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289
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, August 1930
·
Various
183
"I
have
no
fear,"
replied
the
fingers
of
Jaska.
"I
go
to
death
with
you
if
you
wish--or
to
Life!"
Feeling
the
menace
of
the
cubes
almost
gripping
at
his
throat
as
he
got
into
action,
Sarka
unfastened
his
own
clothing,
ripped
the
ovoid
from
his
helmet,
placed
it
in
his
mouth.
Then,
looking
at
Jaska,
he
gave
her
the
signal.
Instantly,
at
her
nod,
he
brought
forth
the
ray
director,
pressed
it
with
his
fingers,
directing
its
muzzle
toward
the
curve
of
the
globe,
swinging
it
around
in
a
circle,
cutting
out
the
bottom
of
the
globe
of
cubes.
The
action
must
have
been
one
of
untold
surprise
to
the
cubes
which
made
up
the
globe,
for
before
anything
could
be
done
to
stay
the
hand
of
Sarka,
his
ray
director
had
cut
out
the
bottom
of
the
globe,
and
Jaska
and
himself,
divested
now
of
all
clothing,
had
fallen
from
the
globe.
Unbearable
heat
slashed
and
tore
at
them.
They
still
held
hands,
and
when
their
feet
touched
upon
something
solid,
they
were
gasping
with
the
unbelievable
heat;
and
it
was
ripping
at
their
lungs
like
talons
of
white
hot
steel.
But,
pausing
not
at
all,
Sarka
raced
ahead
with
Jaska,
and
dived
straight
into
the
lake
of
white
flames.
As
he
dived
he
directed
his
thoughts
toward
the
people
of
the
Gens
who
stood,
undecided,
dying
by
slow
inches,
on
their
little
oases
in
the
lake.
And
this
was
the
thought,
which
was
a
command.
"Plunge
into
the
flames!
They
will
not
hurt
you!
Plunge
in,
and
obey
my
commands,
O
people
of
the
Gens
of
Dalis!
I,
Sarka,
command
that
you
obey
me!
Jaska,
who
commanded
you
at
the
will
of
Dalis,
also
commands.
Gather
with
Jaska
and
me
at
the
base
of
the
Cone!
You
have
but
to
follow
the
converging
of
the
flames!"
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