a world that shall be the
dreariest in all the Universe!"

The Sarkas whirled as soft laughter came from Jaska, daughter of Cleric.
Strange, lilting laughter. They turned in time to see her vanish through
the Exit Dome; but for a long moment her jeering laughter seemed to
sound in the laboratory she had left-and, to judge by her laughter, had
betrayed! For Dalis, arch-traitor, echoed her laughter!

CHAPTER VI

_The Beryls in Tune_

"Remember," said Dalis, as the Beryl began to revolve and its humming
mounted moment by moment to normal, "that you must concur in whatever I
say to the people of the Earth--for if you do not, I swear that I will
destroy this Master Beryl! Then what happens to your scheme, Sarka the
Third? You see, there is no change in the plans, save one: I am the
master, not you!"

Dalis was not a madman, for the world conceded him place in its list of
geniuses next below the three Sarkas, which was high honor indeed; but
Dalis possessed in abundance that most universal of all human
emotions--jealousy. For centuries he had been nursing it, watching the
Sarkas always in the niches just above him, yet never being able to
attain to their eminence. Now....

He had outwitted them. It might be for a moment only, but while his
mastery lasted he would drink deeply of personal satisfaction. Now,
however, there was no gloating in his face, for he realized, as Sarka
had realized, the infinite gravity of the whole situation. If a mistake
were made, the world would plunge to destruction--or go cooling forever
in a headlong race through space.

"I keep the Ray Director hidden," he whispered, while the murmuring of
the Master Beryl mounted as it gained speed again, "but know you,
Sarkas, that its muzzle points at the Master Beryl, always!"

* * * * *

Now the forms of Earth were appearing on the Beryl. Men in countless
hordes were maneuvering in myriads, legions and armies, across the face
of the globe. There was no marching, but an effortless, swift as light
almost, aerial maneuvering. For each human being possessed the
tight-fitting metalized cloth, with the gleaming helmet in whose
skull-pan was the Anti-Gravitational Ovoid, which was the "outside"
garment of earthlings. With the Ovoid sitting exactly against the skull,
man had but to will himself in any direction, at any livable height, and
the action took place. In the same way, one man, to whom others in an
organization