 After the death of Karfial Hodes…
Red Witch of Mercury By EMMETT McDOWELL Death was Jaro Moynahan's stock in trade, and every planet had known his touch. [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Planet Stories Summer 1945. The pianist swung around on his stool, lifted his black eyes to the gate leading to the street. The Mercurian, his yellow incurious eyes like two round topazes, sidled up. The revolution is scheduled to break during the Festival of the Rains. If it does, the Terrestrials here will be massacred. Jaro Moynahan wiped the sweat from his forehead with a fine duraweb handkerchief. "There is one man; he is the leader, the very soul of the revolution. The Mercurians worship him. He is the rebel, Karfial Hodes. I am to offer you ten thousand Earth notes to kill Karfial Hodes." Jaro Moynahan refilled their empty glasses. The girl started, glanced at the pianist, said with a shiver: "We can't locate Karfial Hodes. "Ah," said Jaro Moynahan; "so that's the way it is." One moment the garden was glowing in light, the next the hot black night swooped down on the revelers, pressing against their eyes like dark wool. Jaro Moynahan slipped sideways from the table. Across the table from Jaro there was the feel of movement; he could sense it. Jaro Moynahan sat quietly back down and poured himself another glass of Latonka. Peet controlled the Latonka trade for which there was a tremendous demand throughout the Universe. Only at night did they emerge to work their fields and ply their trades. If the girl had been abducted, only Mercurians could have engineered it in the dark; and the Mercurians were a clannish lot. Somewhere in those rat-runs was Karfial Hodes, the revolutionist, and the girl. Jaro Moynahan In the East a sullen red glow stained the heavens like the reflection of a fire. The Mercurian dawn was about to break. Once back in his room, Jaro Moynahan stripped off his clothes, unbuckled a shoulder holster containing a compressed air slug gun, stepped under the shower. He had fought in the deadly little wars of the Moons of Jupiter for years, then the Universal Debacle of 3368, after that the Martian Revolution as well as dozens of skirmishes between the Federated Venusian States. Unless Karfial Hodes is stopped immediately there will be a bloody uprising all over the planet during the Festival of the Rains. "There are many of us here, Mercurians as well as Earthmen, who recognize the danger.
 The rebels would be lost without him & disband.
 The rebels would be lost without him & disband.  Albert Peet would lose a lot of power.  The rebellion would win power.  Jaro Moynihan would be paid 20,000 Earth notes.