Robert Moore Williams

“ As he spoke, Malovel's fingers pressed a square. The human might be fast with the bum-bum gun but the esse was faster than any human action, as fast as light itself. As Malovel pressed the square, the esse formed.
A scream sounded in the room. Sanderson was shoved to one side. The esse caught something, Malovel did not quite see what it was. He poured power into it. Malovel caught a glimpse of the doll forming as the mighty fingers of the esse squeezed life from it. ”

“ Sanderson said. Backing out of the audience hall, he wondered how even Malovel expected them to be gone by tomorrow even if they had a place to go! Inhospitable deserts surrounded them, making impossible a flight across Mars. Earth would welcome them back—if they could get there—but not a man or a woman here would welcome Earth. ”

“ He caressed the squares on the arms of his throne chair.
"Once a bargain was made, Holy One," a voice said behind him.
Malovel spun in his chair. He stared in horror at what he saw there. The human, Sanderson, and the Martian, L'Sor. A Martian traitor! Behind them a secret door was open in the wall, a relic of the long-gone days when Malovel had used that exit. He had forgotten its existence. But L'Sor had smelled it out. Both the human and the Martian held the little weapons that the humans called bum-bum guns. L'Sor's weapon menaced the slave, who stood motionless. ”

“ Sanderson said. He went out. L'Sor followed him without comment.
Miss Tweedham's lips formed unvoiced sounds. "But—that awful Martian may kill him."
"Do you think that would stop him?" Big Marie said. "What kind of a man do you think he is?"
"I don't care what kind of a man he is."
"He has kept us alive when nobody else could have done it," Big Marie said. "If he says he wants you, Baby, my advice is to play give-inee." Big Marie went into the bedroom and closed the door behind her. It opened again an instant later. "You'll be the luckiest woman this side of heaven." ”

“ Hah! By heck! So you've lost your nerve! And Sandersonville is hanging here like a ripe peach ready to drop into the pocket of anybody who has the guts to shake the tree! I heard rumors that this had happened but I just didn't believe it. ”

“ I'm thinking of establishing polyandry here, just for your sake. But—Well, hello." Miss Tweedham came through the door. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm alive, I guess." Her face was pale but composed, her walk was steady. "That awful thing." A shudder passed across her face. "How did it get back there in the chair without us seeing it coming?"
"Elogarsn, the Martians call such trips. Humans know it as telportation."
"But what is it?"
"You've got a word for it, what more do you want?"
"Nothing, I guess." She looked from Big Marie to Sanderson. "There was some talk about taking a woman. ”

“ Clutching her purse in one hand and the bum-bum gun in the other, she was seated on a bench outside the house where Big Marie had once lived. Sanderson came up. She moved and made room for him and he sat down beside her.
"Look," he said, pointing. "Water is coming down the ditches to our fields."
Miss Tweedham could see the water. Already the crops were responding to the magic touch of it. She could also see the glow on John Sanderson's face. The glow on his face was one of the nicest sights she had ever seen in her life. A man watching water come to parched fields.... ”

“ Sanderson said.
"Isn't it?" Big Marie answered.
When the guns and knives had been distributed, Sanderson opened another box. Maps were in it. They were crudely but clearly drawn. He distributed them to a number of key men. "You will find detailed instructions here for you and your group. I don't suppose I need to remind you of the consequences of failure."
Again the buzz ran through the room.
"You seem to have everything well organized," Miss Tweedham said:
"Organization was my line before I came to Mars," Sanderson answered. He lifted his voice. "Deimos is the signal. ”