Rae Winters

“ Steepa crouched, and he would have sprung, but Tranda’s color came strongly. “Don’t! We will not court death uselessly. They have us secure for the time. Surrender to them!”
“No!” blazed Steepa. “I will not!”
Before he could be halted, he swept forward and grasped the trident. Almost with the same motion he was beside the great bulging breast of the gas-plant, and stood poised, ready for the thrust.
“If die we must,” he colored, “we all die! I have but to release the Black Gas, and we perish. Now what say you, Deebul, of victory?” ”

“ Tranda sprang up to the limit of his tubes.
“Neptunians,” he flared, “the Trident must go to Luna, that strange place the message locates far above our own gas-strata. And we must send representatives to that universal council which is to be held there. We must learn what it is that menaces us. And we must repay the debt of gratitude we owe to that appealing creature who cries for our help. Be he of our kind or not, we must go!”
“But who will go?” hued a councillor. “It is a mission that will offer uncounted dangers.”
Tranda swerved about and his stalk-eyes fell upon Steepa. ”

“ A huge metal bar ending in a menacing trident of sharpness. It was tremendously heavy; Steepa could hardly lift it with all the force of his powerful suction tubes. But he flung not a glance at its shining bulk. Why did he not dispose of it and assure the passage of the jungle? Why did he thus risk his life for a piece of senseless metal?
But whatever Steepa’s reason, it was becoming evident that the risk was fast approaching its culmination in actual danger. The basket now nearly grazed the top of a huge gas-plant. Steepa’s eyes flung again toward the gas bag above. ”

“ Steepa, for that was the name the Neptunian carried, reached down to the floor of the basket and ripped the heavy covering from the intertwining reeds of the basket and flung it down at the jungle. The balloon spurted up for a moment and then again began its steady descent. A thick, vicious breeze was rolling sluggishly along, carrying the balloon further toward the center of the Death Jungle. It sagged with the weight of the only other object in the basket now, other than Steepa himself. ”

“ At last silence, except for the roar of the great ship, descended upon the city. Not one follower of Deebul remained alive. Great waves of color burst forth from the ecstatic populace and Teena fairly bounded about her prison in joy. Her Steepa was coming for her!
And he did. For many moments they clung to each other, welling soft colors into each other’s skin, until Tranda became impatient from his post at the door of the tower-room.
“Come, come, you two,” he hued. “We have much to do. Time aplenty for love-making later on. Now we must re-establish the government and then—“ Tranda paused. ”

“ If the Trident returned, in a ship of Deebul, then Steepa no longer lived. Steepa would never give up the Trident while life remained in his regal body. Teena collapsed to the floor, emitting tiny waves of sorrowful color. Why cling to life now? ”

“ Seepa expanded in amazed joyfulness and then contracted in modesty. “I do not deserve such honor, all magnificent,” he hued flutteringly. “But since you so honor me, I pray that I shall not fail to do proper honor to the title. ”