THETT PREPARES
Streaking through the toward Thett was again a ship. It but a single man, and with all the power of the machine he was toward Thett, at a speed reckless, but he that he must maintain such a speed if his mission were to be successful.
Again a ship entered Thett's far-flung atmosphere, and to less than a light speed, and sent its call ahead. In moments the ship, less than three hundred miles away, had it, and together they through the air in a toward Shatnsoma, the city. It was directly beneath, and it was not long they had the great grounds, and settled on the upper roof. Then the out of his craft, and for the door. Flashing his credentials, he down, and into the room. Here were while a check was of the the man carried, then he was sent through to the Council Room. And he, too, on that exact spot where the other scout, but a before, had stood—and vanished. Waiting, it seemed, were four and the new Sthanto, Thalt.
"What news, Scout?" asked the Sthanto.
"They have in the Universe to Venone, and gone to the Venone. They were on the when I left. None of our were able to approach the place, as there were Venonian who would have our skin-color, and us. Two were rayed, though the Galactians did not see this. Finally we two Venonians who had it, and to the we needed from them. A man and his mate.
"The man would tell nothing, and we were hurried. So we to the girl. These Venonians are for all their pacifism. We were hurried, and yet it was long we her to tell what we needed to know so vitally. She had been one of the for the Venonian government. We got most of their conversation, but she died of she finished.
"The Galactians know nothing of the twin-ray its action, and that it is an electro-magnetic phenomenon, though they have been able to it by using a of pure energy. But their are to it, and their power of from the pure energy of space, as we saw from a distance, would them to easily it, were it not that the twin-ray through without it. Any which will of the natural types, will be stopped.
"The girl was clever, for she gave us only the we already knew, and but new facts; that she would die soon, she talked—but it was empty talk. The one thing of we have learned is that they no fuel, use no fuel of any but in some manner their energy from the of the of space. This not be great—but we know she told the truth, and we know their power is great. She told the truth, for we when she lied, by action, of course.
"But more we not learn. The man died without telling anything, cursing. He nothing anyway, as we already had determined," the scout.
Silently the Sthanto sat in for some moments. Then he his head, and looked at the once more.
"You have done well. You some of import, which was more than we had for. But you managed poorly. The woman should not have died so soon. We can only guess.
"The of the of space—hmmm—" Sthanto Thalt's in thought. "The of the of space. Were his power from the sun near which he is operating, he would not have said suns. It was more than one?"
"It was, oh Sthanto," the positively.
"His power is unreasonable. I that he gave the true explanation. It may well have been that he did not trust the Venonians. I would not, for all their ways. But surely the of space give very little power at any point at random. Else space would not be cold.
"But go, Scout, and you will be a position in the fleet. The Colonial fleet, the of it, have arrived, and the been removed. They failed. We will use their ships. You will be assigned." The left, and was to a ship of the colonists. The transports had been met at the of the system, and out of at once—failures, and at their heels. Besides—there was no room for them on Thett without Thessians being uncomfortably.
As their they were to one of the satellites, and each man was "fumigated," he to the mother planet. Men entered, men emerged. But they were different men.
"It seems," said the Sthanto softly, after the had left, "that we will have little difficulty, for they are, we know, to the ray. And if we can but once their they will be on our world. I that wild of their using no fuel. Even if that be true they will be with their power destroyed, and—if we miss the time, we can it out, or drive them off!
"All of which is on the that they attack at a point where we have a station to meet them. There are but three of these, actually, but I have had stations, with our other stations, set up in many places.
"This we of matter—it is impossible, and surely as a weapon. Their wall—that may be a plane, but I know of no such possibility. The though—why should any one make it? It but energy, and once is no more than ordinary matter, save that there is the possibility of it in position. Remember, we have already of the planes—mere planes—plus a power of suggestion. They do most of their by impression. Remember, we have already of the of that one of the weak-minded mad.
"And that, I think, we will use to protect ourselves. If we can, with the which you, my son, have developed, them to that all the other are dangerous, and that this one on Thett is the best point of attack—It will be easy. Can you do it?"
"I can, Oh Sthanto, if but a number of powerful minds may be to me," the of the four councilmen.
"And you, Ranstud, are the ready?" asked the ruler.
"We are ready."
