Just then an orderly arrived with a message. One of the jailers, who had
been in charge of the prisoners, had escaped when they overthrew the
guard and seized the stadium. He reported that before his own escape
Prince Yuri had sneaked into the stadium from wherever he had been in
hiding in the city, and had taken command of the insurgent Formians.
“We must capture him alive!” Cabot shouted. “The bombing must stop!”
Here at last was an excuse to save his beloved stadium. Hah gave orders
to recall the planes, and soon they could be seen proceeding to their
base. A special force was then organized for the assault.
But, as they were assembling, three Formian air ships arose from within
the stadium and headed due south at full speed. The meaning was only too
evident; with the withdrawal of the Cupian bombers there had been
nothing to prevent the renegade prince and the survivors of his black
allies from making their escape in the planes which had originally
brought them their arms, and which must have been kept under cover
during the bombing of the stadium. Hurried orders were given for
pursuit; but, as the Cupian fliers returned from their base and
disappeared over the southern horizon, the silver sky began to darken in
the east and to turn red in the west. Another day was at an end. Prince
Yuri was still at large.
As the evening fell, the assaulting column was launched against the
stadium. But they met with no resistance. As Poblath would say, the
pterodactyl had flown. The stadium was empty of all save the corpses of
the slain and the remains of what once had been a
one-hundredth-of-a-parastad field gun, i.e., just about a seventy-five.
So the council of war resumed its sessions in the palace, where the
débris had been removed by the attendants. The ladies were safe. One of
the wounded had died, but Buh Tedn and the other were reported to be
resting comfortably.
The conference proceeded with its plans for the war. When all the
military dispositions had been completed, Toron suggested that baby Kew
ought to be crowned at once, in order to consolidate the popular support
behind the throne.
So early next morning Lilla was dispatched to the north by plane, amply
convoyed, to bring back the little monarch. Not without qualms did Cabot
let her go, but something had to be risked in times like these, and it
hardly seemed possible that one who had been through so many
tribulations could be subjected to any further danger.
Then for several days every one marked time, while Kuana was cleared of
skulking Formians, and the army was provisioned and equipped. Brief
furloughs were given all who wished to visit their families and to
reestablish their homes. Kamel, as predicted, was overwhelmed by his
sarkarship, and made stirring patriotic addresses throughout the city.
The Popular Assembly, which Yuri had dissolved, was reassembled; and,
under the leadership of Kamel and Toron, both parties joined in
unanimously voting for war to the hilt.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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