Slaves of Mercury

ings o

But no one who knew Hilary Grendon would have recognized him in the meek, shambling, slig

for. The skilful application of wood ash and powdered charcoal to the hollows around the eyes, the pits beneath the chee

with admiration. "You'll do," he grinned. "The way you look, even a

Vagabond thoroughly to his friends. Finally they

as out of the question; it could not be secreted beneath t

d some bullet

, stored against the day. There were still some brave spirits left on Earth who hoped and plotted. Wat had bee

e wormed his way carefully to the nearest conveyor, and made

ssengers no longer sat dully, apathetically, as they were whizz

to his seat, glances of uneasy suspicion. But he looked thoroughly innocuous, and th

ns went down like animals-fifteen of them killed, I hear. The whole company of guards retreated in

discussing his exploit, evidently. With ex

amned Mercutians are not invulnerable. They can be overcome

shone in the s

eapons," a small, weak

ly: "No weapons, huh?

y next to him jabbed him in the ribs. The

issed hurriedly,

eavily down the aisles of the express, sagging with the pull of Earth

ore the hastily

gregating of Earth slaves on the conveyors or elsewher

the weak-chinned man

rmed immediately after t

peaker spat viciously. "I'd

iet-voiced man was talking, lauding the exploit of the three embattled Earthmen, skillfully and subt

the Earthmen gave them no opportunity. The groups melted at their approach into meek, vacuous individuals; reformed instantly as th

Members of an underground organization? Possibly. Wat and Grim had both belonged to loose circles, vague and shifting in membership. Possibly they were coalescing now, joining up into a world-wid

meek, shabby-looking Earthman. The Mercutians gave him barely a glance; the Earthmen disre

determined-looking individuals. They scattered purposefully through the various exits of the huge buildin

their Earth slaves rudely out of the way, sending them sprawling with sudden quick shoves. It would take only

eared through the exits, giving way to new arrivals. Once Hilary caught a gleam of familiar steel

oan was a captive in the hands of the Mercutian Viceroy.

he many that radiated from the terminal like the spokes of a wheel. On either

t ceased as suddenly as it sprang up. It was unusual. This was April in the Spring of 2348 and April was always a month of showery heavens. Had the Mercutians, accustomed to the blazing light of their own planet, deliberately mana

him to the Robbins Building. The street was black wi

l voices were harsh with command. The Earthmen scattered out of their way

m of rage, when a young girl, with whom he was arm in arm, was wrested br

tube flashed upward. The Earthman's eyes opened wide a

den surging forward. But the guards, reinforced by others, had thei

hasty moment he visioned the commencement of the revolt. But as the mob retreated before the weapon

wer. Martin Robbins had been wealthy, very much so. He had been a physicist of world repute, and this building was a monument to his inventive genius. The top floors were devoted to marvelously equipped labora

r thoughts determinedly behind him. There was work ahead. The stooped, hollow-cheeke

ong, hoping to pass

ian barred his way, "get ou

ink out again. The guard had him by the shoulder, was propelling h

oice spoke a

ave you

ary heard tha

ard spun him a

respectfully. "These damned Earth slaves are everywhere un

t itself into his memory. Urga-the Mercutian who had kidnaped Joan! His mus

im over caref

e seen this fellow before,

ut. Would he

tain of a Hundred-shook his head finally,

is a particularly poor specimen. Turn him l

o the street to the muttering accompaniment of the seething Earth cro

mself off, and melted unostentatiously into th

sterious disappearance to be ominous-as though they had been warned by some secret signal. Something terrible

bout him, a yel

utians ar

ong pull of the Earth, but formidable enough. Sun-tubes glinted dangerously. A stentorian voice reached him. "Clear

ancing Mercutians, melted into a wild scramble. Men trampled each other

Men were already quietly edging their way toward adjoining bu

e. He waved it frantically in the air. There was an ugly surge, a low-throated growl. It needed very l

t down sharply out of sight. A quick wrench, and the gun was i

a chance. They'd ray us all clean out of existence." He thrust th

Look!" some

utians uplifted; a blinding sheet of flame blazed

s caught farther down, men who had had no chance to seek safety in time. They m

one for himself. The man with the gun was the first to run. Hilary found himself caught

hoved. The entrance of the Pullman Building loomed ahead. The sight of it

yelling mob. Head down, right shoulder and elbow working in unison, a path magically opened where no path had been before. Eve

the lift platforms, to take them to the upper stories, out of reach of the awful rays. Hilary was thankful

horribly. Hilary felt sick inside. The full blast of the rays had re

escalator at full speed. A spray of passageways met him. He did not hesitate. He chose the one farthest to the le

the outer and inner shells of crystal walls; lifts that shot smoothly to the laboratories and pent-apartments on the roofs of the two structures. For Simeon Pullman

premature explosion, and Robbins, executed by th

long of crystal slid silently open. He went in without hes

s here were of burnished metal, glowing with impregnated cold-light. It was empty, silent. Evid

e was in the Robbins Building. He turned to the left, where a shaft stretched upward, completely enclosed by crystal walls. A thin oblong edging showed the platform beneath. He

a present occupant of the room. If there was-he shrugged his should

ior of the wall making one side of the sleep-apartment. The vita-crystal gleamed mockingly opaque at him. If only he could see through; if only he had a Mercu

six bullets lay snug. He snapped it back in position, held the automat

red. But his vision was limited to that part of the room framed by the slide. With infinite caution he peered out, his searching gaze flicking swiftly, around the sleep-apartment. It was a man's room with built in div

stepped out, leaving the slide behind him open in case of an enforced retreat. He paused to think. Where

gnificent. That might repay a visit. A bold scheme flashed across his mind. Seize Artok himself, abduct him into the secret passage, and compel hi

oftly out of the chamber. No one was in sight. The passageway seemed oddly deserted. Poss

er swift look about, and Hilary was moving down the long corridor, c

t slid open at a barely perceptible rate. As the slender crack wid