\n
HE officer left to obey. The Air Chief lay back weakly on the couch and rested quietly. He seemed to be summoning his last reserves of strength. And Wrane Randall could only wait helplessly for death to come.<\/p>\n
Guards came, took him back to the small hospital where his features had been changed. Orderlies took charge of him. In a moment, he was fastened securely to an operating table, and even though he felt his strength returning, he was helpless.<\/p>\n
He tried to move. His muscles responded, but he was clamped tight. He lay still, haunted by the thought that though he was to die, his body would live on.<\/p>\n
After what seemed hours, the Air Chief was brought in on a stretcher and gently placed on another table. Randall watched from the corners of his eyes, and saw the Air Chief turn to face him. An evil smile gleamed on the discolored face. Randall heard a husking whisper.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou only succeeded in hastening your end,\u201d the Air Chief mocked. \u201cIt is now fifteen minutes to ten, as you Earthlings calculate time. The operation will proceed as soon as Dr. Brophy and Dr. Torvald arrive. I shall have to use him, but three of my guards will remain; and if I do not live\u2014in your body\u2014no one shall leave this room. And the rest of my guards shall wait outside to see that there is no interference. So you needn\u2019t try to comfort yourself that we might both die.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat wouldn\u2019t be any comfort,\u201d Randall replied. He was thinking rapidly. Judging from the manner in which the Air Chief spoke of Dr. Torvald, he didn\u2019t know that both doctors were traitors. And he spoke of men as \u2018Earthlings\u2019! \u201cWhat are you?\u201d Randall asked. \u201cYou\u2014your brain . . . that body you said was yours. . . . That wasn\u2019t human!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are mistaken,\u201d the Air Chief chuckled. \u201cI am human\u2014more human than you are. I am from Mars, as were your ancestors. Gradual adaptation over hundreds of thousands of years changed your bodies. I came to Earth a century ago when my last companion died. Mars is a dead world now. But I . . . I have outlived my world!<\/i> I am greater than time! I am greater than all your world! I am greater than the gods! I am the last Martian!\u201d<\/p>\n
RANDALL heard him choke. And from the corners of his eyes he saw the Air Chief\u2019s face twist into an unholy mask of agony. Randall grinned. Now was the time!\u2014if he could kill this monster, even though he himself died only a short time later.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve lived a long time,\u201d he taunted, \u201cbut only to die now. Dr. Brophy is a traitor to you, a scientist who cares for nothing but the privilege of unhampered research. So you made an enemy of him. But Dr. Torvald is the man you should fear!\u201d Randall saw the Air Chief stiffen. The gray face turned to face him, eyes horribly alive with an alien intelligence.<\/p>\n
They heard the door open, but the Air Chief\u2019s eyes remained fastened on Randall. Suddenly Randall feared that he had delayed too long. A number of people were entering. He heard the door close again.<\/p>\n
\u201cDr. Torvald is the man you should fear!\u201d he shouted at the Air Chief. \u201cHe is an Irredentist! All he desires is your death, and it won\u2019t matter to him if he has to die!\u201d<\/p>\n
Randall heard a curse from the group near the door. It sounded like Torvald. But he was watching the Air Chief. As he had hoped, the information was too much for the Air Chief\u2019s weak heart. The man stiffened spasmodically, quivered.<\/p>\n
One of the guards ran to the Air Chief\u2019s side with a curse, then turned back to the two doctors.<\/p>\n
\u201cHurry! Damn you! Hurry! Maybe you can<\/p>\n
change his brain to this other body yet!\u201d<\/p>\n
Randall saw the two doctors go to the Air Chief. Brophy lifted the lifeless hand. And as he waited, Randall wondered if the other guards had remained at the door. Then he felt a touch and rolled his eyes to see.<\/p>\n
Patricia Holden was standing beside him. She slipped something into his hand. It was a gun! He heard a muffled click and the clamps were loose.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo whatever you think best,\u201d Pat said softly. \u201cI couldn\u2019t see them go on.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pistol lay comfortingly in his hand. Its heaviness balanced a lot of trouble from his mind. Once more he felt himself a firm believer in the adage, \u201cIf you want a thing done right, do it yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re a regular arsenal, baby,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the Air Chief\u2019s own pistol,\u201d she replied hastily. \u201cI stole it from his clothes.\u201d<\/p>\n
He motioned her to step away from him, to get out of danger, but she lingered at his side. Randall looked at the others by turning his head slowly. There were two guards at the doorway and one with the doctors. It would take two shots.<\/p>\n
Dr. Brophy dropped the Air Chief\u2019s hand. It struck the table at the side of the lifeless body with a soft thump.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is too late,\u201d he said. \u201cCirculation has stopped. Before we could be half through, most of the delicate brain cells would be dead.\u201d<\/p>\n
Torvald smiled happily and glanced at Pat Holden. Then he frowned that she didn\u2019t seem happy. The guard at the doctors\u2019 side glanced at his fellows near the door. He nodded.<\/p>\n
Their hands went to their pistols. Randall decided to take them first, even though the third guard would probably get him. He reached up, sent Pat reeling across the room and out of danger, then he rolled off the table to his feet as he shot at the men near the door.<\/p>\n
The weapon in his hand merely hummed, but the men went down like rag dolls. And as their pistols clattered on the floor, he swept his own weapon toward the remaining guard and the two doctors.<\/p>\n
The guard was struggling to draw his gun, but Dr. Brophy fought silently and efficiently. Randall\u2019s pistol swept over him and Brophy slumped. The guard brought his pistol out of the holster, lifted it, then he too went down. A moment later Torvald fell like a northern pine. His shoulder struck the operating table on which the dead Air Chief lay, and they crashed to the floor.<\/p>\n
Randall covered the door and waited. If the crash had been heard, the guards would be streaming in.<\/p>\n
Evidently the sound hadn\u2019t reached them. The door remained closed. Pat was climbing to her feet, frightened and resentful of his harsh treatment.<\/p>\n
\u201cGet their arms,\u201d Randall said, then was suddenly acutely conscious of his unclothed state. He snatched up the sheet from the floor where it had fallen, and draped it over his shoulders.<\/p>\n
Pat Holden glanced at him. \u201cYou look like Dr. Torvald,\u201d she jibed.<\/p>\n
Randall looked quickly at the unconscious doctor, half-expecting to see the man chuckle.<\/p>\n
ONE of the guards was struggling to sit up before Pat could collect all the guns. Randall calmly shot the man again, and smiled to see him lay back tiredly and relax.<\/p>\n
Pat brought the guns to the table and stood at his side while they awaited the recovery of the men.<\/p>\n
He looked down at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought you were an Irredentist?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was; but I got to thinking of all the horrible things we do for political reasons and\u2014and I got to wondering if it was worthwhile. I decided it wasn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen did you start wondering?\u201d he asked. \u201cJust after\u2014\u201d She halted, flushing crimson.<\/p>\n
Randall grinned. \u201cSo marrying me would be a horrible thing?\u201d he said. \u201cI feel sorry for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
She kept her head averted as he moved toward her. Then she pointed to the door. \u201cLook! He\u2019s coming out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Randall covered the guard with the pistol.<\/p>\n
\u201cGet up!\u201d he ordered.<\/p>\n
The guard looked around for his gun, then got slowly to his feet. Randall motioned to the table. \u201cYou won\u2019t need it,\u201d he assured.<\/p>\n
The two doctors and the guard in the second group shot down, were reviving and Randall forced them into a line. There was a short wait for the third man to revive, then Randall cleared his throat.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m only a rocketman,\u201d he said, \u201cbut after seeing a few of you fellows who are supposed to have brains, I think I\u2019m pretty good in that line too. I\u2019m top dog now, and I intend to stay on top. You poor morons who are all brains haven\u2019t got sense enough to run things, so I\u2019m taking over.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou, Dr. Brophy, would have a Science Board of Three to rule the world. I\u2019m not denying that they couldn\u2019t. But it wouldn\u2019t be much of a world when they got started. Haven\u2019t you any respect for a thing called liberty, or pursuit of happiness, to say nothing of life? Shut up! Of course you deny you\u2019d have a machine world. But you would!<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you, Dr. Torvald . . . You are an Irredentist. You want the good old days. You think today with today\u2019s science, but you\u2019re living in the past. Have you ever stopped to think what those good old days were? Sure, some men had more liberty. But all civilization is, is giving up some of the smaller liberties so that you can guarantee everyone the greater ones. Your kind of liberty would be a jungle. The world has gone beyond that. Take your choice! It doesn\u2019t matter which you choose; the fact remains. Remember all the little wars that nations used to have, and the big ones? God! Even the Air Chief was a blessing when you consider them. He wasn\u2019t so bad in some ways. This central authority of Yss has possibilities of lifting the whole world to a new high. He wouldn\u2019t; I will!\u201d<\/p>\n
He stopped to look at them. Then he continued: \u201cRemember, Brophy\u2014there would be no organized science without a central authority. And you, Torvald, remember that there can be no liberty or happiness without some guarantee that the strong guys won\u2019t step all over the weak ones.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou both better quit living in your little ivory towers. You\u2019re a couple of hundred years behind the times. There\u2019s only one way to prevent hell from breaking loose, and that is for all of you to play my game. I will take the place of the Air Chief and be the central authority\u2014call it the executive branch. Maybe we can make it elective afterwards!<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, Brophy\u2014there will be science, organized science. And we will give most of the results to the world, not hide them. We will only keep that knowledge we need to keep Yss in control\u2014by force, if necessary.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you, Torvald\u2014you and others like you will be sent out into the world to organize elections. For a certain number of people\u2014say, ten million\u2014 there will be one representative in the worldlawmaking body. And a judicial will be elected. Well? . . . What is your answer?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow are you going to do all this?\u201d growled Brophy.<\/p>\n
\u201cHell, man! I am the Air Chief\u2014as long as I choose to be, and as long as you support me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still they hesitated. Torvald glanced at the guards. \u201cI think we could trust you. If not, we can pull you down. Your intelligence isn\u2019t as great as the Air Chief\u2019s. You\u2019re vulnerable. It is agreeable to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd me,\u201d echoed Brophy.<\/p>\n
They looked to the guards. The guards hesitated. No one seemed willing to speak.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe could kill them,\u201d said Randall and smiled when Pat\u2019s hand gripped his arm, \u201cbut those outside would do the same to us, if we come out without them. Right?\u201d he asked, turning to them.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight,\u201d agreed one of them. \u201cOrders were that we come out of here with the Air Chief in his new body, or that they shoot us down.\u201d<\/p>\n
TORVALD started to speak, but Randall waved him to silence. Then he faced the guard who<\/p>\n
had spoken.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t give you anything you haven\u2019t always had,\u201d he admitted. \u201cYou\u2019ve always had your jobs and your paydays. You\u2019ve always been able to go out and blow your pay on a hell of a time, or have a family and raise that family as you wanted to. Sure, I know that. That\u2019s called liberty. You have it now, but there are millions like you that haven\u2019t. We all have a chance at liberty and a new world, and you will not lose what you already have. You will be giving others liberty like that. Are you going to pass up that chance?<\/p>\n
\u201cOr are we all going to leave this room together and consider, and make others consider, the operation was a complete success\u2014only one of the patients died? It is up to you . . . Take your choice.<\/p>\n
But do it quickly.\u201d The guards looked at one another.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s better than dying.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s give it a whirl.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay with me. I got a kid brother who couldn\u2019t make the guards.\u201d<\/p>\n
Randall straightened. He felt taller without the strain of doubt. \u201cThen it\u2019s settled,\u201d he said, starting toward the door. \u201cLet\u2019s go!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWait a minute!\u201d said Dr. Brophy. \u201cWe\u2019re good surgeons here, but our patients don\u2019t get up and walk away from us after a brain transplantation. You have to be sick for awhile, and there will have to be a scar.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is easily fixed,\u201d said Torvald tersely and the guards grinned.<\/p>\n
Wrane Randall stepped back, unwilling, but he was greatly overruled. In a moment he found himself lying on the table again. Patricia Holden was standing near his head, ready for business and smiling with enjoyment. He looked up at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a bad habit you\u2019re forming,\u201d she advised unsympathetically.<\/p>\n
Randall glared at her as Torvald approached flushing. \u201cWell,\u201d he advised, \u201cyou better start with the anaesthetic. running now, because while my intentions are<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you remember what I said about doing my strictly honorable, I think I\u2019ll start off with a good own chasing?\u201d Randall asked her, and she nodded, spanking.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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