Shizala said: "Although it will take Telem Fas Ogdai another day before he reaches Mishim Tep, he will have stopped off at nearer cities on the way and relief might come by tonight or tomorrow morning. If we can hold out until then ..."

"We may not need to if I can borrow one of your aircraft," I said. "It only needs one man to drop from the air on to the Argzoon commander— and despatch him."

She smiled. "You are very brave. But the aircraft motors take the best part of a day to warm up. Even if we switched them on now they would not be ready before evening."

"Then I suggest that you order them to be switched on at once," I said disappointedly, "for the opportunity might still arise and be welcomed by you when it does."

"I will do as you say. But you would perish in a venture such as you contemplate."

"It would be worth it," I said simply.

She turned away from me then, and I wondered why. Perhaps she thought me stupid—an unintelligent boor who only knew how to die. After all, I had offended her earlier by behaving tactlessly and unsubtly. Again I controlled my thoughts. It did not matter what she thought, I told myself.

I sighed. Knowing nothing of the science that had developed the aircraft, I could not suggest any way of getting their motors ready faster. Obviously, I thought, it was some sort of slow reaction system—probably very safe and foolproof, but at a time like that I would have preferred something faster even if more dangerous.

I felt as if Shizala were deliberately hampering me for some reason, as if she did not want me to put my plan into operation. I wondered why.

Darnad now put down the trumpet and clapped me on the shoulder. "Do you want to come with me?"

"Willingly," I said. "You must tell me how I can be most useful."

"I was unsure of you yesterday," he said with a smile. "But that is not true today."

"I'm glad. Farewell, Shizala."

"Farewell, sister," said Darnad.

She replied to neither of us as we left. I wondered if I had offended her in some way. After all, I was unfamiliar with the customs of Vashu and might have done so unknowingly.

But there was no time for such speculation.

Soon the walls of the city were shaking again to another Argzoon attack. I helped with the siege weapons, tipping cylinders of flaring fat down on the attackers, hurling stones on them, flinging their own javelins back into their ranks.