The Eighth Tribe, 1976 (3. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1976-06-01 / 6. szám
June, 1976 THE EIGHTH TRIBE LIEUTENANT (faking amazement) Commander! KOVATS There is always a price — I know. LIEUTENANT Now, you sound like a merchant, Commander. First of all, allow me to ask: are you really interested, Sir? KOVATS Give me this battle, give me victory, and in return: LIEUTENANT (interrupting him) a word, a simple idea: KOVATS (rapidly) Anything, LIEUTENANT LOYALTY! Kovats turns LIEUTENANT Ah, hut you are turning from me. You can’t bear the sight of me. I understand. Like most men, you look at me in the least favorable light. light effects change; we see a tall, slender Lieutenant dressed in his best Sunday black Look at me now! Do I indeed appear so ugly? Forget the paleness of my cheeks, this hollow voice and these pupilless eyes. Look at my hands. Look at them! he holds up his hands revealing his bejeweled fingers are these the hands of a destroyer? No, Sir. These are the hands of a creator. KOVATS Blasphemer! LIEUTENANT (undisturbed) True, not much will remain of what we see here tonight, hut does that matter? Progress is the grave of the old and who knows. . . ? In a hundred years, on this very spot the dwellings of men may court the skies... in 200 years: a trip to the moon! From the tent to the universe! THE UNIVERSE, if you care to set a limit. And all this, not because of the inhuman battles we both despise, not because of any shortsighted speculation on my wickedness, but because of a single idea, a word, your favorite, the word I cherish: LOYALTY! he steps closer to Kovats and loyalty to the cause of revolution demands that your men follow you — and you follow ME. ... (a brief pause) Well? KOVATS Well.. . what do you expect? You steal to me like a thief in the thick of the night. You send off a barrage of words in MY camp... and you expect me to trust you. (at the top of his voice) Why do you think of me as a fool? i with threatening calm) My dear “Lieutenant” you are suspect of a double game! (reaching for his collar) Admit it! LIEUTENANT (trying to free himself) I swear! KOVATS You are about to approach the British LIEUTENANT Certainly not... oh... please... KOVATS Convince me! LIEUTENANT That is easy! KOVATS Then do it! LIEUTENANT having freed himself—and sheepishly I’ve already approached him—this evening, (laughing, wholeheartedly) and he threw me OUT! (explaining) He was playing cards — he was winning. (with a shrug) No hard feelings----------on my part. I’ve yet to meet a man who’d listen to the words of reason while winning at cards, Commander.
