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what they say is true, word of an epidemic in the Galaxy ought to reach Earth within a few days. If such
occurs, Imperial forces will still control Earth-"
"Earth is a fine exchange, indeed, for a Galaxy of humans mumbled the white-faced Shekt.
I value my own life, and that of my people. We are hostages for our innocence, and I am prepared at
this instant to, inform the Society of Ancients that I will remain here for a week of my own free will and
prevent any disturbances that might otherwise occur."
He folded his arms.
Ennius looked up, his face troubled. "I find no fault in this man-"
Arvardan could, stand it no more. With a quiet and deadly ferocity, he arose and strode, quickly toward
the Procurator. What he meditated was never known. Afterward he himself could not remember. At any
rate, it made no difference. Ennius had a neuronic whip and used it.
For the third time since landing on Earth everything about Arvardan flamed up into pain, spun about, and
vanished.
In the hours during which Arvardan was unconscious the six o'clock deadline was reached.
chapter 21 the deadline that passed
And passed!
Light
Blurring light and misty shadows-melting and twisting, and then coming into focus.
A face- Eyes upon his
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"Pola!" Things were sharp and clear to, Arvardan in a single, leaping bound. "What time is it?"
His fingers were hard upon her wrist, so that she winced involuntarily.
"It's past seven," she whispered. "Past the deadline."
He looked about wildly, starting from the cot on which he lay, disregarding the burning in his joints.
Shekt, his lean figure huddled in a chair, raised his head to nod brief mournfulness.
"It's all over, Arvardan."
"Then Ennius."
"Ennius," said Shekt, "would not take the chance. Isn't that strange?" He laughed a queer, cracked,
rasping laugh. "The three of us singlehandedly discover a vast plot against humanity, singlehandedly we
capture the ring leader and bring him to justice. It's like a visicast, isn't it, with the great all-conquering
heroes zooming to, victory in the nick of time? That's where they usually end it. Only in our case the
visicast went on and we found that nobody believed us. That doesn't happen in visicasts, does it? Things
end happily there, don't they? It's funny----" The words turned into rough, dry sobs.
Arvardan looked away, sick. Pola's eyes were dark universes, moist and tear-filled. Somehow, for an
instant, he was lost in them-they were universes, star-filled. And toward those stars little gleaming metallic
cases were streaking, devouring the lightyears as they penetrated hyperspace in calculated, deadly paths.
Soon-perhaps already-they would approach, pierce atmospheres, fall apart into, unseen deadly rains of
virus
Well, it was over.
It could no longer be, stopped.
"Where is Schwartz?" he, asked weakly.
But Pola only shook her head. "They never brought him back."
The door opened, and Arvardan was not so far gone in the acceptance of death as to fail to, look up
with a' momentary wash of hope upon his face.
But it was Ennius, and Arvardan's face hardened and turned away.
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Ennius approached and looked momentarily at the father and daughter. But even now Shekt and Pola
were primarily Earth creatures and could say nothing to the Procurator, even though they knew that short
and violent as their future lives were to be, that of the Procurator would be even shorter and more
violent.
Ennius tapped Arvardan on the shoulder. "Dr. Arvardan?"
"Your Excellency?" said Arvardan in a raw and bitter imitation of the other's intonation.
"It is after six o'clock." Ennius had not slept that night. With his official absolution of Balkis had come no
absolute assurance that the accusers were completely mad--or under mental control. He had watched the
soulless chronometer tick away the life of the Galaxy.
"Yes," said Arvardan. "It is after six and the stars still shine."
"But you still think you were right?"
"Your Excellency," said Arvardan, "in a matter of hours the first victims will die. They won't be noticed-.
Human beings die every day. In a week hundreds of thousands will have died. The percentage of
recovery will be close to zero. No known remedies will be available. Several plants will send out
emergency calls for epidemic relief. In two weeks scores of planets will have joined the call and States of
Emergency will be declared in the nearer sectors. In a month the Galaxy will be a writhing mass of
disease. In two months not twenty planets will remain untouched. In six months the Galaxy will be dead."
And what will you do when those first reports come in
"Let me predict that as well. You will send out reports that the epidemics may have started on Earth.
This will save no lives. You will declare war on the Ancients of Earth. This will save no lives. You will
wipe the Earthman from the face of his planet. This will save no lives. Or else you will act as go-between [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]