"I remember that, Zaleel. If I succeed, it's you and me together, in a
new System of progress and change and hope. If I fail--"
"If we fail, Cadmus, there'll be nothing for you and me. Nothing for
anyone, ever again."
He got to his feet quickly. "Zaleel, what's your part in it? Why are
you dancing here?"
Red flushed her face. "I knew that one of Consar's scouts would find me
during the worship. One has already found me. They'll be here to pick
me up before dawn."
He gripped her shoulders, hard. His face worked with unvoiced emotion.
"I've got to do it, Cadmus. My father died in one of Consar's Lunarian
mines. He died--horribly. I'll settle with Consar myself. I have an
explosive lithium capsule which...." It would be easier to do it than
to talk about it.
She finished. "Everything will be dead then that threatens our System.
The Machine, Consar, the Guards--they'll die when the Machine goes. The
council tower will be the next center of governmental operations, no
matter who handles it. The people have grown accustomed to receiving
all their commands from the Tower."
"I'll see you then," said Cadmus. "If we succeed." He went quickly out
into the Street of Shadows.
* * * * *
He flattened against the wall as the five Guards came past and turned
into the Maenad. A civilian was among them, a grotesque little man,
like a spider. His garments were studded with jewels and precious
stones which could only signify that he was one of Consar III's
personal slaves.
Which, in turn, signified that they had come for Zaleel.
A bitter hate burned in Cadmus as he edged past the Maenad's entrance
toward the policejet the Guards and the civilian had parked in the
street. He unsheathed his sword. He turned the little force-field unit
to full power. This was it. Dawn was about to break.
He had the advantage of surprise and here was a way. He knew he could
never get into that council tower from the ground levels. It was too
heavily guarded. He might manage it from the air.
He ran straight out of the shadows, taking advantage of the surprise
that froze the two Guards standing outside the entrance panel of the
policejet. Deimos blinked as Cadmus' sword struck. Its light was red.
The slain Guard sank wordlessly in a fresh warm pool that was redder
still on the worn stones.
Cadmus laughed tonelessly as he struck again.