Elizabeth leaned back and exhaled a cloud of smoke.
"It's very simple," she said. "All of us have been exiled illegally.
We've been put on this barbaric planet for crimes we haven't committed.
We're organizing to take over the Earth government. We're going to get
a spaceship built that can take us out of here."
There was a hum at the door that led to the inner office, and the
door swung quietly open. Elizabeth stood up. "Come along, John; Matt
Skardoth, our leader, will talk to you."
There were several men and women working in the inside office. A few of
them glanced up, then went back to the work they were doing. It looked
like a pretty efficient organization.
It was when Stern stepped into the inner office that he got his big
shock. The man sitting behind the desk was a pleasantly smiling
individual with dark, close-cropped hair and a wide, easy smile. But
Stern had seen that face before; it was the man who had killed Bargon
Frosz; the man who had committed the crime for which Yorkan Varr had
been condemned!
* * * * *
Stern's eyes widened, then he regained control of himself.
"I'm Matt Skardoth," the man behind the desk said. His voice was deep,
mellow. "Welcome to our little group, Mr.--ah--"
"Stern."
"Stern." Skardoth leaned forward. "You know, of course, what the aims
of our organization are."
"To build a ship and get off Earth, isn't it?" Stern said. He thought:
_This is incredible. Here I am talking to the murderer whose rap I
took, and--_
"Exactly," Skardoth said. "We've been exiled unjustly--and we're
determined to take steps to save ourselves. You don't have to join us,
but I think it's in your best interest to do so."
It was at that point that Stern realized what the man behind the desk
was doing. Matt Skardoth was the leader of the Group! And yet, Matt
Skardoth had managed to murder Bargon Frosz and frame Yorkan Varr for
the crime.
And the murder had taken place less than six months before!
Obviously, the man called Matt Skardoth had some way of getting off the
planet Earth!
John Stern had to clench his jaw muscles to keep from saying anything.
If he were to denounce Skardoth now, without proof, it would probably
cost him his life.
He noticed that Skardoth was looking at him queerly, and he realized
that he had been acting unusually.
"What's the matter?" Skardoth asked.
Smothering his hatred for the man who had falsely condemned him, Stern
said: "Nothing--nothing. I'm just a little surprised, that's all. I
thought this planet would be a living hell; a planet where I'd have to
watch out for myself every moment. I'm glad to see that I was wrong,
but it's a little shocking--that's all."