“I have heavy duties as regent of the Empire while my brother is helpless, and I may have to postpone that demonstration for a little while,” he told them.
Tu Shal's face grew grave. “Highness, you must not. I tell you that failure to give us this reassurance would strengthen the arguments of those who claim the Disruptor is too dangerous to use. It would turn the wavering parties in our kingdoms toward deserting the Empire.”
Gordon felt trapped. He couldn't let the Empire's vital allies desert. Yet how could he wield the Disruptor?
He might be able to learn more from Jhal Arn about it, he thought desperately. Enough so that he could try to wield the Disruptor in at least this demonstration?
He made his voice stern, determined. “The demonstration will be made at the first possible moment. This is all can say.”
It did not satisfy the worried envoys, he could see. They looked furtively at each other.
“I will report that to the Barons,” said the chubby envoy of Hercules Cluster. The others bowed also, and left.
Hull Burrel gave him no time to reflect on the pressure that this new complication put upon him.
“Vice-Commander Giron on the stereo now, highness Shall I put him through?”
When, a moment later, the image of the Empire naval commander appeared on the stereo-plate, Gordon saw that the towering Centaurian veteran was deeply perturbed.
“Prince Zarth, I wish first to know if I am to remain in command of the fleet or if a new commander is being sent out?”
“You're appointed full Commander, subject only to review by my brother when he resumes his duties,” Gordon said promptly.
Giron showed no elation. “I thank you, highness. But if I am to command the fleet, the situation has reached the point where I must have political information on which to base my strategic plans.”
“What do you mean? What is the situation to which you refer?” Gordon asked.
“Our long-range radar has detected very heavy fleet-movements inside the Cloud,” was the sharp answer. “At least four powerful armadas have left their bases in there and are cruising just inside the northern borders of the Cloud.”
Giron added, “This suggests strongly that the League of Dark Worlds is planning a surprise attack on us in at least two different directions. In view of that possibility, it is imperative that I make my own fleet dispositions quickly.” He flashed on the familiar stereo-map of the galaxy's great swarm of stars, with its zones of colored light that represented the Mid-Galactic Empire and the star-kingdoms, “I've got my main forces strung in three divisions on a line here between Rigel and Orion Nebula, each division self-sufficient in battleships, cruisers, phantoms-and so on. The Fomalhaut contingent is incorporated in our first division.
“This is our prearranged defense plan, but it counts on the Hercules Barons' and the Polaris Kingdom's fleets resisting any attempt to invade through their realms. It also counts on the Lyra, Cygnus and Cassiopeia fleets joining us immediately when we flash the “ready" signal. But are they going to fulfill their engagements? I must know if the allied Kingdoms are going to stand with us, before I make my dispositions.”
Gordon realized the tremendous gravity of the problem that faced Commander Giron far away in that southern void.
“Then you have already sent the “ready” signal to the allied Kingdoms?” he asked.
“I took that responsibility two hours ago, in view of the alarming League fleet movements inside the Cloud,” was Giron's curt answer. “So far, I have had no reply from the star-kingdoms.”
Gordon sensed the crucial nature of the moment. “Give me twenty-four more hours, Commander,” he asked desperately. “I'll try in that time to get positive commitments from the Barons and the Kingdoms.”
“In the meantime, our position here is vulnerable,” rasped the Commander. “I suggest that until we are certain of the Kingdoms' allegiance, we should shift our main forces westward toward Rigel to be in position to counter any stroke through Hercules and Polaris.”
Gordon nodded quickly. “I leave that decision entirely in your hands. I'll contact you the moment that I have positive news.”
Hull Burrel looked at him soberly, as the image of the Commander saluted and vanished.
“Prince Zarth, you'll not get the Kingdoms to stand by their alliance unless you prove to them we can wield the Disruptor!”
“I know,” Gordon muttered. He came to a decision. “I'm going to see if my brother can talk to me.”
He realized now that as the Antarian had said, only a clear demonstration of the Disruptor would hold the wavering Kingdoms.
Could he dare try to wield that mysterious force? He knew something of its operations from what Jhal Arn had explained, but that something was not enough. If he could only learn more.
The physicians were worried and discouraging when he went to Jhal Arn's apartments.
“Prince Zarth, he's under drugs and is not able to talk to anyone. It would strain his strength-”
“I must see him!” Gordon insisted. “The situation demands it.”
He finally had his way but they warned him, “A few minutes is all we can allow, or we must reject all responsibility for whatever may happen.”
Jhal Arn opened drugged, hazed eyes when Gordon bent over him. It took him moments to realize what Gordon was saying.
“Jhal, you must try to understand and answer me!” Gordon begged. “I've got to know more about the operation of the Disruptor. You know I told you how Shorr Kan's brain-scanner made me forget.”
Jhal Arn's voice was a drowsy murmur. “Strange, it made you forget like that. I thought none of us would ever forget, the way every detail was drilled into us when we were boys.”
His whisper trailed weakly, sleepily. “You'll remember it all when you have to, Zarth. The force-cones to be mounted on your ship's prow in a fifty-foot circle, the cables to the transformer follow to the binding-posts of the same color, the power-leads to the generators.”
His murmur became so faint that Gordon had to bend his head close. “Get an exact radar fix on the center of your target area. Balance the directional thrust of the cones by the gauges. Only switch in the release when all six directional thrusts are balanced-”
His voice dribbled slowly away, weaker and weaker until it was inaudible. Gordon desperately tried to arouse him.
“Jhal, don't go out on me I I've got to know more than that.”
But Jhal Arn had subsided into a drugged slumber from which he could not be awakened.
Gordon ran it all over in his mind. He knew a little more than he had before.
The procedure of operating the Disruptor was clear. But that wasn't enough. It was like giving a savage of his own time a pistol and telling him how to pull the trigger. The savage might hold the pistol's muzzle in his own face as he pulled that trigger.
“But I've got to pretend at least that I'm going to demonstrate the thing,” Gordon thought tensely. “That may hold the envoys of the Kingdoms until I can learn more from Jhal Arn.”
He went down with Hull Burrel to that deep-buried level of the palace in which lay the Chamber of the Disruptor.
The Antarian could not enter that corridor of deadly force that was tuned to blast every living being but Jhal Arn and himself. Gordon went in alone, and brought back the brackets for mounting the force-cones.
Hull Burrel looked even at these simple brackets in awe as they took them up through the palace.
By tubeway, he and Hull Burrel sped to the naval spaceport outside Throon. Val Marlann and his men were waiting by the great grim bulk of the Ethne.
Gordon handed over the brackets. “These are to be mounted on the prow of the Ethne so that they will form a circle exactly fifty feet in diameter. You'll also make provision for a heavy power connection to the main drive-generators.”