Scipio hefted the sword he held. It was a short-bladed weapon, useless unless he could hurl it like a javelin. It was even too broad to pierce an elephant's eye, the most vulnerable spot of the monster. Briefly Scipio thought of slicing off the elephant's trunk as far up as he could reach. But that would still leave the tusks and mighty tree-trunk limbs that could squash a man into red pulp.
'Well,' Scipio said with grim amusement, 'at least they had to use their biggest elephant to kill me.'
His gargoyle face twisted into a fearless grin. In the glaring tight, he resembled a teakwood statue, thewed like a colossus.
The elephant came forward slowly, its red eyes questing viciously until it saw Scipio. It paused, and the trunk lifted, waving snakelike in the air. It snorted angrily.
Again the shadow darkened the Sun, and this time it did not pass.
The Carthaginian had no time to look up. He bent slightly from the knees, holding the sword high like a javelin.
The elephant broke into a lumbering trot. Its speed increased. Like the Juggernaut, it bore down on him…
Scipio had a flashing glimpse of the monster—flapping ears, murderously upheld trunk, gleaming tusks. The thunder of its approach was growing louder, booming in his ears. It loomed above him—
From the skies sprang a thunderbolt! Flaming with pale brilliance, the crackling beam raved down. It caught the behemoth in mid-stride, bathed it in shining radiance. And the monster vanished!
It was gone without a trace. The deep craters of its rush ended in the sand a few yards from where the shocked Scipio crouched. From the spectators rose a roar, terrified, unbelieving.
A golden ball of enormous size plunged down into the arena. Lightly as a feather it grounded. A port in its hull sprang open.
Scipio saw a thin, pallid man, with the ascetic face of a Caesar. He was clad in odd garments and was beckoning urgently. Beyond him, Scipio glimpsed a fat Chinese whose round cheeks were quivering with excitement.
A spear flashed through the air, rang impotently against the golden hull. Almost paralyzed with amazement, Scipio ran forward, leaped into the ship. What this miracle might be, he did not know, but it seemed to provide a means of escape. Whether the pallid man was a god or a devil, at least he seemed friendly. More important, to remain in the arena meant death.
The port slammed shut behind Scipio. He bounded through the inner lock and stood wide-legged, staring around. The sword was still gripped in his hand. Past him the pallid man strode, and entered an inner chamber. A quiver of movement shook the ship as it lifted. The Oriental waddled into view and beamed at Scipio.
'Relax, friend,' he said, lisping the unfamiliar tongue. 'You speak Latin?'
'Naturally,' Scipio stated. 'All the world does. Are you a god? I doubt it, for only Bacchus and Silenus are obese, and their skins are not yellow.'
The Oriental shook with laughter until he had to hold his heaving belly.
'I have heard of this Bacchus. A new god, but he is a good one. Sit down.' He waved toward a couch. 'My name is Li Yang. Do you wish food?'
Scipio shook his head and sat gingerly on the soft cushions.
'You called me friend?' he asked.
'I might better have called you comrade. Ardath saw the hidden possibilities in you, dragon-face. He read your mind while you slept. Ah, but you have dreams of empire, poor fool!'
Li Yang shook his head, and his yellow cheeks swung pendulously.
'Ill-luck dogs me,' Scipio said lightly, grinning. 'The gods hate me, so I wear no crown.'
'Nor will you. You are not ruthless enough. You could carve out an empire for yourself, but you could not sit upon a throne. Under all thrones the snake coils. You are too honest to be a kink, Scipio.'
The Carthaginian had been about to answer, but he paused. His dark eyes widened, and a flame sprang into them. Ponderously Li Yang turned.
Two figures stood on the threshold. One was Thordred, but Scipio had no eyes for even that gigantic form. He was staring with a burning fixity at the Atlantean priestess.
She looked lovely indeed. Her delicate figure was veiled by a girdled robe, from the hem of which her tiny toes peeped. Her golden hair hung loosely about her shoulders, and framed the elfin features that showed interested admiration.
'Jove's thunderbolt!' Scipio gasped. 'Nay, but this is a goddess! This is Venus herself!'
Jansaiya preened herself. Under her lashes the sea-green eyes watched Scipio slumbrously. She basked in the frank, open gaze.
'This is Scipio?' the priestess asked.
She came forward and put a small, shapely hand on the Carthaginian's brawny arm. He looked down at her, his gargoyle face alight with wonder.
'You know me? But who are you?'
'Jansaiya.' The girl glanced over her shoulder. 'And this is Thordred.'
Scipio saw the giant for the first time, apparently. His gaze met and locked with Thordred's smoldering glare. The two men stood silent. Scipio did not notice when Jansaiya took her hand from his arm.
Li Yang's red lips pursed as he glanced from one to the other.
It was a sight worth seeing. Thordred was huge, elephant-thewed, hairy as a beast, with jutting beard and aquiline, handsome, features.
Scipio, though slightly shorter, was almost as huge. His gargoyle face grew stone-hard. Thordred's cat's-eyes glittered. A silent enmity flamed in those glares that met without speech.
Ardath broke the deadlock by coming out of the laboratory.
'We are moving out toward our orbit,' he said, smiling. 'Soon it will be time to sleep again. Perhaps next time. .' He sighed. 'Meanwhile, though Scipio is not the super-mentality I need, he is a genius in his way. Let me explain, warrior.'
Scipio nodded from time to time as Ardath told his story. The Carthaginian's quick brain grasped the situation without difficulty.
'You will come with us?' Ardath asked at last.
'Why not?' Scipio replied, shrugging. 'The world is not ready for such a man as I. In later ages, countries will recognize my worth and kneel at my feet.' The granite face cracked into a grin, and he glanced at Jansaiya. 'Besides, I shall be in good company. To how many men is it given to know a goddess?'
Thordred growled under his breath while Li Yang chuckled. The fat Oriental picked up his lute and strummed softly upon it. His voice raised mellowly.
'My love has come down from the Moon-lantern. In the heart of the lotus she dwells…'
'And now—' Ardath turned toward the laboratory. 'I must adjust my controls. We shall automatically fall into our orbit. For two thousand years we shall sleep, and then revisit the Earth.'
He vanished into the next room.
'Fragrant are her hands as petals,' Li Yang sang. 'In her hair the stars dance.'
Jansaiya smiled. Scipio grinned a silent, confident reply to Thordred's dark scowl.
Humming power throbbed through the ship, swiftly grew louder. Li Yang clambered awkwardly on a couch, gesturing for Scipio to follow his example. Sleep poured from the monotonous sound. Idly Li Yang touched the strings of his lute.
'Give me sweet dreams, dear goddess,' he murmured.
Jansaiya reclined on a couch. When Scipio turned his head to watch her, her green eyes met his.
Thordred moved stiffly forward. His hand was hidden from view behind him as he stood beside the laboratory door.
The languorous humming grew louder, more compelling. Jansaiya slept. Li Yang's pudgy hand fell from the lute. Scipio's eyelids drooped.
Footsteps sounded softly. Through the doorway came Ardath, smiling his gentle smile. Perhaps he was dreaming that when he awoke, he would find his quest at an end. Not noticing Thordred beside him, he turned and fumbled over the wall with rapidly slowing fingers.
The skin around Thordred's eyes wrinkled as he fought to remain awake. His hand came up with the slow
