Smiling still, although inwardly disgusted at the eternal suspicion of the various worlds, he slowly drew an Astrograph from his tunic, silencing them as their suspicious curiosity was aroused.

"As I already hinted," he said affably, "I'm afraid all of you are slightly behind the times. Let me read you this message from ... your planet, Vermil!" Antaran nodded to the Neptunian Diplomat. "It's a message via Ethero-radio sent us copied from the original Astrograph Neptune received from outer space:

"Combined Fleet reports sighting Spacer enter Saturn's atmosphere. Mathematics of orbital maneuver computed. Will correlate to attempt duplication. Astro-radio messages from Spacer indicate planet inhabited."

Electrified, their faces ludicrous, they stood before the white-haired leader in silence.

"Everyone of our Governments is now aware of this." Antaran said in kindly tones. "We've had to maintain the utmost secrecy, for if the billions that people the various worlds had learned what we were up against, there would have been panics, upheavals ... it would have been the signal for inimical minds among the 'have-nots' to attempt the age-old cycle. Remember, Gentlemen ... excepting the Panadurs," he gazed with veiled admiration at the Ambassador of that mysterious race, "none of the rest of us have lost their Will to Battle ... which perhaps," he added as an after-thought, with a sort of brooding amusement, "is just as well!"

They were still dazed, as the tremendous implications of Antaran's words filled their minds.

A new planet had been added to their group. A new world had come into being. 'Inhabited,' the Astrograph had read! And it was a fabulous world next in size only to Jupiter and the Sun. It would revolutionize their economy, possibly add illimitable riches in raw materials and.... But their minds were too filled with the staggering prospects to visualize just now the stupefying reality of what it meant to open up Saturn.

All belligerence was forgotten. Each emissary from the various worlds had withdrawn into his individual shell, lest the thundering ideas that swirled in their minds become common property.

The eternal game for favored position would begin soon, Antaran knew, yet Saturn was still an unknown quantity. Opening a new world was far from being as easy as that. Perhaps all their fleets might never return, and other expeditions would have to go 

 Prev. P 29/41 next