Chapter 15
The Promise of Haden
Morley and his crew had fared much better. After allowing Tragadomian soldiers to board the Emerald Warrior, the crew had been taken by cruisers to work camps that were located ten miles to the southwest of the Crystal Palace. The camps consisted of high-technology factories and barracks in which factory workers lived. Until the arrival of the Emerald Warrior crew, all of the factory workers had been Noelmians. Their work was closely supervised by Tragadomian engineers who lived at a base strategically located between the work camps and the Crystal Palace. The barracks housing the workers were just a few hundred yards to the north of three huge factories. Two of the factories were used for building cruisers. Weapons were assembled in the third factory. Many Tragadomian guards kept close watch on the Noelmians who worked in this factory. As soon as a weapon was fully assembled, it was taken away by the Tragadomians.The Golden Mountains towered to great heights several miles to the northwest of the Noelmian barracks. Occasionally, a Noelmian who wearied of life in the work camps tried to escape into the mountains. Many of these Noelmians were captured by Tragadomians on flying platforms, but some Noelmians successfully reached the Golden Mountains. These Noelmians would usually join small camps formed by other escaped slaves. Because the Tragadomians had a plentiful number of Noelmian workers, the Tragadomians seldom bothered to venture deep into the mountain range in search of runaways.When the cruisers carrying the crew of the Emerald Warrior landed at the work camps, the witch-captain was waiting. He told his new prisoners that they were expected to build the barracks in which they would live. Once that project was completed, they would be put to work in the factories."You can enjoy comfortable lives here as long as you cooperate," Baalson told the crew. "However, if you stir up trouble, the consequences for you will be dire. My Tragadomian lieutenants and I are not reluctant to execute troublemakers."At the conclusion of his speech, the witch-captain met privately with Morley. Baalson listened patiently while Morley explained that he had come to negotiate for the freedom of the captive Noelmians. Morley gave the witch-captain the papers which detailed the combined resources that several national governments had authorized Morley to offer. After reading the papers, Baalson said, "This is a generous offer, Captain Morley, but Lord Haden and I are not interested. Lord Haden no longer desires to conquer the earth. We want nothing that earth can offer."Morley was stunned by this news. "Perhaps if I spoke to Lord Haden himself, I could find some grounds for negotiation. The governments of earth have given me great authority with which to bargain. Surely there is something that I can offer which Lord Haden would accept in exchange for the freedom of the Noelmians and my crew."The witch-captain shook his head. "A personal meeting with Haden would serve no purpose. Haden has heard all that we have said.""I still would like to speak with him face-to-face," Morley insisted. "Please present my formal request for a meeting to him.""Very well," Baalson said. "Tell me, Captain Morley, where is Peter Landen? I did not see him amongst your crew. Surely he came with you on this mission. I have been looking forward to repaying him for the trustful and cooperative manner in which he dealt with my wife and me on our voyage to Tragadom."While still on earth, Landen had told Morley the story of his trip to Noelm, including the encounter with the two witches who were also taken prisoner by the Tragadomians. Morley knew that he had to be wary of this man, who clearly hated Landen."Mr. Landen is engaged on a mission elsewhere," Morley said evasively."I suppose that he is on one of the shuttlecraft that have been moving around on this planet," the witch-captain said. "My men will soon capture or destroy those shuttlecraft. I hope that Peter Landen is taken alive. I have plans for him.""Landen and all other crew members from shuttlecraft are also under the promise of Haden that they will not be harmed," Morley reminded Baalson.The witch-captain's eyes narrowed. "Those shuttlecraft must have left the Emerald Warrior before Haden made that promise; therefore, the shuttle crews are not protected." "They are protected," Morley said firmly. "Haden told me that he is the Keeper of Promises. You would be wise not to make a liar and an oathbreaker out of him. I have witnessed the power of Haden, and, if I were you, I would not want to have that power turned against me.""I, too, am powerful, Captain Morley!" Baalson shouted. "You would not want to have my powers turned against you either!""If you make Haden an oathbreaker, he will kill you," Morley said quietly."And I shall kill you, slowly and painfully, at the first opportunity!" Baalson exclaimed. "At your first act of defiance, you will lose Haden's protection! I ardently hope that you soon commit such an act!""You are bound not to harm them," the deep voice of Haden came from some unseen source. "The promise has been made. The promise will be kept."The witch-captain was angered by Haden's statement of support of Morley. Baalson pointed at Morley. "Leave me now! Go back to your wretched crew! And know this: if my advice had been followed, you and your miserable ship would have been destroyed in deep space. You only reached this planet out of the mercy of Haden."Baalson stalked away from Morley. The witch-captain climbed onto a flying platform and steered the platform in the direction of the Crystal Palace. He wanted a meeting with Haden.Morley watched Baalson until the platform was out of sight."Haden?" Morley called out. "I wish to speak with you." When there was no response, Morley tried several more times, but Haden made no reply. Haden probably won't speak with me today, Morley reflected as he walked back toward his crew. Perhaps Haden will never speak to me again. If he continually refuses to negotiate, I'm going to be forced to take action.The Emerald Warrior crew had been given tents in which to live until their barracks were constructed. That evening they were served a late dinner. Morley was surprised that the food was so good.The Tragadomians had treated them well. Morley was glad to observe that the Tragadomians who guarded them did not show any indication of having sadistic tendencies. Haden is not sadistic, and they are his children. It is fortunate that they were not developed by the witch-captain, Morley contemplated. Sadism runs deep in that man. Like the Tragadomians, the witch-captain was given his powers by a mighty being. The witch-captain does not receive his strength from Haden, though. I hope that Haden realizes that his captain serves two masters.The next day Morley tried and failed again to contact Haden. Although Morley believed that they could lead comfortable lives on Noelm, he was not willing to submit himself and his crew to a life of involuntary servitude. He had allowed the Tragadomians to board the Emerald Warrior because that was the only way that he stood a chance of accomplishing his mission. Haden would have destroyed them if they had not surrendered the ship.However, since Haden seemed to have no interest in negotiations, a violent uprising was the only option left available for Morley. He was determined to do everything possible to accomplish his mission, even if it meant that they all would be killed in the attempt.That night, speaking in hushed voices in the command tent, Morley and his officers formulated plans for uniting with the Noelmians in a revolt against the reign of Haden and the witch-captain.In his westward trek in pursuit of the two shuttlecraft, Landen had veered slightly to the south in order to gain the cover offered by a thinly-wooded region that extended along the southern edge of the great plain in which the Crystal Palace lay. The trees in this region screened Landen from observation from the flying platforms that patrolled overhead. If he had stayed on the open plain, he would have been quickly spotted and captured.For over twenty miles, Landen ran at a moderate pace. Upon reaching the foothills of the Golden Mountains, he stopped for a minute in order to take a drink from a stream flowing down from the mountains. The water was cool and refreshing.Landen considered taking a few hours of sleep by the stream before proceeding with his journey, but he decided that he would be safer climbing deeper into the mountains and spending the night there.It took three hours of hard climbing to reach a plateau high in the mountains. Unknown to Landen, the two shuttlecraft which he sought were on another plateau just two miles to the south of the plateau on which he camped that night.A great weariness had come upon Landen shortly before he reached the plateau. He began to regret not resting for a longer period down by the stream. I didn't expect to tire so soon, Landen thought as he slumped to the ground. It would have been good if I had been able to get a few miles further west tonight.Landen fell into a deep and troubled sleep during which he had many nightmares. When he awoke, he could tell by the position of Noelm's sun that it was afternoon."I didn't intend to sleep for so long!" he said aloud. "I've been asleep for at least fourteen hours! How could I have done that?"He rose to his feet and started walking to the western edge of his plateau. From that vantage point, Landen could look down to see the land which he would traverse that day. As soon as he began walking, though, Landen became extremely dizzy and collapsed to the ground.He gingerly got back up. Landen was able to walk, but the dizziness persisted."What's wrong with me?" he mumbled. "I wasn't badly injured in the fight with the Tragadomians. My hand was severely bruised. That wouldn't account for this general feeling of weakness, though." Landen felt his forehead and found that he was burning with a fever.His thoughts became clearer. The water! The water that I drank from that stream must have been impure. I caught a virus from the water. Even the water, the lifeblood of a planet has been contaminated on Noelm. Everything here must be purified.Landen stumbled down the western slopes of the mountain. He was fortunate to have reached a high plateau before the fever struck because he could not have climbed in that condition.He became steadily worse as he staggered along narrow ledges. On one occasion, Landen caught himself just before he would have tumbled into an abyss.As he came down into the western foothills, Landen began to hallucinate. He saw giant, black spiders pursuing him. Landen knew that he was hallucinating, so he did not flee from the spiders. Even in the foothills, there were steep drop-offs, and Landen was careful to avoid making a fatal misstep.Through sheer determination, Landen continued to place one foot in front of another. Eventually, he reached the end of the foothills and emerged onto a vast plain.For a few seconds, Landen stood still, wondering whether he had somehow got turned around in the mountains and returned to the great plain in which the Crystal Palace stood. However, he then observed that this plain was different; the eastern plain contained only open grasslands, but this western land was covered by fields of wheat, corn, and other crops.Several hundred yards ahead of him, Landen saw a small, picturesque cottage that resembled something out of a storybook. A large flower garden surrounded the cottage.I must be hallucinating again, Landen thought. This is some childhood memory brought to consciousness by the fever. Tragadomians do not live in individual houses, and all Noelmians have been herded into work camps since the Tragadomians took over.Landen staggered toward the cottage, expecting it to disappear at any second. He ardently hoped that it was real. It was his last chance to reach help. He would soon pass out and die from the fever.His strength was totally gone when he reached the cobblestone pathway leading to the cottage. Landen had to crawl along the pathway.Just as he reached the cottage, the door open. A robed figure emerged. Through his blurred vision, Landen tried to look at the man, but all that Landen saw was a radiant light. Landen then lost consciousness.After his meeting with Morley, the witch-captain returned to the Crystal Palace by means of a flying platform. The Tragadomian guards at the palace shrank away from him as he stormed through its corridors toward the inner sanctum. All could see the anger in his eyes, and none wanted to become the object of his wrath. The Tragadomians had heard stories of how the witch-captain had single-handedly killed the entire war council, rending the bodies to pieces.As Baalson entered the inner sanctum, the Ruler turned to face him. Haden had assumed human form. He stood nine-feet-tall and was arrayed in silver raiments. Haden was still a being of pure spirit, though. He had converted thought into energy in order to give his presence a configuration visible to mortals.The Crystal Palace was entirely Haden's creation. He made the palace out of diamonds that he had forged from coal within the planet.Haden was the only being on Noelm whom the witch-captain feared. Baalson was always wary of Haden's awesome power. Because of Baalson's anger today, however, he spoke to Haden with less caution than he normally used."Why did you embarrass me in front of the American captain?" the witch-captain asked."I did not intend to embarrass you," Haden replied. "I merely reaffirmed my promise to Morley.""You shouldn't have promised him anything. In fact, you should have destroyed the Emerald Warrior before it dispatched its shuttlecraft. There are subversives scattered all around this region now as a result of those shuttles reaching the surface. I will have to track down and eliminate those subversives before they foment revolution.""They are no threat to me," Haden said."You are too wise to underestimate your enemies, Lord Haden. Your kindness clouds your better judgment. If Noelmians had not been on board the Emerald Warrior, I'm certain that you would have destroyed that vessel. You've become too soft-hearted toward your enemies. For many years now, you've allowed that menace, Francis, to live on the western farmlands. We both know that he is a spy for the Enemy. Why don't you cast him off this planet?""Francis is useful to us," Haden responded. "His powers maintain the lands to the west. Products from those lands feed and clothe many of our workers.""We don't need Francis," Baalson said. "My magic is sufficient to keep those lands prosperous.""Your magic is not of the sort that sustains living things. You are skilled at destruction.""Perhaps so, and one day, when you decide that you want to be rid of Francis, you will order me to use my black magic to drive that spy as far from this planet as possible.""That day has not arrived," Haden said. "You should hope that it never arrives because a battle with Francis might not end happily for you. You are the one who underestimates his enemy.""Francis has never felt the fury of Hell," the witch-captain said. "He could not endure it. He would be forced to retreat.""Francis understands both good and evil better than you," Haden said. "We have spoken long enough. Return to your duties."The witch-captain backed away. "As Haden bids."Baalson controls his fury well, Haden thought, watching the witch-captain leave the room. To whom does he give his primary allegiance? Baalson would swear that he was completely loyal to me, but his oaths mean nothing. His primary allegiance is to his master on earth, of course. In order to receive the black magic, Baalson must have abandoned himself totally to the darkness, Haden realized. 
