the way, is
something I must take up with the Birth and Educational Bureau. They
must develop some method of speeding growth, even at the cost of mental
development. With your wild forest men getting out of hand this way, we
are going to need greater resources of population, and need them badly.

"But," he continued more lightly, "there seems to be no need for you to
disturb yourself over the prospect at present. It is true you have been
able to resist our psychoanalysts and hypnotists, and so have no value
to us from the viewpoint of military information, but as a philosopher,
you have proved interesting indeed."

He broke off to give his attention to a gorgeously uniformed official
who suddenly appeared on the large viewplate that formed one wall of the
apartment. So perfectly did this mechanism operate, that the man might
have been in the room with us. He made a low obeisance, then rose to his
full height and looked at his ruler with malicious amusement.

"Heaven-Born," he said, "I have the exquisite pain of reporting bad
news."

San-Lan gave him a scathing look. "It will be less unpleasant if I am
not distracted by the sight of you while you report."

At this the man disappeared, and the viewplate once more presented its
normal picture of the mountains north of Lo-Tan; but the voice
continued:

"Heaven-Born, the Nu-Yok fleet has been destroyed, the city is in ruins,
and the newly formed ground brigades, reduced to 10,000 men, have taken
refuge in the hills of Ron-Dak (the Adirondacks) where they are being
pressed hard by the tribesmen, who have surrounded them."

* * * * *

For an instant San-Lan sat as though paralyzed. Then he leaped to his
feet, facing the viewplate.

"Let me see you!" he snarled. Instantly the mountain view disappeared
and the Intelligence Officer appeared again, this time looking a little
frightened.

"Where is Lui-Lok?" he shouted. "Cut him in on my north plate. The
commander who loses his city dies by torture. Cut him in. Cut him in!"

"Heaven-Born, Lui-Lok committed suicide. He leaped into a ray, when the
rockets of the tribesmen began to penetrate the ray-wall. Lip-Hung is in
command of the survivors. We have just had a message from him. We could
not understand all of it. Reception was very weak because he is
operating with emergency apparatus on Bah-Flo power. The Nu-Yok power
broadcast plant has been blown up. Lip-Hung begs for a rescue fleet."