He need merely go into the presence of the ball and because of his knowledge of its function could attune himself to it.
It could then be mentally controlled from a distance; all its strange power available – for about three days. At some not precisely determinable time on the third day, it would cease to “come” when he “called” it.
Then he would have to visit it while it was in its container and by direct contact reestablish rapport.
It had seemed evident from Tews’ action that the Lord Adviser had not intended to bar him from the equipment. And so the location of the ball in his own Linnan residence under guard had not mattered.
He had not despite his anxieties anticipated a major attack that would capture Linn in one swift assault.
And so the weapon that could end the war was out of his reach, unless he could somehow get to it by cunning means.
He did not yet feel that desperate.
Nor actually were the Linnan forces strong enough to take advantage of a miracle.
Even as in a kind of mental agony he wondered how he would get into Linn, and into his house, he devoted himself to the grim business of training an army as it fought.
There was an old saying in the Linnan army to the effect that, during his first month, a trainee, if put into battle, caused the death of his trained companions. During the second month he hindered retreats made necessary by his presence. And during the third month he was just good enough to get himself killed in the first engagement.
Clane, watching a group of trainees after several weeks of drilling, experienced all the agony of realizing how true the adage was. Learning to fire a bow effectively required complex integration of mind and body. In-fighting with swords had to include the capacity for cooperating with companions. And effective spear fighting was an art in itself.
The plan he outlined that night to the full general staff was an attempt to cover up against the weakness. It was a frank determination to use unfit men as first-line defense troops. He put in a word for the unfit. “Do not overexercise them. Get them out into the open air and simply teach them the first elements of how to use weapons. First bows and arrows, then spears, and finally swords.”
After the meeting, long into the night, he examined reports on the cities of Nouris and Gulf, which had fallen virtually without a fight. As the barbarians attacked, the slaves simply rose up and murdered their masters. A supplementary general-staff report recommended mass execution for all able-bodied male slaves.
The uneasy Clane dispatched messengers to gather commercial and industrial leaders for a morning conference and then unhappily took the slave problem to bed with him.
At ten o’clock he called the meeting to order and told the hundred-odd assembled representative merchants that the army had recommended universal death for male slaves.
His statement caused an immediate uproar.
One man said, “Your excellency, it is impossible. We cannot destroy so much valuable property.”
With two exceptions, that seemed to be the attitude. Both exceptions were young men, one of whom said, “Gentleman, this is a necessary action.”
The other said, “My own feeling is that this crisis makes possible a great progressive act – the end of slavery in Linn.”
Both men were shouted down by enraged merchants.
Clane stepped forward and raised his hand. When he had silence, he began. “There is no time for half-measures. We must adopt one or the other of these alternatives.”
There followed a series of conferences among groups of merchants. Finally a bland spokesman said, “Your excellency, the merchants here present favor promising the slaves freedom.”
For a long moment Clane gazed at his grinning audience, then abruptly turned his back on them and left the room. That afternoon he prepared a special bulletin:
FREEDOM FOR LOYAL SERVANTS
By order of his excellency, Lord Clane Linn, Leader of Linn, temple scientist, beloved of the Atom Gods themselves, it is hereby commanded, and so it shall be forevermore:
GREETINGS to all those good men and women who have quietly and efficiently served the empire in atonement for sins of leaders who rashly led them into hopeless wars against the god-protected Linnan empire – here is the chance of complete freedom that you have earned by your actions and attitudes during the past years.
The empire has been attacked by a cruel and barbarous invader. His reign of terror cannot but be temporary, for invincible forces are gathering against him, An army of a million men is on the way from Mars and Venus, and here on Earth irresistible forces totaling more than two million men are already organizing for battle.
The enemy numbers less than sixty thousand soldiers. To this small army, which gained its initial victory by a surprise and base attack, a few foolish men and women have rashly attached themselves. All the women, unless they are convicted of major crimes,will be spared. For the men who have already gone over to the enemy, there is but one hope: Escape immediately from the barbarian enemy and REPORT TO THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS listed at the bottom of this proclamation. There will be no guards at the camps, but weekly roll calls will be made. And every man whose name appears regularly on these rolls will be granted full freedom when the enemy is defeated.
For hardened recalcitrants the penalty is death.
To those men and women still loyally serving at their appointed tasks, I, Lord Clane, acting Lord Leader of Linn, give the following commands:
All women and children will remain at their present residences, continuing to serve as in the past. All men report to their masters and say, “It is my intention to take advantage of the offer of Lord Clane. Give me a week’s food so that I, too, may report to a concentration camp.”
Having done this, and having received the food, leave at once. DO NOT DELAY A SINGLE HOUR.
If for some reason your master is not at home, take the food and go without permission. No one will hinder you in your departure from the city.
Any man to whom this order applies who is found lurking within any city or town twenty-four hours after this proclamation is posted will be suspected of treasonable intent.
The penalty is death.
Any man who after one week is found within a fiftymile radius of a city will be suspected of treasonable intent.
The penalty is death.
To save yourself, go to a concentration camp and appear regularly for roll call. If the barbarians attack your camp, scatter into the forests and hills and hide, or go to another camp. Adequate food rations will be supplied all camps.
All those of proven loyalty will receive freedom when the war is over. They will immediately have the right to marry. Settlement land will be opened up. After five years citizenship rights, granted alien immigrants, will be available on application.
This is the end of slavery in the Linnan empire.
BE WISE – BE SAFE – BE FREE
It was a document that had its weak points. Before issuing it, Clane spent time arguing its merits to a group of doubtful officers – he ignored the merchants; they were too venal to be considered. He pointed out that it would be impossible to keep secret a general order for mass execution. A majority of the slaves would escape, and then they would really be dangerous. He admitted that the proclamation, though he meant every word of the promise in it, was full of lies. A million slaves in Linn alone had gone over to Czinczar, many of them trained soldiers. Czinczar could use them to garrison any city he might capture and thus have his own army free for battle. It was Morkid, sardonic and scathing, who ended the argument late in the afternoon.
“Gentlemen,” he said, “you do not seem to be aware that our commander-in-chief has at one stroke cut through all our illusions and false hopes, and penetrated straight to the roots of the situation in which we find ourselves. What is clear by the very nature of our discussion is that we have no choice.” His voice went up. “In this period when disaster is so imminent, we are fortunate in having as our leader a genius of the first rank who has already set us on the only military path that can lead to victory.
“Gentlemen” – his voice rang with the tribute – “I give you Lord Clane Linn, acting Lord Leader of Linn.”
The clapping lasted for five minutes.
Clane watched the battle for Goram from a patrol craft that darted from strong point to strong point. Enemy squadrons tried again and again to close in on him, but his own machine was faster and more maneuverable.