The young men of the Hill City were assembling into an organized army. Nearly a thousand girls were ready volunteers. With Tama's return, they hailed her as their acknovyledged leader.

The Hill City arsenal and workshops were a confusion of activity. The hand weapons, the defensive armaments, bombs and rockets, giant projectors of the deadly heat-rayall were hastily being assembled. Flying platforms were armed; girls were assigned to fly them and armed young men to ride them.

Three day-cycles passed. Dorrek and his barbarians were still in the distant mountains. Little news of them was obtainable, save that they were there. Jimmy's leg had been set by skilled Sfirgeons in the Hill City. He could not walk; but he could tide a flying platform, and he chose it rather than be in the Cube. Roc's strength had fully returned. He had earnestly and faithfully helped in the busy activities of those three days; urged by Tama, the Hill City officials had accepted him.

In the half-light of a gray noonday, led by the Flying Cube, with Tama and her girls winging in orderly formation behind ita group of armored flying platforms among them and on the ground a low queue of young men winding slowly out into the metal desertthis strange army of the Light Country went forth to battle.

XI MOUNTAIN STRONGHOLD "BUT, MTJTA, I do not love him. That's absurd." Rowena gathered the long brown dressing gown more closely around her, pulled her brown braided hair from her face and gazed earnestly at the stolid Cold Country woman.

"Don't you understand me, Muta? I wish you no harm.

I hate your Dorrekl" She lowered her voice; gazed furtively around the small room of the silver ball in which momentarily she and Muta were alone. "I want only to escapeget away from him. Can't you understand me? You speak enough English for that, don't you?"

"Yes, I understand you. But you tellno truth. A lie."

"No-it is not!"

"Because you are beautifulbighe loves"

"But I can't help that, Muta. Don't you believe me?"

"No."

"But you must. You tried to kill me. I do not blame you."

"Ah-"

"No. Wait! I do not blame you, because you were jealousyou thought you had causeand you love Dorrek." The woman's eyes were smoldering. "I lovehe my man all my life since little girl. And I loveand for himfor him I workalways."

"I know. I can understand." Rowena put a hand on her arm. "Sit down, Muta. You think we can be alone here for a little while?"

"Yes. It may be."

"Then I want you to understand me. " Rowena was gauging her, wondering if she could trust this stolid gray woman.

"You do understand more English than I thought you did, Muta."

"Yes. My man Dorrekhe learn from Roc. Someday conquer Earth, Dorrek say. Englishyour best tongue."

"Muta, if you only would believe I wish you no wrong! You think Dorrek is"

"Every woman love him at once." Rowena laughed gently. "Well, its all right for you to think that. But I do not. Imy friend Jack Dean is" She checked herself. Did she dare tell this woman her real identity? How would Muta react to it? If she would not tell Dorrek Rowena added abruptly, "Jack Dean is my husband."

"Your manmated?"

"Yes." The Cold Country woman stared; whatever her emotion, she repressed it.

"Muta, I tell you this so that you won't be jealous of me.

He is my husband. I love him just as you love Dorrek. And we have never banned you, Muta."

"From me, you took my Dorrek's love."

"I did not. It's absurd, I tell you. Not true. Don't you understand? I have my own man."

"I have Dorrek. But that is nothing to stop him" How often in life humor clings to the skirts of tragedy! Again Rowena smiled gently, and gazing, saw tears springing in the Mercurian woman's eyes.

"Won't you believe me?" said Rowena again.

"Yes." Muta bowed her head, dashed away the tears with the flat of her hand, and raised her face again. "You say like truth. But so beautiful, youand I, now oldtoo much work too long, for beauty" There was a brief silence. The two womenso different, and of different worlds-with a bond of sympathy and understanding come suddenly between them.

Muta said, "If you not love Dorrekstill no difference because he want you, not me. And he real mantake what he want."

"True, Mutathat is the danger of having me here." Rowena lowered her voice. The room corner where they sat was dim, and a distance from the opened interior doorway. The nearby windows showed fading twilight. The ball was flying from the Water City, back toward the mountains of the Cold Country.

I had recovered consciousness after the fight in which Tama, Jimmy and Roc had fallen from the doorway of the ballcome to myself still a prisoner in one of the vehicle's rooms. Bound, this time, with thick, pliable air vines.

Dorrek had visited me. "You not killed?"

"No. It seems not."

"That little man Turk, he killed. And Roc; they fall. Tama, she fly away. I care not." He stood grinning. Huge, burly gray fellow, with his draped gray fura Hun chieftain, by his aspect. A barbarian, stupid in the ways of civilization, yet clever for all that. Dorrek's bullet head, his flat face, his giant stature were barbaric.

But he was something more, this Mercurian leader. He wore a wide leather belt strapped tightly around his heavy middle. Weapons were clipped to it. Weapons, not barbaric, but strangely super-modern.

He had brought his vehicle down by the marshes of the Water City. Had been welcomed by his fellows; had given his orders. We were now in the air again, heading to what destination I had no idea. In the ball now were some twenty of Dorrek's men.

He stood over me. Evidently he was thoroughly pleased with himself and his affairs. Triumphant. He gazed down at me, his massive legs planted wide, his hands on his hips.

And suddenlysave for the belt of electronic weapons1 saw him as a pirate captain of the Spanish Main, regarding a prisoner whom he soon would tire of goading and put to death.

Was that to be my allotted portion? Dorrek said stolidly, "You are left to help me, big man of Earth. I not kill you."

"Thanks," I said. "What are you going to do with me?"

"Roc dead." His smile widened. "I lead the Cold Country now. They start the war too soon. I tell them that just now.

We go back to the Dark Mountains, near my country. I want all my men, my brues. And all my weapons ready.

You understand? We attack again. I talk the English tongue not too bad?" He came and sat cross-legged beside me. Wild thoughts swept me. Where was Rowena? Was she unharmed? I thought of escaping. Sitting as I was so close to him, if I were not so securely tied I could snatch one of those weapons from his belt. Or smash his wide flabby face with a blow of my fist, or crush his thick chest with my encircling grip. I was nearly his own giant size. And no Mercurian in strength and agility could match an Earthman. Wild thoughts He repeated, "I speak English not too bad?" I summoned my wits and smiled back at him. "No. You speak all right."

"I speak better soon. You will teach me, when I master of the Light Country." That brought a measure of relief. He had use for me; and it was obvious I could play on it.

"That should not be hard, Dorrek."

"No. The Mercurian, he learn quick. The memory takes words and holds them. I want your languagemaster it. I have great plans. We build big racegiant people on Mercury. I killwhen I am masterthe little flying virgins. No good. Rebellious, much trouble always. And little Light Country men, like the brother of Tama. He called Toh. You know lump"

"I saw him once on Earth."

"No good for breed new people. Men like you betterlike meand your women." My heart pounded. "Women who cannot fly and be troublesome?" I ventured.

"Yes. Earthwomen. I like them much. Women like this Rowena." I held myself expressionless. "You still have her here, Dorrek?"