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Chapter Two

Conversation Beside The
Mentality Machine

KALAN OF VITALL fingered his serpent mask with
pale, old hands on which the veins stood out, resem-
bling, themselves, so many curling blue snakes. Ahead
was the main laboratoryóa great, low-ceilinged hall in
which many experiments were being performed by men
dressed in the uniforms and masks of the Order of the
Serpent, of which Baron Kalan was Grand Constable.
Strange machines gave off stranger sounds and stenches
and miniature coloured lightnings flashed and cracked
around them so that the entire area resembled some hell-
ish workshop presided over by devils. Here and there
human beings of both sexes and varying ages had been
strapped out or fitted into machines as the scientists
tested their experiments on the human mind and body.
Most had been silenced in some way, but a few screamed
or moaned or cried out in peculiar insane voices, often
to the annoyance of the distracted scientists who would
stuff rags into the mouths or sever vocal chords or find
some other swift method of achieving a measure of quiet
while they worked.

Kalan put one hand on Meliadus's shoulder and
pointed to a machine standing unattended nearby.

"You'll remember the mentality machine? The one we
used to test Hawkmoon's mind?"

"Aye," Meliadus grumbled. "That's the one led you to
believe we could trust Hawkmoon."

"We reckoned without factors we could not antici-
pate," Kalan said by way of defence. "Well, that is not
why I mentioned my little invention. I was asked to use
it this morning."

"By whom?"

"By the King Emperor himself. He summoned me to
the Throne Room and told me he wished to test a mem-
ber of the Court."

"Who?"

"Who d'you think, my lord?"

"Myself!" Meliadus spoke with outrage.

"Exactly. I think he suspects your loyalty in some way,
Lord Baron ..."

"How much, do you think?"

"Not much. All that appears to be in Huon's mind is
that you may be concentrating too much on your per-
sonal schemes and not enough on the interests of his
own plans. I think he would merely like to know how
strong your loyalty is and if you have given up your per-
sonal plans..."

"Do you intend to obey his orders, Kalan?"

Kalan shrugged. "Do you suggest I ignore them?"

"Noóbut what shall we do?"

"I will have to put you in the mentality machine, of
course, but I think I can obtain the results that would
be most in our interest." Kalan chuckled, a hollow whis-
per of sound from within his mask. "Shall we begin, Me-
liadus?"

Meliadus moved reluctantly forward, looking ner-
vously at the gleaming machine of red and blue metal,
with its mysterious projections, its heavy, jointed arms
and attachments of unknown application. Its main fea-
ture, however, was the huge bell hanging above the rest
of the machine, depending from an intricate scaffold.

Kalan threw a switch and gestured apologetically.
"We once kept this machine in a hall of its own, but

space has become so limited of late. That is one of my
chief complaints. We are asked for so much and given so
little room in which to achieve it." From the machine
came a sound like the breathing of some gigantic beast.
Meliadus took a step backward. Kalan chuckled again
and signalled for serpent-masked servitors to come to
help him operate the device.

"If you will kindly stand beneath the bell, Meliadus,
we will lower it at once," Kalan suggested.

Slowly, suspiciously, Meliadus took his place. The bell
began to descend until it had covered him, its fleshy
sides writhing until they had moulded themselves com-
pletely to his body. Then Meliadus felt as if hot wires
had been inserted into his skull and that they were
probing into his brain. He tried to yell, but was muffled.
Hallucinations beganóvisions and memories of his past
lifeómainly of battles and bloodshed, though the hated
face of Dorian Hawkmoon, twisted into a million fearful
shapes, swam often before his eyes, as did the sweetly
beautiful face of the woman he desired above every-
thing, Yisselda of Brass. Gradually, through an eternity,
his whole life began to be built up until he had recalled
all that had ever happened to him, everything he had
ever thought or dreamed of, not sequentially, but in or-
der of importance. Riding over everything was his desire
for Yisselda, his hatred of Hawkmoon and his schemes
for ousting Huon from power.

Then the bell was rising and Meliadus looked once
again upon the mask of Kalan. Meliadus felt mentally
purged and in high spirits.

"Well, Kalan, what did you discover?"

"Nothing, at this stage, that I did not already know.
The full results will take an hour or two to process." He
giggled. "The emperor would be much amused to see
them."

"Aye. He will not see them, I hope."

"He will see something, Meliadus, that will show that
your hatred for Hawkmoon is diminishing and that your
love for the emperor is abiding and deep. Do not they
tell us that love and hate are close together. Therefore

your hatred of Huon will become love, with a little doc-
toring on my part."

"Good. Now let us discuss the rest of our project. First
we must find a way of bringing Castle Brass back to this
dimensionóor else of finding a way through ourselvesó
secondly we must discover a means of re-activating the
Black Jewel in Hawkmoon's skull and thus getting him
into our power again. Lastly we must devise weapons
and so forth to enable us to overcome Huon's forces."

Kalan nodded. "Of course. There are already the new
engines I invented for the ships..."

"The ships that Trott left with?"

"Aye. The engines drive vessels faster and farther
than anything ever before invented. Trott's ships are the
only ones so far equipped with them. Trott should be
reporting to us soon."

"Where did he go?"

"I am not sure. Only he and King Huon knewóbut it
must have been a good distance awayóseveral thousand
miles at the least. Perhaps to Asiacommunista."

"That seems likely," Meliadus agreed. "Still, let us
forget Trott and discuss the details of our plan. Tar-
agorm, also, is working on a device which might help us
reach Castle Brass."

"Perhaps it would be best for Taragorm to concen-
trate on that line of research, since it is his speciality,
while I try to find a means of activating the Black
Jewel," Kalan suggested.

"Perhaps," murmured Meliadus. "First, I think, I will
consult my brother-in-law. I'll leave you now and return
shortly."

With that, Meliadus summoned his slaves who
brought his litter. He climbed into it, waved farewell to
Kalan, and directed the girls to take him to the Palace
of Time.

Chapter Three

Taragorm of The
Palace of Time

IN TARAGORM'S STRANGE palace, shaped like a gigan-
tic clock, the air was full of clanks and whirrs and the
whistling of pendula and balance wheels and Taragorm,
in his huge clock mask which told the time as accurately
as the other clocks in the palace, took Meliadus's arm
and guided him through the Hall of the Pendulum
where, a short distance above Meliadus's head, the huge
brass bob, made to resemble an ornate, blazing sun,
flung its fifty ton weight back and forth across the hall.

"Well, brother," Meliadus shouted above the noise,
"you sent me a message that you said I would be pleased
to hear, but the message only told me to come to see
you."

"Aye. I felt it best to tell you in private. Come." Tar-
agorm led Meliadus through a short passage and into a
small room in which stood only one ancient clock. Tar-
agorm closed the door and there was relative silence. He
indicated the clock. "It is probably the oldest clock in
the world, brotheróa 'grandfather' it was called and it
was made by Thomas Tompion."

"I have not heard the name."

"A master craftsmanóthe greatest of his age. He lived
well before the onset of the Tragic Millennium."

"Indeed? And has this something to do with your
message?"

"Of course not." Taragorm clapped his hands and a
side door opened. A lean, ragged figure stepped
through, his face covered by a cracked, plain leather
mask. He bowed extravagantly to Meliadus.

"Who is this?"

"It is Elvereza Tozer, brother. You remember the
name?"

"Of course! The man who stole Mygan's ring and
then vanished!"

"Exactly. Tell my brother Baron Meliadus where you
have been, Master Tozer..."

Again Tozer bowed and then sat himself down on the
edge of the table, spreading his arms wide. "Why, I've
been to Castle Brass, my lord!"

Suddenly Meliadus sprang across the room to grab the
startled Tozer by the slack of his shirt. "You've been
where!" he growled.

"C-castle B-Brass, your honour..."

Meliadus shook Tozer, lifting him clear of the
ground. "How?"

"I reached the place by accidentóI was captured by
Hawkmoon of KolnóI was held prisonerómy ring taken
from meówithout ring could not remainóescapedóar-
rived b-back here..." Tozer gasped in fright.

"He brought some information with him that's more
interesting," Taragorm said. "Tell him, Tozer."

"The machine which protects themówhich keeps
them in that other dimensionóit's in the dungeons of
the castleókept carefully protected. A crystal thing they
got from a place called Soryandum. It took them there
and it ensures their safety."

Taragorm laughed. "It is true, Meliadus. I've tested
him a dozen times. I've heard of this crystal machine
but did not suspect it existed still. And with the rest of
the information Tozer has given me, I think I can
achieve some results.

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