"They've hired the Venusian mercenaries," the guard continued. "We're outnumbered ten to one."
"Who's leading the revolution?" asked Jaro.
"Karfial Hodes, the patriot," replied the guard. He flung the words over his shoulder, keeping his eyes up the vaulted passage.
"But Hodes is dead!" expostulated Jaro.
"Not so you could notice it," grunted the guard. Outside the rocket gun went zizz-boom! "How do you explain this?" He took a scrap of paper from his tunic, tossed it to Jaro.
"What is it?" Landovitch said.
The paper, Jaro saw, was a declaration. It read:
"To the Mercurian People:
"The time has come to cast off the yoke of Earth. All loyal Mercurians are called upon to purge our ranks of the greedy Terrestrial parasites who have been exploiting our resources. Arise and take back that which is rightfully yours."
It was printed in both Mercurian and English and signed: "Karfial Hodes, Imperator."