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+Project Gutenberg's Priestess of the Flame, by Sewell Peaslee Wright
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Priestess of the Flame
+
+Author: Sewell Peaslee Wright
+
+Release Date: July 2, 2009 [EBook #29293]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PRIESTESS OF THE FLAME ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+                         Transcriber's Note:
+
+      This etext was produced from Astounding Stories June 1932.
+      Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the
+      U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.
+
+
+[Illustration: "_Be still! The power of Liane is absolute here!_"]
+
+
+                        Priestess of the Flame
+
+                       By Sewell Peaslee Wright
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+[Sidenote: Commander John Hanson recounts the extraordinary story of
+Liane, Priestess of the Flame.]
+
+
+I have been rather amused by the protests which have come to me
+regarding the "disparaging" comments I have made, in previous tales of
+the Special Patrol Service, regarding women. The rather surprising
+thing about it is that the larger proportion of these have come from
+men. Young men, of course.
+
+Now, as a matter of fact, a careful search has failed to reveal to me
+any very uncomplimentary remarks. I have suggested, I believe, that
+women have, in my experience, shown a sad lack of ability to
+understand mechanical contrivances. Perhaps I have pictured some few
+of them as frivolous and shallow. If I have been unfair, I wish now to
+make humble apology.
+
+I am not, as some of my correspondents have indicated, a bitter old
+man, who cannot remember his youth. I remember it very well indeed,
+else these tales would not be forthcoming. And women have their great
+and proper place, even in a man's universe.
+
+Some day, perhaps, the mood will seize me to write of my own love
+affair. That surprises you? You smile to think that old John Hanson,
+lately a commander of the Special Patrol Service, now retired, should
+have had a love affair? Well, 'twas many years ago, before these eyes
+lost their fire, and before these brown, skinny hands wearied as
+quickly as they weary now....
+
+But I have known many women--good women and bad; great women and women
+of small souls; kindly women, and women fierce as wild bears are
+fierce. Divinity has dealt lavishly with women; has given them an
+emotional range far greater than man's. They can sink to depths
+unknown to masculinity; they can rise to heights of love and sacrifice
+before which man can only stand with reverently bowed head and marvel.
+
+This is a story of a woman--one of those no man could know and not
+remember. I make no apologies for her; I pay her no homage. I record
+only a not inaccurate account of an adventure of my youth, in which
+she played a part; I leave to you the task of judging her.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+We were some three days out from Base, as I recall it, on a mission
+which promised a welcome interlude in a monotonous sequence of routine
+patrols. I was commander then of the _Ertak_, one of the crack ships
+of the Service, and assisted by the finest group of officers, I
+believe, that any man ever had under him.
+
+I was standing a watch in the navigating room with Hendricks, my
+junior officer, when Correy brought us the amazing news.
+
+Correy was my first officer, a square-jawed fighting man if one ever
+breathed, a man of action, such as these effete times do not produce.
+His eyes were fairly blazing as he came into the room, and his
+generous mouth was narrowed into a grim line.
+
+"What's up, Mr. Correy?" I asked apprehensively. "Trouble aboard?"
+
+"Plenty of it, sir!" he snapped. "A stowaway!"
+
+"A stowaway?" I repeated wonderingly. A new experience, but hardly
+cause for Correy's obvious anger. "Well, send him below, and tell Miro
+to put him to work--the hardest work he can find. We'll make him--"
+
+"_Him?_" blurted Correy. "If it were a him it wouldn't be so bad, sir.
+But it's a _she_!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+To understand the full effect of the statement, you'd have to be
+steeped in the traditions of the Service. Women are seldom permitted
+on board a ship of the Service; despite their many admirable
+qualities, women play the very devil with discipline. And here were
+we, three days out from Base on a tour of duty which promised more
+than a little excitement, with a female stowaway on board!
+
+I felt my own mouth set grimly.
+
+"Where is she, Mr. Correy?" I asked quietly.
+
+"In my quarters, under guard. It was my watch below, as you know, sir.
+I entered my stateroom, figuring on catching forty winks, and there
+she was, seated in my big chair, smiling at me.
+
+"Well, for a second I couldn't speak. I just stared at her, and she
+kept smiling back at me. 'What are you doing here?' I managed to ask
+her, at last. 'Do you know where you are?'
+
+"'I'll talk to your commanding officer,' she told me, cool as you
+please. 'Will you bring him, please?'
+
+"'You'll see him plenty soon enough,' I snapped at her, getting over
+my surprise somewhat by that time. I called in a couple of men to keep
+her from getting into mischief, and reported to you. What are your
+orders, sir?"
+
+I hesitated a second, wondering. From Correy's account, she must be a
+rather remarkable person.
+
+"Bring her up here, if you will, Mr. Correy. I'd like to see her
+before we put her in the brig." The brig, I might explain, was a small
+room well forward, where members of the crew were confined for
+discipline.
+
+"Right, sir!" It seemed to me that there was a peculiar twinkle in
+Correy's eyes as he went out, and I wondered about it while we waited
+for him to return with the prisoner.
+
+"What an infernal nuisance, sir!" complained Hendricks, looking up
+from his glowing charts. "We'll be the laughing-stock of the Service
+if this leaks out!"
+
+"_When_ it leaks out," I corrected him glumly. I'd already thought of
+the unpleasant outcome he mentioned. "I'll have to report it, of
+course, and the whole Service will know about it. We'll just have to
+grin and make the most of it, I guess." There was still another
+possibility which I didn't mention: the silver-sleeves at Base would
+very likely call me on the carpet for permitting such a thing to
+happen. A commander was supposed to be responsible for everything that
+happened; no excuses available in the Service as it was in those days.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+I scowled forbiddingly as I heard Correy open the door; at least I
+could make her very sorry she had selected the _Ertak_ for her
+adventure. I am afraid, however, that it was a startled, rather than a
+scowling face to which she lifted her eyes.
+
+"This is the stowaway, sir," said Correy briskly, closing the door. He
+was watching my face, and I saw, now, the reason for the twinkle in
+his eye when I mentioned placing the stowaway in the brig.
+
+The woman was startlingly beautiful; one of the most beautiful women I
+have ever seen, and I have roamed the outer limits of space, and seen
+the women of many worlds. Hendricks, standing behind me, gasped
+audibly as his eyes fell upon her.
+
+The stowaway was regally tall and exquisitely modeled. Her hair was
+the color of pale morning sunlight on Earth; her eyes an amazing blue,
+the equal of which I have never seen.
+
+She was beautiful, but not coldly so. Despite her imperious bearing,
+there was something seductive about the soft curves of her beautiful
+body; something to rouse the pulses of a man in the langour of her
+intensely blue eyes, and the full, sensuous lips, scarlet as a smear
+of fresh blood.
+
+"So this is the stowaway," I said, trying to keep my voice coolly
+indifferent. "What is your name?"
+
+"I should prefer," she replied, speaking the universal language with a
+sibilant accent that was very fascinating, "to speak with you
+privately."
+
+"You will speak with me," I informed her crisply, "in the presence of
+these officers. I repeat: what is your name?"
+
+She smiled faintly, her eyes compelling mine.
+
+"I am called Liane," she said. "Chief Priestess of the Flame. Mother
+of Life. Giver of Death. I believe my name and position are not
+unknown to you, Commander Hanson?"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Known to me? If Base was not in error--and for all their faults, the
+silver-sleeves are seldom wrong in matters of this sort--this woman
+was the reason for our present mission.
+
+"They are known to me," I admitted. "They do not explain, however,
+your presence here."
+
+"And yet they should," protested Liane gently. "I was taken from my
+own people by those who had no right to command me. I was subjected to
+the indignity of questioning by many men. I have merely taken the
+simplest and quickest way of returning to my own people."
+
+"You know, then, our destination?"
+
+"I was informed of that by those who questioned me," nodded Liane.
+"Then, since I had been assured I was an honored guest, and no
+prisoner, I secreted myself aboard the ship, hiding in a small room
+nearly filled with what I took to be spare parts. I had provisions,
+and a few personal belongings. When I felt sufficient time had elapsed
+to make a return improbable, I donned attire more fitting than the
+masculine workman's guise in which I had secreted myself, and--I
+believe you are acquainted with the remaining facts."
+
+"I am. I will consider your case and advise you later. Mr. Correy,
+will you conduct the stowaway to my quarters and place her under
+guard? Return when you have attended to this matter, and ask Mr.
+Kincaide to do likewise."
+
+"To your quarters, you said, sir?" asked Correy, his eyes very
+serious, but not sufficiently so to entirely disguise the twinkle in
+their depths. "Not to the brig?"
+
+I could cheerfully have kicked him.
+
+"To my quarters," I repeated severely, "and under guard."
+
+"Right, sir," said Correy.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+While we were awaiting Correy and Kincaide, I briefly considered the
+rather remarkable story which had been told me at Base.
+
+"Commander Hanson," the Chief of Command had said, "we're turning over
+to you a very delicate mission. You've proved yourself adept at
+handling matters of this kind, and we have every confidence you'll
+bring this one to a highly successful conclusion."
+
+"Thank you, sir; we'll do our best," I had told him.
+
+"I know that; the assurance isn't necessary, although I appreciate it.
+Briefly, here's what we're confronted with:
+
+"Lakos, as you know, is the principal source of temite for the
+universe. And without temite, modern space travel would be impossible;
+we would have to resort to earlier and infinitely more crude devices.
+You realize that, of course.
+
+"Now, for some time, those in charge of operations on Lakos have
+complained of a growing unrest, increasing insubordination on the part
+of the Lakonians, and an alarming decrease in production.
+
+"It has been extremely difficult--indeed, impossible--to determine the
+reasons for this, for, as you are perhaps aware, the atmosphere of
+Lakos is permeated with certain mineral fumes which, while not
+directly harmful to those of other worlds, do serve to effectively
+block the passage of those rays of the sun which are essential to the
+health of beings like ourselves. Those in charge of operations there
+are supplied artificially with these rays, as you are in your ship, by
+means of emanations from ethon tubes, but they have to be transferred
+at frequent periods to other fields of activity. The constant shifting
+about produces a state of disorder which makes the necessary
+investigation impossible. Too, operations are carried on with an
+insufficient personnel, because it is extremely difficult to induce
+desirable types of volunteer for such disagreeable service.
+
+"We have, however, determined a few very important facts. This unrest
+has been caused by the activities of a secret organization or order
+known as the Worshipers of the Flame. That's as close a translation as
+I can give you. It sounds harmless enough, but from what we gather,
+it is a sinister and rather terrible organization, with a fanatical
+belief amounting, at times, to a veritable frenzy. These Lakonians are
+a physically powerful but mentally inadequate people, as perhaps you
+are aware.
+
+"The leader of this order or cult call it what you will--seems to be a
+woman: a very fascinating creature, infinitely superior to her people
+as a whole; what biologists call a 'sport,' I believe--a radical
+departure from the general racial trend.
+
+"This leader calls herself Liane, Chief Priestess of the Flame, Mother
+of Life, Giver of Death, and a few other high-sounding things. We have
+called her here to Base for questioning, and while she has been here
+some time, we have so far learned next to nothing from her. She is
+very intelligent, very alluring, very feminine--but reveals nothing
+she does not wish to reveal.
+
+"Our purpose in having her brought here was two-fold: first, to gain
+what information we could from her, and if possible, prevail upon her
+to cease her activities; second, to deprive her cult of her leadership
+while you conducted your investigation.
+
+"Your orders, then, are simple: you will proceed at once to Lakos, and
+inquire into the activities of this order. Somehow, it must be
+crushed; the means I shall leave to you. You will have complete
+coöperation of those in charge of operations on Lakos; they are
+Zenians and natives of Earth, and you may depend upon them implicitly.
+Do not, however, place any faith in any Lakonians; the entire native
+populace may well be suspected of participation in the rites of this
+cult, and they are a treacherous and ruthless people at best. Have you
+any questions, Commander?"
+
+"None," I had told him. "I have full authority to take any action I
+see fit?"
+
+"Yes, at your discretion. Of course," he had added rather hastily,
+"you appreciate the importance of our supply of temite. Only Lakonians
+can gather it in commercial quantities, under the existing conditions
+on Lakos, and our reserve supply is not large. We naturally wish to
+increase production there, rather than endanger it. It's a delicate
+mission, but I'm trusting you and your men to handle it for us. I know
+you will."
+
+He had arisen then, smilingly, and offered his hand to me in that
+gesture which marks a son of Earth throughout the universe, thus
+bringing the interview to a close.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+IN talking the things over with my officers, we had decided the
+mission promised to be an interesting one, but full of difficulties.
+The _Ertak_ had set down on Lakos more than once, and we all had
+unpleasant memories of the place.
+
+The sunlight on Lakos, such as it was, was pale green and thin,
+lacking in warmth and vitality. The vegetation was flaccid and nearly
+colorless, more like a mushroom growth than anything else; and the
+inhabitants were suspicious and unfriendly.
+
+Remembering the typical Lakonians, it was all the more surprising that
+a gracious creature like Liane could have sprung from their midst.
+They were a beetle-browed, dark race, with gnarled muscles and huge,
+knotted joints, speaking a guttural language all their own. Few spoke
+the universal language.
+
+But Liane, Chief Priestess of the Flame! The image of her kept
+drifting back to my mind. There was a woman to turn any man's head!
+And such a turning would be dangerous, for Liane had no soft woman's
+soul, if I had read her brilliant blue eyes aright.
+
+"Rather a beauty, isn't she, sir?" commented Hendricks as I paused in
+my restless pacing, and glanced at the two-dimensional charts.
+
+"The stowaway? Rather," I agreed shortly. "And chief instigator of the
+trouble we've been sent to eliminate."
+
+"That seems almost--almost unbelievable, doesn't it?"
+
+"Why, Mr. Hendricks?"
+
+Correy and Kincaide entered before my junior officer could reply. I
+think he was rather glad of the excuse for not presenting his reasons.
+
+"Well, sir, she's under guard," reported Correy. "And now what's to be
+done about her?"
+
+"That," I admitted, "is a question. After all, she's an important
+personage at home. She was brought to Base as a guest, probably
+something of a guest of honor, of the Council, I gather. And,
+considering the work that's cut out for us, it would seem like a poor
+move to antagonize her unduly. What do you gentlemen think?"
+
+"I think you're right, sir," said Hendricks quickly. "I believe she
+should be given every consideration."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Kincaide, my level-headed second officer, glanced curiously at
+Hendricks. "I see she's made one friend, anyway," he said. "Don't let
+yourself slip, my boy; I've run across her kind before. They're
+dangerous."
+
+"Thanks, but the warning's not necessary, Mr. Kincaide," replied
+Hendricks stiffly, an angry flush mounting to his checks. "I merely
+expressed a requested opinion."
+
+"We'll let that phase of it drop, gentlemen," I cut in sharply, as I
+saw Kincaide's eyes flash. Trust a woman to stir up strife and
+ill-feeling! "What shall we do with her?"
+
+"I believe, sir," said Correy, "that we'd be nice to her. Treat her as
+an honored guest; make the best of a bad situation. If she's what the
+Chief thought she is, the boss of this outfit we've got to lick, then
+there's no need of stroking her the wrong way, as I see it."
+
+"And you, Mr. Kincaid?"
+
+"I see no other way out of it. Under the circumstances, we can't treat
+her like a common culprit; both her position and her sex would
+prevent."
+
+"Very well, then; we seem to be agreed. We'll find suitable quarters
+for her--"
+
+"I'll give her mine," put in Hendricks. "Correy will let me double up
+with him, I imagine."
+
+"Sure," nodded Correy.
+
+Kincaide glanced sharply at Hendricks, but said nothing. I knew,
+however, that he was thinking just what I was: that my young third
+officer was in for a bad, bad time of it.
+
+Just how bad, I think neither of us guessed.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Liane became a member of the officers' mess on the _Ertak_. She
+occupied Hendricks' stateroom, and, I must confess, with uncommon good
+judgment for a woman, remained there most of the time.
+
+She knew the reason for our mission, but this was one subject we never
+discussed. Nor did we mention the sect of which, according to the
+Chief of Command, she was the head. We did talk freely, when brought
+together at the table, on every other general topic.
+
+Liane was an exceedingly intelligent conversationalist. Her voice was
+fascinating, and her remarks were always to the point. And she was a
+very good listener; she paid flattering attention to the most casual
+remark.
+
+It seemed to me she was particularly gracious to Hendricks. Her
+strangely arresting blue eyes seldom left his face when he was
+speaking, and the greater portion of her remarks seemed addressed to
+him. Naturally, Hendricks responded as a flower responds to the
+warming rays of the sun.
+
+"We'll do well, sir, to keep a weather eye on the youngster," opined
+Correy one morning. (I think I have previously explained that even in
+the unchanging darkness of space, we divided time arbitrarily into
+days and nights). "Unless I'm badly mistaken, Hendricks is falling
+victim to a pair of blue eyes."
+
+"He's young," I shrugged. "We'll be there in two more days, and then
+we'll be rid of her."
+
+"Yes," nodded Correy, "we'll be there in a couple of days. And we'll
+be rid of her, I hope. But--suppose it should be serious, sir?"
+
+"What do you mean?" I asked sharply. I had been thinking, rather
+vaguely, along much the same lines, but to hear it put into words came
+as rather a shock.
+
+"I hope I'm wrong," said Correy very gravely. "But this Liane is an
+unusual woman. When I was his age, I could have slipped rather badly
+myself. Her eyes--that slow smile--they do things to a man.
+
+"At the same time, Liane is supposed to be the head of the thing we're
+to stamp out; you might say the enemy's leader. And it wouldn't be a
+good thing, sir, to have a--a friend of the enemy on board the
+_Ertak_, would it?"
+
+A rebuke rose to my lips, but I checked it. After all, Correy had no
+more than put into words some fears which had been harassing me.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+A traitor--in the Service? Perhaps you won't be able to understand
+just what that thought meant to those of us who wore the Blue and
+Silver in those days. But a traitor was something we had never had. It
+was almost unbelievable that such a thing would ever happen; that it
+could ever happen. And yet older men than Hendricks had thrown honor
+aside at the insistence of women less fascinating than Liane.
+
+I had felt the lure of her personality; there was not one of us on
+board the _Ertak_ who had not. And she had not exercised her wiles on
+any of us save Hendricks; with the shrewdness which had made her the
+leader she was, she had elected to fascinate the youngest, the
+weakest, the most impressionable.
+
+"I'll have a talk with him, Mr. Correy," I said quietly. "Probably it
+isn't necessary; I trust him implicitly, as I am sure you do, and the
+rest of us."
+
+"Certainly, sir," Correy replied hastily, evidently relieved by the
+manner in which I had taken his remarks. "Only, he's very young, sir,
+and Liane is a very fascinating creature."
+
+I kept my promise to Correy the next time Hendricks was on watch.
+
+"We'll be setting down in a couple of days," I commented casually.
+"It'll be good to stretch our legs again, won't it?"
+
+"It certainly will, sir."
+
+"And I imagine that's the last we'll see of our fair stowaway," I
+said, watching him closely.
+
+Hendricks' face flushed and then drained white. With the tip of his
+forefinger he traced meaningless geometrical patterns on the surface
+of the instrument table.
+
+"I imagine so, sir," he replied in a choked voice. And then, suddenly,
+in a voice which shook with released emotion. "Oh, I know what you're
+thinking!" he added. "What you've all been thinking; you, sir, and
+Correy and Kincaide. Probably the men, too, for that matter.
+
+"But it's not so! I want you to believe that, sir. I may be
+impressionable, and certainly she is beautiful and--and terribly
+fascinating; but I'm not quite a fool. I realize she's on the other
+side; that I can't, that I must not, permit myself to care. You--you
+do believe that, sir?"
+
+"Of course, lad!" I put my hand reassuringly on his shoulder; his
+whole body was shaking. "Forget it; forget her as soon as you can.
+None of us have doubted you for an instant; we just--wondered."
+
+"I could see that; I could feel it. And it hurt," said my junior
+officer with shame-faced hesitancy. "But I'll forget her--after she's
+gone."
+
+I let it go at that. After all, it was a rather painful subject for us
+both. The next day it did seem that he treated her with less
+attention; and she noticed it, for I saw the faint shadow of a frown
+form between her perfect brows, and her glance traveled meditatively
+from Hendricks' flushed face to my own.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The next morning, after the first meal of the day, she walked down the
+passage with me, one slim white hand placed gently within the curve of
+my arm.
+
+"Mr. Hendricks," she commented softly, "seems rather distraught the
+last day or so."
+
+"Yes?" I said, smiling to myself, and wondering what was coming next.
+
+"Yes, Commander Hanson." There was just the faintest suggestion of
+steeliness in her voice now. "I fancy you've been giving him good
+advice, and painting me in lurid colors. Do you really think so badly
+of me?" Her hand pressed my arm with warm friendliness; her great blue
+eyes were watching me with beseeching interest.
+
+"I think, Liane," I replied, "that Mr. Hendricks is a very young man."
+
+"And that I am a dangerous woman?" She laughed softly.
+
+"That, at least," I told her, "your interests and ours are not
+identical."
+
+"True," she said coolly, pausing before the door of her stateroom. Her
+hand dropped from my arm, and she drew herself up regally. In the
+bright flow of the ethon tubes overhead she was almost irresistibly
+beautiful. "Our interests are not identical, Commander Hanson. They
+are widely divergent, directly opposed to each other, as a matter of
+fact. And--may I be so bold as to offer you a bit of advice?"
+
+I bowed, saying nothing.
+
+"Then, don't attempt to meddle with things which are more powerful,
+than you and the forces you control. And--don't waste breath on Mr.
+Hendricks. Fair warning!"
+
+Before I could ask for more complete explanation, she had slipped
+inside her stateroom and firmly closed the door.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+We set down on Lakos late that afternoon, close to the city--town,
+rather--of Gio, where those in charge of operations made their
+headquarters. With Liane and Correy, leaving the ship in charge of
+Kincaide, I made my way quickly toward the headquarters building.
+
+We had gone but a few steps when Liane was surrounded by a shouting
+throng of her fellow Lakonians, and with a little mocking wave of a
+white hand, she stepped into a sort of litter which had been rushed to
+the scene, and was carried away.
+
+"For one," commented Correy with a sigh of relief, "I'm glad she's out
+of sight. If I never see her again, it'll be too soon. When do we
+start something?"
+
+"Not until we've talked with Fetter, who's in command here. I have a
+letter for him from the Chief. We'll see what he has to say."
+
+One thing was certain; we could look for no assistance of any kind
+from the natives. They regarded us with bleak scowls, from beneath
+shaggy, lowering brows, our uniforms of blue, with the silver
+ornaments of our service and rank, identifying us clearly.
+
+In the greenish Lakonian twilight, they were sinister figures indeed,
+clothed all alike in short, sleeveless tunics, belted loosely at the
+waist, feet and legs encased in leather buskins reaching nearly to the
+knees, their brown, gnarled limbs and stoop-shouldered postures giving
+them a half-bestial resemblance which was disturbing. Their walk was a
+sort of slow shuffle, which made their long arms dangle, swinging
+disjointedly.
+
+We entered the administration building of gray, dull stone, and were
+ushered immediately into the office of the head of operations.
+
+"Hanson?" he greeted me. "Mighty glad to see you. You too, Correy.
+Terrible hole, this; hope you're not here for long. Sorry I couldn't
+meet you at the ship; got your radio, but couldn't make it.
+Everything's in a jam. Getting worse all the time. And we're
+shorthanded; not half enough men here. Sit down, sit down. Seem good
+to feel firm ground under your feet?"
+
+"Not particularly; your air here isn't as good as the _Ertak's_."
+Correy and I seated ourselves across the desk from the garrulous
+Fetter. "I've a letter here from the Chief; I believe it explains why
+we're here."
+
+"I can guess, I can guess. And none too soon. Things are in terrible
+shape. Terrible." Fetter ripped open the letter and glanced through it
+with harried eyes.
+
+"Right," he nodded. "I'm to help you all I can. Place myself at your
+disposal. What can I do?"
+
+"Tell us what's up," I suggested.
+
+"That would be a long story. I suppose you know something about the
+situation already. Several reports have gone in to Base. What did the
+Chief tell you, Hanson?"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Briefly, I sketched the Chief's report, Fetter nodding every few
+words. When I had finished, he rubbed his long, thin fingers together
+nervously, and stared down, frowning at the littered top of his desk.
+
+"Right as far as he went," he said. "But he didn't go far enough.
+Wanted you to find out for yourself, I suppose.
+
+"Well, there _is_ a secret society working against us here. Sect, I'd
+call it. Undermined the whole inhabited portion of Lakos--which isn't
+a great area, as you know."
+
+"The Chief Priestess is Liane. I believe you said she stowed away on
+the _Ertak_ with you?"
+
+I nodded.
+
+"You're keeping her under guard?" asked Fetter.
+
+"No; under the circumstances, we couldn't. We had no authority, you
+see. A crowd of natives bore her away in triumph."
+
+"Then your work's cut out for you," groaned Fetter. "She's a devil
+incarnate. Beautiful, irresistible, and evil as corruption itself. If
+she's back, I'm afraid there's nothing to be done. We've been sitting
+on a volcano ever since she left. Pressure growing greater every
+instant, it seemed. She's just what's needed to set it off."
+
+"We'll have to take our chances," I commented. "And now; just what is
+the set-up?"
+
+"The Worshipers of the Flame, they call themselves. The membership
+takes in about every male being on Lakos. They meet in the great
+caverns which honeycomb the continent. Ghastly places; I've seen some
+of the smaller ones. Continent was thrust up from the sea in a molten
+state, some scientific chap told me once; these caverns were made by
+great belches of escaping steam or gas. You'll see them.
+
+"She--Liane--and her priests rule solely by terror. The Lakonians are
+naturally just horses" (a draft animal of ancient Earth, now extinct),
+"content to work without thinking. Liane and her crew have made them
+think--just enough to be dangerous. Just what she tells them to think,
+and no more. Disobedient ones are punished by death. Rather a terrible
+death, I gather.
+
+"Well, her chief aim is to stop the production of temite. She wishes
+to bargain with the Council--at her own terms."
+
+"What's her price?" I asked. "What does she want, wealth?"
+
+"No. _Power!_" Fetter leaned forward across the desk, hammering it
+with both fists to emphasize the word, his eyes gleaming from their
+deep sockets. "Power, Hanson, that's what she craves. She's insane on
+the subject. Utterly mad. She lusts after it. You asked her price;
+it's this: a seat in the Council!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+I gasped audibly. A seat in the Council! The Council, composed of the
+wisest heads of the universe, and ruling the universe with absolute
+authority!
+
+"She _is_ mad," I said.
+
+"Crazy," grunted Correy. "Plain crazy. A woman--in the Council!"
+
+Fetter nodded solemnly.
+
+"Mad--crazy--use your own terms," he said. "But that's her price. The
+Chief didn't tell you that, did he? Well, perhaps he didn't know. I
+learned it in a very roundabout way. She'll make the formal demand
+when the time is ripe, never fear. And what's more, unless these
+Worshipers of the Flame are stamped out--_she'll get what she
+demands!_"
+
+"Impossible!"
+
+"Not at all. You know what this place is. Only a Lakonian can stand
+this atmosphere long. No vitality to the light that does come through
+this damned green stuff they breathe for air; and after a few days,
+the acid, metallic tang of it drives you frantic. Never can get used
+to it.
+
+"So the Lakonians have to mine the temite. And the universe must have
+temite, in quantities that can't be supplied from any other source. If
+the Lakonians won't mine it--and they won't, when Liane tells them to
+quit--what will the Council and your Service do about it?"
+
+"Plenty," growled Correy.
+
+"Nothing," contradicted Fetter. "You can kill a man, disintegrate him,
+imprison him, punish him, as you will, but you can't make him work."
+And there that phase of the matter rested.
+
+I asked him a number of questions which I felt would help us to start
+our work properly, and he answered every one of them promptly and
+fully. Evidently, Fetter had given his problem a great deal of
+thought, and had done more than a little intelligent investigating of
+his own.
+
+"If there's anything else I can do to help you," he said as he
+accompanied us to the door, "don't fail to call upon me. And remember
+what I said: trust no one except yourselves. Study each move before
+you make it. These Lakonians are dull-witted, but they'll do whatever
+Liane tells them. And she thinks fast and cunningly!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+We thanked him for his warning, and hurried back to the ship through
+the sickly-green Lakonian dusk. The acrid odor of the atmosphere was
+already beginning to be disagreeable.
+
+"Decent sort of a chap, Fetter," commented Correy. "All wrought up,
+isn't he? Worried stiff."
+
+"I imagine he has cause to be. And--he might have been right in saying
+we should have held Liane: perhaps we could have treated with her in
+some way."
+
+"No chance! Not that lady. When we treat with her, we'll have to have
+the whip hand, utterly and completely."
+
+The heavy outer door of the _Ertak's_ exit was open, but the
+transparent inner door, provided for just such an emergency, was in
+place, forming, in conjunction with a second door, an efficient
+air-lock. The guard saw us coming and, as we came up, had the inner
+door smartly opened, standing at salute as we entered. We returned his
+salute and went up to the navigating room, where I proposed to hold a
+brief council of war, informing Kincaide and Hendricks of what we had
+learned from Fetter, and deciding upon a course of action for the
+following day. Kincaide, whom I had left on watch, was there waiting.
+
+"Well, sir, how do things stack up?" he asked anxiously.
+
+"Not so good. Please ask Mr. Hendricks to report here at once, and
+I'll give you the whole story."
+
+Kincaide pressed the attention signal to Hendricks' room, and waited
+impatiently for a response. There was none.
+
+"Try my room," suggested Correy. "Maybe he hasn't moved back to his
+own quarters yet."
+
+"That's what he said he would be doing," replied Kincaide. But that
+signal too failed to bring any response.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Correy glanced at me, a queer, hurt expression in his eyes.
+
+"Shall I go forward and see if he--if he's ill?" he asked quickly.
+
+"Please do," I said, and as soon as he was gone I turned to the
+microphone and called the sentry on duty at the exit.
+
+"Commander Hanson speaking. Has Mr. Hendricks left the ship?"'
+
+"Yes, sir. Some time ago. The lady came back, saying she had word from
+you; she and Mr. Hendricks left a few minutes later. That was all
+right, sir?"
+
+"Yes," I said, barely able to force the word from between my lips.
+Hendricks ... and Liane? Hendricks ... a traitor? I cut the microphone
+and glanced at Kincaide. He must have read the facts in my eyes.
+
+"He's ... gone, sir?"
+
+"With Liane," I nodded.
+
+The door burst open, and Correy came racing into the room.
+
+"He's not there, sir!" he snapped. "But in his room I found this!"
+
+He held out an envelope, addressed to me. I ripped it open, glanced
+through the hasty, nervous scrawl, and then read it aloud:
+
+     "Sir:
+
+     I am leaving with Liane. I am sorry. It had to be.
+
+                                                   Hendricks."
+
+"That, gentlemen," I said hoarsely, after a long silence, "will make
+the blackest entry ever spread upon the log of the _Ertak_--upon any
+ship of the Service. Let us dismiss this thing from our minds, and
+proceed."
+
+But that was easier, by far, to propose than to accomplish.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+It was late indeed when we finished our deliberations, but the plan
+decided upon was exceedingly simple.
+
+We would simply enforce our authority until we located definite
+resistance; we would then concentrate our efforts upon isolating the
+source of this resistance and overcoming it. That we would find Liane
+at the bottom of our difficulties, we knew perfectly well, but we
+desired to place her in a definite position as an enemy. So far, we
+had nothing against her, no proof of her activities, save the rather
+guarded report of the Chief, and the evidence given us by Fetter.
+
+There were three major continents on Lakos, but only one of them was
+inhabited or habitable, the other two being within the large northern
+polar cap. The activities of The Worshipers of the Flame were centered
+about the chief city of Gio, Fetter had told us, and therefore we were
+in position to start action without delay.
+
+Force of men would avail us nothing, since the entire crew of the
+_Ertak_ would be but a pitiful force compared to the horde Liane could
+muster. Our mission could be accomplished--if, indeed, it could be
+accomplished at all--by the force of whatever authority our position
+commanded, and the outwitting of Liane.
+
+Accordingly, it was decided that, in the emergency, all three of us
+would undertake the task, leaving the ship in charge of Sub-officer
+Scholey, chief of the operating room crew, and a very capable,
+level-headed man. I gave him his final instructions as we left the
+ship, early the next morning:
+
+"Scholey, we are leaving you in a position of unusual responsibility.
+An emergency makes it necessary, or at least desirable, for Mr.
+Correy, Mr. Kincaide and myself to leave the ship. Mr. Hendricks has
+already departed; therefore, the _Ertak_ will be left in your charge.
+
+"Remain here for five days; if we do not return in that time, leave
+for Base, and report the circumstances there. The log will reveal full
+authority for your actions."
+
+"Very well, sir!" He saluted, and we passed through the air-lock which
+protected the _Ertak_ from the unpleasant atmosphere of Lakos, armed
+only with atomic pistols, and carrying condensed rations and menores
+at our belts.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+We went directly to the largest of the mines, the natives regarding us
+with furtive, unfriendly eyes. A great crowd of men were lounging
+around the mouth of the mine, and as we approached, they tightened
+their ranks, as though to block our passage.
+
+"We'll bluff it through," I whispered. "They know the uniform of the
+Service, and they have no leader."
+
+"I'd like to take a swing at one of them," growled Correy. "I don't
+like their looks--not a bit. But just as you say, sir."
+
+Our bluff worked. We marched up to the packed mass as though we had
+not even noticed them, and slowly and unwillingly, they opened a path
+for us, closing in behind us with rather uncomfortable celerity. For a
+moment I regretted we had not taken a landing crew from the _Ertak_.
+
+However, we won through the mouth of the mine without violence, but
+here a huge Lakonian who seemed to be in authority held up his hand
+and blocked our way.
+
+"Let me handle him, sir," said Correy from the corner of his mouth. "I
+understand a little of their language."
+
+"Right," I nodded. "Make it strong!"
+
+Correy stepped forward, his head thrust out truculently, thumbs hooked
+through his belt, his right hand suggestively near his automatic
+pistol. He rapped out something in unpleasant gutturals, and the tall
+Lakonian replied volubly.
+
+"He says it's orders," commented Correy over his shoulder. "Now I'll
+tell him who's giving orders around here!"
+
+He stepped closer to the Lakonian, and spoke with emphatic briefness.
+The Lakonian fell back a step, hesitated, and started to reply. Correy
+stopped him with a single word, and motioned us to follow him. The
+guard watched us doubtfully, and angrily, but he let us pass.
+
+"He told me," explained Correy, "that _she_ had given orders. Didn't
+name her, but we can guess, all right. I told him that if she wished
+to say anything to us, she could do it in person; that we weren't
+afraid of her, of him, or all the Lakonians who ever breathed green
+soup and called it air. He's a simple soul, and easily impressed. So
+we got by."
+
+"Nice work," I commended him. "It's an auspicious start, anyway."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The mouth of the mine was not the usual vertical shaft; as Fetters had
+told us, it was a great ramp, of less than forty-five degrees, leading
+underground, illuminated by jets of greenish flame from metal brackets
+set into the wall at regular intervals, and fed by a never-failing
+interplay of natural gas. The passageway was of varying height and
+width, but nowhere less than three times my height from floor to
+ceiling, and it was broad enough at its narrowest so that ten men
+might have marched easily abreast.
+
+The floor, apparently, had been smoothed by human effort, but for the
+rest, the corridor was, to judge from the evidence, entirely natural
+for the walls of shiny black rock bore no marks of tools.
+
+At intervals, other passages branched off from the main one we were
+following, at greater and less angles, but these were much narrower,
+and had very apparently been hewn in the solid rock. Like the central
+passage, they were utterly deserted.
+
+"We'll be coming out on the other side, pretty soon," commented Correy
+after a steady descent of perhaps twenty minutes. "This tunnel must go
+all the way through. I--what's that?"
+
+We paused and listened. From behind us came a soft, whispering sound,
+the nature of which we could not determine.
+
+"Sounds like the shuffle of many feet, far behind," suggested Kincaide
+gravely.
+
+"Or, more likely, the air rushing around the corners of those smaller
+passages," I suggested. "This is a drafty hole. Or it may be just the
+combined flarings of all these jets of flame."
+
+"Maybe you're right, sir," nodded Correy. "Anyway, we won't worry
+about it until we have to. I guess we just keep on going?"
+
+"That seems to be about all there is to do; we should enter one of the
+big subterranean chambers Fetters mentioned, before long."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+As a matter of fact, it was but a minute or two later, that we turned
+a curve in the corridor and found ourselves looking into a vast open
+space, the roof supported by huge pillars of black stone, and the
+floor littered with rocky debris and mining tools thrown down by
+workmen.
+
+"This is where they take out the temite ore, I imagine," said
+Kincaide, picking up a loose fragment of rock. He pointed to a smudge
+of soft, crumbly gray metal, greasy in appearance, showing on the
+surface of the specimen he had picked up. "That's the stuff, sir,
+that's causing us all this trouble: nearly pure metallic temite." He
+dropped the fragment, looking about curiously. "But where," he added,
+"are the miners?"
+
+"I'm inclined to believe we'll find out before we get back to the
+_Ertak_," said Correy grimly. "Everything's moved along too sweetly;
+trouble's just piling up somewhere."
+
+"That remains to be seen," I commented. "Let's move on, and see what's
+beyond. That looks like a door of some sort, on the far side. Perhaps
+it will lead us to something more interesting."
+
+"I hope it does," growled Correy. "This underground business is
+getting on my nerves!"
+
+It was a door I had seen, a huge slab of light yellow-green metal. I
+paused, my hand on the simple latch.
+
+"Stand to one side," I said softly. "Let's see what happens."
+
+I lifted the latch, and the heavy door opened inward. Cautiously, I
+stared through the portal. Inside was blackness and silence;
+somewhere, in the far distance, I could see two or three tiny
+pin-pricks of green light.
+
+"We'll take a look around, anyway," I said. "Follow me carefully and
+be ready for action. It seems all right, but somehow, I don't like the
+looks of things."
+
+In single file, we passed beyond the massive door, the light from the
+large room outside streaming ahead of us, our shadows long and
+grotesque, moving on the rocky floor ahead of us.
+
+Then, suddenly, I became aware that the path of light ahead of us was
+narrowing. I turned swiftly; the door must be closing!
+
+As I turned, lights roared up all around us, intense light which
+struck at our eyes with almost tangible force. A great shout rose,
+echoing, to a vaulted ceiling. Before we could move or cry out, a
+score of men on either side had pinioned us.
+
+"Damnation!" roared Correy. "If I only had the use of my fists--just
+for a second!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+We were in a great cavern, the largest I have ever beheld. A huge
+bubble, blown in the molten rock by powerful gases from the seething
+interior of the world.
+
+The roof was invisible above our heads, and the floor sloped down
+gently in every direction, toward a central dais, so far away that its
+details were lost to us. From the center of the dais a mighty pillar
+of green flame mounted into the air nearly twenty times the height of
+a man. All around the dais, seated on the sloping floor of the cavern,
+were Lakonians.
+
+There were hundreds of them, thousands of them, and they were as
+silent and motionless as death. They paid no heed to us; they
+crouched, each in his place, and stared at the column of greenish
+flame.
+
+"It was a trap," muttered Kincaide as our captors marched us rapidly
+toward the dais in the center of the huge amphitheater. "They were
+waiting for us; I imagine we have been watched all the time. And we
+walked into the trap exactly like a bunch of schoolboys."
+
+"True--but we've found, I believe, what we wished to find," I told
+him. "This is the meeting place of the Worshipers of the Flame. There,
+I imagine is the Flame itself. And unless I'm badly mistaken, that's
+Liane waiting up there in the center!"
+
+It was Liane. She was seated on a massive, simple throne of the
+greenish-yellow metal, the column of fire rising directly behind her
+like an impossible plume. In a semicircle at her feet, in massive
+chairs made of the odd metal, were perhaps twenty old men, their heads
+crowned with great, unkempt manes of white hair.
+
+And standing beside Liane's throne, at her right hand,
+was--_Hendricks!_
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+His shoulders drooped, his chin rested upon his breast. He was
+wearing, not the blue-and-silver uniform of the Service, but a simple
+tunic of pale green, with buskins of dark green leather, laced with
+black. He did not look up as we were ushered before this impressive
+group, but Liane watched us with smiling interest.
+
+Liane, seated there upon her throne, was not the Liane of those days
+in the _Ertak_. There, she had been scarcely more than a peculiarly
+fascinating young woman with a regal bearing and commanding eyes.
+Here, she was a goddess, terrifyingly beautiful, smiling with her
+lips, yet holding the power of death in the white hands which hung
+gracefully from the massive arms of the throne.
+
+She wore a simple garment of thin, shimmering stuff, diaphanous as
+finest silk. It was black, caught at one shoulder with a flashing
+green stone. The other shoulder was bared, and the black garment was a
+perfect foil for the whiteness of her perfect skin, her amazing blue
+eyes, and the pale gold of her hair.
+
+She lifted one hand in a slight gesture as our conductors paused
+before the dais; they fell away and formed a close cordon behind us.
+
+"We have awaited your coming," she said in her sibilant voice. "And
+you are here."
+
+"We are here," I said sternly, "representing, through our Service, the
+Supreme Council of the universe. What word shall we take back to those
+who sent us?"
+
+Liane smiled, a slow, cruel smile. The pink fingers of one hand tapped
+gently on the carven arm of her throne. The eyes of the semicircle of
+old men watched us with unwavering hatred.
+
+"The word you carry will be a good word," she said slowly. "Liane has
+decided to be gracious--and yet it is well that you have full
+understanding of Liane's power. For while the word Liane shall give
+you to bear back is a good word, still, Liane is but a woman, and
+women have been known to change their minds. Is that not so, Commander
+Hanson?"
+
+"That is so, Liane," I nodded. "And we are glad to hear that your
+wisdom has led you to be gracious."
+
+She leaned forward suddenly, her eyes flashing with anger.
+
+"Mark you, it is not wisdom but a whim of mine which causes me to be
+graciously minded!" she cried. "Think you that Liane is afraid? Look
+about you!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+We turned slowly and cast our eyes about that great gathering. As far
+as the eye could reach, in every direction, was a sea of faces. And as
+we looked, the door through which we had entered this great hall was
+flung open, and a crowd of tiny specks came surging in.
+
+"And still they come, at Liane's command," she laughed. "They are
+those who played, to disarm your suspicions, at blocking your entry to
+this place. They did but follow you, a safe distance behind."
+
+"I thought so," murmured Correy. "Things were going too smoothly. That
+was what we heard, sir."
+
+I nodded, and looked up at Liane.
+
+"You have many followers," I said. "Yet this is but a small world, and
+behind the Council are all the worlds of the universe."
+
+Liane threw back her head and laughed, a soft, tinkling sound that
+rose clearly above the hollow roar of the mighty flame behind her
+throne.
+
+"You speak bravely," she said, "knowing that Liane holds the upper
+hand. Did your Council take armed action against us, we would blow up
+these caverns which are the source of your precious temite, and bury
+it so deeply no force that could live here could extract it in the
+quantities in which the universe needs it.
+
+"But enough of this exchange of sharp words. Liane has already said
+that she is disposed to be gracious. Does that not content you?"
+
+"I will bear back to those who sent me whatever word you have to
+offer; it is not for me to judge its graciousness," I said coolly.
+
+"Then--but first, let me show you how well I rule here," she said. She
+spoke to one of the old men seated at her feet; he arose and
+disappeared in a passage leading from directly beneath the dais.
+
+"You will see, presently, the punishment of Liane," she said
+smilingly. "Liane, Chief Priestess of the Flame, Mother of Life, Giver
+of Death, Most Worshiped of the Worshipers.
+
+"Perhaps you wonder how it came that Liane sits here in judgment upon
+a whole people? Let me tell you, while we await the execution of
+Liane's judgment.
+
+"The father of Liane, and his father before him, back unto those
+remote days of which we have no knowledge, were Chief Priests of the
+Worshipers of the Flame. But they were lacking in ambition, in
+knowledge, and in power. Their followers were but few, and their hands
+were held out in benediction and not in command.
+
+"But the father of Liane had no son; instead he had a daughter, in
+whom was all the wisdom of those who had been the Chief Priests. She
+gathered about her a group of old men, shrewd and cunning, the lesser
+priests and those who would know the feel of power, who were not
+priests. You see them here at the feet of Liane.
+
+"And under Liane's guidance, the ranks of the Worshipers grew, and as
+this power grew, so grew the power of Liane, until the time came when
+no man, no woman, on the face of Lakos, dared question the command of
+the Chief Priestess. And those who would have rebelled, were made to
+feel the power of Liane--as these you see here now."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The old man had reappeared, and behind him were two miserable
+wretches, closely guarded by a dozen armed men. Liane spoke briefly to
+the old man, and then turned to us.
+
+"The first of these is one who has dared to disobey," she explained.
+"He brought out more of the ore than Liane had ordered. Do you hear
+the multitude? They know already what his fate will be."
+
+A long, shuddering whisper had arisen from the thousands of beings
+crouched there in the amphitheater, as the uncouth figure of the
+prisoner was led up a flight of steep, narrow steps to the very base
+of the flame.
+
+Hendricks, still hiding his face from us, bent over Liane and
+whispered something in her ear; she caressed his arm softly, and shook
+her head. Hendricks leaned more heavily against the throne,
+shuddering.
+
+Slowly, the flame was dying, until we could see that it was not a
+solid pillar of fire, but a hollow circle of flame, fed by innumerable
+jets set at the base of a circle of a trifle more than the length of a
+man across.
+
+Into those deadly circles the condemned man was led. His legs were
+bound swiftly, so that he could not move, and the old man stepped back
+quickly.
+
+As though his movement had been a signal, the flames shot up with a
+roar, until they lost themselves far over our heads. As one man, the
+three of us started forward, but the guards hemmed us in instantly.
+
+"Fools!" cried Liane. "Be still! The power of Liane is absolute here."
+
+We stared, fascinated, at the terrible sight. The flame spouted,
+streaks of blue and yellow streaking up from its base. Mercifully, we
+could not see within that encircling wall of fire.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Slowly, the flame died down again. A trap-door opened in the circle,
+and some formless thing dropped out of sight. Liane questioned the
+old man again, her eyes resting upon the other prisoner. The old man
+answered briefly.
+
+"This one spoke against the power of Liane," she explained smilingly.
+"He said Liane was cruel; that she was selfish. He also must feel the
+embrace of the sacred Flame."
+
+I heard, rather than saw, the ghastly drama repeated, for I had bent
+my head, and would not look up. Liane was no woman; she was a fiend.
+And yet for her a trusted officer, a friend, had forsworn his service
+and his comrades. I wondered, as I stood there with bowed head, what
+were the thoughts which must have been passing through Hendricks'
+mind.
+
+"You fear to look upon the punishment of Liane?" the voice of the
+unholy priestess broke in upon my shuddering reverie. "Then you
+understand why her power is absolute; why she is Mother of Life, and
+Giver of Death, throughout all Lakos. And now for the word I promised
+you, a gracious word from one who could be terrible and not gracious,
+were that her whim.
+
+"It has been in the mind of Liane to extend her power, to make for
+herself a place in this Supreme Council of which you speak with so
+much awe and reverence, Commander Hanson. But, by happenchance,
+another whim has seized her."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Liane looked up at Hendricks, smilingly, and took one of his hands in
+hers. It was wonderful how her face softened as he returned, fiercely,
+the pressure of her soft hands.
+
+"I know it will sound strange to your ears," she said in a voice
+almost tender, "but Liane is, after all, a woman, with many, if not
+all, a woman's many weaknesses. And while even in his presence Liane
+will say that her lover was at the beginning looked upon as no more
+than a tool which might further Liane's power, he has won now a place
+in her heart."
+
+I saw Hendricks tremble as she admitted her love, and that portion of
+his face which we could see flushed hotly.
+
+"And so, Liane has elected to give up, at least for the present, the
+place in the Council which she could command. For after all, that
+would be a remote power, lacking in the elements of physical power
+which Liane has over these, her people, and in which she has learned
+to delight.
+
+"So, Commander Hanson, bear to your superiors this word: Liane will
+permit a production of whatever reasonable amount of temite is
+desired. She will remain here with her consort, brooking no
+interference, no changes, no commands from any person or organization.
+Go, now, and take with you the words of Liane!"
+
+I looked up at her gravely, and shook my head.
+
+"We shall go," I said, "and we shall take with us your words. But I
+warn you that the words you have spoken are treason to the universe,
+in that you have defied the Council!"
+
+Liane leaped from her throne, her scarlet lips drawn back against her
+white and gleaming teeth. Her eyes, dilated with anger, blazed down
+upon us almost as hotly as the flame which rose behind her.
+
+"Go! And quickly!" she fairly screamed. "If you have no desire to feel
+the embrace of the sacred Flame, then _go_!"
+
+I bowed silently, and motioned to Correy and Kincaide. Swiftly, we
+made our way down a long aisle, surrounded by motionless figures
+staring unwinkingly at the column of fire, toward the door by which we
+had entered this great chamber.
+
+Behind us, I could hear Liane's clear voice lifted in her own guttural
+language, as she addressed the multitude.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Safely within the _Ertak_, we discussed the morning's adventure over a
+late luncheon.
+
+"I suppose," said Kincaide, "there's nothing left to do but tell
+Fetter as much as seems wise, to reassure him, and then return to Base
+to make our report."
+
+"We'll come back, if we do," growled Correy. "And we'll come back to
+_fight_. The Council won't stand for her attitude."
+
+"Undoubtedly that's true," I admitted. "Still, I believe we should put
+it up to Base, and through Base to the Council, before doing anything
+more. Much, if not all, of what she said was perfectly true."
+
+"It was that," nodded Kincaide. "There were scores, if not hundreds of
+doors leading into that big chamber; I imagine it can be reached,
+underground, from any point on the continent. And those winding
+passages would be simple to defend from any form of invasion."
+
+"But could these Lakonians fight?" asked Correy. "That's what I'd like
+to know. I doubt it. They look like a sleepy, ignorant lot."
+
+"I think they'd fight, to the death, if Liane ordered them to," I
+replied thoughtfully. "Did you notice the way they stared at the
+flame, never moving, never even winking? My idea is that it exercises
+a sort of auto-hypnotic influence over them, which gives Liane just
+the right opportunity to impress her will upon them."
+
+"I wondered about that," Kincaide commented. "I believe you're right,
+sir. Any idea as to when we'll shove off?"
+
+"There's no particular hurry; Fetter will be busy until evening, I
+imagine, so we won't bother him until then. As soon as we've had a
+chat with him, we can start."
+
+"And without Hendricks," said Kincaide, shaking his head sadly. "I
+wonder--"
+
+"If you don't mind, Mr. Kincaide, we won't mention his name on the
+_Ertak_ after this," I interrupted. "I, for one, would rather forget
+him. Wouldn't you?"
+
+"I would, sir, if I could," said Kincaide softly. "But that's not
+easy, is it?"
+
+It wasn't easy. As a matter of fact, it was impossible. I knew I would
+never forget my picture of him, standing there shaken and miserable,
+beside the woman for whom he had disgraced his uniform, hiding his
+head in shame from the eyes of the men he had called comrades, and who
+had called him friend. But to talk of him was morbid.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+It was late in the afternoon when I called Correy and Kincaide to the
+navigating room, where I had spent several hours charting our return
+course.
+
+"I believe, gentlemen," I remarked, "that we can call on Mr. Fetter
+now. I'll ask you to remain in charge of the ship, Mr. Kincaide, while
+Mr. Correy and I--"
+
+An attention signal sounded sharply to interrupt me. I answered it
+instantly.
+
+"Sentry at exit, sir," said an excited voice. "Mr. Hendricks and the
+woman stowaway are here asking for you. They say it is very urgent."
+
+"Bring them both here at once, under guard," I ordered. "Be sure you
+are properly relieved."
+
+"Right, sir!"
+
+I turned to Correy and Kincaide, who were watching me with curious
+eyes. My excitement must have shown upon my face.
+
+"Mr. Hendricks and Liane are at the exit, asking to see me," I
+snapped. "They'll be here in a moment. What do you suppose is in the
+air?"
+
+"Hendricks?" muttered Correy, his face darkening. "It seems to me he
+has a lot of nerve to--"
+
+There was a sharp tap on the door.
+
+"Come!" I ordered quickly. The door opened and Liane, followed by
+Hendricks, hurried into the room.
+
+"That will do," I nodded to the guard who had accompanied them. "You
+may go."
+
+"You wonder why we're here, I suppose?" demanded Liane. "I'll tell
+you, quickly, for every instant is precious."
+
+This was a very different Liane. She was no longer clad in diaphanous
+black; she was wearing a tunic similar to the one she had worn on
+board the _Ertak_, save that this one was torn and soiled. Her lips,
+as she talked, twitched with an insane anger; her amazing eyes were
+like those of a cornered beast of the wilderness.
+
+"My council of wise old men turned against me when I told them my
+plans to marry the man of my choice. They said he was an outsider, an
+enemy, a foreigner. They would have none of him. They demanded that I
+give him to the Flame, and marry one of my own kind. They had not, of
+course, understood what I had said to you there in the great chapel of
+the Flame.
+
+"I defied them. We escaped through a passage which is not known to any
+save myself, and the existence of which my father taught me years ago.
+We are here, but they will guess where we have gone. My old men are
+exciting my people against me--and for that shall all, down to the
+last one, know the embrace of the Flame!" She gritted her teeth on the
+words, her nostrils distended with rage.
+
+"I--I am safe. I can command them; I can make them know my power, and I
+shall. The Flame will have much to feed upon in the days which are to
+come, I promise you. But my beloved would not be safe; at this moment I
+cannot protect him. So I have brought him back. I--I know he ... but I
+will not be weak. I am Liane!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+She faced Hendricks, who had stood there like a graven image, watching
+her. Her arms went about his neck; her lips sought his.
+
+"My beloved!" she whispered. "Liane was but a woman, after all.
+Darling! Good-by!" She kissed him again, and hurried to the door.
+
+"One more thing!" she cried. "I must master them myself. I must show
+them I--I, Liane--am ruler here. You promise? You promise me you will
+not interfere; that you will do nothing?"
+
+"But--"
+
+Liane interrupted me before I could put my objections into words.
+
+"Promise!" she commanded. "There are hundreds, thousands of them! You
+cannot slay them all--and if you did, there would be more. I can bend
+them to my will; they know my power. Promise, or there will be many
+deaths upon your hands!"
+
+"I promise," I said.
+
+"And you--all of you?" she demanded, sweeping Correy and Kincaide with
+her eyes.
+
+"Commander Hanson speaks for us all," nodded Kincaide.
+
+With a last glance at Hendricks, whose eyes had never left her for an
+instant, she was gone.
+
+Hendricks uttered a long, quivering sigh. His face, as he turned to
+us, was ghastly white.
+
+"She's gone," he muttered. "Forever."
+
+"That's exceedingly unfortunate, sir, for you," I replied crisply. "As
+soon as it's perfectly safe, we'll see to it that you depart also."
+
+The sting of my words apparently did not touch him.
+
+"You don't understand," he said dully. "I know what you think, and I
+do not blame you. She came back; you know that.
+
+"'You are coming with me,' she said. 'I care for you. I want you. You
+are coming with me, at once.' I told her I was not; that I loved her,
+but that I could not, would not, go.
+
+"She opened a port and showed me one of her countrymen, standing not
+far away, watching the ship. He held something in his hand.
+
+"'He has one of your hand bombs,' she told me. 'I found it while I
+was hidden and took it with me when I left. If you do not come with
+me, he will throw it against the ship, destroy it, and those within
+it.'
+
+"There was nothing else for me to do. She permitted me to explain no
+more than I did in the note I left. I pleaded with her; did all I
+could. Finally I persuaded her to give you the word she did, there
+before the great flame.
+
+"She brought me back here at the risk of her own life, and, what is
+even more precious to her, her power. In--in her own way, she loves
+me...."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+It was an amazing story; a second or two passed before any of us could
+speak. And then words came, fast and joyous; our friend, our trusted
+fellow-officer had come back to us! I felt as though a great black
+cloud had slid from across the sun.
+
+And then, above our voices, rose a great mutter of sound. We glanced
+at one another, wonderingly. Hendricks was the first to make a move.
+
+"That's the mob!" he said, darting toward the door. We followed him
+swiftly to the exit of the ship, through the air-lock, out into the
+open.
+
+Hendricks had spoken the truth. Liane was walking, very slowly and
+deliberately, her head flung back proudly, toward the city. Coming
+toward her, like a great ragged wave, was a mighty mass of humanity,
+led by capering old men--undoubtedly the lesser priests, who had
+turned against her.
+
+"The portable projectors, sir!" begged Correy excitedly. "A pair of
+them, and that mob--"
+
+"We're bound by our promise," I reminded him. "She's not afraid; her
+power is terrible. I believe she'll win without them. Look!"
+
+Liane had paused. She lifted one hand in a gesture of command, and
+called out to the rabble. Correy translated the whole thing for me
+later.
+
+"Halt!" she cried sharply. "Who moves upon the Chief Priestess of the
+Flame earns the embrace of the Flame!"
+
+The crowd halted, cowering; then the old man shouted to them and
+gestured them onward. With a rush, the front ranks came on.
+
+"So!" Liane called out to them. "You would disobey Liane? Yet even yet
+it is not too late; Liane gives you one chance more. You little know
+the Chief Priestess of the Flame if you think she will tolerate an
+encroachment of her power. Back! Back, I say, or you all shall feel
+the might of Liane!"
+
+Before her tirade the mob faltered, but again the crazed old men led
+them on.
+
+Liane turned, saw us, and made a regal gesture of farewell. From the
+bosom of her tunic she snatched a small black object, and swung it
+high above her head.
+
+"The bomb!" shouted Hendricks. "She has it; she--"
+
+At the very feet of the onrushing crowd the black object struck. There
+was a hollow roar; a blast of thundering air swept us backward to the
+ground.
+
+When we scrambled to our feet, Liane was gone. The relentless mob had
+gone. Where they had been was a great crater of raw earth, strewn with
+ghastly fragments. Far back toward the city a few straggling figures
+ran frantically away from that scene of death.
+
+"Gone!" I said. "Power was a mania, an obsession with her. Even her
+death was a supreme gesture--of power, of authority."
+
+"Liane," Hendricks whispered. "Chief Priestess of the Flame ... Giver
+of Death...."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+With Liane gone, and with her the old men who had tried to snatch her
+power from her hand, and who might have caused us trouble, the
+rebellion of the Lakonians was at an end.
+
+Leaderless, they were helpless, and I believe they were happy in the
+change. Sometimes the old ways are better than the new, and Liane's
+régime had been merciless and rather terrible.
+
+There are many kinds of women: great women, and women with small
+souls; women filled with the spirit of sacrifice; selfish women, good
+women and bad.
+
+And Liane? I leave her for you to judge. She was a woman; classify her
+for yourself.
+
+After all, I am an old man, and perhaps I have forgotten the ways of
+women. I do not wish to judge, on one hand to be called bitter and
+hard, on the other hand to be condemned as soft with advancing age.
+
+I have given you the story of Liane, Chief Priestess of the Flame.
+
+How, you clever and infallible members of this present generation, do
+you judge her?
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Priestess of the Flame, by Sewell Peaslee Wright
+
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+Project Gutenberg's Priestess of the Flame, by Sewell Peaslee Wright
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Priestess of the Flame
+
+Author: Sewell Peaslee Wright
+
+Release Date: July 2, 2009 [EBook #29293]
+
+Language: English
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+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PRIESTESS OF THE FLAME ***
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+Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
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+</pre>
+
+
+<div class="tr"><p class="center">Transcriber's Note:</p>
+<p class="center">This etext was produced from Astounding Stories June 1932. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.</p>
+</div>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;">
+<img class="img1" src="images/image_001.jpg" width="500" height="517" alt="&quot;Be still! The power of Liane is absolute here!&quot;" />
+<span class="caption">&quot;Be still! The power of Liane is absolute here!&quot;</span>
+</div>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+
+<h1>Priestess of the Flame</h1>
+
+<h2>By Sewell Peaslee Wright</h2>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<div class="sidenote">Commander John Hanson recounts the extraordinary story of
+Liane, Priestess of the Flame.</div>
+
+
+<p><span class="f1">I</span>&nbsp;have been rather amused by the protests which have come to me
+regarding the "disparaging" comments I have made, in previous tales of
+the Special Patrol Service, regarding women. The rather surprising
+thing about it is that the larger proportion of these have come from
+men. Young men, of course.</p>
+
+<p>Now, as a matter of fact, a careful search has failed to reveal to me
+any very uncomplimentary remarks. I have suggested, I believe, that
+women have, in my experience, shown a sad lack of ability to
+understand mechanical contrivances. Perhaps I have pictured some few
+of them as frivolous and shallow. If I have been unfair, I wish now to
+make humble apology.</p>
+
+<p>I am not, as some of my correspondents have indicated, a bitter old
+man, who cannot remember his youth. I remember it very well indeed,
+else these tales would not be forthcoming. And women have their great
+and proper place, even in a man's universe.</p>
+
+<p>Some day, perhaps, the mood will seize me to write of my own love
+affair. That surprises you? You smile to think that old John Hanson,
+lately a commander of the Special Patrol Service, now retired, should
+have had a love affair? Well, 'twas many years ago, before these eyes
+lost their fire, and before these brown, skinny hands wearied as
+quickly as they weary now....</p>
+
+<p>But I have known many women&mdash;good women and bad; great women and women
+of small souls; kindly women, and women fierce as wild bears are
+fierce. Divinity has dealt lavishly with women; has given them an
+emotional range far greater than man's. They can sink to depths
+unknown to masculinity; they can rise to heights of love and sacrifice
+before which man can only stand with reverently bowed head and marvel.</p>
+
+<p>This is a story of a woman&mdash;one of those no man could know and not
+remember. I make no apologies for her; I pay her no homage. I record
+only a not inaccurate account of an adventure of my youth, in which
+she played a part; I leave to you the task of judging her.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">W</span>e were some three days out from Base, as I recall it, on a mission
+which promised a welcome interlude in a monotonous sequence of routine
+patrols. I was commander then of the <i>Ertak</i>, one of the crack ships
+of the Service, and assisted by the finest group of officers, I
+believe, that any man ever had under him.</p>
+
+<p>I was standing a watch in the navigating room with Hendricks, my
+junior officer, when Correy brought us the amazing news.</p>
+
+<p>Correy was my first officer, a square-jawed fighting man if one ever
+breathed, a man of action, such as these effete times do not produce.
+His eyes were fairly blazing as he came into the room, and his
+generous mouth was narrowed into a grim line.</p>
+
+<p>"What's up, Mr. Correy?" I asked apprehensively. "Trouble aboard?"</p>
+
+<p>"Plenty of it, sir!" he snapped. "A stowaway!"</p>
+
+<p>"A stowaway?" I repeated wonderingly. A new experience, but hardly
+cause for Correy's obvious anger. "Well, send him below, and tell Miro
+to put him to work&mdash;the hardest work he can find. We'll make him&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"<i>Him?</i>" blurted Correy. "If it were a him it wouldn't be so bad, sir.
+But it's a <i>she</i>!"</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">T</span>o understand the full effect of the statement, you'd have to be
+steeped in the traditions of the Service. Women are seldom permitted
+on board a ship of the Service; despite their many admirable
+qualities, women play the very devil with discipline. And here were
+we, three days out from Base on a tour of duty which promised more
+than a little excitement, with a female stowaway on board!</p>
+
+<p>I felt my own mouth set grimly.</p>
+
+<p>"Where is she, Mr. Correy?" I asked quietly.</p>
+
+<p>"In my quarters, under guard. It was my watch below, as you know, sir.
+I entered my stateroom, figuring on catching forty winks, and there
+she was, seated in my big chair, smiling at me.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, for a second I couldn't speak. I just stared at her, and she
+kept smiling back at me. 'What are you doing here?' I managed to ask
+her, at last. 'Do you know where you are?'</p>
+
+<p>"'I'll talk to your commanding officer,' she told me, cool as you
+please. 'Will you bring him, please?'</p>
+
+<p>"'You'll see him plenty soon enough,' I snapped at her, getting over
+my surprise somewhat by that time. I called in a couple of men to keep
+her from getting into mischief, and reported to you. What are your
+orders, sir?"</p>
+
+<p>I hesitated a second, wondering. From Correy's account, she must be a
+rather remarkable person.</p>
+
+<p>"Bring her up here, if you will, Mr. Correy. I'd like to see her
+before we put her in the brig." The brig, I might explain, was a small
+room well forward, where members of the crew were confined for
+discipline.</p>
+
+<p>"Right, sir!" It seemed to me that there was a peculiar twinkle in
+Correy's eyes as he went out, and I wondered about it while we waited
+for him to return with the prisoner.</p>
+
+<p>"What an infernal nuisance, sir!" complained Hendricks, looking up
+from his glowing charts. "We'll be the laughing-stock of the Service
+if this leaks out!"</p>
+
+<p>"<i>When</i> it leaks out," I corrected him glumly. I'd already thought of
+the unpleasant outcome he mentioned. "I'll have to report it, of
+course, and the whole Service will know about it. We'll just have to
+grin and make the most of it, I guess." There was still another
+possibility which I didn't mention: the silver-sleeves at Base would
+very likely call me on the carpet for permitting such a thing to
+happen. A commander was supposed to be responsible for everything that
+happened; no excuses available in the Service as it was in those days.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">I</span>&nbsp;scowled forbiddingly as I heard Correy open the door; at least I
+could make her very sorry she had selected the <i>Ertak</i> for her
+adventure. I am afraid, however, that it was a startled, rather than a
+scowling face to which she lifted her eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"This is the stowaway, sir," said Correy briskly, closing the door. He
+was watching my face, and I saw, now, the reason for the twinkle in
+his eye when I mentioned placing the stowaway in the brig.</p>
+
+<p>The woman was startlingly beautiful; one of the most beautiful women I
+have ever seen, and I have roamed the outer limits of space, and seen
+the women of many worlds. Hendricks, standing behind me, gasped
+audibly as his eyes fell upon her.</p>
+
+<p>The stowaway was regally tall and exquisitely modeled. Her hair was
+the color of pale morning sunlight on Earth; her eyes an amazing blue,
+the equal of which I have never seen.</p>
+
+<p>She was beautiful, but not coldly so. Despite her imperious bearing,
+there was something seductive about the soft curves of her beautiful
+body; something to rouse the pulses of a man in the langour of her
+intensely blue eyes, and the full, sensuous lips, scarlet as a smear
+of fresh blood.</p>
+
+<p>"So this is the stowaway," I said, trying to keep my voice coolly
+indifferent. "What is your name?"</p>
+
+<p>"I should prefer," she replied, speaking the universal language with a
+sibilant accent that was very fascinating, "to speak with you
+privately."</p>
+
+<p>"You will speak with me," I informed her crisply, "in the presence of
+these officers. I repeat: what is your name?"</p>
+
+<p>She smiled faintly, her eyes compelling mine.</p>
+
+<p>"I am called Liane," she said. "Chief Priestess of the Flame. Mother
+of Life. Giver of Death. I believe my name and position are not
+unknown to you, Commander Hanson?"</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">K</span>nown to me? If Base was not in error&mdash;and for all their faults, the
+silver-sleeves are seldom wrong in matters of this sort&mdash;this woman
+was the reason for our present mission.</p>
+
+<p>"They are known to me," I admitted. "They do not explain, however,
+your presence here."</p>
+
+<p>"And yet they should," protested Liane gently. "I was taken from my
+own people by those who had no right to command me. I was subjected to
+the indignity of questioning by many men. I have merely taken the
+simplest and quickest way of returning to my own people."</p>
+
+<p>"You know, then, our destination?"</p>
+
+<p>"I was informed of that by those who questioned me," nodded Liane.
+"Then, since I had been assured I was an honored guest, and no
+prisoner, I secreted myself aboard the ship, hiding in a small room
+nearly filled with what I took to be spare parts. I had provisions,
+and a few personal belongings. When I felt sufficient time had elapsed
+to make a return improbable, I donned attire more fitting than the
+masculine workman's guise in which I had secreted myself, and&mdash;I
+believe you are acquainted with the remaining facts."</p>
+
+<p>"I am. I will consider your case and advise you later. Mr. Correy,
+will you conduct the stowaway to my quarters and place her under
+guard? Return when you have attended to this matter, and ask Mr.
+Kincaide to do likewise."</p>
+
+<p>"To your quarters, you said, sir?" asked Correy, his eyes very
+serious, but not sufficiently so to entirely disguise the twinkle in
+their depths. "Not to the brig?"</p>
+
+<p>I could cheerfully have kicked him.</p>
+
+<p>"To my quarters," I repeated severely, "and under guard."</p>
+
+<p>"Right, sir," said Correy.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">W</span>hile we were awaiting Correy and Kincaide, I briefly considered the
+rather remarkable story which had been told me at Base.</p>
+
+<p>"Commander Hanson," the Chief of Command had said, "we're turning over
+to you a very delicate mission. You've proved yourself adept at
+handling matters of this kind, and we have every confidence you'll
+bring this one to a highly successful conclusion."</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you, sir; we'll do our best," I had told him.</p>
+
+<p>"I know that; the assurance isn't necessary, although I appreciate it.
+Briefly, here's what we're confronted with:</p>
+
+<p>"Lakos, as you know, is the principal source of temite for the
+universe. And without temite, modern space travel would be impossible;
+we would have to resort to earlier and infinitely more crude devices.
+You realize that, of course.</p>
+
+<p>"Now, for some time, those in charge of operations on Lakos have
+complained of a growing unrest, increasing insubordination on the part
+of the Lakonians, and an alarming decrease in production.</p>
+
+<p>"It has been extremely difficult&mdash;indeed, impossible&mdash;to determine the
+reasons for this, for, as you are perhaps aware, the atmosphere of
+Lakos is permeated with certain mineral fumes which, while not
+directly harmful to those of other worlds, do serve to effectively
+block the passage of those rays of the sun which are essential to the
+health of beings like ourselves. Those in charge of operations there
+are supplied artificially with these rays, as you are in your ship, by
+means of emanations from ethon tubes, but they have to be transferred
+at frequent periods to other fields of activity. The constant shifting
+about produces a state of disorder which makes the necessary
+investigation impossible. Too, operations are carried on with an
+insufficient personnel, because it is extremely difficult to induce
+desirable types of volunteer for such disagreeable service.</p>
+
+<p>"We have, however, determined a few very important facts. This unrest
+has been caused by the activities of a secret organization or order
+known as the Worshipers of the Flame. That's as close a translation as
+I can give you. It sounds harmless enough, but from what we gather,
+it is a sinister and rather terrible organization, with a fanatical
+belief amounting, at times, to a veritable frenzy. These Lakonians are
+a physically powerful but mentally inadequate people, as perhaps you
+are aware.</p>
+
+<p>"The leader of this order or cult call it what you will&mdash;seems to be a
+woman: a very fascinating creature, infinitely superior to her people
+as a whole; what biologists call a 'sport,' I believe&mdash;a radical
+departure from the general racial trend.</p>
+
+<p>"This leader calls herself Liane, Chief Priestess of the Flame, Mother
+of Life, Giver of Death, and a few other high-sounding things. We have
+called her here to Base for questioning, and while she has been here
+some time, we have so far learned next to nothing from her. She is
+very intelligent, very alluring, very feminine&mdash;but reveals nothing
+she does not wish to reveal.</p>
+
+<p>"Our purpose in having her brought here was two-fold: first, to gain
+what information we could from her, and if possible, prevail upon her
+to cease her activities; second, to deprive her cult of her leadership
+while you conducted your investigation.</p>
+
+<p>"Your orders, then, are simple: you will proceed at once to Lakos, and
+inquire into the activities of this order. Somehow, it must be
+crushed; the means I shall leave to you. You will have complete
+co&ouml;peration of those in charge of operations on Lakos; they are
+Zenians and natives of Earth, and you may depend upon them implicitly.
+Do not, however, place any faith in any Lakonians; the entire native
+populace may well be suspected of participation in the rites of this
+cult, and they are a treacherous and ruthless people at best. Have you
+any questions, Commander?"</p>
+
+<p>"None," I had told him. "I have full authority to take any action I
+see fit?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, at your discretion. Of course," he had added rather hastily,
+"you appreciate the importance of our supply of temite. Only Lakonians
+can gather it in commercial quantities, under the existing conditions
+on Lakos, and our reserve supply is not large. We naturally wish to
+increase production there, rather than endanger it. It's a delicate
+mission, but I'm trusting you and your men to handle it for us. I know
+you will."</p>
+
+<p>He had arisen then, smilingly, and offered his hand to me in that
+gesture which marks a son of Earth throughout the universe, thus
+bringing the interview to a close.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">I</span>n talking the things over with my officers, we had decided the
+mission promised to be an interesting one, but full of difficulties.
+The <i>Ertak</i> had set down on Lakos more than once, and we all had
+unpleasant memories of the place.</p>
+
+<p>The sunlight on Lakos, such as it was, was pale green and thin,
+lacking in warmth and vitality. The vegetation was flaccid and nearly
+colorless, more like a mushroom growth than anything else; and the
+inhabitants were suspicious and unfriendly.</p>
+
+<p>Remembering the typical Lakonians, it was all the more surprising that
+a gracious creature like Liane could have sprung from their midst.
+They were a beetle-browed, dark race, with gnarled muscles and huge,
+knotted joints, speaking a guttural language all their own. Few spoke
+the universal language.</p>
+
+<p>But Liane, Chief Priestess of the Flame! The image of her kept
+drifting back to my mind. There was a woman to turn any man's head!
+And such a turning would be dangerous, for Liane had no soft woman's
+soul, if I had read her brilliant blue eyes aright.</p>
+
+<p>"Rather a beauty, isn't she, sir?" commented Hendricks as I paused in
+my restless pacing, and glanced at the two-dimensional charts.</p>
+
+<p>"The stowaway? Rather," I agreed shortly. "And chief instigator of the
+trouble we've been sent to eliminate."</p>
+
+<p>"That seems almost&mdash;almost unbelievable, doesn't it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why, Mr. Hendricks?"</p>
+
+<p>Correy and Kincaide entered before my junior officer could reply. I
+think he was rather glad of the excuse for not presenting his reasons.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, sir, she's under guard," reported Correy. "And now what's to be
+done about her?"</p>
+
+<p>"That," I admitted, "is a question. After all, she's an important
+personage at home. She was brought to Base as a guest, probably
+something of a guest of honor, of the Council, I gather. And,
+considering the work that's cut out for us, it would seem like a poor
+move to antagonize her unduly. What do you gentlemen think?"</p>
+
+<p>"I think you're right, sir," said Hendricks quickly. "I believe she
+should be given every consideration."</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">K</span>incaide, my level-headed second officer, glanced curiously at
+Hendricks. "I see she's made one friend, anyway," he said. "Don't let
+yourself slip, my boy; I've run across her kind before. They're
+dangerous."</p>
+
+<p>"Thanks, but the warning's not necessary, Mr. Kincaide," replied
+Hendricks stiffly, an angry flush mounting to his checks. "I merely
+expressed a requested opinion."</p>
+
+<p>"We'll let that phase of it drop, gentlemen," I cut in sharply, as I
+saw Kincaide's eyes flash. Trust a woman to stir up strife and
+ill-feeling! "What shall we do with her?"</p>
+
+<p>"I believe, sir," said Correy, "that we'd be nice to her. Treat her as
+an honored guest; make the best of a bad situation. If she's what the
+Chief thought she is, the boss of this outfit we've got to lick, then
+there's no need of stroking her the wrong way, as I see it."</p>
+
+<p>"And you, Mr. Kincaid?"</p>
+
+<p>"I see no other way out of it. Under the circumstances, we can't treat
+her like a common culprit; both her position and her sex would
+prevent."</p>
+
+<p>"Very well, then; we seem to be agreed. We'll find suitable quarters
+for her&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I'll give her mine," put in Hendricks. "Correy will let me double up
+with him, I imagine."</p>
+
+<p>"Sure," nodded Correy.</p>
+
+<p>Kincaide glanced sharply at Hendricks, but said nothing. I knew,
+however, that he was thinking just what I was: that my young third
+officer was in for a bad, bad time of it.</p>
+
+<p>Just how bad, I think neither of us guessed.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">L</span>iane became a member of the officers' mess on the <i>Ertak</i>. She
+occupied Hendricks' stateroom, and, I must confess, with uncommon good
+judgment for a woman, remained there most of the time.</p>
+
+<p>She knew the reason for our mission, but this was one subject we never
+discussed. Nor did we mention the sect of which, according to the
+Chief of Command, she was the head. We did talk freely, when brought
+together at the table, on every other general topic.</p>
+
+<p>Liane was an exceedingly intelligent conversationalist. Her voice was
+fascinating, and her remarks were always to the point. And she was a
+very good listener; she paid flattering attention to the most casual
+remark.</p>
+
+<p>It seemed to me she was particularly gracious to Hendricks. Her
+strangely arresting blue eyes seldom left his face when he was
+speaking, and the greater portion of her remarks seemed addressed to
+him. Naturally, Hendricks responded as a flower responds to the
+warming rays of the sun.</p>
+
+<p>"We'll do well, sir, to keep a weather eye on the youngster," opined
+Correy one morning. (I think I have previously explained that even in
+the unchanging darkness of space, we divided time arbitrarily into
+days and nights). "Unless I'm badly mistaken, Hendricks is falling
+victim to a pair of blue eyes."</p>
+
+<p>"He's young," I shrugged. "We'll be there in two more days, and then
+we'll be rid of her."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," nodded Correy, "we'll be there in a couple of days. And we'll
+be rid of her, I hope. But&mdash;suppose it should be serious, sir?"</p>
+
+<p>"What do you mean?" I asked sharply. I had been thinking, rather
+vaguely, along much the same lines, but to hear it put into words came
+as rather a shock.</p>
+
+<p>"I hope I'm wrong," said Correy very gravely. "But this Liane is an
+unusual woman. When I was his age, I could have slipped rather badly
+myself. Her eyes&mdash;that slow smile&mdash;they do things to a man.</p>
+
+<p>"At the same time, Liane is supposed to be the head of the thing we're
+to stamp out; you might say the enemy's leader. And it wouldn't be a
+good thing, sir, to have a&mdash;a friend of the enemy on board the
+<i>Ertak</i>, would it?"</p>
+
+<p>A rebuke rose to my lips, but I checked it. After all, Correy had no
+more than put into words some fears which had been harassing me.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">A</span>&nbsp;traitor&mdash;in the Service? Perhaps you won't be able to understand
+just what that thought meant to those of us who wore the Blue and
+Silver in those days. But a traitor was something we had never had. It
+was almost unbelievable that such a thing would ever happen; that it
+could ever happen. And yet older men than Hendricks had thrown honor
+aside at the insistence of women less fascinating than Liane.</p>
+
+<p>I had felt the lure of her personality; there was not one of us on
+board the <i>Ertak</i> who had not. And she had not exercised her wiles on
+any of us save Hendricks; with the shrewdness which had made her the
+leader she was, she had elected to fascinate the youngest, the
+weakest, the most impressionable.</p>
+
+<p>"I'll have a talk with him, Mr. Correy," I said quietly. "Probably it
+isn't necessary; I trust him implicitly, as I am sure you do, and the
+rest of us."</p>
+
+<p>"Certainly, sir," Correy replied hastily, evidently relieved by the
+manner in which I had taken his remarks. "Only, he's very young, sir,
+and Liane is a very fascinating creature."</p>
+
+<p>I kept my promise to Correy the next time Hendricks was on watch.</p>
+
+<p>"We'll be setting down in a couple of days," I commented casually.
+"It'll be good to stretch our legs again, won't it?"</p>
+
+<p>"It certainly will, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"And I imagine that's the last we'll see of our fair stowaway," I
+said, watching him closely.</p>
+
+<p>Hendricks' face flushed and then drained white. With the tip of his
+forefinger he traced meaningless geometrical patterns on the surface
+of the instrument table.</p>
+
+<p>"I imagine so, sir," he replied in a choked voice. And then, suddenly,
+in a voice which shook with released emotion. "Oh, I know what you're
+thinking!" he added. "What you've all been thinking; you, sir, and
+Correy and Kincaide. Probably the men, too, for that matter.</p>
+
+<p>"But it's not so! I want you to believe that, sir. I may be
+impressionable, and certainly she is beautiful and&mdash;and terribly
+fascinating; but I'm not quite a fool. I realize she's on the other
+side; that I can't, that I must not, permit myself to care. You&mdash;you
+do believe that, sir?"</p>
+
+<p>"Of course, lad!" I put my hand reassuringly on his shoulder; his
+whole body was shaking. "Forget it; forget her as soon as you can.
+None of us have doubted you for an instant; we just&mdash;wondered."</p>
+
+<p>"I could see that; I could feel it. And it hurt," said my junior
+officer with shame-faced hesitancy. "But I'll forget her&mdash;after she's
+gone."</p>
+
+<p>I let it go at that. After all, it was a rather painful subject for us
+both. The next day it did seem that he treated her with less
+attention; and she noticed it, for I saw the faint shadow of a frown
+form between her perfect brows, and her glance traveled meditatively
+from Hendricks' flushed face to my own.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">T</span>he next morning, after the first meal of the day, she walked down the
+passage with me, one slim white hand placed gently within the curve of
+my arm.</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Hendricks," she commented softly, "seems rather distraught the
+last day or so."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes?" I said, smiling to myself, and wondering what was coming next.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, Commander Hanson." There was just the faintest suggestion of
+steeliness in her voice now. "I fancy you've been giving him good
+advice, and painting me in lurid colors. Do you really think so badly
+of me?" Her hand pressed my arm with warm friendliness; her great blue
+eyes were watching me with beseeching interest.</p>
+
+<p>"I think, Liane," I replied, "that Mr. Hendricks is a very young man."</p>
+
+<p>"And that I am a dangerous woman?" She laughed softly.</p>
+
+<p>"That, at least," I told her, "your interests and ours are not
+identical."</p>
+
+<p>"True," she said coolly, pausing before the door of her stateroom. Her
+hand dropped from my arm, and she drew herself up regally. In the
+bright flow of the ethon tubes overhead she was almost irresistibly
+beautiful. "Our interests are not identical, Commander Hanson. They
+are widely divergent, directly opposed to each other, as a matter of
+fact. And&mdash;may I be so bold as to offer you a bit of advice?"</p>
+
+<p>I bowed, saying nothing.</p>
+
+<p>"Then, don't attempt to meddle with things which are more powerful,
+than you and the forces you control. And&mdash;don't waste breath on Mr.
+Hendricks. Fair warning!"</p>
+
+<p>Before I could ask for more complete explanation, she had slipped
+inside her stateroom and firmly closed the door.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">W</span>e set down on Lakos late that afternoon, close to the city&mdash;town,
+rather&mdash;of Gio, where those in charge of operations made their
+headquarters. With Liane and Correy, leaving the ship in charge of
+Kincaide, I made my way quickly toward the headquarters building.</p>
+
+<p>We had gone but a few steps when Liane was surrounded by a shouting
+throng of her fellow Lakonians, and with a little mocking wave of a
+white hand, she stepped into a sort of litter which had been rushed to
+the scene, and was carried away.</p>
+
+<p>"For one," commented Correy with a sigh of relief, "I'm glad she's out
+of sight. If I never see her again, it'll be too soon. When do we
+start something?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not until we've talked with Fetter, who's in command here. I have a
+letter for him from the Chief. We'll see what he has to say."</p>
+
+<p>One thing was certain; we could look for no assistance of any kind
+from the natives. They regarded us with bleak scowls, from beneath
+shaggy, lowering brows, our uniforms of blue, with the silver
+ornaments of our service and rank, identifying us clearly.</p>
+
+<p>In the greenish Lakonian twilight, they were sinister figures indeed,
+clothed all alike in short, sleeveless tunics, belted loosely at the
+waist, feet and legs encased in leather buskins reaching nearly to the
+knees, their brown, gnarled limbs and stoop-shouldered postures giving
+them a half-bestial resemblance which was disturbing. Their walk was a
+sort of slow shuffle, which made their long arms dangle, swinging
+disjointedly.</p>
+
+<p>We entered the administration building of gray, dull stone, and were
+ushered immediately into the office of the head of operations.</p>
+
+<p>"Hanson?" he greeted me. "Mighty glad to see you. You too, Correy.
+Terrible hole, this; hope you're not here for long. Sorry I couldn't
+meet you at the ship; got your radio, but couldn't make it.
+Everything's in a jam. Getting worse all the time. And we're
+shorthanded; not half enough men here. Sit down, sit down. Seem good
+to feel firm ground under your feet?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not particularly; your air here isn't as good as the <i>Ertak's</i>."
+Correy and I seated ourselves across the desk from the garrulous
+Fetter. "I've a letter here from the Chief; I believe it explains why
+we're here."</p>
+
+<p>"I can guess, I can guess. And none too soon. Things are in terrible
+shape. Terrible." Fetter ripped open the letter and glanced through it
+with harried eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"Right," he nodded. "I'm to help you all I can. Place myself at your
+disposal. What can I do?"</p>
+
+<p>"Tell us what's up," I suggested.</p>
+
+<p>"That would be a long story. I suppose you know something about the
+situation already. Several reports have gone in to Base. What did the
+Chief tell you, Hanson?"</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">B</span>riefly, I sketched the Chief's report, Fetter nodding every few
+words. When I had finished, he rubbed his long, thin fingers together
+nervously, and stared down, frowning at the littered top of his desk.</p>
+
+<p>"Right as far as he went," he said. "But he didn't go far enough.
+Wanted you to find out for yourself, I suppose.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, there <i>is</i> a secret society working against us here. Sect, I'd
+call it. Undermined the whole inhabited portion of Lakos&mdash;which isn't
+a great area, as you know."</p>
+
+<p>"The Chief Priestess is Liane. I believe you said she stowed away on
+the <i>Ertak</i> with you?"</p>
+
+<p>I nodded.</p>
+
+<p>"You're keeping her under guard?" asked Fetter.</p>
+
+<p>"No; under the circumstances, we couldn't. We had no authority, you
+see. A crowd of natives bore her away in triumph."</p>
+
+<p>"Then your work's cut out for you," groaned Fetter. "She's a devil
+incarnate. Beautiful, irresistible, and evil as corruption itself. If
+she's back, I'm afraid there's nothing to be done. We've been sitting
+on a volcano ever since she left. Pressure growing greater every
+instant, it seemed. She's just what's needed to set it off."</p>
+
+<p>"We'll have to take our chances," I commented. "And now; just what is
+the set-up?"</p>
+
+<p>"The Worshipers of the Flame, they call themselves. The membership
+takes in about every male being on Lakos. They meet in the great
+caverns which honeycomb the continent. Ghastly places; I've seen some
+of the smaller ones. Continent was thrust up from the sea in a molten
+state, some scientific chap told me once; these caverns were made by
+great belches of escaping steam or gas. You'll see them.</p>
+
+<p>"She&mdash;Liane&mdash;and her priests rule solely by terror. The Lakonians are
+naturally just horses" (a draft animal of ancient Earth, now extinct),
+"content to work without thinking. Liane and her crew have made them
+think&mdash;just enough to be dangerous. Just what she tells them to think,
+and no more. Disobedient ones are punished by death. Rather a terrible
+death, I gather.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, her chief aim is to stop the production of temite. She wishes
+to bargain with the Council&mdash;at her own terms."</p>
+
+<p>"What's her price?" I asked. "What does she want, wealth?"</p>
+
+<p>"No. <i>Power!</i>" Fetter leaned forward across the desk, hammering it
+with both fists to emphasize the word, his eyes gleaming from their
+deep sockets. "Power, Hanson, that's what she craves. She's insane on
+the subject. Utterly mad. She lusts after it. You asked her price;
+it's this: a seat in the Council!"</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">I</span>&nbsp;gasped audibly. A seat in the Council! The Council, composed of the
+wisest heads of the universe, and ruling the universe with absolute
+authority!</p>
+
+<p>"She <i>is</i> mad," I said.</p>
+
+<p>"Crazy," grunted Correy. "Plain crazy. A woman&mdash;in the Council!"</p>
+
+<p>Fetter nodded solemnly.</p>
+
+<p>"Mad&mdash;crazy&mdash;use your own terms," he said. "But that's her price. The
+Chief didn't tell you that, did he? Well, perhaps he didn't know. I
+learned it in a very roundabout way. She'll make the formal demand
+when the time is ripe, never fear. And what's more, unless these
+Worshipers of the Flame are stamped out&mdash;<i>she'll get what she
+demands!</i>"</p>
+
+<p>"Impossible!"</p>
+
+<p>"Not at all. You know what this place is. Only a Lakonian can stand
+this atmosphere long. No vitality to the light that does come through
+this damned green stuff they breathe for air; and after a few days,
+the acid, metallic tang of it drives you frantic. Never can get used
+to it.</p>
+
+<p>"So the Lakonians have to mine the temite. And the universe must have
+temite, in quantities that can't be supplied from any other source. If
+the Lakonians won't mine it&mdash;and they won't, when Liane tells them to
+quit&mdash;what will the Council and your Service do about it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Plenty," growled Correy.</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing," contradicted Fetter. "You can kill a man, disintegrate him,
+imprison him, punish him, as you will, but you can't make him work."
+And there that phase of the matter rested.</p>
+
+<p>I asked him a number of questions which I felt would help us to start
+our work properly, and he answered every one of them promptly and
+fully. Evidently, Fetter had given his problem a great deal of
+thought, and had done more than a little intelligent investigating of
+his own.</p>
+
+<p>"If there's anything else I can do to help you," he said as he
+accompanied us to the door, "don't fail to call upon me. And remember
+what I said: trust no one except yourselves. Study each move before
+you make it. These Lakonians are dull-witted, but they'll do whatever
+Liane tells them. And she thinks fast and cunningly!"</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">W</span>e thanked him for his warning, and hurried back to the ship through
+the sickly-green Lakonian dusk. The acrid odor of the atmosphere was
+already beginning to be disagreeable.</p>
+
+<p>"Decent sort of a chap, Fetter," commented Correy. "All wrought up,
+isn't he? Worried stiff."</p>
+
+<p>"I imagine he has cause to be. And&mdash;he might have been right in saying
+we should have held Liane: perhaps we could have treated with her in
+some way."</p>
+
+<p>"No chance! Not that lady. When we treat with her, we'll have to have
+the whip hand, utterly and completely."</p>
+
+<p>The heavy outer door of the <i>Ertak's</i> exit was open, but the
+transparent inner door, provided for just such an emergency, was in
+place, forming, in conjunction with a second door, an efficient
+air-lock. The guard saw us coming and, as we came up, had the inner
+door smartly opened, standing at salute as we entered. We returned his
+salute and went up to the navigating room, where I proposed to hold a
+brief council of war, informing Kincaide and Hendricks of what we had
+learned from Fetter, and deciding upon a course of action for the
+following day. Kincaide, whom I had left on watch, was there waiting.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, sir, how do things stack up?" he asked anxiously.</p>
+
+<p>"Not so good. Please ask Mr. Hendricks to report here at once, and
+I'll give you the whole story."</p>
+
+<p>Kincaide pressed the attention signal to Hendricks' room, and waited
+impatiently for a response. There was none.</p>
+
+<p>"Try my room," suggested Correy. "Maybe he hasn't moved back to his
+own quarters yet."</p>
+
+<p>"That's what he said he would be doing," replied Kincaide. But that
+signal too failed to bring any response.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">C</span>orrey glanced at me, a queer, hurt expression in his eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"Shall I go forward and see if he&mdash;if he's ill?" he asked quickly.</p>
+
+<p>"Please do," I said, and as soon as he was gone I turned to the
+microphone and called the sentry on duty at the exit.</p>
+
+<p>"Commander Hanson speaking. Has Mr. Hendricks left the ship?"'</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir. Some time ago. The lady came back, saying she had word from
+you; she and Mr. Hendricks left a few minutes later. That was all
+right, sir?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," I said, barely able to force the word from between my lips.
+Hendricks ... and Liane? Hendricks ... a traitor? I cut the microphone
+and glanced at Kincaide. He must have read the facts in my eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"He's ... gone, sir?"</p>
+
+<p>"With Liane," I nodded.</p>
+
+<p>The door burst open, and Correy came racing into the room.</p>
+
+<p>"He's not there, sir!" he snapped. "But in his room I found this!"</p>
+
+<p>He held out an envelope, addressed to me. I ripped it open, glanced
+through the hasty, nervous scrawl, and then read it aloud:</p>
+
+<blockquote><p>"Sir:</p>
+
+<p>I am leaving with Liane. I am sorry. It had to be.</p></blockquote>
+
+<p class="f2">Hendricks."</p>
+
+<p>"That, gentlemen," I said hoarsely, after a long silence, "will make
+the blackest entry ever spread upon the log of the <i>Ertak</i>&mdash;upon any
+ship of the Service. Let us dismiss this thing from our minds, and
+proceed."</p>
+
+<p>But that was easier, by far, to propose than to accomplish.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">I</span>t was late indeed when we finished our deliberations, but the plan
+decided upon was exceedingly simple.</p>
+
+<p>We would simply enforce our authority until we located definite
+resistance; we would then concentrate our efforts upon isolating the
+source of this resistance and overcoming it. That we would find Liane
+at the bottom of our difficulties, we knew perfectly well, but we
+desired to place her in a definite position as an enemy. So far, we
+had nothing against her, no proof of her activities, save the rather
+guarded report of the Chief, and the evidence given us by Fetter.</p>
+
+<p>There were three major continents on Lakos, but only one of them was
+inhabited or habitable, the other two being within the large northern
+polar cap. The activities of The Worshipers of the Flame were centered
+about the chief city of Gio, Fetter had told us, and therefore we were
+in position to start action without delay.</p>
+
+<p>Force of men would avail us nothing, since the entire crew of the
+<i>Ertak</i> would be but a pitiful force compared to the horde Liane could
+muster. Our mission could be accomplished&mdash;if, indeed, it could be
+accomplished at all&mdash;by the force of whatever authority our position
+commanded, and the outwitting of Liane.</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly, it was decided that, in the emergency, all three of us
+would undertake the task, leaving the ship in charge of Sub-officer
+Scholey, chief of the operating room crew, and a very capable,
+level-headed man. I gave him his final instructions as we left the
+ship, early the next morning:</p>
+
+<p>"Scholey, we are leaving you in a position of unusual responsibility.
+An emergency makes it necessary, or at least desirable, for Mr.
+Correy, Mr. Kincaide and myself to leave the ship. Mr. Hendricks has
+already departed; therefore, the <i>Ertak</i> will be left in your charge.</p>
+
+<p>"Remain here for five days; if we do not return in that time, leave
+for Base, and report the circumstances there. The log will reveal full
+authority for your actions."</p>
+
+<p>"Very well, sir!" He saluted, and we passed through the air-lock which
+protected the <i>Ertak</i> from the unpleasant atmosphere of Lakos, armed
+only with atomic pistols, and carrying condensed rations and menores
+at our belts.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">W</span>e went directly to the largest of the mines, the natives regarding us
+with furtive, unfriendly eyes. A great crowd of men were lounging
+around the mouth of the mine, and as we approached, they tightened
+their ranks, as though to block our passage.</p>
+
+<p>"We'll bluff it through," I whispered. "They know the uniform of the
+Service, and they have no leader."</p>
+
+<p>"I'd like to take a swing at one of them," growled Correy. "I don't
+like their looks&mdash;not a bit. But just as you say, sir."</p>
+
+<p>Our bluff worked. We marched up to the packed mass as though we had
+not even noticed them, and slowly and unwillingly, they opened a path
+for us, closing in behind us with rather uncomfortable celerity. For a
+moment I regretted we had not taken a landing crew from the <i>Ertak</i>.</p>
+
+<p>However, we won through the mouth of the mine without violence, but
+here a huge Lakonian who seemed to be in authority held up his hand
+and blocked our way.</p>
+
+<p>"Let me handle him, sir," said Correy from the corner of his mouth. "I
+understand a little of their language."</p>
+
+<p>"Right," I nodded. "Make it strong!"</p>
+
+<p>Correy stepped forward, his head thrust out truculently, thumbs hooked
+through his belt, his right hand suggestively near his automatic
+pistol. He rapped out something in unpleasant gutturals, and the tall
+Lakonian replied volubly.</p>
+
+<p>"He says it's orders," commented Correy over his shoulder. "Now I'll
+tell him who's giving orders around here!"</p>
+
+<p>He stepped closer to the Lakonian, and spoke with emphatic briefness.
+The Lakonian fell back a step, hesitated, and started to reply. Correy
+stopped him with a single word, and motioned us to follow him. The
+guard watched us doubtfully, and angrily, but he let us pass.</p>
+
+<p>"He told me," explained Correy, "that <i>she</i> had given orders. Didn't
+name her, but we can guess, all right. I told him that if she wished
+to say anything to us, she could do it in person; that we weren't
+afraid of her, of him, or all the Lakonians who ever breathed green
+soup and called it air. He's a simple soul, and easily impressed. So
+we got by."</p>
+
+<p>"Nice work," I commended him. "It's an auspicious start, anyway."</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">T</span>he mouth of the mine was not the usual vertical shaft; as Fetters had
+told us, it was a great ramp, of less than forty-five degrees, leading
+underground, illuminated by jets of greenish flame from metal brackets
+set into the wall at regular intervals, and fed by a never-failing
+interplay of natural gas. The passageway was of varying height and
+width, but nowhere less than three times my height from floor to
+ceiling, and it was broad enough at its narrowest so that ten men
+might have marched easily abreast.</p>
+
+<p>The floor, apparently, had been smoothed by human effort, but for the
+rest, the corridor was, to judge from the evidence, entirely natural
+for the walls of shiny black rock bore no marks of tools.</p>
+
+<p>At intervals, other passages branched off from the main one we were
+following, at greater and less angles, but these were much narrower,
+and had very apparently been hewn in the solid rock. Like the central
+passage, they were utterly deserted.</p>
+
+<p>"We'll be coming out on the other side, pretty soon," commented Correy
+after a steady descent of perhaps twenty minutes. "This tunnel must go
+all the way through. I&mdash;what's that?"</p>
+
+<p>We paused and listened. From behind us came a soft, whispering sound,
+the nature of which we could not determine.</p>
+
+<p>"Sounds like the shuffle of many feet, far behind," suggested Kincaide
+gravely.</p>
+
+<p>"Or, more likely, the air rushing around the corners of those smaller
+passages," I suggested. "This is a drafty hole. Or it may be just the
+combined flarings of all these jets of flame."</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe you're right, sir," nodded Correy. "Anyway, we won't worry
+about it until we have to. I guess we just keep on going?"</p>
+
+<p>"That seems to be about all there is to do; we should enter one of the
+big subterranean chambers Fetters mentioned, before long."</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">A</span>s a matter of fact, it was but a minute or two later, that we turned
+a curve in the corridor and found ourselves looking into a vast open
+space, the roof supported by huge pillars of black stone, and the
+floor littered with rocky debris and mining tools thrown down by
+workmen.</p>
+
+<p>"This is where they take out the temite ore, I imagine," said
+Kincaide, picking up a loose fragment of rock. He pointed to a smudge
+of soft, crumbly gray metal, greasy in appearance, showing on the
+surface of the specimen he had picked up. "That's the stuff, sir,
+that's causing us all this trouble: nearly pure metallic temite." He
+dropped the fragment, looking about curiously. "But where," he added,
+"are the miners?"</p>
+
+<p>"I'm inclined to believe we'll find out before we get back to the
+<i>Ertak</i>," said Correy grimly. "Everything's moved along too sweetly;
+trouble's just piling up somewhere."</p>
+
+<p>"That remains to be seen," I commented. "Let's move on, and see what's
+beyond. That looks like a door of some sort, on the far side. Perhaps
+it will lead us to something more interesting."</p>
+
+<p>"I hope it does," growled Correy. "This underground business is
+getting on my nerves!"</p>
+
+<p>It was a door I had seen, a huge slab of light yellow-green metal. I
+paused, my hand on the simple latch.</p>
+
+<p>"Stand to one side," I said softly. "Let's see what happens."</p>
+
+<p>I lifted the latch, and the heavy door opened inward. Cautiously, I
+stared through the portal. Inside was blackness and silence;
+somewhere, in the far distance, I could see two or three tiny
+pin-pricks of green light.</p>
+
+<p>"We'll take a look around, anyway," I said. "Follow me carefully and
+be ready for action. It seems all right, but somehow, I don't like the
+looks of things."</p>
+
+<p>In single file, we passed beyond the massive door, the light from the
+large room outside streaming ahead of us, our shadows long and
+grotesque, moving on the rocky floor ahead of us.</p>
+
+<p>Then, suddenly, I became aware that the path of light ahead of us was
+narrowing. I turned swiftly; the door must be closing!</p>
+
+<p>As I turned, lights roared up all around us, intense light which
+struck at our eyes with almost tangible force. A great shout rose,
+echoing, to a vaulted ceiling. Before we could move or cry out, a
+score of men on either side had pinioned us.</p>
+
+<p>"Damnation!" roared Correy. "If I only had the use of my fists&mdash;just
+for a second!"</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">W</span>e were in a great cavern, the largest I have ever beheld. A huge
+bubble, blown in the molten rock by powerful gases from the seething
+interior of the world.</p>
+
+<p>The roof was invisible above our heads, and the floor sloped down
+gently in every direction, toward a central dais, so far away that its
+details were lost to us. From the center of the dais a mighty pillar
+of green flame mounted into the air nearly twenty times the height of
+a man. All around the dais, seated on the sloping floor of the cavern,
+were Lakonians.</p>
+
+<p>There were hundreds of them, thousands of them, and they were as
+silent and motionless as death. They paid no heed to us; they
+crouched, each in his place, and stared at the column of greenish
+flame.</p>
+
+<p>"It was a trap," muttered Kincaide as our captors marched us rapidly
+toward the dais in the center of the huge amphitheater. "They were
+waiting for us; I imagine we have been watched all the time. And we
+walked into the trap exactly like a bunch of schoolboys."</p>
+
+<p>"True&mdash;but we've found, I believe, what we wished to find," I told
+him. "This is the meeting place of the Worshipers of the Flame. There,
+I imagine is the Flame itself. And unless I'm badly mistaken, that's
+Liane waiting up there in the center!"</p>
+
+<p>It was Liane. She was seated on a massive, simple throne of the
+greenish-yellow metal, the column of fire rising directly behind her
+like an impossible plume. In a semicircle at her feet, in massive
+chairs made of the odd metal, were perhaps twenty old men, their heads
+crowned with great, unkempt manes of white hair.</p>
+
+<p>And standing beside Liane's throne, at her right hand,
+was&mdash;<i>Hendricks!</i></p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">H</span>is shoulders drooped, his chin rested upon his breast. He was
+wearing, not the blue-and-silver uniform of the Service, but a simple
+tunic of pale green, with buskins of dark green leather, laced with
+black. He did not look up as we were ushered before this impressive
+group, but Liane watched us with smiling interest.</p>
+
+<p>Liane, seated there upon her throne, was not the Liane of those days
+in the <i>Ertak</i>. There, she had been scarcely more than a peculiarly
+fascinating young woman with a regal bearing and commanding eyes.
+Here, she was a goddess, terrifyingly beautiful, smiling with her
+lips, yet holding the power of death in the white hands which hung
+gracefully from the massive arms of the throne.</p>
+
+<p>She wore a simple garment of thin, shimmering stuff, diaphanous as
+finest silk. It was black, caught at one shoulder with a flashing
+green stone. The other shoulder was bared, and the black garment was a
+perfect foil for the whiteness of her perfect skin, her amazing blue
+eyes, and the pale gold of her hair.</p>
+
+<p>She lifted one hand in a slight gesture as our conductors paused
+before the dais; they fell away and formed a close cordon behind us.</p>
+
+<p>"We have awaited your coming," she said in her sibilant voice. "And
+you are here."</p>
+
+<p>"We are here," I said sternly, "representing, through our Service, the
+Supreme Council of the universe. What word shall we take back to those
+who sent us?"</p>
+
+<p>Liane smiled, a slow, cruel smile. The pink fingers of one hand tapped
+gently on the carven arm of her throne. The eyes of the semicircle of
+old men watched us with unwavering hatred.</p>
+
+<p>"The word you carry will be a good word," she said slowly. "Liane has
+decided to be gracious&mdash;and yet it is well that you have full
+understanding of Liane's power. For while the word Liane shall give
+you to bear back is a good word, still, Liane is but a woman, and
+women have been known to change their minds. Is that not so, Commander
+Hanson?"</p>
+
+<p>"That is so, Liane," I nodded. "And we are glad to hear that your
+wisdom has led you to be gracious."</p>
+
+<p>She leaned forward suddenly, her eyes flashing with anger.</p>
+
+<p>"Mark you, it is not wisdom but a whim of mine which causes me to be
+graciously minded!" she cried. "Think you that Liane is afraid? Look
+about you!"</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">W</span>e turned slowly and cast our eyes about that great gathering. As far
+as the eye could reach, in every direction, was a sea of faces. And as
+we looked, the door through which we had entered this great hall was
+flung open, and a crowd of tiny specks came surging in.</p>
+
+<p>"And still they come, at Liane's command," she laughed. "They are
+those who played, to disarm your suspicions, at blocking your entry to
+this place. They did but follow you, a safe distance behind."</p>
+
+<p>"I thought so," murmured Correy. "Things were going too smoothly. That
+was what we heard, sir."</p>
+
+<p>I nodded, and looked up at Liane.</p>
+
+<p>"You have many followers," I said. "Yet this is but a small world, and
+behind the Council are all the worlds of the universe."</p>
+
+<p>Liane threw back her head and laughed, a soft, tinkling sound that
+rose clearly above the hollow roar of the mighty flame behind her
+throne.</p>
+
+<p>"You speak bravely," she said, "knowing that Liane holds the upper
+hand. Did your Council take armed action against us, we would blow up
+these caverns which are the source of your precious temite, and bury
+it so deeply no force that could live here could extract it in the
+quantities in which the universe needs it.</p>
+
+<p>"But enough of this exchange of sharp words. Liane has already said
+that she is disposed to be gracious. Does that not content you?"</p>
+
+<p>"I will bear back to those who sent me whatever word you have to
+offer; it is not for me to judge its graciousness," I said coolly.</p>
+
+<p>"Then&mdash;but first, let me show you how well I rule here," she said. She
+spoke to one of the old men seated at her feet; he arose and
+disappeared in a passage leading from directly beneath the dais.</p>
+
+<p>"You will see, presently, the punishment of Liane," she said
+smilingly. "Liane, Chief Priestess of the Flame, Mother of Life, Giver
+of Death, Most Worshiped of the Worshipers.</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps you wonder how it came that Liane sits here in judgment upon
+a whole people? Let me tell you, while we await the execution of
+Liane's judgment.</p>
+
+<p>"The father of Liane, and his father before him, back unto those
+remote days of which we have no knowledge, were Chief Priests of the
+Worshipers of the Flame. But they were lacking in ambition, in
+knowledge, and in power. Their followers were but few, and their hands
+were held out in benediction and not in command.</p>
+
+<p>"But the father of Liane had no son; instead he had a daughter, in
+whom was all the wisdom of those who had been the Chief Priests. She
+gathered about her a group of old men, shrewd and cunning, the lesser
+priests and those who would know the feel of power, who were not
+priests. You see them here at the feet of Liane.</p>
+
+<p>"And under Liane's guidance, the ranks of the Worshipers grew, and as
+this power grew, so grew the power of Liane, until the time came when
+no man, no woman, on the face of Lakos, dared question the command of
+the Chief Priestess. And those who would have rebelled, were made to
+feel the power of Liane&mdash;as these you see here now."</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">T</span>he old man had reappeared, and behind him were two miserable
+wretches, closely guarded by a dozen armed men. Liane spoke briefly to
+the old man, and then turned to us.</p>
+
+<p>"The first of these is one who has dared to disobey," she explained.
+"He brought out more of the ore than Liane had ordered. Do you hear
+the multitude? They know already what his fate will be."</p>
+
+<p>A long, shuddering whisper had arisen from the thousands of beings
+crouched there in the amphitheater, as the uncouth figure of the
+prisoner was led up a flight of steep, narrow steps to the very base
+of the flame.</p>
+
+<p>Hendricks, still hiding his face from us, bent over Liane and
+whispered something in her ear; she caressed his arm softly, and shook
+her head. Hendricks leaned more heavily against the throne,
+shuddering.</p>
+
+<p>Slowly, the flame was dying, until we could see that it was not a
+solid pillar of fire, but a hollow circle of flame, fed by innumerable
+jets set at the base of a circle of a trifle more than the length of a
+man across.</p>
+
+<p>Into those deadly circles the condemned man was led. His legs were
+bound swiftly, so that he could not move, and the old man stepped back
+quickly.</p>
+
+<p>As though his movement had been a signal, the flames shot up with a
+roar, until they lost themselves far over our heads. As one man, the
+three of us started forward, but the guards hemmed us in instantly.</p>
+
+<p>"Fools!" cried Liane. "Be still! The power of Liane is absolute here."</p>
+
+<p>We stared, fascinated, at the terrible sight. The flame spouted,
+streaks of blue and yellow streaking up from its base. Mercifully, we
+could not see within that encircling wall of fire.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">S</span>lowly, the flame died down again. A trap-door opened in the circle,
+and some formless thing dropped out of sight. Liane questioned the
+old man again, her eyes resting upon the other prisoner. The old man
+answered briefly.</p>
+
+<p>"This one spoke against the power of Liane," she explained smilingly.
+"He said Liane was cruel; that she was selfish. He also must feel the
+embrace of the sacred Flame."</p>
+
+<p>I heard, rather than saw, the ghastly drama repeated, for I had bent
+my head, and would not look up. Liane was no woman; she was a fiend.
+And yet for her a trusted officer, a friend, had forsworn his service
+and his comrades. I wondered, as I stood there with bowed head, what
+were the thoughts which must have been passing through Hendricks'
+mind.</p>
+
+<p>"You fear to look upon the punishment of Liane?" the voice of the
+unholy priestess broke in upon my shuddering reverie. "Then you
+understand why her power is absolute; why she is Mother of Life, and
+Giver of Death, throughout all Lakos. And now for the word I promised
+you, a gracious word from one who could be terrible and not gracious,
+were that her whim.</p>
+
+<p>"It has been in the mind of Liane to extend her power, to make for
+herself a place in this Supreme Council of which you speak with so
+much awe and reverence, Commander Hanson. But, by happenchance,
+another whim has seized her."</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">L</span>iane looked up at Hendricks, smilingly, and took one of his hands in
+hers. It was wonderful how her face softened as he returned, fiercely,
+the pressure of her soft hands.</p>
+
+<p>"I know it will sound strange to your ears," she said in a voice
+almost tender, "but Liane is, after all, a woman, with many, if not
+all, a woman's many weaknesses. And while even in his presence Liane
+will say that her lover was at the beginning looked upon as no more
+than a tool which might further Liane's power, he has won now a place
+in her heart."</p>
+
+<p>I saw Hendricks tremble as she admitted her love, and that portion of
+his face which we could see flushed hotly.</p>
+
+<p>"And so, Liane has elected to give up, at least for the present, the
+place in the Council which she could command. For after all, that
+would be a remote power, lacking in the elements of physical power
+which Liane has over these, her people, and in which she has learned
+to delight.</p>
+
+<p>"So, Commander Hanson, bear to your superiors this word: Liane will
+permit a production of whatever reasonable amount of temite is
+desired. She will remain here with her consort, brooking no
+interference, no changes, no commands from any person or organization.
+Go, now, and take with you the words of Liane!"</p>
+
+<p>I looked up at her gravely, and shook my head.</p>
+
+<p>"We shall go," I said, "and we shall take with us your words. But I
+warn you that the words you have spoken are treason to the universe,
+in that you have defied the Council!"</p>
+
+<p>Liane leaped from her throne, her scarlet lips drawn back against her
+white and gleaming teeth. Her eyes, dilated with anger, blazed down
+upon us almost as hotly as the flame which rose behind her.</p>
+
+<p>"Go! And quickly!" she fairly screamed. "If you have no desire to feel
+the embrace of the sacred Flame, then <i>go</i>!"</p>
+
+<p>I bowed silently, and motioned to Correy and Kincaide. Swiftly, we
+made our way down a long aisle, surrounded by motionless figures
+staring unwinkingly at the column of fire, toward the door by which we
+had entered this great chamber.</p>
+
+<p>Behind us, I could hear Liane's clear voice lifted in her own guttural
+language, as she addressed the multitude.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">S</span>afely within the <i>Ertak</i>, we discussed the morning's adventure over a
+late luncheon.</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose," said Kincaide, "there's nothing left to do but tell
+Fetter as much as seems wise, to reassure him, and then return to Base
+to make our report."</p>
+
+<p>"We'll come back, if we do," growled Correy. "And we'll come back to
+<i>fight</i>. The Council won't stand for her attitude."</p>
+
+<p>"Undoubtedly that's true," I admitted. "Still, I believe we should put
+it up to Base, and through Base to the Council, before doing anything
+more. Much, if not all, of what she said was perfectly true."</p>
+
+<p>"It was that," nodded Kincaide. "There were scores, if not hundreds of
+doors leading into that big chamber; I imagine it can be reached,
+underground, from any point on the continent. And those winding
+passages would be simple to defend from any form of invasion."</p>
+
+<p>"But could these Lakonians fight?" asked Correy. "That's what I'd like
+to know. I doubt it. They look like a sleepy, ignorant lot."</p>
+
+<p>"I think they'd fight, to the death, if Liane ordered them to," I
+replied thoughtfully. "Did you notice the way they stared at the
+flame, never moving, never even winking? My idea is that it exercises
+a sort of auto-hypnotic influence over them, which gives Liane just
+the right opportunity to impress her will upon them."</p>
+
+<p>"I wondered about that," Kincaide commented. "I believe you're right,
+sir. Any idea as to when we'll shove off?"</p>
+
+<p>"There's no particular hurry; Fetter will be busy until evening, I
+imagine, so we won't bother him until then. As soon as we've had a
+chat with him, we can start."</p>
+
+<p>"And without Hendricks," said Kincaide, shaking his head sadly. "I
+wonder&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"If you don't mind, Mr. Kincaide, we won't mention his name on the
+<i>Ertak</i> after this," I interrupted. "I, for one, would rather forget
+him. Wouldn't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"I would, sir, if I could," said Kincaide softly. "But that's not
+easy, is it?"</p>
+
+<p>It wasn't easy. As a matter of fact, it was impossible. I knew I would
+never forget my picture of him, standing there shaken and miserable,
+beside the woman for whom he had disgraced his uniform, hiding his
+head in shame from the eyes of the men he had called comrades, and who
+had called him friend. But to talk of him was morbid.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">I</span>t was late in the afternoon when I called Correy and Kincaide to the
+navigating room, where I had spent several hours charting our return
+course.</p>
+
+<p>"I believe, gentlemen," I remarked, "that we can call on Mr. Fetter
+now. I'll ask you to remain in charge of the ship, Mr. Kincaide, while
+Mr. Correy and I&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>An attention signal sounded sharply to interrupt me. I answered it
+instantly.</p>
+
+<p>"Sentry at exit, sir," said an excited voice. "Mr. Hendricks and the
+woman stowaway are here asking for you. They say it is very urgent."</p>
+
+<p>"Bring them both here at once, under guard," I ordered. "Be sure you
+are properly relieved."</p>
+
+<p>"Right, sir!"</p>
+
+<p>I turned to Correy and Kincaide, who were watching me with curious
+eyes. My excitement must have shown upon my face.</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Hendricks and Liane are at the exit, asking to see me," I
+snapped. "They'll be here in a moment. What do you suppose is in the
+air?"</p>
+
+<p>"Hendricks?" muttered Correy, his face darkening. "It seems to me he
+has a lot of nerve to&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>There was a sharp tap on the door.</p>
+
+<p>"Come!" I ordered quickly. The door opened and Liane, followed by
+Hendricks, hurried into the room.</p>
+
+<p>"That will do," I nodded to the guard who had accompanied them. "You
+may go."</p>
+
+<p>"You wonder why we're here, I suppose?" demanded Liane. "I'll tell
+you, quickly, for every instant is precious."</p>
+
+<p>This was a very different Liane. She was no longer clad in diaphanous
+black; she was wearing a tunic similar to the one she had worn on
+board the <i>Ertak</i>, save that this one was torn and soiled. Her lips,
+as she talked, twitched with an insane anger; her amazing eyes were
+like those of a cornered beast of the wilderness.</p>
+
+<p>"My council of wise old men turned against me when I told them my
+plans to marry the man of my choice. They said he was an outsider, an
+enemy, a foreigner. They would have none of him. They demanded that I
+give him to the Flame, and marry one of my own kind. They had not, of
+course, understood what I had said to you there in the great chapel of
+the Flame.</p>
+
+<p>"I defied them. We escaped through a passage which is not known to any
+save myself, and the existence of which my father taught me years ago.
+We are here, but they will guess where we have gone. My old men are
+exciting my people against me&mdash;and for that shall all, down to the
+last one, know the embrace of the Flame!" She gritted her teeth on the
+words, her nostrils distended with rage.</p>
+
+<p>"I&mdash;I am safe. I can command them; I can make them know my power, and I
+shall. The Flame will have much to feed upon in the days which are to
+come, I promise you. But my beloved would not be safe; at this moment I
+cannot protect him. So I have brought him back. I&mdash;I know he ... but I
+will not be weak. I am Liane!"</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">S</span>he faced Hendricks, who had stood there like a graven image, watching
+her. Her arms went about his neck; her lips sought his.</p>
+
+<p>"My beloved!" she whispered. "Liane was but a woman, after all.
+Darling! Good-by!" She kissed him again, and hurried to the door.</p>
+
+<p>"One more thing!" she cried. "I must master them myself. I must show
+them I&mdash;I, Liane&mdash;am ruler here. You promise? You promise me you will
+not interfere; that you will do nothing?"</p>
+
+<p>"But&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Liane interrupted me before I could put my objections into words.</p>
+
+<p>"Promise!" she commanded. "There are hundreds, thousands of them! You
+cannot slay them all&mdash;and if you did, there would be more. I can bend
+them to my will; they know my power. Promise, or there will be many
+deaths upon your hands!"</p>
+
+<p>"I promise," I said.</p>
+
+<p>"And you&mdash;all of you?" she demanded, sweeping Correy and Kincaide with
+her eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"Commander Hanson speaks for us all," nodded Kincaide.</p>
+
+<p>With a last glance at Hendricks, whose eyes had never left her for an
+instant, she was gone.</p>
+
+<p>Hendricks uttered a long, quivering sigh. His face, as he turned to
+us, was ghastly white.</p>
+
+<p>"She's gone," he muttered. "Forever."</p>
+
+<p>"That's exceedingly unfortunate, sir, for you," I replied crisply. "As
+soon as it's perfectly safe, we'll see to it that you depart also."</p>
+
+<p>The sting of my words apparently did not touch him.</p>
+
+<p>"You don't understand," he said dully. "I know what you think, and I
+do not blame you. She came back; you know that.</p>
+
+<p>"'You are coming with me,' she said. 'I care for you. I want you. You
+are coming with me, at once.' I told her I was not; that I loved her,
+but that I could not, would not, go.</p>
+
+<p>"She opened a port and showed me one of her countrymen, standing not
+far away, watching the ship. He held something in his hand.</p>
+
+<p>"'He has one of your hand bombs,' she told me. 'I found it while I
+was hidden and took it with me when I left. If you do not come with
+me, he will throw it against the ship, destroy it, and those within
+it.'</p>
+
+<p>"There was nothing else for me to do. She permitted me to explain no
+more than I did in the note I left. I pleaded with her; did all I
+could. Finally I persuaded her to give you the word she did, there
+before the great flame.</p>
+
+<p>"She brought me back here at the risk of her own life, and, what is
+even more precious to her, her power. In&mdash;in her own way, she loves
+me...."</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">I</span>t was an amazing story; a second or two passed before any of us could
+speak. And then words came, fast and joyous; our friend, our trusted
+fellow-officer had come back to us! I felt as though a great black
+cloud had slid from across the sun.</p>
+
+<p>And then, above our voices, rose a great mutter of sound. We glanced
+at one another, wonderingly. Hendricks was the first to make a move.</p>
+
+<p>"That's the mob!" he said, darting toward the door. We followed him
+swiftly to the exit of the ship, through the air-lock, out into the
+open.</p>
+
+<p>Hendricks had spoken the truth. Liane was walking, very slowly and
+deliberately, her head flung back proudly, toward the city. Coming
+toward her, like a great ragged wave, was a mighty mass of humanity,
+led by capering old men&mdash;undoubtedly the lesser priests, who had
+turned against her.</p>
+
+<p>"The portable projectors, sir!" begged Correy excitedly. "A pair of
+them, and that mob&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"We're bound by our promise," I reminded him. "She's not afraid; her
+power is terrible. I believe she'll win without them. Look!"</p>
+
+<p>Liane had paused. She lifted one hand in a gesture of command, and
+called out to the rabble. Correy translated the whole thing for me
+later.</p>
+
+<p>"Halt!" she cried sharply. "Who moves upon the Chief Priestess of the
+Flame earns the embrace of the Flame!"</p>
+
+<p>The crowd halted, cowering; then the old man shouted to them and
+gestured them onward. With a rush, the front ranks came on.</p>
+
+<p>"So!" Liane called out to them. "You would disobey Liane? Yet even yet
+it is not too late; Liane gives you one chance more. You little know
+the Chief Priestess of the Flame if you think she will tolerate an
+encroachment of her power. Back! Back, I say, or you all shall feel
+the might of Liane!"</p>
+
+<p>Before her tirade the mob faltered, but again the crazed old men led
+them on.</p>
+
+<p>Liane turned, saw us, and made a regal gesture of farewell. From the
+bosom of her tunic she snatched a small black object, and swung it
+high above her head.</p>
+
+<p>"The bomb!" shouted Hendricks. "She has it; she&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>At the very feet of the onrushing crowd the black object struck. There
+was a hollow roar; a blast of thundering air swept us backward to the
+ground.</p>
+
+<p>When we scrambled to our feet, Liane was gone. The relentless mob had
+gone. Where they had been was a great crater of raw earth, strewn with
+ghastly fragments. Far back toward the city a few straggling figures
+ran frantically away from that scene of death.</p>
+
+<p>"Gone!" I said. "Power was a mania, an obsession with her. Even her
+death was a supreme gesture&mdash;of power, of authority."</p>
+
+<p>"Liane," Hendricks whispered. "Chief Priestess of the Flame ... Giver
+of Death...."</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 45%;" />
+
+<p><span class="f1">W</span>ith Liane gone, and with her the old men who had tried to snatch her
+power from her hand, and who might have caused us trouble, the
+rebellion of the Lakonians was at an end.</p>
+
+<p>Leaderless, they were helpless, and I believe they were happy in the
+change. Sometimes the old ways are better than the new, and Liane's
+r&eacute;gime had been merciless and rather terrible.</p>
+
+<p>There are many kinds of women: great women, and women with small
+souls; women filled with the spirit of sacrifice; selfish women, good
+women and bad.</p>
+
+<p>And Liane? I leave her for you to judge. She was a woman; classify her
+for yourself.</p>
+
+<p>After all, I am an old man, and perhaps I have forgotten the ways of
+women. I do not wish to judge, on one hand to be called bitter and
+hard, on the other hand to be condemned as soft with advancing age.</p>
+
+<p>I have given you the story of Liane, Chief Priestess of the Flame.</p>
+
+<p>How, you clever and infallible members of this present generation, do
+you judge her?</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Priestess of the Flame, by Sewell Peaslee Wright
+
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+Project Gutenberg's Priestess of the Flame, by Sewell Peaslee Wright
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Priestess of the Flame
+
+Author: Sewell Peaslee Wright
+
+Release Date: July 2, 2009 [EBook #29293]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PRIESTESS OF THE FLAME ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+                         Transcriber's Note:
+
+      This etext was produced from Astounding Stories June 1932.
+      Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the
+      U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.
+
+
+[Illustration: "_Be still! The power of Liane is absolute here!_"]
+
+
+                        Priestess of the Flame
+
+                       By Sewell Peaslee Wright
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+[Sidenote: Commander John Hanson recounts the extraordinary story of
+Liane, Priestess of the Flame.]
+
+
+I have been rather amused by the protests which have come to me
+regarding the "disparaging" comments I have made, in previous tales of
+the Special Patrol Service, regarding women. The rather surprising
+thing about it is that the larger proportion of these have come from
+men. Young men, of course.
+
+Now, as a matter of fact, a careful search has failed to reveal to me
+any very uncomplimentary remarks. I have suggested, I believe, that
+women have, in my experience, shown a sad lack of ability to
+understand mechanical contrivances. Perhaps I have pictured some few
+of them as frivolous and shallow. If I have been unfair, I wish now to
+make humble apology.
+
+I am not, as some of my correspondents have indicated, a bitter old
+man, who cannot remember his youth. I remember it very well indeed,
+else these tales would not be forthcoming. And women have their great
+and proper place, even in a man's universe.
+
+Some day, perhaps, the mood will seize me to write of my own love
+affair. That surprises you? You smile to think that old John Hanson,
+lately a commander of the Special Patrol Service, now retired, should
+have had a love affair? Well, 'twas many years ago, before these eyes
+lost their fire, and before these brown, skinny hands wearied as
+quickly as they weary now....
+
+But I have known many women--good women and bad; great women and women
+of small souls; kindly women, and women fierce as wild bears are
+fierce. Divinity has dealt lavishly with women; has given them an
+emotional range far greater than man's. They can sink to depths
+unknown to masculinity; they can rise to heights of love and sacrifice
+before which man can only stand with reverently bowed head and marvel.
+
+This is a story of a woman--one of those no man could know and not
+remember. I make no apologies for her; I pay her no homage. I record
+only a not inaccurate account of an adventure of my youth, in which
+she played a part; I leave to you the task of judging her.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+We were some three days out from Base, as I recall it, on a mission
+which promised a welcome interlude in a monotonous sequence of routine
+patrols. I was commander then of the _Ertak_, one of the crack ships
+of the Service, and assisted by the finest group of officers, I
+believe, that any man ever had under him.
+
+I was standing a watch in the navigating room with Hendricks, my
+junior officer, when Correy brought us the amazing news.
+
+Correy was my first officer, a square-jawed fighting man if one ever
+breathed, a man of action, such as these effete times do not produce.
+His eyes were fairly blazing as he came into the room, and his
+generous mouth was narrowed into a grim line.
+
+"What's up, Mr. Correy?" I asked apprehensively. "Trouble aboard?"
+
+"Plenty of it, sir!" he snapped. "A stowaway!"
+
+"A stowaway?" I repeated wonderingly. A new experience, but hardly
+cause for Correy's obvious anger. "Well, send him below, and tell Miro
+to put him to work--the hardest work he can find. We'll make him--"
+
+"_Him?_" blurted Correy. "If it were a him it wouldn't be so bad, sir.
+But it's a _she_!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+To understand the full effect of the statement, you'd have to be
+steeped in the traditions of the Service. Women are seldom permitted
+on board a ship of the Service; despite their many admirable
+qualities, women play the very devil with discipline. And here were
+we, three days out from Base on a tour of duty which promised more
+than a little excitement, with a female stowaway on board!
+
+I felt my own mouth set grimly.
+
+"Where is she, Mr. Correy?" I asked quietly.
+
+"In my quarters, under guard. It was my watch below, as you know, sir.
+I entered my stateroom, figuring on catching forty winks, and there
+she was, seated in my big chair, smiling at me.
+
+"Well, for a second I couldn't speak. I just stared at her, and she
+kept smiling back at me. 'What are you doing here?' I managed to ask
+her, at last. 'Do you know where you are?'
+
+"'I'll talk to your commanding officer,' she told me, cool as you
+please. 'Will you bring him, please?'
+
+"'You'll see him plenty soon enough,' I snapped at her, getting over
+my surprise somewhat by that time. I called in a couple of men to keep
+her from getting into mischief, and reported to you. What are your
+orders, sir?"
+
+I hesitated a second, wondering. From Correy's account, she must be a
+rather remarkable person.
+
+"Bring her up here, if you will, Mr. Correy. I'd like to see her
+before we put her in the brig." The brig, I might explain, was a small
+room well forward, where members of the crew were confined for
+discipline.
+
+"Right, sir!" It seemed to me that there was a peculiar twinkle in
+Correy's eyes as he went out, and I wondered about it while we waited
+for him to return with the prisoner.
+
+"What an infernal nuisance, sir!" complained Hendricks, looking up
+from his glowing charts. "We'll be the laughing-stock of the Service
+if this leaks out!"
+
+"_When_ it leaks out," I corrected him glumly. I'd already thought of
+the unpleasant outcome he mentioned. "I'll have to report it, of
+course, and the whole Service will know about it. We'll just have to
+grin and make the most of it, I guess." There was still another
+possibility which I didn't mention: the silver-sleeves at Base would
+very likely call me on the carpet for permitting such a thing to
+happen. A commander was supposed to be responsible for everything that
+happened; no excuses available in the Service as it was in those days.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+I scowled forbiddingly as I heard Correy open the door; at least I
+could make her very sorry she had selected the _Ertak_ for her
+adventure. I am afraid, however, that it was a startled, rather than a
+scowling face to which she lifted her eyes.
+
+"This is the stowaway, sir," said Correy briskly, closing the door. He
+was watching my face, and I saw, now, the reason for the twinkle in
+his eye when I mentioned placing the stowaway in the brig.
+
+The woman was startlingly beautiful; one of the most beautiful women I
+have ever seen, and I have roamed the outer limits of space, and seen
+the women of many worlds. Hendricks, standing behind me, gasped
+audibly as his eyes fell upon her.
+
+The stowaway was regally tall and exquisitely modeled. Her hair was
+the color of pale morning sunlight on Earth; her eyes an amazing blue,
+the equal of which I have never seen.
+
+She was beautiful, but not coldly so. Despite her imperious bearing,
+there was something seductive about the soft curves of her beautiful
+body; something to rouse the pulses of a man in the langour of her
+intensely blue eyes, and the full, sensuous lips, scarlet as a smear
+of fresh blood.
+
+"So this is the stowaway," I said, trying to keep my voice coolly
+indifferent. "What is your name?"
+
+"I should prefer," she replied, speaking the universal language with a
+sibilant accent that was very fascinating, "to speak with you
+privately."
+
+"You will speak with me," I informed her crisply, "in the presence of
+these officers. I repeat: what is your name?"
+
+She smiled faintly, her eyes compelling mine.
+
+"I am called Liane," she said. "Chief Priestess of the Flame. Mother
+of Life. Giver of Death. I believe my name and position are not
+unknown to you, Commander Hanson?"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Known to me? If Base was not in error--and for all their faults, the
+silver-sleeves are seldom wrong in matters of this sort--this woman
+was the reason for our present mission.
+
+"They are known to me," I admitted. "They do not explain, however,
+your presence here."
+
+"And yet they should," protested Liane gently. "I was taken from my
+own people by those who had no right to command me. I was subjected to
+the indignity of questioning by many men. I have merely taken the
+simplest and quickest way of returning to my own people."
+
+"You know, then, our destination?"
+
+"I was informed of that by those who questioned me," nodded Liane.
+"Then, since I had been assured I was an honored guest, and no
+prisoner, I secreted myself aboard the ship, hiding in a small room
+nearly filled with what I took to be spare parts. I had provisions,
+and a few personal belongings. When I felt sufficient time had elapsed
+to make a return improbable, I donned attire more fitting than the
+masculine workman's guise in which I had secreted myself, and--I
+believe you are acquainted with the remaining facts."
+
+"I am. I will consider your case and advise you later. Mr. Correy,
+will you conduct the stowaway to my quarters and place her under
+guard? Return when you have attended to this matter, and ask Mr.
+Kincaide to do likewise."
+
+"To your quarters, you said, sir?" asked Correy, his eyes very
+serious, but not sufficiently so to entirely disguise the twinkle in
+their depths. "Not to the brig?"
+
+I could cheerfully have kicked him.
+
+"To my quarters," I repeated severely, "and under guard."
+
+"Right, sir," said Correy.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+While we were awaiting Correy and Kincaide, I briefly considered the
+rather remarkable story which had been told me at Base.
+
+"Commander Hanson," the Chief of Command had said, "we're turning over
+to you a very delicate mission. You've proved yourself adept at
+handling matters of this kind, and we have every confidence you'll
+bring this one to a highly successful conclusion."
+
+"Thank you, sir; we'll do our best," I had told him.
+
+"I know that; the assurance isn't necessary, although I appreciate it.
+Briefly, here's what we're confronted with:
+
+"Lakos, as you know, is the principal source of temite for the
+universe. And without temite, modern space travel would be impossible;
+we would have to resort to earlier and infinitely more crude devices.
+You realize that, of course.
+
+"Now, for some time, those in charge of operations on Lakos have
+complained of a growing unrest, increasing insubordination on the part
+of the Lakonians, and an alarming decrease in production.
+
+"It has been extremely difficult--indeed, impossible--to determine the
+reasons for this, for, as you are perhaps aware, the atmosphere of
+Lakos is permeated with certain mineral fumes which, while not
+directly harmful to those of other worlds, do serve to effectively
+block the passage of those rays of the sun which are essential to the
+health of beings like ourselves. Those in charge of operations there
+are supplied artificially with these rays, as you are in your ship, by
+means of emanations from ethon tubes, but they have to be transferred
+at frequent periods to other fields of activity. The constant shifting
+about produces a state of disorder which makes the necessary
+investigation impossible. Too, operations are carried on with an
+insufficient personnel, because it is extremely difficult to induce
+desirable types of volunteer for such disagreeable service.
+
+"We have, however, determined a few very important facts. This unrest
+has been caused by the activities of a secret organization or order
+known as the Worshipers of the Flame. That's as close a translation as
+I can give you. It sounds harmless enough, but from what we gather,
+it is a sinister and rather terrible organization, with a fanatical
+belief amounting, at times, to a veritable frenzy. These Lakonians are
+a physically powerful but mentally inadequate people, as perhaps you
+are aware.
+
+"The leader of this order or cult call it what you will--seems to be a
+woman: a very fascinating creature, infinitely superior to her people
+as a whole; what biologists call a 'sport,' I believe--a radical
+departure from the general racial trend.
+
+"This leader calls herself Liane, Chief Priestess of the Flame, Mother
+of Life, Giver of Death, and a few other high-sounding things. We have
+called her here to Base for questioning, and while she has been here
+some time, we have so far learned next to nothing from her. She is
+very intelligent, very alluring, very feminine--but reveals nothing
+she does not wish to reveal.
+
+"Our purpose in having her brought here was two-fold: first, to gain
+what information we could from her, and if possible, prevail upon her
+to cease her activities; second, to deprive her cult of her leadership
+while you conducted your investigation.
+
+"Your orders, then, are simple: you will proceed at once to Lakos, and
+inquire into the activities of this order. Somehow, it must be
+crushed; the means I shall leave to you. You will have complete
+cooperation of those in charge of operations on Lakos; they are
+Zenians and natives of Earth, and you may depend upon them implicitly.
+Do not, however, place any faith in any Lakonians; the entire native
+populace may well be suspected of participation in the rites of this
+cult, and they are a treacherous and ruthless people at best. Have you
+any questions, Commander?"
+
+"None," I had told him. "I have full authority to take any action I
+see fit?"
+
+"Yes, at your discretion. Of course," he had added rather hastily,
+"you appreciate the importance of our supply of temite. Only Lakonians
+can gather it in commercial quantities, under the existing conditions
+on Lakos, and our reserve supply is not large. We naturally wish to
+increase production there, rather than endanger it. It's a delicate
+mission, but I'm trusting you and your men to handle it for us. I know
+you will."
+
+He had arisen then, smilingly, and offered his hand to me in that
+gesture which marks a son of Earth throughout the universe, thus
+bringing the interview to a close.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+IN talking the things over with my officers, we had decided the
+mission promised to be an interesting one, but full of difficulties.
+The _Ertak_ had set down on Lakos more than once, and we all had
+unpleasant memories of the place.
+
+The sunlight on Lakos, such as it was, was pale green and thin,
+lacking in warmth and vitality. The vegetation was flaccid and nearly
+colorless, more like a mushroom growth than anything else; and the
+inhabitants were suspicious and unfriendly.
+
+Remembering the typical Lakonians, it was all the more surprising that
+a gracious creature like Liane could have sprung from their midst.
+They were a beetle-browed, dark race, with gnarled muscles and huge,
+knotted joints, speaking a guttural language all their own. Few spoke
+the universal language.
+
+But Liane, Chief Priestess of the Flame! The image of her kept
+drifting back to my mind. There was a woman to turn any man's head!
+And such a turning would be dangerous, for Liane had no soft woman's
+soul, if I had read her brilliant blue eyes aright.
+
+"Rather a beauty, isn't she, sir?" commented Hendricks as I paused in
+my restless pacing, and glanced at the two-dimensional charts.
+
+"The stowaway? Rather," I agreed shortly. "And chief instigator of the
+trouble we've been sent to eliminate."
+
+"That seems almost--almost unbelievable, doesn't it?"
+
+"Why, Mr. Hendricks?"
+
+Correy and Kincaide entered before my junior officer could reply. I
+think he was rather glad of the excuse for not presenting his reasons.
+
+"Well, sir, she's under guard," reported Correy. "And now what's to be
+done about her?"
+
+"That," I admitted, "is a question. After all, she's an important
+personage at home. She was brought to Base as a guest, probably
+something of a guest of honor, of the Council, I gather. And,
+considering the work that's cut out for us, it would seem like a poor
+move to antagonize her unduly. What do you gentlemen think?"
+
+"I think you're right, sir," said Hendricks quickly. "I believe she
+should be given every consideration."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Kincaide, my level-headed second officer, glanced curiously at
+Hendricks. "I see she's made one friend, anyway," he said. "Don't let
+yourself slip, my boy; I've run across her kind before. They're
+dangerous."
+
+"Thanks, but the warning's not necessary, Mr. Kincaide," replied
+Hendricks stiffly, an angry flush mounting to his checks. "I merely
+expressed a requested opinion."
+
+"We'll let that phase of it drop, gentlemen," I cut in sharply, as I
+saw Kincaide's eyes flash. Trust a woman to stir up strife and
+ill-feeling! "What shall we do with her?"
+
+"I believe, sir," said Correy, "that we'd be nice to her. Treat her as
+an honored guest; make the best of a bad situation. If she's what the
+Chief thought she is, the boss of this outfit we've got to lick, then
+there's no need of stroking her the wrong way, as I see it."
+
+"And you, Mr. Kincaid?"
+
+"I see no other way out of it. Under the circumstances, we can't treat
+her like a common culprit; both her position and her sex would
+prevent."
+
+"Very well, then; we seem to be agreed. We'll find suitable quarters
+for her--"
+
+"I'll give her mine," put in Hendricks. "Correy will let me double up
+with him, I imagine."
+
+"Sure," nodded Correy.
+
+Kincaide glanced sharply at Hendricks, but said nothing. I knew,
+however, that he was thinking just what I was: that my young third
+officer was in for a bad, bad time of it.
+
+Just how bad, I think neither of us guessed.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Liane became a member of the officers' mess on the _Ertak_. She
+occupied Hendricks' stateroom, and, I must confess, with uncommon good
+judgment for a woman, remained there most of the time.
+
+She knew the reason for our mission, but this was one subject we never
+discussed. Nor did we mention the sect of which, according to the
+Chief of Command, she was the head. We did talk freely, when brought
+together at the table, on every other general topic.
+
+Liane was an exceedingly intelligent conversationalist. Her voice was
+fascinating, and her remarks were always to the point. And she was a
+very good listener; she paid flattering attention to the most casual
+remark.
+
+It seemed to me she was particularly gracious to Hendricks. Her
+strangely arresting blue eyes seldom left his face when he was
+speaking, and the greater portion of her remarks seemed addressed to
+him. Naturally, Hendricks responded as a flower responds to the
+warming rays of the sun.
+
+"We'll do well, sir, to keep a weather eye on the youngster," opined
+Correy one morning. (I think I have previously explained that even in
+the unchanging darkness of space, we divided time arbitrarily into
+days and nights). "Unless I'm badly mistaken, Hendricks is falling
+victim to a pair of blue eyes."
+
+"He's young," I shrugged. "We'll be there in two more days, and then
+we'll be rid of her."
+
+"Yes," nodded Correy, "we'll be there in a couple of days. And we'll
+be rid of her, I hope. But--suppose it should be serious, sir?"
+
+"What do you mean?" I asked sharply. I had been thinking, rather
+vaguely, along much the same lines, but to hear it put into words came
+as rather a shock.
+
+"I hope I'm wrong," said Correy very gravely. "But this Liane is an
+unusual woman. When I was his age, I could have slipped rather badly
+myself. Her eyes--that slow smile--they do things to a man.
+
+"At the same time, Liane is supposed to be the head of the thing we're
+to stamp out; you might say the enemy's leader. And it wouldn't be a
+good thing, sir, to have a--a friend of the enemy on board the
+_Ertak_, would it?"
+
+A rebuke rose to my lips, but I checked it. After all, Correy had no
+more than put into words some fears which had been harassing me.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+A traitor--in the Service? Perhaps you won't be able to understand
+just what that thought meant to those of us who wore the Blue and
+Silver in those days. But a traitor was something we had never had. It
+was almost unbelievable that such a thing would ever happen; that it
+could ever happen. And yet older men than Hendricks had thrown honor
+aside at the insistence of women less fascinating than Liane.
+
+I had felt the lure of her personality; there was not one of us on
+board the _Ertak_ who had not. And she had not exercised her wiles on
+any of us save Hendricks; with the shrewdness which had made her the
+leader she was, she had elected to fascinate the youngest, the
+weakest, the most impressionable.
+
+"I'll have a talk with him, Mr. Correy," I said quietly. "Probably it
+isn't necessary; I trust him implicitly, as I am sure you do, and the
+rest of us."
+
+"Certainly, sir," Correy replied hastily, evidently relieved by the
+manner in which I had taken his remarks. "Only, he's very young, sir,
+and Liane is a very fascinating creature."
+
+I kept my promise to Correy the next time Hendricks was on watch.
+
+"We'll be setting down in a couple of days," I commented casually.
+"It'll be good to stretch our legs again, won't it?"
+
+"It certainly will, sir."
+
+"And I imagine that's the last we'll see of our fair stowaway," I
+said, watching him closely.
+
+Hendricks' face flushed and then drained white. With the tip of his
+forefinger he traced meaningless geometrical patterns on the surface
+of the instrument table.
+
+"I imagine so, sir," he replied in a choked voice. And then, suddenly,
+in a voice which shook with released emotion. "Oh, I know what you're
+thinking!" he added. "What you've all been thinking; you, sir, and
+Correy and Kincaide. Probably the men, too, for that matter.
+
+"But it's not so! I want you to believe that, sir. I may be
+impressionable, and certainly she is beautiful and--and terribly
+fascinating; but I'm not quite a fool. I realize she's on the other
+side; that I can't, that I must not, permit myself to care. You--you
+do believe that, sir?"
+
+"Of course, lad!" I put my hand reassuringly on his shoulder; his
+whole body was shaking. "Forget it; forget her as soon as you can.
+None of us have doubted you for an instant; we just--wondered."
+
+"I could see that; I could feel it. And it hurt," said my junior
+officer with shame-faced hesitancy. "But I'll forget her--after she's
+gone."
+
+I let it go at that. After all, it was a rather painful subject for us
+both. The next day it did seem that he treated her with less
+attention; and she noticed it, for I saw the faint shadow of a frown
+form between her perfect brows, and her glance traveled meditatively
+from Hendricks' flushed face to my own.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The next morning, after the first meal of the day, she walked down the
+passage with me, one slim white hand placed gently within the curve of
+my arm.
+
+"Mr. Hendricks," she commented softly, "seems rather distraught the
+last day or so."
+
+"Yes?" I said, smiling to myself, and wondering what was coming next.
+
+"Yes, Commander Hanson." There was just the faintest suggestion of
+steeliness in her voice now. "I fancy you've been giving him good
+advice, and painting me in lurid colors. Do you really think so badly
+of me?" Her hand pressed my arm with warm friendliness; her great blue
+eyes were watching me with beseeching interest.
+
+"I think, Liane," I replied, "that Mr. Hendricks is a very young man."
+
+"And that I am a dangerous woman?" She laughed softly.
+
+"That, at least," I told her, "your interests and ours are not
+identical."
+
+"True," she said coolly, pausing before the door of her stateroom. Her
+hand dropped from my arm, and she drew herself up regally. In the
+bright flow of the ethon tubes overhead she was almost irresistibly
+beautiful. "Our interests are not identical, Commander Hanson. They
+are widely divergent, directly opposed to each other, as a matter of
+fact. And--may I be so bold as to offer you a bit of advice?"
+
+I bowed, saying nothing.
+
+"Then, don't attempt to meddle with things which are more powerful,
+than you and the forces you control. And--don't waste breath on Mr.
+Hendricks. Fair warning!"
+
+Before I could ask for more complete explanation, she had slipped
+inside her stateroom and firmly closed the door.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+We set down on Lakos late that afternoon, close to the city--town,
+rather--of Gio, where those in charge of operations made their
+headquarters. With Liane and Correy, leaving the ship in charge of
+Kincaide, I made my way quickly toward the headquarters building.
+
+We had gone but a few steps when Liane was surrounded by a shouting
+throng of her fellow Lakonians, and with a little mocking wave of a
+white hand, she stepped into a sort of litter which had been rushed to
+the scene, and was carried away.
+
+"For one," commented Correy with a sigh of relief, "I'm glad she's out
+of sight. If I never see her again, it'll be too soon. When do we
+start something?"
+
+"Not until we've talked with Fetter, who's in command here. I have a
+letter for him from the Chief. We'll see what he has to say."
+
+One thing was certain; we could look for no assistance of any kind
+from the natives. They regarded us with bleak scowls, from beneath
+shaggy, lowering brows, our uniforms of blue, with the silver
+ornaments of our service and rank, identifying us clearly.
+
+In the greenish Lakonian twilight, they were sinister figures indeed,
+clothed all alike in short, sleeveless tunics, belted loosely at the
+waist, feet and legs encased in leather buskins reaching nearly to the
+knees, their brown, gnarled limbs and stoop-shouldered postures giving
+them a half-bestial resemblance which was disturbing. Their walk was a
+sort of slow shuffle, which made their long arms dangle, swinging
+disjointedly.
+
+We entered the administration building of gray, dull stone, and were
+ushered immediately into the office of the head of operations.
+
+"Hanson?" he greeted me. "Mighty glad to see you. You too, Correy.
+Terrible hole, this; hope you're not here for long. Sorry I couldn't
+meet you at the ship; got your radio, but couldn't make it.
+Everything's in a jam. Getting worse all the time. And we're
+shorthanded; not half enough men here. Sit down, sit down. Seem good
+to feel firm ground under your feet?"
+
+"Not particularly; your air here isn't as good as the _Ertak's_."
+Correy and I seated ourselves across the desk from the garrulous
+Fetter. "I've a letter here from the Chief; I believe it explains why
+we're here."
+
+"I can guess, I can guess. And none too soon. Things are in terrible
+shape. Terrible." Fetter ripped open the letter and glanced through it
+with harried eyes.
+
+"Right," he nodded. "I'm to help you all I can. Place myself at your
+disposal. What can I do?"
+
+"Tell us what's up," I suggested.
+
+"That would be a long story. I suppose you know something about the
+situation already. Several reports have gone in to Base. What did the
+Chief tell you, Hanson?"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Briefly, I sketched the Chief's report, Fetter nodding every few
+words. When I had finished, he rubbed his long, thin fingers together
+nervously, and stared down, frowning at the littered top of his desk.
+
+"Right as far as he went," he said. "But he didn't go far enough.
+Wanted you to find out for yourself, I suppose.
+
+"Well, there _is_ a secret society working against us here. Sect, I'd
+call it. Undermined the whole inhabited portion of Lakos--which isn't
+a great area, as you know."
+
+"The Chief Priestess is Liane. I believe you said she stowed away on
+the _Ertak_ with you?"
+
+I nodded.
+
+"You're keeping her under guard?" asked Fetter.
+
+"No; under the circumstances, we couldn't. We had no authority, you
+see. A crowd of natives bore her away in triumph."
+
+"Then your work's cut out for you," groaned Fetter. "She's a devil
+incarnate. Beautiful, irresistible, and evil as corruption itself. If
+she's back, I'm afraid there's nothing to be done. We've been sitting
+on a volcano ever since she left. Pressure growing greater every
+instant, it seemed. She's just what's needed to set it off."
+
+"We'll have to take our chances," I commented. "And now; just what is
+the set-up?"
+
+"The Worshipers of the Flame, they call themselves. The membership
+takes in about every male being on Lakos. They meet in the great
+caverns which honeycomb the continent. Ghastly places; I've seen some
+of the smaller ones. Continent was thrust up from the sea in a molten
+state, some scientific chap told me once; these caverns were made by
+great belches of escaping steam or gas. You'll see them.
+
+"She--Liane--and her priests rule solely by terror. The Lakonians are
+naturally just horses" (a draft animal of ancient Earth, now extinct),
+"content to work without thinking. Liane and her crew have made them
+think--just enough to be dangerous. Just what she tells them to think,
+and no more. Disobedient ones are punished by death. Rather a terrible
+death, I gather.
+
+"Well, her chief aim is to stop the production of temite. She wishes
+to bargain with the Council--at her own terms."
+
+"What's her price?" I asked. "What does she want, wealth?"
+
+"No. _Power!_" Fetter leaned forward across the desk, hammering it
+with both fists to emphasize the word, his eyes gleaming from their
+deep sockets. "Power, Hanson, that's what she craves. She's insane on
+the subject. Utterly mad. She lusts after it. You asked her price;
+it's this: a seat in the Council!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+I gasped audibly. A seat in the Council! The Council, composed of the
+wisest heads of the universe, and ruling the universe with absolute
+authority!
+
+"She _is_ mad," I said.
+
+"Crazy," grunted Correy. "Plain crazy. A woman--in the Council!"
+
+Fetter nodded solemnly.
+
+"Mad--crazy--use your own terms," he said. "But that's her price. The
+Chief didn't tell you that, did he? Well, perhaps he didn't know. I
+learned it in a very roundabout way. She'll make the formal demand
+when the time is ripe, never fear. And what's more, unless these
+Worshipers of the Flame are stamped out--_she'll get what she
+demands!_"
+
+"Impossible!"
+
+"Not at all. You know what this place is. Only a Lakonian can stand
+this atmosphere long. No vitality to the light that does come through
+this damned green stuff they breathe for air; and after a few days,
+the acid, metallic tang of it drives you frantic. Never can get used
+to it.
+
+"So the Lakonians have to mine the temite. And the universe must have
+temite, in quantities that can't be supplied from any other source. If
+the Lakonians won't mine it--and they won't, when Liane tells them to
+quit--what will the Council and your Service do about it?"
+
+"Plenty," growled Correy.
+
+"Nothing," contradicted Fetter. "You can kill a man, disintegrate him,
+imprison him, punish him, as you will, but you can't make him work."
+And there that phase of the matter rested.
+
+I asked him a number of questions which I felt would help us to start
+our work properly, and he answered every one of them promptly and
+fully. Evidently, Fetter had given his problem a great deal of
+thought, and had done more than a little intelligent investigating of
+his own.
+
+"If there's anything else I can do to help you," he said as he
+accompanied us to the door, "don't fail to call upon me. And remember
+what I said: trust no one except yourselves. Study each move before
+you make it. These Lakonians are dull-witted, but they'll do whatever
+Liane tells them. And she thinks fast and cunningly!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+We thanked him for his warning, and hurried back to the ship through
+the sickly-green Lakonian dusk. The acrid odor of the atmosphere was
+already beginning to be disagreeable.
+
+"Decent sort of a chap, Fetter," commented Correy. "All wrought up,
+isn't he? Worried stiff."
+
+"I imagine he has cause to be. And--he might have been right in saying
+we should have held Liane: perhaps we could have treated with her in
+some way."
+
+"No chance! Not that lady. When we treat with her, we'll have to have
+the whip hand, utterly and completely."
+
+The heavy outer door of the _Ertak's_ exit was open, but the
+transparent inner door, provided for just such an emergency, was in
+place, forming, in conjunction with a second door, an efficient
+air-lock. The guard saw us coming and, as we came up, had the inner
+door smartly opened, standing at salute as we entered. We returned his
+salute and went up to the navigating room, where I proposed to hold a
+brief council of war, informing Kincaide and Hendricks of what we had
+learned from Fetter, and deciding upon a course of action for the
+following day. Kincaide, whom I had left on watch, was there waiting.
+
+"Well, sir, how do things stack up?" he asked anxiously.
+
+"Not so good. Please ask Mr. Hendricks to report here at once, and
+I'll give you the whole story."
+
+Kincaide pressed the attention signal to Hendricks' room, and waited
+impatiently for a response. There was none.
+
+"Try my room," suggested Correy. "Maybe he hasn't moved back to his
+own quarters yet."
+
+"That's what he said he would be doing," replied Kincaide. But that
+signal too failed to bring any response.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Correy glanced at me, a queer, hurt expression in his eyes.
+
+"Shall I go forward and see if he--if he's ill?" he asked quickly.
+
+"Please do," I said, and as soon as he was gone I turned to the
+microphone and called the sentry on duty at the exit.
+
+"Commander Hanson speaking. Has Mr. Hendricks left the ship?"'
+
+"Yes, sir. Some time ago. The lady came back, saying she had word from
+you; she and Mr. Hendricks left a few minutes later. That was all
+right, sir?"
+
+"Yes," I said, barely able to force the word from between my lips.
+Hendricks ... and Liane? Hendricks ... a traitor? I cut the microphone
+and glanced at Kincaide. He must have read the facts in my eyes.
+
+"He's ... gone, sir?"
+
+"With Liane," I nodded.
+
+The door burst open, and Correy came racing into the room.
+
+"He's not there, sir!" he snapped. "But in his room I found this!"
+
+He held out an envelope, addressed to me. I ripped it open, glanced
+through the hasty, nervous scrawl, and then read it aloud:
+
+     "Sir:
+
+     I am leaving with Liane. I am sorry. It had to be.
+
+                                                   Hendricks."
+
+"That, gentlemen," I said hoarsely, after a long silence, "will make
+the blackest entry ever spread upon the log of the _Ertak_--upon any
+ship of the Service. Let us dismiss this thing from our minds, and
+proceed."
+
+But that was easier, by far, to propose than to accomplish.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+It was late indeed when we finished our deliberations, but the plan
+decided upon was exceedingly simple.
+
+We would simply enforce our authority until we located definite
+resistance; we would then concentrate our efforts upon isolating the
+source of this resistance and overcoming it. That we would find Liane
+at the bottom of our difficulties, we knew perfectly well, but we
+desired to place her in a definite position as an enemy. So far, we
+had nothing against her, no proof of her activities, save the rather
+guarded report of the Chief, and the evidence given us by Fetter.
+
+There were three major continents on Lakos, but only one of them was
+inhabited or habitable, the other two being within the large northern
+polar cap. The activities of The Worshipers of the Flame were centered
+about the chief city of Gio, Fetter had told us, and therefore we were
+in position to start action without delay.
+
+Force of men would avail us nothing, since the entire crew of the
+_Ertak_ would be but a pitiful force compared to the horde Liane could
+muster. Our mission could be accomplished--if, indeed, it could be
+accomplished at all--by the force of whatever authority our position
+commanded, and the outwitting of Liane.
+
+Accordingly, it was decided that, in the emergency, all three of us
+would undertake the task, leaving the ship in charge of Sub-officer
+Scholey, chief of the operating room crew, and a very capable,
+level-headed man. I gave him his final instructions as we left the
+ship, early the next morning:
+
+"Scholey, we are leaving you in a position of unusual responsibility.
+An emergency makes it necessary, or at least desirable, for Mr.
+Correy, Mr. Kincaide and myself to leave the ship. Mr. Hendricks has
+already departed; therefore, the _Ertak_ will be left in your charge.
+
+"Remain here for five days; if we do not return in that time, leave
+for Base, and report the circumstances there. The log will reveal full
+authority for your actions."
+
+"Very well, sir!" He saluted, and we passed through the air-lock which
+protected the _Ertak_ from the unpleasant atmosphere of Lakos, armed
+only with atomic pistols, and carrying condensed rations and menores
+at our belts.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+We went directly to the largest of the mines, the natives regarding us
+with furtive, unfriendly eyes. A great crowd of men were lounging
+around the mouth of the mine, and as we approached, they tightened
+their ranks, as though to block our passage.
+
+"We'll bluff it through," I whispered. "They know the uniform of the
+Service, and they have no leader."
+
+"I'd like to take a swing at one of them," growled Correy. "I don't
+like their looks--not a bit. But just as you say, sir."
+
+Our bluff worked. We marched up to the packed mass as though we had
+not even noticed them, and slowly and unwillingly, they opened a path
+for us, closing in behind us with rather uncomfortable celerity. For a
+moment I regretted we had not taken a landing crew from the _Ertak_.
+
+However, we won through the mouth of the mine without violence, but
+here a huge Lakonian who seemed to be in authority held up his hand
+and blocked our way.
+
+"Let me handle him, sir," said Correy from the corner of his mouth. "I
+understand a little of their language."
+
+"Right," I nodded. "Make it strong!"
+
+Correy stepped forward, his head thrust out truculently, thumbs hooked
+through his belt, his right hand suggestively near his automatic
+pistol. He rapped out something in unpleasant gutturals, and the tall
+Lakonian replied volubly.
+
+"He says it's orders," commented Correy over his shoulder. "Now I'll
+tell him who's giving orders around here!"
+
+He stepped closer to the Lakonian, and spoke with emphatic briefness.
+The Lakonian fell back a step, hesitated, and started to reply. Correy
+stopped him with a single word, and motioned us to follow him. The
+guard watched us doubtfully, and angrily, but he let us pass.
+
+"He told me," explained Correy, "that _she_ had given orders. Didn't
+name her, but we can guess, all right. I told him that if she wished
+to say anything to us, she could do it in person; that we weren't
+afraid of her, of him, or all the Lakonians who ever breathed green
+soup and called it air. He's a simple soul, and easily impressed. So
+we got by."
+
+"Nice work," I commended him. "It's an auspicious start, anyway."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The mouth of the mine was not the usual vertical shaft; as Fetters had
+told us, it was a great ramp, of less than forty-five degrees, leading
+underground, illuminated by jets of greenish flame from metal brackets
+set into the wall at regular intervals, and fed by a never-failing
+interplay of natural gas. The passageway was of varying height and
+width, but nowhere less than three times my height from floor to
+ceiling, and it was broad enough at its narrowest so that ten men
+might have marched easily abreast.
+
+The floor, apparently, had been smoothed by human effort, but for the
+rest, the corridor was, to judge from the evidence, entirely natural
+for the walls of shiny black rock bore no marks of tools.
+
+At intervals, other passages branched off from the main one we were
+following, at greater and less angles, but these were much narrower,
+and had very apparently been hewn in the solid rock. Like the central
+passage, they were utterly deserted.
+
+"We'll be coming out on the other side, pretty soon," commented Correy
+after a steady descent of perhaps twenty minutes. "This tunnel must go
+all the way through. I--what's that?"
+
+We paused and listened. From behind us came a soft, whispering sound,
+the nature of which we could not determine.
+
+"Sounds like the shuffle of many feet, far behind," suggested Kincaide
+gravely.
+
+"Or, more likely, the air rushing around the corners of those smaller
+passages," I suggested. "This is a drafty hole. Or it may be just the
+combined flarings of all these jets of flame."
+
+"Maybe you're right, sir," nodded Correy. "Anyway, we won't worry
+about it until we have to. I guess we just keep on going?"
+
+"That seems to be about all there is to do; we should enter one of the
+big subterranean chambers Fetters mentioned, before long."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+As a matter of fact, it was but a minute or two later, that we turned
+a curve in the corridor and found ourselves looking into a vast open
+space, the roof supported by huge pillars of black stone, and the
+floor littered with rocky debris and mining tools thrown down by
+workmen.
+
+"This is where they take out the temite ore, I imagine," said
+Kincaide, picking up a loose fragment of rock. He pointed to a smudge
+of soft, crumbly gray metal, greasy in appearance, showing on the
+surface of the specimen he had picked up. "That's the stuff, sir,
+that's causing us all this trouble: nearly pure metallic temite." He
+dropped the fragment, looking about curiously. "But where," he added,
+"are the miners?"
+
+"I'm inclined to believe we'll find out before we get back to the
+_Ertak_," said Correy grimly. "Everything's moved along too sweetly;
+trouble's just piling up somewhere."
+
+"That remains to be seen," I commented. "Let's move on, and see what's
+beyond. That looks like a door of some sort, on the far side. Perhaps
+it will lead us to something more interesting."
+
+"I hope it does," growled Correy. "This underground business is
+getting on my nerves!"
+
+It was a door I had seen, a huge slab of light yellow-green metal. I
+paused, my hand on the simple latch.
+
+"Stand to one side," I said softly. "Let's see what happens."
+
+I lifted the latch, and the heavy door opened inward. Cautiously, I
+stared through the portal. Inside was blackness and silence;
+somewhere, in the far distance, I could see two or three tiny
+pin-pricks of green light.
+
+"We'll take a look around, anyway," I said. "Follow me carefully and
+be ready for action. It seems all right, but somehow, I don't like the
+looks of things."
+
+In single file, we passed beyond the massive door, the light from the
+large room outside streaming ahead of us, our shadows long and
+grotesque, moving on the rocky floor ahead of us.
+
+Then, suddenly, I became aware that the path of light ahead of us was
+narrowing. I turned swiftly; the door must be closing!
+
+As I turned, lights roared up all around us, intense light which
+struck at our eyes with almost tangible force. A great shout rose,
+echoing, to a vaulted ceiling. Before we could move or cry out, a
+score of men on either side had pinioned us.
+
+"Damnation!" roared Correy. "If I only had the use of my fists--just
+for a second!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+We were in a great cavern, the largest I have ever beheld. A huge
+bubble, blown in the molten rock by powerful gases from the seething
+interior of the world.
+
+The roof was invisible above our heads, and the floor sloped down
+gently in every direction, toward a central dais, so far away that its
+details were lost to us. From the center of the dais a mighty pillar
+of green flame mounted into the air nearly twenty times the height of
+a man. All around the dais, seated on the sloping floor of the cavern,
+were Lakonians.
+
+There were hundreds of them, thousands of them, and they were as
+silent and motionless as death. They paid no heed to us; they
+crouched, each in his place, and stared at the column of greenish
+flame.
+
+"It was a trap," muttered Kincaide as our captors marched us rapidly
+toward the dais in the center of the huge amphitheater. "They were
+waiting for us; I imagine we have been watched all the time. And we
+walked into the trap exactly like a bunch of schoolboys."
+
+"True--but we've found, I believe, what we wished to find," I told
+him. "This is the meeting place of the Worshipers of the Flame. There,
+I imagine is the Flame itself. And unless I'm badly mistaken, that's
+Liane waiting up there in the center!"
+
+It was Liane. She was seated on a massive, simple throne of the
+greenish-yellow metal, the column of fire rising directly behind her
+like an impossible plume. In a semicircle at her feet, in massive
+chairs made of the odd metal, were perhaps twenty old men, their heads
+crowned with great, unkempt manes of white hair.
+
+And standing beside Liane's throne, at her right hand,
+was--_Hendricks!_
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+His shoulders drooped, his chin rested upon his breast. He was
+wearing, not the blue-and-silver uniform of the Service, but a simple
+tunic of pale green, with buskins of dark green leather, laced with
+black. He did not look up as we were ushered before this impressive
+group, but Liane watched us with smiling interest.
+
+Liane, seated there upon her throne, was not the Liane of those days
+in the _Ertak_. There, she had been scarcely more than a peculiarly
+fascinating young woman with a regal bearing and commanding eyes.
+Here, she was a goddess, terrifyingly beautiful, smiling with her
+lips, yet holding the power of death in the white hands which hung
+gracefully from the massive arms of the throne.
+
+She wore a simple garment of thin, shimmering stuff, diaphanous as
+finest silk. It was black, caught at one shoulder with a flashing
+green stone. The other shoulder was bared, and the black garment was a
+perfect foil for the whiteness of her perfect skin, her amazing blue
+eyes, and the pale gold of her hair.
+
+She lifted one hand in a slight gesture as our conductors paused
+before the dais; they fell away and formed a close cordon behind us.
+
+"We have awaited your coming," she said in her sibilant voice. "And
+you are here."
+
+"We are here," I said sternly, "representing, through our Service, the
+Supreme Council of the universe. What word shall we take back to those
+who sent us?"
+
+Liane smiled, a slow, cruel smile. The pink fingers of one hand tapped
+gently on the carven arm of her throne. The eyes of the semicircle of
+old men watched us with unwavering hatred.
+
+"The word you carry will be a good word," she said slowly. "Liane has
+decided to be gracious--and yet it is well that you have full
+understanding of Liane's power. For while the word Liane shall give
+you to bear back is a good word, still, Liane is but a woman, and
+women have been known to change their minds. Is that not so, Commander
+Hanson?"
+
+"That is so, Liane," I nodded. "And we are glad to hear that your
+wisdom has led you to be gracious."
+
+She leaned forward suddenly, her eyes flashing with anger.
+
+"Mark you, it is not wisdom but a whim of mine which causes me to be
+graciously minded!" she cried. "Think you that Liane is afraid? Look
+about you!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+We turned slowly and cast our eyes about that great gathering. As far
+as the eye could reach, in every direction, was a sea of faces. And as
+we looked, the door through which we had entered this great hall was
+flung open, and a crowd of tiny specks came surging in.
+
+"And still they come, at Liane's command," she laughed. "They are
+those who played, to disarm your suspicions, at blocking your entry to
+this place. They did but follow you, a safe distance behind."
+
+"I thought so," murmured Correy. "Things were going too smoothly. That
+was what we heard, sir."
+
+I nodded, and looked up at Liane.
+
+"You have many followers," I said. "Yet this is but a small world, and
+behind the Council are all the worlds of the universe."
+
+Liane threw back her head and laughed, a soft, tinkling sound that
+rose clearly above the hollow roar of the mighty flame behind her
+throne.
+
+"You speak bravely," she said, "knowing that Liane holds the upper
+hand. Did your Council take armed action against us, we would blow up
+these caverns which are the source of your precious temite, and bury
+it so deeply no force that could live here could extract it in the
+quantities in which the universe needs it.
+
+"But enough of this exchange of sharp words. Liane has already said
+that she is disposed to be gracious. Does that not content you?"
+
+"I will bear back to those who sent me whatever word you have to
+offer; it is not for me to judge its graciousness," I said coolly.
+
+"Then--but first, let me show you how well I rule here," she said. She
+spoke to one of the old men seated at her feet; he arose and
+disappeared in a passage leading from directly beneath the dais.
+
+"You will see, presently, the punishment of Liane," she said
+smilingly. "Liane, Chief Priestess of the Flame, Mother of Life, Giver
+of Death, Most Worshiped of the Worshipers.
+
+"Perhaps you wonder how it came that Liane sits here in judgment upon
+a whole people? Let me tell you, while we await the execution of
+Liane's judgment.
+
+"The father of Liane, and his father before him, back unto those
+remote days of which we have no knowledge, were Chief Priests of the
+Worshipers of the Flame. But they were lacking in ambition, in
+knowledge, and in power. Their followers were but few, and their hands
+were held out in benediction and not in command.
+
+"But the father of Liane had no son; instead he had a daughter, in
+whom was all the wisdom of those who had been the Chief Priests. She
+gathered about her a group of old men, shrewd and cunning, the lesser
+priests and those who would know the feel of power, who were not
+priests. You see them here at the feet of Liane.
+
+"And under Liane's guidance, the ranks of the Worshipers grew, and as
+this power grew, so grew the power of Liane, until the time came when
+no man, no woman, on the face of Lakos, dared question the command of
+the Chief Priestess. And those who would have rebelled, were made to
+feel the power of Liane--as these you see here now."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The old man had reappeared, and behind him were two miserable
+wretches, closely guarded by a dozen armed men. Liane spoke briefly to
+the old man, and then turned to us.
+
+"The first of these is one who has dared to disobey," she explained.
+"He brought out more of the ore than Liane had ordered. Do you hear
+the multitude? They know already what his fate will be."
+
+A long, shuddering whisper had arisen from the thousands of beings
+crouched there in the amphitheater, as the uncouth figure of the
+prisoner was led up a flight of steep, narrow steps to the very base
+of the flame.
+
+Hendricks, still hiding his face from us, bent over Liane and
+whispered something in her ear; she caressed his arm softly, and shook
+her head. Hendricks leaned more heavily against the throne,
+shuddering.
+
+Slowly, the flame was dying, until we could see that it was not a
+solid pillar of fire, but a hollow circle of flame, fed by innumerable
+jets set at the base of a circle of a trifle more than the length of a
+man across.
+
+Into those deadly circles the condemned man was led. His legs were
+bound swiftly, so that he could not move, and the old man stepped back
+quickly.
+
+As though his movement had been a signal, the flames shot up with a
+roar, until they lost themselves far over our heads. As one man, the
+three of us started forward, but the guards hemmed us in instantly.
+
+"Fools!" cried Liane. "Be still! The power of Liane is absolute here."
+
+We stared, fascinated, at the terrible sight. The flame spouted,
+streaks of blue and yellow streaking up from its base. Mercifully, we
+could not see within that encircling wall of fire.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Slowly, the flame died down again. A trap-door opened in the circle,
+and some formless thing dropped out of sight. Liane questioned the
+old man again, her eyes resting upon the other prisoner. The old man
+answered briefly.
+
+"This one spoke against the power of Liane," she explained smilingly.
+"He said Liane was cruel; that she was selfish. He also must feel the
+embrace of the sacred Flame."
+
+I heard, rather than saw, the ghastly drama repeated, for I had bent
+my head, and would not look up. Liane was no woman; she was a fiend.
+And yet for her a trusted officer, a friend, had forsworn his service
+and his comrades. I wondered, as I stood there with bowed head, what
+were the thoughts which must have been passing through Hendricks'
+mind.
+
+"You fear to look upon the punishment of Liane?" the voice of the
+unholy priestess broke in upon my shuddering reverie. "Then you
+understand why her power is absolute; why she is Mother of Life, and
+Giver of Death, throughout all Lakos. And now for the word I promised
+you, a gracious word from one who could be terrible and not gracious,
+were that her whim.
+
+"It has been in the mind of Liane to extend her power, to make for
+herself a place in this Supreme Council of which you speak with so
+much awe and reverence, Commander Hanson. But, by happenchance,
+another whim has seized her."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Liane looked up at Hendricks, smilingly, and took one of his hands in
+hers. It was wonderful how her face softened as he returned, fiercely,
+the pressure of her soft hands.
+
+"I know it will sound strange to your ears," she said in a voice
+almost tender, "but Liane is, after all, a woman, with many, if not
+all, a woman's many weaknesses. And while even in his presence Liane
+will say that her lover was at the beginning looked upon as no more
+than a tool which might further Liane's power, he has won now a place
+in her heart."
+
+I saw Hendricks tremble as she admitted her love, and that portion of
+his face which we could see flushed hotly.
+
+"And so, Liane has elected to give up, at least for the present, the
+place in the Council which she could command. For after all, that
+would be a remote power, lacking in the elements of physical power
+which Liane has over these, her people, and in which she has learned
+to delight.
+
+"So, Commander Hanson, bear to your superiors this word: Liane will
+permit a production of whatever reasonable amount of temite is
+desired. She will remain here with her consort, brooking no
+interference, no changes, no commands from any person or organization.
+Go, now, and take with you the words of Liane!"
+
+I looked up at her gravely, and shook my head.
+
+"We shall go," I said, "and we shall take with us your words. But I
+warn you that the words you have spoken are treason to the universe,
+in that you have defied the Council!"
+
+Liane leaped from her throne, her scarlet lips drawn back against her
+white and gleaming teeth. Her eyes, dilated with anger, blazed down
+upon us almost as hotly as the flame which rose behind her.
+
+"Go! And quickly!" she fairly screamed. "If you have no desire to feel
+the embrace of the sacred Flame, then _go_!"
+
+I bowed silently, and motioned to Correy and Kincaide. Swiftly, we
+made our way down a long aisle, surrounded by motionless figures
+staring unwinkingly at the column of fire, toward the door by which we
+had entered this great chamber.
+
+Behind us, I could hear Liane's clear voice lifted in her own guttural
+language, as she addressed the multitude.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Safely within the _Ertak_, we discussed the morning's adventure over a
+late luncheon.
+
+"I suppose," said Kincaide, "there's nothing left to do but tell
+Fetter as much as seems wise, to reassure him, and then return to Base
+to make our report."
+
+"We'll come back, if we do," growled Correy. "And we'll come back to
+_fight_. The Council won't stand for her attitude."
+
+"Undoubtedly that's true," I admitted. "Still, I believe we should put
+it up to Base, and through Base to the Council, before doing anything
+more. Much, if not all, of what she said was perfectly true."
+
+"It was that," nodded Kincaide. "There were scores, if not hundreds of
+doors leading into that big chamber; I imagine it can be reached,
+underground, from any point on the continent. And those winding
+passages would be simple to defend from any form of invasion."
+
+"But could these Lakonians fight?" asked Correy. "That's what I'd like
+to know. I doubt it. They look like a sleepy, ignorant lot."
+
+"I think they'd fight, to the death, if Liane ordered them to," I
+replied thoughtfully. "Did you notice the way they stared at the
+flame, never moving, never even winking? My idea is that it exercises
+a sort of auto-hypnotic influence over them, which gives Liane just
+the right opportunity to impress her will upon them."
+
+"I wondered about that," Kincaide commented. "I believe you're right,
+sir. Any idea as to when we'll shove off?"
+
+"There's no particular hurry; Fetter will be busy until evening, I
+imagine, so we won't bother him until then. As soon as we've had a
+chat with him, we can start."
+
+"And without Hendricks," said Kincaide, shaking his head sadly. "I
+wonder--"
+
+"If you don't mind, Mr. Kincaide, we won't mention his name on the
+_Ertak_ after this," I interrupted. "I, for one, would rather forget
+him. Wouldn't you?"
+
+"I would, sir, if I could," said Kincaide softly. "But that's not
+easy, is it?"
+
+It wasn't easy. As a matter of fact, it was impossible. I knew I would
+never forget my picture of him, standing there shaken and miserable,
+beside the woman for whom he had disgraced his uniform, hiding his
+head in shame from the eyes of the men he had called comrades, and who
+had called him friend. But to talk of him was morbid.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+It was late in the afternoon when I called Correy and Kincaide to the
+navigating room, where I had spent several hours charting our return
+course.
+
+"I believe, gentlemen," I remarked, "that we can call on Mr. Fetter
+now. I'll ask you to remain in charge of the ship, Mr. Kincaide, while
+Mr. Correy and I--"
+
+An attention signal sounded sharply to interrupt me. I answered it
+instantly.
+
+"Sentry at exit, sir," said an excited voice. "Mr. Hendricks and the
+woman stowaway are here asking for you. They say it is very urgent."
+
+"Bring them both here at once, under guard," I ordered. "Be sure you
+are properly relieved."
+
+"Right, sir!"
+
+I turned to Correy and Kincaide, who were watching me with curious
+eyes. My excitement must have shown upon my face.
+
+"Mr. Hendricks and Liane are at the exit, asking to see me," I
+snapped. "They'll be here in a moment. What do you suppose is in the
+air?"
+
+"Hendricks?" muttered Correy, his face darkening. "It seems to me he
+has a lot of nerve to--"
+
+There was a sharp tap on the door.
+
+"Come!" I ordered quickly. The door opened and Liane, followed by
+Hendricks, hurried into the room.
+
+"That will do," I nodded to the guard who had accompanied them. "You
+may go."
+
+"You wonder why we're here, I suppose?" demanded Liane. "I'll tell
+you, quickly, for every instant is precious."
+
+This was a very different Liane. She was no longer clad in diaphanous
+black; she was wearing a tunic similar to the one she had worn on
+board the _Ertak_, save that this one was torn and soiled. Her lips,
+as she talked, twitched with an insane anger; her amazing eyes were
+like those of a cornered beast of the wilderness.
+
+"My council of wise old men turned against me when I told them my
+plans to marry the man of my choice. They said he was an outsider, an
+enemy, a foreigner. They would have none of him. They demanded that I
+give him to the Flame, and marry one of my own kind. They had not, of
+course, understood what I had said to you there in the great chapel of
+the Flame.
+
+"I defied them. We escaped through a passage which is not known to any
+save myself, and the existence of which my father taught me years ago.
+We are here, but they will guess where we have gone. My old men are
+exciting my people against me--and for that shall all, down to the
+last one, know the embrace of the Flame!" She gritted her teeth on the
+words, her nostrils distended with rage.
+
+"I--I am safe. I can command them; I can make them know my power, and I
+shall. The Flame will have much to feed upon in the days which are to
+come, I promise you. But my beloved would not be safe; at this moment I
+cannot protect him. So I have brought him back. I--I know he ... but I
+will not be weak. I am Liane!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+She faced Hendricks, who had stood there like a graven image, watching
+her. Her arms went about his neck; her lips sought his.
+
+"My beloved!" she whispered. "Liane was but a woman, after all.
+Darling! Good-by!" She kissed him again, and hurried to the door.
+
+"One more thing!" she cried. "I must master them myself. I must show
+them I--I, Liane--am ruler here. You promise? You promise me you will
+not interfere; that you will do nothing?"
+
+"But--"
+
+Liane interrupted me before I could put my objections into words.
+
+"Promise!" she commanded. "There are hundreds, thousands of them! You
+cannot slay them all--and if you did, there would be more. I can bend
+them to my will; they know my power. Promise, or there will be many
+deaths upon your hands!"
+
+"I promise," I said.
+
+"And you--all of you?" she demanded, sweeping Correy and Kincaide with
+her eyes.
+
+"Commander Hanson speaks for us all," nodded Kincaide.
+
+With a last glance at Hendricks, whose eyes had never left her for an
+instant, she was gone.
+
+Hendricks uttered a long, quivering sigh. His face, as he turned to
+us, was ghastly white.
+
+"She's gone," he muttered. "Forever."
+
+"That's exceedingly unfortunate, sir, for you," I replied crisply. "As
+soon as it's perfectly safe, we'll see to it that you depart also."
+
+The sting of my words apparently did not touch him.
+
+"You don't understand," he said dully. "I know what you think, and I
+do not blame you. She came back; you know that.
+
+"'You are coming with me,' she said. 'I care for you. I want you. You
+are coming with me, at once.' I told her I was not; that I loved her,
+but that I could not, would not, go.
+
+"She opened a port and showed me one of her countrymen, standing not
+far away, watching the ship. He held something in his hand.
+
+"'He has one of your hand bombs,' she told me. 'I found it while I
+was hidden and took it with me when I left. If you do not come with
+me, he will throw it against the ship, destroy it, and those within
+it.'
+
+"There was nothing else for me to do. She permitted me to explain no
+more than I did in the note I left. I pleaded with her; did all I
+could. Finally I persuaded her to give you the word she did, there
+before the great flame.
+
+"She brought me back here at the risk of her own life, and, what is
+even more precious to her, her power. In--in her own way, she loves
+me...."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+It was an amazing story; a second or two passed before any of us could
+speak. And then words came, fast and joyous; our friend, our trusted
+fellow-officer had come back to us! I felt as though a great black
+cloud had slid from across the sun.
+
+And then, above our voices, rose a great mutter of sound. We glanced
+at one another, wonderingly. Hendricks was the first to make a move.
+
+"That's the mob!" he said, darting toward the door. We followed him
+swiftly to the exit of the ship, through the air-lock, out into the
+open.
+
+Hendricks had spoken the truth. Liane was walking, very slowly and
+deliberately, her head flung back proudly, toward the city. Coming
+toward her, like a great ragged wave, was a mighty mass of humanity,
+led by capering old men--undoubtedly the lesser priests, who had
+turned against her.
+
+"The portable projectors, sir!" begged Correy excitedly. "A pair of
+them, and that mob--"
+
+"We're bound by our promise," I reminded him. "She's not afraid; her
+power is terrible. I believe she'll win without them. Look!"
+
+Liane had paused. She lifted one hand in a gesture of command, and
+called out to the rabble. Correy translated the whole thing for me
+later.
+
+"Halt!" she cried sharply. "Who moves upon the Chief Priestess of the
+Flame earns the embrace of the Flame!"
+
+The crowd halted, cowering; then the old man shouted to them and
+gestured them onward. With a rush, the front ranks came on.
+
+"So!" Liane called out to them. "You would disobey Liane? Yet even yet
+it is not too late; Liane gives you one chance more. You little know
+the Chief Priestess of the Flame if you think she will tolerate an
+encroachment of her power. Back! Back, I say, or you all shall feel
+the might of Liane!"
+
+Before her tirade the mob faltered, but again the crazed old men led
+them on.
+
+Liane turned, saw us, and made a regal gesture of farewell. From the
+bosom of her tunic she snatched a small black object, and swung it
+high above her head.
+
+"The bomb!" shouted Hendricks. "She has it; she--"
+
+At the very feet of the onrushing crowd the black object struck. There
+was a hollow roar; a blast of thundering air swept us backward to the
+ground.
+
+When we scrambled to our feet, Liane was gone. The relentless mob had
+gone. Where they had been was a great crater of raw earth, strewn with
+ghastly fragments. Far back toward the city a few straggling figures
+ran frantically away from that scene of death.
+
+"Gone!" I said. "Power was a mania, an obsession with her. Even her
+death was a supreme gesture--of power, of authority."
+
+"Liane," Hendricks whispered. "Chief Priestess of the Flame ... Giver
+of Death...."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+With Liane gone, and with her the old men who had tried to snatch her
+power from her hand, and who might have caused us trouble, the
+rebellion of the Lakonians was at an end.
+
+Leaderless, they were helpless, and I believe they were happy in the
+change. Sometimes the old ways are better than the new, and Liane's
+regime had been merciless and rather terrible.
+
+There are many kinds of women: great women, and women with small
+souls; women filled with the spirit of sacrifice; selfish women, good
+women and bad.
+
+And Liane? I leave her for you to judge. She was a woman; classify her
+for yourself.
+
+After all, I am an old man, and perhaps I have forgotten the ways of
+women. I do not wish to judge, on one hand to be called bitter and
+hard, on the other hand to be condemned as soft with advancing age.
+
+I have given you the story of Liane, Chief Priestess of the Flame.
+
+How, you clever and infallible members of this present generation, do
+you judge her?
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Priestess of the Flame, by Sewell Peaslee Wright
+
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