by JOHN VICTOR PETERSON
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Comet January 41.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
It was only a robot, tiny, chubby, for all the universe like a
Ganymedean monkey. It stood in the dark old mansion alone, stiff,
immovable. Its pink, bewhiskered, rubberoid face seemed twisted
with abject loneliness.... Aye, it stood alone and lonely, as if
awaiting the return of its master--
The song pulsed in a vibrant, ominous cadence through the
streets of nightclad Certagarni, clashed against the glassite
atmosphere--retaining walls of the ancient Martian city, and penetrated
faintly into a dimly lighted room of the Earth Embassy where the two
earthmen sat smoking, listening.
One of them spoke in a hoarse whisper which cut out above the dull,
endless drone of discontented voices like the scream of a tortured soul:
"God, if it would only break! Flame across a world--battles to be
fought and won!"
"And lost, Del Andres!" came the other's calm voice. "If this revolt
does come, it'll be so big that we'll never stamp it down without
the Legion!" His slender fingers rose to caress thoughtfully a
close-cropped, golden beard.
A twisted, bitter smile played on Del Andres' full, sensitive lips.
Strange pain was etched on his dark, handsome face and in the black
pools of his eyes flame burned. He remained silent.
"What are you thinking about, Del?"
"Battle--and death! War like we had in Alpha Centauri. A blaze of
conquest like the Fall of Kackijakaala. What else is there to live
for?"
"There are many things!"
"Not any more, Frederix. The years have been too cruel." The dark eyes
were staring out into the night, thrusting aside the enfolding curtain
of a dozen decades and many trillion miles of outer space. "Oh, why did
I stay here fooling around with robots when I could have gone out to
Sirius with the Legion--to battle, to glory?"
"Because you're needed here. Hear those voices! Of what are they
singing? Revolt, of course. And why? Because they think earthmen
are wholly to blame for the loss of control of their industry and
commerce!"
"Aren't they?" blazed Andres. "We think we're always right, we of
Earth. Because we were the first to conquer space we think we should
rule its farthest bounds, cosmic policeman, arbitrator of all internal
strife from here to the ultimate!
"We went out to Centauri over a century ago, brought the Vrons out of
subjugation beneath the Dwares, gave them freedom after tying up all
kinds of trade agreements for our benefit; and then skipped over to
Lalande and fixed everything according to our scale of values. And now
Sirius!
"Here in our own system what goes on? I need not mention the names
of the men who are undermining and usurping the greatest Martian
institutions. Earthmen all!
"Mars has as much a right to freedom and monopoly on its own
civilization as Earth on hers. Because a few greedy men spread tyranny
through Certagarni, the Thyles, Botrodus, Zabirnza and other regions,
they blame all of Earth. Neither you nor I can say they're wrong!"
"It's deeper than that, Del. The Vrons of Centauri have as great a hand
in it as Wilcox, Onupari and the other earthmen here. You'll find--"
"Bosh!" snapped Andres, and then that smouldering flame was in his eyes
again, something that leaped to the lure of the far places and spoke
of the meteoric winds that blow between the worlds. His deep, resonant
voice grew strained, lingered on his words:
"I wonder--"
* * * * *
The purring of a bell insinuated itself above the dull droning without.
Hunter Frederix arose, switched on the televisorphone.
"Hello, Dave," he addressed the face on the video, "what's up?"
"Plenty, Hunt. Just received a teletype from Kaa. Revolt has broken
out all over Botrodus. Captain Adelbert Andres is commanded to report
immediately to eleventh division Kaa to command the defense squadrons.
Signed by old 'Zipper' Taine himself. And, Hunt, something is screwy in
the air over here. The old man's on a hot jet over something or other.
Better get over here quick!"
"O.K., brother Cravens! Del will break a speed record getting to Kaa;
he has the old battle itch worse than ever. I'll be over to the Station
as soon as my gyro'll make it. Sounds like all hell is about to break
in the city!"
"So? Well, you'd--So long!" Cravens broke off abruptly, and they could
see him whirl away from the transmitter as the videos died.
Snapping off the T V P, Hunter Frederix turned and said slowly,
regretfully:
"Well, this is it!"
A smile lightninged across Andres' face.
"It's about time! This inactivity was killing me!"
"Be careful; the best of luck and all that; and may you come back in
one piece!"
"One _live_ piece, Frederix!" he mocked, and his dark face, tanned by
long exposure to Centauri's blazing binary sun, set forth the fierce
glint in his eyes and sudden, bitter pain on his lips. "Thank God it
matters to some one--"
"It matters to the world," Frederix said softly. "After all the Legion
is ten light years away, and the Defense Squadrons must keep our system
at peace!"
"Just keep believing that we will. Faith helps a lot sometimes."
Their hands clasped warmly.
"So I'm checking out. If you get near Botrodus, drop in at the
Rendezvous; I'll be there if I'm off duty. You see, I've a new robot to
show you--something I can't understand myself--powered by radium; and I
_know_ it has intelligence!"
"O.K., Del. And I may be in sooner than you think. When Dave Cravens
gets the jitters something pretty powerful is giving them to him!"
"Good old Dave. He was with me at Kackijakaala, helped me at the robot
controls--but you know about that. Ask him to tell you about the time
we were surrounded at Travarga."
"He has!"
"Well. Oh, hell, Hunt, goodbye!" Andres whirled lithely, and with long
strides left the room.
"So long!" Frederix called after him; then turned, swept a mass of
Starcharts into the safe, locked it, and turned towards the tiny
landing outside where rested his one man gyrotomic ... towards the
beginning of a strange destiny which would weave together the fates of
worlds and stars, and bring to him knowledge of greatness such as man
had never known before.