"Indan Ko, I must see this immediately. Consider the armistice while I
am gone, and rest assured that I am about convinced that we can come to
terms. I shall return directly."
* * * * *
Vorgan followed Lindoo into the large anteroom that opened on the nave
of the reception room. There were six of the Loard-vogh Grand Council
there, grouped around a machine of amazing complexity. It was more
amazing because it did not appear to make good sense. Vorgan thought
that perhaps it would make sense after it started to run.
And the thing that made Vorgan catch his breath was the Terran sitting
in the corner with folded arms.
"Well," said Vorgan shortly, "what does it do?"
Lindoo stepped forward and snapped the switch on the base. The Terran
leaped to his feet and snapped it off.
"Don't!" he warned.
"That was a rash thing to do," snapped Vorgan.
"I may be rash," admitted the Terran. "But lese-majesty is permissible
when a life is in danger."
"Lindoo, give me the details."
"Borgara went crazy."
"Crazy? How?"
"I don't know. But it was tied up in this machine, somehow."
Vorgan turned to the Terran. "Every time we have something out of line
going on here, we find Terra mixed in it. What is your name, Terran?"
"Edward Atkins."
"Position, Atkins?"
"Technician."
"And what is this machine?"
"A device I made at Borgara's direction."
"Borgara went crazy. Why?"
"Because he used this machine. I insist that it remain dormant.
Otherwise the rest of you will be caught in the same unfortunate trap
that befell Borgara the Powerful."
"No doubt deplorable," observed Vorgan dryly.
"Quite. I did his bidding, and he became enmeshed in it."
"I'm not too surprised," snapped Vorgan. "So give me your side of the
details. About one more like this and I am going to wipe Terra out."
"Forgive me if I seem to slur a member of your race," said Atkins
earnestly, "but Borgara was a bitter tyrant. He held his rule by sheer
force and violence. He maintained his productive output by torture.
He cared little for pleasure or ease, and he drove the people in his
sector unmercifully. On one planet, Borgara set up a rule that any man
who did not produce a given amount would find one member of his family
entering the Grand Torture Chamber. Torture threats against a person
are far less demanding than threats against a member of the immediate
family. And, Lord of All, he set the minimum limit slightly above the
average output, and kept it rising.
"Borgara found his pleasure in watching people in torture. The trouble
was that the more satisfying kind of torture didn't leave a victim
alive too long. So Borgara directed me to devise a means of torture
that would be most terrible and yet would not kill too soon. I did--and
it is this machine."
"Yet it drove Borgara insane."
"Correct. Permit me to remove a few important parts?"
"To demonstrate without danger?"
"Yes."
Atkins stepped forward and removed two tiny wheels and a glistening
sphere. "Now start it," he said. "The danger is gone."
* * * * *
Lindoo snapped the switch again. The myriad of levers began to
reciprocate. Tiny flashing wheels started to turn, and pencils of
light flickered through the facets of the rotating spheres. It was a
fascinating machine, utterly fascinating. It increased in speed, and
the flickering, flashing, interwoven motion flowed with a noiseless
violence. In and out, through and through in a mad pattern went the
parts. And as they watched it, the machine lost its mechanical shape,
apparently, and became an almost living thing that breathed and
was--shapeless. The individual motions became one master writhing.
And the Loard-vogh stared at the machine with horror on their faces.
There was sheer and utter horror there, but they could not move away,
nor could they speak. They began to writhe a bit, as something in their
mental attitude caused the onset of physical pain, and the writhing
grew more violent.
Atkins stepped forward and turned the machine off.
Vorgan stormed.
"I thought there was no danger!" he shouted, rubbing a muscle that had
cramped.
"No danger," said the Terran with a faint smile. "You see, when I
removed these parts I protected myself so that I could turn the machine
off before it became really dangerous to you. I wanted you to see and
feel for yourselves just what Borgara thought excellent."
"But we were going insane and were aware of it!"
"As a means of torture, can you think of any better?" asked Atkins. "To
sit there, watching the machine, knowing that it is driving you insane,
and that the machine is causing you physical pain, and that there is
nothing that you can do about either--that, Lord of All, is the supreme
torture."
"And Borgara got caught, is that it?"
"Unfortunately for Borgara, he used it once too often. He got tired of
watching the victim, and watched the machine. Since he was alone in the
torture chamber, it--got him. I beg of you, destroy it. I'd not care to
be responsible for more trouble."
Lindoo opened a drawer in the chest, took out a high-power modine, and
blasted the machine to ribbons. "Atkins, too?"
Vorgan shook his head. "He was only doing what he was told. Borgara's
Sector is in good hands, they tell me, and the new overseer has
released forty million fighting men that Borgara needed to control
his sector. No, I think ... dismissed, Atkins ... that once again the
Terrans have done us a favor."
* * * * *
Vorgan returned to Indan Ko. "Tlemban, tell me something. Was Terra
behind your decision?"
"Yes," admitted Indan Ko. "Terra pointed out that the Galaxy must be
united and that the Loard-vogh were doing just that. Terra does not
grant that the means you are using are correct to their ideals, but
they admit that you are doing it quickly and efficiently. And they
point out that we can never hope to win, ergo we should make the best
of defeat. So--"