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Updated: June 14, 2025
Tao's boats which now threatened us were so protected, I was informed by the girls who reported them. Recognizing the probability of an attack by us from the air, they also had a covering of the cloth, like a canopy above them. But as may be readily understood, such protection could be made only partly effective.
A few hours more and they would be back at the Great City. Then the real work would begin. Mercer squared his shoulders unconsciously as he thought of all there was to do. But there was no danger to the Light Country from Tao, he thought with satisfaction. At least, there would be none when the other cities were rid of Tao's men, as the Great City was now.
They went but a short distance, for Tao's lights were occasionally sweeping about; and more than that, they could make but very short flights, owing to the cold. To starve Tao out appeared equally as impractical as a direct attack. With our little army we could not surround the city on a circumference of some eighty miles.
Under him was a pile of blankets and a coat, and beside him a box of baked dough-like bread the food he was to turn over to Tao's emissaries when he set them free. Anina flew at his side, at intervals smiling up at him reassuringly. Before him on the platform his captives huddled.
Our scouting parties frequently met Tao's men, and many encounters, swiftly fatal to one side or the other, took place. But all the time we were able, at intervals, to rake the valley with our fire for brief periods. Mercer constantly was evolving plans of the utmost daring, most of them indeed amounting practically to suicide for those undertaking them. But I held him back.
Upon observation I felt convinced that should we attempt to mount a projector anywhere on these higher points it would be sought out and destroyed long before we could bring it into action. That this was Tao's stronghold, and not the Lone City, now became evident. I could readily understand why he had retreated here.
There were no projectors past the first turn in the valley toward the river where they could have been directed horizontally and none of them on the cliff tops above the city. Thus, although we could not get over this light-barrage, we could approach it closely in many places. Tao's tactics became immediately evident.
"They were afraid, perhaps," she answered. "And they knew the people were against them. There might have been serious trouble; for that is not their way to fight in the open." Her face became very grave. "We must be very careful, my husband, that they, or Tao's men do not come here to harm you while you sleep." "Why do you suppose they ever happened to bring me here in the first place?"
Thus, unsought as it were, there was placed within Chang Tao's grasp a staff that might haply bear his weight into the very presence of Melodious Vision herself. The exact strategy of the undertaking did not clearly yet reveal itself, but "When fully ripe the fruit falls of its own accord," and Chang Tao was content to leave such detail to the guiding spirits of his destinies.
They were to take the platform starting in about two hours, when the city would be quiet and there they would wait for us to join them in the boat. We four started out together, but soon Anina left us to make her way to Tao's house alone.
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