Chapter VI

"Panadur!" Mark Lynn breathed softly as he glanced at the stark grandeur of Europa from one of the glassite ports. It was night. The macabre glow of Jupiter's Red Spot enveloped the satellite in a red opaline haze that made the vari-colored cliffs gleam with twisted flames in deep crimson and orange and purple. Over all, an eternal mantle of snow lay like frozen spume. Mark opened his hand and looked at the jewel he held. It was pulsing now with a fiery radiance.

The great spacer was lying in the cup-shaped hollow of the immense valley, resting on the blanketing snow, just as once before, a tiny cruiser had rested crippled in the fantastic Europan night. But it was different then. Mark remembered his chilling awe at the Dantesque panorama, and his shock when Jim Brannigan had found life on Europa, the strange, exquisitely furred bipeds with slender arms and six-fingered hands. He had thought them animals then, despite the bright intelligence shining in the beryl-eyes of the creatures. But he'd learned differently in time, when Jim had crushed his skull from behind, and the Panadurs had saved him by absorbing Jim's life-energy and transferring it to him while he lay unconscious. That was the miracle, that the metabolism of the Panadurs could absorb energy from any source and transfer it at will. They were telepathic, and their leader had given him the jewel to facilitate communication if Mark ever returned.

It was like the remembrance of a dream, to have the past pass in review through his mind as he methodically donned his allurium suit, and turned on the heating unit.

"I'm going out ... alone," he said firmly to Palanth and Lucero. "I owe the inhabitants of this world a debt, and whether we remain or not, is for them to decide. You see this star-like jewel? That's the Star of Panadur; by concentrating my thoughts, it acts as a sort of transmitting crystal and will make it possible for me to reach the leader of the Panadurs. I will return." He smiled reassuringly into Lucero's distraught face, and Palanth's scowling one.

"Why can't I accompany you?" The Martian growled. "Since when must I be left behind in the face of danger? Am I an old woman, Mark?"

"But there's no danger, Palanth! It's a promise I gave that never, never would I bring any intelligent creature to Panadur without their approval. This world's a treasure house, and the Panadurs are a treasure in themselves, for their fur is finer than anything in the Universe, including Neptune's moons. I know of a vast cavern floored with oxide, and cliffs of pure metal. Europa, or rather, Panadur, is an inexhaustible source of power! It remains with them--the Panadurs, whether we remain or not." He smiled at them again, almost pleadingly, for them to understand, and without another word, stepped through the air-locks and was gone. They could see his tall figure in its gleaming sheath outlined in the unearthly glow until it disappeared in the distance.

* * * * *

Mark Lynn let his mind be passive. Contact with the alien intelligence had been made; the jewel in his hand was now a burst of radiance, as he traversed the valley in the direction of the cavern country, and at last he was before the gigantic mass of cliffs he sought. He entered a low, gallery-like cave that wound downwards into the bowels of the cliff, following the twisting turns as the gallery widened and the luminescent walls became even more luminous, until at the end of a turn a burst of radiance met his eyes and he was once more in the grotto of titanic proportions lighted by the glaucous radiance, like the green light beneath the waters of a shallow sea. At his feet, crystalline and powdery, the entire floor of the grotto was covered by oxide as far as his eyes could see. Mark had the odd sensation of living a part of his life over again. He waited in silence.

Mark knew that thousands of burning beryl eyes were peering at him from concealed openings in the walls; he felt the mental rapport with their leader that was rapidly absorbing from his mind all that could be obtained. The wait was interminable. At last, a silvery-grey, furred being, was before Mark, seemingly having come from nowhere. Its exquisite triangular face, with the wide-set beryl eyes and broad forehead, was startlingly human.

"Greetings, twice come!" the faint shadow of a smile seemed to cross its features as it telepathed the thought. "When your space machine landed, we feared the worst--but we are reassured. Your mind tells me that countless of your kind hover asleep over our world. What would you have us do?"

"Your permission to remain," Mark sent the telepathic reply. And then, in a welling flood of thought, poured out the story of what had happened on Terra, the resettlement of two-thirds of the population on other planets, and finally, their abhorrence of their Terran Government and its methods.

"Allow us, O Panadur, to build a new civilization on your world, a civilization where we may achieve happiness in freedom. We bring over two thousand Space machines laden with everything we can possibly need, and millions of eager beings. We will transform your world into a Paradise such as you have never known. Weather control stations will give Panadur freedom from cold and darkness; cities will be reared in beauty, and to you, we guarantee forever, freedom from attack; for if we do not remain on Panadur, whom the Terrans call Europa, the Council of Terra will never rest until it has been subjugated by its interstellar fleet. Your mines will be ravaged, your people will be enslaved, blood redder than the angry spot of the greater world will flow in rivers."

"And how can you prevent them from doing so, in any event?" the Panadur asked.

* * * * *

"We will make your world impregnable. Each one of the Spacers that brings our people here, will be turned into a fighting cruiser; the minds of the greatest scientists of Terra will be utilized for our advancement ... and, these scientists, five-hundred of them, now asleep, will be delivered into your care as hostages, together with fifteen robots, placed under your command. We will ensure your safety, in return for your scientific aid. We know you have no tools; even to repair a small rent on my cruiser when I crashed here before, took hundreds and hundreds of your people and the tools I had, plus weeks of work! The result was magnificent, but I know how handicapped you were. My robots will build you machines of power, and we will give you that which you may choose from our ships. In insuring your safety, we ensure ours. One for all, and all for one, O Panadur. Fate has decreed that your world is in danger--shall we join forces?"

"It is true, Terran. We have achieved mental mastery, but we've never conquered our environment. Our hands," he extended fragile, six-fingered hands without thumbs, "are hardly suited to fashion tools. But with machines that create other machines ... and metal beings such as I saw in your mind...." A far away look came into beryl eyes as the Panadur leader paused.

"Let your mind be passive that I may contact and transmit to my people, they must know the entire story."

Mark complied, and instantly, as if a tremendous force had struck him, he reeled in darkness, consciousness fled. He never knew that not far behind him another being fell unconscious also. It was Palanth. The Martian had followed unseen, unwilling to let Mark risk the unknown by himself.

The hours slid in silence under the unchanging luminescence of the primordial cavern, now filled with countless Panadurs in hieratic attitudes.

At last one of the beings stood erect and made a silent motion; waves of pure energy began to course through Mark Lynn and Palanth. But when they awoke, all the Panadurs were gone save their leader. Mark dazedly stretched his long limbs and looked at the Martian uncomprehendingly, then slowly remembrance came.

"So, you did follow me after all? Disobedience of orders in an uncharted world--do you know the penalty imposed by the Council?"

"May the Council swelter in Venus' deepest swamp!" Palanth spat irreverently. "Didn't intend to take chances ... your life's too valuable, O scourge of the Planets!" Under a grandiloquent manner he tried to hide the mixture of bewilderment and awe with which he gazed at the placid Panadur Leader. He still had not quite decided what had happened to him.

The Panadur in turn, gazed inscrutably at the being from Mars, its delicate nose wrinkled slightly at Palanth's mingled fragrances. What went on in the Panadur's prodigious mind was unknown to the two men, for the three-foot tall Leader's mind was not in contact with theirs. The faintest hint of a smile hovered over his placid features. At last he began to send:

"The tragedy of your world, 'twice come' is only less startling than that of your Government--your leaders are a paradox! With a philosophy of achievement they conceal the greatest achievement of all--men of metal to enrich your lives; with the goal of conservation and economy, they waste the most precious of all things--Life! From such a Government, we can expect but destruction.

"Yet, your people reared without controls are dissenters.... I fear they might not accept our guidance, that at some future time their will to power might create an even greater problem to be solved. However, there's no alternative now. We accept the fifteen men of metal, O Terran, but above all we must have the 'Sleeping Ones' whose minds we will study. _We Panadurs must guard against a future paradox._ Your people," he paused and gazed from Mark to Palanth, "may remain."

The mental rapport was broken, and the furred leader disappeared into the depths of the cavern, leaving Mark and Palanth to retrace their steps to the _Stellar Virgin_.

* * * * *

For the first time in her highly-trained life, Lucero felt the full impact of loneliness as the Europan night swallowed Mark and Palanth. At last she chose action rather than endure the atavistic emotions that had begun to grip her. And methodically she flitted silently from compartment to luxurious compartment where the scientists dreamt their drugged sleep. Carefully she scanned their faces and was struck by one overwhelming fact--this was no collection of second rate scientists for the solution of routine problems, but an assemblage of the first order, now inert and helpless in the coma of Vanadol, presided over by a sphinx-like robot.

The last compartment was much larger than the preceding ones, and by far more luxurious; during the previous inspection, Mark, Palanth and herself had had no time to come this far, and the girl was startled at its complex magnificence. Equipped for research work, it was a miracle of scientific devices, from energizing cabinets to a bewildering array of surgical apparatus and tools.

Only one man occupied it, and on the raised dais an immobile robot. But the face that Lucero bent over made her gasp with involuntary fear. It was the face of Verdugo, the infamous cerebral surgeon whose gifted fingers could change an entire ego with a few movements of the atomic scalpel.

The sight of the dreaded scientist in their midst was startling enough, but what made the girl turn ashen was the sudden flutter of the surgeon's lids. A painful groan came from his lips, as he trembled and opened his eyes. The sight of Lucero bending over him seemed to reassure him, for he smiled faintly.

Behind Lucero the towering robot glided noiselessly to peer at his awakening master. The girl was unaware it had moved.

"Shall I bring a measure of Thassalian, Master?" The metal man's richly modulated voice rose without the slightest mechanical inflection.

For one shattering instant, the girl felt as if her reason was taking wings. She remained utterly still as if in the grip of paralyzing hysteria. But her training saved her. Slowly she turned and gazed into the strangely human features of the metal giant. At close quarters she noted the smooth beryloid construction of the superb outer shell; the indestructible optics of non-abradable, chemically inert crystal with microscopic adjustments. But most important of all, she sensed that here was a brain which had attained full growth--powerful, experienced and ... organic!

"Yes, bring me some Thassalian, _Alcoran_," the surgeon assented wearily and half-rose from his couch with a sigh. "The sleep-freeze reaction is far worse than I'd anticipated!"

"The antidotes have been given--two antidotes Master!" The super-robot answered instantly.

"Two! For the love of Terra! If it took a double antidote I must have been given a dose big enough for a Hellacorium...."

"Doctor Verdugo," Lucero interrupted purposely, now entirely calm. "There's life ... intelligent life on Europa." She didn't intend that Alcoran should have a chance to disclose what he must have known.

"Yes?" Doctor Verdugo was all attention. "Bring the Thassalian!" He waved an imperious hand at Alcoran, "and don't stand there like an effigy! Must your orders be given twice?" He glared at the robot. "Proceed, Doctor Fortun. Intelligent life ... what's it like?"

"Humanoid, but furred against Europa's eternal cold. They seem to be telepathic!"

"Telepathic.... Remarkable! I must have a specimen without delay. Have my scientists been awakened?"

"We've just arrived, Doctor, they're being given the antidote now," Lucero was once again her coldly efficient self.

"Your Thassalian, Master." Alcoran extended the small glass and waited while the scientist drank, closing his eyes against the ecstasy imparted by the liquor.

"Help me up!" The girl complied stifling a grimace of distaste as his arm encircled her waist. Verdugo stood on his feet with the girl's help, weaving a little, and finally recovered his balance.

"Telepathic ..." he murmured, the light of some fiendish purpose gleaming in the coal black eyes. "Order some of my scientists to secure a specimen immediately, Doctor Fortun!" The girl bowed.

"Master ..." Alcoran's voice was insistent. "You must...."

* * * * *

"Silence! Never use the word 'must' to me, never!" Verdugo had drawn himself to his full height. "Ever since I synthetized his brain, he's got the idea that _he_ owns me! I had to order him not to stir from his seat during the entire voyage ... I wouldn't have had any peace otherwise," he smiled at the girl and waved toward the super-robot. "I synthetized his brain from three of the finest intelligences on Terra!"

"You mean you transferred three brains to Alcoran's helmet?" She asked aghast. "But didn't they retain their memories ... their personalities...?"

"Of course not, my dear. I never do things by halves. And now I must inform the Council we have arrived, and the discovery of life on Europa." He walked toward the immense metal wall and his slender hand reached out to touch a spot. Silently, the huge metal partition rose upwards revealing a hidden alcove in the very center of which, taking up about two-thirds of the available space stood a gigantic machine.

"A Tele-Magnum!" Lucero breathed.

"Alcoran, contact Venus ... the Council Hall," Doctor Verdugo ordered his super-robot. The latter came noiselessly forward. Once seated at the console of the incredibly complex mechanism, his agile finger ran without hesitation over the banked keys, after pressing a master switch that lighted serried ranks of powerful tubes, with an eerie violet light.

"Give my orders to my scientists, Doctor Fortun--it is imperative I have an Europan specimen immediately." Doctor Verdugo made a curious grimace that accentuated the evil expression stamped on his features, then he nodded in dismissal.

With a great effort Lucero quieted her swirling thoughts. She had no doubt but that the super-robot knew about the administration of Vanadol. If Verdugo learned of it, he would instantly report it to the Council, and at least part of the fleet would come to investigate. Against the fleet of Terra they were powerless.

"I'll not deserve this world and freedom if I fail now!" She told herself. White-faced and grim she began to carry out a plan that was slowly growing in her mind out of sheer desperation. Once again she retraced her steps from compartment to compartment, and began motivating each robot, commanding them to administer the sleep-freeze to the men and women in the lower tiers. One robot she left, the one in the compartment next to that of Doctor Verdugo--she had a task for that one.

When all the robots save one had been sent below, she went back and entered the next to the last compartment.

"Arise and come with me," she ordered the robot. "I'm your master, you will obey my orders implicitly." The metal monster stirred, as if some hidden mechanism had come to life at the vibration of her words. It arose on frictionless bearings and stood glittering before her; she opened its breast and inspected the masterly work that had been done on the control panel; its eyes, lit now by the glow of intelligence seemed uncannily human. Lucero knew this specimen didn't possess the Machiavellian intelligence of Alcoran--only Verdugo could accomplish such a satanic piece of work--but it was larger and more powerful than Alcoran, the latter being a specialized product for intricate mental work.

Resolutely Lucero marched to Doctor Verdugo's compartment, followed by the fearful metal servant. The scientist had already completed preparations for a vivisection when the girl entered, and was bending over a multitude of helixes of finest wire of sensitized silver.

An array of electric and atomic-powered instruments from tiny, silver-like scalpels, to razor-sharp saws gleamed on tables at his sides; fulgurants cast ultra-visibility light upon the white-swathed couch where the victim was to be strapped alive. Verdugo did not hear them enter, but Alcoran did! Instantly the super-robot gave a warning cry at the sight of his metal counterpart and stood before the girl and robot like an impassable wall.

"Attack!" Lucero did not waste words. "Destroy it!" She pointed to the slightly crouching Alcoran.