Victory

I had gone five miles, and had paused for a moment, half way up the slope of the valley to get my bearings, when a figure came hurtling through the air from behind, and landed lightly at my side. It was Wilma.

I had traveled five miles and stopped halfway up the valley slope to get my bearings. Suddenly, a figure came hurtling through the air from behind me and landed lightly at my side. It was Wilma.

"I put Bill Hearn in command and followed, Tony. I won't let you go into that alone. If you die, I do, too. Now don't argue, dear. I'm determined."

"I put Bill Hearn in charge and followed you, Tony. I won't let you go into that alone. If you die, I do, too. Now don't argue, dear. I've made up my mind."

So together we leaped northward again toward the battle. And after a bit we pulled up close behind the barrage.

So together we leaped north again toward the battle. After a while, we came up close behind the barrage.

Great, blinding flashes, like a continuous wall of gigantic fireworks, receded up the valley ahead of us, sweeping ahead of it a seething, tossing mass of debris that seemed composed of all nature, tons of earth, rocks and trees. Ever and anon vast sections of the mountain sides would loosen and slide into the valley.

Great, blinding flashes receded up the valley ahead of us, like a continuous wall of gigantic fireworks. They swept a churning, tossing mass of debris before them. It seemed to contain all of nature, tons of earth, rocks, and trees. Now and then, huge sections of the mountainsides broke loose and slid into the valley.

And, leaping close behind this barrage, with a reckless skill and courage that amazed me, our bayonet-gunners appeared in a continuous series of flashing pictures, outlined in midleap against the wall of fire.

Our bayonet-gunners leaped close behind the barrage with reckless skill and courage that amazed me. They appeared in a continuous series of flashing images, outlined in midleap against the wall of fire.

I would not have believed it possible for such a barrage to pass over any of the enemy and leave them unscathed. But it did. For the Hans, operating small disintegrator beams from local or field broadcasts, frantically bored deep, slanting holes in the earth as the fiery tides of explosions rolled up the valleys toward them, and into these probably half of their units were able to throw themselves and escape destruction.

I would not have believed that such a barrage could pass over any enemy units and leave them unharmed. But it did. As the fiery waves of explosions rolled up the valleys toward them, the Hans frantically bored deep, sloping holes in the ground. They used small disintegrator beams powered by local or field broadcasts. Probably half their units managed to throw themselves into these holes and escape destruction.

But dazed and staggering they came forth again only to meet death from the terrible, ripping, slashing, cleaving weapons in the hands of our leaping bayonet-gunners.

But they came out again, dazed and staggering. They met death at the hands of our leaping bayonet-gunners, whose terrible weapons ripped, slashed, and cleaved.

Thrust! Cut! Crunch! Slice! Thrust! Up and down with vicious, tireless, flashing speed, swung the bayonets and ax-bladed butts of the American gunners as they leaped and dodged, ever forward, toward new opponents.

Thrust! Cut! Crunch! Slice! Thrust! The American gunners swung their bayonets and ax-bladed butts up and down with fierce, tireless, flashing speed. They leaped and dodged, always moving forward toward new opponents.

Weakly and ineffectually the red-coated Han soldiery thrust at them with spears, flailing with their short-swords and knives, or whipping about their ray pistols. The forest men were too powerful, too fast in their remorselessly efficient movement.

The red-coated Han soldiers jabbed weakly and ineffectively at them with spears. They swung their short swords and knives or waved their ray pistols around. The forest men were too powerful and too fast, moving with ruthless efficiency.

With a shout of unholy joy, I gripped a bayonet-gun from the hands of a gunner whose leg had been whisked out of existence beneath him by a pistol ray, and leaped forward into the fight, launching myself at a red-coated officer who was just stepping out of a "worm hole."

With a shout of wicked joy, I grabbed a bayonet-gun from a gunner whose leg had been erased by a pistol ray. I leaped into the fight, throwing myself at a red-coated officer who was just stepping out of a "worm hole."

Like a shriek of the Valkyrie, Wilma's battle cry rang in my ear as she, too, shot herself like a rocket at a red-coated figure.

Wilma's battle cry rang in my ear like a Valkyrie's shriek as she, too, shot like a rocket toward a red-coated figure.

I thrust with every ounce of my strength. The Han officer, grinning wickedly as he tried to raise the muzzle of his pistol, threw himself backward as my bayonet ripped the air under his nose. But his grin turned instantly to sickened surprise as the up-cleaving ax-blade on the butt of my weapon caught him in the groin, half bisecting him.

I thrust with all my strength. The Han officer grinned wickedly as he tried to raise the muzzle of his pistol. He threw himself backward as my bayonet sliced through the air beneath his nose. But his grin instantly turned to sickened surprise. The upward-swinging ax blade on the butt of my weapon caught him in the groin, cutting him halfway in two.

And from the corner of my eye I saw Wilma bury her bayonet in her opponent, screaming in ecstatic joy.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Wilma drive her bayonet into her opponent, screaming with ecstatic joy.

And so, in a matter of seconds, we found ourselves in the front rank, thrusting, cutting, dodging, leaping along behind that blinding and deafening barrage in a veritable whirlwind of fury, until it seemed to me that we were exulting in a consciousness of excelling even that tide of destruction in our merciless efficiency.

And so, within seconds, we were in the front rank. We thrust, slashed, dodged, and leaped along behind the blinding, deafening barrage in a whirlwind of fury. It seemed to me that we were thrilled by the thought that our merciless efficiency surpassed even that tide of destruction.

At last we became aware, in but a vague sort of way at first, that no more red-coats were rising up out of the ground to go down again before our whirling, swinging weapons. Gradually we paused, looking about in wonder. Then the barrage ceased, and the sudden absence of the deafening roll, and the wall of light, in themselves, deafened and blinded us.

At last, we began to realize, vaguely at first, that no more red-coats were rising from the ground. None were falling again before our whirling, swinging weapons. We gradually stopped and looked around in wonder. Then the barrage stopped. The sudden absence of the deafening roar and the wall of light was itself deafening and blinding.

I leaped weakly toward the spot where hazily I spied Wilma, now drooping and swaying on her feet, supported as she was by her jumping belt, and caught her in my arms, just as she was sinking gently to the ground.

I leaped weakly toward Wilma, whom I could just make out through the haze. She was slumping and swaying on her feet, held up by her jumping belt. I caught her in my arms just as she sank gently to the ground.

All around us the weary warriors, crimsoned now with the blood of the enemy, were sinking to the ground in exhaustion. And as I too, sank down, clutching in my arms the unconscious form of my warrior wife, I began to hear, through my helmet phones, the exultant report of headquarters.

All around us, the weary warriors were sinking to the ground, exhausted and covered in the enemy's blood. As I too sank down, holding my unconscious warrior wife in my arms, I heard headquarters' triumphant report through my helmet headphones.

Our attack had swept straight through the enemy's sector, completely annihilating everything except a few hundred of his troops on either flank. And these, in panic and terror, had scattered wildly in flight. We had wiped out a force more than ten times our own number. The right flank of the American army was saved. And already the Colorado Union, from behind us, was leaping around in a great circling movement, closing in on the Han force that was advancing from the ruins of Lo-Tan.

Our attack swept straight through the enemy’s sector, wiping out everything except a few hundred troops on either flank. Panicked and terrified, those troops scattered and fled. We had wiped out a force more than ten times our own size. The right flank of the American army was saved. Already, the Colorado Union was sweeping around from behind us in a wide circle. It was closing in on the Han force advancing from the ruins of Lo-Tan.

Far away, to the southwest, the southern Gangs, reinforced in the end by the bulk of our left wing, had struck straight at the enveloping Han force shattering it like a thunderbolt, and at present were busily hunting down and destroying its scattered remnants.

Far away to the southwest, most of our left wing finally joined the southern Gangs. Together, they struck straight at the surrounding Han force, shattering it like a thunderbolt. They were now hunting down and destroying its scattered remnants.

But before the Colorado Union could complete the destruction of the central division of the enemy, the despairing Hans saved them the trouble. Company after company of them, knowing no escape was possible, lined up in the forest glades and valleys, while their officers swept them out of existence by the hundreds with their ray pistols, which they then turned on themselves.

But before the Colorado Union could finish destroying the enemy’s central division, the despairing Hans did it for them. Company after company lined up in forest clearings and valleys, knowing there was no escape. Their officers killed them by the hundreds with ray pistols, then turned the weapons on themselves.

And so the fall of Lo-Tan was accomplished. Somewhere in the seething activities of these few days, San-Lan, the "Heaven-Born," Emperor of the Hans in America, perished, for he was heard of never again, and the unified action of the Hans vanished with him, though it was several years before one by one their remaining cities were destroyed and their populations hunted down, thus completing the reclamation of America and inaugurating the most glorious and noble era of scientific civilization in the history of the American race.

And so Lo-Tan fell. Amid the turmoil of those few days, San-Lan, the "Heaven-Born," Emperor of the Hans in America, died. He was never heard of again, and with him, the Hans lost their unity. But it took several more years to destroy their remaining cities one by one and hunt down their populations. This completed the reclamation of America and began the most glorious and noble era of scientific civilization in the history of the American race.

As I look back on those emotional and violent years from my present vantage point of declining existence in an age of peace and good will toward all mankind, they do seem savage and repellent.

Now, near the end of my life, I live in an age of peace and goodwill toward all humanity. Looking back, those emotional and violent years do seem savage and repellent.

Then there flashes into my memory the picture of Wilma (now long since gone to her rest) as, screaming in an utter abandon of merciless fury, she threw herself recklessly, exultantly into the thick of that wild, relentless slaughter; and my mind can find nothing savage nor repellent about her.

Then I remember Wilma, who died long ago. Screaming in complete, merciless fury, she threw herself recklessly and joyfully into the middle of that wild, relentless slaughter. Yet I can see nothing savage or repulsive about her.

If I, product of the relatively peaceful Twentieth Century, was so completely carried away by the fury of that war, intensified by centuries of unspeakable cruelty on the part of the yellow men who were mentally gods and morally beasts, shall I be shocked at the "bloodthirstiness" of a mate who was, after all, but a normal girl of that day, and who, girl as she was, never for a moment faltered in the high courage with which she threw herself into that combat, responding to the passionate urge for freedom in her blood that not five centuries of inhuman persecution could subdue?

I came from the relatively peaceful twentieth century, yet I was completely swept up in the fury of that war. Centuries of unspeakable cruelty by the yellow men had made that fury even more intense. They were gods in their minds and beasts in their morals. If I felt that way, should I be shocked by the "bloodthirstiness" of my mate? After all, she was only a normal girl of her day. Though she was a girl, she threw herself into combat with great courage and never faltered for a moment. She was answering the passionate urge for freedom in her blood, an urge that five centuries of inhuman persecution had failed to subdue.

Had the Hans been raging tigers, or slimy, loathsome reptiles, would we have spared them? And when in their centuries of degradation they had destroyed the souls within themselves, were they in any way superior to tigers or snakes? To have extended mercy would have been suicide.

If the Hans had been raging tigers or slimy, disgusting reptiles, would we have spared them? And after centuries of degradation had destroyed their souls, were they any better than tigers or snakes? Showing mercy would have been suicide.

In the years that followed, Wilma and I travelled nearly every nation on the earth which had succeeded in throwing off the Han domination, spurred on by our success in America, and I never knew her to show to the men or women of any race anything but the utmost of sympathetic courtesy and consideration, whether they were the noble brown-skinned Caucasians of India, the sturdy Balkanites of Southern Europe, or the simple, spiritual Blacks of Africa, today one of the leading races of the world, although in the Twentieth Century we regarded them as inferior. This charity and gentleness of hers did not fail even in our contacts with the non-Han Mongolians of Japan and the coast provinces of China.

In the years that followed, Wilma and I traveled to nearly every nation that had thrown off Han rule. Our success in America had spurred those nations on. I never knew Wilma to treat men or women of any race with anything but the greatest sympathy, courtesy, and consideration. This was true of the noble brown-skinned Caucasians of India, the sturdy Balkanites of Southern Europe, and the simple, spiritual Blacks of Africa. Blacks are one of the leading races of the world today, although in the Twentieth Century we regarded them as inferior. Her kindness and gentleness never failed, even when we met non-Han Mongolians from Japan and the coastal provinces of China.

But that monstrosity among the races of men which originated as a hybrid somewhere in the dark fastnesses of interior Asia, and spread itself like an inhuman yellow blight over the face of the globe—for that race, like all of us, she felt nothing but horror and the irresistible urge to extermination.

But one monstrous race of men began as a hybrid somewhere in the dark, remote regions of inner Asia. It spread across the globe like an inhuman yellow blight. Like all of us, she felt nothing but horror toward that race and an irresistible urge to exterminate it.

Latterly, our historians and anthropologists find much support for the theory that the Hans sprang from a genus of human-like creatures that may have arrived on this earth with a small planet (or large meteor) which is known to have crashed in interior Asia late in the Twentieth Century, causing certain permanent changes in the earth's orbit and climate.

Recently, our historians and anthropologists have found much support for a theory about the origins of the Hans. According to this theory, the Hans descended from a genus of human-like creatures. These creatures may have arrived on Earth with a small planet (or large meteor). This body is known to have crashed in interior Asia late in the twentieth century. The crash caused permanent changes in the Earth's orbit and climate.

Geological convulsions blocked this section off from the rest of the world for many years. And it is a historical fact that Chinese scientists, driving their explorations into it at a somewhat later period, met the first wave of the on-coming Hans.

Geological upheavals cut this section off from the rest of the world for many years. And history records that Chinese scientists explored the section somewhat later and encountered the first wave of the advancing Hans.

The theory is that these creatures (and certain queer skeletons have been found in the "Asiatic Bowl") with a mental superdevelopment, but a vacuum in place of that intangible something we call a soul, mated forcibly with the Tibetans, thereby strengthening their physical structure to almost the human normal, adapting themselves to earthly speech and habits, and in some strange manner intensifying even further their mental powers.

The theory is that these creatures forcibly mated with the Tibetans. Strange skeletons of the creatures have been found in the "Asiatic Bowl". They had highly developed minds, but a void where the intangible thing we call a soul should have been. By mating with the Tibetans, they strengthened their bodies until they were almost normal for humans. They also adapted to earthly speech and habits and, in some strange way, intensified their mental powers even further.

Or, to put it the other way around. These Tibetans, through the injection of this unearthly blood, deteriorated slightly physically, lost the "soul" parts of their nature entirely, and developed abnormally efficient intellects.

Or, to put it the other way around, injecting this unearthly blood made these Tibetans slightly weaker physically. They completely lost the "soul" parts of their nature and developed abnormally efficient minds.

However, through the centuries that followed, as the Hans spread over the face of the earth, this unearthly strain in them not only became more dilute, but lost its potency; and in the end, the poison of it submerged the power of it, and earth's mankind came again into possession of its inheritance.

However, in the centuries that followed, the Hans spread across the earth. As they did, the unearthly strain in them grew more diluted and lost its strength. In the end, its poison overwhelmed its power, and earth's mankind regained its inheritance.

How all this may be, I do not know. It is merely a hypothesis over which the learned men of today quarrel.

I don't know how all this could be. It's only a hypothesis that scholars today argue about.

But I do know that there was something inhuman about these Hans. And I had many months of intimate contact with them, and with their Emperor in America. I can vouch for the fact that even in his most friendly and human moments, there was an inhumanity, or perhaps "unhumanity" about him that aroused in me that urge to kill.

But I do know there was something inhuman about these Hans. I spent many months in close contact with them and with their Emperor in America. Even in his friendliest and most human moments, I could sense something inhuman, or perhaps "unhuman," about him. It stirred in me an urge to kill.

But whether or not there was in these people blood from outside this planet, the fact remains that they have been exterminated, that a truly human civilization reigns once more—and that I am now a very tired old man, waiting with no regrets for the call which will take me to another existence.

But whether or not these people had blood from outside this planet, the fact remains that they have been exterminated. A truly human civilization rules once more. And I am now a very tired old man, waiting without regret for the call that will take me to another existence.

There, it is my hope and my conviction that my courageous mate of those bloody days waits for me with loving arms.

I hope and believe that my brave partner from those bloody days is waiting for me there with loving arms.