"But that's ancient," protested an officer. "We cook that way on board--" He broke off, eyes widening. He managed a sickly grin. Kortha said, "I know it. I ate a meal cooked that way on the flagship. Housewives cook this way all over the three planets. You see, I am no magician after all. That's what I did to your ships. My two plates were charged cliffsides and the mesa. From the batteries of giant electronic tubes in Ruuzol, I spread those waves back and forth, caught your ships in their flow as food is caught, or as the iron bar. The high heat that was produced internally exploded every powder magazine and bit of gunpowder on your vessels. It literally blew them up from inside. That's why it was so swift and sudden, so silent." One of the officers shuddered spasmodically, whispering, "If you'd left the power on still longer, you'd have cooked every one of us alive." Kortha looked at him. One of the younger men looked sick. He turned away. "You were generous," exclaimed an older officer. "In your place--" "You men are part of Mars. My quarrel was not with you. I need you, to build Mars up again, to make her one with Earth, one with Venus. We must unite the clans, make the Confederacy strong as ever. Then we shall send deputies to Earth and Venus. "I rather think that this time they shall listen to us." He said again, "Go to your ships. Have them refitted and repaired. Then return for me, two weeks from today." The officers bowed and departed. Ilse stirred in Kortha's arm, looking up at him. "Two weeks?" she whispered. "You and I are returning to the Blue Grotto. After I get my real personality back--minus my red-hot temper--we will return to Ruuzol." His hands drew her to him. "Two weeks is a short honeymoon, but for an old hermit like me it will be an eternity of happiness!" Their lips met avidly, as the shadows of the departing fliers flickered one by one across their bodies, and disappeared over the horizon. Across the empty red plains of Ruuzol rolled a tumblie. Xax was going home. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Engines of the Gods, by Gardner F. Fox