August Q. Twilken had a formula, Freebooter
Tod Mulhane had a nose for adventure and
Mon Pordo had an urge for Interworld
domination. When those three got together,
hell had to explode--and did.
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Planet Stories Fall 1945.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
"I have a formula," the little man said loudly.
I punched him ungently in the ribs and jerked my head toward the mangy
crew whooping it up in the close confines of the ill-smelling Martian
_musk-parlor_.
"Shh. Not so loud, guy," I whispered from the corner of my mouth.
"This bunch would slit your throat in a minute, if they knew you had
something on you that would bring a credit or two. I don't know what
your game is, but let's go in the back room where we can talk without
startin' someone's ears to burnin'."
I wrapped my arm around the guy's shoulders and steered him toward
the back room, singing and laughing, as though I had an overload of
_Meez-musk_ and was feeling a little bit happy.
I didn't know what had brought the little fellow to me. I'd never seen
him before yet he seemed to know me and had made his way directly to
the bar where I stood and addressed me by name. Anybody that knew that
much about Tod Mulhane, soldier of fortune, needed looking into, and I
was determined to give this mild-mannered, shrimp of a man a thorough
going over.
I bolted the door behind us and seated myself at the table always kept
there for various games of chance.
"Mousie" nervously assumed a seat and sat staring at me, his big,
milky-blue eyes blinking nearsightedly and a withered, vein-covered
hand tweaking incessantly at a bedraggled gray mustache.
"I'm Professor August Q. Twilken," he essayed. "I have a formula."
"And I'm Tod Mulhane, as you seem to know, and I have a couple of great
big ears, open and waiting. What can I do for you, Twilken?"
Twilken's face suddenly became grim and the milkiness left his eyes a
moment, to disclose dancing, hard lights of determination.
"Nothing for me, Mr. Mulhane," he said slowly. "This is for the world!
Yes, for three worlds!"