The isolation barrage which Wolfgar had flung around us was dissolving.Someone--something--was in the room, breaking down the barrage,struggling to get at us. We stood huddled together; Elza clinging to me,Georg beside us, and Wolfgar, gripping the small cylinder which wasglowing red in his hand from intense heat.
Georg muttered something; the snapping sparks of the barrage blurred hiswords. But I heard Wolfgar say swiftly:
"We're trapped! _You_, of all of us--you Georg Brende, must escape."
The rest of his words to Georg I did not catch. He was thrusting aweapon into Georg's hands; and giving hurried advice and explanations.
"Princess Maida ... she ... in that other tower ... you, so much moreimportant than the rest of us...." Phrases I heard; but only phrases,for in those few seconds I stood dumbly confused, fascinated by watchingthe blackness in which we had enveloped ourselves now breaking intolurid, angry sparks.
A distant corner of the room became visible; outlines of the wall-beams;the growing glare of a wall-light in a tube over there. And through thebrightening gloom--the figure of a lone man standing. Tarrano!
I heard Georg mutter: "Jac! Make a show of fight! Hold him! Butcareful--careful of Elza!"
Behind me there came an electrical flash; the pungent smell of burningcloth. Georg was no longer beside us!
Elza was still clinging to me in fright. I shook her off. Wolfgar flunghis smoking, useless cylinder to the floor. The blackness at once spranginto light; the sparks died. Tarrano was standing in the room, quietly,before us. Standing with a grim, cynical smile, regarding us.
But only for an instant did he stand quiet. Across the room, creepingfor the balcony doorway, I was aware of the figure of Georg. Tarrano sawhim also; and with a swift gesture snapped back to his belt theinterference cylinder with which he had uncovered us; then plucked atanother weapon, gripped it to turn it upon Georg.
Everything was happening too swiftly for coherent thought. I leapedtoward Tarrano, with Wolfgar rushing beside me. Elza screamed. Tarrano'shand was leaving his belt. I reached him; flung out my fist for hisface.
But in that instant the weapon in Tarrano's hand was brought upon me. Myparalyzed muscles made my arm and fist go wide. My blow missed him; hestepped aside; and like a man drunk with baro-wine, I stumbled past him,halted, swayed and struggled to keep my footing.
Wolfgar had felt it also; he was reeling near me, holding himself fromfalling with difficulty. I was unarmed; but there were weapons hangingfrom Wolfgar's belt. His numbed fingers were groping for them. But theeffort was too great. The blood, driven back from his arms, left thempowerless; they fell dangling to his sides.
A few seconds; but we had occupied Tarrano during them. Georg wasthrough the balcony doorway and beyond our sight. Elza was standingmotionless, too frightened to move. I felt myself growing numb, weightedto the floor as though my feet had taken root. My arms were hanging likewood; fingers tingling, then growing cold, dead to sensation. And anumbness creeping up my legs; and spreading inward from my arms andshoulders. In a few moments more, I knew the numbness would reach myheart.
Tarrano had not moved, save that single step side-wise to avoid myonslaught. As I stood there now with my face like fire and my brainwhirling with the blood congested in it, I heard his quiet voice:
"Do not fear, Lady Elza. This Jac Hallen--as I promised you--is quitesafe with me."
His gesture waved her aside, that she should not come within thosedeadly vibrations he was flinging at us. And I saw his other hand lift atiny mouthpiece from his belt; heard his voice say into it: "Argo? Argo!That Georg Brende----"
He stopped; a look of annoyance came over his face. Argo did not answer!Dimly to my fading senses came the triumphant thought, the realizationthat Argo outside, upon whom Tarrano depended to seize Georg--hadfailed.
Action had come to Tarrano. He snapped off his weapon. Released from it,Wolfgar and I wilted to the floor--lay inert. The returning blood in mylimbs made them prick as with a million needles. To my sight andhearing, the room was whirling and roaring. I felt Tarrano bendingswiftly over me; felt the forcible insertion of a branched metal tube inmy nostrils; a hand over my mouth. I struggled to hold mybreath--failed. Then inhaled with a gasp, a pungent, sickening-sweetgas. Roaring, clanging gongs sounded in my ears--roaring and clatteringlouder, then fading into silence. A wild, tumbling phantasmagoria ofdreams. Then complete unconsciousness.