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The i
Without waiting for the man to finish unsuiting, Broward took the scout out of the port and away towards Mars. He accelerated slowly to one G so that Quiroga would not have difficulty maneuvering. Then, after placing the controls in automatic, he picked up a pistol, and opened the i
He spoke a passable American English. "Where do you intend to take me?"
"Right now you're just going along on the ride," his captor replied. "Sit down in the chair to my left. Here's some stiktite. Wrap it around your ankles so they'll be bound together. Then place your hands behind you, and I'll tape your wrists."
The prisoner did as he was told and presently was bound and seated to Broward's satisfaction. The American then got a flask of water, which Quiroga drank eagerly. After he had enough, he ate the food which Broward spooned from a can and gave to him.
"Nobody's fed me like that since I was a child," remarked Quiroga. "Just now, I feel as helpless as a baby."
"But you're not a baby. I'll remember that. O.K. I'm going to sit down in a moment. When I do, I'll place a stasis field around both our chairs. You know what 'stasis' means in English?"
Quiroga nodded.
"O.K. Watch yourself."
Quirgoa watched the forward visual plate for a while. As if he could not believe it was happening, he said, "You are heading for Mars?"
"I don't plan to land there."
"Then what... ? You plan to missile one of the bases? That will be suicide! Or do you plan on that, too?"
"Do you think I would have bothered to rescue you then?"
"Not unless you are a sadist," Quiroga said, "But you don't act like one."
Broward debated whether or not he should tell the Argentinean what type of bomb he was carrying. After a little thought, he decided against it. The fellow might go mad and do something wild, something to disturb the smooth progress of the ship. If he touched the field, he would be sucked through and spread like a red film all over the interior of the cabin.
"You might as well have left me back there," Quiroga said after a silence. "But I am happy that you did not. At least, I had a drink of water and food. And somebody to talk to, even if he is a Soviet. Death, when it comes, will not find me alone."
"Who knows? It is very possible. I do not hate Americans. My mother was half-American. But the Soviets... !"
"I am a Soviet citizen. Outwardly, at least. Listen! I want to tell you some things, some true things."
Many times, Quiroga opened his mouth to protest, but each time Broward told him harshly to shut up, to wait until he, Broward, was finished. If he did not obey, then he would have his mouth taped.
After half an hour, Broward was through with his narration. Then, he quit talking, fully expecting a rage of denial. But Quiroga, strangely, was silent for some time. When he did speak, his voice had a thoughtful tone and sounded very unsure.
"Howards told us that it was the South Africans who set off the cobalt bombs. At first, he said that they could not really be blamed, that the Axis was too small and too weak to fight the whole world. That the only reason we had not been overrun before was the threat to use the C-bomb if war was waged against us.
"But, once the South Africans had exploded them, we could do nothing but make the best of a very bad
situation. There was still hope for us. Though Earth was dead, it would not always be so. Meanwhile, we could rid the solar system of the evil ones who had started this, exterminate those responsible for this monstrous evil, this sin against man and God. And we could establish a new society on Mars unhindered by enemies without or within."
Broward winced at the latter sentence. It sounded so much like his own words.
"But there was some very carefully guarded talk, hints, that Howards himself had given the order to use the bombs. Also, there were things here and there that one picked up. These didn't mean much when each item was isolated. However, if you put them together, an ugly picture began to form.
"I knew this, but I rejected the idea. Then, we officers and later the noncoms were called into conferences. We were told there was evidence that the Africans were plotting treachery. If they were to get rid of us, then they'd have the solar system all to themselves. It would become a black world or, at least, a brown one. The Africans would, of course, spare the women and have children by them. These lectures, of course, were to prepare us for the attack against our allies. Howards reasoned that we must jump first And we did.
"He also revealed to us what you just related. That is, that he decided to strike the Soviets first. Why? Because he knew definitely from his spies and Soviet traitors that the Soviets were going to smash us. He could not afford to wait It wasn't his fault that the Africans used the C-bomb."
Broward said, slowly, "I never thought of it that way. Perhaps our leaders had pla
"Anyway, don't you see that it doesn't matter who attacked first? My leaders and yours wanted complete domination. Eventually, despite the menace of the cobalt bombs, the Soviet would have tried for a surprise blow."
"I see," Quiroga replied. "But what can we do about it? We're little men, pawns, helpless pieces in a big game."
"You must know men with authority, men who would like to stop this senseless slaughter?"
Quiroga said, "The commandant of the Deimos garrison. He's a good friend and my cousin on my mother's side. He has stated his sentiments so clearly, however, that I'm afraid hell be arrested at any moment"
"Do you think he'd listen to me?" said Broward.
Quiroga turned widening eyes to him. " You must be mad? Do you actually think that my cousin would... ? It's
true he does not believe in this war of extermination. But he is a patriotic man, a brave Argentinean!"
"No, I am not mad. Under ordinary circumstances, I would consider it hopeless to approach him. But I have something with which to bargain. Listen carefully to me, Quiroga. Realize the implications of what I'm about to tell you."
Quiroga listened quietly, but he paled and his face showed horror. Broward finished; Quiroga said, "God! Will you really do that?"
"So far, I haven't a choice. I don't want to, but I must to keep your people from doing the same to mine.. What do you suggest as a way out?"
"I don't know the recognition code for Deimos. Undoubtedly it has been changed since the last time I was there. But if I made a plea, my cousin might listen, he might allow us to land. However, he probably would think it was a Soviet trick."
"Even if he accepted you and your story, things won't be that simple," Broward said. "I have to guard against a trick, too. I can't place my mission in jeopardy. But we'll give your cousin a try... now..."
Things were not that simple. Neither were they so complicated, but it did take time to bring them about. Broward altered course to take him far out and then to bring him in again within radarshadow of the moonlet, where the Martian detectors would not find him. Even so, he was open to detection for a long time. At any moment, he expected his equipment to a