They mean business.
It's capture or kill. They're rating us as pirates."
"Very well. Anything really important?"
"Nothing else, sir."
"Keep me informed, if any real news comes in. But don't disturb me
with trifles!"
The Master hung up the receiver, sat back in his chair and stretched
his long, powerful legs under the desk. He set both elbows on the arms
of the chair, joined his finger-tips and sank his lips upon them.
"I'd better be rigging that vibratory apparatus before long," he
reflected. "But still, there's no immediate hurry. Time enough for all
that. Lots of time."
His thoughts wandered from _Nissr_ and the great adventure, from the
coming attackers, from the vibratory apparatus, yes from the goal of
all this undertaking itself, back to "Captain Alden." The _who_ and
_why_, the _whence_ and _whither_ of this strange woman urgently
intruded on his mind; nor by any effort of the will could he exclude
these thoughts.
For a long time, while _Nissr_ roared away eastward, ever eastward
into the night, he sat there, sunk in a profound revery.
"A woman," he whispered, finally, the words lingering on his lips. "A
woman, eh? Strange--very strange!"
Resolutely he forced himself to consider the plans he had laid out;
his success thus far; the means he meant to take with the attacking
squadrons; the consummation of his whole campaign so vast, so
overpowering in its scope.
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