Astrologers -- Fiction; Mars (Planet) -- Fiction; Martians -- Fiction; Science fiction; Short stories
His trial was short and speedy. During the entire proceedings he
remained gagged and bound so as to be unable to utter the blasphemies
he might have seen. The priests passed quick judgment upon him for had
he not been caught peering through the accursed instrument? There was
naught for such but execution.
The guards led him out of the courtroom that morning and took him to
a cell overlooking the place of execution. Here for the first time he
was ungagged and unbound. The door rolled shut upon him and the locks
clicked.
Saknarth gazed out of the barred window. The street was many feet
below. He could not possibly shout down to the passers-by what he had
learned. He looked wildly around him.
On a little table was parchment and crayon. He grasped these and
quickly drew a series of ideographs. He wrote furiously for he had not
much time.
He wrote about the lights and the Sign. He exhorted the reader to carry
it to the astrologers and the men of learning. He declared the time had
come to rise and strike for freedom.
Rising, Saknarth went over to the window, waiting. There were many
going through the street below, but he waited for the best. There! A
young man passing now. Upon his arm was the circle insignia of the
Society of the One God. An intelligent look was in his eye.
Saknarth grasped the rolled manuscript and hurled it. Straight before
the youth it fell. The young man picked it up, drew aside into a
doorway opposite to read it. Hopefully the prisoner watched the
expression on the youth's face, saw light spring into his eyes, saw a
smile and a determined line spread over his face.
The reader looked up. Straight into Saknarth's eyes he gazed, then
raised his hand in salute and hurried off down the street.
The Master Astrologer sat down upon his stool, waiting for the
executioners. He was ready to die now; he had done his work.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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