Authentic Science Fiction, No. 23 — page 33: what you’re looking at

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

62 THE SINGING SPHERES haps it is because they rebel at knowing they will never again see their own kind but occupy graves on a far-off planet.”’ “He’s right about that,” said Tubby, fervently. Looking on the bright side—as always—Hartnell suggested we simply had to stay put in our little cave to make a liar of the machine. “These things are supposed to happen pretty «| soon, aren’t they? We could last out a couple of days on the water and oxygen we’ve got left—maybe longer.” “One picture’s come true, anyway,” I said. “If you ask me, another’s in progress right now.” “Oh?” “Those spheres streaming out from the rocks. Don’t you think they’re already searching?” Tubby whistled in dismay, and even Hartnell seemed impressed. “Suppose they find the scout ship? If they fiddle around with force-beams and trip the firing mechanism, we'll never see it again—” Young Hartnell laughed and said I was becoming a regu- lar little ray of sunshine. | Seeing no future in morbid speculations, J turned again to Fuzzy-bubble and Fandar. “If the people rise against Mak- kub, how will they depose him? Has he not guards to pro- tect kim? And is he not the rightful ruler?” “Tt rests with the council,” said Fandar. “A majority against him, voting thrice, can oblige him to relinquish the throne to a new monarch. This is known from our ancient records. And,” he added, bitterly, “it is this department which Makkub has ordered me to turn over in its entirety to the sacrifice.” If ever we had encountered a cunning and malevolent in- telligence, this was it. “There are other things you should know,” I said, slowly. The decision to give this information probably ran counter to the authorities’ ‘“‘no politics” rule, but at the thought of that damned, red, evil sphere I grew inclined to throw the entire Inter-X manual beyond the outer nebule. “In order that none may challenge his authority, Makkub has secretly destroyed all the other red spheres!” The Mattus pulsed powerfully with indescribable sensations of disgust, horror and anguish. “Is such a situation provided for in your archives?” THE SINGING SPHERES 63 It wasn’t. Even in the days of the Wise Ones nobody had — foreseen a time when sacred red spheres might be totally Jacking. | “Now, truly, all is lost!” declared Fandar. “I must hasten to bid our friends wait—” “Even now they prepare to act!” moaned Fuzzy-bubble, desperately. “They will be detected and destroyed!” Vibrations of my bewilderment radiated from the Mattus. “I don’t understand. Surely when the council learn what Makkub has done they will all turn against him—?” “It does not matter now,” said Fuzzy-bubble, hopelessly. “Without Makkub we should have no one. -Kardoon must possess a ruler—and there are no red spheres!” I wondered if, after all, they were as intelligent as we’d be- lieved, but, taking the charitable view, no one can think of everything. “The counsellors have powers. They can make the decision of voting against the ruler. Why should they not make other decisions concerning the leadership of the people?” Surprisingly enough, this took some time to sink in. Then, at last, they understood, and had they possessed voices the words must have sounded very awed and hushed in: the darkness. “Now we know that the spirit of the Wise Ones is surely with you!” whispered Fuzzy-bubble. “A brave new conception—” Frankly, I couldn’t see what there was to get so excited about in this elementary principle of democracy. “What have you done to ’em, Pop? They seem a bit agitated—” I said it was only a suggestion for a Council of Regency. “Apparently they've never thought of such a thing before.” “Weill, tell °em to spread the glad news instead of wasting time bobbing up and down like that!” I, too, wondered whether the counsellors might not turn against Makkub in a body as soon as they learned of Mak- kub’s horrible manceuvre to consolidate his own power, but hopes were dashed as soon as Fuzzy-bubble and Fandar sighed dolefully in unison. “A noble theory—breath-taking in its imagination—yet it Eomirchooks.co