The grin on the brain's face faded. His interest went again to Molo. "That is your sister." The eyes swung to Meka and back.
"Yes, Great Master."
"She is caring for this Earth-girl and this girl from Venus?"
"Yes, Great Master. I am fond of them. I have plans."
"They are in your charge, Martian; I will not interfere with you. But guard them well. I trust you and your sister. These others...."
"The Earth and the Venus girl can be of help to me, Great Master."
"How?"
"They knew young men who were in the Spaceship Service. They can tell me the armament of men and weapons on most of the spaceships which Earth will send against us."
Did Molo really believe that? Probably not, but he wanted the girls with him. Again came that grotesque smile. "Let them not bother you, Martian. You have work to do. Listen carefully. There will be a battle. Earth, Mars, and Venus may perhaps have a hundred ships. I cannot bring destruction upon those three worlds in a day. We soon will make contact with the light-beam you placed on Earth. That I will show you. But the rotation cannot be stopped at once. It will take time.
"The enemy ships might dare to come to Wandl, but I shall not wait for that. All my spaceships are very nearly ready. If there is to be a battle, it shall be far from here, in the neighborhood of the enemy worlds. We are at this time about sixty-two million of your miles from the Earth, a third less than that from Mars, and about a third more from Venus. I understand, Martian, that you are skilled in space warfare."