Standing before the big radiovisiphone of the President of the United
States, in Washington, Roger Sanders waited impatiently for the
silencing of all terrestrial stations that he might be tuned in with Ted
Dustin’s powerful super-station which was to relay a message from the
moon.
Presently the signal: “All clear,” came through, and Roger, looking into
the disc of the President’s instrument, saw, as if reflected in a
mirror, the huge disc of Ted’s radiovisiphone with the operator seated
before it manipulating the dials.
Indistinct figures appeared a number of times in the pellucid depths of
the great disc, and there were a few unintelligible sounds. Then it
suddenly cleared, and Roger and President Whitmore were dazzled, as
before, by the appearance of the beautiful Maza with two armored guards
and the aged scientist, Vanible Khan.
To the surprise of both, Vanible Khan addressed them in English.
“Despite the powerful interference waves broadcasted by P’an-ku, we have
at last succeeded in breaking through,” he said. “Do I address friends
of Ted Dustin?”
“You are speaking to his superior, President Whitmore of the United
States of America, and also to his assistant, Roger Sanders,” replied
Roger.
“That is indeed fortunate,” said the old scientist, smiling. “I am
Vanible Khan, chief scientist of Ma Gong, and speak for Her Imperial
Majesty, Maza an Ma Gong. She bids me inform you that Ted Dustin left
Ultu, her capital, which is situated beneath the crater which you on Du
Gong call ‘Tycho,’ two revolutions of your planet ago. He went with the
avowed intention of destroying the projector of the great green ray
which was turned on your world. It appears that he has succeeded in
destroying the ray, but as he has not returned we assume that he has
either been killed or captured. The ray, as you are no doubt aware, was
projected from a central peak of the ring mountain which you call
Copernicus. Beneath this mountain is the capital city of P’an-ku, which
is called Peilong.
“Since the departure of Ted Dustin, Her Majesty has declared war on
P’an-ku. Tonight she will personally conduct a mighty army which will
march on Peilong through the subterranean forests. She has not thought
it wise to use her _nak-kars_—the flying beasts which can live for nine
of your days without air—because of their slowness and inefficiency
compared to P’an-ku’s flying globes.
“She intends to attack Peilong in five of your days. If you, the friends
of Ted Dustin, have a way to simultaneously strike from above, it is
possible that we may save him or avenge his death, and subdue P’an-ku,
thus bringing about peace between the peoples of Du Gong and the yellow
race of Ma Gong.
“Her Majesty awaits your answer.”
“I have a way,” replied Roger, half turning toward the President as he
spoke. “The powerful interplanetary battleship we are building will be
ready in four days. With your permission I will then leave for the moon,
and will attack Peilong in conjunction with the army of Her Majesty.”
“But what of the flying globes of P’an-ku?” asked the President “He may
have hundreds of them, in which case your task will be hopeless, and
we’ll have nobody left to run the Dustin factory.”
“The factory can run under the directions of our superintendents whether
Ted and I are present or not,” replied Roger, “and there will be no
let-down in production if we never return, as long as money and
materials are supplied. As for flying globes, if P’an-ku has thousands
of them, I will still be glad to go, counting it a small sacrifice to
risk my life in this mighty battleship when Ted has braved the same
dangers in his tiny, one-man flier.”
“Go then, with my best wishes for a glorious victory and a safe return,”
replied the President. “If it were not for the demands of the nation
which especially require my presence in this crisis, I should like to go
with you.”
“You may tell Her Majesty,” said Roger, addressing Vanible Khan, “that I
will attack P’an-ku from above in five days.”
Maza evidently understood his reply, for she smiled and spoke for the
first time during the interview.
“In five days, then, Roger Sanders, I will meet you in the imperial
palace at Peilong, and may we be in time to save Ted Dustin.”
The disc suddenly became blank, and Roger, after bidding farewell to
President Whitmore, hurried away to his electro-plane, which Bevans had
ready for the trip to Chicago.