"About the matter of power," I broke in. "As you know, I'll need
sixteen thousand <i>graphlos</i> and...."
She seemed not to hear. A distant look entered her blue eyes. "Tell me,
Mr. Dulfay, have you ever heard of an artifact kept here in Klovada
known as the Jupiter Stone?"
I went slowly rigid. The girl breathed deeply and continued. "Some
time ago a great scientist communicated with me as overchief of
power-control of the seven cities and outlined a plan similar to the
one in which you are now engaged. He was a great man, but under stress
of excessive work, his mind broke. He was taken to a mental hospital,
where I am told he is now known by the simple name of Hol-Dai.
"Before his illness Hol-Dai worked out a method to overcome the plague.
It was simple. A person would visit each of the seven cities. He would
have temporary protection against the plague, but of course he would
become a carrier for the germs. When he finally reached Klovada, the
final city, he would be a walking vial of the bacillus in all its seven
forms.
"Now the Jupiter Stone, of which I spoke before. It is a great thing,
capable of generating untold amounts of power, if properly harnessed.
So far, however, the scientists have been unable to move it because
it lies protected by a small but peculiar form of space warp. But the
stone has other potentialities. This man, Hol-Dai, discovered that it
will transform the plague bacillus from a positive form to a negative
form.
"In other words if this hypothetical visitor of the seven cities were,
at the end of his journey, to expose himself to the radiations of
the Jupiter Stone, a curious event would take place. He would become
a carrier for bacilli which, when released, would immediately begin
to combat the plague. Practically an anti-toxin, you see. Again,
continuing our hypothetical case, if this man were to retrace his
steps, again visiting each of the seven cities, it is estimated this
action would result in the complete end of the plague within a period
of months."
"I see," I said. Far back in a corner of my mind a doubt was beginning
to grow. "Why hasn't this been done before?"
She smiled. "Because until you came no one knew how to acquire
temporary protection against the disease and no one had the courage to
expose himself to it without that protection. Now I am aware that you
have found that protection. But as you must know, if you let yourself
be struck by the radiations of the Jupiter Stone, you would die within
six weeks!"
"You mean...?"
"I mean that if you go through with your role as Tepondicon you will
never live to know your glory."
<tb>
She tapped her pencil on the desk. "I might add that Hol-Dai also told
us of a plan to nullify the space warp surrounding the Jupiter Stone.
Since his sickness, however, that plan has remained a mystery."
I breathed easier. So Hol-Dai had not tricked me. But this girl with
all her babbling of curing the plague must be an utter fool. What did I
care about cure? It was the stone I wanted!
She looked across at me. "I don't know who or what you are, Mr. Dulfay,
but please listen to me a moment. Once these seven cities were the
pride of the Jovian System. Their people were lighthearted, gay and
strong. True, in their earlier years they exploited their neighbors
on Io and Callisto, but that was long ago. For generations they were
engaged in peaceful pursuits--trade, industry, commerce.
"Look at them now. Pest-holes where vice and sin run rampant, where
hope has vanished, where there is no tomorrow, but only today!
Conceive, if you can, the utter curse of that plague. To know with
absolute finality that you are impregnated with it and that only death
awaits you. And then consider this legend of Tepondicon. Not a mighty
warrior, not a knight clad in armor, but a simple man sacrificing his
own life for the lives of other men. It is the ultimate glory."
She rose to her feet. "Mr. Dulfay, I leave you now. But I call your
attention to the two doors leading from this office. The one by which
you came is the exit. It leads to the street, and from the street one
can make his way to the palace and so on to the Jupiter Stone. The
stone is unguarded. If the space warp were done away with, it could be
taken easily.
"The other door leads to the radiation chamber, the room which
was devised by Hol-Dai. There, by means of special equipment, the
radiations from the Jupiter Stone are transmitted to a screen. If you
enter this room and sit before the screen, within a period of twenty
minutes the plague germs your body is now carrying will be negatived.
You can then make your return visits to the six other cities. The
plague will be conquered, but you will die."
She moved across to the exit. "It is for you to decide," she said. "All
I can say is that one way leads to the ultimate glory."
She went out and I stood there in a daze. For five minutes I didn't
move. Glory, she had said. Yes, there would be glory, something which
had played no part heretofore in my life. But likewise there would be
death. The same death which awaited the doomed citizenry of the seven
doomed cities. On the other hand was the Jupiter Stone, embodying all I
had fought for.
I walked across to the desk and sat down in the chair before it. I
must put my thoughts and actions of the past days on paper. I must
record everything. If I chose the plague door, it would be my last
testament--and a monument. If I took the street door, set up my
transmitting set--and finally gained the Jupiter Stone, it would be
a condemnation--a curse--to dog me the rest of my days. Honor versus
dishonor, balanced against life versus death.
<i>It is this document you are now reading!</i>
At the end of an hour I stood up and neatly folded the paper. The air
was hot, stifling. Somewhere a mercury clock pulsed rhythmically. Then,
with a little laugh, I strode across the room toward one of the doors.
Of course, you all know which door I opened.