They huddled against each other, flesh to flesh. Gavving had no way to avoid eavesdropping when Aim spoke again, though his voice was a whisper. "I can't sleep. Everything hurts."

Glory:"Me too."

"Did you hear groaning?"

"Clave and Jayan, I think, and believe me, they're feeling no pain."

"Oh. Good for them. Glory, why are you talking to me?"

"I was hoping we could be friends."

"Just don't climb near me, all right?"

"All right."

"I'm afraid you'll knock me off."

"Alfin, aren't you afraid to be so high?"

"I ani."

Pause. "I'm afraid of falling off. I'd be crazy not to be." There was quiet for a time. Gavving began to notice his own aching muscles and joints. They must be keeping him awake. . . but he was dozing when Alfin spoke again.

"The Chairman knew it."

"Knew what?"

"He knows I'm afraid of falling. That's why the copsik bastard kept sending me under the branch on hunts. Nothing solid under me, trying to hang on and throw a harpoon too . . . I got even, though."

"How?" Glory asked while Gavving thought, So did the Chairman.

"Never mind. Glory, will you lie with me?"

A strained whisper. "No. Alfin, we can't be alone!"

"Did you have a lover, back in the tuft?"

"Most of us didn't. Nobody to protect us when the Chairman thought this up."

A pause, as for thought. "I still can't. Not here."

Alfin's voice rose to a shout. "Clave! Clave, you should have brought a masseuse!"

Clave answered from the darkness. "I brought two."

"Treefodder," Alfin said without heat, perhaps with amusement.

Presently there was quiet.

Chapter Four - Flashers and Fan Fungus

IN THE MORNING THEY HURT. SOME SHOWED IT MORE THAN

others. Alfin tried to move, grunted in pain, curled up with his face buried in his arms. Merril's face was blank and stoic as she flexed her

arms, then rose onto her hands. Jayan and Jinny commiserated with each other, massaging each other's pains away. On Jiovan's face, amazement and agony as he tried to move, then a look of betrayal thrown in Clave's direction.

From Glory, wild-eyed panic. Gavving tapped her shoulder blade (and flinched at his own agony-signals). "We all hurt. Can't you tell? What are you worried about? You won't be left behind. Nobody's got the strength."

Her eyes turned sane. She whispered, "I wasn't thinking that. I was thinking I hurt. That's normal, isn't it?"

"Sure. You're not crippled, though."

"Thank you for taking care of me yesterday. I'm really grateful. I'm going to get better at this, I promise."

The Grad spoke without trying to move. "We'll all get better. The higher we get, the less we weigh. Pretty soon we'll be floating."

dave trod carefully among citizens who were awake but not mobile. Gavvmg felt a stab of envy/anger. Clove didn't hurt. From the back of