Paula shook her head. "No. Since it started on Earth ten years ago,
it's wiped out one-twentieth of the population, and unless it's
stopped, it'll destroy all life on our world. But that's old stuff.
Except the government's sending out their best men to Ganymede, because
it's known the Silver Plague existed here once and was conquered. The
inscriptions in Chahnn show that. But they don't say what the treatment
was, or give any hints. However--" She brushed red-gold hair from
her forehead. "Carver and I have planted men in the _Hunter_ crew.
Tough, good men who'll strike out with us into the Black Forest. With
equipment."
"Desertion, eh?"
"Technically, sure. But the only way. Nobody will listen to us. We
know--we _know_--the Ancients hid their most valuable treasure in the
Black Forest. What it is we don't know. We're hoping it'll solve a lot
of problems--the mystery of what powered their machines, what happened
to the Ancients--all that."
"No planes can be used," Garth said. "There's no place to land in the
Forest."
"That's why we want you. You know the Forest, and you know the Ancient
Tongue. Guide the _Hunter_ crew to Chahnn. Then, when we give the
word--head for the Black Forest with us."