"Yet," argued Artana, "the Earth people are at peace with us."
Ross saw the Princess regarding her mother curiously. Moore, too, was
staring in frank astonishment at the Queen. As she sensed their intent
regard she relaxed her rigid pose. "Oh, very well. But there shall be
no fighting?"
"None, O Queen," Ross hastened to say.
Artana nodded with satisfaction. "There remains, then, the finding of
a guide for the fleet. I could send Calisto--"
The Princess spoke for the first time. "Calisto has not the gift of the
Earth-tongue. Who guides the Commander Ross must speak the tongue he
knows best."
"That's true," muttered Artana, taken aback. "Who, then--"
* * * * *
The Princess was looking at Ross. Almost hostilely, he thought
confusedly. Had she resented his long open stare? She was such a
picture, clad in only a single filmy garment, caught at the waist
with a gold twisted belt and cut tunic-like at the knee. Bare-armed,
with softly swelling contours and a skin like peach down, she was an
entrancing sight.
His confused thoughts were set at rest. The Princess had a plan. "I
shall go with the Commander Ross," she said.
The Queen turned sharply. Artana scowled. "No, no!" he cried sharply.
"If there should be fighting--"
"Fighting?" echoed Boada in a whip-like tone.
"No, no, not fighting," Artana hastened to correct himself. "But
danger, perhaps."
Boada's brooding gaze came to rest inquiringly on Ross.
"There can be no danger, I think," he assured her. And wondered why he
did so. For if Horta was on the war path, surely the Earth ships would
be his targets.
He felt his heart beat faster as he considered the possibility of this
amazing girl standing beside him in the control room of his flagship,
then a moment of depression as he reflected that the queen would refuse
her consent. But to his surprise Boada, after one dark look at the Lord
of the Peaks, nodded.
They left at once. There was a moment of delay when Illeria, given
an oxygen helmet, demurred at the idea of wearing it until she was
convinced that it would save her life if the shell of the rocket ship
were pierced in the upper air. She wore it with ease, the straps
fitting snugly over the flowing golden locks and the oxygen tubes
crossing her face to add to the piquant enigmatic look she wore.
The flagship took off with a rush, the six following ships keeping
their distance. Once in the air, they formed the echelon. Then Ross
turned to the princess, and led her to the telescopes trained through
the floor of the ship.
She studied the crater surfaces wonderingly, like a child with a
strange toy. Then she remembered her duty. "Sail there," she directed,
pointing.
Amusedly, Ross gave the order. Privately Artana had given him a full
description of the Great Cavern, so that once he had sighted it he
could map his own course. But the girl had guided him truly. In a few
minutes the yawning chasm lay on their bow.