Lo-Tan's Destruction

"How did you know I had been taken to Lo-Tan as a prisoner?" I asked the little group of Wyoming Bosses who had assembled in Wilma's tent to greet me. "And how does it happen that our gang is away out here in the Rocky Mountains? I had expected, after the fall of Nu-Yok, that you would join the forest ring around Bah-Flo (Buffalo I called it in the Twentieth Century) or the forces beleaguering Bos-Tan."

"How did you know I had been taken prisoner to Lo-Tan?" I asked the small group of Wyoming Bosses gathered in Wilma's tent to greet me. "And how did our gang end up all the way out here in the Rocky Mountains? After the fall of Nu-Yok, I expected you to join the forest ring around Bah-Flo. I called it Buffalo in the Twentieth Century. Or I thought you would join the forces surrounding Bos-Tan."

They explained that my encounter with the Han airship had been followed carefully by several scopemen. They had seen my swooper shoot skyward out of control, and had followed it with their telultronoscopes until it had been caught in a gale at a high level, and wafted swiftly westward. Ultronophone warnings had been broadcast, asking western Gangs to rescue me if possible. Few of the Gangs west of the Alleghanies, however, had any swoopers, and though I was frequently reported, no attempts could be made to rescue me. Scopemen had reported my capture by the Han ground post, and my probable incarceration in Lo-Tan.

They explained that several scopemen had closely watched my encounter with the Han airship. They had seen my swooper shoot skyward out of control. They followed it with their telultronoscopes until it was caught in a gale high above and swept quickly westward. Ultronophone warnings had been broadcast, asking western Gangs to rescue me if possible. But few Gangs west of the Alleghanies had swoopers. Although I was reported frequently, no rescue attempts could be made. Scopemen had reported that I was captured by the Han ground post and was probably imprisoned in Lo-Tan.

The Rocky Mountain Gangs, in planning their campaign against Lo-Tan, had appealed to the east for help, and Wilma had led the Wyoming veterans westward, though the other eastern Gang had divided their aid between the armies before Bah-Flo and Bos-Tan.

The Rocky Mountain Gangs asked the east for help in planning their campaign against Lo-Tan. Wilma led the Wyoming veterans west, though the other eastern Gang split its aid between the armies outside Bah-Flo and Bos-Tan.

The heavy bombardment which I had heard from Lo-Tan, they told me, was merely a test of the enemy's tactics and strength, but it accomplished little other than to develop that the Hans had the mountains and peaks thickly planted with rocket gunners of their own. It was almost impossible to locate these gun posts, for they were well camouflaged from air observation, and widely scattered; nor did they reveal their positions when they went into action as did their ray batteries.

They told me the heavy bombardment I had heard from Lo-Tan was merely a test of the enemy’s tactics and strength. But it accomplished little beyond revealing that the Hans had stationed many rocket gunners throughout the mountains and on the peaks. Their gun posts were almost impossible to locate. They were widely scattered and well camouflaged from the air. Unlike the ray batteries, the gun posts did not reveal their positions when they opened fire.

The Hans apparently were abandoning their rays except for air defense. I told what I knew of the Han plans for abandoning the city, and their escape tunnels. On the strength of this, a general council of Gang Bosses was called. This council agreed that immediate action was necessary, for my escape from the city probably would be suspected, and San-Lan would be inclined to start an exodus at once.

The Hans apparently were giving up their rays except for air defense. I told them what I knew about the Han plans to abandon the city and about their escape tunnels. Based on this information, a general council of Gang Bosses was called. The council agreed that immediate action was necessary. The Hans would probably suspect that I had escaped, and San-Lan would be inclined to start an exodus at once.

As a matter of fact, the destruction of the city presented no real problem to us at all. Explosive air balls could be sent against any target under a control that could not be better were their operators riding within them, and with no risk to the operators. When a ball was exploded on its target by the operator, or destroyed by accident, he simply reported the fact to the supply division, and a fresh one was placed on the jump-off, tuned to his controls.

In fact, destroying the city posed no real problem for us at all. We could send explosive air balls against any target. Their operators could control them as well as if they were riding inside them, but without any risk to themselves. When an operator exploded a ball on its target, or a ball was destroyed by accident, he simply reported it to the supply division. A fresh ball was then placed on the jump-off, tuned to his controls.

To my own Gang, the Wyomings, the Council delegated the destruction of the escape tunnels of the enemy. We had a comfortably located camp in a wooded canyon, some hundred and thirty miles northeast of the city, with about 500 men, most of whom were bayonet-gunners, 350 girls as long-gunners and control-board operators, 91 control boards and about 250 five-foot, inertron-protected air balls, of which 200 were of the explosive variety.

The Council assigned my own Gang, the Wyomings, to destroy the enemy’s escape tunnels. We had a comfortable camp in a wooded canyon about 130 miles northeast of the city. We had about 500 men, most of them bayonet-gunners, and 350 girls serving as long-gunners and control-board operators. We also had 91 control boards and about 250 five-foot, inertron-protected air balls. Of those air balls, 200 were explosive.

I ordered all control boards manned, taking Number One myself, and instructed the others to follow my lead in single file, at the minimum interval of safety, with their projectiles set for signal rather than contact detonation.

I ordered all control boards staffed and took Number One myself. I told the others to follow me in single file, keeping the shortest safe distance between them. Their projectiles were set to detonate by signal rather than on contact.

In my mind I paid humble tribute to the ingenuity of our engineers as I gently twisted the lever that shot my projectile vertically into the air from the jump-off clearing some half mile away.

I silently admired our engineers’ ingenuity as I gently turned the lever. It launched my projectile straight up from the launch clearing about half a mile away.

The control board before me was a compact contrivance about five feet square. The center of it contained a four-foot viewplate. Whatever view was picked up by the ultronoscope "eye" of the air ball was automatically broadcast on an accurate tuning channel to this viewplate by the automatic mechanism of the projectile. In turn my control board broadcast the signals which automatically controlled the movements of the ball.

The control board before me was a compact device about five feet square. At its center was a four-foot viewplate. The air ball’s ultronoscope "eye" picked up a view. The projectile’s automatic mechanism then broadcast that view to the viewplate over a precisely tuned channel. In turn, my control board broadcast signals that automatically controlled the ball’s movements.

Above and below the viewplate were the pointers and the swinging needles which indicated the speed and angle of vertical movement, the altimeter, the directional compass, and the horizontal speed and distance indicators.

Above and below the viewplate were pointers and swinging needles showing the speed and angle of vertical movement. There were also an altimeter, a directional compass, and indicators for horizontal speed and distance.

At my left hand was the lever by which I could set the "eye" for penetrative, normal or varying degrees of telescopic vision, and at my right the universally jointed stick (much like the "joy stick" of the ancient airplanes) with its speed control button on the top, with which the ball was directionally "pointed" and controlled.

At my left hand was a lever for setting the "eye" to penetrative, normal, or varying degrees of telescopic vision. At my right was a stick with a universal joint, much like the "joy stick" of ancient airplanes. It had a speed control button on top. I used the stick to "point" and control the ball.

The manipulation of these levers I had found, with a very little practice, most instinctive and simple.

With very little practice, I found operating these levers instinctive and simple.

So, as I have said, I pointed my projectile straight up and let it shoot to the height of two miles. Then I levelled it off, and shot it at full speed (about 500 miles an hour with no allowance for air currents) in a general southwesterly direction, while I eased my controls until I brought in the telescopic view of Lo-Tan. I centered the picture of the city on the crossed hairlines in the middle of my viewpoint, and watched its image grow.

So, as I said, I pointed my projectile straight up and sent it two miles into the air. Then I leveled it off and headed southwest at full speed. That was about 500 miles an hour, without accounting for air currents. As I flew, I adjusted the controls until I had a telescopic view of Lo-Tan. I centered the city on the crosshairs in my viewer and watched its image grow.

In about fifteen minutes the "string" of air balls was before the city, and speaking in my ultrophone I gave the order to halt, while I swung the scope control to the penetrative setting and let my "eye" rove slowly back and forth through the walls of the city, hunting for a spot from which I might get my bearings. At last, after many penetrations, I managed to bring in a view of the head of the shaft at the bottom of which I knew the tunnels were located, and saw that we were none too soon, for all the corridors leading toward this shaft were packed with Hans waiting their turn to descend.

In about fifteen minutes, the "string" of air balls reached the city. I gave the order to halt through my ultrophone. Then I switched the scope control to its penetrative setting and slowly swept my "eye" back and forth through the city walls. I was looking for a spot where I could get my bearings. At last, after many penetrations, I found the top of the shaft. I knew the tunnels were at the bottom of it. We were none too soon, for all the corridors leading to the shaft were packed with Hans waiting to descend.

Slowly I let my "eye" retreat down one of these corridors until I "pulled it out" through the outer wall of the city. There I held the spot on the crossed hairlines and ordered Number Two Operator to my control board, where I pointed out to her the exact spot where I desired a breach in the wall. Returning to her own board, she withdrew her ball from the "string," and focussing on this spot in the wall, eased her projectile into contact with it and detonated.

Slowly, I drew my "eye" back down one of these corridors until I "pulled it out" through the city's outer wall. There, I held the spot on the crosshairs and called Number Two Operator to my control board. I showed her the exact spot where I wanted a breach in the wall. She returned to her board and withdrew her ball from the "string." Focusing on the spot in the wall, she eased her projectile against it and detonated it.

The atomic force of the explosion shattered a vast section of the wall, and for the moment I feared I had balked my own game by not having provided a less powerful projectile.

The atomic force of the explosion shattered a huge section of the wall. For a moment, I feared I had ruined my own plan by not using a less powerful projectile.

After some fumbling, however, I was able to maneuver my ball through a gap in the debris and find the corridor I was seeking. Down this corridor I sent it at the speed of a Twentieth Century bullet, (this is to say, about half speed) to spare myself the sight of the slaughter as it cut a swath down the closely packed column of the enemy. If there were any it did not kill, I knew they would be taken care of by the other balls in the string which would follow.

After some fumbling, I managed to steer my ball through a gap in the debris and find the corridor I wanted. I sent it down the corridor at the speed of a Twentieth Century bullet, about half the ball's top speed. This spared me the sight of the slaughter as it cut through the tightly packed column of enemies. If it did not kill them all, I knew the other balls in the string would take care of the survivors.

I had to slow it up, however, near the head of the shaft to take my bearings; and a sea of evil faces, contorted with livid terror, looked at me from my viewplate. But not even the terror could conceal the hate in those faces, and there arose in my mind the picture of their long centuries of ruthless cruelty to my race, and the hopelessness of changing the tigerish nature of these Hans. So I steeled myself, and drove the ball again and again into that sea of faces, until I had cleared the station platform of any living enemy, and sent the survivors crushing their way madly along the corridors away from it. There was blinding flash or two on my viewplate as some Han officer tried his ray pistol on my projectile, but that was all, except that he must have disintegrated many of his fellows, for our balls were sheathed in inertron, and suffered no damage themselves.

Near the top of the shaft, however, I had to slow the ball down to get my bearings. A sea of evil faces looked at me from my viewplate, twisted with stark terror. But even their terror could not hide the hatred in their faces. I remembered their long centuries of ruthless cruelty to my race. I knew there was no hope of changing the tigerish nature of these Hans. So I steeled myself and drove the ball into that sea of faces again and again. I continued until I had cleared the station platform of every living enemy. The survivors frantically pushed their way along the corridors, fleeing the platform. A Han officer tried to fire his ray pistol at my projectile, causing a blinding flash or two on my viewplate. That was all, though he must have disintegrated many of his own people. Our balls were sheathed in inertron, so they suffered no damage themselves.

Cautioning my unit to follow carefully, I pushed my control lever all the way forward until my "eye" pointed down, and there appeared on my viewplate the smooth cylindrical interior of the shaft, fading down toward the base of the mountain, and like a tiny speck, far, far down, was the car, descending with its last load.

I warned my unit to follow carefully, then pushed my control lever all the way forward until my "eye" pointed down. My viewplate showed the smooth, cylindrical interior of the shaft, fading into the distance toward the base of the mountain. Far, far below, the car was descending with its last load, looking like a tiny speck.

I dropped my ball on it, battering it down to the bottom of the shaft, and with hammer-like blows flattening the wreckage, that I might squeeze the ball out of the shaft at the lower station.

I dropped my ball on it, battering it down to the bottom of the shaft. With hammer-like blows, I flattened the wreckage so I could squeeze the ball out at the lower station.

It emerged into the great vaulted excavation, capable of holding a thousand or more persons, from which the various escape tunnels radiated. Down these tunnels the last remnants of a crowd of fugitives were disappearing, while red-coated soldiers guided the traffic and suppressed disorder with the threat of their spears, and the occasional flourish of a ray pistol.

It emerged into a vast chamber with a vaulted ceiling, large enough to hold a thousand people or more. Escape tunnels branched out from the chamber. The last members of a crowd of fugitives were disappearing down the tunnels. Red-coated soldiers directed them and kept order by threatening them with spears and occasionally brandishing a ray pistol.

As I floated my ball out into the middle of the artificial cavern I could see them stagger back in terror. Again the blinding flashes of a few ray pistols, and instantaneous borings of the rays into the walls. The red coats nearest the escape tunnels fled down them in panic. Those whose escape I blocked dropped their weapons and shrank back against the smooth, iridescent green walls.

As I floated my ball into the middle of the artificial cavern, I saw them stagger back in terror. A few ray pistols flashed blindingly again, and their rays bored instantly into the walls. The red coats nearest the escape tunnels fled down them in panic. Those whose escape I blocked dropped their weapons and shrank back against the smooth, shimmering green walls.

I marshalled the rest of my string carefully into the cavern, and counted the tunnel entrances, slowly swinging my "eye" around the semicircle of them. There were 26 corridors diverging to the north and west. I decided to send three balls down each, leave 12 in the cavern, then detonate them all at once.

I carefully guided the rest of my string into the cavern. Then I slowly swept my "eye" around the semicircle of tunnel entrances, counting them. There were 26 corridors leading north and west. I decided to send three balls down each corridor and leave 12 in the cavern. Then I would detonate them all at once.

Assigning my operators to their corridors, I ordered intervals of five miles between them, and taking the lead down the first corridor, I ordered "go."

I assigned my operators to their corridors and ordered them to stay five miles apart. I took the lead down the first corridor and ordered "go."

Soon my ball overtook the stream of fugitives, smashing them down despite ray pistols and even rockets that were shot against it. On and on I drove it, time and again battering it through detachments of fleeing Hans, while the distance register on my board climbed to ten, twenty, fifty miles.

Soon my ball caught up with the stream of fugitives, smashing them down despite the ray pistols and rockets fired at it. I drove the ball onward, battering it through groups of fleeing Hans again and again. The distance register on my board climbed to ten, twenty, then fifty miles.

Then I called a halt, and suspended my previous orders. I had had no idea that the Hans had bored these tunnels for such distances under the surface of the ground as this. It would be necessary to trace them to their ends and locate their new underground cities in which they expected to establish themselves, and in which many had established themselves by now, no doubt.

Then I called a halt and suspended my previous orders. I had no idea the Hans had dug tunnels so far underground. We would have to follow the tunnels to their ends and locate their new underground cities. The Hans expected to settle in these cities, and many had no doubt settled there already.

Fifty miles of air in these corridors, I thought, ought to prove a pretty good cushion against the shock of detonation in the cavern. So I ordered detonation of the twelve balls we had left behind. As I expected, there was little effect from it so far out in the tunnels.

I thought fifty miles of air in these corridors should provide a good cushion against the blast in the cavern. So I ordered the twelve balls we had left behind detonated. As I expected, the blast had little effect this far out in the tunnels.

But from our scopemen who were covering the city from the outside, I learned that the effects of the explosion on the mountain were terrific; far more than I had dared to hope for.

But our scopemen watching the city from outside reported that the explosion on the mountain had tremendous effects. They were far greater than I had dared hope.

The mountain itself burst asunder in several spots, throwing out thousands of tons of earth and rock. One-half the city itself tore loose and slid downward, lost in the debris of the avalanche of which it was a part. The remainder, wrenched and convulsed like a living thing in agony, cracked, crumbled and split, towers tumbling down and great fissures appearing in its walls. Its power plant and electro machinery went out of commission. Fifteen of its scout ships hovering in the air directly above, robbed of the power broadcast and their repeller beams disappearing, crashed down into the ruins.

The mountain burst apart in several places, throwing out thousands of tons of earth and rock. Half the city broke loose and slid down with the avalanche, disappearing in the debris. The rest twisted and shook like a living thing in agony. It cracked, crumbled, and split. Towers fell, and great cracks appeared in its walls. Its power plant and electrical machinery stopped working. Fifteen scout ships hovered directly above the city. When the power broadcast stopped, their repeller beams disappeared, and the ships crashed into the ruins.

But out in the escape tunnels, we continued our explorations, now sure that no warnings could be broadcast to the tunnel exits, and mowed down contingent after contingent of the hated yellow men.

But we continued exploring the escape tunnels, now sure that no warnings could be broadcast to the tunnel exits. We mowed down group after group of the hated yellow men.

My register showed seventy-five miles before I came to the end of the tunnel, and drove my ball out into a vast underground city of great, brilliantly illuminated corridors, some of them hundreds of feet high and wide. The architectural scheme was one of lace-like structures of curving lines and of indescribable beauty.

My register showed seventy-five miles when I reached the end of the tunnel. I drove my ball out into a vast underground city of great, brilliantly lit corridors. Some were hundreds of feet high and wide. The buildings had lace-like structures with curved lines and were indescribably beautiful.

Word had reached us now of the destruction of the city itself, so that no necessity existed for destroying the escape tunnels. In consequence, I ordered the two operators, who were following me, to send their balls out into this underground city, seeking the shaft which the Hans were sure to have as a secret exit to the surface of the earth above.

We had now received word that the city itself had been destroyed, so there was no need to destroy the escape tunnels. Instead, I ordered the two operators following me to send their balls into the underground city. They were to search for the shaft the Hans were sure to have as a secret exit to the surface above.

But at this juncture events of transcending importance interrupted my plans for a thorough exploration of these new subterranean cities of the Hans. I detonated my projectile at once and ordered all of the operators to do so, and to tune in instantly on new ones. That we wrecked most of these new cities I now know, but of course at the time we were in the dark as to how much damage we caused, since our viewplates naturally went dead when we detonated our projectiles.

But at this point, events of enormous importance interrupted my plans to thoroughly explore these new underground cities of the Hans. I detonated my projectile at once and ordered all the operators to detonate theirs and immediately tune in on new ones. I now know that we wrecked most of these new cities. But at the time, of course, we had no idea how much damage we caused. Our viewplates went dead when we detonated our projectiles.