United States or Ghana ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Grim's dynol bullets whined in their passage, spattered the laboratory with flying blobs of flesh. They did terrible execution. Hilary's automatic spat its leaden hail. But the Mercutians were entrenched now behind tables, machinery, whatever cover they could find.
As a matter of fact, the press was quite correct in that assumption; and, since the Mercutians were making no offensive moves, General Price decided to do nothing until he was better informed. I was fortunate enough to be present the next day at a conference the general had with several scientific men who had come to Billings to meet him.
Even after the conquest there were plenty of men looking for an opportunity to fight them again. Amos Peabody headed the revolt. It was smothered in blood, so effectually that only slaves are left. Peabody was left as a horrible warning. He was sent from city to city to be exhibited to the populace, unattended on the way, so confident were the Mercutians of the terror they had inspired."
Very carefully Hilary protruded his head around the vita-crystal, and ducked back almost instantly. But his quick eye had taken in all the essential details in that momentary vision. There were about a dozen Mercutians in the long laboratory, and each had a sun-tube dangling from his belt, ready at hand.
"But why," Grim interrupted, "didn't you have sense enough to come back here, instead of scaring everybody to death?" Wat turned on him indignantly. "Sure," he squeaked, "and bring all the Mercutians along with me? No sir, I shot straight up into the stratosphere, and headed for the Canadian woods. Felt we'd be safe there." Hilary looked at him.
"Any minute I expected to have a ray on us. I couldn't wait for you two, the Vagabond would have been a little pile of ashes. Besides, there was Joan. She kicked and struggled: she wanted to stay for you, but I shoved her in the ship, locked the port, and went scooting up like a rocket. You should have seen the Mercutians scatter." For the first time in his life words seemed to fail him.
When, on March 9, the news that the Mercutians had landed in Wyoming reached Professor Newland, he immediately established telegraphic communication with Harvard. Thus he was kept fully informed on the situation indeed, he saw it as a whole far better than I did.
Hilary shifted unobtrusively to another excited cluster. There the same procedure was followed. A quiet-voiced man was talking, lauding the exploit of the three embattled Earthmen, skillfully and subtly enkindling enthusiasm, raising wholesome doubts as to the invulnerability of the hated Mercutians. But the Earthmen gave them no opportunity.
The Mercutians, scattered as they were, whirled around from their tasks to face two deadly weapons held by two determined-looking men. There was a chorus of strange guttural oaths, but every hand moved skyward, reluctantly. Hilary picked out the most blasphemous sounding of the cursers, rightly deeming him the Cor in charge. "You," he said, "what switches regulate the weather machine?"
The Mercutians all regarded me curiously as we came among them. By the respect they accorded Tao, and his attitude toward them, I decided he was the leader of the entire party. I stopped, wondering what would happen next. The man guarding me was still close at hand. Tao spoke a few words to him and then moved away. My guard immediately sat down.
Word Of The Day