"You have many followers," I said. "Yet this is but a small world, and
behind the Council are all the worlds of the universe."
Liane threw back her head and laughed, a soft, tinkling sound that
rose clearly above the hollow roar of the mighty flame behind her
throne.
"You speak bravely," she said, "knowing that Liane holds the upper
hand. Did your Council take armed action against us, we would blow up
these caverns which are the source of your precious temite, and bury
it so deeply no force that could live here could extract it in the
quantities in which the universe needs it.
"But enough of this exchange of sharp words. Liane has already said
that she is disposed to be gracious. Does that not content you?"
"I will bear back to those who sent me whatever word you have to
offer; it is not for me to judge its graciousness," I said coolly.
"Then--but first, let me show you how well I rule here," she said. She
spoke to one of the old men seated at her feet; he arose and
disappeared in a passage leading from directly beneath the dais.
"You will see, presently, the punishment of Liane," she said
smilingly. "Liane, Chief Priestess of the Flame, Mother of Life, Giver
of Death, Most Worshiped of the Worshipers.
"Perhaps you wonder how it came that Liane sits here in judgment upon
a whole people? Let me tell you, while we await the execution of
Liane's judgment.
"The father of Liane, and his father before him, back unto those
remote days of which we have no knowledge, were Chief Priests of the
Worshipers of the Flame. But they were lacking in ambition, in
knowledge, and in power. Their followers were but few, and their hands
were held out in benediction and not in command.
"But the father of Liane had no son; instead he had a daughter, in
whom was all the wisdom of those who had been the Chief Priests. She
gathered about her a group of old men, shrewd and cunning, the lesser
priests and those who would know the feel of power, who were not
priests. You see them here at the feet of Liane.
"And under Liane's guidance, the ranks of the Worshipers grew, and as
this power grew, so grew the power of Liane, until the time came when
no man, no woman, on the face of Lakos, dared question the command of
the Chief Priestess. And those who would have rebelled, were made to
feel the power of Liane--as these you see here now."
* * * * *
The old man had reappeared, and behind him were two miserable
wretches, closely guarded by a dozen armed men. Liane spoke briefly to
the old man, and then turned to us.
"The first of these is one who has dared to disobey," she explained.
"He brought out more of the ore than Liane had ordered. Do you hear
the multitude? They know already what his fate will be."
A long, shuddering whisper had arisen from the thousands of beings
crouched there in the amphitheater, as the uncouth figure of the
prisoner was led up a flight of steep, narrow steps to the very base
of the flame.
Hendricks, still hiding his face from us, bent over Liane and
whispered something in her ear; she caressed his arm softly, and shook
her head. Hendricks leaned more heavily against the throne,
shuddering.
Slowly, the flame was dying, until we could see that it was not a
solid pillar of fire, but a hollow circle of flame, fed by innumerable
jets set at the base of a circle of a trifle more than the length of a
man across.
Into those deadly circles the condemned man was led. His legs were
bound swiftly, so that he could not move, and the old man stepped back
quickly.
As though his movement had been a signal, the flames shot up with a
roar, until they lost themselves far over our heads. As one man, the
three of us started forward, but the guards hemmed us in instantly.
"Fools!" cried Liane. "Be still! The power of Liane is absolute here."
We stared, fascinated, at the terrible sight. The flame spouted,
streaks of blue and yellow streaking up from its base. Mercifully, we
could not see within that encircling wall of fire.
* * * * *
Slowly, the flame died down again. A trap-door opened in the circle,
and some formless thing dropped out of sight. Liane questioned the
old man again, her eyes resting upon the other prisoner. The old man
answered briefly.
"This one spoke against the power of Liane," she explained smilingly.
"He said Liane was cruel; that she was selfish. He also must feel the
embrace of the sacred Flame."
I heard, rather than saw, the ghastly drama repeated, for I had bent
my head, and would not look up. Liane was no woman; she was a fiend.
And yet for her a trusted officer, a friend, had forsworn his service
and his comrades. I wondered, as I stood there with bowed head, what
were the thoughts which must have been passing through Hendricks'
mind.
"You fear to look upon the punishment of Liane?" the voice of the
unholy priestess broke in upon my shuddering reverie. "Then you
understand why her power is absolute; why she is Mother of Life, and
Giver of Death, throughout all Lakos. And now for the word I promised
you, a gracious word from one who could be terrible and not gracious,
were that her whim.
"It has been in the mind of Liane to extend her power, to make for
herself a place in this Supreme Council of which you speak with so
much awe and reverence, Commander Hanson. But, by happenchance,
another whim has seized her."
* * * * *
Liane looked up at Hendricks, smilingly, and took one of his hands in
hers. It was wonderful how her face softened as he returned, fiercely,
the pressure of her soft hands.
"I know it will sound strange to your ears," she said in a voice
almost tender, "but Liane is, after all, a woman, with many, if not
all, a woman's many weaknesses. And while even in his presence Liane
will say that her lover was at the beginning looked upon as no more
than a tool which might further Liane's power, he has won now a place
in her heart."
I saw Hendricks tremble as she admitted her love, and that portion of
his face which we could see flushed hotly.
"And so, Liane has elected to give up, at least for the present, the
place in the Council which she could command. For after all, that
would be a remote power, lacking in the elements of physical power
which Liane has over these, her people, and in which she has learned
to delight.
"So, Commander Hanson, bear to your superiors this word: Liane will
permit a production of whatever reasonable amount of temite is
desired. She will remain here with her consort, brooking no
interference, no changes, no commands from any person or organization.
Go, now, and take with you the words of Liane!"