From then on until the end the doctor was out of it. Try as he
might, he could find no other mind with which to connect, no other
view-point like his own. He had to content himself with what the
others learned.
Their knowledge of the rescue stopped short soon after the Cobulus,
with its living freight, quitted the prison grounds. Reblong, as
Smith watched, continued to operate the engines during about two
hundred miles of flight; then Fort, having shown one of his new
comrades how to steer, came down to the instruments, leading the
force of cleaners whom he had kidnaped.
"Thanks very much," to Reblong, in the voice of a man who was having
the time of his life. "I dare say you feel a little sour about this;
but later on you can have the satisfaction of having helped, even
though against your will."
"What are you going to do now?" Reblong wanted to know as the
athlete released him from his chair. The other Capellans were
content to stare and listen.
The strange glint came back into Fort's eyes. "It's up to you,
folks!" And he explained the situation, making it clear that they,
the cruiser's workmen, would not dare return and tell the truth, for
fear of punishment for disloyalty. In the end the Cobulus was
halted, and Reblong and the rest were set down in an unsettled
mountain country, with enough supplies to last a year.
Thus the engineer became a fugitive. Smith learned nothing further
from him. For all practical purposes, the investigation was narrowed
down to what Billie, through Mona, and her husband, through Powart,
were able to uncover. But it was enough; enough to strain their
imaginations to the snapping point, and make all four doubt their
new-found senses.
Van Emmon declared that he intended to warn Powart that his plan was
suspected. "It's only fair," stoutly, "after what you told Fort,
through Mona." And Billie had no answer to that.
So the geologist watched the chief closely, finding it decidedly
hard to catch him in the required state of semiconsciousness.
Apparently Powart was always alert, even up to the exact moment of
going to sleep; after which he invariably slept like a log, but
awakening with a start, bolt upright in bed. But Van Emmon continued
to watch his chance.
Meanwhile another message had been received from the Alma
expedition. It ran as follows, after decoding:
People here are planning to construct a great fleet to visit Hafen
and Holl about the middle of next year. To carry a regular army of
missionaries, to preach the gospel of social democracy.
Better make the most of your reign while it lasts, Mr. Powart.
Married yet?
The chairman was glad to get this, rather than otherwise. Somehow
the thing strengthened his whole plan. From his standpoint the
proposed invasion of missionaries "to preach the gospel of social
democracy," was far more to be feared than a military invasion.
So, although he made certain changes in the message, he did not have
to counterfeit his earnestness when he presented the matter to his
staff, the former commission. Perhaps the expedition's last remark,
"Married yet?" had something to do with the vigor of his tones.
"They are planning," he told the nine, "to undo all that our
civilization has accomplished. Unless we can circumvent them, Hafen
and Holl will be turned into bedlam."
He lost no time about what he had next to say. "Knowing what we do
about Alma's designs upon us, I believe that it would be folly to
wait until we are attacked. They doubtless possess inventions
against which we would be powerless; they are such highly advanced
people in such matters. So what I propose is to prevent them from
attacking us at all!"
He paused portentously, finding in each face before him an anxious
excitement which was exactly what he wanted. They were hanging
breathlessly upon his words.
"Let me remind you that Alma is not only our nearest neighbor in the
solar system, but that, at present, only a few million miles
separate us. She is within a few weeks of the nearest point.
Furthermore"--speaking with care--"we must remember that Alma is not
only nearer the sun than we are, but it is a much older planet. Were
it not for the glass with which she is completely roofed in, the
people would suffer from lack of air. In short, this roof of theirs
is vitality itself to them. Now, my campaign--subject to your
suggestions and advices--shall be to puncture that roof!"
The sensation was tremendous. None of the nine had ever heard the
like before. And yet, such was the dominating energy of their
commander, it bridged the gap for them all; instantly they saw that
his idea was the best possible.
"The only question, of course--sir--is the matter of means." The
shock-headed man spoke with immense respect. The others looked as
though they envied him his nerve.
Powart was ready with his reply. "I have already considered this.
Briefly we shall construct a piece of artillery of such dimensions
that we can bombard the planet directly!"
He explained that it meant operations on a scale never before
attempted. It meant a cannon as much beyond what had ever been made
before, as that roof had exceeded anything of the kind. "And so far
as I have figured the matter, the total resources of Holl will have
to be pressed into service for the purpose. There will be no
opportunity for insurrection while this work is in progress."
And he went on to elaborate. The nine made some suggestions, a few
of which were adopted. The thing was worked out, then and there,
with such completeness that the plan was publicly announced the very
next day.
Powart himself carried a copy of the manifesto to Mona. He found her
superintending the work of her gardeners. She did suggest going into
the house, but offered him a seat on the grass beside her. He stood
instead.
"It seems to be the only thing to do," commented the surgeon, after
reading the document in silence. She had not the remotest idea, of
course, that the whole thing was based upon pure fraud. "Are you
sure that this bombardment will not cost a good many lives?"
"I doubt if there will be any loss at all," he replied. "It is my
intention to communicate with Alma just before the first shot is
fired, and warn them what to expect; so that they can keep away from
the spot we shall aim at, and get supplies ready for repairing the
break."
"I see. Your plan is to keep them so busy mending breaks that they
will lose all interest in their proposed invasion." She laughed a
little. "Really, it is a rather comical sort of warfare. But you
certainly deserve a great deal of credit for finding such a humane
way out of the difficulty. You will go down in history as the
world's greatest man!"
Powart drew a deep breath. But he said quietly enough, "Don't you
think that I have done enough to--dispose of that objection of
yours?"
She was momentarily at a loss for words. "Really--the thing is so
immense--I can hardly believe that you did all this entirely on my
account. Did you?"
He was taken off his guard. "Yes--I mean, no. Your objection was
what set me to thinking; but the opportunity of doing our people a
service--that, Mona, is what--" He hesitated; it was not easy, with
the girl staring innocently at him, declare that he had not
deliberately formed his opportunity out of thin air.
But she had no suspicions. Billie had not been able to reach her
again.
The four on the earth knew little of Fort. He called up Powart two
days after the Cobulus's sensational flight, reporting that he had
been kidnapped "by some masked men" along with Reblong and the
others, but that he alone had escaped. The ship, was found,
abandoned, in an undeveloped part of Holl; and all signs indicated
that the former prisoners had separated at this point. Prolonged
search failed to locate them, or the missing employees.
Fort continued to go and come quite as before. He called frequently
upon Mona, with whom he was exceedingly careful to avoid all
reference to Powart, for fear he might blurt out the truth. The girl
told him that he still had a lot of time to make good; she would not
marry, she said, until after all danger from Alma was past. He was
satisfied.
"I have a little scheme up my sleeve," casually, "such as may amount
to something, and may not. I need just about that much time to
finish it, anyhow."
"Is it anything you can talk about now?"
"Not yet."
And the subject was dropped.
Thus matters stood when half the industrial army of Holl, taken from
their regular tasks, were set to the making of the giant gun and its
equally giant projectiles. Monstrous though they were to be,
however, they were no less prodigious than Powart. Could Fort,
wondered Mona, possibly equal him?
And so the weeks passed into months, and finally the great day came.