards) to resume hisstation over the city, ready to act when I give the signal."
Even in the conflict of emotions, Hilary marveled at theunhesitating, snapped flow of orders. The Viceroy, in spite of hisseeming gross lethargy, was a soldier, and an efficient one to boot.
"Yes, Magnificent." Urga bowed low, and departed, thrusting amalignant glance at Hilary.
* * * * *
The Viceroy thrust off from him his bright yellow robes, wriggled hisvast bulk swiftly into a close-fitting dull-gray tunic. To his belt hefastened little round knobs; the sun-tube dangled swankily at oneside. He was accoutered for battle.
He seemed to have forgotten the existence of the Earthlings.
"You," he snapped to one of the waiting guards, "go to the laboratoryat once; convey my strict orders to Cor Eela that the weather machinemust function perfectly. There must be no slip-up--his life willanswer for it."
"Yes, oh Magnificence." The guard prostrated himself once more, thendeparted hastily.
Vast echoes resounded in Hilary's mind. "Weather machine--weathermachine," he puzzled, holding Joan the tighter. There was more to thisthan met the eye. He must think.
The Viceroy turned suddenly, stared at them, fingering his tube.
"I could of course have you killed at once," he thought aloud, "andhave no further trouble; but then Urga would be angry." His lidlesseyes rested fleetingly on Joan. "And I would lose my public warning tothe few Earth dogs who will survive. If it weren't that I needed themto till the fields, and work the machines, I would not leave a singleone alive."
He seemed to come to a decision. "You'll wait my return." He spokesharply to the guard. "Bind them up well. Thrust gags into theirmouths." He grimaced. "I can taste mine yet. And remember, if theyescape, just turn that sun-tube of yours on yourself. It will bepleasanter for you. Understand?"
"Yes, Magnificent."
The obsequious guard caught hold of Hilary, under the watchful tube ofArtok, and proceeded with clumsy weighted fingers to tie him up.Hilary did not resist. An idea was slowly forming in his mind. Joan'sturn came next.
When they were trussed so tightly that neither could move, the Viceroysmiled mockingly. "We shall meet again, Earth dogs," he said, and wasgone.