leasures that for ten years they have seen you enjoy while they
worked here for you. They have worked for you, I say, and now that I
have released them you would destroy them. Aristos, I demand justice!"

For the first time I saw expression on the flaccid faces of the
Council--surprise and astonishment that a prolat should dare dispute
an aristo command. Then a sneer twisted Atuna's countenance.

"What is this? Who are you to demand anything from us? We spared these
prolats because we needed them: we need them no longer, hence they
must die. What madness has seized you? Reward! Justice! For prolats!
As well say we should reward the stone walls of our houses; dispense
justice to the machines. Proceed, prolats!"

Keston made as if to spring for the aristo's throat. I put out a hand
to stop him. An invisible shield of death rays rimmed the platforms
the Council used. It was suicide! But suddenly he turned and sprang to
the master machine. He grasped a switch lever and threw it down.

A long tentacle left its keys and swished menacingly through the air.
"Meron, prolats, under the key-boards!" came Keston's shout. I dived
to obey. Steel fingers clutched my jerkin and tore it loose as I
landed with a thud against the wall. Keston thumped alongside of me.
He was breathing heavily and his face was deathly pale.

"Look!" he gasped.

* * * * *

Out on the floor was a shambles. I saw one snakelike arm whip around
the stout form of Atuna, then tighten. A shriek of agony rang through
the hall. Another tentacle curled about the couch of a second aristo,
pinning the occupant to it. Then couch and all were swung a hundred
feet in the air to be crashed down with terrific force on the stone
floor. Two arms seized the third at the same time....

"Too sluggish to get out of the way in time, damn them!" I heard
Keston mutter. True, but not all the prolats had moved fast enough at
the warning shout. Cowering under the saving key-boards, shrinking
from the metallic arms not quite long enough to reach them, I could
count only a score. The others--but what use to describe the slaughter
out there! I see it in nightmares too often.

A thunder from the speakers grew till it drowned out the agonized
shrieks in the great hall. On the screens horror flared. All over the
world, it appeared, the machines had gone mad. I saw Antarcha crash as
a dozen air freighters plunged through the crystal towers. I saw a
huge