They were in the cloud now: a thick, swirling fog, growing thicker. Jeffer could see the tree only as a wall of shadow. Kendy said, "Turn starboard. You need not steer so wide of the trunk, Jeffer. I have infrared."

The CARM moved around the trunk in a great curve. Lightning flared suddenly aft.

"I have the jungle in view, straight out by five point six kilometers. Straight out, Jeffer."

"I can't see."

"Ventral. Two degrees more. Good. Accelerate. Cut! Rather has the jungle in view. Silver Man, come in."

Rather's tinny voice spoke from the control board. "I see a big shadow, but no detail. They can't see us either."

"They've found you somehow," Jeffer said.

"You're near," said Kendy. "Swing one-eighty degrees."

"I won't-"

"Citizen, I don't know where the men are! What else can we do but attack the jungle itself? Swing around." There was something strange in Kendy's voice.

Jeffer turned the CARM. He half hoped Clave would countermand the order, but Clave said nothing.

"Main drive." Kendy should have sounded excited. He only sounded loud.

Jeffer tapped the button. The CARM surged. His face tried to crawl around to the back of his head. A yellow light bloomed in the mist behind him, and he heard Rather's gasp. He killed the drive, but the yellow light remained.

The harsh bass said, "Done. I'm losing range-"

Clave said, "You kill too easily, Kendy."

Kendy's voice was becoming blurry. "Citizens, you're missing the point. This was a mobile jungle. These happyfeet may have contacts in the Admiralty. They've seen the CARM and the silver suit."

"Men aren't honey hornets, Kendy!"

There was no answer.

Rain drifted across the CARM's main window in drops the size of fists, carried by eddies in the wind. The wood outside was black with water. Inside the cabin it was soggy enough. Jeffer's segment of pond had spread a film of water across all the walls and the cradles.

Warm, dry air blew from vents fore and aft, thrusting the water away from it. The citizens clustered around the aft jet.

Next time I'll pump the water, Jeffer thought. Got to build a pump.

Carlot said, "We saw that huge shadow come out of the fog. It was scary enough. Then five . . . well, they could have been birds for all I could see, except that they were flying toward the jungle and thrashing at both ends. Waving their arms, I guess. It was the bandits who ran away from Rather. The jungle stopped to pick them up."

"They were Lupoffs," Booce said. "I know their clothing. I've met them in the Market. A big family, three jungles, and they'd colonize if they could buy another firepipe. They're crowded."

Clave said, "So?"

"If the Lupoffs find out what happened here, you'll have two jungles hunting you."

"They won't find out." There was no triumph in Clave's voice. Jeffer shuddered.