Irvin McDowell

“ She glanced at the deck, flushed faintly.
"Nonsense," said Gavin. "People don't get killed for that any more. Why did you kill him?"
She looked at him, startled. "He caught me drawing a plan of Tri-World's magnetic ore-loader. It was a corporation secret. I was just a kid, a cadet aboard the Saturn. I—I was offered a lot of money for the plans...." She halted lamely.
"Who offered you the money?"
"Trev." Her voice was a whisper.
Gavin was surprised only at the fact that Nadia had confessed such a thing. She had placed herself completely in his power as long as she lived. ”

“ He returned to Gavin. "You'll spare yourself a painful experience, Murdock, if you talk now. You can't gain anything by forcing us to wring the information from you. We won't hesitate to stoop to torture."
"No," Gavin agreed. "I suppose not." He hesitated. United Spaceways and Tri-World were the two corporations most likely to want the Nova's space drive. Nadia suspected that he was an agent of United Spaceways. Therefore ... he moistened his lips. "My work's done, anyway. I'm a Tri-World agent." ”

“ Don't think about Tamis. Don't....
"Who's Tamis?" Priscilla asked.
"She's forgotten," the machine said in surprise. "No. She didn't know the girl's name; just that she was a Ganelon. Wow, what a horrible, uncontrollable thing a person's mind is. Multiplication tables. Two times two is four.... Damn! I can't remember the multiplication tables!"
"Joel," said Priscilla, "I'm going to make you my bodyguard."
"Bodyguard!" echoed Joel and the machine together. "Hell fire...." He shut his mouth. The machine went, "Glug—glug—bubble—glug. Out damned spot! Out, I say! ”

“ Murdock, but I'm not at liberty to reveal that."
Gavin scowled. "Who are you?"
"One alias is as good as another." The man smiled pleasantly. "X will do for the present. Suppose you call me Mr. X. I represent a group, Mr. Murdock, who are interested in the Nova's space drive."
"Well?" said Gavin dryly. The group whom Mr. X represented weren't the only ones interested in Nova's spacedrive. The T.I.S., for one, was particularly concerned about it. The Nova made the crossing between Jupiter and Venus with her contraband load of slaves in an impossibly short space of time. ”

“ If we fortify the bridge so that they have to cross at Shepherdsville, their main body'll have to go over a hundred miles out of their way. We can count on from eight to ten hours."
"Not too much time!" Isaac muttered.
"No," Matt agreed, "it isn't." He turned to the palaeontologist. "Fetch the walkie-talkie and the rifles, Nesbit. You and I and Isaac had better look over the fort.
"Captain Bascom, will you see that everyone starts at once to packing? I'll leave this end of the moving up to you."
He touched the button beside the port The ladder slowly descended. ”

“ Trev said, "Yes ... yes ... thank you," at intervals, and hung up. His black eyes were inscrutable. He turned back to Gavin, saying, "I've been waiting for that call, Mr. Murdock."
He brought his hand into sight above the desk. Gavin Murdock found himself staring into the muzzle of a wicked poisoned-needle automatic!
"Clasp your hands behind your neck, Mr. Murdock. That was United Spaceways. They have no record of your ever having been employed by them. That was a very foolish lie, Mr. Murdock. Please submit yourself to a search."
Gavin drew a long breath. "You can save yourself the trouble. ”

“ I don't want to escape."
"What exactly is your job?" he demanded.
"Intelligence. There are many of us, both men and women disguised as humans who circulate among the Unfit."
"Then—?" Joel prompted.
"Then we make our reports to the Thinkers."
"You've mentioned these Thinkers before. Who are they?"
"Our scientists. Our wise men." She paused, changed the subject abruptly. "Today, Joel, we are to be sold."
"Damn!" He was appalled, remembering Priscilla Cameron's threat to buy him.
"Joel," she went on earnestly, "you are one of us now. ”

“ He patted Gavin's chest, found a small flat dart-gun no larger than a deck of cards. It was secured in a delicate spring clip—strapped beneath his left arm.
"Lethal toy for a legitimate spaceman to be carting around," observed the Martian. "Hand tailored, isn't it?"
When Gavin didn't reply, he added, "He's wearing a plastic dart-proof vest too."
The Captain frowned. "What's the trouble, Trev?"
Trev said, "Mr. Murdock, here, applied for the job as third assistant-engineer on your ship with a forged discharge from United Spaceways. United Spaceways never heard of him."
"Hmmm," said Cabot. ”

“ Y's men will be tried on the same charges. Tri-World, of course, will disclaim any connection, but she'll have to rebuild her gestapo from top to bottom."
Gavin moved aside to allow two men with a stretcher to pass out the lock. The body of the factor lay on the stretcher looking thin as a straw. He was alive, Gavin noted, seeing his chest move faintly.
"This gives the death blow to the slave trade," the Commandant began. Then he realized Gavin wasn't listening.
Nadia Petrovna followed the stretcher. Her hands were in irons and a guard walked beside her. ”

“ It has been McDowell's intention to push forward, from Centreville along the Warrenton Pike a few miles, on the evening of this Military conference; but he makes his first mistake, in allowing himself to be dissuaded from that, by those, who, in his own words, "have the greatest distance to go," and who prefer "starting early in the morning and making but one move." ”

“ These things and others, which were beyond McDowell's estimation, rang in that sharp exclamation. Steve laughed, and even to the Superintendent there was something utterly hateful in the sound that broke on his ears.
"Just forget you're my superior officer, McDowell," Steve cried, raising a pair of eyes which blazed with a frigid passion of hate. "Just figure we're two plain men, no better and no worse than most. You've a wife and two kiddies, both growing as you'd have them. A schoolgirl and a boy, and round whom you've built up all your notions of life. ”

“ Oh, Joel, that's why it's so important for you to obtain Priscilla Cameron's confidence. Women are—are indiscreet with their lovers."
Joel looked shocked.
"But Joel, she'll buy you anyway! You'll have the run of the palace. Slaves hear things and see things no one else can!"
She paused, saw him wavering, hurried on. "We're blind without someone close to the governor. The Thinkers are worried. They're holding off, afraid to give the word that'll start the revolt."
"How near is it?" he asked.
"We're ready to strike. The Unfit have stolen arms, built secret laboratories in the jungle. ”

“ No sooner had the door closed on the Caligan envoy, than Lete sprang to her feet. She was clad in the fur of some jungle beast. A sword and dagger hung at her waist. She made Jupiter think of a savage Joan of Arc more than ever and he could feel his heart sink.
"There is but one answer," she flashed, "and that's to attack! Attack tonight before they can bring up reinforcements.
"This is the first time the Kagans have been united. Do they think we're foolish enough to throw away everything for the life of a man and a girl!"
Jupiter didn't say anything.
The Nehogan general shook his head. ”

“ The Thinkers have a job for you."
"For me?"
"Yes. Obviously Priscilla Cameron is interested in you, Joel. You must play up to her. It's the first chance we've had to get a spy close to Governor Cameron...."
"Hell, Tamis," he interrupted with an expression of distaste. "I can't do that!"
"But, Joel, you must! Not even my people have been able to get into the palace."
His green eyes quickened with interest. "Why not? They've been able to insinuate themselves everywhere else."
Tamis shook her head. "We don't know! Dozens of Ganelons have slipped into Governor Cameron's palace. ”

“ You know that if Cabot even suspected such a thing he'd kill me."
"Well," said Gavin coolly. "I don't know that any of us can afford to take a chance if you're a T.I.S. agent."
"Hush!" pleaded Nadia in agony.
"Look what it would mean. We'd be condemned to the Lunar Corrective Colony."
She gripped his arm desperately. "But I'm not! I'm not!" She regained her composure with an effort and went on in a low bitter tone, "I have been proscribed! Does that answer your questions? I killed a man. He was a high official of Tri-World. The corporation put a price on my head." ”

“ As Senator Sporty Jones stood on the Sawyerville platform and watched No. 14 vanishing round a curve, his rage against the Superintendent cooled somewhat and hardened into a determination to make somebody pay. The more he thought of it the clearer it grew that the “somebody” should be a bigger man than McDowell, though Sporty meant to get even with him, too, some day. He knew, as did every one who had read the newspapers, the broad outlines of the fight between Weeks and Porter for the road. ”

“ Trev would have connections with all the secret agencies of the different corporations. If anyone were dickering with X to sell the Nova's space drive, Trev would be the likeliest suspect. And, if Trev thought Gavin was dickering with X, the Martian wouldn't hesitate to betray him to Cabot.
That was one side.
On the other hand, it might be a trap. His best policy was to have nothing to do with X.
He said, "I don't do business with someone I don't know. I'm going now. Don't try to stop me."
"Meg," said Mr. X.
Gavin felt the girl's hand seize his shoulders in a grip of steel. ”

“ Gavin could feel his palms grow damp against the back of his neck. He wanted to whip around, but the Martian still had the dart-gun clamped against his spine.
Trev said, "No trouble, Captain Cabot."
Gavin turned his head slowly in the direction of the voice. He saw a tall man with a lean wolfish face. The man, in handsome black shorts, was standing in the doorway to the outer office, one hand braced against the frame. Just behind the man, peering wide-eyed over his shoulder, was a girl. ”

“ Joel had noticed other women on the street of Eden with green hair, with yellow hair, with cerise, vermillion, chartreuse hair. It obviously was the latest mode of Asgard.
"That's the one, Colonel!" he heard Priscilla say to the man beside her. "Be sure to notify me when he comes up for sale."
Joel reddened.
The colonel touched his cap. "I'll be glad to, Miss Cameron." He turned to Captain Goplerud.
"Move them inside, Captain. They're not used to the suns. Have a good crossing?"
"Rotten," said Goplerud. "I'm glad to get 'em off my hands. Watch that fellow Hakkyt, by the way. He's a killer." ”

“ The case of General McDowell was a very curious one. He came out of the campaign, without exaggeration it may be said, as the most unpopular general in the army. Why he should have become so unpopular it is hard to say. I had made his acquaintance in Washington during the preceding winter. He was, no doubt, a gentleman of high character, and a learned, and able, and thoroughly loyal soldier. ”

“ If McClellan failed, McDowell was cursed. If Pope blundered, McDowell received half the contumely. But he loosened no cord of discipline to make good will. Implacable, dutiful, soldierly, rigorous in discipline, sententious, brave,—the most unpopular man in America went on his way, and I think that he is recovering public favor again. The Gen [Pg 238] eral of a republic has a thorny path to tread, and almost every public man has been at one time disgraced during the civil war. McDowell, I think, has been treated worse than any other. ”

“ Matt drew a bead directly between and a little above the boar's eyes and squeezed the trigger. The 30-06 kicked viciously. The boar plunged snout-on into the soft earth, squealing eerily. Blood gushed from its mouth. Its feet threshed spasmodically, and then fell still.
Matt could feel his pulse beating high and hot in his throat. He worked another cartridge into the chamber with his bolt. "Nasty-tempered brute!" he said dryly.
Nesbit mopped his forehead with his handkerchief. "That was nice shooting, Matt," he conceded in a queer voice. ”

“ Gavin sank weakly into his chair. He didn't reply. Captain Cabot was regarding Miss Petrovna with an alert expression. The film of drunkenness, Gavin sensed, had been banished from the Captain's brain like a fog by a ray of sunlight.
The Martian said, "Never mind. It's not important. Once we're satisfied with a man, we don't delve too deeply into his activities. Here, you can have your gear back."
As Gavin stowed the articles in place, the Martian wrote out his pass and shoved it across the desk. "Take this to the Commissioners. It'll authorize you to sign the Nova's articles." ”

“ And Walt Eriss is only one of his puppets!"
XI
The utter alienness of the jungle suddenly impressed itself on Joel. The creeping crawling plants. The shouts from Eriss' headquarters, the rumble of vehicles sounded startlingly close.
Through the interstices in the foliage he caught a glimpse of something moving. His eyes widened. Then he saw that it was the herd of nigel trees and he shuddered.
He frowned. "Nigel trees!"
"Yes," Tamis nodded. "But they won't bother us."
"You can control them!" Joel said thoughtfully. "Could you direct them to attack?"
"Attack?" The elder Ganelon looked puzzled. ”

“ They were a handsome, sprightly race. There wasn't a stick of clothing or an ornament in the crowd. Then Joel saw a familiar figure emerge from the undergrowth.
"Thorp!" he cried. "Nick Thorp!"
The battered amiable ex-spaceman came forward, hand outstretched. "Not so loud, lad. We're too close to Eriss' headquarters."
The uproar from the rebels' camp was muted by the dense jungle, but it was still audible. Joel asked, "Have you seen Tamis?"
"Look around, lad!"
Joel heard a giggle, spun about. Tamis was standing at his elbow, laughing at him. Then she quit laughing. Her elfin features sobered. ”