Alfin alone was still down there in the last fringes of tuft. Clave had expected trouble from Alfin, but not this. Alfin was the oldest of his team, pushing forty, but he was muscular, healthy.

Appeal to his pride? He called down, "Do you need claw sandals, Aifin?"

Alfin may have considered any number of retorts. What he called back was, "Maybe."

"I'll wait. Jiovan, take the lead."

Clave worked his pack open while Alfin moved up to join him. Alfin was climbing with his eyes half-shut. Something odd there, something wrong.

"I was hoping you could at least keep up with Merril," Clave said, handing Alfin the sandals.

Alfin said nothing while he strapped one on. Then, "What's the difference? We're all dead anyway. But it won't do that copsik any good!

He's only got rid of the lames-"

"Who?"

"The Chairman, our precious Chairman! When people are starving, they'll kick out whoever's in charge. He's kicked out the lames, the ones who couldn't hurt him anyway. Let him see what he can snag when they kick him into the sky."

"If you think I'm a lame, see if you can outclimb me," Clave said lightly.

"Everyone knows why you're here, you and your women too."

"Oh, I suppose they do," Clave said. "But if you think you'd like living with Mayrin, you can try it when we get back. I couldn't. And she didn't like that, and her father didn't like it either. But you know, she was really built to make babies, when I was just old enough to notice that."

Alfin snorted.

"I meant what I said," Clave told him. "If there's anything left that

can save the tribe, it's somewhere over our heads. And if we find it, I think I could be Chairman myself. What do you think?"

Startled, Aim peered into Clave's face. "Maybe. Power hungry, are you?"

"I haven't quite decided. Let's say I'm just mad enough to go for Gold. This whole crazy . . . well, Jayan and Jinny, they can take care of themselves, and if they can't, I can. But I had to take Merril before the Chairman would give me jet pods, and then at the last minute he wished Gavving on me, and that was the last straw."

"Gavving wasn't much worse than the other kids I've had to train.

Constantly asking questions, I don't know any two people with that

boy's curiosity-"

"Not the point. He's just starting to show beard. He never did anything wrong except be there when that damn fool Laython got swallowed . . . Skip it. Alfin, some of our party is dangerous to the rest."

"You know it."

"How would you handle that?"