United States or Micronesia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Alone, unnoticed, they had departed from the City of Ice on a small flying platform similar to the one they had used before. The night had passed; day, with a new warmth to the sun, came again. Flying low, with Tarrano in a grim, moody silence, and Elza staring downward. The aural lights were overhead when at the last Tarrano brought the platform to rest. A thick, luxuriant forest.
Tarrano selected his spot a tiny little cone of rock no bigger than his thumb. He beckoned Elza. "Stand close, and watch. You shall see how from the merest spark, a conflagration may ensue." The cylinder in his hand darted forth a needle-like shaft a light of intense purple. It touched the tiny cone of rock, and he held it there. "A moment. Be patient, my Elza."
The mirror imaged the face of Tarrano. Tarrano grinning ironically! Invisible Assailants We did not locate the source of the bomb, and no others rose to assail us. The mountain defiles, so far as our lights could illuminate them, seemed deserted. We passed over the Divide, and on the plateau beyond, we landed. A region of rolling country beneath its snow and ice.
When Elza regained consciousness, she was lying in the bottom of a little boat, Tarrano beside her. "So? You have awakened? We are quite safe, Lady Elza." She and Tarrano were alone in the boat. It was long and very narrow, with its sides no more than a foot above the water. Tarrano sat at its chemical mechanism. A boat familiar to us of Earth. A small chemical-electric generator.
We had sent no messages during the trip, and with our grey-blue color, I think we escaped telescopic and even radio observation by the Earth. Into our vessel's small instrument room, where Tarrano spent most of his time, reports of the news occasionally drifted in. But his connection small and inadequate was often broken.
What it was meant to convey, I could not have said. Perhaps Elza understood it, or thought she did. She spoke up. "I would like to have you very much, indeed." She added to Tarrano, and there was on her face a look of feminine guile: "You, of course, could not refuse me so small a favor? After all your protestations " He gestured impatiently. "Very well."
It was Georg's plan to address with Maida, the publics of Earth, Venus and Mars. Tarrano nodded. "He and the Princess are going to convince everyone that I am an impostor." I did not answer that; and abruptly he chuckled. "That would be unfortunate for me if they could do that. Do you think they'll be able to?" "I hope so," I said. He laughed openly. "Of course. But they will not.
A dozen Tarranos, each enveloped in hostile sparks, each with his face grinning at us in mockery. Abruptly, I heard Georg's voice shout above the din: "Elza! Elza is gone!" The images of Tarrano faded. He, too, was gone. And then I saw Maida on the balcony, standing with upraised arms. Her voice rang out. "Down with Tarrano! Death to Tarrano!"
"No one knows better than you, Tarrano, that my father's secret does not bestow immortality. To cure disease, in a measure " He checked her; his smile was ironical. "You and I know that, Lady Elza. We know that on this plane we would not want everlasting life if we could have it. But the public does not know that let us not discuss it. I was telling you confessing to you I have lost Mars.
I was trying to be cheerful, but my heart was heavy with foreboding nevertheless. "How long do you suppose they'll keep us here, Georg? And what " His impatient gesture stopped me. His mind was on Elza alone down there in the garden with Tarrano as was mine, though I had not wanted to speak of her. There was an instrument room, up the circular incline in the peak of the tower!
Word Of The Day