Page:Fantastic Universe (1956-10; vol. 8, no. 3).djvu/98

126 any sort and, by God, you'll go wherever it is your sort of horror goes when it dies."

"Who are you?"

"Never mind, who I am. What's your name?"

"Jared."

"Okay. Do what I tell you, Jared, and you won't be hurt. I don't know how you communicate in this place, but don't try it. If I die, you go with me. Got it?"

"What do you want?"

"Tell me about this " He pointed to the rows of discs. He saw that each bore an embossed hieroglyphic symbol. None of it made any sense. "What do these mean?"

Jared said nothing.

"You heard me. Look I'm getting out of this place—see? And you're helping me. I'm not arguing. What are these discs?"

"Call signs for the other vibrations."

"Spheres?"

"Yes."

He waved a hand at the great instrument board.

"What's that? What does it do? Quick now "

Hatred leaped from the sunken eyes, but was gone again.

"It's a mind-mirror. Whoever you are, you're a fool."

"Okay, I'm a fool. But I'm still alive. I can still deal with you, if I have to. A mind mirror. How does it work?"

"It tunes in other planes. That is, sometimes. It's out of order"

He thought; this won't do. I'm getting no place. Seven aeons! it's wearing fast. Any second they'll be coming for me missing me

He took Jared by the throat, shaking him. The touch nauseated him. No flesh, like his own. His fingers slipped on it, felt numb. But the elemental's eyes bulged at the pressure. He gasped: "I lied—yes. I'll tell you anything you want to know I'll tell you, I say "

He released him.

"Earth. Terra. You call it the First Sphere? What disc is for Terra?"

Jared touched one.

"If that's not the right one if you're fooling me!"

"It's the right one. You press twice then to the left. It's what we call First Plane Wave "

"Sound?"

"I don't know what you mean. It carries the Terra vibrations. It sends mind pictures."

He thought: I'll have to chance it. It was a thought within a thought. His mind said: "You'd better be right." He spun Jared around and let his fist smash hard down on the hollow between the shoulder blades, and the elemental fell on the floor, momentarily paralyzed.

He found a sort of silver string and tied the elemental's limbs, and straightened up, panting. His hand went out to the Terra disc, but a thought checked him.

"I must make some sort of