End of the Trail
For a moment Steve knew not what to say. It never occurred to him to
doubt the truth of Loala's claim. One thing he had never questioned
was the superb scientific ability of this race. His own knowledge of
biological science assured him that such master surgeons as the Daans
undoubtedly could accomplish this incredible feat.
The only question in his mind was: was it worthwhile he should save his
life at such a cost? The thought struck him swiftly that it was not
truly _his_ life, the life of Stephen Duane, which would be saved. The
fleshly frame which encompassed his personality would live and breathe,
true. But that essence which was himself would, in this operation, be
as truly destroyed as if his heart were stilled.
He stammered, "But, Loala, if it is _I_ you would save, surely you
realize that after such an operation I would no longer be myself."
Loala said, "The change would alter your false ideologies, Steve
of Emmeity. But it need not necessarily change those other things
about you I--admire. The operation would remove the last traces of
rebelliousness which separate me and thee. Your new brain pattern would
retain only such things as--" fiercely--"once made you vow you found me
desirable. Well, human Steve? Decide. For time grows short, and I may
make this offer but a single time."
Steve said, "And if I accept, Lady Loala? What then would those who
were my comrades think of me? They will see the body of Stephen Duane
living proudly and gladly, a nobleman amongst Daans, consort of a Daan
princess. They will know I have forsaken the cause, betrayed them--"
The Lady Loala waved a silver hand impatiently.
"They will think nothing, Steve of Emmeity, nor judge you not. When our
spacefleet reaches Earth the rebellion will be quelled, and all those
who had a part in it will be no more."
And it was then Stephen Duane realized, with a rising hope which was
at the same time a heartbreaking sadness, that which he must do. That
which was the last great service he could perform for the gallant men
and women, the beautiful Earth, he loved.
He made his decision. And as one who shops at a market-place, he
haggled for his bargain. To Loala of Daan he said softly, "I speak not
to an Overlord and a princess now, but as a man of one world to a woman
of another. Speak truly, my Lady. Do I mean so much to you?"
Whatever Duane might have liked or disliked about this woman in the
past there was one truth shining-clear. She was one who followed the
urgings of her own desires, nor masked them not. She lifted frank
gray-green eyes to his.
"Yes, Steve of Emmeity," she said candidly, "this much you mean to me."
"This much," pressed Steve, "and how much more? Would you, for my
sake, stay the blow which is shortly to descend upon that Earth, those
comrades whom you ask me to abandon?"
The Lady Loala said, "I do not understand."
"You know that a short time hence the Armada departs earthward. For my
agreement to undergo this operation, will you arrange that the arrival
of the Armada will not loose a fury of destruction? That the punitive
expedition will reestablish control of Earth quietly, and with as
little blood-shed as possible? In short, will you grant amnesty to my
fellow rebels, nor wreak terrible vengeance upon them for what has been
done?"
* * * * *
Loala cried, "But this is impossible, Steve of Emmeity! Never has Daan
supremacy been so threatened--"
"Never before," Steve reminded her, "did Slumberers awake. Nor ever
again shall this happen. You have said yourself it is inevitable that
at some future time Earth must be free. Now I bargain with you that
we earthmen cease our efforts to accomplish this immediately, and you
Daans refrain from destroying the human seed which shall, perhaps
centuries hence when you and I are dust, liberate itself.
"Surely you see, my Lady Loala," he wheedled, "that what the _future_
may bring concerns us not. _We_ seek only our present happiness--"
The Lady Loala was swayed. Her eyes mirrored indecision. She whispered,
"But--but the Supreme Council--"
"Is weak," said Steve, "and you are strong, wielding great power over
them. Hark, my Lady. Who is to say but that someday you and I, working
side by side together, may not even rise to the posts of supreme
authority now held by the decadent trio? Then could we not work out for
both our planets a new design for living?"
"Hush!" warned Loala nervously. "You speak treason, Steve of Emmeity!
To rise against the Supreme Council--"
"Is not folly," pleaded Steve. "You know as well as I that one sharp
blow would depose them. And if the new brain you give me has daring and
sincerity, this you and I can do together."
"Yes," whispered the Lady Loala. "You and I together. It is possible,
Steve of Emmeity."
"Then you will do it? And even the ringleaders you will allow to go
free? My friend, the one known as Chuck ... the priestess Beth...?"
The troubled eyes darkened swiftly, stormily.
"Nay," denied the Lady Loala savagely, "there is one who cannot go
free! I will share you with no other woman, whether of Earth or Daan!"
"You need share me with no other," Steve reminded her with a trace of
sadness, "when the operation is done. My mind and heart will be yours
alone."
"But _she_ will remember."
"Until," pointed out Steve, "the first time we meet and I know her
not. Well, my Lady--what say you? You must decide swiftly. Footsteps
approach. If I am not mistaken, the footsteps of my executioners."
The last words settled the indecision of the Daan princess. A shudder
coursed through her; instinctively one pale, soft hand stretched forth
to touch Stephen Duane's arm possessively. And:
"Very well," cried the Lady Loala. "It shall be as you say. It is a
bargain, Steve of Emmeity!"
Then as once again the cell door swung open, this time to expose a
phalanx of Venusian guards come to convey their prisoner to execution,
she whirled to face the soldiers like a lioness.
"Nay, touch him not!" she cried savagely. "I care not what your orders
are; they will be countermanded so soon as I can reach the ears of the
Supreme Council. This prisoner goes not to the rack, but to the Mental
Laboratory. Take him thither. Prepare him for operation and await my
coming."
* * * * *
So entered Stephen Duane upon the last ordeal of an adventure the most
imaginative man of his century might never have dared conceive.
To the Mental Laboratory he was led by grumbling but obedient
guards. There he was stripped of all raiment containing any metallic
appurtenances and prepared for placement into a cabinet similar to that
wherein he had undergone a lesser and transitory change weeks--or was
it ages?--ago on his native Earth.
True to her promise the Lady Loala tarried not long. Duane had waited
but a few minutes when she burst breathlessly into the room bearing an
order signed by the Masters of the Supreme Council. This she hurled at
the guards and dismissed them. Now there were in the room but herself
and Steve, the technologist of Daan mental clinic, and his assistant.
The master surgeon nodded acquiescence to Loala's query.
"The chamber is ready, my Lady. The operation can be performed
whensoever it pleases you."
Loala smiled at Steve. He found himself wondering dimly whether, when
next he looked upon that smile, some trace of lingering sadness in his
heart would remind him the lips which framed it were but second-best in
his affection, or whether he would truly be so altered that his heart
would thrill to bursting with its invitation.
He found it hard to believe that anything man or Daan could do, any
device man or Daan might invent, could destroy the cherished vision of
a dust-gold maiden locked in his heart, or broom away the memory of
warm lips which had met his own in the touching-of-mouths. But....
"You are ready, Steve of Emmeity?" asked Loala softly.
He had made a bargain. And that it _was_ a bargain, Duane knew well.
The _ens_, the mental personality of one person, for perhaps a half
million lives. One heart's longing balanced against the aspirations of
an entire race. This was the greatest barter any man had ever made.
It was no time for self pity. He should be fiercely glad such an
opportunity had presented itself. He nodded.
"I am ready, Loala. Yet--" He smiled slowly--"there is one thing more.
After I leave this cabinet I shall not care ... but now, for the few
seconds remaining to the brain of Stephen Duane, it is a matter of
great curiosity. Tell me, my Lady, how goes the Earth rebellion?"
Loala said, "Though the cause is doomed, Steve of Emmeity, you should
be proud to know you builded your movement well. Everywhere your
followers have overwhelmed our Earth garrisons. Kleevlun has fallen and
Washtun; Ashful; Sangleez; every citadel on Tizathy.
"Even our outposts on other Earth continents are in rebel hands. Blin,
Lunnon, Kiro, a hundred more. Aye, even strong Sinnaty, which was my
bastion and pride, is now the stronghold of a rebel masquerader whom I
considered one of my loyalest nobles, the Lord Okuno."
"And I have your promise," said Steve, "that mercy will be granted
these rebels when the Armada reaches Earth?"
* * * * *
The Lady Loala nodded. "That I swear, Steve of Emmeity. In fact--"
She paused, glanced suddenly at the moving hand of a chronometer set
in the laboratory wall--"in fact, I have the assurance of the Council
that such orders are to be audioed to every commander of the fleet
before the Armada jets for Earth, moments hence. If you would enter the
cabinet with the spoken vow of Daan honor in your ears, you may hear
for yourself...."
She turned to the wall, pressed a stud set therein, and from a small
grill issued a voice Steve Duane remembered. It was that of one of the
Masters of the Supreme Council.
"--therefore we," he was saying, "the Masters of Daan, do hereby
command and ordain that this punitive expedition shall refrain from
accomplishing that utter destruction of the Earth colony previously
ordered. It is our sage decision--"
The voice droned on. Steve turned grateful eyes to the waiting Overlord.
"You have done well, O Loala. It is as I said; they are weaklings, you
are strong."
"It was not easy," Loala told him. "But I pointed out that with you,
the spearhead of the rebellion, blunted, the movement would falter and
die. Moreover, I appealed to their greed, pointing out our continuous
need for human slaves. And now, Steve of Emmeity, can you seek
forgetfulness and a new life with a happy heart?"
Not with a _happy_ heart, thought Steve regretfully. Never with a happy
heart. But at least with one fear-free and comforted by the knowledge
his comrades were safe. He took a step forward.
"Yes, my Lady. I am ready."
And he opened the door of the cabinet ... then whirled, startled. For
the door of the clinic had burst open suddenly, and into the room
charged one so maddened with fury that his face was drawn into almost
unrecognizable lines. A voice smote Duane's ears with raging violence,
but the accusation of the newcomer was hurled not so much at Steve as
at she who stood a few paces from his side.
"So, my Lady Loala!" screamed the earthling traitor, von Rath. "You,
too, have fallen a victim to the mouthings of this lying Slumberer!
Even you, a Daan, would betray the master race!"
Loala's eyes glinted. Her arm lifted.
"Earthman," she cried, "depart! It is not yours to judge the decision
of the Overlords."
"It is mine," screamed von Rath, "to destroy one who would overthrow
the master race of which I am a Brother. Even though the Council be
beguiled, _I_ am not. You, Stephen Duane, die _now_!"
And with the swiftness of a striking cobra his hand tugged a ray-weapon
from its harness, pointed at Steve and clenched convulsively.