Authentic Science Fiction, No. 23 — page 29: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

54 THE SINGING SPHERES them in rage, but his fury did not reach the expected parox- ysms and I suspected he still had something up his sleeve. How’s it going, Pop?” asked Hartnell. Usually he knows enough not to interrupt during a Mattus session, but it was quite understandable that both he and Tubby were in a state of some suspense. “Rather unpleasant. I'll tell you later. He’s just coming to the worst bit, I think—” | Makkub’s attitude changed swiftly to one of cunning. You have said, O barbarous and clumsy ones, that the pic- tures in the Machine of Revelation do not apply to you. Hear, then—unless you obey my wishes, I will make certain that they do!” He didn’t say any more. At least he paid us the compli- ment of admitting we, too, possessed a certain intelligence. And with that thoroughly disturbing threat he bobbed out again. We talked round and round in circles for a long time, not getting anywhere, and finally fell into an uneasy doze. I re- membered thinking how, up on the surface, that pink sky burnt with the brightness of noon, concentrating its glare on the bare, brown rocks. .We were immured in a stone cell hundreds of feet below ground in:conditions of considerable physical and mental discomfort. I wondered why I’d ever been such a fool as to complain about the warm air and deserts of Kardoon. I’d have given a lot to be back there. U Sitting in the lowest portion of that eggshell-shaped foom, we had formed ourselves into a tripod, leaning back to back, for greater ease. When something grabbed at my ankle I jumped up so speedily that Hartnell and Tubby nearly fell backwards in a heap. | It was Fuzzy-bubble, attracting attention by using the force- beam, and in no small state of agitation. “Come!” he said. ~Makkub has ordered a Grand Assembly—and you must be present!” | _Now what are they up to?” asked Tubby, wearily. ‘In the throne room—where we were before?” asked Hart- nell, curiously. . I suppose so.” I looked at him in suspicion. “You've got something on your mind,” I said, accusingly. “But don’t you see, Pop? It’s the first picture on that THE SINGING SPHERES ‘55 damned machine—first in chronological order, that is—coming true!” | We agreed it wouldn’t be difficult for Makkub to engineer this, however, and decided to reserve judgment. Personally, haunted all the time by that last picture, I was only too pleased to do this. Then Hartnell chuckled and I grew apprehensive. “Look here—” “All right, all right, Pop. Only an idea—” “I’ve known your ideas in the past—” “T wonder whether your pal Makkub hasn’t over-reached himself—” If he had I didn’t see how. ‘“‘What’s going to be the reaction if you suddenly said your piece in the middle of that ceremonial flim-flam in the Great Halls and told ’em how he’d had all the heirs to the throne knocked off?” I couldn’t believe my ears. “Me? Me—tell ’em that?” “Why not?” He assumed that bland, child-like innocence which invariably accompanies his more outrageous sugges- tions. “Lots of reasons. First, I’d probably be worked on by force-beams as soon as I opened my mouth, and dropped in little pieces all over the hall. Secondly, there’s the regula- tions—” Although Inter-X parties are occasionally out of direct touch with the controller—and consequently immune from his guidance and instructions—the most, complete accounting 1S called for on return to the parent ship. Photographic records are minutely examined, specimens checked and all occur- rences—together with reasons for action taken—included in a written report. This latter, especially, is most strictly studied, and woe betide any squad whose members have infringed the rules. Large volumes of regulations—salient features of which we are supposed to know by heart—have been drawn up in the light of long experience, and I, for one, am prepared to agree that although much red-tape is irksome there’s usually a good reason for it. What Hartnell was getting at, of course, concerned political interference. The very thought of Inter-X men shoving their noses into another planet’s domes- tic affairs always make the powers-that-be go hot under the collar. Whatever conditions we find on an inhabited world, it is our duty merely to inquire and record, lending material ecomilchooks.com