Shadow Gold by Ray Cummings Read online

  “I bring not her,” said Rua. “She came

  Then he heard Rua’s voice. None of

  of herself.”

  them killed. The light gravity had saved them.

  Taro’s gesture dismissed her. He

  They scrambled up.

  swung his arm, from which a string of

  The top surface of the Island showed

  ornaments hung clinking. “Enough. Go, Rua.

  now in the yellow nightlight—a rocky area,

  Soon I will send this girl Anne to your care.”

  with trees, small landing platforms, and little

  He watched her as she slowly left the

  metal kiosks leading down underground.

  apartment. A guard moved aside to pass her,

  Rua murmured, “Don’t move—they and a heavy metal door swung open and might fire on us!”

  closed.

  They stood motionless, docile, while

  And Johnny stared. Prisoners?

  men came up and surrounded them. None

  seemed to speak English, and imperiously Rua

  HE saw now that the woman Rua had tricked

  talked in her own language. Then the men

  him. Where was her vaunted power over

  took them through the kiosk entrance, down a

  Taro? Johnny had at least half believed what

  dimly lighted metal incline and along a length

  she said. In reality, it was obvious now, she

  of tunnel. And then into a draped and padded

  was no more than one of Taro’s spies, ordered

  grotto apartment.

  to bring Johnny here. “Now we will talk,”

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  10

  Taro was saying. He was still smiling faintly.

  “No,” said Johnny.

  He swung all his body as though it were

  “That is good. You will be, living with

  pivoted at the waist and knees, and addressed

  me. I need you. I am a fellow practical. I will

  Anne.

  get to Earth with much gold. What then? I

  “What is your name?”

  look strange. I need clothes. I need a house. I

  She found her voice. “My name is

  need—”

  Again his gaze swept Anne. “I

  Anne Johnson.”

  need a woman to keep my house. I need my

  Her tone was low and steady. Strange

  raw gold changed into money to buy what I

  little Anne, with courage not to show her fear.

  want.”

  Johnny saw admiration leap into Taro’s eyes.

  Johnny nodded. Then he said abruptly,

  “And what are you to him? His “Did you steal the transition mechanism my friend?”

  father brought here, fifteen years ago?”

  “Yes—his

  friend.”

  “Yes,” Tare smiled. “And I fool them

  “You are the first Earth woman I have

  all in Bhana that I have to make many

  ever seen. I think I like you.” He turned to

  journeys to other cities on government

  Johnny. “I have to talk of—my plan to go to

  business.”

  your Earth, very soon. Your father, he thinks

  He paused; then he said, “And here I

  to send an army against me.” He laughed

  have a surprise for you—” He called to one of

  harshly, sardonically. “I work with your father

  his men. The fellow came with the black sack

  when I am young. Rua knows him since a

  Johnny had left in the wreckage, laid it at

  little girl—he make good his job to teach us

  Taro’s feet and went back to his post.

  your language. But he is an old man—a fool

  Taro opened the sack and took from it

  to help everyone and not himself. But you,

  the two mechanisms which had transported

  perhaps—”

  Johnny and Anne from Earth! Johnny

  “You want help from me?” Johnny

  understood now. And Anne gasped, and

  said quickly.

  stared. Rua’s midnight visit to Hall’s home—

  “I tell you. On Earth I will be very

  to get Johnny—had also been to get these

  rich—perhaps richest of any man in your mechanisms.

  world. That brings great power—not so?”

  “How did that accursed woman know

  “Yes,” Johnny agreed. “Just about.”

  where father hid them?” Johnny demanded.

  “I understand that.” His grin came

  It made Taro laugh. “She explain to

  again. He lowered his voice a little. “We are

  me—your father, naturally he tell a thing like

  over two hundred of us here. I have always

  that to Jeoh, the governor.”

  tell my men I take them with me. I can

  And Johnny remembered Jeoh’s

  conquer the Earth! That is true. But I do it

  fatuous look at Rua when she had come to the

  alone.”

  dinner.

  His face was intense. “I—Taro— how

  could I ever be powerful here? Gold means

  TARO added, “We have now three of the

  nothing here. Your great Earth—who shall

  mechanisms here. This realm is doomed.

  say, with all this gold, what Taro may do?”

  Everyone here will die—except myself—and

  He checked Johnny’s interruption.

  you and this girl. You do not want to die? You

  “You listen—you ask my plans—I tell

  will go gladly to Earth—out of death here.”

  to you. My condensers here, I will run them

  “Yes,” Johnny agreed. “Why wouldn’t

  until all the gold in this little world is mine.

  I?”

  Are you rich on Earth?”

  He added cautiously, “I would like on

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  11

  Earth to share your gold. I can certainly help

  guards hurtled through the air and landed on

  you.”

  Johnny. Then they lifted him; held him

  “Of course,” Taro smiled. “And I will

  balanced erect on his feet.

  have this Earth girl.”

  And Taro was standing now, grinning.

  With two backward sweeps of his He called: “I would not hurt you—this time.

  arms, he wafted himself closer to Anne, who

  We will talk again when you have less foolish

  had moved a few feet away. Every muscle in

  anger.”

  Johnny was tense for a leap.

  The men carried the bound Johnny

  Taro added, with his slow smile, “You

  away into a dim, cavelike cell. They unbound

  will find me a man you can like very quickly.

  him. The metal door closed; clanked with

  I know how to please women. Are you afraid

  outer bars. The voices faded.

  of me? Do not be.”

  Johnny was left alone, with only the

  She had lost her cloak; she was garbed

  steady distant hum o£ Taro’s giant condensers

  only in her suit. His fingers brushed lightly

  breaking the silence.

  over her neck and throat. She did not shrink,

  Johnny could find no way of getting

  but suddenly a cry burst from her. And Johnny

  out of here. He shoved at the door, but it was

  leaped, head first, like a diver taking a plunge.

  unyielding. A tiny glow of reflected light

  His head struck Taro�
�s shoulder; the force of

  came from the vaulted ceiling, and he could

  Johnny’s leg thrust against the rocks knocked

  presently see that he was in a small eroded

  both their bodies half a dozen feet from Anne.

  cave whose walls, ceiling and floor were

  Johnny floundered, clutching at his patched with metal. A small ventilator grid, adversary. He felt his fingers reach Taro’s

  breast high, admitted a stream of pure air.

  belt; but Taro’s hand caught his wrist, twisted

  In a corner of the cell there was a small

  it with surprising strength. They struck the

  metal bed, with a fabric mattress. Johnny lay

  rock floor.

  down. He was bruised and tired. And both

  But this was Taro’s natural hungry and thirsty. He supposed someone environment. He jerked loose. His hand was at

  would come, eventually.

  his belt. A weapon came out. Anne screamed

  He drifted off into restless slumber,

  again. A guard from outside was sailing across

  and was awakened by a voice. He started up,

  the apartment in an arc.

  confused. There were faint murmured words,

  In Taro’s hand was a small cylinder. A

  in English.

  coiled wire sprang from it, struck Johnny’s

  “Johnny! Johnny Hall! You in there?”

  chest, and, uncoiling, wrapped itself around

  It was coming through the small

  him, pinning his arms. And in another second

  ventilator grid which was only a few inches

  Taro fired again. Another wire struck his wide; it seemed some four or five feet away.

  knees. Lashed them. And Taro, pouncing,

  “Johnny—I’m waiting—trying to get

  lifted and flung him. Helpless, all in those few

  you out.” There were other sounds. Other,

  seconds, bound by the tightening wire into an

  more distant voices. The murmuring voice

  inert bundle, Johnny’s body sailed backward

  said hurriedly, “I come again—” It stopped.

  across the grotto.

  And then the guard, with a black stone

  THE heavy barred door moved inward. Rua

  knife in his hand, came like a giant bird and

  came through, with a metal platter of food and

  pounced, but did not strike, for Taro shouted a

  drink.

  command.

  “Thanks,” Johnny said. “Look here,

  The grotto was in an uproar. Other

  have you been with Anne?”

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  12

  “Yes. She is all right. She ask me

  responded. “W« shall have no trouble. There

  about you. Taro, he was pleased that I bring

  are many details to arrange. Come now.”

  you. He will take us all to Earth—”

  They went up an ascending passage. It

  “Good,” said Johnny. “Tell him the

  seemed not more than fifty feet until they

  sooner I get out of here, the better.”

  stood in the shelter of a metal kiosk on the

  She leaned forward. “Once I love Taro

  island surface. A guard was here. The giant

  very much. But you—I think I like better. You

  forked funnel towered overhead. The

  are angry that I trick you?”

  luminous pit under it hummed and throbbed.

  He shoved her violently off. “Get out

  Taro and Johnny were clinging to a

  of here!”

  low railing. It led from here across the rocks

  She swayed to her feet. “No man has

  to the lip of the condenser pit.

  ever said that to me before.”

  “Hold tight,” Taro murmured. “You

  Fury of a woman scorned. Upon her

  could blow away so easily.”

  heavy face was a look of smoldering anger.

  They edged along the railing; and now

  “You love that pale Earth girl. Yes—you love

  three dark-robed men with goggles followed

  her, love her!”

  after them. Johnny felt now the impurity of

  He grinned. “Go on—beat it. Get out!”

  this tumbling air—eddies of the poisonous

  She moved through the doorway, and

  cloud of death overhead which were swept

  was gone. The men swung the door closed.

  down here. Taro was telling his plans for

  Johnny went on eating. And then cold fear

  transporting the gold to Earth. They would

  struck at him. What a fool he was—what an

  begin that soon, and meanwhile keep the

  accursed fool! He had sent Rua away in a

  absorbers steadily running.

  vengeful fury—and it was she who had charge

  “We’ll need the transition mechanisms

  of Anne. And whose voice was it which he

  handy,” Johnny said.

  had heard through the ventilator? A friend

  Taro chuckled. “I have them safe.”

  here—

  “Where?” said Johnny. He tensed for

  Then at last Taro came. He stood in the

  the answer; but Taro only laughed.

  doorway with the guards behind him. He

  “Suit yourself.” Johnny said. “Where

  smiled. “You feel more with reason now?”

  is Anne? Let’s take her now and show her the

  “Oh yes,” Johnny agreed. “Is Ann«

  gold. Tell her our plans.”

  safe?”

  “She is coming,” Taro said readily.

  He held his breath. “But yes,” said

  “Rua brings her.”

  Taro. “I have to go and inspect my

  They started again along the railing. It

  condensers. You hear that they still operate? I

  joined a similar rail at the lip of the pit. And

  was thinking to take you now to see them. We

  edged black against the glare, were the figures

  must plan how best we are to transport the

  of two women. In a moment Johnny and

  gold to Earth. The time is almost here—”

  Taro—and the three guards—joined them.

  It made Johnny’s heart leap. A Johnny was aware of Anne’s quick anxious chance—

  glance, and a smoldering gaze from Rua.

  “I’d like that very much.” He was Taro

  said,

  “The

  wind is very strong.

  standing, with Taro facing him; and he saw

  My condensers make a disturbance

  that Taro was alert to his least move.

  worldwide.”

  Johnny grinned. “I’m not fool enough

  to jump on you again.”

  THE light from the pit was so intense that

  “You are a fellow I like,” Taro Johnny could not look into it. He edged over

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  13

  to Anne; he put his arm around her. The three

  was visible. Mineral gold. It came sliding like

  guards had approached. Taro and Rua were

  yellow sand, through a grid, down a little

  donning goggles. One of the three guards chute and into an open container. The narrow handed a pair to Anne, and then one to yellow stream gleamed and sparkled in the Johnny—goggles with dark lenses to dim the

  light.

  glare. Then the black-robed, goggled man

  Taro was saying, “I will show you the

  swayed away from him, gripping the railing.

  volume of our treasure. F
or the transportation

  But his body brushed Johnny—and his hand,

  to Earth—”

  just for an instant, gripped Johnny’s arm. A

  A goggled man came plucking at him.

  warning? A signal? Was this the mysterious

  They talked excitedly in their own language.

  friend? A friend here, masquerading as one of

  Then in English, Taro exclaimed:

  Taro’s men? Johnny was alert.

  “One of my men found killed! His

  With the goggles, Johnny could see

  clothes and weapons taken! There is a spy

  comfortably into the glare. A metal incline led

  lurking here—”

  over the lip of the pit, and then a few feet

  He moved a few feet away, talking

  down to a railed platform. It was in a back

  with several other excited men who had joined

  eddy of the wind, partly sheltered. And from

  him. Johnny stood tense, with a hand on

  there they gazed down at the strange, Anne’s shoulder. The original three guards forbidding scene spread below them.

  blocked the nearby exit from the balcony

  The pit was circular; about a hundred

  ledge, though they moved a little from it to

  feet in diameter. It was, in effect, a giant cone, listen to what Taro and the others were saying.

  set point downward into the ground. The two

  Suddenly a swish of air sounded.

  overhead forked funnels came down, Rua’s body came sailing head forward and narrowed into twenty-foot conduits which struck both Anne and Johnny together. They branched into a system of small tubes and

  had been standing clinging to each other.

  pipes. They stretched like tangled pythons Rua’s jealousy! It flared now to an over the steeply sloping inner surface of the