They tied her with line. lisa wanted to do more; Minya knew Dioris too well to allow it. She wouldn't have killed Haryet either, if. . . if.

Gavving watched the carm descend in fire. Patry was talking to his box, too far away for Gavving to hear; but the Navy officer looked furious and frightened.

He caught Gavving watching him. "You! All of you! Stay where you are! Move and you'll be shot. Do you understand? Amy, take cover."

The two Navy men disappeared into the foliage. Presently Alfin said,

"We're bait."

"There's only two."

Horse asked, "Do you really think your friends have the carm? What will they do with it?"

"Rescue us," Gavving said with more assurance than he felt. "Alfin, when it comes down, jump for the doors and hope they open."

Alfin snorted. "You've got to be out of your mind. Look at that thing, you want to ride in it?"

"I'll ride anything to get out of here, if I can take Minya."

"You don't have Minya. Listen, Gavving. I remember you with your eyes red and half-closed and crying in rivers. They make their own weather here! Nobody starves, nobody goes thirsty. It's a good, healthy tree with a good crop of earthilfe. I've got a responsible position-"

"You like it here?"

"Oh . . . treefodder. Maybe I don't really like it anywhere. I took orders in Dalton-Quinn too. I'm seeing a supervisor, a nice woman even if she towers over me. I didn't have that in Quinn Tuft. Kor's a year or two old for the citizens, but we get along . . . and I don't like that box."

"I do." It was Horse who bad spoken. "Gavving, cede me Alfin's place."

The carm was falling straight at them. Those had better be friends aboard! He could only die fighting if they were not. He told Horse, "It's not my decision. Just do what I do, and we'll see what dave says."

"Done."

"Alfin. Last chance-"

"Why?"

Alfin met his eyes. "There's tide here."

Gwen's shriek of terror had started her baby screaming. He was quieter now. Gwen's awareness was in the hands that stroked and patted the child. There was none in her eyes.

The conspirators ignored Gwen as she ignored them. lisa led her back, once, when she tried to return to the huts. They didn't want Gwen talking to the others.

Jayan asked, "Lisa, are you sure you want in on this?"

Jinny wasn't pregnant; Jayan and Minya were qot obtrusively so. Lisa was. She said, "My baby won't be born a copsik either."

The branch shuddered with the force of a tremendous blow. lisa said,

"The second elevator. Karal said two."

Jayan said, "Minya, you've talked to the Grad. What did he say?"

"The Grad said to go up. He'll try to capture the carm. If he can't get the carm-"