In the throne room of Kondal, with its gorgeously resplendent jeweled
ceiling and jeweled metallic-tapestry walls, there were seated in
earnest consultation the three most powerful men of the planet
Osnome--Roban and Karfedix [1], Dunark the Kofedix [2], and Tarnan
the Karbix [3]. Their "clothing" was the ordinary Osnomian regalia
of straps, chains, and metallic bands, all thickly bestudded with
blazing gems and for the most part supporting the full assortment of
devastatingly powerful hand weapons without which any man of that race
would have felt stark naked. Their fierce green faces were keenly
hawklike; the hard, clean lines of their bare green bodies bespoke the
rigid physical training that every Osnomian undergoes from birth until
death.
[Footnote 1: Emperor.]
[Footnote 2: Crown Prince.]
[Footnote 3: President of the Church and Commander in Chief of all
armed forces of Osnome.]
"Father, Tarnan may be right," Dunark was saying soberly. "We are too
savage, too inherently bloodthirsty, too deeply interested in killing,
not as a means to some really worth-while end, but as an end in itself.
Seaton the overlord thinks so, the Norlaminians think so, and I am
beginning to think so myself. All really enlightened races look upon
us as little better than barbarians, and in part I agree with them. I
believe, however, that if we were really to devote ourselves to study
and to productive effort we could soon equal or surpass any race in the
System, except of course the Norlaminians."
"There may be something in what you say," the emperor admitted
dubiously, "but it is against all our racial teachings. What, then, of
an outlet for the energies of all manhood?"
"Constructive effort instead of destructive," argued the Karbix. "Let
them build--study--learn--advance. It is all too true that we are far
behind other races of the System in all really important things."
"But what of Urvan and his people?" Roban brought up his last and
strongest argument. "They are as savage as we are, if not more so.
As you say, the necessity for continuous warfare ceased with the
destruction of Mardonale, but are we to leave our whole planet
defenseless against an interplanetary attack from Urvania?"
"They dare not attack us," declared Tarnan, "any more than we dare
attack them. Seaton the overlord decreed that the people of us two
first to attack the other dies root and branch, and we all know that
the word of the overlord is no idle, passing breath."
"But he has not been seen for long. He may be far away and the
Urvanians may decide at any time to launch their fleets against us.
However, before we decide this momentous question I suggest that you
two pay a visit of state to the court of Urvan. Talk to Urvan and
his Karbix as you have talked to me, of coöperation and of mutual
advancement. If they will coöperate, we will."
During the long voyage to Urvania, the third planet of the fourteenth
sun, however, their new ardor cooled perceptibly--particularly that of
the younger man--and in Urvan's palace it became clear that the love
of peaceful culture inculcated upon those fierce minds by contact with
more humane peoples could not supplant immediately the spirit of strife
bred into bone and fiber during thousands of generations of incessant
warfare.
For when the two Osnomians sat down with the two Urvanians the very
air seemed charged with animosity. Like strange dogs meeting with
bared fangs and bristling manes, Osnomian and Urvanian alike fairly
radiated hostility. Therefore Tarnan's suggestions as to coöperation
and understanding were decidedly unconvincing, and were received with
open scorn.
"Your race may well wish to coöperate with ours," sneered the Emperor
of Urvania, "since, but for the threats of that self-styled overlord,
you would have ceased to exist long since. And how do we know where
that one is, what he is doing, whether he is paying any attention to
us? Probably you have learned that he has left this System entirely
and have already planned an attack upon us. In self-defense we shall
probably have to wipe out your race to keep you from destroying ours.
At any rate your plea is very evidently some underhanded trick of your
weak and cowardly race--"
"Weak! Cowardly! _Us?_ You conceited, bloated toad!" stormed Dunark,
who had kept himself in check thus far only by sheer power of will. He
sprang to his feet, his stool flying backward. "Here and now I demand
a meeting of honor, if you know the meaning of the word honor."
* * * * *
The four enraged men, all drawing weapons, were suddenly swept apart,
then clutched and held immovably as a figure of force materialized
among them--the form of an aged, white-bearded Norlaminian.
[Illustration: _The four enraged men, all drawing weapons, were
suddenly swept apart._]
"Peace, children, and silence!" the image commanded sternly. "Rest
assured that there shall be no more warfare in this System and that
the decrees of the overlord shall be enforced to the letter. Calm
yourselves and listen. I know well, mind you, that none of you really
meant what has just been said. You of Osnome were so impressed by the
benefits of mutual helpfulness that you made this journey to further
its cause; you of Urvania are at heart also strongly in favor of it,
but neither of you has strength enough or courage enough to admit it.
"For know, vain and self-willed children, that it is weakness, not
strength, which you have been displaying. It may well be, however, that
your physical bravery and your love of strife can now be employed for
the general good of all humanity. Would you join hands, to fight side
by side in such a cause?"
"We would," chorused the four, as one.
Each was heartily ashamed of what had just happened, and was glad
indeed of the opportunity to drop it without losing face.
"Very well! We of Norlamin fear greatly that we have inadvertently
given to one of the greatest foes of universal civilization weapons
equal in power to the overlord's own, and that he is even now working
to undo all that had been done. Will you of Osnome and you of Urvania
help in conducting an expedition against that foe?"
"We will!" they exclaimed.