Collected Tales (Jerry eBooks)

by Leslie F Stone

  So might the battle have gone on indefinitely, but for the fact that there appeared to be more of the Earthlings than of the Zoldans, and the range of the thunderbolts was greater than that of the darts used by the women. There were always free troops to be flung from the hovering spheres. Now the women were attempting to make their escape, spreading out in all directions, or else diving into the water and swimming until they were out of range of the thunderbolts, not showing themselves above the water until they believed themselves safe!

  Then about five miles from the scene of the battle appeared the fifth cylinder, which quickly plunged to the water. The sphere that had brought it down hovered close above it, waiting for it to disgorge its warriors. The two cruising scouts that had been searching for the sixth cylinder returned to report to The Mentor that the remaining ship was not to be found. They now dispatched their fighting men into the melee below. But all fight appeared to have left the beaten women, and the Earthlings had to content themselves with capturing as many of the creatures as they could, first stunning them with the thunderbolts and catching them in the air before they struck the water. Others were sweeping down to the water in an effort to retrieve their fellows, who were still struggling in the water, and to pull them out without wetting their own wings. Some of the wounded men in the water had managed to catch one of the amphibians and forced their captives to support them in the water so they would not drown.

  The Strange Voice

  PROFESSOR D’ARCY aboard The Mentor had been watching the whole strange affair through the floor of one of the lounge rooms. More than once he had been convulsed with laughter. He told San Tu Ackwa, who was standing near him, “I doubt that a stranger battle has ever been enacted in the history of creation! Man and Woman in battle, each trying to beat the other, yet each trying to save the other for its own benefit! Each wanting victory, but not wishing to sacrifice the other to gain: its point! Without a doubt we need each other, but whether our people will be willing to accept these strange creatures is a question. Still, I guess these women are beautiful in their own way. But would a man be willing to see his offspring plunging into the ocean for its daily dip?”

  The Japanese had nothing to say in answer to the astronomer. His serious mien revealed that he saw no humor in the other’s levity. D’Arcy felt his disapproval and smiled wryly.

  “Seriously speaking, San,” he observed, “you must admit that there has never been a queerer combat fought. But see, our men are victorious after all!”

  He pointed to the ocean below, where they could see their men rising to the spheres burdened with men and women alike. All fight was gone from the amphibians, who were submitting docilely enough to the capture. D’Arcy arose from his squatting position on the floor and, followed by San Tu Ackwa, went through the corridor that led to the sphere’s entrance. Here were the returning men with their captives, who were carried to the chambers above.

  Commander Ware was in his own quarters, where he greeted the scientists with a smile. “It appears that the victory is ours,” he observed. D’Arcy recounted the enjoyment the battle had brought him.

  “Yet,” said Ware, “we do not know but that reinforcements are on the way. Surely these—these women haven’t shot their entire bow, they will come to succor their defenders! One machine, you know, slipped away. I am waiting now to learn how many casualties we have to report. Then we will search for land.”

  JUST then word was received from the commandants of the spheres to announce that only fifteen men in all were missing. Ware sighed, sorrowful that even these had to be lost. He gave the order for several squads to descend to the spheres on the water to discover whether the men were still living. It was then that the squeal of the radio announced the return of their unknown friend on Venus.

  “Congratulations, friends! It was a pretty fight! However, reinforcements setting out from . . .” but with that the voice halted as though the speaker had been torn from his machine. But the Earthlings ware forewarned. Ware barked his orders for a new formation. Just then the three crippled ships were seen to lift themselves into the air again. Reports came from them announcing that all was well aboard. A great cry went up from the remainder of the fleet when they had seen their fellows once more rise to the air, and again the ships were prepared for battle. The Visual screens showed a half dozen cylinders far off in the distance hurrying to where the Earth ships waited. Ware hesitated no longer. He ordered that the ships be brought down as soon as they came within range!

  But again the shrill whistle of the Venusian broadcaster was to be heard. The now familiar voice was more ringing and exultant than before.

  “Greetings to the valiant Earthlings from Waltia, Queen of the Zoldans!” he cried. “Waltia acknowledges the Victors and expresses a desire for a conference upon the Isle of Xora. She asks that you permit her ships to aid her defeated flyers. You have the word of the Zoldans that you are safe in their midst, and a Zoldan never breaks her word! One ship will guide you to Xora; the others will come to take their ships in tow. Are you agreeable?”

  The Commander signified that he was more than willing to accept Queen Waltia’s terms, and that the six approaching cylinders were to be allowed to draw near unmolested. He asked more of the broadcaster, but the repeated signals on his wavelength brought no answer. There was nothing for them to do but follow the single ship that detached itself from the other vessels and turned about preparatory to leading them to Xora. “We’re in for a strange experience,” Ware smiled.

  “Stranger than fiction,” D’Arcy commented.

  Ware nodded.

  CHAPTER VIII

  Women With Wings!

  AS they followed they saw that the Zoldan ships were grappling the helpless cylinders with long metallic arms that had upon their ends a great circular cup-shaped affair, which acted either through a suction or a magnetic field as it fastened itself to the black sides of the crippled machines and bore them aloft. Burdened so, they could move but slowly and were soon left far behind.

  The navigators turned to their compasses, which upon entering Venus’ gravitational pull had reacted exactly as they had upon Earth, proving that Venus also had her magnetic pole. The compass showed that they were moving in a direction corresponding to east, with a deviation to the south. For three hours they flew over the yellow ocean.

  D’Arcy suggested that the captive women in The Mentor be freed from their quarters for a closer examination, so that they might know more about the women of the planet. In a few minutes a half dozen or so of the scaled creatures were brought forth. They stood a little less than six feet in height, and appeared to be well proportioned. The wings were not half so long as Earthly wings, and were far less powerful for flying. Evidently the Zoldans did not take very long flights. The fact that they were scaled like fish pointed to the fact that they spent a great deal more time in the water. Captive as they were, they appeared very docile, and made no attempts to rebel against their captors; but the manner in which they held themselves, their arrogance of carriage and the pose of their heads showed that they considered the men of Earth an inferior grade of being. Moreover, a certain patience of bearing was evident in their faces, and later D’Arcy attested to the fact that he felt as though they considered him naught but a child who needed some humoring. Only one of the women wore any adornment upon her person, and that was a girdle of a bluish metal incrusted with strange entrancing jewels. No doubt she was a personage, as she held herself aloof from her fellows with the arrogance on her face more marked than in the others.

  Had it not been for the minute scales that covered her face and her head like a cap, she would have been considered beautiful according to Earthly standards. The eyes, which were almost an emerald green, were over-large, and hidden fires seemed to live behind them. Her nose was very small, with nostrils that scarcely appeared against the background of the glistening scales, and her mouth was of tiny proportions, with its edges of the same green color as the eyes! The shape of her face was
almost a perfect oval, and the neck that supported the well-shaped head was slender and well-poised upon the broad shoulders of a swimmer. Her body was slender and deep-chested, and the fact that she was without breasts gave her a rather boyish figure. The most startling feature was the fact that between both her, fingers and her toes there were webbed membranes like those of a duck!

  IT was she of the girdle to whom Commander Ware now addressed himself. And yet from the beginning he had known that they two could not converse unless she had managed to learn something of the Earthly speech from one of the men they had captured from Earth. He did in fact address several remarks to her, but the woman made no attempt to answer, but stared with disdain upon her captor, something like a faint smile wreathing her strange lips.

  “Not a bad-looking creature, at that,” remarked D’Arcy. “Appears to have a great deal of spirit and little respect for the genus Man. Doesn’t even trouble herself to attempt to converse. However, something about the throat and lips tells me that these women are not much given to speech. Perhaps they have no spoken language? The ears are very small and underdeveloped, too—better for receiving sound under water than atop, like the ears of the fish! Fish are not known to make any sound, and unless I miss my guess these Zoldans are the direct descendants from the Teleostomi[5]—in other words, from common every-day fish!”

  As the scientist spoke, the woman turned her eyes upon him, and a smile more gentle than the one she had given Ware was flung to him. Later D’Arcy admitted that he had had the feeling that she had understood his every word; and yet, if she had understood, would her smile have been so kindly?

  Now she was looking about the chamber in which she had been received. Near at hand were the radio and Visual screens, and her eyes lighted brightly as she saw the long shape of the space-flyer of her own people moving ahead. Another screen showed the water that lay below, and beyond and upon both sides the accompanying spheres of the Earthlings. At a desk to one side of the room sat an officer with an array of instruments before him that he was manipulating as he gave directions to the engine rooms and various other parts of the ship. There was no query in her eyes, but understanding and something like admiration too.

  Ware seemed at a loss what to do with his guests, but D’Arcy, who had taken a liking to the strange woman, managed to convey to her that he would enjoy taking her about the flyer on a tour of inspection. She nodded in affirmation to his suggestion and, followed by the other women, they made the trip, D’Arcy pointing out to them whatever he thought would be of interest to women acquainted with the science of space-flying. Ware sighed with relief when they had left the commandant’s quarters.

  On Venus

  THE ship was now nearing what appeared to be a low shoreland, and for two hours they followed it. Nothing was moving on the sandy shores, which were colored a deep shade of orange. It was a desolate-looking country without a living thing to break its monotony. Far inland could be seen several dark splotches of purplish hue, but whether or not these were vegetation they could not tell. Twice they passed what appeared to be small cities, but different from any they had ever seen, cities that appeared to have been constructed of building blocks such as a child plays with. Each block was of the same black material as the Zoldan space-flyers and was set in geometrical arrangements; and in no case were they higher than two levels. Facing the water could be noted a single doorway without another opening to break the smooth walls. And in the cities not a living creature was to be seen, yet the Earthlings had the feeling that they were being watched.

  The sea coast was again left behind. To the east appeared another long coast-line, but they did not follow it but proceeded due south over the water until they sighted a large island. Most of the island was, covered by the black blocks which made a striking contrast against the background of the orange sand. It was in the exact center of the island that they saw a building which differed from the rest of the city. Here, in a square of tremendous proportions, with a black surfacing, was set a large square building and instead of the conventional black it was a snowy white.

  Once more the friendly voice was heard in the radio, ordering the ships to descend to the square in front of the white building. Ware directed their descent and one by one the spheres settled to the ground in rows of three. The Mentor was the last to land and stood facing the single doorway of the white building. The cylinder that had guided them hither was no longer in sight.

  CHAPTER IX

  The Matriarch

  D’ARCY had by this time returned from his tour with the Zoldans. Ware ordered that the women be returned to the quarters set aside for them, and turned to the matter of disembarkment. He and D’Arcy and the two Japanese were the only ones to leave The Mentor. Reaching the surface of the square they saw that it was of a sleek metal and had been laid in a single strip with no expansion strips. With surprise they noted that the building they were facing was transparent, and that every article within was clearly visible from the square! The black buildings also were found to be transparent, but their color made this feature less apparent, and figures within could barely be discerned.

  There was a greats deal of movement within the Palace of Queen Waltia, where figures moving back and forth or standing near the walls peered out upon the strange vessels of the victorious Earthlings. Then from the doorway came a small band of women preceded by one who towered above the others by almost six inches. Weird they were, with their strange scaly covering and their narrow scaled wings. Almost fantastic they seemed to the Earthlings.

  All of the twenty women were ornamented with girdles of different designs, vying with each other in splendor. The girdle of the foremost one was an exquisite bit of workmanship entirely covered by jewels of all shapes and colors, many of which were hues never seen in precious stones upon Earth. The woman herself was a striking creature, statuesque and beautifully proportioned, with a face that appeared chiseled from living stone. Her eyes of emerald, however, were almost too large for beauty, and her mouth was uncommonly small.

  She came to a halt with her party within ten feet of the group awaiting her, and stood there quietly without a word, surveying them as they surveyed her. It was then that the Earthlings perceived that in her retinue there was a familiar figure, one of their own race!

  At a motion from the Queen—for she was indeed Waltia—the Earthling detached himself from the group and, after extending his left arm toward the woman in some manner of salute, addressed his fellow-men.

  “The Matriarch extends her greeting and her good-will to the people of Earth,” he declared. “She wishes to express her deep admiration for men who have so bravely attacked her formidable craft. And she observes that it is indeed surprising to her that beings of our sex show great courage as well as such an array of scientific knowledge. She feels that after all, even though you be men, she need not be shamed by your victory over her warriors, for you are undoubtedly people of great accomplishment!”

  THE last was said with a broad smile which the Matriarch, as the interpreter saw fit to call her, did not see, since he was facing his fellow-men.

  Ware could not help but smile with him. “We of Earth, on the other hand,” observed the Commander, “are equally surprised to learn that Queen Waltia has such a poor opinion of our sex. We are also astounded that the female of the species has proven such a worthy foe to the Lords of Creation!” He said this with a little smirk he could not keep from his lips. It had been many centuries since men had used those terms, but he felt that the occasion called for them.

  Turning to the queen, the interpreter began in a strange humming tone to explain what the commander had said. They saw the smile play upon the woman’s lips. She, too, recognized the irony of his remarks. Then she took a step forward and extended her right hand to Ware. The Earthling had no doubt demonstrated to her the Earthly manner of salute. The Commander stepped forward and took her hand in his. If lie had expected to find her flesh cold to his touch he was mistaken, for it was warm and
vibrant with health, and her clasp was hearty.

  With that done, she turned to the Earthling at her side and the same humming sound that had come to his lips now slipped from hers. He interpreted her words: “Her majesty suggests that perhaps it would be well for you to permit your men to descend from their cramped quarters. There is nothing to fear, as she has given her word guaranteeing their safety. They are given the freedom of the planet!”

  Nodding, Ware turned to The Mentor and waved an arm. Immediately one of his officers appeared and the order was given for the men to land.

  “We are holding approximately three thousand women captive,” he advised the Queen’s interpreter, “and I would prefer to keep them prisoners until we learn what terms we may reach with the Matriarch. I trust she will be agreeable to that condition?”

  The other nodded. “Her majesty is aware of the fact that you retain her fellow-women until suitable terms can be made.” He answered without bothering to address the queen.

  Kiter Explains

  NOW, one by one, the spheres were being emptied of their crews. In each, a small detail of men were to be left to guard the women. The men quickly fell into formation and stood at attention awaiting the next command of their leader. Ware gave the order for them to relax, while he looked for instructions from the queen’s interpreter.