Transcriber's Note:
This etext was produced from Planet Stories September 1952. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.
The sections start with III. This is as per the original magazine.
Thane knew this crazy duel was justanother of Candor's roadblocks. He had to win.
EVIL OUT OF ONZAR
By MARK GANES
The orphan system of Onzar was fuming under its leader's driving,paranoid megalomania. For there was a prize. A vast, grand prizewithin a parsec of this ambitious domain—the major warp-lines ofspace crossing the Galaxy between the Allied Worlds and theDarzent Empire. Skyward, hungry legions!
oger Thane had, of course, heardof these meetings. The stories of hisacquaintances in Liaison had beengraphic enough but they didn't begin to dothe scene justice. It was, well, jarring.
Through the one-way glass panel builtinto one side of the vast meeting hall of thespace station, Thane looked directly acrossat the delegation from Onzar, though "delegation"was hardly the word. All top goldfrom the Onzar group was there, and it waseasy to tell their rank—fleet marshals, thetechnical advisors, the interpreters—by theamount of gold that encrusted their helmets,coruscated from their shoulder boards, andcrept and crawled in heavy filigree aroundtheir uniforms. In that assembly it was easyto pick out Candar. Shorter than the averageOnzarian, with shaven head, his uniformwas quite plain except for small, double-headedplatinum shagells on the collar.
And Candar was doing all the talking.When he had started one hour and fifteenminutes ago his voice had been harsh andlow. Now it had increased in pitch and volumeand he was striding back and forth,showing his scorn for the Allied Systems inevery gesture. Thane glanced at the "absolute"dial of his watch and wondered howlong it would keep up.
"... we have come to deal with you ingood faith and again you seek to exploit us.You would, if you could, take all we produceand give nothing in return. This youshall not do. Onzar is young, but alreadyits power encompasses five suns. Each daywe grow stronger. We do not need yourshoddy goods in exchange for our treasure."
As Candar's voice became louder andmore shrill Thane noticed that a technicianto his left kept adjusting the recorder dials.In an hour or so the speech would be broadcastthrough Onzar, three and a half lightyears from this meeting place in space.Candar was choosing words to inflame thealready fanatical nationalism of his expandingsystem. "You would take our discoveries,the fruits of our genius and industry.You would even take our young men intoslavery. But this Cand