Triplanetary by E. E. (Doc) Smith Read Free Book Online

true angle never occurred to me until just now, while I have been discussing the thing with you. Nor shall I either suspect or accuse, ever. I shall determine, then I shall act."
    "In defiance of me? Of my orders?" the All-Highest demanded, his short temper flaring.
    "Say, rather, in support," the lieutenant shot back, unabashed. "If some one is working on me through my job, what position are you probably already in, without knowing it? Assume that I am right, that these four planets of mine got the way they are because of monkey business inside the Circle. Who would be next? And how sure are you that there isn't something similar, but not so far advanced, already aimed at you? It seems to me that serious thought is in order."
    "Perhaps so ... You may be right ... There have been a few non-conformable items. Taken separately, they did not seem to be of any importance; but together, and considered in this new light ..."
    Thus was borne out the conclusion of the Arisian Elders that the Eddorians would not at that time deduce Arisia; and thus Eddore lost its chance to begin in time the forging of a weapon with which to oppose effectively Arisia's—Civilization's—Galactic Patrol, so soon to come into being.
    If either of the two had been less suspicious, less jealous, less arrogant and domineering, in other words, had not been Eddorians—this History of Civilization might never have been written; or written very differently and by another hand.
    Both were, however, Eddorians.
    2. Arisia
    In the brief interval between the fall of Atlantis and the rise of Rome to the summit of her power, Eukonidor of Arisia had aged scarcely at all. He was still a youth. He was, and would be for many centuries to come, a Watchman. Although his mind was powerful enough to understand the Elders' visualization of the course of Civilization—in fact, he had already made significant progress in his own visualization of the Cosmic All—he was not sufficiently mature to contemplate unmoved the events which, according to all Arisian visualizations, were bound to occur.
    "Your feeling is but natural, Eukonidor." Drounli, the Moulder principally concerned with the planet Tellus, meshed his mind smoothly with that of the young Watchman. "We do not enjoy it ourselves, as you know. It is, however, necessary. In no other way can the ultimate triumph of Civilization be assured."
    "But can nothing be done to alleviate ... ?" Eukonidor paused.
    Drounli waited. "Have you any suggestions to offer?"
    "None," the younger Arisian confessed. "But I thought you, or the Elders, so much older and stronger ... could ..."
    "We can not. Rome will fall. It must be allowed to fall."
    "It will be Nero, then? And we can do nothing?"
    "Nero. We can do little enough. Our forms of flesh—Petronius, Acte, and the others—will do whatever they can; but their powers will be exactly the same as those of other human beings of their time. They must be and will be constrained, since any show of unusual powers, either mental or physical, would be detected instantly and would be far too revealing. On the other hand, Nero—that is, Gharlane of Eddore—will be operating much more freely."
    "Very much so. Practically unhampered, except in purely physical matters. But, if nothing can be done to stop it ... If Nero must be allowed to sow his seeds of ruin ..."
    And upon that cheerless note the conference ended.
    3. Rome
    "But what have you, Livius, or any of us, for that matter, got to live for?" demanded Patroclus the gladiator of his cell-mate. "We are well fed, well kept, well exercised; like horses. But, like horses, we are lower than slaves. Slaves have some freedom of action; most of us have none. We fight—fight whoever or whatever our cursed owners send us against. Those of us who live fight again; but the end is certain and comes soon. I had a wife and children once. So did you. Is there any chance, however slight, that either of us will ever know them again; or learn even