After a few minutes, the other part of me – the watching part – saw something moving over by the base of the East Tower, but when I glanced over – without raising my head – I realized straightaway that it wasnt the Dau Marshal. It was a group of our people – about a dozen young women and children – being herded along towards the tower by 2 Dau Fighters. These were the ones the Dau were keeping for themselves, I realized – the females for breeding, the male children to be raised as Dau. Among the young women was Prendy, the other female dogchild, and I could see shede been badly beaten and was struggling to stay on her feet. When her legs suddenly buckled and she slumped to the ground, one of the Dau Fighters stooped down, grabbed her by the hair, and yanked her back to her feet again, then viciously kicked her back into line.

I couldnt watch anymore.

I couldnt carry on doing nothing anymore.

Theyre going to kill you, you know, I said quietly to Glorian.

He didnt respond at first, just carried on watching the Quarterhouse, but after a few seconds, I heard him let out a weary sigh.

Ime beginning to think you want that bitch of yours dead, he said. Youre going the right way about it if you do.

I dont get it, thats all, I told him. I mean, youre not stupid, are you? Youre an experienced Fighter, a Captain---you know what the Dau are like. Theyre not weak, are they? Theyre not going to just lie down and —

You think you know everything, dont you? he said, his voice suddenly cold and hard.

I know what the 3 of you are trying to do.

He turned to me. Yeh? And whats that then?

Youre taking out everyone on either side whose got any power – Hensch and his Deputy, the Dau Captains, Gun Sur, our Fighter Captains and Senior Fighters, our Councillors---anyone with any authority or influence over their people – youre getting rid of them all.

And why would we be doing that?

Because youre traitors, and you know the price of betrayal. You knew from the start that Hensch would have you killed as soon as hede got what he wanted from you, so youre getting rid of him and anyone else you think might be a threat – and youre making it look as if they all died during the battle – because you think that will leave the rest of the Dau so weak and disorganized that Pilgrim will be able to manipulate them into thinking that it was him who won the war for them, not Hensch---

A sudden memory of Pilgrims voice flashed through my mind as I was speaking – and when Hensch finally retires, or upon his death, I heard him saying, Ile be made Marshal. And since the Dau will have wiped us all out by then, that means, in effect, that Ile be the leader of the entire human race.