The machine was the recent and little-known invention of a Venusian psychologist. It was a far-advanced adaptation of the ancient encephalograph, the device used by Earth scientists as far back as the third decade of the twentieth century to record thought as a varying electrical vibration.
Lana Cain was sitting silent, her eyes closed, but every thought that passed through her mind was being remorselessly translated and spoken aloud by the mechanism above her head, and taken down by the recorder so that it could be studied later at leisure. She could not possibly keep from thinking, and whatever she thought, the psychophone spoke forth.
"M-my father,” the mechanical voice was speaking on as Thorn and his comrades peered incredulously."Wish my father were alive. He would get me out of here. He would—"
"Lana!” Thorn whispered tensely into the cell.
The girl opened her eyes. Their blue depths were wells of utter weariness and hopelessness as she stared at Thorn's face through the grating in the door.
Her face hardened in bitter hatred as she looked at him. She said nothing, but the psychophone's mechanical voice spoke her thoughts.
"Saturnian — hate all Saturnians, now. Green faces peering at me — trying to make me think of Erebus—"
Thorn, for a moment stunned by her bitter reaction, suddenly understood. He and his comrades the green stain on their faces, were still disguised as Saturnians.
"Lana, it's I, John Thorn!” he said hoarsely. “It's the Planeteers!"
Lana stared unbelievingly. Then as she recognized his features, her tired eyes lit with incredulous joy.
"John Thorn?” she whispered. That was all that came from her lips.. But from the psychophone overhead, there sounded her thoughts in that metallic voice.
"John Thorn, I love you! I love you!"
CHAPTER XIII
Dictator of Worlds
THE girl's white face flushed crimson, as the machine over her head blared forth her secret thoughts. Then she raised her gold head and looked at Thorn with brave steadiness.
"I would not have told you, John Thorn.” she whispered. “But since the psychophone has spoken it, I must admit it — I do love you."
Thorn's green-stained face worried, and in the rush of his mingled emotions, it was a moment before he could speak,
"Lana, I love you, too,” he said unsteadily. “I have, since that night of the feast at Turkoon."
"You do?” she whispered, incredulous, wondering joy dawning in her eyes. “You do, John Thorn?"
There was a long moment in which Lana's shining blue eyes clung to his, as he stared through the door-grating. And in that moment, the psychophone attached to the girl was speaking metallically on, stiltedly trying to voice her rush of joyous emotions.
Sual Av stirred restlessly beside Thorn. He and Gunner Welk had listened in silence until now.
"John, we'd better not be lingering here,” the Venusian cautioned.
"Yes, this is no place for love talk,” rumbled Gunner. “God help us if Cheerly catches us here before we get Lana out!"
"Cheerly!” The psychophone spoke the girl's blazing thought as she heard the name. “I hate that traitor!"
"Lana, what have Cheerly and Haskell Trask done to you?” Thorn exclaimed, his face hardening. “Have they harmed you."
"Since they brought me here they've had this attached to me,” Lana said bitterly. “All these days I've sat here trying not to think of the secret of Erebus that they want. And I've known that sooner or later I'd slip and think of it."
Each time Lana spoke, the psychophone was metallically speaking also, voicing the thought behind her words.
"They mustn't get that secret!” she cried. “On the way here I learned by overhearing Cheerly's talk, why they want it. There's a mass of radite on Erebus, and that's what they're after. They plan to use that radite against the Alliance in their coming attack. They intend to make atomic bombs of the radite!"
"Radite bombs?” exclaimed Thorn, his face blanching under its stain. “Good God, one atom bomb charged with that super-powerful stuff would destroy a whole Metropolis!"
"Then that is the terrible new agent of destruction we heard the League was planning!” hissed Gunner Welk. “That is why Haskell Trask is delaying his attack on the Alliance until he gets the radite from Erebus!” Lana exclaimed. “He wants to follow up his expected naval victory by a terrific bombing that will break all the inner world's resistance. That's why I'd rather die then give them the secret of Erebus!"
The girl looked at John Thorn through the grating with pleading earnestness in her worn white face.
"John, I told you I hated Earth for what it had done to my father, that its fate didn't concern me. But when I heard what Trask plans to do to Earth and the other Alliance planets, I realized Earth is still my native world, that I couldn't let that happen.
"And it's your native world, too, John. Even though you Planeteers are outlaws, you're bound to the inner worlds by blood and birth. Just as I am. We mustn't let Trask's plan succeed!"
Now was the moment to explain. “Lana, we Planeteers are not really outlaws at all!” Thorn said eagerly. “We're secret agents of the Alliance, and we're after that radite on Erebus because it can save the Alliance from defeat when the League attacks."
"Then I'll tell you the secret of Erebus!” the girl cried joyfully. “If it means saving the Alliance worlds from conquest, as you say—"
"Hush, Lana! Don't think of it now! Wait!"
Sual Av had been searching the bodies of the two slain guards. The Venusian hastened back now to Thorn's side.
"John, there's no wave-key on those guards,” he reported anxiously. “How are we going to get Lana out?"
"We'll have to break through this cell-door somehow!” Thorn exclaimed urgently.
"Break through an inertrum door?” said Gunner Welk incredulously.
A quick examination of the door justified the big Mercurian's doubt. The heavy inertrum of the door would resist even their atom-pistols. And the wave-lock was wholly invulnerable.
"We've got to get her out somehow!” Thorn cried.
"John, listen to me,” said Lana quickly. “You can't get me out. But you Planeteers can get away, by the way you came. I'll tell you the secret of Erebus, the way to land on that world safely, and you three can get the radite.
"But we can't leave you here, Lana!” Thorn cried desperately. “Just when you and I have found each other—"
"You must!” she declared, her blue eyes bright with purpose. “What is my safety against that of all the inner Worlds?"
"She's right, John,” said Sual Av in a low, strained voice. “God knows I hate to go and leave her here. But remember, we promised the Earth Chairman we'd do anything to get that radite."
"We've got to do it, yes,” muttered Gunner, his huge fists clenched. “But we'll come back, and if they've harmed her—"
John Thorn faced crucial decision, his mind torn by conflicting emotions. His heart throbbed with desperate anxiety for Lana. Yet clear before him came the weary face of the Earth Chairman, telling him the Alliance's last hope was in the Planeteers.
"We'll do it,” Thorn said hoarsely. He could not say more. He could only stare haggardly into Lana's eyes.
"Then listen to the secret of Erebus that my father told me, John!” the girl cried. “It's doom, hideous and ghastly doom, to land anywhere on Erebus except—"
"Listen!” Sual Av cried suddenly. “Someone is coming!"
From beyond the locked door at the end of the short corridor came a sound of voices and approaching footsteps.
"It must be the captain of guards on his inspection!” exclaimed Lana fearfully.