The Black Flame by Stanley G Weinbaum
Author:Stanley G Weinbaum [Weinbaum, Stanley G]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sci-Fi., science fiction
Publisher: Avon Books
Published: 1969-04-24T15:43:55+00:00
CHAPTER EIGHT
IN TIME OF PEACE
CONNER HELD STRICTLY to his word with Evanie. But the change in their relationship was apparent to both of them. Evanie no longer met his gaze with frank steadiness. Her eyes would drop when they met his, and she would lose the thread of her sentences in confusion.
Yet when he turned unexpectedly, he always found her watching him with a mixture of abstractedness and speculation. And once or twice he awakened in the morning to find her gazing at him from the doorway with a tender, wistful smile.
One afternoon Jan Orm hailed him from the foot of Evanie's hill.
"I've something to show you," he called, and Connor rose from his comfortable sprawl in the shade and joined him, walking toward the factory across the village.
"I've been thinking, Jan," Connor remarked. "Frankly, I can't yet understand why you consider the Master such a despicable tyrant. I've yet to hear of any really tyrannous act of his."
"He isn't a tyrant," Jan said gloomily. "I wish he were. Then our revolution would be simple. Almost everybody would be on our side. It's evidence of his ability that he avoids any misgovernment, and keeps the greater part of the people satisfied. He's just, kind, and benevolenton the surface!"
"What makes you think he's different underneath?"
"He retains the one secret we'd all like to possessthe secret of immortality. Isn't that evidence enough that he's supremely selfish? He and his two or three million Immortalssole rulers of the tiarth!"
"Two or three million!"
"Yes. What's the difference how many? They're still ruling half a billion peoplea small percentage ruling the many. If he's so benevolent, why doesn't he grant others the privilege of immortality?"
"That's a fair question," said Connor slowly, pondering. "Anyway, I'm on your side, Jan. You're my people now; I owe you all my allegiance." They entered the factory. "And nowwhat was it you brought me here to see?"
Jan's face brightened.
"Ah!" he exclaimed. "Have a look at this."
He brought forth an object from a desk drawer in his office, passing it pridefully to Connor. It was a blunt, thickhandled, blue steel revolver.
"Atompowered," Jan glowed. "Here's the magazine."
He shook a dozen little leaden balls, each the size of his little fingernail, into his palm.
"No need of a cartridge, of course," commented Connor. "Water in the handle? ... I thought so. But here's one mistake. You don't want your projectiles round; you lose range and accuracy. Make 'em cylindrical and bluntpointed." He squinted through the weapon's barrel. "Andthere's no rifling."
He explained the purpose of rifling the barrel to give the bullet a rotary motion.
"I should have known enough to consult you first," Jan Orm said wryly. "Want to try it out anyway? I haven't been able to hit much with it so far."
They moved through the whirring factory. At the rear the door opened upon a slope away from the village. The ground slanted gently toward the river. Glancing about for a suitable target, Connor seized an empty can from a bench within the door and flung it as far as he could down the slope.
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