CHAPTER XIV
_Defying Worlds_
"So?" Tarrano eyed us, evidently in no hurry to speak further, seeminglyamused at our confusion. Had he heard much of what the two women hadsaid? All of it, or most of it, doubtless, with his instruments as heapproached. But, even with the knowledge of Elza's vehement appraisal ofhim, he seemed now quite imperturbable. His gaze touched me and Wolfgar,then returned to the women.
"So? It would seem, Tara, that your plan to wait upon the Lady Elza wasnot very successful." He dropped the irony, adding crisply: "Tara, comehere!"
She rose to her feet obediently, and stood facing him. Humble, fearful,yet a trifle defiant. For a moment he frowned upon her thoughtfully;then he said to Elza:
"Your policy of mercy is very embarrassing, Lady Elza." He made adeprecating gesture, and again his eyes were twinkling. "This womanthreatened your life. My guards were lax--though I must admit they hadgood excuse, with the other tasks which I thrust upon them.... Your lifewas threatened--you escaped by the merest chance of fortune. You know,of course, what justice would bid me do to this would-be murderess?"
Elza was on her feet, standing beside Tara. She did not answer.
Tarrano now was smiling. "I must let her go unpunished? Embarrassing,this merciful policy to which you have committed me! Yet--your will ismy law as you know--though I feel that some day it will involve us indisaster.... You, Tara, will not be punished, much as you deserve it."He paused, then said as an afterthought: "You, Jac Hallen, I thank youfor what you tried to do in thwarting the attack. You acted in veryclumsy fashion--but, at least, you doubtless did your best." Gravely heturned to Wolfgar. "I shall not forget, Wolfgar, that, in an emergency,you saved the life of Lady Elza.... Enough! These are busy moments. Youchose an awkward time to raise this turmoil. Come with me--all of you."
He summoned Argo and two other guards. Unceremoniously, and with morehaste than I had ever seen in Tarrano, he led us from the building. Ahint of his purpose came to me, as he bade Elza gather up her fewpersonal belongings, and gave them to a guard to carry.
In a group, he herded us across the spider bridge. It was early evening,but night had fully fallen. The city was ablaze with its colored lights.We crossed the bridge, passed through a tunnel-arcade, and came out to aplatform which was at the base of a skeleton tower. Its naked girdersrose some seven hundred feet above us. The highest structure in thecity. A waiting lifting-car was there. We entered, and it shot usupward.
At the top, the narrowed structure was enclosed into a single room somethirty feet square. A many-windowed room, with a small metal balconysurrounding it outside. Immediately above the room, at the very peak ofthe tower, was a single, powerful light-beam; its silver searching rayswept the cloudless, starry sky in a slow circle.
The room was crowded with instruments. Unlighted, save by the reflectedglow of its many image-mirrors, all of which seemed in full operation. Adozen intent men sat at the tables; a silent room, but for the hum andclick of the instruments.
Tarrano said softly: "We have been very busy while you below wereengaged with your petty hates."
He seated himself at a table apart, upon which was a single mirror, andhe gathered us around him. The mirror was dark. He called:
"Rax--let me see Mars--you have them by relay? The Hill City?"
The mirror flashed on. From an aperture overhead, a tiny beam of theblue helio-transformer came down to it. In the mirror I saw an image ofthe familiar Hill City. A terraced slope, dotted with the cubicalbuildings, spires and tunnel mouths. An empty channel[15] curved downacross the landscape from the north.
[Footnote 15: Canal, as it now is thought to be.]
A distant scene, empty and lifeless save for black puffs which rose inthe air above the city.
Tarrano called impatiently: "Closer, Rax!"
The image dissolved, blurred; turned red, violet, then white. We seemednow upon a height close above the city. It was seething with confusion.Fighting going on in the streets. Animals and men, fighting; a crowd ofthe Little People thronging a public square, with beasts of war chargingthem.
The Hairless Men; I had heard of them, with their animals trained tofight, while they--the humans--lurked behind. A mysterious, almostgrewsome race, to us who live on Earth--these hairless dwellers of theunderground Mars. Dead-white of skin; sleek and hairless; heavilymuscled from the work of their world; and almost blind from living inthe dark.
They were swarming now into the Hill City of the ruling Little People.The beasts, at their commands, were running wild through thestreets ... dripping jaws, tearing at the women ... the children....
I felt Elza turn away, shuddering.
Tarrano chuckled. "The revolt. It came, of course, as I planned. ThisLittle People government--it was annoying ... Colley!"
"Master?"
"Send the message, Colley. Fling it audibly over Mars! Tell the rulersof the Little People that if they send up the green bomb ofsurrender--Tarrano will spare them further bloodshed. Tell them that Iam not giving the Brende secret to Earth. In a moment I shall defy theEarth Council. Promise them that the Brende secret is going to Mars.Assure them they will have everlasting life for everyone.... Wohl!"
"Master?"
"Give me the Cave Station."
The mirror went dark. Then it turned a dazzling yellow. A cavern in theinterior of Mars. A dark scene of wavering yellow torches. Around atable of instruments sat a score of hairless men. Tarrano snatched up amouthpiece--murmured slowly into it. I could see the leader of thehairless men nod after a time, as the message reached him. And I saw himturn away to issue swift orders as Tarrano had commanded.
Tarrano said brusquely: "Enough!... Wohl!"
The mirror went dark. A voice called: "Master, the green bomb has goneup from the Hill City! Do you wish to see?"
"No.... Give me Venus. Olgan! Are they quiet on Venus?"
"Yes, Master."
"Congratulate them that we have conquered the Little People. Tell themMars is ours now! Tell them I am coming to Venus at once--with theBrende model...."
"Master, you wish to see Venus? I have direct communication----"
Another voice interrupted. "The Earth Council, Master! They demand anexplanation of why you say the Brende model is going to Mars. You havepromised it to Earth. They demand----"
Tarrano rasped: "Tell them to wait ... I don't want Venus,Olgan.... Megar! Give me the Earth Mountain Station."
He turned to me, and his voice dropped again to that characteristicsardonic drawl:
"We must see how your friend Georg Brende is faring."
The mirror showed Georg, standing irresolute on the platform before thesending discs.
Tarrano called: "The Princess Maida--can't you locate her?"
The scene blurred momentarily, then showed us the outside of theStation. A white expanse of snow, with purple starlit sky above. From aside door of the building, as we watched, the figures of two womenappeared. A woman leading Maida. As they came out, with Maida allunsuspecting, from the shadows a group of men pounced upon them--draggedMaida away.
Tarrano laughed. "Enough!... Show me Georg Brende again.... Hurry!"
We saw Georg waver and leap through the window, fall into the snow,where, from the shadows of the building, other men rushed out uponhim ... hurried him away after the captive Maida....
Tarrano's laugh was grim and triumphant. "Ha! We win there, also!Enough! Nunz? Nunz--now you can give me the Earth Council! Where is itsitting? Washington, or Great London?"
"Washington, Master."
"Very well.... No, never mind connecting me. You speak for me. Tell themI've changed my mind. The Brende model is not coming to Washington. Tellthem Georg Brende is lost to them, also. Tell them I declare war!_Tarrano the Conqueror_ declares war on the Earth! Tell them that, withmy compliments. Tell them to come down here and overwhelm me--it oughtto be very easy!"