Maza of the Moon (20 page)

The car continued to travel upward on the slender cable until it entered an enormous, cone-shaped shaft more than a mile in diameter at the base, and slanting upward toward a glassed in opening at the top which was about five hundred feet across, and admitted a considerable amount of light to which there was a queer, greenish cast.

Shen Ho, also looking upward, said:

"See, Ted Dustin. Already they are using the great ray against your world."

"I hope and pray that we will be able to prevent them from using it much longer," replied Ted.

"Amen," said the professor fervently.

Although the car was traveling upward in the shaft, which was plainly a volcanic crater, at a terrific rate of speed, Ted chafed impatiently until Shen Ho moved the control lever, gradually bringing it to a stop. He moved another lever and the diamond-shaped door slid upward, revealing a railed landing platform fastened to the side of the crater.

Ted was the first to step out, and as he did so, he saw a party of people not more than fifty feet away on the same platform. Instantly he recognized the slender figure of Maza, still in her shining armor, being dragged along between two burly warriors while P'an-ku walked ahead. They had just stepped out of a car similar to the one in which he and his companions had come up, and P'an-ku, one foot on a winding stairway which led up into the rock, was saying:

"So now, little white Princess, I will show you the conquest of a world, after which you will perhaps not think so ill of me as a prospective husband. At the head of these stairs is my--"

He did not finish the sentence, for Ted, at this instant, blasted the heads from both the warriors who held Maza, with his degravitors, and the sound of their armored bodies clattering to the floor interrupted him.

He whirled, whipping out a green ray projector, but before he could level it, Ted had destroyed it with a flash from one of his degravitors. He could as easily have destroyed his arch enemy then and there, but preferred to take him prisoner.

"Halt!" he commanded, "or--"

The sentence remained unfinished, for P'an-ku, with an alacrity which was astounding for one of his weight and years, had suddenly turned and darted up the winding stairway, disappearing beyond a curve in the wall.

In the meantime, the professor and the three Ho brothers had stepped out on the platform and were gazing at Ted, the Princess, and the two fallen warriors in an effort to understand just what had taken place.

"Guard the Princess," Ted called to them. "I'm going after P'an-ku."

With one terrific leap he landed at the foot of the stairway, then bounded up taking ten steps at a time with ease, momentarily expecting to overtake the yellow monarch around each curve. But P'an-ku had had a good start, and evidently was climbing with a speed far greater than that of which he appeared capable.

At length Ted sighted him, climbing a metal ladder which led upward from a platform at the head of the stairway to a room above which was filled with an intricate array of machinery worked by more than a score of armed men and guarded by an equal number. Just above it the giant green ray flashed out horizontally.

This time it was no part of Ted's intention to waste words on P'an-ku. Deliberately he raised a degravitor and sighted for the bullet head of the monarch.

But before he could press the trigger there was a blinding flash of light, and the monarch, ladder, men, machinery and projector--all disappeared from view as completely as if they had never existed. Then there hove into view the prow of a flying vessel on which was inscribed the word "Luna," and Ted shouted for joy, waving frantically at two figures in the control cabin whom he recognized as Roger and Bevans.

The air where he stood was being rapidly vitiated by its sudden contact with the tenuous atmosphere of the outer surface, but Ted stayed long enough to gesture toward the glazed top of the shaft, patted his degravitor, and then pointed one finger downward. Roger nodded as if he understood, and the Luna started for the glazed opening. Then the young scientist, gasping for breath, plunged down the stairway to the platform where Maza, the professor, and the Ho brothers awaited him.

The Luna had already cut through the glazed top when he arrived, and was descending toward the little group on the platform. She drew alongside, opened a door and admitted them before there was any notable change in the quality of the air.

In the happy reunion that followed, Ted, with his arm around his radiant little Princess, presented each of his friends in turn. Then he said:

"We still have work to do. The army of the Princess is storming the city and, I'm afraid, fighting a losing battle against the globes of P'an-ku."

"We can settle those globes in short order," replied Roger. "After 'em, Bevans! You should have seen what we did to the fleet sent against Ultu."

"What did you do to them?"

"Cleaned 'em out to the last globe," replied Roger.

"Then you saved my city!" exclaimed Maza. "How can I thank you?"

"Don't thank me," replied Roger, "thank Ted. Besides, he's in a better position to collect a reward than I am. Excuse me, please, while I direct the degravitor fire."

Protected by her degravitor barrage, the Luna first descended to a position just above the great docks of P'an-ku, where she made short work of the reserve fleet. Then she rose and circled the city, safe from the menace of either red or green rays, leveling the walls with her keel degravitors while the gunners in the turrets picked off the globes.

Quickly recognizing a friend in the strange and seemingly indestructible craft, the hosts of Ultu cheered, and went into the battle with redoubled vigor. In less than twenty minutes after the Luna had come on the scene, the last globe was destroyed and the city was in the hands of Maza's army.

The Luna stopped in the palace courtyard for several hours, during which time Maza proclaimed Shen Ho Viceroy of Peilong--then proceeded to Ultu, where Ted and his Princess were married in regal magnificence, according to the ancient rites and customs of Maza's people.