Part 17 (1/2)

Martin Gunther blurted, ”Or you, Russ?”

Wiss, the Texcocan scientist, held his wrist radio to his mouth and said, ”Come in now.”

d.i.c.k Hawkins thumbed back the hammer of his hand gun.

”Hold it a minute, d.i.c.k,” Barry Watson said. ”I don't like this.” To Taller he rapped, ”What goes on here? Talk up, you're just about a dead man.”

And it was then that they heard the sc.r.a.ping on the outer hull.

The six Earthmen looked at the overhead, dumfounded.

”I suggest you put up your weapons,” Taller said quietly. ”At this late stage I would hate to see further bloodshed.”

In moments they heard the opening and closing of locks and footsteps along the corridor. The door opened and in stepped,

Joe Chessman, Amschel Mayer, Mike Dean, Louis Rosetti, and an emaciated Jerry Kennedy. Their expressions ran the gamut from sheepishness to blank haughtiness.

MacDonald bug-eyed. ”Dean ... Rosetti ... the Temple priests burned you at the stake!”

They grinned at him, shamefaced. ”Guess not,” Dean said. ”We were kidnaped. We've been teaching basic science, in some phony monastery.”

Watson's face was white. ”Joe,” he said.

”Yeah,” Joe Chessman growled. ”You sold me out. But Taller and the Texcocans thought I was still of some use.”

Amschel Mayer snapped, bitterly, ”And now if you fools will put down your stupid guns, we'll make the final arrangements for returning this expedition to Terra City. Personally, I'll be glad to get away!”

Behind the five resurrected Earthmen were a sea of faces representing the foremost figures of both Texcoco and Genoa in every field of endeavor. At least fifty of them in all.

As though protectively, the eleven Earthmen ganged together at the far side of the messtable they'd met over so often.

Martin Gunther, his expression dazed, said, ”I ... I don't--”

Taller resumed his spokesmans.h.i.+p. ”From the first the most progressive elements on both Texcoco and Genoa realized the value of your expedition and have been in fundamental sympathy with the aims the _Pedagogue_ originally had. Primitive life is not idyllic. Until man is free from nature's tyranny and has solved the basic problems of sufficient food, clothing, shelter, medical care and education for all, he is unable to realize himself. So we co-operated with you to the extent we found possible.”