"Kueelo. You have not been very observant."
Tal Horan whirled for the door, but a dozen Phobians had entered silently to bar the way. Tal lashed out at them, and three went down before his pile-driver fists before the others brought him back, struggling, to stand before Gorak.
"It is useless, Tal Horan. You see, we need this formula." Gorak reached to Tal's right hand, removed a colorless, plastic ring from his finger. From the inside of the ring he stripped a tightly-rolled film, handed it to Kueelo.
"It is you who will need this, Kueelo. I am sure you can persuade Tal Horan to assist you in deciphering it."
"Think again!" Tal husked through clenched teeth.
Praana faced the Phobian leader squarely. "You beast! You'll never reclaim Mars from the red plague! And—my people are safe!" Triumph filtered into her voice.
Gorak grinned down at her. All of him grinned except those horrible eyes. He turned, touched the huge tele-magnum behind him. "Let us say, rather, that your people have gained a temporary respite. They are safe on Earth's moon. I watched it." Sudden vicious hate erased the grin. "But my people remain too, Praana! For three hundred years the Phobians have hidden and burrowed and builded—and planned! The Martians thought they had wiped us out. They levelled our cities with atom-blasts, they slashed and blackened the surface of Phobos and hunted down my people mercilessly. Even when our Fleet had gone down to destruction and we were helpless, even when my people sued for a peace from the horrible war, pleaded, the Martian leaders would not listen!"
Praana was taut with emotion. "Yes! Yes, our history tells of it too! Three times the Phobians had initiated wars against Mars which ended in holocaust for both our peoples! And the last time, we determined it should never happen again. However," she gained control of herself, "this was long before your time or mine. Centuries ago."
"True. We are the fourth generation. It is personal, nevertheless! The Phobians as a race do not die easily ... nor as individuals do they ever forget!" Gorak's lips writhed again. "It was for me to resume the war against Mars! I am destined to be our liberator, and I have done exceedingly well. Once more we are on equal terms, Praana!"
"You resumed the war!" Her face was puzzled. "What do you mean?"