Part 1

Formula For Conquest

By JAMES R. ADAMS

August Q. Twilken had a formula, Freebooter Tod Mulhane had a nose for adventure and Mon Pordo had an urge for Interworld domination. When those three got together, hell had to explode--and did.

[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Planet Stories Fall 1945. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]

"I have a formula," the little man said loudly.

I punched him ungently in the ribs and jerked my head toward the mangy crew whooping it up in the close confines of the ill-smelling Martian _musk-parlor_.

"Shh. Not so loud, guy," I whispered from the corner of my mouth. "This bunch would slit your throat in a minute, if they knew you had something on you that would bring a credit or two. I don't know what your game is, but let's go in the back room where we can talk without startin' someone's ears to burnin'."

I wrapped my arm around the guy's shoulders and steered him toward the back room, singing and laughing, as though I had an overload of _Meez-musk_ and was feeling a little bit happy.

I didn't know what had brought the little fellow to me. I'd never seen him before yet he seemed to know me and had made his way directly to the bar where I stood and addressed me by name. Anybody that knew that much about Tod Mulhane, soldier of fortune, needed looking into, and I was determined to give this mild-mannered, shrimp of a man a thorough going over.

I bolted the door behind us and seated myself at the table always kept there for various games of chance.

"Mousie" nervously assumed a seat and sat staring at me, his big, milky-blue eyes blinking nearsightedly and a withered, vein-covered hand tweaking incessantly at a bedraggled gray mustache.

"I'm Professor August Q. Twilken," he essayed. "I have a formula."

"And I'm Tod Mulhane, as you seem to know, and I have a couple of great big ears, open and waiting. What can I do for you, Twilken?"

Twilken's face suddenly became grim and the milkiness left his eyes a moment, to disclose dancing, hard lights of determination.

"Nothing for me, Mr. Mulhane," he said slowly. "This is for the world! Yes, for three worlds!"

I nodded patiently, thinking maybe I had a nut on my hands.

"Of course, Twilken. And just what is it we're going to do for these worlds?"

"We're going to save them from the coming Interplanetary War!" Twilken said forcefully. "Here's the way things--er--stack up. We know Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus have their armies poised for a quick thrust at the Allied Worlds--Mars, Earth and Neptune. But, so far, they have hesitated, knowing both sides are pretty well matched in strength and fearing the assault might be drawn out in a long, destructive conflict that would gain them nothing. They won't wait forever, however, and, sooner or later, they'll find a weakness in the Allied Worlds' armor and strike with all the force at their command. Mr. Mulhane, the Allied Worlds _must_ be the ones to break this deadlock. _We_ must be the ones to gain an edge in strength and force them to disarm, or be destroyed by the ruthless machine of the brain behind their mad plot. But, I forget, you know all of this, Mr. Mulhane."

"Tod's the name," I said absently. "Yes, I know all about Xan VIII's scheme to defeat the Allied Worlds. So what? There's nothing I can do about it. Naturally, being a Martian, I am anxious to see the Allied Worlds win. But I can't see--"

"You're a Martian?" Twilken stared, aghast. "But--but you look like an Earthian!"

"I have many disguises," I smiled. "And many pseudonyms--among them being that of Tod Mulhane. A soldier of fortune such as I must resort to numerous devices to elude his enemies. Incidentally, how did you know who I was and where to find me?"

"I have--uh--contacts," Twilken stammered. "But your disguise seems so realistic! I would swear you're an Earthian!"

"I put my entire being into a part. I would long since be dead if I were unconvincing in my characterizations. But we digress, Twilken. Come to the point."

"The point is this," Twilken recovered from his astonishment. "If we had the support of one of the lesser planets, such as Venus, we could easily overthrow Xan's regime and bring a lasting peace to the System. But, at the time, the inhabitants of Venus are in a crude stage of evolution and are too stupid to be of much help. They have expressed their willingness to help, but their ignorance might well be a weight on our progress and turn the tide against us."

I shifted uneasily in my chair and glanced at the door.

"But supposing evolution could be speeded up on Venus," Twilken continued. "Supposing the inhabitants could be developed as much in two months as would ordinarily take a thousand years. They would soon emerge to a state of intelligence as to be of immense value and aid to our cause. I have something that will do this very thing, Tod!"

* * * * *

I leaped from my chair and wrenched the door open, just about scaring Professor Twilken out of a year's growth.

A short, fat Jovian fell into the room and lay grinning up from the floor. His pink, shaggy-browed eyes searched our faces briefly, then he arose, bowing deeply.

"Gendlemen," he intoned. "I hope I am nod indruding. I was leaning wearily againsd dis door, half asleep, and den I suddenly find myself lying here on de floor!" He gestured at the bare planks and laughed. It sounded like a snake hissing. "Mosd clumsy of me!"

The Jovian's inability to pronounce the letter "T" made his speech sound like that of a Venusian gunman. I wondered how much he had overheard.

The Jovian bowed again, brushing dust from his gleaming, spun-metal tunic.

"I drusd I have nod inconvenienced you gendlemen. I musd be more careful, in de fudure. I have a nasdy habid of falling asleep ad odder people's doors! Now, if you will excuse me..."

The Jovian slid through the door and lost himself in the hubbub beyond. I had a hunch we were going to have trouble from him. People just didn't go around 'falling asleep' against strange doors without a purpose.

Twilken had sat all this time, his milky eyes looking about for a hole to crawl in to and his hand clutched his breast, as though about to have a heart attack.

"Is that your formula?" I indicated his tunic pocket.

"Yes! It must never fall into the hands of the Jovians, Tod. They could make fearful use of it! We must carry out my plan quickly, or that son-of--" Twilken clapped a hand over his mouth, to stifle the strong words he had been about to utter. "--that mad devil will warn his consorts and they'll be after us like hounds. In all fairness, Tod, you must know the Allied Worlds Council is not endorsing my venture. The diplomatic relations between worlds are stretched to the breaking point, and, if the Jovian government thought the Council was supporting such a plan, they might strike immediately with devastating results to the morale of our people, for there are some who think we can't possibly stand against such an efficient organization as Xan's. That's why I need you. You have a fast ship; you have courage and the brains to carry out my course of action if I should fall by the wayside. Will you help me?"

I grinned and hitched up my pants, Earth-fashion.

"When do we start?"

* * * * *

We were well out in the void, thundering toward Venus, when Twilken pointed excitedly at a small speck on the telescreen.

"That's a ship, Tod!" he yelled. "That blasted Jovian's following us!"

I poured more power to my craft and slammed down frantically on the meteor-shield stud--but it was too late. A great blast rocked the ship and girders groaned their protest as they buckled under the terrific pressure. A piece of flying metal smacked Twilken on the head and he sank to the floor, out cold.

I ran to the navigation room locker and snatched out a couple of spacesuits. I tugged and stuffed Twilken into one and barely made it into my own when the air began to hiss out through the torn plates.

We were caught up in the vacuum and whisked out into the dark, cold vastness, to float about like two corks in a millpond.

The Jovian ship, for such it proved to be, rushed in quickly and fastened a grappling-beam on our helpless figures. In less than a minute, we were inside the cruiser and facing the leering Jovian of the _musk-parlor_ incident.

"I am mosd pleased ad dis oppordunidy do renew our acquaindance," he smirked. "No doubd you know whad I am afder? I shall wasde no dime in playing cad and mouse. Give me de formula and dere shall be no drouble."

Twilken came to long enough to shout: "You shan't have it!"

"Bud I will," the Jovian assured him. "I have bud do search you. I am cerdain we shall find de formula on your person. Will you surrender id volundarily or musd we use force?"

"Give it to him, Augie," I said. "We're cold turkey."

"Misder Mulhane is quide correcd," the Jovian agreed. "You have no aldernadive bud do relinquish your secred."

* * * * *

Twilken groaned despairingly and removed his bulger. He dug in his pocket and brought out the formula, somewhat the worse for wear.

The Jovian snatched it eagerly and beamed toothily at us, his thin, pointed tongue darting like a snake over his bloated lips.

"Dank you, Misder Dwilken. Never fear, I shall make good use of your formula. Would you care do know how I indend do defead de Allied Worlds wid id?"

We remained silent.

"Very well, I shall dell you. Jusd as you have a podendial ally in Venus, de inhabidands of Pludo are likewise sympadedic to _our_ cause. As you know, dey long ago reached and passed de poind of greadesd indelligence, and are slowly reverding do de savage sdage from which dey evolved. I propose do hald dis redrogression, wid de assisdance of Misder Dwilken's formula, and resdore dem do deir former greadness. Dey will be dankful do us Jovians, yes, and dey will be happy do assisd us in our conquesd of de Allied Worlds."

"You--you fiend!" Augie spluttered ineffectually. "You're going to use _my_ formula to swing the balance of power in _your_ favor!"

"Dad's righd," the Jovian bowed. "Is nod dis de very same ding you indended to do for your own worlds? Durn aboud is fair play, I once heard on Eard."

"But we weren't planning to destroy you and your crummy bunch with it!" Augie shouted, incensed at the Jovian's condescending air. "We were only going to use it to force your armies to disarm and to remove your cutthroat clique from power."

"No doubd," the Jovian waved a plump, bejewelled hand. "And dad musd never be. Xan VIII has udmosd confidence in my abilidy as chief of de Jovian Secred Police and, if I fail, he would surely kill me before rediring indo exile. I remember his exacd words: 'Mon Pordo, if you bedray de drusd placed in you, dere can be nodding bud dead as a reward!' You can readily appreciate my predicamend, gendlemen. I musd give vicdory do my governmend or perish as a resuld. Nadurally, when I overheard your conversashion ad de musk-parlor, I realized dad here was a means do an end."

"You're a sly devil, Mon Pordo," I said harshly.

"Dank you, Misder Mulhane. Dad is a necessary evil of my--ah--profession. Dis ship has sed a course for Jupider and, dere, you will be held prisoners, pending de oudcome of our experimends wid Dwilken's formula."

"And then you'll kill us!" Augie said hotly.

"Perhaps. Dad is for me do decide. You cerdainly have no choice in de madder. And now," Pordo indicated three hulking Jovian brutes, waiting to pounce on us, "dese gendlemen will escord you do your cells. Id is regredable I cannod allow you de run of de ship, bud de oppordunidies dus offered might prove doo dempting do resid. I advise you do go quiedly, gendlemen."

We went quietly.

We were placed in adjoining cells and Twilken spent his rage in rattling the bars and cursing Mon Pordo for a bloody, ill-spawned, war-mongering idiot. The Jovians paid no attention, however, and Augie soon simmered down to a slow boil, pacing his cage like a trapped animal.

We got to talking and Augie wanted to know all about me, why I had chosen such a career and did I have any immediate plans for escape?

At first, I was reluctant to talk about my life-history as a free-booter of space, but Augie was persistent and I soon broke down. I hardy knew how to start, but the words came easy once I got going. Augie listened attentively, interjecting questions here and there.

"I _am_ a Martian," I began. "But I was reared and educated on Earth and, consequently, I think, act and talk much as an Earthian. I suppose that's the main reason I most generally adopt the role of Tod Mulhane when hiring out my services. My real name doesn't matter--it wouldn't mean anything to you. As to why I became a soldier of fortune, perhaps it's because of an insatiable appetite for adventure I possess or maybe because I was left an orphan at an early age and just naturally drifted into it. That doesn't matter either. I've put a lot of space behind my tubes in my brief span of years and seen a lot of things that would make your blood run cold--things I've never talked of before, nor will I tell of them now. So you can sketch in the details yourself, if you care to. I've told all that's worth listening to."

* * * * *

We had been conversing in low whispers and Augie glanced up and down the corridor to make sure no guards were present before voicing his most imperative query.

"Most interesting," he approved. "But, surely you have a method of escape planned? We can't just sit here and let these devils go through with their mad deed."

I motioned for silence and Augie subsided, watching my antics with great interest. I placed my hand between two bars and pulled gently, with an even pressure. My companion stared bug-eyed as the hand came loose, exposing a pink tentacle ending in five, wire-thin appendages.

Augie gasped, suddenly remembering his Martian anatomy.

"Of course!" he breathed jubilantly. "I'd forgotten! If Pordo had realized you were a Martian he would never have placed you in an uninsulated cell!"

I laughed.

"We're not going to escape yet, though," I said softly. "It would do no good. Pordo would merely recapture us and lock us away in the insulated cargo-hold. We wouldn't have a chance then."

"What do you plan to do, then?" Augie asked perplexedly.

"We'll let them think we're helpless," I explained. "They'll go ahead with their scheme and, at the crucial moment, we'll step in and queer the works." I replaced the false hand.

"How?" Augie wanted to know.

"_That_," I said, "remains to be seen."

* * * * *

The pilot brought the cruiser in for a perfect landing and the unceasing throb of the rockets sputtered, died and gave way to a loud silence.

Mon Pordo came down the passageway, flanked on each side by a stony-faced guard. His cruel lips parted in a wide grin as he unlocked our cells and motioned us out.

"We have arrived, gendlemen," he hissed. "I am pleased do node you have made no efford do escape. We shall proceed immediadely do de governmendal palace where you will be inderned in de underground prison-block. You will accompany dese men who will lead you do your quarders."

The musclemen hustled us from the ship and into a waiting surface-car. I had refitted the false hand, fusing the ends of the plastic together with a quick jolt of electricity. The stupid guards didn't suspect anything as we roared from the Jove City Space-port, headed for the luxurious palace which housed the high officials of Jovian government. I could have burnt them to a crisp where they sat, but Twilken was to one side of me and he would be the first to get it. I decided other avenues of action would present themselves in due time, so I relaxed against the cushions and stared casually out the window, mentally mapping the route we were following, to use as reference in our coming escape. Twilken sat dejectedly, his milky eyes playing tag with a small insect beating frantically against the wondow. I felt a strange kinship for this mild little man. He was so _darn_ concerned over our plight; so _terribly_ anxious to regain the formula he had labored long and hard to perfect. I wasn't so worried about our present unfavorable circumstances as he--having built up an immunity to such misfortunes in my past escapades. Nevertheless, my brain was working overtime--seeking a way to circumvent the Jovian plot once we had escaped.

We braked to a halt in the palace courtyard and the two ugly Jovians prodded us toward a massive, solid-steel door. The damp, moss-covered tunnel through which we passed ran deep under the palace and row after row of tiny, unlighted cells lined each side. Many of them were occupied, and I didn't care to look twice at the wild-eyed, disease-wracked bodies of Nan's victims. There was a hopeless look on those hollow-cheeked faces; a blank, "why go on fighting?" stare in the eyes of the more sane--the ones who hadn't been there very long yet. The cells were wet and filth-littered and the suffocating stench of the place was so dense you could almost see it.

We were more fortunate in the matter of living conditions. The cell in which we were placed was large, tolerably dry and was supplied with a couple of candles for illumination. Still, the unrelenting smell and the tortured moans of the prisoners was enough to drive a man mad.

"Pordo wands do keep you alive awhile," one of the guards explained, referring to the clean cell. "If dis formula doesn'd show resulds, id's going do be doo bad for you fellows! Pordo don'd like do be dampered wid, so, if all dis is jusd a drick--look oud!"

The Jovian slammed the door to and the pair went off down the tunnel, echoes of their laughter rolling back to bounce gleefully through the cells, plucking one more anguished groan from the lips of the half-dead men within.

The old-fashioned wax candles were relics of a long-gone day and age, manufactured solely for ornamentation. But some scientist had whiled away a few idle hours by adding a couple of new features.

* * * * *

Augie removed the cap from the wick of one and it burst into a brilliant, unflickering flame. Even it was far superior to the crude electric lighting of the ancients.

"What now?" Augie asked.

"We wait," I said. "This cell isn't too uncomfortable and we can bide our time here; play the game Pordo's way and lull him into a sense of invulnerability. Things may come to a head sooner than you think, and you can bet we'll be in there fighting at the end."

Augie's eyes flamed and his face screwed into a mask of hate.

"I despise that tyrant Pordo!" he breathed soulfully. "D-damn him, if I may use such a vulgar term."

I glanced about the cell and located a musty, well-worn cot. It was the only one the room contained, so it was the floor for one of us. Night must be spreading its black cloak across the world outside and we were both dead-tired.

"We'll flip a coin for the bed," I said. "Then we'll alternate in its use for as many nights as we're here."

Augie chose heads and flipped the coin. It came up tails.

"D-damn," he reiterated. "Seems my luck has flown the coop for good!"

He crossed the room and snapped the cap down over the candlewick. Darkness rushed in, probing inky fingers under the cot and in crevices, eager to strangle any loitering mote of its fleeing enemy.

Pordo visited us the next day, anxious to let us know how he was progressing. He bowed his silly, condescending bow.

"I drusd you have slepd well, gendlemen. I am indeed sorry dere are no bedder quarders available, bud de choice rooms of de palace are quide well-filled wid de visiding diplomads of our allies. Incidendally, de Pludonians have also arrived for de experimend!"

"You mean you're going to conduct the experiment right here on Jupiter?" Augie exclaimed, wide-eyed.

"Dad is precisely whad I mean!" the Jovian bit out. "Do you objecd?"

Augie was too confused to offer a reply. He just stood staring at Pordo, tiny beads of sweat popping out on his forehead.

"You will ask why," Pordo divined. "And I can see no danger in delling you. We have god do desd de formula firsd on a selecded few individuals from Pludo. Accordingly, de dwendy-five mosd highly advanced indellecds of Pludo have been broughd here do de palace and will undergo de speeded up evolushion process. In dis way, we may make advance condacd wid de enlighdened Pludonians, before evolving de masses, and make a pacd wid dem, pledging deir planed's aid in our projecd. Den, de millions of odders will receive de dreadmend and we will be ready do acd! We are nod doo sdupid do realize de evolved creadures mighd possess animosidy doward our purpose. Dus, in our firsd experimend, we are evolving no more dan can be easily eliminaded, should dey prove hosdile. De formula is even now being prepared and will be applied immediadely. According do Misder Dwilken's dada, de process should be complede in dwo monds, ad de mosd. Id is pleasand to condemplade, isn'd id, gendlemen?"

"It will never work!" Augie shrieked. "Your plan is utterly mad!"

"Id _bedder_ work," Pordo said significantly, "or I'm afraid I shall be forced do adminisder drasdic punishment do dose who have dus wasded my dime. Good-day, gendlemen!"

We watched the receding figures through the bars and, when Pordo was out of sight, Augie said through grim lips:

"I don't like it, Tod. He's hitting into something he can't handle!"

The fifth day of our confinement, Augie did something that almost put the fat in the fire.

A guard brought our food and water each day and would dawdle awhile in the cell, heaping salt on our wounds by informing us of how well the experiment was going forward. This day he was exceptionally boastful and Augie was feeling particularly testy about the whole thing.

The Jovian had explained in much detail how you could actually _see_ the Plutonians evolving as the formula took effect. His eyes bugged in awe as he told how the skin and flesh stretched and twisted on the skeletons, forming itself into new substance.

As he turned to leave, smug in the knowledge he had paved the way for a sleepless night, Augie jumped from the cot and hissed after him:

"_Mismu T!_"

* * * * *

The guard whirled, eyes blazing. The Jovians were extremely sensitive about their vocal defect that made forming of the letter "T" physically impossible. Augie's hot expletive was the equivalent of telling Pordo's underling he was too dumb to pronounce the sound.

The enraged dupe leaped at Augie, snarling fiercely. The two went down in a tangle flying arms and legs, the Jovian pouring sledgehammer blows into Augie's midriff--blows that were meant to kill. He wore no gun, or he would have used it. The Jovians were giving us no opportunity at escape.

I jumped into the fray, knowing if I didn't intercede in Augie's behalf the guard would maul him into a bloody pulp.

The Jovian turned on me and closed in, fists flailing and teeth gritting in fury at my interruption. I sidestepped his wild body punch and heard bone crunch as I caught his chin on a well-timed upper-cut. The guard screamed, blood dripping from his torn lips and Augie came in triumphantly from behind, raining mincy, bird-like blows on his head.

It didn't last long. The other guards, attracted by the clamorous uproar, came on the run and quickly subdued us with clubbed flame-pistols. Our badly-beaten opponent was dragged from the room, uttering garbled, vengeful threats, and we were left to lick our wounds.

"You shouldn't have done that," I mildly reproached Augie.